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NPP faces

tough time in

Parliament

•Osei-Kyei

p5

Mensah-Bonsu

Our

• Johnson Aseiedu Nketiah,

General Secretary, NDC

Parliamentary

majority

Page 3

intact – NDC

•Osei-Kyei Mensah-Bonsu,

Majority Leader

Misuse of

state

resources

evident at

2020

Elections

• EU Observers

p.2&3

•Mrs Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, newly elected NDC

Member of Parliament for Krowor Constituency

celebrating after being declared winner of the

parliamentary election

Naa Momo takes

Krowor seat from

Fisheries Minister

p2

visit us: @dailyheritagegh dailyheritage


02 CONTENT

DAILY QUOTE

Failure is the condiment that

gives success its flavor

--Truman Capote

ANNIVERSARIES

25 Dec, Christmas Day

26 Dec, Boxing Day

1 Jan, New Year

DAILY HERITAGE FRIDAY , DECEMBER 11, 2020

Published by: EIB

Network / Heritage

Communications Ltd.

Managing Editor:

William Asiedu

0544815664

ISSN: 0855-52307

VOL 7

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Naa Momo takes Krowor

seat from Fisheries Minister

BY MURTALA INUSAH

muntalla.inusah@dailyheritage.com.gh

FORMER GENERAL

Secretary of the National

Association of

Local Authorities in

Ghana, Mrs Agnes Naa

Momo Lartey, has been

elected as the Member of Parliament

(MP) for Krowor Constituency

in the Greater Accra

region for the next four years.

The National Democratic

Congress (NDC) candidate

emerged victorious in the December

7 Parliamentary election after

she polled 41,850 to defeat the sitting

MP, Mrs Elizabeth Afoley

Quaye of the New Patriotic Party

(NPP).

Mrs Lartey, who lost the 2016

elections with 2106 votes, this

time around bounced back

strongly to beat Mrs Quaye, the

Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture

Development who polled

32,204. This means Naa Momo

won by a margin of 9,646

Madam Hannah Bortey of the

Ghana Union Movement (GUM)

polled 545.

There were 559 rejected ballots.

The total votes cast was 75,

999 while total valid votes cast

stood at 75, 558.

The defeated incumbent, Mrs

Quaye in 2016, won by 2106 votes

despite Naa Momo Lartey at the

time joining the race with three

months to the polls.

•Mrs Agnes Naa Momo Lartey addressing the media after his declaration

as winner of the Krowor Parliamentary polls

Former President John Dramani

Mahama also won the presidential

race in the Constituency.

He polled 38, 321 as against Nana

Akufo-Addo who polled 34, 955,

There was wild jubilations at

the end of the declaration by

members of the NDC after two

days of compilation.

Krowor Constituency Parliamentary

polls since 1996-2020

Parliamentary polls for

Krowor on December 7, 1996

Joshua Alabi (NDC) 16445

BorteiDoku (NPP) 14514

Difference 1931



AdjeiBoye (NPP) 14275

Joshua Alabi(NDC) 12973

Difference 1302



Abraham Laryea(NPP)

25405

KweiKumah (NDC)

24339

Difference 1066



KweiKumah (NDC)

27339

AyikoiOtoo (NPP)

21136

Difference 6203



KweiKumah (NDC)

32520

AyikoiOtoo (NPP)

29700

Difference 2820



Afoley Quaye(NPP)

32463

Naa Momo Lartey (NDC)

30357

Difference 2106



Naa Momo Lartey (NDC)

41850

Afoley Quaye (NPP)

32204

Difference 9646

Mrs Lartey, who lost

the 2016 elections

with 2106 votes,

this time around

bounced back

strongly to beat Mrs

Quaye, the Minister

of Fisheries and

Aquaculture Development

who polled

32,204. This means

Naa Momo won by a

margin of 9,646

Misuse of state resources evident at 2020 Elections

THE EUROPEAN Union Election

Observation Mission (EU

EOM) has noted that the misuse

of state resources and unregulated

campaign financing resulted in an

unlevel playing field in Ghana’s

electoral process.

The EU in a preliminary statement

on Ghana's December 7

Presidential and Parliamentary

Elections, also mentioned that the

polls were organised in an efficient

and transparent manner, and voters

participated freely.

"The elections were competitive

and contestants could campaign

without hindrance. A few isolated

violent incidents occurred, and numerous

stakeholders expressed

deep apprehensions about the possible

use of vigilante groups by political

parties," the statement said.

"Unregulated political finance,

misuse of state resources and numerous

instances of vote-buying

resulted in an unlevel playing field.

Ghana’s vibrant and diverse media

sector provided voters with sufficient

information on both major

competing parties and their candidates".

Poor oversight on campaign financing

The EU Observer Mission said

Ghana’s Constitution, combined

with the Political Parties Law, sets

up the legal framework for party

financing but there was inadequate

political finance regulations and

poor oversight by the Electoral

Commission which undermines

the transparency and accountability

of the electoral process.

The observers also stated that

many candidates depend on personal

funding, largely drawn from

their own pockets which has resulted

in the monetisation of politics

in the country.

"Parties and candidates are not

eligible to direct government funding.

However, there is no law expressly

prohibiting the use of

public funds or resources by government

officials for party or campaign

activities," the statement

said.

"No limits are placed on contri-

• CONTINUE ON PAGE 3



Our Parliamentary

Majority intact – NDC

NEWS DESK REPORT

THE NA-

TIONAL Democratic

Congress

(NDC) has reiterated

it has

won the majority in Parliament

despite the fact that some results

of the Parliamentary election

are being contested.

“From the evidence available

and from facts that have

come to the fore, we have a

clear majority in Parliament

and nothing can change that

fact.

“We are still challenging

some of the claims that have

been made by the New Patriotic

Party (NPP). When all is

done, the 140 seats we spoke

about will be the reality,” General

Secretary of the NDC, Mr

Asiedu Nketiah, said at a

press briefing on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the NDC has rejected

results of the 2020 \Presidential

elections announced by

the Electoral Commission (EC)

on Wednesday.

Addressing a press conference

moments after the EC

Chairperson declared President

Nana Akufo-Addo as the winner

of the keenly-contested

election, Minority Leader and a

leading member of the NDC,

Haruna Iddrisu, said the party

had overwhelming evidence

which proved that the party’s

Presidential Candidate, John

Dramani Mahama, won the election.

“As a party, we have had extensive

consultations and detailed

analysis of the outcome of

the elections as announced by

Mrs Jean Mensa, the EC chair…

We have come to only one irresistible

conclusion, that it is a

flawed discredited election and

therefore we reject the presidential

result without any reservation,”

he said.

From the EC’s collated results,

Mr Akufo-Addo polled

6,730,413 representing 51.59%

of the total votes cast while his

closest contender, John Mahama

of the NDC also polled

6,214,889 which gives him

•Johnson Aseiedu Nketiah, General Secretary, NDC

47.36% of the total votes cast.

But Mr Iddrisu said the NDC

believed there were attempts to

rob the party of both their Presidential

and Parliamentary victory.

He revealed that John Mahama

wrote a petition to the

EC before the results were announced

to voice his concerns

over the collation.

“That (petition) was treated

with utmost contempt and that

we consider unacceptable. We

also want to serve notice that

the blatant effort even to deny

us a Parliamentary majority will

be fiercely resisted…this

evening Ghana’s democracy has

come under severe attack and

needs some rescue urgently, ” Mr

Haruna Iddrisu said.

“As a party, we

have had extensive

consultations and

detailed analysis

of the outcome of

the elections as

announced by Mrs

Jean Mensa, the

EC chair…We have

come to only one

irresistible conclusion,

that it is a

flawed discredited

election and therefore

we reject the

presidential result

without any reservation,”

he said.

Misuse of state resources evident at 2020 Elections

• CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

butions or on spending, resulting

in a lack of transparency and accountability,

contrary to the international

principle of ensuring

voters’ free choice is not undermined

by disproportionate spending

on behalf of a candidate or

party.

