1 Teacher, 1 Laptop initiative clear thievery – NDC’s TEIN

 The Tertiary Education Institution Network (TEIN), a youth wing of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has described the government’s One Teacher, One Laptop initiative as a plot to steal from the people.

Deputy National TEIN Coordinator, Ekow Djan, speaking to the media said, the cost involved in the whole exercise is smacks of thievery.

The Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, launched and handed over 350,000 laptops under the ‘One Teacher One Laptop’ programme in fulfilment of government’s pledge to equip Ghana’s teachers with the requisite ICT skills to prepare the next generation for the Fourth Industrial revolution.

At a brief but colourful ceremony at the campus of the St Mary’s Senior High School, Accra on Friday 3rd September, 2021 Dr Bawumia, assisted by the Minister for Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum; the Director General of the Ghana Education Service, Prof Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa; and the leadership of Teacher Unions, handed over the first of these laptops, known as the TM1 (Teachers Mate 1) to the 71 teachers of the school.

But Mr Ekow Djan said “The controversies surrounding this initiative demand answers from the three leading Teacher Unions and Government.

According to him, this is a clear thievery, cooked by the Unions and perfectly executed by the Ghana Education Service, Ministry of Education and the office of the Vice President.

He added that, a laptop selling at $69 is being sold to Ghanaian teachers at GHS 1550 according to the Vice President saying the unit cost of the laptop is GHS 1831.47.

“The Ghanaian teacher must only understand that the actual price of the laptop is GHS 414. Government will, however, deduct GHS 465 from teachers’ salaries— an excess of GHS 51 has been added.

…..EKOW DJAN……

Headteacher who flogged student at Jachie-Pramso SHS interdicted

The headmaster of Jachie-Pramso Senior High School has been interdicted pending investigations into his reported canning of a student.

Bosomtwe Education Director, Mr. Agyemang Dua speaking to the media said, the headmaster has been asked to step aside by the Ashanti regional Education Director while investigation commence.

According to him, the headmaster has been summoned by the Ashanti Regional Education Directorate as part of investigations into the matter.

He added that, some investigative team is already in the district doing their independent investigations into the matter and when their investigations are done, he believe the Regional Directorate will issue a statement on it.

He noted that, the Assistant Headmaster, school Bursar, Matrons and others have been tasked to the school management.

Mr. Agyemang Dua who described the incident as unfortunate called on parents to remain calm especially on how to treat their children during their teenage era.

The embattled headmaster inflicted wounds on the body parts of a final year student, Mary Amoako Gabriel for handing over her jacket to another student who was accused of dressing indecently last week.

….MR. AGYEMANG DUA…..

 

 

 

‘Do or die’ is an English idiom, you don’t understand it – Mahama justifies controversial comments

Former President John Dramani Mahama has justified his recent comments about the 2024 elections, saying he only used an English idiomatic expression which does not connote the interpretation being spun on it.

On Tuesday, September 7 at the start of the resumption of his Thank You tour in the Bono East Region, the 2020 flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) said the next polls must be won at the polling stations and it will be “do or die”.

 “The 2024 elections will be won or lost at the polling station. It will be do-or-die at the polling stations. The right thing must be done during the polls. We will win the elections at the polling station and won’t wait for collation centre results nor petition the Supreme Court if aggrieved,” he said.

The comments stirred controversy as most people felt it was incendiary.

But in an interview on Moonlite FM in Sunyani today, Mr Mahama said the comments were harmless and “those who don’t understand English should stop the school interpretation”.

He added in English: “We will do it at the polling station and collation centre and I say it will be do or die.”

For him, Africans, as Ghanaians are, should know that proverbs are part of daily expressions and are used especially in situations where use of plain language will not be prudent.

….MAHAMA TODAY……

 

 

Five Envoys present their Letters of Credence to President Akufo-Addo

The President of the Republic, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo received Letters of Credence of five new envoys accredited to Ghana at the Jubilee House in Accra.

The envoys were; Her Excellency Mrs. Harriet Thompson from British, Vice Admiral Ibok- Ete Ekwe Ibas (RTD) from Nigeria, His Excellency Daniel Kru from Germany, His Excellency Guzye Xavier Kutrez Blanco from Spain among others from Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

Nigeria High Commissioner, Vice Admiral Ibok- Ete Ekwe Ibas (RTD) speaking to the President said, “Your Excellency,  Mr. President back home emphasizes on the partner of objective with your government which of cause to ensure that you tackle security, revises the economy as well as provide processes of good governance for our nations”

According to him, this is in line with what they are doing here and it is believe that with the two nations working together that they can create the opportunities that exist between the nations for growing the economy and prosperity for their people.

He assured the President that, he will do the appropriate things that will enable their country grow so that they can move the country to the next level while he is here.

…..NIGERIA…..

 President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo also said, “I see Nigeria and Ghana are bound by a long standing relationship of corporation of brotherliness and today we stand as a strong democracies in our region and standing side by side in fighting terrorism and unconstitutional changes of government in our area.

….PREZ AKUFO ADDO…..

 

Mahama’s ‘do or die’ remark not about violence – Kwakye Ofosu

An aide to former President John Mahama, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has said the former President’s “do or die” remark about the 2024 election is not a call to violence.

According to him, there is nothing in Mahama’s record that suggests that he will do anything at all to undermine the peace and security of the Republic of Ghana.

Mr. Mahama’s comments came in a interview on Akina FM in Techiman, during his ‘Thank You’ tour of the Bono East Region.

