Founder and President of the Atta Mills Institute, Koku Anyidoho, has expressed gratitude to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government for taking over the management of the Atta Mills Presidential Library in Cape Coast.
The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) has assumed control of the library, which had been completed and inaugurated in 2016 but was left to deteriorate due to disputes with the contractor over payment.
Mamdev Ghana Limited, the contractor, has now handed over the facility to the government for renovation and commissioning.
The GTA, Ghana Museums and Monuments Board (GMMB), and Ghana Library Authority (GLA) will collaborate to have the library fully operational within three months.
The former aide to the late President Atta Mills, expressed relief in an interview with the media emphasizing that the library will function to preserve the legacies of late President Atta Mills.
“This will be one of the legacies of the current government, led by President Akufo-Addo that is protecting the legacies of former presidents.”
He said, “Look at the reconstruction of the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park. Very beautiful and that of the Atta Mills Presidential Library at Cape Coast in the Central Region.”
“This will be Akufo-Addo’s legacy and not the Free SHS policy because such will protect the legacies of former presidents,” Mr. Anyidoho explained.
Former Deputy General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress, Samuel Koku Anyidoho has alleged that the party’s former General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah vetoed the approval of Gyakye Quayson as a parliamentary candidate after the party had initially disqualified him.
According to Anyidoho, Gyakye Quayson prior to the 2020 election had been disqualified from contesting in the Assin North NDC primaries in 2012 and 2016. He was subsequently disqualified in 2020 but was approved unilaterally by Asiedu Nketiah due to the personal relationship between the two and in Anyidoho’s view, the parochial interest of the former scribe turned National Chairman.
“In 2020 Gyakye Quayson was disqualified again and Asiedu Nketiah using his own will approved him. You know why? Because Gyakye Quayson lived in Canada for about 41 years, Aseidu Nketiah’s family also lived or lives in Canada. I live the rest of the equation for you to answer.
“…Because of greed and individual selfish interest, he wants to collapse the NDC for his personal relationship with Gyakye Quayson. It is about his own benefit. Everything is about what he can get whenever he travels to Canada,” Koku alleged in an interview on Hello FM.
He was compelled by the host to retract his allegations but went ahead to say that “after he [Gyakye Quayson] was disqualified in the Central Region, Asiedu Nketiah still used the backdoor and allowed Gyakye Quayson to contest. When that happened, the people in the Constituency wrote to the headquarters raising concerns about his eligibility. He dismissed the petition and the long and short of it is where we are now.”
The Supreme Court of Ghana recently issued a ruling that declared Gyakye Quayson’s election as a Member of Parliament in 2020 as unconstitutional, null, and void.
According to the Supreme Court, Gyakye Quayson held Canadian citizenship at the time of filing his nomination as the NDC’s parliamentary candidate in 2020.
The court’s ruling led the Clerk of Parliament to declare the Assin North seat vacant.
Subsequently, the Electoral Commission has scheduled a by-election in Assin North for June 27, 2023, following the declaration by the Clerk.
Meanwhile, the NDC has stated its intention to re-present Gyakye Quayson as its candidate for the upcoming election, despite a criminal process brought against him in relation to his 2020 election contest.
Former Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Koku Anyidoho, has stated that the party’s National Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, cannot prevent him from casting his vote in the upcoming presidential and parliamentary primaries.
According to the founder of Atta Mills Institute: “6th of May technically we were supposed to be voting a week from today to elect flagbearer and our parliamentarians. I will vote in my capacity as a former national officer and a former appointee. I have a new voter’s ID card and let Asiedu Nketia come and remove my vote from the ballot box.”
He said this when he spoke to journalists at the sidelines of the 10th Eastern Presbytery Synod 2023 at Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana Amenuveve Congregation held in Koforidua, the Eastern Regional capital.
The NDC former deputy General Secretary said the party Chairman has failed to produce any evidence that he has been sacked and that he is still a bonafide member of the party, hence he will take part in the upcoming primaries scheduled to take place on May 13, 2023.
He explained that “Secondary on that score I am supporting Dr Kwabena Duffuor in the Presidential primaries. I am not supporting John Mahama and that is one of the reasons why they said they have sacked me from the party because I have said I won’t support John Mahama, I am not a slave to John Mahama and I refuse to be a slave to him.”
Mr Anyidoho emphasised that Dr Duffuor’s competency in managing the economy far outweighs that of former President John Dramani Mahama.
“Dr Duffuor was the Finance Minister under John Evans Atta Mills so he worked with President Mills. I worked with him and I know what Dr Duffuor stands for in terms of building the economy that President Mills built.
He said: “32, 34 months single digit inflation, the introduction of the single spine, clearing of the arrears, Infrastructure expansion, three public Universities in three and half years, health facilities all over, I believe that Dr. Duffuor has the potential by training, by competence, by experience both in public and private life.”
The Founder of Atta Mills Institute further urged the Electoral Commission (EC) to take a keen interest in the letter which was written by Dr Duffuor’s campaign team concerning a fraudulent register for the upcoming primaries.
According to him, if the concerns raised by the Dr Duffuor campaign team are not immediately addressed before Saturday, May 13, it will have dire consequences and discredit the EC Chairperson as a bad person or a fraudster.
He said though it is the NDC Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, who is perpetrating the ‘fraudulent’ register, he will turn around to blame the EC when the issue comes up and it is exposed.
Mr Anyidoho threatened that if the concerns raised are not ironed out before next week, he will proceed to the court and put an injunction on the election.
Former Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Koku Anyidoho has declared his intention to cast his ballot in the upcoming NDC primaries scheduled for May 13, 2023.
He said the party’s National Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah cannot stop him from voting in the upcoming presidential and parliamentary primaries of the party.
According to the founder of Atta Mills Institute, “Today is the 6th of May technically we were supposed to be voting a week from today to elect Flagbearer and our parliamentarians. I will vote in my capacity as a former national officer and a former appointee. I have a new voter’s ID card and let Asiedu Nketiah come and remove my vote from the ballot box”.
Koku said this when he spoke to journalists at the sidelines of the 10th Eastern Presbytery Synod 2023 at Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana Amenuveve Congregation held in Koforidua, the Eastern Regional capital.
The NDC former deputy General Secretary said the party Chairman has failed to produce any evidence that he has been sacked and that he is still a bonafide member of the party, hence he will take part in the upcoming primaries scheduled to take place on May 13, 2023.
He explained that “Secondary on that score I am supporting Dr. Kwabena Duffuor in the Presidential primaries. I am not supporting John Mahama and that is one of the reasons why they said they have sacked me from the party because I have said I won’t support John Mahama, I am not a slave to John Mahama and I refuse to be a slave to him.”
Koku Anyidoho emphasised that Dr. Duffuor’s competency in managing the economy far outweighs that of former President John Dramani Mahama.
“Dr. Duffuor was the Finance Minister under John Evans Atta Mills so he worked with President Mills. I worked with him and I know what Dr. Duffuor stands for in terms of building the economy that President Mills built.
“32, 34 months single digit inflation, the introduction of the single spine, clearing of the arrears, Infrastructure expansion, three public Universities in three and half years, health facilities all over, I believe that Dr. Duffuor has the potential by training, by competence, by experience both in public and private life,” Mr Anyidoho stressed.
The Founder of Atta Mills Institute further urged the Electoral Commission (EC) to take a keen interest in the letter which was written by Dr. Duffuor’s campaign team concerning a fraudulent register for the upcoming primaries.
According to him, if the concerns raised by the Dr. Duffuor campaign team are not immediately addressed before Saturday, May 13, it will have dire consequences and discredit the EC Chairperson as a bad person or a fraudster.
He said even though it is the NDC party Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah who is perpetrating the fraudulent register, he will turn around to blame the EC when the issue comes up and it is exposed.
Mr Anyidoho threatened that if the concerns raised are not ironed out before next week, he will proceed to the court and put an injunction on the election.
Former Deputy General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress NDC, Samuel Koku Anyidoho says he will vote during May 13th presidential primaries and work as agent for Dr. Kwabena Duffuor.
Koku Anyidoho was expelled from the party in 2021 after the disciplinary committee of the NDC found him guilty of misconduct and anti-party behaviour.
However speaking to the media in Koforidua at the sidelines of event which he was guest speaker, Koku Anyidoho described his so called dismissal from the party as mere persecution which is not grounded in law therefore null and void.
He believes, he is still a bonafide member of the NDC hence he will take part in the upcoming primaries.
