NPP questions NDC's $700,000 at Rawlings' Houston fundraiser

A report filed by our American correspondent, Prince Osei Bonsu, says the National Democratic Congress managed to raise a record US$700,000 (GH¢ 650,142.50, or ¢6.5 billion) at a banquet fundraiser in America attended by NDC founder Jerry John Rawlings and his wife.Perhaps, even more remarkably, the organisers had set a formidable target of $5m. But, the Youth Organiser of the New Patriotic Party has called on the Electoral Commission to insist on "full disclosure” from the opposition party, to kill off any suggestion that the money “could come from stolen money being recycled and brought back into the country for election purposes.”The weekend's historical fundraising event was organised by the North American Coordinating Council of the NDC in Houston, Texas on Saturday, August 4. The venue was the plush Hilton Hotel Southwest, Houston.In his keynote address, Mr Rawlings accused the NPP of running a “kleptocracy”, where there is a total disregard for the rule of law, describing the Kufuor administration as one which condones nepotism, corruption, and abuse of power.While commending the efforts of any political party to "appeal to Ghanaians abroad for funds to supplement what can be raised domestically," Mr Boadu is of the view that "If fundraising is done outside of Ghana, the Electoral Commission must go into and demand transparency on the identity of the individuals and firms that, as in this case, are said to have contributed to the tune of $700,000."Mr Boadu thinks the law banning foreigners and foreign interests from contributing financially to political parties in Ghana "should be respected. We should be mindful against drug money or monies from foreign companies being smuggled into our politics to buy protection and influence procurement contracts and so forth."Our reporter says, the attendance itself was poor, as far as political fundraisers go. The ballroom at the Southwest Hilton in Houston was barely a third full and most of the attendees were from out of State. However, what was astonishing was the amount of money realised both in corporate and individual donations.This raised questions as to whether the amount raised, $300,000 short of the million-dollar mark, was a mark of a combination between the resources of Ghanaians in Diaspora and the popularity of the NDC, or really a reflection of how our domestic laws on political funding can be easily side-stepped.The guest list at the event, graced by Ghana's longest serving Head of State, included other nationals, mostly from Nigeria, Cameroon, Uganda and African-Americans.Also in attendance to the banquet/fundraiser were the various chapters of the NDC in North America, from, among other places, Chicago, Atlanta, New York, Washington DC, Miami, Dallas, and from Canada, Toronto and Montreal.The report speaks of the pomp and ceremony with which the former President and his wife were carted to the event. They were "transported in a diplomatic limousine from his residence in the Woodlands, a suburb of Houston." The former Ghanaian first couple arrived at the fundraising banquet "in good spirit" and whisked to a waiting VIP suite. At about 9.30pm they were led into the banquet hall to the NDC anthem and cheers from the crowd.Delivering his after-dinner speech, Mr Rawlings spoke of the apparent "imbalance" existing in the world, with particular rebuke of the relationship between the West and Africa.He accused "Western powers, in particular, the United States and Britain," of continuing to shower "praises on regimes that lack the moral, administrative, political, managerial, market, legal/judicial, constituency relation, and professional corruption of our generation."Repeating what has become his theme complaint on the international circuit, Mr Rawlings lamented "institutional criminal acts that goes [sic] unpunished and falls [sic] on deaf ears. These criminal malfeasances, including Kleptocracy," he said, was being condoned by the hierarchy of the Ghanaian government, when they, the West know very well how such instances of abuse of power psychologically demoralise "those who play by the rules of democracy."In his speech, Mr Rawlings alleged that while the abuses of the NPP government was going on unabated, "the fabric of society and youth of our dear country," have been reduced to "rugs and tissues" on which the "elite members of the NPP and government walk on. Where is the ethics with the West, when such acts are simply brushed aside in the name of good governance?" he charged.He brought in the conflict in Iraq, accusing America and Britain of destabilising the peace in the region. The report refers to Mr Rawlings saying, "By them refusing to heed to a universal consensus not to destabilise the era of good feelings immediately after the Cold War, others such as the Ghanaian government believes, it can get away with anything on earth, as far as it does not contradict the desires of Britain and the United States. Hence the neglect of what is going on by the United States and Britain in Ghana and elsewhere in the continent."When it came to her turn, the former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings captured the attention of the audience and gave, what the report describes as "a chilling account of the manipulation of justice in "the Kings Court."She alleged that the NPP was using various unconventional tactics to criminalise actions that were legitimately implemented by her NGO, the 31st December Women’s Movement.The event was hosted by Joseph Manboah-Rockson, a professor at Texas Southern University in Houston, and Kwame Mensah-Bonsu
Source:Prince Osei Bonsu & Nana Obeng Danquah

Where will the NPP Prez Candidates get the 250m cedis?

