Shut down Parliament for MPs to go into 14 days self-isolation–Clement Apak
Member of Parliament for Builsa South Constituency Dr. Clement Apak is advocating for the Parliament House of Ghana to be shut down. According to Dr. Apak who spoke to Apexnewsgh.com, he is of the belief that it will be a disaster if drastic measures are not put in place by way of stopping business of the house for good 14 days. This advocacy according to him, will enable all the MPs to self-isolate and after the 14 days, get tested, and if negative the MPs will resume work. “15 MPs and 56 staff of parliament have tested positive for COVID The best option shut down parliament. We don’t know the IDs of those positive, who still attended parliament. Shut down parliament, all MPs and staff, self-isolate. Get us tested after 14 days, then we resume if negative”. His call came after it was reported that 15 Member of Parliaments and 56 Parliament staff tested positive. Meanwhile, the identity of these MPs and their staff are not known. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093
We will advise our MP, if President fails to ….Supporters of NPP Adansi Asokwa
“We have heard it on several occasions that President Akufo-Addo has issues with Hon T. K Hammond and it is affecting a competent MP like him to get a ministerial appointment to serve this country. We voted massively for NPP because we want our MP to get a ministerial appointment to serve Ghana and bring more development to our Constituency,” Supporters of K.T Hammond told ABN Obuasi correspondent According to these supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Adansi Asokwa Constituency of the Ashanti region who were appealing to the president to forgive whatever sins their Member of Parliament has committed against him and consider offering him a ministerial position in his government. The supports believe, because of the alleged misunderstanding between their lawmaker and President, since the New Patriotic Party won power in 2016, the lawmaker has not caught the President eye to be appointed as a minister. “We will advise our MP (Hon KT Hammond) not to involve himself in party activities in parliament if President Akufo-Addo fails to appoint him. Both Parties have 137 MPs and this will affect the party if our MP is advised not to involve himself in any decision from the majority,” they stressed. “Governance is not about punishing people you have issues with but appointing competent people to serve under your government. Ghana needs competent appointees to transform the economy and we believe President Akufo-Addo will bury his differences with Hon K. T Hammond if that is if it is true and appoint him as a minister”. They told ABN Obuasi correspondent sighted by Apexnewsgh.com Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093
NDC must boycott Good Evening Ghana – Dafeamekpor
The opposition National Democratic Congress, NDC, must boycott a news analysis program on Accra-based Metro TV. This is the view of South Dayi Member of Parliament, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor. According to him, the host of the show has turned the program into propaganda machinery to churn ‘non fa.’ “I think we (Ndc) must boycott Good Evening Ghana. It’s now a key propaganda forum for Paul Adom Otchere to churn out loads of non fa. It’s a program that means nothing. Can’t he learn from Good Morning Ghana? He even holds himself out as a lawyer on the show when he is not,” the MP tweeted. The long-running show has hosted heavyweights across the political divide despite deepening perceptions that the host has often used it to advance the cause of the governing New Patriotic Party, NPP. The Good Morning Ghana show Dafeamekpor is tasking Adom-Otchere to learn from is Metro TV’s daytime news analysis program hosted by journalist and sports administrator Randy Abbey. In Adom-Otchere’s latest editorial – a section of his show – he criticized the NDC over their conduct in the ongoing election petition which has the NDC flagbearer in court hoping to overturn the outcome of the 2020 presidential elections. Ghanaweb Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093
Election Petition: We were going to ask Mahama about his Peace Council meeting – Rojo Mettle-Nunoo
“Having regard to her earlier reference to the meeting between the Peace Council and the Petitioner, which she had obviously been briefed about, I took seriously what she said,” Rojo Mettle-Nunoo, the petitioner’s third witness has said in a witness statement to the Supreme Court dated 4 February 2021. Robert Joseph Mettle-Nunoo, one of the witnesses testifying for Petitioner John Dramani Mahama in the ongoing election petition at the Supreme Court was explaining what made the NDC representatives at the Strongroom of the Electoral Commission (EC) leave for the Petitioner’s residence on 9 December, the day the Chairperson of the EC declared the December 7, 2020, results. Dr Michael Kpessa-Whyte, who was the second witness for the Petitioner, during cross-examination, told the court that his colleague, Rojo Mettle-Nunoo, informed him of an instruction by the EC to deliver a message to John Dramani Mahama who is the petitioner in the case. This allegation by Dr Kpessah-Whyte has since been questioned, as many believe Mettle-Nunoo, who personally interacted with the EC boss should have testified to it at the Supreme Court. A Supreme Court judge even told Kpessa-White that he had let his candidate down by leaving the ‘Strongroom’. This led to hot exchanges between the judge and Tsatsu Tsikata, lead counsel for the petitioner, who told the judge bluntly that he was harassing the witness with his “opinion” when the witness had stated the facts as he knew it, and that the behaviour of the judge was “wrong”. But Mettle-Nunoo has corroborated Kpessa-White’s account by saying that he made it known to everyone in the “Strongroom” at the EC headquarters that “we had been sent to convey a message to the NDC presidential candidate” and that they “had absolutely no other reason to leave”. In his witness statement to the court, Mettle-Nunoo explained in paragraph 23 thus: “Mrs Jean Mensa informed me that there had been a meeting held earlier in the day between the Petitioner and the Peace Council, something I was unaware of at the time. After I further drew her attention to some of the issues that were coming up in the interactions in the Strongroom, she said very directly that we should go and speak with the Petitioner.” He continued: “Having regard to her earlier reference to the meeting