ECOWAS leaders set up fund to deal with Ebola

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Created on Friday, 11 July 2014 00:00

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ECOWAS leaders set up fund to deal with Ebola

West African leaders, at the end of the 45th ECOWAS Summit of Heads of State and Government in Accra on Thursday, have set up a fund to deal with the spread of the Ebola Virus Disease in the sub-region.

"Some immediate commitments were made. One million dollars have gone into the fund, but Nigeria also made some direct commitments to the nations affected [Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea Bissau] totaling about three million dollars", announced ECOWAS Chairman, President John Mahama.

President John Mahama also disclosed the money would go into education logistics and technical support towards curbing the spread of the virus in the sub-region.

More than 500 people have died from the disease in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea Bissau since the outbreak of the deadly virus in February.

Ghana has not recorded any case. The disease is known to kill 90 percent of who get infected within days.

"I believe that the fund will help because so far one of the major reasons for being unable to stop the spread has been the lack of resources, especially protective clothing", President Mahama stated.

The leaders also agreed in principle to abolish resident permits, which would see the introduction of new biometric identity cards for all ECOWAS citizens for easy identification across borders.

However, the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) is worried the process may cause problems for Ghana, if adequate infrastructure is not put in place.

Francis Palmdeti, GIS Head of Public Affairs, told Joy News, the abolition of resident permits could cause an influx of citizens from other ECOWAS countries into Ghana.

"We must have the resources and structures to regulate the movement of people and know who is on our country…but as I speak those structures are not in place ", Palmdeti said.

[GN]

Source: Myjoyonline.com

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Ghana Needs Akufo-Addo Never Than Before?

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Created on Tuesday, 17 June 2014 00:00

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Ghana Needs Akufo-Addo Never Than Before?

…Shirley Ayorkor-Botwe states yes. As Samuel Atta Akyea flies Akufo-Addo 2016 Campaign under the theme: “Ghana Deserves a Leadership that Thinks of the next Generation not the next Election.”

SPECIAL REPORT

Supporters for Nana Addo-Dankwa Akufo-Aaddo's bid to win the NPP Presidential Primaries to lead the party for the 2016 presidential election launched their colourful and mammoth campaign at the Chestnut Community Centre, Saint Ann's Road, Near St Ann's Hospital, in North London, the United Kingdom.

Shirley Ayorkor-Botwe- the Honourable Member of Parliament for Anyaa Sowutuom, had sought to make a strong case that with the level of corruption, visionless leadership and economic stagnation and hopelessness and abject poverty in the country under the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama, of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Ghana needs the twice failed presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP)- Nana Addo-Dankwa Akufo-Addo, never than before, at the Jubilee [Flagstaff] House, come 7 January 2017, so as to continue the said good works of Ex-President Kufuor.

The former minister under Kufuor’s government- whose speech followed that of lawyer Atta-Akyea: the heir MP of Nana Akufo-Addo, seemed to suggest that there are 100s of sitting NPP MPs, who openly support Nana Akufo-Addo’s political rematch. Of the 275 seats in the republic, the ruling NDC wields 147, while NPP has 122. Whereas the Independent candidates totals four, the pro-Nkrumahist parties- the People’s National Convention (PNC) and the Convention People’s Party (CPP), have two legislators.

In his keynote address delivered on Sunday, 15 June 2014, at the Centre, Samuel Atta-Akyea- the Honourable Member of Parliament for Akyem Abuakwa South, in the Eastern Region, made a rapturous and passionate appeal with his childhood hymn: “Me Wo Nyame- which he said his grandma- Awurama Kyerewa, used to sing at dawn and remains Nana Akufo-Addo’s favourite. He assures the organizers that making Akufo-Addo a flabearer of NPP for the 2016 presidential election is not a problem if you are coming from Ghana and that in any serious fight they must leave it first with God before their plans.