Two hundred and fifty million old cedis or twenty five thousand Ghana New Cedis is the figure given by the New Patriotic Party as the nomination fee for its aspiring presidential candidates. That’s roughly US$25,000. By any standard, that’s a lot of money. So far, none of the 17 aspirants has signaled withdrawal from the race due to the inability to raise such a huge initial financial outlay in nomination fees.It can therefore be argued that wherever they are going to find it, these determined aspirants would do so. Some clearly can afford it and probably more, from their own resources, while others would need a lot of help. That’s just the first step. After the nominations have been filed and accepted, the campaigning would continue in earnest and that would involve even more money.The preceding point of “continuing” the campaigning is significant because all the aspirants have been campaigning for some months now with reports of money and other incentives in kind being lavished to woo the prospective delegates to the December congress. So it is going to be money, money, money…all the way! But which of these 17 aspirants leads in the money game? The following assessment is based more on public perception and the “behaviour” of some of the aspirants themselves than any verifiable public accounting system.
Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama: Incumbency does not seem to have given him any financial advantages. Not much either from former construction firm. Said to be cash strapped but looking forward to donations from people who believe in his viability in 2008
Nana Addo-Dankwa Akufo-Addo: Could his Foreign Minister’s per diems help? Hardly, say funding experts. And not much from former law firm either. Said to have wealthy backers and could receive international help.
Hackman Owusu-Agyemang: Comes across as a very wealthy man. What with his Hackman Foundation and other philanthropic donations? He recently donated a Club House to his party. Has international connections and is looked upon as one of the aspirants to whom money may not be that much of a problem .
Yaw Osafo-Maafo: Not clear how it all started, but months, or even, a year or two earlier, it was widely rumoured that he had built up a war chest just for a day like this. Money therefore should not be a problem for the former finance minister.
Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku: “I don’t know”, was what a relation said about how the Offinso-North MP is funding his campaign. And it is true; his is one of those mysteries in the current campaigning for the NPP presidential campaign race. Where is the money coming from?
Professor Mike Ocquaye: Said to have made friends in his brief stint as Ghana’s High Commissioner to India and help could be coming from that source. The myth of grinding mills and such things to prospective delegates has caught the public imagination for a while. Not known to have well-heeled business friends.
Dr. Kobina Arthur Kennedy: Had a flourishing medical practice in the US. Has been openly critical of the way money seems to be playing a central role in this campaign. Has great admiration from Diaspora Ghanaians, most of whom are actually not that financially well-off.
Boakye Agyarko: Like Dr. Arthur Kennedy, has had a brilliant career on in the US. In the financial district of Wall Street he rose to become a Vice President of the Bank of New York. His financial independence is therefore not in doubt, but funding a campaign is another matter altogether.
Dan Botwe: Another of the mysteries. His sources of funding are a closely guarded secret, if they exist at all. Said to be relying more on his grass root connections from the days when he was the party’s General Secretary, than on money. He has been very vehement in his denunciation of how money has crept in to “spoil” his party.
Professor Frimpong-Boateng: The heart surgeon with the “Midas Touch” both in the operating theatre and in administration. Not a rich man but has the support of a rich man. He is probably the only aspirant who has had the open endorsement of a very rich man, Mr. Kofi Amoabeng, the CEO of Unique Trust Financial Services.
Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey: It is not clear how much stock he owns in the advertising agency he headed for many years, but even if he owned it all, it is not likely that other shareholders would allow him to dip his hands into the company’s kitty to finance his campaign. Jake, though comfortable, does not have those huge amounts of “dosh” to run a protracted campaign.
Nkrabea Effa-Dartey: Not clear his sources of funding
Kwabena Agyepong: Rumoured to have made local and international connections as a one time press secretary to the president and could have convinced some of them to invest in his future. In fact, the wilder of the rumours even suggest that his backers are in the southern part of the African continent.
Owusu Agyepong: As a former president of Ghana’s venerable association of surveyors, the former Majority Leader is not a man without connections and individual means
Dr. Kwame Addo-Kufuor: Like Osafo Marfo, the president’s younger sibling has given (or been given) the impression that he has amassed a war chest to succeed his brother. Campaign funds: No problem!
Alan Kyeremanten: He has been christened Alan Cash because of the real or imagined campaign largess is reputed to be “splashing about”. He has become the target of almost all the aspirants and intense media scrutiny because of the perception that he is the president’s favourite.
Paapa Owusu-Ankomah: Paapa’s source of funding is not clear, but he is gradually being associated with the Chief of Staff at the Osu Castle. In the coming days, things would get clearer after the nominations have been filed. The cash men and struggling men would expose themselves, for one thing, it is said, that cannot hide is MONEY!
Source:Accra Daily Mail

