Category: General

Giant currier service provider, DHL at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) on Tuesday morning refused to accept the Suhum lawmaker, Fredrick Opare Ansah’s   Ghana card as a form of recognized Ghanaian Identification Card.

A lady, whose name is withheld for now, told the lawmaker in the face that DHL does not accept Ghana card as part of recognized ID when it was his turn to pick up a parcel and the lady asked for his ID.

In an interview with Fredrick Opare Ansah on the incident that occurred on Tuesday morning, he noted that he expect DHL to have their legal outfit advice them because the law is clear as far as anything that requires identification is concerned.

“Ghana card is as good as form of identification, I have traveled to Cote d’Ivoire without a passport, I use my Ghana card, I was allowed entering. I cannot understand within Ghana doing a transaction DHL will say they will not accept this card”, he lamented.

Mr. Frederick Opare Ansah further noted that it is not right, as the National Identification Authority Act 2006 Act 707 section 2 sub-sections 3 says “in any matter that you need to provide Identification”.

“The Ghana card suffices when you ask me for my ID and I provide my Ghana card it should suffice”.

On the issue of other institutions like some banks refusing the Ghana Card as a form of identification, the Suhum lawmaker indicated that he has not had such an experience, more so in this age of technology and electronic banking mobile money, where you do not need to be at the bank physically, “It should be clear to all institutions that requires one form of identification, just as they take steps to install verifications systems and channel to the passport  office,  Driver and  Vehicle  Licensing Authority (DVLA) and others, it is imperative that they establish systems to the National Identification Authority (NIA) .

So when I present my Ghana card you can verify the authenticity of the card that I am presenting to you, “you cannot give me any excuse that you cannot accept the Ghana card because that will be breaching the law”.

Again, the law is the law, once passed and assented to by the President it becomes law, in the case of NIA  2006 the Legislative Instrument (LI) came into being 2012 and we are all aware that since President Nana Akufo-Addo came to power in 2017 the NIA has been up and doing.

“It is now rolling out a nationwide registration exercise so are we saying all those people government has spent tax payers money on in registration for Ghana card, when they turn up at DHL they have to go back and look for their passport, Voters ID and drivers licenses before they are served, that is not acceptable”, he lamented.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Former National organizer of the NDC Kofi Adams has stated in an interview that the “boot for boot and all die be die” mantra would not scare the average voter from voting come December 2020.

Mr. Adams was responding to questions of the NDC’s talk of plans of election rigging by the ruling party as well as the “boot for boot, and all die be die” mantra that people believe may deter voters from coming out to vote.

As to whether the party’s complain of the chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Jean Mensah couple with the above reasons will not result in lower turn out, he said, “not at all, we are only telling Ghanaians their votes should be protected this time around every vote will count”.

“Nobody should think he or she will go and vote and someone will be declared winner through an electronic fault no, every vote will count in 2020”

Mr. Kofi Adams assured voters they should not be afraid and also think that they are going to waste their vote because Jean Mensah is the EC chair and the New Patriotic Party (NNP) is in government.

“Note that the vote you are going to cast for NDC will count, it will count for NDC to be victorious, we will only be victorious if you go and vote for NDC  and do not stay away, thinking that your vote will not count, we are only assuring Ghanaians”.

He made this remarks when Dome/Kwabenya constituency organized a day to celebrate the branches for their hard work in the constituencies and was organized on Wednesday, by Elikplim Akrugu a likely aspiring Parliamentary candidate.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Only twelve Members of Parliament were on the floor of the House to start business of the House on Thursday 2nd of May 2019.

Speaker of Parliament Professor Aaron Michael Oquaye entered the chamber exactly 10:00am for proceedings of the day to start. But it was only after fifteen minutes before other MPs started trickling into the chamber when the Speaker had finished with the votes and proceedings of the day.

As at 10:20am there were only twenty (20) MPs on the floor of the House Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu raised issues with the absence of Ministers on the floor, with the exception of Roads and Highways Minister Kwesi Amoako Atta who was on the floor.

“We are in an emergency recall, where are the Ministers? They should take this recall meeting serious, we were recall for emergency sitting but the Ministers are not here”.

