Ursula Owusu On Prez Mahama’s Greatest Achievement...

Ablekuma West MP Ursula Owusu-Ekuful has summed up President Mahama’s first term in office as characterised by ‘an institutionalization of mediocrity’. Moments before the President delivered his State of the Nation Address, the critical voice from the opposition party said key highlights of the President’s first term are based on the initiative of the former NPP administration. She told Joy FM Thursday, public transport company, Metro Mass Transit, Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP), NHIS, Capitation Grant were social intervention policies attributed formulated by President John Kufuor’s ‘far-sighted visionary government’. The MP explained the NHIS has collapsed. Hours later, President John Mahama during his State of the Nation Address contradicted this view by stating that usage of the health insurance scheme in 2015 was at about 11.2million – an “undeniable” statement of confidence in the NHIS. Ursula Owusu explained that the revelations of fraud uncovered at NHIS is evidence of a mismanaged scheme. . “If you talk about mediocrity, then they have done very, very well in that respect but if you talk about delivering development then there are huge question marks”. Although she acknowledged infrastructural development under John Mahama, she stressed that building roads, schools and hospitals are basic items on every government’s to-do lists. Popping champagne over the building of roads is a celebration of mediocrity, she suggested. According to Ursula Owusu, government has failed to address the utmost concerns of Ghanaian youth – employment. The Ablekuma West MP pointed out that there is a “sense of despair” among jobless youth which threatens the stability of the nation. “People have literally thrown up their hands in despair….You don’t know where the explosion is going to occur”, she said.

Source: myjoyonline

EC Rubbishes Calls To Dissolve 18-Member Steering Committee

EC Boss, Mrs Charlotte Osei The Electoral Commission has replied members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), individuals, groups and political parties who are demanding dissolution of the newly inaugurated National Election Steering Committee because of its biased composition. The Commission says the mere fact that there are concerns with one or two persons on the committee, does not mean the entire committee is compromised. The committee inaugurated last week is described by the EC as a move to ensure credible elections and is chaired by the EC Boss, Mrs Charlotte Osei . Speaking to Joy News, the Director of Public Affairs at the Electoral Commission, Christian Owusu Parry, said they believe the various institutions which were written to nominate representatives, are capable of executing the mandate of the steering committee. “We would not dissolve the 18-member steering committee,” he said.  Mr. Christian Owusu Parry in an interview answered the following questions. Why were the political parties not informed on the committee in question? A lot of things are done administratively, so if there is an administrative decision that has to be made by the commission, I do not think that such administrative decisions have to always get to the various political parties, to say whether they agree or not, because this is an administrative decision that the constitution empowers the commission to do alone. So you think this is not an important issue that needs to involve political parties? We would consult the political parties on all key issues but it is not all decisions that the commission would consult political parties for their approval, because we need to be given the freedom to work as an election management body. Why do we have names of members from some political parties being part of the committee? The selection was purely done by the institutions we sent the letters to. Therefore, EC knows nothing about the selection and did not investigate the names sent to us because we believed the institutions would do the necessary checks before sending individuals to the commission. Do you think the existence of the committee is necessary? The existence of the committee is necessary especially with the persons involved from the various elected sectors to form the committee, because it would fasten idea generation and plans put in place for the coming elections. Also if immediate information is needed by the commission all it needs to do is to contact directly the person in the committee than going through the long chain of command from the various sectors.

Source: Elizabeth Semiheva/Peacefmonline.com

NDC To Avoid Abuakwa By-Election As A Mark Of Respect For Slain NPP MP?

As a mark of respect to the memory of the slain Abuakwa North Member of Parliament, Joseph Boakye Danquah-Adu, and his family, the governing National Democratic Congress is considering staying away from the yet-to-be declared vacant seat at Abuakwa North and the ensuing bye-election, The aL-hAJJ has gathered. Functionaries of the ruling party, this paper have been told, are distraught by the gruesome murder of the genteel former deputy Minister of Women and Children Affairs under the John Kufuor administration. A dependable source close to the National leadership of the party told The aL-hAJJ that, “the unfortunate incident has dealt a big blow to our fledgling democracy and we think as a responsible political party it will not be fair on our part to be engaged in any struggle to snatch the seat from our main opponents, the NPP.” “The circumstances under which JB died is very disheartening and as a party, we think it will be proper to accord his memory with respect by staying out of the bye-election occasioned as a result of his death,” the source noted. Asked if the party was not chickening out because of fears it will not make any impressive headway in the bye-election, the NDC kingpin, who does not want to be named, said “there is no doubt that Abuakwa North is an NPP stronghold, but looking at our performance in the 2012 election and the number of development projects our government has channeled to that constituency, there is no doubt that we can win the seat. We have contested bye-elections in all NPP strongholds since 1992, but this particular one the circumstance leading to the death of the NPP is not only regrettable but, also painful.” He added that “life is not only about politics…aside politics there is life. Have you thought of how the family of the late MP will feel should we engage the NPP in a fierce political battle in a bid to snatch the seat from them? The atmosphere in that constituency is a charged one and not conducive for the kind of politics we do in our part of the world so the best way to restore calm in that area and to honor our late brother, in our opinion, is to stay off the election.” The Abuakwa North NPP MP was murdered at his Shiashie residence in the wee hours of Tuesday, February 9, 2015 by assailant(s) believed to have used a ladder to have access to his bedroom before stabbing him several times, according to the police. On Thursday, the police arrested a young man, Daniel Asiedu, whom they suspect was responsible for the MP’s killing, and have since launched a search for what they say were his accomplices. As a result of the vacancy created by the death of MP, The Electoral Commission will in the coming days announce a bye-election in the Abuakwa North constituency in accordance with article 112 (5) of the 1992 constitution as amended. Article 112 (5) provides that “whenever a vacancy occurs in Parliament, the Clerk to Parliament shall notify the Electoral commission in writing within seven days after the vacancy occurred, and a by-election shall be held within thirty days after the vacancy occurred” Various political parties are expected to participate in the impending bye-election, however, the NDC, sources say, will not contest the election. According to the source, the party’s leadership is yet to meet and take a final decision on the matter, but “discussions we have had among ourselves indicate that we might stay out of the election as mark of respect for the late MP and his family.”

