Dan Kwaku Botwe, the Campaign Chairman for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2024 elections, has stated that the party’s flagbearer, Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia, is not facing any pressure to announce his running mate.
Dr. Bawumia has faced criticism for the prolonged delay in announcing his running mate, despite requesting additional time from the National Council of the party.
Addressing journalists in Kumasi, Dan Botwe assured that the flagbearer would announce his desired candidate at the right time.
Dr.Mahamudu Bawumia
‘We have not mentioned a particular candidate and no such discussion has come up but finding a running mate has never been our problem. It has never been a contentious issue for us.”By:Citi Newsroom
The potential vacuum in the Ejisu Constituency Parliamentary seat following the demise of the MP, John Ampontuah Kumah has sparked early interest from prospective contenders eyeing the upcoming by-election.
Among them, former President of the Ghana Football Association, Kwesi Nyantakyi, has emerged as a possible candidate for the vacant seat.
With Parliament yet to declare the seat vacant for a by-election, Nyantakyi has publicly declared his intent to contest once the electoral process is officially initiated. Speaking at the New Patriotic Party’s Ashanti Regional Campaign team launch in Kumasi, Nyantakyi confirmed his eligibility to run while being mindful of the current mourning period within the constituency.
Kwesi Nyantakyi
Recognizing the sensitivity of the timing following the loss of the late MP, Nyantakyi emphasized his deep connection to the Ejisu constituency and indicated his preparedness to participate in the electoral race pending the formal announcement of the by-election schedule.
Indicating his willingness to abide by the mourning period out of respect for the late MP, Nyantakyi reassured his commitment to the area he hails from and urged party members to place trust in the decision-making process of the party’s flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, especially in selecting a suitable running mate.
While stressing the inevitability of the Ejisu by-election, Nyantakyi urged for patience and respect for the mourning process, underscoring his belief in the democratic process and the importance of adhering to established protocols before finalizing any candidacy decisions for the upcoming by-election.
The NDC Minority in Parliament, once again, is compelled to expose President Akufo-Addo and Vice-President Bawumia for trying to deceive Ghanaians, that they have fulfilled a campaign promise to provide tablets to ALL Ghanaian students.
Clearly, they have failed, because they have only provided tablets to less than a quarter of the population of Ghanaian students. This is obviously a cheap attempt to hoodwink unsuspecting Ghanaians into voting for Bawumia in the general elections, this year.
It is important to state, that the NDC is not against the provision of tablets to students to enhance their learning experience. In the NDC’s 2020 Peoples’ manifesto, on page 70, under ‘7.2: Providing Globally Competitive And Quality Education,’ it is stated in 7.2.3(k) that the NDC will; “Provide students and teachers with free tablets loaded with relevant content to facilitate teaching and learning.”
The failed Akufo-Addo/Bawumia-led NPP in its 2020 manifesto on page 57, under Education (promise123): Improve ICT facilities and curriculum on ICT, notes that “Curriculum approved and rolled out,” stating further that “Discussions are ongoing for distribution of tablets to JHS and SHS students.”
Note, that per data from the Ghana Education Service presented to Parliament during the 2024 budget process, the total number of students in our public Senior High School (SHS) was given as 1,331,219 (1.3 million), while the total number of students in public Junior High Schools (JHS) stood at 1,448,896 (1.4 million). This brings the total number of students in our Senior and Junior High Schools to 2,780,115. What the NPP manifesto promised, was tablets for ALL students; which means tablets for 2,780,115 students in Ghana.
After seven long years (and still counting) of failing to fulfill this promise, and now with only nine months to go to general elections, the failed Akufo-Addo/ Bawumia-led government has, through GETFUND, procured only 450,000 tablets for a total of 2,780,115 students. It is worth noting, that no provision has been made either in the 2024 budget, or the recently passed 2024 GETFUND formula to procure additional tablets.
This means, that a whopping 2,330,115 students in both SHS and JHS will not receive the tablets. With the 450,000 tablets being given to only SHS students, it means the remaining 881,219 SHS students will not have some; and no JHS student will have one.
Again, it is worth noting that the Akufo-Addo/ Bawumia government has failed to tell Parliament and the people of Ghana the unit cost of the 450,000 tablets procured through GETFUND. This is clearly a government that has no regard for transparency and accountability. Even worse, it has no policy to guide the method of distribution and use of the tablets.
