Politics

The founder of the United Progressive Party (UPP), Akwasi Addai, was turned away from partaking in the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting held on Wednesday.

Odike and another person he claimed to be the General Secretary of the UPP were sacked from the venue of the meeting organized by the Electoral Commission (EC) in Accra.

The meeting was supposed to be attended by the elected general secretaries of the various political parties.

Strangely, Odike, who claims to be the leader of the UPP, accompanied the so-called general secretary of the UPP to the crunch meeting, but the two were denied access to the meeting.

Odike, who was sharing his disappointment and embarrassment on radio in Kumasi, said “my general secretary has consistently been denied access to IPAC meetings lately.”

“On Wednesday, I accompanied the UPP general secretary to the meeting to see what is going on and the EC, again, denied us access to the meeting,” he confirmed.

“The EC said an imposter UPP general secretary was already present so we were not allowed to enter the meeting venue,” he added.

“The EC ganged up and denied my party the chance to take part in the IPAC meeting to state our case, because I usually expose the EC’s bad deeds,” he boasted.

According to him, he is aware the EC has adopted what he claimed to be ‘a diabolical strategy’ to frustrate and deny him (Odike) the chance to stage a contest for the Presidency.

Therefore, Odike, who sounded very peeved, threatened to drag the EC to court soon on condition that the commission doesn’t change its attitude towards him.

Source: DGN

Members of the Minority side in Parliament have kicked against plans by the government to borrow GH¢10 billion from the central bank.

The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs say the unprecedented move by the government has a sinister motive.

Ranking Member on the Finance Committee of Parliament, Mr Cassiel Ato Forson, has accused the government of seeking the funds from the central bank to finance the election expenditures of the government New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Meanwhile, the Bank of Ghana on May 15, released GH¢5.5 billion to the Finance Ministry, the first tranche of the total GH¢10 billion.

According to the Daily Graphic newspaper, the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has explained that the GH¢10 billion emergency facility will support the national response in the fight against the coronavirus disease.

Ken Ofori-Atta made this known on Thursday, May 28, 2020, when he laid a report on the limit of borrowing of the government under subsection (6) of section 30 of the Bank of Ghana Act, 2002 (Act 612) in the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) emergency, according to the newspaper.

The Minister has justified the request for the funds on grounds that it was consistent with global policy responses of central banks with large scale asset purchases to provide support to manage the pandemic.

The Speaker of Parliament, Prof Mike Oquaye, has referred the matter to Parliament’s Finance Committee for consideration and report.

Source: ghanaweb

Pollster Ben Ephson, has asserted that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) could have directed their efforts into helping members acquire the Ghana card or passport instead of demonstrating against the compilation of the new voters’ register.

In an interview on the Happy Morning Show, he reasoned that demonstrations will never change what the Electoral Commission (EC) has planned to do.

“If in 2016, demonstrations did not change what Charlotte Osei and the EC wanted to do, what makes the NDC think that their demonstration will change what Jean Mensa and the EC want to do. The earlier they come to terms with it, the better. If you will recall, in January, I gave them the same advice I gave to NPP’s IPAC in 2016. The president is very powerful per our constitution. But even that, people can go to court and challenge his powers. How much more EC which also derives its powers from the constitution?”, he said.

He added that “four months down the line, the money used for demonstrations could have been used for example to help people who do not have Ghana card or passport”.

He opined that the NDC had delayed in seeking the court’s ruling on the compilation of the new voters’ register.

“The NDC has now gone to court after over four months. If you knew you would go to the court why did you keep so long? Let the court decide. The Supreme Court can decide if the EC has convinced them or not”, he added. Earlier, this year, the Inter-Party Resistance against the New Voter’s Register, spearheaded by the National Democratic Congress, embarked on several demonstrations to express their displeasure about the EC’s decision to compile a new voters’ register ahead of the December 2020 general elections.

Source: happyghana

The General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party has confirmed that the compilation of the new voters’ register is scheduled to take off by June ending to July.

He reiterated that the Electoral Commission, other political parties agreed on using passport and Ghana card for registration adding that guarantors will be used for people who do not have the above listed.

John Baodu revealed this after an Inter Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting with political parties was held, at the Headquarters of the Electoral Commission in regards to compilation of the new voters register.

