Ghana Politics | Today's political news in Ghana

The Electoral Commission does not intend to rollout electronic voting at national elections in the immediate future.

Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Mrs Jean Mensa says while the Commission will continue to seek consensus building in carrying out its mandate, it will resist any attempt to impose any body or individual on it.

The Municipal Chief Imam for Konongo in the Asante Akim Central Municipality has described as “very very historic,” the visit of, and worshipping with Muslim faithful, by the Vice President Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, to the Konongo Central Mosque.

The Tema Diocesan Bishop of the Methodist Church, Ghana has asked Ghanaians to protect the peace by rejecting vigilantism which has gained roots in Ghana.

The Right Reverend Thomas Brown Forson said, “God has blessed our nation with peace under the rule of law, and we must protect the peace by showing gross dislike and disapproval of such groups that seek to topple the peace of our nation.”

The Right Reverend made this call during the 22nd Synod of the Tema Diocese of the Methodist Church at the Bethel Methodist Church, Community Eight, Tema.

The Right Rev. Forson said vigilante groups were usually formed to prevent crime and ensure orderliness in communities but noted that,

“The term has taken on a foul meaning as political vigilante groups have sprung up all over the nation, causing mayhem.”

Educate youth

He asked Ghanaians and the church to educate the youth and everybody about the need to disband those political groups and stick to the rule of law “in peacefully running the nation Ghana.”

The cleric said the vigilante groups could be destructive, and that Ghanaians would destroy their country if they allowed such politics to override their wishes in allowing these vigilante groups to thrive.

The Right Reverend said the country would grow not because Ghana had political parties but, “The country will grow because we have people who care and put the country first.”

He said a good number of Ghanaians had been trained to take care of community and national security and protect the rule of law, so there was no need for such groups, and that the composition of vigilante groups was only an act of selfishness on the part of some individuals in the nation.

“After all, at the end of it all, it is not the individual who matters but Ghana, and if it is Ghana, then let’s revert to the right procedure of doing things,” he said.

Peaceful people

The Bishop said the church would continue to educate members to do what was right in the sight of God and the Ghanaian Constitution, and ensure that structures worked so that Ghanaians could live as peaceful people and enjoy God’s blessings.

The Secretary to the Synod, The Very Rev. Samuel Ofori Akyea, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) expanded the issue of security by advising parents to protect their children against the rate of kidnapping in Ghana.

In tasking parents to be cautious of how they took the security of their children, he wondered why some children could sleep on the streets “and their parents knew nothing about where those children were.”

The Very Rev. Akyea said that taking care of children should be everyone's responsibility because children were gifts from God and that parents needed to do more to protect them. - GNA

In a fashion similar to the her father’s attitude during the revolutionary days, National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Korle Klottey, Dr Zanetor Rawlings, rebuked members of the  Korle-Klottey Municipal Assembly for starting their first general meeting very late.

Dr Rawlings who is a daughter of former President Jerry Rawlings’ action comes at the back of the late start of the first ordinary general assembly meeting in Accra last Friday by the Korle-Klottey Municipal Assembly which was scheduled to commence at 9:00 a.m. but begun around 10:40 a.m.

 “We are here to serve the people and so let us stick to the time we give to ourselves so that we can achieve the feat we aim for. The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) has laid down so many wonderful ideas and I  think that if we all share that vision we will have something great to talk about.

“Perhaps we may be one of the first to make Accra the cleanest city. We can set the pace for order to happen so my prayer is that if we say it is 9:00, it is 9:00,” she said.

Teamwork

Dr Zanetor subsequently pledged her resolve to work closely with the assembly to ensure that it progressed, and called for strong teamwork among the members of the assembly and all other stakeholders in order to put Korle-Klottey Municipal Assembly first.   

“There is a huge job to be done and for me I think the more hands the better. I am all on board to play my role and go beyond my specific role provided it is within the confines of the law.

“I am very passionate about working hand-in-hand with everyone irrespective of our political differences in terms of where we belong, we must remember that if Korle-Klottey is to move forward, we have to work together,” Dr Zanetor added.

Sanitation

The MCE of Korle-Klottey Municipal Assembly, Mr Samuel James Nii Adjei Tawiah, indicated that the assembly by virtue of its location was being closely monitored by numerous personalities across the country, and therefore needed to be sensitive in the way it handled affairs.

He said that the assembly was taking steps to tackle all issues specifically in the area of revenue collection, environmental and sanitation issues, the provision of social and economic infrastructure as well as rolling out programmes to benefit the people of Korle-Klottey.

He noted that through various human activities recently, insanitary scenes across the globe and specifically in cities and towns had become an issue of grave concern.

“I am inclined to believe that it is against this backdrop that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo made that firm statement with regard to making Accra the cleanest city in Africa. To me that statement meant that all assemblies in Accra have to collectively play very active roles in doing their bid within their specific jurisdiction towards the total achievement of a clean Accra,” he said.

The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Mrs Jean Mensa, has stated that the commission will not allow any political party to push the institution to get the country's electoral body to do its bidding.

She said the commission would continue to stick to its constitutional mandate and ensure that every action of the commission conformed to what the laws of the country permitted.

Speaking to the management of Western Publications, owners of Daily Guide newspaper, in Accra on Tuesday, Mrs Mensa said the commission's major priority was to ensure that all political parties adhered to the regulations that governed their operations.

She said it was unfortunate that some political parties had resorted to attacking the commission's integrity anytime they were unable to get their issues addressed.

The EC Chairperson is on a media tour to seek the partnership of stakeholders in its quest to ensure transparency in the delivery of its mandate.

Mrs Mensa was accompanied by her two deputies-Dr Bossman Eric Asare and Mr Samuel Tettey.

Perception

Mrs Mensa said the commission had started to roll out a number of reforms to ensure that political parties abided by the agreed principles.

She said the perception of some political parties that the EC was not being neutral should not be swallowed by the public because every action of the commission had been opened to the public.

Mrs Mensa said the EC had never done anything in secret to warrant any political party referring to the commission as " a secret society".
She said the commission would continue to engage with the political parties on various platforms, including the Inter Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meetings, to ensure that their concerns were addressed.

" The commission is also coming up with an agenda to work on to remove the doubt of some stakeholders regarding the transparency of the institution," Mrs Mensa said.

Media partnership

The EC Chairperson stressed the need for the media to assist the commission in rolling out its various electoral reforms.

She gave an assurance that the commission would open its doors to answer any questions regarding its operations.

" The commission has always considered the media its number one stakeholder since without them it will be extremely difficult to get to the public," Mrs Mensa said.

Ghana’s election management body, the Electoral Commission (EC), has given an assurance that it will deliver water-tight elections, come 2020.

The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Mrs Jean Mensa, has said the commission was committed to working with the law in order to meet the expectations of Ghanaians, emphasising that it will not relent in its efforts to meet and even exceed those expectations.

The Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga, has been charged for using public office for private benefit.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo made history Tuesday when he assented to the Right to Information (RTI) Act to guarantee Ghanaians the right to access public information.

The People’s National Convention (PNC) has said activities of political militia are criminal and their members and financiers should be dealt with under the law.

A 62-year-old businessman and philanthropist, Alhaji Iddrisu Sulemana popularly known as "Professor Kalamonia", has been elected as the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Chairman for the Savannah Region.

The National Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, has denied the allegation levelled against him as the person behind the recent fire outbreaks in some markets in parts of the country.

The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Mrs Jean Mensa, has stated that it is impossible for the commission to rig any election in favour of a political party.

The pressure group, Free Media Vanguards has given the National Communications Authority (NCA) a one-week ultimatum to reopen all radio stations it has closed, on grounds that their licenses have expired.

The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has welcomed the Right to Information (RTI) law, which received a presidential assent today.

A memorial mass marking the fifth anniversary of the demise of Paul Victor Obeng has been organised at the Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Tema Community Two.

Local government workers have been charged to execute their responsibilities devoid of partisan politics since they are not politicians.

Former President John Mahama has cast doubts over the Electoral Commission’s (EC) ability to conduct neutral general elections in 2020.

The National Chairman of the People’s National Convention (PNC), Mr Bernard Mornah, has said the appointment of their party leader, Dr Edward Mahama, as an Ambassador-at-Large by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government is ‘killing’ the PNC.

The Executive Director of YIAGA Africa, Mr Sampson Itodo has advised the Ghanaian electorate to rigorously engage political parties in the same manner as they do their electoral management bodies.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo ended his two-day tour of the Savannah Region Sunday.

The Paramount Chief of Agona Nyakrom Traditional Area in the Agona West Municipality of the Central Region, has described President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo's selection of Dr Mahamudu Bawumia as his running mate and now Vice President as an inspired decision.

Former Deputy Minister of Interior, James Agalga, has described as dishonest, government’s attempt to suggest that the permit for the importation of large quantities of pump action and shot guns into the country for private use was done during the erstwhile Mahama administration.

The Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church of Ghana, the Most Rev. Dr Paul Kwabena Boafo, has pointed out that addressing the canker of corruption in the Ghanaian society ought to begin from the church and the people within the church.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) will today hold an extraordinary regional delegates conference to fill vacant regional executive positions.

Former President Jerry John Rawlings, National Democratic Congress (NDC) party chairman, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo and other leading members of the NDC were among the congregants at a memorial mass marking the fifth anniversary of the demise of Mr. Paul Victor Obeng held at the Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Tema Community Two on Friday.

The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has downplayed the predictions by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) that they will lose the 2020 polls to the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).

The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has expressed worry at the importation of large quantities of pump action and shot guns into the country for private use.

The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), has predicted that the governing New Patriotic Party, NPP, will secure re-election in 2020.