Given, that government has not procured enough tablets to ensure that at least all SHS students get access to these tablets, what criteria will be used to decide and select which students in which schools are to receive these tablets?
Now that the government has failed to produce enough tablets to enable every SHS and JHS student get a tablet as promised, should government decide to pilot the one student one laptop programme, how will the schools be selected?
At this juncture, we are cautioning the government not to select schools based on partisan political considerations, where schools in districts with NPP MPs are selected and districts with non-NPP MPs left out.
We call on Ghanaians to hold the Akufo-Addo/ Bawumia-led NPP government accountable for failing to fulfil the promise of providing ALL students in SHS and JHS with tablets, despite receiving the most revenue in the history of Ghana. With the quantum of revenue this government has been lucky to have at its disposal, from 2017 to present, it’s such a shame that it could only procure 450,000 tablets when we have 1,331,219 (1.3 million) students in SHS and 1,448,896 (1.4 million) in JHS.
Obviously, the government has once again failed to fulfill its promise to the people. Ghanaians, as usual, can be trusted to see through the razzmatazz attached to the launching of the programme and recognize it as an election campaign gimmick.
Signed
Dr. Clement Apaak
MP, Builsa South and Deputy Ranking Member, Education Committee of Parliament
President Akufo-Addo has announced the distribution of 1.3 million tablets to public Senior High School and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) students.
According to him, this initiative is part of the government’s measures to ensure that all sectors of the country are digitised.
Speaking at the launch of Smart School Smart School Project on March 25, he said “In furtherance of our digitalisation agenda in the education sector, government is proceeding with plans to distribute 1.3 million educational tablets to students in Senior High Schools. That is one student per tablet under the government Smart Schools Project. The tablets are fitted with digital contents to aid research, teaching and learning.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo
“At the tertiary level, the government plans to provide at discounted price, tablets and laptops to students and lecturers to facilitate academic work.”
He explained that the initiative resulted from lessons the government had learned from Covid-19. He stated that the pandemic exposed vulnerabilities in various sectors of the country, including the educational sector. One of the notable gaps highlighted was the need for digitalisation across all sectors, particularly in education.
President Akufo-Addo also announced that the Ministry of Education had already distributed 200,000 laptops to teachers in pre-tertiary institutions nationwide.
Additionally, these teachers have undergone training on how to use and utilise applications embedded in the computers to facilitate the preparation of lesson notes and research.
Again, he said although the free SHS policy has been successful, the next phase of the policy would be propelled by digitalisation.
He stressed that this would allow a seamless offline teaching and learning experience.
“The enhanced Free SHSs will be environmentally friendly, boost academic performance fitted with interactive displays, interactive learning and increase productivity which is what has given birth to the Ghana Smart School Project.
He explained that the project seeks to deepen the application of IT in teaching and learning at the secondary cycle level. Its goal is to enhance the performance of students, better preparing them for higher education and competitive careers.
Meanwhile, government intends to build 100 smart schools across the country. The first 30 of these schools are slated to be completed this year, with the remaining 70 are expected to be finished within the next two years.
The smart school infrastructure will be located in all 16 regions of the country.
Additionally, President Akufo-Addo mentioned that the smart school buildings will be fitted with solar panels, enabling them to operate independently of the national electricity grid.
These schools will also feature digitised infrastructure aimed at advancing teaching and learning. The physical infrastructure will take into account the unique climatic conditions of each region, creating a conducive atmosphere for learning.
“The Ghana Smart School Project is in alignment with the government’s promise to enhance the free Senior High School programme leveraging on technological advancement to enable students to compete globally,” he said.
Again, he said “I am confident that we can build a future where every Ghanaian child has access to a world-class education and unlocks full potential. Let us embrace this opportunity to transform our school into hubs of innovation and excellence. Let us work tirelessly to ensure that no child is left behind in the digital age.”Source: Connielove Mawutornyo Dzodzegbe
MTN Ghana is set to hold the second edition of the MTN Business CTIO Roundtable Africa in Accra on 27th March 2024.
The CTIO Roundtable provides a knowledge-sharing platform for technology leaders and academia across Africa to deliberate on key issues in technology and digital innovation. Participants at the Roundtable will share industry insights, discuss challenges, and find solutions to drive digital transformation in a globally connected world while supporting local innovation.