“Though political parties must,

within 21 days before an election,

submit to the EC a statement of

assets and liabilities, this was not

enforced, further limiting public

scrutiny and transparency of political

finance.

"Within six months after an

election, a party must make a

financial disclosure combining

Presidential and Parliamentary

campaign expenditures. For

2020, the EC notified all 11

contesting political parties of

their obligations in this regard.

Parties and candidates are

mainly financed through member

subscriptions and donations

from individuals and

“patrons”, including from the

Diaspora, whose identities are

not always made public".

“Though political parties

must, within 21

days before an election,

submit to the EC

a statement of assets

and liabilities, this was

not enforced, further

limiting public scrutiny

and transparency of

political finance.

EU EOM Observer team

The European Union Election

Observation Mission (EU

EOM) was present in Ghana

from November 1, 2020, following

an invitation from the Government

and the Electoral

Commission.

The Mission was led by Chief

Observer, Javier Nart, Member

of the European Parliament

(Spain). In total, the EU EOM

deployed 81 observers from 26

EU Member States, Canada,

Norway and Switzerland across

the country to assess the whole

electoral process against international

obligations and commitments

for democratic elections as

well as the laws of Ghana.

On Election Day, observers

visited over 329 polling stations in

102 of the 275 electoral Constituencies

to observe voting and

counting.

The EU EOM is independent

in its findings and conclusions

and adheres to the Declaration of

Principles for International Election

Observation signed at the

United Nations in October 2005.


•Health Minister Zweli Mkhize is leading the fight against Covid-19 in South Africa

Teenage clubbing and parties behind SA Covid surge

AS A second wave of Covid-19

is officially declared to have hit

South Africa, the nation’s

teenagers are being blamed for

its spread. The health minister

said most of the new surge of

infections were affecting those

aged between 15 and 19.

It began in one crowded

nightclub in Cape Town. The

next super-spreader event was at

a university in Nelson Mandela

Bay.

And now comes a series of

crowded parties to celebrate the

end of school exams, and the

school year.

The result, it’s now clear, is

that South Africa’s teenagers are

driving a second wave of infections.

Health Minister Zweli

Mkhize said 15 to 19 year olds

were the worst hit, and he

blamed drunken parties, where

people ignored social distancing

rules and the need to wear

masks.

The infection rate in some

areas is now rising more steeply

than during the country’s first

wave, back in July.

Other African nations, including

Zimbabwe and Kenya,

are also reporting new surges of

infections.


WWW.DAILYHERITAGE.COM.GH

World news in 4 stories

Kenya MPs ordered to

pay back $10m housing

allowance

THE HIGH Court in

Kenya has ordered

the country's 416 lawmakers

pay back

1.2bn shillings ($10m;

£7.5m) after ruling

that the money had been unlawfully

given to them as housing allowances,

local media report.

The Parliamentary Service Commission

(PSC) had encroached on

the mandate of the Salaries and Remuneration

Commission (SRC) by

granting the lawmakers the allowance,

it ruled.

Each lawmaker would be required

to repay 2.8m shillings to the

government within the next year,

•Kenyan MPs are often accused of earning too much

Kenya's Star newspaper reported.

It is still unclear whether the ruling

would be challenged.

Kenyan MPs are among the

highest paid in the world, and have

often been accused by non-governmental

organisations of fleecing

taxpayers. BBC

•Homeless migrants lost possessions in the fire including ID documents

Barcelona fire: Deadly blaze engulfs

squatters' warehouse

A FIRE has engulfed an

abandoned warehouse occupied

by dozens of people

in a Barcelona suburb,

killing at least three and injuring

about 20 others.

Many of the squatters

using the three-storey

warehouse in Badalona

were migrants, who left behind

belongings.

Firefighters have found

three bodies and some of

the injured are in a critical

condition. The blaze has

been put out, but the building

is unstable.

Some survivors jumped

from the roof to escape the

flames.

More than 30 people

were rescued from the roof,

Spanish broadcaster Cadena

Ser reports.

The Badalona district

mayor, Xavier Garcia Albiol,

said at least 60 people

had managed to flee the

blaze.

It is not clear what

caused the fire, which

began at about 21:00 (20:00

GMT) on Wednesday in

the industrial area in northeastern

Barcelona, although

some survivors said

a burning candle had

started it.

Seven survivors are

being treated for serious injuries

in hospital and at

least 12 others have minor

injuries, medical sources

say. BBC

Popular Nigeria pastor assaults BBC team

A POPULAR Catholic priest in

Nigeria, Father Ejike Mbaka, and

some members of his church, assaulted

a BBC team and two others

at his complex in Emene town

in south-eastern Enugu State on

Wednesday evening.

BBC journalists Chioma

Obianinwa and Nnamdi Agbanelo,

as well as their driver, Ndubuisi

Nwafor, were accompanied by another

Catholic priest, Father Cajethan

Obiekezie and his assistant,

Solomon Orakam, to Father

Mbaka’s Adoration Ministry at

around 10:00 local time on

Wednesday.

Father Obiekezie had facilitated

an interview with Father Mbaka,

but it could not be immediately

held because he was preaching.

The BBC crew, led by Father

Obiekezie, moved to Father

Mbaka’s home after the church

service to conduct the interview at

around 17:00.

When Father Mbaka got home,

the journalists, who were waiting

in the car after Father Obiekezie

went to talk to him, were suddenly

• Father Ejike

Mbaka

surrounded by about 20 men.

According to Obianinwa, the

men seized their equipment and

threatened to kill them for writing

"negative reports about Mbaka".

“Mbaka asked us to wait until

the end of the programme for the

interview. The men outside his

house said BBC Igbo writes negative

things about Mbaka and

started beating Nnamdi, Solomon

and Ndubuisi. They gave them

heavy blows on their heads and all

over their body,” Obianinwa said.

BBC




EC must let will of people manifest

YESTERDAY, THE Chairperson

of the Electoral Commission (EC)

Mrs Jean Mensa, declared the 2020

Presidential elections in favour of

Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo

of the New Patriotic Party (NPP)

despite some concerns from the

National Democratic Congress

(NDC).

From the EC’s collated results,

Mr Akufo-Addo polled 6,730,413

representing 51.59% of the total

votes cast while his closest contender,

John Mahama of the NDC

also polled 6,214,889 which gives

him 47.36% of the total votes cast.

However, the NDC has rejected

the results of the presidential elections

as declared by the EC on

Wednesday.

Moments after the EC’s declaration,

Minority Leader and a leading

member of the NDC, Haruna

Iddrisu, said the party had overwhelming

evidence that its candidate,

John Dramani Mahama won

the election.

He said: “As a party, we have

had extensive consultations and

detailed analysis of the outcome of

the elections as announced by Jean

Mensa, the EC chair…We have

come to only one irresistible conclusion,

that it is a flawed, discredited

election and therefore we

reject the Presidential result without

any reservation.”

Mr Iddrisu explained that the

NDC believed there were attempts

to rob the party of both

their Presidential and Parliamentary

victories.

He revealed that John Mahama

had written a petition to the EC

before the results were announced

to voice his concerns over the collation.

“That (petition) was treated with

utmost contempt and that we consider

unacceptable. We also want

to serve notice that the blatant effort

even to deny us a Parliamentary

majority will be fiercely

resisted…this evening Ghana’s

democracy has come under severe

attack and needs some rescue urgently.”

“If not rescued, these attacks

will foster and grow into future

elections and that will disfigure our

track record, as a true democratic

nation,” he added.

The DAILY HERITAGE is

of the considered view that the

posture of the EC when it failed to

grant audience to former President

Mahama's petition was worrying.

What was expected was that the

EC would grant audience to the

petition from the former President

and address his concerns before

going ahead to declare the winner.

The NDC said they were rejecting

the "flawed" elections and the

paper urges the leadership to follow

all the available channels in

seeking redress to their grievances.

The EC must go back to the

table immediately and ensure that

all the concerns raised are addressed

for the will of the people

to manifest.

