Mahama breached antiterrorism law – Mustapha Hamid

Mustapha Hamid, a lecturer at the Department of Religion and Human Values of the University of Cape Coast has accused President John Mahama of violating the nation’s laws on anti-terrorism, for hosting two former Guantanamo Bay detainees. - 
Mr Hamid argued that the President should have asked Parliament to review the anti-terrorism Act 762 before accepting the two. “…The Antiterrorism Act 762 section 35 states that the Director of Immigration or an officer authorized by the director shall not grant an endorsement or authority to permit a person to enter this country if there is reasonable ground to suspect that the person is, will or has been involved in the commission of a terrorist act. The sovereign laws of Ghana states that people like this cannot come into our country. So if the president was going to bring people like that what he should have done was to seek a repeal or a review of this law to make it possible,” he added. Two former Guantanamo Bay inmates; Mahmud Umar Muhammad Bin Atef and Khalid Muhammad Salih Al-Dhuby are currently in Ghana as free men at the behest of the US government who had assured that the two pose no security threat to the nation. Meanwhile the decision has generated massive public outcry despite the assurances. President John Mahama while interacting with the media called for compassion for the former detainees. -
But speaking on the Point Blank segment on Eyewitness News, Mustapha Hamid who wants the detainees repatriated said the action by the President will send Ghana back to authoritarian rule. “I am calling on all Ghanaians that it is important that we stand up and protect the laws of our country. Once we have opted for democracy…we ought to stick to the rudiments of rule of law otherwise future presidents are going to use compassion as ground to violate Ghana’s laws with impunity and that will send us back to authoritarian rule. Now, today, he violates the antiterrorism Act and goes scot free, tomorrow which other law do we know he is going to violate because of compassion?”  Mohammed Hamid questioned. – By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana - See more at: http://citifmonline.com

PHOTOS : THIS IS HOW DENIECE WILLIAMS LOOKS NOW AFTER TB JOSHUA’S DELIEVERANCE

The sparkly singer Deniece Williams is a former member of RnM – a three-member female group which won the maiden edition of the Vodafone Icons reality show in Ghana.

She disappeared off the scene sometime early 2013 after she had a staggering spiritual encounter with popular Nigerian evangelist, Prophet TB Joshua at the Synagogue Church of All Nations where she was delivered and set free.

Two years ago, she made a comeback to the music scene with her first single titled Fashion Killa which was produced by Magnom after which she took another break.

Fashion Killa is about Deniece seeing herself as the boss when it comes to fashion. It  has a hiphop flavour and she is heard singing, rapping and telling people that when it comes to fashion, she is the queen.

She is back again, this time bigger and better and to stay plus with a Change of name.

Take a look at her

       

By: livefmghana.com/Ghana/91.9FM

Compensation for daring taxi driver “overkill” – Fritz Baffour

The bold taxi driver receiving his new car from Koala

An NDC lawmaker Fritz Baffour has raised concerns over the compensation for a taxi driver who hit two armed robbers with his vehicle.

The bandits shot and wounded a sales girl of Koala Supermarket at Cantonments in Accra, but their operation was foiled by the driver who chanced on the scene.

The two gun-wielding robbers could not appear in court on Wednesday because they are still nursing their wounds sustained during the operation. Three other suspects will reappear in court on January 27 and have been remanded in Police custody.

The Management of Koala has redeemed its promise of buying him a new car while he is also expected to receive a house from President John Mahama.

The MP for Ablekuma South has a reservation about the compensation, although he feels the driver deserves some kind of recognition.

“I join in congratulating the daring driver but believe there is an element of overkill with regards to his compensation,” the former Information Minister said in a Facebook post.

