Some delegates in the Assin Central Constituency in the Central Region have declared that their constituency will attain independence on 4th November 2023.
Speaking on Thursday, 19th October 2023, the leader of the delegates, Mr. Raphael Acquah, who is also the polling station chairman of Wurakese Station – D/A Polling Station, on behalf of the group, revealed that the polling station executives in the constituency were constantly being subjected to various forms of intimidation and harassment at the hands of their Member of Parliament and flagbearer aspirant of the New Patriotic Party, Hon. Kennedy Agyapong, and his assigns.
According to him, they look forward to getting liberation on November 4, and this can only happen if Mr. Agyapong loses in the presidential primaries.
“We have been victims and subjects of intimidation and harassment at his (Ken Agyapong) hands for too long. We don’t get any benefit from him in the party besides the harassment and intimidation we go through, hence our wish to be liberated on November 4. We, therefore, can’t wait to vote massively for Dr. Bawumia in order for us to attain this,” Mr. Acquah stated.
They went further to deny that, contrary to the claims made by Mr. Agyapong regarding his supposed support for the welfare of delegates in the Assin Central Constituency, they had rather been neglected.
According to him, it is only the constituency officers that Mr. Agyapong takes care of.
“It is never true that as polling station executives, we are taken care of by a certain flagbearer aspirant as this aspirant claims. We’ve always been neglected. It is rather the constituency executives that Ken Agyapong takes care of,” he pointed out.
Kennedy Agyapong
Dr.Mahamudu Bawumia
The group argued that Mr. Agyapong claims to be fighting for the “poor” polling station officers, yet he resorts to bitterness and anger which can send the party into opposition.
The group said they find his actions contrary to his claim of fighting for the polling station officers because, according to them, the polling station officers stand to benefit from nothing if the party goes into opposition.
A broadcast Journalist with Akyemansa FM, a local radio station in Akyem Oda in the Eastern region owned by Ghana’s Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has been allegedly assaulted by some military personnel for filming a joint security operation on the streets of Akyem Oda.
According to the Morning Talk show host -Nicholas Morkah, the incident occurred when he was en route to an event and came across a large crowd gathered in front of the Akim Oda Post Office in the Birim Central Municipality.
Apparently, the Military and CEPS officers were conducting an operation to seize approximately 16 cars, primarily taxis that had entered the country without proper documentation, often referred to as “Togo Cars”.
As a journalist, he stopped to investigate.To his dismay, five heavily armed military officers from the Achiase Jungle Warfare Training School quickly surrounded him and subjected him to physical assault.
In an attempt to document this alarming situation, Mr. Morkah used his phone to capture a video. When one of the officers noticed him filming, they aggressively accosted him.
-Nicholas Morkah
Identifying himself as a journalist did not prevent the officers from assaulting him.
They then forcibly whisk him into their vehicle alongside the other individual suspect and drive them away from the scene.
Ordeal at the Barracks
Mr. Morkah was then taken to the military barracks to meet the military Commanding Officer and Customs, Excise, and Preventive Service (CEPS) officers.
The Military Commander requested Morkah’s identification card, which he provided.
On orders of the Commander, one of the junior officers reset Morkah’s phone to its factory settings, erasing all stored information, including crucial documents necessary for his work.
The officers also inspected his other phone, finding video materials of police officers.
After viewing the videos and suspecting that Morkah might be an undercover journalist with sensitive information, they handed him over to the Divisional Police Command for further investigation.
Oda Divisional Police Headquarters
At the Oda Divisional police headquarters, the military officers transferred Mr. Morkah to the station office.
He was cautioned and made to write his statement.
Subsequently, the station officer charged him with Offensive Conduct and confiscated his phones.
With the intervention of Hon. Nelson Ntiamoah, Mr. Morkah obtained police bail of GHC5000.00.
He was instructed to report the following day at noon. Mr. Morkah requested his SIM card and a medical form to seek medical attention, both of which were provided to him. He received medical treatment at the Oda Government Hospital and was discharged on the same day.
Mr. Morkah is currently in the process of recovering from the physical and psychological trauma, brutality, and inhumane treatment he experienced during this incident.
He expressed his gratitude to those who have supported him and urged them to remain patient as they work together to ensure Ghana continues to uphold its democratic values.
Increasing attacks on Journalists in Ghana
Attacks on journalists in Ghana have resurfaced in recent times ahead of the 2024 Presidential and Parliamentary elections.
On October 7, 2023, 16 thugs, some of whom are constituency executives of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) invaded UTV during the night’s entertainment show.
The court convicted the 16 thugs to a fine of Ghc2,400 (US$203) each, a sentence that has been disappointing to stakeholders in the media industry.
Subsequently, a female journalist of Citi TV and Citi FM, Akosua Otchere, was on Friday, October 13, 2023, attacked while covering the vetting of the parliamentary candidate hopefuls of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Odododiodio constituency in Accra.
