Supreme Court Chases NDC MPs – Over Double Salary
THE SUPREME Court has ordered that all double salary Members of Parliament (MPs) and ministers should be served by way of substituted service after swerving service of the writ of summons issued against them. Bono Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwame Baffoe, also known as Abronye DC, filed a suit against the former ministers including Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu, challenging the payment of their salaries to them between 2009 and 2016 when they doubled as MPs and ministers or deputy ministers. The court gave the order after the lawyer for Abronye DC, Seth Gyapong Oware, informed the court that the affected MPs and former government appointees are evading service of court processes. Subsequently, the court directed that the processes should be posted on the notice boards of Parliament, Supreme Court and the Law Court Complex. It also directed further publication in the Daily Graphic and DAILY GUIDE newspapers within 14 days. The defendants are Haruna Iddrisu, Alhassan Azong, Fifi Fiave Kwetey, Eric Opoku, Abdul Rashid Hassan Pelpuo, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, Edwin Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, Mark Owen Woyongo, Comfort Doyoe, Cudjoe Ghansah and Aquinas Tawiah Quansah. The rest are the Controller and Accountant General and the Attorney General. It is the case of Abronye DC that the affected MPs and former government appointees who received double salaries as MPs and ministers or deputy ministers is inconsistent with the constitution. He contends that per Article 98 of the Constitution, the practice is unconstitutional, null and void. He is, therefore, praying the Supreme Court to declare the payment as a violation of the constitution and an order to compel the MPs to refund the double salaries paid to them. Abronye wants the Supreme Court to compel the former ministers/deputy ministers who served under the Mills-Mahama administrations, who were also elected MPs between 2009 and 2016, to pay back to the Republic, all double salaries received within the period. The presiding judge, Justice Clemence Honyenuga, while granting the application, said “good and substantial reasons have been urged for the grant of the application.” —Daily Guide
Sole Inquirer report under study; to be treated with transparency, integrity – Jinapor
The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel A. Jinapor says the Report of the Sole enquirer into the Bulgarian Embassy Case which was presented on Tuesday, 29th April, 2022, will be handled with utmost transparency and enormous integrity. In response to a request by the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa for the report to be made public, Mr Jinapor on his post on Monday, 9th May 2022 stated that “the Report is being studied as was stated by the Deputy Minister who received it and will be acted upon in due course.” He pointed out that there is no cover up, as in all cases and that every step in the matter will continue to be above board. He cautioned against the politicisation of the issue, stressing that ” this should not be reduced to cheap politics and usual point scoring”. Mr Ablakwa asked government to immediately release the reports of the probe into the circumstances leading to the demolition of the Bulgarian Embassy in Accra. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa alleged that the government is trying to shield persons complicit in the case. —classfm
FULL SPEECH: Ghana at a Crossroads by John Dramani Mahama
Ghana at a Crossroads – A Presentation by His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, Former President of the Republic of Ghana. Comrades, ladies, gentlemen, my brothers and sisters. Thank you for making time to join me, tonight, those here in person, and the millions from across our beloved country and the world, via the power of information and communication technology. Some of you may not know this but I loved and studied history all the way to university level and one of the books that absolutely enthralled me was a book titled “Makers of Civilisation.” In that book you will find many figures from the past – men and women whose names have been written in letters of gold and who have been immortalized; remembered through the ages. Some of these celebrated historical icons were artists, physicians, engineers, philosophers, military figures, kings, pastors who changed the world by boldly stepping out and challenging the status quo. In the spirit of May Day and the celebration of workers, I say Ayekoo to us all, for our continuous contribution to the success of this country and its development. Just like the past, there are many gallant workers of today whose stories would have regaled and inspired us if told. If there was ever any doubt, we know from history that you are the people who make our society and our nation what it is. We must join hands to ensure that we restore our nation on the path to prosperity and opportunity for all our people. We have always sang the first stanza of our national anthem, which asks for God’s blessings on our homeland Ghana and enjoins us to resist oppressors’ rule. Many have not taken the time to observe the second stanza of our national anthem. The lyrics bear reflection: Hail to thy name, O Ghana, To thee we make our solemn vow: Steadfast