Asiedu Nketia cautions Kufuor

Asiedu Nketia Email Print Have Your Say ( 0 ) The General Secretary of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) Johnson Asiedu Nketiah has cautioned former president J. A. Kufuor against bad-mouthing the Mills government. He said the government will “come for Kufuor and his ministers” if he continues to make uncomplimentary remarks about the government. Former president Kufuor in an interview with the BBC complained about poor treatment meted to him by the government, adding that the government was behaving as though it came to power through a coup d’tat. “When you look at the situation, it begins to look like there has been a coup d’état. It wasn’t a coup d’état that changed government. People went to ballot and the votes were almost split equally,” he said “There is a new government in place; it wants to find its feet. Perhaps they think they must position me in a certain way so the attention of the public will be drawn to the government of the day,” he added. But his comments have infuriated Mr Asiedu Nketia who said the former president could not be complaining about poor treatment as he presided over worse mistreatment of then opposition members. Mr Asiedu Nketia, popularly known as General Mousquito, said former president Kufuor’s government revoked all travel passports of NDC members through a radio announcement. “Do they remember what they did to us,? he asked. He said calling on people to account for their stewardship could not be said to be retribution. “If you are riding a car that does not belong to you, do you want us to allow you to take away state property?” He contended that Mr Kufuor and his former appointees had benefitted tremendously from the patience and conciliatory posture of president Mills and urged that they should not do anything to provoke the government. Former Deputy Local Government Minister, Maxwell Kofi Juma said Mr Asiedu Nketia’s threats were empty and baseless. He averred that Ghana was a constitutional democracy where the president could not act arbitrarily. He argued the government was not doing Mr Kufuor and his former appointees any favour as intoned by General Mousquito. Story by Malik Abass Daabu/Myjoyonline/Ghana

Agyeman Konadu:‘My Interaction with Kufuor was Cosmetic’

konadu agyemng rawlings Former First Lady and President of the December 31 Women’s Movement (DWM), Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings, has categorically stated that she has not reconciled with the immediate past President of the Republic of Ghana, Mr John Agyekum Kufuor. According to her, the television and newspaper pictures Ghanaians saw or watched during the visit of the United States President, Barack Hussein Obama to the country were simply cosmetic. She said she had no intention in the foreseeable future to fully reconcile with Ex-President Kufuor and all that he represented. Speaking to the media in separate interviews during her recent thank you tour of Ashanti and Brong Ahafo Regions in Kumasi, Nana Agyeman Rawlings said considering the humiliation, ordeal and suffering she went through under ex-President Kufuor’s eight-year-administration, it would be nonsensical on her part to even consider reconciling with the former President. She said ex-President Kufuor presided over her trial for an offence she never committed for the better part of his administration. She said if those who were pressing for her reconciliation with ex-President Kufuor were in her shoes, they would not suggest that she should repair her differences with the former President. Nana Agyemang Konadu said ex-President Kufuor and his government demonized her and her husband, ex-President Rawlings and made sure that they were disgraced and if possible kept them at a place where they would not get access to the larger world. She said building bridges with ex-President Kufuor would be tantamount to sacrificing her conscience and principles. She advised Ghanaians to be patient and offer their full support to President John Evans Atta-Mills to enable the Economics and Law Professor put the smile back on the faces of all Ghanaians irrespective of their political affiliation. Credit: New Weekend Crusading Guide

Court Restrains Raymond Archer and others

court logo The Fast Track High Court, Accra, last Tuesday restrained Raymond Archer, the Editor-in-Chief of the Enquirer and two others from publishing or repeating the publication of materials which are the subject matter of a suit pending before it in respect of Hon. Prof. Mike Oquaye pending further or other orders. The court, presided over by Mr. Justice K.A. Ofori Atta in restraining Archer, also restrained the Focal Media Ltd, the company that publishes The Enquirer as well as Godfred Opare Djan, a journalist with newsmen. The application for interlocutory injunction was brought at the instance of Hon. Prof. Mike Oquaye, following recent publications which have occasioned the institution by him of a Writ of Summons against Archer and the other two. Though Mr Archer was not in court, he was represented by his Counsel, Kofi Somuah, of LiturBrew & Co., an Accra law firm. By the order for interlocutory Injunction, Raymond Archer cannot publish or repeat the publication of similar matters which Prof. Mike Oquaye considers defamatory and for which he has issued a Writ of Summons against Archer and the other Defendants at the High Court. It will be recalled that in the last few weeks, Raymond Archer and The Enquirer have published at least three stories about Hon. Prof. Mike Oquaye, by which publications they have made various allegations. Prof. Mike Oquaye in his Writ of Summons is asking among others for damages of Six Hundred Thousand Ghana Cedis (GH¢600,000.00) for libel contained in the publications at the front page and page 4 of the Monday, 15th Tuesday 16th November, 2008 issue of The Enquirer and the front page and page 4 of the Monday, 29th – Tuesday, 30th June, 2008 issue of The Enquirer. He is also seeking an order of perpetual injunction to restrain the Defendants, whether by themselves, agents, servants, workmen, privies or any of them or otherwise howsoever from writing, publishing and/or causing to be published the said words or similar statements defamatory of Plaintiff. Source: The Ghanaian Observer

All I Need Is A Wife - Kofi Adjorlolo

Yvonne Nelson and Kofi Adjorlolo How Kofi Adjorlolo wishes that he had a woman he could call his wife by his side at this time that fame and fortune are beginning to knock on his door. Doubtless, the 52-year-old popular movie actor, with two failed marriages behind him and two children to raise, has been through some rough times on his way up. Anyone listening to Adjorlolo's life story would agree with him that indeed he deserves a break from the hustler that he has been for the most part of his adult life. “I was a common civil servant earning a meagre salary at GBC. I worked as a radio presenter from 5 am to 5 pm and at certain times, I was compelled to do two jobs to make ends meet. Then I met Metro TV's Talal Fattal. He was not into his own television station then but financially he sponsored us to come out with a programme, TV Market, by Media Number One”, he told this reporter last Wednesday. That was one of the interventions which taught Adjorlolo that there was light at the end of the tunnel. “Now as an actor, thank God, I'm financially sound as compared to ten years ago. I'm not emphasising only on the monetary aspect but now I have the luxury of working under less pressure and less stress than I did in those days”, he said. Being a successful actor has its own peculiar challenges. “For example,” he said, “I face the challenge of going to town and being immediately noticed. My private life has somewhat been very much reduced and I am obliged to relate to people in a particular way. But my biggest challenge and regret at the moment is not having a wife by my side.” Recounting how he came into acting, Adjorlolo said it never occurred to him that he will be an actor. “After my sixth form education, I became a professional musician playing with a number of bands including that of Nigeria's Victor Uwaifo of Joromi fame. “In between my stay at GBC and working for Media Number One, I was offered a job as a Marketing Manager at Peace FM. After eight months, I was called by the current Ambassador to Benin, Mr E. K. Adu to assist in the establishment of another radio station, now Channel R. “Later my cousin, Richard Prempeh, the Executive Producer of Taxi Driver asked me to write scripts for the series and possibly join the cast. That is how I entered acting.” Sounding content with himself, Adjorlolo said judging from his ability to work his way up from the days of Taxi Driver to become one of the most sought after Ghanaian actors by the Nigerian film industry, “I'd say that I'm a good actor. After being in the industry for about six years the reactions I get from my fans and the general public has been encouraging.” Talking about his film roles and how he gets them, he said he is not auditioned before he gets the roles. “Producers have realised that some of us can do more than we are usually given. For instance, I did a comedy with Osuofia and Mr Ibu and it worked well, though I don't see myself as a comedian. I don't normally audition for roles at this stage of my career. I can play any role given to me and I do it to the best of my ability.” Adjorlolo would not talk about the financial harvests that acting films in Nigeria has brought him but he disclosed that he was offered as much as $5,000 about a year and a half ago in Abuja to act in one film. “It was a wonderful experience”, he said. Adjorlolo is the son of Mr Johnny Adjorlolo and Madam Matilda Johnson and the second of three children. Keta is his hometown where he had his early education at AME Zion School, Keta Secondary School and later to Ebenezer Secondary School where he had his sixth form education. In total, Adjorlolo has featured in about 60 movies within the last six years. These have included Ghanaian titles such as God Loves Prostitutes, Mummy's Daughter, My Mother's Heart, Official Prostitutes and Ghana-Nigeria collaborations such as My First Experience, Golden Adventure and Power of the Gods. He has played alongside renowned actors like Ini Edo, Genevieve Nnaji, Patience Ozorkor, Ramsey Nouah, Emeka Ike, Olu Jacobs and Nkem Owoh aka Osuofia. Wondering what he does in his free time? Kofi says he enjoys watching movies, playing his guitar and reading. He confesses that nothing will stand in his way to enjoy Akpele and Fetri detsi whenever he can. He hates flying for many hours or riding in a speeding car. His favourite advice to everyone, especially the youth is “Don't give up on your dreams or be deterred by the challenges that come your way, but keep your eyes on what you want to achieve.” Source: Daily Graphic

