Backpage June 13, 2008
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
Parliament yesterday approved a $100million loan agreement between the government and the International Development Association (IDA) to support the country's poverty reduction.
Known as the Sixth Poverty Reduction Support Credit, the loan is to support the implementation of the 2008 Budget and contribute to the attainment of of key macro-economic targets outlined in the budget.
The Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, moved the motion for the approval of the loan and he was seconded by the Member of Parliament for Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa, Mr P.C Appiah-Ofori.
In a report on the loan, the Finance Committee of of the House noted that as a precedent for the credit, the government had implemented measures aimed at growing the economy and reducing poverty.
Contributing to the discussion for the approval of the loan, MPs from both sides of the House called on the government to use the amount for the intended purposeto ensure the attainment of set targets.
IN another development, the House also approved a 5,383,822.22 euro loan between the government and the Government of Belgium for the second phase of the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Project (CLIP).
The loan became necessary because of the deplorable state of clinical laboratories and lack of diagnostic equipment and technical facilities.
The CLIP has, therefore, been designed to help address the problem to improve standards of public laboratories in the country.
In his contribution, the MP for Wa West, Mr Yieleh Chireh, said that even though the amount was small and could have been raised internally, it would help to improve laboratory services in the beneficiary hospitals.
Mr P.C Appiah-Ofori who presented the report of the Finance Committee, stated that an efficient diagonosis of diseases in the districts would enhance health care in the country.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Don’t politicise NHIS—Asiedu
Page 21, June 10, 2008
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Presiding Member of the Bia District Assembly in the Western Region, Mr P.P. Asiedu, has stated that the National Health Insurance Scheme is a laudable policy and should not be politicised.
He said since it was the wish of every government to cater for the health needs of the people, nothing should be done to discourage the people from registering to be part of the scheme.
Speaking at a farmers’ forum at Kwasi Nkruma in the Bia District, Mr Asiedu stated that the development of every nation depended on the health of the citizenry.
He, therefore, appealed to assembly members to educate the people about the benefits of the scheme.
Mr Asiedu stated that farmers, who were the backbone of the economy, needed to be healthy to enable them to increase their yield.
“It is, therefore, important for them to understand the NHIS so that they will not be swayed by the misinformation being peddled about the scheme,” he said.
He noted that the scheme had nothing to do with politics, explaining that the increasing cost of health made it obvious for Ghanaians to pool their resources to make health care affordable.
Mr Asiedu commended some assembly members in the area for their efforts to enhance the operation of the scheme and urged them to continue to render such dedicated services.
On the forthcoming general election, Mr Asiedu stated that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) was poised to emerge victorious to strengthen the country’s pillars of democracy.
He reminded farmers that there was no other government that could make their lives better and, therefore, called on them to retain the NPP in power.
Mr Asiedu noted that the consistent upward adjustments of the producer price of cocoa, the Capitation Grant, construction and rehabilitation of roads, among other projects, were testimonies of the good work of the government.
He also asked politicians to conduct their campaigns in a peaceful manner devoid of provocative utterances and attack on personalities.
“Let us tell the electorate about our policies instead of attacking our opponents on political platforms,” he said.
Portrait of Mr P.P. Asiedu, the Presiding Member of the Bia District Assembly.
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Presiding Member of the Bia District Assembly in the Western Region, Mr P.P. Asiedu, has stated that the National Health Insurance Scheme is a laudable policy and should not be politicised.
He said since it was the wish of every government to cater for the health needs of the people, nothing should be done to discourage the people from registering to be part of the scheme.
Speaking at a farmers’ forum at Kwasi Nkruma in the Bia District, Mr Asiedu stated that the development of every nation depended on the health of the citizenry.
He, therefore, appealed to assembly members to educate the people about the benefits of the scheme.
Mr Asiedu stated that farmers, who were the backbone of the economy, needed to be healthy to enable them to increase their yield.
“It is, therefore, important for them to understand the NHIS so that they will not be swayed by the misinformation being peddled about the scheme,” he said.
