Change the national anthem of Ghana - Akomea

The communications director of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Nana Akomea wants the national anthem of Ghana changed.

According to the main opposition party’s stalwart, Dr Ephraim Amu’s patriotic song - “Yen ara asaase ni” - which means “This land is our own” must replace the age-old God Bless Our Homeland Ghana.

Akomea said the patriotic song which is seen in some quarters as the de facto national anthem of the oil-producing country, “has grown on its own” and easily identifies with Ghana.

The former MP for Okaikwei South told Accra-based Joy FM the popular Twi song must be translated into “other languages just like the South African anthem” so that everyone can sing in their own dialect.

Ghana’s current anthem “God Bless Our Homeland Ghana” was originally written and composed by Philip Gbeho and adopted in 1957.

 

NPP: Reduce fuel prices again; We can’t pay for gov’t failure

The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has stressed the need for the Mahama-led administration to further reduce the prices of petroleum products.

The National Petroleum Authority a few days ago announced a 10% reduction in fuel prices after coming under intense public backlash following a slump in crude oil prices on the world market.

The main opposition party has argued that it is not enough and the prices could come down further because “Ghanaians cannot pay for government’s failure.”

“It is also instructive to note that, this over GHC400million owed the BDCs that poor innocent Ghanaians are being made to pay for, can be easily settled by the US$100million fraudulent payments at GYEEDA,” a statement from NPP communications director Nana Akomea said.

“It is very worrying that while the NDC government is quick to tax poor, innocent Ghanaians, they are not so quick in retrieving tax-payers money fraudulently paid out by the same government. How long will innocent Ghanaians continue to suffer for the government’s gross inefficiency and failure?”

It said: “Since September 2014, the price of the dollar in Ghana has fallen from about GHC3.80p to GHC3.19p, whilst the price of crude oil has fallen by almost 50% (from $103 to $56 today). Industry experts have confirmed that Ghanaians should not be buying a gallon of petrol by more than GH10 today. However, the NDC government maintained price of a gallon at GHC17 until this first week of January 2015.

“Regrettably the recent revision has pegged the price at over GHC13 per gallon, which in effect means Ghanaians are paying about 30% more for every gallon of petrol they buy. The government’s explanation is that Ghanaians should pay this extra money so that it can repay debt of over GHC400million it owes the BDC’s. By this explanation, the government is in effect throwing over board the formula for fuel price adjustments which has been in place over the years.

“It is important to note that, the formula stopped the turbulence that was associated with fuel price adjustments. It had become a social pact between the government and the people until now. We must not disregard the dangers that come along with throwing away the formula.”

“The debt government owes the BDC’s has arisen out of the so called forex losses. These forex losses have occurred as a result of the government’s very poor fiscal and economic management, which has seen the price of the dollar rise to over 150% in just six (6) years.

“In 2014 alone, the cedi had lost over 40% of its value by September, before regaining about 12% in the last three months of the year. So the forex losses, which have caused government’s debt to the BDCs are largely the result of the government’s failure in fiscal and economic management. Poor innocent Ghanaians are now bearing the brunt of this government’s failure by paying higher than necessary price for petrol,” the statement added

Hit the streets to protest fuel prices - Minority

The Minority in Ghana’s Parliament is spurring Ghanaians on to hit the streets to protest prices of petroleum products.

According to the Deputy Minority leader Dominic Nitiwul, the government is cheating Ghanaians and is about time the citizens took “their destiny into their hands.”

The Minority, mainly made up of the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), believes the 10% reduction in fuel prices following a slump in crude oil prices on the world market is an insult to the populace.

They are calling for a further reduction to reflect the prices on the world market.

“The people of Ghana should know that this government will not respect any law… If the people of Ghana do not take their destiny into their hands and fold their hands and say we cannot do anything, government will continue to sit on your head and sit on your right,” the MP for Bimbila told Accra-based Joy FM.

“The power of the people is stronger than anything and I am very clear in my mind that the people of Ghana should take their destiny into their own hands… They should be politically active, get involved in stopping government that wants to cheat them… the minority will be willing to support the people whether they will go onto the street, demonstration or court the minority to in fact lead them.”

He added: “The worse the Minority can do is going on demonstrations and filing motions. But our law …protects the strong. When the Speaker decides not to read the motion, there is nothing you can do about it.

 

Cocaine saga: Nayele must reveal names of ‘powerful’ accomplices - NPP stalwart

The first Vice Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Freddie Blay, has said incarcerated Nayele Ametefe must be forced to disclose the names of the “powerful people” who aided her in the drug business.

The 32-year-old Ghanaian lady was sentenced to eight years and eight months in prison Tuesday, January 6, 2015 after pleading guilty for carrying 12kg of cocaine from Ghana before being arrested at the Heathrow Airport on November 10 last year.

