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Ghanaians should not be daunted by frustrations – Joe Appiah

Ghanaians have been urged not to be daunted by the frustrations they are going through as well as intimidations in certain parts of the country in the on-going biometric registration exercises but rather be resolute and go out in their numbers to register.

Justice Joe Appiah, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ablekuma North, made the call in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on his observations and impressions on the exercise.

He said that was the only opportunity for the electorate to vote out the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government from power.

Justice Appiah who is seeking a second term in office as the New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP for the area alleged that some potential voters in some polling stations in the constituency could not get the chance to register for three days due to faulty equipment, especially cameras and described the situation as most unfortunate.

He mentioned those areas as Resurrection Power, Awoshie, Bethel Pentecost Church at West Darkuman, Great Gardens at Kwashieman and Nyamekye Pentecost.

Justice Appiah wondered why the Electoral Commission (EC) would go out to procure such inferior type of machines with all the huge funding provided it and said Ghanaians deserved better than that.

He was of the view that from the way things were going, the EC would have no alternative but to extend the period of registration if at the end of the 40-day period it emerged that through its own technical problems some people were denied the chance of registering.

The MP expressed worry about the apparent lack of security at most registration centres, thus allowing some criminals to take the law into their own hands by intimidating and preventing people from exercising their democratic rights.

GNA

Rawlings/ Mills reconciliation exercise late in the day – Teye Nyaunu

The ‘hard-talking’ National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for Lower Manya Krobo, Michael Teye Nyaunu has described efforts being made by Regional ministers to reconcile former President Jerry John Rawlings and sitting President John Evans Atta Mills as “one in the right direction but late in the day”.

He said he as a Christian is all for the reconciliation of people who have been estranged but was sure the timing for the reconciliation exercise is ill -timed.

Regional Ministers led by the Upper East Regional Minister, Mark Woyongo through a meeting held in Kumasi on Tuesday 3rd April begun a process to find means of reuniting Ex President Rawlings and incumbent President Mills especially as the December general elections draws near.

The two political stalwarts have been on loggerheads not been on good terms over the years and there are strong indications that the Rawlingses may not be part of the NDC campaign during the upcoming elections which will be keenly contested.

Speaking to ghanamps.gov.gh, Hon. Michael Teye Nyaunu who is an avowed critic of President John Evans Attah Mills stated that the issues that have been raised by Ex President Rawlings that has resulted in the rift between the two personalities cannot be easily glossed over.

“ We are talking about, principles like probity, accountability and transparency in governance, and these are the areas where the current Mills administration has failed woefully, if these issues are not addressed I shudder to fear this reconciliation exercise will be successful’’. He said.

He added that “Ex President Rawlings has been insulted and disgraced by young men like the Okudzeto Ablakwas, and given no recognition ever since the NDC party came to power in 2009, now that the party has realized election is approaching, they frantically finding ways of bringing the two together, is Rawlings an election machine which is greased for use just before an election and hidden somewhere right after?, Hon. Nyaunu asked’’.

Hon. Teye Nyaunu further confirmed his decision to contest the Lower Manya Krobo seat as an independent candidate following what he described as disenfranchising 72 of delegates who would have voted for him in the party’s recent primaries which he lost.

Kwadwo Anim/ghanamps.gov.gh

”JOB 600” to be completed August 2012

Parliamentarians who assume office on January 7, 2013 would operate from the long awaited Job 600 edifice as on-going work on the project is scheduled for completion by the end of August 2012.

Three-hundred container full of finishing materials and equipment for the project have already been ordered and are expected in the country between now and May this year.

The Resident Engineer, Mr Ekow Bentsi-Echill, told newsmen in Accra Tuesday after conducting the Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Mr E.T. Mensah, round the project site that external finishings were due for completion at the end of June 2012 and gave the assurance of its inauguration by August.

When completed, the edifice would provide about 252 offices for the MPs instead of the original 200 to serve the current and anticipated future needs with enhanced provisions for the leadership of the House. Provision has also been made for research assistants/secretaries, among others.

