…over poor record keeping, abuse of discretion
Posted: The Chronicle | Tue, 27 Oct 2009
By Charles Takyi-Boadu & George Frimpong
The Commission probing the country's 50th Anniversary celebration is getting increasing worried over the rate at which Municipal and District Chief Executives (M/DCEs) abuse their discretion in record-keeping.
This became evident at its sitting yesterday, when some of these former public servants who appeared before the Commission, virtually admitted using their discretion in taking decisions which affected the sale and distribution of Ghana @50 cloths, polo shirts and souvenirs before, during, and after the celebrations.
First to admit his guilt, was the former MCE for West Akim, Kwabena Sintim-Aboagye, when he openly told the Commission that he might have committed an error of judgment by using his discretion in taking certain decisions.
This was after he and others were subpoenaed to respond to allegations leveled against them by some people who had earlier appeared before the Commission.
Though he denied the allegation of pocketing any of the proceeds from the sale of the anniversary items, he admitted taking a few for onward distribution to some key and influential people in the Municipality, including traditional leaders and senior citizens for free.
He however did not have any documentary evidence to show the individuals and group of persons he gave the items to.
That, notwithstanding, Sintim-Aboagye said he was extremely surprised when the incumbent Director of the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) came to make unfounded allegations against him, stressing that he was unhappy when he listened and watched him on television.
According to him, he realised a lot of factual inaccuracies and discrepancies in the Director's presentation.
Accounts
He gave a vivid account of how the Assembly expended the GH¢10,000 allocated to them by the Ghana@50 Secretariat for the organization of the celebration, an amount he said was nothing to write home about, emphasising that they received 50 pieces of the anniversary cloth, and sold them at GH ¢30 each, all amounting to GH¢1,500.
Considering the high demand for the cloth, he noted that the Assembly requested for more, leading to the supply of another 30 pieces, bringing the total proceeds of the sale to GH¢2,400.00, an amount Sintim-Aboagye said, he personally handed over to the then Eastern Regional Minister, Yaw Barima.
As the demand for the polo shirts also increased, he said, they managed to secure some 720 pieces from private sources, and paid for it.
He talked of how the Assembly used some of the already scanty resources to save the life of a 24 year old National Service person, who was injured by a stray bull on the day of the anniversary celebration, to the admiration of members of the Commission.
Though not part of the programme and activities for the celebration, he noted, the Assembly used part of the money to foot the medical bills of the lady with a yet-to-date outstanding debt of GH¢603.00.
Sintim-Aboagye said there were receipts at the RCC to support his claim, whilst the incident involving the National Service person was reported in the newspapers.
Mavis Allotey, who acted as the Store Keeper of the Assembly, and Alhaji Ibrahim Tijani, former Director of the RCC, also took their turns to clear allegations leveled against them.
On his part, the former District Chief Executive for the Kwahu West Municipal Assembly, Nana Kofi Kesse, had a tough time explaining the laxity with which the Assembly kept records.
Though, he admitted receiving and keeping the items in his office, he later invited the Store Keeper and the Director of the Regional Coordinating Council to take inventory of it.
He could however not give a proper account of the items received for the celebration, since, according to him, they arrived on March 4, 2007, when he was under pressure.
The Commissioners criticised him for his inability to exercise proper supervision over the items entrusted to the care of the Assembly.
Akuapem North
The then Principal Accountant of the Akuapem North Assembly, Mr. David Mensah, said about GH¢7,100 was accrued from the sales of the Ghana@50 souvenirs, but the money was handed over to the DCE.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Three in police grip
… Over fire at Foreign Ministry
Posted: The Chronicle | Fri, 23 Oct 2009
By Charles Takyi-Boadu
Three persons are being questioned at the Police Headquarters in Accra following Wednesday's fire outbreak, which gutted the ten-storey building office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The three, who are said to be members of a private security firm, are being held on suspicion of either causing, or being part of a group that set the fire.
They were said be around when the fire started, and therefore are suspected to have knowledge about the inferno.
The Greater Accra Regional Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Rosemary Bio Atinga, told The Chronicle yesterday that the three were picked up by her men on Thursday morning, but later had to be transferred to the headquarters of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), for further interrogation.
She however declined to give the names and identities of those arrested for security reasons.
Considering the magnitude of the fire outbreak, and the 'strange' circumstances under which it started, she said the police suspected foul play, and that it could be the handiwork of arsonists.
For this reason, the Regional Police boss said that they had set up a taskforce, made up of crack detectives from both the National and Regional headquarters, to unravel the mystery surrounding the entire incident.
ACP Bio Atinga has thus charged members of the public, who may be privy to some form of information, to volunteer it to the police.
She appealed to those who intend to go to the scene of the incident, to stay away to enable the police conduct unimpeded and thorough investigations.
The Foreign Affairs Minister, Alhaji Muhammed Mumuni, who is currently attending a programme in Malawi, has expressed utter dismay at the incident.
In an interview with the paper from his Malawi base yesterday, Mr. Mumuni said he was shocked when he heard the news, and that he was even making preparations to catch a flight back home.
“It is a calamity that is of the greatest proportion, with serious implications for the Ministry and the country,” he said, and called on the police to conduct a thorough forensic investigation into the incident.
Whilst appreciating the fact that it was too early to jump to any conclusions, Mr. Mumuni could not fathom how and why any reasonable human being would deliberately set fire to a building which serves the interest of the country.
Meanwhile, President Mills has ordered immediate investigations into the circumstances leading to the fire outbreak on Wednesday night, which took fire fighters several hours to bring under control.
Speaking with journalists after touring the scene of the incident, the President indicated that the investigations should be able to establish what might have caused the fire.
“I am not interested in scapegoats; I am not interested in witch-hunting. I am only interested in the truth, and once the truth is unearthed, we will know how to deal with cases of this nature,” he emphasised.
He empathised with the workers whose offices were affected by the incident, and assured them of alternative accommodation from government, saying “we are seriously looking for alternative accommodation, and we will, in the next few days, find you offices from which you can continue with your work.” The fire destroyed virtually everything in the ten-storey building, except the first and sixth floors.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
The Copenhagen talks on climate change
Ghana to spearhead Africa's position
Posted: The Chronicle | Wednesday, October 21, 2009
By Charles Takyi-Boadu
The government of Ghana is to spearhead a strong African voice at the Copenhagen talks on climate change, which is seven weeks away. The move is to signal the seriousness of climate change issues as they affect Africa and other vulnerable countries in the third world.
This was disclosed by Mr. Rudolph Kuuzegh, the Director of Sustainable Development at the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology (MEST), on behalf of the sector Minister, Hon. Sherry Ayittey at a high-level policy dialogue on climate change in Accra yesterday.
The event, which was put together by SEND-Ghana, a Non Governmental Organization (NGO), in collaboration with Christian Aid and the World Wide Fund (WWF) under the theme -‘Voice and Vision on Climate’, was the third in the series of advocacy initiatives undertaken by the NGO to ensure proper government preparations towards Climate Change Conference, which is slated for Copenhagen in December.
“Government will also push for clean and renewable energy projects, and payments for carbon-storing ecosystems”, he noted.
According to him, such a deal must come with substantial financial mechanism to benefit poor and vulnerable countries, to enable them respond to climate change in the areas of water resources, agriculture, health, infrastructure, biodiversity and ecosystems, forest, urban management, tourism, food and energy security and management of coastal and marine resources.
Meanwhile, studies undertaken by the country’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that “climate change appears abstract, perhaps not an immediate concern of the politician, who has a short time to show physical results.” For this reason, government is set to provide leadership on climate change.
As a first move to whip up political interest on the issues, Vice President John Dramani Mahama is set to chair a new Environment and Natural Resources Council (ENRC), which will consider climate change a priority.
That notwithstanding, the sector Ministry has mandated a multi-sectoral National Climate Change Committee to advice government on appropriate actions at the national and international levels. In connection with the Copenhagen Climate Change talks, Mr. Kuuzegh says government and the Ministry is committed to engage with civil society in the run-up to the talks and beyond.
This is to ensure that Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have the space to complement the implementation of the outcome and national response measures to improve social accountability in the country.
The Corporate Policy and Strategy Manager at the Department for International Development (DFID), Helen Sharkey said there has been a trend of increasing temperature, by about 0.2°C per decade in Ghana whilst in contrast rainfall has been decreasing by about 5% per decade in the country.
Whilst frequency of extreme flood events is increasing, she noted that drought is already a problem in some parts of the country with the coastal zones and marine ecosystems being affected by storm surges and sea level rise.