He noted that the scheme had nothing to do with politics, explaining that the increasing cost of health made it obvious for Ghanaians to pool their resources to make health care affordable.
Mr Asiedu commended some assembly members in the area for their efforts to enhance the operation of the scheme and urged them to continue to render such dedicated services.
On the forthcoming general election, Mr Asiedu stated that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) was poised to emerge victorious to strengthen the country’s pillars of democracy.
He reminded farmers that there was no other government that could make their lives better and, therefore, called on them to retain the NPP in power.
Mr Asiedu noted that the consistent upward adjustments of the producer price of cocoa, the Capitation Grant, construction and rehabilitation of roads, among other projects, were testimonies of the good work of the government.
He also asked politicians to conduct their campaigns in a peaceful manner devoid of provocative utterances and attack on personalities.
“Let us tell the electorate about our policies instead of attacking our opponents on political platforms,” he said.
Portrait of Mr P.P. Asiedu, the Presiding Member of the Bia District Assembly.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Women Association supports HIV/AIDS victims
Page 18, June 7, 2008
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
( Women Association supports HIV/AIDS victims)
THE Indian Women Association in Ghana has presented a cheque for GH¢3,000 to the Pro-Link, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), to assist the organisation to cater for people infected and affected with HIV/AIDS.
The NGO, which is involved in HIV/AIDS prevention, education and counselling, has formed support groups for people living with the deadly disease, in addition to catering for the needs of some children orphaned by the disease.
The Indian High Commissioner to Ghana, Mrs Ruchi Ghanashyam, who presented the cheque on behalf of the association, said the war against the HIV/AIDS menace should be fought from all fronts.
She, therefore, commended the association for collaborating with the Pro-Link to bring comfort to people affected and infected with the disease.
Mrs Ghanashyam commended the efforts of the NGO and gave the assurance that the Indian High Commission was prepared to contribute towards the achievement of such laudable objectives.
The President of the association, Mrs Mahek Mahinani, said the association had been involved in the provision of assistance to the needy in the country.
It provided GH¢10,000 to the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to mitigate the suffering of last year’s flood victims in the northern part of the country.
She said the gesture of the association had also been extended to the Nima cluster of schools, orphanages, the Akropong School for the Blind and inmates of the Accra Mental Hospital.
Mrs Mahinani said that was the first time that her outfit turned its attention to the HIV/AIDS menace, and expressed the hope that its collaboration with Pro-Link would bring smiles back to the faces of some of the affected and infected victims.
The Deputy Executive Director of the Pro-Link, Mrs Gertrude Nunoo, said currently, her organisation was providing care and support for more than 100 children who had been orphaned by the disease in the Volta, Central, Ashanti and Greater Accra regions.
She said family members who were taking care of the orphans had been registered with the National Health Insurance Scheme to enable the orphans enjoy free medical care.
Mrs Nunoo said the presentation by the Indian Women Association was, therefore, welcome, since it would go a long way to support the NGO in its activities.
She also expressed her gratitude to the association and called on other philanthropists to assist the Pro-Link to enable it extend its activities to all the 10 regions in the country.
The Head of Programmes of the Pro-Link, Mrs Ethel Sakitey, said the greatest problem facing people living with HIV/AIDS was stigmatisation, and called on Ghanaians to embrace such people to minimise the spread of the disease.
Pix I shows Mrs Ghanashyam (second left) presenting the cheque to Mrs Nunoo, while Mrs Sakitey (right) and Mrs Mahinani (left) look on.
Pix shows Mrs Ghanashyam (second left) presenting the cheque to Mrs Nunoo, while Mrs Mahinani and Mrs Sakitey ( fourth right) look on.
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
( Women Association supports HIV/AIDS victims)
THE Indian Women Association in Ghana has presented a cheque for GH¢3,000 to the Pro-Link, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), to assist the organisation to cater for people infected and affected with HIV/AIDS.
The NGO, which is involved in HIV/AIDS prevention, education and counselling, has formed support groups for people living with the deadly disease, in addition to catering for the needs of some children orphaned by the disease.
