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Tag: state

  • State power must be exercised in good faith – Minority

    State power must be exercised in good faith – Minority

    The Minority in Parliament has raised concerns over what it describes as the misuse of state power for political purposes, cautioning that such actions threaten the principles of democracy and the rule of law.

    At a press briefing on March 24, 2025, Second Deputy Minority Whip, Jerry Ahmed Shaib, decried the recent security operations targeting former government officials, including the immediate past Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr. Ernest Addison.

    “State power must be exercised in good faith, not wielded as a weapon of political intimidation,” he stated, warning that heavy-handed tactics by security agencies were eroding public confidence in law enforcement.

    The Minority accused the Attorney-General of exceeding his mandate by assuming investigative and law enforcement powers rather than focusing on his constitutional role as the government’s chief legal officer.

    “Since when did we have an Attorney-General who himself orders arrests, conducts investigations, and examines his own evidence?” Shaib questioned.

    He emphasised that the Attorney-General’s responsibility lies in evaluating cases brought before him by investigative bodies, rather than leading the process from the outset.

    According to the Minority, such actions create the perception that the justice system is being used for political ends rather than ensuring fairness and accountability.

    The caucus also condemned the arrest and public display of the former Director of the National Signals Bureau, Kwabena Adu Boahene, as well as the raids on the homes of former ministers, including Ken Ofori-Atta and John Peter Amewu.

    “These arrests, detentions, midnight home raids, and threats are relics of the coup era and have no place in a functioning democracy,” Shaib asserted.

    He further criticised reports of excessive force used by security personnel, including the removal of CCTV cameras during the raid on Dr. Addison’s residence.

    Calling for an immediate halt to what it described as intimidation tactics, the Minority urged civil society, the media, and the general public to demand accountability from the government.

    “Ghana’s democracy cannot thrive under a climate of fear and selective justice,” Shaib warned.

    He insisted that law enforcement agencies must uphold their integrity by following due process, adding, “If you have evidence against someone, go to court. If you don’t, don’t malign people through press conferences.”

  • The year Ghana had 3 Heads of State, top military men executions

    The year Ghana had 3 Heads of State, top military men executions

    The year 1979 was a landmark period in Ghana’s political history where the country experienced extraordinary political upheavals, characterized by multiple Heads of State, coup attempts, executions of top military leaders, and the eventual transition to civilian rule.

    It was also the year that the name Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings – who will go on to give Ghana its current republic; the most stable, become a household name.

    Here’s a detailed account of the significant events that unfolded during this tumultuous year:

    General Fred Akuffo

    At the beginning of 1979, Ghana was under the military rule of General Fred Akuffo, who had come to power in a palace coup in July 1978, ousting General Ignatius Kutu Acheampong.

    Akuffo’s regime faced widespread dissatisfaction due to economic decline and corruption.

    He was Chief of the Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces from 1976 to 1978, and Chairman of the ruling Supreme Military Council in Ghana from 1978 to 1979.

    He became leader of the government in a palace coup against General Kutu Acheampong, but was overthrown and executed in another military coup less than a year later.

    Fred Akuffo was born at Akropong in the Eastern Region of Ghana.

    He completed his secondary education in 1955 at the Presbyterian Boys’ Secondary School at Odumase Krobo.

    He then enlisted in the Ghana Army in 1957 and trained at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, UK, among others, receiving his commission in 1960.

    He was married to Emily Akuffo. He also attended the National Defence College in India in 1973.

    He was executed along with other senior military officers on June 26, 1979, at the Teshie Military Range.

    Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings

    On June 4, 1979, Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings led a successful coup that overthrew General Akuffo’s regime.

    Rawlings came to power in Ghana as a Flight Lieutenant of the Ghana Air Force following a coup d’état in 1979.

    Prior to that, he led an unsuccessful coup attempt against the ruling military government on Tuesday, May 15, 1979, just five weeks before scheduled democratic elections were due to take place.

    After handing power over to a civilian government, he overthrew the democratically elected government through a military coup on Thursday, December 31, 1981, as the Chairman of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC).

    In 1992, Rawlings resigned from the military, founded the National Democratic Congress (NDC), and became the first president of the Fourth Republic. He was re-elected in 1996 for four more years.

    After two terms in office, the limit according to the Ghanaian constitution, Jerry John Rawlings endorsed his vice-president John Atta Mills as a presidential candidate in 2000.

    Dr Hilla Limann

    Following the coup and a brief period of military rule under Rawlings and the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC), Ghana transitioned to civilian rule.

    Dr Hilla Limann was elected president in the general elections held later that year and was inaugurated on September 24, 1979.

    He stood for the elections following the disqualification of Alhaji Imoru Egala by the then-ruling Supreme Military Council and won 62% of the popular vote in the second round of voting.

    Dr. Limann assumed office as president on September 24, 1979. He was an economist and supported democratic values and Pan-Africanism.

    He was, however, deposed in another coup by JJ Rawlings on December 31, 1981.

