President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo

  • Akufo-Addo not interested in pursuing Appiah Stadium – Hamid

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is not interested in pursuing political activist and sympathizer of the opposition National Democratic Congress, Frank Kwaku Appiah [Appiah Stadium], over the latter’s alleged claim that the President is a ‘Wee’ smoker, Information Minister Mustapha Hamid has stated. The comment comes on the back of the arrest and subsequent release of the NDC serial caller by the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service.

    A statement signed by the Information Minister said the President was of the view that the incident had already been dealt with by the National Media Commission hence no need to pursue it.

    “H.E. Nana Akufo-Addo wishes to state that he is not interested in pursuing the matter in issue since same was ruled upon by the National Media Commission (NMC) on February 6, 2015. This followed series of publications in pro-NDC newspapers making similar claims. Lawyers for then Candidate Akufo-Addo took these newspapers namely The Al-Hajj, Enquirer, Informer, Ghanaian Lens and the Daily Post to the NMC to afford them the opportunity to substantiate their claims. They failed to do so, following which the NMC asked them to retract and apologize. The President is therefore, convinced that right-thinking Ghanaians recognize that Appiah Stadium is merely reciting from an NDC propaganda book, which has since been discredited” the statement read.

    There was a surge in agitations by a section of the public following the arrest of Appiah Stadium by Police in the Ashanti Region after an audio recording of him accusing the President of marijuana use surfaced. He was subsequently transferred to the Police CID headquarters in Accra where he was granted bail after scores of party sympathizers thronged the premises in the company of a team of lawyers to demand the release of the NDC serial caller Tuesday evening.

    Earlier, former Executive Director of the Danquah Institute and cousin of the President, Gabby Asare Otchere Darko, suggested that it was wrong for the police to ‘handcuff’ Appiah Stadium, a situation he claimed, would make the President ‘angry’.

    He indicated that, the president will be “extremely unhappy” over the development.

    In a Facebook post, Gabby wrote, “These things shouldn’t happen. I can see the president being extremely unhappy about any citizen being arrested for allegedly insulting him. It goes against all that he stands for. I may not be privy to the details, but I know whatever the justification the President will not like this one bit.”

    Frank Kwaku Appiah who has meanwhile apologized for his comments is expected to appear before officials of the Police CID on Wednesday morning.

    I believe Nana Addo smokes ‘wee’ – Asiedu Nketia Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Akufo-Addo will be angry over Appiah Stadium’s arrest – Gabby

    A relative of President Akufo-Addo, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko says the President will be upset over the arrest of maverick NDC member Frank Kwaku Appiah commonly known as ‘Appiah Stadium’ by the Police.

    Appiah stadium is being held for labeling President Akufo-Addo as a “drug addict” even though he has apologized for the insult.

    He is currently being transferred from Kumasi to the Police Headquarters in Accra for further interrogation.

    Commenting on the development on Facebook, Gabby wrote: “These things shouldn’t happen. I can see the president being extremely unhappy about any citizen being arrested for allegedly insulting him. It goes against all that he stands for. I may not be privy to the details but I know whatever the justification the President will not like this one bit”.

    Meanwhile, the Ashanti regional branch of the NDC has in a statement called on the Police to immediately release their member or face their wrath.

    “We demand the immediate release of Appiah Stadium from police custody now in the interest of the stability of the State. His arrest has no basis in law and we find it as an attempt to suppress FREE SPEECH.

    “We have witnessed criminal attacks on the Courts and Security Appointees in Ashanti Region where the Security of the State allows these miscreants to walk freely from Justice,” the statement said.

    It added: “We have witnessed lawlessness to the hilt in the Ashanti Region exposing the weakness of our Security Agencies in the face of political power. If President Akufo-Addo wants to re-criminalize FREE SPEECH, he can sponsor a legislation on it to Parliament – until that is done, we will not allow any citizen to suffer for Speaking his mind in this country. The NDC YOUTH in Ashanti Region demands the release of Appiah Stadium Now”.

    Source: Starrfmonline.com

  • Africa must industrialise to fund and implement SDG’s – President

    Africa must be efficient and effective in mobilising resources and look beyond the benevolence of others to finance the implementation of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said.

    He said African countries ought to change their economic structures from that of dependence on the production and export of raw materials, to that of industrialised, value-added-based economies to be able to fully finance and convert the 17 UN SDG’s into concrete outcomes for their peoples.

    President Akufo-Addo gave the advice when he delivered the keynote address at the Fifth International Conference on Sustainable Development at the auditorium of the Earth Institute, Columbia University, New York, on Monday.

    With the SDG Agenda, estimated to cost between 3.5 trillion to 5.0 trillion dollars yearly, coupled with recent donor fatigue, the President said; “There can be no future prosperity for our peoples, in the short, medium or long term, if we continue to maintain economic structures that are dependent on the production and export of raw materials.

