Elephant pulls down Mahama’s billboard

An elephant from a forest reserve on the Ghana-Burkina Faso border has pulled down a 2012 campaign bill board of President John Mahama in the Ghanaian village of Bagli in the Laura Nandom area on Friday April 12, 2013.

The vandalism by the elephant has left residents and spiritualists reading superstitious meanings into the incident because the opposition New Patriotic Party’s logo is an elephant.

While some believe it is a harbinger of how the election petition case will pan out at the Supreme Court, others have simply brushed it aside as a mere accident on the part of the marauding elephant.

Mahama Awudu, who witnessed the damage caused by the herd told XYZ News: “All of a sudden it pulled down John Mahama’s billboard and run back into the bush and went back into Burkina Faso”.

He said: “The Mallams and traditionalists have given their own interpretations into the incident".

Awudu noted that politicians in the area have also put a political twist on the incident.

The eyewitness said: “People are saying that…it means victory for the elephant family”, as far as the opposition flagbearer for the 2012 elections, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s challenge of the 2012 election results is concerned.

“Other people are saying John Mahama’s family will handover, [and be] subdued,” he added.

Source: radioxyzonline.com

Plot To Unseat Prez Mahama...Mills' Henchmen Embark On Warfare

Members within the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) who are said to be disaffected over President John Mahama's appointments are planning to put up a challenger to his candidature for the 2016 elections, reports The Finder newspaper. According to some members of the Youth Forum of the NDC, certain individuals within the party who were largely loyal to the late President John Atta Mills have embarked on a psychological warfare aimed at chipping away at President Mahama's support within the party. Two of the whistleblowers, Mr Saminu Mohammed and Paapa Bissue told The Finder newspaper on Sunday that they had evidence to show that some Mills loyalists who were unhappy about the President's appointments were fuelling disaffection in the party. "A whole regional youth organiser of the party during a recent meeting in the Eastern Region got up and said President John Mahama is destroying the party for them and they will not sit down for him to destroy the party," said Mr Mohammed who is also the Chairman of Grassroots thinkers of the party. The youth organiser's grievance, according to the whistleblowers, was that the new appointees of the President at the Flagstaff House do not know them or accord them the appropriate recognition. Mr Mohammed alleged that some old faces in the previous Mills' government are bent on ensuring that President Mahama does not go for a second term. "They are funding a candidate to contest the President," the whistle blowers maintained. According to Mohammed, he had received reports of people within the party spewing falsehoods about President Mahama. "Whoever they are talking about who wants to compete with President Mahama come 2016, we are equally ready for that person. The person should not be a coward, he should come out," he dared. Bissue said his group believes that the President made his appointments based on what was best for the country and the party. "When you create disaffection within the party, who loses?

Source: The Finder

God Will CurseThe NDC Govt For Deliberately Disrespecting Doctors - Prez Of GMA

President of the Ghana Medical Association, Dr. Kwabena Opoku- Adusei, has launched an intense attack on government for disrespecting medical practitioners and deliberately failing to meet their demands which resulted in doctors retorting to a strike action. He underscored that medical practitioners were not calling on government to give them all of the nation’s money or increase their pay; but to simply pay them according to what the law states. "We're not calling on them to increase our pay or add something to it; all we are saying is that after they have evaluated our works they should pay us according to that”, he petitioned. The president of the association told Okay FM that though this current government has what it takes to settle their debts, the central government has intentionally decided not to honour doctors by paying them their remuneration. According to him, the Bible makes it clear in the book of Ecclesiastes that anybody who disrespects a health worker would incur the wrath and curse of God no matter the position that fellow occupies. Paraphrasing the text from Ecclesiastes, Dr. Opoku–Adusei stated that “before Jesus Christ was born, the good book advised people to render respect and honour to the doctor because their service is inevitable”. “The government simply disrespects us and feels they can hire people to replace us because our work is not important. We work and they refuse to pay us and decide to obey the laws at their own time. Government agencies don’t regard laws set by the Labour Commission and the central government does same.”

