I'm Happily In A Relationship- Efya.

For the men out there who may be having some ideas, sexy singer Efya has revealed that she is currently in a serious relationship and therefore off the market. The “Gingam” singer made the revelation in an interview with Hitz @ 1 after the launch of the Girl Talk concert, Tuesday at the Surfline Office in Osu. She, however, fell short of revealing who the lucky man in her life is. The singer was recently alleged to have said she was in a relationship with Tema-based musician Mugeez of R2Bees fame. She is quoted to have said in an interview that, “Mugeez is my guy, I really love him. I’m crazy jealous. On a scale of one to ten, I’m a twelve. I think it’s bad the way I get jealous but forgive me Baby, I get crazy. I guess it’s the fact that I love him so much and I just want to have him all to myself.” Reacting to the speculations, Efya said Mugeez is just a brother and nothing more. “Mugeez is my brother, Paedae is my brother, they are my brothers. R2bees is a nation, we are a movement, we support our own and those boys are a family to me”. Explaining how she might have been misquoted, Efya said, “I was asked who my crush was and I don’t have any crush so I mentioned my brother which is what was escalated to that, but it's ok. I love Mugeez and Paedae and I like the vibe.” Efya added that the love she has for R2bees is pure love and she also has an amazing relationship with the group. Efya is headlining the annual Girl Talk concert for three years starting from this year. The event will take place from the December 12 to 13 in Osu.

Source: Hitz FM

Why I Resigned From TV3 - Nana Aba

News caster and TV presenter, Nana Aba Anamoah, on Monday, resigned from TV3, a television broadcaster in Ghana. The action comes after the ‘Diva’ host was suspended following controversies that emerged on social media when pictures she tweeted suggesting she was at Old Trafford to watch her favourite team Manchester United turned out not to be hers. In a statement released by the media house on Saturday, October 3, 2015, TV3 said: “After preliminary investigations internally, and in accordance with TV3’s own commitment to the highest level of professionalism, Management has decided to take Nana Aba Anamoah off air until further notice". In her resignation letter, which was leaked to the media, Nana Aba expressed disappointment at the decision to suspend her, describing it as a sign of "ingratitude" on TV3's part. The letter further stated: "My firm belief, unquestionable loyalty and commitment to the TV3 brand have never been in doubt. Indeed, I did everything humanly possible to guard jealously, protect firmly and stand by TV3 through thick and thin; an action that has earned me many foes within my social circles. I tried to resign on a number of occasions to pursue other Interests or further academic studies but TV3 persuaded me to defer my decision on all occasions. Out of respect, I obliged. I however, find the decision by the management and board of TV3 to suspend me rather disappointing and a sign of ingratitude from an organization that I have committed twelve years of my adult life to. For something I consider peripheral and not even remotely connected to the elements of my job (which I have delivered with uttermost capability). I was expecting the management and board to be more circumspect in their decision making…” Below is the full statement

Source: Peacefmonline.com/ statement: citifmonline.com

2016 Would Still Be One Touch- Prez Mahama.

President John Mahama has predicted a one touch victory for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2016 elections using the massive infrastructure development of the country as a bench mark to assess performance of government. President Mahama addressing a rally of NDC supporters in Tamale on Saturday as part of his "Changing Lives" campaign tour of the region, he said the work of the government would speak for itself. He expressed the hope that Ghanaians would appreciate the equitable distribution of the national cake and renew the mandate of the party. He said NDC detractors would never see anything good that the government is doing to improve the lives of Ghanaians. President Mahama appealed to Ghanaians especially members of the NDC to remain united and focused to win the 2016 elections one touch since God is on their side. He said NDC as a party is people centred and never discriminate against anybody. He said that is why he had to come from one of the remotest areas of the country to lead the party to victory. He said everyone in NDC stand the chance of becoming president no matter where the person hails from. “God is our redeemer and since He is the one who installs leaders I have the hope that in 2016 God will bless us again with a one touch victory,” he said. President Mahama called for patience for his administration to address the current challenges facing the country, adding that NDC would never renege on its promises. He said the NDC had finished laying the foundation of the country’s development saying, “The framers of the 1992 Constitution knew that four years is not enough for any government to complete development projects hence the need to allow for a second term to fulfill campaign promises”. He asked Ghanaians to renew his mandate in 2016 to steer them to the ‘Promised Land’. He said, “We are working just like an artist. When artists are working you don’t actually know what they are doing until they finish the work. Those who are saying we are not working are entitled to their opinions but the communities in which we work would testify.” President Mahama said those who accuse the NDC government for going for loans are doing so for malice because those loans are used to embark on the massive road, school and health infrastructure saying, “Every business person will tell you that loans help to build the business”. He pledged to tar major roads in Northern Region especially Walewale-Bunkpurugu, Tamale-Makango, Yendi-Saboba and Yendi-Tatale-Sangule roads and provide the people with electricity. President Mahama appealed to aspirants in the NDC Parliamentary primaries not to abandon the party and go independent if they fail to win since such practices caused the party to lose some seats in 2012. “We lost in Tamale North, Tatale-Sangule, Kpandai and Bunkprugu because defeated candidates went independent and if you add the votes of the independent and NDC candidates those seats wouldn’t have been lost.”

