The leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has rejected claims that the party has been hijacked by a select few. Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen during a press conference on Monday, September 25, resigned from the party and declared his intention to contest as an independent candidate. Alan claimed that the party has been “hijacked by a selected group of Party leaders and elders, and government appointees behind the curtain power brokers” But responding to him on Tuesday, September 26, during a press conference, the General Secretary of NPP, Justin Koduah, dismissed the assertion. “Ladies and gentlemen, the leadership of the Party equally disagrees with assertions made by Mr. Kyerematen on page eight (8) of his resignation address that ‘the Party has been hijacked by a selected group of Party leaders and elders, and government appointees behind the curtain power brokers’.” “Guided by facts and data, the leadership of the Party disagrees entirely with this assertion. Historically, the selection of flagbearers for political parties in Ghana had been the preserve of a privileged few until the New Patriotic Party took the bold decision to decentralize the process by expanding its electoral college to enfranchise some One Hundred and Six Thousand, Five-Hundred and Ninety (106,590) delegates in 2010.” He added, “Currently, about Two Hundred Thousand (200,000) delegates would be voting to select the Party’s next flagbearer relative to the estimated One Thousand Nine Hundred and Ninety-Eight delegates (1,998) who did same in 1992. Clearly, the quantum leap to Two Hundred Thousand (200,000) delegates in 2023 underscores the decentralization of power to all Party stakeholders and defeats the assertion that the Party has been hijacked by a privileged few”. He further rubbished Mr. Kyerematen’s claims of intimidation against his supporters emphasising that government appointees including cabinet ministers who openly declared support for him are still at post. Credit: Citinewsroom

Dr. Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, a founding member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has described the behaviour of the police during the three-day #OccupyJulorbiHouse protest as shameful. He said that the peaceful approach of the protest did not warrant the violent response from the police and intimated that the government must take absolute blame for the arrests that were made on the day of the protest. Organizers of the protest, Democracy Hub, said that they were, among other things, protesting the government’s inability and reluctance to attend to the economic hardship confronting Ghanaians. Forty-nine of the protesters including a BBC journalist and his cameraman were also arrested. Dr. Nyaho-Tamakloe said on Face to Face on Citi TV that he is firmly of the belief that the order to handle the protest violently probably came from a higher authority and said that the IGP would have resigned his position if it had happened in other jurisdictions. “The police behaviour during the demonstration was very shameful. It is shameful they behaved like that in this 21st century. They should not forget that whatever happens now is covered by either a camera or something. These were fellow Ghanaians, and they had not attacked the seat of government, they were just gathered and had not even moved and the police came to attack them. That was totally wrong and the government must take the blame.” “The behaviour of the police showed one thing clearly to me, it showed that they were clearly directed by some political power, and they were told what to do. If it had been in the USA or Britain, people would have gotten to know what really was behind it and if it had been in a more civilised country, the IGP would have resigned.” Credit: Citinewsroom

Dr. Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, a founding member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has expressed dissatisfaction with the performance of the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia. He believes that the Vice President is being used as a rubber stamp because he is unable to “think independently.” In an interview on Face to Face on Citi TV, Dr. Nyaho-Tamakloe contended that Dr. Bawumia would go far in his political career if he is able to stamp his authority. He debunked claims that he is against the candidacy of the Vice President as a presidential candidate for the NPP, adding that he will support him if he wins the November elections. “I’m not against Dr Bawumia, the only thing that I feel sad about is that he’s not allowed to be himself. That is the only thing I feel sad for that young man [Dr Bawumia]. If Dr Bawumia can think independently, if I put it bluntly, he will go far. If he wins the elections why not I will support him,” the former ambassador clarified. Dr. Nyaho-Tamakloe expressed his sympathy for Francis Addai-Nimoh to lead the party in the 2024 polls, remarking that he is the only person who can bring unity to the party. “I won’t support anybody, but I have sympathy for Francis Addai-Nimoh. He’s the one who can bring the party together. He’s the only one, none of them can bring the party together,” he said. Credit: Citinewsroom