NPP faces tough time in Parliament

• Says Osei-Kyei Mensah-Bonsu

The Majority

Leader of the

7th Parliament of

the 4th Republic

who doubles as

the Member of

Parliament-elect for Suame Constituency,

Osei-Kyei Mensah-

Bonsu has said he foresees a

pretty torrid time for the NPP in

the early stages of Parliamentary

business following the huge loss

of seats.

According to him, it was sad

and unfortunate that some of

the party’s best, knowledgeable

and experienced legislators won’t

return to the House.

At least 28 incumbent NPP

legislators have lost their Parliamentary

seats in the December 7

elections.

Speaking in an interview with

Host Bonohene Baffour Awuah

on Ghana Kasa on Kasapa

102.5FM yesterday, Mr Mensah-

Bonsu stated that one area that

the NPP had lost heavily which

he found worrying was on the

Finance Committee of Parliament.

“In Parliament, we do a lot of

work on finance, agreements,

•Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, Majority Leader

loans and the preparation of

budget etc. One person we’ve

lost in the NPP which I find

very unfortunate is Dr. Assibey

Yeboah who was the Chairman

of Parliament’s Finance Committee.

He lost at the NPP primaries;

do we have a good replacement?

Someone we had in mind to fill

that void was Prof. Gyan Baffour

who is also hugely knowledgeable

and experienced in

finance matters but he also lost

the Wenchi seat and so he’s not

coming back to Parliament.

Another person who could

have also stepped in is the former

MP for Asikuma Odobeng

Brakwa, Effah Baafi, who also

lost at the primaries. So seriously

with the NPP fold in Parliament

on the finance side, we’ve

lost. We now have to have a reconstruct

of that side of Parliament,

who’s going to be where.”

He added: “In terms of legislation

which is one of the core

functions of Parliament, one person

who in my absence helped a

lot due to his knowledge was the

MP for Offinso South, Ben Abdellah

Banda, who also lost during

the NPP primaries hence not

coming back to Parliament. So in

terms of legislation, we did not

help ourselves as a party.

So going forward, we need to

reorganize and re-strategize in

order for us to reposition the

party in Parliament. Truth be

told, from the initial stages the

NPP will have things tough in

Parliament, but who knows, a

star may emerge among our current

set of MPs.

Except that in Parliament, regardless

of your potential, a

first-timer can’t be made a Committee

Chairman because he or

she will have to learn the procedures

to make him effective and

efficient. But nonetheless, we

have a new Parliament and we

must make the best out of what

we have.”


06

Views

DAILY HERITAGE

FRIDAY

, DECEMBER 11, 2020

Designing vaccines

for people, not profit

BY NADIA TAKYIWAA-MENSAH

RECENT AN-

NOUNCEMENTS

of demonstrated efficacy

in COVID-

19 vaccine trials

have brought hope

that a return to normality is in

sight. The preliminary data for

Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna’s

novel mRNA vaccines are highly

encouraging, suggesting that their

approval for emergency use is

forthcoming.

And more recent news of effectiveness

(albeit at a slightly

lower rate) in a vaccine from AstraZeneca

and the University of

Oxford has fueled optimism that

even more breakthroughs are on

the way.

In theory, the arrival of a safe

and effective vaccine would represent

the beginning of the end of

the COVID-19 pandemic. In reality,

we are not even at the end of

the beginning of delivering what

is needed: a “people’s vaccine”

that is equitably distributed and

made freely available to all who

need it.

To be sure, the work to create

vaccines in a matter of months

deserves praise. Humanity has

made a monumental technological

leap forward. But the springboard

was decades of massive public investment

in research and development.

•Covid-19 vaccines

Leading vaccines

Most of the leading vaccine

candidates prime the immune system’s

defenses against the viral

“spike protein,” an approach

made possible through years of

research at the US National Institutes

of Health.

More immediately, BioNTech

has received $445 million from

the German government, and

Moderna has received $1 million

from the Coalition for Epidemic

Preparedness Innovations and

more than $1 billion from the US

Biomedical Advanced Research

and Development Authority and

the US Defense Advanced Research

Projects Agency. The AstraZeneca-Oxford

vaccine has

received more than £1 billion

($1.3 billion) of public funding.

For technological advances to

translate into health for all, innovations

that are created collectively

should be governed in the

public interest, not for private

profit. This is especially true when

it comes to developing, manufacturing

and distributing a vaccine

in the context of a pandemic.

No country acting alone can

resolve this crisis. That is why we

need vaccines that are universally

and freely available. And yet, the

current innovation system prioritizes

the interests of high-income

countries over those of everyone

else, and profit over public health.

Ensure full

transparency

The first step toward a people’s

vaccine is to ensure full transparency

of the clinical-trial results,

which would enable independent

and timely assessments of safety

and efficacy. The publication of

scanty, preliminary data through

corporate press releases is meant

for financial markets, not the public-health

community.

This practice sets a bad precedent.

While pharmaceutical share

prices surge, health professionals

and the public are left secondguessing

the reported results. As

more details about the flaws in

clinical trial design and implementation

for the AstraZeneca-Oxford

vaccine emerge, so do the

calls for open science and immediate

sharing of protocols and results.

In addition, critical questions

about the leading vaccine candidates

remain unanswered. Responding

to political and

economic pressure in high-income

countries, pharmaceutical

companies are rushing their vaccine

candidates across the finish

line. Accordingly, they have designed

their phase-three clinical

trials to deliver the quickest possible

positive read-out, rather than

addressing more relevant questions

such as whether the vaccine

prevents infection or just protects

against the disease.

It also is unclear how long the

protection will last; whether a

given vaccine works equally well

in young and old people, or in

people with co-morbidities; and

how the top candidates compare

to one another (critical for designing

effective vaccination strategies).

National interest

Moreover, national interests –

especially those of developed

countries – remain the dominant

factor in vaccine rollout. While

the international purchase and

distribution platform COVAX

represents a momentous step forward,

its impact is being offset by

massive bilateral advance-purchase

agreements by rich countries

that can afford to bet on

multiple vaccines. For example,

high-income countries have already

bought close to 80% of the

Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna

vaccine doses that will be available

within the first year.

All told, rich countries have

laid claim to 3.8 billion doses

from different vaccine makers,

compared to 3.2 billion (which includes

around 700 million doses

for COVAX) for the rest of the

world combined. In other words,

high-income countries have preordered

enough doses to cover

their populations several times

over, leaving the rest of the world

with potentially too few to cover

even their most at-risk communities.

At the same time, because the

vaccine race is focused primarily

on Western markets, some candidates

are scarcely viable outside of

a developed-country context. The

Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine must be

kept at -70ºC, which is colder than

an Antarctic winter.

Distributing this vaccine will

create costly and complex logistical

challenges, especially for lowand

middle-income countries. Although

other candidates – such as

the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine

– are stable at higher temperatures,

it is notable that such glaring

features of market

discrimination are built into the

first product to reach the approval

stage.

Private interests

Beyond national interest lurks

the problem of even narrower

private interests, which stem from

an over-financialized biopharmaceutical

innovation model.

The business model for future

vaccine development is already

being sized up now that the pandemic

has revealed the potential

windfall for investors. But while

they benefit from sky-rocketing

stock prices, soaring capital gains,

and dumping a company’s shares

the same day it announces promising

preliminary results in a clinical

trial, delivering a people’s

vaccine has become an afterthought.

The COVID-19crisis is a perfect

test of whether a more public-health-oriented

approach to

innovation and production will

prevail in the years ahead. While

Pfizer is sticking with the model

of maximizing shareholder value,

AstraZeneca has at least pledged

not to profit from its vaccine

“during the pandemic.”

Yet, despite all the public investment

that underwrote these

innovations, the process will remain

opaque, leaving one to wonder

if AstraZeneca is actually

ready to prioritize public health

over profit and offer its vaccine at

cost.

While the recent vaccine news

has brought hope, it also has exposed

the pharmaceutical industry’s

broken business model,

casting doubt on the prospects of

delivering a people’s vaccine and

achieving health for All.

