Politics

The US has raised concerns with Rwandan officials over reports suggesting it is involved in "destabilising activities" in neighbouring Burundi, officials have said.

Rwanda is reported to have armed and trained refugees to fight on behalf of the Burundian opposition.

The Rwandan government has denied the allegations.

Burundi has been hit by civil conflict since President Pierre Nkurunziza decided to stand for a third term.

Has African Union let down Burundi?

Burundi on the brink

Tit-for-tat killings spread fear

In a hearing in the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, two top diplomats cited reports from colleagues in the field that they said pointed to Rwandan involvement in the Burundi crisis.

Thomas Perriello, US envoy for the Great Lakes region of Africa, said the reports suggested that Burundian refugees, including children, were being recruited from camps in Rwanda to participate in armed attacks against the Burundian government.

Turmoil erupted in Burundi after Mr Nkurunziza announced plans last April to run for a third term, which he went on to win.

More than 400 people have died in the violence and at least 240,000 have fled the country.

Linda Thomas-Greenfield, US assistant secretary of African affairs, said that US officials had encouraged Rwandan authorities "to play a productive role and not to do anything that might further destabilise Burundi".

The governments of Rwanda and Burundi are from rival ethnic groups and there is growing international concern that another ethnic conflict could take root in the region.

Last week, a UN panel reported that Burundian refugees had been recruited at a refugee camp in eastern Rwanda in May and June 2015, and given two months of military training.

Burundi's deepening crisis:

• April 2015: Protests erupt after President Pierre Nkurunziza announces he will seek a third term in office.

• May 2015: Constitutional court rules in favour of Mr Nkurunziza, amid reports of judges being intimidated. Tens of thousands flee violence amid protests.

• May 2015: Army officers launch a coup attempt, which fails.

• July 2015: Elections are held, with Mr Nkurunziza re-elected. The polls are disputed, with opposition leader Agathon Rwasa describing them as "a joke"

• November 2015: Burundi government gives those opposing President Nkurunziza's third term five days to surrender their weapons ahead of a promised crackdown.

• November 2015: UN warns it is less equipped to deal with violence in Burundi than it was for the Rwandan genocide.

• December 2015: 87 people killed on one day as soldiers respond to an attack on military sites in Bujumbura.

• January 2016: Amnesty International publishes satellite images it says are believed to be mass graves close to where December's killings took place

Burundi's football-playing president

Find out more about Burundi

Source: bbc.com

Republican Chris Christie has dropped out of the US presidential race after a disappointing finish in New Hampshire.

The New Jersey governor spent heavily and campaigned the longest in the state but still finished in sixth place.

Mr Christie joins former tech executive Carly Fiorina, who also left the race after struggling in Iowa and New Hampshire.

He was praised for his debate performances and was credited with blunting the momentum of Marco Rubio.

During the campaign, Mr Christie promoted his law-and-order credentials, saying his experience as a federal prosecutor after the 9/11 attacks uniquely prepared him to protect the country against terrorists.

Also as the Republican leader of traditionally Democratic state, Mr Christie said his experience showed he could work with both parties to get things done in Washington.

However, as a candidate his positions on issues such as climate change, immigration and gay rights shifted to the right, putting him in line with his more conservative rivals.

Mr Rubio had surged in the polls after a strong showing in Iowa. But Mr Christie effectively painted the Florida senator as the "boy in the bubble" who was overly cautious and scripted.

However, Mr Christie's moderate rivals - Ohio Governor John Kasich and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush - seemed to have reaped the benefits.

"While running for president I tried to reinforce what I have always believed - that speaking your mind matters, that experience matters, that competence matters and that it will always matter in leading our nation," Mr Christie said in a statement on Wednesday, making an indirect reference to front-runner Donald Trump.

A former prosecutor, Mr Christie is known for his blunt and aggressive speaking style. His campaign slogan was: "Telling it like it is."

However, he was quickly eclipsed by Mr Trump, who drew headlines and massive crowds with his brash persona and controversial statements about immigrants and trade.

In 2012, Republican leaders had urged Mr Christie, who was then a rising star in the party, to run for president, but he rebuffed their appeals, saying he wasn't ready yet.

Yet by 2015, when Mr Christie launched his presidential campaign, his stock had fallen. His popularity faltered after his staff was accused of intentionally creating a traffic jam to punish a political enemy.

His approval ratings in New Jersey also suffered as some residents said Mr Christie was more concerned about his presidential ambitions than his current job.

After flooding hit coastal towns in New Jersey in January, Mr Christie had to apologise after he sarcastically dismissed calls for him to do more to help.

"I don't know what you want me to do, you want me to go down there with a mop?" he told a man who questioned why he was in New Hampshire and not New Jersey.

Ms Fiorina decided to end her campaign on Wednesday after months struggling to regain traction.

"While I suspend my candidacy today, I will continue to travel this country and fight for those Americans who refuse to settle for the way things are and a status quo that no longer works for them," she said in a statement.

The former chief executive of Hewlett Packard had shot to the top of the Republican field after a series of strong debate performances.

Her campaign sought to capitalise on Republican voters' apparent appetite for candidates outside the political establishment, but her poll numbers quickly faded and she was never able to recover.

Mr Christie and Mrs Fiorina's departures leave seven Republicans remaining in the race for president.

More than dozen candidates had entered the race over the summer, but the field has narrowed after voters cast the first ballots in Iowa and New Hampshire.