The Indian High Commissioner to Ghana, Mrs Ruchi Ghanashyam, who presented the cheque on behalf of the association, said the war against the HIV/AIDS menace should be fought from all fronts.
She, therefore, commended the association for collaborating with the Pro-Link to bring comfort to people affected and infected with the disease.
Mrs Ghanashyam commended the efforts of the NGO and gave the assurance that the Indian High Commission was prepared to contribute towards the achievement of such laudable objectives.
The President of the association, Mrs Mahek Mahinani, said the association had been involved in the provision of assistance to the needy in the country.
It provided GH¢10,000 to the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to mitigate the suffering of last year’s flood victims in the northern part of the country.
She said the gesture of the association had also been extended to the Nima cluster of schools, orphanages, the Akropong School for the Blind and inmates of the Accra Mental Hospital.
Mrs Mahinani said that was the first time that her outfit turned its attention to the HIV/AIDS menace, and expressed the hope that its collaboration with Pro-Link would bring smiles back to the faces of some of the affected and infected victims.
The Deputy Executive Director of the Pro-Link, Mrs Gertrude Nunoo, said currently, her organisation was providing care and support for more than 100 children who had been orphaned by the disease in the Volta, Central, Ashanti and Greater Accra regions.
She said family members who were taking care of the orphans had been registered with the National Health Insurance Scheme to enable the orphans enjoy free medical care.
Mrs Nunoo said the presentation by the Indian Women Association was, therefore, welcome, since it would go a long way to support the NGO in its activities.
She also expressed her gratitude to the association and called on other philanthropists to assist the Pro-Link to enable it extend its activities to all the 10 regions in the country.
The Head of Programmes of the Pro-Link, Mrs Ethel Sakitey, said the greatest problem facing people living with HIV/AIDS was stigmatisation, and called on Ghanaians to embrace such people to minimise the spread of the disease.
Pix I shows Mrs Ghanashyam (second left) presenting the cheque to Mrs Nunoo, while Mrs Sakitey (right) and Mrs Mahinani (left) look on.
Pix shows Mrs Ghanashyam (second left) presenting the cheque to Mrs Nunoo, while Mrs Mahinani and Mrs Sakitey ( fourth right) look on.
Controversy over Auditor-General continues in Parliament
Page 13, June 9, 2008
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament (PAC), Mr Samuel Sallas-Mensah, yesterday expressed concern about the delay in the presentation of some reports of the Auditor-General covering 2006 before Parliament.
The reports include the 2006 financial reports on the ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), the Consolidated Fund and some performance audit reports prepared by the Auditor-General.
Reacting to the Business Statement of Parliament for next week, which was presented by the Majority Leader and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Mr Abraham Ossei Aidooh, Mr Sallas-Mensah wondered why the reports had not been presented even though they were ready in the pigeon hole of Parliament.
Responding to the concerns of Mr Sallas-Mensah, Mr Aidooh explained that the Business Committee was unable to present the reports before the House because of a ruling on a letter written to the Speaker by the PAC questioning the prolong stay of the Auditor-General, Mr Edward Duah-Agyeman, in office after his mandatory retirement age in 2005.
He stated that since the Speaker upheld the concerns raised in the said letter, the Business Committee would not be able to present a report prepared and signed by the Auditor-General covering 2006 when he was supposed to be on retirement.
In addition, since the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Johnson Asiedu-Nketiah, had filed a suit on the matter, it would not be proper for Mr Duah-Agyeman’s report to be presented before the House.
When the Member of Parliament (MP) for Lawra/Nandom, Dr Benjamin Kunbuor, caught the eye of the Speaker, he argued that since the House was “the master of its own rules”, the matter could be dealt with to enable the reports to be brought before the House.
Giving his ruling on the controversy, the Second Deputy Speaker, Alhaji Malik Yakubu Alhassan, ordered that the leadership of the House should meet the Speaker to resolve the matter, since arguments and counter arguments within the House was not the best way out of the problem.
