NADMO buys almost everything it uses for relief efforts and these purchases are normally proactive, in anticipation of disasters.

[contextly_sidebar id=”atmx4CvPS4Ilvz6DQ0hByZYWnEfHjvSk”]But the Deputy Director of NADMO, Abu Ramadan noted on Eyewitness News that, “before we came in, the majority of the items, 85 to 90 percent of the items, were gone.”

“Most of our regional stores were empty. Some records of some regional stores, for instance in the Brong Ahafo Region and I think the Northern region, showed that some items were even auctioned.”

It is for this reason that NADMO has begun a forensic audit of the staff and will soon move onto the financials and how the relief items stock had been managed.

Mr. Ramadan even noted that the organisation’s responsiveness was even compromised by the state of affairs.

“A lot of things went on in the past and it NADMO was run as if it was somebody’s private property or private business. It wasn’t run properly as a proper state institution where you will come and meet records.”

“Even in two of our main warehouses, we didn’t come to meet much. We met a little, but not too much to be able to absorb the pressure should there have been a national disaster. What we had in stock would not have been enough to withstand.”

Unusual debt stock

Mr. Ramadan also shed some more light on NADMO’s debt stock “which was incurred over the last 14 months, which is unusual of NADMO’s records.”

According to him, payment to suppliers came within, at most, six months.

“Maximum, after six months, you should be paid, at worst. We do 90-day credits and it should be a maximum of six months [within which suppliers are paid]. But this time around, its been 14 months of debt still sitting on our books.

He revealed that this debt had accumulated over the years, particular “in 2016, an election year, where most of it was accumulated.”

“Initially it was some GHc 34 million. Later on, we found some extra GHc 2 million debt somewhere and it has been piling up since,” Mr. Ramadan added.

Things are however improving at NADMO as it consolidates its figures and government has made some efforts and “release a little to be paid to cushion our suppliers a little bit and we are hoping that within the coming days or weeks, they will finish paying all the debt,” the Deputy-Director said.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post NADMO relief stock was auctioned under NDC – Abu Ramadan appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

He argued that it was a right decision because the PNC’s electoral fortunes had dwindled drastically over the years.

[contextly_sidebar id=”g3vfVkLHPu4F8Sgn6hdLLKYfd6Oh2Nye”]Mr. Ramadan announced his defection to the NPP prior to the December 7, 2016 general elections.

He has currently been honoured with a deputy position at the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) in the Akufo-Addo’s government.

Speaking on the Point Blank segment on Eyewitness News on Friday, Mr. Ramadan insisted that he did not make a wrong decision.

“The problem was that at that time the PNC had lost traction on the ground. Until today the fortunes of the party keeps dwindling by the day and it looks as if any other day I look at the party again and I always tell myself I made the right decision, leaving at that time moving to a more formidable party to enhance by political career,” he added.

“I’m not a medical doctor or a lawyer; I’m a politician by career so I had to select where best would shoot my career as a politician. And I felt my home was with the NPP and Nana Addo being my biggest inspiration to want to ever be in NPP and he being the frontrunner to be president, I think I didn’t make a wrong decision.”

When asked why he did not join the then governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) instead of the NPP which was in opposition at the time, Mr. Ramadan explained that his ideals and values “are at variance with the NDC” hence his choice.

“The NPP presented a more people friendly policies…and at that time the NDC was so unattractive and still unattractive to up thinking and moral upright people because of the issue of corruption, they way and manner the government was run, the way and manner they didn’t care about the plight of the people moved me closer to the NPP than it should have taken to the NDC,” he added.

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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post Leaving PNC was the right decision – Abu Ramadan appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to him, Akufo-Addo was his source of inspiration hence when it came to deciding which party to join after realizing that the PNC’s electoral fortunes had dwindled, he had no qualms choosing the NPP.

Mr. Ramadan who was a former National Youth Organiser of the PNC joined the NPP prior to the December 7, 2016 general elections.

[contextly_sidebar id=”TCuqeMQF54ugxirkTzshMmbikHugKNg5″]He has currently been honoured with a deputy position at the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) in the Akufo-Addo’s government.

Speaking on the Point Blank segment on Eyewitness News on Friday, Mr. Ramadan insisted that he did not make a wrong decision by joining the NPP.

