Massive exam leakage hits Jayee University College

JAYEE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE

The Jayee University College at Accra has been hit by a major examination leakage. This has resulted in the cancellation of  all the papers.

Authorities of the University on Monday December 13, asked over hundred students who were getting ready for the paper to stop due to the leakage.

The University has begun investigations into the source of the leakage.

A source close to the University’s Management told Ghana Politics news that many students had access to almost all the papers days before the exams.

Meanwhile some of the students are agitated; saying authorities shouldn't  have canceled the previous papers they wrote.

According to them, they found some people holding the exam papers in the lecture halls, toilets, washrooms and other places. The writings were in the same font size and word to word” they said.


the University authority have come out to say that exams will continue Wednesday 15th December, and they will communicate to student when the new time table for the exams will be given to them.

Story by: Gilbert Amoyaw Sam

Kufuor slams Wikileaks-Guardian expose

Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has downplayed raging media frenzy over damaging US Embassy cables leaked to the western media in which his government was accused of lacking political will in the fight against drug trafficking on the West African Coast during his tenure.

The Wikileaks dossier, which was published on Tuesday December 14, by the Guardian newspaper in the UK, quoted a December 2007 cable as having said that; Embassy contacts in the Police Service and the President’s office “have said they know the identities of the major barons,” but “the government of Ghana does not have the political will to go after them.”

But in a sharp response on Wednesday night December 15, Mr. John Agyekum Kufuor told Citi News the Guardian’s publication is misleading.

“The British Government said the Westbridge project worked very well. I understand the Wikileaks said the Government and did not refer to the Kufuor Government. It might be that the Government of today is not doing enough to fight the crime menace.

Westbridge has been commended during Kufuor’s time by the head of the British Narcotic drug office. We did Westbridge and we did whatever we could so they should go and check their facts. There is too much loose talk. People just make allegations and when you challenge them to prove they can’t and yet people want to believe. If we do that, societies will never mature so we have to be hard-headed because we all want to fight crime” he said.

“I do not want my children and grand-children to fall victims to drug addiction because they will be destroyed. So we should never talk loosely and politicize this issue, it is too damaging” he appealed.

Mr. Kufuor cautioned the local media to be more responsible and not abuse the freedom that they are enjoying through the effort of the NPP administration.

“Please deepen the sense of responsibility. After all we repealed the Criminal Libel Law. If we had used it, perhaps people couldn’t talk as freely as they are talking. But we did not believe in muscling the media so now you are free to talk and you talk loosely. That’s not good because it won’t help you or the society.

Asked whether the Wikileaks-Guardian publication was not a fair reflection of his Government’s performance, Mr. Kufuor responded “What did Guardian say about Kufuor? And you are Ghanaian and Guardian is not in Ghana. Do you want to believe Guardian who might be paid to do something, criminal against Ghana? Is that what you want to believe?” he asked.

The former President was speaking to Citi News’ Richard Sky soon after his party, the NPP, honoured him for his achievements as the most successful leader to have emerged from the Danquah-Busia tradition.

The occasion was also to mark the tenth anniversary of the 72-year-old’s election in 2000 as the President of the Republic.

In receiving the honours, President John Kufour spoke strongly about the need for party faithful to unite ahead of the 2012 polls.

He said the NPP is the only party that can guarantee development in freedom for Ghanaians.


Source: Ghanaweb.com

Nana Addo declares victory at all cost in 2012

Hundreds of New Patriotic Party bigwigs and youths beaming with confidence and wearing broad toothpaste smiles Wednesday night turned the Nima residence of the party’s flagbearer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo into a durbar ground, where he declared the NPP will have no choice but to win the 2012 general elections.

The occasion, planned to be a modest dinner in honour of former President John Agyekum Diawuo Kufuor, who turned 72 recently, and his wife Madam Theresa Kufuor, proved too alluring for the party’s faithful, some of whom travelled from the regions to celebrate their mentors.

Said Nana Addo; Next year will be a year of intensive preparations for our party as we gear up for the great battle of 2012. We have to win that battle. The welfare of our nation demands. We dare not contemplate any other outcome.”

The crowd hailed the proclamation with shouts of victory as Nana promised to be a strong, fair minded leader with deep convictions and a high sense of integrity, one who will promote reconciliation and unity in both party and nation and encourage the sense of enterprise of the Ghanaian people. He will also deliver on his promises and help create a brighter future for all Ghanaians under conditions of freedom, respect for the liberties of all and the rule of law.

“This is the vision of leadership that inspires me and I am counting on the active cooperation and support of all of you here, and millions beyond, to help make the vision a reality for the benefit of our nation’s development.”

In extolling Kufuor’s achievements on the occasion of his birthday, which also coincides with the 10th anniversary of his election victory in 2000 to lead Ghana as president, Nana Addo observed that “A few days ago, Ghana's Social Health Insurance Model was recognised by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Health Organization (WHO), and singled out for the coveted South-South Cooperation Excellence Award, in Geneva, Switzerland.

“A documentary on BBC in 2008 stressed the importance of the School Feeding Programme and the Capitation Grant and the positive impact the two are having on primary school enrolment in Ghana.

“In your time, “Ghana scored an excellent record of good governance. The separation of powers and the independence of the Judiciary and the Legislature were respected. The media enjoyed unprecedented freedom. The rule of law prevailed and the fundamental human rights of the people were respected. Poverty statistics indicate that in your period, rapid economic progress helped half national poverty rates, which fell from approximately 50 per cent in 1991 to 28.5 per cent by 2006. The GDP of our nation was quadrupled (or grew ten-fold per rebasing) in your time. Those who fiercely challenged that fact are today basking in the recent assertion that Ghana has now reached middle income status.”

