Category: Politics

Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the NPP’s flag-bearer is not under any pressure to announce his running mate.

Mr Dan Kwaku Botwe, Chairman of the 2024 National Campaign Committee of the NPP, who stated this, said the flag-bearer, who is also the sitting Vice President of Ghana, would announce his preferred candidate for the running mate position at the right time.

Speaking to journalists in Kumasi after inaugurating the Ashanti Regional campaign team, Mr Botwe said no candidate had been mentioned yet.

‘We have not mentioned a particular candidate, and no such discussion had come up but finding a running mate had never been our problem.

‘It has never been contentious issue for us,’ he stated.

A section of the Ghanaian public has expressed worry over the continued delay by Dr Bawumia in announcing his running mate for the 2024 general elections.

However, Mr Botwe pointed out that the flag-bearer would announce the candidate when it was time to do so.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Samuel Aboagye, National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentary Candidate for Obuasi East, has donated GHS 25,000.00 to fire victims of the Boate Timber Market in Obuasi.

The donation comes on the back of a recent fire, which swept through the market, destroying the wares of occupants of the market running into thousands of cedis.

Mr Aboagye who was in the company of the leadership of the party, expressed his sympathy and solidarity with the victims and assured them of moving them to the new timber market if the current administration failed to do that by 2025.

‘The Assembly must quicken the process to relocate the Timber market. This must be done to cushion the operators and traders here.

‘If they fail to do this, an NDC government in future will make it a point to relocate them immediately.’

To add value to the byproducts of their operations, the Parliamentary Candidate also promised to establish a factory to process sawdust into charcoal and plywood as a way of creating more jobs at the Timber Mar
ket.

He said the donation was to ease their plight as they counted their losses and also took steps to bounce back in business.

Mr Aboagye admonished the fire victims to look into the future with hope, urging them not to allow the disaster to discourage them from picking up the pieces and getting back to their feet.

Mr. William Kofi Adzowu, the Constituency Secretary, said the party was concerned about the devastating nature of the fire which had affected their livelihoods.

‘Our Parliamentary candidate has been left worried about the situation. He extends his warm wishes to you and believes that you will be able to pick yourself up from this disaster,’ he said.

Mr. Adzowu urged the Government to adequately resource the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) and other allied organisations to ensure swift and effective response to such emergencies.

Receiving the donation on behalf of the affected traders, Mr. Eric Asamoah, Chairman of the Boete Timber Market Association, commended the Parliamentary Candidate
for the gesture, saying that, it would go a long way to bring relief to the affected people.

Source: Ghana News Agency

By Eratus Ndueh

The fever ahead of the 2025 presidential elections is already around the corner. Opposition parties are reportedly facing difficulties in freely mobilizing their comrades due to strict administrative interference. The mobilization to create coalitions against the ruling CPDM is already promising to be a tight attempt for the powerless Cameroonian opposition blocs.

Cameroon is yet to learn from the political matureness of other African countries like Senegal. The country’s constitutional council showed independence by reversing a presidential decision to hang onto power until December. The election on Sunday, March 24, 2024, of Faye, an opposition figure, far from being a frontline, is an indication that when the people decide, the institutions allow such decisions to cross the political lines.

The situation in Cameroon is different, President Paul Biya has been in power for more than four decades, and is not showing signs of leaving the precious piston even at 91. Recently, Territorial and
Administrative Minister, Paul Atanga Nji, described the political Alliance for Change (APC), led by Jean-Michel Nintcheu, and the Political Alliance for Transition (APT), led by Olivier Bile, as ‘illegal’, calling them ‘clandestine movements.’

The Minister also mentioned that a recent meeting held in a prison in Yaoundé between Jean-Michel Nintcheu and Sisiku Julius Ayuk Tabe, a leader of the English-speaking separatist group Interim Government of Ambazonia, accounted for the decision to ban the coalition.

These threats against the opposition political parties have caused international bodies like the NGO Human Rights Watch to accuse the Cameroonian government of attempting to muzzle the opposition before the legislative, municipal, and presidential elections of 2025.

