The King of the Asante Kingdom, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has described President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as a person he is well pleased in. richnewsnetwork.
In the Asante’s monarch opening remarks at the investiture of the newly appointed Vice Chancellor of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Prof. Rita Akosua Dickson, Otumfuo in acknowledging the presence of President Akufo-Addo stated in brief that he is very much pleased in him.
“President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in him I am well pleased.” He said
President Nana Addo Dankwah Akuffo Addo
He however described the occasion as a rare one especially due to the limited number of people present in the auditorium due to the observation of the COVID-19 protocols.
“…this is fourth time I am presiding over such an event as Chancellor of this noble university. You all agree with me that today’s ceremony is historic in a number of respects. It is historic by the way we are all dressed in nose masks and face shields, it is historic by the limited number of people seated in this auditorium due to social distancing and the other restrictions and protocols resulting from the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic which has compelled the whole world and modify new way of doing things. To borrow the words of the President, we are not in ordinary times”, he disclosed.
It would be recalled that the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) last month appointed Professor (Mrs) Rita Akosua Dickson as the first female Vice-Chancellor of the University since the varsity was established in 1952.
Professor Rita Dickson who until her appointment served as the Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University is a Professor of Pharmacology.
She takes over from Professor Obiri Danso under whose tenure the school witnessed violent demonstrations by students leading to the destruction of school property.
The Council of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), at its 258th Special Meeting held on Thursday, June 25, 2020, has appointed Professor (Mrs.) Rita Akosua Dickson as the Vice-Chancellor of the University.
Pro NPP Group called “Agenda 2020 And Beyond” Pops Up at Bantama whiles th National Executives has been sworn into office.
An NPP pro group called “Agenda 2020 and Beyond” has been formed within the Bantama constituency in Ashanti region.
The mandate of members and executives is to embark on a nationwide door-to-door campaign for the party by touching the conscience of individuals on the success stories of implemented policies of NPP and win them into the fold of the party so as to facilitate NPP’s victory come December 2020 general elections.
Last Sunday, both regional and national executives of the group were inducted and sworn into office. The event was held within the Bantama Constituency.
Among the Ashanti regional executives are; Solomon Boateng (Chairman), Peter Antwi (Vice Chairman), George Kwame Fosu (Secretary), George Amuzu (Assistant Secretary), Margaret Asiedu (Women Organizer), Frank Appiagyie (Treasurer), Solomon Gyamfi (PRO), Prince Agyemang Aboagye (Porter).
National Exercutives swearing in
Among the national executives are; Abena Diamond (Chairman), Alhaji Saed (Vice Chairman), Moro Suleman(Secretary), Nana Boakye (Assistant Secretary), Emmanuel Arthur (Organiser), Hajia Fati Adamu (Women Organiser), Georgina Donkor (Deputy Women organizer), Richard K. Boakye (PRO).
As they deliver their mandate as in garnering votes for the party across Ghana, Chairperson for Identifiable Group –NPP Madam Anita Afriyie a.k.a mama China charged them to adopt some of the orphan constituencies in the region and work massively within them.
She advised them not to allow the inactions of others to offend them and drive them out of group or the party but should instead remain focused and work hard for the victory of NPP.
Ahafo Ano North Public Relations Officer NDC Mr Francis Elikplim Akakpo.
The public relations officer for Ahafo Ano North constituency in the largest opposition party NDC Mr Francis Elikplim Akakpo has expressed worry over the brutality and attitudes of Electoral Commission in the ongoing registration exercise at Tepa.
On the 17th day of July, 2020, the NDC constituency Executives went to the Municipal director of the electoral commission to inquire from her about the registration which was to be done at various senior high school because Tepa senior high school does not qualify such exercise since polling Stations are already located at the campus.
The EC director told the executive that, though the institution has two centers, the headmaster of the school had made such arrangements with the commission and the exercise is not part of the normal registration exercise going on at the various registration centers.
The secretary asked about the number of the registration kits that would be deployed to the center but the EC director told the secretary that she does not know the number of the registration kits.
