Ghana has come a long way, expected to have politicians who are national interest thinkers and not otherwise. A situation where both political parties, that is, the NPP and the NDC are both declaring win for themselves in the coming 2012 election is a threat to the security and stability of our country, Ghana. The intended and ultimate goal of politics of a state, must ensure the continuous provision of the public goods, security and an enabling environment for prosperity. What are we seeing of the NPP and NDC? Enough is enough!

I must state, it is clear that these two political parties—the NPP and the NDC—are destroying the moral political standard of this country. This malfeasance is not only at the national level of our body politics, but has narrowed to our tertiary institutions as well. Antagonism and attack on each other has descended to the various university campuses—especially University of Ghana, Legon.

On 20th October, 2011 when a TEIN van, that is, the NDC branch on University of Ghana campus rerouted to make announcement at Akuafo Hall Annex A, it came under attack by students alleged to be NPP supporters. Stones were fired, windscreen and other mirrors got broken. This is a typical example of an ALL DIE BE DIE ATTITUDE. Is this how we want the faith of Ghana to be decided…?

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, insecurity anywhere is a threat to security everywhere. This is a reflection that GHANA IS SITTING ON A TIME BOMB OF CIVIL UNREST.

The Progressive People’s Party (PPP), under Dr. Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom, with his humble and respected attitude is what Ghana needs in a time like this.

We all wish that this country lives to fulfil the creed on which it was established; Freedom and Justice, equality, Good governance and Respect for Human Rights.

ARTICLE BY: EMMANEUL OSEI, President Movement for Social Justice University of Ghana   

THE

GHANA captain, John Mensah’s headed goal was cancelled through another header by a Tunisian striker just at the stroke of half-time. The Stars qualification completed the semi-final haul with Mali becoming the third country to qualify earlier in the day after defeating favourite co-host, Gabon, 5-4 on penalties, after the two teams had settled for a one-one draw.

EARLY on Saturday, Cote D’Ivoire and Zambia became the first two countries to qualify for the semi-finals of the competition. On Wednesday, Ghana take on Zambia in the first semi-final clash in Bata, Equatorial Guinea, while Cote D’Ivoire play Mali the same day in the second semi-final match of the tournament.

WITH the victory, Ghana has on three times in succession, qualified to the semi-finals of the AFCON. The first was in Ghana 2008 when as host nation Ghana only managed a third position after losing the semi-final duel to Cameroun.

THE Stars repeated a similar feat in Angola 2012, after beating Nigeria to qualify to the finals to set up a crunch duel with Egypt. The Egyptians however beat Ghana to win a record seventh AFCON title, winning the last three of the AFCON tournaments.

MATCHES between Ghana and Zambia have over the years been played with keen aggression and the will to go the extra mile. The last time the two sides met in an AFCON competition was in South Africa 1996 when Ghana had in its fold top class performers like Abedi Pele, Anthony Yeboah, Nii Odartey Lamptey, Sam Johnson, Ibrahim Tanko among others.

AFTER losing 3-0 to host South Africa, Ghana squared off with Zambia for the third place which unfortunately the Stars lost by a lone goal. It was a match that the Black Stars although dominated, could not find the cutting edge to beat Zambia.

BUT perhaps the best of Zambia-Ghana matches were recorded in 1992 and 1978. In the Senegal ‘92 clash, Ghana beat Zambia by a lone goal. That was the era of Ghana’s football maestro- Abedi Pele, whose individual brilliance separated the two well-grilled sides that also had the dreadful Kalusha Bwalya as their key man.

WHILE Ghana boasted of Edward Ansah, Nii Darko Ankrah, Kwesi Appiah, Emmanuel Armah Senegal, Frimpong Manso, Stanley Aboraa, Ali Ibrahim, Nii Odartey Lamptey, Tony Baffour, Tony Yeboah and Abedi Pele, Zambia boasted as perhaps the best assembly of players in the country’s history. They included Efford Chabala, Wisdom Chansa, Fighting Somonkonde and Kalusha Bwalya.

THAT generation could however not realize the Zambian dream when they perished off the coast of Gabon in a harrowing plane crash. The only member of that squad to have survived the air disaster was Kalusha Bwalya, who decided to meet the team in Dakar, Senegal from his Belgium base. Kalusha was the key player of Belgian giant—Cercle Brugge.

BEFORE the ‘92 clash, Ghana had sweated out with Zambia during the opening of the Ghana ‘78 tournament in Accra. The Zambians took an early lead through danger man, Godfried Chitalu, before Golden boy, Abdul Razak and Opoku Afriyie to beat Zambia 2-1.

CHITALU, who later became the Technical Director of Zambia Football, was part of the team that perished in the plane crash. With the tightness of Ghana-Zambia matches, it is clear Ghana’s determination to break its AFCON failure will be put to real test by the well-knit Zambian side led by Christopher Katango.