The defense team told the Isleworth Crown Court prior to the verdict that the mother of three admitted she has been aided in the drug business by powerful companions since 2004, but fell short in disclosing names.

She said she cannot mention names because she wants to protect her children.

The NPP national executive said it will be in the government’s interest and politicians in general if investigation is instituted into the case to unearth all the powerful hands that have played a role in Nayele’s drug business.

Rubi Appiah, as Nayele is popularly called, is believed to have used the VVIP Lounge of the Kotoka International Airport to transport the prohibited substance without any stringent security checks before boarding a British Airways flight to London.

“Let’s know those who are dealing in cocaine, for this country to have its purity so that people can respect us so that VVIP platforms are not used for trading in drugs,” Blay told Accra-based Joy FM.

“I am pooh-poohing it,” he stated concerning her decision to protect her children. “It is a convenient way of hiding it.”

Blay argued that her failure not to disclose names is “not fair” because “it puts politicians in a very bad light.”

Nine people including three officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are already standing trial in Ghana for their alleged involvement in transporting the drug. The court has granted them bail and are expected to reappear in court early January.

 

Burglar apologizes to victim, returns stolen cash

A Florida woman was shocked to find a burglar in her apartment last week. Even more shocking was the fact that the burglar apologized and returned the money he stole.

"I walk into my room, and I find all my boyfriend's shoes and clothes thrown on the floor," the woman is heard saying in a recorded 911 call. "I said, 'So you re trying to rob us?' And he's like, he nodded his head."

The repentant thief, identified as 20-year-old Johnathan Johnson, reportedly told his victim that he'd planned to use the money to buy his his Christmas present. He also fixed the window screen he'd broken in through.

"I made him leave, and when I came back, he put the screen back on," the woman told the 911 dispatcher. "I asked him, 'Where's my money?' And he's like, 'I forgot to give it to you.' "

Still, the woman was unimpressed by the burglar's remorse. She reported Johnson to police, who said the young man would still be prosecuted for burglary and theft.

NPP youth begin 2016 campaign in Northern Region

The youth within the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Northern Region have started the 2016 election campaigns in the Northern Region by launching the Dombo Youth Association.

The Dombo Youth Association is an amalgamation of NPP youth groups in the Northern Region, charged with the responsibility to help the party win more parliamentary seats in the general elections in 2016.

The association is headquartered in the Tamale North constituency which is among the targeted Parliamentary seats.

At the official launch in Gumani, the association's President, Fuseini Abdul Majeed urged Ghanaians to ignore what he described as the NDC's propaganda that the NPP was an Akan party.

He unveiled the Association's agenda to embark on a door-to-door campaign to wrestle power from the governing NDC especially in the Northern Region which is noted to be one of its electoral 'World Banks'.

According to Fuseini Abdul Majeed, the Northern Region will turn into the NDC's rural bank in 2016.

Majeed thus called for deeper volunteerism and commitment to party activities towards achieving the Association's objective.

"Clearly visible is the need to increase our efforts in mobilizing grassroot support and stronger commitment to party activities and all other initiatives that will help us win power for the NPP and we believe can resolve our pressing needs and that of the unborn generation", he said in an interview with Citi News.

He served notice that the Association's members will match the NDC boot for boot at the polling stations to avoid any form of rigging in 2016.

He asked the electorates to vote massively for Nana Akufo Addo and all the NPP Parliamentary candidates to "rescue them from oppression."

Minority throws in the towel in fight over fuel price reduction

The Minority in Parliament believes the only way to force a drastic reduction in fuel prices is mass public resistance because as far as they are concerned, it cannot do much except file motions in Parliament.

Speaking to Joy News, Deputy Minority leader Dominic Nitiwul has asked Ghanaians to “take their destiny into their own hands” because it feels powerless in provoking a further reduction in fuel prices.

Although oil prices have dropped by about 50 percent in the last year, the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has announced a 10% cut in fuel prices at the pump after weeks of reluctance.

With dissatisfaction clouding the mood in the country, a pressure group, Occupy Ghana has called for a 50% reduction in fuel prices.

Hailing the call, the Minority in Parliament has asked for more of such public pressure on Government.

Led by the New Patriotic Party, the Minority has thrown in the towel in getting government to listen to what they believe is the call by a majority of Ghanaians for further reduction.

The NPP leader observed the use of parliamentary opposition has failed because “government will not respect any law.”

“The worse the Minority can do is going on demonstrations and filing motions. But our law …protects the strong. When the Speaker decides not to read the motion, there is nothing you can do about it”, he despaired.

Taking a back seat, the opposition leader wants Ghanaians to do more to “stop [a] government that wants to cheat them.”

Dominic Nitiwul said the Minority is willing to support massive demonstrations or backing any court action initiated by any citizen.

He warned of grave consequences if people continue to wait for the Minority to do something.