Be a Father to All – Pressure Group tells Mills

A pressure group in Kumasi, the Democracy and Freedom Alliance (DFA), has called on President J.E.A. Mills to remain committed to his pledge of becoming a father to all Ghanaians. The group encouraged the government to desist from sacking public sector workers for no apparent reason but merely on political considerations. At a press conference in Kumasi to express its opinions on national issues, the group said President Mills, in his maiden speech, promised to be a ‘President for all’ but unfortunately, what we are seeing today is quite different as people are being sacked from their jobs, especially government workers. “There is no single day that we do not hear of government workers being sacked for no reason other than political, contrary to the dictates of the Constitution,” it said. “Today, if it is not school feeding caterers, it is mass sprayers and toilet seizures. If it is not commissioners, then it is chief executives and heads of departments or agencies,” it added. The Spokesperson of the DFA, Mr Bashir Tijani, who doubles as the Youth Organiser of the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) in the Asawasi Constituency, who addressed the press in Kumasi, said it was unhealthy for the government to adopt discriminatory tactics in public jobs. “If we are equal when it comes to paying taxes, then we should be equal when it comes to public jobs and social protection,” he said. Other leading members of the group who spoke were Mr Appiah Kubi, the Chairman, and Mr Abdul Salam Adams, the Secretary. The group mentioned the recent sacking of some workers of the National Security Secretariat for no apparent reason but political as an example of what it termed as discriminatory tactics by the government. It said the group would support all actions geared towards accountability, and called on the government to explain the petroleum pricing formula used in reaching the recent 30 per cent increase in fuel prices. “We are calling on President Mills to explain this huge increase and what effect this situation has on the credibility of the Presidency and politics in Ghana,” the group said. It said though there were cries from the public for the government to account to the people on the Ghana@40 celebrations in 1997, the then government, of which President Mills was the Vice-President never bothered about the public cries. “Why, then, turn round to set up a commission to investigate the Ghana@50 celebrations?” it asked. “We are very much interested in when he is going to set up a commission of enquiry to investigate Ghana@40 too, since there were allegations of misapplication of public funds during that time too,” it added.