20 February - South Carolina primary (Republican); Nevada caucus (Democrat)

23 February - Nevada caucus (R)

27 February - South Carolina primary (D)

1 March - 'Super Tuesday' - 15 states or territories decide

18-21 July - Republican convention, nominee picked

25-28 July - Democratic convention, nominee picked

8 November - US presidential elections

In depth: Primary calendar

Source: bbc.com

Dr. Edward Nasigrie Mahama, Presidential Candidate of the People’s National Convention (PNC) has said the Party would revolutionalise agriculture and make Ghana an exporter of rice and maize if voted to power in the 2016 elections.

He said Ghana is endowed with arable land and suitable vegetation for the reproduction of all kinds of food crops and that the only thing lacking is a visionary leader to spearhead the forefront of farmers with good policies and programmes to make farming business venture to enhance production. 

Dr. Mahama was providing policies and programmes that the PNC government would implement if voted to power in the 2016 general election during an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Wa. 

The Presidential Candidate gave the assurance that a PNC Government would provide credit support and the needed farm equipment and machinery as well as inputs such as fertilizers and make them available at the appropriate time and at affordable prices to farmers to increase food production.

“I will lead Ghanaian farmers to produce rice and maize to feed the nation and for exporting,” Dr Mahama said and stressed that Ghana will stop the importation of rice during PNC administration.

 Dr. Mahama said agriculture was a force to reckon with, as it has the potential of scaling Ghana out of poverty and unemployment if the necessary attention was given to the sector.

He reminded Ghanaians about the early 70s when the Fumbisi Valleys and Nasia Rice Farms in the northern regions turned the fortunes of farmers to prosperity, and wondered why those valleys were still available but government was unable to make good use of them to benefit farmers.

Dr. Mahama said the three regions in the north alone have the potential of producing rice and maize for export, to earn foreign exchange and appealed to Ghanaians to consider the PNC in the 2016 elections as a stopgap to bring prosperity and progress to the country.

Source: GNA

Parliament on Wednesday February 6, 2016, approved the Income Tax Amendment Bill. The new Act, when signed by the President into law, will remove a recently imposed 1 percent tax on interests earned by investors, and also cut withholding tax from 15 percent to 7.5 percent.

A blistering wave of sustained public anger forced the Mahama-government to rush to Parliament with the bill after a law passed last year, imposed what critics have called killer taxes, sparking fears that investments in Ghana could plummet and also suffocate businesses. 

It is not clear as to when Parliament will communicate it’s decision on the new act to the President for action, but insiders say the “House is likely to act with extreme urgency in notifying the President on the matter” given the “huge public, business and investor interest in the provisions of the new legislation.” 

Stop charging 1% interest tax – GRA

The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) on January 13 2016, directed all financial institutions to stop charging the 1% withholding tax on interest earned by individuals.

However, the move by the GRA generated angered some members of parliament since in their view, the GRA could not carry out such an action without recourse to Parliament.

A member of Parliament’s Finance Committee, Dr. Mark Asibey Yeboah argued this point out  out in an interview with Citi News.

“If Parliament passes a law, the president assents to it, and that is the position of the law. Even the President in his press conference was not able to send a message to Ghanaians that nobody should pay that tax; the Minister of Finance cannot say same. Now the GRA sends a directive to financial institutions to stop collecting the tax. I think it’s a not right, they shouldn’t have done that and as the law stands, they should go ahead and collect the taxes because it is only Parliament that can reverse the decision,” he insisted.
 

Source: citifmonline.com

All Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) must have functional offices for Independent Governance Institutions (IGIs) in their jurisdiction, in order to ensure good governance, transparency and accountability.

Professor Kwamena Ahwoi, Lecturer, Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, said as far as practicable, MMDAs must ensure that independent constitutional bodies such as Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, Ghana Audit Service, and Electoral Commission, among others have office and staff accommodation, vehicles logistics and equipment to make them functional in their dominion.

He said under the new decentralization programme 60 per cent of the national budgetary allocation is for the MMDAs; hence the need for the IGIs to be in every administrative district to ensure transparency and accountability.

Prof Ahwoi, who is also a local government expert and a former Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, was speaking on Tuesday in Accra at a day’s workshop on “Inter-Service and Sectoral Collaboration and Co-operation System (ISCCS)”.

The workshop was organised by the Local Government Service (LGS) for participants from the IGIs, decentralized and deconcentrated/non-decentralised sectors and departments.

Prof Ahwoi cautioned that without functional IGIs in place at each MMDAs, central government’s budgetary allocations to them could easily be mismanaged.

He said the purpose of the ISCCS is to facilitate unity of effort, achieve common objectives; provide common understanding and development of an effective local platform to work.

On the new Consolidated Local Government Draft Bill, Prof Ahwoi said it would soon be placed before cabinet for endorsement and subsequent submission to Parliament for approval.

He said under the Bill, the District Assemblies Common Fund of 1994, the Local Government Act of 1993, the Local Government Service Act of 2003, the Internal Audit Agency Act of 2003, the Public Procurement Act of 2003 and LI 1964 of 2009 are being considered for a review.

He said Ghana needs a binding decentralisation policy which cannot be altered by any successive governments in the future.

Mr F. N. Andan, the Chairman of the LGS Council, said the development and implementation of an ISCCS would enhance holistic planning and judicious use of resources for efficient and effective service delivery.

Dr Callistus Mahama, the Head of the LGS, said as an effective system for integrated service delivery, the ISCCS takes various forms such as inter institutional engagement, networking and communication, coordination of functions, resource and service sharing, capacity development, definition of reporting relationship, conflict resolution and joint service delivery.

Nana Kwesi Agyekum Dwamena, the Head of Civil Service, said decentralization is all about service delivery and the people of Ghana.

He pledged the Civil Service’s full support for the implementation of the decentralisation programme; further declaring that “we need to collaborate to avoid duplication of functions”.

Source: GNA

A former president of Ghana, John Agyekum Kufour, has cautioned the public to be wary of the negative influence of television and social media.