‘The action taken by the government against these coalitions shows how Cameroonian authorities are acting to close space for opposition and public debate in the run-up to the 2025 presidential elections,’ stated Carine Kaneza Nantulya, Deputy
Director of the Africa division at Human Rights Watch.

Highlighting the importance of allowing opposition parties to operate freely in a country that promotes democracy like Cameroon, the Deputy Director of the HRW called on the Cameroonian authority ‘to immediately lift the ban and allow opposition parties to continue working without harassment.’

On September 22, 2020, Cameroonian security forces reportedly fired tear gas used water cannons, and arrested more than 550 people, mainly members and supporters of opposition parties, to disperse peaceful protests across the country. Many peaceful protesters were beaten and maltreated during their arrest and detention.

President Paul Biya has been in power since 1982 and was recently re-elected in 2018 after a disputed vote-counting process. Maurice Kamto questioned the official results and declared himself the winner of the election.

The election of Paul Biya in 2018 however, triggered a wave of political suppression. After the 2018 vote, opposition-led protes
ts took place across the country, and the government responded with harsh repression and the use of excessive force by the police, army, and gendarmerie.

At the launch of the Political Alliance for Change in December 2023, Maurice Kamto indicated that the opposition should rally behind a single candidate for the next presidential elections, scheduled for 2025. Paul Biya has not announced whether he will run for another term but his militants are still soliciting him for his ability and mastery of the country’s affairs to lead them for another 7-year mandate.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

Dr Patrick Ekye Kwesie, a Convention People’s Party (CPP) Parliamentary Aspirant for Jomoro Constituency in the Western Region, has resigned from the party to throw his support behind Madam Samia Yaba Nkrumah, an independent Parliamentary Candidate.

Confirming the matter to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview, in Takoradi, he said his decision to withdraw from the CPP parliamentary contest and subsequent resignation was hinged on his belief that Jomoro needed Madam Nkrumah to prosper.

According to him, as the descendants of the Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, it was important that the Nzema people consciously voted for his daughter as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Jomoro to help protect and preserve the memory of the first President of Ghana.

‘This will enable Samia to leverage Kwame Nkrumah’s influence around the world to drive investments to Jomoro, leading to rapid development and sustainable economic opportunities that promote entrepreneurship and support local businesses to grow,’ he said.

Dr
Kwesie said he believes that Madam Nkrumah had the vision and commitment to improve upon access to quality education and skills training programmes to help enhance the living standards of the Jomoro people.

He noted that: ‘The Samia agenda, anchored on her father’s ideas, also seeks to put priority on developing infrastructure and amenities such as roads, water supply, and electricity, which will improve the quality of life for all residents.’

He said the independent Parliamentary Candidate would strive towards better access to healthcare services and social support programmes for the constituents, while implementing policies that would protect the natural resources through sustainable environmental practices.

Dr Kwesie added that Madam Nkrumah had clear plans to leverage the tourism potential of Jomoro to ensure growth and prosperity for the people.

‘I think with all these and many other plans she has, I have no doubt in her ability to bring in the much-needed development we the people of Jomoro have lon
g desired,’ he indicated.

He, therefore, called on the people of Jomoro to support Madam Nkrumah to snatch the seat from the National Democratic Congress in the impending December 7 general elections.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Multiple award-winning singer Article Wan has dropped his highly anticipated ‘Judge Me’ as he shares lessons learned in the music industry.

The new single, which is deeply personal, sees Article Wan unfolding some turn of events in his life with people being judgmental about his actions. 

The lyrics of the song thus provide some form of respite to people going through the same situation, showcasing the power of music to heal and unite people. 

‘Nobody superb, nobody perfect, nobody be saint, nobody 100% and nobody is too clean. Na who tell you say make you judge me, na you just dey vex me. My brother, don’t be quick to judge me…,’ excerpts of the lyrics say as Article Wan expresses his emotion.   

The music sensation on the new masterpiece goes on to express gratitude for a long and stellar life in an interesting storyline. 

 

Article Wan’s latest single celebrates life, blessings, and acknowledges the challenges that have led to the beautiful moments of stardom. 

  

The new single is currently availa
ble across various streaming platforms, with the video set to be released in the coming weeks.  

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr. Mark Okraku Mantey, the Deputy Minister for Tourism, Arts, and Culture, says local musicians need a domestic digital platform to distribute their music.

He said the convention where Ghanaian musicians distributed their music on international digital platforms did not yield the desired results of increased revenue.

The international digital platforms, he reiterated, were designed specifically to serve the countries in which they were made.

He said this during the Africa Music Business Dialogue, which was held in Accra.

He said it was imperative that the industry players within the music industry deliberated on how to develop localised distribution platforms specifically for the Ghanaian market.

‘I ask myself what percentage our musicians take from international digital platforms. If it is in Ghana that these musicians are getting this meagre money, then we complain, but since it is an international digital platform, we are excited. Even if it is lower, we will still distribute our songs on their platf
orms. We need our own platforms to distribute our music, and I think we need to have a conversation on how we can develop our own,’ he said.

African Music Business Dialogue is a yearly event that brings players in the music industry together to discuss the future of African music.

The event featured many activities, including an exhibition, panel discussions, workshops on the monetary aspect of the industry, and networking sessions.

Mr. Enoch Nana Yaw Oduro-Agyei, Founder of African Music Business Dialogue, in an address, called for a solution-based conversation to develop measures to address the challenges facing the music industry.

He urged the players in the industry to frequently educate themselves about the industry as trends in the industry kept changing.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Justin Kodua Frimpong, the General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has inaugurated the Western North Regional campaign and working committees for the 2024 Presidential and Parliamentary elections.

He charged the committee members to work closely with all stakeholders to ensure victory for the NPP in December.

He said the rank and file of the party must be united and work towards achieving the party’s aim of ‘breaking the eight’.

Dr Kwaku Afriyie, the Member of Parliament for Wiawso Constituency, noted that the internal competition was over and asked members to bury their differences and remain focused on the party’s ideologies to retain power.

Mr Salam Mustapha, the NPP National Youth Organiser, asked party supporters to adopt good campaign strategies to persuade the electorate to vote massively for the NPP come December 7, 2024.

Mr Benjamin Armah, the NPP Western North Regional Chairman, also the chairperson for the regional campaign team, called for unity among members and asked the team
to take the upcoming limited voters registration exercise seriously and encourage the youth to register.

The General Secretary was accompanied by Alhaji Masawudu Osman, Third National Vice Chairman among others.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Network of Women Mediators in Ghana (WoMNet-GH) has been launched in Accra.

The Network is an affiliate of the Women Mediators Across the Commonwealth and the Global Alliance of Women Mediators Network, seeks to seeks to?increase the participation of women mediators in all spaces of mediation.?

It is also a subsidiary of the Foundation for Security and Development in Africa (FOSDA), a regional civil society organisation.

The Global Affairs Canada sponsored the launch of WOMNET-GH, in partnership with FOSDA, Peace Legacy Africa, the National Peace Council, Women, Youth Peace and Security Institute (WYPSI) of the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Centre (KAIPTC), the UN Women and African Women Leaders Network (AWLN).

Madam Diana Asonaba Dapaah, a Deputy Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, who was the special guest of honour noted that comments and contributions on the Affirmative Action Bill had been incorporated into the original Bill and then resubmitted to Parliament.

She underscored that
one of the marks they could leave behind was to endure the passage of the Affirmative Action Bill.

She said countries, which look up to Ghana as a forerunner had passed the Affirmative Action Bill, hence there was the need for Ghana to do the same.

She reiterated that the Office of Attorney-General was ever ready and very supportive for the passage of the Bill; saying, ‘we are going to be your pressure check to ensure that we don’t lose steam.’

