Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Vice Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has successfully mediated a longstanding feud between two factions in the Fomena Constituency of the Ashanti Region.
The dispute, which spanned four years and led to the closure of the NPP’s constituency office, had hampered party operations and caused frustration among members.
Napo in a group photograph
Dr. Prempeh, popularly known as “Napo,” brought both sides together during his visit to Fomena on Friday, where he campaigned in support of the NPP’s presidential candidate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
His intervention, marked by patience and diplomacy, resulted in a breakthrough as current and former constituency executives agreed to reconcile.
In a private meeting, Napo listened to the grievances of both factions and urged them to forgive past issues, unite, and work toward the party’s success in the upcoming 2024 elections.
He emphasized that unity was crucial to retaining power, highlighting the achievements of the NPP government under President Akufo-Addo.
Napo, also backed the party’s decision to support sitting independent MP Andrew Asiamah for the Fomena parliamentary seat in 2024.
Asiamah, who won the seat as an independent in 2020 but has since worked closely with the NPP in Parliament, will run on the NPP ticket in the next election.
Napo stressed that this move would help reunite the party base and bolster its chances in the constituency.
The reconciliation process was further cemented when former Fomena NPP Chairman Akwasi Nti, who led one of the factions, handed over the keys to the party office to the current executives, signaling his commitment to peace.
The current chairman, Akwasi Adom, also called for reconciliation and promised to lead the party with unity as they prepare for the December 7, 2024, elections.
Both sides expressed their willingness to put the past behind them and work together for the NPP’s success, thanks to Napo’s effective mediation.
The Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr. Simon Osei-Mensah, has heaped praises on MTN Ghana Foundation for its unwavering commitment to the provision of quality education in the country.
According to the Minister, MTN Foundation’s commitment and investment in education is unmatched in the telecommunication industry. He, therefore, urged other companies to emulate MTN’s lead in investment in education in line with the government private partnership in the provision of quality education to all.
The Minister made the remarks in a speech delivered on his behalf by Mr. Abraham Kwame Antwi, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Oforikrom, on Friday, 20th September 2024, at the Faculty of Law, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) during the second batch of this year’s MTN Bright Scholarship awards.
Some scenes from the event
Mr. Osei-Mensah encouraged MTN Ghana Foundation not to relent in its efforts in supporting the provision of education, especially for the underprivileged in the Ghanaian society.
He also used the opportunity to advise the awardees to take their studies seriously to justify the investment made in them.
The MTN Bright Scholarship is a flagship initiative by MTN Ghana Foundation aimed at easing the financial burden on brilliant and needy students. The scholarship covers tuition, accommodation, provision of semesterly stipends, and a laptop.
Some of the awardees displaying the items given to them.
On his part, Dr. Gordon Sabotey, a member of the MTN Bright Scholarship panel, revealed that
they received more than 1,500 applications. They shortlisted 400 applications for interviews and finally selected 200 for this year’s awards.
The panel member disclosed that the first batch of 100 awardees were given their awards in Accra, while the second batch of the remaining 100 beneficiaries received theirs in Kumasi.
He said to ensure fair representation, the panel considered all the public universities across the 16 regions, gender and persons with disabilities, among other factors, in the selection process.
Mr. Kuzoe Robert, Senior Manager of MTN Foundation, in an interview with the media, explained that the scholarship considered students studying Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) courses.
According to him, out of 200 awardees this year, 20 awardees were persons with disabilities.
Mr. Kuzoe disclosed that since the inception of MTN Foundation Bright Scholarship awards, 520 students across the 16 regions had benefited.
The Senior Manager said the foundation would continue to invest in education because the power of education to national development cannot be underestimated.
He said despite the benefits of education, many still find it difficult to continue their education due to financial difficulties. He cited many studies to buttress his points and gave an assurance that MTN Ghana Foundation would continue to support in that direction to help lessen the financial burden on students and their parents.
Mr. Kuzoe said MTN Bright Scholarship was instituted in 2018 with the initial target to award 100 students annually, but due to the high numbers of applicants year in year out, they decided to expand it to the current coverage of 200 students annually.