Business as usual may allow us

to scrape by in this crisis. But

there is a better way to do things.

Before the next pandemic arrives,

we must recognize vaccines as

global health commons, and start

to reorient the innovation system

toward symbiotic public-private

partnerships governed in the public

interest.


Some safety protocols for Covid-19

• Stay at home, observe

• Wash your hands often

• Cover your cough or

• Always wear a mask,

• Avoid touching your

social distancing and

with soap and water for at

sneeze with a tissue and

particularly when leaving

eyes, nose and mouth

avoid handshaking

least 20 seconds

disposed immediately

home



&Env.

First 30 medical students graduate

from Family Health Medical School

THE FIRST 30 group of

medical students have

successfully completed

their Bachelor of Medicine

and Bachelor of Surgery

(MBChB) at the

Premier Private Medical School in West

Africa, Family Health Medical School

(FHMS) at Teshie, opposite Kofi Annan

Peacekeeping Center, Accra.

Family Health Medical School is

Ghana's Premier Private Medical School

that provides student-centered learning

strategies that promote smart-learning

among the students.

Family Health Medical School

(FHMS), is the medical wing borne

from Family Health Hospital, which

started from a garage at 51 Guggisberg

Street, Korle But in 1997 as a diagnostic

Centre. It was later moved to Zoti road

in a rented premise and now to its permanent

location at Teshie, directly opposite

the Kofi Annan International

Peace Keeping Training Centre.

Family Health Specialist Hospital

have modern facilities such as a convertible

anatomage and telemedicine; various

laboratories and lecture halls.

The Founder of Family Health University

College, and the president for

Family Health Medical School, Prof.

Enyonam Yao Kwawukume in his address,

congratulated the pioneer graduands

for making the school proud. "We

•Prof. Enyonam Yao Kwawukume presenting an award

to one of the students

thank you for demonstrating trust and

confidence in our ability to offer you

world class medical education".

He said the school have adopted an

effective pedagogical strategy which

supports lively student discussions instead

of the traditional didactic lectures.

This Prof. Kwawukume indicated, is a

collaborative approach to learning that

helps students to apply their knowledge

to solve complex problems; and encourage

students to think deeply, ask questions,

defend their assertions, and

determine the merit of other ideas.

The school he revealed, have introduced

French language and Sign language

into teaching to equip students to

interact with French-speaking patients

and patients with speech and hearing

disabilities.

"We believe that our job, as medical

educators, is to reinforce student learning

and to nurture lifetime learners. If

we fail to be innovative, we will stifle

our own growth as professors and lecturers,

and also possibly stifle our students’

learning."

Prof. Kwawukume averred that, in

the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic,

management deployed user-friendly, accessible

and affordable online teaching

and learning applications to ensure that

students’ academic work was not disrupted.

The Faculty and students he mentioned,

were given adequate training in

the use of the e-learning applications by

the I.T. staff of the Institution.

"All foreign students of the Family

Health Medical School participated fully

in the e-learning process, and a hotline

was established to receive and address

complaints/queries from both local and

foreign students".

According to Prof. Kwawukume, as

part of their determination to maintain

academic excellence, has engaged a large

number of notable Professors, Senior

Lecturers, and Clinical Consultants

whose services have contributed to the

success of graduands.

"At Family Health Medical School,

students begin their Clinical experience

from their first year, at the Family

Health Specialist Hospital, which is located

on the campus. This is one of the

main advantages of Family Health Medical

School, the only Private Medical

School with its own hospital working

24-hours all year round."

The Guest of Honor, Rev. Prof. P. F.

Ayeh-Kumi, Provost, remind the graduands

that as first graduates of the great

College, they have a lot to prove within

the healthcare sector.

"You have to make the College

proud by excelling at your profession

and working hard to create a platform

for other graduates from your Institution.

As you work towards your goals

and dreams, do not hesitate to take opportunities

for further studies along the

way and surround yourselves with people

and materials that will help you to

expand your level of thinking and practice".

As part of their academic programme

at Level 400, graduating students

undertook a Community Health

Screening project at Teshie (Lenshie

Quarters in Ledzokuku and Adedenkpo);

and also, at Tambushie in

Labadi.

The students met and interacted

with the chiefs and members of the

communities. The health screening project,

which gained a wide media coverage,

was accepted by the chiefs and

people of Teshie and since then, our

students continue to replicate it in our

neighbouring communities each year.

Speaking on behalf of FHMS Class

of 2020, Sharon Nana YaaGyasi-

Dankyira expresses gratitude to Pro

Enyonam Yao Kwawukume and Wife,

DrSusu B. Kwawukume for creating

great opportunity for them. "We know

this is the beginning of greater heights

for this noble institution. It is a great

honour to have been students within its

walls. We have gained more than just

knowledge we overcome our doubts as

fears. We have made considerable strides

into our future endeavours to become

outstanding doctors.”

Youth Agenda NGO CEO donate to Princess Marie Louise Children’s Hospital

BY PHILIP ANTOH

philip.antoh@dailyheritage.com.gh

THE FOUNDER and Author of

Youth Agenda Non-Governmental

Organisation,(NGO) Mr Raymond

Tuvias part of his 50thBirthday made

a donation and interacted with staff,

parents and children at the Youth

Agenda-SIF Rehab Centre at the

Princess Marie Louise Children’s Hospital

in Accra.

The Nutritional Rehab Centre

(NRC) was established in 2005

through the partnership of Youth

Agenda NGO, the Social Investment

Fund (SIF) - the implementation

agency of the erstwhile Ghana Poverty

Reduction Programme (GPRS I) - and

the Boeing Company, USA.

According to MrTuvi, Youth

•Parents and staff pose with the donated items

Agenda was established with an initial

membership of 30 motivated youth of

the KorleWokon-Jamestown Community

and the Sacred Heart Catholic

Church, Derby Avenue, Accra in 2000;

this was after graduating from the

University of Ghana and completing

National Service of teaching at Achimota

School.

“Founding Youth Agenda and its

subsequent activities was my act of

giving back to the community I spent

my earliest years in,” he stated.

He said the Nutritional Rehab

Centre is the only stand-alone Children’s

Hospital in Ghana which provides

non-residential nutritional

interventions for malnourished children

experiencing developmental delays,

weight-loss and illness as a result

of inadequate intake of protein, calories

and other micronutrients.

MrTuvi said parents and guardians

of such children are taught ways of

fortifying meals for the immune systems

of their wards to be boosted

thereby.

He said through the hard work of

staff, National Service personnel and

volunteers, thousands of moderate to

severe malnutrition cases have been

successfully treated at the facility over

the years. Parents bring their children

to access such services three times a

week.

“Thursday, November 26 was another

such clinic day. So, coinciding

with my birthday offered an opportunity

to give to the facility we established

and have supported over the

years with our widow’s mite,” he

added.

The Administrator of the Princess

Marie Louise Children’s Hospital,

MrYeboahFordjour, assisted by Mr

David Hussey, Stores Manager of the

Hospital and Mrs Bernice Okine, the

Nutrition Officer-in-charge of the

NRC, “took delivery of a mini deep

freezer, curtains and soft drinks we

donated.”

“We continue to give God Glory

and thank our benefactors for enabling

us come through with support

for the Rehab Centre.”

spread_ DECEMBER 11, 2020.qxp_SHOWBIZ TEMP 12/10/20 7:37 PM Page 1

News

DAILY

EC revises disparities

in Presidential

election results

THE ELECTORAL Commission (EC) of

Ghana has explained some disparities in

the December 7 Presidential election

results which were declared by the

Chairperson of the Commission on

Wednesday, December 9, 2020.

The EC in a statement stated that, Jean

Mensa “inadvertently used 13,433,573 as

the total valid votes cast."

"The total valid votes cast is

13,119,460. This does not change the

percentages stated for each candidate and

the declaration made by the Chairperson,"

a statement from the EC issued Thursday

morning, December 10, 2020, said.