Osafo Marfo Storms B/A

Space FM,Sunyani, August 7- NPP Presidential hopeful, Hon Yaw Osafo Marfo, storms the Brong Ahafo Region today as part of campaign to win the flagbearership of the party in December.The former financial minister, who was sidelined by president Kuffour for inexplicable reasons, would meet constituency executives at Duayaw Nkwanta in the Tano North District before moving to Sunyani, the regional capital where he is expected to interact with executives of the Sunyani East and West contituencies of the NPP.From there, the presidential aspirant would hold similar meetings with party executives at Berekum and Jaman Districts. The former finance minister and MP for Akyim Oda, was instrumental in shaping the nation's economy during his tenure and won an award as best finance minister.He is also credited for the first ever qualificataion of the Black Stars to the world cup in 2006 when was the sports minister.Hon. Osafo Marfo was one of the party's presidential aspirants who was disappointed at the NPP's Tema rally as their desire to speak to thousands of their followers, never materialized.The aspirants turned up in their numbers with the hope of addressing the party at the rally, to mark the climax of the 15th anniversary celebration of the NPP.Their supporters were there in their huge numbers, some carrying placards with various inscriptions, but in the end only two of the aspirants had the privilege to speak to their followers.
Source:Space FM,Sunyani

NDC Diasporans Raise Over $700,000 Towards '08 Elections

A banquet fundraiser/Baquet (American style) was organized by the North American Coordinating Council of the National Democratic Congress in Houston Texas (USA) on Saturday, August 4 2007 at the Hilton Hotel Southwest and 59 Freeway in Houston, Texas. There was nothing magical about the attendance, but what was astonishing, which demonstrate a resolve by Ghanaians in the Diaspora, was the amount of money realized both in corporate and individual donations.What probably drew the crowd, including nationalities from Nigeria (the most), Cameroonians, Ugandans, and our brethren, African-Americans, was the presence of His Excellency, the former First Gentleman and Lady of Ghana, Jerry John Rawlings and Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings.Also in attendance to the banquet/fundraiser were the various chapters of the NDC in North America from Chicago, Atlanta, New York, Washington DC, Miami, Dallas, Toronto, Montreal (Canada) and others.Transported in a diplomatic limousine from his residence in the Woodlands, a suburb of Houston, the former first couple arrived at the banquet/fundraiser in good spirit and whisked to a waiting VIP suite. At about 9.30 pm they were led into the banquet hall to the NDC anthem and several cheers from the crowd.In a speech after the dinner, the former president enumerated the imbalance existing in the current International system, particularly vis-a-vis the West and Africa, where the "Western powers, in particular, the United States and Britain, keep showering cheap praises on regimes that lack the moral, administrative, political, managerial, market, legal/judicial, constituency relation, and professional corruption of our generation. Simply put, "institutional criminal acts that goes unpunished and falls on death ears. These criminal malfeasances, including Kleptocracy", that his Excellency emphasized, is rather condoned by the hierarchy of the Ghanaian government, when they, the West know very well how such psychologically demoralizes those who play by the rules of democracy.The total disregard for the rule of law, nepotism, corruption, and abuse of power by the Kufour government is going on unabated, while the fabric of society and youth of our dear country, Ghana remain the rugs and tissues blquote upon which the elite members of the NPP and government walk on. Where is the ethics with the West, when such acts are simply brushed aside in the name of good governance .In other word, America, with Britain destabilized the peace prior to the ongoing American-Iraq conflict. By them refusing to heed to a universal consensus not to destabilize the Era of good feelings immediately after the Cold War, others such as the Ghanaian government believes, it can get away with anything on earth, as far as it does not contradict the desires of Britain and the United States. Hence the neglect of what is going on by the United and Britain in Ghana and elsewhere in the continent.In a similar narrative, the former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings captured the attention of the audience and gave a chilling account of the manipulation of justice in quote the Kings Court. She gave an account of how the Kufour Administration uses various unconventional tactics to criminal actions that were thought out and implemented by a duly elected Board of Directors of here Non-governmental organization, the 31st super supersub December Women Movement. Today, after several years of eradicating guinea-worms, infants deaths and deaths of teenage mothers, such debilitating statistics have once again surfaced in the Kufour administration.The dinner banquet raised an amount of about US.$700,000.00 (Seven hundred thousand dollars), which is a fraction of the total pledges and out of the projected target of US 5 million dollars the NACC-NDC of North American had projected through donations from corporate bodies and individuals. At the close of the dinner/banquet, it was suggested and agreed upon hat such dinner/banquets will be organized in various cities across the United States, to enable the NDC raise the monies it needs to throw out the NPP government from power in 2008.As for the resolve that was taken at the just concluded NDC leadership Conference in Houston, it is important for the NPP to know that it is not going to be easy winning against the NDC especially as Prof Mills is retained. The NPP won in 2000 purely because the general Ghanaian society was calling for a change , since change is always unknown to anyone; as such it was obvious that change was the significant 'savior' that drove the floating voters to NPP aid. The victory in 2004 on the other hand was a to give the government time to continue with its projects and also to enable the electorate to do effective assessment of the NPP in a much longer time. But the dire is cast because Ghanaians have themselves come to realize that the mandate they gave the NPP in 2004 was an error in judgment. Since all loans they collected after the almost wiping out of the country's debts by the G-8 countries, has gone into their private pockets. Projects that they claim are in the works are just empty promises that have nose realistic goals to them.In politics, and particularly in representative democracies accountability is an important factor in securing legitimacy of public power. In NPP tenure a distinction should be made between accountability and transparency. Accountability differs from transparency in that it only enables negative feedback a decision or action, while transparency also enables negative feedback before or during a decision or action. Accountability constrains the extent to which elected representatives and other office-holders can willfully deviate from their theoretical responsibilities, and the Ghanaian people will faithfully hold thus reducing corruption.The Banquet/dinner was the first of its kind in North America and will be replicated in Ghana since contributions from supporters of the NDC toward the defeat of the NPP translates into a covenant.Dr. Joseph Manboah-Rockson - Professor at Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas. U.S.A. and Mr. Kwame Mensah-Bonsu - were the Co-Hosts
Source:North American Coordinating Council of N.D.C.

