Ex-President John Dramani Mahama on Thursday, January 25, 2024 visited the people of Obuasi as part of his Ashanti Regional tour, which commenced on Wednesday, January 24, 2024.
Otumfuor exposes John Mahama
The ex-president in his address to the chiefs and people of Obuasi, said his government revived the AngloGold Ashanti – Obuasi Mine in 2014. This comment caught the attention of many on social media and traditional media.
Shortly after ex-president John Mahama’s commentary, a viral video of the king of Asanteman, Otumfuo Osei Tutu – II in 2019 was seen addressing attendants thanking H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his government for their superb inputs in reviving the AngloGold Ashanti after so many failed attempts by previous government.
Our Research Desk delve deeper into the issue and came across a document on Tax Concession Agreement for the Obuasi Mines Redevelopment between the Republic of Ghana and AngloGold Ashanti (Ghana) Limited, which was dated 27/11/2017. In the said document, the Republic of Ghana granted about $300M tax waiver to the AngloGold Ashanti (Ghana) Limited amidst other incentives to aid the realization of the redevelopment project.
Our desk also came across a video of the Chief Executive Officer of AngloGold, Alberto Calderon at the commemoration of the first gold pour, praising the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for his assurance and relentless efforts to see the operation of the Obuasi mine. Chiefs and the good people present also heaped praises on the President for such a phenomenal job.
Mahama busted
Ex-President John Mahama has come under heavy criticisms after he has been, what the majority claim to be exposed. Scores of Ghanaians are of the view that the ex-president must rise to the occasion and act as a statesman.
In the highly anticipated NPP presidential primaries, one candidate stands out as the clear favorite: the most credible politician, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
Most credible politician, Dr. Bawumia
With consistently high approval ratings and a reputation for economic prowess, Dr. Bawumia has positioned himself as the most experienced and qualified contender in the race. As a vice president, he has played a crucial role in steering Ghana’s economic growth by championing innovative reforms like digitalization of government services. Additionally, his down-to-earth demeanor and unwavering commitment to public service has made him a popular figure among his contemporaries, especially for his dedication to improving the lives of marginalized communities. While facing competition from other candidates, such as Alan Kyerematen and Kennedy Agyapong, Dr. Bawumia’s strong track record and widespread appeal makes him the frontrunner in the upcoming NPP presidential primaries.
Unwavering Approval Ratings: Recent polls conducted by the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (GCDD) indicates that Bawumia’s approval rating is 62% with his best opponent, Alan Kyeremanten trailing at 38%. This substantial margin reflects the trust and confidence Ghanaians place in his ability to lead and effect a positive change.
Unparalleled Experience and Qualifications: Dr. Bawumia’s six-year tenure as vice president, coupled with his extensive prior government service, underscores his unparalleled experience and qualifications. His profound understanding of Ghana’s economy and the challenges it faces positions him as a candidate who can navigate complex economic landscapes with confidence and expertise.
A Populist Leader for All Ghanaians: Dr. Bawumia’s appeal extends beyond his economic acumen. Ghanaians regard him as a relatable and honest leader who genuinely cares about their concerns. His down-to-earth nature and approachability have fostered a connection with citizens across the nation, further enhancing his popularity and trustworthiness.
A Resilient and Experienced Campaign Team: Dr. Bawumia’s campaign team, comprising seasoned professionals, has meticulously devised a winning strategy for both the primaries and the general election. Their experience and expertise in mobilizing support, coupled with Dr. Bawumia’s popularity, provide a formidable force that positions him favorably in the race.
H.E Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia
As the NPP presidential primaries draw nearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia emerges as the leading candidate, backed by his remarkable approval ratings, extensive experience, and wide popularity among Ghanaians. With a proven track record of economic management, his ability to introduce vital reforms, and an unwavering commitment to public service, Dr. Bawumia embodies the qualities desired in a leader who can guide Ghana toward progress and prosperity. While facing competition from other candidates, the strength of Dr. Bawumia’s candidacy, supported by his exceptional qualifications and the dedication of his campaign team, positions him as the frontrunner and a formidable contender for the presidency of Ghana.
The daughter of the late president, Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings, Zanetor Rawlings, has urged the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to rid itself of any residual “demons” in order to win the impending 2024 elections. Zanetor Rawlings, a lawmaker, emphasised the need for the NDC, which she described as the result of the revolution, to undergo a careful self-examination when she gave a fervent speech at a church in Cape Coast on June 3 to mark the beginning of the 44th-anniversary commemoration of the June 4 Revolution.