He said stewardship, good financial and economic governance practices; and strong accountable institutions are the features when evident in a nation’s governance infrastructure would deliver the benefits of true democracy to all its citizens.

The PPP aspirant was responding to concerns raised by residents of Labawaleshie at a Town Hall meeting on Saturday, that; after queuing for long hours to register and vote politicians into power on many occasions, the electorate are yet to see the benefits of the exercise in their environment and living conditions.

Residents expressed disappointment at how politicians had taken them for a ride in both constituency and national governance for the past two decades, when in power but reached out to them through surrogate party activists in crafty ways with hand-outs to influence and buy their votes during elections.

William Dowokpor, who agreed with the sentiments of the electorate, advised them to persevere in exercising their democratic rights to register and vote. In doing so however, they must be guided by the bitter lessons they have leaned over the years and go for the alternative PPP that would deliver the real change that has eluded them over the years.

He said the alternative PPP had carefully devised a ten-point agenda for governing the country based on good stewardship that will in the shortest possible time, deliver the change Ghanaians can feel in their lives through jobs, quality health care, free compulsory continuous education up to senior high level and stamping out corruption through strong transparent and accountable institutions.

Sharing his vision for the Ayawaso West constituency with residents, William Dowokpor said he would be a “referendum MP”, involving the constituents in its governance. “I come as the “referendum” MP who will involve you in the decisions and contributions I will make in Parliament. We need to get it right this year in Ayawaso West Wuogon or the next four years will continue to be frustrating for all of us,” he cautioned.

The PPP candidate listed the five main concerns of the constituency as:

1. Reliability in utility and Public Services
2. Facilitating jobs for the youth
3. Accessibility of higher education to all
4. Security to life and property and
5. Involving residents in constituency governance

The five issues, which he said were of mutual interest to all residents would be tackled through his strong voice in Parliament and the involvement of the constituents in planning and executing constituency programmes in a truly “all inclusive” ways. “When it comes to solving constituency problems, there will be no party considerations under my stewardship as MP. We will involve whoever is prepared and willing to help us secure our mutual constituency interests” he insisted.

He advised constituents to stay tuned in to the Electoral Commission’s schedules, to ensure that they get registered in order to be part of the discerning electorate that would bring the real change, the constituency and Ghana need in the next November or December elections.

She was speaking on “Women’s Reproductive Health and Mental Health-What you Need To Know,” at a day’s awareness creation and sensitization workshop in Tema. The workshop, organised by Mindfreedom Ghana, an Accra-based mental health non-governmental organisation, with sponsorship from African Women Development Fund, was on the theme:  “Promoting Good Mental Health In Women’s Reproductive Health.”

Dr. Deganus said sex education would prevent adolescent children, especially girls, from unwanted and premature pregnancies and added that gender could have both positive and negative effects on the reproductive health of women.

She advised women to avoid sexual promiscuity since the practice was against African cultural values.

An official of the Accra Psychiatric Hospital, Dr. Dinah Baah-Odoom, noted that though some people looked physically strong, they had mental and psychological problems.

She explained that mental health was a state of contentment, happiness and hope.

Director of Mindfreedom Ghana, Mrs. Janet Amegatcher, urged society not to stigmatize mental patients, but endeavour to send them to hospital for treatment.—GNA

Mr. Kwaku Afrifa Yamoah Ponkoh, Ejisu-Juaben MCE

The Ejisu-Juaben Municipal Chief Executive, Mr. Kwaku Afrifa Yamoah Ponkoh has blamed the upsurge in illegal mining on irresponsible leadership and selfishness of some traditional rulers and clan leaders.

He said these unpatriotic chiefs and clan leaders connive and collect huge sums of money from the illegal operators and allocate large parcels of land for them to carry their nefarious activities which does not only affect the environment but also other social lives in the affected communities.

Addressing the chiefs and people of Peminase, a farming community notorious for illegal mining activities, Mr. Yamoah Ponkoh, blamed the fallen standard of education in the community on the deep interest of parents in mining at the expense of their children’s education.

Most school children also run away from school and enter into mining pits to carry sand and prospect for gold.

Mr. Yamoah Ponkoh also inaugurated a kindergarten block for the community.    It was constructed by GETFund at a cost of GH¢119,691 and has a block of three classrooms, dining hall, office and a store.

He said the Assembly would team up with the central government to flush out the illegal miners and appealed to children to go to school instead of engaging in mining activities.

