Ghana Is Collapsing

Posted: Daily Guide |Friday, 23 July 2010

By Charles Takyi-Boadu
The 2008 presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and a leading contender in the party’s flagbearership race, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo believes Professor John Evans Atta Mills and his National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration have mismanaged the economy of Ghana to the extent that it is heading for collapse.

He therefore charged the good people of Ghana to show them the exit, come December 2012, since according to him, the NDC as a party and government does not have the slightest idea about how to manage and run a country.

Addressing party delegates at the Tip Toe Lane in Accra on Wednesday, as part of his campaign in the Ayawaso Central Constituency, Nana Addo said, “The NPP must come back in 2012 to inject fresh energy into the Ghanaian economy, which is now crawling under the Mills administration; and this will surely happen if we elect the most popular and experienced candidate to lead the party into that fight.”

For this reason, he tasked delegates who would be voting in the forthcoming party primary to work harder after the NPP congress to help the party win the votes of the majority of Ghanaians in the 2012 elections.

Over the years, Nana Addo noted, the NDC as a party has proven not to be straight in their ways, and for that matter it would be important for the NPP to strengthen its grassroots to ensure that victory is not stolen from them in the 2012 elections.

Nana Addo said he is optimistic that when presented once more as the presidential candidate of the NPP, the party will recapture power in 2012.

“I am confident that by the grace of God, and with unity within our ranks, if you elect me as flag-bearer into the 2012 general elections, victory will come our way as a party,” he intimated.

With him were Sheik I.C Quaye, MP for Ayawaso Central; Prof. Mike Oquaye, MP for Dome Kwabenya and Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament; Madam Frema Akosua Osei-Opare, MP for Ayawaso West Wuogon; Shirley Ayokor Botchway, MP for Weija; Elizabeth Sackey, MP for Okaikoi North; Alhaji M.N.D. Jawula, former chief Director at the Ministry of Health; and Lord Commey, the immediate past National Organiser of the NPP, as well as his ‘Victory 2012’ campaign team.

Nana Addo appealed to them to consider a candidate who the general public and the majority of NPP delegates all over the country are calling for, saying:

“Put your ears down and choose a candidate whom the majority of Ghanaians are calling for to lead our great party once again in the upcoming election and vote him as flag-bearer of our party, so that our work in 2012 would be easier.”

That notwithstanding, he stressed the need for unity in the NPP, advising delegates and supporters of the party to rally behind any candidate who emerges the flagbearer, since he believes the NPP is larger than any individual seeking to lead the party.

To this end, he indicated that the results of the upcoming NPP flagbearership contest on August 7, 2010 “would determine the fate of our dear nation in the upcoming years”, believing that a successful primary by the NPP, with the most experienced and popular candidate elected as flagbearer, would increase the party’s chances and promote unity for the party to wrestle power from the ruling NDC in the 2012 general elections.

“It is important for the NPP to win back power from the NDC in 2012 because Ghana must move forward,” he said.

Later at the Apostolic Church in Nima, where Nana Akufo-Addo and his team met with delegates of the Ayawaso East Constituency, there was near-stampede due to the fact that the majority of residents consider him one of his their own- a ‘Nima Boy’.

Hundreds of party faithful clad in NPP colours and dozens on motorbikes escorted him as he walked from Nima Roundabout through to the Apostolic Church where he and his team met with the delegates.

Ministers Panic Over Reshuffle

Posted: Daily Guide |Wednesday, 21 July 2010

By Charles Takyi-Boadu
A news story about an imminent cabinet reshuffle in the Mills administration has sent fear among Ministers, particularly those whose names popped up as likely causalities.

Sources said the news story sent shockwaves in government circles, with jittery ministers making frantic calls to the seat of government, the Osu Castle and to close associates of the president in order to get their way through in the confusing logjam.

Speculations were rife that some supposed powerful but ineffective Ministers including Information Minister John Tia, Trade and Industry Minister Hannah Tetteh, Women and Children’s Affairs Minister Juliana Azumah-Mensah and Youth and Sports Minister Akua Sena Dansua will all be shown the exit for non-performance.

Unable to control the effect of the story coming from National Democratic Congress (NDC) power house, the Ahwoi brothers’ controlled Ghana Palaver, the presidency was left with no option but to deploy a fire fighting measure to douse the spreading rumour of imminent reshuffle which government officials were shying away from commenting on, on Monday when the story broke.

The impending cabinet reshuffle, which has been dismissed as untrue, is said to be part of a re-invigorating exercise in which the president would ostensibly bring on board some fresh limbs from his much-awaited ‘team A’.

