AFAG rubbishes gov`t claims

…Over EO Group`s dealings with Kosmos
Posted: The Chronicle |Wednesday, January 27, 2010

By Charles Takyi - Boadu

A pressure group, Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG) yesterday catalogued a wide range of issues and events that took place during period of the Provisional National Defense Council (PNDC) to buttress their claim that the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) have a penchant of stifling and crippling indigenous businesses.
This was when the group addressed a press conference in Accra to ridicule what they see as political persecution of the EO group by government.

Spokesman for the group, Anthony Karbo recalled how Mr. Jerry Rawlings-led PNDC , which eventually gave birth to the NDC, set its regime on the premise of attacking indigenous businessmen, which saw the seizure of J.K Siaw’s TATA Brewery Company, the vandalisation and freezing of Dr. Kwame Safo-Adu’s pharmaceutical company and his assets, B.A Mensah’s International Tobacco Ghana (ITG) and Appiah Menka’s Apino soap, among a host of others, labeling them as thieves and imperialist collaborators.

The group expressed shock at the manner in which government is handling the whole KOSMOS/EO energy deal, describing it as politically motivated, since according to AFAG -“the raiding of the office and residence of George Owusu by the Police; the intimation by the Attorney General to KOSMOS USA to terminate the appointment of George Owusu, the freezing of his bank accounts and Assets since November 2009 are ominous signs.”

What seems to bother AFAG is what they describe as the deliberate silence of leading members of the current NDC government; notably Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, Alhaji Amadu Sorogho, Hon. Moses Asaga and Dr. Kwame Ampofo, who were part of the parliamentary select committee that worked on the agreement, stressing that this is worrying, since it gives room for several interpretations.

However, Moses Asaga has told The Chronicle that he and his other colleagues do not see anything wrong with government’s position since they have not abrogated the contract with Kosmos. According to him, they can only raise an issue with the government if the contract with Kosmos is being terminated and it is brought to parliament.

Meanwhile, the Attorney General has allegedly preffered 25 charges against the EO group, amongst which are; failure to call an annual general meeting in the year 2003, failure to circulate profit/loss account, balance sheet and reports of the company, establishing a business contrary to the Investment Promotion Act.

The rest of the charges include forging the signature of the Partner, causing a Financial Loss of $1.325bn to GNPC, money laundering in violation of the Exchange Control Act, travelling with $10,000.00 through the Kotoka International Airport without declaring to Airport Officials.

For AFAG, these are politically motivated charges calculated to dent the image of Mr. George Owusu and Dr. Bawuah Edusei in the corporate world and devalue Kosmos shares.

But for the perseverance and dedication of the EO group, after being rejected by 12 oil companies in USA, AFAG believes “Ghana wouldn’t have found the Jubilee oil fields” since according to them “as of 2002, all major oil companies regarded oil exploration in Ghana as high risk and a grave yard’.

This, they said led to the departure of companies like Hunt Oil in 1999, Fusion Oil and gas from Australia in 1999, Santa Fe in 2000, NUEVO in 2002 and Dana 2005.

However, they noted that all the wells drilled by these companies unfortunately yielded no viable commercial discoveries. The E.O Group was then said to have facilitated a visit to Ghana by Vanco Energy which resulted in Vanco taking an oil exploration block in Ghana.

The EO group without success with Vanco, solicited interest from many companies including Texaco, Oxy, Shell, Hess, the Chinese oil company who were all reluctant to come to Ghana due to the risk.

“The Irony of it is that, China Oil Company which refused an offer by EO to explore Oil in Ghana in 2003 are now in a position to buy the $4billion shares of Kosmos in order to produce. What a case of ‘monkey dey work, baboon dey chop’”, it said.

In December 2003, AFAG noted that the EO group came into contact with the Technical personnel of Kosmos Energy whose primary focus was to explore for high risk petroleum prospects in Africa.

This group previously of Triton Energy had found oil in Equatorial Guinea in 1999.

It was thus said to have entered into private negotiations with Kosmos on the sidelines and E.O was entitled to 3.5% working interest and not the Ghana government as have been portrayed, stressing that the EO share of 3.5% is not deductible from the government of Ghana’s share but from Kosmos.

This, according to AFAG cannot be said to be causing financial loss to the state, emphasizing that “this deal of 90% to the exploring private firm and 10% to the state was introduced by Tsatsu Tsikata, then GNPC Boss, as an enticement, sufficient enough to bring foreign experts to explore at their own cost.”

This is the case of the agreement between Ghana (10%) and Dana (90%), Ghana (10%) and Hunt Oil (90%) and also that of Ghana (10%) and Nuevo (90%), all signed by Tsatsu Tsikata in 1998, 1997 and 1999 respectively.

According to AFAG, this provision has been there, before the EO group joined in the search and was in accordance with the Ghana Petroleum Law, approved by the GNPC Board, the Ministry of Energy and Cabinet and unanimously ratified by Parliament in July 2004.

“Indeed Dr. Paa Kwasi Ndoum was the then Energy Minister who signed the agreement prior to the necessary paper works” they said. For this reason, AFAG noted “if the A-G’s outfit has any questions arising out of a deal that has been ratified by Parliament, the most appropriate forum to seek redress is the Supreme Court”, stating that “it cannot be a crime for a Ghanaian to properly secure and own shares in a multi national company.”

It asked -“if owning shares in companies were to be a crime, then why are we not witnessing a parade of such cases, but only witnessing the political persecution of just George Owusu and the EO Group?”

AFAG claimed it is aware of the fact that ANADARKO (the main Oil rig operator in the Jubilee field) Petroleum’s preliminary investigations in accordance with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) for any possible fraudulent dealings had the EO group exonerated, therefore asking the basis of the supposed persecution of the company and its management.

“We foresee the long political arm of the A-G in this issue but government must learn from the words of William Cunningham; A man will not risk what he has in trade, except for the prospect of very large gains, if he is likely to be robbed by pirates, or to be oppressed by the Government if he is successful in business”.

