By Wilberforce Obeng

Ever since Ghana returned to the fourth republic in 1992, Ghana has hard 7 democratically elections, and these are the Presidents Ghanaians have elected, i.e. 1992-2000, was then His Excellency Jerry John Rawlings, 2000-2008 also saw His Excellency John Agyekum Kofour, 2008-2012 (July 24th), was His Excellency Professor John Evans Fiifi Atta Mills, 2012 (July) -2016 His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, and now 2016-2020 His Excellency Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo Addo
Between the elections of 1992-2016, a lot of media platforms were used for the political parties doing campaign season through different types of media.

But elections 2020 December, there are indications that the Presidential and Parliamentary candidates are going to use a lot of new media/social media to campaign in Ghana rather than traditional media, currently Ghana places 9th on the global report for a number of hours people spent per day on new media (www.moc.gov.gh, 2019). This shows that Ghanaians are now moving to digital platforms.

According to the current Ghana’s Vice President, His Excellency Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia, Ghana has moved from our old way of doing things in our daily life and gradually moving to technological, Dr. Bawumia cited Ghana card, digital address system, (GPS), interoperability with mobile money transaction, e-business registration facility, e-justice at the country’s legal system, and others (www.ghana.gov.gh).

The programme manager of Cybercrime Unit of the Council of Europe, Matteo Lucchetti, said in 2018, 4.4 billion people are using different types of new media out of 7.5 billion people (www.moc.gov.gh, 2019).

Types of platforms
However, there are different types of technological platforms which are applicable to the usage such as, business class, academia, politicians, theologians, and others. The type of platform usage may depend on the person or institution on which one or two to use so as to reach their followers/clients/audience, others may decide to use a variety of them.

These are some of the new media (subset) and most popular once are: i.e. YouTube, Snapchart, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, WhatsApp, Linkedln, Myspace, Wechart, QQ, Viber, Pinterest, and others.

Politicians and citizens
Politicians have taking the opportunity through the new way of communicating with their followers and also to monitor how citizens may able to reach them and also shear their opinion.

It has worked in favour of Barack Obama of US in 2008 & 2012 elections, due to the trend across the globe, almost all the aspirants in Ghana are trying to gather followers on their handles, i.e. His Excellency Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo Addo of the New Patriotic Party and His Excellency John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress, while other political parties are also doing well to applying it in their activities.

Conclusion
With the help of new media technologies, when use it well, you can reach millions of people all over the world, meanwhile in Ghana as of January 2020, around 6 million people were using new media technologies, the number increased by plus 12% between April 2019 and January 2020 (datareportal.com, 2020).

Currently, the following report indicating how Ghanaians are gradually developing interest in new media: Facebook 58.37%, Pinterest 18.77%, Twitter 15.08%, YouTube 6.17%, Instergram 1.01%, Tumblr 0.2% (gs.statcounter.com, July 2020).

The headpastor of power HouseAssemblies of God- kumasi Rev.PeterKwaku Agyeman lead his congregation in Thanksgivingservice to thank the almighty God for healing Ghana from the novel Corona virus.

The church organized one week fasting and prayers to call for God intervention and mercies on this pandemic which has now become cronnic to the world and Ghana

Bringing the week days fasting and prayers to an end last Sunday service , Rev. Peter kwaku Agyemang revealed that the power behind the pandemic is gone and the world is almost free from it now,

Ghana is healed from it due to our recovery rates.

The head pastor battress his stands with the Bible quotation from Hebrews 11: 1 emphasising that God Mercies is on Ghana and he can’t look on for his sons to move into detches.

Rev Minister assured his members to continue spreading calm and desist from fears and fake news on this pandemic, because God has seen the country through and save.

Corona virus was emerged to the world December 2019 which stated from China Wuhan, thousand of people has lost their lifes and over millions of people were been affected across the globe . Though Ghana was affected but our death rate and recovery rate symbolizes that Ghana has been healed, Rev minister added

He further advice the congregation and the country to adhere to the precautionary measures that has been put in place.

By : Emmanuel owusu

Wisdom evades a white-bearded man when the SELF takes hold of his reasoning. A Professor spews nonsense when he places his stomach ahead of reasoning. Else, how on earth could Prof . Steven Adei loosely talks like this. What does he mean by Ghana becoming worse off when Mahama becomes President again?
What this self-seeking Prof Adei means is simple. Mahama as President will not allow him to monopolise the many Boards and Committees on which he serves Under Akuffo-Addo’s Presidency either as Chairman or Member. Why will he not be afraid of His Excellency Former President John Dramani Mahma’s come back to the Flagstaff House when he alone occupies the positions below and takes huge allowances under Nana Akuffo-Addo :