Dallas investor signs power-supply deal in Ghana

A company owned by Dallas real estate mogul Gene Phillips has landed a $3 billion deal with the African country of Ghana to refurbish a barge to generate electricity for the power-starved nation.

Ghana has a severe electricity shortage brought on by rapid population growth and drought in north Africa. The drought has limited the country's ability to generate hydroelectric power.

It's essential to elect a capable leader -SKB

Professor S. K. B. Asante, an international consultant, has said democracy had come to stay in Ghana but remained fragile enough to require a mature, strong, steady, visionary and knowledgeable political leader to protect it."This is a crucial matter for high-level consideration by all the political parties that are in the process of selecting party flag bearers."Prof. Asante said with the exception of the National Democratic Congress that had gone through the rigorous exercise of electing a torch bearer, the remaining political parties had their presidential aspirants criss-crossing the country making campaign speeches.Speaking at the 10th anniversary of New-Man Preparatory and Junior Secondary School at Kade, Prof. Asante, who is also a Council member of the National African Peer Review Mechanism Governing Council, said while many pronouncements by the presidential aspirants were mature, carefully considered and generally convincing, some of the speeches regrettably left much to be desired.Instead of highlighting their track record, a number of them only hammered out their comparative youthful age as a necessary and desirable qualification for the presidency."They seem to be oblivious of the fact that youthfulness cannot always be equated with age," he said.He said some presidential aspirants seemed to be living in a world of fantasy when they stressed their capability as if industrialization of Ghana could be hastened with a magic wand."They claim they have pragmatic and long lasting solutions to the recurring energy crisis and erratic rainfall pattern in the north". Prof. Asante said he would venture to state that the basis for assessing the candidates for the 2008 presidential election should focus specifically on issues like, "contributions, capabilities, conduct, track record of service and commitment".Others are in-depth knowledge of the issues pertaining to the development and smooth administration of the country and the potential acceptability of the candidate by Ghanaians in the selection process. He said there was the need to select a person who "can do the job and not the person who wants the job. We need a visionary leader who can keep up and sustain the macro economic stability, good political governance so far established and achieve the much-needed economic independence to match with our political independence".Prof. Asante said, "indeed we need a leader who has a deep and intimate appreciation of where this country is coming from and where it needs to get in the shortest possible time".
Source:GNA

Ghana Plans to Export Labour

Ghana is seriously considering the option of formally exporting her skilled labour in order to capitalize on the benefits accruing from the uncontrollable phenomenon of migration.