Source: Chris Joe Quaicoe/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

Intimidated Chinese investors pack out of Ghana- Antwi Boasiako

Some of the Chinese illegal miners in Ghana Intimidated Chinese investors are reportedly packing out of the country. That is according to the President of the Ghana-China Chamber of Commerce. Daniel Antwi Boasiako said the Chinese feel threatened by the actions of the Ghana Immigration Service and the personnel of the Ghana Army. The security services in a bid to clamp down on illegal mining in Ghana, especially by Chinese immigrants have raided the illegal mines owned by the Chinese settlers. Over 50 of the Chinese workers have been arrested and will be repatriated after further investigations. The arrests of the Chinese workers have raised issues about a possible diplomatic row between Ghana and China but Ghana’s President John Mahama has been quick to dismiss any such fear. He said the development will not in any way affect the relationship with China. He cautioned the media against possible stereotyping, insisting, the laws of Ghana must be respected and whoever breaks it, irrespective of which country the person comes from, will be dealt with. He said Ghana’s relationship with China is on “solid ground.” But Antwi Boasiako thinks otherwise. He said the Chinese have begun packing out of the country for fear of being attacked by the security personnel. The Chinese immigrants claim some gold bars and other properties belonging to them were looted when the security personnel raided their offices, an allegation the Ghana Immigration Service has denied. The Service is expected to release an official statement later today on the matter. Meanwhile, an International Relations expert Vladmir Antwi Danso doubts if the action by the security forces will strain Ghana’s relationship with the Chinese. He said unless it can be proven that there were infractions in the implementation of the laws, the action by the security forces cannot hamper relations with the Chinese. He said Ghana’s laws are to be respected across board by all citizens and Chinese are no exceptions. If they break the laws they have to be dealt with, he stated. myjoyonline.com

Chinese working on HANSOL mines don’t have permits – GIS insists

The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has disputed claims by Chief Executive of HANSOL Mining Ltd, Mr Bernard Antwi-Boasiako that the several Chinese arrested on his mines have legal permits.

GIS has therefore challenged Mr. Bernard Antwi-Boasiako to provide original copies of Work Permit or Immigrant Quotas issued to him, as proof of his claim.

The company applied to the Ministry of Interior in 2010 for an Immigration Quota for 30 expatriate workers, but was granted only ten.

HANSOL was therefore given forms to fill in the particulars of the intending expatriates. The filled out forms together with copies of Certificates/Diplomas for the applicants were to be forwarded to the Ministry of Interior for approval before they assumed duty.

However, according to a press release by the Ghana Immigration Service, signed by Head of Public Affairs Francis Palmdeti, Wednesday, HANSOL disregarded the directive and went ahead to hire the expatriates to work on its mining company.

“We are also aware that HANSOL applied to the Ministry of Interior for an Immigration Quota in 2010 for 30 expatriate workers. The Ministry of Interior granted them only ten [10] quotas and they [HANSOL] have not as yet provided the names of persons to fill the relevant quotas nor filled the necessary vetting forms. They have therefore not met the pre-conditions.”

Over 100 Chinese nationals were arrested about a fortnight ago for engaging in illegal small scale mining in separate operations.

Out of the 98 passports which were retrieved from them, 43 of them had residence permits endorsed in them “purported to have been issued by the GIS”,the release said.

“However, our investigations have established that some of these residence permits were either fraudulently acquired i.e without requisite quota/work permit or fake,” it pointed out.

Below is the GIS Press Release

ACOI Francis Palmdeti

It has come to the attention of the Ghana Immigration Service [GIS] that a group calling itself Mass Action Committee (MAC) called a press conference attacking the reputation and personality of the Ag. Director of Immigration [COP Dr P.A. Wiredu]. Similarly, one Mr Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, MD of Hansol Mining Ltd is said to have also accused the officers of the GIS who conducted the operations on foreigners engaging in illegal mining of theft and vandalisation of his property. The GIS wishes to set the records straight.

1. RECRUITMENT 
There is currently no illegal recruitment going on within the GIS. The Service and the Director for that matter, cannot go ahead without due approval to undertake any kind of recruitment exercise.

There are procedures which the institution follows when it intends to recruit personnel and the GIS has not flouted its own procedures. What is currently going on is the conduct of medical examination for Bandsmen/Women, Sportsmen/Women and Drivers who were duly selected and processed last year and who are due for training. The recruitment of such persons had received the consideration and blessing of both the GIS Board and Management.

The Service also advertised for graduate professionals on the 31st of October, 2012 in the Dailies [“Ghanaian Times” and “The Daily Graphic”] and the process of selection is ongoing. There are also some serving Senior Inspectors who are on standby to go with the professionals being recruited to the Immigration Academy.

It is therefore untrue that clandestine moves are being made to recruit personnel into the GIS illegally.