“From this meeting, they’ve said that by end of June, it is likely for us to start the registration exercise. They’ve slated it for end of June and very soon per the law 21 days to any national exercise they need to inform us. So the specific date in June will be given to us later.”

He said, safety measures were given by the EC to help contain Coronavirus during the compilation of the voters register.

“The EC has insisted that in all polling station, everybody will be required to put on a mask whether you are an agent, registrar, EC official and others. You must put on a mask and they will be running water for everyone to wash their hands, thermometer, hand sanitizers and a stand by ambulances and medical team and social distancing so ensure we all register. ” He said.

Meanwhile the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) this morning boycotted the Inter Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting at the Electoral Commission (EC).

It is believed that the boycott is over the register as well as an alleged violation of coronavirus protocols.

Source: ghanaweb

Members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) are emitting confusing signals about their position on the new voters’ register, with their two recent actions pointing palpably at their befuddlement.

The lull in their demonstrations among other forms of resistance to the compilation of a new voters’ register gave way to an unusual action when they fired a correspondence to the Electoral Commission (EC) with demands which appeared to suggest that now the NDC has rethought its stands on the register.

Love Letter

Their May 18, 2020 letter to the EC demanding training manuals for registration officials and political party agents for the new voters’ register could not have put more clearly the reality of their coming to terms with the inevitability of the compilation of a replacement for the old roll and, therefore, ready to partake in the exercise.

A letter reportedly signed by NDC General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, said they were requesting “training manual for registration officials for the 2020 registration exercise, training manual for political party agents for the registration exercise and other documents and forms relevant to the 2020 registration exercise.”

Confusing Signals

Even before the EC could prepare a package of copies of the training manuals for delivery to the NDC, the party varied the signal as it sought to have Parliament block the EC from compiling a new voters’ register.

“As a major stakeholder, whose agents have important functions to perform during the exercise to ensure its credibility, we are by this letter officially requesting the commission to supply the NDC with the above-named documents and any other material that would enable the party to prepare our agents adequately for same,” the letter said.

The party’s varying actions as it tackles the reality of a new voters’ register is consistent with vacillation, having exhausted all available options from its rulebook on resistance and stubbornness.

Parliamentary Process

Last week, as the party sent signals of preparedness to partake in the compilation of a new voters’ register, it was at the same time exploring the possibility of using the parliamentary process to stall the EC action.

They are seeking, through MPs, to have Parliament reject the Public Elections (Amendment) Regulations 2020, C.I. 126, which is expected to mature in less than 10 sitting days of the House.

C.I. 126

The EC has asked Parliament to amend Regulation 1 of Constitutional Instrument (C.I.) 91 to enable the Ghana Card and passport to be used as the only evidence of identification for a person who applies for registration as a voter.

Apart from the two documents, the EC is also pushing that an eligible voter could guarantee for up to 10 prospective applicants.

Ayariga Motion

Last Friday, the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, disclosed in the Chamber that his colleague for the Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga, had filed a motion seeking a two-thirds majority vote from the legislators to reject the Public Elections (Amendment) Regulations 2020 C.I. 126.

According to him, the motion was yet to be admitted by the Speaker, Prof. Aaron Michael Oquaye, and that he was using the opportunity to alert the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu and the entire House of the intention of the NDC Minority.

Majority Leader

In response, Mr. Mensah-Bonsu said “it does not lie with me to admit or reject the motion,” and explained further that it was the Speaker who had that authority, adding that “the Majority side is also ever prepared to debate the motion.”

“If what you have told me is right, situating it within the context of Article 11 (7), we shall come there and if Mr. Speaker admits it (motion), there will be a full-blown debate on that, and we shall know the place it will fall,” he stated.

Article 11 (7) of the Constitution provides further that any order, rule or regulation made by a person or authority under a power conferred by the Constitution or any other law, shall be laid before Parliament, published in the Gazette and comes into force after 21 sitting days of Parliament unless two-thirds majority vote indicates otherwise.

Calling EC

Earlier, the NDC Minority group had reiterated its demand for the EC chairperson to be summoned to Parliament to brief the MPs about the commission’s preparedness and readiness for the upcoming 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections.