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament (PAC), Mr Samuel Sallas-Mensah, yesterday expressed concern about the delay in the presentation of some reports of the Auditor-General covering 2006 before Parliament.
The reports include the 2006 financial reports on the ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), the Consolidated Fund and some performance audit reports prepared by the Auditor-General.
Reacting to the Business Statement of Parliament for next week, which was presented by the Majority Leader and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Mr Abraham Ossei Aidooh, Mr Sallas-Mensah wondered why the reports had not been presented even though they were ready in the pigeon hole of Parliament.
Responding to the concerns of Mr Sallas-Mensah, Mr Aidooh explained that the Business Committee was unable to present the reports before the House because of a ruling on a letter written to the Speaker by the PAC questioning the prolong stay of the Auditor-General, Mr Edward Duah-Agyeman, in office after his mandatory retirement age in 2005.
He stated that since the Speaker upheld the concerns raised in the said letter, the Business Committee would not be able to present a report prepared and signed by the Auditor-General covering 2006 when he was supposed to be on retirement.
In addition, since the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Johnson Asiedu-Nketiah, had filed a suit on the matter, it would not be proper for Mr Duah-Agyeman’s report to be presented before the House.
When the Member of Parliament (MP) for Lawra/Nandom, Dr Benjamin Kunbuor, caught the eye of the Speaker, he argued that since the House was “the master of its own rules”, the matter could be dealt with to enable the reports to be brought before the House.
Giving his ruling on the controversy, the Second Deputy Speaker, Alhaji Malik Yakubu Alhassan, ordered that the leadership of the House should meet the Speaker to resolve the matter, since arguments and counter arguments within the House was not the best way out of the problem.
Parliament passes Chieftaincy Bill
Page 14, June 7, 2008
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
PARLIAMENT yesterday passed the Chieftaincy Bill, which seeks to consolidate, with amendments, the 1971 Chieftaincy Act (Act 370) to bring it in conformity with the provision on the chieftaincy institution in the Constitution.
The details of the bill include the provision of the National House of Chiefs, Regional Houses of Chiefs, Traditional and Divisional Councils, Chieftaincy matters, jurisdiction and judicial committees, proceedings in chieftaincy matters, stool property, customary law, chiefs and miscellaneous provisions.
The bill, which was presented to the House in October, last year, was referred to the Parliamentary Committee on Sports and Culture for examination.
In studying the bill, the committee held a two-day stakeholders’ workshop and consultative session during which it had recourse to 16 documents, including Acts, Decrees, the 1992 Constitution and the Standing Orders of Parliament.
At yesterday’s sitting, the Minister of State in charge of Chieftaincy and Culture, Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo, moved for the third reading of the bill to pave way for its passage.
His motion was seconded by the Chairman of the Committee on Youth and Culture, Mr Isaac Kwame Asiamah, after which the Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Alhaji Malik Yakubu Alhassan, pronounced the bill passed.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Electoral Commission (EC), Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, is expected to brief Parliament on the commission’s planned programme of activities for the upcoming 2008 general election and other related matters on Wednesday, June 11, 2008.
The Majority Leader and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Mr Abraham Ossei Aidooh, announced this when he presented the Business Statement of the House for next week.
He urged Members of Parliament to take note of the date of the meeting and attend accordingly.
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
PARLIAMENT yesterday passed the Chieftaincy Bill, which seeks to consolidate, with amendments, the 1971 Chieftaincy Act (Act 370) to bring it in conformity with the provision on the chieftaincy institution in the Constitution.
The details of the bill include the provision of the National House of Chiefs, Regional Houses of Chiefs, Traditional and Divisional Councils, Chieftaincy matters, jurisdiction and judicial committees, proceedings in chieftaincy matters, stool property, customary law, chiefs and miscellaneous provisions.
The bill, which was presented to the House in October, last year, was referred to the Parliamentary Committee on Sports and Culture for examination.
In studying the bill, the committee held a two-day stakeholders’ workshop and consultative session during which it had recourse to 16 documents, including Acts, Decrees, the 1992 Constitution and the Standing Orders of Parliament.
At yesterday’s sitting, the Minister of State in charge of Chieftaincy and Culture, Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo, moved for the third reading of the bill to pave way for its passage.
His motion was seconded by the Chairman of the Committee on Youth and Culture, Mr Isaac Kwame Asiamah, after which the Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Alhaji Malik Yakubu Alhassan, pronounced the bill passed.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Electoral Commission (EC), Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, is expected to brief Parliament on the commission’s planned programme of activities for the upcoming 2008 general election and other related matters on Wednesday, June 11, 2008.
The Majority Leader and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Mr Abraham Ossei Aidooh, announced this when he presented the Business Statement of the House for next week.
He urged Members of Parliament to take note of the date of the meeting and attend accordingly.
Addo-Kufuor, Owusu-Ankomah, Mensa-Bonsu vetted
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Minister designate for the Interior, Dr Kwame Addo-Kufuor, has advocated a collaborative effort by the security agencies and the citizenry to curb the armed robbery menace in the country.
He said that was the only way to nib the problem in the bud to create the conducive environment to enable the citizenry to go about their businesses in peace.
The presence of the police, he added, should also be felt at all corners of the country during the day while military and police patrols should be intensified during the night to put fear into armed robbers.
The former Minister of Defence made these suggestions when he appeared before the Appointments Committee of Parliament yesterday to be vetted for his new ministerial nomination.
Also vetted by the committee were Papa Owusu-Ankomah, Minister designate for Trade, Industry, Private Sector Development and President’s Special Initiative (PSI), as well as Mr Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu, a Minister of State designate at the Presidency.
Dr Addo-Kufuor told the committee that other measures he intended to put in place when given the nod would be the re-introduction of the neighbourhood watchdog committee concept with incentive packages to the communities to help in the combat against crime.
Commenting on the dwindling confidence in the police by the public due to the recent incidence of police-public confrontation, the nominee stated that measures should be put in place to restore the lost confidence.
He said the ‘stray bullet’ incidence, which had resulted in the death of some civilians, had brought to the fore the need to retrain the police in the handling of weapons.
He told the committee that the upsurge in cocaine cases should be a worry to every Ghanaian, since the situation had the tendency of derailing all the economic gains the country had made in addition to corrupting some prominent institutions such as the Judiciary.
He stated that his main priority would be to ensure peace before, during and after the 2008 general election and asked opposition political parties to count on his neutrality when his nomination was approved.
When he took his turn, Papa Owusu-Ankomah disagreed with the assertion that the concept of the PSIs had been a failure.
He admitted, however, that the initiative was going through challenges, which needed to be tackled through the injection of the needed capital to serve the purpose for which they were instituted.
Papa Owusu-Ankomah, who resigned as Minister of Education, Science and Sports to pursue his presidential ambition, told the committee that Nestle Ghana Limited had made available $6 million for the production of starch that it required for its operation, and said such collaboration, among others that he intended to establish, would go a long way to revitalise the PSI concept.
Answering a question on the invasion of Chinese and other foreign nationals in all aspects of trade in the country, Papa Owusu-Ankomah stated that Ghana had laws guiding the operations of foreign nationals in the trading sector and gave assurance that such laws would be applied to the letter.
Papa Owusu-Ankomah challenged district, municipal and metropolitan assemblies to take the initiative in the country’s industrialisation drive by harnessing their potentials to create employment for their people.
“If we want to be an industrialised country, we need to be innovative, since the world is not waiting for us,” he stated.
Mr Mensa-Bonsu, former Ghana Ambassador to Togo, told the committee that Ghanaian students on scholarship at the Lome University had been paid their allowances and were going about their academic pursuit without any problem.
He said the Ghanaian government had also paid its debt to the university leaving a balance of CFA 12 million.
THE Minister designate for the Interior, Dr Kwame Addo-Kufuor, has advocated a collaborative effort by the security agencies and the citizenry to curb the armed robbery menace in the country.