“Today is 6th of May technically we were supposed to be voting a week from today to elect Flag-bearer and our parliamentarians. I will vote in my capacity as a former national officer and a former appointee. I have a new card and let Asiedu Nketia come and remove my vote from the register.”
Koku Anyidoho declared support for Dr. Kwabena Duffuor adding he will serve as agent for him in the primaries.
“Secondary on that score, I am supporting Dr. Kwabena Duffuor in the Presidential primaries. I am not supporting John Mahama and that is one of the reasons why they said they have sacked me from the party because I have said I won’t support John Mahama, I am not a slave to John Mahama and I refuse to be a slave to him.”
Mr. Koku Anyidoho emphasized that Dr. Duffuor’s competency in managing the economy far outweighs the former President John Dramani Mahama.
“Dr. Duffuor was the Finance Minister under John Evans Atta Mills so he worked with President Mills I worked with him I know what Dr. Duffuor stands for in terms of building the economy that President Mills built.”
“32 , 34 months single digit inflation, introduction of single spine, clearing of the arrears , Infrastructure expansion, three public Universities in three and half years, health facilities all over, I believe that Dr. Duffuor has the potential by training , by competence, by experience both in public and private life,” he said.
Mr. Koku Anyidoho further urged the electoral commission address concerns raised by campaign team of Dr. Duffuor on delayed release of voters register.
According to him, if the concerns raised by the Dr. Duffuor campaign team is not immediately addressed before Saturday 12th May, 2023 there will be legal consequences.
Meanwhile, aspiring Presidential candidate in the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Dr. Kwabena Duffuor says the May 13 Presidential Primaries must be free ,fair and transparent to ensure unity after the elections.
Dr. Kwabena Duffuor therefore stated that concerns over delay in release of the voters register by the Election Committee of the NDC to the Electoral Commission must be addressed immediately.
Speaking on Agoo FM in Nkawkaw Friday evening to wrap up his 4-day campaign tour to the Eastern region Dr.Kwabena Duffuor said inaccessibility to the compiled register a week to the polls is disturbing.
He backed his campaign team’s petition to the Electoral Commission on this regard.
“Today is 5th May, we are are going to the polls on 13th May but we have not received the register which is going to be used for the election. So my campaign team is demanding for the release of the register .We have written to the party so we are waiting for them. There are rules and regulations about any election. My name could be conspicuously missing during the day of the election, what will I do in that situation. Am I going to fight or what, no! Reason we want to get access to the register to ensure that all qualified delegates are on the register,” Dr. Duffuor lamented.
Dr. Duffuor added “Why is the register not out ? If this happened in National elections and it is just a week ahead what would they have done. We are not litigating we just want to have access to the register to ensure every qualified delegates name is on the register so we go to the polls to vote fairly and peacefully. I am praying that they do the right things.”
Nonetheless, he called on his supporters to remain calm and be peaceful to ensure unity in the NDC after the election to enable the party defeat ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2024 general election.
Former Finance Minister and Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr. Duffuor is contesting the Presidential Primaries with former President John Mahama and former Mayor of Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly Kojo Bonsu.
Samuel Koku Anyidoho, a former deputy general secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has recounted his distasteful experience with the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB), formerly Criminal Investigations Department (CID), five years ago.
Mr Anyidoho was arrested in 2018 for allegedly plotting a coup against Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in 2018.
Marking five years after the event on Wednesday, March 29, 2023, Koku Anyidoho, in a tweet expressed gratitude to God for being released without any charges.
He also thanked members of his party and Ghanaians for their support during his arrest.
“This was how I was arrested and released five years ago. My book is underway and will be an interesting read. God be praised.
“Exactly five years ago today, I was released from BNI cells for supposedly plotting to overthrow the Akufo-Addo Administration. All charges dropped bcos I committed no crime. To God be the glory & thanks to ALL NDC members & Ghanaians who cried for me. Thanks to my dad & family,” parts of the tweets read.
Background:
The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service picked up Koku Anyidoho, on Tuesday, March 27, 2023, for inciting civilians to launch a coup d’etat against the Akufo-Addo government and was charged with treason.
He was arrested at the Press Centre in Accra, where he and several other opposition leaders belonging to the Progressive Forces, were holding a news conference to condemn the government for signing a security cooperation deal with the United States of America.
Anyidoho’s arrest followed indications by the then Minister of Information, Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, that Ghana’s security agencies must invite the NDC politician over his comment.
The former NDC deputy general secretary, in an interview on Happy FM, on Monday, March 26, said: “Somebody should tell Nana Akufo-Addo that history has a very interesting way of repeating itself.”
“On January 13, 1972 a certain Col. Ignatius Kutu Acheampong led a movement that removed the Progress Party from power. Busia was the Prime Minister and Akufo-Addo’s father was a ceremonial president. Somebody should tell Nana Akufo-Addo that history has a very interesting way of repeating itself.
“There’ll be a civil revolt. There’ll be a people’s movement. During President John Mahama’s tenure didn’t we receive similar threats from the likes of Let My Vote Count and OccupyGhana?”
“There’ll be a civilian coup d’etat; there’ll be a social revolution and the movement is starting on Wednesday. He [Akufo-Addo] will be fed up at the presidency,” Anyidoho said.
He was subsequently released, on March 29, 2018 with no charges.
Former General Secretary of the NDC, Samuel Koku Anyidoho, has hit back at leaders of the party who have accused some NDC MPs of treachery following the outcome of the secret ballot which led to the approval of six new ministerial appointees of President Akufo-Addo.
He contends that the MPs did no wrong but rather showed that they cannot be controlled by the General Secretary of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah.
In a series of tweets shared on Friday, Anyidoho added that the presence of Asiedu Nketiah was what annoyed the MPs the most and made them vote in favour of the government.
“How can the approval of Ministers be considered as treachery? Were we not excited when some NPP MPs helped us win the speakership? Was that also treachery from the NPP? Why do some people think they have more sense than others?
“So, is it Koku Anyidoho who influenced the voting pattern in Parliament today – such that the presence of Asiedu-Nketiah in the Chamber rather infuriated the MPs? Why do some people think that we are all stupid and will follow commands that don’t make sense?
“You Asiedu-Nketiah, you are still shamelessly serving on the Parliamentary Services Board and collecting ur fat allowances, and you think you can intimidate MPs who won Seats without ur input?” parts of his tweets read.
Parliament approves all six nominees, two Supreme Court Justices:
Parliament on Friday, March 24 approved all six ministerial nominees as well as the nominees of the supreme court of President Akufo-Addo after a heated debate, 24 hours prior, and a tense voting process.
Final results declared by Speaker Alban Bagbin showed that all nominees got more votes than the minimum of 138 votes required because out of the 275 eligible voters, there were three absent.
Some Members of Parliament (MPs) of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) did not adhere to the decision of the party to vote against the approval of the nominees.
Kobina Tahiru Hammond (MP for Adansi Asokwa) was approved as the Minister of Trade and Industry and Bryan Acheampong (MP for Abetifi) as the Minister of Food and Agriculture.
Other nominees who were approved include Stephen Asamoah Boateng, as Ministry of Chieftaincy; Mohammed Amin Adam, Minister of State (Ministry of Finance), and Osei Bonsu Amoah, Ministry of Local Government.
Stephen Amoah, the Member of Parliament for Nhyiaeso, was also approved as the Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry.
The Supreme Court nominees who were approved include George Kingsley Koomson, Justice of the Court of Appeal, and Justice Ernest Yao Gaewu, Justice of the High Court.
The fate of President Akufo-Addo‘s new appointments will be discussed in Parliament today, Friday, March 24.
This occurs after the house delayed a discussion on the report for more than five hours so that members might convene a joint caucus meeting.
Although members on both sides of the house were not in support of the directive, the Speaker stood by his position.
“We agree to disagree, at the end of the day, my decision is that we will debate [the report on Thursday] and take the decision on Friday. I have listened to your submissions, I will permit three from each side of the caucus, ten minutes per person and we will take the next step. My proposal is that we take the decision on Friday, but we will do the debate on Thursday,” the Speaker stated.
Prior to the vetting of the newly nominated ministers on Monday, February 20, 2023, theNational Democratic Congress (NDC) directed the Minority group not to approve them, describing their appointments as an insensitive move that would increase government’s expenditure in the midst of an economic mess.
The nominated ministers include the Member of Parliament for Adansi Asokwa, K.T Hammond as the Minister for Trade and Industry with the Member of Parliament for Nhyiaeso, Dr. Stephen Amoah serving as his deputy.