Professor Aaron Michael Oquaye, who was not happy with the development cautioned Ministers to accordingly take the recall serious.

Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu  not happy with the issues raised by his colleague the Minority Leader wanted to challenge the assertion that Ministers were not taking the recall serious when they had business to perform on the floor. But the Speaker admonished the Majority Leader not to argue with him on the issue because he gave a caution which goes to the House.

As at the time of filling this story at 11:27am we had thirty five (35) MPs on the floor of the House working on the Companies Bill which was at the consideration stage, the main reason for the emergency recall.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Former National Organizer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Kofi Adams has dismissed assertion that the party is desperate for power ahead of the 2020 and shouting on roof top of possible rigging of the 2020 elections.

According to the former National Organizer it is not the NDC that is desperate for power but the country is desperate for change and that can only happen through the largest opposition party.

He pointed out in an interview that NDC as a party is putting its house in readiness for the desperate change Ghanaians are yearning for in 2020.

“Seriously speaking nothing is happening in the country, it is all hopelessness and depression, you see it everywhere and in everything all they are doing is to further destroy the foundation we left”, he lamented.

Again, Ghanaians have come to this conclusion, it is not NDC, rather Ghanaians are saying we are in a desperate situation they need us back, that is the message we are getting from Ghanaians, he added.

Mr. Kofi Adams further revealed that haven stepped down as National organizer of the party, that have afforded him the time to go round the country to do things he use to do in the past.

“I have spoken to young people in industry along the spintex road, they tell you they went all out against the NDC thinking that they were not business friendly that was their claim, but they have realized that they made a big mistake. This guy’s (NPP) are destroying virtually everything we have worked and toil for over the years; these are testimonies coming from people who have never voted for us”.

As to what the sample size is, he noted that there is no need for him to give one, but he has spoken to people and these business leaders are saying they will speak to their employees to vote differently.

When questioned if he is not conjecturing, he said, “when they take me to their company yard and show me what is going on people tell me the charges are high as importers, but government goes round telling people they have reduced taxes”.

In addition, the energy sector where you have current Minister Amewu and Dr. Amin established, African Center for Energy Policy (ACEP) they are taking them on for doing so many things wrong.

Also Ghanaians are seeing the mess up in the educational sector, health sector, infrastructure everywhere you see messed up situation.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

President Nana Akufo-Addo on Monday, the 29th of April 2019 accepted the resignation letter of Minister of State at the office of the President Rockson Bukari.

Mr. Rockson Bukari reached this decision based on a tape circulating in the media and had taken the decision to resign in order not to allow the tape disrupt the focus of government in delivering on its mandate.

This was contained in a media release singed by the Director of Communications at the Presidency Eugene Arhin.

“As a matter of principle having exercised judgment contrary to what I have known you to stand for and require of your servants in running the country”, contained in the resignation letter.

The President wished him well in his future endeavors as he accepted the resignation letter.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Member of Parliament for Afraim Plains North, Betty Krosbi Nana Afua Mensah is demanding answers to the kidnapping/arrest of nine members all (men) from her constituency and explanation to their offense.

According to the Afraim Plains North lawmaker, over the weekend Saturday 27th April 2019 between the hours of 11:00am and 2:00pm a speed boat made up of military, police and a white lady invaded some communities on the Island in her constituency.

At Edarkpota, one of the communities on the Didja Island which has eight-six communities, without any provocation there was gunshots and the arrest and kidnapping of the nine.

The action by the security men created fear and panic causing women and children to run into the bush for cover.

In a media statement, the Afraim Plains lawmaker is lamenting over the where about of the seven children who escaped into the bush and cannot be traced twenty-four hours after the incident.

She noted that the affected parents are worried about the where about of their children and in a state of anxiety.

Whiles effort by the lawmaker for the constituency has yielded no result, she appealed to the Police High command of both the Eastern and National to intervene as a matter of urgency to locate the missing children and the nine residents kidnapped/arrested.

