The New Patriotic Party Parliamentary Candidate for Garu-Tempane in the Upper East Region, Mr Alhassan Samari, has urged electorates in the constituency to take a cue from what he terms the ruling National Democratic Congress’ failure in government and vote the party out of power.
Mr Samari, a former Upper East Regional Minister during the Kufuor Administration, said since the NDC assumed the reins of power, the country in general and the constituency in particular had not witnessed the “Better Ghana Agenda” promised Ghanaians and the people of Garu-Tempane.
He has, therefore, called on the electorates to vote for him as Member of Parliament and Nana Akufo-Addo as president.
The former regional minister who is making a second attempt to unseat the incumbent MP, Mr Dominic Azumah of the NDC, said this in an interview after he addressed a mammoth gathering of supporters in the constituency.
He opined that the voters were misled to vote for the NDC based on vile propaganda and urged the electorates to learn a lesson or two from the past mistakes and vote for the NPP in order to bring development to the area.
Mr Samari urged members of the party to eschew division and pull together as members of one family in order to unseat the NDC. “Party unity is key. In the past, we allowed our ranks to be divided and this cost us victory. The time has now come for us to forgive one another and rally behind the party to regain power,” he said.
He recounted a number of successes chalked up by the NPP in Garu-Tempane during his tenure as regional minister such as the carving of the Garu-Tempane District out of the Bawku Municipal Assembly, initial development of the Tempane Senior High School, the proposed Modern Market Complex for the district, extension of electricity, construction of roads and rehabilitation of the major steel bridge over the Tamale river, among many other projects.
Comparing the performance of the two parties, Mr Samari noted that the NPP did far more than the NDC was doing to improve the lives of the people and said it was about time the people voted out the NDC and gave the mandate to the NPP.
The Constituency Chairman, Mr Joseph Akudibilah, for his part, maintained that the NPP’s achievement in the district was unparalleled. “Even though we cherished a property owning democracy, we legislated the best pro-poor policies for the country since independence,” he said.
Mr Akudibilah, a former deputy minister for defence, said apart from building school infrastructure the district also benefited from subsidy on fertilisers for farmers, National Health Insurance Scheme, school feeding programme, among many others.
He said in contrast, the NDC government, instead of continuing from where the NPP left off, are failing and their regime had been characterised by “a myriad of excuses, vindictiveness, property grabbing, failed economic policies and lip services at bridging the development gap between the north and the south.”
He challenged the current MP for the area, Mr Dominic Azumah, to point out clearly what he had done for the area, having served in Parliament for four terms.
The Constituency Election Coordinator for the NPP, Mr Emmanuel Asore Avoka, highlighted the major achievements of Mr Samari when he was regional minster in the NPP era between 2005 and 2008. He said during that period, 54 classroom blocks, 20 KVIP’s, six clinics, eight market structures and 15 teachers’ quarters were constructed.
He added that exercise books, furniture and text books were distributed, electricity was extended to six communities, feeder roads were constructed, bridges were reconstructed while twenty boreholes and streetlights were provided to various communities.
In addition, he said a number persons where supported to pursue further education in the fields of nursing and teaching.
In the view of Mr Avoka, all these were verifiable records chalked up by the NPP. He, therefore, challenged the NDC and its functionaries in the district to tell the people what real achievements they had chalked up since coming to office.
While calling on the DCE to re-fix the faulty streetlights in the district to bring back smiles on the faces of the people of the area, Mr Avoka also called on the President to launch investigations into the circumstances under which the current DCE put up a private house close to his official residence within a year or two after his appointment.
The Regional Secretary of the NPP, Mr Joseph Kpemka Dindoick, who is also a former DCE for Garu-Tempane, accused the NDC for borrowing excessively without corresponding developments on the ground to account for the loans secured and urged the Ghanaians to vote out the NDC.
The Regional Organiser of the NPP, Mr Yaw Mort, reiterated the need for all members to eschew disunity and work together to bring the party back into power.
Friday, 30 September 2011
Thursday, 15 September 2011
NDC Will Win - Mark Woyongo15th September 2011 07:39:54 by Benjamin Xornam Glover()
Upper East Regional Minister, Mr. Mark Owen Woyongo has stated that he hopes to ride on the back of the numerous developments projects initiated by the current National Democratic Congress, (NDC) in the Navrongo Central Constituency to wrestle the seat from the opposition NPP come Election 2012.
Speaking to journalists at Navrongo after picking his parliamentary candidacy nomination form and addressing delegates, Mr. Woyongo said since assuming the reins of power, the NDC have done a lot at improving the lot of the people in the area and it was only proper that the people reciprocate the gesture by endorsing his candidature for the parliamentary slot.