The Member of Parliament for Abetifi, Bryan Acheampong was also appointed as the Minister for Food and Agriculture.
Stephen Asamoah Boateng was appointed as the Minister for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs among others.
Meanwhile, the Minority has threatened to vote against the newly appointed ministers and deputy ministers.
Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson outlined some basis for the group’s position.
“We stand with the people of Ghana, and we are urging our colleagues from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to stand for Ghana and not to stand for their colleagues. Mr. Speaker, the nominees are our colleagues, but the principle is that it’s not about them, it’s about the republic of Ghana. They may be our colleagues and friends and relatives, but it’s not about them. I call on you to look them in their faces and vote against them for the republic of Ghana. For the future of our country,” he said.
The Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu however appealed to the house to consider the approval of the nominees.
“I will just plead that we approve the ministers,” he appealed.
Former deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Koku Anyidoho, has stated that he holds nothing against former president John Dramani Mahama.
According to him, he has nothing against him but his only problem is the way he disrespected the late President of the republic Prof. John Evans Atta Mills.
Koku Anyidoho explained that John Mahama refused to listen to his advice to renovate Asomdwe Park, the gravesite of president Atta Mills, as a sign of respect to the former statesman.
He continued that it took an appeal to president Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to rebuild the Asomdwe park to befit a burial ground for the late president.
Speaking in an interview with Neat FM, on March 23, 2023, Koku Anyidoho explained: “I don’t have a problem with him, my only problem with John Mahama is that …President Mills appointed you as running mate, so when he died, Ghanaians voted for him (John Mahama) to become president …which respect did you give to president Mills?
“You couldn’t build Asomdwee park and it took me to go on my knees to beg president Akufo-Addo to build the Asomdwee park before president Akufo Addo built the park and commissioned it.”
It may be recalled that Koku Anyidoho, in April 2021 alleged that John Mahama hated him because of his loyalty to the late President John Evans Atta Mills.
He was also suspended by the Functional Executive Committee of the NDC over some conduct that breached the party’s constitution.
A Former Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Koku Anyidoho believes that the latest comments by the National Chairman of the NDC Johnson Asiedu Nketia on why the changes to the Minority Leadership, is implicating the Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin for being the brain behind the action.
Mr Asiedu Nketia has stated that the NDC cannot accept a situation where New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament cooperate with Speaker Alban Bagbin when NDC lawmakers are not doing same even though Mr Bagbin is from the NDC.
Addressing the NDC UK/Ireland Chapter during a visit to London after accompanying former president John Dramani Mahama for a public lecture engagement at Chatham House, Mr Nketia said “My priority in Parliament is to see our parliamentary caucus working together and also cooperating with the Speaker of Parliament. Why did we struggle to get an NDC person elected as a Speaker of Parliament?
“There are certainly some advantages and those advantages can be tapped into when your leadership is cooperating with the speaker. So we cannot have a situation where NPP is cooperating with the speaker and our NDC leadership has challenges with the speaker and if you are given a party whose leadership in Parliament is not working together, what will you do? You make the changes or you resign and I am not about to resign.”
Earlier, Mr Asiedu Nketia explained the decision to make the changes saying, that the key topics that come up for debates lately centre on the economy, energy and infrastructure.
To that end, he said the party felt it necessary to get their best men who are on top of these issues forward.
He told said on Tuesday, January 24 that “The debates and the other discussions will focus on the economy so you need to put your best man in the economy forward, that is what we have done.
“We also looked at energy. These petroleum and electricity challenges and so we needed to settle on Kofi Armah Buah, our former Energy Minister to be the deputy minority leader and then the other area is infrastructure, Kwame Agbodza being our man in infrastructure should play a key role. So that generally is what informed the changes.”
Commenting on this, Mr Anyidoho tweeted that “listen to Asiedu-Nketiah making a complete nuisance of himself in London, as he tries without success to disengage from the mess he has sunk himself in.
“He is implicating Speaker Bagbin – as being the brain behind the silly attempt to forcefully remove Haruna and co. He is hot.”
Mr Anyidoho added “What level of co-operation is he talking about? We know Bagbin put Mosquito on the Parliamentary Services Board (PSB). Is it because Haruna and co are refusing to ‘co-operate’ for dirty deals to be done that’s why they want to change and bring more pliant people to manipulate?”
A former deputy secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Koku Anyidoho, has encouraged former president Mahama to defend himself against the charge that he was partially responsible for the change in Minority Caucus leadership.
The largest opposition party has made changes to its leadership in Parliament with the appointment of Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson as Minority Leader.
The party has also appointed MP for Ellembele, Kofi Armah as Deputy Minority Leader and Adaklu MP, Governs Kwame Agbodza as the new Minority Chief Whip, respectively.
But the party’s latest appointment is clearly very unpopular among the NDC faithful, especially the Minority Caucus, with many of the MPs claiming they are shocked by the move as they were not consulted. Some have proceeded to file a petition asking the party to rescind the decision.
The National Chairman, Asiedu Nketia, General Secretary, Fifi Kwetey and ex-President John Mahama have been accused of being behind the shakeup, an exercise some have described as a coup that will cause huge disunity among NDC MPs and could also affect the party’s electoral fortunes.
Commenting on the issue in an interview on Ghana Kasa show on Kasapa 102.5FM/Agoo TV Friday, Koku Anyidoho urged the former president not to remain silent over the allegation leveled against him.
“What will bring finality to this matter is that the ex-President must speak, he ought to clear his name. He shouldn’t put out a statement on Facebook or Twitter. Ex-President Mahama, we want to hear your voice on this matter which portends a disaster for the party. What is happening within the NDC is apocalyptic chaos, cataclysmic and the ex-president has been accused of being partly responsible, hence he must certainly speak.
“Ex-President Mahama is a member of the Council of Elders of the NDC and his name together with that of Asiedu Nketia and Fifi Kwetey has been mentioned specifically in relation to this matter. He cannot remain silent. The two are talking, they won’t change their mind and the chaos in the party is escalating. The ex-President is the only one who has not spoken, he ought to make his voice heard. It is very important that he speaks to clear his name.”
Former Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress, Koku Anyidoho, has said that he weeps for his ‘beloved party’.
The erstwhile NDC appointee expressed this concern in reaction to the uproar in some quarters of the party, following the change in its parliamentary leadership.
Touching on the change which was announced on Tuesday, the former NDC deputy scribe alleged that it was influenced by a hideous agenda of the party’s newly elected Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah.
In a series of tweets after the change was made public, he expressed his misgivings and lamented the future of the party under Asiedu Nketiah.
“Extreme anger brewed in Asiedu-Nketiah’s NDC pot. Lots of fire under the umbrella. I weep for my beloved NDC”, he noted in one of his tweets.
“Oyiwa. The deadly seeds that have been sowed over the years that I continue to talk about, are germinating under the Leadership of Mosquito – the master brain behind lots of the bad seeds.
As for me; my vindication lies in the womb of time. ‘A ye pinsoooooooo’ “, another related tweet said.
The comments by Koku Anyidoho add to the pockets of reservations by other notable party sympathizers since the change was announced on Tuesday.
One of such prominent critics has been the Member of Parliament for the Tamale Central Constituency, Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed.
According to the aggrieved legislator, the timing of the decision by the party’s hierarchy is ‘wrong’.
Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosiisen on Tuesday, the audibly displeased lawmaker explained that as far as he and other colleague NDC MPs are concerned, the current crop of parliamentary leadership have been diligent in their duties.
He, therefore, questioned the rationale for the change and criticised the party’s leadership for failing to consult the entire Minority Caucus before effecting the change.
“The timing is completely wrong. What is the basis of changing our parliamentary leadership?”, Murtala Mohammed decried.
“They are only taking away the most experienced leaders and bringing the less experienced ones. Nobody told them we are dissatisfied with the leadership.
“Who told them we are unhappy with their performance?”, the disgruntled lawmaker quizzed.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, has defended the party’s decision to change its parliamentary leadership.
On Tuesday morning, the NDC issued a statement announcing key changes to its parliamentary leadership.
According to the party, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson has taken over from Haruna Iddrisu as the new Minority Leader.
Ellembelle MP, Kofi Armah Boah will replace James Klutse Avedzi as Deputy Minority Leader.
In a statement signed by NDC General Secretary, Fifi Kwetey, Kwame Agbodza becomes the Chief Whip for the opposition side and will be deputised by Banda MP, Ahmed Ibrahim and Ada legislator, Comfort Doyo Ghansah respectively.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with JoyNews’ Blessed Sogah after the change, Asiedu Nketiah however explained that the move is part of the party’s ‘reorganisation’ for the 2024 general election.
