TIG Post

Tag: Ghana Freedom Party (GFP)

  • Photos,videos: Family, politicians, sympathiser who graced Akua Donkor’s funeral

    Photos,videos: Family, politicians, sympathiser who graced Akua Donkor’s funeral

    Founder and leader of the Ghana Freedom Party (GFP), Akua Donkor, was laid to rest on March 29, 2025.

    The final funeral rites took place in her hometown, Ejuratia, in the Ashanti Region.

    Politicians from all divides, traditional and religious leaders showed up in their numbers to pay their last respects.

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    A thanksgiving service will be held in her honour at the St. Francis Roman Catholic Church on Sunday, March 30, 2025.

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    Until her demise on Tuesday, October 28, 2024, at the Ridge Hospital in Accra, Akua Donkor was the presidential candidate of the GFP.

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    She will be remembered for her efforts in championing the causes of farmers and women, as well as for being a fearless and spirited voice in Ghana’s political landscape.

    Akua Donkor was a polarizing figure, earning both admiration and criticism for her firm stance on issues affecting the everyday Ghanaian.

  • GFP founder Akua Donkor goes home today

    GFP founder Akua Donkor goes home today

    The final funeral rites for Akua Donkor, founder and leader of the Ghana Freedom Party (GFP), are set for today Saturday, March 29, 2025.

    Her burial will take place in her hometown, Ejuratia, in the Ashanti Region, followed by a thanksgiving service at St. Francis Roman Catholic Church on Sunday, March 30, 2025.

    Akua Donkor passed away on October 28, 2024, at Ridge Hospital in Accra after being transferred from Nsawam Hospital due to worsening respiratory complications. At the time of her passing, she was the GFP’s presidential candidate for the 2024 elections.

    She was widely recognized for her unwavering advocacy for farmers, women, and rural communities. Fearless and outspoken, she played a significant role in Ghanaian politics, earning both admiration and controversy for her bold stance on national issues.

    Early Life and Political Journey

    Born in February 1952 in Ejuratia, Akua Donkor started her career as a cocoa farmer before venturing into public service as an assemblywoman. Despite having no formal education, she became a strong voice for the marginalized, using her influence to champion the interests of rural dwellers and farmers.

    Her death sparked political discussions, particularly regarding the GFP’s participation in the 2024 elections. With her sudden passing, the party was given a brief window by the Electoral Commission to nominate a new candidate.

    However, the replacement was later disqualified due to irregularities in the nomination process, raising concerns about electoral regulations and party preparedness and fairness, with some speculating about political maneuvering.

  • Video: Mourners jam to Nacee’s ‘Kwen Kwen’ campaign song at Akua Donkor

    Video: Mourners jam to Nacee’s ‘Kwen Kwen’ campaign song at Akua Donkor

    The one-week memorial for the late Akua Donkor, the flagbearer of the Ghana Freedom Party (GFP), took place on Thursday, November 28, 2024, in her hometown of Ejuratia, in the Kwabre East District of the Ashanti Region.

    Many people came to honour the late presidential candidate, and, as is customary at Ghanaian funerals, there was lively music and dancing.

    A video from the event went viral, showing the crowd’s reaction when the DJ played the 2024 campaign song of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Nacee’s “Kwen Kwen.”

    The crowd, which included both young and old, and even some people wearing New Patriotic Party (NPP) attire, got excited and showed off various dance moves.

    About Akua Donkor’s death:

    Akua Donkor’s passing on Tuesday, October 29, 2024, shocked many Ghanaians.

    Her family confirmed that she passed away on Monday, October 28, 2024, at the Ridge Hospital in Accra, where she had been receiving treatment for an illness. She was 83 years old.

    Akua Donkor had been running as the presidential candidate for the Ghana Freedom Party in the upcoming December 7, 2024, election.

    After her death, the party chose Kwabena Agyeman Appiah Kubi (Roman Fada) as her replacement, but the Electoral Commission (EC) later disqualified him.

  • Akua Donkor’s face on ballot could impact election integrity – MP

    Akua Donkor’s face on ballot could impact election integrity – MP

    Former Central Regional Minister Kwamena Duncan has raised concerns about the potential implications of keeping the late Akua Donkor’s image on the ballot for the upcoming December 7 elections, warning that it could set a troubling precedent for future polls in Ghana.

    Speaking on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo on October 30, 2024, Duncan commented on the Electoral Commission’s (EC) decision to pause ballot printing.

    This delay allows the Ghana Freedom Party (GFP) ten days to present a new candidate following Donkor’s passing.

    According to Duncan, leaving her name and image on the ballot could confuse voters and result in votes for a deceased candidate, leading to an “absurd” situation.

    “The EC’s release gave a 10-day deadline to the Ghana Freedom Party (GFP) to present a new candidate following the death of Akua Donkor. What has become contentious on social media is the wastage of money for the already printed ballots since they have suspended ballot printing.

    Mr Duncan suggested that the EC either replace Donkor with another GFP candidate or leave her position blank, emphasizing that re-balloting would be impractical due to the costs and disruption it would impose on parties who have already promoted specific ballot positions.