2. CHINESE 
It is unfortunate that the GIS in its quest to enforce its laws would be accused of rather “cleaning her dirty acts”. The GIS, though under serious logistical constraints, has acted very professionally in the discharge of its mandate and would continue to do so. There is currently no embargo with the issuance of Entry Visas on any particular country or nationality and therefore the GIS cannot unilaterally refuse to issue visas to foreigners who apply and meet the legal requirements.

However, if after visas have been issued and an individual arrives in the country and breaks the law, the GIS would deal with the matter according to the law. This is normal best practice in other jurisdictions, including the developed world. It is important to note that, Residence Permits have been issued to over 3000 Chinese nationals operating legitimately in the following sectors of our economy: Transport, Telecom, Sports, Manufacturing, Health, Engineering, Energy, Education, Consultancy, Construction , Agric etc. It is therefore not true that the GIS is arresting foreigners or Chinese for that matter, in spite of the fact that they have valid permits.

The actions of the GIS cannot be hindered by individuals/institutions who have been affected by the ongoing exercise for flouting immigration regulations. The GIS therefore wishes to assure the good people of Ghana that it would not allow Ghana to be a place where foreigners can come in to flout our laws with impunity .

3. HANSOL
The officers of the Enforcement Unit of the GIS between the 18th – 22nd of March, 2013 undertook exercises in the Central and Western Regions. The operation was professionally carried out and the Service has a video footage of what transpired during the operation. At no stage of the operations did our officers, who were thirteen [13] in number rob or vandalize any property. We call on HANSOL MINING LTD [HANSOL] to provide evidence that GIS officers stole, and vandalized their properties. This story is a blatant untruth and should be ignored.

HANSOL, the GIS is aware, is listed by the Minerals Commission as one of the registered support service companies in Ghana. However, for it to benefit from some of the incentives offered by the Minerals Commission, i.e the recruitment of appropriate number of expatriates, they still would have to apply to the Minerals Commission who after vetting would write a letter of recommendation to the GIS. It is on that basis that the GIS would recommend for the issuance of work permits and subsequently grant them residence permits. HANSOL hasn’t done any of these at the time of this release.

We are also aware that HANSOL applied to the Ministry of Interior for an Immigration Quota in 2010 for 30 expatriate workers. The Ministry of Interior granted them only ten [10] quotas and they have not as yet provided the names of persons to fill the relevant quotas or filled the necessary vetting forms. They have therefore not met the pre-conditions.

Available records in our possession indicate that the last records of any form of work/residence permit issued to HANSOL was granted in 2008, at that time COP Dr P.A. Wiredu had not assumed office as the Ag. Director of Immigration. It must be noted that, at no time has Dr. Wiredu granted or endorsed any work or residence permit to HANSOL Mining Ltd. We therefore wish to request Mr. Bernard Antwi-Boasiako to provide original copies of Work Permit or Immigrant Quotas issued to him, as proof of his claim.

We also are aware that, Mr. Antwi-Baosiako is in association with two other companies: AKOSOWOMO Co. LTD and MY LOVE CO. LTD whose workers were also held by us and have been granted bail.

It must be explained that following the operations carried out by the GIS in the Western and Central Regions, a total of 60 Chinese nationals were arrested. The Military, on the other hand arrested a total of 78 Chinese, but out of that number, only 98 passports were retrieved, 43 of the passports had residence permits endorsed in them purported to have been issued by the GIS. However, our investigations have established that some of these residence permits were either fraudulently acquired i.e without requisite quota/work permit or fake.

The GIS as a statutory body responsible for immigration in the country will endeavour to uphold the tenets of the immigration profession. The general public is implored to assist the Service to ensure that this country remains conducive to all residents. It is important that individuals and institutions do not engage in activities that undermine our mandated role.

SGND: ACOI FRANCIS PALMDETI
HEAD OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS – GIS 