He said the scholarship was designed for year one undergraduate students and continuing students at any public higher institution in Ghana.
The MTN Ghana Scholarship covers the cost of tuition, accommodation, research devices and stipends for reading materials.
A number of the awardees couldn’t hide their excitement and praises to MTN Ghana Foundation. They described MTN Ghana Foundation Bright Scholarship award as a God-sent.
They commended the leadership of the foundation for the laudable intervention and prayed for the continued growth of the company in order for it to do more for the needy.
The Chief Executive of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Dr. Da-Costa Aboagye , says the Authority is pursuing pragmatic reforms to upgrade the National Health Insurance Scheme.
This ambitious reform is expected to among others, enhance the operations of service providers to improve healthcare delivery and expand access towards Universal Health Coverage.
Dr. Da-Costa Aboagye ,
He mentioned components of the reforms to include prompt payments of vetted claims to ensure payments were current; automatic price adjustment to regulate pharmaceutical pricing; E-pharmacy policy to enhance medication accessibility under the scheme and the collaboration with the National Identification Authority to provide Ghana cards for 6.3 million young people between 6 and 14 to enable them be captured unto the NHIS.
He also mentioned the automatic absorption of all SSNIT contributors into the Scheme without additional payment.
He was speaking at the opening of the 4th Annual Conference of the Private Health Facilities Association of Ghana in Koforidua on September 18, 2024.
The conference, which has become a prominent gathering for private healthcare providers, pooled industry players, policy makers, healthcare consumers, and traditional leaders to discuss challenges and opportunities in healthcare delivery.
“We are reforming and upgrading the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), and our aim is to eliminate delays in payments to facilities to improve service delivery and access,” he said.
Dr Dacosta Aboagye expressed confidence that these reforms will make the health system more robust, ending illegal payments also known as copayments, a phenomenon he described as a major threat to the effectiveness and sustainability to the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
“We are working hard to end co-payments through two key measures: system reforms and the establishment of a task force.
“If the NHIA is paying claims on time and providing adequate tariffs, no facility has the moral right to charge patients additional fees,” he stated.
He assured the private health facilities that the NHIA is committed to maintaining regular payments, as part of broader reforms aimed at improving the NHIS.
Prompt payment
Throwing more light on prompt payment, he said over the past few months, the Authority has paid out claims at an unprecedented rate, more than any other government in the Fourth Republic.
He underscored the NHIA’s current efforts in improving payment systems to healthcare facilities, noting significant progress made in recent months.
He shared that the NHIA has made substantial payments to health facilities to clear long-standing debts.
“In 2016, the entire budget of the NHIS was around GH¢1.2 billion, and there was a backlog of one year of unpaid claims.
“Just last week, I authorised the release of GH¢800 million for healthcare facilities, with 400 million already disbursed.
“Today, I am pleased to announce that we have begun the disbursement of an additional GH¢402 million. We have made payments up to July,2004 to all facilities that have submitted claims,” he said.
Emphasising the NHIA’s objective to eliminate debts to healthcare facilities, he assured stakeholders that claims submitted would be processed promptly.
Tariff review
The Chief Executive also addressed concerns on the ongoing tariff review process, recognising the need for speed and effectiveness.
“While we have reviewed tariffs multiple times in recent years, pricing remain an anchor for both public and private facilities to charge illegal fees. For this reason, in this regime, our approach is let’s do it well, that is why it has kept long
“We have invited all stakeholders, development partners, everybody that matters to the table, trying to make sure that we get it right. This is why the process has delayed.
“Our goal is to introduce an automatic price adjustment mechanism that will help stabilise prices, especially in the pharmaceutical sector,” he said.
Dr Aboagye said the current manifesto of the ruling New Patriotic Party includes plans for an automatic price adjustment within a regulatory framework to prevent arbitrary pricing by pharmaceutical companies.
He explained that the automatic price adjustment system will prevent pharmaceutical companies from arbitrarily increasing prices, as it will be regulated within a framework determined by the independent tariff review.
“We are committed to ensuring that both public and private facilities benefit from fair and sustainable pricing.
