Chief of Heman Prestea Commends Prez Mahama For Underground Mine Project

The Chief of Heman Prestea, Nana Nteboah Pra IV has welcomed the move by President John Dramani Mahama to set the pace for work to begin on an underground mine at the community.

Nana Nteboah Pra IV extolled the initiative to begin work on the mining site, which will be run by the Golden Star Resources Limited.

The commencement of work on the mine was one of the concerns bothering the Chiefs and residents in the locality but Chief of Himan Prestea has expressed profound gratitude to the President for paying attention to their plea.

He was optimistic that the underground mining site, when started, will help resolve the unemployment situation at Prestea and also, better the lives of the residents.

He recounted that work on the site was stalled for years due to the fall of gold price, so, the re-opening would boost the activities of the mining companies in the area.

President John Mahama last Friday pledged commitment to commission an underground mine at Prestea, for work to commence on the project.

Speaking to Radio Gold on Monday, he commended government saying “friday was a great day for the citizens of Heman Prestea with the re-opening of the underground mine. That is the first stage of the whole project. And we are hoping that they won’t face challenge that will result in another closure.”

“With the re-opening of this particular mine, the unemployment situation in our catchment area will be reduced. Social economic activities will go up. Mining related businesses will see a major boost in whatever services that they provide in the main mining company. And even within, the family setup, I think that parents will be able to take proper care of their kids, especially those who were affected by the closure.” he added.

He also appealed to government to hold talks with small-scale miners to adopt the appropriate strategies to curb illegal mining in the country.

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

Minerals Commission CEO: Local Authorities Should Take Pragmatic Steps To Address illegal Mining

The Chief Executive Officer (C.E.O) of the Minerals Commission, Bernard Aryee has called on local authorities in the mining sectors to take pragmatic steps to address the issue of illegal mining in the nation.

He asked all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to heed President Mahama’s advice to stop illegal mining.

He told Radio Gold on Monday that the fight against illegal miners should not be an individual affair but a commitment from the local authorities and security agencies.

He urged Ghanaians to coorperate with the mining regulators to ensure that the situation where people engage in illegal small-scale mining, popularly called Galamsey, is dealt with appropriately.

He advised the citizenry to report miners who engage in illicit mining activities to the appropriate authorities because “it is a commitment from them to say that we will not allow it. So that before it becomes too big to handle locally, they will say; sorry, you can’t do it. As soon as you start, we will stop it.”

Touching on President Mahama’s initiative to start work on the Prestea underground mine, Mr. Aryee believed the move will accrue lots of benefits for the nation and contribute to the socio-economic development of the country.

He was of the view that the initiative will generate “further revenue for the local community, for government and eveybody else. And also, particularly, employment and economic livelihood for the people which has been lacking for some time now. So, government is very happy about that.”

He also bemoaned the intrusion of foreigners in the nation’s mining sector.

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

Government Ready To Take Punitive Measures Against Illegal Mining - Alhaji Inusah Fuseini

The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Alhaji Inusah Fuseini has reiterated government’s commitment to bringing sanity into the country’s mining sector by taking punitive measures against illegal miners.

He was speaking in relation to President John Mahama’s directive to Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to take the necessary steps to stop all illegal mining activities in their areas of juridiction.

President Mahama directed MMDAs to ensure that all illegal miners are apprehended and the necessary punishment meted out to them.

Alhaji Inusah Fuseini, in an interview with Radio Gold, said the President’s directive is a benchmark to assess the performance of the MMDAs in curtailing the situation in Ghana.

He called on the mining regulators, district assemblies and security agencies to be proactive in dealing with the menace in order to enhance the socio-economic development of the nation.

He advised them to create a conducive atmosphere to rid the mining sector of illegal activities so as to “reduce the cost of stopping the illegal mining. Being reactive, exacerbates the cost of putting an end to illegal mining.”

He also explained the President’s directive, stating that “it’s one such important directive that has never been given in this country, that is presently given and the President is right on track. And I think, we should always support the directive to be able to succeed.”

“The mine itself, actually, is going to contribute not only to the taxes and royalties of this State, it also going to generate employment for the people.” he concluded.

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

Ghana Federation of Labour Slams Doctors Strike Action

The Secretary General of the Ghana Federation of Labour, Abraham Koomson has slammed the striking medical doctors for their inhumane behaviour towards the Ghanaian citizenry.

According to him, the medical doctors have embarked on strike just to fill their pockets but shirk their responsibilities to patients, something he found unprofessional on their part.

He described the leadership of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) as “confused and ashamed” of their industrial action, hence their demand for a written commitment by government to roll out a payment schedule to defray their 2012 market premium and also address their conversion difference.

The medical doctors have asked government to pledge its commitment in writing, stipulating the measures to resolve the conflict.

The doctors heightened their strike action by withdrawing emergency services to patients but are willing to reconsider their decision when government commit itself in writing to the terms agreed upon by the GMA, Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, National Labour Commission, Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, and other labour unions.

Mr. Koomson, addressing the issue on Radio Gold’s newspaper review, believed the doctors request is a well-calculated move to “save their face by writing this letter just to let the members feel like they are working. But you really, this is complete lawlessness.”

In his view, the doctors are rather “confused about things” and so, appealed to government to withhold their salaries for refusing to render essential services to patients.

He opined that “what they (doctors) are doing, it tells everybody that, now, they have lost control. Now, they are ashamed of what they have done; wanting to kill people just to make money. They don’t understand the work that they are doing. They went there just to make money for themselves, despite what happens to their patients.”

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

Doctors Strike Action Is "Highly Unreasonable" - Felix Kwakye Ofosu

Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Deputy Minister of Information, has bemoaned the industrial action embarked upon by the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) after meeting with government to resolve their grievances.

Speaking on Radio Gold’s “Alhaji and Alhaji”, he described as “highly unreasonable” the doctors’ decision to continue the strike action.

He explained that the doctors expressed dissatisfaction about how their market premium should be calculated but government through negotiations with the leadership agreed on a strategy to remit their market premium by paying an interim market premium to the doctors.

According to him, there is no public service worker whose condition is worse off under the Single Spine pay policy.

He therefore lamented the doctors’ adamant position to punish Ghanaians when they benefit immensely from the policy.

He said though government is taking steps to mitigate the impasse, it finds it extremely unfortunate that the doctors did not heed the terms agreed upon by the labour unions but went ahead to escalate the strike by withdrawing emergency services.

To him, “the Ghana Medical Association has not been fair to the people of Ghana. Indeed, the very people that the Ghana Medical Association is denying treatment are the very people whose taxes are going to be used to pay these monies when the time for payment comes.”

He further said government has met all the conditions of the doctors and was consequently taken aback when the President of the Ghana Medical Association announced that the doctors would intensify their industrial action if government does not address some issues they found pertinent to them.

He however expressed government’s “enormous respect for our medical practitioners. Indeed, government acknowledges the significant contributions they make towards our national development by way of taking care in a very efficient and professional manner the health needs of various sections of society.”
 
Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

Ghanaians Should Adopt The Right Character in The Treatment of Malaria

The Programmes Officer of the National Malaria Control Programme of the Ghana Health Service, James Frimpong has urged Ghanaians to adopt the right character in the treatment of Malaria.

He admonished the citizenry to make the necessary interventions to fight the disease.

He noted that combating the spread of Malaria is a collective responsibility of all Ghanaians and so, hoped the right measures will be put in place to check the disease.

He said, in an interview with Joy FM, that “it is up to the entire population to also take interventions in place and use. I believe that we have done a lot…In the last three years, for instance, we embarked on nationwide distribution of essential treated bed nets from community to community.”

He further stated that his outfit would ensure that every household in the nation benefits from the distribution of treated mosquito bed nets to get rid of the disease.

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

Atik Mohammed Lambasts Olusegun Obasanjo

A policy analyst of the People’s National Convention (PNC), Atik Mohammed has lambasted former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo, for dabbling in the affairs of the nation.

Speaking on Oman FM, he wondered why Ex-President Obasanjo added his voice to appeal to striking medical doctors in the country to call off their industrial action when he has not succeeded in resolving the impasse in his country.

Ex-President Obasanjo last Friday told the doctors to rescind their decision, stating that “no matter how right you are, you cannot shirk your responsibilities as doctors to your patients, whom you have sworn to save. Life lost cannot be resuscitated."

He made the appeal at a special congregation of the University of Development Studies (UDS) in Tamale.

However, Atik Mohammed believes the comments by the Nigerian leader might fuel the doctors’ strike rather than calm down their nerves.

He sought to find out his (Obasanjo) “interest in Ghana”, also asking why he has been suddenly hobnobbing with President John Dramani Mahama and commenting on national issues.

In his view, Chief Obasanjo should concentrate on fixing the problems in his country before he assumes any position to touch on the affairs of Ghana.

“How many times have you helped solve problems in your country? How many times have you made suggestions to make better your country? Your country is surviving on corruption…I find it extremely surprising that this man has found some unholy matrimony with our President,” he said.
 
Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

Deputy Commissioner of CHRAJ: Health Facilities Should Heighten Their Education on The Fight Against Malaria

The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has called on health facilities in the country to heighten their education on the fight against Malaria.

Deputy Commissioner of CHRAJ, Joseph Whittal told Joy FM the fight against the spread of Malaria should be a collaborative effort by the health institutions to get the Ghanaian citizenry to adopt the appropriate preventive measures to rid themselves and the environment of the disease.

He stated that the situation can only be curbed when it is seen as a human right.

He was optimistic the disease can be defeated when the health institutions hold public education programmes and provide information on the usage of the anti-malaria medicines, so as to combat its spread to several parts of the nation.

He said “if our public service institutions are able to put in place sufficient preventive measures coupled with public education and information on how malaria drugs should be used, bed nets and others, I want to believe that we will be able to defeat malaria.”

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

"Legal Team For Petitioners Cannot Humiliate Me Because I Don’t Lie" - Mosquito

Johnson Asiedu Nketia, General Secretary for the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) and a principal witness for President John Dramani Mahama, the First Respondent in the on-going election petition suit being heard at the Supreme Court says he cannot be embarrassed by the legal team of the petitioners when he takes his turn to testify because he does not “lie”.

He strongly believed the opposition will not be a match for him because of his honest approach in addressing issues.

“I speak my mind and say things which some people consider unpleasant. But if those are the truthful positions, I don’t fear espousing them,” he said.

Speaking to Radio Gold, the NDC Chief Scribe indicated that he was ready to face the petitioners’ lawyers and so, expressed no worry over his cross-examination, stating firmly that “every citizen of the country must hold himself or herself ready to testify in any court of competent jurisdiction when he’s called upon. It is one of the duties of a good citizen.”

Touching on the live broadcast of the election case, Mr. Asiedu Nketia, also called General Mosquito, urged the media to expose the petitioners for wrongly accusing President John Mahama of stealing.

He said when the President was pronounced victor in the 2012 general elections, the three leaders of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and their members labelled President Mahama as a “thief”, accusing him of conniving with the Electoral Commission (EC) to rig the elections.

But to him, the NPP 2012 Vice Presidential candidate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, in his cross-examination on Wednesday admitted that his party is not accusing the President of any wrongdoing but rather contesting the declaration by the EC.

He wondered why the NPP keep shifting the goalpost and so, called on the media to “join the bandwagon to straighten these records and then to expose the NPP of trying to accuse His Excellency the President wrongly.”

He therefore questioned the NPP’s logic for casting accusations on the President “if Electoral Commission by your own petition in court are not being accused of stealing anything, how could the beneficiary of their [whatever, assuming without admitting that it is true, how could the beneficiary of their] inefficiencies be classified as a thief?”

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

Malaria Prevalence Rate In Ghana Significantly Reduced

Ghana has made significant strides in clamping down the spread of malaria which mostly claimed lives in the country.

The Manager of the National Malaria Control Programme, Dr. Mrs. Constance Bart-Plange recounted the achievements chalked by the nation through awareness and education of the public to fight against the disease.

Dr. Constance Bart-Plange, in an interview with Radio Gold on the World’s Malaria day, revealed that the malaria parasite prevalence rate has reduced from between 50% and 75% in previous years to 27.5%, due to the measures that her outfit together with other agencies have put in place to check the spread.

She said the disease has been kept at a minimal rate and no more threatening the economy because of the control programmes they rolled out.

She also noted that her outfit in conjunction with some health facilities and Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology have been distributing about 12.4 million mosquito treated nets nationwide with the bulk representing 97% going to various households.

Pregnant women and children are also beneficiaries of this preventive measure.

She added that the National Malaria Control agency together with Anglogold Ashanti have adopted a new method by spraying the environment in order to get rid of the mosquito larvae and ensure that the environment does not become breeding ground for the anopheles mosquito, which spreads the disease.

She was therefore hopeful of the country’s success in eradicating the disease.

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

Law Suit Against GMA: We’re Only Enforcing The Law And Invoking Our Powers Says NLC

The Executive Secretary of the National Labour Commission, Edward Biriku-Boadu has been explaining the Commission’s decision to file a law suit against the Ghana Medical Association for contravening some provisions in the Labour Act.

Speaking on Radio Gold’s newspaper review, he challenged the striking medical doctors to meet the Commission in court to argue their case since to him, the doctors’ strike is illegal so far as the Labour Act is concerned.

He explained that the doctors together with the Commission, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, Minstry of Employment and some labour unions on April 10 this year, held a meeting in which all the parties agreed on a payment schedule to resolve the conflict.

He added that during the meeting, the parties were asked to negotiate to find a way out to address the issue.

He stressed that the Commission has sued the doctors in order to get them back to work and believed the court will be the final arbiter.

He said the Commission is only enforcing the laws and “invoking its powers as conferred on it” under Section 161 of the Labour Act which states that “once negotiations were still going on, the GMA should call off its strike and return to work. On the 11th of April, 2013, GMA actually met with those parties and signed a memorandum of understanding which clearly indicates that the process of negotiation has started and there was the need for them to return to work. While they complied with one aspect of the directive, they failed to comply with the other aspect of the directive; that is for them to call off the strike and go back to work.”
 
Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

Anthony Karbo Explains Dr. Bawumia's AfDB Appointment

Former National Youth Organizer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Anthony Abayifaa Karbo has explained the circumstances surrounding Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s appointment to head an office of the African Development Bank (AfDB) in Uganda.

The NPP Running mate’s appointment was made last month and intended to take effect from April 1, 2013.

Dr. Bawumia, according to a policy by the AfDB, is said to have taken a special leave of absence to pursue his party’s objective in Ghana.

Some critics have raised eyebrows over the appointment, accusing him of betraying the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), especially in a period where the party’s leaders are contesting the legality of President John Mahama’s victory during the 2012 Presidential elections.

Anthony Karbo, speaking on Radio Gold Wednesday morning, expatiated that Dr. Bawumia did not resign from his post at the African Development Bank but took advantage of a policy provided by the bank to seek for a leave of absence.

The leave of absence, he said, gave him the opportunity to partner Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo -Addo, NPP 2012 Presidential candidate, in the general elections but upon identifying some irregularities in the elections wrote back to the bank for an extension of his leave.

According to Anthony Karbo, Dr. Bawumia’s request was heeded which explains why he is in court challenging the declaration by the Electoral Commission, which saw President Mahama emerge victor in last year’s elections.

He denied reports that he (Dr. Bawumia) tendered in a new application and also distributed his Curriculum Vitae (CV) to various companies internationally, seeking employment.

Dr. Bawumia, he said, rather “indicated to the African Development Bank to extend his leave, so he can pursue this inconclusive election of which I took long leave, a special leave, to come and participate…Because, I’m doing this not in my own interest but in the interest of the country and in the interest of our democracy. And also to establish that yes, indeed, there were irregularities, violations, which were statutory in this election that has material effect on the results.”

He continued that the appointment of the NPP 2012 Running mate to head the Ugandan office of the AFDB “is not a fresh application. As far as I know, it is not a fresh appointment. As far as I know, Dr. Bawumia still works with the African Development Bank who is on a special leave of absence and his own right, and a policy within the bank. And so, he is here to contest the elections in 2008, in 2012 and that election is inconclusive. And he’s currently assisting his party and assisting his flagbearer and playing a critical role as a star witness in this matter.”

 Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

"If You Won The Election, Why Then Are You Applying For a Job Again?”

The Managing Editor of the Herald newspaper, Larry A. Dogbe has called on the Running mate for the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the last two Presidential elections, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, to come out boldly on the issue of his appointment to the African Development Bank in Uganda.

The Herald newspaper editor, in an interview with Radio Gold, urged Dr. Bawumia to address the controversy in order to bury it in the ground.

He was of the view that Dr. Bawumia has adopted a back-up plan to secure his future because of the uncertainty of the case they have brought before the Supreme Court, challenging the validity of the 2012 electoral results which was called for President John Dramani Mahama.

According to him, the NPP Vice Presidential candidate surely applied for a position in the bank because a report, he claimed, was published in his newspaper captured Dr. Bawumia dispatching his CV to some organizations abroad for employment.

He took with a pinch of salt explanations that he (Dr. Bawumia) sought an extension of his leave of absence to pursue the ongoing election case before the Supreme Court.

He alluded to some comments made by Dr. Bawumia after the general elections, revealing that he won the election.” If you won the election, why then are you applying for a job again?”

Mr. Dogbe therefore called on him to unravel the truth about his appointment because if indeed he wrote to the bank that “they should still extend the leave and he’s going to come, anyway, and that he’s just attending to the election petition”, then, “it is not clear. They should just come out…This controversy is not good enough. If he doesn’t take care, African Development Bank will just revoke the appointment and it might go against him because people would not trust him anymore.”
 
Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

Supreme Court Live Telecast Is Wrecking The Economy - Mahama Ayariga

The Information and Media Relations Minister, Mahama Ayariga has also added his voice to numerous calls that the live telecast of the election case may impact the economy adversely.

According to him, the live broadcast wrecks the economy and invariably repels investors.

He stated that investors would be enthralled into Ghana when productivity of the country is enhanced but devoting several hours to televise the election dispute before the Supreme Court will negatively affect the generation of revenues for the economy and as a result, pose a threat to the nation.

“This is wrecking the economy…So, clearly, it will have an impact on the economy. It will have an impact on revenues because if there isn’t much traffic on the port, there isn’t much traffic in the economy. The income that will be tasked will not be there. And so, ultimately, our ability to deliver on our commitments and our targets may be affected by these things that are happening.”

Speaking on Radio Gold, the Information Minister also recounted that the NPP’s election petition has put the nation on tenterhooks.

He believed the NPP is bent on getting power at all cost, hence their decision to pursue their case in court even when, according to him, it is clear that nothing went wrong during last year’s general elections.

He explained that what the opposition party wants to achieve is “first, they are trying to undermine the Presidency, the executive arm of government. They are trying to undermine the legislature. And they are doing this in a way that is so contradictory and inconsistent that I’m having a difficulty understanding what kind of opposition we have today.”

He wondered why the NPP did not challenge the validity of the votes cast for its Parliamentary candidates in the December, 2012 polls and rather contesting the legitimacy of the President, when it was the same electoral process that gave the Members of Parliament (MPs) mandate to operate.

He therefore stressed that “it seems to me that they will do anything to get to it, even where it is obviously impossible an approach.”

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

Dr. Bwaumia Should Consider Going Back To His Bank Job - Alhaji Inusah Fuseini

The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Alhaji Inusah Fuseini has debunked claims that Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia is abandoning the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to take up a position with the African Development Bank (AfDB) in Uganda.

Alhaji Inusah Fuseini, who is also the Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, though wrote off the claims, he however advised the NPP 2012 Vice Presidential candidate to consider moving to the bank because to him, the NPP does not have a solid evidence so far as the election petition is concerned.

Speaking on Radio Gold, he said Dr. Bawumia’s appointment is not an indication that he has betrayed his party but “he’s just abandoning the cause of action that they have brought…It’s reasonable. I mean Dr. Bawumia is not a stupid man, he’s very intelligent…He knows exactly the case and where it is going. And I think that this is logical; this is consistent.”

Describing the appointment as a subtle move, he revealed that Dr. Bawumia had already accepted the appointment and would return to head the African Development Bank in Uganda.

He explained that claims that Dr. Bawumia took a leave of absence from the bank to pursue his Vice Presidential career are “because having posted him to Uganda, he is unable to assume duty in Uganda by reason of the fact that he is in court. So, he applies to the African Development Bank for a special leave to enable him prosecute the matter in court. But it is very revealing that at this present time in our history; at this present time that an election petition is being challenged and Dr. Bawumia is a star or key witness in the matter, he has thought it wise…to return to his former job.”

