NDC MP busted over gold deal

The Member of Parliament for Sene in the Brong Ahafo Region, Felix Twumasi-Appiah, has been busted in a $30,000 gold deal. The NDC MP, arrested on Wednesday, has been cautioned together with an accomplice with the conspiracy to commit crime and defrauding by false pretense. Counsel for the MP Joshua Nimako confirmed this to Joy News but maintained that his client was innocent. Felix Twumasi-Appiah is on GH¢200,000 bail while his accomplice, Juan Carlos, a Spanish national, is being held at the CID Headquarters. The Daily Guide newspaper reports that Mr Twumasi-Appiah allegedly misrepresented himself to the police and succeeded in fraudulently causing the police to release the $30.000 meant for a Spanish businessman, Juan Francisco Osorio Lozano, to Juan Carlos, without the consent of the former. Twumasi-Appiah was invited on Tuesday evening when the Spanish businessman, Mr Lozano whom the MP claimed had instructed him to collect the money on his behalf, suddenly turned up at the CID Headquarters demanding his money which was paid to the CID by the mining company. The MP was subsequently arrested yesterday when he showed up at the headquarters for further interrogation. According to sources, a gold mining company had agreed to refund money paid by the Spanish businessman for the supply of gold in tranches, and after collecting two tranches of $160,000, the company could not pay the last tranche of $110,000, promising to do so in two installments. It (the company) therefore paid $30,000 to the CID for Juan Lozano to collect. However, while Twumasi-Appiah who speaks Spanish fluently due to his training in Cuba, was leading the businessman in the gold transaction, he was allegedly plotting to fleece the man. He got Juan Carlos, who had been following the businessman for the transaction, to tell the police that Mr Lozano had instructed him to collect the $30,000 because the businessman was indisposed and holed up in Spain. With an honourable MP in the frontline, the police did not suspect any foul play and subsequently released the money to Juan Carlos, only for the businessman to show up, demanding the money. The sudden turn of events perplexed the CID chief who was handling the case, leading to the invitation of the MP, who was shocked to see the businessman in the CID headquarters on his arrival. Juan Carlos told the police in his statement that he gave $10,000 of the money to Twumasi-Appiah, a police source told DAILY GUIDE. However, the MP’s counsel, Joshua Nimako, says his client was only helping the man to recover the money he paid to the mining company. Story by Myjoyonline.com/Daily Guide

AMA guards had sex with me in return for my goods; victim alleges

A victim of sexual assault by some guards of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has alleged that some guards of the AMA forced her into having sex in order to retrieve her confiscated goods. This was because she was unable to pay an amount of GHC 50 and GHC 150 demanded by the guards. According to the victim, whose identity is withheld, she had to succumb to sex on three occasions because she did not have money to pay for the penalty. The Patriot Newspaper today published that some AMA guards at Kwame Nkrumah Circle, Accra Makola Market and parts of Accra were demanding these huge sums of money from the traders and if they failed to pay, they were asked to have sex with them in return for their goods. The paper alleged that ladies who are fair in complexion are charged exorbitantly to make it impossible for them to pay and easy to be forced into bed. Speaking in an interview with Asempa News, the victim said she believes she is not the only person who has been abused. Asked if the guards indeed slept with her she answered “Yes they slept with me! three times. In the first time, I was able to pay part of the requested amount, but the subsequent ones, I could not afford, so they asked me to have sex with them instead of the amount”. Asked whether she was forced, the victim said she was not forced, but because she wanted her goods that were seized, she had no option than to succumb to their demand of having sex with her”. “They did not force me, but I needed my goods. I did not like him, but because of my goods, I had to allow them. They do it to most ladies, be they fair, dark or chocolate”, the victim explained. Asked whether she could identify some of the guards, the victim answered in an affirmative. “I can identify them if I see them. The victim explained that several female traders are going through such ordeals but are afraid of coming out. Story: Kwaku Antwi-Otoo/Asempa FM

Akufo-Addo dissociates from Appiah Ofori’s 'attack' on Alan

P.C. Appiah Ofori

The campaign team of Nana Akufo Addo has dissociated itself from alleged disparaging remarks about his main opponent in the race to become NPP flag bearer.

Member of Parliament for Asikuma-Odobeng-Brakwa, P. C. Appiah Ofori, is alleged to have maligned Alan Kyerematen while campaigning for Nana Akufo Addo in Swedru.

Mr Appiah Ofori is alleged to have stated that Mr. Kyerematen was not fit to become a presidential candidate because the flagbearer aspirant has consistently failed to pay his taxes.