She emphasised that any harmful influences that may have slowly crept in over time must be removed from the celebration. “If the NDC is to rescue this country by 2024, we must clear ourselves of any demon that entered while we were not paying attention,” Zanetor Rawlings declared, encouraging her party members to reflect on their conduct and align themselves with the June 4 Uprising’s values. The arrest and prosecution of Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings and other junior military officers by the leadership of the Supreme Military Council II (SMC II) prompted the June 4 Revolution, also known as the June 4th Uprising. Following a failed coup attempt on May 15, 1979, the former president and his colleagues were charged with mutiny.
During his trial, Jerry John Rawlings offered a variety of reasons for the failed rebellion. He emphasised the denial of pay to junior military commanders, pervasive corruption among Supreme Military Council officials, bad governance, economic challenges, and general populist dissatisfaction. Furthermore, he cited indiscipline within the Ghana Army as a crucial contributing element to the revolt.
The demand by Zanetor Rawlings for the NDC to exorcise its demons reflects the spirit of the June 4 Revolution, which attempted to confront these issues and bring about constructive change in the party.
It’s yet another time of the season and an opportunity in the life of a patriotic Ghanaian to exercise their franchise. However, on the side of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the battle to lead the party to break the eight has already begun.
A few of the patriots appear to be unaware of the fact that, since we are electing a candidate for Ghanaians to buy into his, the most crucial factor to examine is our chances and how marketable our candidate is, instead, some enjoy giving themselves false hope and promoting tribal bigotry – what a shame. Literally, for a virtuous woman who wants to determine how good her cassava is, she puts it on fire. In the case of the NPP and breaking the eight mantras, we do not need God to descend from the Heavens to remind us to elect a marketable, relevant and visionary person as the flagbearer to ride on the back of the mighty elephant for victory in the 2024 general elections.
Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia, the vice president of Ghana who not long ago officially joined the NPP flagbearership race by picking up his nomination forms is among the bigwigs projected to succeed Nana Addo, the President of Ghana. Not that I am discouraging anyone ooo, hmm, but you all would attest to the fact that for the past few weeks, the declaration of support for Dr. Bawumia by CEOs, chiefs, party chairmen, grassroots and party faithful including the hierarchy of our party has been overwhelming, this should send a clear signal – indeed the signal is connecting. This is not to stop any candidate because our party believes in democracy and equal opportunities. Until Dr. Bawumia himself withdraws from the race, which I know for sure won’t happened, no man born out of a woman can rule him out unless He who gives life.
Dr. Bawumia continues to give us hope for how far he has made the office of the vice president relevant. It is quiet unfortunate how some of us didn’t witness the regime of some past vice presidents since independence, however, we’ve read and heard about their impacts, all thanks to records. Unlike his predecessors, Dr. Bawumia has not limited himself to the constitutional role of merely being a representative of the president at meetings and events, however, he has fronted numerous transformational projects; this has not only brought light to the NPP but has also impacted the lives of Ghanaians who were bereft of hope. A case is when one Dr. Emmanuel Achampong, a lecturer of U.C.C nearly lost his flight from Germany to Ghana but for the timely intervention of the Ghana Card. Not forgetting the initiatives Dr. Bawumia has spearheaded aiming at leveraging technology to improve service delivery and create a more efficient economy, the reason he is called Dr. Digital.
It is evident that Dr. Bawumia has not only given the vice presidency new relevance, but has also set a precedent for yaanom to reshuffle their leadership in parliament for the economic battle come 2024 as stated by Asiedu Nketia. Dr. Bawumia even as a vice president has already done more, just imagine when he is made the main man. Why would God not bless Ghana with such a leader? The scriptures even say by their fruits we shall know them. Do not be deceived, connect to the signal!
In a televised speech to the country on May 28, 2023, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo thanked Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia for serving as his deputy.
The Vice President was singled out by the President for his continuous support during trying times, despite the President’s acknowledgment of the crucial role played by government authorities in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. “I am indebted to the Ministers of State, officials of the Presidency, led by the Chief of Staff, the Parliament and the Judiciary, and all the members of the brilliant COVID-19 Taskforce. I must make special mention of the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, who was my reliable source of support in the darkest and most trying moments,” President Akufo-Addo stated.
In addition, President Akufo-Addo thanked a number of people, organisations, government agencies, and the labour movement for their support in Ghana’s fight against the pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana was officially proclaimed over by the President at the speech. “In general, since the first case was confirmed in our nation on March 12, 2020, there have been two million, five hundred and thirty-eight thousand, one hundred and ninety-eight (2,538,198) positive cases from two million, five hundred and thirty-eight thousand, one hundred and ninety-eight (2,538,198) tests,” he said, providing the statistics.
Additionally, President Akufo-Addo spoke on the COVID-19 vaccination campaign’s success, noting that 25 million, 170 thousand, 388,2 doses of the vaccine had been delivered. Ten million, five hundred and thirty-six thousand, four hundred and twenty (10,536,420) persons have received their full dose of the vaccine, or 52.7% of the twenty million (20 million) people who were targeted, he continued. Moreover, booster doses were given to 4,599,883 (four million, five hundred and ninety-nine thousand, eight hundred and eighty three) persons.