    “It wouldn’t have been a problem for us to say that Akua Donkor’s face must be maintained on the ballot paper, however, it would be absurd because it would become a precedent, and even if Akua Donkor were to be alive, she wouldn’t have won the elections,” he said.

    He added, “Imagine if this same situation happens to either of the two dominant parties, NPP and NDC, and we decide to allow for the ballot papers to remain unchanged, making reference to Akua Donkor’s incident and vote for the dead person, it will be a certain absurdity. So, the EC must be careful not to set such a precedent because some voters will definitely vote for Akua Donkor if her face remains on the ballot paper even though she is dead.”

    Kwamena Duncan proposed that the Electoral Commission (EC) substitute the late Akua Donkor with another Ghana Freedom Party (GFP) candidate on the ballot, urging against a full re-balloting.

    He noted that re-balloting would impose additional costs on those contracted to print the ballots and place political parties at a disadvantage, especially those that have campaigned based on their designated ballot positions.

    “It is critical for the EC to replace her with someone from her party and reprint the ballot papers. We can’t afford to conduct another balloting because it will be a cost disadvantage to individuals who have been contracted to print the dummy ballot papers.

    “Also, the political parties have already advertised themselves to Ghanaian voters with their positions on the ballot so if they decide to conduct another ballot, it will become an issue. The best we can do is either the GFP presents another candidate or maintain the ballot positions with her position being blank on the ballot paper,” he advised.

  • 69, 72, or 83? Akua Donkor’s passing unveils age mystery

    69, 72, or 83? Akua Donkor’s passing unveils age mystery

    Presidential candidate of the Ghana Freedom Party (GFP), Akua Dokor, has passed away just weeks before Ghana’s 2024 general election. Donkor, a unique figure in Ghanaian politics, died on October 28 at Ridge Hospital in Accra, reportedly from respiratory complications.

    Her unexpected death has stirred both tributes and controversy, particularly concerning her official age – a discrepancy that calls into question Ghana’s records on presidential eligibility.

    While several media outlets reported her age as 72, official records from the Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana suggest a different story.

    According to the EC’s profile of presidential candidates for the 2024 General elections, Akua Donkor was 69 years old, indicating a birth year of 1955 instead of 1952.

    This issue is further complicated by conflicting statements from her family. In a recent interview with Donkor’s daughter, Mary, claimed her mother was actually 83, implying a birth year of 1941. 

    However, a 2020 news report by Accra based media house, Adom News published with the headline “ Akua Donkor marks 65th birthday with ‘fufu’ and bushmeat” on June 15, 2020 5:01 pm, seems to align more closely with the EC’s records.

    This inconsistency in public records has renewed attention on Ghana’s candidate verification process, which requires each presidential aspirant to submit an attested statutory declaration ensuring accuracy of their personal details.

    Under Ghana’s presidential eligibility criteria, candidates are required to submit fully attested statutory declarations affirming their qualifications, including accurate personal details. 

    Akua Donkor began her political career as the Assemblywoman for Herman before launching a presidential bid in 2012 as an independent candidate.

    Disqualified that year over eligibility issues, she endorsed Papa Kwesi Nduom of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP). In 2016, a fire destroyed the GFP headquarters in Kabu, Eastern Region, derailing her campaign once again. Yet her determination endured, leading her to campaign for office again in 2024 under the GFP.

    Donkor’s passing leaves the GFP with the challenge of appointing a new candidate to compete in the upcoming election, should the party choose to participate. Ghanaians across the nation have since paid tribute to Donkor’s dedication to politics and her unrelenting commitment to public service.

  • Check out the identity of Akua Donkor’s running mate

    Check out the identity of Akua Donkor’s running mate

    Presidential candidate for the Ghana Freedom Party (GFP), Akua Donkor, has officially named Philip Kwabena Agyemang Appiah-Kubi, popularly known as Roman Fada, as her running mate for the upcoming December 7 general elections.

    Roman Fada, a well-known radio and television personality, steps into the role after Donkor initially considered Adakabre Frimpong but made a last-minute change.

    Roman Fada currently hosts the morning show on DL 106.9 FM and the drive-time show on Atinka FM. With over 20 years of experience in the broadcasting industry, he has become one of the country’s most respected radio presenters. Besides his radio career, he also manages the famous Ghanaian highlife musician, Daddy Lumba.

    In an interview, Roman Fada expressed his gratitude to Akua Donkor for choosing him as her vice-presidential candidate. He revealed that her creative and innovative ideas were the key factors that inspired him to accept the position. “Madam Akua Donkor’s vision for the country is unique, and I am honored to join her in this journey,” he remarked.

    Akua Donkor, who submitted her nomination forms last Thursday, is vying for the presidency with the aim of improving living conditions in Ghana. She plans to soon launch her manifesto, which she claims will outline transformative economic policies. Among her key proposals is the operation of a free port under her administration, as well as a policy to refine crude oil locally to bring down the cost of petroleum products.

    On the issue of illegal mining (galamsey), Madam Donkor pledged to hand over control of the nation’s water bodies to the Ghana Armed Forces, as part of her fight to protect the environment.

    With her running mate now confirmed, Akua Donkor continues to campaign on her promise of bringing relief to Ghanaians, focusing on economic transformation and environmental protection.