Denial "on authority”

Mr. Kyeremateng’s campaign team has vehemently condemned the remarks but lead spokesperson for Nana Addo’s campaign team, Dominic Nutiwul who is also MP for Bimbila says Mr. Appiah Ofori is not a member of Nana Addo’s campaign team after all.

“Honourable P.C. Appiah Ofori is not a member of the Nana Addo Dankwa Victory 2012 campaign, he’s not and I state that on authority,” he said.

According to him, the MP like any other bigwig in the party who endorses Nana Addo is allowed to make a statement during campaign, adding Appiah Ofori was given the platform when the campaign team visited Swedru.

He said the comment was immediately condemned by Kennedy Agyapong, a member of the Nana Addo campaign team who spoke immediately after the MP.

"Nana Addo’s team does not associate with any comment that will tend to make the party disunited,” he said.

Meanwhile, P.C Appiah Ofori has told Joy News he stands by his comments although he insists he was not specific about who he was accusing.


Source: Myjoyonline.com/Ghana

Alan man endorses Akufo-Addo

A former minister under the erstwhile Kufuor-led NPP administration, Mr. Charles Bintim who openly declared his support for Alan Kyerematen during the 2007 NPP presidential primaries, has endorsed Nana Akufo-Addo as the “best candidate for the NPP in the 2012 general elections if really the party wants to wrestle power from the NDC”. Mr.Charles Bintim, who is a former minister of Local Government, told Oman FM on Tuesday at Twifo-Praso that "even though I am a known supporter of Alan Kyeremanten in the past, today, I think Nana Addo is the best material for us if we really want to win the 2012 elections, as he has already been marketed across the length and breadth of the country”. According to him, it will be very easy for the party to market Nana once again than changing him with a new product as it has always been difficult to market a new product as far as marketing terms are concerned. Asked whether he has not betrayed his former friend by pitching camp with his closest rival as far as the race is concerned, Mr. Bintim said: “I am a human being and I reserve the right of association and my association with Nana Addo today can never be an act of betrayal. We all want the party to win power in 2012 and anyone committed to that objective will know that Nana is our obvious choice. I don’t see electing a candidate other than Nana Addo, a prudent move, if we want to win power in 2012.” He repeated his assertions at the Heman Lower Denkyira constituency where he told party delegates that he was surprised that they are still campaigning because back in the Northern Region where he comes from, the verdict is out and Nana is the only name they know. He implored delegates of the NPP to consider a candidate who can win the party power in 2012 because that is the only way the party can implement all the best policies it has for the good people of Ghana and it is obvious that Nana Addo is the one who can win us the power. Speaking on the same platform, a former minister for the Central region Nana Ato Arthur also declared his unwavering support for Nana Addo as the surest bet for the party in the 2012 election. According to the former Central regional minister, no presidential candidate in the history of the country has ever won on his first attempt and as such it was incumbent on the party to maintain Nana Addo as its flag bearer for the 2012 elections. He told the delegates that once Nana Addo is elected as the NPP’s flag bearer, over 49% of the job would have been done and with hard work and dedication, victory will be the party’s in 2012. He recounted Nana Addo’s commitment and loyalty to the party over the years and said that Nana Addo has paid his dues and served the party with diligence and this is the time for delegates of the NPP to show that hard work pays. Nana Akufo-Addo, addressing party delegates at Twifo Atti Mokwa and Heman Lower Denkyira constituencies in the Central region to canvass for votes, stressed the need for the NPP to continue to remain united even in the face of competition. Spending almost an hour in the rain, he underscored the significance of the expanded Electoral College to include polling station executives and said “it is a sure way to victory come 2012. The people who will be selling the presidential candidate can now be part of the process of electing the candidate they will be marketing” he said.

