Flagstaff House now ‘dumping ground’ for non-performing ministers – NPP activists

A member of the communication team of the opposition New Patriotic Party, Nana Boakye a.k.a Nana B has accused President John Mahama of turning the seat of government, the Flagstaff House into a ‘dumping ground’ for ineffective ministers or those accused of wrong doing.

According to him, the alacrity with which such ministers are reassigned to the Office of the President which is now a safe haven, is very worrying and unacceptable.

President John Mahama in his latest reshuffle on Monday reassigned Interior Minister Mark Woyongo who has come under a lot of public flak lately to the Presidency as Minister of State.

Mr Woyongo was criticized heavily for publicly stating that he was not privy to details surrounding the acceptance into the country of the two ex Guatanamo Bay Cell detainess, whose presence in Ghana has sparked a lot of controversy. Several political experts were of the view that he goofed in his answer, hence losing his position in the latest reshuffle has come as no surprise to many.

Contributing to a discussion on Peace FM Tuesday, Nana Boakye recountered how President Mahama was quick to reassign former Sports Minister, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah to the Office of the President in the wake of his alleged acts of corruption during Ghana’s participation at the 2014 World Cup tournament.

“This trend is very worrying, you’ll recall that soon after Ghana’s world cup debacle where Hon. Afriyie Ankrah reportedly ensured the wanton dissipation of the tax payers money, President Mahama took him from the sports ministry to the Office of the President, at a time Ghanaians were calling for his prosecution.  Why does the president re-assigns such appointees to the Presidency, for what… for them to continue the same mess they were doing” he asked?

Nana Boakye added: “A reshuffle is in the offing, and that will be done by Ghanaians during the November 7 Presidential election. Ghanaians will reshuffle President Mahama out of office as punishment for the hardship he has made us suffer.”

Source: Kasapafmonline.com

AUDIO: Akufo Addo FINALLY Speaks On Gitmo Ex-Detainees Saga

The 2016 presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has described the ongoing saga involving the arrival into Ghana of two Guantanamo Bay detainees as yet another example of the failure of leadership on the part of President Mahama. According to Nana Akufo-Addo, the law, as contained inSection 35 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 2008, (Act 762), prohibits the transaction into which President Mahama has entered with the United States government. In addition to this, the President’s decision not to consult the relevant stakeholders in the country, so as to assuage the fears of Ghanaians, has resulted in heightened levels of fear amongst Ghanaians. Had President Mahama done the needed consultations, Nana Akufo-Addo noted that the “Ghanaian people may well have been spared the disquieting anxiety, in this time of justifiably heightened fear of global terrorism, that we are being led by a President who, ostensibly in the name of compassion, prefers to ignore laws designed to defend the most sensitive area of all, our nation’s security.” The NPP flagbearer made this known when he delivered a tribute in honour of the late Alhaji Alhassan Bin Salih in Wa, at an event of homage held on Tuesday, January 19, 2016. According to the NPP flagbearer, President Mahama’s failure in showing leadership in this matter “is a sad example of his belief that he is answerable to no one, not even to the laws of the Republic, like s.35 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (Act 760), which, as President, he is sworn to uphold.” Section 35 (1) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 2008, (Act 762), states that “The Director of Immigration or an officer authorised by the Director shall not grant an endorsement or authority to permit a person to enter this country if there are reasonable grounds to suspect that the person is, will or has been involved in the commission of a terrorist act.” “Since he claims that only Presidents Rawlings and Kufuor have the right to criticize him, I would have wished that he had found it worthy to consult both of our two former national leaders before he took this grave decision that has consequences for us all,” he said. To this end, Nana Akufo-Addo admonished all Ghanaians, regardless of their political or religious affiliations, to “refrain from introducing religious divisions into the debate, for the issue at stake is not a religious one.”

Source: Peacefmonline.com

I commit myself to a Nana Addo presidency in 2016 – Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah

Newly elected parliamentary candidate of the opposition NPP in the Ofoase-Ayirebi Constituency of the Eastern Region, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, says his whole campaign will be geared towards a Nana Akufo-Addo presidency in 2016.

