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NPP primary: Chiefs and supporters cram into auditorium to applaud Ejisu MP

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Chiefs and supporters flocked to the Church of Pentecost in Ejisu on Wednesday for an acclamation ceremony for John Ampontuah Kumah, the member of parliament for Ejisu. The auditorium was packed to capacity.

After winning the New Patriotic Party’s parliamentary primary without facing any opposition, the Ejisu MP was required by the party’s constitution to face an acclamation.

As the Deputy Finance Minister, Mr. Ampontuah Kumah is the first sitting member of the Ejisu Constituency to be elected without opposition.

During the party’s parliamentary primaries, he is one of the five NPP MPs from the Ashanti Region who have not faced opposition.

For many constituents, including NPP delegates, the Ejisu MP’s vision to empower the youth and also spearhead infrastructure development in the area is commendable.

Officials of the Electoral Commission, in the presence of some NPP regional executives, conducted the acclamation of the Ejisu MP, making him the official candidate for the party in the 2024 Parliamentary elections.

Speaking after the acclamation process, Mr. Kumah thanked constituents for their support and said his going unopposed is a testament to what he is doing for the people of Ejisu.

He pledged to continue to work hard to deliver the expectations of his constituents by pushing and lobbying for developments for communities in the Constituency and giving them good representation in Parliament.

The Ejisu MP said the objective of the NPP was to win the 2024 Presidential elections and the Ejisu Constituency will play a key role in ensuring that the party gets more votes to achieve the Breaking the 8 target.

“We are not just going to work in Ejisu, the entire Ashanti Region is going to be on our shoulders, and we are going to make sure to work hard to break the 8. We are going to do that through One on One, room-to-room campaign, Church-to-Church campaign, Mosque-to-mosque campaign, and it will be hard work from now until we meet the target,” he said.

The Ashanti Regional of the NPP, Kwame Adom Appiah, urged constituents to maintain unity in the area and also continue to support their MP.

The NPP is expected to hold Parliamentary primaries in constituencies with sitting MPs.

The race to succeed Kennedy Agyapong gets intense in Assin Central

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Interesting dynamics are emerging in the Assin Central Constituency where the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) is set to field a new face for the parliamentary elections for the first time in 24 years.

The presidential ambition of the six-time Member of Parliament (MP), Mr Kennedy Agyapong, has left a vacuum, which interested members of the party are scrambling to fill.

The NPP is seeking to extend its 24-year winning streak in the 2024 elections, but many believe that the absence of Mr Agyapong from the ballot paper could spell doom for the party.

However, the party has vetted and approved four aspirants for its January 27 parliamentary primary and each aspirant is convinced they have what it takes to replace the MP and protect the seat.

The aspirants are Mr Obed Kumi Awuah, Mr Eric Kwadwo Baidoo, Mr Godfred Nti Anewu and Mr Joseph Adjei-Banin, all businessmen.

The contest is a battle of promises and records as the aspirants jostle one another to win the hearts and minds of delegates ahead of Saturday.

Mr Kumi Awuah believes he comes into the race as the strongest and only candidate capable of consolidating the seat.

He indicated that there were four candidates in the race with human favour, but he was the only candidate before God.

“My biggest achievement is having campaigned in almost all electoral areas and polling stations of the constituency.

“So, with my experience, resources and everything coming to bare, I’m going to ensure that we more than consolidate the seat as has been done by Mr Kennedy Agyapong,” he said.

He acknowledged that everybody in the race was eligible to contest but none of his competitors came close to him.

Asked why he was now showing up to contest in the race, he said there was no point contesting the incumbent MP because he was a solid candidate and the constituents believed in his leadership.

Mr Kumi Awuah averred that it was incumbent on the next parliamentary candidate to sustain fortunes of the party.

“With our next move and my candidature, we are going to consolidate the seat for NPP.

“What we are seeking to do is to get to the point where the NDC will not even have the temerity to think about even fielding a candidate to contest because that will be a waste of money,” he said.

Mr Kwadwo Baidoo, who failed in his bid to contest the incumbent MP four years ago, indicated that his capacity to lead was not in doubt, tipping himself as the best man for the job.

He promised to improve education, sanitation and health if given the nod.

It was also his vision to build a factory in Assin Central, expand manufacturing and agriculture and create jobs for the teeming youth.

He pledged to scale up his ongoing entrepreneurship drive among the constituents of Assin Central.

“My vision goes beyond Assin Central because Assin Central is just a political boundary.

“We will be having collaborative meetings with Assin North and Assin South to strategise on what we can do for our people,” he said.

