Day: December 18, 2023

An 82-year-old aspiring Assemblyman in the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem (KEEA) Municipality, the oldest aspirant among the 6,074 candidates vying for Tuesday, December 19, District Level Election (DAE) in the Central Region, has vowed to win the seat for Sasem Ahemfie Electoral Area.

Contesting for the first time, Mr Simon Kwesi Apaho, described himself as a ‘healthy young man’ who sees the election as a keen contest between ‘a father and his three children.’

Contending him are three others; Mr Robert Sam-Dadzie, 40, a security officer, Mr Kofi Atta Panyin, 37, a trader and Mr Joseph Essoun, 31 also a trader.

His strength of victory had been reinforced by his fourth placement on the ballot paper, which reiterated the fact that: ‘the first shall be the last, and the last shall be the first.’

Mr Apaho told the Ghana News Agency: ‘It is a worthy course of service to humanity and God and prestige to represent the good people of Sasem Ahenfie Electoral Area in the ancient city of Elmina.

Mr Apaho said his fina
nces were not as strong as his contenders, but they knew he had the goodwill, time, and determination to accelerate the development of the community.

‘Trust me, I will install more streetlights to lighten up the community, sustain advocacy for more premix fuel, the 82-year-old aspirant said.

‘I am medically fit for the purpose and ready to serve. My commitment is to my community and country. Age is not a hindrance to serving,’ he emphasised.

He will also adopt prudent measures to tackle the terrible road network, sanitation, education, roads and creating job opportunities for the youth through skills training.

However, in the Agona East District, of the Region, Mr Kweku Yankah, a 21-year-old Graphic Designer is contesting to represent the Zongo/Ankobea Electoral Area at Agona Duakwa.

He is determined to win the fierce contest between two females, Madam Jamila Moro, 43, trader, and Madam Joyce Fosu, 43, hairstylist.

Sandwiched on the ballot paper by the two contenders whose ages are almost double his age
, the youngster said he had gathered enough experience from his uncle, Prof Kwesi Yankah, former Minister in charge of Tertiary Education.

Born and schooled in Zongo/Ankobea Electoral Area, he said:’ I know I am winning to solve the disgusting spate of filth and stench that has engulfed portions of my dear community.

‘In this era of technological advancement and globalisation, people in my community, unfortunately, carry refuse (borla) across streets to deposit. That is why I have offered myself to change the narrative.’

He pledged to work with Zoomlion Company, Corporate bodies and individuals to get more containers to be placed at strategic locations whilst invoking the sanitation by-laws to serve as a deterrent to others.

On education, he said he had supplied 350 exercise books, pens and other educational materials to students and schools in the area.

He hoped to collaborate with the Ghana Education Service and the school heads to end the phenomenon of school loitering during school hours.
Source: Gha
na News Agency

President Nana Addo Dankwah Akuffo Addo has urged Ghanaians not to tolerate any language of intolerance and division.

He said Muslims and Christians were all part of the Ghanaian framework, so any attempt to bring division through religious or tribal lines must not be tolerated.

He made the remarks during the 20th celebration of the coronation of Nii Futa, the Chief of the Zongo community in Nima, a deprived community in Accra.

The celebration was marked by a series of events on Thursday and was climaxed by a grand durbar on Sunday where the various ethnic groups displayed their rich cultural heritage.

‘We live in a country where a Muslim minority can live peacefully and in harmony with a Christian majority. We live in a country where all the communities can co-exist, and that is the legacy we must cherish and preserve. We must not listen to anybody who comes to speak the language of division and exclusion,” he said.

The President praised the Chief for his exemplary leadership in the community, particu
larly his commitment to social issues, including education.

He recalled fond memories as a resident of the community where he has lived since age 12.

In his address, Nii Futa advocated for more representation for Zongo people in high offices, saying he was yet to see a Zongo person appointed to any cabinet position in the current and past regimes.

Nii Futa bemoaned the spike in urban poverty among Zongo communities due to the absence of social and economic opportunities.

‘Mr. President, you will agree with me that poverty is pretty much a major development in Ghana, and urban poverty is becoming a major threat to us as a country, a threat to our middle-income status. Zongo communities have come to represent large enclaves of poverty, slums, and other physical and non-physical vulnerabilities,’ he said.

However, he acknowledged the progress made in addressing the challenges in Zongo communities through the creation of the Zongo Development Fund to create sustainable development.
Source: Ghana News Agency

The New Juaben North and South offices of the Electoral Commission (EC) said all preparations are complete for the District Level Elections (DLE) scheduled for tomorrow, December 19.