Ken Agyapong flares up: Take NPP to Ashanti, I’m tired, useless man

Kennedy Agyapong, MP for Assin North         The emerging resentment within the New Patriotic Party over allegations of executive alignment to blocks seeking the presidential candidature of the party on Wednesday turned nasty on Accra-based Hot FM. The Member of Parliament for Assin North, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, who would not be restrained, poured out harsh words on an elder of the party in the Ashanti Region, for daring to reprimand him (Kennedy) employing what he thought were unkindly words. Nana Adu Asabere, a former chairman of the NPP at Asante Akim North, had described Ken Agyapong as too proud and boastful, because he had suggested that a lot of money (including his) was going into the campaign efforts to elect a party flagbearer, as well as building the NPP into a formidable party and should therefore be spared what he thought were needless distractions. Kennedy Agyapong had himself publicly lampooned Kennedy Kankam, suspended as Ashanti Regional Organizer for openly declaring support for Alan Kyerematen’s bid to be elected flagbearer. On Hot FM on Wednesday, Nana Adu Asabere counseled that if anyone had any piece of advice to offer within the party on any perceived wrong, it should be held away from the public, describing also Agyapong’s claims of sinking a lot of money into the party as boastful and in Akan parlance, a display of high pride. And that got Kennedy Agyapong exploding, refusing to be restrained by programme host, Adakabre Frimpong-Manso, who tried frantically to redirect the discourse. Kennedy repeatedly called Nana Asabre a “very useless man,” a “useless chief” and a “villager” who has been pampered and allowed to be destroying the NPP. According to Agyapong, Nana Asabere is a very selfish person who should not be feared at all, telling him also that he (Kennedy) procured vehicles for the party’s campaigns in the area while he, Nana Asabere, hid his car placed it at the disposal of his family only. He said he was tired of Nana Asabere and his ilk’s machinations in frustrating Nana Akufo-Addo’s campaign efforts and if they so wished, they could go ahead and make the NPP an Ashanti only party. Caller after caller after the tirade, bemoaned the sense of despondency gaining grounds in the party, and called for restraint on the part of leaders, so a united front could be forged to prosecute the party’s agenda for election 2012. Story by Isaac Yeboah/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana

22 Fresh Charges For Mpiani & Others

Kwadwo Mpiani and Wereko-Brobby Gertrude Aikins, acting Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), yesterday apologized to Prof. George Gyan-Baffuor, former Deputy Minister for Finance and Economic Planning and Member of Parliament (MP) for Wenchi, for the embarrassment she caused him when she told an Accra Fast Track High Court, Financial Division, that he was among four other persons who were at large and therefore missing, even as the prosecutor leveled fresh charges against the suspects in the case. “I apologise to Prof. Gyan-Baffuor”, she said, after Nene Amegatcher, counsel for the MP, appeared in court to complain that his client had gone nowhere and was also not invited by security officials, yet was publicly declared at large by the prosecution on March 30, 2010. Mr. Amegatcher said the prosecution’s declaration had caused his client “serious embarrassment”. Ms. Aikins admitted that she was not sure if the Professor was served or not, so did not want to mention his name; but was forced to do so by counsel for the accused persons who said they wanted to know who those at large were. Immediately the apology was rendered, the prosecutor preferred 22 fresh charges against the Professor, and his co-accused persons including the former Minister for Roads and Transport Dr. Richard Anane, former Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning Dr. Anthony Akoto Osei, former Chief of Staff Kwadwo Mpiani and former Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the NPP Sammy Crabbe, who were all in the courtroom. The former NPP appointees all pleaded not guilty to the 22 charges of conspiracy to cause financial loss to the Republic, through a willful action. They are being tried by the court presided over by Justice Bright Mensah, together with four others at large, for allegedly causing financial loss to the State to the tune of about $56 million. They stand accused for the various roles they played leading to the formation of the Ghana International Airlines Limited (GIAL). Dr. Anane faces the charge of causing financial loss and defrauding by false pretences. Dr. Akoto-Osei is facing seven counts of conspiracy to deceive public officer, deceit of public officer, misappropriation of funds and causing financial loss to the state. Mr. Mpiani, the former Minister of Presidential Affairs, also faces charges of conspiracy to deceive public officer and deceiving public officer, while Prof. Gyan Baffuor pleaded not guilty to causing financial loss to the state.   Sammy Crabbe, a minority shareholder of the Ghana International Airlines Limited (GIAL), on the other hand, was charged with opening an offshore account without authority from the Bank of Ghana, stealing and causing financial loss. The court maintained their GH¢300,000 self recognizance bail while Prof. Gyan-Baffuor was also given the same bail condition. The DPP said the facts of the case remained the same except that Prof Gyan-Baffuor conspired with Dr. Akoto-Osei and they put state money into GIAL in spite of the warning from PricewaterhouseCoopers, of the dangers of doing so. She told the packed court that the two made the state to believe that by putting money into GIAL, the percentage owned by the state would increase, but it turned out to be false, explaining that in spite of the Presidential Commission which recommended KLM and Fidelity as the best for the national airline, the accused persons opted for GIAL. Mrs. Gertrude Aikins, the acting Director of Public Prosecutions, who presented the facts of the case, told the court that in 2004, following the extremely poor performance of the now defunct Ghana Airways, the Government of Ghana wanted a strategy to turn its fortunes around and word went round about the government’s intention. According to her, Mr. Crabbe, after some efforts, presented a proposal to government even though no open proposals were made for its reconstruction and said that a certain Mr. Ashiagbor of PricewaterhouseCoopers who was then on the proposal board to seek the turnaround of the then national airline, observed that GIA did not meet the criteria they had set. She said other competitors like Fidelity Group, KLM and Kenya Airways had sent their proposals as well. Ms Aikins said Pricewaterhouse advised the government to undertake due diligence to ensure that GIA would be capable of putting in adequate funds to ensure the airline was able to run effectively after the GIAL proposal. She noted that when the GIA-USA LLC partnership was formed, the Ghanaian shareholders were never publicly informed and further alleged that the company was not incorporated when it was given a commercial airlines licence by the government, claiming therefore that the company was fraudulently contrived to defraud the state. The acting DPP claimed that Dr. Anane falsely represented to Cabinet that the GIA-USA LLC was made up of World Transport Group and Sentry companies which had the capacity to join government to create a new airline. He subsequently, according to her, got parliamentary approval to liquidate Ghana Airways. The DPP, in addition, said Mr. Crabbe deposited the equity in accordance with the agreement on the airline in Standard Chartered Bank in New York but later went and stole $1.2 million and has since refunded some of the money, leaving $700 unpaid. She said Mr Mpiani on his part ordered the release of US$6,000,000 to GIAL in September 2008 without lawful authority and noted that Dr. Akoto-Osei also approved a US$15,000,000 loan to fund government equity of GIAL without government approval. The acting DPP said the mistakes that led to causing financial loss to the state would have been avoided if Dr. Anane and Mr. Crabbe went about their activities strictly under the shareholders’ agreement. She therefore noted that no investor wants to do business with the airline again because it has become “a floating coffin”. By Fidelia Achama/Daily Guide

