NPP is the only party that can defeat NDC in 2008 - Nana Akufo-Addo

Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, an aspiring flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has observed that NPP was the only party that could defeat the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and ensured it never returned to power. However, he pointed out that defeating the NDC posed a big challenge to the NPP because it would depend on its message, dynamic leadership and effective organization. Nana Akufo-Addo, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and NEPAD, made the observation when addressing constituency and polling station executives from four constituencies in Ashanti at Obuasi. He appealed to delegates of the December Congress to vote for a flagbearer who could win the 2008 elections for the party. Nana Akufo-Addo said "NDC was serious and it would not be easy for the NPP in the 2008 elections. Three successive defeats would lead to its collapse therefore, they are really serious. We know NDC very well and their policies, we should not allow them to return to power". He pointed out that the December congress represented the party's future therefore, the delegates should look for a leader with a global vision. "I have all the qualities of that visionary leader and could lead NPP to victory in 2008. Let us be truthful that if indeed NPP wanted a leader for 2008, it is Nana Akufo-Addo," he added. Nana Akufo-Addo denied that he was proud and arrogant, "here I am, very simple and a small man". He said he played a key role in ensuring peace in Liberia and other troubled countries therefore, the assertion that his leadership would bring chaos and divisions in Ghana was not true.GNA

Ghana will introduce Digital broadcasting Next Year

Mr Berifi Apenteng, a media consultant on Wednesday said digital broadcasting would be introduced in the country within the next two years.He was speaking at a consultative forum on public service broadcasting organised by the Ghana Journalists Association (GNA), Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) and the KAB Governance Consult at Lagos Town near Takoradi.The forum was under the theme "Public Service Broadcasting in Ghana, The Way Forward".Mr Apenteng, who is also a honorary member of the GJA, said television and radio sets in use would have to be replaced because they cannot pick up transmission of the digital technology. He said digital broadcasting would make efficient use of the frequency spectrum and make broadcasting cheaper, apart from an increase in the number of broadcasters, there would be more specialised channels. Mr Apenteng said public service broadcasting is crucial for Ghana's development and national unity and the GBC is well placed to transform into a true public service broadcaster. He said the corporation and the National Media Commission should take the lead in this direction and engage the public in discussions on its role and relevance.Mr Appenteng proposed that the GBC be allowed to derive funds from a variety of sources to make it financially independent and free from government pressures.Mr Bright Blewu, General Secretary of the GJA, said the country needs public service broadcasting to nurture its democracy. He said the public should own the public service broadcasting and support it to perform its expected roles.Mr Kwasi Afriyie Badu, Chief Executive Officer of KAB Governance Consult, said as broadcasting is an important tool in the development of nations, a public service broadcasting station should be truly independent of government's economic influence and commercial pressures. Ms Dela Folie, a representative of FES, said the FES would involve itself in activities that would empower the media to strengthen the country's democratic process. 10 Oct. 07
Source:GNA

Bartels Exposed Again?

Bartels' Letter GENERAL LEASING Document
Contrary to claims by Interior Minister, Kwamena Bartels that he was not involved in the process that resulted in the selection of her daughter's company, investigation by the Enquirer has proved otherwise.
Caught and confronted with his own hand writing, Bartel's explanation for his role in supervising the award of over ¢4 billion to his daughter's budding company is that "the letter he wrote for the facility to be extended to his daughter is just "only administrative" statement.
(The Enquirer publishes on its front page Bartels’ letter saying his Ministry has awarded the facility to his daughter as well as a letter from the fund managers to his daughter, and company documents of Stay Sweet Sugar Industries on page 4)
But a member of the selection committee has told The Enquirer that "What does my man Bartels mean that the writing of the award letter to his daughter by his Ministry was only administrative, the selection process too is also a bureaucratic, administrative process. It is not a scientific research, neither is it a space exploration process. If one selects and another signs, we are all doing the same thing. We are all contributing to one process. In Bartel's case, he went the extra mile and coached his daughter and son-in-law and supervised the administrative process which led to the conclusion of the award for his facility." the member said.
The member of the committee which selects companies that have applied to benefit from the government's Ghana Private Sector Development Fund-Italian Credit has said he does not recollect that Bartel's excused himself from the selection process for his daughter, adding that even the revelations from his "own mouth about events" culminating in the award of the 4 billion cedi facility to his daughter is shocking "to some of us"
The member said, Kwamena Bartel's conduct in this matter is a betrayal of his own government.
"Let somebody do this to us and let's chase them for trying to sabotage our efforts, not Bartel's himself, the man who pioneered the project. The painful thing is that now we are all going to be lumped into one basket, some of us worked hard, I just can't believe him" The committee member said
The member noted that for a man who pioneered the Italian credit, he should have been the one to ensure that companies which benefit are credible enough so that we can all celebrate the success.
Interestingly, out of the three processes which eventually led to the selection of Bartel's daughter's company, it has been confirmed that Kwamena Bartels participated in at least two, yet he claims he excused himself. Kwamena Bartels is under the Enquirer's investigation for sprinkling over ¢4 billion from the Ghana Private Sector Development Fund on her a daughter's company, called Stay Sweet Sugar Industries.
Source:Enquirer