Below is his full post on the subject:

“The second event which also caught the headlines, was the "case of the heroic taxi driver". The media is all agog with the taxi driver who foiled an armed robbery by using his vehicle as a battering ram to push the miscreants off their motorbike as they tried to escape the crime scene. Plaudits to the taxi driver came from far and near, former President Rawlings, Vice President Amissah Arthur and Koala, the company whose employee was attacked all got in on the act in lauding the newly minted hero. I read in the papers that he has been rewarded with a new car from the aforementioned company. Our President has also promised him a house. Great largesse eh! Some amateur comedians in our midst are warning of a possible avalanche of crime fighting by taxi drivers in the hope of reaping such rewards. I join in congratulating the daring driver but believe there is an element of overkill with regards to his compensation.”

Source: Ghana/starrfmonline.com/103.5FM

“Bird brains” did not understand my question to the president – Nana Aba

TV Personality Nana Aba Anamoah has taken a swipe at persons attacking her for asking President Mahama ‘what keeps him awake’.

play

Nana Aba Anamoah in Starr FM studios

The former TV3 presenter, who sought to find out what the president would describe as the biggest headache as president and how he manages to ease pressure, has come under numerous criticisms from a section of the public who claim she asked a "stupid" question.

“What do you do to keep the pressure from yourself to concentrate on what is important to you and what is important keeps you awake at night,” she asked.

Reacting to the people who have taken a dislike to her question, the devout Manchester United fan said their “bird brains” would not allow them get the import of her question.

Nayele Pops Up Again...Threatens To Release Video That Will Cripple Prez Mahama's Gov't

Related Stories   In spite of its commendable performance over the last three years, President John Dramani Mahama and his NDC administration in the coming days will face its severest scandal test should incarcerated cocaine goddess, Nayele Ametefe, carry through an intended threat. A source close to Nayele Ametefe, also known as Angel Adu Gyamfi, who is currently serving eight year jail term in the United Kingdom for carrying 12 kilos of cocaine into the Kingdom, sayS she is threatening to release an explosive X-rated video that is likely to bring the Mahama government on its knees. Even though the Mahama administration has survived plethora of scandals since its inception, the impending embarrassment, our source says, will dwarf and possibly, obliterate all the achievements chalked by the National Democratic Congress government in the last seven years. The cocaine goddess, The aL-hAJJ is reliably informed, is threatening to let out damning sex tapes involving a prominent Chief Executive of a sensitive and major state enterprise and an influential member of the governing party who, despite assurances of securing her freedom after her arrest, has since abandoned her. The said CEO, described as haughty and snobbish and who in recent times suffered bad press, the source revealed, had turned the stunning Nayele into a “night nurse” to the extent that, even the night before her arrest, they had several bouts of sex. Another dependable source close to the jailed Ghanaian/Australian drug dealer told The aL-hAJJ that Nayele has been incensed for being used and dumped by the said CEO who our investigations revealed recently traveled to the UK to plead with her after information hit him that the jailed cocaine baroness was threatening to release the videos. “Nayale is mad at him (the CEO). She feels used and dumped. After turning her into sex machine with the assurance that he will protect her, he abandoned her after her arrest. The most painful aspect is that he slept with her the night before Nayale was arrested,” the source revealed. The source added that “Nayele has several sex videos with him and she has threatened to make them public to avenge what that man did to her. Nayele will not go down alone; that, I can tell you for a fact.” The married under pressure CEO, who is a very powerful official in the Mahama-led NDC government and was also rumored to be eyeing the running mate slot for the November elections, this paper has gathered, has been in long standing amorous relationship with Nayele until her arrest on the night of November 2014 at the Heathrow airport in UK. Reports are that most of the “special” treatments Nayele was accorded during her numerous foreign travels was facilitated by this CEO ‘boyfriend’ who had turned her into a sex slave with a promise she would be adequately protected to avoid arrest for her illicit trade. The Ghanaian/Austrian cocaine dealer was on January 6, 2015 sentenced to eight years and eight months on her own plea by the Isleworth Crown Court in London after she pleaded guilty to carrying 12 kilos of cocaine to the United Kingdom. Briefing the court, lawyer for the single mother of three noted that, Nayele came into contact with powerful people in 2004 and her life changed dramatically. She travelled extensively with influential people as their companion, he stated.

Source: Al-Hajj

45 NDC MPs To Sabotage Prez Mahama

Related Stories   Even though the National Democratic Congress has set up a conflict resolution committee to iron-out differences arising out of last year’s nationwide parliamentary primaries ahead of the November 7 general elections, information reaching The aL-hAJJ indicate that some incumbent Members of Parliament of the governing party are indifferent to a John Dramani Mahama second term bid. These Members of Parliament, The aL-hAJJ has gathered, include peeved MPs who claim the presidency sponsored candidates to unseat them in the November 21 parliamentary primaries of the NDC and other senior legislators some of who though, declined to seek reelection and thus did not participate in the primaries but nevertheless, say they have been marginalized by the presidency. Sources close to the majority bench in parliament told The aL-hAJJ that the livid NDC MPs plan to ditch President John Mahama over the remaining few months in the House by “purposefully absenting themselves from sittings anytime the President or government needs approval from parliament for some of its major policies, especially loans and international agreements.” “There is no doubt that NDC controls the House by virtue of our numbers but we don’t have absolute numbers over the NPP so if concrete steps are not taken to calm down these colleagues of ours, I can tell you that government business will suffer when we resume and that will affect the President and the party’s chances in the election,” a leading member on the majority side disclosed to this paper in a chat on condition of anonymity. He added that “when you chat with some of them, they believe their defeat was prearranged at the presidency for which reason they must also revenge by sabotaging the President…there are others, even though they did not seek reelection, but they also say the presidency has marginalized them for far too long. In as much as I believe that is not the best way they should approach the issue, I think there is an urgent need for us to quickly quell some of these things,” the worried legislator added In what appeared to be a dress rehearsal for the main action this year, almost half of NDC MPs, particularly those who lost during the primaries, did not show up in the House in the last days of sittings late last year when parliament was voting on a crucial motion by government to issue another one billion dollar Eurobond. This gave the minority NPP numerical advantage to reject the Mahama government’s request to issue another Eurobond when the motion was put to vote, a development which dragged the last sitting into the night. What is also said to be threatening the President’s chances in this year’s election despite his government’s impressive achievements is that the worried outgoing MPs are reported to have decided to adopt a “do it let’s see” attitude when official campaigning kicks off in order to frustrate the chances of the President and NDC retaining power. Reports are that there are serious rifts among NDC supporters in constituencies where sitting MPs were defeated in the primaries and also in constituencies where favorites of the outgoing MPs could not win their primaries. This is said to be threatening the NDC’s chances of retaining some of the seats it won in the 2016 election marginally.

Source: The Al-Hajj

Give me the chance to change Ghana – Akufo Addo tells Ghanaians -

The Flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is appealing to the people of Ghana to believe in him by giving him the mandate on November 7 to govern Ghana.

Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo made the appeal when he donated some bags of cement to victims of an explosion at Paebo, in the Eastern Region, Wednesday.

“I am pleading with you; help me this time, this is my third time. Not only the people here but Ghanaians in general-believe in me and give me a chance to change this nation,” he appealed.

More than 2,000 residents have been rendered homeless following a blast which occurred at a former quarry site in the Eastern Region on 24th December, 2015. Three people have been reported dead following the incident.

The acting IGP, John Kudalor, the Deputy Interior Minister James Agalga, accompanied by the Eastern Regional Minister,  Antwi Boasiako Sekyere were in the area to sympathize with the victims.

NADMO has donated items worth, GH Ȼ 120,000.00 to the victims after the Member of Parliament for Nsawam Adoagyiri, Frank Annor Dompreh petitioned the President to come to the aid of displaced victims.

According to Nana Akufo-Addo, he wasn’t around when the incident happened.

“I was told about it and so I decided to come and see for myself what happened here and to sympathize with you and to help with the rebuilding of facilities in the community,” he told the residents.

He donated about 250 bags of cement, 400 alluminium roofing sheets to help them rebuild their houses.

The Flagbearer also assured residents that he will restore Ghana’s crushing economy and establish a ‘Zongo Development Fund’.

“If God helps me to become President of Ghana, I will establish the Zongo Development Fund as I stated in my 2012 campaign so that in case of incidents like this, victims can benefit,” he stated.

Nana Addo further appealed to the residents to retain the current MP, Frank Annor Dompreh to continue the good works he has started in the constituency.

- See more at: http://myjoyonline.com/politics/2016/January-13th/give-me-the-chance-to-change-ghana-akufo-addo-tells-ghanaians.php#sthash.t1DuIKt3.JVt53zLc.dpuf

Cantonments robbery: Mahama rewards brave driver with a house

HEADLINES

The vice President announcing the package to the hero driver

President John Mahama is rewarding the brave taxi driver who foiled the robbery attack on a Koala sales girl Saturday with a house.

The package was disclosed to the hero driver by the vice President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur Monday when he was given a treat at the flagstaff House.

Already, the management of Koala supermarket has promised to buy him a new car as his commercial vehicle was heavily damaged when he rammed into the motorbike of the suspects Abaliku Sannie, 35, and Oko Quaicoo, 30. A supervisor of the shop Gilbert Osabutey is also behind bars for allegedly conniving with the duo to rob the shop.

The announcement comes on the back of a call by former President John Rawlings for the nation to honour the taxi driver and others.

The robbers shot the sales girl on her way to deposit the previous day’s sales at the bank. While bolting, the driver rammed into the motorbike of the thieves, forcing them into a nearby drain.

An armed soldier who chanced on the scene intervened to effect the arrest of the duo, who were still shooting in their injured state.



Source:Ghana/StarrFMonline.com/103.5FM

Nana Addo is my friend, Mahama isn't – EC Boss

HEADLINES

The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission has revealed that the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is a close friend.

Speaking on Morning Starr Monday, Charlotte Osei told host Nii Arday Clegg that she has no friendship with President Mahama but has known Nana Addo for many years.

“Is John Mahama my friend? No, I have met him in the course of work, have I met Nana Addo, Yes, he actually is my friend...but I do know both of them.

“With Nana, being a young lawyer, I have known him for many years,” Mrs. Osei said.

Mrs. Osei who was the former head of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) was appointed by President Mahama as EC boss in June last year to replace Afari Gyan who retired after 22 years as EC head.

The opposition NPP and pressure group ‘Let My Vote Count Alliance’ have accused the EC boss of bias after several calls for a new voters’ register were rejected by the EC.

Both the NPP and the LMVCA have vowed to challenge the decision of the EC in court.


Source: Ghana/Starrfmonline.com/103.5FM

I used to criticise Mills – EC boss

HEADLINES

I used to criticise Mills – EC boss

Posted Jan 11, 2016 at 9:53am

Madam Charlotte Osei and Nii Arday Clegg in the studio

Charlotte Osei, first woman chairperson of Ghana’s electoral commission has revealed that she used to criticise the late President John Mills when he was alive.

According to her, most of her attacks on the late professor bothered on areas of corporate governance.

“He (Mills) was my lecturer at school and so there are times I would draw his attention to something and tell him; sir, this is bad corporate governance. I used to do it to him all the time,” Mrs Osei told Nii Arday Clegg on the Morning Starr Monday.

The EC boss who was first appointed head of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) by the late President said she first declined the offer when it was made to her.

“With the NCCE job, I think he decided that since I criticize him a lot on governance I should go and do it. .

“… My first response when the emissary came to me that the president was considering me for the job; was no! thank you, but later I thought about it said that was rude and not a good response for the president and the emissary agreed, so I informed my family about it and most of them agreed that I take up the job,” she added.

Mrs Osei was the head of the NCCE until her appointment to the EC by President John Mahama in June 2015.



Source:Ghana/StarrFMonline.com/103.5FM

EC boss under heavy security

There was bizarre spectacle at the premises of Joy FM in Accra on Saturday when the chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Charlotte Osei, stormed the station for an interview.

