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