Jean Mensa on Wednesday, December

9, announced that, Nana Addo Dankwa

Akufo-Addo polled 6,730,413,

representing 51.595% while John Mahama

garnered 6, 214, 889 representing

47.366% in the 8th election in the 4th

Republic that had a dozen candidates.

The result, the Cha irperson noted

“exclude that of the Techiman South

Constituency, with a voter population

of128,018. The said election results are

not ready because they are being

contested. As such, collation is not

complete. The difference between the

total number of votes between by the first

and second candidates is 515,524".

"As a result, even if we added the

128,018 to the results of the second

candidate, it would not change the

outcome of the Presidential Election.

Hence our declaration of the 2020 results

without that of Techiman South.”

"If we were to add the results from

Techiman South Constituency, Nana

•Jean Mensah, E.C. Boss

Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo would obtain

50.8% of the votes and John Dramani

Mahama, would obtain 47.873% of the

votes".

The EC has since provided a summary

of the 2020 Presidential election results

without the Techiman South

Constituency.

The result, the Cha

irperson noted

“exclude that of the

Techiman South

Constituency, with a

voter population

of128,018. The said

election results are not

ready because they

are being contested.

As such, collation is

not complete. The

difference between

the total number of

votes between by the

first and second

candidates is

515,524".

HERITAGE, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2020 WWW.DAILYHERITAGE.COM.GH

ECOWAS Mission urges

stakeholders to use legal

means to resolve grievances

THE ECONOMIC

Community of West

African States

(ECOWAS) Election

Observation Mission has

urged stakeholders to

resort only to legal means to seek

redress for any grievances emanating

from the electoral process.

In its preliminary findings, the

Mission led by former President of

Liberia, Mrs Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf,

said the preparation of the 2020

elections, the conduct of the

electioneering campaigns, as well as

the processes on Election Day, up

until the release of the results by the

responsible officials at the polling

stations, were relatively free, fair and

credible.

“ECOWAS wishes to congratulate

the peace-loving people of Ghana for

their exemplary comportment,

tenacity, determination, sense of

moderation and patriotism

demonstrated in their quest to deepen

Ghana’s enviable democratic

credentials,” it said.

The Mission also commended the

National Electoral Commission, the

security agencies and all stakeholders

for their invaluable contribution to the

success so far achieved, and urged

them to pursue the process to its

logical conclusion with the same

determination, zeal and commitment.

In pursuant to the provisions of

the ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol

on Democracy and Good Governance

(2001), and within the framework of

the of support to Member States

organizing elections, the President of

the Economic Community of West

African States (ECOWAS), Jean-

Claude Kassi Brou, deployed an

Election Observation Mission (EOM)

to observe the general elections in

Ghana.

The Mission, made up of a total

of 125 observers, comprised 12 Long

Term Observers (LTOs) and 113

Short term Observers (STOs),

including delegations drawn from the

West African Ambassadors accredited

to ECOWAS, the ECOWAS Court of

Justice and the ECOWAS Community

Parliament.

It also included experts drawn from

the relevant Ministries and Electoral

Management Bodies of Member

States, Civil Society Organizations,

experts trained by the Kofi Annan

•Mrs Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, former President of Liberia

International Peacekeeping Training

Centre (KAIPTC) and the Media.

The 125 members of the

ECOWAS Observers were grouped

into 48 teams and dispatched to the 16

regions, spreading across

Constituencies in Ghana.

While in the field, observers

maintained constant contact with the

Mission’s Situation Room based in

Accra and with other international and

local observer missions to collect and

consolidate information related to the

polls.

On Election Day, across the 85 per

cent observed polling stations, voters

turned up early and the voting started

at the official opening time of 7:00

am.

It said there was a high presence of

women and youth as voters and

polling/party agents and security

agents were present at 91 per cent of

the polling stations that the observers

visited.

“Our observers also noted that

whereas there was at least one static

security officer at most polling

stations, in other polling centres the

security officers were on mobile patrol

moving from one center to another,”

it said.

The Mission said overall, the

political parties and their followers

respected the prohibition of the

display of party colors and symbols in

and around polling stations on

Election Day.

The Covid-19 protocols, including

the availability of hand sanitizers,

social distancing and the wearing of

face masks were adhered to at the

polling centers and by the voters.

Party agents, particularly of the

NPP and NDC, were equally present

at most polling stations observed. In

addition, some party agents of other

political parties were present in some

of the polling stations, in particular

the Convention People’s Party (CPP)

The Mission also commended the National Electoral Commission,

the security agencies and all stakeholders for their invaluable

contribution to the success so far achieved, and urged them to

pursue the process to its logical conclusion with the same

determination, zeal and commitment.

and the People's National Convention

(PNC).

At the stations visited during the

opening of polls, Polling Officials

largely maintained order, particularly

with the support of the security on

duty.

Voters in queues comported

themselves and stayed calm until they

had their turns, except in a few places

that experienced initial chaos, but the

situation gradually stabilized with time.

Also, arrangements were made in

polling stations to facilitate and ease

the voting by vulnerable individuals

such as the physically challenged, the

aged, pregnant women and mothers

with infants and young children.

Despite the few challenges

observed, voters exhibited maximum

patience and perseverance in their

determination to exercise their civic

rights and responsibilities.

The polling officials demonstrated

adequate professionalism in carrying

out their duties and responsibilities

while party agents ably watched over

their party and candidates’ interests.

International and local observers

were present in most polling centers

visited. These included, besides

ECOWAS observers, African Union

(AU), the Commonwealth and the

European Union. There was an

effective presence of Local Observers,

particularly CODEO and WANEP.

In most polling stations observed,

the polls closed at the official time of

5:00 pm, because most voters had

finished casting their votes.

The sorting, counting, tallying, and

reconciliation of the ballots, as well as

the declaration and certification of

results at the polling stations, were

carried out in a professional,

transparent and credible manner, and

under the watchful eyes of party

agents and observers.

On challenges, the ECOWAS

Observation Mission said it noted few

isolated incidents that could have

marred the smooth and peaceful

conduct of the polls, including issues

around the strict respect for secrecy of

vote in a few polling stations visited;

double voting at Standards Education

Centre Polling Centre at Asylum

Down, Accra, arrest of two Electoral

Commission officers for tampering

with Presidential ballot at Awutu

Senya West and Bawku Central.

“On the whole, the voting process

took place in an orderly, transparent

and professional manner, and secrecy

of the ballot was generally observed.

It is the view of the ECOWAS

Observation Mission that the aforementioned

challenges observed did

not undermine the transparency,

fairness and the credibility of the

electoral process at this point in time,”

it said. GNA

Motorists violate

traffic rules amidst

jubilation in Tamale

SOME STREETS in Tamale

were filled to capacity as

supporters of the New

Patriotic Party (NPP) clad in

party- branded shirts and

paraphernalia, jubilated and

danced to loud music.

Motorists were spotted

riding carelessly at crossroads

within Tamale Central,

excited over the party's

victory in the just-ended

Presidential elections, with

little care about their safety,

traffic rules and regulations.

Major streets in the

central business area were

blocked, causing night traffic,

while they engaged in

uncontrolled jubilation in the

absence of security

personnel.

Streets like Lamashegu,

Dungu and Fuoh were,

however, calm and almost

empty.

Supporters of other

parties, including some

National Democratic

Congress (NDC) members,

joined in the jubilation as a

mark of tolerance and

reconciliation.

Mr Alhassan Yakubu, an

NDC sympathizer who spoke

to the Ghana News Agency,

said though the NPP

Presidential candidate had

been declared the winner, his

party took consolation in

having the majority in

Parliament. GNA

Motorists were

spotted riding

carelessly at

crossroads within

Tamale Central,

excited over the

party's victory in

the just-ended

Presidential

elections, with

little care about

their safety, traffic

rules and

regulations.