Noting that the argument as to who is the best president in Ghana’s history will in due course be settled by the historians, Nana Addo pointed to what he said were disquieting developments on the horizon in the manner which Ghana’s oil reserves and revenues are to be treated.

He called on President J.E.A. Mills not to assent to the bill containing the amended Clause 5 that seeks to collateralize the oil revenue, calling the decision unfortunate and ill informed.

“The decision by the majority in Parliament to amend its own bill to allow for collateralization of our oil revenue is unfortunate and ill informed. Available evidence from the experience of other oil producing countries suggests that the policy of collaterization of oil revenues became prominent during the booms of the 1970s when oil rich countries, like Angola, Nigeria and Venezuela, excited by the prospects of increased future oil revenues, embarked on heavy borrowing, usually on projects with inflated price tags. The effect was that their economies were tied to their creditors whilst the subsequent servicing of these debts crippled economic transformation. Ghana risks joining this tried and tested cursed path.

“I would like to take this opportunity to urge the President of the Republic not to give his assent to the Bill containing the amendment to Clause 5, which removes the agency of restraint on government expenditure embodied in the original Bill, which was approved by his own Cabinet, as it is not in the interest of both current and future generations. To do so would be to go against his own Cabinet's considered opinion and the expressed wishes of the people of Ghana as were reflected in the view of the over 80% of Ghanaians who contributed to the nationwide consultations on how best to manage and utilize petroleum revenues.”

Nana Addo said the amendment to Clause 5 opens the possibility for Government to increase the debt burden of the nation to unsustainable levels as witnessed to the detriment of funding frontline social services and workers' salaries, when such borrowing (even on a far lower scale) resulted in Ghana becoming a Highly Indebted Poor Country. The President who is the first in our history to deal with oil revenues should set a positive precedent of prudent and far-sighted management of these revenues.”

Former President Kufuor, his emotions palpable, was profuse in thanks to his host and celebrants, and urged a united front in the party for victory. He said the path to victory in 2012 was even clearer than ever, however complacency was a veritable enemy.

He said the party’s goodwill extends beyond the borders of the nation and urged all factions to close their ranks to salvage the nation once more.

The former president and his wife were presented with assorted gifts.


Source: Myjoyonline.com

Police besiege GFA offices

Plain-clothes Policemen and operatives of National Security have barricaded the premises of the Ghana Football Association preventing officials from entering or leaving the building.

The action is said to have been instructed by the Serious Fraud Office. A source at the SFO has told Myjoyonline.com that the office requested for certain documents from the GFA about two months ago but the FA has refused.

"We went for a court order to search and seize," the source told Myjoyonline.com.

The SFO invited GFA President Kwesi Nyantakyi for questioning over issues relating to Glo sponsorship deal of the Premier League but he declined the invitation initially, saying the SFO had no legal mandate to invite him. He and other FA officers have since been meeting with SFO officials.

Only last week, world football governing body, Fifa, issued a statement backing the GFA president and stating that the government could only order investigations into the disbursement of money it gave to the FA but not funds from corporate bodies.

Logistics such as computers are being removed, Myjoyonline.com has learned.

The plain-clothes men are reported to have descended on the FA offices in a number of vehicles, including Mahindra pick-up with registration number GC 6620 09; and two Toyota Landcruisers with registration numbers NR 1018 09 and NR 1039 09.

GFA President Kwesi Nyantakyi who walked into the commotion was inquiring from journalists what was happening in his office. He recalled the SFO had invited his office but at a short notice and thought the GFA needed time to organise itself and respond appropriately.

He said the GFA responded in writing to the SFO, and requested for more time, however there had not been any response.

According to the FA president, aspects of the SFO's authority to investigate the GFA is in court already and he would prefer the court to pronounce on it.

"Once somebody has encroached upon your premises whether with or without a court order, you need to find out the basis for the entry and I can even see a vehicle that has blocked our entrance. I dont know what is happening and it raises a lot of legal issues and we dont determine legal issues in the media, they are determined in the court of law so I will plead with you that let us exercise patience, let them do whatever they are doing we will also take the matter up," said Nyantakyi.

Journalists at the FA premises say about eight computers at the GFA have been carted away, along with several files.

A group calling itself supporters of the ruling National Democratic Congress, stormed the GFA offices, albeit belatedly, claiming their objective was to stop the action of the SFO because they felt it gave the government and President Mills a bad name.

Source: myjoyonline.com

SEVEN VEHICLES IN TETEGU ACCIDENT



Nissan Sentra car



Seven vehicles have been involved in accident in two days at the Tetegu junction an accident zone on the Malam – Kasoa road on Monday morning and Tuesday afternoon respectively.

 Both accidents which is said to have been caused by speeding and wrong over-taking by drivers saw one person dead and few others sustaining minor injuries.

The cars which were involved in the accident were an articulator truck with registration number GT 4138 H loaded with cocoa , a Mercedes Benz with registration number GR 4647 X and a Nissan 4x4 car with registration GR 1069-09 were all involved in the first accident whiles a Kia truck with registration  number GS 749 Y, a Nissan Avara with registration number GT 4758-10 which is owned by Ghana Ports and Harbour Authority, a Nissan Sentra with registration number GR 7808 Q which witnesses say caused the accident and a TATA bus with registration number GR 579 B.