It will underscore the crucial role digital transformation and technology can play in building a more resilient economy.
This year’s forum, which is on the theme “Driving Business Value Through Data and AI,” will feature conversations on the importance of leveraging Data and AI to drive business growth and value. Discussions will also focus on the challenges as well as the opportunities they present.
Speakers at this year’s event are Bernard Acquah, Chief Information Officer, MTN Ghana, Dario Bianchi, Chief Digital Officer, MTN Ghana, Miishe Addy, Co-Founder & CEO Of Jetstream Africa, Richard Nunekpenu (ESQ), Vice President Ghana Fintech & Payments Association, Rashida Musa, Founder & CEO RaIma and Richard Osei-Anim, Managing Partner,Hatchery & Coral Reef Innovation Hub.
Chief Enterprise Business Officer -MTN Ghana, Angela Mensah-Poku
Chief Enterprise Business Officer at MTN Ghana, Angela Mensah-Poku, speaking ahead of the event stressed the crucial role data and AI play in today’s world and the need for businesses to be more intentional about leveraging data and AI to harness business growth and create value for their customers. She said,
“The emergence of data and AI presents immense opportunities for business growth. Businesses need to take a critical look at leveraging insights from these innovations to accelerate their growth and ultimately enhance customer experience and create value.”
The forum will also feature panel discussions, success stories about leadership, management, navigating corporate politics, Q&A sessions, and recommendations for policy reform. The discussions will culminate in the Launch of CTIO Network Africa.
The CTIO Roundtable Africa Forum will provide a unique opportunity for fostering strategic partnerships among industry leaders and stakeholders, deepen engagements among technology leaders, government, and key policy makers, encourage innovation and create an opportunity for leaders to contribute to the digital transformation agenda.
End.
Media Contacts:
Adwoa Wiafe
Chief Corporate services and sustainability Officer
Georgina Asare Fiagbenu
Corporate Communications Senior Manager
Email: MTNGhana.MediaOffice@mtn.com
The Energy Minister, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, has reassured the public of putting in place measures to fix the recent power supply disruption across the country.
Various areas have been experiencing interruptions in electricity supply in the past weeks, prompting citizens to express their dissatisfaction with the ECG.
Dr.Mathew Opoku Prempeh aka NAPO
This has triggered calls for a load-shedding timetable, but the Energy Minister has dismissed the request.
He says the demand for a load-shedding timetable is equivalent to wishing evil for the country.
“Let those who want the timetable bring it. I don’t know of any timetable because the ECG has said it is not necessary. Why would someone just wish evil for the country?” he asked.
According to Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the government is working towards power restoration.
“I have promised you that we are going to work on it and it’s not a single event. It’s a process,” he indicated.
Dr. Opoku Prempeh says although the recent power outages confronting the country has become a major challenge, it is better under the leadership of President Akufo-Addo than it was under John Mahama.
He wants citizens to exercise patience as the ECG works toward power restoration.Source: Nana Boakye Dankwah Yiadom
The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology(KNUST) Counselling Centre is collaborating with Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies to prioritize the emotional, psychological and mental healthcare of students.
As part of the collaboration, the Counselling Centre will soon launch a toll-free E-Counselling App to make it more accessible to students on campus. The Head of the KNUST Counselling Centre, Mrs. Victoria De-graft Adjei announced this at the launch of a programme aimed at addressing mental health issues among students in Kumasi.
The Resilient Minds Future Leaders Programme is being spearheaded by the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson and Johnson to build the emotional resilience of students to enable them to perform to their full capability.
Through the Resilient Minds Future Leaders programme, Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson and Johnson will build the capacity of healthcare professionals to effectively identify and provide timely support for mental health conditions.
Mrs Victoria Degraft Adjei
The Product Specialist for Neuroscience at the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies, Mr. Emmanuel Asante Antwi said the ultimate goal of the programme is to reduce stigma, improve overall health and enhance the quality of life of students on campus.
“Through this programme Johnson and Johnson invaluable support to KNUST including capacity building for health care professionals and initiative to enhance early access to appropriate interventions and care for patients. Our Ultimate goal is to reduce stigma, improve overall health, and enhance the quality of life for all members of the university.
Prof. Sister Franciiies Emily Owusu Ansah
We are deeply grateful for this collaboration and partnership of KNUST in this endeavour. As we embark on this journey together, let us reaffirm our commitment to fostering a culture of understanding, compassion and support for mental health initiatives. By working hand in hand, we can empower future generations to lead healthier and more resilient lifes” Mr Asante Antwi revealed.
