Mr. Amissah Arthur, who served with John Mahama from 2012 when the latter had to take up the Presidency post following the demise of President Evans Atta-Mills, euologized Mahama for his commitment to the transformation of Ghana.

In a Facebook post on Saturday, January 7, ahead of the swearing in of President-elect Nana Akufo-Addo, Mr. Amissah-Arthur  said, “it was brilliant working with him [Mahama].

Amissah-Arthur was until his service as Vice President, the Governor of the Bank of Ghana.

John Mahama and Kwesi Amissah Arthur were unanimously declared as the National Democratic Congress’ duo to contest for the December 2016 presidential elections.

They lost the elections to 3-time contestant and flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party, Nana Akufo-Addo and his running mate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumiah.

Mahama polled 44.4% of the valid votes cast, while Akufo-Addo polled 53.8% votes, representing a resounding victory for the NPP candidate, who set the record of being the first to unseat an incumbent President in a democratic election in Ghana’s history.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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The post I’m grateful to Mahama for opportunity to serve – Amissah Arthur appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) leader will take over from the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, who served just one term.

[contextly_sidebar id=”md3QF0mCoqsT8s1FEuNbEnhSVFfOiwMz”]Akufo-Addo thwarted John Mahama’s plan of serving a second term by beating him in the election by securing about 53.85% of the total valid votes cast, against Mahama’s 44.4%.

Akufo-Addo’s victory was described as historic in many ways, as it was the first time a sitting President was beaten in an election, and also the first time a total vote difference of more than 1 million was recorded, between the winner and his closest opponent in an election in Ghana.

Many analysts who sought to explain Akufo-Addo’s victory attributed it to factors that include the general trend of public disaffection for sitting governments that have served 8 years in government, impunity and the perception of massive corruption in the NDC government among other things.

72-year-old Akufo-Addo, a lawyer, had earlier made two unsuccessful attempts at the presidency.

He contested the NDC’s John Evans Atta-Mills in 2008 but lost. He again failed on his second attempt in 2012 against the NDC’s candidate John Mahama.

The NPP’s conviction that the NDC rigged the election forced it to file a motion at the Supreme Court to challenge the results of the elections.

An 8-month-long legal tussle over the matter, eventually saw the Supreme Court upholding the election results declared by the Electoral Commission in favour of the NDC.

This however led to some reforms in Ghana’s electoral laws.

While on the campaign trail for the 2016 elections, Nana Addo announced policies that include setting up a factory in every district, building a dam in every village of the three Northern Regions, and providing a Ghc 1million development fund for every constituency, as some of the things he will do when he comes to power.

He also pledged to reintroduce the payment of monthly allowance to nursing and teacher trainees in the country – something the NDC government stopped doing because it said it wanted to invest the money into educational infrastructure to enable it admit more trainees.

Although Akufo-Addo has not explicitly given timelines to his pledges and policies, most Ghanaians are highly expectant of moves to implement them especially in his first year.

Akufo-Addo names administrative staff, ministers

Ahead of his swearing-in Akufo-Addo had named some 12 individuals who will serve as his administrative staff. They included Mrs Frema Osei-Opare as Chief of Staff, Samuel Abu Jinapor and Francis Asenso-Okyere as deputies.

The staff included security, communication and protocol officers.

He also made some ministerial appointments.

‘Akufo-Addo’s salary and entitlements’

Coming into office, Akufo-Addo will benefit from a recently approved GH¢22,809 monthly salary for sitting Presidents.

He is entitled to quality and free medical care and will be offered state security and protection.

‘About Akufo-Addo’

Akufo-Addo is the son of a former President of Ghana, Edward Akufo-Addo (ceremonial 1969 – 1972).  He was born in Accra some seventy-two years ago at Nima, a suburb of Accra.

He grew in a political family having J. B. Danquah is his grand-uncle, William Ofori-Atta, his uncle and his father, the third Chief Justice of Ghana as key political figures in Ghana’s history.

He started his education at the Government Boys School, Adabraka – Accra, and later at the Rowe Road School, now known as Kinbu Secondary Technical School also in Accra.