According to the driver of the Nissan Avara both his car and the Nissan sentra were heading towards Kasoa whiles the TATA bus and the Kia truck were heading towards Malam from Kasoa.

He said the Nissan santra tried to over-take a car in front of him who did not give him the chance to over-take him, which resulted into a struggle for space in the inner lane of a three lane road.

He added that the santra hit the back of the car in front of him, lost control and hit his car which saw both drivers losing control and drove off into opposite side of the road causing the TATA bus to run over the Nissan Sentra whiles the Nissan Avara also ran into the back of the Kia truck causing massive traffic on both sides of the road.

A police officer at the New Weija Police Station in charge of accident who gave his name as Sacramento said most accidents that occur at the junction is due to the heavy traffic that drivers go through from Kaneshie to the Malam junction, and when they are out they try to show their skills on the way by speeding and wrongly over-taken others.

He further added that the police are yet to investigate the cause of the accident.

He also added that the driver of the Articulator truck which was also involved in an accident at that same spot is in their custody to help them in their investigations.   

Source; Gilbert Amoyaw Sam.

South Korea buries marines killed by N Korea attack



two Korian marines giving last respect

 South Korea has held funerals for the two marines killed when North Korea fired artillery shells at the South's Yeonpyeong island earlier this week.

In a service broadcast nationwide, the marines' commander vowed "thousand-fold revenge" for the attack.

Two civilians also died in the incident - one of the worst clashes since the end of the Korean War.

Tension is high, with the North calling planned US-Southern military drills on Sunday an "unpardonable provocation".

The US has called on China to increase its pressure on Pyongyang to prevent further incidents.

China has said its "top priority" is to keep the situation under control. Beijing has begun a series of talks with Washington, Seoul and Pyongyang in an attempt to ease the tensions.
Flag burned

The funeral for marines Seo Jeong-woo and Moon Kwang-wook was held at a military hospital in Seongnam, close to the capital, Seoul.
Military veterans protest in Seoul Military veterans protested in Seoul, demanding revenge on the North

Hundreds of government and military officials, politicians, religious leaders, activists and civilians attended.

Among them were Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik and Maj Gen You Nak-jun, the head of the marine corps.

"We'll certainly repay North Korea a thousand-fold for killing and harming our marines," said Gen You.

"South Korean active-duty marines and all reserve forces will engrave this anger and hostility in our bones and we will make sure we take revenge on North Korea."

Officials and relatives placed white flowers on the two coffins draped in the South Korean flag. Marines sang as the coffins were carried out.

Elsewhere in Seoul, 1,000 South Korean military veterans protested, burning the North Korean flag and portraits of Pyongyang's leaders. The protesters shouted slogans demanding revenge and condemning the North's "atrocity".

GHANA POLITICS: Removing a Chief Justice in Ghana

GHANA POLITICS: Removing a Chief Justice in Ghana

Removing a Chief Justice in Ghana



Chief Justice Miss. Joyce Banford Addo



Just as there are many ways of killing a cat, so also, should there be many ways of removing a Chief Justice (any Chief Justice) of the Republic of Ghana.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, in Ghana, there is only one recognized and accepted legal and constitutional way of taking that drastic step.

Article 146 clearly states the grounds and the procedure for removing the Justices of Superior Courts, and Chairman of Regional Tribunals. That includes the Chief Justice.

Under that Article, each of the above-mentioned categories of Justices of the Superior Courts and Chairmen of Regional Tribunals, can be removed only on the grounds of (a) stated misbehavior, or (b) incompetence, or (c) inability to perform the functions of his office, arising from infirmity of body or mind.

What is the procedure? The President of the Republic of Ghana must receive a petition for the removal of the Chief Justice. The 1992 Constitution does not specify which individual or group can present the petition to the President.

When the President receives the petition, he must, acting in consultation with the Council of State, appoint a committee, consisting of two Justices of the Supreme Court, one of whom shall be appointed Chairman by the President, and three other persons who are not members of the Council of State, nor members of Parliament, nor lawyers..

Once again, apart from the excluded categories, the Constitution does not state who the three nominated committee members should come from.

All proceedings under Article 146 shall be held in camera (in secret). The Chief Justice, the subject of the petition, is entitled to be heard in his own defense, by himself, or by a lawyer, or other expert of his choices.

Where the President has referred the petition against the Chief Justice to the committee, he (the President) may, acting in accordance with the advice of the Council of State, suspend the Chief Justice. At any time, the President may revoke the suspension order.

After the committee has presented its report, the President shall act in accordance with the recommendations of the committee. To the best of my knowledge, the constitution does not state that a Chief Justice can appeal against any adverse findings made by the committee. Perhaps the lawyers can advise us.

These are the grounds and the procedure for the constitutional and legal procedures for removing a Chief Justice. Except for one or two variations, the grounds and the procedures also apply to the other Justices and Chairman of Regional Tribunals.

Of course, people bent on having their way in the matter, may resort to extra- constitutional and extra-legal means of removing the Chief Justice. He could be murdered.

Mrs. Georgina Wood is the current Chief Justice of Ghana, the first woman to be appointed to the high, responsible, demanding and prestigious office, in this country.

Her appointment met with near universal acclaim. I said, "near Universal acclaim" for a very good reason.