to build together, A nation strong in Unity, With our gifts of mind and strength of arm, Whether night or day, in mist or storm, In every need, whate’er the call may be, To serve thee, O Ghana, now and evermore. This stanza calls for a nation strong in unity and enjoins us with our gift of mind and strength of arm to serve our motherland Ghana, now and evermore. This is a call to service to our motherland, a call requiring that every one of us, regardless of background, religion, ethnicity, profession, political orientation, economic status, age or gender unite while offering the gifts of our mind and strength of our arm. Sitting on the fence is not an option in nation building. History will not remember us kindly if we accept the gradual degradation of our society and do not make an attempt to inspire ourselves to make a difference in our generation. A NATION AT THE CROSSROADS Countrymen and women, Ghana our dear nation is at a Crossroads, and we must tarry a while and reflect deeply on the road that we must take. The wrong choice leads us down an easy path of chaos and destruction. The right choice would lead us up a path of prosperity and dignity, but with hard work and sacrifice. My countrymen and women, I can assure you that as our forebears did in the past, if we come together – united as one – there is no task that will be insurmountable. The future is bright if we rebuff those who seek to divide us for their personal gain, and if we open the opportunities of our country to all our citizens irrespective of ethnicity, political affiliation, age or gender. Thirty years have passed since President Jerry John Rawlings of blessed memory, appended his signature to the newly drafted Constitution of 1992, which made an irrevocable commitment to a return to democratic rule and constitutional governance. In the period preceding that moment, which set in motion what has turned out to be the most stable and enduring period of governance in our history, we have plunged from the heights of the Black Star of Africa. From the lofty ambitions of the post-independence era, to the depths of economic catastrophe, institutional decay, corruption, and despondency. Our life as a nation had been checkered with multiple governance experiments alternating between civilian and military administrations. The several starts and stops led to a situation where, by the 1980s, our circumstance seemed intractable. The economy was in complete shamble and growing negatively. There appeared no way out of the stranglehold of poverty and despair, and we teetered on the brink of national collapse. After a decade of stabilization by the then PNDC regime, which involved confronting and overcoming such problems as economic recession, hyper-inflation, prolonged droughts, devastating bush fires, shortage of basic commodities among other serious socio-economic problems, it became clear enough, that the broad masses of the Ghanaian people yearned for a return to democratic governance. Thus, began the process to fulfil their genuine aspirations through a participatory and inclusive approach. The product of that process, the 1992 constitution, ushered in the fourth republic and set us apart from our peers in the sub-region as having, perhaps, the most advanced democracy in West Africa and one of the very best in Africa. The constitution itself was a remarkable piece of work that contained elaborate provisions, which captured and guaranteed the fundamental human rights of all Ghanaians including those of speech and association. It had extensive provisions on media freedoms and offered directive principles of state policy around which governance was to be conducted. The constitution also laid down a governance framework which emphasized checks and balances with the creation of independent state institutions with clear mandates to work towards the consolidation of democratic governance and the protection of rights. And best of all, it was a constitution drawn up by the mass of our people – including teachers, nurses, fishermen, farmers, security personnel, butchers, traders, hairdressers through a consultative assembly. With democratic governance fully restored, we surged forward
President Akufo-Addo 2022 May Day celebration speech
Address By The President Of The Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, At The 2022 May Day Celebration, On Sunday, 1st May 2022, At Independence Square, Accra I am always glad to be in the company of Organised Labour, especially to celebrate May Day, the day set aside to pay homage to those who fought the heroic battles that have made today’s ordinary things possible. I cannot begin this address without paying tribute to Organised Labour and its leadership for their invaluable contribution in helping to keep our country on its two feet at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Your co-operation has been a mark of patriotism, and I applaud you for that. Indeed, you continue to uphold the tradition of national engagement initiated by the legendary pioneers of Ghanaian trade unionism, Pobee Biney, Vidal Quist, Anthony Woode et al, through whose work and sacrifice we have inherited the free, independent Ghana in which we now live. With the ongoing vaccination campaign, which has seen some 14.2 million Ghanaians taking the jab, and with our continued observance of the safety protocols, despite the