In an Eyewitness News interview, Mr. Oppong Nkrumah asserted that Ghanaians were well aware of the change they desired when they decided to vote out the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Mr. Mahama, speaking at the World Economic Forum in Durban, South Africa on Thursday, said he was honest with Ghanaians about the state of the economy in the run-up to the 2016 elections, but Ghanaians were instead drawn to Nana Akufo-Addo’s rosy promises of heavenly economic prosperity which had no economic basis.

The former President also spoke of what he called an incumbency disadvantage as he reflected on the reasons for his defeat.

But Mr. Oppong Nkrumah downplayed the former President’s assessment, noting that the NDC had the most resources at its disposal.

“When a government is in power, everybody knows in the world over that you have what we call incumbency advantage. That advantage is borne out of the fact that you are in charge of resources for you to deliver on what the people want.”

“People also vote on what they feel and your advantage comes from your ability to be present and deliver for people to be feeling what you are doing in their pockets and in their lives. People vote on what they feel and what they see and not because of exactly what you tell them,” Mr. Oppong Nkrumah retorted.

He further held that Ghanaians were discerning and well aware of their economic situation which ultimately influenced them leading up to the election.

“People don’t need to be told whether their conditions are better off or not. People don’t need to be told what government is doing for them. People see it, people feel it so when the people see it and feel it and make a choice, and you suggest that these people were deceived and didn’t know what government was doing for them because there wasn’t clarity of communication channels to communicate to them, I think that in itself was evidence that the then president wasn’t able to deliver on what the people want.”

Nana Addo’s vision wasn’t dishonest

Mr. Oppong Nkrumah also explained that, the promises the NPP made were anchored on key indicators that were available in a budget statement, like the annual growth rate, the annual debt numbers and the annual deficit.

“We looked at those figures, the same numbers that the former administration was looking at, and it was based on those same numbers that we said; we can do X, Y, Z. Our promises were not put out there without recourse to what the situation was, we knew because those numbers were available to everybody.”

“When it comes to visions, you cannot say this vision is honest or this vision is dishonest. A vision is a balance between audacity and ability,” the minister noted.

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

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According to him, the party has lost so much credibility such that, it would be surprising for it to qualify for the 2020 general elections.

[contextly_sidebar id=”aF7F4TWZNBTUvVsOlsKOLuwMkaxEjHKJ”]The membership of Eric Tano was revoked by the party’s Central Committee on grounds that he did not vote for the party’s Presidential candidate, Ivor Greenstreet in the 2016 elections.

He also allegedly accused the chairman of the party, Prof. Edmund Delle, of bribing some leaders of the party to victimize persons who speak against wrongdoings within the party.

“What makes the CPP’s issue very stinky is the fact that, those who are not following the constitution and those who have been bought; most of the regional chairmen and the Central Committee members have been bought by Prof. Delle and so they are going all out to as it were expel or humiliate people who are standing for the truth,” he said.

He added that, “As it stands now, under the leadership of Prof. Delle, there is no Convention People’s Party. It is a collapsed party. We have been ridiculed. The chairman’s action since he came into office by suspending and sacking people who have toiled for the party since 2008, so they are trying to push out well meaning people out of the party and then run their own show through corrupt practices. The evidence is clear. They should go and print the party’s account as to whether all the monies used for the campaign. In 2020, if the Electoral Commission certifies this particular party to contest, I’ll be very shocked.”

The Convention People’s Party (CPP), has in the last few decades failed to make significant impact on Ghana’s political terrain following the death of its founder and first president of Ghana, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.

The party’s performance in the last two elections have been abysmal with many blaming its chairman and 2016 flagbearer, Dr. Kobina Ivor Greenstreet for the outcome, having allegedly done the bidding of a bigger political party.

But a member of the party, James Kwabena Bomfeh, denied the claims, saying the party is still a formidable political force.

Meanwhile, the party is considering a proposal for merger with the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), which was founded by Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom; a break-away member of the party and former flagbearer, with the hope of boosting its chances in subsequent elections.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @jnyabor

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According to him, the concerns of the members must be accepted in good fate to help the party strategize for the next elections.