At Mrs. Wood's 60th birthday celebration, the then Acting Chief Justice, Mr. F.K. Kpegah, was full of praise for her. He said, among other encomiums, "Georgina, I offer you my shoulder to lean on, though I am not physically strong. "(THE CHRONICLE. JUNE 11, 2007) The "Chronicle" further reported Mr. Justice Kpegah as "emphatically saying that Her Ladyship was not chosen because she is feminine, but was nominated by the President because she merits the job by dint of her stature in job performance over the past period spanning three decades."

The "Daily Graphic" of Tuesday, June 12,2007, quoted Mr. S. Tetteh, the then President of the Ghana Bar Association, as saying of Mrs. Wood, "she deserves it, and as I will not say the President gave it to her because of her sex, but because she is very capable."

Mr. Tetteh went on, "The new Chief Justice is known to have a firm hand on whatever she sets out to do, and I am confident that with the encouragement and support or the Bar, the good image of the Judiciary will be restored."

Of course, not everybody was enthused about the appointment. Honorable E.T. Mensah reportedly grumbled about the short time (in his view) given to the Vetting Committee to vet the nominee.

A more serious castigation of the Vetting Committee and reservations about the appointment came from one Mr. Larry Alan Dogbey, whose article was published in THE ENQUIRER of June 6-7, 2007.

The title of his article was, GEORGINA WOOD VETTING, with the sub-title, HOW BLAY AND OTHERS FAILED. The "Blay" referred to Honorable Freddie Blay, who chaired the Vetting Committee.

First, to Mr. Dogbey, the Vetting Committee should have questioned Mrs. Wood, as to why she failed to call the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, to her committee when his name was mentioned.

Secondly, he faulted the Vetting Committee for not asking her why she failed to locate the 77 parcels of cocaine.

Thirdly, he criticized the Vetting Committee for failing to question her on her views about the death penalty.

Fourthly, Mr. Dogbey faulted the Vetting Committee for failing to ask her about a case in which an "ailing" (his own word) Mr. Justice T. K. Adzoe had issued a writ against Mr. Justice George Kinsley Acquah, the late Chief Justice, over his (Mr. Justice Acquah's) attempt to remove him (Mr. Justice Adzoe), and why the case had not been heard by the time of Mr. Justice Acquah's death. It is obvious that what started as a trickle of opposition to Mrs. Wood's appointment has now developed into a flood of personal hatred for her.

In spite of the glowing testimony of Mr. Justice Kpegah and Mr. Tetteh, there are those who can still say that Mrs. Wood's appointment was not on merit, but was a reward for doing the bidding of ex-President J.A. Kufuor.

In the past two weeks or so, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has not left the least doubt in everybody's mind that it is baying for the blood of the Chief Justice, and it will stop at nothing, fair or foul, to cut her down and drink her blood, that is, get her thrown out of office.

Her sins, according to the party, include not purging the judiciary of unsavory, pro-New Patriotic Party (NPP) judges, hobnobbing with NPP lawyers so that the government would continue to lose cases against NPP people, apologising to taxi drivers, setting up a court to hear a case on a public holiday, contrary to the public Holiday Act, etc.

They say only the President can grant special permission for people to work on holidays, and that, therefore, she had usurped the powers of the President.

Let no one dismiss the threat posed to the Chief Justice and the Judiciary. There is the shocking and shameful record of courts being closed down, and three High Court Judges and a retired Army Officer being abducted and cold-bloodedly murdered.

The Rawlingses Want Power Because Of Ghana’s Oil -Boakye Gyan



Ex. President J.J Rawlings and wife Nana Konadu

 The Rawlingses Want Power Because Of Ghana’s Oil -Boakye Gyan

As Jerry John Rawlings and his wife, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings continue to irk majority of Ghanaians with their mental disorder which is referred to as Messiahnic Delusions by some psychologists, Capt Rtd. Kwadwo Boakye Gyan, Spokesperson for the erstwhile AFRC, seems to have a fair idea as to what is pushing the former President and his wife to want power at all cost.

According to Boakye-Gyan, as far as he is concerned, Rawlings and his wife are desperate for power because of Ghana’s imminent oil resources.

Speaking on TV3’s Agenda programme a day before the June 4 declaration that Konadu Agyeman Rawlings is dreaming of becoming the flagbearer of the NDC in 2012, Osahene Boakye-Gyan did not mince words in deciphering the real motive behind what Rawlings and his wife are up to.

According to the AFRC’s Spokesperson, he knows Rawlings very well and so can read through the mind of the former President and his wife.

Speaking his mind without much difficulty, Osahene Boakye-Gyan spoke at length about who Jerry Rawlings is and how he has the capacity to manipulate and use pretence to achieve his selfish ends.

According to Boakye-Gyan, all the attempts by the Rawlingses to create the impression that they are not wealthy, is a façade because he knows it for a fact that a lot of their actions are actuated by the desire to acquire wealth. For those who don’t know, Captain Kwadwo Boakye-Gyan was the best man when Jerry John Rawlings was wedding Nana Konadu and both men were very close pals until they fell out with each other somewhere along the line.

Power outages halt parliamentary proceeding

Power outages halt parliamentary proceeding

Power outages on Wednesday halted Parliamentary proceedings for over an hour.

The power flickered on and off three times and never came back again until 11:15 hours.

The first Deputy Speaker, Mr Doe Adjaho, who sat in for the Speaker, therefore could not stay to chair proceedings so he returned immediately to his office.