According to him, there have been a series of changes across all levels of the party towards the 2024 polls.
From branch elections, constituency elections, regional elections and national elections, Asiedu Nketiah said, it is now time to introduce new faces to the party’s frontline in Parliament, hence the change.
In his view, the timing is right.
“We started at the branch level. We’ve since done elections in about 40,000 branches and then from there, we proceeded to the constituency level.
“We’re done largely with all the constituencies and then we’ve done regional elections and we just completed the national elections.
“So the next in line is to take a look at our leadership in Parliament and that is what we’ve just done so in terms of timing, it is line with the way we are prosecuting the national reorganisation”, he clarified.
In his defense, he added that going into the 2024 polls, issues about the economy will become very topical and therefore the need for someone who has mastery in that regard.
This is he said is the basis for selecting Dr Cassiel Ato Forson to be the party’s new minority leader.
He added that issues surrounding energy will become critical ahead of the next elections, and therefore the party’s decision to choose Dr Kofi Armah Buah as the Deputy Minority Leader.
Touching on the Deputy Minority Leader role, he further clarified that the changing of James Klutse Avedzi’s was due to the MP’s decision to exit Parliament.
Samuel Koku Anyidoho, the former deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has shared his views on the story of the eight students of Chiana Senior High School who insulted President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in a viral video.
Koku Anyidoho in a social media post lambasted the girls, stating that they were lucky to find themselves in a jurisdiction where laws on such issues are not in the extreme.
Koku Anyidoho also noted that the girls should thank their stars for having a president who is kind enough to intervene in the decision by the Ghana Education Service to dismiss them.
He expressed gratitude to President Akufo-Addo over his decision to ask the GES to reverse its earlier decision on the girls.
“Honestly, these girls are damn lucky. In other jurisdictions, they would have been flogged publicly. What nonsense!! You joke with insulting the President & making it public? Ah! Ah! Ah! I guess we must thank President Akufo-Addo for having a kind heart to forgive them. Thanks Prez,” Anyidoho tweeted.
President Akufo-Addo intervened in the matter after his ‘attention was drawn’ to the move by the Ghana Education Service to sack the students.
The move by the president has been welcomed by the Education Ministry which has instructed the GES to review its decision.
The GES has consequently announced that it will work with the authorities of the school to find an alternative punishment for the implicated students.
Honestly, these girls are damn lucky. In other jurisdictions, they wld have been flogged publicly. What nonsense!! U joke with insulting the President & making it public? Ah! Ah! Ah! I guess we must thank President Akufo-Addo for having a kind heart to forgive them.Thanks Prez???? pic.twitter.com/OrRsm7lc3c— Samuel Koku Anyidoho???????? (@KokuAnyidoho) January 14, 2023
A former Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Koku Anyidoho has stated that Johnson Asiedu Nketia’s chairmanship victory is not enough grounds to commit suicide.
According to the former Communications Director at the Presidency, even though he didn’t want Mr. Nketia to win, he is not peeved about his victory.
Mr Koku Anyidoho added that this will not prevent him from criticising the party, when it falters.
He added that persons who think the outcome of the elections will cause him to commit suicide are joking.
“I didn’t want Mosquito to win: he won and so I shd commit suicide? Ampofo didn’t want Mosquito to win; has he committed suicide? rubbish to say that I predicted a loss for Mosquito and he won so I shd keep quiet.
“How many of us have not predicted wins in our lives and lost?,” he said in a tweet on Sunday.
Mr Anyidoho denied allegations that there is a rift between him and his former boss, Johnson Asiedu Nketia.
Speaking to JoyNews, he said despite his issues with the party, Mr Asiedu Nketia asked him to join a committee that would facilitate the nomination of a flagbearer for the 2020 general elections.
“When we entered 2019, Asiedu Nketiah called me that ‘Koku, we’re going to form a committee to work around nominating our flagbearer. Can you come and serve on the committee?’ I said fine. So I went and served on the committee.
“The records are there. So the committee that elected President Mahama to run again, I was a member of that committee. If I was bitter that committee would have had records,” he said.
According to Koku, his former boss admitted that the party had realised his “neutrality” in the party was “needed so that the other candidates can warm up to the committee.”
Mr Anyidoho was formally expelled from the NDC in a letter dated July 27, 2021, after investigations were conducted to ascertain the veracity of allegations levelled against him by two members of the party.
The allegations included misconduct and anti-party behaviour.
Despite the expulsion, Mr Anyidoho continues to proclaim his love for the party and has said that he will not leave. He also disputes he has been properly expelled from the party.
Former Deputy General Secretary of the oppositionNational Democratic Congress (NDC), Koku Anyidoho, has accused former President John Mahama and General Secretary Johnson Asiedu Nketia of destroying the party, per the latter’s latest revelation.
According to Koku, the duo have abused the NDC constitution in their bid to control the party.
Mr. Asiedu Nketiah, who is challenging incumbent National Chairman Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo for the position, has revealed that there was some misunderstanding after former President Mahama through the former Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, proposed that the Director of Elections and Director of IT should be appointed after the presidential primaries.
He explained that the proposal was purposely made because the flagbearer should be able to have a say in who he would like to work with in that regard.
In the audio believed to have been leaked, Asiedu Nketiah said that the proposal did not go well with the National Chairman, Ofosu-Ampofo, who at the time expressed his displeasure.
Asiedu Nketiah also alleged that the chairman had also said that he could do as he pleased in his capacity as chair until the flagbearer election is held and John Mahama cannot stop him.
“Former President Mahama sent Julius Debrah (the former chief of staff during Mahama’s administration) to plead with the party leadership not to appoint a director of elections and a director of IT until the party completes its presidential primaries because the flagbearer of the party must have a say on who becomes the director of elections and the director of IT. As soon as Julius finished speaking, Ampofo said he considers the submission offensive to him and his authority as the leader of the NDC party,” Asiedu Nketiah alleged.
“Ampofo said that Mahama can only become the leader of the party after the flagbearer election has been held. Until then, he [Ofosu-Ampofo] remains the only leader of the party, and so he can do as he pleases as he [Mahama] cannot stop him because he [Mahama] is an ordinary party member of the NDC,” Asiedu Nketiah added.
Asiedu Nketiah explained that this comment caused some misunderstanding between the Mahama and Ofosu camps.
“The position of Ofosu-Ampofo brought about a serious misunderstanding at the meeting. The meeting thus became a fight between the Mahama faction and the Ofosu Ampofo faction. I [Asiedu Nketiah] sat down quietly and listened to all that was going on,” Asiedu Nketiah added.
But commenting on the matter on Kasapa 102.5FM/Agoo TV on Thursday, Koku Anyidoho stated that it’s important that Mr. Mahama and Asiedu Nketiah are stopped in their tracks now from further destroying the great NDC party.
“Look at what Asiedu Nketiah is telling us—that John Mahama sent Julius Debrah to the National Executive Committee (NEC) that they should reserve some positions and when he becomes flagbearer he will appoint those people. Since when? Which article in the NDC constitution gives that power to Mahama, who at the time was yet to be elected a flagbearer? I say confidently that John Mahama and Asiedu Nketia have destroyed the NDC. When I say this, I’m tagged as “anti-John Mahama. I’m not anti-Mahama; I’m pro-NDC and will always seek the interest of the party.”
“I didn’t see Rawlings abuse the NDC, I didn’t see John Evans Attah Mills abuse the NDC constitution. So why should I allow John Mahama to abuse the NDC constitution? Asiedu Nketiah in the tape was telling us that the 2020 election was for Mahama and so he had a right to make appointments in the party. Since when did an election belong to an individual and not rather for the party? Since when did the NDC election become John Mahama’s election? Mahama and Asiedu Nketiah have acted in ways that have destroyed the party, today, Asiedu Nketiah has exposed John Mahama and himself.”
There have been rumours that Koku Anyidoho, Dela Coffie, Yaw Boateng Gyan, and other disgruntled party members are supporting the current National Chairman, Asiedu Nketia, who is challenging him for the position.
For collaborating with those who do not represent the National Democratic Congress’s interests, the Chairman has been branded a traitor.
To him, the propaganda will not wash and there is a need for his opponents to rethink their ways.