The Okaikwei North Municipal Assembly is collaborating with the Department of Urban Roads to fix a bridge that caved in at Akweteman Pentecost Church during last Friday’s downpour. The partial collapse of the bridge contributed to severe flooding in the area. The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Okaikwei North, Boye Laryea, who spoke to Citi News, said a new and enhanced bridge is expected to be completed in a month’s time. “Yesterday we gave the Urban Roads a full report of what has happened. So there and then they also followed it up and came and realized that something quickly has to be done" "So yesterday the instruction was that we close that route and they started working on the drawings because according to them they need to change the whole architecture of that place" "So we have made an alternative route. So I am sure that by Thursday, the drawings will be ready for work to commence,” he stated. Meanwhile, the Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMeT) has warned that the country’s capital, Accra, will experience flooding whenever it rains more than 50 millimetres. The warning comes after last Friday’s downpour, which left parts of Accra in large swamps of running water. Areas such as the Tema Motorway, Kwame Nkrumah Interchange, Kaneshie, North Kaneshie, Alajo, Adabraka, Accra Central, Tema, Tema station-Accra, Osu, and others were all heavily affected after close to an hour of rainfall. The water left many houses and cars submerged, and drains carrying running water were overflown, while some potholes on roads were enlarged and deepened. The Head of Forecasting at the GMeT, Joseph Portuphy, said in an interview on the Citi Breakfast Show that the rain was gauged at 78 millimeters, which is why that level of flooding was witnessed across the city. He affirmed that it would be problematic for Accra whenever it rained more than 50 millimeters. “If we have a rain above 50 millimetres within two to three hours Accra will be flooded and that was what happened,” he stated. Mr. Portuphy noted that though the city is currently in the minor rainy season, the rains will be heavy. Credit: Citinewsroom

Former Interior Minister Kwamena Bartels has described Alan Kyerematen’s decision to resign from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) as the worst decision in his political career. In a candid interview with Citi News’ Hanson Agyemang, Mr Bartels encouraged the NPP leadership to “beautifully accept” Mr Kyerematen’s resignation and completely cut him loose from the party. “I felt sorry for him [Alan], he has taken the worst decision he can ever take in his political life. He is finished as a politician. This is the end for him as a politician,” Bartels said. When asked if he believed Mr Kyerematen had been treated unfairly, the former Ablekuma North MP responded, “I won’t judge, but there are processes in the party for dealing with unfair treatment and every human institution has these little skirmishes and when they come, they are judged according to the laid down processes.” Mr Bartels encouraged the NPP not to try to mend the relationship with the former Trade and Industry Minister since this is not the first time he has decided to abandon the party. “It has happened twice and we won’t allow it to happen thrice and if the party has my views, it should beautifully accept it,” he said. Mr. Kyerematen announced his resignation from the NPP on Monday, September 25, to pursue an independent presidential bid. Credit: Citinewsroom

The Minister of National Security, Kan Dapaah, has filed a lawsuit against the convener of the #FixTheCountry Movement, Oliver Barker-Vormawor. The suit comes in response to allegations made by Barker-Vormawor, who claimed that the National Security Minister and other government officials met with him in 2021, offering a sum of one million dollars to silence him. Barker-Vormawor made these allegations following his release by the police after being arrested on September 22, along with others, for organizing a demonstration in Accra that violated a restraining order obtained by the police. In his legal action, Kan Dapaah seeks various remedies, including a declaration from the court that Barker-Vormawor's statements are defamatory. He also demands the recovery of ten million Ghana Cedis (GH¢10,000,000.00) in general damages, which encompasses aggravated and/or exemplary damages for defamation arising from Barker-Vormawor's statements. Furthermore, Kan Dapaah insists on an apology and retraction of the alleged defamatory remarks. He also seeks a perpetual injunction to prevent Barker-Vormawor from repeating similar or other defamatory statements against him. Barker-Vormawor had asserted that he was offered a tempting sum of $1 million and enticing government positions to cease his activism, which he believed was tarnishing the government's image. Despite claiming to possess evidence supporting his allegations, he has yet to make these documents Source: Ghanaweb

A group calling itself, Fixing the Country Movement says it is disappointment in how the controversial Airbus/Mahama case is being handled in the country. According to the group, it is appalled at the nonchalant attitude being deployed on the Airbus Corruption investigations. In a communique signed by Convener, Fixing the Country Movement, Ernest Kofi Owusu-Bempah Bonsu, he said "The current Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyabeng has in a public statement indicated that he is investigating the matter. It has been over a year since the Special Prosecutor announced the new phase of investigations into the matter" "Just last week, I personally petitioned the office of the Special Prosecutor to help the public with the status of the Airbus/Mahama case. And we're yet to receive any response from the office of the Special Prosecutor" The group added that, in the light of the above, it is issuing a 14-days ultimatum to whoever it may concern to see to it that action is taken on the Mahama Airbus Corruption affair. He noted that as trusting citizens, it wants the Ghanaian justice system to open a thorough enquiry on the Airbus Corruption because, it strongly believes that former President Mahama has a lot of questions to answer. "And if after the 14days, there's no action in that regards, Fixing the Country Movement will lead a citizens coalition to congregate and picket in front of the office of former President, John Mahama" Mr. Owusu-Bempah hinted that the nonchalant attitude being deployed on this Airbus matter ought to give way to real action. "It has been over three years when Airbus SE, a global provider of civilian and military aircraft based in France, agreed to pay combined penalties of more than $3.9 billion to resolve foreign bribery charges with authorities in the United States, France and the United Kingdom arising out of the Company’s scheme to use third-party business partners to bribe government officials, as well as non-governmental airline executives, around the world" "As part of this coordinated global resolution, the Company also entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with the United Kingdom’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) over bribes paid in Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Indonesia and Ghana, and the Company agreed to pay approximately 990 million Euros equivalent (approximately $1.09 billion) pursuant to the SFO agreement. The PNF and SFO had investigated the Company as part of a Joint Investigative Team" "According to admissions and court documents, beginning in at least 2008 and continuing until at least 2015, Airbus engaged in and facilitated a scheme to offer and pay bribes to decision makers and other influencers, including to foreign officials, in order to obtain improper business advantages and to win business from both privately owned enterprises and entities that were state-owned and state-controlled" "As a matter of fact, judicial records made public on 31 January 2020 by the British and American authorities, which Airbus acknowledges to be true, shows that between 2009 and 2015 an Airbus subsidiary specialising in the defence sector hired the brother of a high-ranking Ghanaian elected official(GovernmentOfficial 1), as well as a friend of the said brother and a third person to serve as commercial partners in the sale of three military transport aircraft, model C295, to Ghana" "It turned out that Philip Middlemiss, a renowned British actor, Leanne Davis and John Mahama’s brother, Samuel Adam Mahama were the intermediaries between Airbus and the former President" "In fact, per the court records, "Government Official 1" had such a reputation as a prolific bribe-collector that within three weeks of the election of the incoming Government, AND BEFORE IT WAS SWORN IN, Airbus reached agreement with brother of "Government Official 1," described in the US version of Court documents as "Individual 1." "Intriguingly, the British judge in charge of the case found that Airbus had sought, through these kickbacks, to obtain an “undue favour” from a member of the Ghanaian government. As a result, Ghana indeed bought three Airbus C295 military transport aircraft – two in 2011 and another in 2015, all under the presidency of Mills/Mahama." "Again, the UK court documents revealed that the intermediaries established a company in Ghana on 7 December 2009 and that a company with the same name was established in the United Kingdom in February of the following year" "The Ghanaian company they looked into was owned by the brother of Mr Mahama, and a British television actor who had publicly claimed to be the “best friend” of John Mahama. Indeed, the former Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu, who had found the corruption suspicions credible enough to open an investigation in February 2020, announced that he had summoned four “suspects,” Philip Middlemiss and his collaborator Sarah Furneaux, as well as Leanne Davis and Samuel Adam Mahama" Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

Former Minister of Trade and Industry, Alan Kyerematen has announced that he will be contesting the 2024 Presidential Election as an Independent Candidate. He made these remarks while announcing his new political party, 'MOVEMENT FOR CHANGE' at Movenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra on Monday. Speaking at the event, he said "I wish to use this platform to announce that I am honourably resigning with immediate effect from the New Patriotic Party to contest for the high office of the President of the Republic of Ghana in the 2024 General Elections, as an Independent Presidential Candidate," "I will establish and lead a new MOVEMENT FOR CHANGE in Ghana. The brand logo for the MOVEMENT is the Monarch Butterfly, which politically symbolizes change and transformation, hope, and positivity" He stressed that the new movement takes into consideration strength, endurance, spirituality, and trust. "In Akan, it is known as Afrafranto. The brand motto of the MOVEMENT is “Ghana Will Rise Again,” which symbolizes hope for the future of Ghana" The Former Trades Minister believes that his new Movement will be youth driven. He further stressed that out of the over 17 million registered voters in the 2020 general election, the youth aged 18-35, years constituted over 9.4 million voters representing 55% (Fifty five percent) of the total voters. Citing reasons for his resignation from the ruling Patriotic Party, he said "I believe I have served my country well and intend to continue to do so. On the 5th of January, 2023, I resigned honourably from my position as Cabinet Minister and declared my intention in a national broadcast to contest the Presidential primaries of NPP" "On the 26th of August this year, I participated in the Super Delegates Conference to shortlist the ten aspirants who had filed their nominations to contest in the primaries. I was selected as one of the five Candidates to contest for the main Presidential primaries scheduled for 4th November 2023" "After carefully analysing the results of the Super Delegates Conference, I issued a Press Statement on the 6th of September 2023, declaring my intention to exit the process leading to the Presidential primaries. In the run up to the Super Delegates Conference, the National Council of the Party made some of the most controversial and contentious decisions in the history of the Party" "They rejected a petition signed by nine out of the ten aspirants, requesting for the Super Delegates Conference to be held in one location, as well as allowing each Delegate to the Conference to nominate five persons, instead of one, in line with the provisions in the Party’s Constitution." "In my humble and considered opinion, the decisions of the National Council were both unmeritorious and unconstitutional. "To make matters worse, it was absolutely clear as indicated in my Press Statement of September 6th this year that, the Super Delegates Conference was strategically and tactically skewed in favour of one particular aspirant" "The level of intimidation and monetization that characterized the Conference is unprecedented in the history of internal elections of our Party." "The subsequent decisions made by the National Council to vary the rules of procedure for the run-off, arising from the Super Delegates Conference, in direct contravention of both the Constitution of the Party and the Guidelines issued by the Presidential Elections Committee, will go down in history as a travesty of justice, and a demonstration of high handedness by the highest decision-making body of the Party, second only to the Annual Delegates Conference" Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) says there will be an interruption of water supply from the Kpong Treatment Plant to the Eastern part of Accra in order to enable engineers work on its transmission pipeline. According to GWCL, the interruption in water supply will start from September 24 to September 28. In a communique signed by its Chief Manager, PR & Communications, Stanley Martey, he said "The Management of Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) wishes to bring to the notice of the public, especially our valued customers being served by the Kpong Treatment Plant, that there will be an interruption in water supply from Sunday 24th September to Thursday 28th September, 2023 to enable engineers of GWCL work on the transmission pipeline" The communique added that in April 2021, the GWCL announced to the public, that the main 42-inch transmission pipeline was weak and as a result gave way frequently due to the high volumes and pressure in the pipeline thereby making the company lose a lot of water and revenue. "The works involved in changing the pipeline is capital intensive, therefore, Management has resolved to change the weak portions of the line to reduce cost and to maintain the integrity of the transmission pipeline" "This repair work will also reduce the inconvenience of frequent interruption of supply to customers and to ensure a long-term reliability of water supply" The communique also noted that areas to be affected include Gbetsile, Afienya, Zenu, Prampram, Mataheko, Katamanso, Dawhenya, Sakumono, Batsonaa, Klagon, Tema Township, Adjei Kojo, Borteyman, Santeo and surrounding areas. "Management is therefore entreating customers in the above-stated areas to store enough water during the period in which the works will be carried out" Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

Ghanaian entrepreneur, industrialist, philanthropist, and real estate mogul, Nana Kwame Bediako, also known as Freedom Jacob Caesar has lauded the protestors who partook in the #OccupyJulorbiHouse. According to him, he was proud of Ghanaians demonstrating courage. In a tweet sighted by Thinknewsonline.com, he tweeted "I'm proud of Ghanaians demonstrating courage!" "This is the new Ghana we've been waiting for. I stand with you." "Remember, the people make the government the government don’t make the people. #OccupyJulorbiHouse" His tweet comes following a demonstration which was organised by a pressure group, Democracy Hub. The demonstration came to a stand-still after the police arrested Forty-Nine (49) protestors. The police revealed that the protestors violated Public Order Act and also staged an unlawful demonstration. Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

A member of the communications and legal team of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Abraham Amaliba has described the Ghana Police Service under the Akufo-Addo administration as bastard and rogue institution. He made these remarks following police brutality on some protestors who on Thursday embarked on an #OccupyJulorbiHouse demonstration in Accra. Speaking on an Accra-based television station, he said "The police under this current administration is becoming a bastard and rogue institution" He also added that heads would have rolled in other jurisdictions if the police brutality had occurred there. "In some jurisdiction, if we were under civilized governments, heads would have rolled this morning" It will be recalled that the Ghana Police Service on Thursday arrested some Forty-Nine (49) persons who partook in a demonstration in Accra. The police noted that they arrested the 49 following their violation of Public Order Act and staging an unlawful demonstration. The police hinted that the 49 were assisting in investigation. Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

Ghanaian Musician, Wendy Shay has appealed to the Ghana Police Service to free protestors it arrested during an #OccupyJulorbiHouse demonstration held on September 21 in Accra. She made these remarks via a Twitter post. She tweeted "Oh so this is what is happening ? I have been preaching a wake up call since I came back to Ghana" "It is sad to see this happen especially on a day like this" "I am a victim to bad roads and had it not been God the story would have been different. LET THE PEOPLE GO #Ghanawakeup #LetthepeopleGo #OccupyJulorbiHouse" Background On Thursday, September 21, a pressure group called Democracy Hub embarked on a demonstration registering their displeasure over the hardships under the Akufo-Addo government. The demonstration which seemed peaceful saw the Ghana Police Service, arresting 49 persons over what it calls unlawful and violation of Public Order Act. Protestors arrested during the demonstration have been placed behind bars. Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith