Assin North Member of Parliament, James Gyakye Quayson, has called on Parliament to accelerate efforts to amend Ghana’s constitution to permit dual citizens to hold specific public offices.
Addressing the House during a session marking Black History Month, Mr. Quayson highlighted the injustice faced by Ghanaians living abroad, who, despite their dedication to national development, are excluded from leadership roles due to their dual citizenship status.
“How we exclude them from leadership yet their heart, skills and resources are dedicated to building our nation,” he stated.
Drawing from his own experiences with legal battles over his dual citizenship status, Mr. Quayson argued that the current restrictions were outdated and failed to reflect Ghana’s evolving global reality.
“Our history allows us to reflect on the perseverance of our people throughout history—slavery, institutional racism, and the ongoing fight for equality. Africa, despite being rich in natural resources, remains paradoxically underdeveloped due to centuries of exploitation, colonisation, and unfair global systems,” he said.
He insisted that the constitution must be updated to embrace the contributions of Ghanaians in the diaspora. “Our constitution, a beacon of democracy, it must evolve to reflect the global realities of our people. How do we marginalise those who have sought better opportunities abroad yet remain deeply connected to Ghana?” he questioned.
Mr. Quayson, who faced prosecution over his dual citizenship status, emphasized that the issue transcends personal grievances and should be addressed as a matter of national interest. “The fight against dual citizenship restrictions and political ambition is not a personal battle but a national conversation,” he stressed.
He also proposed reviewing taxation policies if dual citizens are eventually allowed to hold public office.
“If you are a dual citizen and you are entitled to be a Member of Parliament, Chief Justice, or any other high office, and you earn your income from a country like the UK, the Ghanaian tax regime should be able to catch up with you as well,” he suggested.
Mr. Quayson urged Parliament to revisit the dual citizenship amendment bill, which had reached the second reading in the previous Parliament but lapsed before the House dissolved.
“The time is due for a change in the law,” he concluded.
Member of Parliament for Assin North, James Gyakye Quayson, remains hopeful that his constituents will renew his mandate in the upcoming 2024 election.
Mr Quayson, who once held dual citizenship with Canada and Ghana, faced a court case in 2020 that challenged his eligibility to hold office. After his seat was declared vacant, he contested and won a by-election to regain his position as MP.
Despite the legal challenges, Quayson has focused on numerous developmental projects to give back to the people of Assin North.
Following a visit from NDC running mate Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang to the constituency as part of her Central Region tour, Mr Quayson emphasized his commitment to development and justice.
“I will do everything in my capacity as a member of parliament to bring development to Assin North because that’s what they voted for me for in the last year. Since you all know my members well, membership of Parliament has been legitimised,” he stated.
Mr Quayson highlighted a recent project, the reconstruction of the Tweanka Bridge leading to Assin Breko, noting the community’s excitement and support.
“I’m not going to give up. I’m going to pull every resource at my own capacity and availability to make sure this project is done.”
Confident in his re-election prospects, Quayson added, “I see Assin North is going to renew my mandate because they appreciate the work I’m doing and I also appreciate the dignity and the respect and being resilient and fighting for them. They know that I’ll never leave them behind.”
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of St. Andrews Group of Companies, Prof. Richard Kofi Asiedu, has disclosed his unwavering focus during the Assin North by-elections in 2023, explaining why he refused to be distracted by allegations and insults hurled by Chairman Wontumi.
As the Central Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Prof. Asiedu shared in an interview on Onua FM, as reported by MyNewsGh.com, that despite numerous calls from media outlets to respond to Chairman Wontumi’s accusations, he chose to remain silent.
During the Assin North election, Chairman Wontumi made several allegations against Prof. Asiedu and repeatedly mentioned his name in public forums.
However, Prof. Asiedu refrained from engaging in any verbal exchanges, staying focused on securing victory for the NDC in Assin North.
Reflecting on the campaign, Prof. Asiedu recalled receiving calls on the final day urging him to confront Chairman Wontumi.
However, he resisted the temptation, mindful that engaging in such exchanges could lead to a derogatory discourse.
Instead, Prof. Asiedu maintained his composure and concentrated on the task at hand – ensuring success in the Assin North election.
Ultimately, his steadfast focus and dedication contributed to the NDC’s triumph in the by-election.
“You remember during the Assin North election, Chairman Wontumi made a lot of allegations, and I was called by several media houses to respond, but I never made any remarks.
“When he came to Assin North, he was all over mentioning my name, but I never responded to any of his allegations or insults because my mind was focusing on how to win the Assin North election, and I delivered.”
He added, “I remember on the last day of our campaign at Assin North, I had calls to banter Chairman Wontumi, but I desisted because the level of discourse I’ll have with him might be disgraceful.”
The minister, who also serves as the MP for Adansi Asokwa, defended his comments, stating that he does not consider them to be contemptuous and is prepared to uphold his stance.
He made these statements in an interview with Accra-based Citi FM.
“I am clear in my mind that I haven’t committed any contemptuous sin. I made a remark, the remark was in the context of precedence of decisions that have been made by the Supreme Court… And I don’t understand why anyone would want to take me to court except for the fact I am KT Hammond,” he said.
The High Court in Accra last week gave KT Hammond 31 days to justify comments he made.
According to a news report by myjoyoline.com, the court on Friday, July 28, 2023, ordered the lawyers of the embattled Assin North legislator to also file their statement within the stated deadline, August 31, 2023.
The report indicated that the presiding judge for the case, Justice Mary Anzu, opted not to listen to oral arguments and ordered the parties to address her through written arguments after which she would give her ruling.
James Quayson, through his lawyer, filed a lawsuit citing KT Hammond for contempt in relation to alleged comments he made on Oyerepa TV regarding the former’s ongoing criminal trial at the High Court.
The writ states that the Trade and Industry Minister has stated in the said interview that, ‘Gyakye Quayson will go to prison’, which was subsequently published on GhanaWeb.
Quoting Article 19(1) of the 1992 Constitution, the writ contends that until proven guilty, an individual is considered innocent, therefore, K.T Hammond’s comment is a violation of the accused’s right to a fair trial, and it is argued that his words impede the proper functioning of the court, hence the suit seeking legal consequences, including imprisonment, if he is found guilty of contempt.
Gyakye Quayson is currently facing charges of perjury and forgery related to his Canadian citizenship status at the time of filing his nomination forms for the 2020 parliamentary election.
The legal proceedings against Gyakye Quayson arose following a Supreme Court ruling that deemed the Electoral Commission’s decision to allow him to contest the 2020 polls without proof of renouncing his Canadian citizenship unconstitutional.
The apex court instructedParliament to expunge Gyakye Quayson’s name from its records, nullifying his election and declaring it to be of no effect. Furthermore, his swearing-in was deemed unconstitutional.
Member of Parliament (MP) for Adansi Asokwa and Trade Minister, KT Hammond, has reaffirmed that he did not make any prejudicial remarks concerning the trial of James Gyakye Quayson, the Member of Parliament for the Assin North Constituency.
Lawyers representing Gyakye Quayson filed a contempt application in response to comments made by the Trade and Industry Minister during a media interview, which they considered to be contemptuous.
Mr Hammond is alleged to have equated the Gyakye Quayson case to that of Adamu Sakande, a late former MP for Bawku Central and indicated that the Assin North MP will suffer the same fate.
But speaking in an interview with Umaru Sanda Amadu on Eyewitness News on Citi FM in Accra on Friday, Mr Hammond emphasised “I am clear in my mind that I haven’t committed any contemptuous sin. I made a remark, the remark was in the context of precedence of decisions that have been made by the Supreme Court… And I don’t understand why anyone would want to take me to court except for the fact I am KT Hammond.”
For that reason, the Trade Minister said that he would have gladly acceded to the allegations and rendered an apology if he really made such commentary.
Meanwhile, the High Court in Accra has set October 19, to deliver a ruling on the contempt case brought against Adansi Asokwa Member of Parliament, KT Hammond.
The complainant in the case, Gyakye Quayson was hoping to move the case on Friday, but it was rather adjourned.
The court has directed the parties in the matter to file their written addresses by August 31.
The parties will then return on October 19 for the ruling.
Trades Minister, Kobina Tahir Hammond, faces the possibility of a prison sentence as he has been granted until August 31 to provide a valid explanation for his comments on the James Gyakye Quayson trial’s outcome.
The legal representatives of the embattled Assin North MP have been given the same timeframe to present their arguments against the minister.
The High Court’s judgment will be delivered on October 19.
Mr Quayson’s lawyers are asking the High Court to punish Mr Hammond for saying James Quayson may as well leave Parliament since he would end up in jail.
Mr Hammond in an interview with Oyerepa TV compared the Quayson case to that of former legislator Adamu Sakande.
“There is something we call precedence at the court. This is the same thing that happened with Adamu Sakande. He came to this House…the same NDC (National Democratic Congress) members were the ones who sacked him from parliament and took him to court. He was imprisoned and he eventually died and was buried. It is the same matter,” he said.
“They are making all kinds of noise about his swearing-in. I prompted the former deputy Attorney General Dominic Ayine to tell the gentleman that we have seen this before in this House. He should leave this House before he would be jailed,” he said.
In July 2012, a New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Bawku Central Adamu Dramani Sakande.
He was convicted by an Accra High Court after he was found guilty of perjury and forgery.
This was after he failed to renounce UK Citizenship before contesting for the Bawku seat. He was found guilty of perjury and forgery and was jailed for two years concurrently on all counts.
The court handling the case against Mr Hammond has opted not to hear oral arguments but wants the lawyers to address her through arguments after which she will deliver her ruling.
In an endeavor to combat illegal mining across the country, the government has taken significant measures.
68 excavators located in Tarkwa, Prestea, Obuasi, Bibiani, and Bolgatanga have been equipped with tracking devices.
Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abdulai Jinapor, disclosed this information while addressing questions in Parliament.
These tracking devices have the capability to automatically deactivate the excavators if they venture beyond their designated concession areas.
To reactivate them, authorized officials from the Minerals Commission are required to utilize a dedicated online application.
To oversee the operations of the excavators and other mobile equipment during the pilot phase of this initiative, the Minerals Commission has set up a dedicated control room.
Moreover, the Ministry and the Minerals Commission have been diligently collaborating to ensure the tracking of all earth-moving and tracking equipment, in strict accordance with the law.
In order to obtain necessary equipment for this purpose, the Public Procurement Authority’s approval has been sought for the acquisition of drones and tracking devices.
“The Ministry and the Minerals Commission have been working to track all earth-moving and tracking equipment in accordance with the law. The approval has been sought from the Public Procurement Authority for the purchase of drones and tracking devices. For this purpose, the Minerals Commission has however already established a control room to monitor the operations of excavators and other earth-moving equipment.”
“Some 68 excavators in Tarkwa, Prestea, Obuasi, Bibiani, and Bolgatanga have all been installed with tracking devices for piloting. Several other logistical support has been provided to the Minerals Commission to enable it effectively monitor mining operations, including vehicles, among others,” he stated.
However, the Minerals Commission has already taken the initiative to establish the control room as a preemptive measure to monitor the activities of excavators and other earth-moving equipment.
The implementation of tracking devices on the 68 excavators in the aforementioned areas marks the beginning of the pilot program. Additionally, the Minerals Commission has been provided with various logistical support, including vehicles, to effectively monitor mining operations.
This comprehensive effort by the government is part of a broader campaign to combat illegal mining, which has caused extensive environmental damage in Ghana.
MP for Asutifi South, Collins Dauda, has asserted that the minority caucus of parliament will persist in their protest against the prosecution of their colleague, James Gyakye Quayson, who represents the Assin North Constituency.
He stated that the NDC MPs would maintain their boycott of parliamentary sessions as a display of solidarity with Quayson, emphasizing that ending the boycott would be seen as a form of betrayal.
Member of Parliament (MP) for Asutifi South, Collins Dauda
“Gyakye Quayson was dragged to court on several occasions. The court said that he should be removed as an MP, and he was removed.
“Another election was conducted, and the people of Assin North voted for him massively. But still, they are trying him in court. So, those of us who love him—should we sit aloof as they are persecuting him?
“And so, anytime he is to appear before the court, we would accompany him to show him the love we have for him; we would go today and tomorrow,” he said in Twi, as he was addressing the media at a campaign event on Monday.
Collins Dauda, a former Minister for Works and Housing, added that it is amazing that the Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC), which approved Quayson, has not been summoned by the court to explain their decision.
“The gatekeeper (the EC), who is supposed to ensure that only qualified people stand for the election, passed him (Quayson)… Why are they not asking the Electoral Commission why it passed Quayson?” he said.
He added that those saying that NDC MPs’ boycott of parliament was affecting the livelihood of Ghanaians are wrong because currently there are no urgent bills that the house is considering.
Former Member of Parliament (MP) for Nkawkaw constituency in the Eastern Region, Seth Adjei Baah, has urged the minority caucus in parliament to cease their boycott of parliamentary proceedings concerning the trial of the embattled Member of Parliament for Assin North, James Gyakye Quayson.
He expressed concern that the minority’s actions might be seen as an attempt to intimidate the judiciary and urged them to respect the legal process and let it proceed accordingly.
During an interview on Citi TV, the ex-MP emphasized that such actions could be construed as efforts to sway the judiciary’s judgment. He stressed the significance of permitting the judicial process to unfold independently, free from any undue influence or pressure.
“They should give the judiciary the chance to do what is right because they are trying the case and the lawyers are there. I know they will do the right thing, so it is not about following up that will influence the decision of the court,” citinewsroom.com quoted him to have said.
Expressing empathy for those who wish to accompany James Gyakye Quayson to court, he underscored that boycotting parliamentary work is not a constructive approach.
“If they [the Minority] think the problem is coming from the executive, then they should go and picket over there and tell them that they are not happy, but not go and put pressure on the judiciary because their presence there is intimidating,” he advised.
The trial of James Gyakye Quayson, whose eligibility as an MP has been a subject of contention due to dual citizenship issues, has attracted significant attention in Ghana’s political landscape. In solidarity with their colleague, the minority caucus has boycotted parliamentary sessions, raising concerns about the impact of such actions on the country’s legislative process.
Economist Kwame Pianim has voiced criticism against MPs who abstain from their parliamentary responsibilities to protest issues they dissent with.
According to Mr Pianim, such actions are not acceptable, and has advocated for the removal of allowances for MPs engaged in boycotts.
“A parliamentarian has no business to boycott parliament. If they boycott parliament their allowances should be taken off,” he said on the News 360 on TV3 Wednesday, July 19.
“Parliament is young, there is a tendency now to put a lot of burden on the fledgling judiciary which is not fair,” 3news.com quoted.
He emphasized that lawmakers should fulfil their responsibilities and not refrain from participating in parliamentary sessions as a means of protest.
Mr. Pianim further pointed out that the parliament is still in its nascent stages, and he believes that undue burdens are being placed on the fledgling judiciary, which he considers unfair.
The discussion was sparked by the decision of the Minority in Parliament to abstain from parliamentary sessions as a form of protest against the ongoing trial of James Gyakye Quayson, the Member of Parliament for Assin North.
The Minority justified their decision by stating that it is in response to what they perceived as the government’s escalating “persecution” of Mr Quayson.
In their statement, the opposition lawmakers highlighted their concerns about the High Court’s ruling to continue the daily trial of Mr Quayson, even with a pending application before the Court of Appeal requesting a stay of proceedings.
The Minority questioned the practicality of expecting the accused MP to attend court daily while also fulfilling his parliamentary duties and representing the people of Assin North effectively.
The trial of James Gyakye Quayson has drawn attention due to the unique circumstances surrounding his parliamentary tenure.
Having been elected twice within a single parliamentary term, he initially won the 2020 Parliamentary election in the Assin North Constituency, which the Supreme Court later nullified after two and a half years.
Subsequently, a by-election was held, in which he emerged victorious with an overwhelming 57.56% majority.
Despite Mr. Quayson’s application to halt the criminal trial until the outcomes of the pending appeals in the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court, the Accra High Court dismissed the stay proceedings application on Tuesday, July 18.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed Gyakye Quayson‘s application for a stay of proceedings in his trial at the High Court.
Last week, the lawyers representing the Member of Parliament for the Assin North constituency requested the High Court to suspend the proceedings temporarily, so that the Court of Appeal could hear his appeal to review a decision made by the trial judge.
The trial judge had decided to hear Quayson’s case on a daily basis, which the defense sought to challenge.
However, the plea for a stay of proceedings was rejected by the High Court.
Subsequently, Quayson sought to appeal the High Court’s ruling to the Court of Appeal, but his efforts were unsuccessful, as the Court of Appeal upheld the High Court’s decision.
As of now, Gyakye Quayson is facing trial at the High Court in Accra on charges of forgery and perjury.
The legal process is continuing, and he is required to participate in the trial without further delays.
The troubles for Mr. Gyakye Quayson started when he expressed his intention to run for the Assin North Parliamentary elections in 2020 under the banner of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC). A group known as the ‘Concerned Citizens of Assin North’ filed a petition with the Electoral Commission in the Central Region, seeking the withdrawal of Quayson’s candidature on the grounds that he held Canadian citizenship.
Despite the petition against his candidacy, Mr. Quayson was allowed to contest in the 2020 parliamentary polls as the NDC candidate. He secured 17,498 votes, representing 55.21% of the votes, while Abena Durowaa Mensah, the candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), obtained 14,193 votes, representing 44.79%.
After Mr. Quayson’s victory, a resident from Assin Bereku in the Central Region filed a petition with the Cape Coast High Court, seeking to nullify his election as the MP of Assin North. The Cape Coast High Court ruled in favor of the petitioner, declaring the 2020 parliamentary election in the Assin North Constituency as null and void. The court’s decision was based on the finding that Mr. Quayson had breached the constitutional provisions related to dual citizenship.
In an attempt to challenge the court’s ruling, Mr. Quayson took the matter to the Supreme Court. However, he faced disappointment as the apex court ordered Parliament to remove his name from its records, effectively removing him from his position as an MP.
Following his expulsion from Parliament, a by-election was conducted in the Assin North Constituency. Despite his previous legal challenges, Mr. Quayson emerged as the winner of the by-election with a significant margin of victory.
Meanwhile, the members of the Minority Caucus in Parliament have taken a collective decision to boycott parliamentary sessions on the days when Mr. Gyakye Quayson, their fellow MP, is expected to appear in court.
This move was made as a show of solidarity with Mr. Quayson, who is facing legal challenges concerning his eligibility as a Member of Parliament.
However, this decision to boycott Parliament on specific days has faced criticism from members of the Majority Caucus.
The Majority Caucus members, who are from the ruling party, have expressed their disapproval of the boycott, viewing it as an obstruction to the parliamentary proceedings and a disregard for the responsibilities of the MPs to represent their constituencies and participate in legislative activities.
The boycott by the Minority Caucus and the subsequent criticism from the Majority Caucus may have further heightened tensions and divisions within the Parliament, impacting the overall functioning and effectiveness of the legislative body.
The boycott of parliamentary sessions by the Minority Caucus in solidarity with James Gyakye Quayson, the Member of Parliament for Assin North, has resulted in a halt to the parliamentary proceedings.
The current occurrence represents the fourth occasion in which the minority members have chosen to refrain from engaging in parliamentary activities.
Members of the caucus announced their decision to boycott parliamentary sessions during Quayson’s swearing-in ceremony on July 4th.
Their solidarity with Quayson stems from his ongoing criminal case concerning allegations of dual citizenship, which is constitutionally prohibited for Members of Parliament in Ghana.
Despite the Supreme Court annulling his 2020 parliamentary victory, Quayson contested in the subsequent by-election and secured an even larger margin of victory.
As a result of the minority members’ support for Quayson, the attendance in Parliament today was significantly reduced, with only 23 majority MPs present for the sitting.
The boycott by the minority has effectively paralyzed parliamentary business, leading to a disruption in the legislative process as the house is compelled to adjourn.
National Organiser of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Joseph Yamin, has rebutted media claims that the Ghana Police Service excelled in their handling of the Assin North by-election.
He stated that numerous mishaps occurred, but the NDC has chosen not to address them as they had no impact on the decision made by the people of Assin North.
In a widely circulated video on Facebook, the NDC national organiser expressed that despite the police prohibiting individuals, including NDC officers, from carrying firearms at polling stations during the by-elections, prominent members of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) were seen openly carrying guns.
Furthermore, he mentioned that among the NPP individuals who possessed firearms was Bernard Antwi Boasiako, also known as Chairman Wontumi, the party’s Ashanti Regional chairman. Chairman Wontumi even discharged a gunshot that resulted in the damage of a vehicle belonging to an NDC member.
“We are silent on the Assin North, not because the IGP help anyone. If we want to talk about how the police helped the NPP, we may not be going anywhere. That is why we have been quiet because, in the end, we won the elections which every Ghanaian was looking for.
“That is why we have left everything, order than that why has IGP Dampare not arrested Wontumi and Owusu Bempeh for showing weapons, holding weapons and going round with them when police officers didn’t have the chance to hold weapons?
“They held it (the weapons) and they didn’t just hold it, they fired it. The police are aware of this, they (the police) saw it. The cars they fired at were sent to the police station,” he said.
The ongoing criminal trial of Member of Parliament for Assin North, James Gyakye Quayson, has become a prominent topic of public discourse and debate in Ghana.
