Michael Kenetey Kofi

  The Electoral Commission (EC) has stated that it was not properly notified about the Minority in Parliament’s decision to present a petition at its headquarters yesterday.  The EC noted that a letter communicating the move was received rather too late as the top officials were not available at the time to see it through.  It added that if the Commission was properly notified of the said presentation, its leadership would have been present to receive the petition from the Minority in Parliament.  This comes as a result of the Minority’s threats to disrespect the EC Chairperson for failing to show up when the NDC MPs marched to the electoral body’s office in protest against the outcome of the Techiman South parliamentary elections.  After a heated confrontation with the police at the EC’s Ridge office, Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu called for a top official to receive the petition enumerating their concerns but there was none to execute the gesture.  Speak...

Story by Michael Kenetey Kofi   Hon. Mustapha Ussif, Yagaba MP-Elect The Executive Director of the National Service Scheme (NSS) and Member of Parliament-elect for the Yagaba/Kubori constituency of the North East Region, Mustapha Ussif says the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) will not be distracted by the incessant protests by the National Democratic Congress (NDC). Supporters of the NDC across the country have been protesting the outcome of the 2020 elections since President Akufo-Addo was declared winner of the just ended elections.  Aside from grievances at the constituency level, the NDC has also rejected the outcome of the presidential election. In an interview, Mr. Ussif expressed his disappointment at the leadership of the opposition party for fueling the protests.  Mr. Ussif noted that he is not worried about the protest all over but concerned for a candidate who gave the green light to his followers to protest instead of seeking redress in court unlike Akufo-...

 Story by Michael Kenetey Kofi The Opposition  National Democratic Congress (NDC) lawmakers have threatened to boycott all activities of the Electoral Commission (EC) after they were blocked from armed police officers from petitioning the Commission on this afternoon.  Police officers stationed at the EC stopped the parliamentarians from accessing the premises of the Electoral Commission (EC) to present a petition stating their challenges with the recently held national elections and demanding the immediate collation of the 2020 Techiman South Constituency results. The NDC MPs were led by Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu and the Minority Chief Whip, Alhaji Muntaka Mubarak who walked towards the EC but they were stopped by the police who insisted they will not allow them proceed beyond a barricaded area. Some of the legislators were manhandled amidst the chaos and hesitation of the group to retreat. The petition indicated that "the NDC Caucus of the current Parliament is fu...

Story by Michael Kenetey Kofi Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, MP Tamale South  The Minority Leader in Parliament, Haruna Iddrisu noted that the NDC MPs will boycott the inauguration of President Akufo-Addo for a second term if a re-collation of the parliamentary results in Techiman South is not done. He told explained that the declaration of the seat in favour of the NPP’s Martin Agyei Mensah Korsah is fraudulent and they will not allow it to stand. Hon. Haruna Iddrisu Mr. Iddrisu said they are standing in denial by collusion of fraud by the Electoral Commission and the NPP.  He added that it is not acceptable, explaining that the NPP and EC are just joking with Techiman South, adding it to their number and claim a false 137 seats which they do not deserve. The Tamale South MP further called on the EC to openly collate the results of Techiman South amicably and satisfactorily in accordance to the law of Ghana. Mr. Iddrisu stresses that if Techiman South results is not resolved amicably a...

Story by Michael Kenetey Kofi Andrew Amoako Asiamah, MP Fomena. The Member of Parliament (MP)-elect for Fomena Constituency, Andrew Amoako Asiamah as Independent candidate will have to vacate his seat as an MP if he rejoins the NPP.  There have been various discussions going on as to whether the MP will be able to rejoin his mother party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) or not.  The General Secretary of the NPP, John Boadu commented on an Accra-based radio station that the leadership of the governing NPP will decide whether to welcome back the embattled former NPP member into the party or not.  The independent MP-elect, Amoako Asiamah in an interview said his team is waiting for proposal from his mother party NPP before he will take any decision of rejoining the NPP.  However, Article 97 clause one paragraph H of the 1992 constitution states that, a Member of Parliament (MP) shall vacate his seat in parliament if he is elected a Member of Parliament as an independent c...

 Story by Michael Kenetey Kofi A section of student journalists of the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) have shared their views on the composition of the next Parliament that will commence its official work from the seventh of next month.  The results of the just ended parliamentary and presidential elections as declared by the Electoral Commission (EC) chairperson, Mrs. Jean Mensah indicated that the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has one hundred and 37 seats, while the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has one hundred and 36 seats, one independent seat and one outstanding seat yet to be declared by the EC. This means that whether the yet to be declared seat goes either way, it will not make any of the parties have absolute majority in the eighth Parliament. This has generated diverse views among the student journalists of GIJ.  While some of them believe the development is a good fortune for the country, others think otherwise. Some of the students said...