Backsliding from the traditional NPP slogan: Kukurudu- Eshi rado, rado, and perhaps, signaling warning to potential detractors of Nana Akufo-Addo’s presidential ambition that the current presidential project could no longer be negotiable, the Abuakwa South MP electrified the gathering with the following rehearsed slogan by tutoring the excited followers of Nana Addo that whenever he sounds: Kukurudu, they should response first: our eyes are red than before; Kukurudu- you will not step on our balls twice; and last but not the least, Kukurudu- there will be no Supreme Court- Jubilee House, Jubilee House!

Touching on the 2012 election rulings of the Supreme Court and of course, GYEEDA, SADA, ISOFOTON and legally or administratively, all the established odds and economic challenges or scandals bedeviling or hanging around the neck of the Mills-Mahama or NDC-led administrations, the mobbed lawyer Atta Akyea, who said he is in UK by the providence of Commonwealth Association of Parliamentarians meeting at the Westminster, said he finds wisdom in the Akufo-Addo’s 2016 attempt.

To paraphrase the words and the calculations of the Akyem Abuakwa South MP who arrived in London from Accra on the very day the Akufo-Addo 2016 initiative was being staged but for the wise decision of the organizers desire to see Nana Addo as the NPP’s chosen flagbearer and eventually, president-elect, come 7 December 2016, the MP said: “Nana Addo has expended some 37 years of his adult life in the service of Ghana- in politics and the legal practice. “No one can point a figure at Nana Akufo-Addo that he is corrupt. Yet people ask whether any good thing come out from Akyem Abuakwa South?” Hon Atta-Akyea believes that Ghana is going to have a president who comes from Akyem Abuakwa.

According to the Abuakwa South MP, Akufo-Addo is often vilified, attacked and struck down without just cause but he is never destroyed because he has God who never slumbers. This is embedded in Akddo's favourite Twi Hymn-“Me wo Nyame”. Atta-Akyea sums up Nana Addo’s reconciliatory traits and political tribulations, submitting that the former Attorney-General and Foreign Minister, functions in the spirit of Mother Theresa, who once observed:

People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.

Love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.

Do good anyway.

If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies.

Succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.

Do good anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.

Be honest and frank anyway.

The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.

Think big anyway.

People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.

Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway.

People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.

Help people anyway.

Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth.

Give the world the best you have anyway.

In the opinion of the organizers of the event, the corruption-ridden government of Prez John Mahama could only be overthrown by the leadership of Nana Akufo Addo. They therefore, likened the NPP with its teeming presidential aspirants as husband with too many wives, who more often than not goes to bed hungry. “We are still the divorcee wife and husband ready to come back together for common good,” they said. In the opinion of the Akufo-Addo 2016 campaign organizers, the coming together for the NPP must see Nana Addo, described by Atta-Akyea as incorruptible and well-cultured, as the next NPP leader and President of the Republic.

It is submitted that unlike those politician who by virtue of their distressed family backgrounds enter politics with the desire of bettering their situation at the expense of the state, the contrary is of Nana Akufo-Addo, whether it relates among others, to the sleeping in good hotels or eating good joloff rice.

“Nana Akufo-Addo has seen it all. That’s why he will not steal Ghana’s money…his whole attitude is to serve. “By the circumstance of Akufo-Addo’s birth makes him a man of destiny,” Hon Atta-Akyea said with spontaneous clapping and wailing affirmations from the over 200 NPP stalwarts and sympathizers.

Thus of the six founding-fathers of Ghana- otherwise known as The Big Six: Joseph Boakye Dankwa (aka J.B. Dankwa); Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Mr. Obetsebi-Lamptey, Mr. Ako Adjei, Mr. Edward Akufo-Addo, and Mr. William Ofori Atta, Nana Addo-Dankwa Akufo-Addo, is said to have blood-link with three of them. The Big Six is tied to the leaders of the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) who were arrested and detained under the Emergency Regulation in 1948 during disturbances in the Gold Coast.