Members of Parliament have since the return of the country to constitutional rule been without offices, a situation which has impeded their effective performance.

The total cost of the project is $62.8 million but due to expansion in the scope of works, it became necessary to source additional funds of $39 million to complete it.

Mr Bentsi-Enchill who conducted the minister and journalists round the project said, initial drawings on the project was limited in scope until some modifications were made and that despite the initial financial constraints that temporarily stalled the project, those difficulties had been overcome.

It was to address that situation that in 2007, the government secured a $25 million loan from the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) for the rehabilitation of the edifice.

The resident engineer explained that the project to house MPs begun 15 years ago and that the new initiative which is being executed by China State Hualong Construction Company to serve as offices for Parliamentarians started one-and-a-half years ago.

Mr Mensah expressed satisfaction with the progress of work even though for him, completion of the project was long over due, for which reason he urged the contractors to endeavour to complete the work on schedule.

He said the contractors and the government had together set up a road map for meeting the scheduled time table.

President John Evans Atta Mills in the 2012 State of the Nation Address to Parliament, promised that the Job 600 project would be completed this year and would be ready for occupation by MPs next year.

Source: Daily Graphic

Ghanaians should not be daunted by frustrations – Joe Appiah

Ghanaians have been urged not to be daunted by the frustrations they are going through as well as intimidations in certain parts of the country in the on-going biometric registration exercises but rather be resolute and go out in their numbers to register.

Justice Joe Appiah, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ablekuma North, made the call in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on his observations and impressions on the exercise.

He said that was the only opportunity for the electorate to vote out the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government from power.

Justice Appiah who is seeking a second term in office as the New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP for the area alleged that some potential voters in some polling stations in the constituency could not get the chance to register for three days due to faulty equipment, especially cameras and described the situation as most unfortunate.

He mentioned those areas as Resurrection Power, Awoshie, Bethel Pentecost Church at West Darkuman, Great Gardens at Kwashieman and Nyamekye Pentecost.

Justice Appiah wondered why the Electoral Commission (EC) would go out to procure such inferior type of machines with all the huge funding provided it and said Ghanaians deserved better than that.

He was of the view that from the way things were going, the EC would have no alternative but to extend the period of registration if at the end of the 40-day period it emerged that through its own technical problems some people were denied the chance of registering.

The MP expressed worry about the apparent lack of security at most registration centres, thus allowing some criminals to take the law into their own hands by intimidating and preventing people from exercising their democratic rights.

GNA

NDC propaganda will not swing votes – Wa East MP

The member of Parliament for Wa East, Goodfrey Tangu , has stated that no propaganda from the National Democratic Congress(NDC) in the WA East Constituency would swing the seat to their fold.

That, he said was because he had an unblemished track record based on which the electorates had kept faith with him and continued to give him the nod to represent them in parliament.

He, therefore, urged the NDC to concentrate on delivering its unfulfilled promises.

Speaking in an interview with the Daily Graphic in Wa, Mr Tangu expressed serious concernabout the slow pace of the implementation of projects in the constituency and added that if it was a ploy to get him out, then the NDC had already lost the elections.

“With respect to the road sector, for instance, my brother, nothing seems to be happening. No new road has been constructed since the NDC took over power. When it comes to electricity, very little has been done. AS we sit here, many of my constituents are alleging that goats and an amount of GHS 30 is taken from them before they are offered transformers, ‘’ the Wa East MP lamented, and said 100 electric poles which were purchased under the Self Help Electrification Project(SHEP) in 2008 are the ones being used by the current contractor.

He asked why the contractor did not purchase his own poles and described the development during the NPP administration as positive and that of the NDC government as abysmal.

Mr Tangu advised his constituents to take heart and stressed “ With the elections around the corner, the light will soon shine upon them when the NPP comes back and I am still the MP’’.

He further called on the people to take a llok at his stewardship since he became their MP and said, “ The development of Wa East is by the people of Wa East and so they must vote for people who are ready to help develop the area’’.