between the Peace Council and the Petitioner, which she had obviously been briefed about, I took seriously what she said. I did not think that we, who were acting as agents of the Petitioner, should be seen as taking positions which may be contrary to what the Petitioner himself had conveyed in a meeting that I was unaware of with a body such as the Peace Council which, I know, has an important role in resolving disputes in connection with elections and calming tensions in the country. She indicated her willingness to meet with the Petitioner.” He indicated that he was struck by the fact that she proposed that she would send a dispatch rider to help them, that is, Mettle-Nunoo and Dr Kpessa-Whyte, get back to the EC headquarters on time for the declaration of the results on December 9, 2020. “There was nothing in the discussions which could have given me any reason for doubting the word of the Chairperson of the EC. Indeed, having worked with her previously when I was a consultant to the IEA [Institute of Economic Affairs], I had no reason not to trust her. I took her at her word and I must say I was really shocked to realise how she had proceeded to make a declaration of result at a time when she knew that my colleague and I had left the premises at her instance. I can still remember her saying that she would even send a dispatch rider to hasten our return to the EC headquarters after our consultation with the Petitioner,” Rojo Mettle-Nunoo stated further. “We left our belongings, including computers and bags in the strongroom at the time we left,” he further averred. “My colleague left his vehicle at the premises of the EC.” It is not clear whether Mettle-Nunoo will testify in open court because some concerns were raised about the health condition of a possible witness prior to his witness statement being filed. Find below the full witness statement of Rojo Mettle-Nunoo: Ghanaweb Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093
Battle for NPP chairmanship: Who gets government’s support?
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) is preparing to go to the polls next year to elect leaders who will steer its affairs in a bid to retain power in the 2024 general elections. One of the positions to be keenly contested is that of the National chairman, currently being occupied by Freddie Blay. It is, however, not officially communicated who the contenders for this position are, but there are speculations that some of the party stalwarts including Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, Dr. Kofi Kodua Sarpong, Peter Mac Manu, Stephen Ntim, Nana Akomea and Fred Oware are likely to contest. According to the veteran journalist, Ben Ephson, who has written analytical materials on elections in Ghana and related topics, though these persons have the potential to vie and win, what gives a person more urge over others is ‘who the government supports.’ “if say two candidates are from Ashanti Region, they are likely to split the votes. More important is who the government is backing. That is a major factor. It helped Freddie Blay win,” the pollster told Captain Smart, host of Angel FM’s ‘Anopa Bofo?’ morning show on Thursday, February 4, 2021. In his analysis, he mentioned that some candidates including Ameyaw Akumfi who is from the former Brong Ahafo Region which is now split into three -Bono, Bono East and Ahafo regions- with Stephen Ntim, will find it difficult because people from the same region are likely to split their votes. Mr. Ben Ephson also noted that should Nana Akomea, Chief Executive Officer of Intercity State Transport Corporation (STC) and Fred Oware, CEO of Bui Power Authority contest, their candidature would negatively impact that of Stephen Ntim. This is because, for Nana Akomea for instance, he will “appeal to a lot of delegates from different regions including Greater Accra and Eastern. He is a well-known and respected person in the party.” One other person mentioned who is likely to be challenged if he were to contest, is Paul Afoko, a former Chairman of the party. This is because in Mr. Ephson’s words, “some people have not forgiven him.” However, Paul Afoko’s position on the issue has been publicly stated. According to his spokesperson, Nana Yaw Osei, “he has no interest in racing for the chairmanship position. He may contest in the future but as things stand now, he has not indicated any intention to contest.” It is nonetheless unclear who will win, should any of the aforementioned persons contest in the national elections next year. angelonline Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093
ACEPA calls for serious sanctions on COVID-19 positive MPs reporting in Parliament
The Africa Center for Parliamentary Affairs (ACEPA) is calling for tough sanctions against the Members of Parliament who have tested positive for COVID-19 but are reporting to the House. According to him, the MPs are subject to the laws set to punish people who flout the COVID-19 protocols hence must be made to face the law. The First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei Owusu on Wednesday, February 3, 2021, disclosed that some Members of Parliament (MPs) who have tested positive for Coronavirus are still attending to the business of the House. HE subsequently threatened to publish the names of the MPs involved if they do not stay away from the chamber and precincts of Parliament. The Deputy Speaker said the development puts all members and staff of Parliament at risk of contracting the virus hence such MPs should desist from coming to Parliament. Public reaction to the news has been of shock and disappointment in the MPs with many calls for them to be immediately punished. The Executive Director of ACEPA, Dr. Rashid Draman in a Citi News interview said the MPs, besides being punished, should also have their names published. “This is a public health emergency, and I’m sure that we have laws in this country about how to deal with a situation such as this one. Anybody who has COVID-19 and is moving around simply means that the person is spreading death. This is not very honourable behaviours we’re seeing being exhibited by the Members of Parliament. I seriously support publishing the names and serious sanctions and those sanctions must be consistent with what our public health rules say in terms of dealing with people who flout the protocols,” he said. It is reported that, more than 40 Members of Parliament tested positive for the virus when they were screened last week. Citinewsroom Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093