Month: July 2012

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for Ablekuma Central, Theophilus Tetteh Chaie has pooh-poohed the New Patriotic Party (NPP) announcement of suspending all party campaign activities in respect of the memory of the late President John Evans Atta Mills.

The NPP Presidential Candidate Nana Akufo Addo last week issued a press statement indicating he had halted all his campaign activities and indeed returned to Accra from the hinterlands in the Western Region where he was vigorously campaigning to mourn with the families and friends of the late President.

Additionally he has asked the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) to postpone his scheduled encounter with the institute to a later date, as he was to take his turn at the IEA Presidential encounter debate on Tuesday 31st July 2012.

A funeral service for the late President Atta Mills is expected to be held from the 8th to 10 of August 2012 at a venue yet to be determined.

However speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme on Monday, Hon. Tetteh Chaie stated that the NPP’s claim cannot be true as brisk political campaigning is ongoing in certain parts of the country.

“This is not genuine, it is false, this people are not honest, I’m aware campaigning is going on at least in my constituency Ablekuma Central and so no one can convince us the NPP is respect of the memory of Prof. Mills has stopped all political campaigns.

Hon. Tetteh Chaie noted that the rescheduling of Nana Akufo Addo’s IEA programme is nothing to be fussical about as the IEA itself would have postponed the programme just as others have been done judging by the mournful mood of the entire country.

Kwadwo Anim/Ghanamps.gov.gh

Members of Parliament on Tuesday suspended sitting to console former First Lady Ernestina Naadu Mills at her residence, as part of the one week celebration of the death of President John Evans Atta Mills in Accra.

Mr Cletus Apul Avoka, the Majority Leader, who announced the suspension on the floor of the House immediately sitting began, said some members had already left the House earlier to console the relatives of late President Mills at Otuam, his hometown in the Central Region.

He said they were expected to return to the House to observe the minute’s silence at 1415 hours, the exact time President Mills passed on at the 37th Military Hospital on July 24.

Parliamentary choir would treat members and staff with music in honour of the late President Mills.

GNA

Lawyers for incarcerated Bawku Central Member of Parliament have served notice they will appeal the MP’s conviction.

Mr Adamu Dramani was convicted and sentenced to two years imprisonment for each of the three counts of perjury, deceit of a public officer and false declaration of office Tuesday. The sentences are to run concurrently.

He was immediately whisked away to start his prison term.

Lead lawyer for the jailed MP, Mr Yonny Kulendi said there were sufficient grounds to launch an appeal.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show Monday, Mr Kulendi said there were a number of contradictions and inconsistencies in the judgment delivered by Justice Charles Quist at the Fast-Track High Court.

For instance, he said even though the judge questioned the integrity of one Stanley Opoku whose services the jailed MP procured to work on his renunciation of his British citizenship, he proceeded to sentence.

Mr Kulendi, who said he had absolute faith in the qualification of Mr Opoku, said it was curious that the judge would proceed to punish the MP despite his own suggestion the man whose services Mr Dramani engaged was questionable.

More soon.

Parliament has postponed its date for recess from the initial 27th July 2012 to Thursday 16TH August 2012 to enable the House discharge its constitutional obligations.

The House had intended to rise at the end of July to enable the Members of Parliament visit their various constituencies to finalize their campaign strategies and programmes in readiness for the upcoming December general elections which promises to be keenly contested.

But the itinerary for the campaigns of the MPs will have to be varied as their work in Parliament is yet to be fully prosecuted.

For instance parliament will have to pass the Constitutional Instrument (C.I) establishing the new constituencies which were recently laid in Parliament which requires 21 sitting days before it will be approved.

The extension of the date has become necessary especially to enable Parliament also discharge its constitutional duty of approving the candidate who will be nominated for the position of Vice President which is yet to be done.

The position of vice president became vacant following the death of the late President Professor John Evans Atta Mills on Tuesday 24th July 2012, after which the former Vice President John Mahama was sworn in as the new President creating a vacuum in the Vice Presidential position.

Kwadwo Anim/Ghanamps.gov.gh

XYZ News can confirm that President Mahama has finally settled on who will be his Vice President for the next five months.

XYZ News can also confirm that President Mahama will present the name to Parliament tomorrow Tuesday July 31 for scrutiny and approval.

Under Ghana’s 1992 Constitution, the Vice President who is sworn in as President by Parliament following the death of a President is to nominate a candidate to be endorsed by Parliament as Vice President.

Several names have been speculated as possible candidates. They include Trades Minister Hannah Tetteh, Chairman of the National Development Planning Commission PV Obeng, Ghana’s longest serving former Finance Minister Kwesi Botchwey and former NDC Flagbearer-Aspirant Ekwow Spio Garbrah.

Other names making the rounds include local government minister Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, CEO of the National Health Insurance Authority Sylvester Mensah, former Flagbearer of the National Reform Party Goosie Tanoh and Lands Minister Mike Hammah.

