Ghana politics and election news

Former Attorney General and anti-graft campaigner, Martin Amidu, says the president’s fight against corruption is likely to be undermined by the form and structure the bill on the Special Prosecutor has been presented to parliament.

National Chairman of the Peoples National Convention Bernard Monarh says the party’s 2016 flagbearer Dr. Edward Mahama is gradually becoming a god in the party, and that should not be allowed to happen.

Dr. Mahama has come under criticisms from senior members of the party for accepting an ambassadorial position from the government without informing the party hierarchy. A hurriedly organized national executive meeting to resolve the impasse in the party was inconclusive. There are reports of heated verbal exchanges and throwing of some punches between factions for and against the stance of the flagbearer. with allegations of verbal exchanges between factions getting to the throw of punches.

General Secretary Atik Mohammed was subsequently suspended for openly criticizing the decision by the party’s flagbearer to accept the position. But Mr. Monarh said the decision was wrong and illegal.

Speaking on Asempa Fm’s “Ekosii Sen” political program, Mr. Monarh said Dr. Mahama accused Mr. Mohammed of being behind the reasons why the party lost the elections.

“ Atik was very angry and he got up to express his views,” the party chairman said.

Mr. Monarh said he warned against any decision to suspend any executive member for openly expressing dissent at his appointment.  

 

The NDC Minority in Parliament say they will resist any attempts by government to intimidate its members under the pretext of investigating corrupt deals under their regime.

Th Progressive People’s Party (PPP) has advised all three Commissioners of the Electoral Commission (EC) to step aside for full-scale investigations into the various allegations of misconduct and fraud they have levelled against each other.

Deputy General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress, George Lawson, maintains the party is firmed in the conviction that, government is behind ongoing attempts to remove the chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Charlotte Osei from office.

Director of European Studies at the University of Ghana, Dr. Ransford Gyampo, has described as embarrassing the war of words between Chairperson of the Electoral Commission Charlotte Osei and her subordinates, including accusations of voter fraud.

New Patriotic Party, Convention Peoples Party and the Progressive Peoples Party have all denied paying money to the Electoral Commission besides what political parties are expected to pay for services rendered for them.

Today Newspaper can report that it has not been easy for the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) since some faceless staff of the Electoral Commission (EC) last week petitioned President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to impeach the Electoral Commissioner, Mrs. Charlotte Osei.

Former President John Mahama was this morning joined by family of the late President John Mills, including his only surviving son, to observe five years of his passing, by laying various wreaths at his tomb at the “asomdwee” Park near the former seat of government, Osu Castle.

President Mills died on the 24th of July 2012, at the 37 Military hospital where he had been sent for treatment, after a short illness. The former president had been unwell and at the time has just returned after medical treatment in the United States. His death shocked the entire world, throwing the country into mourning.

Different accounts have been given regarding what specifically killed him- and the situation has not been helped by the continuous silence on the details of an autopsy said to have been conducted on him.

Today’s exercise is part of a program including a memorial service and lecture at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration [GIMPA] on the 27th of July 2017 at 3 pm.

Below are some photos from the Asomdwee park

Former President Mahama bowing to the grave of Prof Mills

 

Present were some top NDC leaders

 

 

Son of Prof Mahama lays a wreath

 

Photo credit: Onasis Kobby

www.primenewsghana.com/ GhanaNews.

 

 

Founder and Flagbearer of the All People’s Party (APC) has said the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Charlotte Osei is not “matured” to run the affairs of the commission.

Hassan Ayariga is baffled that the EC boss would openly engage her staff in a public battle, when she has many other avenues, including using the powers reposed in her as the head of the institution to deal with the issues without the public "drama".

Some unnamed staff of the election organizing body last week filed a petition against their boss at the Presidency and the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) through a lawyer, Maxwell Owusu. The petition which has reached the Flagstaff house accused Madam Osei of among others engaging in corrupt and fraudulent activities in office.

The petitioners want the president to forward their concerns to the Chief Justice as required by law for investigations into her conduct, with the hope that the findings will lead to her impeachment and removal from office.

Madam Charlotte Osei in a response widely publicized in the media described the accusations as frivolous, baseless and actuated by malice and ill will, adding that the allegations in her view, are "nothing but a product of an overactive evil imagination", and do not deserve any serious attention.

However speaking on Adom Fm, Hassan Ayariga, said the EC boss has exhibited an alarming level of immaturity by engaging in a public battle with the staff. He believes Mrs Osei does not have the required training and experience to handle the position, adding “before you are appointed an EC Chair, you must have worked under the EC boss, like Dr Afari Djan who had several years of experience in that position.”

He maintained Madam Osei should not have responded to allegations made against her in the media through the same channel, internal communication structures and less "dramatic" means should have been found to address the issues amicably, to save the EC all the public ridicule.

The APC flagbearer expressed deep concern over the adverse effect of the development on the credibility of the EC and called for immediate steps to redeem what he believes is the sunken image of the Commission.

 

The Deputy Commissioner in charge of operations at the Electoral Commission has said he is seeking legal advice over the corruption allegations made against him by the chair of the commission.

This year’s memorial lecture for the late President Professor John Evans Atta-Mills will be held at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration [GIMPA] on the 27th of July 2017 at 3 pm.