Day: January 29, 2024

Professor Kingsley Nyarko, Member of Parliament for Kwadaso has called on NPP members and sympathizers to help build a formidable, attractive and solid party on the foundation of togetherness, peace and love.

He said ‘breaking the eight’ was possible, if all party members would come together, join forces, unite and push the NPP forward.

Addressing party supporters after his re-election as the parliamentary candidate for the area, Prof. Nyarko stressed the need for all party members to intensify their campaigns to help win more votes to retain the NPP to continue its good works.

Prof. Nyarko polled 651 of the total valid votes cast to beat his main contender, Mr. Vincent Frimpong Manu, who had 296 votes.

He is thus representing the party in the constituency for the second time to contest the 2024 general elections.

He expressed gratitude to God, and the polling station executives, his campaign team and everyone who played diverse roles in his victory.

He assured the constituents of his commitment to con
tinue working together with all stakeholders to build a prosperous Kwadaso.

Prof Nyarko said: ‘This is a great feeling, to be re-elected.

‘I want to thank God for how far He has brought me, and all the polling station executives and everyone who played diverse roles to help maintain the seat.

‘I am very grateful to them.

‘I am so humbled with the votes I had, which is a huge percentage.

‘This shows the love the people of Kwadaso have for me.’

Prof Nyarko called for support to win the elections.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Mo Ibrahim Foundation (MIF) 2023 Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG) report has revealed that data gaps is hampering Africa’s development agenda.

The report, dubbed ‘The Power of Data for Governance: Closing data gaps to accelerate Africa’s transformation,’ was launched on Monday in Accra at an event which was co-hosted by the MIF and Afrobarometer.

It said sound data was at the heart of Africa’s governance and development agendas, and the report underscores its role in driving progress, assessing government performance, setting policy priorities, and ensuring trust in governments.

Drawing from the 2022 IIAG dataset, the report reveals a strong positive correlation between access to high-quality statistics and effective governance across African countries from 2012 to 2021.

‘However, Africa remains the continent most impacted by data gaps globally, with the region possessing the lowest availability of civil registration and vital statistics,’ it said.

‘When it comes to the basic building bloc
ks of statistics that are key to defining public policies, such as population censuses and birth and death registration, many African countries are missing crucial data.’

The report said even in areas where strides had been made, critical governance data gaps persist on issues including health structures, the informal economy, the environment, violence against women, child labour, and illicit financial flows.

It noted that the underfunding of data remains a serious challenge globally, with statistics receiving just 0.34 per cent of total Official Development Assistance (ODA).

In Africa, ODA received for data and statistics has nearly halved between 2018 and 2021.

In addition to investing in data, the report outlines critical strategies to enhance data impact and accelerate development progress on the continent.

These include the importance of ensuring the independence of National Statistical Offices, harnessing alternative data sources like citizen-generated data and private company data, and leveraging
technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and machine learning.

Mr Mo Ibrahim, Founder and Chair of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, emphasised the importance of data for Africa in achieving key development and policy agendas. ‘Without data, we are driving blind – policies are misdirected and progress on the road to development is stunted,’ he stated.

‘We must act urgently to close the data gap in Africa if we genuinely want to leave no one behind. Data is key to achieving both the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the UN’ Sustainable Development Goals. I have long been thinking that what UN Agenda 2030 should have begun with is an SDG 0 – Sound Data for Governance.’

Mr Joseph Asunka, Chief Executive Officer of Afrobarometer, lauded MIF for its 2023 report, which highlights the importance of data to Africa’s development agenda.

He reiterated that data enables people to make informed decisions.

The launch followed a two-day meeting of the IIAG Expert Panel in Accra.

The renewed advisory body meets once a year
in a different African country for in-person consultations on the IIAG.

From its inception, MIF has been a strong supporter of Afrobarometer, which is now the leading African research institution conducting public attitude surveys on the continent.

Afrobarometer is the only source of the Citizens’ Voices dataset, which complements the IIAG dataset.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr George Twum-Barimah-Adu, an Independent Presidential Aspirant, has promised to serve all Ghanaians irrespective of their political affiliation should he be voted President of the country come December 7.

He has, also, declared his intention to review all government policies and programmes in the first 100 days of his government to ensure Ghanaians derived maximum benefits from them.

Mr Twum-Barimah-Adu made the promise when he officially launched his 2024 campaign, at Osu, in Accra, on Monday, under the slogan, ‘Breaking the Two’.

The event was attended by many, including traditional leaders such as Nii Ahene Nunu, Paramount Chief of Abola and other members of the Ga Traditional Council.

Mr Twum-Barimah-Adu, a father of three, said it was time Ghanaians voted for a ‘selfless’ leader who would put the interest of the people first.

According to him, governments under the two major political parties – the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic (NDC), over the past three decades, had faile
d to deliver the required development for the people.