Haruna Iddrisu, who was exposed by the EC after claiming the government had bought PPE for the commission, said the EC had a duty to inform Parliament on its procurement for electoral materials, budget and other things, adding that the commission also needs to provide a roadmap on how it intends to carry out the elections in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We all need to know what is it that the EC is going to do, including whether there are additional instruments. We need the programme to ensure that it meets the mandatory 21 days.

“They have to get all their constitutional instruments intact, in place and on time for the purpose of the elections,” he stated while responding to the explanatory memorandum on the Business Statement of Parliament on Thursday.

Minority Statement

On April 30, 2020, Haruna Iddrisu, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale South, made a similar demand for the EC to be summoned to Parliament to brief the House on its programmes.

He indicated that it was important for the country to know the roadmap for the December 7 elections, indicating that the 1992 Constitution requires that the presidential and parliamentary elections be held this year.

He noted that the independent electoral management body, which was created under Article 45 of the nation’s constitution, owes it a duty to inform Parliament and the entire country about its preparedness for the elections.

Majority’s Response

Mr. Mensah-Bonsu countered, saying there was no shred of doubt that the country would not hold general elections this year and that President Akufo-Addo had given a strong indication that he does not intend to stay beyond his constitutional mandate even a single day.

According to him, the President is aware that the constitution does not make any provision for extension of his mandate unlike Parliament, and he would do anything within his powers to ensure the conduct of elections as required by the 1992 Constitution.

Source: DGN

Renowned pollster Ben Epshon has said if he is asked to suggest a running mate to John Dramani Mahama in this year’s elections, he will choose Dr Kwesi Botchwey.

While speaking on the Sunrise morning show on hosted by Alfred Ocansey on the 3FM 92.7 on Tuesday, May 26, Mr Ephson listed four potential running mates to Mr Mahama.

These were Dr Kwesi Botchwey, Dr Kwabena Duffuor, Kwame Awuah Darko and Alex Mould.

“[But] I think Kwesi Botchwey will have it,” he said, adding that “of all of them, it is Kwesi Botchwey that the NPP are afraid of”.

Dr Alidu Seidu, a Political Science Lecturer at the University of Ghana, also said Dr Kwesi Botchwey is the best vice presidential candidate for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) going into this year’s elections.

“I will choose Dr Kwesi Botchwey,” he said.

Mr Mahama is yet to select his running mate with six months to the presidential elections.

He has, however, indicated that he has a “firm idea” who the person to partner him is.

Source: 3news.com

President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Mr. Roland Affail Monney, has strongly admonished political parties to demonstrably restrain their followers from touching any journalist before, during, and after the 2020 general elections.

He also called on the security agencies to spare journalists any brutalities and rather work with them collaboratively.

Speaking to Ghanaweb at Aburi on the sidelines of an Editors’ Forum on peace and sensitive reporting, Mr. Affail Monney, emphasised that an attack against a journalist is an attack against democracy which in turn has serious implications on the nation.

According to the GJA President, Ghana’s feat as a beacon of democracy in Africa and a reference point for press freedom must jealously be protected.

“We have earned our reputation as a reference point for press freedom, but any time journalists are attacked, it dims the beacon of our democracy and injures our reputation in the eyes of the international community,” he stressed.

However, while urging the law enforcement agencies to continue to enforce the law to safeguard Ghana’s peace, Mr. Affail Monney cautioned journalists against unprofessionalism, urging them not to amplify the drumbeat of violence by any political party or display bias.

He again called on them to make conscious efforts to tilt their stories and programmes towards conflict-free elections.

“Journalists must sharpen their sense of safety not only against the insidious coronavirus but also against vicious cancer of violence. They should scrupulously think through the consequences and fully weigh the implications of whatever they broadcast or publish,” he advised earlier at the Forum.

The Editors’ Forum, a GJA Election 2020 project, was on the theme, “No political vigilantism and electoral violence in Ghana” and it was funded by STAR-Ghana Foundation.

It is 14-month project that seeks to sensitise media practitioners on contributing meaningfully on national discourse on disbanding political vigilantism and eliminating electoral violence in Ghana.

Source: ghanaweb