The National Organizer on the NDC, Kofi Adams, earlier last week called on party members not to express publicly comment on what may have led to the party’s defeat, but resort to the special fact-finding committee by Prof. Kwesi Botchwey, set up to establish the cause of the defeat.

But speaking on The Big Issue, Mr. Kukubor said, it was understandable that some members are resorting to the media to vent and  blame some individuals within the party and that they must be allowed to do so to enable the fact-finding-committee get useful information.

“I will humbly plead that the executives rather listen more than talk because people are not happy on the ground, people are frustrated because we’ve gone into opposition.. about 3 months. Emotionally some are yet to settle and accept the fact that we are in opposition. This is the time that I will plead with the national executives that they should listen more and talk less,” he said.

He applauded the national executives for the decision to allow a committee investigate its loss.

“I believe the best option we have put in place is that the committee trek the country and gather the information scientifically because we might all know the reason why the party lost, but the only way we can come up with proper planning and action plan to win in 2020 is when we gather that information in a scientific manner,” he said.

In spite of the existence of the committee some members of the party been pointing accusing fingers at others members as being responsible for the party’s loss.

The NDC Member of Parliament for Yunyoo in the Northern Region, Joseph Bipoba Naabu, recently blamed former President John Mahama for their electoral defeat.

According to him, the former President surrounded himself with inexperienced people who misled him.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @jnyabor

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Prior to the party’s plans to hold a Congress in 2018 to elect a flagbearer, the group, United NDC, has accused Kofi Adams of openly declaring support for the re-election of the former President John Dramani Mahama as the best candidate to lead the party.

[contextly_sidebar id=”EMMKMjuOl89CCDfbG7jl3DyRHRSCk9dO”]The group described this as unfortunate from a national executive member, as this could create further divisions in the party, considering that party members are yet to recover from the troubles of their recent electoral defeat.

“It is on record that, the party has a 13-man committee led by Professor Kwesi Botchwey, with a mandate to determine and report same, as to the reasons for the landslide defeat of the party in the last elections. With the committee’s work in progress, it is unclear why the haste by Mr. Kofi Adams to move from one media house to the other, trying to force a candidate on the NDC,” they stated.

They believe that, to ensure fairness, the National Organizer must play a role of a neutral arbitrator and rather than taking sides.

“We wish to put on record that, his position on the fact that Mr. John Dramani Mahama is the best candidate for the NDC in 2020, is not only premature but divisive. As a national organizer of our party, we wish to remind him of his role as a leader and must remain as neutral as possible till the party elects a new leader at congress, at a later date to be determined by the same body of which he is part,” the statement added.

The Convener of the group, Nii Eric Lamptey, further advised Kofi Adams to concentrate on his mandate as a party executive and called on the party leadership to call Kofi Adams to order.

“We also call on the National Chairman, his team and the National Council of Elders to issue a statement calling on Mr. Kofi Adams, as a matter of urgency, to desist from such utterances, as his current posture is a threat to the rebuilding process and a strong NDC for 2020.”

Some NDC MPs including Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and Ras Mubarak who served under the former President, have all endorsed him for 2020, although the family of the former President has stated that he will not contest the polls in 2020.

Calls for Mahama 2020 premature – Yileh Chireh

The Wa West Member of Parliament in the Upper West Region, Joseph Yileh Chireh, has also described calls for the immediate past President, John Dramani Mahama, to lead the National Democratic Congress (NDC), in the 2020 elections as “premature and undemocratic.”

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By: King Nobert Akpablie/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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As the Dr. Kwesi Botchwey-led committee aimed at diagnosing the party’s loss in the December 2016 elections continues its work, there have been allegations of the misappropriation of campaign funds with some saying Mr. Mahama hijacked campaign funds and marginalized the party.

[contextly_sidebar id=”lVjgn21DgTV2ZPMmeNAudM0hq5zVpSN3″]But the Sagnarigu MP, speaking on the Eyewitness News’ Point Blank segment, rubbished such claims.