He urged the NPP stalwart to seize the opportunity to head the bank, stating firmly that the move would be “reasonable. It’s logical. He must survive. He has opportunity to come back and contest elections some other day, and some other time if he wins the confidence of his party in primaries or if he is selected or nominated by a Presidential candidate to partner him in any other election. He should not let the chance go by...He should accept it and go.”

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

Executive Director of CEDI-Africa: Elections Should Be Shifted From December To October

The Executive Director of the Centre for Development Integrity, CEDI-Africa, Bernard Ohene Baah says elections in Ghana should be held earlier in order to give the parties ample time to resolve any inconsistencies they perceive during and after the general elections.

Bernard Ohene Baah proposed that Ghana’s elections period should be shifted from December to October because to him, the month of October would be an appropriate period for the elections to be held so as to avoid any possibilities of election fraud.

Speaking in an interview with Radio Gold on Tuesday, he said when the elections are held earlier in October, the parties will get enough time to check the irregularities that occur during the polls, and so, the country’s productivity will not be affected.

He was speaking in relation to the ongoing election case before the Supreme Court.

According to him, the long hours devoted to televise the election dispute and the protracted nature of the petition affect productivity and therefore decelerate the progress of the economy.

He griped about the repercussions that the live telecast of the elections have on the economy, therefore stating that “we should balance it with the need for the country to work and produce.”

He explained that due to the live broadcast, a large chunk of the workers in both the public and private sectors are frequently glued to their television sets and invariably devote several hours to watch the proceedings at the expense of work.

This he stated slows down progress and adversely affects Ghana’s yield.

He was of the view that “elections should be run a bit earlier than the 7th December that we have presently. Now, moving forward, we are sure that challenges will not have to do with which vote is a legal vote and which vote should be annulled. No, it will be down to the numbers…Not a case of anybody trying to say that this vote, we don’t think it’s legal; this one is a legal one.

“That gives us two clear months before a President is sworn-in. Now, with the two months, you are able to resolve all lingering issues. So, by the time, somebody is sworn-in; he has his peace of mind. He has the focus to deliver on his mandate.”

He wondered how the nation can balance the live broadcast of the elections “with the situation where all day, from 10am to 4pm, majority of the citizens are watching TV; watching election petition? It’s a challenge that must be dealt with. We’ve had our researchers going round doing observational studies in government, Ministries, agencies and departments, private sector organizations. And I tell you, everywhere they go, people are watching TV at the time they are supposed to be working.”

He therefore called for a delayed broadcast of the election conflict between the three leaders of the opposition New Patriotic Party and the Electoral Commission, challenging the validity of votes cast for President John Dramani Mahama in the 7th December, 2012 polls.

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

Should The Supreme Court Deliver A 'Blatantly Illegal' Final Ruling; Will NDC And NPP Accept It?

Kwesi Pratt Jnr., the Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, has taken with a pinch of salt the commitments by both President John Dramani Mahama and the 2012 Presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, that they will accept the verdict of the Supreme Court.

According to Mr Pratt, though the parties have pledged to abide by the final decision of the court, it does not suggest that they will accept the verdict if the Supreme Court’s ruling undermines the security and constitution of the nation.

Acknowledging that the court would be the final arbiter in the election dispute, he however raised concerns over the pledges made by the President and the petitioners.

Contributing in a panel discussion programme “Alhaji Alhaji” on Radio Gold, the Insight newspaper editor sought to find out from the petitioners and respondents “if [and I’m only posing a question] the Supreme Court comes out with a decision which is blatantly illegal', would they accept it as the final ruling?"

He also questioned whether they would also accept to end the election brouhaha “if the Supreme Court comes out with a decision which blatantly is not based on the facts before it? What if the Supreme Court comes with a decision which is outrageous? Are we to accept it for the sake of peace?...Are we to accept injustice in the face of clear evidence that the injustice has been perpetuated?”

“What can be done which will not undermine the security of the State? What can be done which will not undermine our constitutional dispensation? If indeed the Supreme Court comes out with a decision which is outrageous and it is possible even for the Supreme Court to come out with a decision that both the petitioners and the respondents will agree it is outrageous; what ought to be done under these circumstances?” he further asked.

In his view, these questions should be addressed by the parties involved in the 2012 election deadlock since there will not be room for an appeal after the Supreme Court has given its verdict.
 
Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

Mahama Ayariga Commends Prez Mahama On 100 days In Office

The Information and Media Relations Minister, Mahama Ayariga, in an interview with Radio Gold, has commended President John Dramani Mahama for the numerous interventions his government has made to enhance the progress of the economy.

He said within the President’s 100 days of administration, he has secured a number of projects and undertaken several initiatives, which is an indication of his commitment to resolving the challenges the country is grappling with.

He recounted some achievements of the Mahama-led government in just 100 days, saying since the inception of the incumbent government, there has been a significant representation of women in various Ministries and other positions.

He also said the President has ensured regional balance in the appointment of his cabinet members.

Alluding to the appointment of Dr. Henry Seidu Daannaa, a visually impaired lawyer, as Minister for Chieftaincy and Traditional Affairs, he believed the President has addressed the issue of discrimination.

According to him, this clearly shows the good work that the President is doing to build national unity.

He further added President Mahama after sworn-in to commence official duties, in 100 days, “set up a government that within a short time that reflects social balance, socially includes all sections of population. And in fact, if you put all Deputy Ministers and the Ministers together and you strike the percentages, you can see that for the first time also; the President has appointed about 30% women into top Ministerial and Deputy Ministerial positions. And we believe that it will permeate to the lower levels.”

He therefore commended the President, stating that “he has done well. In fact, people give all sorts of marks but I’ll say he has done exceedingly well.”

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

Live Telecast Is a “Waste of Time” And Creating Huge Cost For The Nation

A Labour Consultant and former Employment and Social Welfare Minister, Austin Gamey says the live telecast of the ongoing election case is a “waste of time” and creating huge cost for the nation.

According to him, the number of hours the live broadcast consumes is having adverse effects on the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Tagging it as a problem for the country, Mr. Austin Gamey in an interview with Radio Gold, called for the case to be pre-recorded and played in the evenings in order not to interrupt working hours.

He said the live telecast does not add any value to Ghana’s yield and so, has burdened the economy.

He stated that “the clamouring for direct telecasting of these proceedings is a burdensome thing we have imposed on ourselves. Even though it might in the surface look good, if you honestly ask me; I will tell you I don’t see it…Now, engaging everybody’s attention to this particular thing that will surely not add any cedi to our income as a nation when the meat is almost off the bones, I think that I’m scared.”

To him, the election case does not pose any threat to the nation; therefore, the live telecast is only making the nation unproductive.

“We have overrated it as a threat. We have used the media to make it look a threat. It’s never a threat and so many ordinary people who are the key voters in this nation, don’t care too much about what people are making it look as if it’s a major threat. It’s not. It’s not true. It’s the frontline politicians who are making it look like that,” he noted.