Source: The Al-Hajj

Abuakwa North MP shot dead

Abuakwa North MP, J.B. Danquah

New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Abuakwa North in the Eastern Region, Joseph Boakye Danquah-Adu, has been shot dead by unknown assailants.

The incident according to the Greater Accra Regional Police Command occurred at dawn on Tuesday, February 9 at his residence at Shiashi in Accra.

The police say they cannot immediately confirm whether the killing was carried out by robbers.

Citi News’ Fred Djabanor, who visited the house on Tuesday morning, reports that some minority MPs, family members, friends, officials of the police and CID officers have inundated the house.

He says in the meantime, the house has been put under lock with family members who were with him evacuated to enable the police pick up the necessary leads that could lead to the arrest of the perpetrators.

According to Fred, a man who could not hold back his tears claiming to be the late MP’s personal security guard said he arrived at the premises for his morning duty only to be told of the sad incident.

“The Greater Accra Police Commander is also here. A woman has been put in a vehicle and taken away but I cannot tell if she’s the MOP’s wife.”

Fred says the police are yet to give out more information on the incident.

The late Joseph Boakye Danquah, is a chartered Accountant by profession.

He is the grandson of late J.B Danquah, a Ghanaian statesman, pan-Africanist, scholar and historian, who played a significant role in pre- and post-colonial Ghana.

– Source: citifmonline.com

Controversial Islamic Preacher Not A Threat To Ghana - National Security

Dr Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips       The National Security Secretariat moved to calm nerves on Monday after reports emerged in a section of the media that an Islamic scholar with alleged terrorism links had been preaching in the country. Reports that Ghana is hosting Dr Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips, who has been banned from entering several countries, including the UK, US and Kenya, provoked a firestorm of controversy and consternation among some Ghanaians. On social media, news of Dr Philips arrival in Ghana drew condemnation from some users, who expressed fear that the Canadian citizen could incite Ghanaian Muslims to violence. But in an interview with GraphicOnline, the National Security Coordinator, Yaw Donkor, called for calm, stressing that Dr Philips did not pose any threat to Ghanaians. Mr Donkor said those raising red flags were only doing so on the basis of the man's history, adding: "There is no cause for alarm." He said his outfit had evaluated Dr Philip’s background and had determined that there was no basis to decline his request for a visa. Mr Donkor said: “If the one who sponsored him comes to ask us ‘why are you refusing him Visa’, what are we going to tell him? Are we going to tell him that because Czechoslovakia deported him, we don’t want him to come to Ghana or because Germany says that the man has written a book that is talking about anti-Semitism, we don’t want him to come [to Ghana]. How can you use that reason to refuse a visa to a sovereign country?” Emphasising that the public outcry that has trailed Dr Philips’ arrival in Ghana was unwarranted, Mr Donkor said the Islamic preacher was being surveilled by security agents, and had, so far, not said anything inflammatory or engaged in any diabolical activity in Ghana. “So, as far as I’m concerned, since he entered this country, he hasn’t said anything that requires me to take any action against him,” he said. According to the National Security Coordinator, since Christian preachers had been allowed to visit Ghana and speak freely, it would have been unfair and dangerous to have prevented Dr Philips from doing same. “We should be careful. He is not here on his own. Thirty per cent of this country are listening to him or they think he came because of them. If you have no reason to throw him out, you are going to create a problem by your own action. So we should watch it that way,” he said. Controversy Dr Philip’s books and teachings have been controversial, with countries like the UK accusing him of “condoning suicide bombings” and ‘rape”. Checks indicate that: Dr Philips was named by the US government as an unindicted co-conspirator in the 1993 World Trade Centre bombing.                           In 2007, he was banned from entering Australia on the advice of national security agencies.                                                                   In 2010 he was banned from entering the UK by home secretary Theresa May for holding "extremist views".                                           In April 2011, Dr Philips was banned from re-entering Germany as persona non grata.                                                                               In 2012, he was banned from entering Kenya over possible terror links.                                                                                                     In June 2014, the Bangladeshi intelligence service ordered Dr Phillips, who had gone to the country to give lectures, to leave the country. In September 2014, Philips was arrested in the Philippines for “inciting and recruiting people to conduct terrorist activities”. Denial Dr Philips has, however, denied either having connections to terrorists or inciting people to terrorism. In a letter he wrote while in detention in the Philippines and published on muslimmatters.org, he accused the Western countries, especially the US, of demonising him and portraying him as evil. The preacher said in all the countries where he had been banned, including the US, no evidence had been produced to prove that he was linked to terrorists or that he promoted terrorism. He said his messages, which he described as peaceful, rather sought to eliminate extremist ideas among Muslims.

Source: Graphic.com.gh