Robert Jackson disclosed this when he paid a courtesy call on the Upper East Regional Minister, Rockson Bukhari in Bolgatanga.

“We are also working with Northern Electricity Distribution Company(NEDco) on the energy situation, although NEDco has been doing well, we will invest about six million dollars in NEDco over the next few years, to see how that investment will work and how it will impact that region,” he said.

[contextly_sidebar id=”K4Qr60SQ5kfYcJSEXvRglXFfIFsQqnS7″]This package is to enhance the operations of the Northern Electricity Distribution Company(NEDco), to make the provision of electricity more efficient and diversified in Northern Ghana.

The Ambassador also added that, the US government is also supporting the retooling of Ghana’s security agencies in readiness to combat terrorism.

There was a total blackout in the Tamale Metropolis in the latter part of 2017, following an inferno that gutted 11 panels of the VRA/NEDco substation at Choggu Hilltop.

NEDco-VRA at the time also served notice that the company is on the verge of collapse largely due to power theft.

The company’s Corporate Communications Director, Maxwell Kotoka, brought this to the fore at a news conference in Tamale where he disclosed that 45 percent of power theft was recorded in the Tamale area.

Stealing of power has become an established practice in the Northern Region for which reason authorities of the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDco), have served notice to install prepaid meters for all its customers.

Records showed that, as of April to June 2014 ending, NEDco lost eight GHC800, 000 as a result of illegal connections and non-payment of electricity bills in the Tamale Metro area alone.

NEDco’s Director of Services, David Adomako-Mensah at a media briefing in Tamale, disclosed that 426 illegal power thieves were arrested for various offences.

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By: Farida Yusif&Fred Awuni/Citifmonline.com/Ghana

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Presenting the award, the US Ambassador to Ghana, Robert P. Jackson affirmed that “Charlotte Osei epitomizes the phrase, woman of courage.”

Mr. Jackson in his speech praised Charlotte Osei for her bravery before, during and after the 2016 general elections.

In her acceptance speech, Charlotte Osei said “I owe my courage to the resilient women of Ghana, who are working daily to overcome male chauvinism and patriarchy in all its forms from the micro to the macro level of our society.”

“I am inspired daily by their refusal to accept the status quo, and to dare to make a difference,” she added.

Below is Charlotte Osei’s full acceptance speech:

WOMAN OF COURAGE AWARD ACCEPTANCE SPEECH BY MRS. CHARLOTTE OSEI, CHAIR, ELECTORAL COMMISSION

US AMBASSADOR’S RESIDENCE, ACCRA
AUGUST 22, 2017

Your Excellency Robert P. Jackson, Ambassador of the United States to Ghana, and Mrs. Babette P. Jackson;
Honourable Ministers of State and Members of Parliament;
Distinguished Members of the Diplomatic Corps;
Representatives of Civil Society organisations, Special Invited Guests; Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media;
My Colleagues from the Electoral Commission, My Family and My Friends;

Good evening to you all.

What can I say?

This is indeed a great honour and I am totally overwhelmed and humbled by this recognition. I would like to sincerely thank the government of the United States of America, through the Embassy in Ghana, for this honour.

I take this opportunity to firmly place on the record, that the success of the 2016 elections were not and could not be the results of one person’s efforts. Numerous people contributed in diverse ways to our successful elections and the national peace and stability we continue to enjoy. Let me begin by first acknowledging the truly invaluable guidance and support I received and continue to receive from my predecessor, Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, the support of my colleague Commissioners (some of who are present here), Directors and staff of the EC, who from the first day I stepped into office at the Commission and even in our most trying times, continue support me and help deliver on the constitutional mandate of the Commission. This award is for all of us.

There were many days in the last two years when I felt very heavily, the burden of leadership. The weight of, as it seemed, carrying the entire peace and stability of the nation on my shoulders. But through it all, I could always count on the love and support of my husband, my children and my friends. I lost a lot of acquaintances, but I gained a lot of true friends. And for that, I recognize that I am a very blessed person. I just want to take a minute to thank them: my husband, my children, my dad, my siblings and my very, few and supportive special friends: their unwavering love and support- bearing the brunt of falsehoods and insults, and many provocations- has kept me steady and given me the strength to go on.