Currently as we speak ,the Electoral commission of Tepa has deployed sixteen (16) registration kits to Tepa senior high school alone without the knowledge of the NDC.
The constituency secretary of the opposition NDC on the 18th Day of July 2020 including constituency executives and polling agents went to the center to monitor the process but the heavy armed military men threw them out of the center.
Mr Francis Elikplim Akakpo said, in stead of (16) polling agents ,only two people were allowed to enter the center. The party decided to boycott the exercise due to the brutality and the frustration from the npp.
The armed military men prevented the NDC constituency executives and the entire party body from entering the center meanwhile they have allowed the npp constituency and their entire party body to enter. The two people are also being denied form coming out of the registration centers.
NDC PRO Ahafo Ano North Mr Francis Akakpo Elikplim
The public relations officer Mr Francis Elikplim Akakpo speaking with Richnewsnetwork.news.blo said, the negotiations with electoral commission director was that each political party to represented by 14 people but the headmaster of the school Mr. Oduro Antwi and the military men prevented all of them from entering.
The headmaster insisted the number should be reduced to (8) for each political party of the NDC accepted and reduced the to exactly (8) but still the armed military men prevented us from entering they told us that they’re observing instructions from above and they are doing exactly so to prevent all the NDC from entering.
The soldiers said, they would only allow (4) people into the room and even with that, All efforts were made by the NDC to get representation at the center did not materialized and executives and accredited agents were chased out of the center.
The party accused the member of parliament Suleman Adamu sanid, The electoral commission director Betty Mensah and the headmaster of the school mr Oduro Antwi for this undemocratic decision.
The party is 100% sure that, these aforementioned names have brought people from different constituency and gave them uniform to register here in the Ahafo ano north constituency, Elikplim Akakpo Francis alleged.
CEO DAMAK Sanitation watch and Health. Mr Daniel Mbabugri Akgri
The CEO of Damak Sanitation watch and Health Mr Daniel Mbabugiri Akgri has said, the government of Ghana has suddenly failed under the pretext of lip-service approach in the fight of the novel coronavirus pandemic where the precious lives of our young girls and boys are being mischievously traded with politics.
Mr Daniel Abugiri has decribed the approach as “the ‘robot and go-it-alone style” has symbolized our weakness to confront the covid-19 crisis, of which we have reflected our focus as a nation on politics instead of facilitating measures to curb the situation.
We cannot solemnly invest the sovereignty of the country into political bigotry. In a seeming attempt to deflect from our own widely criticized handling of the pandemic…which has led to the death of over 139 Ghanaians to date, policy-makers especially health experts and civil societies including well-meaning Ghanaians have a duty to play in the fight of the pandemic. The gradually wide spread of the virus in the Senior High Schools are concerns that need a holistic approach by all stakeholders.
If the lack of robust leadership in the fight of covid-19 is missing, we will severely pay the price. For that core reason, the government’s response to the covid-19 should be indeed thoroughly canvas for sufficient policy plans to facilitate the safety of our children in school. If not, we will not only fail to stand up for vigorous core strategic road-map to end the spread of the virus, we will rather actualize grounds to increase it spread.
The CEO of Damak Sanitation watch and Health Mr Daniel Akgri Ambabugri said, Ghanains cannot pretend to adopt the adamance lifestyle and say all is well. The Health Ministry, the Education Ministry and the covid-19 team even though their best have been exhibited, we further encourage them not to put off their candles to continue ensuring that the novel coronavirus does not rest on our lives..
We reiterate the government not to allow politics to gain grounds in the health community even though it has been an undeniable fact that politics are not playing a key role in the fight of the covid-19. The entrenched position of government officials to facilitate their parochial interest is a recipe to put the lives of students in danger. ’We cannot wait to hit by the face with increasing death tolls in our schools before taking actions’’. We therefore appealed to the president to consider the vast spread of the virus in the schools and do the blissful thing and closed down the school amidst cancelling the WASSCE and BECE.