She thus noted that climate projections for Ghana indicate annual mean temperature increases of between 2.2°C and 3.5°C by 2080 whilst temperature increases will be most marked during the dry season in central areas of the country.
According to her, rainfall may marginally increase by 2080, stressing “however, this is contradicted by decreasing rainfall trends experienced over the last decades.”
Country Director of SEND-Ghana, Samuel Zan Akologo is thus optimistic that the high-level policy dialogue will bring clear understanding of government’s position for the Copenhagen conference and emerging national response to climate change, provide opportunity for civil society perspectives and pave way for post-Copenhagen engagement with government on climate change.
Posted: The Chronicle | Wednesday, October 21, 2009
By Charles Takyi-Boadu
The government of Ghana is to spearhead a strong African voice at the Copenhagen talks on climate change, which is seven weeks away. The move is to signal the seriousness of climate change issues as they affect Africa and other vulnerable countries in the third world.
This was disclosed by Mr. Rudolph Kuuzegh, the Director of Sustainable Development at the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology (MEST), on behalf of the sector Minister, Hon. Sherry Ayittey at a high-level policy dialogue on climate change in Accra yesterday.
The event, which was put together by SEND-Ghana, a Non Governmental Organization (NGO), in collaboration with Christian Aid and the World Wide Fund (WWF) under the theme -‘Voice and Vision on Climate’, was the third in the series of advocacy initiatives undertaken by the NGO to ensure proper government preparations towards Climate Change Conference, which is slated for Copenhagen in December.
“Government will also push for clean and renewable energy projects, and payments for carbon-storing ecosystems”, he noted.
According to him, such a deal must come with substantial financial mechanism to benefit poor and vulnerable countries, to enable them respond to climate change in the areas of water resources, agriculture, health, infrastructure, biodiversity and ecosystems, forest, urban management, tourism, food and energy security and management of coastal and marine resources.
Meanwhile, studies undertaken by the country’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that “climate change appears abstract, perhaps not an immediate concern of the politician, who has a short time to show physical results.” For this reason, government is set to provide leadership on climate change.
As a first move to whip up political interest on the issues, Vice President John Dramani Mahama is set to chair a new Environment and Natural Resources Council (ENRC), which will consider climate change a priority.
That notwithstanding, the sector Ministry has mandated a multi-sectoral National Climate Change Committee to advice government on appropriate actions at the national and international levels. In connection with the Copenhagen Climate Change talks, Mr. Kuuzegh says government and the Ministry is committed to engage with civil society in the run-up to the talks and beyond.
This is to ensure that Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have the space to complement the implementation of the outcome and national response measures to improve social accountability in the country.
The Corporate Policy and Strategy Manager at the Department for International Development (DFID), Helen Sharkey said there has been a trend of increasing temperature, by about 0.2°C per decade in Ghana whilst in contrast rainfall has been decreasing by about 5% per decade in the country.
Whilst frequency of extreme flood events is increasing, she noted that drought is already a problem in some parts of the country with the coastal zones and marine ecosystems being affected by storm surges and sea level rise.
She thus noted that climate projections for Ghana indicate annual mean temperature increases of between 2.2°C and 3.5°C by 2080 whilst temperature increases will be most marked during the dry season in central areas of the country.
According to her, rainfall may marginally increase by 2080, stressing “however, this is contradicted by decreasing rainfall trends experienced over the last decades.”
Country Director of SEND-Ghana, Samuel Zan Akologo is thus optimistic that the high-level policy dialogue will bring clear understanding of government’s position for the Copenhagen conference and emerging national response to climate change, provide opportunity for civil society perspectives and pave way for post-Copenhagen engagement with government on climate change.
Kufuor’s hopes shattered
…As there is no winner for Mo Ibrahim award
Posted: The Chronicle | Tuesday, October 20, 2009
By Charles Takyi-Boadu
The hopes and aspirations of former President John Agyekum Kufuor to annex the much-coveted Mo Ibrahim award have been dashed. This follows an official announcement by the Foundation yesterday to the effect that it would not award the prize this year.
Whilst acknowledging the fact that it had considered some credible candidates this year, the Prize Committee, however, noted that after in-depth review, it could not select a winner. They however welcomed the progress made on governance in some African countries, while noting with concern recent setbacks in other countries.
The prize is awarded to African Heads of State who deliver security, health, education and economic development to their constituents, and who democratically transfer power. With a $5 million initial payment, plus $200,000 a year for life, the prize is believed to be the world's largest, exceeding the $1.3m Nobel Peace Prize.
In spite of the fact that there is no laureate this year, the Foundation says the planned events in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on 14 and 15 November 2009 will go ahead.
These events will include a discussion forum that will bring together stakeholders to discuss issues that are key to Africa’s future progress including climate justice, agriculture and food security and regional economic integration.
The aim of the forum is to articulate shared aspirations and a common vision for the future around these issues.
In announcing the decision of the Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership, the Board of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation said it was committed to supporting great African leadership that will improve the economic and social prospects of the people of Africa. The Foundation’s focus is the promotion of good governance in Africa and the recognition of excellence in African leadership.
“At a time when, we are seeing overall progress in Africa, despite worrying setbacks in some countries, it is vital that African stakeholders and institutions come together to look for a way forward on the major challenges facing the African continent. I look forward to the discussions around this urgent African agenda”, the statement said.
The Mo Ibrahim Foundation was established to stimulate debate around, and improve the quality of, African governance. Although there is much focus on the prize, the Foundation is engaged in many other activities to help improve governance.
Central to these is the Ibrahim Index of African Governance, which the Foundation published earlier this month, which gives powerful information to all citizens about the performance of their countries.”
The forum will include the following sessions: Climate change and climate justice chaired by President Festus Mogae. President Mogae is one of United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon’s four special envoys on climate change.
Agriculture and food security, chaired by H.E. Mr Kofi Annan. Mr Annan is Chairman of the Board of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA).
Regional Economic Integration, chaired by H.E. Mr Abdoulie Janneh. Mr Janneh is Secretary-General of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.
In 2006, the foundation launched the Prize for Achievement in African Leadership. The inaugural Prize was awarded to former president Joachim Chissano of Mozambique, for "his role in leading Mozambique from conflict to peace and democracy."
Festus Mogae won the 2008 Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership, and will receive US$ 5 million over 10 years and US$ 200,000 annually for life thereafter.
On October 20, 2008, former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan stated: "President Mogae's outstanding leadership has ensured Botswana's continued stability and prosperity in the face of an HIV/AIDS pandemic which threatened the future of his country and people." Both awards ceremonies were held in the Egyptian city of Alexandria.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
NCAP threatens to sue GWCL, Aqua-Vitens
…for poor service delivery
Posted: The Chronicle | Friday, October 16, 2009
By Charles Takyi-Boadu
The National Coalition against Privatisation of Water (NCAP) is considering the option of dragging the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) and Aqua-Vitens Rand Limited (AVRL) to court for what it describes as poor service delivery.
This option would become effective, if all the petitions and interventions it has brought against the two companies fail to yield the desired results.
The group has already petitioned the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), and was in the process of sending another petition to the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), to investigate AVRL’s inability to meet their performance targets, as well as the claim that they made about GH¢30million profit, which has been denied by the GCWL.
In an interview with The Chronicle in Accra yesterday, the Southern Coordinator of NCAP, Alhassan Adams, said this was part of its quest to protect water as a public asset, and bring sanity into the sector.
He accused Aqua-Vitens of poor service delivery, and the GCWL of poor supervision.
According to him, only four low-lift pumps which pump water from intake points at the dam to the treatment plant at Weija are functioning.
Alhassan said most of the chemical dosage machines were lying obsolete, whilst filters were not working properly, stressing, “Chemicals are applied through trial and error.”
He stressed: “they do not test for the presence of heavy metals such as lead, mercury, cyanide and arsenic.”
To him, recent studies by the WACAM, gives an indication that there are high levels of these heavy metals present in the Western Region.
For this reason, he noted, that there were always chances of over-dosage or under-dosage of chemicals to treat water.
This, according to him, amounts to poor standards in the provision of quality water, whilst exposing consumers to great health risk.
He described as abysmal, the performance in the sale of water, indicating that sales for the year 2007 and 2008 did not meet the annual targets, laying emphasis on the fact that there were shortfalls of 13.4% in 2007, and 20.2% in 2008. “These are unacceptable performances from the operators (AVRAL),” he added.
The NCAP also expressed grave concern over the alleged victimisation of the company’s staff and union leaders who seek to protect public interest and workers rights.