•Some motorist in a jubilant mood


11ND

DECEMBER

2020

THURSDAY

CURRENCY PARIS CODE BUYING SELLING

US Dollar USDGHS 5.6830 5.6886

RATES Pound Sterling GBPGHS

7.5572

7.5653

Euro

GBPGHS

6.7229

6.7289

10



Inflation for Nov pegged at 9.8%

BY ROSEMOND BOATENG ADDAI

Rosemond.adjetey@yahoo.com

THE YEAR-ON-

YEAR inflation rate

for the month of

November 2020

slowed for the

fourth consecutive

time to 9.8 per cent compared

with 10.1% the previous month.

Professor Samuel Annim, the

Government Statistician of the

Ghana Statistical Service, said the

drop was as a result of post-

COVID-19.

According to him, the monthon-month

inflation was 0.3%.

The Government Statistician

explained that food inflation rate

stood at 11.7% and non-food inflation

was 8.3%.

He also pointed out that inflation

in locally-produced items

stood at 11.5% and imported

items at 5.6%.

Prof. Annim said stark variation

continued to exist across regions,

and source and type of items.

At the regional level, the overall

year-on-year inflation ranged from

3.4%in the Upper West and Volta

Regions to 15.2% in Greater

Accra.

The Government Statistician

•Professor Samuel Annim

said Greater Accra was the only region

which recorded a food inflation

rate of 13.7%.

At the regional level,

the overall year-on-year

inflation ranged from

3.4%in the Upper West

and Volta Regions to

15.2% in Greater Accra.

COVID-19

Airlines to lose US$66 per passenger–IATA

AIRLINES ARE projected to

lose US$66 for every passenger

carried for the rest of this year

due to what the International Air

Transport Association (IATA) describes

as the “unrelenting” nature

of the crisis faced by airlineS

due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The projected loss translates

into US$118.5 billion this year for

airlines. The losses may, however,

reduce significantly next year if

countries re-open their borders to

travelers by mid-2021.

“Assuming borders re-open by

mid-2021, the industry will ‘only’

lose US$38.7 billion in 2021. Now

is the time for governments to

step up. The US$173 billion of

support provided to date has enabled

the industry to survive, but

more is required to carry the industry

through to next summer.

“IATA has identified a range

of market stimulation options

that will support the viability of

air routes while encouraging people

to travel. Without aviation’s

$3.5 trillion contribution to global

GDP, there can be no broader

economic recovery,” said Alexandre

de Juniac, IATA’s Director

General and CEO.

Total demand was down 70.6%

compared to October 2019. This

was just a modest improvement

from the 72.2% year-to-year decline

recorded in September.

Capacity was down 59.9%

compared to a year ago and load

factor fell 21.8% points to 60.2%.

International passenger demand

in October was down

87.8% compared to October

2019, virtually unchanged from

the 88.0% year-to-year decline

recorded in September.

Capacity was 76.9% below previous

year levels, and load factor

shrank 38.3% points to 42.9%.

Domestic demand drove what

little recovery there was, with October

domestic traffic down

40.8% compared to the prior year.

This was improved from a 43.0%

year-to-year decline in September.

Capacity was 29.7% below 2019

levels and the load factor dropped

13.2% points to 70.4%.

“Fresh outbreaks of COVID-

19 and governments’ continued

reliance on heavy-handed quarantines

resulted in another catastrophic

month for air travel

demand. While the pace of recovery

is faster in some regions than

others, the overall picture for international

travel is grim.

This uneven recovery is more

pronounced in domestic markets,

with China’s domestic market

having nearly recovered, while

most others remain deeply depressed,”

de Juniac, IATA’s Director

General and CEO added.

African airlines’ traffic sank

78.6% in October, improved from

an 84.9% drop in September and

was the best performance among

the regions. Capacity contracted

67.5%, and load factor fell 23.8

percentage points to 45.5%.



DAILY HERITAGE FRIDAY , DECEMBER 11, 2020 11

Politics

Do not mind anything that anyone tells you about

anyone else. Judge everyone and everything for

yourself —Henry James

Western Region has only one female MP

OUT OF nine

females in the

Western Region

who contested

for

Parliament in

the December 7 elections, only

Madam DocasAffo-Toffey of the

National Democratic Congress

(NDC) was able to win her seat at

Jomoro.

The other women who failed

to win their seats were Madam

SamiaYarba Nyamekye Nkrumah

(Jomoro Constituency), Mrs

Catherine Afeku (Evalue Ajomoro

Dwira), Professor Grace

Ayensu-Danquah (Essikado-

Ketan) and Madam Rashidatu Alhassan

and Madam Joy Joycelyn

Andoh (TarkwaNsueam).

The rest were Mrs Barbara

Oteng-Gyasi (Prestea Huni Valley),

Madam Cecelia Apaam

(Amenfi Central) and Madam

Eleanor Effie Appiah (Sekondi

Constituency).

Madam Docas Affo-Toffey,

the MP-elect for the Jomoro Constituency

for the NDC polled

24,356 votes to beat the incumbent

MP, Mr Paul Essien of the

New Patriotic Party (NPP) who

polled 19,889 votes.

Madam Affo-Toffey, who hails

from Bonyere in the Jomoro Municipality

of the Western Region,

also beat Madam Samia

•Madam Docas Affo-Toffey

Nkrumah, an independent candidate

who polled 10,539 votes,

while Mr Patrick Ekye Kwesie

who stood on the ticket of the

Convention People's Party

(CPP) polled 235 votes.

The Constituency had a

total of 55,019 valid votes and

recorded 1,028 rejected ballots.

Madam Catherine Afeku,

the NPP sitting MP for the

Evalue-Ajomoro-Dwira Constituency

who polled 17,287

votes, lost to Mr Kofi Arko

Nokoe of the NDC who

bagged 19,820 votes.

Mr Elisha Joshua Kabenla

of Ghana Union Movement

Party (GUM) polled 1,145

votes with Mr Assuman Frank

Afful of the National Democratic

Party (NDP) bagging 90

votes.

For her part, Prof Dr Grace

Ayensu-Danquah of the NDC

failed to grab the Essikado-

Ketan Constituency seat from

the incumbent MP, Mr Joe

Ghartey of the NPP.

Prof Dr Ayensu-Danquah

polled 24,527 votes while Mr

Ghartey had 26,701 votes with

Mr Frank Cobbina of GUM getting

629 votes.

The TarkwaNsueam Constituency

which fielded two

women and four men, had both

women losing the seat to the incumbent

MP, Mr George Mireku

Duker of the NPP.

Madam Rashidatu Alhassan of

the GUM and Madam JoycelynAndoh,

an independent candidate,

both lost to Mr Duker who

polled 31,946 votes.

Also in the contest were Mr

John Justice Abban of the NDC

who polled 31,845 votes, Mr

Jacob Cudjoe of the

PNC getting 93 votes

and Mr Seedolf Simpey

of PPP, recording

119 votes.

Madam Joycelyn

Andoh polled 29,006

votes while Madam

RashidatuAlhassan

got 2,171 votes with

the Constituency

recording a total of

1,242 rejected ballots.

In the Sekondi

Constituency, Madam

Eleanor Effie Appiah

who stood on the

ticket of GUM

polled 468 votes and

lost to the incumbent

MP, Mr Andrew Kofi

Egyapa Mercer of

the NPP who polled

17,259 votes, while

Mr Charles of the

NDC had 10,310

votes.

A total of 237 rejected

ballots were

recorded in the Constituency.

Madam Cecilia Apaam of

GUM in the Amenfi Central Constituency,

polled 1,302 votes and

lost to the incumbent MP of the

NDC, Mr Kwakye Ackah Yaw

who polled 26,100, while Mr Amponteng

Patrick Hockson of the

NPP recorded 21,926 votes, with

the Constituency recording 1,067

rejected ballots.

The Western Region by this

development has only one female

representative in Parliament.

In the Western North Region

no female was able to make it to

the House. Three women contested

in the nine Constituencies.