Ms Dorcas Akoto-Donkor, New Juaben North Electoral Officer, said in all, about 45,390 eligible voters in the municipality were expected to vote at 93 polling stations.

She said 202 candidates, including 61 aspiring assembly members and 141 aspiring unit committee members, filed to contest in the DLE.

She said that tactile ballot jackets have been made ready to aid persons with vision impairment to cast their ballots with no difficulties.

She entreated all eligible voters to go out in their numbers to vote since it was a civic responsibility towards consolidating Ghana’s democracy.

At the New Juaben South office, Mr Kofi Asante Owusu told the Ghana News Agency that all was set for the elections.

He said coordination such as the Biometric Voter Verification devices, voter register, ballot papers, ballot boxes and seals were
all available for the 187 polling stations.

The New Juaben South Municipality has 34 electoral areas, with 98 aspirants contesting the assembly member position.

Section six of the Local Governance Act 2016 (Act 936), as amended by Act 940, provides that the DLEs are held every four years and take place a year before the Presidential and Parliamentary elections.
Source: Ghana News Agency

Election stakeholders on Monday urged the electorate to participate in the Tuesday December 19, District Level Elections (DLEs) to deepen the nation’s decentralization concept to enhance good governance.

They comprised the Electoral Commission (EC), the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), the National Peace Council (NPC) and civil society.

In accordance with the District Level Elections Regulations, 2015 (C.I. 89), the Electoral Commission will conduct the District Level Elections on December 19, this year.

This follows the expiration of the term of the Assembly and Unit Committee Members December 17, 2023.

Speaking in separate interviews with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani, the stakeholders indicated the DLEs remained an integral component of not only strengthening decision making processes, but also facilitating accelerated national development.

However, they expressed worry that successive DLEs in the country continued to register unimpressive turnouts, and attributed it partly du
e to pertinent challenges, including poor publicity, and citizen’s inadequate knowledge on the local government concept, structures and its relevance.

Mr Raphael Godlove Ahenu, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Sunyani-based Global Media Foundation, a media advocacy and human rights Non-Governmental Organisation noted citizens involved in the general electoral processes remained poor.

As the nation’s electoral management body, he said it was imperative for the EC to educate the masses on the relevance of the DLEs to whip their interest to participate in the DLEs.

He said though responsibility also behooved on CSOs to contribute and augment the efforts of the EC in sensitizing the citizens, they were also confronted with financial challenges, and stressed the need for the government to resource the NCCE to enable the commission to undertake its constitutional responsibilities of sensitizing citizens on civic education.

Despite inadequate funding, Mr Benjamin Kyere, the Sunyani Municipal Direct
or of the NCCE, explained the commission was working hard to educate citizens for them to understand, appreciate and contribute towards consolidating the gains of the nation’s democracy.

He emphasised voters remained critical stakeholders in the DLEs, stressing that the commission had adopted strategies including ‘market storm’ where personnel of the commission reached out to and sensitized market women also capitalizing on the numerous information centers to reach out to the masses.

According to Nana Akosua Akomah Dankari, the Sompahemaa (good servant) of the Sunyani Traditional Area, people were apathetic and reluctant to participate in the DLEs because they did not see the relevance of the Elections.

She therefore called on the EC and all stakeholders to intensify public education on the DLEs to help whip the enthusiasm and interest of voters to participate in the elections.

Mr Guggisberg Asirifi-Young, the Bono Regional Director of the EC, explained the commission had put up measures to ensure prefere
ntial treatment were giving to people with disabilities, pregnant women, the aged and other marginalized voters to enable them to cast their ballot when they go to the polls.

‘We have assigned personnel to take care of these voters by ensuring that they do not waste much time or join queues at the voting centers’, he added, and advised everybody to cooperate with the personnel.

He said security at the polling centers was guaranteed, saying the commission had extensively worked with the security agencies in maintaining law and order at the voting centers.

Alhaji Suallah Abdallah Quandah, the Bono Regional Executive Secretary of the NPC highlighted the relevance of peace and advised the various aspirants contesting the DLEs to have confidence and trust in the EC in conducting credible DLEs.

He said peace remained pre-requisite for development, saying without absolute peace, the assembly members could not perform their mandate effectively.

Alhaji Quandah also urged the EC to hold free and fair elections, an
d advised the voters to ensure they leave the voting centers after casting their ballots.

He also advised all stakeholders to ensure they complied with the electoral process and avoid tendencies that could compromise and mar the DLEs.
Source: Ghana News Agency

The Electoral Commission says it has deployed adequate electoral materials and personnel to facilitate the smooth conduct of Tuesday’s District Level Elections (DLE).