Prominent Ghanaians, including Dormaahene Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyemang Badu II, have appealed to the government to cease the criminal trial of Gyakye Quayson.
Supporters of the government, including Members of Parliament (MPs) from the New Patriotic Party (NPP), contend that the case against Gyakye Quayson should not be dismissed due to the government’s belief in the strength of their argument.
They contend that Quayson’s is similar to that of their former MP for Bawku Central, Adamu Dramani Sakande, who was jailed in July 2012 after being found guilty of perjury and forgery by the Accra high court.
The Ghanaians who are calling for the trial of Quayson to be dropped, including National Democratic Congress MPs argue the two cases are different.
In an interview on Wednesday, July 12, renowned legal practitioners Martin Kpebu explained the major differences between the Case of Adamu Sakande and Gyakye Quayson.
Below are the four major differences in the case of Adamu Sakande and Gyakye Quayson:
1. Identity – Adamu Sakande had three alias, Gyakye Quayson had one
Lawyer Kpebu explained that, unlike Adamu Sakande, Gyakye Quayson had only one identity. He said that Adamu Sakande had three identities, including “Adamu Daramani-Sakande, Adamu Daramani Sakande and Adamu Daramani”.
He said that the former MP for Bawku Central had all these names on different documents which shows an intent to deceive but Quayson had only one identity.
2. Number of Passports – Sankande travelled with 3 different passports from different countries after becoming an MP, Quayson 1:
Martin Kpebu said that for Adamu Sakande there was evidence of him using three different passports to travel when he was an MP, his Ghanaian passport, his British passport and his Burkinabe passport.
But Quayson uses only his Ghanaian passport since he renounced his Canadian citizenship.
3. Renunciation of citizenship – Sankande did not renounce his foreign citizenship, Quayson did:
The lawyer also said that Gyakye Quayson had renounced his Canadian citizenship but Adamu Sakande never did.
He said that Quayson was waiting for his renunciation certificate, which was delayed through no fault of his. But the former Bawku Central MP never renounced the two other citizenships he was holding.
4. Rule of the Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC):
Kpebu also stated that the EC cleared Gyakye Quayson when the issue of his dual nationality come up but the multiple citizenship of Sakande was not known to the EC.
The lawyer was surprised that the EC was not a party to the suit that got Quayson removed from parliament. He said that the commission should have come to defend its decision.
About the Gyakye Quayson case:
The Supreme Court of Ghana, on May 17, 2023, ordered the Parliament of Ghana to expunge the name of James Gyakye Quayson as a Member of Parliament (MP)
Justice Jones Victor Dotse, Justice Nene Amegatcher, Justice Mariama Owusu, Gertrude Araba Torkornoo, Justice Prof. Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu, Justice Yonny Kulendi and Justice Barbara Ackah-Yensu declared that Quayson was not qualified at the time he contested the election 2020 in the Michael Ankomah Nimfah vrs James Gyakye Quayson case.
According to the court, the ousted Assin North MP failed to prove that he had renounced his Canadian citizenship when he filed his nomination to contest the 2020 general elections.
Parliament subsequently declared the Assin North seat vacant, leading to the Electoral Commission of Ghana announcing a by-election on May 27, 2023, to fill the seat.
But there is still one case the former MP has to face in court after the Office of the Attorney General accused him of deceiving public officers to acquire state documents.
On February 12, 2022, the State charged James Gyakye Quayson with five counts; deceit of a public officer, forgery of a passport, knowingly making a false statutory declaration, perjury, and false declaration.
About Adamu Dramani Sakande case:
In July 2012, a New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Adamu Dramani Sakande, was convicted by an Accra High Court after he was found guilty of perjury and forgery.
This was after he failed to denounce UK Citizenship before contesting for the Bawku seat.
He was found guilty of perjury and forgery and was jailed for two years concurrently on all counts.
A Bawku-based cattle dealer, Sumaila Bielbiel, challenged the status of the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bawku Central, Adamu Daramani Sakande in the law-making body due to his dual citizenship.
The former MP was accused of registering as a voter when the voters’ register was opened and subsequently voting in the December 2008 general elections, when he was not entitled to do so.
Member of Parliament (MP) for Mpraeso, Davis Ansah Opoku, has strongly criticised his National Democratic Congress (NDC) counterparts for their choice to abstain from attending parliamentary sessions.
Their decision is attributed to the ongoing criminal prosecution involving several NDC members, including James Gyakye Quayson, the MP for Assin North.
Mr Ansah Opoku accused the NDC MPs of holding the country’s governance hostage in response to a statement made by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
He said that Akufo-Addo’s comments on Quayson going to jail was only a reaction to assertions by NDC member that the people of Assin North would vote for the MP even if he would be going to prison.
“Parliament or elements in parliament should not be seen stampeding another arm of government… Why should a comment by the president who does not control the judiciary lead to the NDC boycotting parliament?
“… You went to Assin North to campaign on the basis that if even Mr Quayson would be put in jail, the good people of Assin would vote for him. The president in his response said that who in his right senses would want a Member of Parliament, who sits in jail, working for him?” he said.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Mpraeso legislator accused the NDC MPs of blackmailing the government with their demand for Quayson’s trial to be dropped.
“… I think that the NDC is only engaged in some blackmail. I strongly believe that they are taking into account the numbers in parliament now, the business of the day and they want to blackmail the executive.
“How do you suggest that the state should file a nolle prosequi when there is precedence to this matter,” he said.
Background:
The Minority in Parliament for the second time abstained from participating in parliamentary business on Tuesday, July 11, 2023, following the hearing of Gyakye Quayson’s ongoing criminal case in court.
In a show of solidarity, the entire Minority caucus accompanied the Assin North MP to court.
Last Thursday, the minority first boycotted siting after the minority took a firm stance to abstain from participating in parliamentary business on days when Assin North MP, James Gyakye Quayson, is scheduled to appear in court for an ongoing criminal case.
Trades Minister and MP for Adansi-Asokwa, Kobina Tahir Hammond has called the bluff of Assin North MP, James Gyakye Quayson‘s defamation lawsuit, emphasising that he is ready to face him in court.
says he is not perturbed by a contempt charge levelled against him by the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Assin North constituency, James Gyakye Quayson.
Mr Quayson has filed the necessary processes at the High Court to get the court to punish KT Hammond for making what he deemed as prejudicial comments in an ongoing case against him.
According to Mr Quayson’s lawyers, Mr Hammond in a media interview accused their client of being guilty of the case he’s standing trial for and stated that he will go to jail.
But speaking to the media in an interview in Accra on Tuesday, Mr Hammond said “I am not sure if those lawyers understand what precedent is, but I think I predicated my statement on the fact that there is what in legal terms called the precedence, so we are meeting in court. They played a game on me to serve me with the document, but I have accepted it.”
“I made a statement here in parliament so if they want to take me up in court yes of course at the end of the day that is where these matters end up. So what is the big deal about this.”
Member of Parliament representing Assin North, James Gyakye Quayson, has declared that he will no longer be emotionally affected by the difficulties he encountered in his constituency after his official induction as their representative.
During the Victory Rally and Thanksgiving Service arranged by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Assin North on July 9, 2023, following the party’s resounding triumph in the recent by-election, James Gyakye Quayson expressed his determination not to be emotionally affected by the challenges he faced in his constituency after being sworn in as their Member of Parliament.
The purpose of the rally was to express gratitude for the support received during the recent by-election.
In his speech, James Gyakye Quayson reflected on the challenging periods leading up to the by-election and expressed his heartfelt appreciation to the constituents for their unwavering support all this while.
He said the nature of the challenges made him shed tears every time.
“From 2020 till the day we voted in the by-election, some of you may have noticed that anytime I stand to speak to you, I appear emotional and sometimes teary. It’s all because of what you were going through. All the tears I shed; it was for your sake,” he said.
However, he expressed a newfound sense of hope because he emerged victorious in the by-election and was also sworn in as their MP of choice for the constituency.
“But today, God has blessed us, let’s show our appreciation. Today, Joe Quayson will not weep again. Because you gave me victory, you gave Assin North victory, you gave Ghana victory, you gave the entire Africa victory. Because the path the by-election was taking wasn’t good,” he added.
The MP’s emotional speech resonated with his supporters who gathered massively together to celebrate their collective achievements.
Background
The Member of Parliament for Assin North, James Gyakye Quayson, and his party, the National Democratic Congress, held a rally and thanksgiving service to celebrate the party’s victory in the constituency’s by-elections.
Leading figures in the party, including its presidential candidate, John Dramani Mahama, the National Chairman of the NDC, Johnson Aseidu Nketiah, and National Communications Officer, Sammy Gyamfi among others were present for the victory rally.
On Saturday, July 8, 2023, leading figures in the party visited victims of a road crash during a campaign before the constituency by-election.
The visiting team was led by the party’s former running mate, Prof Naana Opoku-Agyemang, and included by party’s National Communications Officer, Sammy Gyamfi; the NDC Central Regional Chairman, Professor Jonathan Annan; as well as reps from all the regions, including MPs.
In a brief remark, Prof Annan thanked the accident victims and their families for remaining loyal to the party.
He disclosed that the party would take care of the medical bills of all the accident victims, who are 26 in number until they recover fully.
According to the Electoral Commission’s announcement, James Gyakye Quayson garnered a total of 17,245 votes, representing 57.56% of the total votes cast.
His closest contender, Charles Opoku of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), received 12,630 votes, accounting for 42.15% of the votes.
Bernice Enyonam Sefenu of the Liberal Party Ghana (LPG) secured 87 votes, which represented 0.29% of the overall tally.
The by-election in Assin North was held to fill the parliamentary seat left vacant following a legal battle that questioned Quayson’s eligibility to hold office due to dual citizenship concerns.
National Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi, has asserted that the members of parliament from the NPP (New Patriotic Party) were compelled to support the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021 (anti-LGBTQ+ bill) due to pressure from the constituents of Assin North.
He claims that the Members of Parliament (MPs) from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) were intentionally delaying the passage of the bill until the Assin North election took place.
During the NDC’s celebratory rally to mark their victory in the Assin North by-election, Sammy Gyamfi asserted that it was the choice of Assin North voters to reject the government that compelled the MPs to reconsider their positions.
“After the people of Assin North taught them (the NPP MPs) a small lesson during the by-election they have changed their minds. During the second reading of the anti-LGBTQ+ bill in Parliament, they all raised their hands in support after they were initially hesitating.
“It was only one person who spoke against the bill, her name is Ursula Owusu,” he said in the Twi dialect.
He added that if the government has truly learnt a lesson from the people of Assin North, it should withdraw the suits it has sent people to file in court against the bill.
Meanwhile, the MP for Ningo Prampram, Sam Nartey George, has said that only one of the three New Patriotic Party (NPP) MPs, who were initially supporting the Anti-LGBTQ+ bill, stayed loyal to the drafting of the bill.
Speaking in an interview on Neat FM on Thursday, July 6, 2023, Sam George said that the NPP MP who stayed loyal to the course was the MP for Assin South and Deputy Minister for Education, Reverend John Ntim Fordjour.
According to him, the other NPP MPs who were initially sponsoring the bill failed to attend meetings to draft the bill and even missed the final presentation of the bill to the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, because of the pressures they were under.
The MP made these remarks while reacting to a statement by Andy Kwame Appiah-Kubi, the MP for Asante Akim, who was part of the NPP MPs initially sponsoring the anti-LGBTQI bill, that he was not present for the presentation of the bill because he was busy.
“He had sixteen meetings to put together the bill with the coalition. Ask him (Andy Appiah) Kubi whether he attended any of these meetings. Every time, they have an excuse to give, even on the day of the presentation they want to give an excuse.
“If today all of them are now on board, they are welcome. But I would continue to celebrate Honourable Ntim Fordjour because on that day (the day of the presentation of the bill) we knew the pressure that he came under but he said he was a priest and he believed it was the right thing to do,” Sam George said.
An alleged leaked tape, purportedly containing a confession by an NPP (New Patriotic Party) Chairman for the Akim Oda Constituency, Ampaabeng Assimeng, has emerged.
Mr Assimeng in the said audio is heard admitting to plans involving the distribution of GHC600,000 to voters in the Assin North constituency.
The audio recording suggests that the funds were intended to sway voter allegiance in favor of the NPP during the crucial Assin North bye-election, however things did not not go as expected as the party executives at the local level could not identify trace the whereabout of the money or who the final recipients were, and the party eventually lost the elections as well.
“It [NPP’s Assin North defeat] was painful but it was expected because the money fell into the wrong hands. There has not been any accountability with regards to how much was spent, how much remained and nobody has anything to say about it.
“To be honest, leadership made us understand that GHC600,000 was disbursed to our four polling stations, but just look at the votes we had. ‘Asempa na ye’ is also one of the NPP’s strongholds. In previous elections NPP can garner 1,600 votes out of 2,000 while NDC gets only 400 but look at the [abysmal] outcome of these elections, and if this is how we are going to break the eight the God help us,” he is heard saying in the video.
The leaked confession confirms various allegations of vote buying which circulated during the by-election. There were wild reports of both the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) engaging in vote buying during the election. However, there was little evidence to prove the claims.
During the election, a viral video circulating on social media captured an incident from the recently concluded Assin North by-election, where an Electoral Commission (EC) official is allegedly seen accepting a bribe from a political party to influence the election results.
The video depicts a perplexed electoral official seated alongside a fellow colleague, while they are being interrogated by an individual behind the camera and a police officer. In the background, the police officer can be heard instructing the official to hand over the alleged bribe money, saying, “Bring it.” Simultaneously, the person behind the camera is heard urging the official to give the money to the police officer, stating, “You give the money to him, give it to him.”
As the situation unfolds, the electoral official reaches into his pocket, retrieves a stack of banknotes, and hands it over to the police officer. The unidentified commentator remarks, “Sit down,” after the money has been handed over to the police.
The video, which was circulating on social media generated significant attention and concern among social media users.
A user by the name of Kwaku Wisdom commented “The formula is simple, keep the voters poor, induce them with peanuts to keep us in power to continually keep them poor…and the circle never ends until the voter becomes wise.”
Four suspects have been apprehended by the Central North Regional Police Command in connection with the recent murder of a 50-year-old woman in Assin Dansame, located in the Assin North District.
According to reports, two of the suspects, who are in their 20s and hail from Swedru, joined forces with their counterparts in Assin Dansame, who are of the same age group, to allegedly carry out this heinous crime.
The victim, Esi Gegiw, a single mother of two, was brutally murdered by unidentified attackers on Wednesday, July 5, 2023, while she was leaving her home for work at around 3 am. The assailants used a blunt object to smash her head and inflicted fatal injuries to her neck, resulting in immediate death.
Furthermore, the perpetrators removed specific body parts, including the tongue, heart, and vagina, before fleeing the scene.
Upon receiving the distressing report, the police promptly intervened. They proceeded to the crime scene and transported the victim’s body to the Francis Xavier Hospital Morgue in Assin Fosu, Assin Praso, to facilitate further investigations.
The People’s National Convention (PNC) has stated that the decision of the Minority in Parliament to abstain from attending sessions in support of their colleague undergoing trial is resulting in financial detriment to the state.
The NDC Minority in Parliament boycotted sitting on Thursday, July 6, 2023, to enable Members accompany and solidarize with two members of their Caucus, namely the Minority Leader, Hon. Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, and MP for Assin North, Hon. James Gyakye Quayson.
The two are due to appear in court in their respective ongoing prosecutions by the Attorney-General and the NPP Government.
A statement signed by the Minority Chief Whip, Kwame Governs Agbodza said “The Minority stands united with our colleagues, and as such will not be able to honour the business of the house today.”
But, the PNC disagrees with the decision.
The General Secretary for PNC Janet Asana Nabla in a statement dated July 7, 2023, said the Minority has every right to express their support for their fellow MP in these trying times of the Legislator.
“However, the decision to boycott sitting due to criminal charges instituted by the republic against their colleague is worrying. An opposition party which professes to believe in the rule of law is expected to have faith in the legal system of our nation where they held the reins of power some few years ago.
“The Minority Members in Parliament at this moment is causing financial loss to the state by abandoning their Parliamentary business to go to court to protest for their colleague. For how long will the Minority in Parliament continue this boycott of parliamentary sitting at the expense of the taxpayer? the General Secretary asked.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has announced plans to hold a ‘thank you tour’ in the Assin North constituency from Friday, July 7 to Sunday, July 9, in celebration of James Gyakye Quayson’s victory in the constituency.
The tour will encompass various activities, starting with a soccer gala, prayers with the Muslim and Christian communities, and a visit to injured supporters in Assin Dansame.
The highlight of the tour will be a grand rally held on Sunday, July 9, at the Assin Breku Methodist School Park.
The rally will feature notable speakers, including former President John Dramani Mahama, who also serves as the party’s flagbearer for the 2024 elections. Additionally, the National Chairman of the party, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, and the Assin North MP, James Gyakye Quayson, will address the gathering.
Following the decision of the Supreme Court to uphold the annulment of the 2020 constituency election by a High Court, Mr. Quayson was removed from Parliament. Additionally, he is currently facing a criminal trial related to allegations of dual citizenship, which contributed to his expulsion from Parliament.
However, despite these challenges, Mr. Quayson managed to secure victory once again in the Assin North Constituency seat during the recent election. Remarkably, he garnered a wider margin of victory, receiving 17,245 votes representing 57.56% of the valid votes.
His primary opponent, Charles Opoku of the New Patriotic Party, secured the second position with 12,630 votes, which accounted for 42.15% of the valid votes. Meanwhile, Bernice Enam Sefanu from the Liberal Party of Ghana obtained a minimal 87 votes, constituting only 0.29% of the valid votes.
The Assin North lawmaker is currently facing legal proceedings for forgery and perjury, as charged by the Attorney-General’s Office. Additionally, he is accused of deceiving a public officer and knowingly making a false declaration when he filed nominations for the 2020 election without renouncing his Canadian citizenship.
However, in response to the ongoing trial, he has filed a motion on notice at the High Court, seeking a stay of proceedings while awaiting an appeal. The motion requests the court to order a suspension of the ongoing legal proceedings until the appeal, which was filed on June 27, 2023, is determined.
Through the motion, the applicant is seeking the court’s intervention to temporarily halt the trial proceedings until the appeal is resolved.
Charles Opoku of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) lost the Assin North by-election due to three initiatives taken by the ruling party, according to the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
NDC National Communication Officer, Sammy Gyamfi, explained that ahead of the by-election on June 27, the NPP undertook three actions namely; Deception, Inducement and Violence with the acronym “DIV”.
According to him, with regards to deception, the NPP unknowingly sold NDC’s James Gyakye Quayson while warning electorates of the possibility of him being imprisoned over the allegations of perjury and forgery.
“In their campaign, the ‘D’ was, don’t vote for Quayson, he lied to you. They (NPP) were spending about 30 minutes explaining why Gyakye Quayson will go to jail,” he said.
Another reason the NPP lost was due to the amount of money dashed to electorates, Mr Gyamfi said.
“They thought that the people of Assin will sell their conscience and mandate for a pittance for their 200 and 300 cedis most of which were misappropriated by the people they entrusted them with. When we were busy campaigning in the midnights, I would always see them by the roadside eating “chinchinga” (beef sewers) and dancing and drinking beer with their women and all that. Their only hope was that we are going to deceive this people”.
He also accused the NPP of orchestrating violent activities that ensued during the by-election. Per reports, the vehicles of Mr Gyamfi and other NDC executives were attacked.
“You saw how they deployed their hooligans, bandits and their thugs on the election day and how they sort to intimidate us and sort to attack some of us, shot into our cars, vandalized our cars but we and the good people of Assin were resolute throughout the process”
Mr Gyakye Quayson on Tuesday, June 27, beat his closest contender, Charles Opoku of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Assin North by-election by obtaining 17,245 votes out of the total valid votes of 29,962, representing 57.56 per cent.
Mr Charles Opoku, on the other hand, garnered 12,630 of the votes cast, representing 42.17 per cent while Bernice Enyonam Sefenu of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG) secured 87 votes.
The case involving the Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin North, James Gyakye Quayson, has been adjourned by the High Court in Accra.
A ruling on the application for a stay of proceedings will be delivered on July 11.
On Thursday, July 6, the legal team representing the embattled MP filed an application requesting the court to stay the proceedings.
This would allow the Court of Appeal to hear their appeal seeking a review of the trial judge’s decision to conduct the case on a day-to-day basis.
Tsatsu Tsikata, the lead counsel for the defense, argued that not granting the stay of proceedings would be prejudging the appeal.
The prosecution, led by Godfred Dame, opposed the application.
Meanwhile, the Minority in Parliament chose to boycott Thursday’s sitting in a show of solidarity with two members of their caucus.
The Minority Leader, and James Gyakye Quayson, the MP for Assin North, were both scheduled to appear in court that day for their ongoing cases.
Dr. Ato Forson is currently facing criminal charges related to an alleged financial loss of €2.37 million to the state. The case revolves around a deal to purchase 200 ambulances between 2014 and 2016.
On the other hand, James Gyakye Quayson is undergoing trial at the High Court in Accra on charges of forgery and perjury. These charges stem from alleged offenses during the lead-up to the 2020 Assin North parliamentary election.