Perpetrators are yet to be arrested by Police.
The Minister of Information Kojo Oppong Nkrumah strongly condemned the two attacks and assured journalists of the government’s commitment to protecting them to do their work without fear or intimidation.Source: Starrfm.com
The Minority in Parliament has strongly criticised President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for his comments during a visit to the Volta Region following the damage caused by the spillage of excess water from the Akosombo dam.
During his visit, President Akufo-Addo asserted that he had visited to sympathize with the residents, regardless of whether they voted for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) or not.
However, his comments have been met with anger and disappointment from the Minority, who have accused him of being insensitive and divisive.
The Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, called on the President to apologize to the victims for his “misguided statement.”
“It shows the government doesn’t really care that much about the people of Volta Region. On behalf of the people of Ghana, the National Democratic Congress Minority in Parliament wants to apologise to the people of the Volta Region for the statement made by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
“We consider that statement very unfortunate, and this statement should not come from the father of the land in times like this. It surprises us, and we are really disappointed in the statement coming from H.E. the President. We call on him to also apologise to the people of Volta Region, in particular for what he said,” he said.
Meanwhile, the General Secretary of the NDC, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, also called on the government to compensate the victims of the spillage.
We came here to give some relief items to you and not leave you in need. We believe all the affected persons will benefit from this. We are of the view that the Volta Region Authority should have given notice to us prior to the spillage.
“In some instances, the VRA should have ensured the spillage was done and did not affect communities and livelihoods. All we want the government to do now is to compensate the affected communities. Livelihoods, farms and houses have been affected and we want the government to see to the compensation of the affected persons,” Fifi Kwetey opined.
The Electoral Commission has backed calls for the establishment of a national framework to guide the use of social media in the country during national elections.
According to the Commission, such a framework would help reduce the high rate of mis/disinformation spread during elections, ensure integrity of the electoral process and protect the democracy, peace and security of the country.
Jean Mensa, Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, made the call at a seminar on the “Impact of Disinformation on Electoral Integrity, Peace and Security in Africa,” in Accra, on Thursday.
The seminar was organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration in collaboration with the Ministry of Information and the Institute of Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA).
It was attended by members from key public and private institutions including the judiciary, political parties, civil society organisations, as well as security and political analysts.
Mrs Mensa said one of the most pressing challenges confronting electoral management bodies today was the proliferation of fake news and disinformation campaigns on social media platforms.
“Indeed, the culture of spreading fake news or falsehood is not a new phenomenon but the advent of internet and social media has allowed it to spread at a faster and more widespread rate, with a damaging consequence to electoral management bodies and elections,” she emphasised.
The Electoral Commissioner noted that social media if not properly managed could pose a real threat to elections and destabilise the peace and security of the country.
Therefore, the Commission would be happy if a regulation was put in place to manage social media use, especially during elections to check mis/disinformation.
“We, at the Electoral Commission of Ghana, support the development of a framework to guide the use of social media around elections and around the peace and security of our respective countries.
“I join my voice to Elon Musk, and I quote him; “there should be regulations on social media to the degree that it negatively affects the public good,” she emphasised.
She, however, assured of the Commission’s commitment to deliver a free and fair general election in 2024.
“We have no doubt that, as was the case in 2020, we will carry the citizens along with us and build public trust and confidence in our work, and ultimately maintain the peace and security of our dear nation,” she assured.
Mr Albert Kan Dapaah, Minister of National Security, explained that disinformation and misinformation ranked high on the list of security challenges confronting Ghana, today.
In West Africa, for instance, the Security Minister said, the overthrow of democratically elected governments and the emergence of military rule, was largely fueled by mis/disinformation.
Mis/disinformation, he added, had emerged as potent tools that were utilised for influence operations and malicious campaigns that undermined electoral integrity, peace and also security.
These campaigns, Mr Dapaah said, were orchestrated by a spectrum of actors, including both state and non-state entities, local and foreign actors, as well as political and nonpolitical players.
He, therefore, stressed the need for collaboration among all stakeholders, including civil society organisations and the media, in the fight against the phenomenon.
Dr Kevin Casas Zamora, Secretary-General, Institute of Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) described disinformation as a “virus” that exploited already existing weaknesses in the information system.
“This pandemic of disinformation is thus both deeply rooted and truly global,” he said.
“At the International IDEA, we are engaging with this growing challenge for democracy through our new work stream that look especially at the intersection of digitalisation and democracy, including how to build trust and the resilience of democratic institutions and processes against disinformation and other digital threats,” he stated.
Jean Mensah-EC Boss
“With this, we are implementing several projects aimed at protecting electoral integrity by advising election management bodies and other authorities on best practices, convening spaces for dialogue and providing technical assistance.”
Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Minister of Information, urged critical thinking and responsible journalism in the era of digital information dissemination to help curtail the threats of mis/disinformation.