Mr Baidoo, flaunting his achievements, said he had implemented sickness and death insurance policies for delegates and their families and was working to expand it to the rest of the constituents at an affordable fee.

“I am not going to wait till I get to power before I help the people. They need help here and now and we can’t wait,” he added.

For Mr Nti Anewu, he comes along with integrity and good leadership to ensure he delivers on his promises and heed to the requests of his constituents.

“I am bringing God into politics. They say politics and God do not mix but I insist that it is God that instituted politics,” he stated.

He said aside from his policy to provide jobs for the people, his main preoccupation would be to work on the mindset of the youth to cultivate the habit of hardwork and fending for themselves.

He was of the view that without the right mindset, the people would fail in any endeavour irrespective of the resources at their disposal.

“When I started business, everything, from the shop to the goods, was on credit. But now here I am contesting to become MP.

“We will try and change the mindset of the youth, and through that, they will develop massively,” he assured.

Mr Adjei-Banin, without stating exactly what his vision and achievements were, indicated that he would involve the youth in all his activities.

“We are youth-centred, and we will make sure that everything that we have said we do and do more,” he indicated.

NPP Primaries: 1,840 delegates to vote in Dome Kwabenya

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A total of 1,840 delegates are expected to vote in the Dome Kwabenya Constituency on Saturday as the New Patriotic Party (NPP) holds Parliamentary Primaries nationwide.

Mr Osei Bonsu, Dome Kwabenya Constituency Chair, NPP, said all was set for the polls, following a meeting with the candidates, the Electoral Commission (EC), the police, and other stakeholders on Thursday afternoon.

“Preparations are about 99 percent complete. We have met the Electoral Commission, and the police in terms of security. We have given accreditation to all the delegates, and have told the candidates to advise their supporters to remain calm during the elections,” he told GNA.

The delegates, he said, comprised the council of elders, patrons, coordinators, and constituency executives.

Polls have been scheduled to open and close between 7am and 2pm on Saturday.

The NPP internal poll is a close contest between the incumbent, Ms Sarah Adwoa Sarfo, and Mr Mike Oquaye Jnr, who is making another attempt.

 Candidate Ms Sheela Sakyi Oppong Adoma, has also emerged as a third force.

“We will work with any of the three candidates who win the election on Saturday. We have advised everybody to comport themselves. After all, it is an internal election so we do not have to attack one another. The bigger agenda is to come together and break the eight,” he said.

Dome Kwabenya is the largest constituency in the country. In 2020, Ms Sarfo won the primaries with eight votes and went ahead to win the seat for her Party with some 75,000 votes in the national elections.

Mr Oquaye Jnr, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ghana Free Zones Authority, recently outlined a number of developmental plans, including, enhancing education, health and safety of the constituents.

Madam Sheela Sakyi Oppong Adoma also organised a health screening recently ahead of the polls, pledging to fix deplorable roads and provide jobs for the youth in the constituency when elected.

NPP Primaries: Weija-Gbawe delegates “clash” over choice of candidate

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The New Patriotic Party’s delegates in the Weija-Gbawe constituency are currently divided over the candidate to present them in the 2024 parliamentary election.

While some say it is not safe to introduce a new candidate barely seven months to the elections, others believe that a new candidate can easily win the parliamentary seat because the constituents have lost faith in the incumbent Member of Parliament.

This is likely to make January 27 primaries between Madam Tina Gifty Naa Ayele Mensa, the MP, and Mr Jerry Ahmed Shaib, the Chief Executive Officer of the Coastal Development Authority, a very hot one.

Mr Patrick Baidoo, a Polling Station Chairman, New Gbawe Electoral Area, is one of those who think the incumbent MP should be maintained.

According to him, the incumbent, since she took over the party, has increased the party’s votes in the general elections.

He said in 2020, while the votes for the presidential candidate reduced drastically, that of Madam Tina rather increased.

He said this was a testament to the fact that the incumbent MP was the preferred choice of the delegates and the party.

“The sitting MP is the best candidate for 2024. We have about seven months to the election day so if you bring a new candidate, how are you going to market the person? Even where the party is standing now is not the best so if you bring new candidate, you won’t even have the time to market the person,” he said.

Mr Baidoo said that the MP, aside securing more votes for the party in previous elections, had also undertaken a lot of developmental works in the constituency.

“When it comes to physical development like roads, schools, hospitals and human development such as employment and helping women with capital, she does all that. Every year, she buys educational materials like mathematical set, desk and even pays teacher motivation allowance.

“So, if the party wants a candidate that is marketable, I am sure they know that the sitting MP is our best bet,” he said.

