Ghana’s parliament after vetting thirteen (13) ministerial nominees has approved eight (8) of them leaving out the Senior Minister designate, Yaw Osafo Maafo, Energy Minister designate, Boakye Agyarko and three others whose fate is yet to be known.
The House is yet to give reasons why the nominations of five of the ministers who have gone through vetting are yet to be approved.
Below is the list of approved ministers who would subsequently be sworn in by the president to take office and start work.
List of approved nominees:
Kan Dapaah Atta – National Security,
Ken Ofori Atta – Finance Minister
Dominic Nitiwul – Defense Minister
Ambrose Derry – Interior Minister
Gloria Akufo – Attorney General & Minister for Justice
Shirley Ayokor Botchwey – Foreign Affairs
Alan Kyerematen – Trade and Industry
Hajia Alima Mahama- Local Government & Rural Development
List of nominees on suspended list
Yaw Aosafo Maafo – Senior Minister Boakye Agyarko – Energy Minister Kweku Agyeman Manu – Health Minister Owusu Akoto Afriyie – Minister for Agriculture Dr. Opoku Prempeh – Education Minister
Parliaments Appointment / Vetting committee has however given indications that four of the ministerial nominees expected to have been vetted on Thursday January 26, 2017 has been rescheduled to Monday January 29. They include:
Dr. Anthony Akoto Osei – Monitoring & Evaluation Minister Dan K. Botwey – Regional Re-organisation and Development Prof. Frimpong Boateng – Environment, Science and Technology
Samuel Atta Akyea – Works and Housing Minister
Source: 3news.com
kwasikumi
Thursday, 26 January 2017
Sunyani Traditional Council rejects B/A minister nominee
According to the council, Kweku Asomah-Cheremeh,who was named for position among nine others for the other regions, has over the years disrespected them with unwarranted attacks on chiefs in the area, and has refused to honour their invitations.
Addressing a press conference in Sunyani today [Thursday], Nana Obama Bofotiaboa-Amponsem II, Krontihene of Sunyani, also accused Asomah-Cheremeh of inciting residents against the Council.
Speaking in a separate interview with Citi News to throw more light on their qualms, Nana Kwaku Sarbeng Ababio, Akwamuhene of the Sunyani Traditional Area, said the council cannot work with the new minister nominee.
“…In the immediate past, his conduct and character which he exhibited towards the Traditional Council is such that we cannot work with him in his capacity as a regional minister.”
He also explained that, they believe Mr. Asomah-Cheremeh’s nomination should be withdrawn because of some actions he took in the past, including some disparaging comments he made “at a press conference almost about a year ago, his refusal to attend to the call of the Omanhence, his refusal to heed to the advice of his own party’s council of elders, and the way he replies to letters of his clients so far as invitations to this palace are concerned.” “This is in short what we have to tell him, and what we have to tell the president that for these reasons, we cannot corporate with him or support him as the new Brong Ahafo Regional Minister,” Nana Ababio reiterated.
The Traditional Council however congratulated the president on his election, and pledged their readiness to partner the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.
NPP supporters laud Asomah-Cheremeh appointment
Meanwhile, some supporters of the NPP have gathered at Bechem also in the Brong Ahafo Region, to welcome Mr. Asomah-Cheremeh. Traditional Council tried to stop NPP’s delegates conference
The Sunyani Traditional Council in December 2015, tried to the stop the NPP from organizing its extraordinary delegates conference at the Sunyani Coronation Park.
This was because the chiefs were unhappy with some comments they considered offensive made by executives of the party in the region against them. The issue was however ironed out, paving the way for the event to be held.
About Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh
Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh is 52 years old and is a Barrister at Law.
He was called to the Ghana School of Law in 1997, having graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Law and Political Science from the University of Ghana, Legon, in 1994.
He was the Local NUGS President from 1993 to 1994, whilst at the University of Ghana. He practiced law at Akyedee Legal Services in Sunyani from 1998 to 2004, and within that period was a law lecturer at Sunyani Polytechnic.
He has acted as a solicitor for various firms in the Sunyani.