My beloved daughters have endured not only my long days away from home without complaining, but made many sacrifices for me and continue to understand and do whatever it takes to keep Mummy going; thanks girls.

In those trying moments, the values of truth, integrity, honesty, and fairness, which my parents instilled in me from my childhood kept me focused on delivering on my promise to the people of Ghana.

In receiving an award for courage, I have had to ask myself, what really is courage? The words of the American Actress Shannen Doherty, a recipient of a similar honour for her courageous fight against cancer rang true to me: “Courage isn’t something that comes to you immediately…. It’s not something that you have fully. Courage is something that you gain and it grows. Courage is facing every day and every obstacle one step at a time. Courage is knowing that fear is not going to find a solution….” Courage is really, ignoring your fears and going on, focused on the end goals and the solutions to the challenges.

And that is our greatest need in Ghana- solutions.
Our society faces two major challenges: ignorance and the need for bold leadership at all levels to address these challenges.

My office reception is adorned with a beautiful artwork by a young Ghanaian lady, Lourraine Ocloo- highlighting the basic needs of the ordinary Ghanaian. Those needs are nothing complex. They are the simple things to enable them live a decent and acceptable life.

The ordinary Ghanaian needs education, clean water, affordable and accessible health care, opportunities to work and earn a decent living and take care of their families, governance without corruption; peace and stability; a safe and clean environment; a justice system that works, nothing fancy, nothing complex. All very basic.
As the saying goes: If you can’t do great things, do small things in a great way. We need to deal with the small things in our country.

I am inspired and motivated anew every day to work towards these needs. The starting point of course, is an electoral system that works and ensures that the process of electing our political leaders is credible and transparent and ensures national peace, stability and cohesion in its aftermath.

Today, I am being honored for my courage. But the truth is, I owe my courage to the resilient women of Ghana, who are working daily to overcome male chauvinism and patriarchy in all its forms from the micro to the macro level of our society. I am inspired daily by their refusal to accept the status quo, and to dare to make a difference.

Courage really is ‘doing it afraid’. The famous Napolean Bonaparte said: ‘Courage isn’t having the strength to go on, it is going on when you don’t have the strength.’

I have received strength from many: leaders of faith based organisations, including my own spiritual father, the Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams, many clergy men and women and the national chief Imam, Sheikh Dr. Osman Nuhu Sharubutu. I thank them all for the daily spiritual backing. I am very grateful to His Royal Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene for his constant support and wise counsel; to former Presidents Jerry John Rawlings and John Agyekum Kufuour; and of course, to the two leading Presidential candidates of the 2016 elections, then President John Dramani Mahama and HE Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, for their responsible leadership and statesmanship during and after the elections. As a nation, we owe the peaceful conclusion of the process and the peace we continue to enjoy to their maturity and willingness to wait for the Commission to do what was right within its constitutional mandate.

And to the many citizens of Ghana, known and unknown, who reach out to me daily, quietly, behind the scenes and offer support, prayers and encouragement, this is a good time to say thank you.

As a Commission and personally, we have also had wonderful support and encouragement from the National Peace Council, the National Elections Security Task Force, the Security Agencies, NCCE, NMC, GJA, GIBA, the diplomatic community especially EU, USAID, the Canadian government, UN and UNDP, and the many others time will not permit me to list. We the Commission, and I are truly grateful.

To quote Actress Shannen Doherty again, “I don’t view it as me accepting the Courage Award for myself,” I’m accepting the Woman of Courage Award on behalf of every Ghanaian and African woman out there embracing the odds and making a difference in the lives of their families, communities, and countries. I dedicate this award to your daily struggles without recognition, reward or remuneration. You are really the women of courage!

In spite of all the challenges, obstacles, attacks and hurdles I have faced in my 6-year journey in public service, I still truly believe that it is a great honour and a privilege to serve one’s country. And it is a special privilege to serve in the capacity of the Chair of the Electoral Commission. I truly am grateful for the honour and the privilege and I thank all of you who have been a part of my journey.

Once again, my sincere thanks to the American Embassy for this acknowledgement particularly knowing that there are other equally deserving recipients of this honour.

I wish to also thank each one of you for taking time to be here tonight. I thank you for your time and I thank you for your attention.

God bless the United States of America;
God bless our homeland Ghana; and
God bless us all.
Thank you. Thank you.

–

By: citifmonline.com/Ghana

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According to her, the Ghana Mission in the U.S was yet to be provided with the details of the number of deportees to be repatriated by the U.S authorities.

Besides, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through its Missions and Consulates was monitoring the situation closely and had also decided to work with the International Organisation for Migration in the interest of Ghanaian nationals.

Ms Ayorkor-Botchway gave the hint in Parliament when she answered questions from Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Member of Parliament ((MP) for North Tongu on claims made by the U.S Ambassador.

Mr Robert P. Jackson, U.S Ambassador in Ghana on April 27, 2017 at Sunyani made ascertains to the effect that 7,000 Ghanaian illegal immigrants in the U.S were to be deported.

Ms Ayorkor-Botchway also noted that as a result of the claims made, the Ghana Embassy in Washington D.C was requested to urgently confirm the claims with the relevant authorities and report back to relevant Authorities.

She said the Mission submitted an enquiry to the US ICE Agency, but they were unable to confirm whether the number of Ghanaians deportees was actually 7,000.

She said instead, the Mission was informed that 180 Ghanaians were under deportation orders, while an additional 185 cases were at various stages of processing, pending final deportation orders.

She said the U.S authorities further noted that 80 out of the 180 who had already been interviewed by the D.C Mission and Consulate in New York were due to be deported in June, 2017, while the remaining 100 were yet to be interviewed.

Ms Ayorkor-Botchway also indicated that the Ministry was informed that because of the legal processes involved, the deportation exercise would have to be staggered.

She said the ICE on June 14, 2017 effected the repatriation of 63 out of the 80 cleared for deportation, who arrived on a chartered flight on the said date.

She said their offences ranged from drug related issues, asylum seeking and credit card fraud to immigration related offences.

It was confirmed that all the deportees exhausted the legal processes to remain in the U.S.

Ms Ayorkor-Botchway also stated that following the arrival of the 63 deportees, the Ministry caused a Note Verbale to be transmitted to the U.S authorities through the U.S Embassy in Accra registering government’s concern about the process and the alleged ill-treatment of the Ghanaians during the flight to Ghana.

She said her Ministry summoned the US Ambassador, Mr Robert P. Jackson to her office to discuss the plight of the Ghanaians who were deported.

According to her, the issues of paramount concern were; reports of deportees being handcuffed and belly-chained throughout the flight from U.S to Ghana, lack of food, as well as inability to attend nature’s call due to handcuffs.

Ms Ayorkor-Botchway further stated that her Ministry took the opportunity to remind the U.S Ambassador that Ghana is a signatory to the United Nations International Convention on the Protection of the rights of all Migrant workers and members of their families and therefore expected the US authorities to respect the rights of the deportees in all aspects and accord them dignified treatment so as to ensure their general well-being.

She said her Ministry also urged the US authorities to give the deportees the opportunity, where possible, to gather their belongings before their departure.

She said the US Ambassador in response to alleged ill-treatment of deportees explained that the deportees had been previously offered the opportunity to board commercial flights, to which they refused and put-up resistance.

Ms Ayorkor-Botchway stated that the US Ambassador denied claims that the deportees were belly-chained or handcuffed for the duration of the flight and were unable to use the washroom.

According to the US Ambassador, the deportees were given three meals during the flight adding that under US laws those affected by deportation orders were always given the opportunity to exercise their right to appeal until the processes were exhausted.

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Source: GNA

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He made the declaration during a working visit to the Brong Ahafo Region on Tuesday.

The US Ambassador was hosted by the Regional Minister, Mr. Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh.

“About 38 million USD is being invested in the Agricultural sector. We are investing both in cash crops like cocoa and cashew, but we are also investing in maize and soya and improving seed varieties during testing,” the US Ambassador said.

He added that, the US Government is “working very closely with all of the companies in the cocoa sector, to ensure that the farmers get the best possible prices for their cocoa” adding that “we are doing the same in the cashew sector.”

Planting for Food and Jobs

This comes on the back of the launch of a flagship agric programme in Ghana dubbed: “Planting for Food and Agriculture.”

The Planting for Food and Jobs will be rolled out in all 216 districts across the country, and will involve the supply of farm resources such as high yielding and improved seedlings to participating farmers.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) government has said that, it intends to revolutionize agriculture in the country by introducing the programme which is expected to create more than 750,000 jobs.

The programme, according to the government, would also motivate farmers to grow staple foods such as maize, millet, and beans.

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By: Michael Tsatsu Axolu/citifmonline/Ghana

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PUWU further accused the US Ambassador of “tacitly blackmailing” the government of Ghana into implementing the compact.

Mr. Jackson in a media interview claimed that “it’s too late to renegotiate [the compact II]… we are certainly willing to talk about how it will be executed. I’m certain that the compact as it’s structured it’s great for Ghana.”

But Speaking to Citi News, PUWU insisted that, the comment seeks to tie the hands of government; a situation they argue breaches sections of the compact that provides for amendments.

While decrying the silence of government over the matter, the General Secretary of PUWU, Michael Adumatta Nyantakyi, called on President Akufo-Addo to as a matter of urgency make good his campaign promise of engaging stakeholders on the matter.

“The United States Ambassador to Ghana, Mr. Robert Jackson reacted with remarks that it was too late for renegotiation so government should go ahead with the implementation of the compact. The US Ambassador’s remark is viewed as unfortunate.”

Although Mr. Nyantakyi said PUWU was not against the Compact II, he explained that they are only “opposed to the handing over of ECG to a private entity for 25 years. The union is against the single concession which is tantamount to creating a virtual drive monopoly in the electricity distribution,” he added.

The PUWU General Secretary further noted that, during the electioneering, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo promised to hold wide consultations before rolling out the Compact II, if elected into office.

According to him, the President should fulfill the promise by taking a decision on the matter.

“In the course of the campaign, the then candidate, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in an answer to a question in this hall, promised that, should he be elected into office, he will undertake consultations with stakeholders including labour before taking any decision. PUWU believes that it is time for complex actions to be taken for the proposed dialogue to be initiated with labour and other stakeholders, so that views from the consultation will assist the President in taking the best decision on the matter,” Mr. Nyanatakyi added.

The Compact II agreement

Ghana and the Millennium Challenge Corporation of the US government signed the second Compact in October 2016.

The agreement brought to total $1.4 billion received by the government to be injected into the country’s energy sector geared towards making the ECG more efficient.

The project under the compact includes the ECG Financial and Operational Turnaround Project, NEDCo Financial and Operational Turnaround Project, Regulatory Strengthening and Capacity Building Project, and Access Project.

The rest are Power Generation Sector Improvement Project and Energy Efficiency, and Demand Side Management Project.

Ghana should be fighting against ECG concession

However, a number of institutions including civil society organisations, have kicked against its implementation.

A member of the Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC), Dr. Steve Manteaw recently argued that the country should completely reject the MCC Compact II.

In Dr. Manteaw’s view, “the credibility of the whole concession arrangement has been shattered completely”  insisting that “we should be rejecting it outright.”

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

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The survey, which was to assess citizen’s understanding of corruption, their perceptions and actual experiences of corruption, show that Ghanaians still perceive the police, political parties and the judiciary as being corrupt.

It however revealed that Ghanaians do not regard the payment of what is commonly called facilitation fee as a form of corruption.

Nearly two thirds of the close to eighteen thousand respondents in the survey believes corruption is on the rise in Ghana.

The US Ambassador to Ghana, Robert Jackson, said corruption levels in Ghana are at a point where US companies looking to do business in Ghana, have mostly been frustrated with requests for the payment of “facilitation fee” – which he simply described as another language for bribe.