lifting of virtually all restrictions, we are beginning the process of returning our lives and livelihoods back to a marked degree of normalcy. I know that sooner, rather than later, we will be out of the woods completely. Secretary General, on the occasion of the 2021 May Day Celebration, I expressed the resolve of Government to win the fight against COVID-19. It was also my hope and expectation that we would celebrate this year’s May Day ceremony without masks. A year on, I am excited not only because of the news of the rebound of our economy, evidenced in the 5.4% growth rate chalked in 2021, which is manifesting itself in heightened economic activities across the nation, but also because we are returning to commemorating May Day as we should. Indeed, last year’s edition took place at the Forecourt of the Hall of Trade Unions, a venue significantly smaller than the Independence Square. The 2020 edition, you will recall, confined us to the studios of the state broadcaster, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation. Without a doubt, significant progress has been made thanks to our collective efforts in observing the COVID-19 safety protocols, and in getting vaccinated. As we commemorate this day, I urge all workers and Organised Labour to celebrate this day fully, while observing, at the same time, the enhanced hygiene protocols. “Protecting Jobs and Incomes in The Era of COVID-19 and Beyond”, the theme for this year’s celebration, is apt, especially as the implementation of economic recovery measures and the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions mean that we have resumed full production and increased productivity, in our quest to put our nation back onto the path of progress and prosperity. Over the past year, in particular, Government has implemented a number of policies and programmes all in an attempt to hasten economic recovery from the ravages of COVID-19. We have introduced measures to improve fiscal consolidation, and ensure debt sustainability, which are critical to achieving macroeconomic stability in the short to medium-term. These measures, such as the passage of the E-Levy Bill, have not been introduced in isolation. They have come on the back of a revenue loss of GH¢13.1 billion, and an increased, unbudgeted expenditure of GH¢14.2 billion. There is, thus, an overall fiscal impact of some GH¢27.3 billion, representing 6.8% of GDP. In addition to this, adverse global developments have impacted severely on exchange rate and inflation, with the overall effect being the weakening of the real incomes of people in Ghana, just as is happening everywhere. That is why the Secretary-General can justifiably list the litany of woes that are adversely affecting the living standards of working people in Ghana and in the outside world – high inflation, high fuel and petroleum prices, escalating food prices, and reduced income levels. We, thus, have to make concerted efforts as Partners to hasten our recovery from COVID-19 by finding intelligent ways of bringing everyone on board to contribute their quota, no matter how small. Indeed, we have had to cut discretionary expenditures of Ministries, Departments and Agencies by thirty percent (30%), we have reduced the salaries of political appointees by thirty percent (30%) for the rest of the year, reduced their fuel coupon allocation by fifty percent (50%), and placed a moratorium on the purchase of imported vehicles, amongst others. As fate would have it, the outcome of the National Labour Conference held earlier this year in Kwahu-Nkwatia, in the Eastern Region, provided guidance, and encouraged Government to re-examine critically the prevailing situation, and proffer strategies and solutions that would help reverse the trend. We are witnessing some degree of stability in the macroeconomic data, and we are hopeful of maintaining and building on them throughout the year. “Protecting Jobs and Incomes in the Era of COVID-19 and Beyond” is, undeniably, the collective responsibility and duty of all social partners. This is because incomes earned by workers are a function of jobs created by employers, and of the creation of an enabling environment by Government to help sustain enterprise growth. Data from the International Organisation of Employers (IOE) indicates that the private sector generates nine (9) out of ten (10) jobs worldwide, thereby contributing to greater economic and social equity, integration and political stability. It is not for nothing that the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development underscores the importance of the private sector in the creation of jobs, specifically Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs), which play key roles in employing the majority of the world’s workforce. We must, as a matter of urgency, intensify the measures that affect the private, informal sector, in order to enhance access to cheaper capital. Protecting jobs and incomes requires Government to provide adequate support to enable the private sector retain its labour, for private-sector-led economic growth is the most conducive way of sustaining inclusive recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. As the main source of growth and job creation, the
Dr. Duffuor faulted government for its inaction regarding the low wages of workers
A leading member of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Dr. Kwabena Duffuor has faulted the government for its inaction regarding the low wages of workers as “a betrayal of the loyalty and service of workers. According to Dr. Duffuor, “May Day is an opportunity to celebrate the tireless work of the men and women whose labor sustains our nation”. Meanwhile, in a solidarity message published on his official social media handles to mark the 2022 May Day celebration of Ghanaian workers, Dr. Duffuor praised Ghanaian workers for sustaining the nation and called for economic justice to prevail in ongoing labor agitations for better working conditions. He said, “On days such as this, it is important that we reflect on the contributions of workers to our national development, but it is most essential that we seize the opportunity to stand in solidarity with our labor force and on the side of economic justice”. “In a country where productivity does not equate to real wage, we breed a culture of labor theft and unrest. Workers deserve wages commensurate to their hours of labor. But at a time when inflation continues to rise yet our last salary increment was 4% in 2020, real wages have drastically lost their value”. However, Ghanaian public sector workers are currently demanding a 19.4% increment in wages equivalent to the rate of inflation but the government has so far not yielded. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
UER: NPP Office attacked by a rainstorm
Office of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Bolgatanga Municipal of the Upper East Region has been attacked by a heavy rainstorm. The incident happened on Wednesday, April 27, 2022. Apexnewsgh.com
See what our polls revealed about Nabdam NPP Constituency election
Per the views gathered so far by Apexnewsgh.com among ‘qualified’ NPP delegates in the Nabdam Constituency ahead of their party, internal constituency elections on Thursday, April 28, 2022, aspiring candidates below stand a better chance of becoming the Constituency. Apexnewsgh.com reports Please, note the views collected were done through those who matter the ‘delegates’, and not Facebook posters. Chairman Ontoyen Denis Kolog 1st Vice Chairman Kparib Rapheal Nara 2nd Vice Chairman Mbami Rexford Daziug Assistant Secretary Augustine Zuure Mbayen Nassara Coordinator Yen Ibrahim Zeem Nabdam Youth Organizer position Michael Tobire Organizer Bire Kudong Secretary Thomas Kuduorg Pizerigba Treasurer Akonga Samuel Women Organizer Dimbila Rosina Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093.
JUST IN: NPP set for Constituency delegates conference
The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) national secretariat has announced that the earlier announcement for the Constituency delegates still stands. Below is the full details: Apexnewsgh.com
NPP welcomes EIU report, described it as “constructive analysis”
The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) has officially applauded the recent political and economic report by the Economic Intelligence Unit (EIU), as they described it as a “constructive analysis” According to a statement signed by the Party National Communication Director Yaw Buaben Asamoa: “This is because objective analysis extends the democratic tenet of free speech, and provides perspectives capable of informing policy reform”. The NPP however, acknowledges that the EIU has a record of reviewing Ghana’s governance systems, especially potential political outcomes. “To buttress its prediction of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) winning the presidential election and the parliamentary elections by a slim margin in 2024, the EIU touts its record of successful predictions over the years.” “If NDC wins, it will not be news. But if the NPP wins, it would be a remarkable achievement that would demonstrate the coming of age of electoral politics in Ghana,”. Yaw Buaben Asamoa said. Meanwhile, the NPP victory in 2024, is targeted on, “Breaking the Eight (8)” would be a more uncommon occurrence than an NDC victory, based on the history of elections in the Fourth Republic. The NPP noted, however, that EIU introduced a “new and significant double-edged factor” into the eight-year cycle, and said this is “the quality of leadership.” The “EIU implies that former President Mahama’s record of leadership is so poor that if he becomes the candidate, the NDC’s predicted win goes up in smoke,”. Pointing that, “this is a huge boost to the NPP’s effort of ‘Breaking the Eight (8) since we are confident that the NPP candidate will have a better governance record based on the cumulative achievements of the NPP in the Fourth Republic.” “But more importantly, NDC has not demonstrated any policy capacity capable of turning out better and faster outcomes in the areas listed. Indeed, the tendency is for the NDC to set the country back in respect of these factors whenever the eight-year cycle kicks in. The NPP builds and the NDC destroys. “Political stability is also a product of the NPP’s quiet yet hard work on the security front. Notwithstanding increased threats of regional instability spilling over into Ghana, piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, and sometimes very extremist talk from anarchic elements, the EIU predicts without hesitation that there will be political stability over the next five years. A plus for free, fair, and violence-free elections,” Yaw Buaben Asamoa said. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
I had a glimmer of hope; that solidarity would prevail to protect people from the virus when Ghana first received COVAX—Mahama
Former Ghanaian president John Dramani Mahama has said: When Ghana became the first country in Africa to receive COVID-19 vaccine doses through the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) initiative to equitably distribute COVID vaccines, I had a glimmer of hope; that solidarity would prevail to protect people everywhere from the virus. Below is Mr Mahama’s full article: A Pandemic Treaty Cannot Leave Solidarity to Chance When Ghana became the first country in Africa to receive COVID-19 vaccine doses through the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) initiative to equitably distribute COVID vaccines, I had a glimmer of hope; that solidarity would prevail to protect people everywhere from the virus. Fast forward to today and a third of the world remains completely unvaccinated, including 80% of people in Africa. Moreover, lifesaving treatments are only available in a handful of countries. Many countries did not, and still do not understand the gaps that the pandemic will not end until all people, in every country, are protected from COVID-19. The “me-first” approach has left large swaths of Africa without the tools needed to slow the spread of new variants, stop preventable deaths and build back economies, consequently, holding the entire world back. Obviously, we cannot leave solidarity to chance the next time around. To safeguard our future, we need a new international system anchored in solidarity, transparency, accountability and equity to enable countries at every income level to detect, alert and respond to health threats before they become pandemics. In a new Call to Action, the Panel for a Global Public Health Convention has proposed a bold path forward to address such gaps and dramatically strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness and response systems through a new Pandemic Treaty or Convention. The new set of recommendations call for a positively incentivized system governed at the heads of state level where compliance with agreed preparedness standards, alert protocols and response efforts are overseen by an independent monitoring and assessment body at arm’s length to the World Health Organization (WHO). Even though WHO’s leadership in setting international standards in preparedness and response and supporting countries achieve targets is still vital, this independent body would add an additional layer of accountability to our international system by having the mandate to call on and call out countries based on performance of pandemic preparedness, detection and response. We must also look through an equitable and realistic lens when we set targets and monitor for performance, as levels of pandemic preparedness will vary by country. For instance, following the 2014–2016 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, many countries strengthened their capacity to contain outbreaks through enhanced laboratory capacity, disease surveillance and crossborder coordination. Many of these systems moved into gear to respond to the growing COVID19 threat back in 2020. However, countries without this recent history may be farther behind on the road to pandemic preparedness – a new Pandemic Treaty must ensure that targets are ambitious and appropriate, and no matter where a country falls on this spectrum, technical and financial support is readily available to enable countries to meet goals. The African Union has done a laudable job establishing a range of continental funds and platforms to pool resources and provide technical and financial assistance to all countries – from the AU COVID-19 Response Fund to the African Vaccine Acquisition Task Team. A new Pandemic Treaty must ensure this kind of collaboration takes place at the international level because global health security is only as strong as its weakest link. A new multilateral financing facility to ensure all countries can access predictable and sustainable funding without incurring catastrophic debt will be a necessary step. And we must consider tools (PPE, test kits and vaccines) and countermeasures that contain outbreaks, as global public goods and services to be financed, produced and distributed as such. Finally, a new Pandemic Treaty must address gaps in our understanding and ability to stop pathogens at their source by reducing the risks of disease spillovers from animals to humans. While Ebola and more recently COVID-19 has added new urgency to address emerging challenges at the intersection of environmental, animal and human health, there is insufficient investment, little oversight and a lack of coordination within countries. A Treaty must encourage more research and enhance coordination among all stakeholders. From stopping outbreaks at the source to alerting the world and responding once an outbreak is underway, we need as much mutual assurance as possible along the timeline of events. Without clear accountability at each stage, calls for solidarity may yet again fail the next time an outbreak with pandemic potential emerges. We have the tools and solutions to prevent this – let’s put them to use through a new, equitable Pandemic Treaty. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093