Category: Government

The Electoral Commission (EC) has designated 1,068 centres for the upcoming voter registration exercise nationwide, which will begin from May 7 to May 27, 2024.

The centres include the Commission’s 268 district offices, 25 public universities, and 775 difficult-to-access electoral areas across the country.

The 1,068 centres are those that have been gazetted for the registration, Mr Samuel Tettey, Deputy Chairman in charge of Operations at the EC, told the Ghana News Agency.

In the Greater Accra Region, registration will take place in 31 District Offices of the Commission.

Prospective voters in Ga South will register at Block A 11, 33 and 34 GICEL, SCC, New Weija West.

Those in Weija Gbawe will register at Architectural and Engineering Service Limited (AESL) Building, I.T.S Road, opposite Weija-Gbawe Municipal Assembly.

At Ga Central, the exercise will take place at Dan Salo Street, Sowutuom Last Stop, Ga North at the National Identification Authority’s Office at Amamorley, Ga West at Ga West Municipal
Assembly, whilst Ga East will take place at Kwabenya-Atomic MA 5 Basic School Library.

At La Nkwantanang/Madina, registration will take place at the EC’s Office opposite Silver Hair Spa, Madina New Road Market, and Rawlings Circle.

People in Ayawaso East, Ayawaso North, Ayawaso Central, Ayawaso West, and Korley Klottey will all go to the Electoral Commission Head Quarters premises, Castle Road.

Those in Okaikwei South Metro will have their centre near Kaneshie Market and Criples Home, Nii Asere Ayitey Road.

Ablekuma South Sub-Metro will register within the premises of Nii Kojo Ababio Cluster of Schools (Korlegonno), while Ashiedu Keteke Sub-Metro will be at City Engineers Building, near Light House (GPHA) John Evans Atta Mills High Street.

Okaikwei North will go to Achimota District Court, Ablekuma North will be at Banyard – Odorkor, along the George Walker Bush Highway, Ablekuma Central will go the Local Government premises, Laterbiokoshie, whilst Ablekuma West will register at Dansoman, at the Ablekuma
West Municipal Assembly premises.

La Dadekotopon will be at Kaajarno South La Estate, 2nd Kaajarno Sreet.

Ledzokuku will go to Oak Street, Teshie, near Ledzokuku Municipal Assembly, whilst those in Krowor will register at Nungua, Brigade Hill Top, Cactus Street.

Tema Metro will have their centre at Tema Metro Office, Community 4 Near Prisco Park, No. 4 Kokofu Park, whereas Tema West will be at Old Mexico School Block, Community 2, Tema.

Kpong Katamanso will go to New Police Station Office, Khrida Estates, Kpone Kokompe Junction.

The people of Ashaiman will go to First Floor of the Tema Highway Building, Lebanon Ashaiman, Opposite Lebanon International School and Mosque.

Those in Adentan will register at No. 14 Ayebeng Avenue, Adentan Housing Down, whilst those in Shai-Osudoku will be at Dodowa, Education, near Fire Service Office.

Ningo Prampram will have their centre adjacent Prampram SHS Gate, New Site through Noble Estate Road.

Ada West people will go to Battor Road, Kaiser Street, behind ECG Offic
e, whilst those in Ada East will register at Forestry Commision, Luhuese-Ada Foah Road, Luhuese.

Out of the 25 public universities designated for voter registration, Greater Accra has six.

University of Ghana, Legon, will have the registration centre at Legon Hall Main.

University of Professional Studies, Accra, will have the centre behind the University’s Graduate School.

Ghana Communication Technology University will have the registration centre at the Engineering Block.

Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) will have the centre at the Forecourt of the GIMPA Administration.

Registration at UniMAC (GIJ, School of Languages and NAFTI) will take place at the Forecourt of the School’s Administration.

Accra Technical University will have the registration centre at the Akwaaba Lodge.

The EC’s Deputy Chairman in charge of Operations said individuals below 18 years and non-Ghanaians were not qualified to register, stressing that, ‘attempts by unqualified persons to register is an o
ffence.’