He served as the head of the NPP’s campaign in the Brong Ahafo Region 2012 and 2016, in his capacity as Chairman of the party in the region.
He is married with three (3) children.
Source: citionline.com
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citifmonline.com#sthash.hwvQSEth.dpuf
citifmonline.com#sthash.hwvQSEth.dpuf
Brong Ahafo chiefs reject Akufo-Addo’s minister nominee for insulting them
Even before he is vetted and possibly approved to be a regional minister, President Akufo-Addo’s nominee for Brong Ahafo, Kweku Asomah Kyeremeh has been rejected by the chiefs of the Sunyani traditional council for ‘insulting’ them.
The chiefs have openly declared that they will not cooperate with him or work with him if the president goes ahead to let Kweku Asomah Kyeremeh represent him (Akufo-Addo) in the region.
TV3’s reporter in the region reports that the chiefs at a press conference where they indicated the nominee had disrespected them on several occasions and incited residents against them.
It would be recalled that in the heat of the 2016 elections Nana Bosoma Nsor Nkrawiri was alleged to have made a pronouncement to the effect that in the 2016 elections the chiefs in the Brong-Ahafo Region will give the former President John Mahama and the NDC 70-80 per cent votes.
This promised was made when the then president John Mahama paid a courtesy call on the paramount chief at his palace. According to the chiefs, the nominee – Kweku Asomah Kyeremeh did not take kindly to the pronouncement of the Omanhene, and described the paramount chief as stooping so low to campaign for President Mahama and the NDC.
According to the chiefs they summoned Kweku Asomah Kyeremeh to the Sunyani traditional council to explain his case but he snubbed them by refusing to honour their invitation. They reported the nominee’s behaviour to the regional NPP council of elders to prevail upon him to honour their summons but he still ignored them. The NPP council of elders were left with no choice but to come to the traditional council to apologise for Kweku Asomah Kyeremeh unruly behaviour with two bottles of schnapps.
Krontihene of the Sunyani traditional council, Oboaman Bofotia Boa-Amponsem who addressed the news conference said the nominee worsened his case and showed extreme arrogance towards them, by sending a letter through his lawyer claiming that under the laws of Ghana he is not obliged to respond to summons at a traditional council.
They are therefore calling on the president to change the nominee or he would be frustrated and vehemently rejected if he is approved to be minister of the Brong Ahafo region.
They however thanked the president for nominating three key ministers namely, Ignatius Baffour Awuah, Kweku Agyeman Manu and Professor Gyan Baffour who are sons of the Brong-Ahafo Region.
Source: 3news.com
The chiefs have openly declared that they will not cooperate with him or work with him if the president goes ahead to let Kweku Asomah Kyeremeh represent him (Akufo-Addo) in the region.
TV3’s reporter in the region reports that the chiefs at a press conference where they indicated the nominee had disrespected them on several occasions and incited residents against them.
It would be recalled that in the heat of the 2016 elections Nana Bosoma Nsor Nkrawiri was alleged to have made a pronouncement to the effect that in the 2016 elections the chiefs in the Brong-Ahafo Region will give the former President John Mahama and the NDC 70-80 per cent votes.
This promised was made when the then president John Mahama paid a courtesy call on the paramount chief at his palace. According to the chiefs, the nominee – Kweku Asomah Kyeremeh did not take kindly to the pronouncement of the Omanhene, and described the paramount chief as stooping so low to campaign for President Mahama and the NDC.
According to the chiefs they summoned Kweku Asomah Kyeremeh to the Sunyani traditional council to explain his case but he snubbed them by refusing to honour their invitation. They reported the nominee’s behaviour to the regional NPP council of elders to prevail upon him to honour their summons but he still ignored them. The NPP council of elders were left with no choice but to come to the traditional council to apologise for Kweku Asomah Kyeremeh unruly behaviour with two bottles of schnapps.
Krontihene of the Sunyani traditional council, Oboaman Bofotia Boa-Amponsem who addressed the news conference said the nominee worsened his case and showed extreme arrogance towards them, by sending a letter through his lawyer claiming that under the laws of Ghana he is not obliged to respond to summons at a traditional council.