He cited the construction of an auditorium, classrooms and dormitory infrastructure for senior high schools across the region including schools in the constituency such as Notre Dame Senior High School, Navrongo Senior High School, improvement of roads network to link deprived communities, connecting many communities under the Rural Electrification Project and construction of more boreholes to provide potable water for the people as some of the development extended to the people.
Mr Woyongo who is making a second shot at the seat after missing out in the last elections said, “I am convinced that with the numerous development projects that we have brought to this region in general and Navrongo in particular, we can work together and come 2012, the NDC will be declared winners in the polls”.
He said unlike 2004 when the NDC secured about 6,000 votes, 2008 saw a massive rise to 13,000 votes. He commended the supporters of the party for working tirelessly to help the NDC improved on its fortunes and called on party members to campaign vigorously to ensure a sound victory for the party in the coming elections in order to unseat the incumbent MP, Mr. Joseph Kofi Adda of the NPP.
Speaking to journalists at Navrongo after picking his parliamentary candidacy nomination form and addressing delegates, Mr. Woyongo said since assuming the reins of power, the NDC have done a lot at improving the lot of the people in the area and it was only proper that the people reciprocate the gesture by endorsing his candidature for the parliamentary slot.
He cited the construction of an auditorium, classrooms and dormitory infrastructure for senior high schools across the region including schools in the constituency such as Notre Dame Senior High School, Navrongo Senior High School, improvement of roads network to link deprived communities, connecting many communities under the Rural Electrification Project and construction of more boreholes to provide potable water for the people as some of the development extended to the people.
Mr Woyongo who is making a second shot at the seat after missing out in the last elections said, “I am convinced that with the numerous development projects that we have brought to this region in general and Navrongo in particular, we can work together and come 2012, the NDC will be declared winners in the polls”.
He said unlike 2004 when the NDC secured about 6,000 votes, 2008 saw a massive rise to 13,000 votes. He commended the supporters of the party for working tirelessly to help the NDC improved on its fortunes and called on party members to campaign vigorously to ensure a sound victory for the party in the coming elections in order to unseat the incumbent MP, Mr. Joseph Kofi Adda of the NPP.
Thursday, 8 September 2011
PNC Members Endorse Apasera(8th September 2011 06:04:20 by Benjamin Xornam Glover)
Some members of the People's National Convention (P.N.C) in the Bolgatanga Central Constituency in the Upper East Region have initiated moves to have Mr David Apasera re-elected as the Member of Parliament for the constituency.
Interacting with journalists, members of the PNC in the Kolaa Zone in the Bolgatanga Central Constituency recounted some achievements of the two-term former MP such as sponsoring needy, brilliant students to acquire higher education, the provision of market sheds and paying the premium of the National Health Insurance Scheme for the vulnerable, among others, and stressed the need to re-elect Mr Apasera to revive the fortunes of the party.
Mr Apasera was first elected MP in 2000 and was retained in the 2004 but lost the seat in 2008 elections to the NDC candidate, Mr Emmanuel Akolbire Opam-Brown.
The PNC is yet to open nominations for those interested in representing the party in parliament. But even before the opening of nominations, spokesperson for the group lobbying for Mr David Apasera, Mr Joseph Akangerige, believes re-electing the two-time MP bodes well for the development of the constituency.
Mr Akangerige, who is also the Kolaa Zonal Chairman said, “it will surprise you to note that people from the length and breadth of this constituency have come to realise the good works of Mr Apasera.
“There is therefore the need for every delegate to give him the nod to contest the Parliamentary election in 2012”.
“Delegates will agree with me that the weight of the PNC in the constituency for now lies on this gentleman. In order not to allow the PNC to be dormant in the Bolgatanga Constituency, we wish to urge each and every one of you to remain faithful, honest and committed to Mr Apasera whose performance in his first four year term had been judged by many today to outweigh his successor”, he said.
Interacting with journalists, members of the PNC in the Kolaa Zone in the Bolgatanga Central Constituency recounted some achievements of the two-term former MP such as sponsoring needy, brilliant students to acquire higher education, the provision of market sheds and paying the premium of the National Health Insurance Scheme for the vulnerable, among others, and stressed the need to re-elect Mr Apasera to revive the fortunes of the party.
Mr Apasera was first elected MP in 2000 and was retained in the 2004 but lost the seat in 2008 elections to the NDC candidate, Mr Emmanuel Akolbire Opam-Brown.
The PNC is yet to open nominations for those interested in representing the party in parliament. But even before the opening of nominations, spokesperson for the group lobbying for Mr David Apasera, Mr Joseph Akangerige, believes re-electing the two-time MP bodes well for the development of the constituency.
