Chairman of the New Patriotic Party’s campaign team, Dan Botwe, is challenging the National Democratic Congress’ flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama, to either unveil or announce a major campaign message ahead of the December polls.
Dan Botwe criticized John Mahama for failing to announce any major policy since his election as NDC flagbearer in May 2023.
Hon.Dan Botwe H.E.John Mahama Dr.Mahamudu Bawumia
In an interview with Citi News, Botwe argued that Mahama has nothing new to offer to the Ghanaian people.
“I am not sure that we have been hit by anything new from the NDC or [John Dramani] Mahama. You have been in power and were rejected, and you had eight years with a whole team to come and tell Ghanaians something new and different, and you are talking about a 24-hour economy?”
Ashanti Regional Minister Simon Osei Mensah has issued a stern warning, threatening to organize a demonstration in his region against the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo) due to the ongoing erratic power outages.
Mr. Osei Mensah expressed frustration over the lack of explanations from both ECG and GRIDCo regarding the cause of the outages. He emphasized that he has not received any satisfactory explanation despite efforts to engage with the Ministry of Energy on the matter.
Speaking on Angel FM in Kumasi, the Regional Minister indicated his readiness to lead the demonstration if necessary, making him potentially the first minister in the country to protest against his own government.
“The word of caution I’m sounding to the ECG and GRIDCO is that, if I don’t get a satisfactory explanation after listening to the Ministry of Energy with the response I’ll demonstrate against them,” he threatened.
Mr.Simon Osei- Mensah
Despite being a member of the current NPP government, the Minister expressed his strong disapproval of the situation and vowed not to allow ECG and GRIDCo to deprive the people of his region of electricity, especially when other regions are not facing similar challenges.
“I’m saying this and everybody should put on record, I’ll be the first government appointee, the first Regional Minister to lead a demonstration in this region if they are not able to give a reasonable explanation”, Mr Simon Osei Mensah told Kwame Tanko in his interview.
“I’ll lead a demonstration in the region and that time nobody should come and stop me”, he added.Source:planbfmonline.com
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Constituency First Vice Chairman in Atwima Nwabiagya South and Ashanti Regional TESCON Patron, John Kwame Duodu (Sir John), has urged NPP constituency executives to be proactive to help the party break the 8.
According to him, the NPP has been in power for two terms now, and the party is gearing up for the next general election in 2024.
He said in order to stay in power and continue the progress they have made, the NPP constituency executives must be proactive and work together to break the eight-year cycle that has plagued Ghanaian politics for decades.
He added that one of the main reasons the NPP constituency executives must be proactive is that the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) is always working hard to regain power. The NDC has a strong support base and has come close to winning in the past elections, so the NPP must not downplay the possibility of an NDC victory.
According to him, to break the eight-year cycle, the NPP constituency executives must focus on mobilising grassroot support. They must work on building relationships with the party members at the grassroot level and ensure that they are engaged and motivated to come out and vote for the party in the next elections.
Another important aspect of being proactive is to identify and address any issues or challenges that may arise within the party. The NPP constituency executives must be open to feedback and willing to make necessary changes to ensure the success of the party in the next elections.
Sir John
He stressed that the NPP constituency executives must also work on expanding the party’s reach and appeal to a wider range of voters. This may involve reaching out to different demographics and communities and communicating the party’s policies and agenda in a way that resonates with them.
In addition, the NPP constituency executives must work on improving the party’s image and reputation.
They must ensure that the party is seen as a credible and trustworthy political entity perceived to deliver on its electoral promises.
Moreover, the NPP constituency executives must also work on building strong alliances and partnerships with other political parties and interest groups. By working together with other like-minded entities, the NPP can strengthen its position and increase its chances of success in the next elections.
Another important aspect of being proactive is to continuously engage with the constituents and listen to their concerns and needs. The NPP constituency executives must be responsive to the needs of the people and ensure that they are working towards addressing them.
Furthermore, the NPP constituency executives must also work on building a strong and effective campaign strategy.
They must focus on messaging, communication, and mobilisation to ensure a successful election campaign.
In conclusion, the NPP constituency executives must be proactive to break the eight-year cycle and ensure the party’s continued success in the next elections. By focusing on mobilising grassroot support, addressing issues within the party, expanding its reach, improving its image, building alliances, engaging with constituents, and building an effective campaign strategy, the NPP constituency executives can increase their chances of victory in the next elections.
The NPP constituency executives must work together towards achieving this goal and ensure that the party remains in power for a third term.