They are therefore calling on the president to change the nominee or he would be frustrated and vehemently rejected if he is approved to be minister of the Brong Ahafo region.
They however thanked the president for nominating three key ministers namely, Ignatius Baffour Awuah, Kweku Agyeman Manu and Professor Gyan Baffour who are sons of the Brong-Ahafo Region.
Source: 3news.com
Pay our election allowance now – NDC polling agents angry
Some polling station agents of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Kintampo North Constituency of the Brong Ahafo Region, have accused their executives of diverting about GHc 37,100.00 meant for them as allowance for their contribution towards the party’s campaign ahead of the 2016 general elections.
They have given the national leadership of the party a week’s ultimatum to compel the constituency executives to pay them their money or risk having them seizing party property and auctioning them.
The polling agents, numbering about 143, also threatened to resign if leadership fails to investigate and ensure that the executives render accounts of their stewardship.
Speaking to Citi News, Spokesperson for the agents, Joenal Bang Yinbil, lamented that they had been neglected after the elections.
He accused the constituency executives of incompetence and gross misappropriation of party funds.
“We were given 40 cedis instead of 100 cedis during the training of party agents before the elections,” he said.
Mr. Bang Yinbil said the executives violated Article 38 section 1(A) of the NDC constitution by awarding themselves ex-gratia.
He suggested that, the party lost the 2016 elections due to the behaviour of some self-seeking executives who were assigned the responsibility of prosecuting the party’s victory agenda, but chose to squander party resources, and warned that the party will lose public affection if its issues of accountability are not addressed.
Meanwhile, the Constituency Secretary of the party, Emmanuel Kafui, has refuted the allegations, and challenged the aggrieved party members to produce evidence to substantiate the claims.
He admitted the party recruited some polling agents and deployed two agents to each of the 143 polling stations, but said they were all GHc 100.00 cedis for discharging their duties.
Kafui further noted that, the agitating agents were only seeking to tarnish their image because they had previously wanted to serve as executives of the party in the constituency.
He appealed to members of the party to channel their grievances through the appropriate quarters for redress.
Source: citifmonline.com
They have given the national leadership of the party a week’s ultimatum to compel the constituency executives to pay them their money or risk having them seizing party property and auctioning them.
The polling agents, numbering about 143, also threatened to resign if leadership fails to investigate and ensure that the executives render accounts of their stewardship.
Speaking to Citi News, Spokesperson for the agents, Joenal Bang Yinbil, lamented that they had been neglected after the elections.
He accused the constituency executives of incompetence and gross misappropriation of party funds.
“We were given 40 cedis instead of 100 cedis during the training of party agents before the elections,” he said.
Mr. Bang Yinbil said the executives violated Article 38 section 1(A) of the NDC constitution by awarding themselves ex-gratia.
He suggested that, the party lost the 2016 elections due to the behaviour of some self-seeking executives who were assigned the responsibility of prosecuting the party’s victory agenda, but chose to squander party resources, and warned that the party will lose public affection if its issues of accountability are not addressed.
Meanwhile, the Constituency Secretary of the party, Emmanuel Kafui, has refuted the allegations, and challenged the aggrieved party members to produce evidence to substantiate the claims.
He admitted the party recruited some polling agents and deployed two agents to each of the 143 polling stations, but said they were all GHc 100.00 cedis for discharging their duties.
Kafui further noted that, the agitating agents were only seeking to tarnish their image because they had previously wanted to serve as executives of the party in the constituency.
He appealed to members of the party to channel their grievances through the appropriate quarters for redress.
Source: citifmonline.com
No ‘Dumsor’ Ahead Of Ghana Gas Shutdown – VRA Assures
Head of Corporate Communications at the Volta River Authority has allayed fears of an imminent power crisis popularly called ‘dumsor’ following the planned shutdown of the Ghana National Gas Company.
Gertrude Koomson said on Adom FM’s Monring Show, ‘Dwaso Nsem’ that the power manager have made contingency plans to avert a return of the dreaded power paralysis which crippled business and affected jobs in the last four years.
A joint press release issued by the Volta River Authority, GRIDCo and the Electricity Corporation of Ghana Wednesday said the planned shutdown of Ghana Gas will lead to a generation shortfall of 230 MW.