myjoyonline

NDC Plots Against 3 NPP Gurus Uncovered

Kennedy Agyapong and Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempah   Some National Democratic Congress (NDC) gurus in Kumasi, the Ashanti regional capital, are hatching a fiendish plan to implicate three prominent New Patriotic Party (NPP) members in the recent riots which took place in the Garden City, Daily Guide has gathered. The three NPP gurus on the NDC’s hot list are Kennedy Agyapong, the Assin Central Member of Parliament (MP), Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh aka ‘Napo’ Manhyia South MP and Kofi Jumah, ex-Asokwa MP. Several meetings to get these NPP gurus into trouble at all cost have been held in a house at Ridge in Kumasi, sources hinted. The NDC members, according to reports gathered by the paper, are doing everything possible to link the three NPP gurus to dastardly acts. One of the NDC’s plan is to work on a tape recording, which is currently in their possession which they claim to have the voices of these three NPP leaders so that the police could use it to arrest them, they observed. Some unknown hoodlums brandished sophisticated guns and sharp machetes in a riot and rob people recently. The police have already intensified investigations into the matter to apprehend the culprits. Interestingly, the paper learnt that a top policeman usually attends the said meetings in a house at Ridge in Kumasi. A top security capo in the region and a known NDC man in Kumasi with medical background are said to be part of the NDC team that is hatching the ‘evil’ plan. The NDC’s plot is being implemented clandestinely. But surprisingly the NDC’s motive is already in the public domain as reports gathered indicate that the NPP has started monitoring them with keen interest. When contacted, Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh said he was aware of the NDC’s destructive plot against him and two other NPP members. He said “threats of voice recording will not deter us from doing what is right for mother Ghana.” Napo said he has been closely monitoring the meetings of the NDC at three different locations at Ridge in Kumasi. He stated emphatically that the NDC’s fiendish plan would not materialize, stressing that the NPP members would not flout the law. Napo descended heavily on the Ashanti Regional Police Command, alleging that the police failed to prosecute about 150 suspects who were arrested in connection with the Kumasi riots. “Why have the police not prosecuted those they arrested at the premises of Affordable Housing at Asokore Mampong?” the Manhyia South MP quizzed. “Why did the police release these suspects a day after they arrested them?” The MP said the move by the police would send conflicting signals to members of the public. He charged the police to refrain from organizing mega press conferences to trumpet their achievement but embark on intelligence policing to arrest criminals in future.

Source: I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi

ELECTION Petition: Supreme Court Fixes April 16 For Hearing...Throws Out EC's Request

Related Stories   The Supreme Court has fixed April 16, 2013 to start hearing of the substantive matter of the Election Petition filed by three leading members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), comprising the party’s presidential candidate for the 2012 elections, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, his running mate Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and the party’s chairman, Jake Otanka Obetsebi-Lamptey challenging the validity of the 2012 presidential election. The Petitioners, who have named President Mahama, the Electoral Commission (EC) and the Chairman of the Commission, Dr. Kwadwo Afari Gyan and the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the political party on whose ticket President John Dramani Mahama contested the elections as respondents, are claiming the election was rigged by the EC in favor of President Mahama. The court also decided that all witnesses would have to come by affidavit and have consequently asked the parties in the case to file affidavit of witnesses they intend to call. The petitioners and respondents would however give their evidence orally. This decision by the court was arrived at when sitting resumed Tuesday morning to consider, resolve and adopt issues to be raised by lawyers in the petition contesting the legitimacy of President John Dramani Mahama. Earlier on in the day, the court set out two issues for trial in the presidential petition. This was after the parties involved in the petition failed to determine the memoranda of issues on their own compelling the Supreme Court to narrowed the issues down to two. The issues set by the highest court of the land include whether or not there were statutory violations, omissions, irregularities and malpractices in the conduct of the elections held on December 7 and 8, 2012. The court is also to ascertain whether or not the said violations, omissions, irregularities and malpractices affected the outcome of the results of the elections. The Supreme Court also threw away a request by the EC that the petitioners should provide further and better particulars on 28 locations where they alleged that voting took place without authority. According to the EC, the petitioners have to date not complied with the court’s orders to provide further and better particulars on the said 28 locations. The petitioners, in an amended petition, alleged that voting took place at 28 locations which were not part of the 26,002 polling stations created by the EC, which has been sued alongside President John Dramani Mahama for allegedly padding results in favour of President Mahama. While the petitioners are praying the court to determine whether or not voting took place in the alleged 28 locations and whether or not votes cast in those areas were factored into the results declared after the polls, the EC holds the position that the petitioners have till date not provided information on the alleged 28 locations. In a motion on notice for an order for further and better particulars filed on behalf of the EC by its solicitors, Lynes, Quarshie-Idun and Co., on March 28, 2013, the EC stated that the petitioners had failed to comply with the court’s February 5 and 7, 2013 rulings which directed the petitioners to provide further and better particulars. According to the EC, although the court obliged and granted the EC’s request, the petitioners had to date not furnished it with further and better particulars on the said 28 locations. To buttress its position that the petitioners had not provided further and better particulars on the said 28 locations, the EC, in a supplementary affidavit dated April 1, 2013 in response to the petitioners’ affidavit in opposition dated March 30, 2013, stated that the petitioners had provided 22 locations instead of the alleged 28 locations. According to the EC, the said 22 locations after careful examination, "were all part of the 26,002 approved locations known to all political parties prior to the December, 2012 elections. "That the non-inclusion of the allegation regarding the existence of polling stations in which results were recorded on pink sheets having the same serial numbers was an inadvertent omission which the second respondent is seeking leave of the Honourable Court to correct, " a supplementary affidavit deposed to by Mr Amadu Sulley, a Deputy Chairman in-charge of Finance and Administration stated on behalf of the EC. But the nine-member Supreme Court panel, in a 6-3 decision threw away the EC's request. Today's sitting marked the last hurdle to be cleared before the hearing of the substantive petition which is calling for the annulment of 4,670,504 votes cast during the December 2012 presidential polls. On March 4, 2013, the three petitioners filed issues to be set out for trial while the President on March 13, 2013 also filed application for directions. They have petitioned the Supreme Court challenging the results of the December 7 presidential elections. They are requesting the court to annul 4,670,504 of the valid votes cast during the election at 11,916 polling stations where they claim irregularities took place.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