 “When you are marketing a candidate, you need to show pragmatic traits; like this person has done this, what the person has done that. If you bring a new person, he has not done anything for the community. There is nothing that you can say he has done so what are you going to tell the people?”

He also noted that the MP would be able to lobby for more jobs for the constituent since she was an experienced legislator.

He advised his colleague delegates to consider the general elections and vote for a candidate who can win the parliamentary seat for the NPP in the December polls.

However, Papa Kwame, an Electoral Area Coordinator, thinks that Mr Ahmed Shaib is the best candidate to lead the constituency.

He said many of the NPP constituents were fed-up with the incumbent due to her poor performance with regards to development in the constituency.

He said the party was likely to lose the seat to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) if it did not present a new candidate.

 “A candidate who is very marketable and who can win the election is Jerry Ahmed Shaib. The grounds are not fertile for our MP. Most of the constituents in my area do not want to hear her name because they feel she has underperformed,” he said.

He, therefore, called on his colleagues who would vote in the primaries to vote massively for Mr Ahmed Shaib.

The Constituency

The Weija-Gbawe constituency is one of the three constituencies carved out the then Weija constituency ahead of the 2012 general elections. The other two constituencies are Anyaa-Sowutuom and Bortianor-Ngleshie.

After the demarcations, the NPP’s Rosemond Comfort Abrah emerged as the winner with 32,861 votes representing 53.59 per cent. The NDC’s Obuobia Darko-Opoku came second with 26,899 votes while Jessica Simpson of the PPP came third with 739 votes.

In 2016, Madam Tina Mensah who was the NPP’s parliamentary candidate, won the seat. She polled 34,216 votes representing 57.29 per cent while the NDC’s Obuobia polled 25, 087 votes representing 42.00 per cent.

The NPP’s candidate retained her seat in the 2020 elections by polling 46,857, representing 58.08 per cent while the NDC’s candidate, Nii Ayaa Ayison, polled 32,218 votes, representing 39.92 per cent.

Chieftaincy Minister calls for investigation into President Atta-Mills’ death

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Mr Stephen Asamoah Boateng, Minister of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, has called for an in-depth investigation into the death of President John Evans Fiifi Atta-Mills.

This, he said, will put an end to all the controversies surrounding the death, provide closure and bring peace to those affected by his death.

Mr Boateng made this request at a press conference  in Accra, on matters involving the Ekumfi Traditional Council.

,Mr Asamoah Boateng indicated that there were inconsistencies in the information available about President Mills’ death, and called for a thorough investigation to discover the cause of his death.

He also contended that the controversial autopsy report should be made public.

“As the Minister for Chieftaincy, holding firm our tradition and custom, religion and faith, as we all die and where we will go, I will support that we solve the controversies surrounding the death of the former president, John Evans Fiifi Atta Mills, for the records to be set straight, ” he said.

“We have to know where he died, the doctor who attended to him, where he was taken to. I am told the body was taken to the funeral home, who authorised that the body should be moved to that end? We heard it was in the custody of 37 Hospital, why did he end up in a private hospital?

“Is there something in the autopsy report they don’t want us to know? Why are they hiding it? If the public wants it, why not make it available? It should be available for public record,” he added.

Mr Boateng also called on the section of the former President’s family who claimed to have the report of the autopsy to make it available for those demanding it.

According to him, he would support a coroner’s inquest which he believed would settle the matter once and for all.

Mr Boateng noted that “for us as a nation, it is important to set the records straight so that it does not happen again.

President Mills was the Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces, and his death should not be treated as such.”

According to Mr Boateng, a claim by one of the brothers of the late former President that the autopsy report was with the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), was false.

On January 12, 2024, the Kyedomhemaa of Ekumfi Asaman, Nana Enyinfua III, who is the head of the maternal family of the late Mills appealed to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to assist the family to get the autopsy report regarding the death of President Mills.

Nana Enyinfua made the call when she led a delegation from the Oduma Clan of Ekumfi to thank the President for refurbishing the final resting place of the late President Mills.

The question about the report confirming the cause of death of the former President came up during a visit by the Odomaa Clan of Ekumfi and Koku Anyidoho at the Jubilee House.

Kyedomhene of Ekumfi Asaman, Nana Enyimfua III urged the presidency to facilitate the release of the autopsy report, emphasising that 11 years had passed, and the family was yet to know the cause of death.

Touching on comments President Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo made when the family of the former President Atta Mills visited him at Jubilee House, that his government had neglected development in Ekumfi due to the latter’s decision to vote Francis Ato Cudjoe out of Parliament in 2020, Mr Boateng said the statement of the President was misinterpreted.