XYZ News can however report that President Mahama’s choice of Vice President is highly likely not to be any of the names speculated.

XYZ News sources within the Castle say President Mahama is likely to go in for a compromise candidate.

President Mahama is a Northern Christian and by convention, may likely choose a Southern Muslim to balance the scales.

Source: Radioxyz

The Leadership of Parliament has paid former First Lady Ernestina Naadu Mills to console her over the dead of her husband former President Atta Mills who died 24 July 2012.

The group was made up of leadership of both sides of the House and chairpersons of the 10 regional caucuses.

The Majority Leader Cletus Avoka who was the first to speak said, he received the news of the death of the ex -President with shock since earlier on the day that the president died parliament received communication that the Professor Mills was to travel to Nigeria only to hear of the unfortunate new late that afternoon.

He also described professor Atta Mills as a friend of Parliament and has been in the House four times since his assumption of power and has worked effectively with Parliament.

Hon. Avoka advised the former First Lady to be consoled and have faith in God as he does what is good in his own sight.

The Minority Leader Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu on his part expressed similar sentiments and pledged parliament‘s support and cooperation in this difficult time of mourning until the ex- President is finally laid to rest.

Kwadwo Anim/GhanaMps.gov.gh

President John Dramani Mahama on Thursday commended Parliament for the quick and smooth transition of power after the death of President John Evans Atta Mills last Tuesday.

“I want to particularly commend the Speaker for providing me with the calming effects to go for the swearing-in as I initially found it difficult to come to terms with the death of the late President,” he said.

President Mahama said this when Mrs Joyce Bamford-Addo, Speaker of Parliament, led a delegation from Parliament to call on him at the Castle, Osu.

Mrs Bamford-Addo, accompanied by Edward Doe Adjaho, first Deputy Speaker and Mr Jones Kugblenu, Director of Public Affairs, was at the Castle to congratulate President Mahama on his new responsibility as President of Ghana.

President Mahama was sworn in on Tuesday night following the death of President Mills at the 37 military Hospital earlier in the day.

He said although Parliament was not a new place for him, he felt traumatized and could have found it difficult to go in for the swearing-in ceremony, but for the encouragement of the Speaker and other Members.

He promised to institutionalize peace and unity, the key values that late President Mills had left for the nation.

Mrs Bamford Addo said although the death of President Mills was traumatizing and irreplaceable, they in Parliament were hopeful that

President Mahama would be able to continue with the good work that his predecessor had embarked on.

Communications Director of the New Patriotic Party, Nana Akomea has accused the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the ruling NDC of disrespecting the memory of the late President John Evans Atta Mills by nominating a flagbearer to replace him within the first week of mourning him.
“Why can’t you [NDC NEC] wait for the first week to pass and allow the flags to be flying at full mast before you nominate a flagbearer and set a date for congress – you have disrespected the memory of the president,” he said on Metro TV Good Morning Ghana Show on Friday.

The NEC of the NDC met on Thursday and nominated President John Dramani Mahama as its flagbearer for the December elections, following the demise of its flagbearer, President Mills on Tuesday July 24, 2012, just two days earlier.

The meeting was covered live by some electronic media, and Nana Akomea said that was unfortunate, because it opens up the NDC for political debate at a time when everyone is mourning the late president.

Nana Akomea said it would have been understandable if the NEC meeting had focused on who is to visit the wife and family of the late president and how to proceed with his funeral, “but you have not done that – the family says you have not sent anybody to them and you are already deciding who succeeds him.”

He said even they [NPP], the opponents of the NDC, have suspended all their press conferences scheduled for this week, in honour of the memory of the late president so they were taken aback by what the NDC NEC did on Thursday.

The NPP Communication Director argued that it was because of what the NEC did that foot soldiers of the NDC have started lobbying in earnest for who should be the running mate of the President John Mahama, which the NDC executive themselves have criticized.

But in a quick rebuttal, Deputy Minister of Information, Samuel Okudjeto-Ablakwa insisted that the NEC meeting was quiet and solemn, devoid of any political undertones, adding that it was necessary to prevent any lobbying for the flagbearership the way people are lobbying for the running mate position.

He insisted that in the same way the country could not wait for the late President to be mourned sufficiently before swearing in his vice as president, it was also necessary for the NDC to quickly refocus the party in one direction before people start confusing the rank and file with their lobbying.

Samuel Okudjeto Ablakwa said the party executive is very much unhappy about the lobbying going on right now for the position Vice President and running mate, adding that it is embarrassing to find foot soldiers lobbying for people who may not even be privy to those lobbies.

“The NEC is going to step in and stop all these foot soldier activity because the Constitution is very clear on whose duty it is to select a Vice President and a running mate, and none of those lobbying are included in that category of persons,” he said.

myjoyonline.com