One of the key issues NCAP has raised about the management contract between the GWCL and AVRL is the reduction of Non-Revenue Water (NRW) by 5% each year.
Per the contract estimation, this should have been 40% in 2008, but Alhassan claims that it is 51.7%, that is 11.7% higher than the target.
According to him, there has been only a 2% increase in production, mainly due to expansion works at Dalum (Tamale), Sekyere Hemang and Bafiakrom in the Central Region, with only a 1% increase in installed capacity.
The National Coalition Against Privatisation of Water (NCAP) has thus called on the SFO and CHRAJ to launch investigations into the performance of AVRL and GWCL, using the management contract’s performance indicators.
The group has repeated its call on the government to abrogate its contract with the company, since it had failed to deliver the expected results.
Posted: The Chronicle | Friday, October 16, 2009
By Charles Takyi-Boadu
The National Coalition against Privatisation of Water (NCAP) is considering the option of dragging the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) and Aqua-Vitens Rand Limited (AVRL) to court for what it describes as poor service delivery.
This option would become effective, if all the petitions and interventions it has brought against the two companies fail to yield the desired results.
The group has already petitioned the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), and was in the process of sending another petition to the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), to investigate AVRL’s inability to meet their performance targets, as well as the claim that they made about GH¢30million profit, which has been denied by the GCWL.
In an interview with The Chronicle in Accra yesterday, the Southern Coordinator of NCAP, Alhassan Adams, said this was part of its quest to protect water as a public asset, and bring sanity into the sector.
He accused Aqua-Vitens of poor service delivery, and the GCWL of poor supervision.
According to him, only four low-lift pumps which pump water from intake points at the dam to the treatment plant at Weija are functioning.
Alhassan said most of the chemical dosage machines were lying obsolete, whilst filters were not working properly, stressing, “Chemicals are applied through trial and error.”
He stressed: “they do not test for the presence of heavy metals such as lead, mercury, cyanide and arsenic.”
To him, recent studies by the WACAM, gives an indication that there are high levels of these heavy metals present in the Western Region.
For this reason, he noted, that there were always chances of over-dosage or under-dosage of chemicals to treat water.
This, according to him, amounts to poor standards in the provision of quality water, whilst exposing consumers to great health risk.
He described as abysmal, the performance in the sale of water, indicating that sales for the year 2007 and 2008 did not meet the annual targets, laying emphasis on the fact that there were shortfalls of 13.4% in 2007, and 20.2% in 2008. “These are unacceptable performances from the operators (AVRAL),” he added.
The NCAP also expressed grave concern over the alleged victimisation of the company’s staff and union leaders who seek to protect public interest and workers rights.
One of the key issues NCAP has raised about the management contract between the GWCL and AVRL is the reduction of Non-Revenue Water (NRW) by 5% each year.
Per the contract estimation, this should have been 40% in 2008, but Alhassan claims that it is 51.7%, that is 11.7% higher than the target.
According to him, there has been only a 2% increase in production, mainly due to expansion works at Dalum (Tamale), Sekyere Hemang and Bafiakrom in the Central Region, with only a 1% increase in installed capacity.
The National Coalition Against Privatisation of Water (NCAP) has thus called on the SFO and CHRAJ to launch investigations into the performance of AVRL and GWCL, using the management contract’s performance indicators.
The group has repeated its call on the government to abrogate its contract with the company, since it had failed to deliver the expected results.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Nunoo-Mensah slams police over Kofi Boakye
Posted: The Chronicle | Wednesday, October 14, 2009
By Charles Takyi - Boadu
The Security Advisor to President Mills, Brigadier General Nunoo Mensah (Rtd) has condemned the decision by the Police Council to open a Service Inquiry into the conduct of the former Director General of the Ghana Police Service (GPS), Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) and Nathan Kofi Boakye who has been recalled after being on interdiction for two years.
According to Nunoo-Mensah, the service inquiry by the police Council was not necessary, because investigations conducted so far have exonerated the senior officer from any wrongdoing. He argued that the decision of the Police Council to recall him, speaks volumes of the fact that there were no adverse findings against Kofi Boakye to warrant another investigation into his professional conduct as a Policeman.
In an interview with ‘Radio Focus’ in London on Monday, the Security Capo, who spoke in Twi, wondered what might have triggered the decision by the Police Council to call for a service inquiry, saying “If you ask me my personal opinion, I will say …, it is not important because we have already looked into the matter and established that he has done nothing wrong.” Asking - “what are we going to investigate during the inquiry?”
Brigadier General Nunoo Mensah cautioned against any such move since it has not been established that Kofi Boakye has indeed flouted professional police regulations. He noted that even if Kofi Boakye flouted the rules and regulations of the Police Service, “this is nothing that should scare anybody, we should allow the chap to do his work.”
He continued, “It is the law that says he has done nothing wrong, it is the law that is working, so if the law says that he has done nothing wrong, so be it. If the Police Council knows that he has done nothing wrong, I don’t see why he cannot come to do his work, so I am confident that he will come back to do his work.”
Even before a Board of Inquiry is put in place, questions have started emerging as to whether the Police Service have a standard procedure for conducting investigations and whether or not it is a crime for a Director General of Operations of Police to meet suspected criminals.
It is believed that some individuals and group of persons in government and the Police Service itself, are making frantic efforts to get Kofi Boakye dismissed from the Police Service.
In the statement recalling Kofi Boakye back into the Service, Information Minister, Mrs. Zita Okaikoi said the Police Council took note of the findings of the Georgina Wood Committee, which investigated the strange circumstance under which some parcels of cocaine went missing on board the MV Benjamin vessel in 2006.
The Board of Inquiry, which is yet to be set up, has been tasked to investigate whether or not the officer in question indeed abused his office, is corrupt, was involved in professional misconduct and unsatisfactory service.
The decision that the Police Service sets up a Service Inquiry is to help enquire into the conduct of ACP Kofi Boakye, as contained in the Georgina Wood Committee report, which adversely affects the image and integrity of the Police Service and the country as a whole.
This process is said to be in conformity with the Police Service Act 350 of 1970 and the Police Service (Disciplinary) Regulations 1974, L.I. 993. ACP Kofi Boakye was interdicted in 2007, following the recommendations of a committee chaired by the current chief Justice, Georgina Wood, which investigated the much-publicized MV Benjamin cocaine case.
The recommendations of the same committee led to the prosecution and subsequent conviction of Kwabena Amaning, alias Tagor, and Issa Abass for their involvement in the case, but were later freed after an Appeal Court heard their case. Though the
Georgina Wood committee made recommendations for Mr. Boakye to be prosecuted, the police administration, which was then led by Inspector General of Police (IGP), Patrick Kwarteng Acheampong, decided to interdict him in order to conduct further investigations.
A day before leaving office, former President Kufuor ordered the reinstatement of Kofi Boakye. He also asked the police administration to pay him all his entitlements.
Don`t` subvert NPP Constitution -Ntim
Posted: The Chronicle | Tuesday, October 13, 2009
By Charles Takyi - Boadu
The supposed ‘confusion’ that has characterized the selection and election of polling station executives for the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has compelled party faithful, Mr. Stephen Aggrey-Ntim, who is contesting for the position of National Chairman to caution the party against attempts to subvert the spirit and letter of the NPP constitution.
Whilst appreciating the fact that the selection of polling station executives has been generally peaceful, he noted that there were still pockets of incidents and disagreements in certain areas.
This, according to him, does not augur well for the selection process and, therefore, called on that in-charge to be careful not to undermine the constitution of the party.
Mr. Aggrey-Ntim was speaking in an exclusive interview with The Chronicle yesterday, in reaction to concerns raised about the supposed confusion that characterized the selection of some polling station executives in some parts of the country.
To him, judging by the massive numbers of more than 21,000 polling stations across the length and breadth of the country, he was satisfied with the process and awarded a pass mark of 80% to the conduct of the elections so far.
Out of the over 21,000 polling stations nationwide, he noted that there have been incidents and disagreements in less than 200 polling stations and, therefore, could not entirely rubbish the process, as some have sought to do.” These are infractions that are to be expected in every competitive elections”, he emphasized.
In the past, only the polling station chairmen were allowed to vote, but under the provisions of the newly amended constitution of the party, five people who are selected from the polling station level would get the opportunity to vote in the selection of the party’s Presidential Candidate.
Mr. Ntim believes it is this excitement of having the opportunity to be part and parcel of the selection process of the party’s Presidential candidate that has accounted for the few incidents and, therefore, advised NPP activists to allow the party’s constitution to work.
“We should simply allow the constitution to operate and operate freely”, he noted.