Prof Naana Jane Opoku-Agyeman is likely to be nominated as the presidential running mate for John Mahama
Former President John Mahama is to retain Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang as his presidential running mate on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for the upcoming general elections.
According to JoyNews sources, the names that have come up as possible running mates include the former Chief of Staff – Julius Debrah, former Kumasi Mayor Kojo Bonsu, the NDC Member of Parliament for Korle Klottey constituency – Zanetor Agyemang-Rawlings and Prof Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang.
John Mahama has submitted names to the National Executive Committee and the Council of Elders of the party for scrutiny.
The NEC and the Council of Elders of the party are preparing to deliberate on Mr Mahama’s choice for running mate but a highly placed source has confirmed to JoyNews that the former president will nominate Prof Opoku-Agyemang to partner with him for the 2024 general elections.
Prof Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang
Speaking to JoyNews’ Parliamentary correspondent, some MPs expressed their support for Prof Opoku-Agyemang’s nomination to partner with Mr Mahama in the December general elections.
The NDC MP for Tamale Central, Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed said; “I think all the names you have mentioned are capable than Dr Bawumia but I really don’t think it will make any sense changing the running mate we used in the 2020 elections.
He said it was very clear that some impacts were being made by the running mateship of Prof Naana Jane and it would not make any political sense to replace her.
“I really don’t think there will be any changes. I will be shocked if there are any changes and the only way there could be a change is if Prof Naana says she is no longer willing to contest,” he told Kwaku Asante.
On her side, the Deputy Minority Whip, Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe-Ghansah also backed the running mate position of Prof Opoku-Agyemang.
She remarked, “Why should it be another name? …. She was supporting way back before she came to the limelight. People were supporting behind and she was part of those people.”
Mrs Cudjoe-Ghansah stated that it is time for women to lead, emphasising that it starts from the vice president position.
“I believe the choice of a female running mate shows a commitment to gender equality and participation in leadership. John Mahama has made it and he’s going to do it again.
“We couldn’t get the general elections because of one or two reasons and this time, he’s going to name her again and have the first female vice president for Ghana,” she said.
The NDC MP for Kintampo North constituency, Joseph Kwame Kumah also backed the call to retain Prof Opoku-Agyemang as the running mate.
“I’m a gender activist, and I’m very sensitive when it comes to gender. For me, our mother Naana Jane did marvelously well.”
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has appointed the Ghana Health Service Director of Health Promotion, Dr. Da-Costa Aboagye, as the new Chief Executive Officer of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), taking over from Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye, who has been nominated as a Minister of Health.
In a letter, the Secretary to the President explained that the appointment is pursuant to Section 14 (1) of the National Health Insurance Act, 2012 (Act 852).
According to him, Dr. Aboagye’s appointment is “pending receipt of the constitutionally required advice of the governing board of the Authority given in consultation with the Public Services Commission.”
“Kindly indicate your acceptance or otherwise of this appointment within 14 days of receipt of this letter. Please accept the President’s best wishes,” a portion of a letter dated 26th February 2024 stated.
Dr. Da-Costa Aboagye
Profile of Dr. Da-Costa Aboagye
Dr. Aboagye’s qualifications include a PhD in National Health Insurance Scheme in Ghana (Research) from Leeds Beckett University (obtained in 2016), a Master’s degree in Public Health and Health Promotion (obtained in 2010) from the same university, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from the University of Cape Coast (obtained in 2006).
His other qualifications include a higher national certificate in pharmacy technology from the Kumasi Technical University (obtained in 2002).
Experience
The 45-year-old national health insurance expert is currently serving as the Director of the Health Promotion Division within the Ghana Health Service, and bring to the table a wealth of experience in the fields of National Health Insurance Finance, Public Health, and Health Promotion.
He led Ghana’s risk communication efforts and was part of the presidential taskforce for the management of the Covid-19 pandemic in Ghana from 2020 to 2023.
Exploits and International Exposure
Prior to being appointed as the Director of Health Promotion, he was the cohort leader for Public Health and Health Promotion programme at the University of West London, United Kingdom, and an external examiner on National Health Insurance Financing, Public Health and Health Promotion at both the University of Salford and the London Metropolitan University.
Furthermore, within the ECOWAS community, he has the honour of chairing the Public Health Risk Communication and Community Engagement for Disease Control within the West Africa Health Organisation.
This role entails facilitating experience sharing, advocacy, learning, and promotion of better health through building stronger health systems across the 15 ECOWAS member states towards achieving universal health coverage and sustainable development goals.