Mrs Martha Kwayie Manu,

District Chief Executive of the

Juabeso District who stood on the

ticket of NPP in the Juabeso

Constituency, lost with 19,199

votes to the incumbent MP, Mr

Kwabena Mintah Alandoh of the

NDC who polled 22,304 votes.

Three other contenders,

Madam Ernestine Oppong of the

CPP polled 69 votes, Mr Teye

Nicolas of GUM polled 341 votes

and Mr Elijah AppiahFrimpong

of the PNC polled 94 votes.

The Constituency with 42,007

valid votes recorded 677 rejected

ballots.

In the Sefwi-Waiwso Constituency,

Madam Louisa Nkuah

Kwame of GUM contested four

men and lost to the incumbent Dr

Kwaku Afriyie of the NPP.

The other contenders were Mr

Evans Paul Aidoo of the NDC,

Mr Prince Stephen Akomah of

the GCPP and Mr Martin Bonye

Kofi, an independent

candidate.GNA

EC's computational errors taint credibility of 2020 polls-Research Group

A RESEARCH institution named Research

and Grant Institute of Ghana

(REGIG), has raised concerns over

the declared results for the Presidential

election saying the Electoral Commission

(EC) must provide answers

over detected anomalies.

The independent non-governmental

organization dedicated to the generation,

dissemination and utilisation

of research and data in Ghana and beyond,

in an analysis released, said the

results and details provided by the EC

was questionable.

“As researchers and data scientists,

we are particular about the validity

and reliability of the methodology

used to obtain data. As we will be

using the data for research purposes, it

is extremely important we know the

data curation process, as well as steps

taken to rectify data anomalies.

“ We call on the EC to take steps

to provide answers to the pressing issues

contained in this press release as

we work together to strengthen our

democratic institutions with data and

science.”

The EC on Thursday issued a

statement admitting an error in the

declared results.

The Electoral Commission clarified

that its Chairperson, Jean Mensa,

inadvertently used 13,433,573 as the

total valid votes cast.

“The total valid votes cast is

13,119,460. This does not change the

percentages stated for each candidate

and the declaration made by the

Chairperson,” the EC said in the statement

issued Thursday, December 10,

2020.

The statement came after some

top members of the NDC raised

questions over the credibility of the

percentages given the candidates.

Reacting to this, the institute said:

“While the response from the EC is

very timely, there are several lingering

questions relating to the credibility of

the Presidential election results that

researchers, data scientists, policy

•Jean Mensa, E.C. Boss

makers and political stakeholders demand

answers for.

“This is particularly important

given that the error was not limited to

the total number of valid votes cast

but also the total number of valid

votes obtained by each candidate and

their corresponding percentages.

a. What accounted for the gross

computational error in the results declared

by the EC on December 9

2020?

b. Was the result computed manually

or an automated statistical software

was used? If statistical software

was used, what software was used and

what could have contributed to such

anomalies? If manual computation

was used, how was it done and by

who?

c. Did the EC audit or verify the

accuracy of the results prior to the

declaration? How much due diligence

was undertaken and by who?

d. When did the EC notice the

anomaly? Was it before, during and

after the declaration of the result?

How did the anomaly come to the attention

to the EC? Was it an internal

check or external prompt?

e. What were the reasons behind

or factors that contributed to some

candidates recording an increase in

votes whereas for others, there was a

decrease in the number of valid votes

obtained in the revised results released

by the EC on December 10 2020?

f. What is the integrity of the supposed

revised Presidential results for

advancing statistical discourses relating

to the 2020 Presidential election in

Ghana published by the EC on December

10 2020? What processes were

adopted in revising the results?


12

DAILY

Politics


HERITAGE FRIDAY , DECEMBER 11, 2020

Don’t allow appointees to ‘steal’ in

your second term

–Manasseh to Akufo-Addo

FREELANCE JOUR-

NALIST Manasseh

Azure Awuni has

charged Nana Addo

Dankwa Akufo-

Addo not to allow his

appointees to use their various offices

to steal from the country in

his second term as President.

Nana Akufo-Addo, who led

the New Patriotic Party

(NPP) into the December 7 polls,

was given the nod to continue

serving as Ghana’s President for

the next four years obtaining

6,730,413 votes, representing

51.59% while the flagbearer of

the National Democratic Congress

(NDC), John Dramani Mahama

placed second, garnering

6,214,889 which represents

47.36% of the total ballots cast.

This was announced by Mrs

Jean Mensa of the Electoral Commission,

yesterday, December 9,

2020.

Manasseh, in his congratulatory

message to Akufo-Addo on

his Facebook page, monitored by

thepublisheronline.com, said the

President during his first term was

not as impressive as the people of

Ghana expected him to be with all

the accolades associated with him.

“What a true leader does is to

inspire hope by creating a society

of meritocracy, by creating an atmosphere

that rewards the ingenuity,

creativity and hard work of

its citizens, and by taking decisions

that are in the national interest

but may not be pleasing to his

party and sycophants.

“So your second term can get

better if you pay attention to the

fact that a wealthy country such as

ours is very miserable because its

resources are stolen and hoarded

by a select few while our youth

see every sunrise as a painful reminder

of their hopelessness.

He added that: “It can get better

if you impersonate a bit of the

no-nonsense disposition of the

Nana Akufo-Addo of yore and

employ that against those destroying

the country under your watch.

Your second term will get better if

you become the Akufo-Addo we

thought we knew, and not the

President Akufo-Addo we know.

“Your hands are freer now to

be your true self than when you

had another election before you.

For a President seeking re-election,

acting tough against delinquent

and influential appointees is

like killing the tsetse fly that

perches on the scrotum.”

Below Is His Full Congratulator

y Note To The

President:

Dear President Nana

Addo Dankwa

Akufo-Addo,

I write to congratulate you on

winning the 2020 presidential

election. I was excited and hopeful

when you first won the election in

2016. Unfortunately, I don’t feel

the same way about this victory.

I’m ambivalent about your second

term, and the reasons are not difficult

to find.

In your first term, you knew

you would come back to seek our

votes, yet the kind of governance

you gave us was unimpressive, to

say the least. You practically called

our bluff. In 2024, you will not

need our votes. Some of your appointees

have their political umbilical

cords tied to your

presidency.

They know that even if the

NPP wins in the next election,

they will have no chance of landing

lucrative jobs. For such people,

there is a lot of motivation to

loot as much as they can and retire

or venture into something

else.

For this reason, your second

term can get worse than we saw in

the first term. But it can also get

•President Nana Akufo-Addo

better, Mr. President. Your second

term can get better if you

care about your legacy. Since the

days of your predecessor, I have

always maintained that any idiot

can borrow money to build hospitals

or pay fees, especially when

there is always an avenue to

pocket a chunk of it.

One does not need to be a genius

of a leader to do that. What a

true leader does is to inspire hope

by creating a society of meritocracy,

by creating an atmosphere

that rewards the ingenuity, creativity

and hard work of its citizens,

and by taking decisions that are in

the national interest but may not

be pleasing to his party and sycophants.

So your second term can

get better if you pay attention to

the fact that a wealthy country

such as ours is very miserable because

its resources are stolen and

hoarded by a select few while our

youth see every sunrise as a

painful reminder of their hopelessness.

It can get better if you impersonate

a bit of the no-nonsense

disposition of the Nana Akufo-

Addo of yore, and employ that

against those destroying the country

under your watch. Your second

term will get better if you

become the Akufo-Addo we

thought we knew, and not the

President Akufo-Addo we know.

Your hands are freer now to be

•Manasseh Azure Awuni

your true self than when you had

another election before you. For a

president seeking re-election, acting

tough against delinquent and

influential appointees is like killing

the tsetse fly that perches on the

scrotum. But now, you’re free

from those threats and political

blackmail. So let’s see a bit of the

Akufo-Addo that was marketed to

us in 2016.

Let us see the Akufo-Addo

who is a believer of the rule of

law, not one that believes and promotes

the rule of thuggery; an

Akufo-Addo who believes in

press freedom, and not one that

believes only in press freedom

favourable to him. And finally, let

us see a new NPP under your

leadership.