When proceedings resumed, Mr Isaac Asiamah member for Atwima-Mponua, who attempted to comment on the matter, was restrained. Mr Adjaho told the House that even though he summoned those responsible for energy to explain the outages, he could not disclose the outcome of their discussion saying it would be explained to the House on Thursday. Later there a disagreements between the Majority and the Minority as to whether the Deputy Energy Minister, Dr Emmanuel Buah should answer questions on behalf of his Minister, Dr Oteng Adjei.

Mr Cletus Avoka, Majority Leader appealed for the House to accept Dr Buah to answer the questions on behalf of the Minister. The Minority however accused Dr Oteng Adjei as avoiding parliament.

Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, Minority Leader said they were not against the Deputy Ministers answering questions on behalf of their Ministers but where it seemed there was the intent to avoid parliament it would be a problem.

"The Minister in most cases intently finds a way to excuse himself from parliament," he said and called on Mr Avoka to established reasons for his absence.

According to Mr Avoka, Dr Adjei was in the House to respond to the questions, but had an urgent call to come to the castle. The Minister later came to answer the questions.

Young Artists For Haiti - Wavin' Flag + Download Link

Alan Disowns Drug Convict

….says he is not a core member of his team.

Alan Disowns Drug Convict

Top aides of the Alan Kyeremanteng’s campaign have distanced themselves from Mr. Kofi Dokyi Ampaw, a.k.a Kofi 123 who was jailed 12 years over a drug related offence in the United States of America for his unsavory comments which insiders say fits the description of Nana Akuffo Addo.

Kofi 123 is rumored to have urged party voters to vote for someone who is handsome and not someone who is old and short like a Lilliput.

The distancing is part of efforts by the various campaign teams to guard against such unhealthy utterances from people outside the various core campaign teams who claim association to particular candidates.

Mr. Ampaw, who was fired by TV3 after Enquirer revealed his drug record in the US in 2008 as part of an investigation on how he obtained a huge controversial contract from the Ghana@50 Secretariat during in 2007.

Presently, The Enquirer gathered the man, who until recently was often seen in the company of close allies of Nana Akufo Addo, is in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region perpetuating his use of what some party insiders consider as foul language against other candidates.

But The Enquirer is in firm grip of information that he has incurred the wrath of the Alan campaign team, as the breaks had been pulled on his wheels for talking too much.

According to a highly placed source within the team, key communication members have had cause to raise concerns over the demeanor of Kofi 123.

“Our candidate and, indeed, the core members of his team have always cautioned those who attempt to talk as his supporters.

“Currently, the issue of foul language is gaining very bad grounds and we at this particular camp have decided not to be part of it.

“Therefore, anybody who will like to associate himself or herself with Alan-K should desist from the use of foul language,” the source said.

The source said that based on reports received by the core members of the campaign team, Kofi 123 was given a stern warning to desist from such acts. According to the source, Alan, who is the candidate, always endeavors to meet with the campaign members constantly to discuss the issue to be raised on platform.

“It is quite unfortunate for somebody, like Kofi 123, who is nowhere close to the candidate to behave like that,” the source said.

Asked about his fate if he continues to behave like that, the source said Mr. Ampaw, in the first place, is not a core member of the team and that, if it gets worse, he would be prevented from even supporting Alan K.

“Our move is quite simple and that is to showcase what our candidate has to lead the NPP and any thing apart from that will not be entertained,” the source added.

Kofi 123, who made time in prison in the United States of America for a drug related offence, hit to news in 2007, after he won a dubious contract from the Ghana@50 Secretariat to erect signposts in all the districts in the country, as part of monumental plan for the celebration.

Using his company, 2A Multi-media, he managed to swerve the people who mooted the idea of sending a proposal to the Ghana@50 Secretariat.

After collecting a mobilization fee of over ¢100 million from the Secretariat, he went on a spending spree and ended up in doing shoddy work for the government at the time.

Presently, none of the signposts he erected is visible, as the materials he used for the project were said to be of a poor quality.

At the time his cover was blown, he was the TV3 morning show host, but was promptly asked by the station to take a bow to enable him to purge himself of all allegations made against him. However, he could not, as there were enough evidence that he misconducted himself in connection with the Ghana@50 contract. As part of the game plan to extricate himself from the net, he organized a press conference at the International Press Centre in Accra and publicly wept, but could not tell how he won the contract at the Ghana@50 Secretariat.

POLITICAL PARTIES LAW IN GHANA

POLITICAL PARTIES LAW IN GHANA.
(How effective is the law in our political arena)
feature article
by: Gilbert Amoyaw Sam
This is the five hundred and seventy-fourth act of the parliament of the republic of Ghana entitled the “political act”, 2000. An act to revise the statute on political parties to bring the provisions in conformity with the constitution and to provide for related matters.

Political parties are creatures of law. Therefore, political parties must operate in a manner that honors the law, not to stifle or break it.

A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to attain and maintain political power, or a group of people who share the same ideas about the way the country should be governed.

In Ghana here, there are so many political parties, but we have two party systems, which means that there are two dominant political parties, with extreme difficulty for anybody to achieve electoral success under the banner of any other party.

Participation in a political process is one of the tenets of true liberal democracy. In Ghana, article 55[2] of the 1992 constitution guarantees that every citizen of voting age has the right to join a political party.

A member of a political party is primarily expected to participate in the political process with the aim of lawfully and positively influencing the composition and policies of the government. He is also expected to contribute, financially or otherwise, to the realisation of the core objectives if his party. So far there has been about 20 political parties in Ghana now within the forth republic. They are; CPP, NCP, PCP, NIP, PHP, DFP, DPP, EP, GDRP, GCPP, BNP, NDC, NPP, NRP, NVP, PNC, RPD, UGM, ULP, and the URP. And as time goes on, I know very soon some other political parties will be formed under this particular law of the party’s law.

