Category: Politics

Mr Chris Jojo Arhin Arthur, Parliamentary Candidate-elect for the Agona West New Patriotic Party (NPP) has embarked on a ''thank you tour'' to express appreciation to the electorate after his victory in the parliamentary primary last Saturday. The first port of call was at the Swedru Central Market, where Mr Arthur and some party supporters thanked the traders for their prayers and unflinching support for him. Mr Arthur and his supporters proceeded to Mandela Market, the second largest in the Agona West Municipality to thank them for their consistent time, loyalty and commitment. The Parliamentary Candidate defeated Mrs Cynthia Mamle Morrison, the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) when he bagged 240 votes with the MP polling 152 votes. The other contestants were Mr Ben Yamoah obtained 221 votes; Mr Yawson Otoo had 168 votes while Mr Joseph Afankwa secured 155 votes. The primary delayed due to court injunction filed by Mr Afankwa at the Cape Coast High Court for being disqualified by the Vetting Committ ee on December 4, 2023, for alleged misconduct. The primary described by analysts as 'fierce and titanic' was won by Mr Arthur, the technical Director of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA). At the Swedru Central and Mandela markets the women cheered him up and assured him of their support to enable him to retain the seat on December 7, 2024. ''The market women openly declared that the incumbent MP's defeat in the primary was a good omen for the party as far as December 7, elections were concerned.'' Addressing supporters after the tour, Mr Arthur said the unprecedented and spontaneous response given him signified the beginning of an aggressive campaign drive to maximize votes for the party. He called for a united front which he said, was the only panacea for Agona West to win more supporters including floating voters to help win convincingly. Mr Arthur disclosed that the campaign team will tour churches, mosques and other organisations in the Agona Swedru township and other towns in the constituency. S ource: Ghana News Agency

Tunis: A scientific symposium on tension environments and their impact on democratic coexistence took place Saturday in Tunis on the initiative of the Awfia Coalition for Democracy and Transparent Elections. Participants unanimously said there is a "general crisis" affecting the media, social networks and the political sphere on the internet. This crisis has an impact on democratic coexistence, they said. Coalition Programme Manager Brahim Zoghlami said monitoring hate speech on social media during the local elections unveiled a multidimensional crisis. This crisis found explicit expression in media coverage which, he added, failed to be "professional." This is due to the "lack of professionalism" and reflects an attempt to instrumentalise media , he added. Zoghlami said Decree-Law No. 54 which, he called "catastrophic" for the media and the freedom of expression, could also be one of the reasons. It resulted in journalists and citizens, in general, to censor themselves, particularly on social media. Soc iology Professor Adel Ayari said rhetorical violence has been observed over the recent years in the speech of political players. "The extensive use of these terms has become a tool of political analysis and interaction for all parties, " he said. Verbal violence has become a context in which we live and by which we are influenced, said the member of academia. Risks entailed by such violence are no longer limited to media but also cover social media supports and platforms, Adel Ayari highlighted. A study conducted by the Awfia Coalition last February 2-4 revealed that "violent terms on the Internet are used by an entire generation (aged between 20 and 45), which shows that this phenomenon is not spontaneous but is the result of a systematic policy over decades which has stifled communication and awareness raising from school onwards, and limiting discussions to marginal topics that cannot contribute to creating a generation that respects differences and is capable of using tools of peaceful debate". Sourc e: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

WINDHOEK: Namibia has expressed disappointment at the recent failure of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to grant full membership of the United Nations (UN) to the State of Palestine. In a statement on Friday, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Peya Mushelenga criticised the United States, which vetoed a resolution recommending Palestine's full UN membership on Thursday. 'The use of the veto in the UNSC to deny the State of Palestine its legitimate right for UN membership is testimony that some powerful member states of the UN value their national interest at the expense and detriment of the values and norms of the international community. 'Regrettably, while small states believe in the lofty ideals and principles inscribed in the Charter of the UN, the action by a Permanent Member of the Security Council to prevent Palestine's full membership leaves serious doubt on their full commitment to these noble principles,' Mushelenga said. Palestine applied for UN membership in accord ance with Article 4 of the UN Charter, which states that membership is open to all other peace-loving states. Since 2012, Palestine has had observer status at the UN and has been lobbying for years to gain full membership. However, it is recognised by only 138 out of 193 UN Member States. 'The government of the Republic of Namibia expresses strong disappointment over the veto by the United States preventing the adoption of the resolution to recommend to the General Assembly Palestine's full membership in line with the provisions of Article 4 of the UN Charter. 'This is a serious setback to the international community's efforts to find a peaceful and lasting solution to the unwarranted protracted Israel-Palestine conflict,' the minister said. Mushelenga emphasised that Namibia 'continues to call for the immediate reform of the UNSC to address inequity and injustice, in order to reflect the present reality and ensure the legitimacy of its decisions.' Source: The Namibia Press Agency

Madam Felicia M. Bortey, the Greater Regional Women's Organiser, National Democratic Congress (NDC), has urged market women in the Ashaiman Municipality to vote massively for the party's presidential candidate, Mr John Mahama in the December 7 general election. Interacting with the market women, she said they needed to vote the NDC back into office to implement the 24-hour economy policy. Madam Bortey told the Ghana News Agency?in an interview after the programme that the engagement was to ensure the market women understood the 24-hour economy policy and how beneficial it would be for the country. 'The policy will breathe fresh life into the ailing Ghanaian economy. And this is where the market women stand the chance of benefiting as they will have more time to trade at their own convenience,'she said. Madam Borley said the party would visit and interact with all traders in the 80 markets in the Greater Accra Region to explain and sell the policy to them. She urged party members to take up the challenge to sensitise the public on the policy, as it was their duty to ensure that Ghanaians understood and voted massively for the party. She encouraged the youth who just turned 18 years to fully participate in the limited registration exercise when it opens on June 3, and urged them to comport themselves during the elections. Meanwhile, the GNA observed the keen interest showed by the market women in the discussions, who asked questions to enhance their understanding, while some sang the 'Sankofa' song. Source: Ghana News Agency

Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, Flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Saturday commiserated with the family of the late Alhaji Rashid Bawa, Ghana's former High Commissioner to Abuja. He later visited the tomb of the diplomat and signed the book of condolence. Engaging with the mother and family of the late Bawa, Dr Bawumia said his heart was saddened by the untimely death of the diplomat, but the family should remain strong because Allah knows why it happened. 'It is with so much sadness that I write this tribute to you, my brother,' Dr Bawumia wrote in the Book of condolence. 'Your death was a shock. I thank God that we were brothers as well as friends. Your honesty, hardwork, dependability and reliability stand tall. I will miss you. I pray that Allah grants you Jannatul Firdaus.' 'I am sure that your good deeds on earth will grant you that. Rest in perfect peace, my brother.' The Vice President was accompanied by the Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei Opare, Mr Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, Mr Fr ederick Blay, former NPP National Chairman, and Mr Asamoah Boateng, Minister of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, among other stalwarts of the NPP. Alhaji Rashid Bawa, 64, Legal Practitioner, died on Thursday, March 14, in Abuja, Nigeria. His body was flown to Ghana and buried at Kadjebi on Friday, March 15, 2024, in line with Islamic customs and traditions. However, the Government decided to bid him a national farewell on Saturday, April 20, to appreciate his immense contribution to Mother Ghana. Source: Ghana News Agency