He asserted that showing live the court proceedings is “wasting time and time is money. We pay people for the time they put in and now, the time is being consumed at the expense of watching TV over something that is not going to add 1 cedi to anything. In addition, we are in the eyes of the world, not being serious. That is it; we are unproductive.”

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

Korle Bu CEO: Korle Bu Hospital Will Ensure That Patients on Admission Are Not Endangered

In the wake of the intensified strike action by medical doctors in the country, the Chief Executive Officer (C.E.O) of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Professor Afua Hesse has indicated that the health authorities are putting in place some contingency measures to ensure that lives are not put at risk.

Speaking on Radio Gold’s newspaper review on Tuesday, Professor Afua Hesse noted that though doctors are on strike, the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital will ensure that patients on admission are not endangered because of the strike action.

The striking medical doctors have withdrawn all essential services, including emergency cases, until government addresses the inconsistencies in their 2012 market premium and conversion difference.

The doctors who have embarked on strike, for a couple of weeks now, refused to render services to new patients who are admitted into the various hospitals.

But according to the C.E.O of the Korle Bu Teaching hospital, the authorities are adopting a plan to safeguard patients who will be newly admitted in the hospital.

“Cases that eventually get to our doorsteps, we are taking steps to ensure that their lives are not put at risk.” she said.

She however advised patients not to make Korle-Bu hospital their point of call because the hospital “is supposed to be a referral centre. You are not meant to come here as the primary point of call. So, I would urge that they go to the facilities that can give them the primary care that they need. And those facilities can fall in and we can do what we can if the attention that the patients need get beyond them.

“As much as possible, patients should use the facilities that are fully opened but if patients do come here, we will make sure that they are taken care of.”

She also hoped for a speedy resolution of the conflict that has necessitated the doctors’ strike.

“All we are hoping and praying, and working towards is for a speedy resolution of the issue so that both doctors and pharmacists can come back, so that we can render the services that we need to render. Because the issue is not just the doctors but the pharmacists, government pharmacists, are also on strike.”

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

The Supreme Court Live Telecast Is Affecting Productivity -Kwesi Pratt Jnr.

Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper has indicated that the live telecast of the election case affects productivity, due to the number of hours devoted to it by the State Broadcaster.

Kwesi Pratt was very critical of the effects the live broadcast impinges on the economy.

According to him, the live telecast is gradually losing its essence because “people are not sitting down to watch these broadcasts based on their need to follow the legal arguments and so on. It is pure entertainment. I went to one office where there was applause and I’ve been to offices where people are hooting at witnesses and so on. It’s like a football match. It’s like a boxing match…”

Speaking on Radio Gold, he also noted that showing the trial on national screens dwindles advertising revenues and so, believed it wouldn’t be much appropriate for the State broadcaster to show the case when companies need their adverts to roll on the screens.

He wondered how the State Broadcaster, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), could afford to pay its workers when it has devoted all its airtime to telecast the ongoing election dispute before the Supreme Court.

He asked: “What does that do to the broadcasting corporation and its ability to pay workers and so on? Of course, I’ve heard that it is possible to introduce innovative ways to divide the screen into two, so that part of the screen is showing the court process and part of the screen is screening adverts. What a destruction, who will accept that? What a complete destruction and so on. Even if you did that, it will amount to a serious and complete destruction which will not enable the teeming thousands who are watching this case appreciate its essence and so on.”
 
Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

Striking Doctors Are On A Mision To Blackmail Government - Kwesi Pratt Jnr.

The Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr. says the striking medical doctors are on a mission to blackmail the government.

Touching on the strike threats by the Ghana Medical Association (GMA), Kwesi Pratt lambasted the doctors for their shockingly inconsiderate behaviour towards the Ghanaian populace.

According to him, the strike action embarked upon by the doctors would invariably affect the underprivileged in society, hence the need for them to reconsider their decision.

He explained that the government in consultation with the doctors and the various stakeholders in the labour front, issued a deadline to them to address their demands.

The deadline is to fall on Friday, 26th April, 2013.

He therefore wondered why the doctors are in a haste to intensify their strike action, days before the deadline they together with government have agreed on.

“I don’t why the doctors could not wait for four days and have decided to embark upon this kind of action which will have very dire consequences, especially for the poor.”

He found it unfortunate that the doctors would flout their agreement with government regarding the payment of their 2012 market premium and rectifications in their conversion difference.

“Initially, many of us were sympathetic to the cause of the doctors but they are making it very impossible for us to continue to show sympathy. Clearly, they are engaged in a blackmail and I find it most most unfortunate. Their actions will lead to the death of innocent citizens.”

“The rush to deepen the strike. The rush to punish the people of Ghana; the innocent people of Ghana, I think it’s clearly unacceptable.” he stressed.

He called on all the parties involved in the Single Spine Pay Policy dispute to respect the agreement they have made with the government.

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

Israeli Ambassador Sharon Bar-Li, Should Be Sanctioned - Kwesi Pratt Jnr.

Kwesi Pratt Jnr. says the Israeli Ambassador, Sharon Bar-Li, should be sanctioned for some comments that she made about her country’s diplomatic relations with Ghana.

Ambassador Sharon Bar-Li said the relations began in 1958 when the Israeli Premier David Ben Gurion sent a Piper Cub plane as a personal gift to Premier Kwame Nkrumah on the occasion of Ghana's first anniversary of independence.

In her submissions, she added that it was natural for her country after recovering from poverty with a lot of experience understood the challenges that befall developing countries and that Israel felt the responsibility to share with these nations its experience and skills to boost their economies.

She also said Ghana “can count on Israel in times of difficulties as was demonstrated during the Melcom disaster last November when Israeli team consisting of disaster management experts, medical doctors with trauma experts and rescue specialists assisted Ghana in the rescue operation”, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency.

She further pledged Israel’s commitment to Ghana when faced with hardships.

But according to Kwesi Pratt, Managing Editor of the Insight Newspaper, the Israeli Ambassador must be invited by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and sanctioned to stop the culture where Ambassadors tend to dictate to the nation as if they know better than the government.

He expressed on Radio Gold on Monday that in his view “the Israeli Ambassador ought to be invited to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and put in her place. Because if you don’t do that, it will encourage others to also open their mouth and to talk as if they know better than our government. Israel cannot teach us any lessons in human rights. Israel cannot teach any lessons in diplomacy. This is a country which employed, actually appointed a racist; a Foreign Minister. What can Israel teach us?”

He therefore called on government to be firm in its position in foreign matters involving the nation.

To him, it would not augur well for the nation to embrace the practice where High Commissioners from foreign countries directly intervene in Ghana’s foreign policy issues.

“So, it is important for us to take a very firm stand when Ambassadors and High Commissioners directly intervene in foreign policy issues in Ghana, especially when they go on radio and make claims, which will suggest that our leaders don’t know what they are about and that they are in a better position to tell us what our foreign policy should be.” he said.

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

Election Petition May Have Contributed To Mahama’s Inability To Address Challenges

The Minority Leader of the 5th Parliament, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu says the 100 days of President Mahama’s leadership are not sufficient to assess his performance.

To him the pending election case in the Supreme Court may have also contributed to the President’s inability to address the economic challenges.

He said, in an interview with Peacefmonline.com, that it would not be enough to pass judgement on the competence of the President barely 100 days in office.

However, he was of the view that the current administration has not been truthful to Ghanaians on the state of the nation.

According to him, the government has sought to propagate untruth about its activities.

He debunked claims that the Mahama administration is the first government to have possibly constituted its cabinet members within hundred days.

He stressed that “there’s been a lot of propaganda going on that oh, the first 100 days, the President has constituted his ministerial appointment. That clearly is not true”, disclosing that similar events took place during the regimes of former Presidents Rawlings and Kufour.

He also accused the government of mismanagement and overspending of the nation’s resources; something the New Patriotic Party (NPP) sought to clarify in its true state of the nation address.

The government, he stated, dabbled in an unbridled over expenditure and therefore plunged the nation in deficits.

The NPP therefore “exposed government; the unbridled over expenditure, the deficit in the system, the gross mismanagement that we unveiled at the time.”

“Fortunately, it surprised a lot of people. Government had indicated that they were solving some problems relating to our energy situation. Again, we exposed government; let every Ghanaian know that within four years, they have not added anything,” he stressed.

Another area that the government has thrown dust into the eyes of Ghanaians is the energy sector where he said, the current administration stated, it had boosted power generation in the country but to him, it is a palpable falsehood.

He revealed that the government only added 2 megawatts to the power facility in Upper East Region but the large chunk of work in the energy sector was done by the Kufour government.

Though he would not entirely write off the efforts of this government, he was however dissatisfied with the government’s approach in enhancing the progress of the energy sector.

He said the government has failed to resolve the perennial power fluctuations and water shortages that have beset the citizenry and believed the pending election case in the Supreme Court may have also contributed to the President’s inability to address the economic challenges.

He therefore hoped the case would soon be dealt with “and after it has been adjudicated on, we can move forward as a nation knowing what consequences that may flow from the judgement of the Supreme Court.”

“If you have a matter against you in the Supreme Court…It may be difficult for you to be at full competence…”, hence the need to relieve President John Mahama in order to function well.

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

Calls On Me To Stop Comenting on Court Issue Is A “Comic Relief” - Gen. Mosquito

The General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia has described as “comic relief” calls on him to desist from speaking on the subtantive issue before the Supreme Court involving three leaders of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), President John Mahama, the NDC and the Electoral Commission.

A directive was issued by the Ghana Journalists Association together with some lawyers in the country to admonish the media not to grant the General Secretaries, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie of the NPP and the NDC Chief Scribe, Asiedu Nketia, platforms to comment on the on-going election case because they tend to twist the facts to their party’s advantage.

But speaking in relation to this directive, Asiedu Nketia, also called General Mosquito, found it intriguing that there are persons in the country whose desire is to gag him.

He believes it is a subtle attempt by the opposition NPP to pitch him against their party’s General Secretary in order to keep him away from the airwaves.

Addressing the issue on Radio Gold, General Mosquito was of the view that the directive is “an admission that NPP back is behind the wall now” because the lawyers making the calls, he claimed, are NPP loyalists.

He therefore expressed unwillingness to quit making comments on the election dispute because to him, his critics “find it very difficult to contain the truthful explanations that I have been giving on air. Because you realize that the NPP set out to lie to Ghanaians and that is why immediately after the elections, they put certain things together and threw them out there into the public domain, accusing the NDC of rigging elections and then, using the offices of some private companies.”

He found it unfortunate for anyone to give such directives but claimed the NPP is behind them because “they give themselves out as people who want a way of preventing the truth being told to Ghanaians about things that we can testify with our eyes because we participated in.”

“They would have used their General Secretary’s rubble-rousing to block me from explaining the issues to the Ghanaian public, and I think that it is unfortunate,” he continued, asking why the NPP addressed a “full-blown press conference immediately they filed this petition in court?”

“They are the lawyers. We are their so-called illiterate; we don’t know anything. But isn’t it interesting that the so-called lawyers including their flagbearer and O.B Amoah, himself, and all the legal gurus in NPP go to address a full-blown press conference, commenting on things they have just filed before the court and drawing conclusions, and declaring themselves winners of the elections when the matter was yet to be dealt with by the court. Why was O.B Amoah or he had forgotten the section of the law that dealt with contempt at that time and it is now that he is remembering?”

He further stated that the recent developments are indications that the main opposition party does not consider “their General Secretary as a competent lawyer…NPP are finding out very difficult to face the truth.”

The NPP, he concluded, has just put together “a pack of lies, intended to deceive Ghanaians; intended to cause confusion in this country.”

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

Sir John Blasts Radio Gold

Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party, has released his fury on an Accra-based Radio Gold, accusing the station of inciting Ghanaians and churning out offensive statements via their medium.

He chastised the radio station for not giving an equal platform to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) when issues are raised for discussions.

“Why is it that NPP people don’t come to your shows? Because of your bias and yet, you continue to exist; Radio Gold”.

He was commenting on the remarks by the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and some lawyers directing that he together with the General Secretary of the ruling National Democratic Congress must stop making commentaries on the on-going election petition at the Supreme Court.

He wondered why Radio Gold still exists after allowing people to make derogatory remarks on air.

He expressed that “the things that Radio Gold churns out in this country are offensive to some people out there in my constituent, and yet you continue to churn those thoughts out. Nobody has gagged Radio Gold.”

He also opined that some statements that the station has been making “are irresponsible. It bothers on incitement. It bothers on bringing this country to its knees. After the elections, we all heard Radio Gold talk the kind of nonsense that they spent and yet, Radio Gold continues to be in this country and continues to speak.”

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

NRSC Urges All Ghanaians To Be Responsible For Ensuring Road Safety

The Director of Planning and Programmes at the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC), Mrs. May Obiri Yeboah has urged all Ghanaians to be responsible for ensuring that the country’s roads are safe from accidents.

Speaking in an interview with Radio Gold, Mrs. Obiri Yeboah warned road users in the country to refrain from bad practices that threaten lives on the roads.

She was particularly worried about the spate of accidents that occur on the George Walker Bush Highway (N1 Highway) and therefore admonished commuters as well as drivers who ply the highway not to be reckless.

She advised pedestrians to use the footbridges constructed on the highway in order to avoid the numerous accidents that have become the bane of the locality.

She also blamed the contractors of the highway, for failing to construct all the footbridges supposed to be put up on the highway and revealed that the NRSC has therefore held meetings with them to ensure that the footbridges on the highway are completed to ease the pressures on the road, which result in several road crashes.

Mrs. Obiri Yeaboah also attibuted the collisions to the poor nature of the nation’s roads and so, found it unfortunate that “a lot of our roads are bad and we know that bad roads with potholes, and gullies etc, people would want to prevent going into them. And then normally, when they leave their lanes and get into other lanes, that’s when they meet other people and then, there are head-on collision etc. Some even in single crashes, they just bump into a pothole and then they go out of the road and then, they are involved in a crash.”