Mr Kufuor said some alien vices prevalent in developed countries have found their way into Ghana, in recent times, and could be partly responsible for the increased decay in Ghanaian society.

“Even though technology has come to play good roles in the lives of Ghanaians, it is now having negative implications in the society especially with the youth, who have their own way of accessing every  information through  various social medias , of which are not good for human consumption” he told Nana Yaw Kesse on Peace FM’s 6PM News Bulletin on Tuesday February 9 while mourning Abuakwa North MP J B Danwuah Adu, who was killed Tuesday dawn at his Shiashie residence in the national capital, Accra.

The former president also pointed out that “life has become too fast and so advanced, so, our security systems should develop fast to catch up with modern trends, else things will be dangerous”.

He noted that “government should work at the unemployment rate which is also causing the evil one to find jobs for the idle hands, creating problems all over the country.”

According to him if a youth after school has nothing doing he would be lured by friends to engage in bad ways which can earn them income since they are not engaged in anything profitable.

In Mr Kufuor’s view, there have been too many strange deaths and killings in recent times, saying: “I just don’t understand. The killings and deaths are becoming one too many. Both children and adults are dying. It’s not normal,” he lamented.

“We are praying that the police and security agencies will be vigilant and proactive because this is uncharacteristic of Ghanaians, it is too much,” he underscored.

Source: peacefmonline.com

Former President John Agyekum Kufour says he still cannot come to terms with the unfortunate news of the death of the Member of Parliament for Abuakwa North, Joseph Boakye Danquah, who was stabbed to death in his house in the wee hours of Tuesday.

Speaking in an interview on PeaceFM during the station's 6pm Bulletin, the former president said,; “I’m so disturbed that I don’t even understand it.” 

The former President, who made the late MP a Deputy Minister for Women and Children during his tenure, also lamented the bizarre cases of murder being recorded lately saying "something strange" is happening in Ghana

“It’s not good news. It’s not good news at all...I just don't understand. The killings and deaths are becoming one too many. Both children and adults are dying. It's not normal...I don’t get it….we plead with the securities to really look into it, it's becoming one too many,” he added.

He emphatically stated that he can never attribute the recent killings to a particular individual, party or society because it can never be the cause.

The former president therefore urged government to focus on providing security agencies with the required gadgets needed to track issues above human imagination, to keep them in tune with the digital ways of getting information.

This he said need to corrected as soon as possible to prevent the security agencies from always being blamed for not providing accurate and correct information on criminal cases when the actual problem is because they do not have the necessary equipment needed to investigate crimes.

Source: peacefmonline.com

Government has described as needless, the appeal by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to the Italian Prime Minster, Mateo Renzi, to review the terms of the ENI-Sankofa gas deal because the opposition party's claims are misleading.

The NPP, on Tuesday, called on the Italian Prime Minister, during his two-day visit to Ghana, to review some of the terms in the ENI-Sankofa deal to maximize mutual benefits from the project.

According to the NPP, the deal disadvantages Ghana in that even the negotiated gas price of $9.8/MMBtu is higher than the price of gas sold to Ghana from Nigeria.

“It is even more expensive than our own Atuabo Gas price of $8.8/MMBtu delivered at Takoradi...At the negotiated gas price of $9.8/MMBtu, it puts to great risk Ghana’s potential of becoming the Petrochemical hub of the region to Nigeria, due to that country’s lower gas prices.,” a statement issued by the party on Tuesday, February 2 and signed by Nana Akomea, the Communications Director of NPP said.

He further stated that since the contractual agreement between the government of Ghana and ENI, a state-owned Italian oil conglomerate, "is potentially the largest single investment in Ghana, which will bind the Ghanaian people for the next 20 years, it is, therefore, important that the benefits of this project are not so one-sided as they seem today."

But the Minister of Energy and Petroleum, Emmanuel Amarh Buah, in a statement issued today, said the NPP is seeking "to create some confusion in the minds of well-meaning Ghanaians since the issues raised are not factual."


Read below Government’s full response to the NPP concerns.


RESPONSE TO THE NEW PATROTIC PARTY’S STATEMENT ON THE ENI-SANKOFA DEAL

Accra, February 4, 2016. – The Ministry of Petroleum’s attention has been drawn to a statement issued and signed by the Director of Communications for the New Patriotic Party, Nana Akomea on the OCTP gas project. The statement which was captioned: “NPP WELCOMES ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER, RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT ENI-SANKOFA DEAL” sought to create some confusion in the minds of well-meaning Ghanaians particularly as the issues raised are not factual and therefore misleading.

The Ministry therefore wishes to set the records straight by responding to the issues as raised in the statement.

NPP: The Government of Ghana’s provision of financial terms to ENI and its partners of 20% return on investment, instead of the normal 12.5%, is an unusually high rate for commercial transactions of this nature, especially as GNPC assumes all the risk in the project.

RESPONSE: The Government did not provide a guaranteed 20% to the partners. The rate of return on investment for this project is less than 12.5%.

Usually individual partners use different criteria for deciding whether or not to proceed with a project. In doing so, they normally discount past cost on investment. In the pricing negotiations for this project the parties considered the full cycle economics which includes past costs, future costs and potential returns. Under this approach the rate of return was less than 12.5% within an environment of high oil prices. So given significant reductions in oil prices today the return to the investor will even be lower on a full project life cycle basis.

It is also not true that GNPC is assuming all the risk in the project. The partners took a significant portion of the exploration risk amounting to about a billion dollars and are expected to spend about 95% of the development cost for 50% of the overall benefits.

