Ghana politics and election news

National Chairman of the opposition NDC Kofi Portuphy says government is behind the recent killings of some police personnel in the country.

Staff and Members of Parliament of Ghana are stranded at the premises of the State House as they cannot access their offices due to the fire which burnt a part of the tenth floor of the Job 600 building on Tuesday night.

The Parliament of Ghana has received the Office of the Special Prosecutor Bill, 2017 despite stiff opposition from the Minority in Parliament who alleged there were some illegalities in the process of presenting the bill to the house.

Reports indicate part of the Parliament office building complex popularly called Job 600 has caught fire.

Introductory Statement By The President Of The Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, At The 1st Media Encounter, At The Banquet Hall Of The Presidency, Accra, On Tuesday, 18th July 2017.

The President has condemned the activities of pro-NPP vigilante group, Delta Force, saying their activities gave the party and government wrong publicity.

President Nana Akufo Addo appears to have given the strongest hints he may not contest the 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections.

President Nana Akufo Addo says he does not regret his role in the repeal of the Criminal Libel Law during the first administration of the New Patriotic Party under John Kufour. The law, which was widely criticized, led to the incarceration of divergent voices in the country, mostly journalists and writers by the then Jerry Rawlings led NDC government.

Ahead of the campaign in the 2000 elections, President Kufour made a solemn pledge to the people of Ghana he will repeal the law, once he is voted into office. He kept his word and as soon he was sworn, the Attourney General started started the processes for the repeal of the law.  

Parliament in July 2001 unanimously passed the Repeal of the Criminal and Seditious Laws (Amendment Bill), Act 2001.

Nana Akufo-Addo who was then the Attourney-General under the Kuffuor administration in a memorandum on the bill to parliament said "the purpose of the bill is to fulfill the promise of repeal, and thereby demonstrate the Kufour government's determination to make good its promise to the nation".

The memo stressed the law, instituted by the colonial master to keep the media in check should have been done away with, when Ghana became independent in 1957.

The repeal opened the media landscape and led to increasing numbers of print and electronic media, offering divergent news contents in both English and several local dialects.

Speaking at the first ever media engagement at the Flagstaff house to give  account of his first six months in office, the president said he does not regret his role, though he has been one of the most vilified persons by a section of the press, including accusations he murdered his late wife.

“I do not regret one bit my role in repealing the old discredited law.”

He said the repeal has made the country’s media as one of the freest and most vibrant in the world and is hopeful that will continue to grow in numbers and quality of content.

President Akufo Addo also said the reason for the encounter is to offer Ghanaians a perspective of his regime, six months since he assumed office as the leader of the country.

“halfway into my first year in office, it is good to take stock of what has happened and the way forward. This forum is not intended to give another message of the state of the nation, neither it is to announce my achievements. It is guided, rather, by the principle of accountability.”

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President Nana Akufo Addo says the success of his administration will be hinged on how successful he creates job for the increasing numbers of unemployed youth in the country.

Speaking at a media encounter six months into his administration, the president said he is mindful of the task of meeting the expectations placed on his government, and will do everything within his power to ensure jobs are created for the Ghanaian, adding; “The success or otherwise of my administration will be judged largely on job creation.”

“I am well aware that the success or otherwise of my administration will be judged largely on the job creation.”

Also, the president made reference to the launch of the National Entrepreneurship and Innovations Plan (NEIP), an innovative scheme under the Business Development Authority, will help startups achieve their potentials.

He said it will also ensure owners are able to navigate their way through the early stages of the businesses.

“ We have committed $10 million of public funds, which we hope to leverage into $100 million from  private sources to back the plan.”

He also talked about the restoration of the nurses and teachers allowances which will take effect at the start of the new year.

Also on the issue of galamsey, the president reiterated his commitment to fighting the menace/

“We cannot and should not destroy our lands and water bodies and our environment in the search for gold and other minerals.”

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Civil Society Organization with focus on Ghana’s governance system, Odekro, has called for a strict separation of the executive and legislative arms of government in practice and by extension an amendment to Article 78, which induces the President to appoint the majority of ministers from Parliament.

Six months after assuming office, President Nana Akufo Addo will meet and interact with Journalists today July 18, at the Flagstaff house on pertinent issues relating to the country.