He stated that Ekumfi Constituency had never been neglected by the government, adding that “they have twisted what the president said for their political agenda – the president has done very well for the people of Ekumfi.”

“The President only meant that because his appointee was voted out of power, the contact was lost in a way, but don’t worry, you have come to tell me, why not, we will do it, so I think the twist was from here,” he added.

Three candidates to contest in Akuapim South Constituency after O. B’s withdrawal

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Although the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Akuapim South Constituency has nominated, vetted, and approved four candidates to contest the upcoming primaries slated for January 27, 2024, only three will contest.

This follows the last-minute withdrawal of Mr. Osei Bonsu Amoah, the sitting Member of Parliament from the race.

It therefore leaves Mr. Eric Yeboah Apeadu; Mr. Eric Samuel Annor-Mensah; and Mr. Kwame Ofori-Gyau in the contest.

Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Mr. Michael Ahwireng, the Akuapim South Constituency NPP Chairperson, said a total of 573 delegates were expected to cast their ballots on Saturday.

He explained that the delegates consisted of 520 polling station executives, 26 electoral area coordinators, 17 constituency executives (one suspended), five council of elders, and five patrons.

According to him, preparations were underway to ensure a peaceful and successful election, which would be held at the Methodist Church premises in Aburi.

“The election committee, electoral commission, police commander, and Municipal Chief Executive will meet delegates and candidates to educate them on the protocols to follow on Election Day,” he said.

Mr. Ahwireng advised candidates and delegates to desist from attacking one another, saying, “The opponent is not us but the other political parties.

“Whether you like it or not, only one person will be elected to lead the party to victory this year.”

Delta Airlines records US$1.4bn profit, declares US$6.25 earnings per share

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Delta Airlines – a US-based airline, with footprints in 52 countries across the world, including Ghana, has reported a profit of US$1.4 billion, and declared US$6.25 earnings per share for its shareholders for the 2023 financial year.

The company also recorded an operating revenue of US$54.7 billion,  which was 20 per cent higher than the full year 2022 adjusted revenue of US$45.6 billion.

The Full Year 2023 Financial Results of the company also showed an operating cash flow of $7.2 billion, Free cash flow of $2.0 billion, and operating income of $6.3 billion with an operating margin of 11.6 per cent.

Commenting on the financial result, Mr Ed Bastian, chief executive officer (CEO), Delta Airlines, said: “We are thrilled to recognize their outstanding work with $1.4 billion in profit sharing payments next month.”

“Our people and their commitment to deliver unmatched service excellence for our customers is at the foundation of Delta’s success,” he noted.

He stated that in 2024, demand for air travel would remain strong, and pledged the company’s commitment to customers’ travel, a top priority. 

“We expect to grow full year earnings to US$6 to US$7 per share and generate free cash flow of US$3 to US$4 billion, further strengthening our financial foundation,” Mr Bastian said.

“With industry-leading operational performance and best-in-class service delivered by our people, more customers than ever are choosing Delta,” Mr Glen Hauenstein, Delta’s President, said.

He stated that premium and non-ticket revenue has reached 55 per cent of total revenue, supporting Delta’s differentiated financial results from the industry.

“With strong demand for international travel and a positive inflection in the domestic environment, we expect March quarter adjusted revenue to be 3 to 6 percent higher than the prior year,” he said.

“We closed the year strong, with full-year operating margin expanding by four points to 11.6 percent,” said Mr Dan Janki, Delta’s Chief Financial Officer. 

He added that: “In 2024 we are entering a period of optimization and expect to unlock efficiencies that will fund continued investment in our people, our operation and our customers.”

Lawra MP confident of retaining seat

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Mr Bede A. Ziedeng, the incumbent National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Lawra, has expressed confidence in being re-elected to represent the constituency for a second term during the 2024 general election. 

He said his conviction in winning the election stemmed from the work he had done within the past three years, which had helped improve the livelihoods of the people.

“The NDC delegates chose me to represent the party because of the work I have done,” he said.

“I know the people of the Lawra Constituency have also seen what I have done as an MP from 2021 to date and I am confident that they will vote for me again.” 

Mr Ziedeng said this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Lawra to account to the electorates on his work since he assumed office as the MP.

He is going into the contest with the Lawra Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Jacob Dery, the New Patriotic Party parliamentary candidate, both of whom would campaign on their interventions for the constituents.

However, the MP said considering his interventions, including facilitating the award of contract for the construction of the Lawra-Domwine-Hain Road and improving the electrification of the constituency by securing bulbs for streetlighting so there was “no way” the MCE would win the election.