Source: GNA

Bloomberg: IMF Straitjacket Gives Ghana Little Room For Election Budget.

Ghana has little room to produce an election budget on Friday as it sticks to spending restrictions imposed by the International Monetary Fund to help an economy in crisis. Finance Minister Seth Terkper is set to present a 2016 budget that targets a fiscal deficit of about 5.3 percent of gross domestic product from 7.3 percent this year, the IMF said on Nov. 5. Terkper will outline the spending and revenue measures to achieve this goal in a speech to Parliament that begins as early as 10 a.m. in the capital, Accra. President John Dramani Mahama, who will contest elections in a year’s time, has promised to curb spending next year as part of an IMF agreement for almost $1 billion in loans aimed at getting the economy back on track. The currency had lost 26 percent of its value against the dollar in the first half of the year, while inflation and public debt has soared. “I expect the government to continue with the consolidation and stay within the IMF program,” Michael Cobblah, a director at C-nergy Ghana Ltd., an advisory and investment banking services company, said in an interview in Accra. “Ghana has everything to lose, including credibility and investor confidence, if it goes against the tenets of the IMF program and opts for a spending spree to win votes.” The cedi erased some of its losses this year after signing the loan agreement with the IMF in April. The currency is down 15 percent against the dollar since January. The cedi gained 0.4 percent to 3.8 at 9:46 a.m. in Accra. Ghana has a history of missing deficit targets in an election year as spending pressures increase. When Mahama took office in 2012, the government posted a fiscal gap of 12.1 percent of GDP, more than double its target. Since then, a combination of rising debt and weaker revenue from exports such as gold and cocoa has undermined investor confidence in the West African nation. Soaring Debt Mahama, 56, will face the New Patriotic Party’s Nana Akufo-Addo in an election on Nov. 7, 2016. Ghana has less room to maneuver than in the past. Debt soared to 71 percent of GDP in June from 60 percent in January, while inflation was at 17.4 percent in October, according to official data. The central bank raised its benchmark interest rate by 3 percentage points to 25 percent this year. “Ghana needs the required discipline to avoid financing election-related projects,” Courage Kingsley Martey, an economist at Databank Group Ltd., said by phone from Accra. “This is the time government must bite the bullet and contain expenditure, but with low prices of crude and a zero financing of the deficit from the central bank, Ghana’s situation is tricky.” Growth Rebound So far, Ghana appears to be sticking to its fiscal consolidation. The deficit was 4.7 percent of GDP in the first eight months of the year compared with a target of 4.8 percent, the Ministry of Finance said last month. Public debt was at 62 percent of GDP in July. The government is also forecasting a rebound in economic growth from a projected 3.5 percent this year, which would be the slowest pace in about 20 years. The economy may expand 6 percent next year and 9 percent in 2017 because of new oil production, Terkper said in an interview on Oct. 28. “We should be cautiously optimistic,” Michael Otu Fiaw, a research analyst at NDK Asset Management, said by phone from Accra. “Being mindful of election pressures, we expect the economy to expand by an average of 5 percent in 2016.”

Source: Bloomberg.com

Scranble for 47 NDC Slots in Ashanti.

Natioanl Democratic Congress

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, including a last-minute disqualification, 98 parliamentary aspirants of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) will be vying for 47 seats during the party’s upcoming primaries in the Ashanti Region. The aspirants include 12 women.

They are Dorcas Dufie for Asokwa, Theresa Tawiah for Atwima Nkwanwoma, Cecelia Tumtuo for Atwima Nwabiagya South, Mary Jantua for Bekwai, Gloria Huze for Ejisu and Monica Agyare for Kwadaso.

The rest are Juliana Anorhene for Ofinso South, N. N. Vivian for Afigya Sekyere East, Catherine Agyen for Fomena, Hajia Bintu Saana for Obuasi East, Mary Ewusi for Asante Akim North and Veronica Antwi for Bosomtwe.

 Unopposed aspirants

Also on the bill for the November 21 contest are 15 aspirants who are running unopposed. They are Degraft Forkuo for Asante Akim South,  Alhaji Muntaka Mubarak,  the Majority Chief Whip and Member of Parliament for Asawase, Daniel Kwaku Owusu for Atwima Kwanwoma, Mary Jantua for Bekwai, Monica Agyare for Kwadaso, S. L. Coffie for Manhyia and Juliana Anorhene for Offinso South.