Furthermore, AFAG said “government should neither rob nor dissipate the wealth of its indigenes, and as stated by Thomas Hobbes -the riches, power and honour of a country arise only from the riches, strength and reputation of its countrymen. For no Country can be rich, nor glorious, nor secure, whose citizens are either poor, contemptible, or too weak through want, or dissention”.

JJ`s `Team A` takes over gov`t

... As Mills gives in
Posted: The Chronicle |Tuesday, January 26, 2010

By Charles Takyi - Boadu


President John Evans Atta Mills has made his much anticipated cabinet reshuffle, bringing on the Majority Leader in Parliament, Algban Bagbin, and Mr. Enoch Teye Mensah, Member of Parliament (MP) for Ningo-Prampram, who are perceived as ‘Rawlings boys’ into his government.
The two replace Albert Abongo and Amannor Kwao, as ministers of Water Resources, Works and Housing and Employment and Social Welfare respectively.

As anticipated, Mr. Cletus Avoka, Minister of the Interior, whose appointment generated a furore among some ethnic groups in the Upper East Region, has been dropped.

A statement signed by the Presidential Spokesperson, Mahama Ayariga, who has been nominated for the position of deputy Minister for Trade and Industry, yesterday said the Minister of Tourism, Juliana Azumah Mensah, moves to the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs, while Akua Sena Dansua has been given an arduous task, as the new Minister for Youth and Sports, one of the most controversial and difficult ministries to deal with.

Former deputy Minister of Justice and Attorney General in the past Rawlings government, Mr. Martin Amidu, has also been nominated for the position of Minister of the Interior, replacing Cletus Avoka, while John Tia goes to replace Mrs. Zita Okaikoi, whose reshuffle has long been expected at the Ministry of Information.

Zita, on the other hand, goes to replace Mrs. Azumah Mensah at the Tourism Ministry, as Moses Magbenba takes over from Stephen S. Nanyina as Northern Regional Minister designate.

The deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, John Gyetuah, also moves to the Office of the President as Minister of State designate, whilst Inusah Abdulai Fuseini replaces Kwabena Donkor as deputy Minister for Energy designate.

Mr. Nasamu Asabigi, a new face, has also been made the deputy Minister designate for the Northern Region.

The statement further said Cletus Avoka and Rashid Pelpuo are to be reassigned, while Alhaji Iddi Saani is to be replaced as the deputy Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing.

Meanwhile, communications expert, Sulemana Braimah, has criticised the appointment of John Tia to the Information Ministry, since according to him, the nature of the ministry was such that it needs someone who will give it full concentration.

Though John Tia holds a Diploma in Journalism from the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ), he wonders how he will combine his duties with his role as a Member of Parliament.

Aftermath of `successful` congress

NDC ACTS ON MILLS` ORDERS
… Investigates congress bribery allegations
Posted: The Chronicle |Monday, January 25, 2010

By Charles Takyi - Boadu

The ruling party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has begun investigations into bribery and vote-buying allegations which rocked its women and youth congresses.
This follows an order given by President Mills at the party’s recent National Delegates’ Congress in Tamale that the newly-elected executives should investigate the issue, and get to the bottom of the matter.

President Mills, after telling the people that he had no faction in the party, was also unhappy with the fact that some of the people surrounding him had been named in the allegation.

The Chronicle has gathered that one of the contestants who lost at the youth congress held in Sunyani, has taken advantage of the order by the President, to file a petition at the National Secretariat of the party to investigate a number of allegations he has made against some of his opponents in the race, and leading members of the party.

The petitioner, Mohammed Abdulai Mubarak, alias Ras Mubarak, has named the Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr. Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo, Communications Minister, Haruna Iddrisu, and Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Alhaji Collins Dauda, and their agents, as some of the leading members who supported wrongdoings at the youth congress.

The rest include the Deputy Finance Minister, Fifi Kwetey, Director of Communications at the Office of the President, Koku Anyidoho, and Ludwig Hlodze, a presidential staffer, who contested and won the position of National Youth Organiser.

The party chairman, Dr Kwabena Adjei, would neither confirm nor deny receipt of the petition and subsequent investigation.

“Do you want me to say we are investigating,” he asked this reporter when contacted on phone yesterday.

In the petition, which was copied to President Mills and former President Rawlings among others, he accused the aforementioned individuals of using the name and office of President Mills, to get Ludwig Hlodze elected as the National Youth Organiser of the NDC, at the recent youth congress in Sunyani, the Brong Ahafo regional capital, on January 9, this year.

According to Mubarak, the entire process for the election was hijacked by these ministers and presidential staffers, to get the outcome they wanted. “The pretensions of ministers and presidential staffers on being neutral players, took a different turn, when they told delegates: ‘Ludwig is the President’s man’ and ‘only the President’s man’ can get things done for them,” he noted.

According to the petitioner, the Regional Minister, Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo, “used his official residence as the epicenter of the fraud against the youth of the party,” stressing: “he presided over a meeting of all ten regional youth organisers.”

The meeting was said to have been attended by persons, including Michael Kumbor, who was a candidate in the youth congress, Ludwig Hlodze (a candidate himself), Koku Anyidoho and Alhaji Collins Dauda, Minister for Lands and Natural Resources.

At the said meeting, the aggrieved Mubarak claimed that Michael Kumbor was told he had to step down, because Ludwig had the approval of the President, since according to him, the so-called ‘castle team’ told the delegates not to allow the perceived ‘Rawlings camp’ to win the youth leadership of the party.

“All ten regional youth organisers were told they had to ‘do everything to get Ludwig elected,’ because the President will be embarrassed if he lost,” he alleged.

In the case of Haruna Iddrisu, his accuser said at 10:36 p.m. on January 8, 2010, he went to the delegates’ village, where delegates from the Northern, Upper East, Upper West regions, and members of TEIN were being housed. When the Minister arrived, Mubarak noted that one of the contenders for the position of youth organiser – Abdul Rahman Gundadoo was addressing members of TEIN.