Other interventions were the securing of over GH₵250,000.00 worth of financial assistance to more than 260 tertiary students in the constituency, renovation of health facilities, provision of water and repair of hospital equipment.

The Zambo Nawongyelle Community, Eremon Senior High Technical School, Birifoh Baapare and Lawra Tuori had mechanised boreholes, while Eremon Langdung and Eremon Zingpen got hand-pump boreholes with support from development partners.

Mr Ziedeng said he was still lobbying the Government through the Ministry of Roads and Highways for the construction of the Dikpe Bridge, on which the sod for construction was cut in October 2020.

The MP said he would not renege on his efforts to further alleviate the challenges of the people with many interventions in the “pipeline” for the constituency in 2024.

He appealed to the electorate to vote for him alongside the NDC’s presidential candidate to further advance the development of the constituency.

Tema Central MP seeks re-election 

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Mr. Yves Nii Noye Hanson-Nortey, the one-term incumbent Member of Parliament for Tema Central, is seeking the nod to lead the party in the constituency as its parliamentary candidate for the December 2024 elections.

Mr. Hanson-Nortey will lock horns with a former MP hopeful, Mr. Charles Forson, at the upcoming NPP parliamentary primaries on Saturday.

The MP, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, urged delegates of the party to vote for him to ensure his candidature in the general election and subsequently maintain the seat for the party.

He said even though, as an MP, he had contributed to law-making, he had embarked on some projects for the area during his first term and seeks to continue his vision when retained.

He said that in the education sector, he instituted the MP’s educational support fund, through which he paid school fees for primary and university students amounting to over GHs540,000.

He said, he also provided full scholarships for three medical students in the constituency, adding that to promote the study of information, computing, and technology, he donated a 20-seat computer laboratory for basic schools and a 40-seat computer lab each for the three secondary schools in the area.

According to him, other educational activities included the donation of tables and chairs to selected public schools, the presentation of library books, and an annual financial support of GHS10,000 for the Education Directorate.

Mr. Hanson-Nortey said in health, he annually supported the Tema Metropolitan Health Directorate with GHS10,000 towards its administrative works and donated some medical equipment to the directorate.

He indicated that while he paid medical bills for constituents for their surgeries, he was also constructing a permanent shed for the National Health Insurance Scheme, which was yet to be completed. 

He added that through his MP’s Fund, he provided small soft loan support to boost economic activities among the people. 

Touching on representing the people in parliament, he said he was currently serving as Vice chairperson of the Environment, Science, and Technology Innovation Committee, adding that he was also a former Vice chairperson of the Youth, Sports, and Religion Committee of parliament.

He added that as MP for the area, he had made some statements on the floor of parliament and debated on diverse issues, noting that he had represented the Parliament of Ghana in many fora abroad and was currently the President of the Ghana-Panama Parliamentary Friendship Committee.

Houthi attacks affect Israeli ports

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One of the most important commercial ports in the nation, the port of Eilat in southern Israel, is being severely impacted by the ongoing Red Sea catastrophe.

Repeated long-range missile launches by the Yemeni Houthi armed forces have essentially shut off the port’s vital import and export industry, resulting in around $3 billion in direct economic damages.

Ships with ties to Israel have been the target of Houthi assaults in the Red Sea.

“All the cargo that comes to Eilat through the Bab el Mandeb [Strait] from the Far East, it means [cargo from] China, Japan, (South) Korea, India is not coming because the ships are afraid to go through the Bab el Mandeb. So we don’t have any ships anymore from December 1,” said Gideon Golber, the CEO of the Eilat Port company.

Golber said that as things stand the port’s operations can barelybe maintained from now until February and warned that if the Israeli government cannot address the issue, they will have to consider cutting jobs.

The port mainly deals with the import of automobiles and the export of potassium fertilizer to the Asia-Pacific region. 

According to authorities, nearly half of Israel’s annual car imports in recent years have been completed through the port.

Car imports previously accounted for more than 75 percent of the total profits of the Port of Eilat and, prior to the Houthi attacks, there were around 50,000 new cars situated at the port.

The crisis also threatens Israel’s two other international ports, with at least 30 percent of the imported goods from the Haifa and Ashdod ports required to pass through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal to reach Israel.

In the fourth quarter of 2023, affected by the Palestine-Israel conflict and the tensions in the Red Sea, the number of imported cars at the Ashdod Port dropped by 94 percent. 

The transshipment scope of all Israeli seaports was significantly reduced by 70 percent.

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