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Asante-Akim Central branch of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has questioned the inclusion of certain projects in the government’s performance tracker launched on April 10, this year.

According to the party, some of the projects purported to have been executed in the constituency were non-existent with others being inherited projects from the NDC.

Addressing a press conference at Konongo, Mr. Kofi Seidu, the Constituency Communication Officer, described the inclusion of some of the projects as deceptive and barefaced lies intended to hoodwink Ghanaians.

‘They claim that they have built cassava processing factory at Ahyiaem and there is no factory located at Ahyiaem.

He said the party was shocked to see on the tracker that they started the 60-bed Konongo Government Hospital in 2017 and completed same in 2022 when it was public knowledge that the said project was almost completed before NDC left office in 2017.

Mr. Seidu said the inclusion of a Central Government on its performance tracker that
it had provided streetlights to communities was not the case.

‘A Central government is telling you and the people of Asante-Akim Central that they have given us streetlights, a project that can be done by a unit committee chairman,’ he stated.

The Communication Officer also denied claims on the tracker that the NPP government had done a water expansion project at Konongo, saying that the tracker failed to indicate where exactly the project was done.

He said it was a palpable falsehood perpetrated by the government to woo votes in the upcoming general election in December.

Mr. Seidu clarified that the water expansion project was done by the administration of former President John Dramani Mahama at Agyareago and that the current government had no business claiming it as part of its achievements.

He also challenged the inclusion of an iron rod factory at Odumase which is 100 per cent owned by an Indian on the tracker.

‘It is instructive to note that some of these so-called achievements as captured by the t
racker are non-existent with most of them being projects undertaken by former President Mahama,’ the Communication Officer noted.

He further stated that, ‘Is it not absurd that a government that has borrowed and had more money than any other government in the history of the Fourth Republic will be struggling to account to the good people of Asante-Akim Central which is their stronghold?

He said it was high time for the media as partners in development to hold the feet of the government to the fire of accountability because taxes and resources of Ghanaians had been entrusted to them.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Akatsi North Constituency of the Volta region has called on its members to volunteer themselves to work during the upcoming Limited Voter Registration exercise.

The exercise, according to the party, would enable all eligible voters to get registered for the upcoming general elections.

This appeal was contained in a statement signed by Mr Abraham Ahiabu, Constituency Secretary of the party, and copied to the Ghana News Agency.

He stated that the party has introduced guidelines to all supporters and committed members towards the 2024 general elections.

‘One of the crucial steps towards the 2024 election is the upcoming limited voters registration exercise scheduled for May 7, to May 27, and we need to take it more seriously.’

The statement further charged all members across the various branches to exhibit their full commitment to ensure a successful exercise.

The statement indicated that the party in the constituency has launched a volunteer programme to suppo
rt the registration process.

‘All members have been urged to join the exercise for the progress of the NDC in the area. Victory is within reach, but it requires teamwork and dedication, join us, and let’s work together to make it happen,’ it added.

Mr Ahiabu also reminded interested persons and party faithful to contact their outfit to get registered for the exercise.

The limited registration exercise, according to the Electoral Commission (EC), would enable all eligible voters 18 years and above who could not register in the previous exercise.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Women In Politics Forum (WIPF) of Nigeria on Wednesday lauded the integrity and independence of Ghana’s Electoral Commission (EC) ahead of the Election 2024.

Mrs Ebere Ifendu, the President of the WIPF, a pressure group, that supports and groom young women in politics, gave the commendation, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA).

She said Nigeria, in particular, and countries in general, ought to under-study, and learn lessons and experiences from Ghana’s electoral management body to shape the beauty of democracy in the sub-region.

Mrs Ifendu was speaking to the GNA on the sidelines of the 11th Digital Rights and Inclusive Forum 2024 (DRIF24), underway in Accra on the theme: ‘Fostering Rights and inclusion in the digital age.’

Hundreds of delegates, civil society organisations and actors as well as NGOs and academia are attending the three-day forum, being organised by the Paradigm Initiative (PIN), a Pan African organisation.