How the NDC is undermining Ghana’s Economy

By Arthur Kobina Kennedy 

Ghana’s economy, like many others, depends heavily on foreign investments. That is why former President Kufuor invested significant resources and time in promoting Ghana’s economy to foreign investors. Mr. Kufuor and his Ministers worked assiduously to present Ghana as the “Gateway to West Africa.” That effort was rewarded with significant debt forgiveness by Western countries and the World Bank, as well as with significant investments in Ghana’s economy.

According to some wags, even God pitched in, revealing the existence of significant quantities of oil through the work of GNPC and Kosmos. Unfortunately, since the advent of the NDC administration, there has been a determined effort by the new administration to undermine our economy, to buttress their campaign mantra that the Kufuor government mismanaged our economy.

This has involved the subtle refusal to honour investment agreements reached by the Kufuor government, the encouragement of lawlessness by NDC foot-soldiers and a campaign of vilification against former government officials which has fostered uncertainty in the business community and thus discouraged investments.

Against this background, when the World Bank Country Director, Mr. Ishak Diwan, went on the “Citi breakfast show” on the 14th of April, expectations were high that he would candidly explain how the NDC has been undermining our economy and urge them to mend their ways in the interest of Ghana.

Unfortunately, instead of discussing the prospects of Ghana’s economy, he decided to do political bashing—of the former government along the familiar and false lines developed by the NDC in the last year. He accused the NPP of indulging in reckless spending in its last year in power. Said the World Bank Country Director,“The spending was very large. I mean look at Greece these days. Everybody talks about Greece having huge deficits, its undermining the whole EU and they have a deficit of 9 to 10% of GDP. Ghana had deficit of 20% of GDP, this is World record, it is reckless.”

While it is difficult to see how Mr. Diwan’s criticism of the past NPP government would help our economy now, he also got his facts wrong.

As Dr. Anthony Akoto-Osei, former Minister of State for Finance and Economic Planning and MP for Old Tafo pointed out, in an earlier letter written to the Board of the World Bank, Mr. Diwan had reported Ghana’s deficit for the period in question as 14.5%.

Indeed, even the NDC with all the political motivation to misrepresent the facts, had never put the deficit they inherited beyond 15%. Even this figure had been disputed vigorously by the NPP who insisted they had left a deficit of 10%. Of course, Mr. Diwan’s attack on the former government was in line with a longstanding and disgusting tendency of the World Bank to agree with incumbent governments while blaming former governments. Rawlings regime It would be recalled that the Rawlings regime had been hailed for their management of the Ghanaian economy by the World Bank both in the 1980’S and the 1990’S before the institution turned around to agree with the Kufuor government that our economy was mismanaged under the first NDC government.

Aside from getting the details of the NPP deficit wrong, Mr. Diwan also got the substance of his argument wrong. Indeed, most of the deficit spending by the Kufuor administration in 2008 was not reckless at all. Except for a few expenditures, like the Presidential Palace and the Presidential jets, the spending was visionary and pro-poor.