Mr. Ntim, who contested and lost the position of National Chairman of the party to incumbent Peter Mac Manu in the last elections, said “If everybody were to adhere strictly to the constitution that we have all agreed upon, the current situation would not have arisen.
“But here is the case where you will find some people trying to bend the rules, setting the constitution aside in order to select their own friends and cronies to become polling station officers, because they will have a say in the election of the constituency officers, MPs, e.t.c.”
According to him, anything short of this has the tendency of stirring more confusion in the party.
Meanwhile, NPP has defended what is happening at the polling station elections, by saying the conduct of the polls so far and the decision to include polling station executives in its electoral college deserve commendation.
A statement signed by party Communication Director, Kwaku Kwarteng, said the move to extend the authority to the grass roots, was not only commendable, but that it would also go a long way to deepen internal democracy in Ghana.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Ofosu-Ampofo commits himself
…to help building beads, artefacts market
Posted: The Chronicle | Monday, October 12, 2009
By Charles Takyi - Boadu
The Eastern Regional Minister, Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, has committed himself to helping build and establish a permanent beads and artefacts market in the heart of the region, Koforidua.
The construction of the market, which would be sited near the Centre for National Culture in Koforidua, is expected to begin in earnest next year. On completion, the market is expected to provide facilities for the sale of artefacts to help develop Ghana, and the region’s already struggling tourism industry.
Mr Ofosu-Ampofo made this commitment when members of the National and Eastern Regional Executives of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), and the Consultant of the association on the ‘Using the media to strengthen business advocacy’ project, Mr Kwasi Afriyie-Badu of KAB Governance Consult, called on him last week.
The group was at the Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC) to seek assurances from the Regional Minister and the RCC to continue with the arrangements made by the GJA and the RCC, for the promotion of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs), as a way of promoting economic development and creating employment in the region, under the previous government.
Under his leadership, Mr Ofosu-Ampofo promised that the RCC would continue with all the arrangements reached under the project, with his predecessor. This, according to him, was the reason for which the RCC supported the Eastern Regional Beads Makers Association and the Aburi Wood Cavers group during the just-ended United Nations World Tourism Conference, which was held in Ghana.
Two of the organisers were said to have benefited under the project, to exhibit at the pavilion of the region at the conference.
Furthermore, the Regional Minister said after 20 years of decentralisation, district and municipal assemblies needed to move from only providing service, to the economic development of their districts and municipalities.
On his part, the General Secretary of the GJA, Bright Blewu, said the association decided to embark on the project, because they identified SMEs as an area that could support in the economic development of the country.
Ever since the project started, he said, media focus on the challenges of SMEs was on the increase, stressing that this was a good sign for the progress of Ghana as a country.
The project Consultant, Kwasi Afriyie-Badu, however appealed to the Regional Minister to draw the attention of the district and municipal assemblies to engage in the preparation of their fee-fixing resolutions and their development programmes.
In spite of the existence of the Public Procurement Law, he noted that district and municipal assemblies could find a way to generate business for the SMEs in their areas, and thus appealed to the RCC to consider the inclusion of representatives of the SMEs to the assemblies during the selection of government appointees.
Attafuah vents anger on political office holders
Posted: The Chronicle |Monday, October 12, 2009
By Charles Takyi - Boadu
Prof. Ken Attafuah, a former Executive Director of the National Identification Authority (NIA) has decried the extent to which vindictive politics has risen to in the country, warning that ‘our dear Ghana is needlessly sinking into a pitiful political abyss.
At a workshop organised by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), under the Ghana Political Parties Programme (GPPP) for leaders of the various political parties and key civil society actors, Prof. Attafua in his 37-page presentation on ‘Political Tolerance, Exclusivity and Accommodation essential elements of multi-party democracy’, held at Aburi over the weekend, made some startling revelations about the politics of recrimination in Ghana.
Prof. Attafua said he was removed from his position at the NIA because he was appointed by former President Kufuor. He wondered why he was not rather perceived as a member of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), since according to him, it was his friends in the previous NDC administration who encouraged him to return to the country after 14years sojourn abroad.
He declared that ‘I am not NPP and I am not NPP hardcore.’ He could not fathom how anybody could hastily conclude that he was NPP.
An NPP Activist and Vice President of FIDA, Ursula Owusu and NPP Member of Parliament (MP) for Ayawaso-West Wuogon, Mrs. Frema Osei-Opare, were seen nodding their heads in agreement with Prof. Attafuah, whilst the likes of Alhaji Huudu Yahaya, the former General Secretary of the NDC and Sherry Ayittey, Minister for Science and Environment and also the Vice Chairperson of the NDC, who chaired the programme, looked on with some straight faces.
‘The painful orgy of political victimizations such as outright dismissals and removals, camouflaged as “Proceed on Leave”, and pretence engagement with a “cross-sections of civil society”, which truly means meeting exclusively with groups, proved to be pitifully sycophantic or strategically committed to the scripted partisanship of the Government of the day, is rather unfortunate’, he emphasised.
According to him, President Mills has not shown any inclination of bringing political opponents, whether from within or outside the NDC into his government, stressing that ‘the foregoing tendencies do not bode well for nation-building, for political integration, and for the social development and progress of Ghana.’
He also questioned why Ghanaians and politicians in particular, have harnessed profound political divisiveness and exclusion, and perfected the art, rhetoric and tactics of what he verily described as mutual abuse, violent accusations and counter-accusations. ‘We have called each other horrendous names and employed unsavory epithets to describe accomplished and noble citizens, towards whom we would ordinarily have shown extreme courtesy and deference, but for partisan politics.
We have cultivated new forms of manufacturing and articulating vicious lies and abuse, using paid anonymous and not-so-anonymous serial callers, who clog the lines and dominate the airspace of phone-in radio programs and heap vitriolic attacks on political enemies’, he noted.
In furtherance of his speech, Prof. Attafuah, who is currently the Executive Director of the Justice and Human Right Institute in Accra, said “we have also engaged in the shameful wholesale criminalization of our key opposing political parties and their leaderships, and consistently employed the criminal justice machinery against selected ‘arrogant’ members of the other side, in a manner that has generated perceptions of political persecution and self-serving claims of fearless law-enforcement.”
As if that is not enough, he noted that politicians have shown a penchant for the callous removal and victimization of public servants appointed during the reign of the other political parties, even when they have done no wrong, saying “we have disregarded the import of reason, logic and evidence, as well as the virtues of compassion and fellow-feeling.”
He believes that these actions, coupled with the stony silence and inactions of those who should be the moral guardians and guarantors of our multi-party democracy, and who should have acted decisively to avert danger, have virtually taken the country perilously close to the brinks of insecurity and possible self-implosion.
For this reason, Prof. Attafuah said “those who conceive of electoral politics as zero sum game, i.e., a win for you is a loss for me, do a tango dance with the future and fortunes of the state”, accusing all past Executive Presidents under constitutional rule in this country of having played the zero sum game, and danced the tango.
When they have brought political opponents into their “inclusive government”, he indicated that these leaders have often kept them on the peripheries of the Cabinet, and ensured that those invited politicians meet one or more of the criteria of being humbled by the experience of ‘carpet-crossing’, they are a spent-force politically, and perceived to be inconsequential political underlings.
‘Presidents Nkrumah and Rawlings embraced politicians of the first and second kind, while President Kufour included in his government politicians of the third kind’, he noted.
Whilst admitting that it is trite that political tolerance, accommodation and inclusivity are essential components of multi-party democracy, Prof. Attafuah stated that from the conduct of the country’s politicians in recent times, it would appear that not many politicians on the NDC-NPP divide appreciate the critical centrality of these foundational concepts, and the practices that must be built on them to the success of our multi-party democracy.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
PC upholds bribery allegation against NPP MPs
Posted: The Chronicle | Friday, October 09, 2009
By Charles Takyi-Boadu
The vociferous Member of Parliament (MP) for Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa constituency in the Central region, P.C Appiah-Ofori remains resolute in his allegation that some of his colleague MPs on the then majority side took $5,000 bribe to approve of the Vodafone deal. According to the anti corruption crusader, he has enough evidence to prove his allegation against his colleagues.
Speaking to Joy FM yesterday, Hon. Appiah-Ofori cautioned members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), a party on which ticket he rode to Parliament, to refrain from further attacking him, or else he would produce evidence that would have serious implications on the party.
PC was reacting to a letter he sent to the NPP disciplinary committee, denying that he made GH¢5,000 bribery allegation against his colleagues. “There is a pressure group within the party which wants me to come out with documents to prove my case, if I come out, this party will collapse irretrievably,” he reiterated.