In a statement released Sunday evening, Oppong-Nkrumah said getting the party’s flagbearer to be president after the 2016 elections was paramount, adding he would commit himself to the task.

“Our common objective as true patriots should be to improve our party’s fortunes in December 2016 and thereby take Nana Akuffo Addo to the Flagstaff house.

This is the task to which I commit myself and the task I believe we can fulfill working together.”

In a poll held Saturday, he won by some 219 votes beating his closest contender John Obiri-Yeboah who managed 145 votes. The other contestant Bright Asamoah Acquah had 54 votes.

By: Kasapafmonline.com/Ghana

By: Kasapafmonline.com/Ghana

Saul Was A Terrorist…But God Had Mercy On Him – Ablakwa To Bishop Bonsu

The Deputy Minister in Charge of Tertiary Education, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has described as ‘unfortunate’ remarks by the Head of the Catholic Bishop Conference, Bishop Osei Bonsu. Bishop Osei Bonsu in response to President John Mahama’s comment on the former Guantanamo detainees; that Ghanaians should show compassion on the two said even though there is the need to show compassion, ‘compassion must be balanced with common sense’. "My Christian compassion is there and we need to be compassionate for people in need and try to help people but we have to balance compassion with common sense. If you know that somebody is a risk to the nation, you can't say that because of compassion we are going to take him. Then we may as well open our prisons and let out all the criminals” he said. A lot of government communicators have taken the Bishop to the cleaners for making such a comment. Speaking during a panel discussion on Radio Gold’s Alhaji and Alhaji, Hon Ablakwa asked the Bishop to retract his remarks. “The comment from the Bishop Bonsu was most unfortunate …that he expects the President to balance compassion with common sense? It is not right for a Bishop to speak to the President that way….i thought his language was unfortunate…he should think about it and retract it” According to the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, there is the need to have compassion on the Gitmo ex-detainees because God had mercy on Saul who a ‘terrorist’ and later got converted and became Paul. “… Saul (in the Bible) who later became Paul was a terrorist…he was killing people…he was on his terrorist enterprise when he met … if you read Acts 9:1-31 and I am surprised the leadership of the church, Bishop Bonsu has forgotten all about these” he added.

Source: Rebecca Addo Tetteh/Peacefmonline.com

In 295 Days Nana Addo Will Be Declared Prez...Bawumia Declares

The Running mate to the New Patriotic Party flagbearer for the 2016 general elections, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has declared that the party's flagbearer, Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo Addo will be elected president of the Republic in just about 295 days. "Judging from the people present here and their commitment, i am left with no doubt that the new Patriotic Party will assume power in the upcoming general elections," Dr Bawumia said. Speaking at the fund raising ceremony of the Ashanti Regional Branch of the New Patriotic Party at the Baba Yara stadium, he reiterated that the Mahama-led NDC administration has failed to make life comfortable for Ghanaians and judging from the way things are going, there is no hope for the people of this country. However, he said, "when the New Patriotic Party assumes power come 2016, we will restore hope to the people of Ghana and also clean up the mess the NDC government has created. "In this regard, I entreat all Ghanaians to vote massive for the New Patriotic Party during the elections," he added. The ceremony which started very late saw quite a number of party faithfuls in attendance. Ashanti Regional Chairman of the party, Mr.Bernard Antwi Bosiako expressed his appreciation to the National leadership of the party for gracing the occasion and also supporting them to achieve their purpose. Though the number is quite significant, all tickets were sold and that was our core target, he noted. In attendance was the flagbearer of the party, Nana Addo Danquah Akuff- Addo, Acting National Chairman Mr.Freddie Blay, Acting General Secretary who doubles as the National Organizer and Operations Director for the 2016 general elections, Campaign Manager Peter Mac Manu, Minority Leader Hon.Kyei Mensah Bonsu among others.

Source: Isaac Owusu/Hello FM