Author: newsfilegh

Dr Steve Manteaw, Chairman of the Civil Society Platform on Oil and Gas, has said the intervention of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in the Agyapa Royalties agreement following the concerns raised by Civil society groups, was too late. He said the president’s delay in addressing the concerns was disappointing. Ghana’s legislature approved the controversial agreement on Friday, August 14 despite a protest from the Minority. A group of CSOs led by Dr Manteaw noted that the government of Ghana and Parliament rushed in approving the agreement. Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, August 25, Dr Manteaw said: “What…

The Finance Minister Mr Ken Ofori-Atta has stated that the government was transparent with the Agyapa Royalties Agreement. His comment comes after the Special Prosecutor, Mr Martin  Amidu had said in his report on the deal that Databank which belongs to Mr Ofori-Atta  was smuggled into the deal by Imara of South Africa as a “decoy”. In the final report on the analysis of the risk of corruption and anti-corruption risk assessment of the process leading up to the request for approval on the Agyapa Mineral Royalties deal, Amidu concluded that “the whole of the fees for the bid purportedly…

European Union ambassadors in Ghana to observe the December 7 elections have condemned the act of elections-related violence especially in the Odododiodio Constituency between supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC). Head of the EU delegation Diana Acconica told journalists on Monday, November 2 in an interview after a courtesy call on former president John Dramani Mahama, who is a presidential candidate, that they “condemn” the action. Three persons have, so far, been arrested by the police over the incident. President Nana Adoo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as part his campaign tour to the Constituency has…

Ghanaian rapper and entrepreneur, Michael Owusu Addo, known professionally as Sarkodie and dancehall artist, Samini have endorsed President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for a second term in office in this year’s elections. In his new song titled ‘Happy Days’, in which he featured Kuami Eugene, Sarkodie indicated that Mr Akufo-Addo has implemented a number of good policies that are benefitting all Ghanaians. These polices, he said, include the free Senior High school as well as the uninterrupted power supply to homes and industry. During the previous NDC administration, Sarkodie stated, Ghanaians did not enjoy these policies that are being witnessed…

Chairman of the Civil Society Platform on Oil and Gas, Dr Steve Manteaw has extolled the Special Prosecutor for the investigations that he conducted into the Agyapa Royalties agreement. Dr Manteaw said the findings of the Special Prosecutor vindicate the position taken by the CSOs to the effect that the deal was not in the interest of Ghana therefore, should be reworked on. The CSO rejected the deal when it was first introduced on the floor of parliament. Ghana’s legislature approved the controversial agreement on  Friday, August 14 despite a protest from the Minority. A group of CSOs led by…

Former President John Dramani Mahama is the one described as ‘Government Official 1’ in the Airbus Bribery Scandal, Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu has said in a report. Mr Amidu revealed this in his observations in the corruption risk assessment report on the Agyapa Royalties deal  that he submitted to the Office of the President on October 16, 2020. Mr Martin Amidu said “the only reason the former President [Mahama] has not been invited for interrogation (in spite of all threats from some of his followers and lawyers) is the fact that he got himself an insurance as the Presidential candidate…

Executive Director of the Media Foundation For West Africa (MFWA), Mr Sulemana Braimah, has asked the state to ensure that persons who attack journalists in the line of their duty are punished in accordance with the laws of the land. He noted that Ghana has witnessed too many cases where journalists have been attacked and these cases gone unattended to by the security agencies. He cited the assassination of investigative journalist Ahmed Hussein-Suale and other journalists as examples of the cases that have gone unattended to by the state even though some efforts were made to apprehend the perpetrators of…

Member of Parliament for  Adaklu constituency Kwame Governs Agbodza has stated that the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) is not a serious group. His comment comes after the research organization has stated in its latest report that many Ghanaians have given the president a thumbs up for the way and manner he handled the COVID-19 crisis. The CDD report said “Assessments of the performance of the Akufo-Addo/NPP government are broadly positive. They get particularly high grades for their handling of the COVID crisis, electricity, and education. “The public is less impressed with the administration’s handling of inflation, bridging inequality,…

Former President John Dramani Mahama has criticized the Electoral Commission (EC) for receiving nomination forms of presidential and parliamentary candidates with a provisional voters register ahead of the December 7 elections. Mr Mahama said it has never happened before in the history of the Fourth Republic that presidential and parliamentary candidates filed their nominations forms using an uncertified electoral roll. This he said indicates that the Jean Mensa-led EC has done a poor job ahead of the elections. Speaking in a meeting with European Union (EU) Ambassadors on Monday, November 2, the Presidential Candidate of the NDC said: “This election…

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has asked the Finance Minister Mr Ken Ofori-Atta to return the Agyapa Royalties agreement to Parliament. This comes after the Special Prosecutor Martin Amidu said he has concluded his investigations into the deal regarding the alleged corruption-related issues that were raised against it by civil society groups, the Minority in parliament as well as the National Democratic Congress (NDC). The CSOs led by Dr Steve Manteaw claimed that the deal was rushed and is also not in the interest of Ghana. Similarly, the Presidential candidate of the NDC Mr John Dramani Mahama said he will…