“I also demand immediate answers as to who ordered the unprofessional kidnapped and arrest of the nine residents for what offence and reasons”, she added.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Rehabilitation works are ongoing on most of the road in and around Dome/Kwabenya following several complaints from residents and motorist in the area.

A visit by ghanamsp.com to the Dome/Kwabenya constituency witnessed heavy equipment at work on the stretch of road from Atomic down linking Taifa.

Whiles the road network from Atomic down to Kwabenya trotro station last stop has seen some leveling and filling of potholes, waiting for the road to be asphalted.

The road network from Kwabenya Trotro station last stop joining into Ashongman Estate has also witnessed asphalting passing in front of the Member of Parliament, Sarah Adwoa Safo’s House at Kwabenya.

Member of Parliament for Dome/Kwabenya had earlier assured her constituents to be patient and remain calm since she was on course in fixing the road network in localities that are in deplorable states.

According to her even though some works have already started on the Taifa Haatso roads, the remaining road networks in the constituency would also have some improvement.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Member of Parliament for Anlo, Clement Kofi Humado has said the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission is putting in place measures to tackle youth unemployment in the sub-region.

According to the Anlo lawmaker and a representative of Ghana to the community Parliament, certain governments within the sub-region have not put in place institutional arrangements to deal with issues of accessing finance.

“Unemployed youth are getting desperate and a lot of them are getting across to Europe, with high mortality along the way and has become a disgrace to governments in West Africa, as unemployment has reduce the youth  to taking such perishable journeys”, he lamented.

He made this remarks after attending two joint delocalized meetings of the ECOWAS Parliament in Guinea Conakry, where committee on Education Science and Technology and Information Technology met for this meeting.

Mr. Clement Kofi Humado further added that, the theme: (Add the theme) was relevant because, it touched on contributions of Small Medium Enterprise (SMEs) to reducing unemployment particularly among the youth in West Africa.

“Sixty percent of our populations are youth, if you add the children they are seventy percent of our population, a large section of this youth are unemployed meanwhile we have the potentials of creating jobs”. This is what the ECOWAS commissions want to tackle head on all fronts and the immediate target group is the SMEs.

“Due to lack of capital we cannot rely on, heavy industries to generate these jobs for our youths, some of these heavy industries are using labor serving devices to work, the area we think we can make impact is with the SMEs that produce hand crafts, small machines”.

In Ghana for example SMEs contribute fifty-five (55) percent of the National Gross Domestic Product GDP that is SMEs in Agriculture, Trade and Industry together they contribute about 55 percent of the GDP most of them are not identified and recognised because they belong to the informal sector.

“Our trip to Guinea Conakry, we sought to know from them if government itself had put policies in place to promote SMEs, and try to look at various countries in the sub-region. We brought resource persons to speak on the subject matter”.

He further added that Ministers and Chief Directors from their host country, came to speak on measures put in place to address the youth unemployment likewise a resource person from the Commission, “it was an interesting meeting”, he said.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

President Nana Akufo-Addo has commended the Speaker of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament, Mustapha Cisse Lo for getting personally involved in bringing the institution closer to the door steps of the people.

According to President Akufo-Addo it has always been his view that one handicap the continental project of unity has faced is the fact that there has not been bottom up involvement of the process and has been very much of the politicians. He called for the involvement of the ordinary people within the West African sub-region.

He made this remarks when the Speaker Moustapha Cisse Lo called on him at the presidency on Wednesday evening with section of the lawmakers with the community Parliament.

“It is good we have a Speaker who is going round himself introducing yourselves to the various leaders holding conclaves in various countries, it’s a way of strengthening and empowering the attachment of our people to the community Parliament”.

Again, he commended the Speaker for the meeting that was held in Dakar Senegal, all in the effort to gather more momentum for the single currency.

“It is sad that decisions taken by ECOWAS community are not followed to the later, on the issue of remuneration of the community MPs, if our boss President   Muhammadu Buhari says he is going to bring it up I am very confident about that in our next meeting”.

President Nana Akufo-Addo told the visiting Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament he will have the support of Ghana in the crusade to get remuneration for MPs and pointed out that he expects to see the Speaker and his team in Ghana another time.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com