According to him, the allegation he made was that some of his colleague MPs took $5,000 bribe to approve the sale of Ghana Telecom to Vodafone, and not GH¢5,000 as alleged by Fredrick Opare Ansah, MP for Suhum, in his complaint to the committee.
Mr. Appiah-Ofori stated in his response to the disciplinary committee that “It is not true that I have at anytime and anywhere under the sun made the above statement.
I said GH $5,000. There is a difference between $5000 and GH¢5000”, he said.
He thus urged the leadership of the party, especially the disciplinary committee to do their home work well, by gathering the facts before they ask him to appear before them.
The Esikuma-Odoben-Brakwa legislator indicated his preparedness to cooperate with the committee if they write to him.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu
The vociferous Member of Parliament (MP) for Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa constituency in the Central region, P.C Appiah-Ofori remains resolute in his allegation that some of his colleague MPs on the then majority side took $5,000 bribe to approve of the Vodafone deal. According to the anti corruption crusader, he has enough evidence to prove his allegation against his colleagues.
Speaking to Joy FM yesterday, Hon. Appiah-Ofori cautioned members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), a party on which ticket he rode to Parliament, to refrain from further attacking him, or else he would produce evidence that would have serious implications on the party.
PC was reacting to a letter he sent to the NPP disciplinary committee, denying that he made GH¢5,000 bribery allegation against his colleagues. “There is a pressure group within the party which wants me to come out with documents to prove my case, if I come out, this party will collapse irretrievably,” he reiterated.
According to him, the allegation he made was that some of his colleague MPs took $5,000 bribe to approve the sale of Ghana Telecom to Vodafone, and not GH¢5,000 as alleged by Fredrick Opare Ansah, MP for Suhum, in his complaint to the committee.
Mr. Appiah-Ofori stated in his response to the disciplinary committee that “It is not true that I have at anytime and anywhere under the sun made the above statement.
I said GH $5,000. There is a difference between $5000 and GH¢5000”, he said.
He thus urged the leadership of the party, especially the disciplinary committee to do their home work well, by gathering the facts before they ask him to appear before them.
The Esikuma-Odoben-Brakwa legislator indicated his preparedness to cooperate with the committee if they write to him.
Mabey & Johnson scandal
NANA DRAWS SWORD
Posted: Friday, October 09, 2009
By Charles Takyi - Boadu
The 2008 presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has advised the Ministers and government officials who have been named in the Mabey and Johnson bribery scandal to step aside, until investigation into the case has been concluded.
Making his first comment on the allegation, during an interview with Citi FM, in Accra yesterday, Nana Addo said if after the investigation no evidence of guilt is found against the Ministers, then they should be reinstated, but if the opposite is the case, then they must be dealt with according to the law. Nana was also not happy with President Mills’ decision to ask his Attorney General to investigate the case. He noted that investigative bodies such as the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) or the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) should rather be given the responsibility to look into the case.
Meanwhile, The Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG) has called for the immediate resignation of Ministers and other government appointees who have been implicated in the Mabey and Johnson bribery scandal. According to the pressure group, their continued stay in office was an affront to President Mills’ much-avowed fight against corruption.
‘AFAG wants to state here that if indeed M&J created and paid monies to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) through Ghana Development Fund (GDF), then the laws regarding funding of political parties in Ghana has been completely breached’, it stated.
Addressing a news conference in Accra yesterday, the Spokesperson for the group, Mr. Anthony Karbo accused President Mills and his National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration of attempting to cover up the shady deal in which the names of some of his Ministers have been mentioned as beneficiaries of the bribe money.
Mr. Karbo alleged among other things that though the President had fore knowledge that some of the Ministers had been mentioned as ‘culprits’ in the case, he chose to keep mute over the matter.
He described the directive from President Mills for the Attorney General to open investigations into a case which had already been competently looked into by a UK court as laughable, since according to him, it “overtly demonstrates that the President is not seriously committed to fighting corruption as he claims.”
According to him, when news of the trial of M&J by the British Serious Fraud Office (SFO) surfaced, the first step the President ought to have taken was to submit a Letter of Request to the British Home Secretary, who in turn would have forwarded it to the SFO for action. Mr. Karbo indicated that this would have enabled the British SFO to furnish the Ghana Government with all information in its domain, under the SFO’s Mutual Legal Assistance programme.
He argued that if this had been done, there would have been no need to send the Attorney General to go and fish for information from the UK, which could have been easily accessed by Ghana’s High Commissioner in the UK, at no added expense to the Ghanaian taxpayer.
AFAG believes that the Attorney-General cannot question any institutionalized body in the UK, since she has no jurisdiction in that country to conduct an investigation into corrupt practices there, stressing “she could only ask or request for, and be handed over by the UK court or SFO the same documents which are already available and in the hands of the Media in Ghana”.
He further argued that since Article 88(3) of the 1992 Constitution prescribes the functions of the Attorney General as including the initiation and conduct of all criminal offences, he did not understand why the A-G has to travel to the UK.
Whilst admitting that Article 88(2) states that the Attorney-General “shall discharge such other duties of a legal nature, as may be referred or assigned to him by the President”, AFAG noted that the constitution remains silent in granting investigative powers to the Attorney-General to act on. It thus questioned the purpose for which the President sent the A-G to the UK.
AFAG believes President Mills could have engaged the services of the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to investigate the corruption allegation, rather than the Attorney General, since it is mandated by Article 218 (a) of the 1992 Constitution to “investigate complaints of violations of fundamental rights and freedoms, injustice, corruption, abuse of power and unfair treatment of any person by a public officer in the exercise of his official duties”; and 218(e) to “investigate all instances of alleged or suspected corruption and the misappropriation of public moneys by officials and to take appropriate steps, including reports to the Attorney-General and the Auditor-General, resulting from such investigations.”
Unlike the Attorney-General, AFAG noted that CHRAJ is vested with the powers “to issue subpoenas requiring the attendance of any person before the Commission to produce any document or record relevant to any investigation by the Commission, to cause any person contemptuous of any such subpoena to be prosecuted before a competent Court; to question any person in respect of any subject matter under investigation before the Commission; to require any person to disclose truthfully and frankly any information within his knowledge relevant to any investigation by the Commissioner”.
By this constitutional authority, it believes that the role of CHRAJ becomes even more important and relevant than the Attorney General in investigating the M&J scandal, stressing that ‘at least selected personnel from the SFO, CHRAJ, and both the Majority and Minority leaders in Parliament should have been asked by the President to accompany the Attorney-General to the UK.’
As a matter of urgency, AFAG said ‘all persons who held executive offices in the NDC party during this material time must be prosecuted by the State for pursuing a course of conduct that infringed on PNDCL 281, and reiterated its call for those implicated Government Officials to immediately resign or be axed by the President.
Posted: Friday, October 09, 2009
By Charles Takyi - Boadu
The 2008 presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has advised the Ministers and government officials who have been named in the Mabey and Johnson bribery scandal to step aside, until investigation into the case has been concluded.
Making his first comment on the allegation, during an interview with Citi FM, in Accra yesterday, Nana Addo said if after the investigation no evidence of guilt is found against the Ministers, then they should be reinstated, but if the opposite is the case, then they must be dealt with according to the law. Nana was also not happy with President Mills’ decision to ask his Attorney General to investigate the case. He noted that investigative bodies such as the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) or the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) should rather be given the responsibility to look into the case.
Meanwhile, The Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG) has called for the immediate resignation of Ministers and other government appointees who have been implicated in the Mabey and Johnson bribery scandal. According to the pressure group, their continued stay in office was an affront to President Mills’ much-avowed fight against corruption.
‘AFAG wants to state here that if indeed M&J created and paid monies to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) through Ghana Development Fund (GDF), then the laws regarding funding of political parties in Ghana has been completely breached’, it stated.
Addressing a news conference in Accra yesterday, the Spokesperson for the group, Mr. Anthony Karbo accused President Mills and his National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration of attempting to cover up the shady deal in which the names of some of his Ministers have been mentioned as beneficiaries of the bribe money.
Mr. Karbo alleged among other things that though the President had fore knowledge that some of the Ministers had been mentioned as ‘culprits’ in the case, he chose to keep mute over the matter.
He described the directive from President Mills for the Attorney General to open investigations into a case which had already been competently looked into by a UK court as laughable, since according to him, it “overtly demonstrates that the President is not seriously committed to fighting corruption as he claims.”