An opinion leader in the town, Opanin Kwasi Owusu, praised the government for the project and pledged the support of the people to ensure the proper use of the facility to help improve academic performance in the area.—GNA

FLASHBACK: The five-bedroom apartment was seriously damaged by the fire

Police at Breman UGC in Kumasi have begun investigations into circumstances surrounding the death of Samuel Agyemang, the main suspect in the arson attack that occurred at Breman Kwamtwoma, a suburb of Kumasi, last week Monday.

Mr. Agyeman is alleged to have set fire to the five-bedroom apartment which housed his wife, parents and children, killing four of them in the razing fire.

Another victim of the arson, Beatrice Agyeman, 22, died later that same day at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital after being admitted together with her other siblings.

The decomposed body of Mr. Agyemang was found by some commuters at the Manyam stream at Tafo Ahenbronum without any ‘mark of assault.’

The portion of the stream where the lifeless body was found has fueled speculations by some town folk as to whether he was punished by the stream god for his supposed dastardly act.

Station Officer at the Breman UGC Police station, Inspector William Adu Quaye, who confirmed the news to Today, said they had conveyed the deceased body to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital for autopsy.

“For now we cannot say whether he was attacked by a group of people or he took some poison, because there was no mark of assault on him when we went to carry the body to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital,” he noted.

Inspector Adu Quaye called for restraint in awaiting the results of the autopsy to know exactly what led to the death of Mr. Agyeman.

Today in its Monday, January 30, 2012 edition, reported that a five-bedroom apartment had been set ablaze around 4 a.m., that same dawn.

Reports indicated that personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service unfortunately could not get to the accident scene on time because the bridge linking to the house had broken down hence the personnel had to alternatively use a diversionary long route.

By the time the personnel got to the scene however, everything in the house, including four out of the seven occupants in the house at the time had burnt beyond recognition.

Among those who died were wife of the suspect Afia Agyeiwaa 52, one of their sons Akwasi Owusu, 14 years, Daavi Sowuti Mede and Asumani Tawiah, also known as ‘Efo’ who were parents of the suspect.

Theophilus Berko and Nana Agyeman were part of the victims who survived but were not without serious burns all over their bodies.

The two are still receiving treatment at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.

STORY: RUTH ANDY, KUMASI, A/R

In an a press statement issued by its interim secretary, Kofi Asamoah, the party advised its regional and constituency executives to open nomination and ensure that all parliamentary candidates are duly elected by Friday, 30th March, 2012.

According to the statement, forms to contest a presidential position within the party could be obtained at a non-refundable fee of GH¢500.00 latest by Thursday, February, 16, 2012.

“All Presidential Aspirants will be required to pay a non-refundable filing fee of GH¢25, 000.00. (twenty-five thousand Ghana cedis),” it stated.

The statement also called on all interested parliamentary aspirants to obtain a nomination form from the regional secretariat of the PPP for a non-refundable fee of GH¢100.00.

Male aspirants, the statement noted, would be required to pay a non-refundable filing fee of GH¢1, 000.00 while female aspirants and male aspirants below the age of 35 years would pay GH¢500.00 as filing fees.

The statement also affirmed the PPP’s commitment to ensuring that 20% of parliamentary candidates are women.

STORY: KWAKU NTI

Lawyer David Annan

A member of the legal team of the beleaguered business man Alfred Woyome, charged with fraud, has been emphatic the remanded NDC financier will be bailed at the next adjourned date because the charges preferred against his client are not first degree felonies.

Mr. Woyome was refused bail on Monday for conspiracy to commit crime, defrauding by false pretense and corrupting public officials in the controversial GH¢58 million judgment debt. The case will be reheard on February 13. 

According to lawyer Annan, “it’s surprising that we did not get the bail, because the charges are not first degree felony charges. Even for first degree felony charges, unless they are expressly stated to be non-bailable, bail is always given. ”

“Remember in the other narcotic matters, narcotics is a non-bailable offence, the courts granted the bail. 

“For this one which is not, and is a second degree felony, we had hoped that the court would grant bail but don’t forget that bail is at the discretion of the court,” he pointed out. 

Mr. Annan further added: “I’m confident that at the next adjourned date, we will get bail. ”

Three other persons indicted in the scandal are Chief State Attorney of Ghana, Samuel Nerquaye-Tetteh and his wife alongside the legal director at the Ministry of Finance, Paul Asimenu. 

Two charges – aiding and abetment of crime – were preferred against Nerquaye-Tetteh and the former charge for his wife whiles Mr. Asimenu was charged with abetment of crime. 

Mrs. Nerquaye-Tetteh was granted bail in the sum of GhC 500,000 because she is a lactating mother but will have to report to the police twice a week – Monday and Friday. 

By: Martin Asiedu-Dartey/Citifmonline. com

According to the group, they could not understand why a section of the Ghanaian public would seek to sympathise with a president who, according to a report by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), had knowledge of and intervened on several occasions to halt the payment of the judgement debt to businessman and NDC financier, Alfred Agbesi Woyome, but denied knowledge of the move in public.