With the formation of the political party laws, which deals with the founding of political parties, these parties are in the forth republic and are functioning in the country.

Another thing the laws also talks about which is the (section 2) is “participation in politics”, which says that “every citizen of voting age has the right to participate in political activities intended to influence the composition and politicize of the government. But one thing that the law talks about, with even fines, which I think is not really working in out country is the formation of organizations or group outside the political party which has interest in the affairs of a party and its members joining the party as well.

Political parties operate to; participate in the shaping of the political will of the citizenry; disseminate information on political ideas, social and economic programmes of national character; and sponsor candidates for elections to any elective public office except that of District Assemblies or lower local government units, but (only god knows if they do not sponsor candidates for District Assembly elections). Political parties, in performing these functions, are subject to the laws of Ghana. Therefore, a member of a political party is not immune to legal sanctions upon breaching any law in his quest to achieve any political objective, through unlawful means. Unfortunately, some political parties continue to entertain impunity in the Ghanaian society by shielding their undisciplined members from legal discipline.

This attitude has been the bane to Ghana’s smooth political advancement since independence. This article advocates for a change to curtail this untoward conduct. Indeed, our laws should be allowed to whip members of political parties who joke with the law.

In all indications, I think this particular law of the parties is not really working. We have seen groups and organizations which are affiliated to a party. The groups are mostly formed when they are in opposition. Lot of groups have been formed which in one way or the other supports a political party. A group like the Danquah- Institute is an NGO, but it is really clear that that group belongs to the NPP. Another group is the 31st Women’s Movement which is also an NGO but supports the NDC. Lot of other groups have been formed to either support this party or the other. So where is the law now on this?

Another law which I think when given good ear to it will solve some of the conflicts in our country is the “prohibition of ethnic or religious parties”. This is one of the laws which really need to be looked at very carefully. Most of the ethnic conflicts and misunderstanding comes from the ethnic affiliation in our parties. I think this particular law is not working in our party laws. We see political parties being associated with ethnic groups. A typical example of such is the Eve’s and the Ashanti’s (Akans). The eves are associated with NDC and the Ashanti’s to the NPP. The NPP was founded with the spirit of Akans and are typically Akans affiliate, whiles the NDC are the Eves and also the Northern part of the country as well.

This has brought conflicts in most of our ethnic society, with even chiefs and opinion leaders involving themselves in partisan politics. There was an incident that one of the great chief in the country asks his people to vote for a particular party candidate. In Accra here, it was out that one of the chiefs was not invited for a public gathering by the current ruling party because they said they do not recognise him as a chief and he was installed by the previous NPP government. Now I political party is out which has a spiritual leader as its leader has also been registered in the country, with the.

The law also talks about registration of political parties, which says that “A political party shall be registered in accordance with this Act and shall pay in respect of the registration such fees as the Electoral Commission shall by constitutional instrument determine” I know most of our political parties have been registered and has been endorse by the electoral commission. It also says that a political party shall upon registration under the Act be a body corporate with perpetual succession and a common seal, may sue and be sued in its corporate name, and shall have the power to acquire, hold, manage or dispose of movable or immovable property and enter into any contract or other transaction as any legal person.

Qualification of founding and executive members of political parties is subject to this Act that, a political party shall have executive and other officers as its founding members shall determine. And its also says that only qualified citizens are to be elected appointed by its members to be elected as members of parliament or as a president. Most of these laws are perfectly working and has been given an eagle eye on them.

Declaration of asserts and expenditure by political parties is also one of the laws of the parties which give them ninety days to submit a written documentation for the declaration of all its asserts and expenditure to the electoral commission. This law is also on tract and working perfectly.

Another law which saw the late Dan Lartey, the founder of the GCPP out from the 2008 general elections, for failing to furnish the commission with the details of the existence and location of its national, regional, district and constituency officers, with their names, titles, and addresses of them. It says “within ninety days after the issue to it of a final certificate of registration, a political party shall furnish the Commission with details of the existence and location of its national, regional, district and constituency offices”. And this should tell you how important this law was or is.

These and some of the laws of the political parties in the country are really working very well, but in all cases there will be some lapses here or there which will hint of or two laws to function as expected, but I know the electoral commission will take a look at this and will work very hard to cover up the lapses in all the laws to promote smooth operation of politics in our country for the betterment of citizens.

Sudanese opposition leader held

Sudanese Islamist opposition leader Hassan al-Turabi -- once President Omar al-Bashir's main ally -- was arrested Saturday night, according to state media and al-Turabi's political colleagues.

State-run Ashorooq network said al-Turabi, head of Popular Congress Party (PCP), was detained after remarks he made in a local newspaper criticizing al-Bashir's regime and its handling of last month's elections.

Ibrahim al-Senousi, PCP deputy, said that security forces raided al-Turabi's house and detained him. His secretary, Awad Babakir, added that, "Armed security forces and intelligence agents arrived in three cars and took Dr. al-Turabi to an unknown location."

Kamal Omar, PCP secretary general said, "the authorities transported al-Turabi to Kober prison in Khartoum for investigation after his arrest around midnight (Saturday)."

Omar also said that military forces took over the PCP newspaper building last night and prevented journalists from entering its premises.