There and then, he noted: “the minister interrupted the meeting, and asked Gundadoo not to contest,” emphasising: “the reason for asking the candidate to step down, was ostensibly to get delegates from the Northern Region to support Ludwig.”

“Indeed, one of the regional youth organisers from the Northern Region, had confirmed to me Gundadoo was sponsored by Haruna to scuttle my votes from the Northern Region.

And as if by divine intervention, the said candidate on the day of election, told delegates, in the full glare of the media, that he was stepping down because ‘they had asked him to step down’,” he stated.

Furthermore, Mubarak claims that GH¢20 each, a mobile phone and T-shirts were given to delegates in exchange for votes.

That notwithstanding, Mubarak alleged that inducements for votes and promises of auctioned vehicles were made to delegates from other regions. At one of such meetings on the morning of January 9, 2010 with delegates from the Ashanti Region, he indicated that the Deputy Minister of state repeated similar promises, saying: “He told them Ludwig was at the Castle and had the ear of the president.”

Due to this, Mubarak believes “the incompetence of the organisers of the youth congress, created an opportunity for some of the candidates to exploit a bad situation.”

This, according to him, was evident in the fact that the delegates were housed in mosquito infested dormitories, with poor toilet facilities, and without meals, to enable one Siidi Musah Abubakar, a candidate in the race, to provide hotel accommodation for the delegates, thereby compromising their ability to vote without thinking.

He, however, noted that all of this happened at a time the party needed to build bridges and mend fences, stressing: “Ludwig himself confirmed receiving support from government appointees when he spoke to Joy FM, in response to my accusations on Sunday January 10, 2010. We cannot allow this to happen in our party,” he added.

Ras Mubarak, as he is affectionately called, has therefore appealed to President Mills to cause an investigation of the aforementioned individuals, who used his name in an internal party election, noting with emphasis: “what they have done, is to deepen perception of factionalism in the party.” “At a time when party unity was very critical, the ‘special interest group’ – using the name of the President, acted in a manner that leaves many observers wondering about their commitment to the unity of the party,” he noted.

He has therefore appealed to the President to ask the Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo, Communications Minister, Haruna Iddrisu, Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Alhaji Collins Dauda, Deputy Finance Minister, Fifi Kwetey, Communications Director at the Presidency and Ludwig Hlodze, a presidential staffer, to all step aside as his appointees, for using the President’s name for their personal agenda. Mubarak has also asked the leadership of the party to immediately condemn this act of subversion, and offer appropriate sanctions to be meted out against the government appointees.

Attempts to reach the individuals, whose names have been mentioned on their cell phones, proved futile, since most of them, including the Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Haruna Iddrisu, Fifi Kwetey and Koku Anyidoho, did not answer their phones.

They did not also respond to text messages sent to their phones.

Alhaji Collins Dauda and Ludwig Hlodze also had their phones switched off.

Ashanti NPP Chair mad at Nana Addo

Posted: The Chronicle |Friday, January 22, 2010

By Charles Takyi - Boadu

A meeting between the 2008 presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and 15 out of the 39 constituency chairmen in the Ashanti Region, has resulted in tension among the executives of the party.
The meeting, which was held at the Ahodwo residence of one of Nana Addo’s chief campaign strategists, Dr. Kwame Amoako Tuffuor, over the weekend, has angered the remaining 24 constituency chairmen who were not invited to the programme, since they were perceived to be supporters of Alan Kyerematen.

The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NPP, Yaw Amankwaa, who confirmed the tension in an interview with this reporter, alleged that at the said programme, Nana Addo mentioned the names of certain individuals as his preferred choice of candidates for specific positions in the party.

Nana Addo, reportedly, told the chairmen that he supports F. F. Anto for the position of Ashanti Regional Chairman, and Jake Obetsebi Lamptey as National Chairman, instead of former National Vice Chairman, Stephen Ntim.

The Regional Chairman could therefore not fathom why Nana Addo took such an initiative by inviting only 15 out of the 39 constituency chairmen in the region for the said meeting, since it breeds disunity in the party.

To him, somebody who is seeking re-election to lead the party should not have indulged in such as an exercise.

“As a man who is seeking to become the president of Ghana, he should be seen as unifier, so if in his own party, we have 39 constituency chairmen, including all the party executives, and he chooses 15 as those he can deal with, and also backs candidates who are contesting for both regional and national chairmen, and openly stating that he cannot work with Ntim, but Jake, then he has drawn the battle lines,” he said, adding, “even if you are elected as the flagbearer, what are you going to tell the remaining 24 of the 39, since you have already chosen 15?”

He accused Nana Addo of dividing the party, stressing: “this has become a major source of worry and pain for members of the party in the region, especially the executives. I think some of us should sit down with him and advise him so that he would either rescind his decision, or render an apology to the other party members he says he will not be able to work with.”

When contacted, the Public Relations Officer for Nana Addo, Herbert Krampa, confirmed that Nana Addo was in Kumasi over the weekend.

Mr. Krampa also admitted Nana held a series of meetings whilst in Kumasi, some of which were held behind closed doors with some individuals and group of persons, but could not tell whether he indeed met the 15 constituency chairmen.

He however denied Nana Addo asking the constituency chairmen to vote for his preferred choice of candidates in the impending regional and national elections, since according to him, Nana Addo would not do any such thing, let alone give them monies to influence their decision in the impending elections.

Meanwhile, firebrand NPP Member of Parliament (MP) for the Assin-North constituency, and known supporter of Nana Addo, Kennedy Agyepong, has criticised a list of names making rounds in the party, suggesting certain names and individuals as preferred candidates of the presidential aspirants.

He could not fathom the extent to which factionalism was gaining roots in the party. Speaking on Oman FM’s ‘National Agenda’ morning show on Tuesday, the MP, whose no-nonsense attitude has earned him the nickname ‘Akompreko,’ asked delegates in the impending national congress of the NPP, to vote for competent people, regardless of their supposed camps.

