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Mr Jefferson Sackey, the New Patriotic Party’s ( NPP) parliamentary candidate hopeful, says he is very confident of emerging as the winner in the primary.

The Presidential Staffer said the atmosphere at the election grounds indicated that most of the delegates would vote for him.

‘I am very confident about winning. You can see I am the one with the biggest tent where a lot of people are eating and drinking…I am very confident that delegates in Ablekuma Central are going to vote for Jefferson Sackey,’ he told the GNA in an interview at the election grounds.

Mr Sackey said he was not worried about the open display of ‘money sharing’ by other aspirants.

He said he believed the delegates already knew who they would vote for so money could not influence their decisions.

‘I don’t think it will influence them. You know people have already made up their minds so I don’t think a ‘transportation’ is going to change anybody’s mind…,’ he said.

Mr Sackey called on delegates who were yet to cast their ballot to vote
for a candidate who could do the job of a parliamentarian well.

He said the Ablekuma Central Constituency was one of the hottest constituencies in the region and, therefore, needed a very dynamic leader.

‘Our elections here are very tight so we need a candidate who is able to break through to get more numbers for the NPP…Vote for Jefferson Sackey because he can do it and he is doing it…’

The NPP is conducting parliamentary primaries for its orphan constituencies today and Ablekuma Central is one of such constituencies.

Today’s election will determine, who the NPP will present as its candidate for the Constituency in the 2024 national elections.

Aside from Mr Sackey, the other three aspirants are Mr Ebenezer Nartey, a former Member of Parliament, Mr Collins Amoah and Mr Larry Anyetei Adjei.

A total of 1,571 are expected to vote.

Source: Ghana News Agency

A study by the Institute for Liberty and Policy Innovation (ILAPI), a research organisation, has revealed that only one out of 10 Ghanaians has a written will.

The quantitative research on accessing funds by next-of-kin, revealed that 85.5 per cent of the 1000 respondents from across the 16 regions of Ghana do not have written wills.

Mr Peter Bismark, the Executive Director of ILAPI, and Mr Stephen Dansu, the Organisation’s Head of Research, revealed this during a high-level policy dialogue on ‘Reducing family poverty via the use of next of kin.’

They indicated that the research, which was carried out between February and July 2023, also found that 38.75 per cent of those who did not have written wills, and said they were yet to acquire any property or asset.

Other reasons given were that they were not ready, they did not believe in writing a will, it was not yet time for them to die, their family knew their property already because they were residing in family property, while others had no reason for no
t having a will.

They said the research also revealed that 80.50 per cent were not informed about their status as next-of-kin, while 63 per cent were not informed by banks about the amount of money the deceased had, and how much they were entitled to.

The ILAPI said the bureaucratic nature of accessing funds as next-of-kin was costly, as respondents revealed that they spent an average of GHS7,550 and as much as GHS15,000 on these processes.

Some of the identified institutions a next-of-kin might deal with in the process included health facilities for the acquisition of a certificate of cause of death, police for the acquisition of a coroner, the Birth and Death Registry for a death certificate, and a death extract.

A burial permit must be acquired from the district assemblies, a probate or letter of administration from the court, as well as documents from financial institutions such as banks, insurance companies, and the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), among others.

ILAPI recommende
d that there should be frequent public education by stakeholders such as the National Commission for Civic Education, financial institutions, insurance companies and SSNIT, on the processes and procedures involved in accessing an estate.

They also called for the streamlining of administrative processes, to reduce the duration of accessing the funds of the deceased to avoid boredom and abandonment, which usually occurred empirically because of frustration and stress the next-of-kin, beneficiaries, and nominees go through to access these claims.

It urged Ghanaians to inculcate the habit of registering their property and having written wills, to avoid setbacks next-of-kin, beneficiaries, and nominees faced.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Kanjal Tibithe, a 60-year-old crops and livestock farmer from the Yendi Municipality of the Northern Region, has been adjudged Regional Best Farmer at this year’s regional celebration of the National Farmers’ Day.

For his prize, Mr Tibithe took home a tricycle, a mist blower, two cutlasses, 4.5 litres of OFA liquid fertilizer, and a certificate.

Alhaji Abass Ziblim, a farmer from the Zabzugu District, was adjudged Regional Best Livestock Farmer whilst Madam Rosemond Ali, a farmer from the Nanumba North Municipality, was adjudged Regional Best Female Farmer, and they each took home a tricycle, a knapsack sprayer, two cutlasses, a litre of OFA liquid fertilizer and a certificate each.

Five other farmers, who were adjudged Regional Best Physically Challenged Farmer, Regional Best Youth Farmer, Regional Best Male Agricultural Extension Agent (AEA), Regional Best Female AEA, and Regional Best Innovative Farmer, were also given various prizes.

Mr Tibithe, in a brief remark at the ceremony at Kulnyevilla in
the Sagnarigu Municipality on Friday, attributed his feat to hard work and urged all to embrace agriculture for improved livelihoods.

This year’s Farmers’ Day celebration was on the theme: ‘Delivering Smart Solutions for Sustainable Food Security and Resilience’.

Alhaji Shani Alhassan Saibu, Northern Regional Minister congratulated the winners and all farmers in the region, saying through their dedication, in the face of adversities, agriculture had remained the backbone and driving force behind the country’s food security, industrialisation process, job creation, economic growth, and foreign exchange earnings from diverse sources.