“What this means is that under no circumstances will pharmaceutical companies be allowed to charge anything that they want. Prices will be determined automatically by the stakeholder approved regulatory framework under the independent tariff review, when it comes up,” he said
E-pharmacy policy
He said an E-pharmacy policy aimed at streamlining medication access is also currently being piloted.
“This initiative allows pharmacies under the NHIS to upload prescriptions of medications they don’t have but a patient need on an online platform, facilitating medication collection at any local pharmacy near them or even in some instances have them delivered to their homes with the aid of the property addressing system.
“As reforms continue, the NHIA remains committed to enhancing the robustness of Ghana’s health system, ensuring that all citizens can access quality care.
Dr. Aboagye emphasised the importance of the private health sector to the overall health delivery system in Ghana.
He acknowledged the critical role private health facilities play in extending healthcare access to Ghanaians and pledged the NHIA’s continued support to ensure their sustainability..
“I am so delighted to stand before you at such a crucial time for the health sector. Your contribution is highly appreciated by the National Health Insurance Scheme,” Dr. Aboagye said.
The recent arrests of four Ghanaian students for allegedly falsifying transcripts to gain admission to Lehigh University reveal a pressing issue within our education system that requires immediate attention. This incident highlights a long-standing failure in the record-keeping practices of the Ghana Education Service (GES).
For years, there has been a significant gap in how we track students’ academic journeys. While there once existed a cumulative record card system, it has largely fallen out of use, with schools rarely completing these records each term.
This has left many students vulnerable when seeking admission to foreign tertiary institutions, which require accurate and verifiable transcripts. In the absence of reliable records, some students feel compelled to fabricate documents to meet these requirements.
It’s crucial to recognize that this issue is not solely the fault of individual schools. In Ghana, the transition to tertiary institutions is primarily based on WASSCE results, leading to a lack of emphasis on maintaining comprehensive academic records. This neglect creates an environment where legitimate transcripts are virtually non-existent, pushing desperate students toward unethical solutions.
To address this pressing issue, I urge the Ghana Education Service to take decisive action in establishing a robust electronic database for tracking student records. Such a system would ensure that all schools maintain accurate academic records, enabling them to provide legitimate transcripts when needed. By standardizing record-keeping practices, the GES can foster transparency and accountability in our educational institutions.
It is time for the Ghana Education Service to prioritize the development of a comprehensive database
This initiative will protect the integrity of our education system and empower students to pursue opportunities abroad without compromising their ethics. We must work together to eliminate the desperation that drives students to take unethical actions and instead provide them with the support they need to succeed.
The Electoral Commission (EC) has officially approved 13 candidates to contest in the upcoming 2024 presidential elections.
After what it said was a thorough vetting process, the EC’s approved candidates include individuals from a range of political backgrounds, including candidates from major parties and several independents.
The announcement comes after months of political campaigns and qualification checks by the EC to ensure each candidate met the required criteria.
Bawumia,Mahama,Alan,Akpaloo and others
Conspicuous among the disqualified applicants is the People’s National Convention’s Bernard Mornah, who had vowed that his party was about to end the leadership duopoly the nation has had to live with.
Among the notable approved candidates is the Dr Mahamudu Bawumia of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), both of whom are hoping to sway voters with promises of economic reform, improved infrastructure, and enhanced social services.
In addition to these familiar faces, several first-time candidates have emerged, representing smaller parties and independent platforms, aiming to challenge the political establishment with new ideas and a fresh perspective on governance.
The Electoral Commission in a press statement issued on Friday, September 20, emphasised that the selection process was conducted with the utmost fairness and transparency.
All candidates had to submit detailed documentation, including their financial records, citizenship status, and nomination forms, which were rigorously scrutinized.
The EC also encouraged the aspirants to conduct peaceful campaigns and adhere to the country’s electoral guidelines, ensuring that the election period remains orderly and democratic.
“Following the successful conduct of the Filing of Nominations from the 9th of September to the 13h of September, 2024, the Commission instituted a thorough examination of the Nomination Forms submitted by the Candidates to ensure conformity with requirements as set out in law,” the statement said.