There was spending to cushion the poor against the escalating prices of petroleum and the energy crisis. There was spending to cushion the poor against the over 50% rise in the prices of basic foods. These same increases in food prices were ignored in other places and led to riots in Zambia, Egypt and Haiti, to mention just a few. It is interesting that when the super-powers eventually awoke to the magnitude of the financial crisis facing the world, many of them resorted to deficit spending.

This happened in America, Britain and many EU countries. Indeed, currently, America has historic deficits as the Obama administration struggles to end the recession triggered by the global crisis.

If Mr. Diwan had focused on the damage being done to our economy now, he could have sounded alarm bells about how the NDC is driving our economy into the ground by discouraging foreign investors. It seems that NDC II has picked up all the vices of NDC I without missing a beat. These alarm bells are already being sounded in the West to wary investors.

In an Editorial titled “WHY AFRICA IS POOR” in its February 18th edition, the influential WALL STREET JOURNAL said eight months after President Obama praised Ghana’s growth and its example that “development depends on good governance”, the Mills government is turning the nation into a cautionary tale for investors.

After a detailed account of the NDC administration’s amateurish and unprincipled attempt to block the sale by Kosmos of its 4 billion US Dollar share to Exxon, the influential US paper stated “That’s the kind of official thuggery more frequently associated with the likes of Nigeria, where the vast oil and gas resources have driven corruption and exploitation while the people continue to live in poverty.”

The paper revealed that other foreign investors are also getting the “Kosmos treatment”. It mentioned the British company, Vodaphone and the Norwegian oil company, Aker. The Vodaphone case is so well-known that it needs no elaboration.

After getting a license for off-shore exploration in November 2008, according to the paper, the Norwegian oil company was told this year that its license was invalid, even though the agreement had been UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED BY THE GHANA PARLIAMENT.

An Aker official said the government’s position had “no basis in law or fact.” Continuing the assault on Ghana’s reputation as a safe place to invest, Chuck Neubauer reported in the Washington Times of 26th March, 2010, that Ghanaian officials are trying to stop the Kosmos-Exxon deal so that the GNPC can buy the Kosmos stake at a cheaper price and resell to another company at a profit. According to the story “Ghanaian President John Atta Mills’ administration, according to critics, has targeted foreign companies that invested heavily in Ghana under the prior administration.” Ironically, it is this kind of conduct that the 1992 constitution sought to prevent. Under Chapter 6, the DIRECTIVE PRINCIPLES OF STATE POLICY, there are clear and unambiguous prohibitions against the conduct of the current government.

Article 35:7 states that “As far as practicable, a government shall continue and execute projects and programs commenced by previous governments.”

To buttress this point in the area of foreign investments, article 36:4 states “Foreign investments shall be encouraged within Ghana, subject to any law for the time being in force regulating investments in Ghana.” Of course, where investment agreements were clearly affected by corruption, they must be reviewed, using due process.

Mabey and Johnson scandal

As the Mabry and Johnson scandal and the earlier SCANCEM scandal, both involving high-ranking NDC officials show, Ghanaian officials can be corrupted. However, in the same manner that the NDC administration has been determined to respect the rights of those implicated and to honour agreements related to those scandals, they must do the same with respect to other agreements.

Furthermore, Parliament’s ability to conduct EXECUTIVE OVERSIGHT must be strengthened and made more transparent so that when they finally approve agreements and treaties, they will not be second-guessed.

In seeking to void the AKER deal which was approved by the NDC caucus in Parliament, is the NDC implying that their MP’s were behaved corruptly when they approved the AKER deal?

As a country, we must stop cutting our nose to spite our face repeatedly. One of the biggest problems we face is high unemployment. Instead of seeking to obstruct foreign investments that can create good, well-paying jobs, our governments must seek to remove obstacles in the way so that these investments can create jobs.

Even while this discussion has focused on foreign investors, it is indisputable that governments that treat foreign investors badly treat all investors badly. Thus the treatment of the foreign investors described here can only diminish the confidence of local investors in our economy.

Indeed, aside from the global financial crisis, one of the biggest factors that have slowed investments in Ghana by Ghanaians in the Diaspora is the widespread perception that the NDC government is anti-business. Let the government act to prove the critics wrong.

Let the World Bank country Director address those who are killing out economy now instead of attacking those who are no longer in charge of the economy.

Let the President, after improving his government’s behavior, present himself more often in the highest councils of the World, to make the case that Ghana is still the “Gateway to West Africa”

Let us move forward, together. 