According to him, when news of the trial of M&J by the British Serious Fraud Office (SFO) surfaced, the first step the President ought to have taken was to submit a Letter of Request to the British Home Secretary, who in turn would have forwarded it to the SFO for action. Mr. Karbo indicated that this would have enabled the British SFO to furnish the Ghana Government with all information in its domain, under the SFO’s Mutual Legal Assistance programme.
He argued that if this had been done, there would have been no need to send the Attorney General to go and fish for information from the UK, which could have been easily accessed by Ghana’s High Commissioner in the UK, at no added expense to the Ghanaian taxpayer.
AFAG believes that the Attorney-General cannot question any institutionalized body in the UK, since she has no jurisdiction in that country to conduct an investigation into corrupt practices there, stressing “she could only ask or request for, and be handed over by the UK court or SFO the same documents which are already available and in the hands of the Media in Ghana”.
He further argued that since Article 88(3) of the 1992 Constitution prescribes the functions of the Attorney General as including the initiation and conduct of all criminal offences, he did not understand why the A-G has to travel to the UK.
Whilst admitting that Article 88(2) states that the Attorney-General “shall discharge such other duties of a legal nature, as may be referred or assigned to him by the President”, AFAG noted that the constitution remains silent in granting investigative powers to the Attorney-General to act on. It thus questioned the purpose for which the President sent the A-G to the UK.
AFAG believes President Mills could have engaged the services of the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to investigate the corruption allegation, rather than the Attorney General, since it is mandated by Article 218 (a) of the 1992 Constitution to “investigate complaints of violations of fundamental rights and freedoms, injustice, corruption, abuse of power and unfair treatment of any person by a public officer in the exercise of his official duties”; and 218(e) to “investigate all instances of alleged or suspected corruption and the misappropriation of public moneys by officials and to take appropriate steps, including reports to the Attorney-General and the Auditor-General, resulting from such investigations.”
Unlike the Attorney-General, AFAG noted that CHRAJ is vested with the powers “to issue subpoenas requiring the attendance of any person before the Commission to produce any document or record relevant to any investigation by the Commission, to cause any person contemptuous of any such subpoena to be prosecuted before a competent Court; to question any person in respect of any subject matter under investigation before the Commission; to require any person to disclose truthfully and frankly any information within his knowledge relevant to any investigation by the Commissioner”.
By this constitutional authority, it believes that the role of CHRAJ becomes even more important and relevant than the Attorney General in investigating the M&J scandal, stressing that ‘at least selected personnel from the SFO, CHRAJ, and both the Majority and Minority leaders in Parliament should have been asked by the President to accompany the Attorney-General to the UK.’
As a matter of urgency, AFAG said ‘all persons who held executive offices in the NDC party during this material time must be prosecuted by the State for pursuing a course of conduct that infringed on PNDCL 281, and reiterated its call for those implicated Government Officials to immediately resign or be axed by the President.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Uproar over Kofi Boakye`s re-instatement
Posted: The Chronicle | Thursday, October 8, 2009
By Charles Takyi-Boadu
The decision to either recall or sack the former Director of Operations of the Ghana Police Service (GPS), Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Kofi Boakye, became a subject of heated debate when the Police Council met at the police headquarters in Accra, yesterday.
Several hours after the meeting, which was chaired by the Vice President John Dramani Mahama, government officials including Interior Minister, Cletus Avoka, Information Minister, Zita Okaikoi, who were locked-up in a marathon meeting, and would not speak to the press.
Spokesperson for the Vice President, John Abdulai Jinapor would also not tell what had become of Kofi Boakye's fate, long after his boss returned from the Police Council meeting, since according to him, he was waiting to be called and briefed by the Veep.
At the time of going to press around 9:00 pm yesterday, the Interior Minister, Hon. Cletus Avoka was expected to issue an official statement on the issue, which would announce the re-instatement of the former police boss.
ACP Kofi Boakye was interdicted in 2007, following the recommendations of a committee chaired by the current chief Justice, Georgina Wood, which investigated the much-publicized MV Benjamin cocaine case.
The recommendations of the same committee led to the prosecution and subsequent conviction of Kwabena Amaning, alias Tagor, and Issa Abass for their involvement in the case, but were later freed after an Appeals Court heard their case. Though the Georgina Wood committee made recommendations for Mr. Boakye to be prosecuted, the police administration, which was then led by Inspector General of Police (IGP), Patrick Kwarteng Acheampong, decided to interdict him in order to conduct further investigations.
A day before leaving office, former President Kufuor ordered the reinstatement of Kofi Boakye and ordered the police administration to pay him all his entitlements.
However, on assumption of office, the Mills administration asked the Police Chief to remain on leave, until a final determination by the Police Council.
Meanwhile, the former Deputy Director and Head of Operations at the Narcotic Control Board (NACOB), Mr. Ben Ndego, who was asked to proceed on indefinite leave after the disappearance of the MV Benjamin cocaine, has been re-instated by the government with full salary and benefits.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu
The decision to either recall or sack the former Director of Operations of the Ghana Police Service (GPS), Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Kofi Boakye, became a subject of heated debate when the Police Council met at the police headquarters in Accra, yesterday.
Several hours after the meeting, which was chaired by the Vice President John Dramani Mahama, government officials including Interior Minister, Cletus Avoka, Information Minister, Zita Okaikoi, who were locked-up in a marathon meeting, and would not speak to the press.
Spokesperson for the Vice President, John Abdulai Jinapor would also not tell what had become of Kofi Boakye's fate, long after his boss returned from the Police Council meeting, since according to him, he was waiting to be called and briefed by the Veep.
At the time of going to press around 9:00 pm yesterday, the Interior Minister, Hon. Cletus Avoka was expected to issue an official statement on the issue, which would announce the re-instatement of the former police boss.
ACP Kofi Boakye was interdicted in 2007, following the recommendations of a committee chaired by the current chief Justice, Georgina Wood, which investigated the much-publicized MV Benjamin cocaine case.
The recommendations of the same committee led to the prosecution and subsequent conviction of Kwabena Amaning, alias Tagor, and Issa Abass for their involvement in the case, but were later freed after an Appeals Court heard their case. Though the Georgina Wood committee made recommendations for Mr. Boakye to be prosecuted, the police administration, which was then led by Inspector General of Police (IGP), Patrick Kwarteng Acheampong, decided to interdict him in order to conduct further investigations.
A day before leaving office, former President Kufuor ordered the reinstatement of Kofi Boakye and ordered the police administration to pay him all his entitlements.
However, on assumption of office, the Mills administration asked the Police Chief to remain on leave, until a final determination by the Police Council.
Meanwhile, the former Deputy Director and Head of Operations at the Narcotic Control Board (NACOB), Mr. Ben Ndego, who was asked to proceed on indefinite leave after the disappearance of the MV Benjamin cocaine, has been re-instated by the government with full salary and benefits.
NDC MEETS SPIO, AHWOI IN CAMERA
...but leading member not happy with Anyidoho`s outbust
Posted: Thursday, October 08, 2009
By Charles Takyi - Boadu |
The acting Communication Director of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Seth Ofori has told The Chronicle that the leadership of the party has started holding closed door meetings with Dr. Ekow Spio Garbrah and Mr. Ato Ahwoi, both leading members of the party.
The two party stalwarts were recently engaged in a media war, which was ignited by the publication of an article in the Daily Graphic, written by Dr. Spio Garbrah, the CEO of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO). According to Mr. Ofori, the party was not happy with the media war, hence its decision to intervene and ensure that there is total peace in the ruling party.
According to him, the decision to call a truce and prevent the two from making further public comments should not be misinterpreted to mean that they have been gagged by the party.
Mr. Seth Ofori further told The Chronicle that details of the closed door meeting would be made public at the appropriate time, and that supporters of the party would not be kept in the dark over the issue.
He urged all party members to refrain from making comments which have the tendency of bringing division into the party. Meanwhile, the party’s Executive Committee has expressed disgust at the twist and turns of the ensuing heated exchanges between Dr. Spio-Garbrah and Mr. Ato Ahwoi, and called for a cease fire.
In the statement signed by party Chairman, Dr. Kwabena Agyei, the Committee noted - "While the party tolerates and encourages progressive debate and expression of divergent views on matters relating to the performance of the government and party in general, it nevertheless disapproves of criticisms and utterances that tend to bring the government and the party into disrepute and ridicule.
Equally so, we eschew political debates that degenerate into personal attacks."
For this reason, the NDC as a party has advised the two leading members to "desist from any further utterances that could inflame passions and undermine the unity of the party." The leadership further appealed to the rank and file to remain calm and steadfast in their resolve to build a strong and united NDC.