“I’m not a medical doctor or a lawyer; I’m a politician by career so I had to select where best would shoot my career as a politician. And I felt my home was with the NPP and Nana Addo being my biggest inspiration to want to ever be in NPP and he being the frontrunner to be president, I think I didn’t make a wrong decision.”

Leaving PNC was right decision

He also argued that he took the decision because he doubted if PNC could ever win power.

“The problem was that at that time the PNC had lost traction on the ground. Until today the fortunes of the party keeps dwindling by the day and it looks as if any other day I look at the party again and I always tell myself I made the right decision, leaving at that time moving to a more formidable party to enhance by political career,” he added.

When asked why he did not join the then governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) instead of the NPP which was in opposition at the time, Mr. Ramadan explained that his ideals and values “are at variance with the NDC” hence his choice.

“The NPP presented a more people friendly policies…and at that time the NDC was so unattractive and still unattractive to up thinking and moral upright people because of the issue of corruption, they way and manner the government was run, the way and manner they didn’t care about the plight of the people moved me closer to the NPP than it should have taken to the NDC,” he added.

–

By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post Akufo-Addo inspired me to join NPP – Abu Ramadan appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

They include, Deputy-General in charge of Operations, Deputy in charge of Finance and Administration, Deputy Technical, Deputy Monitoring, Evaluation and Transport and a Deputy in charge of Protocol and Relief and Reconstruction.

This was revealed by one of his deputies, Abu Ramadan who crossed carpet from the People’s National Convention (PNC) to the New Patriotic Party during the run-up to the 2016 general elections.

[contextly_sidebar id=”RWEpQ4gx7eTOvJhuRU1XPYhyQm4EUV2L”]Mr. Ramadan is currently the Deputy-General of NADMO in charge of Operations.

Speaking on the Point Blank segment of Eyewitness News on Friday, Abu Ramadan rejected claims that the five deputies will put pressure on the public purse.

“The five deputies won’t make a difference neither will it change anything,” he argued.

110 Ministers

This comes on the back of a wave of bashing President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has received for appointing a total of 110 Ministers and their deputies.

Many Ghanaians have complained that the supposed elephant sized Akufo-Addo’s government will over burden the national purse but government officials have refuted such claims saying it is in the interest of the country.

Mr. Ramadan also said he has not received an official vehicle adding that he uses his personal car.

“We don’t have official cars. I don’t have an official driver, I pay my own driver,” Abu Ramadan explained but affirmed that “I have an office [at NADMO].”

He also argued the need for the many deputy roles saying they play diverse roles at NADMO.

“NADMO as we speak today, our staff is a little under 7,000. The job of NADMO is so enormous that it can’t be put in the hands of a single person. Under NADMO alone we have more than 23 different units that work under NADMO. Anything you think of so long as it’s disaster we have a unit in NADMO that takes care of it.”

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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post NADMO boss has 5 deputies – Abu Ramadan reveals appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Speaking to Citi News’ Norbert Akpabli on the sidelines of a public forum to ensure credible general elections in the Volta Region, Mr. Ramadan asked Ghanaians to devise strategic means to police the ballot boxes during the general elections.

He said the only way to ensure a more credible election is for electorate to be vigilant at the polling stations and make sure that the right processes are adhered to.

He further indicated that it will be unnecessary for Ghanaians to drag the EC to court over the credibility of the voters’ register at this crucial time when the country is preparing for the polls.

“Looking at time, 62 days to election, how long can you drag a case before court before making your point for judges to give judgement before elections?”

“I am looking at the Commission doing the right thing so that on the day of special voting ,we would know the results.We should not have the tradition when the ballot boxes are carried and kept somewhere supposedly and after one week they bring the ballot boxes and come and say this is special voting so we have opened the ballot box and we are now going to count,”he said.

Abu Ramadan who earlier sued the Electoral Commission (EC) over the credibility of the voters’ register said though he intends suing the EC over its reforms, he will go back to court after the polls.

“As for court issues we have not finished. We will come back to court issues after the general election and challenge the cases that have to be challenged but for now let us concentrate on the ballot and how we will police the ballot.We will come back to court after this issue.”

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah

The post ‘Police ballot boxes during polls’ – Abu Ramadan to Ghanaians appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.