JANUARY 15, 2020

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Inside JAN 15 , 2020.qxp_Layout 1 14/01/2020 8:00 PM Page 912DAILYPoliticsWWW.DAILYHERITAGE.COM.GHHERITAGE WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2020Demos wouldn’t change decision on anew Voters Register — Obiri BoahenTHE NEW PatrioticParty (NPP)Deputy GeneralSecretary, NanaObiri Boahen, saysthe various publicprotestations would not changethe decision of the ElectoralCommission (EC) in acquiring anew Voters Register for the country.“You can stage the demonstrationsbut that cannot change thedecision of the EC in securing aVoters Register.” Speaking to theGhana New Agency in an interview,the NPP Deputy GeneralSecretary said Article 45 Clause(1a) clothes the Commission withthe mandate to change the VotersRegister whenever it feels so.He said challenging the EC incourt could only be the way out,adding that the EC does not needthe consent of any party to acquirea new Register. “Legally, allthe noise about the new Registeris ‘Much ado about nothing’”, hesaid.Nana Obiri Boahen, who citedvarious reasons for a new VotersRegister, said the creation of thenew regions was one of the factors.•Nana Obiri Boahene, Deputy General Secretary of NPPHe said, for example, thatthere is no region known asBrong Ahafo and Northern Regions,stressing that all those regionshave now been divided. Hesaid it was, therefore, automaticthat serial numbers of those inthe two regions should get newVoter Identification numbers inorder for them to vote in the2020 general election.Nana Obiri Boahen said theissues surrounding the change ofthe Voters Register was not aboutany political party, adding that theSupreme Court, after hearing theelection petition in 2012, saw thatthere “something wrong” withthe Voters Register.More so, he said, Parliamenthas approved the budget for theNew Voters Register.The announcement by the ECto procure a new register has attracteda lot of views from variousgroups, including politicalparties and civil service organizations.The EC has, however, set themiddle of May to compile a newVoter register for the presidentialand parliamentary elections for2020.According to the Commission,it wanted to change the register topave the way for a smooth electiondevoid of issues.Meanwhile, 13 political partiesincluding the NPP and the LiberalParty of Ghana (LPG) havethrown their weight behind theEC to compile a new Register.However, the biggest oppositionparty, the National DemocraticCongress, has objected tothe compilation of the new VotersRegister. GNANana Obiri Boahensaid the issues surroundingthe changeof the Voters Registerwas not about any politicalparty, addingthat the SupremeCourt, after hearingthe election petitionin 2012, saw thatthere “somethingwrong” with the VotersRegister.Court action against new voters register will be last resort — Hassan Ayariga•Hassan Ayariga, founder of APCTHE INTER-PARTY ResistanceAgainst New Voters Register, agroup kicking against the compilationof a new voters register,says it will consider taking legalaction against the Electoral Commission(EC) if all attempts to getthe compilation of a new votersregister fail.The group over the weekendstaged a demonstration in Tamaleagainst the EC’s decision to compilea new biometric voters’ registerfor the 2020 general election.In an interview with Citi Newsmonitored by the DAILY HER-ITAGE, the leader of the AllPeoples’ Congress (APC), Dr.Hassan Ayariga, said legal actionto have the process stopped is thelast resort for the group.“We will continue to ask fordialogue. Going to court is thelast resort of everything. We don’twant to use it as our first option.We will definitely use it as a lastoption. We will definitely use allthe laws available to us.”The EC has said it is ready toengage the various political parties,especially those opposing thedecision to compile a new voters’register ahead of 2020 elections.“As far as the EC is concerned,our doors are open. We will stillengage the parties. Very soon, wewill have an IPAC meeting to callon the parties for us to look at themodalities; how we are going todo it. So we wish that all the partieswill come on board.“If there are certain ways wecan do certain things to mitigatethe concerns of others, the EC isready to do that,” the DeputyChairperson of the ElectoralCommission, Dr Bossman Asare,said.Parliament has approved aGHS390 million budgetary allocationto enable the EC to carry outthe registration exercise betweenApril and May 2020 over a periodof 50 days.‘Tikusayi’ demonstrationOver the weekend, the politicalparties opposing the compilationof a new voters’ register took tothe streets of Tamale in theNorthern Region to express theirdisappointment against the moveby the EC to compile a new electoralroll ahead of the 2020 generalelection.The group maintains that anymoney spent on the register willbe a waste of taxpayer money,and also expressed fears that theEC may disenfranchise someGhanaians.Some thirteen political partieshave, however, backed the ElectoralCommission’s decision tocompile a new voters’ register.The parties, who, as a group,are known as the Coalition of PoliticalParties for ‘YES’ to a newregister, believe the EC has madeconvincing arguments for the newregister.“We will continue toask for dialogue.Going to court is thelast resort of everything.We don’t wantto use it as our firstoption. We will definitelyuse it as a lastoption. We will definitelyuse all thelaws available to us.”