Koku Anyidoho's Position Scrapped

The position of a Communications Director at the presidency - as Koku Anyidoho, a former spokesperson to late President Atta Mills occupied –has been scrapped by the Mahama administration. That position was missing in the list of the President’s new appointments. Information and Media Relations Minster, Mahama Ayariga has meanwhile confirmed to Daily Guide that “there won’t be a presidential spokesperson”. Instead, he revealed “the minister of Information and Media Relations would be the spokesperson of government which includes the president”. Mr Ayariga was speaking in an interview responding to queries as to who would speak for the president after his spokesperson; John Jinapor was nominated as a Deputy Minister of Energy and Petroleum. “The position will be scrapped after he [Jinapor] has been approved by parliament and assumes his role as Deputy Minister for Energy and Petroleum. There won’t be the office of presidential spokesperson,” Mr Ayariga maintained. He explained further that “the intention of the president is not to have a presidential spokesperson…that is the arrangement that President John Dramani Mahama wants to establish”. “Technically, once John becomes Deputy Minister, there won’t be anybody replacing him as presidential spokesperson; so that will be the end of [that position].” Same is said to be applicable to the office of Vice President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur where former Deputy Information Minster James Agyenim Boateng had been tipped as likely spokesperson. According to Mr Ayariga, “we are working towards a harmonization of the structure of communication on behalf of government, so veep’s office will be within the structure and not operate outside of it.” With the president said to have virtually completed his ministerial appointments, it is unclear where the likes of Koku Anyidoho, James Agyenim Boateng and other spokespersons of the presidency would be heading.

Source: Daily Guide

Nana Vrs Mahama:Hurdle Cleared...Hearing Of Substantive Election Petition Today

The Supreme Court will resume sitting Tuesday morning to consider, resolve and adopt some issues to be raised by lawyers in the petition contesting the legitimacy of President John Dramani Mahama. Barring any last minute hitch, the court’s sitting is likely to mark the last hurdle to be cleared before the hearing of the substantive petition which is calling for the annulment of 4,670,504 votes cast during the December 2012 presidential polls. During the sitting, the court will arrive at issues for trial and subsequent determination based on the rules of court, the law, consultation with the parties in the case where the need arises, evidence before it and also according to its discretion. In doing that, the court is expected to decide whether or not to immediately reject some, approve all or fix a date to rule on more than 30 issues proposed by the parties to be set aside for determination. The court might in accordance with the law and its discretion not delve into issues agreed on by all the parties in the case. It will concentrate mainly on stalemate matters, resolve those issues and thus pave the way for the hearing of the substantive matter which promises to be a landmark in the legal and political history of the country. Key among the issues to be looked into is whether or not President Mahama or Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was validly elected as President in the December 2012 presidential polls. Another vital issue likely to be adopted by the court is whether or not voting took place without prior biometric verification at many polling stations across the country. The nine-member panel is also expected to consider or reject whether or not the alleged statutory violations, irregularities and/or malpractices introduced 4,670,504 invalid votes into the total number of votes cast in the December 2012 presidential election.

Source: Mabel Aku Banaseh/D-Graphic