He particularly did not understand why a person like Stephen Amoah, who he described as hard-working, loyal and competent, should not be voted for to become national youth organiser of the party.

When most party people were scared to come out during the 2008 presidential run off, he noted that this gentleman was visiting about nine radio stations a week, all in defence of the party.

His comments are said to have sparked a debate in the Nana Addo camp, since some people feel he is breaking ranks.

Mr. Agyepong, however, repeated his comments on Citi FM’s ‘Eye-witness’ programme, hosted by Shamimah Muslim, the same day, saying that the supposed Nana Addo, Alan factions were tearing the party apart, and could possibly affect the chances of the NPP in the 2012 general

WHY NPP BOYCOTTED NDC CONGRESS

…Was denied entry into congress grounds
Posted: The Chronicle |Wednesday, January 20, 2010

By Charles Takyi - Boadu

Details have started emerging as to why the largest opposition party in the country, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), did not put up an appearance at the just-ended national delegates’ congress of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), and though initial speculations were that the party deliberately failed to turn up, this has turned out to be false.
The Communications Director of the party, Kwaku Kwarteng, told The Chronicle in an interview in Accra yesterday, that they duly received an invitation from the ruling party to attend the congress.

The National Secretariat also delegated their northern regional executives to represent them, but they were denied entry into the congress grounds, for the simple reason that they did not have accreditation to enter the place. “When we got there, the people at the gate said that we needed accreditation,” he noted.

This, according to him, compelled the NPP General Secretary, Nana Ohene-Ntow, to call his NDC counterpart, Asiedu Nketiah, but because he was apparently busy, he could not pick the call.

According to him, though the NPP delegation explained to the security men that they had been invited to attend the congress, they would simply not listen to them, so long as they were not having the necessary accreditation.

After several attempts to reach Asiedu Nketiah had proved unsuccessful, the delegation decided to leave venue to avoid any confrontation with the security men on duty.

“They were issuing accreditation badges, and properly speaking, we should have been given some of those badges, or when we got to the invitation, we should have gotten to the NDC (I don’t know I’m just guessing) and then, they would prepare accreditation for those going or something,” he stated. However, the NPP Communications Director does not think the NDC did that to deliberately prevent the NPP from appearing at its congress, since according to him, they would not get anything from doing that.

To him, some of these things would not occur next time, since the NPP had nothing against the NDC, so-much-so that it would deliberately fail to attend its congress.

As Nana Konadu, Spio sail through

SHADOW BOXING @ NDC CONGRESS
… Unabashed JJ attacks Haruna, Mosquito et tal
Posted: The Chronicle |Monday, January 18, 2009

By Charles Takyi - Boadu

Characteristic of him, former President Rawlings last Saturday took the opportunity granted him, at the just-ended National Democratic Congress (NDC) National Delegates’ Congress in Tamale, to launch blistering attacks on some leading members of the party.
First to appear in the crosshairs of the gun-sight was Haruna Iddrisu, whose description of his military rule as “authoritarian and dictatorial” did not go down well with the former military dictator.

“Some people were just ten years old and did not know what happened,” he told his audience, and went ahead to explain how his wife was nearly crashed to death, when she was carrying a seven month old pregnancy during a civilian rule.

He claimed a Member of Council of State, who is a Gonja Chief, was behind the attack that nearly caused the life of his wife. Digressing from his prepared text, the former president then turned the heat on the leadership of the party for failing to provide mattresses for the delegates

to sleep on, as they would have done during funerals of departed colleagues.

He did not end there, but went further to launch what appears to be attack on Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, the re-elected General Secretary of the party, who had previously spoken against the role of the 31st December Women’s Movement, founded by his wife, in the party.

According to him, when his wife was moving from one place to other trying to establish the movement, the wives of some of the people were doing pedicure and manicure, and yet they have now turned round to attack her.

Atta the mortuary attendant

Just when everybody at the packed-to-capacity West African Examinations Council (WAEC) Hall, the venue of the congress, thought he had finished his ‘assassination’ agenda, Mr. Rawlings bowed his head as if he was reading something on paper, raised his head, and told his audience that he had a story to tell.

With the delegates, including those at the high table, listening with rapt attention, the NDC Founder decided to tell a story about a mortuary attendant at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra, called Atta.

In a long winding and sarcastic tale, he narrated that Atta was always drunk due to the nature of his work - attending to corpses at the morgue. Atta was also a heavy smoker, who he occasionally met and gave out a few notes of money to. He then cast his mind back to a teacher who happened to be a member of the NDC who died years ago at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.

When his wife, Nana Konadu and her colleagues went to visit the corpse, he said they noticed that the body had virtually been dumped into the coffin unprepared.

According to him, they therefore took a decision to help prepare and dress the corpse before it was finally flown to the United States. He made this narration to enable the delegates, who through, what he described as determination, had to sacrifice and sleep on hard tables, to understand the difficulties in politics.

“I am saying this, because I in guess situations like this, if you do not tip the mortuary attendant, you will not get your face powdered, you will not get your hair combed properly, so that you’ll look dignified in the box,” he said.

One day, somewhere during his second term in office as a democratically elected president, Mr. Rawlings said he met this Atta friend at the 37 Military Hospital where he worked, looking sinewy and very dry, with his eyes looking red, always smoking and smelling of alcohol. Sometime later, he claimed to have gone to visit this same Atta, and saw him completely transformed, “looking so good, there was meat on his skin and his eyes were no longer red.”

Obviously surprised at his sight, Mr. Rawlings said he was compelled to ask this same Atta, the mortuary attendant, the secret to his new look, “and he said he had quit drinking and smoking.”

At the time, the former president confessed to being a heavy smoker too, but was somehow able to gain some strength from this mortuary attendant that “if he can stop smoking, and I was doing three packets a day, I could also stop smoking.”

Since the story had no link with his address, some of the delegates became agitated, especially those at the high table including the sitting President himself, who bears the name ‘Atta’, his Vice, John Dramani Mahama, party Chairman, Dr. Kwabena Adjei, party stalwart, Alhaji Mahama Iddrisu, and the Majority Leader in Parliament, Alban Bagbin, except for his wife, Nana Konadu, who was smiling.

Whilst admitting that some of the points made by Vice President, John Mahama, who had earlier delivered his speech, were quite valid, Mr. Rawlings said: “there is lot of pain on the chests of many of us,” stressing: “the country needs inspiration from us, can we provide, can we give that inspiration?” This, according to him, was because there was a painful truth out there, but could not tell as to whether they in the NDC would be courageous and bold enough to face those painful truths out there.

At this point, somebody in the crowd said in Twi, ‘ka ninyinaa’, literally meaning ‘say all’, and Rawlings responded ‘meka’, which translates “I’ll say it.” He therefore went on to unveil a catalogue of issues he has grappling with all this while, most of which had to do with leadership.

After delivering his prepared text, the former president revisited the issue of ‘Atta’, his mortuary attendant friend at the 37 Military Hospital.

This time, some of the delegates started murmuring, which made him say “no, this is a true story, one day you must go to visit the 37 Military Hospital and ask for Atta, “he’s a friend of mine, I know what am talking about.”

The clever rebuttal

But, after his long and winding narration of the story about Atta, President John Evans Fiifi Atta Mills also took the stage to address the delegates and candidates.

His first comment was that based on the story narrated by his Founder, he would consider dropping ‘Atta’ from his name, and cleverly moved away from the unsolicited attack into other issues raised by Mr. Rawlings.

After listening to him, the President: “if I have persevered with the NDC over the years, it is because of my determination to address the concerns which bother former president Rawlings.”

In confessing that he and his government had not been able to please everybody, President Mills expressed optimism over what he described as “a better tomorrow,” and therefore asked the doubting ‘ Thomases,’ especially the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), “that they should spare us their sanctimonious and self-serving effusions and statements.”

He said: “the country that we took over was certainly not a country which had seen eight years of ‘positive change,” saying “my brothers and sisters, we are certain that with unity, cohesion, with the singleness of purpose, there is nothing that we cannot achieve.”

Meanwhile, both Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings and Dr. Ekwow Spio Grabrah sailed through the keenly-contested election, to become vice chairperson and chairman respectively of the party. Dr. Kwabena Adjei and Johnson Asideu Nketiah, aka General Mosquito, also won landslide victories to retain their positions.

Ohene-Ntow, others must go

-Obodai Torto
Posted: The Chronicle |Thursday, January 14, 2010

By Charles Takyi - Boadu

The admission by the National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr. Peter Mac Manu and his General Secretary, Nana Ohene-Ntow, that their total actions and inactions caused the defeat of the government, has sparked deep-seated emotions in the party. This has compelled some key and influential members of the party to call for a complete overhaul of the national executives of the party.
One of such persons, who is not happy with the comments of the party Chairman and his General Secretary, is the Chairman of the Tertiary Education Confederacy of the NPP, and Ranking member of the party’s Youth Wing, Ishmeal Pius Obodai Torto.

He believes the time has come for the party to say goodbye to Mac Manu, although he is not seeking re-election, and Nana Ohene-Ntow, both of whom may have contributed to the party’s defeat in the 2008 general elections in one way or the other.

Speaking in an interview with the paper in Accra recently, Pius said - “I think all the executives who contributed to the loss of the party must exit for fresh ideas to come on board.”

He further said “Recently, I heard Nana Ohene-Ntow blaming the executives for the loss of the party. He claims they did not listen to his suggestions, but come to think of it, Ohene-Ntow was the Chief Executive of the party when we were in power. So if he is laying the blame at the doorsteps of the executive, then I think he is the first person to take the major blame.”

He, however, stressed the need for the delegates to consider voting those who performed creditably among the outgoing current national officers.

Mills has divided attention -Akomea

Posted: The Chronicle |Thursday, January 14, 2010

By Charles Takyi - Boadu

A former Information Minister and the Member of Parliament (MP) for Okaikoi South, Nana Akomea, has told The Chronicle that the struggle for control of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) has affected the performance of the Atta Mills government. According to him, President Mills now has divided attention, which is making it impossible for him to focus on the development of the country. In an interview with The Chronicle in Accra yesterday, Mr. Akomea said whilst trying to fix the multiple challenges facing the economy, President Mills also has to deal with difficulty of containing Mr. Rawlings, who is trying to block his re-election as the presidential candidate of the party. “Because it affects the future of the President himself, he cannot sit down unconcerned, so he will be distracted right up to when the NDC elects its presidential candidate,” he noted, adding “It is normal that when you have this kind of threat from, not less a person, than the founder of your party, it will naturally affect your performance.” He however cautioned that if the NDC did not find ways to end this kind of strife, it could affect its delivery in subsequent years. The situation, he said, had become so bad that even before the end of his first year in office President Mills was compelled to come out to say that he would stand for re-election, since doubts had been expressed about his ability to seek re-election. “Jerry Rawlings himself has said sometime ago, that Mills should take his government and he will take the party. Subsequently, you have people like Spio Garbrah, who is perceived to be in Rawlings camp, and Mrs. Rawlings herself, all declaring their intentions to contest for executive positions in the NDC. “This shows the intensity and extent of division and infighting in the ruling party,” he emphasised. He therefore stressed the need for the ruling party to manage its affairs properly, since it was having a direct bearing on the country’s development. Whilst admitting that what was currently going on in the NDC was internal democracy like that of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), between the Nana Addo and Alan Kyerematen factions, the Okaikoi South MP said, “the danger is that the division in the NDC is so deep, and the personalities involved are quite big ones.” He further said one cannot equate what is going on in NDC to that of NPP, because the latter was not in government, but in opposition. “When we were in government, Kufuor didn’t have this kind of terrible factionalism in the party.” Nana Akomea said the stakes are higher, for the simple reason that the Founder and the President are at each other’s throats, saying authoritatively, “this is the first time that you have a sitting President being actively challenged for re-election in his own party.” He asked, “why would the Rawlings faction be trying to take over the party, and why would the Mills faction also be trying to resist them, it’s all because of the presidential primary. Obviously, Mr. Rawlings’ faction wants to take over the party, so they can use the party machinery to block Mills from seeking re-election.”