Kennedy Agyepong Calls For Unity In The NPP

Mr Kennedy Agyepong, Member of Parliament for Assin North, has called on the supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to unite and work hard to recapture power in 2012.

He said the situation where party members were at each other\\\'s throat do not augur well for the smooth running of the party.

Mr Agyepong made the call at the swearing-in of new executive members of the Institute of Professional Studies (IPS) Chapter of TESCON at Legon.

Mr Agyepong charged the supporters to eschew all forms of negative tendencies that may tarnish the image of the party.

He pledged the party\\\'s commitment to the TESCON and expressed the hope that they would work in unity for the benefit of the party.

Mr Anthony Carbo, National Youth Organizer of the party urged the youth to avoid being used by any party official to foment trouble within the party.

He said the time had come for them to demonstrate their commitment to the party and work towards its victory \\\"we are all yearning for\\\".

Mr Isaac Acheampong, the newly elected president of TESCON, thanked the members for the confidence reposed in them and asked for their cooperation to enable them to work towards victory in 2012.

Among the dignitaries who attended the function include Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah, former Minister of State and Mr Hopeson Addoye, Kpone-Katamanso Constituency Secretary of the party.

Source: GNA

THE NORTH: SO RICH, YET SO POOR - President Mills

By Edmund Mingle and Yakubu Abdul-Majeed, Tamale

President Mills

PRESIDENT John Evans Atta Mills has observed that the high level of poverty in the Northern Region can be reduced if stakeholders in the area renew their commitment and work in unity to attract investments.

He said the region abounds in many resources and there is the need for collaboration and synergy among the various districts to exploit those resources which will lead to job creation and development.

The President was reported to have made this observation in a meeting with some District Chief Executives at Tamale behind closed doors. The rest of the DCEs will meet with the President today as part of his two-day visit to the region.

The President arrived in the Northern Regional capital earlier yesterday to a tumultuous welcome by the resident.

Briefing journalists about the meeting, Mr Koku Anyidoho, Director of Communications at the Presiding said the President expressed concern about the state of development of the region and reiterated his commitment to supporting initiative towards improving the welfare of the people in the region.

According to the Communication Director the President took the opportunity to brief the DCEs on the decisions of Cabinet at the last week’s Cabinet retreat on job creation, and asked them to find ways of implementing them towards achieving the ‘Better Ghana’ agenda of the government.

The President pledged the full support of the government in the implementation of their development initiatives, and encouraged them to be proactive in addressing challenges facing the region.

President Mill is expected to meet with the Regional Security Chiefs today to discuss the security situation in the region with the view to enhancing the operations of the security agencies.

Earlier, the President commissioned a multi-purpose Central Administration Block for the University for Development Studies (UDS) in Tamale.

The block, which serves as offices and conference hall, was funded by the GETFund at the cost of GH¢7 million.

Prof. Mills reiterated his government’s commitment to supporting the UDS to realize the objectives for which it was established.

He explained that education is the bedrock of development and the government would resource the university to deliver quality and affordable education to the future leaders of the area.

President Mills urged authorities of the University to partner with the authorities of the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) to enable it to achieve its goals saying there is no way SADA will succeed without the full support of the university.

“As a centre of excellence, UDS ought to make its rich human resources and facilities available to the SADA for its smooth implementation,” the President said.

The Acting Vice-Chancellor of UDS, Prof. Kwaku Sagri Nokoe, said from its humble beginnings with only 39 students in 1993, the university now has 1200 students with eight faculties.


He said that the UDS mathematics faculty has the highest student population pursuing science in any university in the country, and stressed the strategic importance of the university.

Prof. Nokoe further stressed that the university plays a key role in finding solution to community problems through the Third Trimester Field Practical Program (TTFPP) during which students were made to stay in the communities to identify problems and help find solution to them.

The acting Vice-Chancellor said though the UDS has made some progress it still faces a lot of challenges.

These challenges, he said, have enabled it to develop unique ways of addressing development problems, which have earned the UDS the recognition as the university for the future.

Prof. Nokoe however appealed to the government for support in addressing accommodation challenges for teaching and non-teaching staff.

Source: Ghanaian Times

Shut up, we are taking you to court -AG to NPP

Source: Daily Post

By Livingstone Pay Charlie

Attorney-General, Betty Mould-Iddrisu, says New Patriotic Party (NPP) elements must shut up, go to court and defend themselves rather than holding “useless press conferences”.

