Speaking to Citi News, he acknowledged the legitimacy of their concerns but said their way communicating their demands was wrong.

[contextly_sidebar id=”Qitrv3zeuz4PnZ9aT11MuocXSvTEi3sC”]During the maiden edition of the Ministry of Information and Ministry of Local Government town hall meeting held in Tema, the Invisible Forces members said they were being ridiculed for their unemployment, despite the fact that they worked to bring their party to power.

This was followed by their threat of chaos, but Mr. Glover asserted that “violence in any form must be condemned and I will not countenance on that… It is a legitimate concern they expressing but their methodology they used is what I am totally against. The party in the constituency condemns any threats.”

The MP extended an olive branch, assuring that the aggrieved members of the group will be assessed for possible employment opportunities provided by the state or the private sector.

“In this country, we have everybody and the kinds of jobs they can do depending on their background and their qualifications… so we will look at their strengths and weakness and the kind of jobs we think are good for them.”

“The economy needs to be strong. It needs to grow. Government alone cannot get them employment. The private sector can take it up and by so doing, opportunities will open for everybody.”

Mr. Glover also revealed to Citi News that the NPP leadership in the constituency and the Metropolitan Chief Executive will meet the Invisible F0rces members and try to address some of their concerns.

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By: Philip Nii Lartey/Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Invisible Forces’ threats over jobs unacceptable – Titus Glover appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The aggrieved Invisible Forces members said they are being ridiculed for their unemployment, despite the fact that they worked to bring their party to power.

[contextly_sidebar id=”mwxJypkCZ3R3pMOtcyiAgePgFIcAVWia”]They have however served notice they will vent their frustrations on Tema in a manner akin to the Delta Force’s disturbances in Kumasi if their neglect by the government does not end.

Their threats came during the maiden edition of the Ministry of Information and Ministry of Local Government town hall meeting held in Tema on Tuesday.

The spokesperson of the group said, “you promised that there are certain jobs on the way coming. We exchanged numbers with those who are supposed to employ us.  I have called them for almost two months now but nobody is ready to answer my calls.”

“Please, if they will not give us work to do, what happened at Kumasi, the same thing will happen here… We are even ashamed. Some of us, we are walking in the sun and they are laughing at us. Is that how the party is supposed to treat us?”

One of the members who spoke to Citi News, later on, said, “the youth in Tema East are very peaceful. We may be well built but we don’t want to engage in any form of lawlessness. However, we feel we have been neglected by the party – a party we worked and toiled for to ensure it won power. They have not given us jobs and are rather bringing in people to come and work.”

“At the end of the day, they say we are lazy. We are fed up with this maltreatment and if care is not taken, what happened in Kumasi will happen in Tema.”

The Invincible Forces’ concerns with jobs came to the fore just days after the NPP government came to power when about 200 men claiming affiliation to the group thronged the premises of the Golden Jubilee terminal of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority to demand some national security jobs.

The men said they were at the port to ensure they were given jobs as security guards at the Port since they had sacrificed a lot for the party.

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By: citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Tema: NPP Invincible Forces threaten chaos over jobs appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

He said on Eyewitness News that, “clearly the minister was evasive on that particular issue.”

The Chief of Kyeremankoma, where the site is located, alleged that the group evicted all tour guides after the NPP won the 2016 elections, in the weeks leading up to the March 2017 disaster which claimed 18 lives.

[contextly_sidebar id=”K4oxh1i8sVjaxFIm0sVfpbWh9MPPXQPB”]But the Minister, Catherine Afeku, stated on the floor of Parliament that the Municipal Assembly was firmly in control of the tourist site.

But Mr. Ablakwa said it was clear that “she could not tell Parliament who was manning the place. She only says vaguely that it was under the care of the municipality… She doesn’t tell us who these personnel were, who contracted them and why they lacked the requisite training and expertise to be there.”

“She could not tell us the specific names, the management company, who contracted them and who the persons there were. These are all questions that we are still asking.”