    He, thus, was the only president of the third republic of Ghana.

    In 1992, at the end of the PNDC military rule that overthrew him, Dr. Limann once again found himself involved in politics and stood as the candidate of the People’s National Convention, a new party he founded, in the presidential election that year.

    He received 6.7% of the popular vote in the elections, coming third. He remained active among the Nkrumahist political movement in Ghana until his death.

    Source: Nimatu Yakubu Atouyese

  • Is Ghana cursed? – Prof. Agyekum laments sale of state assets

    Is Ghana cursed? – Prof. Agyekum laments sale of state assets

    Head of Linguistics at the University of Ghana, Professor Kofi Agyekum, has expressed his displeasure over the poor running of state institutions and its subsequent sale.

    Speaking on Peace FM’s ‘Kokrokoo’ programme, Professor Kofi Agyekum wondered if a spell has been cast on the country due to the continuous sale of state assets.

    “From Nkrumah’s time, there are so many state assets we have failed to take care of. I wonder if we have been cursed that anything that is for government must not flourish. Why don’t they prosper?”

    “If you check management, those brought from abroad are not more intelligent than those Ghanaian indigens. Our universities teach business management,” he said.

    His comment comes at a time when the Office of the President has assured that President Akufo-Addo will review and respond to the petition submitted by the “Hands Off Our Hotels” protesters, who are opposing the sale of 60 percent shares in four hotels owned by the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) to Rock City Hotel, a company owned by the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong.

    The protest, led by North Tongu MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, culminated in the submission of the petition at the Jubilee House on Tuesday, June 18. Deputy Chief of Staff Emmanuel Adumuah Bossman, who received the petition on behalf of the President, expressed the administration’s commitment to considering the protesters’ concerns.

    “We are delighted to receive the petition because it is part of the exercise of our democratic rights guaranteed under Chapter 5 of our constitution. We are also grateful that this procession and demonstration have taken place without any negative outcomes,” Bossman stated.

    “I will submit the petition to the President, and I can assure you that it will be looked into, and appropriate measures will be taken as and when deemed fit.”

    During the protest, Mr Ablakwa called on President Akufo-Addo to halt the sale of the SSNIT hotels, arguing that the transaction was not in the country’s best interest.

    He urged the President to ensure that profitable state assets are not sold and that workers’ properties are not disposed of without their consent.

    Mr Ablakwa also demanded that ministers and politically exposed persons be prevented from purchasing state assets, highlighting the need to stop the Blay family’s alleged illegal encroachment on Labadi Hotel’s beachfront.

    Mr Ablakwa passionately addressed the crowd, emphasizing the protesters’ determination to protect state assets from being sold to politicians.

  • Court dismisses Ato Essien’s application opposing jail term processes

    Court dismisses Ato Essien’s application opposing jail term processes

    Lawyers representing William Ato Essien, the former CEO of the defunct Capital Bank, have had their application to set aside any proceedings that could lead to a custodial sentence for their client dismissed by the Accra High Court.

    The State filed processes to get William Ato Essien imprisoned for not making payments as part of his GH¢90 million restitution deal after pleading guilty to the offences levelled against him.

    Instead of facing an earlier jail sentence, Ato Essien agreed to refund the money after entering a plea bargain with the state under Section 35 of the Courts Act.

    As part of the agreement, he made a GH¢30 million deposit and was expected to pay the whole balance of GH¢60 million in three instalments, but failed to do so beginning April 28, 2023.

    Displeased Ato Essien requested further negotiations on the terms of payment.

    In court, Thaddeus Sory, Mr Essien’s legal representative, argued that a custodial sentence would defeat the purpose of section 35(7) of the Courts Act, which formed the basis for the agreement.

    He also maintained that the judge has the authority to suspend proceedings relating to the imposition of a custodial sentence when it concerns the implementation of a court judgment.

    But the State opposed this, indicating that the section being cited does not provide the court the opportunity to exercise discretion and vary the terms of the agreement.

    According to state, they are no longer interested in renegotiating the deal.

    The Judge, Justice Eric Kyei Baffour after considering the application dismissed it without merit.

    Meanwhile, the case has been adjourned to May 17, 2023, for the court to hear the state’s application for jailing Ato Essien.

    Source: The Independent Ghana

  • GRA recovers $93m from ‘tax evading’ companies

    Through its informants’ reward program, the Ghana Revenue Authority(GRA) has been able to retrieve more than $93 million as well as an extra GH421 million from foreign and domestic corporations doing business in the country.

    These were hitherto taxes that the State could have lost as a result of the firms’ unwillingness to pay until the intervention of these informants who used the Informant Application system to draw the attention of the Authority.

    The Informant award scheme is a means of awarding individuals, entities or organizations who offer information to the GRA on persons who commit offences or companies under the tax laws of Ghana.

    Acting Head of Intelligence at the Ghana Revenue Authority, Wisdom Xetor said the scheme has been helpful in retrieving monies that the state would have easily lost.