    “We are a continent reliant on foreign aid, despite economic growth in parts of Africa significantly outpacing the global average. Truth be told, the full implementation of the SDGs in Africa cannot be done with a mindset of dependence.”

    With Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire producing nearly 60 per cent of the world’s cocoa but with gross earnings of only 5.75 billion dollars out of the 100 billion dollars chocolate market in 2015, the President said such scenarios could no longer continue.

    “We certainly cannot finance the vision of building sustainable development on the continent with such scenarios… We must add value to our resources, and we must industrialise. Unless we do so, we cannot finance on our own implementation of the SDGs. The agenda surely has to be an Africa beyond Aid.”

    “We need to build an Africa that is able to look after her peoples through intelligent management of the resources with which she has been endowed, and embark on a new path. This path offers a new Africa. It is an Africa that will be defined by integrity, sovereignty, common belief, discipline, and shared values. It is one where we aim to be masters of our own destiny, and establish an Africa beyond Aid.”

    A section of the gathering

    President Akufo-Addo told the gathering that his government had introduced measures to stimulate the private sector, through the introduction of a monetary policy that was stabilising the currency, reducing interest rates, and reducing significantly the cost of borrowing, in addition to a raft of tax cuts to bring relief to and encourage businesses.

    He said it was the competitiveness of Ghanaian enterprises, particularly in the agricultural and manufacturing sectors, that would determine Ghana’s capacity to create wealth for her youth and women and the sustainable development of the country.

    “The competitiveness of Ghana’s private sector is key to addressing issues of inclusion, economic development and growth of Ghana. That is the way to building a self-reliant Ghana, with a strong economy capable of generating jobs and prosperity for the mass of her people,” he added.

    Source: ghananewsagency.org

  • Gov’t will ensure ICT-driven educ system – Akufo-Addo

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has reiterated the commitment of his government to providing the youth of Ghana with a functional, ICT-driven educational system, that constantly responds to the challenges and evolution of modern science and technology.

    According to President Akufo-Addo, “my government’s focus is to work to provide every school and community with an ICT infrastructure to keep them in touch with global trends, and also equip our youth with the skills that will be necessary in Ghana’s economic transformation.”

    He made this known on Wednesday, April 26, 2017, when he commissioned the Akyem Wenchi Educational Circuit Community Information Centre, at Soabe, in the Eastern Region, the very first project he is commissioning as President of the Republic.

    The President noted that his government, as is stated in the NPP’s manifesto of 2016, intends to improve the facilities and the curriculum for ICT education at all levels. Government, he added, also intends to ensure that all teachers have ICT competence.

    “I am delighted, therefore, to commission this project, because it is the first to put into expression the NPP’s commitment on ICT and Education,” he said.

    He continued, “I am certain that this community information centre will have a positive impact on learning in the Akyem Wenchi Educational Circuit, and will increase flexibility so that students can access education, regardless of time and geographical barriers,” he said.

    President Akufo-Addo noted that “if a student studying in one of our communities, for example, wishes to find out what the latest technology in electroplating is, his or her problems could be minimized if he or she had an opportunity to use a computer equipped with the services of the internet. This is because a world of rich and abundant knowledge will lay before him or her at the click of an icon on a computer.

    ICT in education has a multiplier effect, by enhancing learning and providing students with new sets of skills; by reaching students with poor or no access (especially those in rural areas); by facilitating and improving the training of teachers; and by minimizing costs associated with the delivery of traditional instruction.”

    Thus, to enhance access to information to users of the Akyem Wenchi Information Centre, the President revealed that the Ghana Investment Fund For Electronic Communications (GIFEC) has equipped the centre with access to free internet services.

    “In the not too distant future, the free WiFi coverage policy will be extended to senior secondary and tertiary institutions nationwide dedicated to learning, administration and enhancing the capacity to do research,” the President assured, much to the delight of the gathering.

    President Akufo-Addo challenged the youth of Soabe to take advantage of the opportunities that will be afforded to them by the facility.

    “You are living in perhaps the most exciting time in our history, so please make the best out of it. Some say this is our time. I say this is your time and tomorrow will be the time of your children. We want to build a new Ghanaian civilization, where fair opportunities are given to all to live dignified, productive lives by dint of their hard work, creativity and sense of enterprise. It is a bright period in the Ghanaian journey,” he noted.

    The Information Centre, constructed by the Prof. & Mrs. S.K.B. Asante Educational Trust Fund, boasts 40 desktop computers.

    The Information Centre is not the only project undertaken by the Prof. & Mrs. S.K.B. Asante Educational Trust Fund in this town. In 1996, the Fund was responsible for the electrification project of Soabe. Adjoining communities, such as Akyem Wenchi and Kusi, have also been beneficiaries of scholarship packages for students, the construction of 13 teachers’ quarters, a library and a modern police post.

    Source:

    Ghana/Starrfmonline.com/103.5FM

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