The former President maintained that the NDC won the 2020 parliamentary and presidential elections but was robbed of victory.

Ofosu Kwakye said the comments were only to indicate how vigilant the National Democratic Congress will be during the 2024 election.

“President Mahama has made it clear that in 2024, we in the NDC are going to exercise a state of preparedness and heightened vigilance to ensure that every ballot that is cast in our favour is counted in our favour.”

….OFOSU KWAKYE FIRST…..

Mr. Ofosu said the Akufo-Addo administration was rather prone to violent tactics.

In making his point, he cited the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election as an example of state sponsored violence.

.…OFOSU KWAKYE SECOND….

 

 

 

E/Region: Carpenter remanded for allegedly abducting, defiling 14yr-old girl

The Koforidua Circuit Court has remanded 30-year-old Enoch Yaw Keteku into prison custody for allegedly abducting and defiling a 14-year-old girl at Koforidua Okorase.

Prophetess, Elizabeth Tutuwaa who stays with the victim speaking to the media said, the suspect, Enoch Keteku abducted the young girl and kept her in his room for five days and sexually assaulted her while they were worriedly looking for her.

According to her, a search was conducted in their area led them (parents) to the house of the accused person after they saw the dress of the victim hanging on a dry line in the corridor of the accused person.

She added that, upon entering the room, they saw the victim on the bed of Enoch Keteku and with the help of her child apprehended him and took to Okorase Police where he was refered to the DOVVSU.

The accused Enoch Yaw Keteku is said to be a carpenter in the area.

….PROPHETESS ELIZABETH….

The victim narrating her ordeal to the media said, the accused call her to follow her and subsequently abducted her and abused her on several occasions.

She added that, the accused always locked her up whenever he lives for work and even both children’s cloth for when to give to their child when she conceive a child.

….VICTIM…..

 

 

 

 

Mr. Moses Dani Baah and David Apasera are still at post- PNC

Communications Secretary for the People’s National Congress (PNC), Awudu Ishak has stated that, the National Chairman, Mr. Moses Dani Baah and the 2020 flag bearer, David Apasera have not been suspended by the party.

According to him, the party has not officially received any statement about the suspension of the duo.

He added that, the party has a constitution which spells out clearly how National Executive meetings are been held and these groups which are allegedly representing NEC abused it.

His comments come after some leadership of the People's National Convention (PNC) has suspend their National Chairman, Mr. Moses Dani Baah and the 2020 flag bearer of the party, Mr. David Apasera for a gross misconduct.

Ashanti regional Secretary of the Party Sulemana Shaibu speaking to the media today in Ashanti region said, the decision to suspend the National Chairman and the 2020 flag bearer was taken at a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held at the GNAT Hall.

Awudu Ishak added that, the decision to suspend the General Secretary Janet Nabla rather stands because nobody has been able to shown with evidence that, there is the need for the PNC to conveyed a NEC.

….AWUDU ISHAK…..

 

 

 

 

 

 

NDC will break the 8 years cycle for you – Ofosu-Ampofo to NPP

National Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, has said the party is poised to remove the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) from office.

According to him, the 8-year cycle that the NPP wants to break will be broken by the NDC to save Ghanaians from economic hardship and insecurities.

Ofosu-Ampofo said the NDC will also save Ghanaians from the rising unemployment issue in the country.

“As we speak, the NPP says they have something they call break the 8. I am saying that we the NDC would break the 8 for them. 2024, we are going to break the 8 years of unprecedented economic hardships that the NPP has brought on Ghanaians. We are going to break the high level of unemployment which is the reason why most of the youth are unemployed,” he said.

“We are going to break the insecurity in the country which is the reason why we don’t feel safe traveling on Ghana’s highways without a police escort. Due to insecurity, an international journalist was recently killed by highway robbers here in Ghana,” Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo added.

He said Ghanaians will heave a sigh of relief when the NDC comes back into power.

The NDC National Chairman made the statement at Techiman during John Dramani Mahama’s Thank You tour in the Bono East region.

 

 

 

Agenda 111: South Dayi MP sues government over procurement breaches

The Attorney General has been sued over procurement breaches in the award of contract for the construction of 111 health facilities across the country.

South Dayi MP, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, in a writ filed at the High Court says government ignored Ghana’s procurement laws when it awarded a building design contract to Adjaye and Associates.

He alleges that an amount of $6 million of public money has already been paid to the company as consultancy fees. This he argues breaches portions of Ghana’s constitution.

The MP also proceeds to list various government actions he finds contrary to law. These are stated in the writ issued on his behalf by his lawyer Nii Kpakpo Samoa Addo as follows

“The Plaintiff says that the Government of Ghana contracted iRisk Management Limited, a company led by one Dr Alolo as the insurance broker in charge of the project to build 111 District, specialist and Regional hospitals across the country.

The Plaintiff says that government, iRisk Management Limited to handle correspondence with the insurance company and any claims that may arise and provide risk management advisory services.

The Plaintiff says government also contracted Enterprise Insurance as the insurance company responsible for the insurance of the Agenda 111 project. 

The Plaintiff says that the Defendant, in contracting iRisk Management Limited and Enterprise Insurance, ignored the procurement processes laid down  by law, in particular, the Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663).

The Plaintiff says that the Ministry of Works and Housing, which was the entity responsible for procuring the services of an insurance broker and insurance company in relation to the Agenda 111 project was mandated by the Public Procurement Act, 2003, Act 663 to do so by competitive tendering process, save under exceptional circumstances.