The Minority expressed unwavering support for their colleagues in a brief statement, highlighting their unity by abstaining from participating in parliamentary proceedings for the day.
“This is the beginning of a series of actions that the Caucus will be embarking on to end the ongoing persecution of the Minority Leader himself, the Hon. James Gyakye Quayson and the Hon. Collins Dauda.”
The Minority in Parliament has chosen to refrain from engaging in parliamentary activities today in response to the ongoing court proceedings regarding the Assin North criminal case.
In a show of solidarity, the entire Minority caucus have accompanied Mr. Quayson to court.
On Tuesday the minority took a firm stance to abstain from participating in parliamentary business on days when Assin North MP, James Gyakye Quayson, is scheduled to appear in court for an ongoing criminal case.
The Minority Leader Cassiel Ato Forson announced that the entire Minority caucus will accompany Mr. Quayson to court, expressing their disapproval of what they perceive as ongoing persecution against him.
During a press briefing, Mr. Forson emphasized the Minority’s united front, stating, “We wish to serve notice that the entire Minority will accompany our colleague today and any other days that he is to appear in court. We are solidarizing with our colleague, and we will not participate in the business of the House anytime our colleague is in court, and we will be withdrawing from the chamber after this ceremony if the court processes happen today.”
The decision to abstain from parliamentary proceedings on court days is a clear statement of support for Mr. Quayson and a demonstration against what the Minority considers unjust treatment.
Furthermore, Ato Forson highlighted the significance of Mr. Quayson’s victory in the Assin North constituency, stating, “The people of Assin North have sent a clear message to all politicians and the government of the day especially, that they cannot be lured with money, not be intimidated by threats. It is the same message that Ghanaians are sending to us that in the year 2024, they will exercise their franchise based on their conscience, and no amount of threats will dissuade them from voting out the administration that we are witnessing.”
James Gyakye Quayson was officially inaugurated into Parliament after emerging victorious in the Assin North by-election, which took place on June 27, 2023. The Electoral Commission announced that Quayson garnered an impressive 57.56% of the total votes cast, amounting to 17,245 votes. His closest competitor, Charles Opoku of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), received 12,630 votes, representing 42.15% of the votes.
The swearing-in ceremony of the Assin North MP-elect was conducted by the esteemed Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, solidifying James Gyakye Quayson’s position as the official representative of th constituency.
The Assin North by-election was prompted by a legal dispute regarding Quayson’s eligibility to hold office due to concerns over his dual citizenship. However, with his resounding victory in the by-election and now taking the oath of allegiance, Quayson has overcome these challenges to assume his rightful place in Parliament.
Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Major Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has cautioned the National Democratic Congress (NDC) not to excessively rejoice over the success of James Gyakye Quayson, their elected representative for Assin North.
During his address in parliament on Tuesday, Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, who represents Suame in Parliament, expressed the belief that the jubilation of the NDC would be of brief duration, according to their party’s perspective.
He suggested that the fate of Quayson is now in the hands of the Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Godfred Dame.
“NDC wants to believe that this is a peak victory that would hurt the bride of the NPP… we the parliamentary group of the NPP believe that this is a momentary victory of phantasmal character that certainly may not last.
“But Mr Speaker that is the choice of the people Assin North and everybody must respect that whiles it last. The rest of it is in the hands of the attorney general.
“While he remains here, we can only embrace him as a Member of Parliament… whiles it last,” he said.
James Gyakye Quayson won the Assin North by-election on June 27, 2023, after the seat was declared vacant due to his removal from parliament.
The Supreme Court of Ghana, on May 17, 2023, ordered the Parliament of Ghana to expunge the name of James Gyakye Quayson as a Member of Parliament (MP).
But there is still one case the former MP has to face in court after the Office of the Attorney General accused him of deceiving public officers to acquire state documents.
On February 12, 2022, the State charged James Gyakye Quayson with five counts; deceit of a public officer, forgery of a passport, knowingly making a false statutory declaration, perjury, and false declaration.
Many notable Ghanaians across the political divide have called on the attorney general to drop the case against but he has described the calls as interference in justice delivery.
Defeated candidate for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Assin North by-election, Charles Opoku, has recently come under scrutiny for his alleged attempts to buy votes during the election.
Per reports, Mr Opoku allegedly distributed money and various items including; different types of fabrics, cement, roofing sheets, and farm tools to constituents in a bid to secure their support.
Despite his efforts, James Gyakye Quayson of the National Democratic Candidate (NDC) emerged victorious, securing 57.56% of the total votes cast, with a significant total of 17,245 votes.
The by-election in the Assin North constituency of the Central Region took place on June 27, 2023, following a high court ruling that nullified the 2020 parliamentary election in the area.
The court ruled that Mr. Quayson’s possession of both Canadian and Ghanaian citizenship rendered him ineligible to contest the seat.
Despite the nullification, Mr. Quayson continued to hold himself as the MP for Assin North, leading the petitioner, Michael Ankomah Nimfah, to take the case to the Supreme Court for an interpretation of Article 94 (2) (a).
On May 17, 2023, the Supreme Court emphasized that allowing Mr. Quayson to remain in office would undermine the administration of justice. As a result, the court directed Parliament to expunge his name from its records as the Assin North MP.
Former Member of Parliament (MP) for Suhum, Fred Opare Ansah, has asked the National Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana B to issue an apology to Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia due to an organizational oversight that occurred during the party’s final rally before the Assin North by-elections on June 25.
According to Fred Opare Ansah the Vice President, aside from Alan Kyerematen who faced an impolite interruption upon Bawumia’s arrival, also experienced a negative impact as a result of the incident.
“Bawumia and president Akufo-Addo left an event at the same time and were headed to the same place. The president takes precedent over everyone and by protocol, he is the last person to arrive before an event starts.
“So the organizers wanted to find a quick route to the dais for Bawumia,” he said of the incident before adding: “so, it is not his team, neither is it himself, the blame should lie squarely on the organizers.
“And I am happy that the national organizer of the party has come out clearly and apologized to Alan, except that I feel the apology should be extended to the Vice President to say, ‘look, I know it is not your fault but sorry for causing you this embarrassment.”
The former lawmaker, contributing to Peace FM’s “Kokrokoo” show on July 3, advised those trying to make capital gains out of the incident against Dr. Bawumia or Alan Kyerematen to desist from it.
“Those who are trying to take political advantage of this in their campaign should realize that if you cause disaffection or public ridicule for someone, it doesn’t impact on just one person. It is a ridicule on the entire party”, he cautioned.
Nana B, speaking about the incident to Accra-based Okay FM, attributed the mishap to lack of communication between the handlers of the vice president and the campaign organizers.
“I have seen some of the circulating videos and I must say that in every organization, we get some of these lapses. There was a lack of communication between us the organisers and the handlers.
“When you pay close attention, the explanation to it is that the president was coming. So, the vice president’s handlers out of good fate, which one would have thought that the vice president will leave the stage before the president comes. However, the time they took to do that didn’t go well,” he said.
The National Organiser, Nana B further added it was not intentional to publicly embarrass the former minister.
“I will not offer a lot of explanation but as a National Organiser, I was not visibly happy that Alan kyerematen is speaking then this happens.
“I will want to use your platform, and, in all humility, what happened was not because someone planned it. In all humility, let me apologise unreservedly to Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen for the small hitch that happened when he was speaking at the Assin North constituency campaign. It was a lapse that happened,” he added.
The incident, captured in a viral video, showed Alan Kyerematen addressing constituents at Assin North when Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia joined him on the platform.
Veep was introduced to the crowd while Alan Kyerematen was still speaking.
The scene was not pleasant for the flagbearer hopeful, who was also a contender against the vice as both are vying to be the party’s flagbearer.
It was a bestowing sight in Parliament when Members of Parliament (MP) on the Minority side greeted the re-elected MP for Assin North, James Gyakye Quayson, with exuberant cheers and resounding applause as he prepared to take his oath of office in Parliament on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
The NDC MPs, all clad in white, were in their numbers to support the MP who for the past few years has been entangled in legal battles concerning his citizenship.
Key members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) including their flagbearer, former President John Dramani Mahama, were all in Parliament to support Mr Quayson.
Today, Tuesday, July 4, 2023, the High Court in Accra will resume the daily hearing of the member of parliament (MP) elect for Assin North, James Gyakye Quayson‘s case.
The trial was adjourned on June 29 due to incomplete application documents received by the court.
Quayson has appealed the daily trial order in the Court of Appeal, claiming violations of his right to a fair trial.
His election as MP was nullified by the Supreme Court for holding dual citizenship.
Quayson now faces charges of perjury and deceiving a public officer.
Despite the ongoing trial, he is expected to be present in parliament for his swearing-in.
Former Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Nii Ayikoi Otoo, has stated that a broader conversation is necessary to address the criminal case involving ,the Member of Parliament-elect for Assin North, James Gyakye Quayson.
Otoo, who also served as an ambassador to Canada, emphasized the political wisdom of entering a nolle prosequi in this case.
He highlighted the importance of considering the broader public sentiment and the potential reaction of the people of Assin North, particularly for the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
However, speaking to the media on Monday July 4, Otoo clarified that the decision to enter a nolle prosequi cannot be made solely by the Attorney-General, unless it is endorsed by the cabinet.
“It will be a good thing to enter a nolle prosequi and stop all this to show more maturity but you cannot as an Attorney-General do it on your own, you are not independent, you are part of a whole.
“The Attorney-General is bound by cabinet decision and cabinet secrecy even if he disagrees, once it has been taken, you are bound,” he said.
“So, if you ask me, what I will tell you is that there is the need for some negotiation, a broader conversation on the matter,” he stressed.
The former Attorney-General responded to recent statements made by the Dormaahene regarding the discontinuation of the Gyakye Quayson trial in an Accra High Court. The A-G, Godfred Yeboah Dame, swiftly refuted the Dormaahene’s comments.
James Quayson pleaded not guilty to multiple charges, including deceit of a public officer, forgery of travel documents, making a false statutory declaration, perjury, and false declaration for office. These charges stem from his alleged dual citizenship during his participation in the 2020 elections.
The Accra High Court mandated a daily trial, a ruling that has been challenged by Quayson’s legal team in the Court of Appeal.
Ningo Prampram MP, Sam George, has taken to taunting the New Patriotic Party (NPP) following their defeat in the fiercely contested Assin North by-election.
With biting remarks and relentless jibes, the legislator persistently ’s taunts serve as a reminder of the NPP’s failure to secure victory in Assin North, leaving the party on the receiving end of his unabated ridicule.
In response to a TikTok video compilation created by @zeinabalhassan, featuring sorrowful reactions of prominent members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) following their defeat in the Assin North by-election, the lawmaker expressed the view that NPP members should be offered comfort and sympathy as a means to recover from the unexpected loss.