Comparatively, Dr Ifendu described Ghana’s electoral processes,
in both General and political party elections, as one of the finest in the sub-region and in Africa and hoped that the EC in Ghana would continue to remain an independent ‘referee’, as the Election 2024 gathered momentum.

‘In fact, we have monitored and observed both party and general elections in Ghana. I was in the country to observe the NPP’s Election 2024 Presidential and parliamentary primaries, and I can attest to the fact that Ghana’s EC is doing great in the electoral processes’.

‘The situation is quite different in my country. Political parties in Nigeria conduct and supervise their own internal elections. Nigeria’s EC is just an observer and that is not auguring well for the Nigerian democracy,’ Mrs Ifendu stated.

The Executive Director indicated that though the electoral management body of every country had their peculiar air challenges, Ghana had set the pace for countries in the sub-region to follow and learn a cue to consolidate the gains of African democracy.

Multi-party democracy in Africa
, Mrs Infendu observed, was confronted with serious challenges that made it bleak, saying ‘our African leaders are not supporting our democracy to growth.’

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Wilberforce Andrews, an Independent Presidential Candidate has promised to emancipate Ghana from sovereign insolvency stress, cascading taxation, and unemployment if voted into power.

Mr Andrews, a native of Enyan Denkyira in the Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam District of the Central Region, gave the assurance in a press release announcing his ambition as an Independent Presidential Candidate.

A release with the title: ‘Third Force, Free Travelling Passport-Free Visa,’ copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), stated that he would initiate a free compulsory traveling passport to solve the many chronic problems of Ghana’s economy.

Mr Andrews was the former Executive member of United Nations International Monitory Fund (IMF) and distance member of American Administration of President Joe Biden.

He said the free passport would be embedded with a chip containing everyone’s detailed information to replace Voter’s Identity Cards and the Ghana Card, to become a major identity for all legal and official transactions and se
rve as security check to track down criminals.

He said if the electorate gave him the nod, he would also encourage travelling for greener pastures to help stop the galamsey menace, which was destroying the country’s river bodies, lands and forestry.

Mr Andrews stated that the creation and promotion of football as an employment opportunity would also be one of his topmost priorities, with the construction of modern football training pitches across the country and motivate players in local teams by paying them.

There would also be a pension scheme for Cocoa farmers to encourage more people to opt for agriculture as a source of employment.

Again, he said he would collaborate with private companies to fix the country’s energy crisis, to put an end to ‘dumsor’.

He said as a Third Force Independent President, all his initiatives would be towards the national development plan and not in favour of political party and family members.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia has left Accra for a working visit to the Vatican State and Italy to strengthen Ghana’s relations with those countries.

The Vice President will hold bilateral talks with the leaders of those countries, including a meeting with His Holiness Pope Francis.

The meeting with Pope Francis is important because the Pope’s message of love, mercy, and inclusion to promote unity and mutual understanding between peoples of all race had been embraced around the world.

The meeting will highlight the common principles of peace, justice, and solidarity to guide them into a better diplomatic relation.

The diplomatic visits are part of the Vice President’s efforts to strengthen connections with the global community.

The Vice President was accompanied by some government officials and expected to return to Ghana on Thursday, April 25, 2024.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) says it will revisit the original concept for the Tema-Mpakadan Railway Line project when it is elected to government.

A statement signed by Mr Sammy Gyamfi, the National Communications Officer of the NDC, and copied to the Ghana News Agency, said the party would put in place a proper lake transport system for cargos to and from the Northern parts of the country, all the way to Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger.

It said that was the surest way of making the Tema-Mpakadan Railway Line viable for a quicker repayment of the loan facility for the project.

The statement said the erstwhile NDC administration under former President John Dramani Mahama initiated the Tema-Mpakadan Railway Line project as part of the country’s strategies to build a multi-modal transportation network, to improve connectivity between the Tema Port and the Northern parts of the country, and to other landlocked countries such as Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger.

It said the Mahama-led administration in N
ovember 2016, secured funding of $398 million from the EXIM Bank of India for the design and construction of an eight-kilometre (km) railway line from Tema to the Lake Volta and part of Akosombo.

The statement said Cabinet and Parliamentary approvals for the facility were secured before the NDC left office in 2017.

It said sadly, the present government upon assuming office, failed to follow through with the original vision behind the project and aside the years of delay, the government had failed to secure funding for the development of the lake transportation leg of the project.

The statement said the government had only been able to secure an additional funding of $48 million since then, to extend the original 84km railway line by 13km from Akosombo to Mpakadan for some technical consideration.

The statement noted that Mpakadan had no port, while the Volta Lake Port at Akosombo which was supposed to be developed to allow for the lake transportation of cargos to and from the Northern part of the country,
had been neglected by the ruling NPP government in the last eight years.

‘As things stand now, the Tema-Mpakadan Railway Line can only transport passengers from Tema through Afiemya, North Tongu, Lower Manya Krobo to Mpakadan,’ it added.

It noted that relative to the easing of traffic on the Afiemya stretch, the project was not viable without the lake transportation of cargos from the Tema Port to the Northern parts of the country and vice-versa.

It reminded the ruling NPP government that the project was a legacy of the NDC and urged the government to credit the party as it also acknowledged the N1 Highway as the accomplishment of the Kufuor-led NPP government.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Ahead of Ghana’s 2024 general election, the Center for Democratic Development, Ghana (CDD-Ghana), has organised a two-day capacity building workshop for media professionals on electoral reforms in Tema.

The workshop aims to equip journalists with the knowledge and capacity to advocate electoral reforms on election results management; that is the need for the Electoral Commission (EC) to establish clear legal/administrative procedures for handling irregularities by polling and collation officials during public elections.

It was also to educate the media on a need to amend PNDCL 284 for the judiciary to provide a shorter timeline for adjudicating Parliamentary Election Petitions at the High Courts and Court of Appeal and the call for an enacted Affirmative Action Bill, that prescribed at least 30 per cent quota for women in governance and decision-making positions, with a progressive increase to 50 per cent and quotas.

The event, which was organised by CDD-Ghana in collaboration with the CODEO and the Affirm
ative Action Bill Coalition, with backing from the European Union (EU) was to help address electoral challenges in preparation for the 2024 general election.

Mr Albert Arhin, the National Coordinator of the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) in his opening remarks noted that despite Ghana’s stable democracy over the past 30 years, the nation continued to encounter obstacles related to election results management, parliamentary petition adjudication, and the representation of women in governance.

He said establishing and instituting electoral reforms would go a long way in consolidating Ghana democratic institutions, enhancing its electoral systems, and further solidifying Ghana as a benchmark for democracy.

‘The rationale for the formation of the Media Training on Electoral Reforms was a front-line strategy by the partners as a means of providing a platform for open dialogue and constructive discussions on electoral reform in Ghana.’

He said through the collaboration between the Center and t
he media, they hope to use their various platforms to advocate reforms to ensure transparent, credible, and peaceful elections in Ghana.

He said with this collaboration, they anticipate a surge in discourse on the proposed electoral reforms across various media platforms of their partners.

He said it was their belief that when the media was well equipped with the scope of the reforms, they would be able to disseminate them to the average Ghanaian, to also understand and enhance their participation.

‘We firmly believe that through the collaborative efforts of these media partners, we can effectively engage citizens, and educate them on the electoral reforms ahead of the 2024 general elections.’

Dr Kojo Pumpuni Asante, the Director for Programmes and Policy Engagement, CDD-Ghana, said elections in relation to democracy were like lubricants in a car; saying ‘without oil, the car ceases to function, if there are no credible elections, you are not able to choose leaders, to govern and it leads to political cri
sis’.

‘Similarly, with bad elections, a government cannot rule legitimately, and we get a governance crisis. Recent examples in Sierra Leone and Zimbabwe are worth mentioning.’

Mrs Sheila Minkah-Premo, the Convenor of the Affirmative Action Bill Coalition, in her presentation noted that the Affirmative Action Bill, which was before Parliament aims to promote a progressive in the active participation of women in public life from a minimum of 30 per cent to 50 per cent by 2030.

She underscored the need for Ghana to achieve gender equality in leadership and decision-making process.

Source: Ghana News Agency