In what looked like a crime scene or a war zone, heavily armed policemen and others in plain clothes together with several police vehicles, were seen cordoning off the Faanofa Street linking Kokomlemle and the Accra-Nsawan highway at Avenor Junction at the time the EC boss was granting the interview.

In fact, the situation compounded the problem of motorists plying the area while staff of Multimedia, owners of Joy FM, had a tough time entering their own offices at that moment.

Mr Charlotte Osei talked about wide-ranging issues particularly the thorny issue of whether or not there should be a new biometric voter register before this year’s general election and her appointment at Ghana Reinsurance Company, which is sparking another heated political debate in the country.

The heavy police protection made it look like somebody was after Mrs. Charlotte Osei’s life. Interestingly though, her immediate predecessor, Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, moved around town freely, even during election periods and sometimes drove himself.

Throughout the interview Ms Osei appeared to spite the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) for the party’s stance on the voter register and other election-related matters and said cynically at one point that if the commission dared listen to the suggestions of the NPP, Ghana might end up with an ‘elitist’ register.

She said that the decision to audit the electoral roll, instead of acceding in to the demands of the NPP and other parties and groups for a new register, was still in force.

The EC rejected the NPP’s request for an entirely new register and said it would rather do an audit of the document as recommended by a five-member panel that looked into the issue.

Interestingly, while the EC has declined the NPP’s request, it has opted for the approach which the ruling party – National Democratic Congress (NDC) – is comfortable with (to audit the register) because the commission claimed the Togolese EC even declined to allow it access to its register to verify the NPP’s claim that the Ghanaian electoral roll is fraught with names of Togolese.

It is turning out that the EC did not push its Togolese counterpart hard enough to get the register to enable it (EC) authenticate or otherwise the claim by the NPP that 76,000 Togolese are in Ghana’s register – although an opposition spokesperson in the neighbouring country has claimed that the NPP’s exhibit appeared credible.

According to Mrs. Charlotte Osei, the NPP’s mode of compiling a new voter register requirs that Ghanaians show proof of citizenship, using either a passport, a driver’s licence or a national ID card since the NHIS identity had been found to be illegal by the Supreme Court.

“How many Ghanaians do you think have these? Five million, six million?…I doubt if you can get even 10 million,” she insisted saying, “for those who do not have a passport, driver’s licence or a national ID card, how are they going to be identified as Ghanaians?”

She said that if a new register were to be compiled the NHIS cards would not be one of the requirements as pronounced by the Supreme Court and old voter ID cards would also not be accepted as proof of citizenship.

She said there are some limitations in the NPP’s approach because the EC could also not use the accepted practice of two Ghanaians testifying to the citizenship of a person who does not have any of the three acceptable requirements.

“We are going to end up with a register that is very elitist and excludes the large majority of citizens. That is not our idea of inclusive democracy and that is not where we think we should be going,” she insisted.

The Electoral Commission has maintained that the absence of a National Identification System is forcing Ghanaians to get a voter ID card because it is the easiest method of identification and added that in countries such as Kenya and South Africa, citizens have national ID cards and therefore do not need a voter ID card to determine citizenship.

She also said bizarrely that a new voter ID might worsen fears expressed by political parties that there are minors and foreigners on the electoral roll because everybody would rush to obtain one, even if they are not eligible to vote. “We are going to bring all the Togolese and minors in,” she noted.

On the raging issue about whether she is still a board member of Ghana Reinsurance Company, the EC boss said “I’m hoping that whoever made this allegation is going to file some petition, so we will respond when we get there.

“I did resign but I’m not sure that should be the focus; let’s stick to the Constitution,” she added.

Election 2016: ‘I don’t know who to vote for’

The principal character who will supervise Ghana’s 2016 elections has said she is still undecided who to vote for come November 7.

Mrs Charlotte Osei, who is the chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Ghana, said she voted in 2012 as the head of the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE).

“It’s my civic duty,” Mrs Osei told Nii Arday Clegg – the host of the Morning Starr on Starr 103.5 FM - on Monday.