These facts served as the basis for the significant choices reached on May 17 by the COVID-19 Taskforce, which was presided over by President Akufo-Addo. The President declared that all COVID-related limitations at airports and entry points have been eliminated, bringing the situation in terms of health entrance requirements back to what it was before COVID. In addition, President Akufo-Addo emphasised the recently secured $3 billion IMF economy assistance facility, which he hopes would help Ghana’s economy recover from the pandemic’s effects. But President Akufo-Addo didn’t waste any time in emphasising that the IMF loan won’t put an end to the country’s economic problems right away.
The most credible Vice President of Ghana, Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia on Wednesday commissioned a state of the art Financial Industry Command Security Operation Centre (FICSOC) in Accra.
The project established and operated by the Bank of Ghana (BoG) is a key component of systems to address the challenges of cyber security is the first of its kind in West Africa and Africa as a whole. The FICSOC is said to prevent, rapidly detect and share information as well as respond to possible cyber threats targeted at the financial industry and ultimately the country at large. Dr. Bawumia noted that all banks are connected to the FICSOC and receive real time security alerts, intelligence and traffic analysis on cyber threats.
He congratulated the BoG as usual for setting the pace in Africa as well as charging the financial players to take full advantage of the capabilities of the FICSOC, while continually strengthening in-house security operations. The directive was implemented gradually over a 36-month period with strong monitoring and control among authorised banks.
As these organisations worked to fully implement the directive, it became clear that the Central Bank needed to set up an industry Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) system to allow those organisations implementing SIEMs to send logs and alerts, as well as aggregate data and reports.
In order to assist Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the vice president, in his campaign for the NPP flagbearership, an organization calling itself the Bawumia Fan Club has raised $50,000.
The group claimed that all of its members across the nation’s diverse constituencies contributed to the fund-raising effort.
Dr. Bawumia, the vice president, has formally announced his desire to compete in the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) presidential primary elections.
The NPP’s candidate for the pivotal general elections of 2024 will be chosen in the primaries scheduled for November 2023.
Dr. Bawumia is the best candidate to lead the party due to his leadership qualities, according to the group’s National Chairman, Eric Kwabena Twumasi Ankrah, during a gathering at the Cultural Centre in Kumasi.
He claimed that the vice president is inherently superior to all other contenders because of his humility and regard for regular Ghanaians.
He said that Dr. Bawumia “has all the qualities to lead the country. He is very respectful and knowledgeable.”
The vice president, according to Mr. Ankrah, has been able to start a number of projects, the most notable of which is his ability to digitalize nearly every industry in the nation.He came to the conclusion that none of the contenders has the skills necessary to challenge and defeat Dr. Bawumia.
“Bawumia’s knowledge greatly aided the NPP. He helped us see things differently in nearly everything, including elections, thus he is the ideal candidate to lead the party and Ghana in general following the 2024 elections, the speaker said.
He declared that the group is ready to support the vice president in any way.
Upon their return from the Kumawu by-election, he said, “We will wait for them at the party’s office in Accra and hand over the money to him, any amount we are ready to pay for him.”
Millicent The group’s Ashanti Regional Chairman, Elizabeth Boateng, said that people shouldn’t believe that the vice president gave them the money because it was actually raised internally among the group’s members.
She said the group has long backed Dr. Bawumia and will do all it takes to ensure his success.
Former National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Kofi Portuphy has asked Ghanaians to plead with President Akufo-Addo to forgive him. According to the former National Chairman who is now bedridden, he spearheaded the unleashing of so many lies against and spiritual machinations against then candidate Akufo-Addo.
He further claims the NDC and John Mahama have failed to honor the promises made to the Spiritual men who were leading them ahead of elections 2016 and hence, him as the leader of the NDC during those period is being hit by the implications.
Wife of Mr.Kofi Portuphy revealed that upon visiting a church somewhere in December last year, it was revealed to them that the only way his husband, Kofi Portuphy would be healed is to be wholeheartedly and genuinely forgiven by President Akufo-Addo. She however said all attempts to reach President Akufo-Addo has proven futile hence their decision to come public.
The family has urged the general public to come to their aid in seeking for forgiveness from Prez Akufo-Addo.
Located in West Africa, Ghana is widely known for its beautiful culture and stunning natural beauty. However, in recent years, the country has gained recognition for its impressive advancement in digitisation, thanks in large part to the efforts of the most effective Vice President in Ghana, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia. Under his leadership, the government has implemented several policies and initiatives aimed at leveraging technology to improve service delivery and create a more efficient economy. The implementation of the Ghana Card, Digital Address System, Mobile Money Payments Interoperability System, etc, in Ghana, have been the cornerstones of this digital transformation.