NPP: The negotiated gas price of $9.8/MMBtu for gas from the Sankofa fields is too high by world standards, of between $5-7/MMBtu. It is even higher than the price of gas sold to Ghana from Nigeria, which stands at $8.3/MMBtu, delivered at Takoradi. It is even more expensive than our own Atuabo Gas price of $8.8/MMBtu delivered at Takoradi. At the negotiated gas price of $9.8/MMBtu, it puts to great risk Ghana’s potential of becoming the Petrochemical hub of the region to Nigeria, due to that country’s lower gas prices.

RESPONSE: The price of gas in the Sankofa Gas Sales Agreement is determined by a number of factors. This includes:

The headline price, which is US$9.8 per million British thermal unit.

The cost of developing the field and operating it for 20 years.

Interventions by the GNPC to reduce financing costs, which would reduce the gas price by as much as US$1.65 per million British thermal unit (MMBtu).

The concept of world average price for gas as a comparator is erroneous since we are dealing with the price of delivered gas at a particular delivery point. For example, if gas is produced in the US, by the time it arrives in Ghana in the form of LNG, would have been priced at more than US$15 /MMBtu. Even at today’s oil price (say, US$30), LNG landed price in Ghana would be more than US$8/MMBtu.

In addition, comparing Atuabo gas to the Sankofa gas is misleading. Atuabo gas is associated gas, which was priced at zero. The zero price was negotiated for a foundation volume of 200 Bcf. This was possible because the associated gas was a bye product of a very lucrative oil project. Beyond 2020, when the foundation volume would have been exhausted, the price of Jubilee gas would cease to be zero. Another key feature of the Sankofa gas price is the fact that about 50% of the proceeds would accrue to the State in various forms, including taxes, royalties, as well as GNPC’s 20% stake in the project.

NPP: This agreement compels GNPC to buy up to 90% of ENI produced gas at a higher negotiated price of $9.8/MMBtu for 20 solid years. This gas sales same agreement is further guaranteed against default by three guarantees – the government of Ghana, the World Bank and GNPC – amounting to some $750 million. Furthermore, GNPC, after buying the gas from ENI at a guaranteed price stands the risk of losing its market (VRA, IPPs, petrochemical industries) to other cheap gas suppliers.

RESPONSE: The Agreement reached contains a take-or-pay volume of 90%. Such requirements are standard terms in gas sales agreements in our part of the world where the gas market is not developed. In return we are assured of 90% availability of gas from the ENI field, which compares favourably with other less reliable supply sources whose effective prices are higher if we factor in the cost of short term alternatives.

It should also be noted that the 90% is also a commitment by the Contractor to supply same volumes, failure of which attracts penalties in the form of lower price for the gas.

The price of Jubilee and WAGP should be adjusted for the costs of other, more expensive, alternatives as Jubilee and WAGP are highly erratic. It must be stated that to date, Ghana has not been able to implement the terms of contract with WAGP. This has been a major contributor to the prolonged energy challenges that have bedeviled the country. In addition, interruptible supply of gas affects the operational efficiency of power plants, thereby leading to higher cost of power.

The issue of security for the project – from the World Bank, Government and the GNPC – is standard industry practice and is typical in gas commercialization projects in countries where the gas market is not developed. This explains why the World Bank supports this arrangement. It is important to emphasize that the Government’s portion of the security is only the last resort which only kicks in when the value chain ceases to work. That is why Government is implementing the bold reforms within the energy sector to forestall such occurrences. In essence if the value chain works, and SOEs in the chain are viable, there would be no need for this level of security.

NPP: Ghana also guarantees additional free cash flows to the company by allowing them to write-off 7% interest on all commercial loans from project revenues, when the normal provision is between 2-3%. This also reduces Ghana’s potential tax revenues from this project by over $160 million. No other companies, whether from Jubilee or TEN, have been given this same rate of 7%.

RESPONSE: It is equally not true that Ghana guarantees additional cash flow through write off of 7% interest on commercial loans exclusively to this project. There is evidence that other companies in the Petroleum sector have borrowed at near or higher rates than the 7% referred to and have benefitted from tax deductions as provided under the law governing petroleum operations.

NPP: The cost of the development of the Jubilee Fields, with more reserves of oil equivalence and with a water depth of 3,630 ft., came to $4 billion. The cost of development of the TEN oil fields, also with more oil reserves of oil equivalence, came to $4.9 billion. The cost of development of ENI’s Sankofa is $7 billion, with less reserves of oil equivalence and at relatively lower water depths of 2,706 ft. We wonder the quality of due diligence done, if any.

RESPONSE: Comparing the development costs of Ghana’s three leading fields – Jubilee, TEN and Sankofa, is completely out of context. Jubilee and TEN are essentially oil fields, whereas Sankofa is principally a gas project. The investment requirement for any field depends not only on reserves and water depth, but also the complexity of the sub-sea infrastructure, proximity to existing infrastructure (in the case of gas, pipeline network).

Additionally, the statement compares only one phase of Jubilee development to the total ENI project. Jubilee in fact is a phased development project. The full cycle Jubilee development project cost is not USD4billion as indicated in the statement. It is rather expected to be around USD8billion whereas the ENI full cycle development cost is estimated at USD7.9billion. As already stated we are already seeing significant reductions in the cost of the ENI project which will have a positive impact on the final gas price.


Signed: Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah (MP) MINISTER FOR ENERGY AND PETROLEUM

Source: peacefmonline.com

After carefully studying and analyzing the trend of murder cases being recorded in Ghana lately, the Ashanti Regional Chairman for the New Patriotic Party has observed the nation has reached this frightening point because President Mahama hasn’t made security his top most priority.

Mr. Bernard Antwi Boasiako believes the lack of commitment on the side of President Mahama to ensure Ghanaians are soundly protected by our security agencies, has motivated murderers to take advantage of the situation.