He said that was the only way to nib the problem in the bud to create the conducive environment to enable the citizenry to go about their businesses in peace.
The presence of the police, he added, should also be felt at all corners of the country during the day while military and police patrols should be intensified during the night to put fear into armed robbers.
The former Minister of Defence made these suggestions when he appeared before the Appointments Committee of Parliament yesterday to be vetted for his new ministerial nomination.
Also vetted by the committee were Papa Owusu-Ankomah, Minister designate for Trade, Industry, Private Sector Development and President’s Special Initiative (PSI), as well as Mr Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu, a Minister of State designate at the Presidency.
Dr Addo-Kufuor told the committee that other measures he intended to put in place when given the nod would be the re-introduction of the neighbourhood watchdog committee concept with incentive packages to the communities to help in the combat against crime.
Commenting on the dwindling confidence in the police by the public due to the recent incidence of police-public confrontation, the nominee stated that measures should be put in place to restore the lost confidence.
He said the ‘stray bullet’ incidence, which had resulted in the death of some civilians, had brought to the fore the need to retrain the police in the handling of weapons.
He told the committee that the upsurge in cocaine cases should be a worry to every Ghanaian, since the situation had the tendency of derailing all the economic gains the country had made in addition to corrupting some prominent institutions such as the Judiciary.
He stated that his main priority would be to ensure peace before, during and after the 2008 general election and asked opposition political parties to count on his neutrality when his nomination was approved.
When he took his turn, Papa Owusu-Ankomah disagreed with the assertion that the concept of the PSIs had been a failure.
He admitted, however, that the initiative was going through challenges, which needed to be tackled through the injection of the needed capital to serve the purpose for which they were instituted.
Papa Owusu-Ankomah, who resigned as Minister of Education, Science and Sports to pursue his presidential ambition, told the committee that Nestle Ghana Limited had made available $6 million for the production of starch that it required for its operation, and said such collaboration, among others that he intended to establish, would go a long way to revitalise the PSI concept.
Answering a question on the invasion of Chinese and other foreign nationals in all aspects of trade in the country, Papa Owusu-Ankomah stated that Ghana had laws guiding the operations of foreign nationals in the trading sector and gave assurance that such laws would be applied to the letter.
Papa Owusu-Ankomah challenged district, municipal and metropolitan assemblies to take the initiative in the country’s industrialisation drive by harnessing their potentials to create employment for their people.
“If we want to be an industrialised country, we need to be innovative, since the world is not waiting for us,” he stated.
Mr Mensa-Bonsu, former Ghana Ambassador to Togo, told the committee that Ghanaian students on scholarship at the Lome University had been paid their allowances and were going about their academic pursuit without any problem.
He said the Ghanaian government had also paid its debt to the university leaving a balance of CFA 12 million.
’Nkrumaist family have missed a glorious opportunity’
Page 16. June 5, 2008
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE People’s National Congress (PNC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Sissala West, Mr Haruna Bayirga, says it is unfortunate that members of the Nkrumaist family have missed a glorious opportunity to come together as a formidable force in the country’s political dispensation following the aborted unification of the PNC and the Convention People’s Party (CPP).
He said it was regrettable that during the recent unity talks, individual interest was deemed more important while the collective interest of the Nkrumaist family was relegated to the background.
“There is no doubt that the hearts of most well-meaning Nkrumaists were gladdened when the PNC and the CPP entered into a series of dialogues aimed at forming an alliance as a step towards the eventual merger for the purpose of reviving the dream of great people such as Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Dr Hilla Limann, Kojo Botsio and Moro Egala, who sacrificed for the Nkrumaist tradition”.
In a statement released to the press in Accra, Mr Bayirga, who is also the National Organiser of the PNC, stated that it was not clear as to when the tradition would get another opportunity to unite considering the entrenched positions taken by the leadership of the PNC and CPP after an alliance was almost reached last month.
He stated that there were external forces, whose survival thrived on the perpetual fragmentation of the Nkrumaist front and so such opportunistic forces would not mind doing anything so long as it would keep the unity of the Nkrumaists at bay.