Source: Graphic

Woyome must provide proof of contract with gov’t – Joe Ghartey

A former Attorney General under the Kufuor administration Joe Ghartey has waded into the never-ending judgment debt paid to National Democratic Congress (NDC) financier Alfred Woyome.

According to Mr. Ghartey, under whose tenure the alleged contract was flouted, the dust hovering over the GhC58 million judgment debt brouhaha would settle for good if Mr. Woyome produced the contract document he signed with government.

Speaking on Citi FM’s Eyewitness News on Tuesday, the former Attorney General said “if indeed Mr. Woyome had a contract with the government, the simplest thing for him to do is to show the contract to the entire populace of Ghana. ”

The Esikado-Ketan Member of Parliament explained that a letter which he is purported to have written when he was AG is being referred to as the contract between the then New Patriotic Party (NPP) government and Mr. Woyome. He said the letter under reference was a precursor agreement between government and Waterville and not Woyome as an individual.

He further added that it was categorically clear in the letter that certain procedures needed to be taken before the contract between government and Waterville can take effect, some of which was that the amount of money needed for the construction of the stadia should be in the Escrow Account, then the contract can be taken to cabinet for perusal and further approval, before it goes to Parliament for final approval.

He said these processes did not take place so there is no way Mr. Woyome can hold himself up that he had a contract with government.

The case and the key players involved have been in and out of court several times with fresh suits coming up almost every week since the debate started.

Citifmonline.com

District Assemblies, MPs indebted to MDPI

Some Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies and Members of Parliament (MPs), who presented their personnel to the Management Development and Productivity Institute (MDPI) for oil and gas training, have so far failed to pay for the cost of exercise.

Mr Philip Assibit Akpeena, Managing Consultant of the MDPI, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview in Accra on Monday expressed worry that the non-payment had slowed down the programme.

He appealed to the debtors to honour their part of the bargain to ensure that their personnel took part in the graduation, scheduled to take place very soon.

Mr Akpeena said 89 Assemblies and 46 MPs presented about 3,000 personnel for training in oil and gas and that “none of the MPs had so far paid anything to the MDPI while only three Assemblies out of the number had made part payments for the training.”

Mr Akpeena commended the Goodwill International Group, MDPI’s partners, who pre-financed the training due the non-payments, but said it was important for them to make payments since their personnel would not receive certificates during the graduation.

He said the training has given the beneficiaries expertise needed for the oil and gas industry.

Mr Akpeena said the beneficiaries would be able to create their own jobs because of the training they went through, and expressed the hope that oil companies would absorb some of them.

He said the phase III of the training had imparted “competency base, practical hands-on-knowledge on the respective career areas of the various candidates.”

Mr Akpeena said that the graduants have not undertaken practical attachment due to lack of funds to purchase logistics and equipment for the practical work.

He said: “One major problem that delayed the project delivery and completion is the non-payments of beneficiaries and their sponsors who have woefully failed to pay their 40 per cent cost.”

Mr Akpeena explained that the National Youth Employment (NYEP) presented about 4,000 persons out of about 7,000 people, who benefited from the training, and said the NYEP had paid 40 per cent of the training cost.

He said special emphasis was paid on entrepreneurship training because of the huge unemployment burden on Government and stressed that the training would enable trainees to create their own jobs.

Dr Shaibu Ahmed Gariba, Director Genreal of the MDPI, explained that the oil and gas industry offered a wide range of opportunities for enterprise development, and it could to create more than 100,000 jobs in the next five years.

He said MDPI had created a talented pool where industries could draw experienced, competent and qualified persons in oil and gas to contribute their quota towards improving the sector.

GNA

NDC is corrupting voters registration exercise – Dan Botwe

The Member of Parliament for Okere Dan Botwe, has accused the National Democratic Congress (NDC) party of corrupting the ongoing Biometric voter registration exercise in his constituency by busing foreigners to the area to register.

According to him, the illegal act by the NDC has generated unnecessary tension in the area which has threatened the peaceful atmosphere and also has the potential of marring the success of the exercise in Okere.

Two young men who attempted to register at Adukrom in the Okere constituency of the Eastern region over the weekend ware arrested by the Adukrom Police

They gave their names as Baba Vincent, 23, from Akatsi Abor in the Volta region and Mustapha Sheriff, 24, confessed to the police upon interrogation that they were transported from Accra by the constituency chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Douglas Agyei, to register in order to vote for the NDC in December.

Confirming the arrest of the two to Journalist, the PoliceThe police said on Friday afternoon the two young men arrived at Abonde, a polling station at Adukrom, to register, but agents of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) questioned their identities and prevented them from registering which resulted in hot arguments between the NDC and NPP until the police arrived at the polling station and intervened.

Speaking on the issue on Peace FM on Monday, Hon. Dan Botwe who condemned the act stated that in as much as he remains committed to ensuring a peaceful and successful registration exercise he will not countenance any such illegal activity by the NDC.

He wondered what the interest of the Akuapem North Municipal Assembly (MCE) George Opare Addo was in the arrest of the two young men to have go to the police station to seek their bail, if he knew nothing about the illegality.

Hon. Dan Botwe emphatically stated that the NPP would remain resolute in its quest to ensure clean and fair registration exercise and warned parents to advise their children to desist from accepting money from political parties so as to register for them since he would make sure that anybody arrested would be dealt with according to the laws of the land.

Kwadwo Anim/ghanamps.gov.gh

Mike Ocquaye donates to three constituencies

The Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Mike Ocquaye has donated sums of money and a motor bike to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in three constituencies in the Greater Accra region.

He said the donation to the Ada, Sege and Old Ningo constituencies were to make the work of the party very effective as it readies itself for the upcoming 2012 general elections which is expected to be keenly contested.

Prof. Mike Acquaye while presenting the motor bike to Al- Latiff Tetteh Amanor, the Old Ningo Constituency Chairman in the presence of Constituency parliamentary aspirant, Sylvester Tetteh urged them to make very good use of the facility to travel every nook and cranny in the constituency to campaign for the NPP to be voted back to power.

Addressing the party members at the donation ceremony, he emphasized the need for the party members to trumpet the achievement of the NPP under ex president Kuffour which recorded a lot of development across the country, adding that Ghanaians would experience enhanced living condition under an Akufo Addo presidency.

Rt Hon. Mike Ocquaye who is also the MP for Dome/Kwabenya noted that the NPP was committed to ensuring the better living and working conditions of Ghanaians irrespective of where they come from or their religion.

Kwadwo Anim/ghanamps.gov.gh

Violence disrupts registration exercise at Tafo Pankrono

The biometric voter registration exercise which is currently ongoing across the country was yesterday brought to an abrupt end at Ahenboborano poling centre in the Tafo Pankrono constituency following a raid by some thugs.

About 7 men riding motorbikes thronged the Ahenboborano polling centre and seized the equipment the Electoral Commission (EC) officials were working with and removed the CHIP from the laptop.

The obviously incensed youth who witnessed the incident, also in the process of registering, put up a fierce resistance and managed to retrieve the CHIP.
The ensuing melee resulted in the exercise being halted for the rest of the day.

Speaking on Okay Fm (a private radio station) in Accra on Monday, the MP for Old-Tafo Pankromono, Dr. Akoto Osei who condemned the act by the thugs suspected the ruling NDC party in the area of being behind the unruly behavior claiming that the NDC polling agent vanished into thin air moments before the incident happened.

He stated that the NPP will remain resolute in its resolve not to allow anything untoward to mar the success of the ongoing exercise.

The Tafo Pankrono District Police Commander, Supt. Kwesi Ofori on his part while speaking on the same issue on Okay fm, confirmed the incident and stated that his outfit will not relent in its efforts to bring the culprits of this criminal act to book.

He again warned that the police may be forced to use reasonable force to crash any such persons who have purposed in their heart to disrupt the ongoing registration exercise in the area.

Kwadwo Anim/Ghanamps.gov.gh