The Elections, which will be held in more than 38,000 polling stations across the country, are scheduled to commence at 07:00 hours and close at 17:00 hours on Tuesday, December 19, 2023.

Addressing a press conference in Accra on Monday, Mrs Jean Mensa, the Chairperson of EC, said ballot papers had been printed and dispatched, adding that 116, 741 election officials had been trained and deployed.

She said 71, 775 biometric verification devices had also been deployed to ensure that each voter was verified before they cast their ballot.

Mrs Mensa said the Commission had engaged the Ghana Police Service to provide adequate security personnel at all the polling stations.

‘We’ve also deployed well-trained technicians to the regions to the various zonal centres to provide technical support should that become necessary,’ she said.

Statistics

Th
e District Level Elections will be held in all 271 districts across the country, except the Nkoranza North and Nkoranza South in the Bono East Region.

The EC explained that the tenure of assembly members and unit committee members in Nkoranza North and Nkoranza South will expire in 2025, hence their exclusion.

Assembly members and unit committee members have a four-year tenure, and those elected in December 2019 will expire at the end of the year.

Data obtained from the EC indicates that the election will be held in 6,215 electoral areas.

A total of 18,580 persons are contesting the District Assembly Elections, of which 17, 474 (94 per cent) are male whiles 1,106 (6 per cent) are female.

On the other hand, some 46, 336 persons are vying for unit committee positions, out of which 40, 923 (88.3 per cent) are male and 5,413 (11.7 per cent) are female.

Voting

Mrs Mensa said persons whose Voter I.D. cards were missing could visit their polling stations to verify their details in the register and cast their
vote.

She said the Commission had provided tactile ballot jackets with ballot papers for visually impaired persons.

Mrs Mensa said the election results would be collated at the respective electoral area collation centres, adding that winners of the two elections would be declared immediately at the collation centres.

She urged the public to participate in the elections to ensure an improvement in voter turnout.

‘We entreat all Ghanaians to go to their polling stations to cast their vote. We have put in place adequate arrangements, and we believe that the elections will go on smoothly and seamlessly without a hitch.’ Mrs Mensa said.
Source: Ghana News Agency

The Ayawaso Central Directorate of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has rallied residents within the Ayawaso Central municipality to participate in the forthcoming District Level Election (DLE).

The 2023 District Level Election is expected to take place on Tuesday, December 19, 2023, from 0700 hours to 1700 hours.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency in an interview, Mrs. Rhoda Akueteh Ayawaso, Central Director, NCCE, stated that her outfit began the campaign long ago, but it has become imperative that they intensify the campaign to whip up the interest of the electorate ahead of the polls.

Mrs. Akueteh added that sensitizations for district-level elections have always been on a low drive due to inadequate resources to enable the NCCE to intensify such campaigns.

According to her, it was important for Ghanaians to have an interest in the local government system since development at the local level begins with the various Metropolitan Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs).

Mrs. Akueteh
advised the electorate to critically access the capabilities of the candidates seeking to be elected as Assembly and Unit Committee members within their various electoral areas, adding that voting for the right person would propel

rapid development for the people.

The Director hinted that the electorates should take time off their busy schedules to vote for their preferred candidates as voting in the district-level election was another way to deepen Ghanaians Democratic credentials.

The NCCE Ayawaso Central Office took the sensitization campaign through the various communities within the Ayawaso Central Municipality, which included Malam Atta Market, Circle, Alajo, Pigfarm, Newtown, and Kotobabi, amongst other important places like schools, churches, mosques, and community centres across the municipality.
Source: Ghana News Agency

The Nsoatreman Rural Bank Limited at the weekend held it 33rd Annual General Meeting at Nsoatre in the Sunyani West Municipality of the Bono Ahafo Region, with a call on loan defaulters to fulfil their obligation to avoid legal action.

The Bank made a profit before tax of GHC615, 405.00 last year as against 605,209.00 in 2021, representing an increase of 1.68 per cent.

Mr Kofi Agyemang, the Board Chairman, presenting the 2022 Annual Report to stakeholders, said the Bank recorded a significant growth of 21.80 per cent through its total deposit of GHC409,602,035.00 in 2022 compared with 33,336,154.00 in 2021.

He commended the staff for being able to mobilise so much, notwithstanding the high inflation rate.

Mr Agyeman stated that the loan portfolio increased to GHC11, 555,130.00 in 2022 from 11,429,224.00 the previous year, representing a growth of 1.10 per cent.

The credit department strategy of reducing loans in the face of accentuating non-performing loans was a very good decision, he said.