“I don’t think that anybody would say that the President marginalized anybody from the campaign. How would anybody say he marginalized the party when the General Secretary was the leader of the campaign team. Kofi Adams was the Campaign Coordinator and important segments of the party were involved in the campaign.”

“How are you running a campaign and not having access to resources? How can you be living by the river and wash your hands with spittle?” Alhaji A.B.A Fuseini quizzed.

He further suggested that, some of these unfair allegations were borne out of frustration at the party’s loss in the election.

“To lay it at the doorsteps of President [Mahama] and say that he deliberately marginalized anybody and kept resources from people is not a fair thing to say now. It is just because we lost power and people can come out with all these rationalizations.”

Mr. John Mahama is convinced the NDC will “bounce back in 2020, and has said members of the party must help to strengthen the party’s base to ensure that it returns to power, a point Alhaji A.B.A Fuseini agrees with.

“If the NDC is able to put its act together and were able to reorganize, I can tell you the machinery that we will have in 2020 will be a formidable one that will catapult us back into power,” the MP said.

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

The post Mahama didn’t sideline NDC campaign team – A.B.A Fuseini appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The Commission and its Chairperson were in the spotlight prior to Ghana’s seventh successive election, but not much work is expected of them now that the election is over.

But the Chairperson of the Commission, Charlotte Osei, explained that the Commission will now have to contend with the normal day to day issues that confront any organisation.

[contextly_sidebar id=”nY4hdreyTzan8A2fckTmyBF0jkOiZ9Ui”]In an interview with Citi News’ Felicia Osei on the sidelines of an International Women’s Day event in Accra, Mrs. Osei said “We [the EC] don’t work only every four years [during general elections]. In between time we have District Assembly elections. We are mandated by law to do elections for a lot of statutory bodies. We just did the Council of State elections. We work for a lot for the associations… it is not as if we go on recess for four years.”

In the short-term, she noted that a number of the staff are dealing with evaluation and documentation of the results of the 2016 general election.

“Between the elections, you have staff to manage, you have skills to improve, and when we finish an election we don’t just back up the ballot boxes. So far this year, we have done reviews at all the regions to find out what the challenges were, what we did right, what we didn’t do so well, what we can learn from the previous elections so we can improve on the next elections.”

The Commission launched a five-year strategic plan, as part of efforts to re-brand the electoral body, and Mrs. Osei said the EC will focus on realizing this plan.

“We have a five-year plan we are still implementing. There are certain areas of our institution we need to strengthen. We need to look at the way we structure the business and how we can make sure IT enables even better and more effective elections. We are also looking at cost in terms of running our institutions.”

“There are all sorts of internal issues we have to look at and improve on what we have been doing and also prepare for the next set of elections to make sure they are even better than the last one,” she added.

Mrs. Osei disclosed that the documents pertaining to the review of the elections, which she said are in demand by Electoral Commissions of other countries, will be made available  soon on the Commission’s website.

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

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Mr. Ablakwa, a former deputy Education Minister believes government would have shortchanged Ghanaians if it fails to implement the Free SHS policy across the board for fresh and continuing students.

[contextly_sidebar id=”9gjus9nlpPxUwP5PjgQzQ5zveO2Lce1f”]According to him, government, from recent indications intends to roll out the policy with students entering high school at the start of the 2017/18 academic year; a move which he says is at variance with the manifesto promise of the NPP.

President Nana Akufo-Addo himself noted that government would fund the free SHS for all those who qualify for entry from the 2017/2018 academic year onwards.

But speaking to the press, Mr. Ablakwa noted that, “even as recently as 11^th February, you [governent] said all students in SHS. That is why you were voted for; because you know most of the SHS students are 18 years and above so they were looking forward to the free SHS and voted for you but now you are backtracking.”

Thus, Mr. Ablakwa warned that the Minority in Parliament will resist any attempt by government to sideline continuing students in the implementation of the free SHS policy.