Prof Steven Adei represents the president Nana Akufo Addo on the Judicial Council. He is also Chairman of the National Development Planning Commission(NDPC) , Chairman of the Ghana Revenue Authority(GRA) . Again Prof Adei is an advisory board member of the Ministry of Finance. One person serves as a board and Committee member. He might have all the wisdom in the World, and in the New Patriotic Party.
The truth is that when Prof Adei speaks, one needs to go behind the speech and try to retrieve the rationale.
We members of the Gallant Soldiers Cadres of NDC condemn this cronyism and paralysis of analysis in relation to Former President John Dramani Mahama’ s performance .
Is the Prof Adei saying he is so blind that he can’t see the infrastructural facilities that Former President Mahama left for President Nana Akuffo-Addo? Has the Prof Adei not been driving through Kwame Nkrumah Circle? How many roads has his Talk-talk and Always Promising NPP constructed in the country? If Prof Adei has never visited the Ridge Hospital, the UG ‘s new hospital complex, Terminal 3 of the Kotoka International Airport etc, has he also not heard about these facilities constructed by the NDC under Former President Mahama?

The members of the Gallant Soldiers Soldiers of the NDC condemn this unprovoked attack on the leadership of President John Mahama, and the Flagbearer of the NDC. We pledge our unflinching support for President Mahama and his running mate Prof Jane Naana Opoku-Agyeman. We assure Prof Steven Adei that the rot he has helped Nana Akuffo-Addo to create in Ghana needs to be repaired . Again, the Hope Akuffo-Addo’s goveremt has caused Ghanaians to lose in the economy needs to be restored. It is only John Dramani Mahama, and Prof Jane Naana Opoku Agyeman who can restore this hope.
John and Jane are surely coming back to restore
hope for Ghanaians

Mr Richard Ashley, Chairman
Mr Gabriel Yoa Asare, Secretary
Richard E A Sarpong, Father Casford, the PRO 0241906363.

The decision of the electoral commission of Ghana to use as voter registration centres the campuses of the Senior High Schools has the potential to cause spikes the spread of Coronavirus amongst the students.

It is as a result of this, and other reasons the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has sued the Electoral Commission over the later’s decision to organise voter registration exercise in Senior High Schools (SHS) across the length and breadth of Ghana.

The EC commenced a two-day registration exercise at premises of the various senior high schools beginning July 10, 2020. The exercise is supposed to end a day or two according to the EC.

Officials of the NDC had insisted that the exercise being embarked on by the EC in the Senior High Schools is illegal since the said schools have not been gazetted as centres being used for the registration exercise.

Aside seeking an interlocutory injunction stopping the exercise, the NDC also wants to declare it as “illegal and wrongful.”

The reliefs are
A declaration that it is illegal and wrongful for the Defendant to conduct registration at any place including campuses of a Senior High School which was not contained in the Gazette and notification in accordance with C.I 91.”

“A declaration that any such registration of voters including students that take place at any ungazetted and unpublished registration centre including Senior High School campuses is null and void and of no legal effect,” the NDC requested as part of its reliefs.

The NDC is also seeking for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Electoral Commission “whether by itself, officers, agents or any other functionary personnel from carrying out registration of voters in any Senior High School or place not duly gazetted or published in accordance with C.I 91 as amended.”

Gallant Soldiers Cadres of NDC again, notes Ballooning registration figures in npp strongholds and this is an agenda for rigging the 2020 general elections for the ruling party. It is a common knowledge EC and npp are in constant rigging plot hence there is a psychology at play to rigging the elections using the ballooning inflated figures from the New Patriotic Party strongholds.The agenda is to give large number of registrants in npp strongholds so that on the election day, EC will add more numbers to the voters that turn up and eventually increase their voter population. The said figures must be investigated, and true registration figures published to avoid any possible manipulative tendencies from Nana Addo Jean Mensah EC. Gallant Soldiers Cadres of NDC urge the Electoral Commission of Ghana to come clear on these issues.

Why actual registration figures recorded at the Offinso North in the Ashanti Region stood at 7,869, but the EC reported 26,886 which indicated that a whopping 19,017 registrants had found their way onto the register being,

in the Afigya Sekyere East, the EC diabolically reported 14,263 instead of the actual registration of 8,975 which also saw an addition of 5,288 registrants to those who actually registered. Interestingly, instead of 43,197 that were captured in the Oti Region, the EC reported only 38,551 thereby cutting off as much as 4,646 from the actual registration.
The NPP were asked what at all was in the old voter register that the EC should compile a new one?. Today the reality and the reasons compiling a new voters Register are stirring at Ghanaians. Covid’19 cases are still rising and very scary. Healthcare workers are contracting the virus amidst shortage of PPEs.

Parents our students can’t even visit their wards in the schools, but the EC officials, and party agents can go to these schools. When we are told by the health minister that the Government is “tired” fighting the Covid-19.