He said the fruit of the two major parties had only brought Ghanaians ‘ an economy that is in the mud; high inflation rate; an inhibitive exchange regime that has left our national currency, the Ghana Cedi, floundering and difficult to plan with and an excruciating bank-lending regime with interest rates as high as 40 per cent.’

Outlining his government policies, Mr Twum-Barimah-Adu promised to run a lean and efficient government with a government size of 19 cabinet ministers and 63 ministers, as constitutionally mandated.

Additionally, he said, he would cut down on government expenditure and halt the current wastage in the system by selling all non-profitable State enterprises, scrutinise public procurement and strictly review all contracts to guarantee value for money.

He also promised to fight the illegal mining menace without fear or favour by strictly enforcing existing laws, pass new ones when necessary, and provide alternative livelihood such as
Carbon Credit Harvesting for the youth.

He urged Ghanaians to ditch the two political parties, vote him (Twum-Barimah-Adu) into power, to steer the affairs of the country from its current state to a more prosperous one.

‘I am doing this because I fervently believe it is time to forge a brighter future for every Ghanaian and not for only those who belong to the political party of the President in power,’ Mr Twum-Barimah-Adu said.

‘I will be Head of State for the people, one who brings about destiny-changing transformation,’ he said, adding ‘I offer you servant-leadership, efficient and effective leadership, honest and incorruptible leadership and leadership of respect.’

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament, Monday ordered Mr Kwasi Kwaning-Bosompem, the Controller and Accountant General to appear before it, to answer some questions.

Mr Kwaning-Bosompem, who was scheduled to appear before the Committee, however, failed to show up as expected.

He sent his three deputies as representatives, but they were rejected by some members of the PAC.

In his defence, Mrs Abena Osei Asare, a Deputy Finance Minister, notified Mr James Klutse Aveedzi, the Chairman of PAC, that Mr Kwaning-Bosompem, the Controller and Accountant General was unable to appear before the Committee due to unforeseen circumstances.

Mr Avedzi ruled that the committee should proceed with the hearing despite the Controller and Accountant General’s absence.

The PAC began its public hearing on Monday, January 29, 2024, to consider a report of the Auditor-General on the Public Accounts of Ghana-Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) for the year ended, December 31, 2022.

It would also evaluate a r
eport of the Auditor-General on the Public Accounts of Ghana-Public, Boards, Corporations, and other Statutory Institutions for the period ended on December 31, 2022.

PAC is expected to end its proceedings on Friday, February 23, 2024.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Akatsi North New Patriotic Party (NPP) Parliamentary candidate-elect, Mr Simon Peter Ofosu, has urged party faithful and all sympathisers to embrace unity after the primary election.

He said the call could help the party to capture the Akatsi North Constituency seat for the Party in the December polls.

Mr Ofosu, who is also the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Akatsi North, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency after winning in the primaries, said unity among party members would be a key factor towards winning the main seat, as well as ‘breaking the eight’ in the Elections 2024.

He indicated that although he was pronounced the winner of context in the primaries, the victory was for the party and not any single person.

Mr Ofosu pledged to work with all, irrespective of one’s political affiliation, to bring progress, development and success to the good people of the area.

He said the party in the constituency had a big battle to fight with the aim of unseating Mr Peter Nortu-Kotoe, the incumben
t National Democratic Party (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP).

He thanked all the constituency delegates, Tescon representatives, electoral coordinators, polling station executives and others for giving him the nod again.

Mr Ofosu, who contested in the 2020 parliamentary election in the Akatsi North Constituency for the NPP, gathered 4,575 (31.89%) votes but lost to Mr Peter Nortu-Kotoe of the NDC who also polled 9,770 (68.11%) votes.

He described his second parliamentary contest as the ‘second coming of Jesus Christ.’

Mr Ofosu further urged all to rally behind him and the party for victory in the 2024 Election for better life and prosperity.

He polled 199 votes to beat his other contestant, Mr Prosper Patu who garnered 113 votes.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Isaac Boamah, a legal and taxation practitioner, who unseated the incumbent, Joseph Cudjoe in the Effia Constituency elections says the victory hinged on his constant engagement with the constituency.

He bagged 321 to beat incumbent Joseph Cudjoe who had 164 votes out of the 495 who voted in last Saturday’s NPP primaries.

Mr Boamah in an interview with the Ghana News Agency said his victory commemorated a new era of leadership where everyone in the constituency had a stake in the development discourse.

‘I have come as a leader for all the people in Effia, I will be the voice for all and ensure that our communities do well in terms of education, health, sanitation and employment.’

Also, in the Essikado-Ketan Constituency, Mr Charles Bissue emerged as the winner with 333 votes to beat two other aspirants in the race. They were Horma Miezah, 234; and Mr Geovani Osei Tutu, who had 199 votes.

Horma Miezah was one of the two women contestants in the Western Region. The other female contestant was Dr. Yaa P
okuaa Baiden for Kwesimintsin who lost the election to Dr Prince Hamid Armah.

Source: Ghana News Agency