“…We wish to advise that there will be a generation shortfall of 230MW from the AMERI plant whose operations depend solely on gas supply from the GNGC,” the statement said.
The planned shutdown and the commissioning of the gas pipeline system and other equipment from the TEN fields to the Atuabo processing plant will begin from February 3 to February 20, 2017.
“We wish to assure the public that we have put in adequate measures to mitigate the impact of the shortfall,” the statement said.
The assurances notwithstanding, there have been fears the country could still slide back into darkness for the period of the shutdown.
Already some areas in Accra have started experiencing some power outages which lasts too long to be convinced it is not the usual ‘dumsor.’
However speaking on Dwaso Nsem, Thursday, the VRA spokesperson Gertrude Koomson assured the there will be no dumsor because contingency plans have been made.
Akosombo
According to her, the Akosombo dam will operate at full capacity because of the good water level at the dam site.
The dam has been operating between two to three turbines instead of the six due to the low levels of water in the dam. Energy experts have also warned against the operation of the six turbines and hinted a possible collapse of the entire system if the dam were to be operated at full capacity.
But Mrs Koomson said the apprehension of the energy experts is misplaced. According to her, the water level is 10 feet higher than it was in the recent past and VRA can competently run all six turbines without any problem.
She said they are also bringing on board all redundant energy reserves including the Kpong dam, and other thermal plants during the period of the shutdown to make up for the shortfall.
“There will be no dumsor as we speak now,” she assured but stated if anything should change they will inform the general public.
Source: Adomonline.com
Gertrude Koomson said on Adom FM’s Monring Show, ‘Dwaso Nsem’ that the power manager have made contingency plans to avert a return of the dreaded power paralysis which crippled business and affected jobs in the last four years.
A joint press release issued by the Volta River Authority, GRIDCo and the Electricity Corporation of Ghana Wednesday said the planned shutdown of Ghana Gas will lead to a generation shortfall of 230 MW.
“…We wish to advise that there will be a generation shortfall of 230MW from the AMERI plant whose operations depend solely on gas supply from the GNGC,” the statement said.
The planned shutdown and the commissioning of the gas pipeline system and other equipment from the TEN fields to the Atuabo processing plant will begin from February 3 to February 20, 2017.
“We wish to assure the public that we have put in adequate measures to mitigate the impact of the shortfall,” the statement said.
The assurances notwithstanding, there have been fears the country could still slide back into darkness for the period of the shutdown.
Already some areas in Accra have started experiencing some power outages which lasts too long to be convinced it is not the usual ‘dumsor.’
However speaking on Dwaso Nsem, Thursday, the VRA spokesperson Gertrude Koomson assured the there will be no dumsor because contingency plans have been made.
Akosombo
According to her, the Akosombo dam will operate at full capacity because of the good water level at the dam site.
The dam has been operating between two to three turbines instead of the six due to the low levels of water in the dam. Energy experts have also warned against the operation of the six turbines and hinted a possible collapse of the entire system if the dam were to be operated at full capacity.
But Mrs Koomson said the apprehension of the energy experts is misplaced. According to her, the water level is 10 feet higher than it was in the recent past and VRA can competently run all six turbines without any problem.
She said they are also bringing on board all redundant energy reserves including the Kpong dam, and other thermal plants during the period of the shutdown to make up for the shortfall.
“There will be no dumsor as we speak now,” she assured but stated if anything should change they will inform the general public.
Source: Adomonline.com
Northern Regional NPP Salutes New Minister
Northern Regional Minister-designate Salifu Saeed
The Northern Regional branch of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has congratulated Salifu Saeed on his nomination as the Northern Regional Minister-designate by President Nana Akufo-Addo.
The party called on members of the party to rally behind the nominee to accomplish the objectives of the party and president to effectively develop the country.
The Northern Regional Secretary of the NPP, Sule Salifu, told DAILY GUIDE that Mr Saeed served as spokesperson for the Northern Regional Communication team for almost three years and District Chief Executive (DCE) which would help him to steer the affairs of the region.