“Were they not the same people saying ‘take us to court?’ I am now taking you to court. So shut up!” she said in an exclusive interview with the Daily Post. Ever since the Attorney-General began filing criminal charges against former government functionaries, it has been the stock-in-trade of the NPP and their leaders to hold press encounters where they virtually question the court processes. Betty Mould-Iddrisu told this reporter that the NPP chaps who claim to be legal luminaries should go to court and do the proper thing.

“Court processes are not contested in the media? Those things are supposed to be done in court after appropriate applications are filed,” she observed. “They should know better,” she added.

So far, Betty Mould-Iddrisu has been able to work tirelessly to enable the government drag to court ex-government officials who had allegedly used their positions to engage in financial malfeasance leading to the loss of huge sums of money to the state. The cases include the liquidation of Ghana Airways to give way to Ghana International Airlines (GIA), the Ghana@50 mess, the murder of Ya Na Yakubu Andani II and Issa Mobila.

In the GIA trial, former Transport Minister, Richard Anane, former Greater Accra chairman of the NPP, Sammy Crabbe and others have been charged with various counts of wilfully causing financial loss to the state.

Immediately the charges were filed and the accused persons granted bail after court proceedings, the NPP held a press conference accusing the government of political witch-hunt. The NPP also described processes leading to their officials being charged as flawed. Chief Executive of the defunct Ghana@50 Secretariat, Dr. Charles Wereko Brobbey and Kwadjo Mpiani, former Chief of Staff are also facing criminal charges over alleged reckless spending during the Ghana@50 celebrations.

Though they had hitherto made a lot of noise for them to be taken to court if they are corrupt, the NPP again went to the public court of arbitration immediately charges were filed against the major players in the Ghana@50 celebrations crying foul. This time, the NPP’s concern was that a white paper should have been issued on the Justice Douse Commission report.

They portrayed the myopic view point that the white paper would have offered the accused persons the opportunity to lodge an appeal at the Higher Courts. Atta Akyea who is the legal counsel for the suspected Ya Na killers also questioned the modus operandi the security agencies used in grabbing the suspects. He also claimed that the proper thing for the government to do in the case of the Ya Na was to go according to the recommendations of the Wuaku Commission. He forgot that the Commission was merely a forum for a grand cover-up.

Additionally, he could not recollect the shabby job done by his clans man, Nana Akuffo Addo, when he was Ghana’s Attorney-General. After the murder of the Ya Na, Nana Akufo Addo slapped wrong charges on the suspects who were arrested by the security agencies. The courts had no option than to acquit and discharge the suspects.

Betty Mould-Iddrisu told this reporter no amount of rubble-rousing by the NPP would distract her focus.

“We are focused on our job. Delivering social justice and protecting the public purse all for the rule of law to be firmly established is our goal. Nobody can stop that,” she reiterated.

Top NDC Man Busted For Car Stealing!

NDC and Cars again?

One of the new recruits of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) who has started making ugly noises on some radio networks in the capital has been arrested by the police for running away with a rented car!

Information reaching the JOYFM indicates that one Dr. G.A. Pele, who is part of the Communications Team of the NDC, was playing hide and seek with Link Car Rentals, having escaped with one of their vehicles. Even though he initially went there to hire the car, he then escaped with it, and has since been cruising the length and breadth of the country with it, racking up over two thousand dollars in bills!

Information has it that Mr. Pele rented a four wheel Skoda Octavia (wine color) vehicle from the company for use for a few days, but rather escaped with the car for nearly a month and did not return it until he was arrested. By the time he was arrested, he had racked a bill of $2,800.20 dollars. Since his arrest and bail, he has defaulted in the payment.

JOYFM learned from sources close to the Tesano Police Station that G.A Pele says that he is working for Richard Quashigah, the NDC Propaganda Secretary and also the Trade and Industry Ministry.

He has handing around complimentary cards saying that he is a member of the Brand Ghana Steering Committee under the Trade and Industry Ministry and that the ministry will offset the bill at the appropriate time.

According to the owner of the Rental Car Company Mr. Seth Oduro Debrah all attempts made for Mr. Pele to pay the said amount proved futile, he was therefore left with no other option than to report the matter to the Tesano police.

Sources close to the Tesano police station confirmed the story and said the matter is been handled by commander P.A Ayisi who has interrogated Mr. Pele over the issue and investigations are still underway.

Akufo-Addo Is NPP’s Best Chance - Prof. Fobih, K.T Hammond

The MP for Assin South and former minister of Science and Environment as well as Youth, Education and Sports has called on the delegates of NPP “to rally behind their 2008 presidential candidate to wrestle power from the NDC government as he is the only one in NPP presidential race with the proven track record and the necessary skills to lead the party back to power.”