In a statement copied to Peacefmonline.com, the Ashanti Regional Chairman for the NPP charged the president to equip the police and other security agencies with the necessary gadgets and items needed to make them efficient when it comes to tracking down murderers.


Below is a copy of his statement:

As a country, we have witnessed series of assassination attacks under the leadership of President Mahama and it's about time we come out strongly to ask these few questions as Ghanaians!

President Mahama and his NDC and everybody admits that the country has been engulfed with gross corruption, hardships, poor governance and couples of misfortunes but, the least we expected to add up: is the country's security threats and his poor commitment to protect the citizenry.

As the commander in chief of our security forces, we think it's prudent to question the president on matters of our safety when we feel unsafe.

We can't just sit down with our arms folded to allow these forms of misfortunes to continually happen all because the commander in chief of our security forces is not actively performing his roles.

Who knows who is next?

Amongst all these unfortunate happenings under your watch as a president, what measures have you put in place to abate a possible reoccurrence considering the under listed unfortunate assassinations attacks on innocent Ghanaians?

Feb 09, 2016 ~ The MP for Abuakwa North gunned down by unknown assailants.

Jun 21, 2014 ~ The Paramount Chief of the Nanumba Traditional Area, Naa Dasana Andani, killed.

20 Nov, 2014 ~ Nana Adusa Gyapong, the chief of Atwima Koforidua in the Ashanti Region gunned down by unknown assailants.

Mar 12, 2014 ~ Nii Ayittey Noyatse, the Joma Mantse, was shot and killed by unidentified assailants.

Nov 5, 2013 ~ Paramount Chief of Seikwa, Nana Kwaku Dwumah Ankoana II, assassinated

March 13, 2014 ~ Fennec Okyere, manager of controversial hiplife artiste, Kwaw Kese, shot dead.

Nov 12, 2015 ~ Vodafone Marketing Officer shot dead in his home at Sakumono

Dec 5, 2014 ~ The Branch Manager of Ecobank Ghana at Abrepo in Kumasi in the Ashanti region has been shot dead.

12 Dec, 2013 ~ Stanbic Bank worker murdered in mysterious circumstances.


Ghana deserves a leader who cares and for once we ask you to care about us as you prepare to exit power.

I believe you must leave a legacy before exiting power and I think you can do that by strengthening, investigating and protecting the citizenry for once in your few months stay in office.

I further extent my condolence to the family of J.B Dankwah and the people of Abuakwa North and as well all families who have lost their relatives due to President Mahama's failure to ensure his constitutional mandate of care to the citizenry. I share with you all


Signed...
Bernard Antwi Boasiako
(Chairman Wontumi)
Ashanti Regional chairman, NPP

Source: peacefmonline.com

Deputy Communications Director of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Fred Agbenyo strongly believes that Ghanaians will give the Mahama administration a second term on November 7, 2016.

Contributing to Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo', Fred Agbenyo noted that the electorates will definitely make the 'right decision' at the appropriate time.

To him, contrary to the beliefs of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) that Ghanaians are going to vote for their Presidential candidate Nana Addo, the 2016 general elections will see a change that is significant.

“Ghanaians will not vote to change government just for changing sake. Ghanaians will not vote to change government for changing sake…I can assure you that the people of this country are watching. They’re listening. And they will take the right decision at the right time.”

Fred Agbenyo also expressed his condolences to the family of the deceased Member of Parliament for Abuakwa North Joseph Boakye Danquah.

He appealed to the Police Service to hold a manhunt for the unknown assailants that crept into the room of the late MP on Tuesday.

Source: peacefmonline.com

Information available to Peacefmonline.com indicates that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Abuakwa North in the Eastern Region, Joseph Boakye Danquah, has been stabbed to death.

He was stabbed at his residence at Shiashi in Accra by some unknown assailants on Tuesday dawn.

According to reports his wife, Ivy Heward-Mills was there when the incident occurred. It is however not clear whether the legislator was killed by armed robbers or hired assassins. 

Hon Danquah was 50 years old, a professional accountant and a member of the Special Budget Committee in Parliament. He was also part of the Trade Industry and Tourism Committee and was the grandson of late Ghanaian statesman J.B Danquah.

Meanwhile the Greater Accra Region Police Commander COP George Dampare has confirmed the killing of the MP and indicated that investigations have already started in earnest.

Source: peacefmonline.com

Former President Jerry John Rawlings has called on Ghanaians to vote for their preferred political parties during the forthcoming general elections.

He said Ghanaians should not allow themselves to be coerced by any political party or its leadership to vote for him or her during the elections.

“Make sure that as we go for the polls in November, you vote based on your own conviction.”

Mr. Rawlings said this when he went to pay homage to the late Paramount Chief of the Osudoku Traditional Area.

He urged Ghanaians to ensure that they make the right choice when it comes to electing political leaders in November.

“I am not here to campaign but it is important I entreat you to make the right choice based on what you think is right.”

Mr. Rawlings was in the company of his wife, Mrs Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings.

The Chiefs and people of Osudoku as part of one week long activities to bid farewell to their King, held a grand durbar for their late Paramount Chief Nene Klagbordjor Animle V on Friday.

Nene Klagbordjor Animle V, was the Paramount Chief of the Osudoku Traditional Area from 1944 to 2014 when he passed on in the United Kingdom.

He is succeeded by Nene Adegbor Ngmogmowuyaa Animle VI.

Source: Citifmonline.com

Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Vice-Presidential Candidate of the NPP, has cautioned Ghanaian Muslims to be on guard against extremists and their influence and appealed to the Muslim Community to shun all divisions and continue to coexist peacefully with the majority Christian population as it is the only way to guarantee the stability of the Nation.