The newspaper's editor-in-chief, Omar al-Imam, said authorities closed the newspaper Saturday night.

CNN could not obtain an official statement from al-Bashir's government on Sunday.

Al-Turabi has been imprisoned a few times within the last few years, the last time in January 2009.

Al-Bashir seized power in a military coup in 1989 together with his then-close ally al-Turabi, who was long thought to be the power behind al-Bashir's regime.

In 2000, the president ousted al-Turabi from his post as parliament speaker and stripped him of his political power. Al-Bashir accused al-Turabi of undermining his power.

Al-Turabi later formed the opposition Popular Congress Party.

The oil-rich African nation has been riven by fighting in Darfur and a civil war between north and south.

Source:(CNN)

Ministers Chastised For Lateness To Function

The late arrival of the Minister of Education and other governmental officials to the prize-giving day ceremony of the Anfoega Senior High School in the Kpando District on Saturday, May 15 incurred the displeasure of the Paramount Chief of Anfoega traditional area, Togbe Tepre Hodo II, who minced no words in chastising them.

The program which should have begun at 9:30 am, started at 1:30pm. The Education Minister, Mr. Alex Tettey-Enyo, the Volta Regional Minister, Joseph Amenowode and the Director of Education, Gabriel Kploanyi, all arrived at 12:11pm. Togbe Hodo castigated government officials and politicians in general for being in the habit of arriving at functions late and thus “distorting the programme and wasting everybody’s time.”

He said that “if the President does not put his foot down to check these attitudes of his ministers and other politicians; they would derail his ‘Better Ghana’ agenda.” Togbe Hodo said “the time has come for politicians to call a spade a spade and not a big spoon, because Ghanaians can no longer be taken for granted by politicians.

He cautioned that if things continued to be done the same way as was done in past, then the Better Ghana agenda that Ghanaians had been promised and were yeaning for would elude them. “We are all talking about leadership and if our politicians continue this way, what type of signals are they sending to the youth? “My chiefs and I disapprove of late start of functions and especially so when no reasons are assigned for the lateness,” the paramount chief said.

He cautioned politicians not to take traditional authorities for granted or they would pay dearly for it. Both the Minister of Education and the Regional Minister apologized to the guests. Mr. Tettey-Enyo said they could not have absented themselves from the function and had to attend at all cost. He said it was not their intention to inconvenience traditional authorities and inconvenience traditional authorities and other dignitaries and invited guests.

Mr. Amenowode said he would not attempt an explanation for arriving late. The occasion which was on the theme: “45-yerars of Community Education. Challenges and the way forward,” was used on commission a bus, a computer laboratory and girls hostel. Mrs. Margaret Krampah, the headmistress of the school, appealed for a boy’s dormitory, administration block, a dinning hall complex, classrooms and staff bungalows to enhance academic work.

Mr. Peter Hayibor, chairman of the Board of Governors, expressed concern about the school’s low enrolment, describing it as a setback in the human resource development of the area and appealed to stakeholders in education to save the situation.

Akufo-Addo shocked by support at Isaac Osei’s constituency

Monday, 17th May: - If there was any doubt about Nana Akufo-Addo’s popularity in the main opposition party, then this cleared it. Subin on Sunday sent a clear message to the party and country, at large, where lies the overwhelming sentiment of the New Patriotic Party.

The filled-to-capacity atmosphere at the Owner Services Auditorium, Subin, Kumasi, was charged with positive excitement on Sunday, May 16, when Nana Akufo-Addo met with Subin delegates to tell his message of hope for victory 2012 to them.

“This is a big shock. We knew Nana was popular among polling station executives in this constituency. But, this is beyond our widest expectation,” Nana Yaw Osafo-Maafo, a member of Nana Akufo-Addo’s Victory 2012 campaign team, said after witnessing the ground swell of support his candidate received at Subin on Sunday.

Nana Akufo-Addo, who is competing for re-election as the presidential candidate of the NPP, also expressed a similar surprise and thanked the delegates for keeping faith with him.

Mr. Isaac Osei is the Member of Parliament for Subin and was thought to have the overwhelming support of his constituency delegates. Mr. Osei is one of five aspirants competing for the 2012 presidential nomination of the New Patriotic Party.

With the Subin constituency chairman, Alhaji Baba Wala, being a leading member of Mr. Osei’s campaign team, and news that most of the 16 constituency officers were in support of their MP’s presidential bid, what was not known was the allegiance of the 485 polling station executives, representing all 97 polling station areas and the 10 electoral area coordinators.

But, on Sunday, the overwhelming majority of the delegates spoke boldly and they spoke in favour of Nana Akufo-Addo.

Sloganeering in twi, they shouted “the one who toils is the one who must reap,” referring to Nana Akufo-Addo’s enduring contribution to the fortunes of the party from its conception.

The resounding message was that, by winning the confidence of 49.77% of the Ghanaian electorate in 2008, Nana Akufo-Addo represents the best hope for the NPP to change the trend of two four-year-terms for a sitting president.

One delegate said they will be electing on August 7, the candidate who has the best chance of winning in 2012, “not one who wants to use 2012 as a launching pad for 2016.”

The delegates said they were aware that while their MP was among those who openly campaigned against the expansion of the electoral college in 2009, Nana Akufo-Addo was the only known presidential aspirant, among the five, who went all out to push for the expansion.

“Unlike the past where only 10 constituency officers and members would pocket some big money and decide who to lead us, today, all of us polling station officers have the vote,” said one Subin delegate, K Agyemang.