Ghana Will Have a New Economy Under JAKE

JAKE OTANKA Obetsebi-Lamptey, a presidential aspirant of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has stated that the country needs new economy with new pillar of growth to develop and lead the policies that will generate jobs, jobs, jobs, saying the economy we have was good when Ghana was 10 million people. Today, we have 22 million and we will have 44 million in 20 years.
According to him, “we need a new economy with new pillars of growth.

To develop and lead the policies that will generate jobs, jobs, jobs, we need a President who thinks ‘outside the box’ and has productive private sector experience to be able to reform and restructure the economy; to develop the sectors and industries that will provide productive jobs for our young people”.
Addressing a section of party members in Accra, he said the greatest challenge facing Ghana today and tomorrow is the aspirations of the young people for a decent and productive life.
He observed that the country already faces high levels unemployment, saying year, more than 300,000 young people will leave schools and universities to seek jobs. Next year another 300,000 plus and so on, year after year.

Add to these, those who are going to school.“We must generate jobs, jobs, jobs for our youth: this is the greatest challenge facing our nation. These are young people who will lose patience with the democratic process and as in South America, they will return to the ‘Junior Jesuses’ and the dictatorships”.Mr. Obetsebi-Lamptey who said that President Kufuor has stopped the rot and built a platform, which the next President must build on it, believes that he is the right and preferred person to lead the country to realise its full dream.The former Tourism and Diasporan Relations Minister appealed to the party members to look at his track record which he described as very enviable, so that they will have no doubt about his capabilities of taking the nation to the “Promise Land”.

“As the Greater Accra Regional Chairman, I worked with my constituencies. I know the pressures on constituency and regional executives. I understand what needs to be done for them to get to work even harder for our own government. As a Minister, I stood for and was re-elected as Regional Chairman. I did this to send a signal about how close I believe party and government must be”, Mr. Obetsebi-Lamptey maintained.He added; “after six years in office we must continue to build the party into the natural party of governance. The party that will entrench the NPP’s vision of Ghana as ‘a property owing democracy’.

We need to have the party and the government working more even closely together. We need to professionalize the party and make it into a viable institution and not just a club”.He stated that there are three attributes that the delegates should look out for when voting, and that each of the areas, they should look at the track record of the candidates to be sure they can deliver on any promises they make.He said they should vote for President of Ghana and not President of NPP, a President who will build a more prosperous Ghana, as well as a President who will professionalize and institutionalise the NPP.

Mr. Obetsebi-Lamptey who is very confident of emerging as the flag bearer of the NPP at its extra-ordinary congress slated for December 22, remaindered members of the party not to be over confident, and that they must not assume that their flag bearer will automatically become President of Ghana, stressing that, in 2004, after only one term, with an incumbent President and better resourced than they had ever been, they still got only 52.5 percent of the Presidential vote and 51.5 percent of the Parliamentary vote.“We need a candidate who can galvanize our supporters and then reach the floating voters and the non NPP voters.

We need a candidate who knows how to win a general election. In both of these areas, I say please consider me. As two times, successfully campaign manager, especially in 2000 when so many doubted that we could win, I know how to devise and implement a winning strategy. I did it for JAK, I can do it for JAKE”, he emphasised.
Source:Benjamin Konadu Arthur - The Heritage