These comments were contained in a Lecture titled “Islam In The 21st Century: The Role of Muslim Youth in Combating Extremism and Radicalism for Political Stability” delivered at the 9th Annual Congress of the Ghana Muslim Students Association (GMSA) of the University of Development Studies (UDS) on Friday.

“As young people we ought to guard against the evils of exclusivism. It is important that we realise that if Allah so desired He would have made all of us one people. But as He states in the Qur’an, He allows us to wallow in our differences, which He shall settle on the Day of Judgment.

“There shall be no compulsion in religion” so states the Qur’an. Let us therefore respect one another’s views on matters of religion. Intolerance in matters of religion is what breeds extremism and radicalism, which triggers political instability,” he said.

Touching on the relationship between faiths, Alhaji Dr. Bawumia explained that radicalism and extremism are the products of exclusivism and intolerance.

“In Ghana especially, the majority of the people live by the Christian faith. There cannot be peace and stability in Ghana except us, as Muslims co-exist peacefully with our Christian brothers and sisters. What feeds extremism and radicalism is the idea that there is only one way to God. While we are entitled to believe in the rightness of our way, we cannot seek to annihilate views that are opposite to ours. Radicalism and extremism are the product of exclusivism and intolerance.”

The NPP Running Mate delivering what was subsequently described as a well-researched scholarly Islamic piece by other speakers, explained that Islam itself is very tolerant of Christianity and pointed to various examples in the Qu’ran to make this point.

“Islam itself is very tolerant of Christianity. The first wave of Muslim migration to escape the persecution of the Makkans who opposed the nascent religion of Islam, was to Abyssinia (modern day Ethiopia). At that time the Prophet advised his followers to migrate to Abyssinia because “a Christian King rules.” Indeed the Qur’an affirms the Islamic affinity to Christianity when it states that “you will find nearest to the believers those who say ‘we are Christians…because amongst them are men who are devoted to learning and monks and because they are not arrogant” (Q: 5:82). The Prophet is also reported to have stated that “both in this world and in the hereafter, I am the nearest of all the people to Jesus, the son of Mary…” (Bukhari: Vol 4: 434),” he stated.

Continuing, Alhaji Dr. Bawumia mentioned the recognition given to Jesus and Mary in the Qu’ran.

“When the Makkans sent a delegation to appeal to the Negus of Abyssinia to extradite the Muslims and when the Muslims were called upon to say why they should not be extradited, their Spokesperson, Jafar bin Abu Talib, quoted copiously from the 19th chapter of the Qur’an as his defense. The 19th chapter of the Qur’an is called the chapter of Mary (Suratul Maryam). Indeed Mary is the only woman mentioned by name in the Qur’an and the chapter acknowledges the prophet-hood of Jesus, his special relationship with God, including the fact that he spoke from his cradle in defense of his mother when sections of her people thought that she had engaged in adultery; an incident that is not even mentioned in the Bible. The Prophet himself was to marry a Coptic Christian by name Maria and Allah subsequently made marriage between a Muslim man and a Christian woman lawful,” he added.

Dr. Bawumia urged Ghanaian Muslims to follow the good example of the National Chief Imam and to continue to work to sustain the peace and co-existence between the two faiths.

“In Ghana, unlike our neighbours in Nigeria, we have largely lived at peace with our Christian brothers and sisters. We have a National Chief Imam who even opened the doors of our Central Mosque in Accra to Christians to renovate for us as a symbol of the co-existence that ought to be between us. The youth should emulate this example by the National Chief Imam who is an embodiment of both Qur’anic and Prophetic wisdom.”

Source: peacefmonline.com

Former Member of Parliament for Asikuma Odoben Brakwa, P.C. Appiah-Ofori has urged Ghanaians to forgive Assin Central New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, for his foul-mouthed outbursts in recent times as he urges the party's hierarchy to call him to order.

The ex-legislator said the vitriol from the MP had left him so “sad” he was lost for words and would not be able to comment at that moment in time but urged Ghanaians to forgive him nevertheless.

“I am pleading with Ghanaians to forgive Kennedy Agyapong... They shouldn’t judge all NPP members by his comments,” Mr. Appiah-Ofori told Accra News on Friday, February 5.

He urged the party’s disciplinary wing to take action to curtail the lawmaker’s public rants to give the party a good image, saying: “I am very sad. I think the party’s Disciplinary Committee should summon him before it; otherwise, it will continue unabated. It’s unfortunate. So they should call him and whip him into line.”

Source: peacefmonline.com

The stripped winner of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Korle Klottey parliamentary primary, Nii Noi Nortey, has vowed not to participate in a re-run of the election as ordered by the party’s national executive.

The fuming victor declared, “I am not going to be part of any sham re-run”.

Re-run of primary

The steering committee of the party ordered a re-run of the parliamentary primary in the Korle Klottey constituency following months of controversy over its fairness.
The party’s decision comes after it agreed with the parties to withdraw the case from court. Announcing the decision, Ag General Secretary, John Boadu, told anxious party supporters the re-run was necessary if peace was to prevail in the constituency.

Philip Addison, who went to court after losing to Nii Noi last August, will now have the opportunity to re-launch his parliamentary bid.

He has maintained that the results of the August 2 primary were cooked to favour the former constituency chairman, Nii Nortey.

Addison who polled 22 votes as against 393 votes for Nii Noi boycotted the elections and accused the constituency executive and the Electoral Commission (EC) of staging the polls.

Decision irks supporters

The party’s decision has irked Nii Nortey’s supporters who accused the acting National Chairman, Freddie Blay, of backing Nii Noi's contender, Phillip Addison.

But speaking on Joy FM’s Top Story, Nii Noi said he was disappointed that  the delegates were being made to pay for inconsistency in party decisions.