She lauded FOSDA’s contributions to the promotion of peace and security in Ghana and in the West Africa subregion.

Mrs Theodora Williams-Anti, a Member of WoMNet-GH and Executive Director of FOSDA, said the journey towards the establishment of the Women Mediators Network started in October 2022, when FOSDA and Peace Legacy Africa with funding support from the Canadian Funds for Local Initiative organised a training on Conflict Mediation for women in the peace and security space in Ghana.

She noted that at the time, their only objective was to contribute as a CSO t
o the implementation of the Ghana National Plan on the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325, also known as Ghana National Action Plan (GHANAP 2).

The Resolution reaffirms the significant role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts, peace negotiations, peacebuilding, peacekeeping, humanitarian response and in post-conflict reconstruction and stresses the importance of their equal participation and full involvement in all efforts for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security.

Mrs Williams-Anti expressed the hope that if GHANAP 2 was well implemented, the women, peace and security agenda would be advanced.

‘We reached out to the Peace Council and worked with the women council members across 10 regions at the time since the Councils in the six new regions had not been established,’ she said.

She said the Network also worked with experienced women experts and activists in the peace and security space and queen mothers.

Mrs Williams-Anti said in recognition of the n
eed to stay together, to amplify the voices and expertise of women in the peace and security space we have decided to stay as a group and to launch this network; stating that ‘once again our friends the Canadians, this time through Global affairs have come to our aid.’

Mrs Janet Adama Mohamed, an international mediator, who formally launched the WoMNet-GH hailed Mrs Williams-Anti’s contributions towards peacebuilding in Ghana and the West Africa subregion.

Hajia Hamdatu Ibrahim Hussain, a former Chairperson of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) and a Member of the Working Group on Women, Youth, Peace, and Security in West Africa and the Sahel (WGWYPS-WAS), said attitude towards the investing in women empowerment was also evident in the current status of the Affirmative Action Bill.

‘Effort to pass the affirmative action Bill has proven futile over the last 10 years. It is the one giant step towards ‘Inspiring Inclusion’, and we wish to call on the Government to Pass the Affirmative Action Bill this year t
o ensure inclusion,’ she said.

Madam Patience Agyare-Ashie, Director of the Women, Youth Peace and Security Insititute (WYPSI) of the Kofi Annan Intenational Peacekeeping Centre (KAIPTC) said ensuring equal access to justice for women, including accountability for perpetrators of gender-based violence and addressing barriers to justice faced by women in conflict-affected areas were among efforts at sustainable peace building.

She said integrating gender perspectives into broader peacebuilding efforts to build more sustainable and inclusive peace processes and outcomes is part of the roles expected from WOMNET-GH, which WYPSI so much shares and supports.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Electoral Commission (EC) says laptops stolen from its stores do not possess the capability to affect the integrity or outcome of elections.

The EC confirmed in a statement on Friday that five laptops were stolen from its stores, and debunked reports purporting that some biometric verification devices (BVR) had been stolen.

The Commissioned explained that an internal memo titled: ‘RETURN OF BIOMETRIC VERIFICATION DEVICES’ was intended for internal asset reconciliation, adding that the Commission placed high value on all of its assets.

‘The memo in question, widely shared on social media, was a routine communication aimed at ensuring the accountability and returning of all electoral equipment, including BVDs, to the Commission’s custody.

‘This procedure underscores our rigorous asset management system, designed to maintain a transparent and accountable inventory of all Commission assets,’ the statement signed by Mr Michael Boadu, Acting Head of Public Affairs, EC, said.

The EC said BVDs were designed
with sophisticated security features such that without the proper activation and official use within the electoral framework, the devices were inoperative.

‘The integrity of our elections, therefore, remains unassailable,’ it said.

‘We want to assure the public that any equipment, if ever misplaced and even in cases of vandalism, cannot be utilised to undermine the credibility of our electoral process due to the advanced security protocols and activation requirements in place,’ the Commission added.

Source: Ghana News Agency