He indicated that the minister-designate had united various warring factions in Tamale and other districts.
“Salifu Saeed knows almost every youth group in Tamale and other districts and we think he is the right person for the region.”
He also called on the public to disregard reports in the media that the NPP branch in the Northern Regional was selling forms to persons who wish to become DCEs in the region.
“The DCE Office is a public office and not an NPP office so the Local Government Ministry would have to give directives and if there are forms for people to fill they would have to pick them from there.”
According to him, nobody has reported such incident to officials of the party and called on the public to disregard the reports.
Some groupings in the NPP-Gmantambo NPP Youth Wing and Northern Regional Youth Wing- have expressed their profound gratitude to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for nominating Mr Saeed as the Northern Regional Minister-designate.
The secretary for Northern Regional Youth Wing, Alhasaan Abdul Wajid, stated that the nominee’s experience in government, NGOs would help immensely to alleviate poverty in the region.
Muniru Abdul-Latif, Secretary to Gmantambo NPP Youth Wing, also appealed to the President to consider upgrading Nanumba North District into a Municipality since the Local Government Law (Act 464, 1993) states that a municipality must have a population of about 95,000.
According to him, the 2010 population census data reveals that Nanumba North District has a population of about 141,584.
Mr Saeed brokered peace between the Konkombas and the Nanumbas during the tribal war in the Northern Region.
Source: Dailyguide
The Northern Regional branch of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has congratulated Salifu Saeed on his nomination as the Northern Regional Minister-designate by President Nana Akufo-Addo.
The party called on members of the party to rally behind the nominee to accomplish the objectives of the party and president to effectively develop the country.
The Northern Regional Secretary of the NPP, Sule Salifu, told DAILY GUIDE that Mr Saeed served as spokesperson for the Northern Regional Communication team for almost three years and District Chief Executive (DCE) which would help him to steer the affairs of the region.
He indicated that the minister-designate had united various warring factions in Tamale and other districts.
“Salifu Saeed knows almost every youth group in Tamale and other districts and we think he is the right person for the region.”
He also called on the public to disregard reports in the media that the NPP branch in the Northern Regional was selling forms to persons who wish to become DCEs in the region.
“The DCE Office is a public office and not an NPP office so the Local Government Ministry would have to give directives and if there are forms for people to fill they would have to pick them from there.”
According to him, nobody has reported such incident to officials of the party and called on the public to disregard the reports.
Some groupings in the NPP-Gmantambo NPP Youth Wing and Northern Regional Youth Wing- have expressed their profound gratitude to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for nominating Mr Saeed as the Northern Regional Minister-designate.
The secretary for Northern Regional Youth Wing, Alhasaan Abdul Wajid, stated that the nominee’s experience in government, NGOs would help immensely to alleviate poverty in the region.
Muniru Abdul-Latif, Secretary to Gmantambo NPP Youth Wing, also appealed to the President to consider upgrading Nanumba North District into a Municipality since the Local Government Law (Act 464, 1993) states that a municipality must have a population of about 95,000.
According to him, the 2010 population census data reveals that Nanumba North District has a population of about 141,584.
Mr Saeed brokered peace between the Konkombas and the Nanumbas during the tribal war in the Northern Region.
Source: Dailyguide
Ghana, Brazil Discuss $13.66m Grant For Blood, Sickle Cell Centre
President
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has begun talks with the Brazilian
government for the reactivation of the US$13.66 million grant facility
signed in 2010 for the construction of a blood and sickle cell centre at
the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi.
The facility was signed between the two countries for the construction of the facility, which was expected to include a blood transfusion centre and an out-patient clinic for sickle cell and other blood related diseases, but was not implemented as planned.
In a meeting with the outgoing Brazilian Ambassador to the country, Irene Vida Gala, yesterday, President Akufo-Addo appealed to the Brazilian government to reactivate the grant facility.
He said the necessary documents had already been signed and entreated the outgoing Brazilian Ambassador to take up the matter and help Ghana to secure the grant.
When the project was signed seven years ago, an eight-member delegation of government officials and technical experts from Brazil came to Ghana to witness the groundbreaking ceremony for the project.
