Monday, May 26, 2008

Confusion In Akwatia NPP

A section of members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) at Akwatia in the Eastern Region have threatened not to vote for the parliamentary aspirant of the party during the December elections.

They explained that their decision was based on the way the entire Akwatia constituency executives openly supported Dr Kofi Asare to win the recent constituency primaries.

The members of the party who issued the threat are supporters of Mr Philip Owusu-Ankomah, the candidate who lost the primaries and they argued that the constituency executive were not supposed to support any of the contestants for the primaries but they openly expressed their support before the primaries.

This came to light at a meeting held by the supporters of Mr. Owusu-Ankomah at Akwatia on Friday but Mr. Owusu-Ankomah himself was not at the meeting

The group had originally decided to hold a demonstration to express their position but on hearing of the intentions of the group, the Kwaebibirem District Chief Executive, Mr. Yaw Yiadom-Boakye, rushed to Akwatia to hold a crisis meeting with the leadership of the group.

Mr Yiadom-Boakye told newsmen at the end of the closed-door meeting that he had impressed upon the group of the need for a united front for the party to win both the parliamentary and presidential elections in the constituency.

When the group leadership met the rank and file, it became evident that whereas they have all decided to vote for the party's Flagbearer, Nana Akufo-Addo, some of the members said they would vote for the independent parliamentary aspirants, Mr Basil Ahiable, or not vote at all in the parliamentary elections.

Addressing the meeting, Mr Edward Apeadu, a former constituency secretary and chairman of the Owusu-Ankomah's campaign team said the way the constituency executives conducted themselves prior to the primaries was a recipe for the party to lose.

He said unless the Regional and National executives intervened within a week, not only would they advise themselves during the elections but they would go ahead with their planned demonstration. The constituency secretary, Mr Joe Danso denied the allegations by the aggrieved group that the whole constituency executive campaigned for Dr. Asare.

He appealed to the group to reconsider their stand since as party members, it would be in their best interest to ensure the victory of the party. May 25, 2008

Source:
GNA

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Kufuor honours Mills

The President, John Agyekum Kufuor, has nominated the Presidential candidate of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Prof. John Evans Atta Mills for the nation's highest honours.

The President will decorate Prof. Mills together with other 157 Ghanaians who have been nominated for national honours as part of celebrations of Republic Day, which falls on July 1 2008. The awards ceremony will take place on July 3 2008.

A statement signed by the President's Press Secretary, Andrew Awuni, announced this on Friday May 23, 2008 in Accra.

Prof. Atta Mills and four other eminent Ghanaians including Vice President Aliu Mahama will receive the highest honour of Order of the Star of Ghana, Companion Division.

Among the list of awardees for the highest honour are the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Nayiri Naa Bohogu Mahami Sheregu, Paramount Chief of Mamprugu, and the Yagbonwura, Bawa Doshie, the Paramount Chief of Gonja Traditional Area.

Prof. Mills served as Vice President of Ghana from 1996 to 2000, and then contested for the presidency on the ticket of the NDC in 2000 but lost to President Kufuor. He again stood for elections to be President in the 2004 general elections and lost again to the incumbent, President J. A. Kufuor.

Prof Atta Mills is a Professor of Law and a tax expert. He taught for many years at the University of Ghana, Legon and also served as head of Ghana's Internal Revenue Service (IRS) before entering politics. At the time when he was nominated to partner former President J. J. Rawlings on the ticket of the NDC in 1996, he was relatively unknown in Ghana's political circles.

Prof. Mills is also a sports enthusiast, with special interest in hockey.

Other categories of the awards are Order of the Volta, Companion Division, 50 awardees. The Order of the Volta, Officer Division, 38, Member, 16 and Grand Medal 49.

http://www.myjoyonline.com/politics/200805/16600.asp