The Ghana Card initiative is one of Dr. Bawumia’s most notable accomplishments in the field of digitisation. The Ghana Card is a biometric national identity card that is intended to collect personal information and biometric data from all Ghanaian citizens and residents. The Ghana Card is a critical component of the country’s digitisation goal as it provides a secure and reliable method of identifying citizens and residents. This, in turn, improves access to public services such as healthcare, education, and social assistance programs not forgetting its security benefits.
The digitisation agenda has also extended to the health sector, with the implementation of the Medical Drone Delivery System. It is the world’s largest medical drone delivery network which is operated by Zipline International and makes on-demand delivery of medical supplies to about 2,000 health facilities. The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) was not left out in the digital revolution. The mobile renewal service allows NHIS subscribers to renew their insurance using their mobile phones, thus reducing the need for physical visits to NHIS offices. The new addition is the E-pharmacy which allows subscribers to enter drug prescriptions and make requests, the system also allows subscribers to be linked to multiple licensed pharmacy shops online to compare prices and be assured of quality medications.
In the finance sector, the government through Dr. Bawumia has implemented the Mobile Money Interoperability system, which allows for seamless transfer of funds between different mobile money platforms. This system has helped to increase financial inclusion in Ghana by making it one of the first nations to employ a universal QR Code payment system that accepts both bank accounts and mobile wallets. This project has also made Ghana the fastest-growing mobile money market in Africa, with over 36.9 million registered mobile money accounts.
One of the key pillars of Ghana’s digitization agenda is the National Digital Property Addressing System (NDPAS), also known as the Ghana Post GPS. The system was launched in 2017 to provide every property in Ghana with a unique digital address, making it easier for citizens to identify their location and access various services. The system is accessible via a mobile app, which allows users to search for addresses and also provides directions to the location.
Another significant initiative under Dr. Bawumia’s leadership is the paperless port system. The system, which was implemented in 2018, aims to reduce the time and cost of doing business at Ghana’s ports by digitising the entire process. With the paperless system, all documentation is done electronically, reducing the need for physical inspections and enabling real-time tracking of cargo.
Dr. Bawumia was also instrumental in the implementation of Ghana’s e-procurement system, which aims to streamline the procurement process. The e-procurement system is an online platform that allows government agencies and private-sector organisations to publish tenders and receive bids from vendors. The e-procurement system has helped to minimize corruption, improve transparency, and increase efficiency in the public procurement process by digitising the procurement process. This, in turn, has resulted in significant cost savings for the government and enhanced service delivery to citizens.
Dr. Bawumia’s initiatives to accelerate digitisation in Ghana have had a substantial impact on the country’s progress. The use of digital solutions in many different sectors has not only increased productivity and minimised costs, but it has also increased transparency and accountability.
As the world continues to embrace digital solutions, Ghana’s digitisation efforts under Dr. Bawumia’s leadership serve as a shining example of what can be achieved with political will, vision, and commitment to innovation. The country is well on its way to becoming a digital hub in the region, and Dr. Bawumia’s vision and contributions will undoubtedly be remembered as a critical part of this success story.
The public will soon be able to use commercial taxi drivers’ services from anywhere in the Greater Accra Region thanks to a digital system that will connect them to, according to the most credible Vice President, Mahamudu Bawumia’s announcement on Wednesday. This system will be similar to the digital platforms used by Uber and Bolt.
He said that by the end of the year, the entire public and private transport sectors in the area will have switched over to a “Tap and Go” system that can be used with oyster cards.
The vice president urged politicians to avoid using derogatory language and spreading false information and instead concentrate on finding answers to the nation’s challenges.
At the Pentecost Convention Centre in Gomoa-Fetteh, in the Central Region, the Vice President spoke at the beginning of the 46th session of the General Council Meeting of the Church of Pentecost.
He also praised the Church of Pentecost for its initiative and welcomed a forthcoming conference between the church and politicians, which is slated for June 2023. Apostle Eric Nyamekye, the Chairman of the Church of Pentecost, thanked the leadership for their services to the church during his report on the “State of the Church” during the 46th Session of the General Council Meeting of the Church of Pentecost.
During his five years as steward, the church saw a 7.9% increase in membership, reaching 3,597,955 as of December 2022.
The European Commission has given the Pentecost University and five other top worldwide universities a grant for 2.69 million euros to study robotics, cyber-physical systems, and artificial intelligence. Although the church’s programmes for education, health, women’s ministry, and youth and children’s ministry were successful, Apostle Nyamekye voiced disappointment over the statewide epidemic of cocoa disease and the persistent difficulties preventing the church’s expansion in cocoa-growing regions.
He urged district ministers and area leaders to come up with solutions to these problems.