However, the EC boss noted she is currently in a fix as to who to vote for in the presidential election, attributing it to “a mood thing.”

According to her, she is likely to vote, but that will be after assessing the manifestos of the various political parties.

“I don’t know yet. Yes, I did. My colleagues at the commission feels I don’t have to. It’s a mood thing. I don’t know who I will vote for. I haven’t seen the manifestos yet,” Mrs Osei remarked.

Ghana’s general elections in November will be the first major political contest that she is overseeing, having stepped into “the big shoes” of Dr. Kwadwo Afari Gyan, who retired in June 2015.

The poll is a straight fight between incumbent John Dramani Mahama, who is eyeing a second term and Nana Akufo-Addo of the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), who is also running for the third time.

I wish I hadn’t taken EC job – Charlotte Osei

The chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Ghana, Mrs. Charlotte Osei, has revealed sometimes she regrets accepting the job as the first woman chairperson of the election management body.

Speaking to Starr 103.5 FM’s Morning Starr host Nii Arday Clegg on Monday, Mrs. Osei said although she “can take the stone,” she gets worried about her family who are always bothered about the flak which comes with her office.

“Yes! It’s difficult on some days,” Mrs. Osei confessed.

However, the former boss of the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE) emphasised she hardly gives up because she believes it was God who placed her there.

“I think whatever or wherever God places you it’s a ministry and because of that even when the job is difficult you remember that it is a ministry,” she stressed; adding, “I get lots of messages of support and prayers from family members.”

According to her, the job is naturally difficult, but her gender compounds it, especially as someone coming from Africa.

“This is not a job that I think is easy anywhere in the world. But I think it is particularly difficult in Ghana and Africa when you are particularly a woman. I can take the stone but I’m worried for my children and on those days you get siblings calling and worrying you. I can take it but for those it is worrying.”

When Nii Arday pushed further whether she would want to throw in the towel, Mrs. Osei opined: “I don’t think that is a choice. It’s a ministry.”

Mrs. Osei is the first woman chairperson of the Electoral Commission and succeeded veteran Dr. Kwadwo Afari Gyan, who retired June 2015 after two decades of serving.

BE MY VALENTINE!

Valentine's Day is coming at the end of the week and the hype has been on since the beginning of

Feb. Everyone has their own opinion about Valentines Day. The shops have been displaying

what you should be buying for that special someone and even TV programs and adverts have

all been talking about Love.

I cant tell you not to buy into that whole Valentine“Love" theme. But I can share with you

how to make it more meaningful for that special person in your life. And if you are single  it's not the end of the world; you too can treat yourself to some delicious chocolates and show yourself some love(i used to do that, don't worry you'll find someone)

Valentine's Day is a day of showing and spreading love and I don't believe that it should

be limited to just boyfriends, girlfriends, spouses or‘friends with benefits' (you know what i mean right?). I think it's a day for everyone to enjoy and to be made to feel special.

A friend of mine recently told me what she and her former boyfriend did on their previous

Valentine's Day, and I found it so special that I just had to share it with you. I had asked her

what she thought of the day, and if she bought into the whole idea that you have to buy either

chocolates, perfumes, teddy bears, champagne, or flowers for that special person, and if that was

what made her happiest on that day.

But she said No.

To her, Valentine's Day should be more than just teddy bears and red roses, the gift should be

more thoughtful as that would make her appreciate it more. She began telling me how one

Valentine’s Day she decided to make her then-boyfriend a picture frame. She took the very first

picture that they had ever taken together and placed it in the frame.

“It felt more special because I had actually taken the time to make it and not just got one from the

shop. It felt more meaningful to both of us,” she had said.

And that is what I think Valentine should be about; the deeper meaning behind the gift.

Now I'm sure not everyone has the time to make picture frames or home-made cards. But the gifts

that you chose to buy in the store should have more meaning to the other person as it makes

them feel even more special.

And remember, be true to yourself.

***

Share your ideas with us, what are your plans for Valentine’s Day?