“It is a figment of their own imagination. Under no circumstance will I take people who have been ousted from the party to be part of my campaign team. I ended my campaign in the Greater Accra Region Yesterday and about 10 to 15 constituency Chairmen were following me as members of my campaign team. I don’t lack people who will campaign for me who are bonafide members of the NDC…Those contesting me should not hide behind people and say that Koku Anyidoho, Yaw Boateng Gyan, Dela Coffie, and Allotey Jacobs are regular panel members on Ahotor FM which is a radio station which belongs to me. None of them have been a panelist on my radio station,” he said.
Following calls for his dismissal, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor, a former finance minister, wants Ken Ofori-Atta, the current finance minister, to quit.
According to him, the Minister is facing a strong wave of public outrage and needs to stand down right away so that someone else can take over.
“It’s unfortunate, but I don’t understand why he should have that position given that he has been rejected by both sides, the majority and the minority.
When your own people are demanding your resignation as a minister, there is no value in continuing in that position.
The former governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG) indicated on Ghana Kasa on Kasapa 102.5 FM that quitting now would be the wisest course of action for him.
Parliament will on Thursday, November 10, 2022, begin the debate on the motion of censure filed by the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, for the removal of the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta.
Presenting the Business Statement for the week on the floor of Parliament last Friday, the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said Ofori-Atta’s removal remained a key feature for the week.
Reports say the whole NPP caucus in parliament now supports calls for the Finance Minister to resign or be sacked.
“Even though the issue started with a group of 80-plus, the caucus meeting aligned with the decision of that group.”
“So it is no longer the cause of the 80-plus group. It is the agenda for the entire caucus,” Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu told journalists in Parliament.
In a tweet in response to former presidential spokeswoman Koku Anyidoho, Terpker, who served as Minister of Finance throughout the Mahama administration, stated that the idea was incorrect.
The former minister claimed that he had repeatedly challenged anyone to make cutlasses and condoms available if they had any proof that such taxes had been imposed or that such taxes had been repealed by the current administration. However, this challenge had received no answer.
Anyidoho had tweeted: “Who taxed condoms and cutlasses in this country when he was President?” reference to claims that Mahama had at a point taxed the two products.
“Wrong!! My good brother. I have been challenging anyone to cite the provision in the Customs Act and relevant Tariff # that imposed such taxes. He or she can also cite the “amendments” by the current administration. None to date but still on standby,” Terkper hit back.
Find Terpker’s tweet below:
In the run up to the 2016 elections, the then running-mate of the flagbearer of the then opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, accused the government of undermining economic growth by overburdening businesses with taxes.
He said: “You have a government where you have cutlasses being taxed; condoms being taxed…. When you become desperate, this is what happens; and when you mismanage the economy into this hole then, anything sounds great to you. You don’t have any option and this is the problem.
“Anything that is taxable and that can feasibly be taxed, they are trying to impose tax on them. All of these are hurting the economy and therefore you are not going to get the growth, and when you don’t get the growth, you will not get the revenue, and when you don’t get the revenue, you go back to increasing taxes to get the revenue, and then you are in a cyclical downward spiral. So they have it wrong and we’ll change that particular policy.”
Former Finance Minister Seth Terkper has debunked the notion that cutlasses and condoms were taxed under the NDC government led by John Dramani Mahama.
The former minister said he had serially challenged anyone with evidence that cutlasses and condoms were taxed or any evidence of same being repealed by the current government to make them available; but it has yielded no response.
Anyidoho had tweeted: “Who taxed condoms and cutlasses in this country when he was President?” reference to claims that Mahama had at a point taxed the two products.
“Wrong!! My good brother. I have been challenging anyone to cite the provision in the Customs Act and relevant Tariff # that imposed such taxes. He or she can also cite the “amendments” by the current administration. None to date but still on standby,” Terkper hit back.
Wrong!! My good brother. I have been challenging anyone to cite the provsion in the Customs Act and relevant Tariff # that imposed such taxes. He or she can also cite the “amendments” by the current administration. None to date but still on standby. https://t.co/dXSz6xcY6D
Was Bawumia the first to make cutlass, condom tax claim?
In the run up to the 2016 elections, the then running-mate of the flagbearer of the then opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, accused the government of undermining economic growth by overburdening businesses with taxes.
Speaking on Accra-based Joy FM, Dr Bawumia said the government had mismanaged the economy to a point where it had to rely desperately on raising taxes to generate revenue.
He said: “You have a government where you have cutlasses being taxed; condoms being taxed…. When you become desperate, this is what happens; and when you mismanage the economy into this hole then, anything sounds great to you. You don’t have any option and this is the problem.
“Anything that is taxable and that can feasibly be taxed, they are trying to impose tax on them. All of these are hurting the economy and therefore you are not going to get the growth, and when you don’t get the growth, you will not get the revenue, and when you don’t get the revenue, you go back to increasing taxes to get the revenue, and then you are in a cyclical downward spiral. So they have it wrong and we’ll change that particular policy.”
Former deputy General Secretary of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Koku Anyidoho, has said that the outgoing General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, should have been sacked from the party after the 2016 election.
According to him, Asiedu Nketia, who was the party’s National Campaign Director in the 2016 elections, should have been sacked because he was mainly responsible for the NDC losing that election.
In a tweet shared on Tuesday (October 12), Anyidoho added that Nketia was responsible for the loss of the Tain parliamentary seat even though the constituency is a stronghold of the NDC.
“Asiedu-Nketiah should have been SACKED from NDC at the end of the 2016 General Election, when, as GS & National Campaign Manager, he was viciously responsible for the disgraceful loss of his TAIN constituency – a very safe NDC Seat. His evil antics shall no longer be tolerated,” the tweet Anyidoho shared read.
Meanwhile, Johnson Asiedu Nketia has officially declared his intention to contest for the chairmanship position of the NDC.
Mr. Nketia made the declaration in a joint interview on Accra100.5FM and CTV morning shows, today, Thursday, October 13, 2022.
“Yes, I have the intention of picking up a form to contest the chairmanship position when nominations are opened,” the NDC scribe told joint hosts Emmanuel Quarshie (The Hitman) and Nana Out Darko.
Mr. Nketia also debunked assertions that the General Secretary position might be weakened when he hangs his boots from that role.
The NDC goes to congress on the December 17, 2022.
A former aide to late President John Evans Atta Mills, Koku Anyidoho, has called for prayers for President Akufo-Addo.
He believes the president and the nation as a whole needs divine intervention and it was thus important for Ghanaians to go on their knees and genuinely pray for the President and the nation.
In a tweet posted on Sunday, September 25, Anyidoho stressed that it was refreshing that the president himself was a prayerful person.
“I am more than convinced that we must go on our knees and genuinely pray for the President and Mother Ghana because we definitely need the divine intervention of God for Him to bless our Homeland Ghana.
“Thank God the President himself is on his knees praying,” he captioned the tweet which was accompanied by two photos. One of the president in kneeling position being prayed for by the clergy and another of himself in the same position.
Anyidoho, the Chief Executive Officer of the Atta-Mills Institute, AMI, is known to be a supporter of the president and the current government despite insisting that he remains a full member of the opposition National Democratic Congress, NDC.
The last time both men met publicly was at the reopening of the refurbished Asomdwee Park – the burial place of late President Atta Mills.
The AMI had gotten government support for the renovation of the facility and the recommissioning was done on the 10th anniversary of Atta-Mills’ passing.
I am more than convinced that we must go on our knees and genuinely pray for the President and Mother Ghana because we definitely need the divine intervention of God for Him to bless our Homeland Ghana ???????? Thank God the President himself is on his knees praying ???????????? pic.twitter.com/sAv1kg2VqN
In a series of tweets, while announcing his ‘comeback’ to active politics, Anyidoho indicated that he is against the candidature of General Mosquito because he is the “most poisonous and destructive element within the top of the NDC and he shall be exposed and NOT allowed to become National Chairman and Leader of the Party of Jerry John Rawlings.
“I thought Asiedu Nketiah wanted to be General Secretary for life! Why does he now want to become National Chairman? He only wants to become National Chairman so he can use Article 25 of the Party’s Constitution to become Leader, and pursue his personal perfidious ambition.
“Article 25 of the NDC’S constitution states that, when we are in opposition and not elected a Flagbearer, the National Chairman doubles as the Leader of the Party. Currently, we have no Flagbearer. Ofosu-Ampofo has failed to be a Leader but Asiedu-Nketiah is NOT the alternative.
“The House Cleaning Exercise has started in the NDC: We shall sweep out the charlatans; restore dignity to NDC & appease the souls of the real fallen fighters & Founding Fathers/Mothers of the Revolution. “We no go sit down make dem cheat us every day. Walahi! Aluta continua.
“I am back full swing into active NDC politics and we shall not pay any ransom to those who have hijacked our PARTY: we shall take back what legitimately belongs to us. “Revo Revo Revolution, has a long way to go but has come to stay”. Who born dog?
“Nobody has sacked me from NDC and nobody can sack me from NDC. Let Asiedu-Nketiah provide material evidence as to the steps that supposedly led to him having mental masturbation and dreaming that he has sacked me from the NDC,” Koku Anyidoho tweeted.
General Mosquito is widely rumoured to be interested in the National Chairmanship of the party after decades as General Secretary. He has not officially declared his intention and is likely to go against current chairman Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, who has announced his re-election bid.
I am back full swing into active NDC politics and we shall not pay any ransom to those who have hijacked our PARTY: we shall take back what legitimately belongs to us. “Revo Revo Revolution, has a long way to go but has come to stay”. Who born dog?
— Samuel Koku Anyidoho???????? (@KokuAnyidoho) August 28,
According to the MP, Koku, despite being a benefactor of the benevolence of former President Mahama, has rather decided to return the favour with disdain for the former President.
“Koku’s campaign as deputy general secretary was partly financed by me and Lordina Mahama. Ask him who the Land Cruiser he went around the entire country to campaign with belongs to. It was mine. Who was giving him money to fuel the car? Lordina Mahama and Julius Debrah. We don’t want to talk.
“I won’t say everything, but what I can say is that if there is anyone justified to be bitter because of ingratitude, it is rather John Mahama who should get hurt. But President Mahama is all forgiven; he has forgotten about it. Every day he keeps asking what the problem with Koku is? It worries him because he loves him. Lordina calls me sometimes and asks what the problem with my brother is,” he stated during an interview on Power FM.
Koku Anyidoho, who served as director of communications at the presidency during the era of the late President Mills, fell out with former President Mahama, who was vice president under the late President.
Following the demise of President Mills, Koku Anyidoho also fell out with the NDC after he lost his bid to move from the party’s deputy general secretary to the general secretary position.
But according to Nii Lante Vanderpuye, Koku, who feeds on attention, has allowed that trait to lead him into a state of bitterness which is causing his own downfall.
“The message I have is that those who love him should call him and advise him that he is hurting himself. I looked at him yesterday and I realized he looks older than me even though I am more advanced in age than him. This is because he is engulfed with bitterness. He does not listen to advice,” the MP stated.
Koku Anyidoho has accused former President John Dramani Mahama of harbouring hatred toward him.
He also accused the former President of undermining the late President Mills when he was his vice.
The founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Atta Mills Institute, Koku Anyidoho has stated that he will no longer comment on anything related to the Asomdwe park renovation.
According to him, he will rather channel his energyinto positive discussions that will bring glory to God instead of paying attention to his accusers.
In a twitter post Monday, July 25, 2022, Mr. Anyidoho stated, “I shall NOT Comment anymore about the negative talk about Asomdwee Park: I will focus on the positive way forward. To God Almighty be the glory.â€
I shall NOT Comment anymore about the negative talk about Asomdwee Park: I will focus on the positive way forward. To God Almighty be the glory 🙌 ðŸ™
— Samuel Koku Anyidoho🇬🇠(@KokuAnyidoho) July 25, 2022
For the past few days, the grave of the late President John Evans Fiifi Atta Mills has dominated the headlines following the verbal exchanges between his family and Koku Anyidoho regarding the renovation of the grave ahead of his 10th-anniversary celebration.
Koku Anyidoho was accused of tampering with the grave of the late President at Asomdwe Park by Mr. Samuel Atta Mills, the late President’s junior brother.
Mr. Mills alleged that the Coastal Development Authority (CODA) and Mr. Koku Anyidoho desecrated the tomb of the late President.
He further described the action as disrespect and a breach of tradition.
Brother of the late President John Evans Atta Mills, Samuel Atta Mills has stated that the Head of Atta Mills Institute, Koku Anyidoho has no right to ask for the autopsy report of the late President.
Koku Anyidoho in an interview with JoyNews on Tuesday, dared Samuel Atta Mills to produce the autopsy report on the death of his brother as he alleged that “Sammy Atta Mills has questions to answer.â€
Responding to the demand by Koku Anyidoho in an interview on Upfront, Wednesday, the KEEA MP said Mr. Anyidoho has no business demanding the autopsy report.
“Autopsy report is personal for the family. Is he a family member? What is his business asking for an autopsy report? We took the autopsy report from the 37 military hospital, we went to AMA. Professor Mills was buried there with a death certificate from AMA, we had to take the autopsy report over there. That is when they granted us the burial certificate. What is his business asking?†he noted.
The MP lamented “why a non-governmental organisation [Atta Mills Institute] is running the place [Asomdwe Park].â€
This Sunday will mark the 10th Anniversary of the death of former President John Evans Atta Mills.
According to Mr. Anyidoho, a memorial thanksgiving service will be held after which President Akufo-Addo will commission the Asomdwe Park.
He threatened that after the commissioning, “John Dramani Mahama and Sammy Atta Mills will never enter the place to do anything there.â€
When questioned about whether he will attend the memorial service of his late brother, Samuel Atta Mills responded “No. Why go there in the morning when I have not been invited.â€
“What right does he have to threaten us that he will not allow us to go to Asomdwe Park,†he asked.
The family of the late President had earlier accused the Coastal Development Authority and the Atta Mills Institute of desecrating the body of the late President by embarking on renovation works and removing the tomb of the John Evans Atta Mills without informing the family.
But the Coastal Development Authority in a statement on Wednesday said “We wish to state that the grave was not opened and therefore no desecration of the body of the former President, H.E John Evans Atta Mills, has taken place.â€
Samuel Koku Anyidoho, an aide to the former President, John Evans Fiifi Atta Mills, is wondering if it is appropriate for any individual to claim that the tomb of the late President has been removed.
Reacting to accusations levelled against him by the younger brother of the late President, Samuel Atta Mills, the founder and CEO of the Atta Mills Institute said, it does not make sense for any right-thinking individual to make such accusations.
“Removal of the tomb, does it make sense; who removed the tomb? John Dramani Mahama deliberately refused to build Asomdwee Park; Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic is building Asomdwee Park, is that what is hurting Sammy Atta Mills. Tell him to produce the autopsy report of the death of his brother.
“Asomdwee Park is being built. A ‘wawa’ board was used to cover the grave of President Atta Mills; it has been removed and we are putting granite stone to raise the level and the image of the former President’s final resting place, is that what is hurting Sammy Atta Mills? What John Mahama refused to do, President Akufo-Addo is doing it; is that what is hurting Sammy Atta Mills?”Koku Anyidoho quizzed in an interview with Accra-based Joy News.
He continued: “Ask Sammy Atta Mills that in the last 10 years, has he ever visited Asomdwee Parkto care for the remains of his brother? Where is the autopsy report? Sammy Atta Mills has questions to answer.
When asked if the family was informed before the ‘wawa’ board was removed to replace with the granite stones, Anyidoho retorted “family, has he been concerned about Asomdwee Park? Sammy Atta Mills should be ashamed of himself.
“The state is doing something to honour the memory of the former President of the Republic of Ghana. What we are doing, what we have done is just for God to be glorified in Ghana to move away from the level of ignominy that Asomdwee Park sat in. Sammy Atta Mills should be ashamed of himself.”
Meanwhile, the NDC in a statement has said, the Asomdwee Parkdoes not belong to Koku Anyidoho.
A statement signed by the General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia and copied to GhanaWeb said:
“Indeed, the facility was developed by the National Security Office during the tenure of H.E John Dramani Mahama and remains a National Monument as well as a place of pilgrimage to honour the memory of dignitaries buried there. It was designed to be managed by the national security office with access authorized only by that office.
“While it is in order for the Government of Ghana to organize functions at the facility and invite persons to same, it is, in our candid view, wholly inappropriate for any private entity to be given an office at the location, directly or indirectly conferring on it a role as overseer even to the extent of issuing invitations in the name of the state,†the statement signed by Johnson Asiedu Nketia, General Secretary of the party said.
National Farmers Day in Ghana is celebrated on the first Friday of December each year to recognise the contributions of farmers and fishers in the country.
The holiday is designed to pay respect to the importance of the farming and fishing industry in the socio-economic growth of Ghana.
In a tweet as part of the celebrations today Friday, December 3, Mr Anyidoho said “Papa J is gone: Farmers Day remains. Jerry John Rawlings instituted Farmers Day in 1985, and it remains one of his lasting legacies. Ayekooo to ALL our farmers and fishermen for keeping bodies and the soul of the nation alive. Long live Ghana.â€
Papa J is gone: Farmers Day remains. Jerry John Rawlings instituted Farmers Day in 1985, and it remains one of his lasting legacies. Ayekooo to ALL our farmers and fishermen for keeping bodies and the soul of the nation alive. Long live Ghana 🇬🇭 💪🙏 pic.twitter.com/GCI8W3EFGd
Black Stars captain, Andre Dede Ayew, has commended his teammates for their performance against the Bafana Bafana of South Africa in the FIFA World Cup qualifier.
Andre Dede Ayew scored from the spot-kick to give Ghana a 1-0 win over the South Africans at the Cape Coast Sports Stadium on Sunday, November 14, 2021.
The Black Stars qualified ahead of South Africa on goal difference as both countries finished the qualifiers with 13 points each.
“Yesterday was a perfect night ! We are one step closer to our aim. As always the team was on fire and boys fought till the end. Support was unbelievable, thank you Ghana,†Andre Dede Ayew tweeted.
Ghana has qualified to the playoff stage in the World Cup qualification alongside Egypt, Morocco, DR Congo, Mali, and Senegal.
Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr has sent a word of caution to the newly appointed ministers.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo sworn in the first batch of 28 ministers of his second term last Friday.
The President urged them to deliver on their mandate because “that is why we are here and that is why the Ghanaian people voted for usâ€.
The ministers included the National Security Minister, Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah; Trade and Industry, Mr Alan John Kwadwo Kyerematen; Defence, Mr Dominic Nitiwul; Interior, Mr Ambrose Dery; Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Ms Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey; Justice and Attorney General, Mr Godfred Yeboah Dame, and Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, Mr Daniel Botwe, Ministers of Parliamentary Affairs, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensa-Bonsu; Communications and Digitalisation, Mrs Owusu Ekuful; Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto; Energy, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh; Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum; Health, Mr Kwaku Agyemang-Manu; Works and Housing, Mr Francis Kwame Asenso-Boakye; Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Samuel Abdulai Jinapor; Roads and Highways, Mr Kwasi Amoako Atta; Transport; Mr Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, and Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Mrs Mavis Hawa Koomson.
The rest are the Ministers of Railway Development, Mr John-Peter Amewu; Sanitation and Water Resources; Ms Cecilia Abena Dapaah; Tourism, Arts and Culture, Dr Mohammed Ibrahim Awal; Gender, Children and Social Protection, Ms Sarah Adwoa Safo; The rest are the Ministers of Railway Development, Mr John-Peter Amewu; Sanitation and Water Resources; Ms Cecilia Abena Dapaah; Tourism, Arts and Culture, Dr Mohammed Ibrahim Awal; Gender, Children and Social Protection, Ms Sarah Adwoa Safo; Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Kwaku Afriyie, Employment and Labour Relations, Mr Ignatius Baffour Awuah, Information, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Youth and Sports, Mr Mustapha Ussif, Public Enterprises, Mr Joseph Cudjoe, and works and Housing (Minister of State), Ms Freda Prempeh.
Speaking on Peace FM’s “Kokrokoo” programme, Kwesi Pratt Jnr cautioned the Ministers not to lord themselves over the people they are to serve and misbehave in their various offices.
He reminded them of their service to Ghanaians and requested that they think themselves not wiser than Ghanaians.
Mr. Pratt advised the Ministers to put the interest of Ghana first and execute their duties effectively.
“Don’t think because we have made you ministers, you’ve become tarzan today. Nobody is tarzan. They shouldn’t think they are wiser than all Ghanaians, for there are many intelligent Ghanaians who are not Ministers and some who won’t even accept ministerial appointment. So, they should work hard to bring about development; they must do a good work to leave a good legacy,” he stated.
Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Attah Mills Institute, Koku Anyidoho has welcomed President Akufo-Addo’s ministerial nominations.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s ministerial nominations were confirmed by Mr. Eugene Arhin, the Acting Communications Director at the Presidency in a release on Thursday, January 20, 2021.
The nominations are subject to the approval of the 8th Parliament headed by Speaker Alban Bagbin.
The release of Akufo-Addo’s appointments has been met with different reactions on social media but the former Deputy General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress believes that the President has kept his word that he will reduce the size of his government in his second time.
He made this statement in a tweet that was sighted by GhanaWeb.
“President Akufo-Addo has kept his word – thinned his govt & shall have no Deputy Regional Ministers: Let’s pray this early positive move filters through the whole of his 2nd term so he can leave some solid legacies as we all strive to build the Better Ghana that we so deserve.”
See his post on Twitter below:
President Akufo-Addo has kept his word – thinned his govt & shall have no Deputy Regional Ministers: Let's pray this early positive move filters through the whole of his 2nd term so he can leave some solid legacies as we all strive to build the Better Ghana that we so deserve.🙏
Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Atta Mills Institute, Koku Anyidoho, has stated categorically that Karma will reward him for being loyal to the late Professor John Evans Atta-Mills.
He indicated that his sacrifice and the decision to invest in preserving the legacies of the late Mills would pave a way for Karma to reward him handsomely.
According to him, just as Karma has rewarded and paid Alban Bagbin, Karma will do same to him.
He was responding to the election of Alban Bagbin as the Speaker of Parliament.
He opined that the current Speaker has paid his dues in the past and when he was the Minority Leader of his side, he nominated the late Peter Ala Adjetey as Speaker at a point when former President Kufour did not want it so.
He had in a tweet stated that “Certainly, karma is not a bitch when you invest in it properly: in 2005, when he was Minority Leader, Hon Bagbin was prepared to lead the NDC to maintain Peter Ala Adjetey as Speaker but Prez Kufuor did not want it so. Today, some NPP MPs have paid Bagbin back positively.â€
Speaking to Kwabena Agyapong on Rainbow Radio on 87.5Fm, Koku Anyidoho said Bagbin supported Ala Adjetey because he had had so much confidence in him.
He said the current support Ala Adjetey because he was objective and today, some two MPs in the NPP have rewarded Bagbin.
The law of Karma is not a bitch. Karma will pay you back on good terms.
“What I am doing for President Atta-Mill; investing in his legacy, Karma will pay me heavily in good term for keeping the legacies of the late Mills alive.â€
He insisted that Karma will pay him and reward him as it has paid Bagbin today.
To him, Karma rewards positively and when you invest in it, you will be rewarded.
The Atta-Mills Institute is set up as a non-governmental and non-profit, Policy Brainbox with a social-democratic orientation.
With a Mindset Transformational approach to shaping and driving the discourse of nation-building, we are focused on creating a centre of, research, learning, and information dissemination anchored to the ideas/ideals that defined the human existence of John Evans Atta-Mills, Vice President and President of the Republic of Ghana, between 1996-2000 and 2009-2012, respectively.
The objective of the Institute is to constantly create the necessary critical thinking platforms to engage, government, the private sector players, and actors in the civil society sphere, in order to openly and transparently discuss issues that are impacting negatively on nation-building so as to build consensus on the best ways of retooling our approach to national development.
It has a mission of striving for the betterment of human existence through deliberate positive disruptive thinking and teaching techniques of growing knowledge base.
Chief Executive Officer of the Atta-Mills Institute, Koku Anyidoho has downplayed claims by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) that the December 7 General Elections was fictitious and flawed.
The former Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) who was an observer for December 7 General Elections has in the past said the elections was free and fair.
The flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has accused the Electoral Commission and its Chairperson, Jean Mensa for rigging the December 7 General Elections for the incumbent New Patriotic Party (NPP).
He made a tearful address at the NDC Party headquarters where he said he will not accept the results of a ‘fictitious and flawed elections’.
In a post on his twitter handle, Koku Anyidoho said a particular candidate deciding not to accept the results of an election does not negate it.
“Non-acceptance of elections results by a political party, does not negate the validity of the Declared Results by the Electoral Commission.” he said.
The Electoral Commission (EC) declared the incumbent President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo the winner of Monday December 7 General Elections.
Mrs Jean Mensa , the returning officer of the Presidential elections made the announcement at the commission’s head office in Accra.
Nana Akufo-Addo won with 6,730,413 votes which represents 51.30 percent of the valid votes cast.
His closest competitor, John Dramani Mahama from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) got 6,214,889 votes representing 47.35 per cent.
Total votes cast – 13,119,460 representing 79 per cent of total voters.
Non-acceptance of Elections Results by a political party, does not negate the validity of the Declared Results by the Electoral Commission.
Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Atta-Mills Institute (AMI), Koku Anyidoho has said he is happy that Ghana will have a “tight parliament†next year.
He said this is good for democracy in Ghana and would make negotiations in the House great.
He was reacting to the outcome of the results for the parliamentary election.
To him, the polls revealed that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) cannot take the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for granted because it is still a formidable party.
“The NDC is a strong political party that the NPP can not take for granted. I am personally happy that we have a tight parliament. It is good for democracy. It will enhance negotiation.â€
Founder of the Atta Mills Institute, Koku Anyidoho, has finally reacted to news of the passing of ex-president Jerry John Rawlings.
Former President Rawlings, who in a few weeks buried his mother, died Thursday, November 12, 2020, at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.
Reacting to the news, Mr Anyidoho, who is also mourning the passing away of his eight-year-old daughter, took to his Twitter page to mourn the late President.
According to him, though November has been very tough for him with the passing away of his daughter and the passing away of Papa J, it has rather made him tougher for the life ahead.
Sharing photos of himself and Mr Rawlings, Mr Anyidoho said the battles are not for him to fight; adding that God is in full control.
He said “November has been very tough for me with the passing away of my daughter on the 7th, and the passing away of Papa J on the 12th: but it has made me tougher for the life ahead. The battles are not mine to fight; God is in full control”.
November has been very though for me with the passing away of my daughter on the 7th, and the passing away of Papa J on the 12th: but it has made me tougher for the life ahead. The battles are not mine to fight; God is in full control🔥🔥💪💪👏🏽👏🏽 pic.twitter.com/Bfz1QHImE5
Former Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Koku Anyidoho, has reacted to the $150 price for the COVID-19 test at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA).
According to him, he had always criticised the fee until he travelled to Guinea and missed his flight because of the delay of the COVID-19 test, a situation he described as very uncomfortable.
His statement follows massive backlash and the subsequent presentation of a petition by a cross-section of Ghanaians to the government to reconsider the amount.
But, reacting to the development on his Twitter page, the Founder of the Atta Mills Institute, said though the $150 is high it can produce COVID results in less than 30 minutes.
He wrote: “Honestly, I was a critic of the $150 COVID test @ KIA till I travelled to Guinea; missed flights bcos COVID test results over there took days to be completed. $150 is high but if it can produce COVID results in less than 30 minutes; the time value of money becomes key.”
Honestly, I was a critic of the $150 COVID test @ KIA till I travelled to Guinea; missed flights bcos COVID test results over there took days to to be completed. $150 is high but if it can produce COVID results in less than 30 minutes; the time value of money becomes key.
As today marks exactly 8 years since the passing of the late former president Prof. John Evans Atta Mills, it was expected that members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), friends, family members and sympathisers will gather together to mark the anniversary.
However, this was not the case for this year’s anniversary of the late president as two different events have been held at the Asomdwe Park in Accra to commemorate the 8th anniversary of the death of the late president, Professor Evans Atta Mills.
Former Spokesperson at the Presidency and now Chief Executive Officer of the Atta Mills Institute, Koku Anyidoho earlier this morning held a remembrance and wreath-laying ceremony for his late boss.
Former President Jerry John Rawlings, together with some members of parliament were at the ceremony to also lay their wreaths to commemorate the late Mills.
Mr Anyidoho also used the opportunity to cut the sod for the refurbishment of the Atta Mills Institue.
Meanwhile, at the time of filling this report, the NDC and other sympathizers of the opposition party were yet to hold their memorial service for the late Evans Atta Mills.
Former Presidential spokesperson, Koku Anyidoho has condemned persons distorting circumstances surrounding the death of former President John Evans Atta-Mills, emphasizing that the man received the best of emergency health responses before his passing.
Speaking on Asempa FM recently monitored by MyNewsGh.com, Mr Anyidoho noted that contrary to claims that the late President was not transported in an ambulance, he was transported in a well-equipped ambulance to the hospital.
He related that the President was transported in an ambulance with emergency medical personnel from the Castle to the 37 military hospital after he had been properly carried on a stretcher from his residence to the ambulance.
Mr Anyidoho denied reports that he had collapsed, explaining that he merely became sicker and had to be stretchered to the ambulance.
“So it looked like a normal morning even though we knew that there were health challenges. No two ways about it! So it was a sudden something…. and when it happened suddenly, there were professionals around. So he was moved in an ambulance,†he recalled.
Mr Anyidoho added that “he was not left alone; his security close escorts including professional policemen went with him. There was a motorcade that carried him. There were doctors in the ambulance, trying to do what they could do: first aid.
And he was sent to the Intensive Care Unit(ICU) of the 37 Military Hospital. I repeat: The Intensive Care Unit of the 37 Military Hospital.â€
On how long it took them to transport the President to the hospital, Mr Anyidoho, said that it took them some 30 minutes because of the heavy traffic on the road that morning.
He noted that even though the President used to insist that his movement inconvenienced no one on the road, on that day, many were inconvenienced because of the emergency nature of the movement.
He stressed that at the ICU, both military specialist doctors and civilian specialist doctors were present and did their best but “God called him backâ€.
†So this whole propaganda that I put him in my pick up and Whatnots is so ridiculous. It is not funny,†he asserted.
Former Deputy General Secretary for the National Democratic Congress (NDCs), Koku Anyidoho, is bent on exposing top some NDC officials for a wicked plot against him.
According to him, some top persons in the NDC hierarchy are plotting to create fake Facebook accounts to destroy him.
Koku Anyidoho disclosed that he will be doing a press conference very soon to expose the evil deeds of NDC.
“I will be doing a press conference soon to reveal some secrets and evil plot against me,†Koku Anyidoho told Kingdomfmonline.com
“I will be exposing some of the NDC members who have plotted evil things about me and to also disgrace my personality,” he added
He alleged that the people who are conspiring evil against him are the same people who are currently around NDC flagbearer John Mahama.
Koku Anyidoho, a former Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has stated that the decision to lift the lockdown was an honest one since it brought untold hardship in some homes.
He recounted how he had to give GH¢10 to two minors, who were four and 10 years old, he came into contact with when they approached him selling a pack of toilet roll.
Mr Anyidoho said the two minors were asked to sell the pack of toilet roll to help the family purchase food to feed themselves and he had to give them the money but did not take the pack of toilet roll.
According to him, a few moments later, the whole family came to thank him because they had nothing at home to feed on and he had to use the story as an illustration to paint the difficulty some homes went through during the lockdown.
“I believe the President has taken a decision which is in the interest of the state, we must pray, assist and support him, we must adhere to the hygiene protocols including social distancing, hand washing with soap and water under running water, avoiding handshakes among others.
“The President can return with another address imposing another lockdown hence there should be no need for people to create fear and panic, more hunger deaths can be recorded compared to the deadly Coronavirus,†Mr Anyidoho cautioned.
A former Director of Communications at the Office of the President under the John Evans Atta-Mills administration, Koku Anyidoho has served notice of not defending the flagbearer of the NDC in the wake of the Airbus debacle.
Anyidoho, who appeared on Nana Fianko’s afternoon show on ATV, indicated that he is “nobody’s pawn” and is neither anybody’s henchman to go out there and fight for them on the Airbus scandal.
A scandalized looking Koku, when asked to talk about the raging Airbus bribery scandal declined to comment.
Throwing his hands into the air when Nana Fianko persistently asked him to say something about the matter, Koku Anyidoho reminded the host that “time was up to end the show” so if there was “nothing else to deliberate on, he should be excused”.
“…the time is up….i walk out (of the studio),” he told the host, whiles parodying “my lips are sealed” sign.
In what has become the biggest corporate bribery scandal in the world, Europe’s largest and arguably the world’s largest aerospace manufacturing company, Airbus, has admitted to having paid bribes to people in certain countries to influence their business transactions with those countries.
Out of the over fifty countries on the African Continent, Ghana, got a mention.
Airbus admitted that it paid kickbacks to a Government Official 1 through a blood relation, Intermediary 4 or Consultant 4. Government Official 1 is known to be former President John Dramani Mahama while the Intermediary 5 happens to be a sibling of his, Samuel Mahama; as claimed by the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Anyidoho, a close ally of Mills of blessed memory, is believed to know much more about the Airbus deal because of his closeness with the deceased Ghanaian leader. It is not clear why he doesn’t want to speak to the latest incident. Source: peacefmonline.com