According to her, “we are all to that, every one of us, we are all guilty and therefore, we have to correct some of these things that are happening on the N1. If you look at the hawkers also, they’re also selling on the walkway where people will have to walk and therefore, they need to leave the walkway free for the pedestrian also to use. So, there is a multiplicity of problem on the N1.”

“I think that now, everybody knows their responsibility and we expect that everybody will do it. And then we need cooperation also from the general public.” she concluded.

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

Sir John Rubbishes O. B. Amoah; “On Whose Authority Is He Speaking?

General Secretary of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, popularly called Sir John, has lambasted the Member of Parliament (MP) for Akuapem South, O.B Amoah, for admonishing him to refrain from making comments on the ongoing election conflict.

The NPP Chief Scribe sought to find out the position of the Akuapem South MP, for which he would dare question his authority to speak about the court proceedings.

Though he has pledged to defy the instructions by some seasoned lawyers in the country, O.B Amoah and the Ghana Journalist Association, demanding him and the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, to stop commenting on the pending election case, Sir John wondered why the NPP stalwart would assume a position to caution him.

He therefore asked “on whose authority is he speaking? Is he the authority on free speech or what? What is his locus in this matter? Is he the yardstick; the perfection, that people should look at?...If he’s speaking his mind, let him continue to speak his mind. I will continue to say what I think that it is in the best interest of my constituent.”

“On what basis does he make his analysis? Is it in terms of age, in terms of knowledge or in terms of intellectual capacity? Who are these people to judge and to pontificate to say that they know how to talk and others do not? Who are they?”

Making his submissions on Radio Gold last Friday, Sir John debunked claims that he may be cited for contempt if he continues to give commentaries, stating firmly that he knows “what contempt is. I can assure you that I’m not in contempt of the court proceedings and I will continue to speak as I do.”

According to him, he has a long-standing experience in law which gives him the right to analyse the court proceedings.

“I am a lawyer of 32 years standing. And I think that whatever anybody can comment on including O.B Amoah, I am capable of also commenting in the same manner and doing the same intellectual analysis that any of those persons who are talking could do.”

He challenged his opponents to argue their case in the law court “because we cannot blacklist anybody.We cannot gag anybody from speaking…Since when did this nonsense surface in this country that when people speak, they should be gagged? Is that not an abuse of my right; a constitutional right to have my peace and to speak?...If any of these persons are democrats, obviously they will not be speaking the way that they do.”

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

Sir John & Mosquito’s “Outrageous” Comments Can “Poison” The Public Against Supreme Court

Managing Editor of the “Insight” newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr has called on the General Secretaries of the two major political parties, Lawyer Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie of New Patriotic Party(NPP) and Johnson Asiedu Nketia of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to put a stop to the practice of making “outrageous and quick” remarks on the election petition suit immediately after the court either adjourns the case or goes for a recess.

He strongly believes their comments have the tendency of “poisoning” the general public against the Supreme Court when the final verdict is pronounced.

Speaking on Radio Gold’s “Alhaji Alhaji” on Saturday, the Insight newspaper editor did not mince words when he accused both Chief Scribes of putting a “spin” on the court proceedings.

Kwesi Pratt, who saw the live telecast as aggravating the otherwise reports that allowing cameras into the courtroom will help disabuse the minds of Ghanaians of any misconceptions and innuendos, stated emphatically that “indeed with the introduction of cameras into the courtroom, that has even become worse. Right now, soon after the court is adjourned, the cameras rush to Madam Gloria Akufo who is the legal Spokesperson of the NPP. She puts a spin on it.

“Then quickly they go to Sir John who can say some of the most outrageous things…In criticizing Sir John, I think we also need to draw attention to Mr. Johnson Asiedu Nketia who has also been too quick to make comments to the media about whether or not the NPP case is crumbling…All of this is totally unnecessary. The final effect is to poison the public against a decision which may come from the Supreme Court and so on.”

In his view, the live telecast has rather called for commentaries which seek partisan advantage for either the NPP or the ruling party.

He therefore advised the public and the parties involved in the election conflict to stop tingling themselves by raising their hopes high, but rather wait for the court verdict.

“I think that it is too early for anybody to start jubilation. There’s no point for jubilation at this stage. It is too early for anybody to determine the outcome of the case based on the cross-examination of Bawumia or the Evidence-In-Chief of Bawumia. It is just simply too early. We should all have the patience to wait…”
 
Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

Why Is Bawumia In The Witness Box And Not Akufo-Addo?

A leading member of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) and a Public Interest Lawyer has questioned the rationale behind why the New Patriotic Party (NPP) opted to have Dr Mahamadu Bawumia, the Second petitioner in the election suit filed at the Supreme Court challenging the legitimacy of President John Dramani Mahama, as their principal witness.

Mr Sam Pee Yalley considers the NPP’s 2012 Presidential Candidate and the First Petitioner, Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo, as a better star witness.

“Why is Bawumia in the dock, not Akufo Addo? I’m beginning to smell problems for these elephants,” he said.

The Public Interest Lawyer, who is projecting a win for the NDC in this legal battle, believes the ruling party has such a solid case that the Supreme Court will pronounce verdict in their favour.

“…there could be no change…When I am projecting that the NDC will win, I have a conviction…I agree that as an NDC man, I should be cautious about predictions but I am not afraid of the prediction that we have solid evidence on which we are litigating this matter,” he boldly predicted.

Sam Pee Yalley, who was commenting on the court proceedings, told Radio Gold on Saturday that irrespective of the sensitive nature of the case, he was of the firm conviction that when the court gives its verdict, it will favour the NDC.

According to him, should the court rule for a run-off, it may have some budgetary constraints on the economy and thus, affect the administration of the country.

“This is a very sensitive case. The results have devastating effect on the administration of this country. It is for that reason that we have to be very careful of whatever we say in respect of these proceedings,” he cautioned.
 
Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

Kufuor's Govt. Was a "Gargantuan Failure" In Addressing Strike Actions

Samuel George, a member of the Communication team of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), says the erstwhile Kufour government was a “gargantuan failure” in addressing the labour agitations that characterized his administration.

According to him, should people insist that President John Mahama has failed to address the labour upheavals in the country, then former President John Agyekum Kufour did virtually nothing to resolve the conflicts that arose from the various labour unions in the country during his regime.

He explained that during President Kufour’s era, it took him 8 months to resolve the conflicts but “under John Mahama, it took him 10 days to get the teachers back into the classrooms. That is the mark of a leader. That is the mark of the kind of President, Ghana needs.”

Speaking in an interview with Peacefmonline.com, Samuel George extolled the current administration for adopting a rapid approach to resolve the labour conflicts in the country.

Making reference to the industrial actions embarked on by some public sector unions, particularly the Ghana Medical Association and teachers across the country, he asserted that President Mahama intervening in the conflict; has created a culture of trust.

He described as “shallow” the understanding of President John Mahama’s governance by his critics because they seem not to have a clear picture of the circumstances that necessitated the labour unrests.