Alhaji Saibu said the government was fulfilling its obligation of creating the necessary environment through policy interventions and other incentives to motivate farmers to play their role more effectively.

He added that the government was demonstrating more sensitivity to the needs of farmers to enable them optimise productivity, build resilience, and attain a level of compet
itiveness derived from the efficient use of resources and technology.

He said ‘With the commitment and support from all relevant stakeholders in agricultural development, certainly Ghana’s agriculture will thrive in the next five years. With the introduction of an enduring system through Planting for Food and Jobs phase two, agriculture will be a very attractive enterprise.’

Alhaji Saibu entreated all to endeavour to reach the ultimate height to contribute to the food security of the region and the nation at large, saying ‘I want to urge all and sundry to get involved in agriculture and see farming as a business, because the President of the Republic is providing the enabling environment for all gender, especially the youth, women and people living with disabilities to fully embrace agriculture as a reliable source of income.’

Source: Ghana News Agency

Okokodrufo Ogyeabuo Nana Kwamena Hamma Ababio, the Ajumako Omanhen, has appealed to the government for soft loans and other agricultural inputs for farmers in the Central Region to expand their capacity and boost food production.

He said the region’s large tracts of fertile land, coupled with the favourable rain pattern put it in the best position to feed the entire country especially with staples like yam, plantain, and cocoyam.

Speaking at the regional celebration of the 39th Farmers’ Day in Ajumako, on the theme: ‘Delivering smart solutions for sustainable food security and resilience,’ Ogyeabuo Ababio observed that the cost of farming and inadequate support systems was a major impediment in achieving food sufficiency.

He said government could, for instance, absorb the cost of preparing the lands for cultivation which he said consumed a chunk of the farmers’ capital.

‘Less an acre of land costs GHC300.00 to clear over here. But with this support, we will be able to produce enough to feed ourselves all
year.

‘In fact, this will augment the government Planting for Food and Jobs policy,’ he said, adding that storage facilities should be provided for every District to avoid post-harvest losses.

He also appealed to the government to fix feeder roads in the region to enable farmers easily cart their foods to the market centres.

He was optimistic that such interventions would make farming in the region more attractive and mitigate the incidence of youth exodus to the bigger cities in search of greener pastures.

‘We have the land and so all that is left for us is to take advantage of the favourable weather patterns to ensure the availability of food in our country,’ he stated.

‘Agriculture is the backbone of our economy, and it employs about 60 per cent of our population, and so if we make it work, 60 per cent of our problems is solved,’ he added.

Mr George Lawson, a lecturer and journalist from the Awutu Senya District, was adjudged the overall best farmer of the Central Region while Madam Charity Fiwonu fr
om the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem District emerged the overall best fisher.

In all, the region awarded 13 farmers and fishers including the best female farmer and the best cocoa farmer.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Daniel Acquah, 44, won the overall best farmer during the 39th farmers’ day celebration at Nyanfeku Ekroful in the Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese (AAK), District of the Central Region.

He was given a fridge, wheelbarrow, wellington boots, cutlass, and other farm inputs.

Mr Acquah was grateful to God and the Assembly for the award and assured that he would impart the experience gained unto the younger generation.

Mr. Yaw Ainoo was adjudged first runner-up and Mr. Christian K. Donkor, second runner up.

In all, nine farmers and fishermen were awarded.

They are Mr. Emmanuel Nii Boi Mensah, best crop farmer, Mr. Isaac Ansah Boafo, best livestock farmer, Mr. Bernard Badu Aggrey, best physically challenged farmer, Mr. Isaac Otoo, best marine fisherman, Mrs. Efua Amoaba, best fish processesor and Mr. Derrick Okyere, best agriculture worker.

Mr Willyevans Obiri-Awuah, District Chief Executive of AAK commended the farmers and fishermen for their hard work and tireless efforts in providing food for the district and th
e nation.

He told the farmers to adopt innovative and modern methods in farming to help boost agriculture and charged the Agric Extension Officers to regularly visit farmers to educate them to improve their farms.

Mrs. Faustina Agyarko, District Agric Officer, also applauded the efforts of farmers in the national economy by seeing farming as a lucrative business and doing it with all their might to reap the benefits.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Pandemonium broke at the Mataheko Police Station Park in the Ablekuma Central Constituency where the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is conducting parliamentary primary, after delegates abandoned voting and followed someone with a violet bag.

The bag contains small sealed envelopes.

A delegate, who sought anonymity, told the Ghana News Agency that the envelopes contained money for delegates, who voted for a particular aspirant.

Scores of delegates, including the elderly and persons with disability, about an hour into the election, deserted the voting and went after the ‘Manager’ of the bag.

Quickly, a long queue was formed ,with jostling and shoving for the money.

It is not clear, which candidate is giving out the money.

However, the tent under, which the money is being shared has the image of Mr Collins Amoah, one of the four aspirants.

A total of 1,571 delegates are expected to vote to elect one of the four aspirants to represent the Party in the parliamentary election next year.

The aspirants are Mr Jef
ferson, Sackey, a Presidential Staffer, Mr Ebenezer Nartey, a former Member of Parliament, Mr Collins Amoah and Mr Larry Angered Adjei.

Source: Ghana News Agency