In Mr. Ablakwa’s view, the nature of the situation demanded more transparency and boldness “to expose wrongdoing if wrongdoing has happened.”

More safety audits needed

Mrs. Afeku’s conclusions on the floor were in relation to the official Safety Audit team’s report.

She has assured that the full report will be made available to Parliament, but gleaning some bits of information from what the Minister delivered, Mr. Ablakwa highlighted the fact that only six other tourists sites were being audited by a safety team.

Mr. Ablakwa remarked that the safety audits needed to be expanded to other tourist sites.

“Six struck me. There are hundreds of tourists’ sites and it is surprising that the ministry is carrying out safety audits in only six…  I think that the ministry can do more to guarantee the safety of tourists. I think that they can expand the safety audits beyond the six that they have selected.”

The sites under audit are; Fuller Falls near Kintampo, Kakum National Park in the Central Region, Wli Falls in the Volta Region, Nzulezu in the Western Region, Bunsu Aboretem in the Eastern Region and Boti Waterfalls in the Eastern Region.

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

The post Ablakwa slams Afeku over Invisible Forces’ role in Kintampo Falls disaster appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The party said it condemns the bloody attack that sought to forcibly remove the appointee from office.

A group of angry youth who are members of Delta Force, allegedly affiliated to the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), on Friday morning stormed the premises of the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council, demanding the removal of the Regional Security Coordinator, George Adjei.

They destroyed some properties in a bloody attack and forced the Security Coordinator out of his office.

The Security coordinator was however saved by the timely intervention of the police.

But according to the Ashanti Regional Secretary of the New Patriotic Party, the development required national security involvement rather than party leadership since the victim of the attack was a government appointee.

Sam Pyne told Citi News, “It is not a party matter because it is not a party appointment. The person was appointed by the president to work for the nation Ghana. He wasn’t appointed to be an NPP officer. The group that went there was not authorised by the party to do that. The national security that is supposed to deal with that matter should deal with it. I condemn that action by the group but national security should take it up.”

“I’m going to have a discussion with leaders of the group and also the Regional Security Council are going to meet on that too,” he added.

Meanwhile, the police have launched a manhunt to arrest persons who were involved in the crime.

They have also beefed at security at the National Coordinating Council to avert any further attacks.

In a related development, the former Minister for Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Nana Oye Lithur has called on President Akufo-Addo to as a matter of urgency work to end the unlawful activities of vigilante groups in the country.

According her, the activities of the groups in the country leaves dire national security implications on the country thus, must not be tolerated.

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

The post We didn’t sanction Delta Force attack – Ashanti NPP appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

“As a party, we believe the disaster that claimed about 20 lives, mostly students of Wenchi Methodist Senior High School, and left many others injured could have been avoided if the nation’s leadership had a firm grip on the affairs of state and institutions,” the party said in a statement.

About 19 students died on Sunday when a tree fell on them when they were swimming in the pond underneath the waterfall amidst a rainstorm.

[contextly_sidebar id=”P7stLFzKIJL9WyE4P2bqP2af6a7SVx7F”]The Chief of Kyeremankoma, Nana Effah Guarkuro after the incident lamented that the original tour guides at the place were sacked by some persons believed to be supporters of the NPP weeks before the tragic incident.

The party has thus challenged the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government to bring persons who allegedly took over the administration of the waterfalls without prior authorization to book.

“…It has turned out that the invincible forces had seized the falls and sacked the professionals who were managing the facility following the regime change in the December 2016 elections. If the sacked professionals were in charge of the facility, they would have been charged for negligence of duty,” the PPP added in a statement signed by its Communication Director, Paa Kow Ackon.

The PPP in the statement further said “we want the NPP led government to show leadership by bringing the managers of the facility to book for their negligence.”

Arrest and prosecute them

The Bureau of Public Safety (BPS) had earlier called for the arrest and prosecution of the alleged NPP supporters who forcefully took over the management of the Kintampo Waterfalls.