The decision to manage migration is informed by the strong belief that the time is rife for a shift from focusing attention only on the negative aspects of migration to the positive impacts the phenomenon could have on the economy. At a “National Consultation on Migration, Remittances and Development,” Government officials, migration experts, and researchers agreed on the need for a national policy on migration through which the country can incorporate the formal export of its skilled labour.

The Private Enterprises Foundation (PEF), the Government of Ghana, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) jointly organized the consultation on Wednesday in Accra.
Internationally, migrants account for about 3% of the world’s population of 175 million persons. However, it is believed that a chunk of migrants coming from developing countries, including Ghana are unregistered, (illegal). On the other hand, remittances from registered migrants continue to be the mainstay of many families and communities in migrants’ home countries.

In the case of Ghana, remittances have become a major source of foreign exchange. The Bank of Ghana estimates that remittances to Ghana rose from US $410 million in 1990 to US $2.4 billion in 2006 and has over the period been higher than the Official Development Assistance (ODA), Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) and exports.
It is against this backdrop that the stakeholders who converged at the roundtable voted in favour of a policy that would allow for “brain gain” rather than “brain drain.”
Leading the pack of proponents for a national policy, Mr. Daouda Toure, United Nations Resident Co-ordinator said, “Ghana needs a holistic National Migration Policy which will look at the multifaceted nature of migration and address the key issues of legal and regulatory frameworks, human resources development and training”, among others.
Mr. Daouda who doubles as the UNDP Representative in Ghana also proposed that Ghana develops a National Human Resources Development (NHRD) strategy and training that address the skills needs of the country as well as that of developed countries.
In his view, this will enable Ghana train and export skilled labour, based on negotiated agreements with receiving countries, which as part of the agreement could support such training.
He said, “such a proactive approach to human resource development, will enable Ghana manage migration to her advantage.”
He also proposed that government could engage the receiving nations in bilateral discussions that could ensure the acquisition of visas for migrants by the Ghana government.
He revealed, “It is estimated that over the next 10-15 years, USA alone will require an additional one million health workers. It has also been noted that 23 percent of Africa’s trained medical doctors have migrated to the Northern Hemisphere, leaving Africa with a terrible deficit on health services: with 100,000 doctors to a population of 700million as compared to 200,000 doctors to France’s population of 83 million.
Mr. Toure noted that the implications for health delivery and attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) targets on health couldn’t be overlooked.
He continued that other sectors such as education and business continue to lose skilled professionals to the developed countries.
Therefore, Mr.Toure said, “there is every indication that there are real opportunities to make migration work for Ghana’s development and we must continue to tap on opportunities provided by migration in remittances, improved skills, knowledge and technology.”
But, he said, Ghana must also allow for planned return migration by enabling migrants to invest in safe and profitable investments and to bring home not just their money, but also the acquired know-how and expertise
Hon. Akwasi Osei-Adjei, Ghana’s new Minister for Foreign Affairs, Regional Corporation and NEPAD was of the view that “remittances stand out among the benefits of migration,” but in most cases those benefiting from migration are traffickers. Hence, the country needs a national policy in order to optimize the full benefits of migration.
For his part, Hon. Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning noted that remittances represent an enormous transfer of resources from the endowed to the less endowed countries of the world and in many cases between countries of the South. These, he said “constitute the second largest capital flow to developing countries.”
He disclosed, “private inward transfers received by groups such as non-governmental organisations, embassies, service providers and individuals through the bank and non-bank financial institutions in Ghana amounted to $1.52 billion dollars at the end of the first quarter in 2007.”
This, according to him, represents an increase of about 17.1 percent over the same period in 2006. “Indeed, remittances from abroad have emerged as one of the foremost contributors to Ghana’s GDP.”
Mr.Baah-Wiredu said, the impacts of remittances can be realized in proper healthcare for local residents, increase in employment opportunities and educational level, landed opportunities, etc. The standard of living has improved drastically with respect to the impact of remittances.
“This presupposes that, consistent increase in remittances would go a long way to promote national growth towards achieving the goals of MDGs.”
Reviewing the history of migration in Ghana, Dr. Mariama Awumbila, Director, Centre for Migration Studies noted that migration has brought about a loss of human capital, but can also provide an opportunity for the acquisition of skills, experience and knowledge, resulting in a ‘brain gain’.
“The exodus of professional and others does not necessarily involve a one-way flow of skills. Return can involve transfer of skills back to Ghana, job improvement and investment in small businesses,” she said.
She pointed out that a national migration policy should take into account the prime challenge of how to tackle the main push factors for migration - poverty and the lack of job opportunities in Ghana.
Source:Public Agenda