The rest are Johnny Osei Kofi for Offorikrom, Memuna Kabore for Old Tafo, Kwaku Agyekum Asare for Afigya Kwabre North, Oppong Samuel for Akrofuom, Kwame Adarkwa for Bosome Freho, Alex Kwame Bonsu for Manso Nkwanta, Akuoko Frimpong for Nsuta Kwamang and Emmanuel Dede Appiah for Odotobri.

 Horse trading

The permutations and the horse trading in this year’s primaries could make it one of the keenly contested yet very interesting.

For instance, unlike previously where aspirants who wanted to challenge incumbents were largely not encouraged and asked to bid their time, the situation is different in many constituencies.

In one of the safest seats of the party in the region, Ahafo Ano North, where Akwasi Adusei is standing for the second time, the Ashanti Regional Minister, Peter Anarfi, has decided to contest the incumbent despite calls for him not to.

Indeed, his motivation to wrest the ticket from the incumbent is allegedly premised on calls by the grass roots to dislodge the sitting MP else the party could lose the seat.

This, no doubt, has made the contest in the constituency perhaps the hottest after Suame, where one of the party’s regional communications stalwarts, Francis Dodovi, face off with the regional Youth Organiser, Brogya Genfi.

The friendship of the two has become quite frosty following a last-minute decision by Gyenfi to contest his friend.

Indeed, the vetting of the two still hangs and unresolved following Mr Genfi’s official duty to the United Kingdom at the time the vetting was due. But as it stands, the two are billed to face off, with each of them hoping to increase President John Dramani Mahama’s votes at Suame.

The Suame seat remains one of NDC’s difficult terrains for the winner would have to do more than the ordinary to overturn the more than 50,000 - vote difference at the presidential level and close to 60,000 at the parliamentary level.

The sitting MP for the constituency and the Minority Leader for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has become one of two Ghana’s political ’Mugabes’, and it will be a tall order for anyone to dislodge him.

But the NDC has been realistic in its aspiration or target for the region and believes in a progressive addition or increase in the number of seats for the party.

Safe seats

It is not clear which of the seats could be added to the four – Ahafo Ano North, New Edubiase, Sekyere Afram Plains and Asawase—as the contest between the biggest political parties appears hotter than expected.

But the incumbents on these apparent safe NDC seats, apart from Muntakar at Asawase, who is running unopposed,  could face stiff competitions from their fellow party members.

Apart from the Ahafo Ano North, where the regional minister is contesting the incumbent, in New Edubiase, the incumbent, Mr Kofi Yakah, has two other people on his heels.

A brother of the owner of New Edubiase Football Club, Abdul Salam, and a representative of the grass roots, Nicolas Yeboa, could give Mr Yakah a good run for his money.

Sure bets

Two key constituencies remain one of the sure bets for the party to achieve its desired five seats and one million votes. They are the Obuasi East and one of the new constituencies created for the last elections, Ahafo Ano South East, where the Municipal Chief Executive for Obuasi, Mr Ofori Agyeman, and a chartered insurer, Mr Chris Boadi, respectively could just pick slots for the party.

Mr Agyeman is riding on his recent achievements in the provision of the first-ever multi-purpose bus terminal, a modern high court and allied facilities in the municipality, which were inaugurated by the Vice-President, Mr Paa Kwesi Amissah Arthur, recently to pick the slot for the area.

 
But his contender, Hajia Bintu Saana, has her trump card as affirmative action for women, which appears to be gaining grounds, especially in the surrounding mining communities such as Obuasi.

On the other side of the divide, Chris Boadi, who has been one of the key party financiers and a special assistant to the regional chairman, Mr Yaw Obimpeh, is counting on the constituents, mainly from the northern part of the country, to win the seat for the NDC. But his main rival and District Chief Executive for the area, Mr Gabriel Barima (Tweaa), would be a hard nut to crack in a three-horse race, including the little known Steve Kwadwo.

 Peripheral

Also likely to make a strong case for the party in the main elections but would have to scale over the primaries are former regional minister and long-standing cadre of the party, Mr Samuel Sarpong, for Nhiaso; his former deputy, Mr Samuel Yaw Adusei, who is now the Deputy Minister for Water Resources Works and Housing, for the Bantama seat; and the DCE for Bosomtwe, Veronica Antwi.

The battle is not all about the known faces. There are others who could pull surprises despite failing at the first time. Among them is Mr John Alexander Ackon, a deputy minister for Women and Children, who would have to step up his campaign or be disappointed by Dr Yaw Appiah.

It’s indeed show time for the NDC on November 21, and rightly so, the battle lines have been drawn and it would, perhaps, take more than just campaign messages to pick one of the 47 tickets for the NDC in the Ashanti Region.

- See more at: http://graphic.com.gh/news/politics/53422-scramble-for-47-ndc-slots-in-ashanti.html#sthash.2XFTqPap.dpuf