Below is the full statement from PPP:

PPP SYMPATHIZES WITH FAMILIES OF KINTAMPO WATERFALL DISASTER

The Progressive People’s Party is saddened by the loss of innocent lives at the Kintampo waterfalls in the Brong Ahafo region and wishes to extend its condolences to the affected families.

As a party, we believe the disaster that claimed about 20 lives, mostly students of Wenchi Methodist Senior High School, and left many others injured could have been avoided if the nation’s leadership had a firm grip on the affairs of state and institutions.

We are aware that the group “Invincible Forces”, is an informal organization within the ruling NPP administration. Many intra and inter party disturbances have been traced to the door steps of this informal group.

Their involvement in the seizure of state vehicles, public installations such as toll booths, public toilets, markets, lorry parks, district assemblies, health insurance offices, passport office etc, are well known.

The NPP’s Acting National Chairman and Deputy General Secretary have been key supporters of the invincible forces. They have openly defended some of their condemnable actions. But unfortunately, last Sunday, disaster struck at the Kintampo Water Falls.

It has turned out that the invincible forces had seized the falls and sacked the professionals who were managing the facility following the regime change in the December 2016 elections.

If the sacked professionals were in charge of the facility, they would have been charged for negligence of duty.

Now that it has been confirmed that the Invincible Forces were in charge and have actually been paying proceeds of their operations to the Vice Chairman of the NPP in the Brong Ahafo region, who will the state hold responsible for the tragedy?

Will the NPP leadership be rule of law compliant enough to let the law deal with their lawless informal invisible forces? We believe leadership is cause, and everything else is the effect. To that end, we want the NPP led government to show leadership by bringing the managers of the facility to book for their negligence.

Anything short of this will send the wrong signals and confirm abundant suspicion that leadership is lacking in our national affairs.

SIGNED
Paa Kow Ackon
Communication Director

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By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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The post Kintampo Waterfalls accident could’ve been avoided – PPP appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The NDC in a statement signed by its General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, said this will confirm the president’s commitment to address the violence and lawlessness carried out by some political party groups.

President Akufo-Addo, while delivering his maiden State of the Nation Address before Parliament on Tuesday, February 21, 2017, condemned the spate of violent attacks that occurred during the country’s transition period earlier this year.

He said, such “undignified” acts must not be allowed to continue in the country.

“Wrong doing has no political colour, and I do not subscribe to the lawlessness of political party supporters simply because their party has been elected to office… I condemn all such conducts and call on all political parties especially the New Patriotic Party and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to ensure that this is the last time such undignified acts occur during our periods of transition,” he said.

But the NDC’s statement said the president’s call was belated, although a welcoming news.

“This call, though belated, is welcome news for the NDC and indeed all peace-loving Ghanaians.

“In our last two press conferences, we had cause to demand from Nana Akuffo-Addo; a swift call to stop his lawless Invisible Forces from engaging in their beastly and barbaric acts.”

“Our calls went unheeded and the brigandry of the Invisible Forces resulted in injuries, destruction of property, and the loss of precious lives.”

“The inability of the security forces to protect lives and property compelled us to ask our members to employ the first law of nature, which is, self-defense: as the only way of fending off the fiendish attacks of the Nana Akufo-Addo’s Invisible Forces.”

The statement continued that “we intend to view this belated call by president Nana as a genuine effort on his part to rein-in the rampaging and marauding members of his party, and it is our expectation that his gesture will restore the peace Ghanaians enjoyed under the NDC.”

It added that, the NDC hoped that the President “is not only paying lip service to his call for the IGP, Asante-Apeatu and his men to crack the whip and deal mercilessly with all forms of lawlessness.”

The NDC also said in the light of the President’s comments on the subject, it has called off a demonstration of its Youth Wing over attacks from NPP scheduled for February 24, as a sign of good faith.

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

The post Disband invisible forces – NDC tells Akufo-Addo appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.