Singer Akosua Agyapong Accused

One of Ghana’s most outstanding female musicians, Mrs. Akosua Agyapong has been accused by hawkers who were recently sacked by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) Task Force from the Rawlings Park of having conspired with AMA to deprive them of their means of livelihood where her restaurant “Ye Kum Kom” is located. Reports reaching Peace FM say the hawkers verbally abused the musician for their woes and threatened her that “something will happen to her”. They accused her of being a selfish woman who thinks their presence around the restaurant distracts her business. ispelling the hawkers accusations on Peace FM, the musician said she had no hand in AMA’s action but attributed it to the new Mayor’s determination to rid Accra central business district of illegal hawkers to ensure free flow of traffic. She used the opportunity to plead with those affected to stop threatening her because she “does not want to die and leave her 6 children” – “please leave me alone. I don’t have a hand in your unfortunate incident”, she pleaded. Source :peacefmonline.com

Nigeria row over militant killing

The BBC has seen the dead body of Mohammed Yusuf. WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT In pictures Nigerian Islamic sect leader Mohammed Yusuf was alive when he was captured, the commander of the operation against the militant group has told the BBC. The comments by Col Ben Ahanotu appear to contradict police statements that Mr Yusuf, 39, was killed in a shootout as he was being detained. Human rights campaigners have alleged Mr Yusuf was executed by the police. Mr Yusuf's Boko Haram group has been blamed for days of violent clashes with security forces in which hundreds died. His bullet-riddled body was shown to journalists on Thursday just hours after police said they had captured him in the northern city of Maiduguri. Col Ahanotu, the commander of the operation against the Boko Haram group, said he had personally captured Mr Yusuf and handed him over to the chief of police. He said Mr Yusuf had been unarmed when caught, hiding in an empty building a short distance from his enclave, and that he gave himself up willingly. "All I know is that in the attack, I was able to pick him up from his hide out and hand him over to police," he told the BBC. "I asked him why he did what he has done and his response was that he would explain to me later." Col Ahanotu said Mr Yusuf had a wound on his arm which had already been treated. "But he was OK. As I got him alive, I handed him over to the authorities," he said. Officials visNigeria's Information Minister Dora Akunyili told the BBC that how Mr Yusuf had died was "a big issue to the good people of this country because Nigeria believes in the rule of law, Nigeria believes in fundamental human rights being respected". She said his death would be investigated but that the security agencies should be "commended for being able to bring to a stop this killing and destruction in just a few days". Ms Akunyili also defended her earlier comments that the death of Mr Yusuf - who she described as being a leader "in the mode of Osama Bin Laden" - demise was "positive" for Nigeria. She said if he had not been stopped the violence would have spread to other states in the north of the country. Investigation call Regional police assistant inspector-general, Moses Anegbode, had earlier told Nigerian television Mr Yusuf had been "killed by security forces in a shoot-out while trying to escape". No surprise at Nigeria killing In pictures: Clashes aftermath Nigeria's 'Taliban' enigma Islamist death: Your reaction A BBC reporter in the city was among journalists shown two films - one apparently showing Mr Yusuf making a confession, the other showing what appeared to be his body, riddled with bullets. One policeman told AFP news agency Mr Yusuf had "pleaded for mercy and forgiveness before he was shot." Rights groups have condemned the alleged manner of Mr Yusuf's death. Human Rights Watch said there should be an immediate investigation into the case, which it has described as an "extrajudicial killing". Amnesty International called for a full investigation into Mr Yusuf's detention and killing and said that anyone responsible for or tolerating illegal killings should be brought to justice. Boko Haram - also known locally as Taliban - wants to overthrow the Nigerian government and impose a strict version of Islamic law. Troops had stormed Boko Haram's stronghold in the north-eastern city of Maiduguri on Wednesday night, killing many of the militants and forcing others to flee. The BBC's Bilkisu Babangida says the city is now returning to normal, with shops and banks re-opening. She says many residents are happy that Mr Yusuf is dead. 'Excessive force' The violence began on Sunday night in Bauchi state, before spreading to other towns and cities in the north-east of the West African nation. AT THE SCENE Bilkisu Babangida BBC News, Maiduguri At about 1600 I was about to leave for home with the rest of the journalists. We received a phone call to return back to the government house because the man, Mohammed Yusuf, had been captured. So we rushed up to that place. We heard some gunshots from somewhere, then we were told that the man had been "executed" at the police headquarters, at about 1900. They kept us waiting, they kept all the newsmen away from the scene. I saw a video and after that I rushed to the police headquarters and I saw the corpse. I even photographed the corpse of Mohammed Yusuf. Crowds of militants tried to storm government buildings and the city's police headquarters, but dozens of them were shot dead by security forces. Several days of gun battles between militants and Nigerian security forces ensued, culminating in the assault on the militant's stronghold. It is thought more than 300 people have died in the violence - some estimates say 600, although there has been no official confirmation. The Red Cross said about 3,500 people had fled the fighting and were being housed in their camp. Witnesses and human rights groups have accused the military of excessive violence in quelling the militants, but the army says it used a minimal amount of force. Police say Mr Yusuf was a preacher from Yobe state, who had four wives and 12 children. They described him as a inspirational character. His sect, Boko Haram, is against Western education. It believes Nigeria's government is being corrupted by Western ideas and wants to see Islamic law imposed across Nigeria. Sharia law is in place across northern Nigeria, but there is no history of al-Qaeda-linked violence. The country's 150 million people are split almost equally between Muslims in the north and Christians in the south. BBC