The MP said there were also internal elements within the two Nkrumaist parties, who had been contracted by the external forces to make sure that the unity of the two parties was constantly frustrated.
He said as those hypocritical elements created the impression that they strongly supported the Nkrumaist unification, their actions made them look like “wolves in sheep skin”.
Mr Bayirga added that until such “ostrich characters changed their behaviour, it will be very difficult for the unification of the two parties to come to fruition”.
He, therefore, appealed to people who genuinely believed in the Nkrumaist tradition to remain calm and see the current developments as one of the numerous hurdles that needed to be surmounted as the tradition fought its rightful position in the current political dispensation.
He urged such genuine Nkrumaists across the country to start working together to force the leadership of the two parties to go back to the negotiation table.
Mr Bayirga reminded the leadership of the PNC and the CPP that for the Nkrumaist tradition to be revived, there was the need for them to make a lot of unconditional sacrifices and stop making big issues out of trivial ones such as logos and symbols which he noted, could ruin the fortunes of the two parties.
“It is unfortunate that the leadership of the two parties should at this crucial moment engage in a fierce blame game as to who did what,” adding “until the unification comes to pass, the good people of Ghana are never going to take us serious as political groups seeking political power”.
Mr Bayirga, therefore, called for an end to the blame game and media attacks adopted by certain elements of the two parties since that rather ridiculed the two parties in the eyes of Ghanaians.
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE People’s National Congress (PNC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Sissala West, Mr Haruna Bayirga, says it is unfortunate that members of the Nkrumaist family have missed a glorious opportunity to come together as a formidable force in the country’s political dispensation following the aborted unification of the PNC and the Convention People’s Party (CPP).
He said it was regrettable that during the recent unity talks, individual interest was deemed more important while the collective interest of the Nkrumaist family was relegated to the background.
“There is no doubt that the hearts of most well-meaning Nkrumaists were gladdened when the PNC and the CPP entered into a series of dialogues aimed at forming an alliance as a step towards the eventual merger for the purpose of reviving the dream of great people such as Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Dr Hilla Limann, Kojo Botsio and Moro Egala, who sacrificed for the Nkrumaist tradition”.
In a statement released to the press in Accra, Mr Bayirga, who is also the National Organiser of the PNC, stated that it was not clear as to when the tradition would get another opportunity to unite considering the entrenched positions taken by the leadership of the PNC and CPP after an alliance was almost reached last month.
He stated that there were external forces, whose survival thrived on the perpetual fragmentation of the Nkrumaist front and so such opportunistic forces would not mind doing anything so long as it would keep the unity of the Nkrumaists at bay.
The MP said there were also internal elements within the two Nkrumaist parties, who had been contracted by the external forces to make sure that the unity of the two parties was constantly frustrated.
He said as those hypocritical elements created the impression that they strongly supported the Nkrumaist unification, their actions made them look like “wolves in sheep skin”.
Mr Bayirga added that until such “ostrich characters changed their behaviour, it will be very difficult for the unification of the two parties to come to fruition”.
He, therefore, appealed to people who genuinely believed in the Nkrumaist tradition to remain calm and see the current developments as one of the numerous hurdles that needed to be surmounted as the tradition fought its rightful position in the current political dispensation.
He urged such genuine Nkrumaists across the country to start working together to force the leadership of the two parties to go back to the negotiation table.
Mr Bayirga reminded the leadership of the PNC and the CPP that for the Nkrumaist tradition to be revived, there was the need for them to make a lot of unconditional sacrifices and stop making big issues out of trivial ones such as logos and symbols which he noted, could ruin the fortunes of the two parties.
“It is unfortunate that the leadership of the two parties should at this crucial moment engage in a fierce blame game as to who did what,” adding “until the unification comes to pass, the good people of Ghana are never going to take us serious as political groups seeking political power”.
Mr Bayirga, therefore, called for an end to the blame game and media attacks adopted by certain elements of the two parties since that rather ridiculed the two parties in the eyes of Ghanaians.
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