Ntim joins NPP chairmanship race

…With renewed spirit of unity
Posted: The Chronicle |Thursday, January 07, 2010

By Charles Takyi - Boadu

A former Vice Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Stephen Ayensu Ntim has indicated his preparedness to contest for the National Chairmanship position in the upcoming National Delegates conference of the party.
He is going into the race with a renewed spirit of commitment to help unite the party and bring it back to power in the year 2012, when President Mills and his ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) 4year mandate comes to an end.

After filing his nomination papers at the party’s Asylum Down headquarters in Accra, Mr. Ntim told reporters that he is going into the race with a renewed sense of unity and purpose. For this reason, he has asked all members of the party to throw their weight behind him in bringing the party together to wrestle power from the NDC in the next elections.

“I want to ensure that unity prevails before we go to congress to elect our flagbearer defying any factionalism”, he said, stressing on the fact that “I will maintain my neutrality.” Asked how he intends to help the party come to power, Mr. Ntim who used to be the party’s Vice Chairman said “I have chewed calabash before so if I tell you I want to chew crab, you must believe me.”

During his time as the Vice Chairman, Mr. Ntim said they managed to add 27 Parliamentary seats to those occupied by the NPP and, therefore, banking his hopes on his achievements and significant contributions to the party to win the upcoming Chairmanship race.

Though the names of other party stalwarts including Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, Sammy Crabbe and a host of others have come up as likely contenders for the Chairmanship position of the NPP, Mr. Ntim said, he was not the least bothered since the upcoming elections is not merely about high profile names.

Instead, he said it has to do with an individual’s achievements and contributions to the party and how he or she can help win power from the party from the incumbent NDC in 2012. He therefore expressed hope and optimism that he would come up tops among his equals in the impending elections, which has all to do with credentials. “My mission is to bring back the party to power and I will do this by uniting the seeming factionalism in the party in order to win power. This I promise to do”, he said.

When elected to the position of National Chairman, Mr. Ntim promised to make the party’s Constitution operate freely without any form of interference or discrimination against any individual or group of persons since it breeds disunity in the party.

Administrative Officer at the party headquarters, Mr. Antwi Adjei, who received the aspirant’s nomination papers together with an amount of GHC 5,000.00 as the filing fee and other relevant documents required by the party’s Constitution.

Mills` boys ready to battle Rawlings

…As Danny Anang launches Vice Chairmanship bid today
Posted: The Chronicle |Thursday, January 07, 2010

By Charles Takyi - Boadu & Bismark Bebli

REPORTS REACHING The Chronicle indicate that there is an uneasy calm in the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) over the continuous and deliberate attempt by former President Rawlings and his aides to field candidates against those perceived to be having links with the Castle and President Mills.
Credible sources at the party headquarters have told the paper that the top brass of the party who witnessed the open campaign by the likes of E.T Mensah and Afotey Agbo against Mr. Danny Anang, the former Greater Accra regional chairman, in the full glare of the former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings, at the Osu Ebenezer Presbyterian hall last week have expressed worry at the turn of events.

The covert and overt action of the aforementioned individuals against Danny, who worked tirelessly for the victory of the party in the 2008 general elections to the advantage of Mr. Ade Coker, now Regional chairman, has sent shivers to most of those contesting for various positions in the party, and has compelled most of them to call for fair play.

Some leading members of the party have vowed to block schemes being employed, by especially the former President and his agents, to undo capable people in the party.

Meanwhile, party kingpins have advised Mr. Danny Annang, whose exploits in the NDC has earned him the nickname -”Champion Chairman”, to contest for the position of National Vice Chairman.

He is set to launch his campaign for the Vice Chairmanship position at the Kama Conference centre in Accra today.

According to him, his dream is to help galvanize more votes for the party towards the 2012 general elections. “Whether Ade Coker was supported by the former family or not, once he is a party man, I believe together we can work for the NDC. My dream is to propel the party for victory,” he said.

Meanwhile, some delegates who were lured into voting for Mr. Ade Coker with enticing baits, have vowed to this time endorse Danny in the upcoming national congress scheduled to be held in Tamale on January 15 2010.

Ugly scenes at NDC congress

...Amidst vote-buying
Posted: The Chronicle | Tuesday, January 05, 2010

By Charles Takyi-Boadu

The recently held Greater Accra Regional Delegates Conference of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) witnessed serious issues of vote-buying and underhand dealings, which undermined the integrity of the election in one way or the other.
This was when certain candidates and their agents tried to twist the rules of the game in their favour. As the election was underway, generating a lot of interest and enthusiasm among supporters of the two main contestants, Ade Coker and Danny Anang, who were running for the Chairmanship position, money started exchanging hands.

In the heat of events, agents and close associates of one of the contestants, were seen doling out GH¢200 to some of the delegates, in the full glare of party executives who were seated on the high table.

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Ningo-Prampram, Mr. E. T. Mensah, and the MP for Sege, Mr. Alfred Abayateye, all in the Rawlings camp, were openly campaigning for Ade Coker.

The paper also chanced on a damning document, which was being circulated by some of the party supporters as a smear campaign against Danny Anang. In the said documents, copies of which are in the possession of The Chronicle, one William Jackson Mensah, who claims to be a Ghanaian businessman living in Austria, was alleged to have sent a whopping amount of 120,000 Euros through the Western Union Money Transfer to Danny Anang, who until the regional conference, was the incumbent Chairman of the party in the region, to help run the party’s campaign.