Ms Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Minister of Foreign Affairs, called for a more nuanced and rights-based approach to addressing the issue of mis/disinformation.
“We must recognise that heavy-handed responses, such as internet shutdowns or network throttling of social media represent a grave infringement on fundamental human rights,” she noted.Source:GNA
Lawyer Akoto Ampaw, who represented President Akufo-Addo in the 2020 election petition is reportedly dead.
Sources say he died in the early hours of Friday, October 20, at the University of Ghana Medical Center (UGMC).
According to available information, the lawyer has not been well since the beginning of 2023.
The bereaved family is expected to issue a press statement later, the sources added.
The late Lawyer Akoto Ampaw is one of the people who criticised the Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill.
He insisted at the time that, the bill seeks to needlessly criminalise sympathy and support for the LGBTQ+ community in Ghana.
Mr Akoto Ampaw further alluded to the fact that the bill also places an unhealthy gag on citizens who may want to engage in discussions on LGBTQ; a situation which he believes undermines the spirit of the 1992 Constitution.
Akoto Ampaw
About Akoto Ampaw
Popularly known as ‘Che Che’ right from his student days at the University of Ghana, Ampaw was part of the New Patriotic Party’s legal team in the Electoral Petition of 2013.
His remarkable legal career was further underscored by his involvement in the New Patriotic Party’s legal team during the Electoral Petition of 2013.
Beyond his extensive legal expertise, Mr. Ampaw was a valued partner at Akufo-Addo, Prempeh & Co., the esteemed law firm associated with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
Ampaw was tipped to be named Special Prosecutor following the passage of the Office of Special Prosecutor Bill.
He is a graduate of the University of Ghana, LL.B., 1973 and the Ghana School of Law, B.L., 1993.
He dealt in Commercial Law, Company Law, Industrial Law, and Litigation among others.
Lawyer Akoto Ampaw, who represented President Akufo-Addo in the 2020 election petition is reportedly dead.
Sources say he died in the early hours of Friday, October 20, at the University of Ghana Medical Center (UGMC).
According to available information, the lawyer has not been well since the beginning of 2023.
The bereaved family is expected to issue a press statement later, the sources added.
The late Lawyer Akoto Ampaw is one of the people who criticised the Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill.
He insisted at the time that, the bill seeks to needlessly criminalise sympathy and support for the LGBTQ+ community in Ghana.
Mr Akoto Ampaw further alluded to the fact that the bill also places an unhealthy gag on citizens who may want to engage in discussions on LGBTQ; a situation which he believes undermines the spirit of the 1992 Constitution.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has extended the deadline for the submission of proxy applications for its November 4, 2023 primaries to Monday, October 23, 2023, at 5:00 p.m.
William Yamoah, Secretary of the Presidential Elections Committee of the NPP in a statement issued on Thursday, October 19, said “This extension is in response to concerns raised by prospective applicants and is intended to afford all stakeholders in the upcoming presidential elections ample time to meet the application requirements.”
The party had initially set Friday, October 13, 2023, as the deadline for the submission of proxy applications in respect of the flagbearer race slated for November 4, 2023.
Mr. Yamoah further clarified that “To successfully submit a proxy application, applicants should show proof of their absence or the cause of their inability to be physically present at the voting centre. Supporting documentation: An affidavit or declaration from a Commissioner of Oath is required for every proxy application.”
“Submission Methods: Proxy applications may be filed in person at the NPP Headquarters, located at Asylum Down, Accra, or submitted directly to the Secretary of the Presidential Elections Committee via email at yamolliam@yahoo.com or through WhatsApp at +233 540466684.”
The Secretary of the Presidential Elections Committee of the NPP emphasized that the proxy list would be made publicly available for verification, and any suspected false declarations may be challenged and referred to the appropriate national institution for further investigation.
“It is important to note that only delegates to the main Congress, eligible to vote in the Saturday, November 4, 2023, election, shall have the right to vote by proxy,” he added.Source:Abigail Arthur
Asokwa over the years has proven to be an elite Constituency where the best always comes from.
Yesterday, I took time off my busy schedule to watch the ongoing Nation Science and Maths Quiz after I got to know Mr Stephen Kofi Apemah-Baah a rep of Opoku Ware School is an old student of Good Shepard R/C, a school wIthin Asokwa Constituency and who is also a resident of Asokwa.
Mr.Edmund Kyei
I will use this opportunity to hail H.E Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo for the great idea of introducing free SHS education which has made access to education so easy for all.
I also congratulate Mr Stephen Kofi Apemah-Baah, a first year student of Opoku Ware School for his great performance in the ongoing NSMQ contest, I wish he perform greatly as he represents his school again in the finals scheduled for Tuesday 31st October, 2023.
I officially pay him a visit after the contest and know how to assist him in his future endeavor.