The total
assets grew from 37,112,208.00 in 2021 to GHC46,570,358.00 in 2022, representing 25.49 while investment marginally went up from GHC17,053,655.00 to 22,493,655.00 representing 31.90 per cent and, therefore, acknowledged the Board and Management for their effort.

He said the bank share-capital registered an increase by 15.27 per cent from GHC1,525,980.00 in the year 2021 to GHC1,759,034.00 in 2022 and appealed to all to patronise its shares to be able to withstand any future upward adjustment by the Bank of Ghana.

Mr Agyeman assured depositors that the bank had a brighter future since their money was in safe hands and were likely to reap abundant in the form of interest on deposits as the bank remained resolute in achieving its objectives.

He disclosed that the Bank of Ghana had approved its request on changing the bank’s status from a limited liability company to public liability company to be known as Nsoatrean Rural Bank PLC.

Madam Suzan Boateng, the Bono Regional Manager of the ARB Apex Bank, commended
the Board and Management for their good work and said it would soon introduce a Financial Sector Development (FSD) project to implement internet and mobile banking solutions for its esteemed customers.
Source: Ghana News Agency

A total of 466 candidates have filled their nomination to contest in the upcoming District and Unit Committee Elections in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Constituency.

Out of the figure, 93 candidates who are competing for thirty electoral areas, only three persons are females, while 90 are males.

A total of 373 are also vying to be members of the various committees in their respective electoral area, out of which 50 are females as against 323 males.

Mr Ekow Essien, Municipal Electoral Officer of Tarkwa-Nsuaem, disclosed this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) said the election slated for Tuesday, December 19, 2023, would take place across 249 polling centers and a total of 133,669 voters are expected to exercise their franchise.

‘We have received our electoral materials from Accra, trained our officers who would be deployed to go and work on that day. So far everything is on course’ he stated.

The Municipal Electoral Officer entreated Ghanaians to take keen interest and participate in the District and
Unit Committee election as it could speed up development.

‘Usually, people do not take the District and Unit Committee elections seriously but that is the only way we can bring development at the grassroot level so all eligible voters should get involved. Come Tuesday between 7:00 am and 5:00 pm, just go and cast your vote quickly and go wherever you want to go’ he emphasized.
Source: Ghana News Agency

A former Member of Parliament (MP) for Jomoro, Mr. Paul Essien has emerged winner in the Jomoro New Patriotic Party (NPP) Parliamentary Primaries.

He polled 496 out of total valid votes of 1,055 against two other contestants in the election conducted and supervised by the Municipal Electoral Officer, Madam Lydia Ignatius Cudjoe.

Mr Paul Hopeson Kwaw polled 289 of the valid votes cast with Mr. Ishmael Evonla Kwame Whajah scooping 270 of the valid votes.

Two of the ballot papers were rejected.

The National Executive Council (NEC) of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) opened nominations for interested candidates to contest in orphan Constituencies throughout the country.

The Jomoro primaries which was originally slated for December 4,2023, was postponed due to misunderstanding among the Parliamentary aspirants.

After a stakeholders meeting, vetting and balloting, at the regional office, December 16 was slated for the primaries.
Source: Ghana News Agency

The Afigya Kwabre North District Directorate of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) is engaging various identifiable groups ahead of the District Level Election (DLE) scheduled for Tuesday, December 19.

This is to ensure they participate actively in the exercise to elect assembly and unit committee members to spearhead development in their local areas, as stipulated in the decentralisation concept.

Led by Ms Jemimah Osei, the District Director, officials of the Directorate engaged churches, Muslim communities, Tailors and Dressmaking Associations and food vendors at Boamang and Denase, on the theme: ‘Empowering Communities.’

They took their audience through the importance of local elections and the roles of their representatives in lobbying for resource allocation at the district assembly level.

Most of the participants, however, expressed apathy in the local elections, citing non-performance on the part of their assembly members over the years as one of the reasons.

Ms Osei took time to
convince them to rethink their abstinence in the interest of community development, reminding them that it was imperative for them to determine who they wanted to represent them.

After the elections, they had a responsibility to demand whatever the candidates promised to do for the community and urged them not to relinquish their civic right to vote.

‘The District Level Elections are very important because you get to vote for people that will represent you at the local level,’ she said.

‘These individuals are integral parts of your communities, providing a channel for your needs to be advocated within the Assembly.’

She said elected assembly members served as channels through which assemblies conveyed development projects to communities through the lobbying and advocacy.

Electing such people should, therefore, be a priority for every citizen interested in the development of their local areas, she added.
Source: Ghana News Agency