‘Kufuor comment could hurt NPP’

Ex-President J.A. Kufuor says he prefers life as a messenger in a victorious party to life as “say a proud general secretary who would lead us into defeat.” Pollster and Editor of the Daily Dispatch newspaper, Ben Ephson Jnr., says a comment by ex-President J.A. Kufuor asking New Patriotic Party followers to unite in search of electoral victory could hurt the party rather. The former president has been meeting some of the party bigwigs and urging them to unite and be truthful to each other. He said unity will win back political power for the party and it should be their desire because he believes life as a messenger in a victorious party should be chosen over life as “say a proud general secretary who would lead us into defeat.” Some have interpreted his comment as an attack on the party’s General Secretary, Nana Ohene Ntow. Mr. Frank Agyekum, spokesperson for the ex-president however explains that the statement was no attack on Ohene Ntow and that it should be taken generally to mean that “whether you are a general secretary or you are a chairman or whatever in the party, as long the party is in opposition it is not good enough, the good thing for us to be is to in power and even if you are the messenger, you have the comfort you are in the party in power…” But Ben Ephson told Joy News that given the context, it is likely to hurt the party rather than help it. “I believe if you want to find reasons why the NPP lost you can categorise them into three: the role the ex-president played, ie his administration and the mistakes they made; the strategic mistakes Nana Akufu-Addo and his campaign team made; and the mistakes that the party, national executives made. So if maybe he wanted to use an example he could have said maybe he would have preferred to be an ex-president who did not lead his party into defeat but led his party into victory.” Ben Ephson said during the December 2008 election, there was a clear disconnect between the government and the party and many still hold Kufuor as being largely responsible for the party’s electoral defeat, just as in 2005 during the NPP’s congress to elect national executives, the battle cry for many was for a reclamation of the party (from Kufuor and friends). “There was a total disconnect between President Kufuor’s government and the NPP party.” Ben Ephosn said he will not expect Ohene Ntow to respond to the comment but believes the ex-president even though popular within and outside the party, should take a backstage role and rather get people in the party seen as more neutral (not pro-Kufuor or anti-Kufuor) to lead the unity efforts. Story by Isaac Yeboah/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana

Harvard prof, arresting policeman to talk again

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• Barack Obama

Play VideoAP – Mass. Policeman: White House meeting productive

• Slideshow:Harvard Scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr.
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AP – President Barack Obama has a beer with Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr., left and Cambridge, Mass., …

By PHILIP ELLIOTT, Associated Press Writer – 53 mins ago

WASHINGTON – The black scholar and the white police sergeant who arrested him agreed to disagree and promised to talk again, a gracious conclusion to the first round of an eye-opening dialogue on race that allows President Barack Obama to get back to selling his health care plan to skeptical Americans.