Notwithstanding the above, Nana Addo-Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the former Attorney-General and Minister for Justice who also became the Foreign Affairs Minister under President J.A. Kufuor’s government, seems to have carved political and diplomatic niche for his personality. So Atta-Akyea states that those intending to contest Nana Akufo-Addo will be like tennis contest between him and Serena Williams of tennis fame. “Anybody [NPP supporter] who watched the Supreme Court hearing thinks he did not lose. Akufo-Addo won the 2012 election and therefore must not be changed if you are a true NPP.”

Atta-Akyea had said in his delivery that Nana Akufo-Addo had been washed clean through his political career and therefore; if a new person is presented now, it is going to problems for NPP as unknown problems are going to be exposed. “People say Akufo-Addo is old but see Caleb in the Bible. He was 80 years old when he led the Israelites to war. Although when Akufo-Addo studied in the UK his parents paid fees for his education yet, he intends to bring free Seniour High School to transform the Gugisberg economy. “Mahama government has no future for Ghana and there is a need for a regime change. Mills- “Mahama administrations have specialised in borrowing but not in thinking,” Hon Atta-Akyea argues.

To the Akufo-Addo for 2016 campaigners who might not be eligible voteres, the Akyem Abuakwa South MP advised them to use their remittances power to monitor their voting because of the future of Ghana and Nana Addo who just wish to leave a legacy. “There is no politician who is being afraid of by the NDC than Nana Addo.... It is only in Ghana where if someone is not having a contract with government they have to pay him... Over Gh50 million GYEEDA tree planting is like Asante, not having fish to eat but decided to come to Accra to plant cocoa trees on the sea,” Atta-Akyea puzzles.

The Honourable MP educates his audience that in Ghana now, our resources are being channeled for debt services although God seems to have blessed the NDC government more than the NPP or Kufuor’s government who never had oil money. But corruption and mismanagement appear to be NDC’s greatest enemies. The architects of the Akufo-Addo for 2016 have on their shoulders what they term as “Know your delegate project”, intended to help Nana Addo win the NPP impending primaries and the presidency, without insults and falsehood so that he can help deliver Ghanaians from slavery in their own country.”

Nana Addo is said to have shown a sign of gratitude to the organisers. Taking inspirations from the leaderships of Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe and the late Nelson Mandela of South Africa, Hon Samuel Atta-Akyea seems to dismiss the health concerns raised by the opponents to Nana Addo’s presidency, stating that though he is below the age of 60, his various campaign trips with him make it difficult to brush aside the enduring stamina of Nana Addo who is at relative age of 70. He was quick however, to add that if knowingly NDC did same to Mills, why not Nana Addo, who could go for one term or more?

JusticeGhana observes that the majority of the organizers of the event were former NPP UK-Ireland Executives, who included but not limited to Ex-Chairman Atta Akrufi and Major Affum-Dankwa (rtd). Some current executives present were Richard Dombo: 1st Vice Chairman and Justice Appiah Antwi-Youth Organiser. Other dignitaries were Madam Susan Akomea, Nana Ohemaa Dokua and Executive-secretary of NPP UK- Mr Edmund Sekyere. Antwi Bosiako and Andy Owusu, were MCs of the event.

This special report is filed without the inputs of Mr Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, of the Dankwa Institute (DI) and Hon. Ursula Owusu, who our source says wonders who is going to camapaign for the NPP if the speculated Agenda 2020 designed to thwart Nana Akufo-Addo’s 2016 bid were to be implemented. On Monday, 16 June 2014, lawyer Adraba Abrefa-Damoa sought to inform WBLS radio listeners that the Akufo-Addo for 2016 project is grounded to offer a fair counter-weight to groups such as Okatakyie Kwame Opoku-Agyeman’s Get Alan Kyerematen Elected (GAKE) presidential crusade.Okatakyie & Co appear to be worried about the steady decline of NPP’s electoral fortunes since 2008.

……

Reporters’ Note

Reporters’ Note The event scheduled to have started at 18PM, took momentum at about 20PM, where conservatively assessed, the over 200-capacity centre, could no longer contain its rising guests who had to find spaces on the centre’s corridors. Accordingly, JusticeGhana could not cover the delayed programmes due to other engagements. JusticeGhana was at the Chestnut Community Centre from 16:50 to 21:00HRS. [CROSS-SECTION OF ATTA-AKYEA'S SPEECH]

JusticeGhana

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Prez Mahama- I Am Listening And Will Continue To Listen

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Created on Tuesday, 01 July 2014 00:00

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Prez Mahama-I Am Listening And Will Continue To Listen

54TH REPUBLIC ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS BY H. E. JOHN DRAMANI MAHAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF GHANA AT A SENIOR CITIZENS LUNCHEON[State Banquet Hall-Tuesday, 1stJuly 2014]

“We feel that there is much the world can learn from those of us who belong to what we might term the pre-technological societies. These are values, which we must not sacrifice unheedingly in pursuit of material progress. That is why we say that self-government is not an end in itself.

We have to work hard to evolve new patterns, new social customs, new attitudes to life, so that while we seek the material, cultural and economic advancement of our country, while we raise their standards of life, we shall not sacrifice their fundamental happiness...

...[W]e can only meet the challenge of our age as a free people. Hence our demand for our freedom, for only free men can shape the destinies of their future.

Your Excellency, the Vice-President,

Right Honourable Speaker of Parliament,

Your Ladyship, the Chief Justice of Ghana,

Distinguished Members of the Council of State,

Honourable Ministers of State, And Presidential Staffers,

Respected Chiefs and Traditional Leaders,

Distinguished Senior Citizens,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Brothers and Sisters,

Those words were spoken by Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah on the 10th of July, 1953 when he addressed the Legislative Assembly to formally claim our right to independence.

On the 6th of March, 1957, nearly four years after Dr. Nkrumah delivered that speech, aptly titled “The Motion of Destiny,” we gained our independence. But it was not a full liberation because though we were self-governed, the Queen of England officially remained the Head of State.

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, it is an honour for me to be here with you today to commemorate the anniversary of that milestone. Quite appropriately, Republic Day is also the day on which we pay tribute to the Senior Citizens in our society, those individuals who helped build this great nation of ours and who hold within them the memory of the distance that we as a people have travelled to arrive at this place in our development.

I would like to thank the former Director-General of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, Ambassador, David Anaglate for his positive and insightful remarks on behalf of all the Senior Citizens of Ghana.

I concur with Ambassador Anaglate: the “habit of asking for more” is not limited to one generation. Our own history has shown us, as exemplified in that particular speech of Dr. Nkrumah’s, that it is in actuality the “asking”, the “demanding”, which spurs into action that very motion of destiny.

And our Senior Citizens are the heroes of that history, the ones whose labour and values, whose dreams and demands shaped that destiny; and for this alone, we owe them a debt of gratitude. So on behalf of all Ghanaians, I say, “thank you” and “Ayekoo.”

I fully support the suggestion that more of an effort should be made, in all sectors of our society, to utilise the wisdom of their years and experiences. I also strongly echo the appeal to our institutions to prioritize a place for them in queues to receive goods and services.

It is a courtesy that is well-earned and well-deserved, a basic courtesy and respect that should be recognised and observed by all.

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, I would be remiss to stand here on this occasion, the anniversary of our attainment of full independence, and not acknowledge the current state of affairs in our nation.

In this current phase of our development, we have been met with several obstacles and challenges, some of which we have resolved and others of which we are still working to find the ways and means to overcome.

It is not enough for me to say that I share many of the same disappointments and frustrations that have been expressed, though I do. It is not enough for me to say that I have every faith in Government’s ability to meet the goals we have set for the country once these difficulties are behind us, though I do.

What I will, however, say is that as a citizen of Ghana, I want the same safety and stability for my children’s future that you want for the future of your children.

I want all of our children to have the same opportunities available to them to rise to their highest potential. I want all of our children to feel entitled to the habit of asking for more, and confident in the knowledge that it can be attained.

I envisioned the same success and prosperity for this nation that you envision. This is our country, our home; and we, all Ghanaians, deserve to have the ability to live, work and raise our families here with dignity and pride.

As President, I am committed to working in the best interests of all citizens. The day I took my oath of office, I officially became the person who had been entrusted with the leadership of this country. On that day, I made a promise to work in partnership with you, the citizens of this country.

I have not forgotten that promise; nor have I forgotten that one of the greatest virtues of leadership is the ability to listen.

My comments today will be brief. The time for talking has passed. Our people are confident and have never been afraid to make their concerns known. I want to assure the good citizens of our great nation, the farmers, fishermen, traders, workers, students, security personnel and all ‘concerned citizens’ that I am listening and that I will continue to listen.

We all have a stake in the destiny of our nation and irrespective of our ethnic origin, gender or political affiliation; we can work together to make our nation “great and strong.”

I want to assure you that we will create change. Together we will build the sort of country that we will be proud to hand down to our children and their children, just as those before us, some of whom are the Senior Citizens we salute today, built a Ghana that they proudly handed down to us.

Together we can, and together we will.

It is the “asking” which spurs into action the very motion of destiny. The time for that action is now.

I thank you for your kind attention.

May God bless you.

May God bless our beloved homeland, Ghana.

Source: The Presidency, The Republic of Ghana

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A Leader Is Constantly Aware Of His Vision And Purpose

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Created on Thursday, 29 May 2014 00:00

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A Leader Is Constantly Aware Of His Vision And Purpose

A leader is someone who is constantly aware of his purpose. Jesus knew why he was in this world. Even in times of great stress, he explained his life’s purpose. I am constantly aware of what God has called me to do. Every day of my life is spent trying to fulfil the calling of God on my life. When you are aware of what you are supposed to do, you are guided aright into spending your time appropriately.

If you only remember that you are a pastor when you arrive in church, then you are probably not a real pastor. When I was a lay person working in the hospital, I was constantly aware of my calling into the ministry. Even when Jesus was a child, He said, “I must be about my Father’s business.”

1. Jesus Christ stated His purpose to His parents.

And he said unto them, how is it that ye sought me? Wish ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?

Luke 2:49

2. Jesus Christ stated His purpose to other religious people like Nicodemus.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”

John 3:16, 17

3. Jesus Christ stated His purpose to his disciples

From that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.

Matthew 16:21

4. Jesus Christ stated His purpose to unbelievers like Zacchaeus.

And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.

And Jesus said unto him, “This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.

For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Luke 19:8-10

5. Jesus Christ stated His purpose to enemies like Pilate.

Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.

John 18:37

Dear leader, what is your life’s purpose? Are you a businessman trying to make money? Then why does your business run like a charity? Why do you not cut your expenses and begin to make profits? Are you a minister of the gospel? Then don’t be taken up with the love of money. God did not call you to acquire great wealth. He called you to serve in the ministry. Do the ministry even if you have to live in poverty.

God gave me a dream. In the dream, I saw myself walking on a long road. Along this road were many heaps of gold. As I walked on the path, I would pass by these heaps of gold. The Lord specifically told me, “Do not stop at any of these heaps.

There are many heaps of gold on this road. There will be no need for you to stop by any of them.” You see, God was showing me that I should stick with my vision. He was telling me not to deviate into business or the search for money.

Are you a leader? Then let your vision fill your heart and mind so that you will not deviate from your original calling. If you are a minister, remember that it is souls, souls and more souls. Not money, money and more money!

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Source: Daily Guide

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