Under the agreement, the Brazilian government was expected to expand the national newborn screening programme by upgrading the screening laboratory, train the technical personnel, develop the educational and training prgrammes in the sickle cell disease and provide supplies for the initial expansion of the national screening programme.
President Akufo-Addo told the Brazilian Ambassador that the government was committed to fighting the sickle cell disease because it was a major health concern in the country.
“It is a problem we want to take up as a government. We need to enhance our capacity to detect the disease especially in new borns,” he said.
The President expressed his government’s readiness to help address the obstacles that stalled the project and appealed to the Brazilian government to renew its commitment to the facility.
He said the cordial relationship between Brazil and Ghana was given a big impetus by former President John Agyekum Kufour and former President Lula Da Silva of Brazil and indicated many construction projects in the country had been executed by Brazilian companies.
“We will continue the path of deepening the relationship with Brazil. We are grateful for your stay here in the country and we are very grateful for your energy and enthusiasm. We can see around us, the quality of your work.”
“The relationship (between Ghana and Brazil) is very dear to my heart and the people of Ghana and we are going to do whatever we can to strengthen it,” he said.
On her part, Ms Gala thanked Ghanaians for their hospitality and urged the government to “renew the diplomatic relationship between the two countries at the highest level”.
According to Ms Gala, the relationship between the two countries deepened during her tenure as Ambassador and noted that the number of Brazilians in Ghana had increased from 50 to over 600 in the last five years.
In a related development, the outgoing Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Ghana, Heshan Meshaal Al Sowilem also paid a courtsey call on President Akufo-Addo.
He said he had personally adopted Ghana as his second home due to the hospitality nature of the people and urged the government to continue to work towards deepening the cordial relationship between the two countries.
The facility was signed between the two countries for the construction of the facility, which was expected to include a blood transfusion centre and an out-patient clinic for sickle cell and other blood related diseases, but was not implemented as planned.
In a meeting with the outgoing Brazilian Ambassador to the country, Irene Vida Gala, yesterday, President Akufo-Addo appealed to the Brazilian government to reactivate the grant facility.
He said the necessary documents had already been signed and entreated the outgoing Brazilian Ambassador to take up the matter and help Ghana to secure the grant.
When the project was signed seven years ago, an eight-member delegation of government officials and technical experts from Brazil came to Ghana to witness the groundbreaking ceremony for the project.
Under the agreement, the Brazilian government was expected to expand the national newborn screening programme by upgrading the screening laboratory, train the technical personnel, develop the educational and training prgrammes in the sickle cell disease and provide supplies for the initial expansion of the national screening programme.
President Akufo-Addo told the Brazilian Ambassador that the government was committed to fighting the sickle cell disease because it was a major health concern in the country.
“It is a problem we want to take up as a government. We need to enhance our capacity to detect the disease especially in new borns,” he said.
The President expressed his government’s readiness to help address the obstacles that stalled the project and appealed to the Brazilian government to renew its commitment to the facility.
He said the cordial relationship between Brazil and Ghana was given a big impetus by former President John Agyekum Kufour and former President Lula Da Silva of Brazil and indicated many construction projects in the country had been executed by Brazilian companies.
“We will continue the path of deepening the relationship with Brazil. We are grateful for your stay here in the country and we are very grateful for your energy and enthusiasm. We can see around us, the quality of your work.”
“The relationship (between Ghana and Brazil) is very dear to my heart and the people of Ghana and we are going to do whatever we can to strengthen it,” he said.
On her part, Ms Gala thanked Ghanaians for their hospitality and urged the government to “renew the diplomatic relationship between the two countries at the highest level”.
According to Ms Gala, the relationship between the two countries deepened during her tenure as Ambassador and noted that the number of Brazilians in Ghana had increased from 50 to over 600 in the last five years.
In a related development, the outgoing Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Ghana, Heshan Meshaal Al Sowilem also paid a courtsey call on President Akufo-Addo.
He said he had personally adopted Ghana as his second home due to the hospitality nature of the people and urged the government to continue to work towards deepening the cordial relationship between the two countries.
Source: The Ghanaian Times |
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