Meanwhile, Issah Alhassan reports from Kumasi that a leading member of the party, Nana Ishmael Butler has described as shameful and trivial, a recent outburst by the Director of Communication at the Castle, Mr. Koku Anyidohu, on a Ghanaian radio station in London, over the rift between Dr. Spio Garbrah and a leading party member, Mr. Ato Ahwoi. In the infamous interview granted to FOCUS RADIO, a community based radio station in London and re-played on Angel FM in Kumasi , Mr. Anyidohu was reported to have launched vituperative verbal attacks on the personality of the former NDC Presidential hopeful, and went to the extent of questioning his academic credentials, by describing his doctorate degree as a cheap one.
The Director of Communications at the Presidency, who was obviously livid about recent comments made by Dr. Spio Garbrah concerning the efficacy of the Ministers under the current administration and the people around the President, was at his lashing best when he poured verbal venom on the former Ambassador to the United States and CEO of Commonwealth Telecommunication (CTO), accusing him of contributing little to the electoral success of the NDC.
Mr. Anyidohu, contended in the said interview that Dr. Spio Garbrah cannot compare himself to people like him who deserted their jobs and dedicated their whole life to ensure the success of the NDC party during the 2008 elections, because he (Spio) was busy concentrating on his job as the Chief Executive Officer of the Commonwealth Telecommunication Organization at a time the party needed his services.
But Mr. Anyidohu’s outburst appears not to have gone down well with the leading NDC member based in Kumasi, who has challenged the basis of Mr. Anyodohu’s assertion that Dr. Spio contributed little to the achievement of the party.
Nana Butler stated that the Communication Director’s claim was wrong, contending that the little contribution made by every member of the party culminated in its victory.
He asserted that no single individual could attribute the success of the party to him or herself and urged Mr. Anyidohu to bow his head in shame for his unwarranted comments against no mean a personality than Dr. Spio Garbrah, whom he described as one of the pioneer contributors to the NDC.
According to him, the behaviour of people like Mr. Anyidohu would only contribute to the demise of the ruling party if it is not nipped in the bud.
If Anyidohu thinks he abandoned his job to serve the party, what about some of us who endured the pain and humiliation from NPP supporters in the Ashanti Region, what about those who toiled day and night in the villages garnering support for the party, Koku Anyidohu should give us a break, Nana Butler ranted.
Posted: Thursday, October 08, 2009
By Charles Takyi - Boadu |
The acting Communication Director of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Seth Ofori has told The Chronicle that the leadership of the party has started holding closed door meetings with Dr. Ekow Spio Garbrah and Mr. Ato Ahwoi, both leading members of the party.
The two party stalwarts were recently engaged in a media war, which was ignited by the publication of an article in the Daily Graphic, written by Dr. Spio Garbrah, the CEO of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO). According to Mr. Ofori, the party was not happy with the media war, hence its decision to intervene and ensure that there is total peace in the ruling party.
According to him, the decision to call a truce and prevent the two from making further public comments should not be misinterpreted to mean that they have been gagged by the party.
Mr. Seth Ofori further told The Chronicle that details of the closed door meeting would be made public at the appropriate time, and that supporters of the party would not be kept in the dark over the issue.
He urged all party members to refrain from making comments which have the tendency of bringing division into the party. Meanwhile, the party’s Executive Committee has expressed disgust at the twist and turns of the ensuing heated exchanges between Dr. Spio-Garbrah and Mr. Ato Ahwoi, and called for a cease fire.
In the statement signed by party Chairman, Dr. Kwabena Agyei, the Committee noted - "While the party tolerates and encourages progressive debate and expression of divergent views on matters relating to the performance of the government and party in general, it nevertheless disapproves of criticisms and utterances that tend to bring the government and the party into disrepute and ridicule.
Equally so, we eschew political debates that degenerate into personal attacks."
For this reason, the NDC as a party has advised the two leading members to "desist from any further utterances that could inflame passions and undermine the unity of the party." The leadership further appealed to the rank and file to remain calm and steadfast in their resolve to build a strong and united NDC.
Meanwhile, Issah Alhassan reports from Kumasi that a leading member of the party, Nana Ishmael Butler has described as shameful and trivial, a recent outburst by the Director of Communication at the Castle, Mr. Koku Anyidohu, on a Ghanaian radio station in London, over the rift between Dr. Spio Garbrah and a leading party member, Mr. Ato Ahwoi. In the infamous interview granted to FOCUS RADIO, a community based radio station in London and re-played on Angel FM in Kumasi , Mr. Anyidohu was reported to have launched vituperative verbal attacks on the personality of the former NDC Presidential hopeful, and went to the extent of questioning his academic credentials, by describing his doctorate degree as a cheap one.
The Director of Communications at the Presidency, who was obviously livid about recent comments made by Dr. Spio Garbrah concerning the efficacy of the Ministers under the current administration and the people around the President, was at his lashing best when he poured verbal venom on the former Ambassador to the United States and CEO of Commonwealth Telecommunication (CTO), accusing him of contributing little to the electoral success of the NDC.
Mr. Anyidohu, contended in the said interview that Dr. Spio Garbrah cannot compare himself to people like him who deserted their jobs and dedicated their whole life to ensure the success of the NDC party during the 2008 elections, because he (Spio) was busy concentrating on his job as the Chief Executive Officer of the Commonwealth Telecommunication Organization at a time the party needed his services.
But Mr. Anyidohu’s outburst appears not to have gone down well with the leading NDC member based in Kumasi, who has challenged the basis of Mr. Anyodohu’s assertion that Dr. Spio contributed little to the achievement of the party.
Nana Butler stated that the Communication Director’s claim was wrong, contending that the little contribution made by every member of the party culminated in its victory.
He asserted that no single individual could attribute the success of the party to him or herself and urged Mr. Anyidohu to bow his head in shame for his unwarranted comments against no mean a personality than Dr. Spio Garbrah, whom he described as one of the pioneer contributors to the NDC.
According to him, the behaviour of people like Mr. Anyidohu would only contribute to the demise of the ruling party if it is not nipped in the bud.
If Anyidohu thinks he abandoned his job to serve the party, what about some of us who endured the pain and humiliation from NPP supporters in the Ashanti Region, what about those who toiled day and night in the villages garnering support for the party, Koku Anyidohu should give us a break, Nana Butler ranted.
Fallout from the MV Benjamin cocaine saga
NDC BRINGS BACK NDEGO
…Police Council determines Kofi Boakye`s fate today
Posted: Wednesday, October 07, 2009
By Charles Takyi - Boadu |
The Deputy Director and Head of Operations at the Narcotic Control Board (NACOB), Ben Ndego, who was asked to proceed on indefinite leave after the disappearance of the MV Benjaimin cocaine, has been re-instated by the government with full salary and benefits.
The Interior Minister, Hon. Cletus Avoka, confirmed to The Chronicle yesterday that Ben Ndego has indeed been re-instated. This follows series of petitions he sent to the National Democratic Congress administration led by President Mills.
The Kufuor government interdicted Mr. Ben Ndego for compromising his position in the high profile cocaine case, but Mr. Avoka told The Chronicle that though the committee, which was tasked to investigate the issue, dully submitted its report, no action was taken against Mr. Ndego who was asked to proceed on leave with pay, pending the outcome of investigations into the strange circumstances under which 77 parcels of cocaine got missing from the notorious MV Benjamin vessel.
Hon. Avoka further told this reporter that Ndego kept petitioning the government as to why he was still on leave, when the committee had completed and submitted its report.
He also wanted to know whether the committee had made any adverse findings against him.
This persistent call, coupled with the fact that no adverse findings had been made against him, compelled the government to re-instate him. “In any case, we are saying that if the committee has submitted its report and somebody was implicated in one way or the other, take action against him.
If you don’t for 2-3years then it means that there is nothing against the man, and it is not fair to let somebody go on leave for 3years with pay, he emphasized, adding ìthere is no justification for that, so we have no option than to call him back from leave”.
Asked in what position Mr. Ndego is currently serving, the Interior Minister said “I don’t know, we are just responding to the letter asking him to go on leave.
He is supposed to go back and occupy his original position, not a new or higher position, because he didn’t attend an interview to get promotion.”
When this reporter asked him about the fate of Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Nathan Kofi Boakye, who was recalled back into the police service by former President Kufuor, after being interdicted based on the same MV Benjamin cocaine case, Mr. Avoka said the Police Council would meet today (Wednesday) to discuss the issue and possibly take a decision on it.