However, a close look at the documents gives much room for suspicion and doubt, since it appears to be intended for mischief. Some of the dates for the receipts of the said money, date back as far as 1990, 1992, 1998 and the year 2000, when the party had not been formed.

As these documents and money were flying all over the place, the voting was still ongoing.

These and other mischievous and last minute underhand dealings have cast a slur on the integrity of the elections.

More revelations at NHIS

HOW TEMA GEN. HOSPITAL, OTHERS FLEECED NATION OF GH¢130,000
Posted: The Chronicle |Wednesday, January 06, 2010

By Charles Takyi - Boadu

More revelations are coming out of an audit undertaken by the country’s National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) into the activities and operations of some service providers of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
Latest, is a clinical audit into certain health facilities, including the Tema General Hospital, which was found to have re-vetted and submitted claims for caesarean section and deliveries at the maternity unit, and over-billing to the tune of GH¢71,107.

This happened between the month of January and September 2009, when the hospital was discovered to have billed the Scheme with infusions and oxytocin, which were eventually not given to patients.

This was contained in a report issued by the Director of Claims at the NHIA, Dr Lydia Dsane Selby, in Accra.

The authorities of the hospital have been asked ‘to cough’ the said amount, whilst their conduct has been reported to the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) for action.

A similar clinical audit undertaken by the NHIA, found the Sunyani Regional Hospital culpable of what the report describes as ‘spurious’ claims to the tune of GH¢57,335.64.

These were for drugs which were billed against the Scheme, but not found in the patients’ folder.

The hospital has also been asked to refund the money, whilst the issue has been referred to the GHS for appropriate sanctions.

At the Sunyani Municipal Hospital, the audit revealed that prescriptions of Tablet Simvastatin issued from the hospital and sent to Senti Chemist, had no records of patients’ attendance at the hospital.

The municipal hospital has been made to refund the amount involved, whilst at the St. John of God Hospital in Duayaw Nkwanta, a medical officer and medical assistants of the facility were noted to have prescribed the most expensive drugs for patients to buy at a particular pharmacy, Helen Pharmacy.

Though these prescriptions were said to have been sent to the pharmacy, they could however not be traced to the patients’ folders at the facility.

Meanwhile, the NHIA has decided to suspend service providers, including Bernice Maternity and Clinic at Yeji, Helen Pharmacy at Duayaw Nkwanta, Shabash Clinic in Goaso, Emil Memorial Hospital at Berekum, Akomade Clinic in Atebubu and the Menji Rural Clinic for various offences levelled against them.

In the case of Bernice Maternity and Clinic, the Authority alleged that a number of claims submitted for payment exceeded the clinic attendance records.

For instance, it was detected that a total of 4,601 claims were submitted for payment from August to October, but the clinic records showed 2,997 as the actual attendance, whereas Helen Pharmacy submitted huge claims in July and October 2009 in respect of the report described as ‘very expensive’ medication (Tablets Simvastatin 40mg).

In spite of this, it was uncovered that invoices of purchases of that particular medication fell short of the quantity supposedly issued out to patients, since the beginning of the year.

Furthermore, the folders of some patients’, on whose behalf claims had been submitted for payments, could not be traced at the facility.

In the case of the Shabash Clinic at Goaso, it came out that most of the 2nd and 3rd visits on the claims forms could not be traced in the patients’ folder, whilst there was evidence of inappropriate drug prescription, and drugs did not always match diagnosis.

The facility was again found to have billed the Scheme for drugs while the same prescriptions were sent to a particular accredited chemical shop (Nsiah Chemical Shop) for collection.

The Emil Memorial Hospital in Berekum was also noted to have billed the scheme for services not rendered.

In one instance, a claim was submitted for a patient said to have undergone a caesarean section, but upon verification, the Authority says it uncovered that the patient was still pregnant.

Considering the fact that the Akomade Clinic in Atebubu had no medical officer, while quality care was found to have been seriously compromised, it has been suspended from providing services to NHIS clients.

The Menji Rural Clinic was also found to be using unqualified staff at the maternity unit to attend to maternal cases, while prescribing 3rd level antibiotics for patients with simple infections.

Meanwhile, a recent audit undertaken by the National Health Insurance Authority at the Paradyse Clinic at Ejisu in the Ashanti Region has revealed that there were not enough washrooms, with in-patients and out-patients sharing the same facilities.

That notwithstanding, the hospital was noted to be overcrowded with what the report described as ‘very poor’ ventilation, stressing: “there were not enough qualified nurses on site, which compromises care.”

For this reason, the Authority has downgraded its status from a hospital to a clinic.

In all, seven members of staff of various Schemes have been interdicted, whilst 15 facilities have been suspended, with four people to be handed over to the police.

Another six health facilities are to be reported to the Director General of the GHS, while two more facilities are to be reported to the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) for action.

Massive fraud uncovered in NHIS

…Scheme Managers, Accountants involved
Posted: The Chronicle |Tuesday, January 05, 2010

By Charles Takyi - Boadu

An audit report commissioned by the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has uncovered massive fraud, which threatens to undermine the fortunes of the country’s National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
The fraud, which involves various sums of money, were detected in the Volta and Brong Ahafo regions, where Managers of some Mutual Health Insurance Schemes (MHIS) and their Accountants and other related staff dissipated resources without following standard procedures.

In the North Tongu of the district of the Volta region for instance, the audit uncovered cases of financial fraud involving the Scheme Manager, one Isaac Fenu and his Accountant, one Simon Goka. The Manager was said to have colluded with the Accountant of the Adidome government hospital to defraud the Scheme and the hospital of an amount of GHC 7,000.00.

The Scheme Accountant and his Manager were said to have issued two cheques amounting to GH¢ 7,000.00 to the hospital accountant, one Evans Agbefu, which the latter cashed and failed to pay into the hospital account. Consequently, the NHIA has resolved to report the fraudulent conduct of the hospital accountant to the regional Police command for action.