The Head of the KNUST Counselling Centre, Mrs. Victoria De-graft Adjei noted that annually, the Counselling Centre records more than two thousand cases of mental health challenges with varying conditions.
“We have what we call an Emotional Resilient podcast we do with the E-Learning centre where emotional resilient titbits are given to students weekly.
Mr. Emmanuel Asante Antwi
Currently we are working on finishing touches to the E-Counselling App, where very soon we will launch it for every student to have access so at the tip of your finger, you will get someone to help you. It is a toll free App. At the centre we receive between 1800 and 2200 clients every year. Of this number, about 55 percent of them are males while 45 percent are females. Of this number too, 23 percent go through psychological challenges including stress, depression and attempted suicide, Schizophrenia.
We all have to accept that, we all go through mental challenges at a time depending on the issues. So the picture is that somebody at KNUST at a particular time or everyday might be going through some challenges. Check your brother, be your brother’s keepers” she disclosed.
The Head of KNUST Department of Behavioural Sciences, Professor Sister Frances Emily Owusu Ansah expressed serious concern about the high prevalence of mental health among the youth.
“According to the WHO there is quite a bit of percentage about 13 percent of Ghanaians who suffer from mental health issues. Mental health issues from mild to severe forms are more prevalent among the youth.
So the youth is a critical group because 75 percent of youth that report for the first time experiencing any form of mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety and other less serious mental health conditions. But with timely diagnosis and appropriate intervention, these can be treated and the persons who suffer them can be helped to leave a fulfilling life” she indicated
Mental health is not the absence of disease but a comprehensive well-being that encompasses all forms of well-being.
The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has urged President Nana Akufo-Addo and Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin to collaborate in ensuring the implementation of the people’s will regarding the controversial Human Sexual Rights and Ghana Family Values Bill, also known as the Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill.
Currently, there is an impasse over the transmission of the Bill from Parliament to the Presidency.
The President halted the transmission of the anti-gay bill, while the Speaker of Parliament suspended the approval of new ministerial nominees citing a court case.
This deadlock has left many Ghanaians disheartened, questioning why two organs of state cannot work together to safeguard the country’s values and cultural systems.
In a media interview, Reverend Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, emphasised the need for both the Executive and Legislature to collaborate in the public interest.
He stated that the Bill is supported by the majority of Ghanaians and urged President Akufo-Addo to respect the decision of the people as expressed by their representatives in Parliament.
“We’re surprised that at this time the President has not signed it yet. People can go and make their cases anywhere, anytime but as to whether the President should listen to Supreme Court orders of some individuals’ presentations, before he assents or not we don’t know if the law provides for that.”
“When this law has come from the people and it has been passed by Parliament, I do not find any basis the President will stand on it and say he will not assent to the Bill.”
“We call on them to do what is law, what the Constitution provides because they are making all of us worried. This one is a novelty, that is why we are not sure whether there’s a provision for that. If there’s no provision why should the President wait,” Reverend Gyamfi quizzed. Source: Myjoyonline.com
I have taken notice of the unfortunate controversy that has arisen as a result of a comment I made at a reception organized last Thursday by the Churchstreet group of NDC faithfuls for Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, Running Mate to our esteemed flagbearer, H.E. John Dramani Mahama.
I sincerely regret the wrong impression that my comment has created.Indeed, it was not my intention, and never will it be my intention to pray that H.E. John Mahama does not serve his full four-year term when he wins the 2024 general elections.
I concede that I misspoke on the occasion. I accept the criticisms in good faith, even though some of the criticisms arise out of a deliberate misrepresentation of my statement.
Indeed, Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang in response to my toast, pointed out the erroneous impression created by my statement and was categorical in asserting that she was certain that H.E. John Mahama will win the 2024 general elections and serve his full four-year term.
It is unfortunate that my statement appears to have taken the shine off what was otherwise a cheerful and light-hearted occasion.
I hereby render an unreserved and unqualified apology to H.E. John Dramani Mahama, Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, the leadership and rank and file of the great NDC.
Comrades and friends, let us put this unfortunate incident behind us and unite behind our flag-bearer, the visionary Nation Builder, to rescue our beloved country in the December 2024 elections.