He said he was "confused” that the party that took the decision to hold the polls on August 2, 2015 should do a u-turn .

He said the party failed to defend its decision in court after Addison dragged the party there.

“It is not my grandfather who organised the election. It is the party which did.” Nii Noi criticised the party for chickening out of the legal tussle.

Ag Gen Secretary

But the acting General Secretary, John Boadu, explained that the confusion that erupted in the constituency following the poll was because of the arbitrary decision of the then General Secretary to change the date.

“The change of date from August 8 to August 2,” he said, was not the decision of the national executive.

This change, Addison has maintained caused his defeat as it took his supporters by surprise.

Mr Boadu was reluctant to revisit the controversy or explain why the party ordered the re-run.

But he assured the supporters that the decision was arrived at after extensive consultations.

His deputy General Secretary, Nana Obiri Boahen, also stressed that even polling station executives were consulted by the party.

Nonetheless, Nana Boahen expressed reservations about the final decision.

He said the reaction from the ground meant the party might have to review its decision.

“Sincerely …I think we should go back and take a second look at it”

Take your party

He said the “unfolding drama” after the decision was announced could not be underestimated because politics was a numbers game.

Nii Noi’s supporters have vowed to leave the party.

"Take your party! God will punish you people one by one" a woman fumed at the decision as Nii Noi's supporters left the party’s office.

Nii Noi has signalled dragging the party to court as an option open to him.

“I will be consulting my lawyers. I have been quiet from day one [but] it doesn’t mean I am stupid”

Nii Noi explained that as a former constituency chairman, he had sacrificed to make the party attractive and was being robbed of the fruits of his hardwork. 

Source: peacefmonline.com

The Steering Committee of the opposition NPP has ordered a re-run of parliamentary primaries in the Korle Klottey constituency following months of controversy over its fairness.

The party’s decision comes after it agreed with the parties to withdraw the case from court. Announcing the decision, ag. General Secretary John Boadu told anxious party supporters, the re-run was necessary if peace was to prevail in the constituency.

John Boadu said too much litigation has surrounded the results and only a re-run can resolve the factionalism in the constituency.
Philip Addison who went to court after losing to Nii Noi Nortey last August will now have the opportunity to re-launch his parliamentary bid.

He has maintained the results of the August 2 primaries were cooked to favour the former constituency chairman, Nii Noi Nortey.

Addison who polled 22 votes as against 393 votes for Nii Nortey boycotted the elections and accused constituency executives and the Electoral Commission of staging the polls.

“The Electoral Commission was very much into this thing, people were given double ballots and so on ...they [EC] were in on it. Everything has been cooked", he said.

Trouble started after then General Secretary Kwabena Agyepong in a letter directed that elections be held on Sunday 2nd August. There was an agreement to hold it on 8th August.

Addison’s camp felt shortchanged and withdrew from the process along with another contender, Nii Adjei Tawiah.

They argued their supporters would be in church on Sunday and other delegates were not adequately informed of the change of date. He went to court where he obtained a default judgement for a re-run.

But the party asked for out-of-court settlement. The latest decision by the party irked some of Nii Noi Nortey's supporters.

"Take your party! God will punish you people one by one" a woman fumed at the decision as Nii Noi's supporters left the party office.

Source: ghanaweb.com

Deputy General Secretary of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) Koku Anyidoho has called on the security agencies to be decisive in dealing with criminals who clothe themselves with political colours.

According to him, the police and other security agencies must be able to single out individuals and punish them for their crimes rather than lumping them together with their perceived political associations.

Speaking at Starr 103.5FM’s ‘Thought Leadership Summit” on security titled : “Securing Ghana 2016: Fending off threats and safeguarding the peace,” at the Alisa Hotel Thursday, the former presidential spokesperson said politicians who make inflammatory statements must be arrested regardless of their status in society.

“There are so many lunatics and outright idiots around, and they believe that so long as they hide under political colours, they can say anything and go free. In this Agogo issue, people are playing politics with it. People think it is an election year so they must blow that matter up.

“...There are lunatics everywhere, they are not just in the asylum houses or mad houses; they are everywhere even in parliament, they are there.

“People who make inflammatory comments should be dealt with regardless of their political coloration,” Koku fumed.

Other thematic areas including the state of Ghana’s preparedness to respond to emerging national and sub-regional security threats in a globalized world, understanding Government’s position, media, and religious leaders: what role can they play in emerging security environment and is the security ready for emerging threats, were also discussed at the summit.

Source: starrfmonline.com

Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are preparing to go head-to-head for the first time, as they vie to be the Democratic presidential pick.

The TV debate in New Hampshire is their first since the Democratic race was whittled down to two this week.

The first state-by-state contest, in Iowa on Monday, was won narrowly by Mrs Clinton ahead of Mr Sanders.

Since that vote, they have been exchanging barbs over who boasts the stronger liberal credentials.

Their arguments centre on who can best deliver on policies dear to the left-wing of the party, such as providing universal healthcare access, improving income equality and protecting worker rights.

At a town hall event on Wednesday in which they appeared on stage separately, Vermont Senator Mr Sanders accused his rival of being a part-time liberal.

Analysis - Anthony Zurcher, BBC News, New Hampshire

Just days before the New Hampshire primary, Hillary Clinton finds herself in a new role - that of the underdog. She's trailed Bernie Sanders, senator from neighbouring Vermont, by double-digits in the state's polls for more than a month.

Now, thanks to former Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley's withdrawal from the Democratic race for president, she's alone on the debate stage with the upstart rival who came fractions of a percentage point from beating her earlier this week in the Iowa caucuses.