Speaking at a delegate meeting at Assin –Manso in his constituency, Prof. Fobih did not mince words when he told delegates to “vote massively for Nana Addo as the battle for 2012 requires someone who is brave, fearless and more so someone with a vision for moving our country forward.” According to him, under Kuffour’s administration, Nana Addos’s diplomacy and good human relations as a foreign minister brought so much foreign investors and good will that the country continues to enjoy.

He called on the delegates not to “waste their votes as a change of Nana Addo as the party’s presidential candidate may jeopardise the chances of the party winning the 2012 elections. He said the Nana Addo made history in 2008 election by becoming the first presidential candidate in his first appearance to achieve that height of clocking 4 9.8% and it will therefore not be prudent to change such a candidate and bring a green horn to start afresh.

He said he has had a close association with Nana Addo for a long time and he is one person amongst the candidates that he can speak positively about. “He was my colleague cabinet minister and I stand in front of you this afternoon to tell you that he is the man our country needs to come and take our people out of the poverty and deprivation that the NDC is imposing on Ghanaians.” He declared his unwavering support for nana Addo and asked his constituents and the whole of the party to vote for Nana Akufo-Addo.

Earlier, MP for Adanse Asokore and the longest deputy minister of energy under former president Kuffour’s regime, Hon. Kojo Tahiru Hammond also threw his weight behind Nana Addo.

The Member of Parliament for Asante Asokore in the Ashanti region said this in a well attended open forum at Asebu when Nana Addo interacted with delegates in the constituency as part of his Central regional tour. The Hon. Member entreated delegates to endorse Nana Addo as the flag bearer of NPP as he stands tall among his peers who are vying for the same position in the party. He said Nana has stood the test of time and has dedicated half of his entire life to working for the interest of the party in so many ways and also stands out as the first person in the NPP tradition to have clocked 49.377 % votes in his first appearance as a flag bearer. The Asokore MP further stressed that NPP needs someone who is brave, courageous, tested and respected worldwide as its candidate. He appealed to delegates to vote massively and decisively for Nana Addo to bring back power to the NPP.

Mills sacks two DCEs, MCE

Mills sacks two DCEs, MCE     The president John Mills has terminated with immediate effect the appointment of one Metropolitan Chief Executive and two District Chief Executives. A statement from the presidency named the sacked MCE and DCEs as Mahama Adama Welvis Hudu, MCE for Yendi, Hajia Mavis Mariga Bawa, DCE for Bunkpurugu Yonyoo and DCE for Karaga, Alhaji Mohammadou Sando. No reasons were assigned for their dismissal. The statement noted the Northern Regional Minister will take temporary charge of the districts until further notice. Mahama Adama was recently forced to embark on a self imposed exile by supporters of the ruling party who accused him of corruption. They threatened to kill him if the president still maintain him at post. It is not yet certain, if his dismissal has any linkage with the threats by the party foot-soldiers. Source: Myjoyonline.com/Ghana

Mills snubs people demanding DCEs’ dismissal

President Atta Mills         President John Evans Atta Mills has indicated that he will not be influenced by calls by some members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to dismiss some District Executives (DCEs) for alleged nonperformance. "What the President would do or not do about DCEs would be determined by how well or not well they perform," Mr Koku Anyidoho, Director of Communication at the Presidency, said. He made the President's reaction known to journalists after a closed-door meeting with the last batch of DCEs in the Northern Region on Tuesday. Mr Anyidoho said the President made his sentiments known when responding to questions at the meeting about calls by some party supporters to dismiss some DCEs for non-performance. Mr. Anyidoho who described the meeting as a frank encounter between the President and the DCEs. President Mills, however, charged the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives to be more innovative and proactive in addressing development challenges of the people. He warned that he would not entertain under-performance by his appointees. He charged them to think outside the box, explaining that there was the need for the executives, as leaders in the various districts, to lead the way for vigorous national growth. President Mills, who met the 22 District and Metropolitan Chief Executives in two batches on Monday and Tuesday behind closed doors as part of his two day visit to the region, also charged them to ensure judicious use of state resources, making it clear to his appointees that he would not hesitate to dismiss those who misused allocated resources. The President reminded them that they were appointed on the basis of their expertise and, therefore, much was expected of them. The success of the government, he said, depended largely on development progress made at the grassroots, and the government was expecting the DCEs to effectively implement development projects. "Your performance is critical," Mr Anyidoho quoted the President as saying. According to him, the chief executives, for their part, made their challenges known to the President, and called for more collaboration and support from central government. Source: Ghanaian Times