…Police Council determines Kofi Boakye`s fate today
Posted: Wednesday, October 07, 2009
By Charles Takyi - Boadu |
The Deputy Director and Head of Operations at the Narcotic Control Board (NACOB), Ben Ndego, who was asked to proceed on indefinite leave after the disappearance of the MV Benjaimin cocaine, has been re-instated by the government with full salary and benefits.
The Interior Minister, Hon. Cletus Avoka, confirmed to The Chronicle yesterday that Ben Ndego has indeed been re-instated. This follows series of petitions he sent to the National Democratic Congress administration led by President Mills.
The Kufuor government interdicted Mr. Ben Ndego for compromising his position in the high profile cocaine case, but Mr. Avoka told The Chronicle that though the committee, which was tasked to investigate the issue, dully submitted its report, no action was taken against Mr. Ndego who was asked to proceed on leave with pay, pending the outcome of investigations into the strange circumstances under which 77 parcels of cocaine got missing from the notorious MV Benjamin vessel.
Hon. Avoka further told this reporter that Ndego kept petitioning the government as to why he was still on leave, when the committee had completed and submitted its report.
He also wanted to know whether the committee had made any adverse findings against him.
This persistent call, coupled with the fact that no adverse findings had been made against him, compelled the government to re-instate him. “In any case, we are saying that if the committee has submitted its report and somebody was implicated in one way or the other, take action against him.
If you don’t for 2-3years then it means that there is nothing against the man, and it is not fair to let somebody go on leave for 3years with pay, he emphasized, adding ìthere is no justification for that, so we have no option than to call him back from leave”.
Asked in what position Mr. Ndego is currently serving, the Interior Minister said “I don’t know, we are just responding to the letter asking him to go on leave.
He is supposed to go back and occupy his original position, not a new or higher position, because he didn’t attend an interview to get promotion.”
When this reporter asked him about the fate of Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Nathan Kofi Boakye, who was recalled back into the police service by former President Kufuor, after being interdicted based on the same MV Benjamin cocaine case, Mr. Avoka said the Police Council would meet today (Wednesday) to discuss the issue and possibly take a decision on it.
Effah-Dartey Launches Bid to Become General Secretary of NPP
Posted:The Chronicle |Monday, 6 October 2009
By Charles Takyi-Boadu
Captain Nkrabeah Effah-Dartey (Rtd.), a former deputy Minister of Interior has advised the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) to be cautious with the decision they take now, to avoid jeopardizing the chances of the party in winning the 2012 general elections.
"You do not need the brain of a Bishop to be able to predict that the NDC in power will do everything under the sun to ensure that they do not lose in 2012," he said.
The 56 year old retired Army officer and former Member of Parliament (MP) for Berekum Constituency in the Brong Ahafo region was speaking at a news conference in Accra, yesterday, to officially announce his intention to contest the NPP General Secretary position.
Effah-Dartey, who was flanked by his bodyguards, said "the most important exercise is to reorganize our party into a fighting machine, to repackage ourselves as an electioneering organization, refocus all our efforts into a vote-winning movement."
In order to do that, the enthusiastic former Army Officer stressed the urgent need for the NPP to take a second look at its leadership, right from the polling stations through to the constituency levels, and the regional structures to the highest echelons of national leadership.
For this reason, he has charged the rank and file of the party to pick men and women who would give total sacrifice of energy and time to work for the success of the party.
"Make no mistake; the party needs everybody; the serial callers, radio station hosts, the print media, foot soldiers in the wards, polling stations, areas and constituencies", he noted, adding "we need down to earth organizers and above all, we desperately need seasoned and thoroughly experienced elders who from the balconies of their residencies can give central direction and effective advice."
This, he said, was because the recent bye elections in Akwatia and Chereponi are clear signals of the state of the NPP today. Whilst admitting the existence of deep cracks in the party, Effah-Dartey indicated that the upcoming contest for national positions in the party is neither a battle nor a choice between individual personalities.
For this reason, he emphasized - "what we should concentrate on is to correctly profile the appropriate characteristics of the person we need to occupy the particular office, and then look for the person who fits that description."
For the NPP to win the 2012 general elections, he said the party needed individuals and group of persons who could run an effective operational national Secretariat, run the party nationally and be the face of the party.
As a former Captain of an infantry who commanded men under arms, besides establishing and running a national secretariat for the Petroleum Retailers Association from 1987, until the year 2001 when he entered Parliament, Effah-Dartey said "I can say without fear of contradiction that running a secretariat with staff and equipment under me should not be a mesmerizing one for me."
With the experience that he gained in Parliament for the past 8years, including his privileged position as a court-going Barrister at law, the retired Army officer noted - "by God's grace, I am in a position to discharge that responsibility effectively." "I do not think that I am wearing borrowed robes when I say that I have paid my dues as a member of the party", he noted.
Effah-Dartey did not fail to pay glowing tribute to the founding fathers of the Dankwa-Busia-Dombo tradition, which had metamorphosed into the NPP, including the likes of Professor Kofi Abrefa Busia, and commended people like B.J Da Rocha, Agyenim Boateng, Dan Botwe and Nana Ohene-Ntow, some of who have occupied, and continue to occupy key positions in the party.
He thus invited all former and current MPs to close their ranks and join him in rendering what he described as 'solid service' to the party for the next four years. Effah-Dartey could not end without treating his guest of journalists and good-old Chairman of the Nasara Club of the NPP, Alhaji Maiga, to an interesting rendition of his now famous 'matwen awurade enim' signature-tune.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu
Captain Nkrabeah Effah-Dartey (Rtd.), a former deputy Minister of Interior has advised the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) to be cautious with the decision they take now, to avoid jeopardizing the chances of the party in winning the 2012 general elections.
"You do not need the brain of a Bishop to be able to predict that the NDC in power will do everything under the sun to ensure that they do not lose in 2012," he said.
The 56 year old retired Army officer and former Member of Parliament (MP) for Berekum Constituency in the Brong Ahafo region was speaking at a news conference in Accra, yesterday, to officially announce his intention to contest the NPP General Secretary position.
Effah-Dartey, who was flanked by his bodyguards, said "the most important exercise is to reorganize our party into a fighting machine, to repackage ourselves as an electioneering organization, refocus all our efforts into a vote-winning movement."
In order to do that, the enthusiastic former Army Officer stressed the urgent need for the NPP to take a second look at its leadership, right from the polling stations through to the constituency levels, and the regional structures to the highest echelons of national leadership.
For this reason, he has charged the rank and file of the party to pick men and women who would give total sacrifice of energy and time to work for the success of the party.
"Make no mistake; the party needs everybody; the serial callers, radio station hosts, the print media, foot soldiers in the wards, polling stations, areas and constituencies", he noted, adding "we need down to earth organizers and above all, we desperately need seasoned and thoroughly experienced elders who from the balconies of their residencies can give central direction and effective advice."
This, he said, was because the recent bye elections in Akwatia and Chereponi are clear signals of the state of the NPP today. Whilst admitting the existence of deep cracks in the party, Effah-Dartey indicated that the upcoming contest for national positions in the party is neither a battle nor a choice between individual personalities.
For this reason, he emphasized - "what we should concentrate on is to correctly profile the appropriate characteristics of the person we need to occupy the particular office, and then look for the person who fits that description."
For the NPP to win the 2012 general elections, he said the party needed individuals and group of persons who could run an effective operational national Secretariat, run the party nationally and be the face of the party.
As a former Captain of an infantry who commanded men under arms, besides establishing and running a national secretariat for the Petroleum Retailers Association from 1987, until the year 2001 when he entered Parliament, Effah-Dartey said "I can say without fear of contradiction that running a secretariat with staff and equipment under me should not be a mesmerizing one for me."
With the experience that he gained in Parliament for the past 8years, including his privileged position as a court-going Barrister at law, the retired Army officer noted - "by God's grace, I am in a position to discharge that responsibility effectively." "I do not think that I am wearing borrowed robes when I say that I have paid my dues as a member of the party", he noted.
Effah-Dartey did not fail to pay glowing tribute to the founding fathers of the Dankwa-Busia-Dombo tradition, which had metamorphosed into the NPP, including the likes of Professor Kofi Abrefa Busia, and commended people like B.J Da Rocha, Agyenim Boateng, Dan Botwe and Nana Ohene-Ntow, some of who have occupied, and continue to occupy key positions in the party.
He thus invited all former and current MPs to close their ranks and join him in rendering what he described as 'solid service' to the party for the next four years. Effah-Dartey could not end without treating his guest of journalists and good-old Chairman of the Nasara Club of the NPP, Alhaji Maiga, to an interesting rendition of his now famous 'matwen awurade enim' signature-tune.
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