“Those who thought we were not good enough to vote now thinks our vote is good enough for them. We shall see!” he added.

The delegates were determined to make it clear to Nana Akufo-Addo that Subin was more than a ‘go-area’ for him.

One delegate screamed to a loud echo of approval from the audience, “the results from Subin on August 7 will tell you we are all for you!”

The NPP will choose its 2012 flagbearer on Aug 7, 2010. The elections will take place simultaneously at 230 centres in all 230 constituencies across the country. The ballots will be counted and results declared at the constituency polling centres.

In a very short and powerful message, Nana Akufo-Addo asked delegates to vote for the name that is on the lips and minds of all Ghanaians today, whether in the market places, households, on the streets or workplaces.

“Some of us campaigned vigorously for polling station executives to have the vote because we know you are the men and women who do the actual door-to-door campaign and who on election day will get our people out to vote,” Nana Akufo-Addo explained.

“We are also aware that you have day-to-day interactions with members of your various communities. You hear what they are saying. You know who they want. So we want you to be the main decision-makers on who you think you can sell the easiest if elected as your presidential candidate,” he said.

Nana Akufo-Addo tasked polling station executives to make good use of the power that has been given them, because “if today, the Ghanaian people are looking up to the NPP to come and salvage our country from the pain and hardships, then they are looking up to you the polling station executives of our party to choose the candidate who can lead you to victory.”

He added, “the larger responsibility of bringing the NPP back into power in 2012 lies on you. For our part, we will do what we have to do, including giving you the resources to do your work effectively.”

The atmosphere in Mr. Isaac Osei’s constituency was not only vibrant but peaceful. He is the only candidate who is a sitting MP. Nana Akufo-Addo, with a 12-year background as an MP, is the only other candidate with any parliamentary experience.

Minority Leader, Mr. Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsu, who was in Kumasi at the weekend, expressed the desirability of political parties nominating presidential candidates who have had experience as a legislature or of an elected office holder, as has become the norm in America.

Minority Leader, four ex-ministers to refund GH¢94,00

Five ex-ministers in the Kufuor administration and the current Minority Leader in Parliament, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, have been ordered to refund a total of GH¢94,080 as overpayment made to them in their ex-gratia computation.

The directive, which follows the Auditor-General's Report on the Verification of Payments of emoluments for ex-ministers and Members of Parliament (MPs), drew an angry reaction from the Minority Leader when the Daily Graphic contacted him for a response.

He dismissed the news as "a childish prank by the NDC government to create disaffection for members of the NPP".

Those ordered to refund the money are Mr Christopher Addae, GH¢ 17,936; Mr Samuel Kweku Obodai, GH¢17,936; Mr Kyei-Bonsu GH¢20,848; Mr Ernest Debrah, GH¢19,424, and Mr Kofi Osei Ameyaw, GH¢ 17,936.

It follows a request by the Office of the President, by a letter dated March 29, 2010, requesting the Auditor-General to conduct an audit verification of Emoluments for Ex-Ministers and MPs to advise on whether there were shortfalls in payments made by the Office of the President, whether there were any overpayments by Parliament and whether there was a basis for reconciliation of the various payments.

Reacting to the Auditor-General's finding, Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu expressed surprise that the affected persons had not been notified but added that it would be interesting to know the basis of the said computation, adding, "We will react appropriately when the details are made available to us."

The Auditor-General, after carrying out the requested verification, submitted that there were no shortfalls in payments made by the Office of the President but that there were some under and over-payments made by Parliament.

That was also dismissed by the Minority Leader, who insisted that each MP was paid about the same amount of gratuity and wondered how "only the five of us could have been overpaid".

"The purpose of this prank is obvious but this cannot intimidate us," he added.

It would be recalled that President John Evans Atta Mills, after the submission of the Ishmael Yamson Report on the emoluments of Article 71 office holders, requested that payments be made to a category of holders who served between January 7, 2005 and January 6, 2009.

It made the categorisation of distribution as follows - four months' consolidated salary for each completed year of service or pro rata to calculate the end-of-service benefit (ESB), installation grant of one month's consolidated salary, and resettlement grant of one month's consolidated salary for each completed year of service.

That request was conveyed to Parliament by a letter dated November 5,2009.

According to the audit report, payments were made to ministers who were not MPs, saying those were paid all their benefits by the Office of the President.

It said ministers who were MPs were paid their ex-gratia by Parliament and their installation and resettlement grants by the Office of the President, while MPs who were not ministers collected their ESB and installation and resettlement grants from Parliament.

The report said the Office of the President paid the ESB and installation and resettlement grants to the 43 ministers who were not MPs, adding that they received the full amounts as calculated by the Office of the President based on the presidential directive.

It said the monthly salaries used for the computation of the ESB of 59 ministers were less than their approved monthly consolidated salaries, thereby resulting in total under-payment of GH¢411,632 being made to 54 of the 59 ministers.

It said the names of five of the 59 ex-ministers appeared again on the list paid by Parliament, although they had had their installation and resettlement grants paid by the Office of the President, stressing that by "this repetition, the five

ex-ministers have been paid the installation and resettlement grant twice".

In respect of the installation and resettlement grant, it said after setting off the under-payments against the over-payments, GH¢648, 710 had been paid to 176 MPs who were not ministers.

"The under-payment and overpayment by Parliament were as a result of the computations not going through any audit verification before being submitted to the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning for the release of funds for the payment," the report said.


source: Ghanaweb