“That is why we are stating clearly today that we would hold him accountable to his promises,” the MP said.

Under the free SHS policy, beneficiaries will not have to pay admission fees, library fees, science centre fees, no computer lab fees, no examination fees and no utility fees, President Akufo-Addo has said.

He also assured that there will be free textbooks, free boarding facilities and free meals for boarders whilst day students will get a meal at school for free.

The free SHS policy will also cover agricultural, vocational and technical institutions at the high school level.

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

The post Continuing students must benefit from free SHS – Ablakwa appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The constitution’s clause 276, states that chiefs shall not take part in active politics, and that any chief wishing to engage in politics could only do so after abdicating his stool or skin.

[contextly_sidebar id=”5huV4PYIq4xeCijh5fVHHUJqRBuZ7dkR”]But the 2016 election campaign saw numerous chiefs endorse some political parties and their flagbearers.

Describing the situation as unfortunate, Mr. Dzamesi said he would start a royal college to explain some of these constitutional directives to the chiefs.

“What we need to do is actually educate some of the chiefs so it is my intention that if I become the minister, I will start a royal college that will give the opportunity to the chiefs to understand some of the laws of this country and adhere to them.”

Mr. Dzamesi also referenced the National House of Chiefs’ Code of Royal Ethics for Chiefs; written by the immediate past National House of Chiefs President, by Professor John S. Nabila, the Wurugu Naba Pusansoa.

He said he would ensure every chief is acquainted with the code of ethics so they can observe them.

“If I become the minister, I will make sure that every chief in this country gets hold of this code of ethics. It is so well written that if you are chief and you read this book and you adhere to all the points, you will be one of the best chiefs. So these are some of the things I will do.”

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

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In a statement copied to citifmonline.com, Mr. Mensah said he was not behind the circulation of such posters and urged the media and the public to ignore them.

“My attention has been drawn to a poster in circulation announcing my interest in contesting the next Presidential Primaries of the National Democratic Congress (NDC). I wish to place on record that I have neither circulated nor caused to be circulated any such poster announcing my intentions.”

The posters, which bear Mr. Mensah’s photo has the inscription, “Sylvester Mensah, our hope for years to come” and “Our Choice for President, 2020.”

The posters also indicate that they were sponsored by a group calling itself; Believers in Sly.

Find below Mr. Mensah’s full statement

My attention has been drawn to a poster in circulation announcing my interest in contesting the next Presidential Primaries of the National Democrat Congress (NDC).

I wish to place on record that I have neither circulated nor caused to be circulated any such poster announcing my intentions.

I am persuaded that our attention as NDC for the moment should be focused on understanding why we lost the 2016 general elections, rebuilding our party, strengthening the grassroots and restoring hope and confidence in our membership.

I advise party members, the media, and the general public to ignore the poster/resume and remain steadfast and united for the task ahead in the coming years.

Signed: Sylvester Mensah

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

The post Ignore NDC Flagbearership posters attributed to me – Sylvester Mensah appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The other high point of the unique ‘global system for mobile communication balloting system’ is that it has the capability of preventing multiple voting.

The University’s 2015 Research Report said it was its contribution to the nation’s effort to remove the deficiencies – to ensure efficient and fair election processes.

The system, it indicated, was pioneered by a team of researchers at the Department of Physics, led by Dr. Reuben Yao Tamakloe, a Senior Lecturer.

The report described it as an automated, transparent and cost-effective voting system that could replace the traditional ballot paper system.

It pointed out that the current wide availability of broadband internet, smart phones and tablets presented an opportunity to improve elections in the country.

Under the system, which is meant to capitalize on the significant increase in mobile phone usage – put at 116 per cent of the population, votes from the electorate would be received via text messages.

The report said it “has the capability of significantly reducing the occurrence of invalid votes and multiple voting as well as enabling the immediate display of election results”.

It added that another important feature of the system was that “only one vote is recorded even if a voter texts more than once”.

The expectation is that the system would tremendously enhance the voting system and the credibility of the outcome of elections in the country.

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Source: GNA

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