He proceeded to England for his O and A level education before returning to Ghana in 1962.

He served as a teacher at Accra Academy Secondary School for about a year before proceeding to the University of Ghana, Legon to read Economics in 1964.

Nana Akufo-Addo proceeded to study law in the United Kingdom and was subsequently called to the English and Ghanaian Bar in 1971 and 1975 respectively. Before then, he had relocated to France where he practised law for about five years.

In 1975, he returned to Ghana to pursue his legal career with a private firm before co-founding a law firm; Akufo-Addo, Prempeh & Co. He is named in Ghana’s history as championing the cause of human rights, rule of law and justice in the country in the 1980s.

Akufo Addo entered mainstream politics serving as the General Secretary of the People’s Movement for Freedom and Justice (PMFJ) that sought to champion the freedom and rights of Ghanaians.

He is credited with working to restore multiparty democratic rule in Ghana in 1979 through a campaign against a referendum for a one-party military-led State.

In 1991, he was the chairman of the Organising Committee of the Danquah-Busia Memorial Club; dedicated to the preservation of the memory and ideals of the two great advocates of Ghanaian democracy, J. B. Danquah and K.A. Busia, Prime Minister of the Progress Party government of the 2nd Republic of Ghana.

From 1996 to 2008, he served as the Member of Parliament for the Abuakwa South Constituency of the Eastern Region.

Nana Akufo-Addo himself, aged 72, has already served Ghana as the Attorney General and then as Foreign Minister in the John Kufuor-led NPP government from 2000 to 2008.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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The post #GhInaug: Nana Addo to be sworn in as President today appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

A statement issued by the service on Wednesday, said the temporary closure will be effected from 4:00am on 7^th January 2017, till after the event.

The roads to be closed include the Castle Road from AU Circle, Starlets 91 Road from the Ministries Traffic Light, Lokko Street around the Osu Cemetery Traffic light and the 28^th February Road at CEPS Headquarters Traffic Light and Salem Avenue Traffic Light.

The Police said in view of the closures, arrangements have been made for motorists attending the swearing-in ceremony to park their cars at designated venues several meters away from the Independence Square where the President-elect will be sworn-in.

 The statement said, the following areas have been earmarked for car parking at the event:

– The forecourt of the State House

– The International Conference Centre

– The Accra Sports Stadium Car Park,

– The Ministries Area

– Afua Sutherland Children’s Park

– The National Theatre

– Accra Hearts of Oak Park

Motorists are requested to note the following:

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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The post Police announce closure of roads ahead of Akufo-Addo’s swearing-in appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The Presidential transition team revealed this at a press briefing today, on [Tuesday], to provide updates on its work ahead of the swearing-in ceremony.

According to the Spokesperson of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) side of the Transition team, Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah, access to the various areas of the Independent Square will be highly restricted to a few people with the required accreditation.

He said the security will be on high-alert to avert any unfortunate incident.

“Our friends with National Security and the various security agencies are providing us with about 5,000 men and women drawn from the security agencies; military, police, national security etc. Access to the various circles will be strictly on accreditation basis and we ask people who are coming in to expect some form of screening in the light of the times that we find ourselves in, and to kindly cooperate with the security agencies during these exercises.”

He said some major streets will be blocked ahead of the start of the event, and parking restricted to some specific persons at designated areas including the Parliament House and the Efua Sutherland Children’s Park.

‘Media arrangements’

Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah said a media center will be provided at the Independence Square, venue for the inauguration ceremony, to accommodate all media houses.

He noted that, a central audio and video outlet will be provided to enable the various media houses pick their feed and broadcast to the public.

He said media photographers with the necessary accreditation will be granted access to the inner perimeter where they can take photos.

‘Preparations underway ahead of official event’

Meanwhile, Citi News‘ Philip Nii Lartey says preparations are underway at the Independence Square to set up the place for the event on Saturday.

Some artisans were spotted at the venue mounting the stages and canopies, replacing worn-out property, and painting among other cleaning services.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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The post 5,000 security officers to be deployed for Nana Addo’s swearing-in appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.