As the campaign season kicks off in full swing, political analysts predict a heated race, especially given the current economic challenges and growing public dissatisfaction with governance.
Reliable information reaching your authoritative, tntnewspapergh.com, indicates that the Flagbearer of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP),Dr.Mahamadu Bawumia,has postponed his tour to the party’s political world Bank, Ashanti region.
According to flyers shared on social media platforms few days ago,Dr Bawumia,was expected to begin 15 days aggressive campaign from Friday,20th September,2024 to 5th October,2024, in the Ashanti region ahead of 7th December polls.
According to credible source,the Flagbearer would soon communicates a new date for his tour in the Ashanti region.
Meanwhile,Dr Mathew Opoku Prempeh,the running mate to Dr.Bawunia,is back in his home region, Ashanti for a relentless campaign.
Napo,as he is affectionately called was at Kumawu and other constituencies on Thursday,19th September,2024.
Napo, is expected to continue his campaign today, Friday,20th September,2024 at Bekwai and Fomena constituencies all in the Ashanti region.
Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh ( Napo ),running mate to Dr Mahamadu Bawumia remarks at Kumawu;”Great to be back to Kumawu Constituency,after the thrilling campaign that won Hon. Ernest Yaw Anim the by-election of 2023 for the NPP..
Napo at Kumawu
This time, we are preaching Dr. Bawumia’s message of hope and bold solutions to address Ghana’s challenges in all sectors, confident in the belief that they will find favour with the people.
I am grateful to the Chiefs and other Stakeholders for the invaluable advice they offered on a more collaborative approach to our country’s development.
Kumawu, I am confident, will stand with the elephant fraternity in December.
The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Bernard Antwi Boasiako,,on Thursday morning, joined a visibly ecstatic chiefs and people of Ejura-SEKYEREDUMASI, to officially commission the District Road Improvement Programme (DRIP).
With most communities and farming roads experiencing massive improvement, the DRIP equipment has come in at a critical moment as it seeks to strategically tackle district roads with speed and efficiency.
Screenshots from the event
So far, 23 indigenes of Ejura-SEKYEREDUMASI have been trained to man the equipment, while a sub committee has also been set up to manage the maintenance aspect of the facility.
Speaking at the commissioning, the Ashanti Regional Coordinator for DRIP, Kwabena Nsenkyere told the gathering that the vision of the party’s Presidential Candidate, Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, is to see to it that various district Assemblies are well positioned to undertake road construction at any given time.
Gifty Ndoma, the Parliamentary candidate for the constituency, was happy with the party’s resolve to ensure roads in Ejura-SEKYEREDUMASI are motorable to facilitate the economic development of the area.
On his part, the Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, expressed his delight to Akufo-Addo and Bawumia, for turning much attention to roads, which has been a bane to the local economies of Districts.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has criticised the National Democratic Congress (NDC)’s call for a forensic audit of the voter’s register ahead of the 2024 election in December.
The party’s General Secretary Justin Frimpong Kodua described the call for an independent forensic audit as “hypocritical and mischievous”.
Addressing a press conference on Thursday, September 19, he noted that the call for an audit is needless and a calculated attempt to stir tension in the country.
Justin Frimpong Kodua,NPP General Secretary
According to him, the NDC is doing this because they’re aware that their defeat at the polls is imminent.
“Mr Mahama, why are you and the NDC not allowing the Electoral Commission to decide what to do but are embarking on a demonstration?
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“In our view of the above, it is hypocritical for the NDC to be ordering the Electoral Commission to conduct an independent forensic audit of the provisional register,” he indicated.
The NPP General Secretary further challenged the NDC to present any alleged errors in the electoral register to the EC for verification if indeed there are any errors.
The NDC has for some time now demanded that the EC conduct a forensic audit of the voter’s register ahead of the 2024 elections.
The calls became louder after the EC admitted that some of its district officers had transferred votes illegally without recourse to the law, an anomaly the Commission says it has corrected and penalized the officers involved.
But they rejected the call for an independent audit describing it as unnecessary.
The NDC subsequently protested over the EC’s refusal to subject the register to an audit submitting petitions to Parliament and the EC to heed the call for a robust register ahead of the elections.