Coming from no less a pro-NDC newspaper like the Ghana Palaver, owned by the Ahwois brothers, one of whom is seen by party members as the de facto ‘Prime Minister’ of the Mills administration, the story seemed to have gained momentum.

Though Hannah Tetteh was active in her post as the Communications Director for the NDC in the 2008 election campaign, her impending removal as a Minister is likely to give Kwesi Ahwoi, the Food and Agriculture Minister, a competitive advantage in the race to pair with Vice President John Mahama in the event that President Mills is unable to contest again.

Veep’s ‘darling girl’ Hannah, DAILY GUIDE learnt, was being edged out for Kwesi Ahwoi since they were both seen as likely running mates in the event of picking the flag-bearer slot.

Though not a sure-bet in itself, what seems to have given the ministers a glimmer of hope was a statement put out by the Head of Communications at the Presidency, Koku Anyidoho, saying President John Mills had no such intention of offloading the ‘excess luggage’ in his administration.

He told DAILY GUIDE yesterday that there was no credibility in the speculations.

“As at the time of speaking with the president this morning, he stated emphatically that he had no such intentions,” he said, stressing the need for all in government to rid their minds of such fears and concentrate on duties assigned them at their respective Ministries.

Mr. Anyidoho expressed worry at the panic the speculation had succeeded in creating in government circles, especially among ministers, saying “that’s the more reason why the president instructed that I speak to the issue officially because it is important that we calm nerves and allow people to stay focused on their mandate.”

Otherwise, he said, “people are apprehensive, people are anxious, people are panicking. You don’t get any results and you don’t get anything done.”

In spite of this respite coming from the seat of government, some ministers are still apprehensive about the denial, considering the fact that not too long ago, Koku denied a similar speculation about the president’s intentions to sack some District Chief Executives (DCE) in the Northern region.

When he was asked about the issue, Koku totally denied, saying that the president had no such intentions.

But barely 24 hours after the president arrived in Accra, a statement was issued from the Castle relieving some three DCEs of their positions, making the president’s spokesperson appearing a bit unreliable.

NPP Clears Way For Congress

Posted: Daily Guide |Tuesday, 20 July 2010

By Charles Takyi-Boadu
The atmosphere at the national headquarters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) yesterday was one that showed a party poised for unity and victory, come December 2012, as the much-hyped crisis meeting ended with presidential aspirants exchanging banters.

The five flag bearer-aspirants of the party had met with members of the Council of Elders, chaired by one time presidential advisor on health, Prof Fred Torgbor Sai, to deliberate on issues on procedures and processes governing the impending national delegates’ congress scheduled for August 7, 2010.

Sources close to the party told DAILY GUIDE that the meeting agreed to close the proxy votes which, as at yesterday, had registered 64 votes; 63 from overseas branches and one from a local member.

The aspirants were also given up to tomorrow to nominate their agents to be submitted to the various constituency election committees and fixed August 2, 2010 for resolving all outstanding issues including the validation of the voter register.

The meeting will reconvene on July 29 to assess the implementation of the roadmap for a successful congress.

The Election Committee will also meet the Electoral Commission tomorrow to finalise the process of printing the ballot papers for the polls.

First to arrive at the meeting’s venue was Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, followed by Kumasi-based lawyer Evangelist John Kwame Kodua.

Not too long thereafter, the 2008 presidential candidate of the party, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, showed up, with Isaac Osei in tow and then Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen.

Each of these five aspirants was received with a rousing welcome by several members of the party who had gathered there to cheer them on.

Half-way through the meeting, Isaac Osei and Mr. Kodua had to seek permission to leave the meeting to attend to some pressing issues.

After going into close-door meeting for almost three hours, the Council opened its doors to members of the media, with the various aspirants beaming with smiles and exchanging pleasantries.

Prof .Sai said all was clear for the party’s delegates’ congress and that the congress could go on without any hitch.

“All the problems that have been raised either in the press or to the executives were addressed this afternoon,” was how he put it.

Most of these problems, according to Prof. Sai, related to issues around procedures and processes that were to be followed between now and the time of the election.

Prof. Sai was made to chair the meeting to avoid a case of conflict of interest since the party did not want Clement Tedam, acting chairman of the Council of Elders who also doubles as the chairman of the party’s Election Committee, to be seen like a judge in his own cause.

The meeting was said to have taken place, as the chairman said, “In complete amity”, noting “there were a lot of friendliness, a lot of banter and sometimes even complete happiness.”

The outcome of the meeting goes to allay the fears of party supporters that the congress date might have to be reviewed, given the threats to resort to the court for an injunction to suspend the internal polls by some aggrieved persons.

The register or album of delegates has been a subject of controversy in the past few weeks, culminating in last week’s press conference by the four concerned presidential hopefuls, which necessitated the meeting.