WWW.DAILYHERITAGE.COM.GHDAILY HERITAGE WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 202013Akuma Dance Ensemble dazzlesat ‘Year of Return’ ceremonyBY MUNTALLA INUSAHcaptainmut@yahoo.comAKUMA DANCE Ensemble,a traditional music anddance group formed withthe aim of promoting andpreserving the rich and authentic Africanmusic and dance culture, on Sundaytreated Ghanaians from the diaspora withexciting performances at an event organizedas part of the 2019 Year of Return.The Year of Return, Ghana 2019 is aninitiative of the government of Ghanathat is intended to encourage African diasporansto come to Africa (specificallyGhana) to settle and invest on the continent.The performance at the Jungles City, apopular joint in Accra, gave the gatheringimpressions of what they had missedwhile living abroad.The group is led by Joseph KodjoAnnang,a multi-talented musician, masterdrummer, lead vocalist and flutist.It prides itself on indigenous Africaninstruments fused with western instrumentsAkuma group, which has touredplaces and performed at major festivalswithin Ghana, has expressed the hope to•The Akuma Dance Ensembleuse music as a tool in promoting peaceand love worldwide.Support for underprivilegedThe group has been very instrumentalin the community in supporting the lessprivilegedsuch as homeless people andbelieves that schooling or education canhelp get some of the less-privileged peoplefrom their predicments.For that purpose, Akuma (Heart)Dance Ensemble has come to providethe platform in the area of fine art andgiven the best of practical lessons.It is also geared towards promotingthe authentic Ghanaian traditional musicto the world, heal and change livesthrough our music.Aims and objectivesThe aim of the dance troupe, underthe umbrella of Southside Entertainment,is to give back to the less-privilegedpeople in the community as well asentertain and educate people on drugabuse through music.Founded bySamuel NiiNoiTettehsome five years ago from a humble background,its main objective is to promotethe rich African culture through music toworld.• Kofi KinaataKofi Kinaata, others named 50 MostInfluential Young GhanaiansBY ERICA ARTHURTHE MOST-ANTICIPATEDannual list of 50 Most InfluentialYoung Ghanaians, which iscurated by leading PR & Ratingfirm, Avance Media, has beenreleased.Currently, in its fifth year, theannual ranking by Avance Mediahas helped highlight the worksof young Ghanaians across theworld and has seen notable personalitiessuch Anas AremeyawAnas (2015 & 2016), Kow Essuman(2017) and ProphetDaniel Amoateng (2018) votedas the Most Influential YoungGhanaians in the respectiveyears.Honourees cut across diversesectors, with these inspiringyoung change-makers and leadersmaking great strides as entrepreneurs,musicians, activists,media personalities, social entrepreneurs,public servants andpoliticians.According to Prince Akpah,founder and MD of AvanceMedia, “the list serves as an encouragementto young Ghanaianswho are accomplished intheir industries and continue tobuild a distinguished brand forthemselves and have influenceover others. This list also urgesthose honoured to continuestriving harder so their storiescan inspire other young peopleto also contribute their quota tothe development of Ghana andthe continent of Africa."Profiles of all finalists havebeen published on: www.avancemedia.org/2019MIYG.Public voting has beenopened via gh.avancemedia.orgfor the public to decide whoamong the 50 honourees servedas the most influential youngperson in 2019. The public votingends on January 27.Avance Media is also spearheadingrelated annual rankingsfor Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzaniaand Kenya.Below is the list of nomineesarranged in their respective categoriesBusiness1. Anthony Dzamefe [CEO,Caveman Watches]2. Awura Abena Agyeman[CEO, WearGhana]3. Marcia Ashong [CEO, TheBoardroom Africa]4. Rashida Saani Nasamu [CEO,I-ZAR Group]5. Sangu Delle [CEO, AfricaHealth Holdings]Entertainment1. Becca [Musician]2. Kofi Kinaata [Musician]3. Kuami Eugene [Musician]4. Kwesi Arthur [Musician]5. Stonebwoy [Musician]Law & Governance1. Hon Francisca Oteng-Mensah[Member of Parliament, KwabreEast Constituency]2. John Dumelo [ParliamentaryCandidate, National DemocraticCongress]3. Kofi Tonto [Head of Informationand Public Affairs, Embassyof Ghana in UnitedStates]4. Hon Kojo Oppong Nkrumah[Minister, Ministry for Informa-• CONTINUE ON PAGE 14
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JANUARY 15, 2020

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