Speaking with the media after launching the GII Consortium survey report, the US Ambassador said “We are looking at a government official that is demanding an action or a fee for doing the job that he or she is supposed to do. Secondly, we want to identify those institutions are actually taking bribes. Even now, people perceive that the Ghana Police Service for example is corrupt; in fact the DVLA, passport office, and the Ghana Revenue Authority are more corrupt in terms of actually taking bribe. My purpose in highlighting them is no to point fingers. My purpose in doing that is to make people aware, that individuals in those institutions have been profiting illegally, and we need to make people think before they pay fees for the services they are already paying for.”

The US Ambassador said Ghana has lost lots of business opportunities to acts of bribery and corruption.

“Corruption inhibits free enterprise and slows economic growth, and it is compromising the quality of much needed services that safeguards health, creates opportunity and save lives. I often hear stories of struggling families having to pay bribe for basic services. Regional monitors report that a typical agricultural exporter in Ghana faces more than forty check points between Accra and the border with Burkina Faso. Check points that add up to 100 dollars or more in what is called facilitation fees. What are facilitation fees? That’s a very diplomatic word. We are talking about bribes; absolute bribes,” he said.

“There have been specific complains about lack of transparency in tenders. We have seen several cases of that reported to us. I have met with company executives. However OI hear time and again that companies are asked to pay facilitation payments in order to get approval or get things done; and they finally just walk away; they say this is just too much trouble; we are going to another country to invest.”

Corruption is very worrying – Ambassador Jackson

Ambassador Jackson noted that, “Corruption is very worrying; it’s worrying in my country and every country. We have seen countries like Chile, Rwanda; make huge strides in combating corruption. We have seen countries like Botswana which have relatively limited corruption throughout their history. Now, part of that is cultural, and part of it is about what the culture allows. My worry and my purpose in highlighting this report, is that Ghanaians and Americans perceive that corruption is getting worse in both of our countries. It’s time to speak up, it’s time to take action, and I urge everyone who hears about this report or reads it, to take action, to speak out when they are asked for bribe; to stop paying facilitation payment and to make certain that their friends and neighbours don’t pay.”

He said there was the need for citizens to stop emboldening bribery by refusing to pay.

“I want people to stop and think, do I need to pay for this service or am I already paying for it? If I am already paying for it, why should I pay again? I cited an example of school teachers; it is one of the most repulsive forms of corruption to be demanding sexual favours for better grades or admission. It shouldn’t be happening; let’s stop it. Is this how we want our society to evolve? I don’t think it is.”

Ghana has overpaid millions for projects 

The US Ambassador confirmed the long-held perception that several government projects are bloated for purposes of corruption, causing the state to lose millions of dollars.

“I cannot, but I can tell you this, Ghanaians have overpaid for projects to the tunes of hundreds of millions of dollars, and we are talking about every kind of infrastructure that Ghanaians think about every day. There have been many examples of overpayment.”
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By: Ebenezer Afanyi Dadzie/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The Ambassador made the remark when he paid a courtesy call on the Speaker of Parliament, Professor Mike Oquaye on Friday.

Robert Jackson said he will collaborate with parliament to undertake key governance roles that include the passing of key government bills into laws.

“I will particularly like to work with you [Speaker] and your body [Parliament] to see governance issues addressed such as passing the Right to Information Bill passed into law, ensuring that Members of Parliament can introduce legislation and also ensure that the public accounts committee operates in a way such that the public’s treasures and investments are well spent.”

Robert Jackson, who has been serving as the US Ambassador to Ghana since November 2015, commended Parliament for its role in ensuring that democracy in Ghana is entrenched and upheld.

Making reference to Ghana’s recent political transition, he said the legislature played very important roles in the democratic processes of countries to ensure peace, stability and accountability.

The Ambassador had earlier assured Ghanaians that America will continue to support a prosperous and democratic Ghana under the leadership of Donald Trump.

In a recent media interview ahead of Ghana’s elections, he called for authority and power to be given to Ghana’s parliament to enable it demand accountability from the Executive.

“I would like to see the country proceed with decentralization and provide more power to parliament. I think that those will be steps that will ensure vibrancy of Ghana’s democracy going forward, and make governments more accountable and responsive to Ghanaians,” he emphasized.

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

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