The question that Begs answers is would EC be able to ensure and observe the health protocols for the students?

Mr Richard Ashley, Chairman
Gabriel Yoa Asare
Richard E A Sarpong, Father Casford the PRO 0241906363.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has sued the Electoral Commission over the later’s decision to organise voter registration exercise in Senior High Schools (SHS).

The EC commenced a two-day registration exercise at premises of the various senior high schools beginning July 10, 2020.

The exercise is supposed to end tomorrow.

Officials of the NDC had insisted that the exercise being embarked on by the EC in the Senior High Schools is illegal since the said schools have not been gazetted as centres being used for the exercise.

Aside seeking an interlocutory injunction stopping the exercise, the NDC also wants to declare it as “illegal and wrongful.”
The reliefs are

A declaration that it is illegal and wrongful for the Defendant to conduct registration at any place including campuses of a Senior High School which was not contained in the Gazette and notification in accordance with C.I 91.”

“A declaration that any such registration of voters including students that take place at any ungazetted and unpublished registration centre including Senior High School campuses is null and void and of no legal effect,” the NDC requested as part of its reliefs.

The NDC is also seeking for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Electoral Commission “whether by itself, officers, agents or any other functionary personnel from carrying out registration of voters in any Senior High School or place not duly gazetted or published in accordance with C.I 91 as amended.”of its reliefs.

Mr Richard Ashley, Chairman
Gabriel Yoa Asare
Richard E A Sarpong, Father Casford the PRO 0241906363.

PRESS RELEASE
June, 2020

BUREAU OF LOCAL GOVERNANCE
(BuLoG)

P.o. box SE 2740, Kumasi.

The BuLog applaud President for been a listen President on the issue of law concerning Covid 19 pandemic in Ghana.

Greater Accra REGSEC issued a release that they will enforce the law on facemask wearing (myjoyonline.com), of which the BuLog further suggested that the REGSEC has no power to enforce the said law, rather the President should issue EI, or either Parliament or MMDA’s can pass a law to enforce the wearing of mask.

Today in Ghana, according to EI 164, and Act 2020 (Act1012), failure to use a mask in public will attract a panishment of 1000 penalty units (Gh¢12, 000) or 5, 000 penalty units (Gh¢60,000) and or 4 to 10 years in prison or both.

Over 50 Countries across the world have passed law to penalize people who fail to wear mask, i.e. Morocco: a person will face a panishment of 1,300 dirhams ($130), or three months in prison, Qatar: three years in prison or $55,000, Lebanon: 50,000 Lebanese pounds ($33)(aljazeera.com), Germany: the panishment range from €15 ($16) to €5,000 (cnn.com), US, i.e. Florida, a person refusing to wear mask will cost you either $500 or 60 days in jail.

Finally, it’s appropriate as a Country to apply all the protocols so as to help stop the spread of Covid 19 pandemic in Ghana. But the panishment is too high.

Thanks.

Signed.
Nana Kwame Akatii
0244207544
(Executive Director)

Cc:
Office of the President, Accra.

Office of the Speaker of Parliament, Accra.

Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Accra.

MMDA’s.

All Media House.

PRESS RELEASE
May 29, 2020

BUREAU OF LOCAL GOVERNANCE
(BuLoG)

P.o. box SE 2740, Kumasi.

The Bureau of Local Governance totally Condemned the alledged elections that took place at the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipal Assembly (TNMA) (graphiconline.com).

Since the Local Government was with us even before Gold Coast era in 1852 (Kessey, 1995: cited by Arthur, 2017) and indirectlly re-introduced by the then British Government in 1878 (Arthur, 2017), and also had our first new local government elections in 1952 (Arthur, 2017), till now, we have not witness such an bloody Local Elections like what occurred in the Western Region of Ghana before.

Per the Standing Orders, order 13 (1), “The Presiding Member of the Assembly shall;
(a) convene and sign notices of all meetings of the Assembly except the inaugural meeting”,
and here is the case, according to the PM (Oyerepa fm 100.7), he didn’t signed any letter to convene i.e. any meeting to elect the MCE.

According to the 1992 Constitution, article 243 (1), “There shall be District Chief Executive for every district who shall be appointed by the President with the prior approval of not less than two-thirds majority of members at the Assembly present and voting at the meeting”.
Article 21 (3) of the UDHR, “The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures”.

Finally, we called upon the authorities to do justice to what has happened at TNMA.

Thanks.

Signed.
Nana Kwame Obeng Akatii
0244207544
(Executive Director)

Cc:
Office of the President, Accra.

Office of the Speaker of Parliament, Accra.

Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Accra.

Dr. Eric Oduro-Osea
Adviser,
Local Government Ministry,
Accra

MMDA’s.

All Media House.