Additionally, he serves as the Chairman of the Africa CDC Public Health Risk Communication and Community Engagements Community of Practice for the 55-member states aimed at promoting best practices, strengthening health system, including national health insurance finance, continuous learning and knowledge exchange in Africa.
Research
He has about 11 impactful research papers in the field of health insurance, public health and health promotion and has presented his research work locally and internationally extensively.
Laurels and Awards
Dr. Da-Costa Aboagye has received numerous prestigious awards and citations, including the MTN Young Professionals Role Model in Health (Gold Category, 2020), the Golden Citizen Award (2021) and overall National Best Health Leader of the Year 2023.
He was honoured with the Order of the Volta – Companion Category, the highest award of the Republic of Ghana, for his contributions and sacrifices during Ghana’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2023.By Michael Ofosu-Afriyie, Kumasi
The Minority in Parliament has called on the Electricity Company of Ghana to immediately publish a timetable for the ongoing power cuts popularly known as ‘Dumsor’ to enable people to plan their lives.
Addressing Journalists in Parliament, the Member of Parliament for Yapei Kusawgu, John Jinapor said the continuous and deliberate denial by government officials to the effect that there was no load shedding could no longer suffice.
“We are reliably informed that dumsor will continue today at 12:00 and it’s only fair that Ghanaians are made aware,” Mr Jinapor said.
John Jinapor
The Minority spokesperson for Energy said the government is unable to purchase enough fuel to power some of the thermal plants due to financial constraints leading to generation challenges.
“The best this government led by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his vice Dr Mahamudu Bawumia can do is to publish the schedule of the ongoing dumsor, so people can plan their lives,” he said.
Meanwhile, the electricity supply to Parliament and Job 600, the office complex for Members of Parliament, was on Thursday disconnected due to a GHc23 million debt.
The National Taskforce executed the disconnection following unsuccessful attempts to collect the outstanding arrears.
The disconnection is part of the ongoing “Operation Zero Balance” initiative by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) task force.
The primary goal of this initiative is to recover outstanding debts from various customers, and in this case, Parliament House and Job 600 were targeted due to their substantial debt.
Parliament experienced a power outage on Thursday, February 29, 2024 during the day’s proceedings.
The legislators were debating President Akufo-Addo’s recent State of the Nation Address (SONA).
Outgoing Deputy Minister for Finance, Abena Osei-Asare was on the floor defending the President’s address when power went off.
It triggered chants of “Dumsor, dumsor!” from the Minority side of the house.
However, the power was restored after a few minutes.
The House was disconnected due to a GHc23 million debt owed to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).
The company’s taskforce executed the disconnection after the House failed to settle the arrears.
The office complex for Members of Parliament, Job 600 was also affected.
This development comes as many Ghanaians are already complaining of erratic power supply.
Early on Thursday morning, the Minority described the recent power outages as a sign of a looming crisis in the country’s power sector.
According to Minority Spokesperson on Mines and Energy, John Jinapor, the power outages are due to the government’s inability to purchase fuel for the country’s thermal plants.
Speaking in Parliament, he highlighted the persistent and consistent load-shedding by the country’s power generation companies.
“Indeed, the load-shedding is getting worse by the day. The very day His Excellency the President was delivering the State of the Nation address and boasting, up that very period, the utility companies were shedding the load,” he said on Thursday, February 29, 2024.
Mr. Jinapor revealed that on February 28, there was a massive power deficit of 530 megawatts, which resulted in power cuts to neighbouring countries such as Cote d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, and Togo.
“You will attest that there was some massive darkness yesterday. Today at 12 pm, load-shedding will commence again.”
He explained that several of the country’s thermal power plants are not functioning properly, resulting in a significant reduction in power generation.
According to him, the government has been unable to purchase enough fuel to run the thermal plants due to financial constraints.
He urged the government to be more transparent and open about the situation and to provide people with the information they need to plan their lives.
Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has reaffirmed the party’s unwavering confidence in securing victory in the upcoming December elections.
He attributed this confidence to the NPP’s remarkable track record in governance, emphasizing superior performance across all sectors of the economy in comparison to their rivals, the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Speaking at the inauguration of the NPP’s Campaign and Manifesto Teams in Accra, Dr. Bawumia expressed optimism and determination for success in the December polls.
Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia
He outlined the party’s clear vision and substantial achievements, as highlighted by the president during his State of the Nation Address on Tuesday, February 27.
“We have the vision and we have the record and it is very clear in the exhilarating speech that was given by the president at the State of the Nation Address.
“As I listened to the president, it was very clear that we have outperformed the NDC government in every single sector. I can’t see even one sector where they outperformed us.”