Eight years ago, Hillary Clinton was reeling after a sound beating in Iowa at the hands of Barack Obama, and a surprise win in New Hampshire gave her new life - at least temporarily. It was the start of what would be a drawn-out battle for the nomination that lasted for months.

Although Mrs Clinton's nationwide standing is stronger than it was in 2008, a defeat in New Hampshire could mark the start of another long nomination fight.

Consequently the former secretary of state is committing time and resources in New Hampshire to stave off such an embarrassment. Will the Granite State give her yet another boost? A strong performance in tonight's debate could be her best chance for a last-minute reversal of fortune.

He pointed to her vote as a senator to authorise the war in Iraq and the money her campaign receives from Wall Street as evidence.

But she hit back by saying she was a progressive politician who delivered results, and argued she had been fighting liberal causes for decades.

"Good ideas on paper are important, but you've got to be able to translate them into action," she declared.

The debate will be their first without the presence of the former governor of Maryland, Martin O'Malley, who quit the race on Monday night.

And it is the last before Tuesday's New Hampshire primary vote, the second state to make its choice.

Mr Sanders holds a big lead in polls in the state - one on Thursday put him 20 percentage points ahead.

Both Republican and Democratic parties will formally name their presidential candidates at conventions in July.

Americans will finally go to the polls to choose the new occupant of the White House in November.

Source: bbc.com

The races for the Republican and Democratic presidential nominations are taking shape now that Iowans have had their say.

In some cases, the results confirmed conventional wisdom.

In others, it totally reshaped it.

Here are five things we learned after a remarkable evening in America's heartland.

1. Donald Trump isn't untouchable

For the past few months it seemed as though the New York real estate mogul had become an unrivalled political savant. Every move he made, no matter how questionable, only strengthened his standing among conservative voters.

That bubble, however, has burst. Despite leading in the Iowa polls for the past several weeks, Mr Trump was bested by rival Ted Cruz on caucus night. In the end Mr Trump's much-heralded cadre of new voters didn't show up in the predicted numbers and Mr Cruz's formidable ground game, backed by strong evangelical support, carried the day.

This hardly means it's the end for Mr Trump. He may well hold onto his large lead in New Hampshire, a state where the conservative voters often embrace the renegade outsider, and find success in the Southern primaries that follow. The notion that the New Yorker could steamroll his way to the Republican nomination, however, has now been firmly dispelled.

2. Marco Rubio has given the establishment hope

Florida Senator Marco Rubio's speech in Iowa on Monday night sounded more like a victory celebration than the concession speech of a third-place finisher. By finishing with 23% of the vote, however - a hair's breadth from second-place Trump - Mr Rubio shattered pre-caucus expectations.

Now he's well positioned to gain new support in New Hampshire, as voters looking to stop outsider candidates Cruz and Trump rally to his side.

This is the kind of Iowa result that candidates like New Jersey's Chris Christie, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush and Ohio Governor John Kasich were dreading. They have placed all their hopes in New Hampshire, and now they'll have to face off against a man who has the political wind at his back.

The polls for Mr Rubio in the coming states haven't looked particularly encouraging, but that could quickly change. And even if he suffers setbacks in the Southern states that follow New Hampshire, he likely will have the resources to wage a long fight for the nomination.

3. The Democrats are in a dogfight

At this point it comes as little surprise that Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton finished in a virtual tie in Iowa - polls had been indicating such a result was likely.

Nevertheless, the outcome marks a significant achievement for Mr Sanders, who was polling in single digits in Iowa six months ago.

Mrs Clinton is simply not going to be able to deliver the knockout punch to her rival the way she once had hoped. Instead, she faces a likely defeat in New Hampshire - where the Vermonter is strong - and then a protracted fight across the country that could last at least through March.

She still has the greater financial resources and a much more developed campaign infrastructure, but she had those advantages in Iowa as well. The electorate will change, however - becoming more moderate and more ethnically diverse. There is more hospitable ground ahead for Mrs Clinton - but a nomination victory, if it comes, will take time to realise.

4. Ted Cruz is built to last

If Mr Cruz had been defeated in Iowa it would have been a devastating blow to his campaign. He had raised expectations of a victory in the caucuses and heralded it as proof that he could build a coalition of evangelical, grass-roots Tea Party and libertarian voters.

As it turns out, that coalition exists - and it will likely re-emerge after New Hampshire, as South Carolina and other Southern states hold their primary contests.

Mr Cruz has nearly $20m in campaign cash on hand and supporting political committees with even greater resources. He's built a political machine that can operate through the entire primary calendar and, if necessary, wage a two-front battle with Mr Trump and an establishment-backed candidate like Mr Rubio.

In his victory speech on Monday night, Mr Cruz credited his grass-roots organisation - as he should - but he also gave Republicans a look at a more moderate, general-election version of himself. He'll need to convince his party that he is a candidate who can beat the Democrats in November. This was his first step toward making that pitch.

5. The field is about to thin dramatically

Democrat Martin O'Malley is gone, as is Republican Mike Huckabee and - in all likelihood, Rick Santorum.

On Monday night rumours abounded that Ben Carson was poised to exit. Although his camp quickly denied this, the retired surgeon's 9% performance in a state that once viewed him as a front-runner likely means the end is near.

Carly Fiorina's bid is on life support, and Rand Paul - at one point thought to be a contender for the nomination - garnered less than 5%, a far cry from his father's 21% in Iowa just four years ago.

New Hampshire will likely cull the herd even further, threatening the future of candidates like Mr Bush, Mr Christie and Mr Kasich if they can't slow Mr Rubio's momentum.

The Republican race for the nomination isn't likely to end anytime soon, but there are about to be a lot fewer candidates on the debate stage in the coming weeks.

Source: bbc.com