“Take a moment and sympathise with an NPP person by you,” Sam George tweeted with laughing emojis.
The Assin North by-election ended on Tuesday, June 27, 2023, with the NDC candidate, James Gyakye Quayson, garnering a total of 17,245 votes, representing 57.56% of the total votes cast.
Despite a pending trial in which the State is charging James Gyakye Quayson with forgery and perjury, the residents of Assin North massively voted for the then-removed MP to represent them in parliament.
The MP-elect for Assin North, James Gyakye Quayson is expected to be sworn in by Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin is expected to swear-in the elected Member of Parliament (MP) for the Assin North Constituency, James Gyakye Quayson, on July 4, 2023.
This is after Mr Quayson emerged winner of the Assin North by-election held on Tuesday, June 27, 2023. Quayson’s triumph in the polls signifies a momentous achievement, as he secures the mandate to represent the constituents of Assin North in a seat keenly contested for.
With an impressive display of popular support, James Gyakye Quayson triumphed in the Assin North by-election, as officially announced by the Electoral Commission. Having secured a remarkable total of 17,245 votes, Quayson’s vote share stands at 57.56%, solidifying his position as the chosen representative of the Assin North constituency. This resounding victory reflects the confidence placed in Quayson by the electorate.
In a closely contested by-election, Charles Opoku of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) emerged as the nearest rival to James Gyakye Quayson. Opoku garnered a substantial 12,630 votes, constituting 42.15% of the total votes cast. Although falling short of the ultimate victory, Opoku’s significant vote share highlights a formidable competition in the Assin North constituency race.
Bernice Enyonam Sefenu of the Liberal Party Ghana (LPG) secured 87 votes, which represented 0.29% of the overall tally.
The by-election in Assin North was held to fill the parliamentary seat left vacant following a legal battle that questioned Quayson’s eligibility to hold office due to dual citizenship concerns.
Allegations have emerged from the National Communications Officer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi, suggesting that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) made attempts to bribe Gyakye Quayson in a bid to persuade him to withdraw from the Assin North elections. Mr Gyamfi’s claims have brought attention to the alleged behind-the-scenes maneuverings in the highly contested electoral race.
According to Sammy Gyamfi, despite the attempts to bribe and intimidate him into backing off, James Gyakye Quayson remained resolute and stayed true to his people.
Sammy Gyamfi in a Facebook post, described Quayson as someone who embodies both fearlessness and meekness, with an unwavering conviction to fight for justice against all odds.
“Folks, not much has been said about the relentlessness of the MP elect for Assin North, without which victory may have eluded us. They tried to bribe him to back off. When they failed, they threatened him with jail. But in all these things, he was unwavering in his commitment and love for his people.
“Always calm but confident; humble but courageous; sober but inspiring; meek but fearless.His personal conviction and determination to fight for justice against all odds, even at the risk of losing his civil liberties, is the reason we are smiling today,” he said.
The NDC National Communications Officer emphasized that it was Quayson’s determination and willingness to defend what he believed in, even at the risk of jeopardizing his civil liberties, that ultimately brought smiles to their faces.
Gyamfi urged others to join him in celebrating Hon. James Gyakye Quayson, whom he fondly referred to as the “First Gentleman of the good people of Assin North” and the “Old Soldier.”
Gyakye Quayson emerged as the winner of the Assin North by-election held on Tuesday, June 27, 2023.
According to the Electoral Commission’s announcement, James Gyakye Quayson garnered a total of 17,245 votes, representing 57.56% of the total votes cast.
His closest contender, Charles Opoku of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), received 12,630 votes, accounting for 42.15% of the votes.
Bernice Enyonam Sefenu of the Liberal Party Ghana (LPG) secured 87 votes, which represented 0.29% of the overall tally.
A member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) communication team, Courage Makafiji Nunekpeku, has unveiled the purported approach employed by the NDC to thwart the ruling New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) alleged attempts to manipulate the Assin North by-election.
In the revelation made by Mr Makafiji Nunekpeku, the NDC strategically positioned teams at every polling station to closely observe the actions of the New Patriotic Party (NPP). Their primary focus was to monitor the NPP’s interactions with the officials from the Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) and detect any potential instances of vote-buying schemes near the polling stations.
He said the NDC deployed teams at all the polling stations to monitor the activities of the NPP, particularly their engagements with officials of the Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) and possible voting buying schemes close to the stations.
Makafiji Nunekpeku, who was the leader of the team at the polling station at Bramha DA Primary School, said that his team was able to stop the NPP from engaging in buying votes close to the polling station and also allegedly caught the former general secretary of the NPP, John Boadu, trying to induce officials of the EC.
“A team was put up to manage every polling station, and I was the leader of the team that was sent to Bramha DA Primary School. We got to the polling station at 5:00 am, and around 7:00 pm we saw people bringing in some huge ‘Ghana must-go’ bags, which were taken to a house nearby.
“We didn’t know what was in the bags, but later we were told they were full of money. We also realised that anytime someone came to the polling station, they were taken to that house before s/he comes to the polling station. So, we went there and told them that this can’t happen 50 metres close to where the voting was taking place. There was commotion there, and the police came to stop it.
“… some hours later, there was this long convoy of about 10 vehicles, led by John Boadu, the former secretary of the NPP… He (John Boadu) went to the presiding officer and gave them canned malt first, then he pulled out a bundle of money from his pocket and gave it to the guy. Immediately, John Boadu gave the money to him, I confronted him and told him he could not be doing that,” he narrated in Twi in an Accra FM interview on Friday, monitored by GhanaWeb.
He said that after confronting John Boadu, he (the former NPP general secretary) told him that the EC official was his in-law whom he had not seen for a long time and that was why he was giving him the money.
The NDC communicator added that as the confrontation was going on, another NPP woman came to tell him that his money was on the way coming, so he should stay calm, but he rebuked her.
He added that the confrontation led to the intervention of the police, who seized the money as evidence.
A video of the incident was played during the interview, and the police could be seen taking money, which is supposed to be the bribe, from an official of the EC.
About the Assin North election:
According to the Electoral Commission’s announcement, James Gyakye Quayson garnered a total of 17,245 votes, representing 57.56% of the total votes cast.
His closest contender, Charles Opoku of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), received 12,630 votes, accounting for 42.15% of the votes.
Bernice Enyonam Sefenu of the Liberal Party Ghana (LPG) secured 87 votes, which represented 0.29% of the overall tally.
The by-election in Assin North was held to fill the parliamentary seat left vacant following a legal battle that questioned Quayson’s eligibility to hold office due to dual citizenship concerns.
On the back of the recent by-election in the Assin North constituency, some residents believed to be affiliated with the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) have organized a one-week observation to mock the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) over their defeat.
A video circulating on social media shows a gathering of people engaged in a lighthearted demonstration to express their sentiments. The video, shared on Twitter by GHOne TV, captures the scene of what appears to be a typical funeral ground with several individuals seen taking part in the mock observance and engaging in symbolic gestures to express their sorrow, joy, and mockery of the election outcome.
Participants can be seen in the footage, engaging in traditional funeral customs. Some were dancing to funeral songs while others pretended to cry, mimicking the mourning rituals typically observed during funeral ceremonies.
Flyers were prominently displayed on canopies throughout the gathering, featuring an image of an elephant aged 74 years, a direct reference to the NPP’s symbol.
The flyer was titled “One Week Observation” with the inscription ‘Obaapanin Ama Elephant’ (also known as Obaatanpa), indicating that it was a one-week observation in honor of the NPP’s loss in the by-election.
The event details included the date, Sunday, July 2, 2023, the time, 8:00 am, and the venue, being Assin Breku in front of the Water Board.
The NPP lost Assin North by-election to NDC’s James Gyakye Quayson who has been sworn in as Member of Parliament for the constituency after the Electoral Commission declared him a winner in the election held on June 27, 2023, following the conclusion of the by-election.
According to the Electoral Commission’s announcement, James Gyakye Quayson garnered a total of 17,245 votes, representing 57.56% of the total votes cast.
His closest contender, Charles Opoku of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), received 12,630 votes, accounting for 42.15% of the votes. Bernice Enyonam Sefenu of the Liberal Party Ghana (LPG) secured 87 votes, which represented 0.29% of the overall tally.
The by-election in Assin North was held to fill the parliamentary vacancy following a legal battle that questioned Quayson’s eligibility to hold office due to dual citizenship concerns.
The National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress(NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah is of the belief that the wrath of the people was visited on the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Assin North during the just-ended by-elections.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) won the Assin North by-election after the Supreme Court had declared the seat vacant because the sitting Member of Parliament was not qualified to contest.
Gyakye Quayson contested the seat again and won massively regardless of all the efforts put in by the NPP to snatch the seat.
Speaking in an interview on Accra-based Okay Fm monitored by MyNewsGh.com after the election, Asiedu Nketiah who leads the NDC as its Chairman said, “It is the Grace of God,”.
He continued,
“When Ghanaians get angry, you can’t control it. They are slow to anger and you may even think that they are not sensible people. But with time, you cannot stop them. That’s what happened in Assin North. The people are fed up with the NPP”.
“I also believe that our spirit has been rejuvenated as a political party. Our Members of Parliament came in their numbers to support massively to ensure that we win. Our MPs did not even have money donated to support the election. Even those who the media claimed were angry with the party were all available. So I think the unity and the support and togetherness did the magic for us,” he said.
A member of the national communications team of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Emmanuel Kojo Mensah, has admitted that the party engaged in vote-buying during the by-election held in the Assin North Constituency on June 27, 2023.
The by-election was conducted after the Supreme Court ruled that the previous election of Mr James Gyakye Quayson in 2020 was in violation of the law due to his dual citizenship.
Mr Mensah explained that while the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) was openly sharing money, the NDC strategically addressed the needs of the people during the by-election.
He stated that the NDC focused on providing assistance to the people, particularly traditional farmers, instead of engaging in direct vote-buying.
During an interview on the Ghana Yensom morning show on Accra 100.5 FM hosted by Odehyeeba Kofi Essuman, Mr Mensah, who is also a lawyer, revealed that the NDC supplied wellington boots to the farmers to support their farming activities.
He emphasised the importance of addressing the needs of the people who had been deprived of proper representation.
Additionally, Mr Mensah cautioned the members of the NDC against complacency after the victory in the by-election and urged them to work hard toward a resounding victory in the 2024 elections.
He dismissed the notion that the victory in Assin North was a guarantee of success in the next elections, emphasising the need for the party to remain focused and dedicated to achieving its goals.
In summary, Mr Mensah acknowledged the NDC’s involvement in addressing the needs of the people during the by-election, while criticising the NPP’s open vote-buying approach.
He called for continued hard work and determination from the NDC to secure a decisive victory over the NPP in the upcoming 2024 elections.