    “It is a scheme that is yielding results and many are providing information that is leading to the recovery of monies that would have been lost if this avenue was not provided for them to provide information to us about impropriety relating to tax.”

    Mr Xetor said the respective informants have been rewarded handsomely for their initiative.

    The Informant Award Scheme is a means of rewarding individuals, entities or organisations which offer information to the GRA about persons or companies who attempt to evade taxes under the tax laws of Ghana.

    This information is relied upon to enforce compliance with tax laws.

    It is also often relied upon to determine whether a person is registered as a taxpayer, whether a taxpayer files his tax returns, or whether the correct amount of tax has been declared and paid, etc.

  • Saglemi Housing project: Proceeds from sale will be reinvested into affordable Housing project – Minister

    The Minister of Works and Housing, Francis Asenso Boakye has said the funds that will be generated from the sale of the Saglemi Housing project will be reinvested into another affordable Housing project.

    He announced the government’s intention to explore the sale of the Saglemi Housing project to private sector investors for completion on Sunday November 13.

    This is at no cost to the State and to reinvest the proceeds of the transaction into other affordable housing projects, he said.

    Addressing a press conference Accra, he said the decision was taken after a painstaking consultation verification and assessment.

    The Bantama lawmaker said “After a painstaking period of assessment, verifications and consultations government has decided to explore the possibility of selling the Saglemi Housing project, covering the 1506 housing unit , at the current value to private sector entity to complete and sell at no further cost to the state.

    “Proceeds from the sale will come to the state and reinvested into affordable Housing project.

    “To facilitate the process a technical working team has been set up, comprising professionals and experts to oversee and spearheads all engagements required for the completion of the project.”

    The project was initiated in 2012 for the delivery of 5000 housing units at a total cost of 200,000,000 under and Engineering-Procurement-Contracting (EPC) Agreement with Messrs Construtora OAS Ghana Limited.

    By the end of the stipulated completion date the original contract of the project had been amended three times with the project scope reducing from the initial 5000 housing units to 1506housin units although $195,854969.52 representing 98 % of the project funds had been expended, he further stated.

  • Galamsey fight: Gov’t gives deadline for registration of all excavators

    The government has given up till November 2, 2022, for all excavators in the country to be registered with the relevant local government authorities.

    Any excavator that is not registered in line with this directive shall be seized and confiscated by the State.

    “An owner, operator and/or user of an excavator shall, at the time of registration, specify the purpose for which the excavator is being used or to be used and the area where the excavator is being used or will be used,” a statement from the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources said.

    As part of the registration Metropolitan, Municipal or District Assemblies are to record the name and particulars of the owner of the excavator, the date the excavator was brought into the country, the registration number, the chassis number, the purposes for which the excavator was brought into the country, the area where the excavator is expected to be used and the name and particulars of the current operator and user of the excavator.

    The MMDAs are also encouraged to record other particulars they may deem necessary.

    This government directive is in line with the fight against illegal mining.

    Excavators used in illegal mining have quickened the rate of deforestation and increased the scale of illegal small-scale mining operations.

    The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources assured that “it will continue to take the necessary measures to protect our natural environment, particularly, water bodies, forests and lands, in a transparent and sustainable manner, anchored on integrity.”

     

     

     

  • Kwame Nkrumah’s bodyguard paid GH¢47 as monthly pension

    The current state of an 85-year-old man who served as a bodyguard to Ghana’s first president is sadly one that speaks of neglect by the state he served.

    Christian Blukoo was a bodyguard of Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah but now in his retirement, the old man who is now visually impaired is finding life difficult.

    Amidst the current economic hardship, Mr Blekuu lives on a meagre GHC47 monthly pension allowance despite his history of dedication and service to the state and the first president of the land.

    More sadly, the 85-year-old visually impaired old man who resides at Mafi-Adidome in the Volta Region’s Central Tongu District, does not receive the ¢47 monthly pension allowance on time.

    “Because the money is small, I go to the bank every three months. Even that does not come regularly,” he lamented in Joy Prime documentary dubbed ‘The Last Guard.’
    He indicates that various attempts aimed at getting the government to effect an upward adjustment to his pension allowance have proved futile.

    The efforts include an appeal letter written on his behalf by the Ghana Government Pensioners Association in 2014 to the Controller and Accountant General.

    Further attempts to alleviate Mr Blukoo’s plight by seeking support from the government’s Disability Fund which was introduced to empower persons living with disabilities have also failed.

    “Up to now…Ghana! They took my pictures and particulars but I haven’t gotten anything. They said they will send it to my phone but up to now [nothing has come]. So, I don’t want anybody to suffer for me,” the pensioner shared his frustration in seeking support from the Fund.

    Despite his predicament and disappointment over his neglect by the state, Mr Blukoo finds a bit of comfort in listening to his three radio sets, and is hopeful of living to celebrate his 100th birthday.