After accepting Obama's invitation to discuss the July 16 incident over a beer Thursday evening at the White House, both Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Cambridge, Mass., police Sgt. Joseph Crowley thanked Obama for the cold ones served on a patio near the Rose Garden. Neither they nor the president offered apologies for their roles in the affair.

Obama became embroiled in the debate over whether Crowley was justified in arresting Gates at his Cambridge home when the president told a news conference last week that police had "acted stupidly." He quickly backtracked in the face of police complaints, acknowledged he should have used different language to express his concerns, and invited the two men to join him for a beer.

"I have always believed that what brings us together is stronger than what pulls us apart," Obama said after the highly anticipated, 40-minute conversation. "I am confident that has happened here tonight, and I am hopeful that all of us are able to draw this positive lesson from this episode."

White House officials were content to let Obama's involvement in the incident end right there. Gates and Crowley said they were eager to get back to work, although both pledged future talks aimed at better understanding.

Gates said he hoped the entire experience would prove to be an "occasion for education, not recrimination," adding that the burden now rests with him and Crowley to use the opportunity to foster wider awareness of the dangers facing police officers and the fears that some blacks have about racial profiling.

In a nod to all that's facing Obama, his friend, Gates added, "It turns out that the president just might have a few other things on his plate as well."

"We agreed to move forward," Crowley said later when asked whether anything had been solved. "I think what you had today was two gentlemen agreeing to disagree on a particular issue. I don't think that we spent too much time dwelling on the past. We spent a lot of time discussing the future."

That's precisely where the White House wants the public to be looking. Although Obama had invited Crowley and Gates as part of what he called a "teachable moment," it was barely seen by the masses. The permitted news coverage allowed the public to get the we've-come-together photos and video footage that the White House wanted, while keeping the discussion private among the men.

"I noticed this has been called the 'Beer Summit.' It's a clever term, but this is not a summit, guys," Obama told reporters in the Oval Office before the meeting, trying to lower expectations. "This is three folks having a drink at the end of the day, and hopefully giving people an opportunity to listen to each other. And that's really all it is. This is not a university seminar."

The incident that brought them together was well known by the time the three men met, joined by Vice President Joe Biden: Crowley had investigated a potential burglary at Gates' house and ended up arresting the protesting professor for disorderly conduct. The matter mushroomed into a debate on racial profiling, fueled by Obama's "acted stupidly" remark.

Vesla Weaver, a political scientist who studies race and criminal justice at the University of Virginia, said she doesn't fault Obama, the nation's first black president, for not pushing the conversation to a broader discussion of racial injustice. "He's in a bit of a difficult spot," she said, given the nation's extremely sensitive reactions to matters of race.

Crowley told reporters that Obama served merely as a facilitator.

"He provided the beer. He contributed in a small part," Crowley said. "He really wanted to bring two people together to try to solve not only a local issue in Cambridge but also what has become a national issue."

So much of a national issue that Obama's popularity took a hit, especially among white voters, according to a poll released Thursday.

The survey by the nonpartisan Pew Research Center found that 41 percent of respondents disapproved of Obama's handling of the Gates arrest, compared with 29 percent who approved. Among whites in general, more disapprove than approve of his comments by a 2-1 margin.

The poll of 1,506 adults was conducted July 22-26. It had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

"Politics aside, the most important thing that should come out of today is that two people sat down and talked to one another," said Karen Finney, a former Democratic National Committee spokeswoman. "That is how real change happens, when people are willing to challenge their own biases by talking to people who are different from themselves."

___

Associated Press writers Ben Feller, Cal Woodward, Darlene Superville, Jennifer Loven, Liz Sidoti and Charles Babington in Washington and Karen Testa in Boston contributed to this report.