Ashanti Regional director of communications for the NDC, Abass Nurudeen has accused the ruling NPP of engaging in vote-buying and extravagant expenditures during the recent by-election in the Assin North constituency.
During an interview with Akoma FM on July 1, 2023, he expressed astonishment at the country’s economic challenges and criticized the NPP for their lavish spending during the election.
Nurudeen emphasized the stark contrast between the nation’s appeal for assistance from theInternational Monetary Fund (IMF) and the implementation of measures like domestic debt restructuring, which have affected pensioners’ bonds, and the government’s apparent abundance of resources for distribution in Assin North.
“A country that we said we don’t have money, so we are going to the IMF, so we are taking pensioners’ bonds, they were sharing money in Assin North,” Nurudeen exclaimed
According to him, the NPP employed various tactics to sway voters, including buying locally-made alcoholic drinks known as ‘akpeteshie’ to distribute among the electorate.
He stated that the party went as far as purchasing alcoholic beverages for drunkards to consume in exchange for votes.
“It wasn’t only two million alone, Aduana Ba, cutlasses, roofing sheets, cement bags, even ‘akpeteshie’ they were sharing for a vote, I swear to God I am a Muslim and I’m saying this, if what I am saying is a lie, God should ask me.
“When they enter a beer bar, then they will buy all the akpeteshie for the drunkards to drink, I have never seen such a thing in my life, I have videos, if they like they should deny and I will bring it out.”
He went on to highlight what he called NPP’s attempt to replicate a strategy they used in the Kumawu by-election, where they allegedly succeeded in winning over the locals through similar means.
“They thought how they were able to buy the minds of Kumawu people, they were going to use the same strategy to buy the minds of Assin North constituents.
James Gyakye Quayson has been sworn in as Member of Parliament for the Assin North constituency after the Electoral Commission declared him a winner in the election held on June 27, 2023, following the conclusion of the by-election.
According to the Electoral Commission’s announcement, James Gyakye Quayson garnered a total of 17,245 votes, representing 57.56% of the total votes cast.
His closest contender, Charles Opoku of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), received 12,630 votes, accounting for 42.15% of the votes. Bernice Enyonam Sefenu of the Liberal Party Ghana (LPG) secured 87 votes, which represented 0.29% of the overall tally.
The by-election in Assin North was held to fill the parliamentary seat left vacant following a legal battle that questioned Quayson’s eligibility to hold office due to dual citizenship concerns.
Head of Legal Affairs for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Abraham Amaliba, has reiterated the party’s opposition to the implementation of a daily trial mandate for their Member of Parliament representing Assin North.
An Accra High Court made the order last month in a criminal case the state has brough against the MP.
Amaliba holds that the order was discriminatory not just to the MP but also to his lawyers, because it means they will not deal with any other case except that of Quayson.
“Why, did the lawyers learn law solely because of Gyakye Quayson that they have to attend court every day?” he quizzed.
He maintained that the nature of Quayson’s crime as proffered by the state was no where close to that of Nana Appaih Mensah (NAM1) of Menzgold fame. Quayson’s case he stressed had not caused any loss of life or jobs as is the case with NAM1’s.
“Day by day trial, tell me, between NAM1 and Gyakye Quayson, who should be tried day by day? Obviously (NAM1) because lives and jobs have been lost. People can’t live their lives again.
“Tell me, who in Assin North has died out of Gyakye Quayson’s trial, so why should it be day by day?” he quizzed.
Gyakye Quayson is facing five counts of among others perjury and deceiving a public official in the filing processes to contest for the 2020 parliamentary elections at a time he was said to have held dual citizenship, that of Ghana and of Canada.
Nana Mensah is facing 61 counts of abetment of crime, defrauding by false pretences, carrying on deposit-taking business without license, sale of minerals without license, unlawful deposit-taking, and money laundering.
The accused person has denied the charges and the court on July 26, 2019, admitted him to bail in the sum of GHC1 billion with five sureties, three to be justified.
The court ordered him to be reporting to the Police every Wednesday pending the outcome of the case.
Prof Kwaku Asare, US-based lawyer and academic has called on the Attorney General to drop criminal charges against Assin North Member of Parliament, James Gyakye Quayson.
His view comes on the back of the June 27 by-election victory by the MP whose ouster from the lawmaking chamber via a Supreme Court ruling triggered the by-election.
Kwaku Azar as he is popularly known said the AG should file a nolle prosequi, which in law is an entry in the record of the court that a prosecutor will not proceed with a case.
“GOGO pleads with AG to nolle prosequi the criminal charges against MP-elect. Da Yie!” Azar’s post of June 29 read.
James Quayson had pleaded not guilty to five charges of deceit of the public officer, forgery of passport or travel certificates, knowingly making a false statutory declaration, perjury and false declaration for office.
The charges relate to his participation in the 2020 polls at a time he supposedly held dual citizenship.
The Accra High Court ordered a daily trial, which ruling has been challenged by his lawyers in the Court of Appeal.
Member of Parliament for Assin South, Reverend John Ntim Fordjour, has refuted accusations of distributing money with the intention of influencing voters during the recently concluded Assin North by-election in the Central Region.
He emphasised that he did not participate in any such activities and urged the public to dismiss such allegations.
In a recent Facebook post, the Deputy Education Minister stated that the allegation, purportedly spread by Joshua Akamba, the former National Organiser of the National Democratic Congress, is false.
“My attention has been drawn to a false and malicious allegation made by Joshua Akamba.”
“I wish to state categorically that I never engaged in vote buying nor did I share money or goods before or during the Assin North by-election.”
Claims of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) engaging in vote-buying during the by-election have been refuted and dismissed.
The opposition NDC, has accused the governing party of giving out monies to some constituents to woo them to cast their vote for Charles Opoku.
The Director of Communications for the NPP, Richard Ahiagbah says the claims are false.
In response to the allegation made by the NDC’s National Communications Officer Sammy Gyamfi on JoyNews, he said, “Sammy went on a little run there to talk about lies and government inducement or party inducement, you see, those things are just not true”.
He rather expressed worry for future elections if political parties would peddle falsehoods as done by the NDC.
He challenged the NDC to come clean on the supposed lies that the NPP is said to have told during their campaigns.
According to Mr Ahiagbah, the NDC rather peddled lies even in their central campaign message to the constituents.
“I can tell you two grand lies or perhaps three or even four that the NDC peddled. The central proposition to the people was that one – they [NDC] want them to vote for the NDC’s James Gyakye Quayson because government wants to remove him from Parliament so we [NPP] can have a way to legalise LGBTQ in Ghana – blatant falsehood but that was their message.”
The rapid development of roads and other crucial infrastructure in the Assin North Constituency has reportedly come to a standstill prior to the upcoming by-election in the area.
According to reports, a significant number of contractors, who were appointed by the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo administration, have abandoned the ongoing projects and left the construction sites despite receiving funds from the government.
Peace FM shared a video showcasing an unfinished road development project in Assin Akonfudi, a community within the Assin North Constituency.
While a large portion of the road had undergone grading, only one side had been coated with a black substance, which could be tar or bitumen.
Interestingly, the substance has also been applied directly onto bare sand at certain points without the presence of gravels, unlike other sections of the road.
The residents according to Peace FM have been complaining bitterly about the abandonment of the road.
They are saying that the government was only deceiving them into voting for their candidate in the by-election.
About the Assin North election:
According to the Electoral Commission’s announcement, James Gyakye Quayson garnered a total of 17,245 votes, representing 57.56% of the total votes cast.
His closest contender, Charles Opoku of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), received 12,630 votes, accounting for 42.15% of the votes.
Bernice Enyonam Sefenu of the Liberal Party Ghana (LPG) secured 87 votes, which represented 0.29% of the overall tally.
The by-election in Assin North was held to fill the parliamentary seat left vacant following a legal battle that questioned Quayson’s eligibility to hold office due to dual citizenship concerns.
A security policy expert at the Center for Security Dialogue and Peace Advocacy (CSDPA), Anthony Acquaye, has called on the Inspector General Police (IGP) Dr George Akuffo Dampare, to ensure that individuals who impersonated police officers during the Assin North by-election must be prosecuted to serve as a deterrent for others ahead of the 2024 general election.
This, he said in a statement dated June 29, 2023.
According to the statement, the IGP’s commitment to ensuring peace in the by-election led to the deployment of new strategies to ensure that the police take charge of the security of all 99 polling stations in the constituency instead of the political parties.
“It is important to acknowledge the fact that, the security strategic measures such as the band on the use of firearms at or around the polling stations, the tactical worn of police body cameras and the pre-election shared security activities such as the community engagement and health screening implemented in Assin North by-election to occasion a successful and peaceful by-election never came out of a vacuum but rather through determination, commitment and above all the unbiased actions by officers on the grounds coupled with the self-confident and garner credibility of the Inspector General of Police to empower his senior officers to take in charge of all the 99 polling stations in the constituency,” parts of the statement read.
However, the expert Anthony Acquaye, added that the IGP must implement strict measures to deal with the imposters to prevent the repetition of such crimes in the 2024 general election.
“Prevention as they say is better than cure, for this reason am calling on the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare to as a matter of fact, ensure that, those persons who deliberately portrayed themselves as officers of his noble institution are brought into book by prosecuting them to strictly serve as deterrent to or prevent others who have intention or planned to commit such crimes going into 2024 general election,” the statement added.
Below is the full statement by the expert
ASSIN NORTH BY – ELECTION : THE INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE (IGP) MUST ENSURE POLICE IMPOSTERS ARRESTED ARE PROSECUTED TO SERVE AS DETERENT TO OTHERS AHEAD OF 2024 GENERAL ELECTION – Security Policy Expert
Congratulations to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare, the Police Management Board ( POMAB) and the entire Police Service for delivering on their promises to the people of Assin North constituency and Ghanaians at large in ensuring a peaceful by election through the right and prudent strategic security measures put in place to maintain law and order, and to curb the unfortunate disturbances that could have resulted into dreadful election security violence.
It is important to acknowledge the fact that, the security strategic measures such as the band on the use of firearms at or around the polling stations, the tactical wear of police body cameras and the pre-election shared security activities such as community engagement and health screening implemented in Assin North by-election to occasion a successful and peaceful by-election never came out of a vacuum but rather through determination, commitment and above all the unbiased actions by officers on the grounds coupled with the self-confident and garner credibility of the Inspector General of Police to empower his senior officers to take in charge of all the 99 polling stations in the constituency.
With police’s alertness and braveness to arrest persons who portrayed themselves as police officers of the noble police institution, in videos that have gone viral which emanated from the constituency strongly convinced us, as the Center for Security Dialogue and Peace Advocacy that, the IGP and his men and women have critically studied and analysed the new casual factors of election security violence which dominated clearly in Ayawaso West Wuogon by-elections, where party loyalists in the name of national security operatives infiltrated in the constituency with state security cars unnumbered and uniforms without name tags caused mayhem in the full glare of the cameras and professional police officers. Again, the historical antecedents of election security violence of previous by-elections, observable election security violence indicators on the ground, geographical nature of the constituency were all fundamental elements for the formation of the strategy.
Prevention as they say is better than cure, for this reason am calling on the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare to as a matter of fact, ensure that, those persons who deliberately portrayed themselves as officers of his noble institution are brought into book by prosecuting them to strictly serve as deterrent to or prevent others who have intention or planned to commit such crimes going into 2024 general election.
Sign Anthony Acquaye ( MA in Security KAIPTC) Security Policy Expert, Center for Security Dialogue and Peace Advocacy ( CSDPA) 0556783793
New information emerging indicates that newly-elected Member of Parliament for Assin North, James Gyakye Quayson will be sworn in tomorrow Friday June 30.
This information was disclosed by the National Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Sammy Gyamfi.
It was earlier reported that James Gyakye Quayson will be sworn in today in Parliament following the just-ended by-election.
Speaker of Parliament, Alban S.K. Bagbin, disclosed the information to the media during a visit to the office of Graphic Communications Group Limted (GCGL) to meet with management and the editorial staff.
Parliament resumed sitting today after the abrupt end of proceedings on Tuesday due to the Assin North by-election but no swearing in process took place.
According to Mr Sammy Gyamfi, the Electoral Commission (EC) will have to communicate the results of the by-election to Parliament for the next action to be taken.
The process of notifying Parliament is ongoing, he said.
“As the law requires, the EC will have to formally communicate the results of the by-election by writ to the August House of Parliament.
Mr Gyakye Quayson on Tuesday, June 27, beat his closest contender, Charles Opoku of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Assin North by-election by obtaining 17,245 votes out of the total valid votes of 29,962, representing 57.56 per cent.
Mr Charles Opoku, on the other hand, garnered 12,630 of the votes cast, representing 42.17 per cent while Bernice Enyonam Sefenu of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG) secured 87 votes.
Source: The Independent Ghana | Andy Ogbarmey-Tettey
The Accra High Court has postponed the hearing of the application for a stay of proceedings filed by James Gyakye Quayson, the elected Member of Parliament for Assin North. The new date for the hearing has been set for July 4, 2023.
The trial, presided over by Justice Mary Yanzuh, indicates that the High Court has not been furnished with the necessary documents to allow a stay of proceedings, hence an adjournment.
The MP-elect for Assin North constituency, James Gyakye Quayson, has filed an appeal in the Court of Appeal, Criminal Division, challenging the daily trial order made by High Court judge Justice Mary Maame Ekue Yanzuh.
To ensure that MP-elect Gyakye Quayson gets a fair trial in the criminal case he is facing, his lawyers have also filed an application for a Stay of Proceedings pending the determination of his appeal on grounds of several errors of law committed by the trial judge that breached Quayson’s right to a fair trial.
Interacting with the media after today’s proceedings, Sammy Gyamfi, a member of Gyakye’s Quayson’s legal team, said that the counsel for the accused needs to thoroughly question and examine witnesses; hence, it is unfair to do this daily and at certain times too.
“Lawyers for the accused need ample time to cross-examine the first witness, and it is totally unacceptable for Her Ladyship to say that cross-examination should be done on a daily basis and should be restricted to certain limited time periods; we don’t think that affords the accused a fair hearing, and that is why we are raising all these issues,” Sammy Gyamfi said.
“Lawyers for Quayson are trying to avoid a kangaroo trial, a situation where things are hurried at the expense of the constitutionally guaranteed rights of accused persons that lawyers for Quayson are trying to avoid, for which reason they have filed this appeal challenging the ruling of the trial judge and pending the determination of this matter, have filed the stay of proceedings, and we are looking forward to having the opportunity on the 4th of July to move the application formally, and it is our hope that the judge will do the right thing and abide the determination of the appeal before proceeding with this matter,” he added.
Meanwhile, James Gyakye Quayson emerged victorious in the Assin North by-election despite his ongoing trial.
According to the Electoral Commission’s announcement, James Gyakye Quayson garnered a total of 17,245 votes, representing 57.56% of the total votes cast, and is to be sworn in on Thursday, June 29, 2023.
Special aide to former President John Dramani Mahama, Joyce A. Bawah Mogtari (Esq.), has highlighted some major factors that led to the defeat of the NPP in the just ended Assin North by-election.
He attributed the humiliating loss of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the recent Assin North by-election to the abuse of incumbency, which was prominently on display during the campaign.
Mogtari also raised concerns about President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s premature comments on the ongoing legal case involving James Gyakye Quayson and the use of bribery and vote-buying tactics by the government to secure the seat.
The Assin North by-election, which ended in a resounding victory for Hon. James Gyakye Quayson of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has brought to light the issue of incumbency abuse within Ghanaian politics.
Mogtari pointed out that the NPP’s loss was partly due to their misuse of the advantages that come with being in power.
“One of the fallouts from the recent Assin North by-election, where the NPP received a humiliating loss, was the incumbency abuse, which was on full display,” Mogtari stated.
She expressed concern over President Akufo-Addo’s bold statements about Quayson potentially going to prison while the legal case was still ongoing.
Such premature comments, according to Mogtari, raise questions about the fairness of the process and may have influenced voters.
Moreover, Mogtari raised another issue regarding the use of questionable tactics to sway voters. She criticised the government’s resort to bribery and vote-buying, deeming it an insult to the intelligence of the electorate.
Mogtari emphasised that last-minute inducements, such as promises of road construction, cannot compensate for years of neglect and inadequate representation.
“The victory of justice and humility over abuse and arrogance shows that the people are awake and will no longer tolerate incumbency abuse in our politics,” Mogtari asserted.
Managing Editor of the Daily Insight Newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr, has said it is time for electorates to teach politicians important lessons and hold them accountable for their actions.
His comment comes on the back of the New Patriotic Party (NPP)’s loss in the Assin North by-election despite the rapid infrastructural developments that were deployed to the constituency before and during the by-election.
According to him, this demonstration of resistance by electorates against politicians’ arrogance and impunity could mark the beginning of a new trend in the political landscape of the country.
Kwesi Pratt was speaking on Accra-based Metro TV.
According to him, politicians have always gotten away with campaign tactics such as the rapid construction of roads among other things.
However, these tactics didn’t work in the case of the Assin North by-election as the electorates refused to fall to the typical tactics employed by politicians in elections.
“Over the last couple of years, from 1992 politicians have generally gotten away with their arrogance and impunity. There is a by-election, they go and do their thing, asphalted the road, and so on and they win. This is the first time we find people in a constituency so defiant.
“I think this level of defiance is impressive and I think also, this is how trends begin,” he said.
The renowned journalist added that the results from the Assin North by-election highlight the importance of teaching politicians an essential lesson emphasising that they are not superior beings over the electorates.
“And I suspect very strongly that a new trend is emerging in our politics. And if I am right, that will be very good for our politics. I think it is time we teach our leaders and politicians important lessons. They have to learn that they are not supermen, they are not brainier than the rest of the population. But they are there because the population put them there to serve. And if they don’t do what the population expects, there will be a moment of accountability,” he added.
Kwesi Pratt also argued that it is time to demystify these myths surrounding constitutional bodies making them untouchable.
“This trend is going to be very important, especially when we have now gotten into an era where every constitutional body claims to be about the people; the EC claims it is independent and nobody can tell it what to do, the Supreme Court says they are above everybody among others, all these myths need to be shut.
“Why, even the constitution itself which creates these bodies can be changed,” Kwesi Pratt noted.
MP-elect for Assin North, James Gyakye Quayson will be sworn in today in Parliament following the just-ended by-election.
Speaker of Parliament, Alban S.K. Bagbin, disclosed the information to the media during a visit to the office of Graphic Communications Group Limted (GCGL) to meet with management and the editorial staff.
Parliament resumes sitting today after the abrupt end of proceedings on Tuesday due to the Assin North by-election.
Gyakye Quayson is expected to proceed to Parliament after first appearing in court for the perjury and forgery case against him over his participation in the 2020 Assin North parliamentary election.
Mr Gyakye Quayson on Tuesday, June 27, beat his closest contender, Charles Opoku of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Assin North by-election by obtaining 17,245 votes out of the total valid votes of 29,962, representing 57.56 per cent.
Mr Charles Opoku, on the other hand, garnered 12,630 of the votes cast, representing 42.17 per cent while Bernice Enyonam Sefenu of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG) secured 87 votes.
Tuesday’s election was marked by electoral malpractices such as bribery and vote-buying, as well as the arrest of some recalcitrant who posed as security officers.
Meanwhile, President Akufo-Addo has congratulated the opposition National Democratic Congress for their victory in the just-ended election.
He however entreated the supporters of the NPP not to lose hope despite their defeat.
“I urge members of my party, the New Patriotic Party, to keep their heads up, recognising that, in a democracy, there are winners and losers, and that we live to fight another day. We once held the Assin North seat, and I am confident that, sooner rather than later, Assin North will be blue again,” he wrote in his message.
Source: The Independent Ghana | Andy Ogbarmey-Tettey
President Akufo-Addo has congratulated the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) for their victory in the just-ended Assin North by-election.
The NDC’s Gyakye Quayson on Tuesday, June 27, beat his closest contender, Charles Opoku of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Assin North by-election by obtaining 17,245 votes out of the total valid votes of 29,962, representing 57.56 per cent.
Mr Charles Opoku, on the other hand, garnered 12,630 of the votes cast, representing 42.17 per cent while Bernice Enyonam Sefenu of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG) secured 87 votes.
Despite the defeat, President Akufo-Addo urged the rank and file of the ruling New Patriotic Party “to keep their heads up.”
He highlighted that in a democratic government there are winners and losers. The President however entreated NPP supporters not to lose hope as “we live to fight another day.”
“We once held the Assin North seat, and I am confident that, sooner rather than later, Assin North will be blue again,” he added.
Yesterday, Tuesday, 27th June 2023, Ghana’s democratic credentials were strengthened even further, following the conduct of peaceful and credible elections in the Assin North by-election.
I congratulate warmly the Chairperson and Members of the Electoral Commission, again, for… pic.twitter.com/4uSCpGNHWQ
Meanwhile, President Akufo-Addo has described the just-ended by election as peaceful and credible. He praised the Electoral Commission (EC) and the Ghana Police Service for a job well-done.
“The security services are to be commended for maintaining law and order during the holding of the elections; as is the media for providing extensive coverage before, during and after the elections,” he wrote.
Source: The Independent Ghana | Andy Ogbarmey-Tettey