“Those who read the situation in this country and read it as negative for His Excellency have a very, very shallow understanding of governance. The problems we are faced as a country on the labour front did not originate on the 7th of January. Many of them are 2 years old. Some of them are 4 years old. Some of them even transcend 4 years. And so, these are not issues generated or came into being on the 7th of January. His Excellency inherited this agitation.”

To him, the President’s involvement has enhanced the trust that the labour unions reposed in the government.

“He’s trying to build a culture of trust between himself and the worker unions. And for me, that is the most important thing to solving labour-related issues, where labour unions do not trust government. And when in that atmosphere of mistrust, you cannot have a lasting labour-government relationship. But I think His Excellency is doing a fine job of building that trust.

“His ability to engage expeditiously GNAT, NAGRAT, CLOSSAG, the teachers, the nurses, the pharmacists, the doctors. For me, his expeditious handling of those matters is crystalline,” he stated.

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

Samuel George Lauds President Mahama

A member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Communication team, Samuel George has lauded President John Dramani Mahama for his hardwork in ensuring that there is unity in the nation.

Samuel George, in an interview with Peacefmonline.com, commended the President for his numerous initiatives to enhance the progress of the economy.

He recounted President Mahama’s achievements during his 100 days in office, stating his preparedness to resolve the energy and water challenges that have bedeviled the country for several months.

“The energy crisis, even though it has not abated, it has not stopped completely; we are in a much better place than we were on the 7th of January…That, for me, is a much improvement on what it was when the President took over,” he said.

Comparing the current administration to previous governments, he expressed that the Mahama-led government has acted swiftly by rolling out a number of projects to address the economic problems crippling the country.

According to him, this administration in less than four months has recorded low crime rates which suggests that the security of its citizens in the nation has been intensified since the inception of the fourth government under the Fourth Republic.

He alluded to the security measures during the Kufour administration, which he stated recorded high crime rates than the current administration.

He also believed the President’s reshuffle of his cabinet and representation of the female gender within 100 days of his rule shows his commitment to foster national cohesion among the citizenry.

In his view, “it’s one act which is going to lead and foster national unity. If you look at the area of economic development, the fiscal discipline that has been exhibited in the past 100 days of His Excellency, for me, gives me an inkling of how the management of the economy is going to be like.”

He was very hopeful the incumbent government is on the right path to building a robust economy.

“John Mahama is fixing the problems. He’s solving the problems,” he asserted.

Also, commenting on the court proceedings in the ongoing election conflict between the three leaders of the opposition New Patriotic Party and President John Mahama including the Electoral Commission, Samuel George strongly held a position that President Mahama was “truly and duly elected as President of the Republic of Ghana, and I believe the Supreme Court will uphold” it.

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

Allowing Cameras In Court...Pratt Questions CJ's Powers: "She Is Not Above The Supreme Court"

Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr., has registered his displeasure with the decision by Chief Justice Georgina Theodora Wood to arrogate unto herself the power to issue administrative directives regarding the live telecast of the Supreme Court's hearing of the substantive petition which is challenging the validity of the election of President Mahama.

The Supreme Court Tuesday April 16th, endorsed the live telecast of its proceedings via television and radio to, as it were, ease the tension, the taking of sides and acrimony that had characterised the petition challenging Mr Mahama’s presidency.

Prior to the endorsement, Mrs Georgina Wood had in a statement on Monday directed that the proceedings of the presidential election petition be broadcast live via television and radio.

The statement issued and signed by the Judicial Secretary Justice Alex B. Poku-Acheampong said the decision has been taken in response to the increasing calls from the public for the proceedings of the Court to be broadcast live in view of the historic importance of this case.

The statement hoped that the decision "will deepen" the country’s democracy and "satisfy the greater public desire for accurate and up-to-date information on this historic and landmark case".

But the seasoned journalist avers the Chief Justice was “wrong” to usurp the authority of the Supreme Court after the nine-member panel had earlier assented to hear the case off camera.

Without mincing words, the outspoken Socialist, stated emphatically that the Chief Justice had no authority “whatsoever to review a decision of the court.”

To him, she goofed by appropriating unto herself the right to issue administrative directives on how the Supreme Court operate regarding hearings.

He questioned the authority of Mrs. Theodora Wood on Peace FM’s morning show “Kokrokoo”, asking “does the Chief Justice have authority to overrule the decision of the court? She doesn’t have even administratively.”
According to him, “once an administrative matter is determined by the court in session, it ceases to be a mere administrative matter. It ceases to be a mere administrative matter, it can only be changed through a review”, therefore her decision to allow a live broadcast of the case is a breach of the process.

Whiles pointing out that he is not into the merit of whether the televising the court proceedings on television and radio is bad or good, the "Insight" newspaper editor reiterated that in his view, she (Mrs Theodora Wood) has “no power whatsoever to review a decision of the court. She has no such power. In fact, the Chief Justice, herself, is subject to the ruling of the Supreme Court. She’s not above the Supreme Court. So, in this respect, I have a big big problem with how this matter was handled.”

“The Chief Justice was wrong to do that and that does not mean that showing the thing on television was right or was wrong. I’m not interested in that, I’m interested in the process and I think the process was wrong,” he insisted.



Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

Minority Leader Blames Government For Labour Unrest

The Minority leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu has blamed government for the labour unrests that beset the economy.

According to him, the government’s posture in addressing the unrests did not help but fuel the conflict, hence making it difficult for the labour unions to rescind their decision.

He chastised government officials for using intemperate words on the public sector workers who threatened to embark on industrial actions against the nation if their concerns are not addressed.

Reacting to the numerous strike actions by medical doctors and teachers in the country, the Minority leader said in an interview with Peacefmonline.com that excessive language used by government functionaries added salt to the injury of the doctors and the teachers.

However, commending the President for actively participating to ensure that the striking public servants resume work, he advised his appointees to take cues from his character in order to amicably solve the issue.

He also bemoaned the poor remuneration of teachers in the country and appealed to government to review their salary structure in order to boost their livelihoods.

“I think the people following him should take a cue so that we are able to manage this nation in a very tranquil manner,” he said.

He wondered why government would mismanage the nation’s resources when public servants are faced with challenges pertaining to their Single Spine Salary Scheme.

To him, the government should take the blame because it could expend a whopping amount of GHC 8 billion on other ventures but allocate less to the public sector workers.

“But if you look at government’s over expenditure amounting to about GHC 8.7 billion for 2012. How much of it is attributable to the Single Spine. It’s only GHC 1.9 billion, in other words, GHC 19 trillion,that is attributable to the Single Spine. What of the rest? What did the government spend the monies on? So, you cannot just blame on the Single Spine and say that, well everything, the economy is about collapsing because of Single Spine. That is a palpable untruth.”

He however expressed gratitude to the public servants for calling off their strikes and appealed to government to “jaw-jaw” with them in order to resolve the conflict.

“I’m happy though that the striking service providers are going back but I think that ultimately, it is better to jaw-jaw over these matters and find amicable solutions” to the problems, he said.

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana