Category: Politics

The Network for Women's Right (NETRIGHT) in Ghana has appealed to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to appoint 60 per cent of women to the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs). The Local Government Act, 2016 (Act 936) allows the President to appoint 30 per cent of Assembly men and women while the remaining 70 per cent are elected. The Organisation wants women to constitute 60 per cent of the 30 pee cent appointment arguing that only a few women were elected in the 2023 District Level Elections (DLE). They made the appeal at a press conference in Accra. It was supported by the Alliance for Women in Media Africa (AWMA), Women's Manifesto Coalition (WMC), Affirmative Action Bill Coalition (AABC) and the National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana (NALAG). Addressing journalists at the presser, Madam Patricia Blankson Akakpo, Head of Secretariat, NETRIGHT, indicated that women participation in local governance continued to dwindle over the years even though Ghana had enacted s everal laws to ensure that more women participated in that space. She said reports from the Electoral Commission indicated that only 4.1 per cent women got elected in the 2023 District Level Elections (DLE) while men constituted 95.9 per cent. Women representation at the Unit Committee level was also 12.8 per cent while men constituted 87.2 per cent. She said the figure was woefully inadequate hence the call on the President to give 60 per cent of the appointment to women. Mr Kokro Amankwah, General Secretary, NALAG, also supported the call for 60 per cent of women to be appointed into the MMDAs. 'Women have a lot of challenges and so at a point some women were forced to withdraw from the race. Some were marital issues, some were family issues. 'An Assemblywoman aspirant was asked to step down because her husband's brother was also contesting. That is the extent of challenges some women face.' He also noted that though DLEs were not supposed to be partisan according to the laws of the country, politica l parties got involved in the November 2023 elections. He said that brought about the issue of vote buying and women who did not have such resources had to step down. Madam Sheila Minkah-Premo, Convenor, Affirmative Action Bill Coalition (AABC), said women were unable to participate in local governance because they were burdened with several challenges, including child care. Madam Shamima Muslim, Convenor, Alliance for Women in Media Africa (AWMA), appealed to the media to give more coverage to women who were in politics, especially local governance so they could get more support from their communities. The Ministry of Local Government , Decentralisation and Rural Development (MLGDRD) will inaugurate the MMDAs on February. Source: Ghana News Agency

Some members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Serial Callers Association in the Wiawso Constituency of the Western North Region say they are unhappy about the neglect of the Association by the leadership of the party. They said the party was not supporting them with the necessary gadgets to facilitate their day-to-day activities. Mr George Mensah, the Ewiase Electoral Area Coordinator and Assistant Secretary of the Association, speaking at a press conference at Sefwi-Dwenase, said: 'We are planning to stop propagating the works of the party on all local radio stations if they do not listen to our concerns.' 'We have been neglected for far too long and this is the time to voice out.' He, therefore, called on the leadership of the party to address their concerns so they could help spread the good works of the Government to help retain the NPP in power in this year's general election. Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Alfred Obeng-Boateng, the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) for Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai in the Western North Region, has been re-elected to represent the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the December general election. He polled 999 votes to beat his only contender, Dr Emmanuel Borkor Nuako, who had 129 votes with one rejected ballot. Mr Obeng-Boateng, in his victory speech, commended the delegates for the confidence reposed in him and pledged his commitment to working with all stakeholders to ensure victory for the NPP. He appealed to the party supporters to support him to enhance the party's chances of 'breaking the eight'. Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Alexander Ato Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, the Member of Parliament for Effutu, has commended the Effutu Constituency Executive of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for their hard work, dedication and commitment to the cause of the party. At a delegates' conference and acclamation ceremony at Effutu Ateitu, a community in the Effutu Municipality, he commended all Party members for their endorsement of his candidature as the parliamentary candidate for Election 2024. Ms Ama Emelia Akotia, the Effutu Municipal Director, Electoral Commission, led the acclamation procedure during which the delegates confirmed their support by dancing to party songs. Mr Afenyo-Markin, narrating how he started his political career, said he ventured into politics at age 24 and was coached and mentored by ministers of the gospel in Effutu to become an assembly member and a presiding member of the District Assembly for eight years before progressing to become a Member of Parliament (MP). He expressed appreciation to all who had been sup portive of him and urged them to engage the grassroots to sell the party's message. 'We have an election to win, and we are not doing well in our communications, let's sell the party's success story to win more people because winning an election is about numbers,' he added. The NPP was proud of its social interventions including the Free Senior High School, Free School Feeding and the Health Insurance programmes amidst other massive developments in the country, he noted. Mr Afenyo-Markin urged party faithful to strengthen their communication strategies and reach out to the people with all the success stories. The Central Regional Communication Director of the NPP, Isaac Mensah, who led a delegation to the conference, applauded the Effutu delegates for the endorsement to enable the party to maintain the seat. Earlier, Mr Joseph Nicholas Bondzie, the Effutu Constituency NPP Chairman, had stated that Mr Afenyo-Markin was the only nominee at the close of nomination. He said the acclamation ceremony was to e xpress their gratitude for his selfless leadership and enviable accomplishments in making Effutu a place choice and the gate way to Central Region. Source: Ghana News Agency

Delegates of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in New Juaben North have elected Nana Osei-Adjei as their parliamentary candidate to represent the constituency in the December general election. Nana Osei-Adjei polled 253 out of the 488 total valid votes cast to beat Mr Seth K. Acheampong, the Eastern Regional Minister, and Messieurs Samuel K. Annor, Joseph O. Djaba, and Philip T. Yeboah. Mr Acheampong polled 183 votes, Mr Djaba, 47, Mr Yeboah, three, and Mr Annor, two votes. Nana Osei-Adjei would replace Mr. Kwasi Boateng Adjei, the sitting Member of Parliament of New Juaben North, and contest against Mr. Samuel Adongo, the parliamentary candidate of the National Democratic Congress. Ms Dorcas Akoto-Donkor, the Municipal Electoral Officer, said in an interview with the Ghana News Agency that 510 delegates were expected to cast their ballots. However, 490 delegates exercised their franchises, with 488 valid votes cast and two rejected ballots. Meanwhile, the GNA noted that the NPP in some constituencies, inc luding the New Juaben South and Akuapim South in the Eastern Region did not hold the primaries. In New Juaben South, the incumbent MP, Mr Michael O. Baafi, was nominated unopposed, while the primaries were postponed till further notice in Akuapim South. Source: Ghana News Agency