Despite the several calls from civil organizations, political parties, the parent-teacher association, Damak Sanitation Watch and Health also conceived the same idea for the reason being that, the virus is gradually catching up with students in the schools and thought over it closer and cancellation. Our information has it that the Ministry of Education however, claimed that experts’ advice indicates that enough facilities have been provided to mitigate the spread of the virus in our schools. Thus, there is no course for alarm, he said.
However, such self-centered expert analysis has failed to arrest the situation. Barely a month since the schools reopened, close to 14 Senior High Schools are said to have been affected with the virus and out of the 14 schools, over 130 students tested covid-19 positive. That notwithstanding, another student from Gwirama Senior High School in the Western Region , Nathaniel Yankey lost his life believed to be the Covid-19.
This reveals that the signs don’t look good and the lives of our wards matters most to us. Our concerns as parents and the position of the government are unparalleled and there is no clear cut solution to address the problem in the affected schools. If the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Education, the Cocoa board, and the Ministry of Health are said to have been closed down due to the outbreak of the covid-19 pandemic, what are our children still doing in the schools?
These are key legitimate questions that many parents continue asking; The president of the land has gone into self-isolation, the Education Minister, is self-quarantined, the Health Minister is self-quarantined at the time whose presence matters most. The safety of students and the entire country are sitting on tentacles.
We want to find out whether the education experts thought of students who tested positive how they will participate in writing the exams? And even if their conditions permit them to do so, under what circumstances will their exams papers be marked. All these are pertinent questions that need answers considering their health stigma.
If we are to consider the discrete response of the Director of Election at the EC who was answering some questions in one of the radio stations, stated equivocally that people who tested positive are considered to be people who are sick and would not have time to think of registration. And if this is applicable in that context, it means that same statement applies in the students’ case. Hence the government should not offer the lives of our children for a political game and do the needful thing where it’s applicable.
The Former Deputy Organizer, NPP-USA, Alhaji Ali Suaraj has toured some registration centers at the Asawase Constituency to obtain first hand information about the ongoing Voters’ registration exercise.
Overall, he visited twelve registration centers in two electoral areas (Aboabo No-1 and Sepe).
Over the years, Aboabo No-1, the largest electoral area in the Asawase Constituency has been the food basket of the arch political opponent (NDC). With a total number of 21 polling Stations, the NPP could only win one since the creation of the Constituency in 2004.
Interestingly, that single polling Station happens to be where Hon. Muntaka Mohammed casts his vote, Sepe on the other hand is largely dominated by the NPP.
In December this year’s polls, the NPP is strategically targeting at winning majority of the votes in Asawase Constituency, the hard working executives of NPP Asawase Constituency, has assured that, their alacrity to helping break the dominance of the NDC in the area.
Alhaji Ali Suaraj at the registration center
Alhaji Ali Suaraj visit, also had an interaction with NPP registration agents, party officials and observers. It is crystal clear that, the NPP is battle ready for the Asawase seat.
The former organizer of NPP in USA Alhaji Ali Suaraj said, the vigilance, hard work and enthusiasms displayed on the members in the Electoral Areas he visited are worthy of commendation and victory ahead of 2020 polls.
In interacting with officials of the Electoral Commission to enquire the smoothness or otherwise of the exercise the responses I had are positive. Largely the registration has been smooth, devoid of any exasperation, riots and disturbances.
He urged all the doomsayer’s and prophets of dooms to commend the electoral commission and rather than backbiting and predicting worse for the EC .
The Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has said the governing New Patriotic Party under the leadership of President Nana Akufo-Addo has fulfilled its 2016 electoral promise to the people of Zongo in its first term of office.
Speaking during a visit to the National Chief Imam on Sunday to officially inform him of his re-nomination as running mate to President Akufo-Addo for December’s Presidential elections, Dr. Bawumia recalled that prior to the 2016 elections, President Akufo-Addo promised the national Chief Imam and the people of Zongo that should Allah make him President, he would establish a ministry and a special fund to facilitate the development of zongo communities, adding that the President has duly honoured his promise.
The vice president Dr Alhaji Mahamud Bawomia said, “during the 2016 elections campaign, President Nana Akufo-Addo was here and I came with him. He promised the National Chief Imam that should God make him President, he would look after the welfare of the Zongos and Muslims. He will run an inclusive government,” Dr. Bawumia recalled.
“As we prepared our 2016 manifesto, we looked at the Zongos and we identified two key problems that we thought God willing if we had the chance, we would address. One was education.”
“The other was to look for a vehicle that will prioritise development in Zongos because we wanted to move away from the rice and sugar type of development. We wanted to focus on the real needs of the people and we wanted to move away from what we will do when it is Ramadan and Hajj, which seemed to be the way the Zongos were dealt with. We thought we needed a vehicle to prioritize and address the needs of of zongos on an ongoing basis”.
“It is in that context that President Nana Akufo-Addo did two things. First, he established a whole minustry for inner city and zongo development as well as the Zongo Development Fund with funding provided for in our annual budgets.”
Dr Bawumia noted that after three and half years in office, the fulfilment of the promise through the creation of the Ministry of Inner Cities and Zongo Development, as well as the Zongo Development have paved the way for sustainable development in the two areas in many zongo communities across the country.
“If you go around a lot of Zongos now, you will feel the impact of of this ministry whether it is a classroorm blocks, toilet facilities, drainage , systems, water, roads, bridges, clinics, etc. The Ministry and the Zongo Development Fund are addressing many problems in Zongos across the country,” said Dr. Bawumia.
On education the Vice President said it is a sure way of development and poverty eradication, and therefore, a key area of concern and focus to the President hence his massive investment in the education of Ghanaian children.
“The only way any community can break out from poverty, sustainably, is through education and this does not just apply to the Zongos. It applies to the whole world,” said Dr. Bawumia.
“Most of us come from the villages and the only reason we have been able to move ahead , one way or the other, is through education. So we said that one of the biggest things we needed to do was education.”
Dr Bawumia noted further that the Free SHS policy has provided free access to secondary education for every child from Zongo in Ghana, and it demonstrated President Akufo-Addo’s commitment to ensuring a brighter future for the Zongo and Ghanaian child.
He said, in line with the government’s commitment to ensure the education of the zongo child even at the highest level, his office, in conjunction with the Ministry of Inner Cities and Zongo Develoment Fund, provided scholarships to 40 students from Zongos and other deprived communities to go and study medicine in Cuba.
“Nana Akufo-Addo has really fulfilled his promise in these two major areas; in education he has provided free senior high school and that is a major relief to a lot of parents in the Zongos. Today in shaa Allah, there is no excuse for any child in Zongo not to have senior high school education. We can have education free up to senior high and that is something we have to thank Allah for. It used to be a major problem.”
The Vice President expressed President Akufo-Addo’s commitment to continue to do more for Zongos and urged them to give the President 4 more years.
He said by the will of Allah, President Akufo-Addo will continue his development and education agenda, especially in the Zongos by building sixteen model senior high schools in zongos in each of the sixteen regions, “in shaa Allah in his next term.”
The National Chief Imam commended Dr. Bawumia and President Akufo-Addo for their efforts at ensuring peace and development in the country.
While praying for Dr. Bawumia and President Akufo-Addo for Allah’s blessings, the National Chief Imam also prayed for the country more prosperity, as well as God’s intervention in the Coronavirus pandemic.
The Vice President was accompanied by the National Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party, Mr. Freddy Blay and Member of Parliament for Okaikoi Central, Hon. Patrick Boamah.
A piece of information available to RICHNEWS.COM bares that the former President JJ Rawlings has closed down his office in Accra in the wake of COVID-19 spread in Ghana.
A statement by the former President said the move is to protect his staff and visitors.
“The office of His Excellency Jerry John Rawlings, former President of the Republic, wishes to announce the immediate closure of the office.
“The closure is due to the unfortunate spread of the Covid-19 virus. The decision which is aimed at protecting staff and potential visitors will be reviewed after two weeks.
“The former President once again urges all Ghanaians to be mindful of their personal discipline and care as we work to combat the disease. He calls on all to wear their masks, maintain appropriate social distancing, cough etiquette and general hygiene protocols,” the statement said.
Ghana’s Communications Minister and Member of Parliament for the Ablekuma West Constituency, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful says though she welcomes the selection of Prof. Jane Naana Opoku Agyeman as the NDC’s Vice Presidential Candidate for the 2020 elections, gender advocates cannot vouch for her contribution to the cause of women empowerment in the country.
She said many women across the political divide have for years fought tirelessly for women and children’s rights in this country and Prof. Opoku Agyeman is not one of them.
“You can easily mention former First Lady of the Republic, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, and some others in the NDC as shinning examples of female politicians who have contributed immensely to the advancement of women empowerment and inclusion in Ghana.”
The former Vice President of the International Federation of Women Lawyers explained that Prof. Opoku-Agyeman’s record in public life would make it very difficult to rally the ‘female Constituency’ to support her bid.
She mentioned that the NDC’s Vice Presidential Candidate was one of the notable women who signed the infamous ‘Montie three’ petition for the release of three NDC communicators who had threatened to ‘rape’ the then Chief Justice, Mrs. Georgina Wood.
Prof. Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang NDC Running mate.
“That eposide is still fresh on the mind of every woman in this struggle. It was no mean a person than Ghana’s first female Chief Justice who had been attacked by the NDC and there was Prof. Jane Naana Opoku Agyeman rising in defense of her party youth who had been convicted for their barbaric actions,” Mrs. Ekuful said in an interview with OMAN FM.
The Ablekuma West legislator went on to plead with political actors to spare the NDC’ s Vice Presidential Candidate all the scathing attacks and abuses directed at female politicians in the Country.
“We should take her on for her record in public life and resist the temptation of calling her names and hurling invectives at her just because she is a ‘woman’.
Hon Ursula Owusu vrs Prof. Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang
Lawyer and Women’s right activists Ursula Owusu Ekuful the minister of communication has reacted to the appointment of Jane Nana Opoku Agyemang as running mate for Mr. John Dramani Mahama in the 2020 elections, indicating, Professor Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang has not made any meaningful contribution to the empowerment of women in Ghana. More updates………..
Vice chairperson of Central Market 2020 champions Nana Serwaa Bonsu
We the Central Market 2020 Champions Ladies Kumasi Ghana have received the selection of Prof. Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang, former Minister of Education, as the running mate to Mr. John Dramani Mahama, with lots of fear and trepidation.
Our fear is premised on the fact that under the reign of Prof. Naana Opoku Agyemang as the Minister of Education under the erstwhile administration of the NDC, teacher and trainee nurses in the country went through several ordeals following the cancellation of trainee allowances.
Nana Serwaa Bonsu Vice chairperson
The vice chairperson of Central Market 2020 Champions, Nana Serwaa Bonsu described the selection of Prof Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang as a total failure and will lead NDC to opposition.
We have no doubt that the decision by the then President and now Candidate John Dramani Mahama to cancel these allowances, which was a major source of reprieve for the trainees, was based on advice from she (Prof. Naana Opoku Agyemang)
As every Ghanaian is aware, it took the intervention of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo and his able Vice President, Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia, to restore these much needed allowances for the students.
With her selection as the running mate to Mr. Mahama, we have no doubt that she will pursue her agenda once again, in the unlikely event that the NDC wins December 2020 elections.
It is for this reason that we the Concerned Central Market 2020 champions ladies are calling on our trainees and other Ghanaians aspiring to pursue teaching and nursing as professions to mass up at the various registration centres to register and vote massively against the NDC in the December 7 elections.
Nana Serwaa Bonsu urged Ghanains trainees to consider this call as a national crusade because it will define their destiny as students and future as teachers and nurses.
RICHNEWS.COM 