“Contrary, to public opinion, AFAG is of the view that the president cannot be entirely exonerated from the whole Woyome saga,” a statement from the group said.
An interim report submitted to President Mills on 2nd February, 2012 at the Castle, the seat of government, which the president ordered to be made public, reported of the president’s intervention in the payment of judgement debt to businessman and NDC financier, Mr. Alfred Agbesi Woyome.

According to the report, President Mills intervened on two separate occasions to halt the payment of the colossal amount to Mr. Woyome.

Though AFAG also promised to reveal the details of their convictions at a later date, it expressed surprise at the support Alfred Woyome received from some executives of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

“Again, we are surprised by the conduct of some high ranking officials of the NDC, notably, Dr. Kwabena Adjei and Mr. Richard Quarshigah, who on hearing the arrest of Woyome besieged the CID headquarters to lend support to Mr. Woyome,” the statement said.

This action of the executives, the statement said, “sends mixed signals to Ghanaians and the International Community on the preparedness of the Mills government in dealing drastically with the matter and bringing the perpetrators to book.”

They group also lamented the actions of leading NDC legal adviser, David Annan, on the on-going Woyome saga.

According to the group, the outspoken NDC lawyer has been shuttling between radio stations and engaging in what they described as a desperate effort to defend Alfred Woyome.

“More worrying to us, is the conduct and posture of Mr. David Annan, a leading member of the NDC communication and legal team, who hops from one radio station to another in defense of Woyome.”

That singular act of Mr. Annan as a legal adviser to the NDC financier, AFAG said, is creating doubts about the true intentions of the NDC government in the whole saga which it had continuously called on the government to intervene.

“Again, his [David Annan] role as a legal advisor to Mr. Woyome creates a certain doubt as to the real intentions of government in dealing with the issue.”

While commending the government for causing the arrest of Mr. Woyome, the pro-NPP group re-iterated their earlier stance that certain individuals implicated in the matter should be arrested and prosecuted.

“While AFAG commends government on the arrests of the two [Mr. Alfred Woyome and Mr. Samuel Nerquaye], as the first step in unraveling the issue, AFAG, still stands by the call made on the 17th January, 2012 for the arrest of Mr. Kwabena Duffour, Mr. Martey Newman, Mrs. Betty Mould-Iddrisu and Mr. Barton Oduro.”

According to the group, the call for their arrest stems from the fact that they believe these individuals connived and helped in the payment of GH¢52 million as judgement debt to Mr. Woyome.

“This position is based on our strong conviction that a ‘gargantuan crime’ such as the looting of 510 billion Cedis [GH¢51 million] of the tax payer’s money, could not have been contrived  and  executed  by only those arrested so far without the active connivance and duplicity of others.”

The group further challenged the government to pinch itself if it seriously wants to seriously get to the root of the matter.

“…Thus the arrest of Woyome and Nerquaye-Tetteh is not enough if the government genuinely wants to get to the bottom of the matter and bring all the perpetrators to book.” STORY: KWAKU NTI

President John Evans Atta Mills

The beleaguered businessman at the centre of the controversial judgment debt, Alfred Agbesi Woyome, has been charged for defrauding the state with three other accomplices. 

The others are Chief State Attorney of Ghana, Samuel Nerquaye-Tetteh, and his wife alongside the Legal Director at the Ministry of Finance, Paul Asimenu. 

Earlier, Paul Asimenu was arrested by the police.

He becomes the third person being held to either assist the law enforcement agencies with investigations or face prosecution over the infamous GH¢51 million judgment debt scandal.

The prime figure in the scandal Woyome was picked up last Friday whiles the chief state attorney Samuel Nerquaye-Tetteh spent the weekend in police cells.

Mr. Asimenu was indicted in the Economic and Organised Crimes Office (EOCO) interim report on the Woyomegate scandal because he was the “person who wrote the opinion which eventually led to the decision that Mr. Woyome was entitled to his claim.”

The report added: “During interrogations, Mr. Asimenu admitted that the figures he quoted in his advise as the basis of the evaluation by the finance committee of the CTRB on which he served was wrong and that he misled the Hon. AG. He also admitted that he went further to give personal advice to the AG on the correctness of the claim since it was based on international best practice. ”

“Indeed his claims that he was authorized by the Hon. Minister – MoFEP to send the opinion has been challenged by the Hon. Minister, whose position is supported by the fact that he queried the settlement based on the said advise when it came to his attention.

“Mr. Asimenu assumed a role which helped in creating the conditions which made it possible for Mr. Woyome to get paid what he clearly was not due,” the report added.—Citifmonline.com