Furthermore, the report revealed that the Scheme Accountant and the Manager of the North Tongu MHIS failed to account for another whooping GH¢ 27,836.00 of premium collected. Both individuals have thus been interdicted and asked to step aside for further investigations. In spite of that, they have also been asked to refund the monies involved.

In Adaklu-Anyigbe district, the audit also revealed cases of financial malfeasance in claims payments, involving three of the Scheme officers including Raybon Evans Anyadi, who happed to be the Scheme Manager, Jerry Agbanu, the Accountant and one Bright Nyatsikor, the Claims officers.

A total amount of GH¢ 28,537.73 meant for the payment of claims to service providers was misappropriated by the Scheme officials, whilst cheques for payments of claims were also cashed by these officials. The Authority has thus directed the interdicted and subsequent arrest and investigation of the Scheme Manager, Claims Manager and the Accountant altogether.

Also in the Broong Ahafo region, the Scheme Manager of the Jaman North MHIS and his Accounted have been interdicted with immediate effect, pending full-scale investigations to reveal their scale of mismanagement and incompetence. The two are accused of misapplying an amount of GH¢ 25,944.00 to purchase computers and accessories and misappropriating other funds to the tune of GH¢ 12,000.00.

In its present state, the Scheme is said to have locked up a whooping GH¢ 52,720.00 in printing identity cards, security renewal stickers and making identity card wallets. Moneys from its Claims account were said to have been used to make these payments.

In the case of the Wenchi MHIS, the following service providers; Email Methodist Hospital, Wenchi Methodist Hospital, Subinso Health Centre, Nyaase Royal Maternity Home and Droboso clinic were noted to have overpaid by a total amount of GH¢ 57,932.13.

Meanwhile, the NHIA is undertaking further investigations to ascertain the circumstances under which the excesses occurred, stressing that ‘any omission, negligence or collusion would be punished appropriately.’

At the Nkoranza MHIS, there was the issue of front-loading of provider, where the previous board approved a loan of GH¢ 20,000.00 for Mount Olives, a service provider located in Techiman in January 2009.

Deductions were said not to have been until August 2009 when GH¢ 1,500.00 monthly deductions commenced. However, The facility has, however, been made to refund the amount involved.

Startling revelations of NHIS

SHS GRADUATE DISPENSING MEDICAL SERVICE
… Offers consultancy and administers treatment
Posted: The Chronicle |Tuesday, January 05, 2010

By Charles Takyi - Boadu

Issues have started emerging over services rendered by some of the country’s health facilities for the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). A report issued by the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) makes startling revelations of how a Senior High School (SHS) graduate has been dispensing treatment at a health facility in Adidome, Biodum, in the Volta Region.
It also uncovered serious cases of professional misconduct and malfeasance against health facilities whose accreditations have since been suspended. According to the findings of the report, there were no qualified staff at the time of the visit by the audit team, while the person attending to about 40 patients, was a Senior High School graduate who was consulting and giving treatment.

That notwithstanding, there were no records of attendance for most patients, and records available were written in exercise books.

Hypertensive and diabetic patients were also treated at the maternity home, while expensive medications such as Tablet Losartan were prescribed and dispensed, even though the facility has no pharmacist or dispensing technician.

The midwife was said to have offered eye services and billed the Scheme, though the facility has not been accredited for such services.

At the Hoggar Clinic, the report also revealed that some multiple attendances could not be traced to the patients’ folder. For instance, medical notes indicated single visits, whilst on the Claims forms the Scheme was billed for multiple visits.

There were also some incidences of what the report described as poly-pharmacy in about half of the Claims sampled, whilst serious discrepancies existed between diagnosis and treatment in almost 80% of the Claims sampled.

Also at the St. Paul’s Hospital in Akatsi, in the same Volta Region, the report revealed that the doctor engages the services of unqualified persons as medical staff, with the only qualified staff at the facility being a locum student nurse, and one midwife on outreach services.

A student nurse assisted surgical operations performed at the facility. For this reason, the authority could not but state that “quality of care to patients is seriously compromised.”

In spite of that, the dispensary and the laboratory had no qualified staff, with serious cases of poly-pharmacy and some multiple attendances could not be traced to patients’ folders.

The next stop of the team was the Crown Pharmacy in Ho, where prescriptions were said to have been altered, indicating that medicines that were originally not on the prescriptions from the doctor were added.

In addition, the strengths of the medicines served, were also said to have been changed to attract higher prices.

The Sefe Clinic was also said to have no medical officers.

Two other pharmacies, Truth Pharmacy at Kadjebi, and Secure pharmacy at Hohoe, were found to be providing clinical services to patients.

This has compelled the Authority to report their conduct to the Pharmacy Council for practising clinical services without a license.

Furthermore, the audits revealed some few cases of poly-pharmacy at the St. Patrick Hospital in Kpando, and the authorities have been cautioned to desist from the practice.

Certain government health facilities were equally found with some levels of professional misconduct and malfeasance, which have been reported to the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) for appropriate sanctions to be applied.

They include the Adidome Government Hospital, for billing some medications to the Scheme, which were not in the patients’ folders, and also for billing the Scheme separately with infusion sets, syringes and needles.

That notwithstanding, nurses and midwives were accused of prescribing treatments which were recorded on the medication list, whilst such treatments were not in the doctors treatment records of such patients.

At the Sogakope Government Hospital, the Authority discovered that infusions billed for at the maternity units, were neither in the nurses’ report notes nor in the patients’ folders, whilst the hospital charged separately for infusion sets.

In the case of the Peki Government Hospital, some services believed to be ‘detention for observation,’ were said to have been captured as in-patient services, and were billed as such, whilst the Anfoega Catholic Hospital has been without a qualified medical officer over a long period of time.

The NHIA has indicated its readiness to conduct a full-scale clinical audit to establish the extent of over-billing, in order to enable the Authority demand appropriate refund, and accordingly apply sanctions.