Mr Akangerige, who is also the Kolaa Zonal Chairman said, “it will surprise you to note that people from the length and breadth of this constituency have come to realise the good works of Mr Apasera.
“There is therefore the need for every delegate to give him the nod to contest the Parliamentary election in 2012”.
“Delegates will agree with me that the weight of the PNC in the constituency for now lies on this gentleman. In order not to allow the PNC to be dormant in the Bolgatanga Constituency, we wish to urge each and every one of you to remain faithful, honest and committed to Mr Apasera whose performance in his first four year term had been judged by many today to outweigh his successor”, he said.
Thursday, 1 September 2011
Crack The Whip On Defaulters - PAC(1st September 2011 05:55:56 by Benjamin Xornam Glover)
The Public Accounts Committee of Parliament hearing audited reports on metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies in the Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions have urged audit report implementation committees in the various districts to sanction all public officers who continue to misapply funds.
According to the committee, failure to do so will mean harming the public purse and bleeding the coffers of the state. The Chairman of the committee, Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah, expressed worries about the trend of misconduct on the part of officers of the assemblies and their failure to apply the rules to the letter.
“When government gives you money, it also gives you guidelines on how to spend it, it is therefore very important to be abreast of the rules and regulations to avoid such corrupt practices,” he said.
“As members of the audit implementation committee, when you fail to apply sanctions, you become liable to sanctions,” he warned.
Most of the report heard by the committee bordered on failures to recoup monies disbursed under the Poverty Alleviation Fund and lack of commitment by those currently in office to trace the addresses of those who benefited from such programmes to recover those monies.
“What is more worrying is that last year in Tamale during our hearings, the same observations were made and officers were tasked to work on it but here we are with the same story been repeated. It appears, assemblies are not taking audit reports seriously,” he added.
During the hearing, representatives of the Yendi Municipal Assembly for instance told the committee that persons who benefited from loans disbursed under the Poverty Alleviation Fund mistook it for gifts and therefore failed to repay the money owed the state.
They told the committee that although they had records of those who benefited; the assembly was finding it difficult to trace the addresses of those on the list, a response that did not go down well with members of the committee.
The committee members lashed the Yendi Municipal Assembly for failing to show enough commitment to protect government funds. They directed the assemblies to make use of the state agencies such as the Police and the CID to identify those who have defaulted and prosecute them.
In the case of Sisala East District, out of GH¢31,050 unrecovered loans only GH¢2, 700 had been paid and the chairman of the committee asked the district chief executive, Madam Alijata Sulemana, to extend her recent heroic act of solely arresting a vehicle carrying 700 bags of subsidised government fertiliser beingsmuggled into the Republic of Burkina Faso by a notorious smuggler in the district to recover unpaid loans from beneficiaries.
http://www.graphic.com.gh/news/page.php?news=15251
According to the committee, failure to do so will mean harming the public purse and bleeding the coffers of the state. The Chairman of the committee, Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah, expressed worries about the trend of misconduct on the part of officers of the assemblies and their failure to apply the rules to the letter.
“When government gives you money, it also gives you guidelines on how to spend it, it is therefore very important to be abreast of the rules and regulations to avoid such corrupt practices,” he said.
“As members of the audit implementation committee, when you fail to apply sanctions, you become liable to sanctions,” he warned.
Most of the report heard by the committee bordered on failures to recoup monies disbursed under the Poverty Alleviation Fund and lack of commitment by those currently in office to trace the addresses of those who benefited from such programmes to recover those monies.
“What is more worrying is that last year in Tamale during our hearings, the same observations were made and officers were tasked to work on it but here we are with the same story been repeated. It appears, assemblies are not taking audit reports seriously,” he added.
During the hearing, representatives of the Yendi Municipal Assembly for instance told the committee that persons who benefited from loans disbursed under the Poverty Alleviation Fund mistook it for gifts and therefore failed to repay the money owed the state.
They told the committee that although they had records of those who benefited; the assembly was finding it difficult to trace the addresses of those on the list, a response that did not go down well with members of the committee.
The committee members lashed the Yendi Municipal Assembly for failing to show enough commitment to protect government funds. They directed the assemblies to make use of the state agencies such as the Police and the CID to identify those who have defaulted and prosecute them.
In the case of Sisala East District, out of GH¢31,050 unrecovered loans only GH¢2, 700 had been paid and the chairman of the committee asked the district chief executive, Madam Alijata Sulemana, to extend her recent heroic act of solely arresting a vehicle carrying 700 bags of subsidised government fertiliser beingsmuggled into the Republic of Burkina Faso by a notorious smuggler in the district to recover unpaid loans from beneficiaries.
http://www.graphic.com.gh/news/page.php?news=15251
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