Let us see the democratic and

civilised NPP of old, the one that

was attractive to intellectuals but

still maintained its core base. Let

us see the NPP that gives men

and women of valour and principles

a chance, and not one that

has been hijacked rogues and

questionable characters because of

their dubious wealth.

If you remember my “Ogyam”

epistle, I said you were becoming

stronger, but the party was becoming

weaker. A party founded

on the core principles of democracy

and good governance should

not be using “North Korean”

principles in dealing with and

eliminating candidates who want

to either lead the party or contest

for parliament because they are

not the favourites of a few. In this

election, the NPP voters have

shown the party “a little bit of

Atiwa” and I hope you and the

party will pick some useful lessons

from there.

I wish you good luck and

pledge my unalloyed support to

make your second term a success.

I intend to support you not by

joining the innumerable courtiers

of paid and unpaid praise-singers

of the administration. Like the

charge given to the Prophet of

God in Ezekiel 3:17, I intend to

point out to you what’s going

wrong.

But if you do things worthy of

praise and defending, I will not

withhold that from you as I have

done in the past. God bless you

and bless our Homeland Ghana.

Yours sincerely,

Manasseh Azure Awuni Your

friend (Or former friend. I’m not

sure of my current status from

your end)



DAILY HERITAGE FRIDAY , DECEMBER 11, 2020 13

Only broke artistes endorse

political parties – Keche Andrew

ALOT of people

have expressed

their opinions following

the decision

by renowned

Ghanaian

artiste, Samini, to openly endorse

President Nana Addo Dankwa

Akufo-Addo through his song

“Kpoyaka.”

Keche Andrew, born Andrew

Kofi Cudjoe, speaking on Kastle

Drive with Amansan Krakye, said

most musicians who endorse political

parties do it either out of

hunger or because they’re no

longer active on the music scene.

“Look at those musicians who

openly endorse the political parties,

they are not active and relevant

in the music industry. Some

of them have even stopped doing

music so they see it as other

means to survive,”

Keche Andrew said he was

not criticizing those artistes who

•Keche Andrew

engage in political endorsement

but noted that Keche was not

thinking of doing same since they

don’t want any abrupt end to their

career.

“I understand them so I’m not

criticizing them but as for Keche

we’re not looking at ending our

career anytime soon. It’s not that

no political party approached us

but we refused the proposals,” he

concluded.

Keche Andrew, born

Andrew Kofi Cudjoe,

speaking on Kastle

Drive with Amansan

Krakye, said most musicians

who endorse

political parties do it

either out of hunger or

because they’re no

longer active on the

music scene.

Fantana celebrates mother for

snatching NPP seat for NDC

THE BUDDING singer, Fantana,

has congratulated her

mother, Mrs Dorcas Nda-Affo

Toffey, for winning the Jomoro

Constituency seat for the National

Democratic Congress

(NDC) in the December 7 Parliamentary

election.

Mrs Toffey, a businesswoman

and philanthropist, snatched the

Parliamentary seat which was won

by the New Patriotic Party (NPP)

in 2016.

Accordingly, the ‘Girls Hate

on Girls’ singer took to Instagram

to celebrate her mother’s win.

Sharing a photo of her mum,

she wrote: “ Mom, you are the

Hope of Jomoro you won! You

did it! Born leader! You are for

the people and we love you!!! I’m

sooo proud of you“.

Fantana, who stormed the

Constituency during the campaign

period with Shatta Wale to perform

at one of her mother’s rallies,

concluded that “Jomoro, you

guys are in good hands! The

finest MP, the realist! Wo y3 guy!!!!

@dorcasaffotoffey We are ready

for you!.”

Her post came with a photo of

her mother, who will be one of

the new faces in Ghana’s

next Parliament.

Sharing a photo of her

mum, she wrote: “ Mom,

you are the Hope of Jomoro

you won! You did it!

Born leader! You are for

the people and we love

you!!! I’m sooo proud of

you“.

Fantana



Arts & Ent


Election 2020:

Musician Gifty Adorye’s husband

defeated in Kpone Katamanso contest

THE NEW Patriotic

Party’s (NPP) Parliamentary

Candidate

for Kpone Katamanso,

Hopeson

Adorye, has conceded

defeat in the Parliamentary

contest.

The Former Deputy National

Security Coordinator in charge of

Airports, in a Facebook post, congratulated

the incumbent National

Democratic Congress’ (NDC)

Member of Parliament, Joseph

Akuetteh Tetteh for his victory.

“My younger brother Hon

Joseph Akuetteh Tetteh a.k.a Joe T

has been officially declared the

MP-elect for Kpone Katamanso

Constituency. Congratulation my

brother for this sweet victory.” -

Hopeson Adorye posted

Hopeson’s wife, Gifty Adorye

who has been a strong pillar in his

political career, took to Facebook

to express excitement over her

husband’s political journey so far.

Mrs Adorye pledged full support

to her husband’s political endeavour.

Read Gifty Adorye’s full

post:

You have fought a good fight

and raised the hopes of your

lovers and the entire NPP supporters

in Kpone Katamanso.

You have made us proud and

given us a reason to put in more

hard work next time to wrestle

power for our mother party, the

NPP and our constituents.

My Hero, I congratulate you

for a good work done. Without a

doubt, you have demonstrated to

the nation and the entire family

what a strong man and a big

shoulder we can forever depend

on. We thank God for your life

and the strength given you

through it all. I, therefore, pledge

you my full support in all your political

endeavours.

You’re blessed my dear thou

saith the Lord. May He give you

more wisdom to be able to do

more for your country. I am

solidly behind you all the way.

Nothing shall bring us down.

Keep shining and keep on fighting

for your dear country.

Thanks to His Excellency Nana

Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo and

the Vice President Bawumia, our

able First Lady and Second Lady

of the Republic of Ghana and the

entire NPP party for your support.

Still we say the Battle is the Lord’s.

#ThereIsStillHope

•Mr & Mrs Adorye

Kwesi Arthur nominated

for 2021 MTV

Africa Music Awards

•Kwesi Arthur

KWESI ARTHUR has been

nominated for the 2021 MTV

Africa Music Awards (MAMA).

The nominees for the awards

were announced on December 9,

2020.

He was nominated in the Best

Hip Hop category alongside

Khaligraph Jones, Nasty C, NGA,

OMG and Suspect 95.

Burna Boy, Calema, Davido,

Diamond Platinumz, Master KG,

Tiwa Savage, Wizkid have also

been nominated for the 2021

MAMA Artiste of the Year.

He was nominated in

the Best Hip Hop category

alongside Khaligraph

Jones, Nasty C,

NGA, OMG and Suspect

95.


WAFU U-20:


Ghana beat Nigeria to secure semi-final spot

PRECIOUS BOAH’S

expertly-taken freekick

was enough to

give Ghana a 1-0 win

over Nigeria at the

West Africa Football

Union (WAFU) Zone-B U-20

Championship.

The win qualified Ghana to

the semi-final stage of the competition

while Nigeria are kicked

out. This sees a reversal of the

trend in 2018 when Nigeria beat

Ghana to qualify at the expense

of the Satellites.

The Black Satellites had an average

first half showing with

Nigeria dominating play.

Coach Karim Zito’s side

struggled to play with an identity

and lacked cohesion.

The team in various spells

throughout the first half, were

off the pace and looked unsettled.

The Flying Eagles twice had

the ball in the net but no goals

were awarded on both occasions.

The first was ruled out for

offside while the second was

rightly disallowed for an initial

handball.

Chances were far and few in

the first 45 minutes but Nigeria

blew most of their half chances,

ensuring that the first half ended

goalless.

Back from recess, the Satellites

upped their game and began

to create some chances.

However, there were still lingering

issues. Second half substitute,

Abdul Mugeese Zakaria,

added some bite to Ghana’s attack.

The Dreams FC attacker onloan

at Eleven Wonders, made a

beautiful dribbling run in from

the left flank into the middle and

was brought down for a free kick

inside the 76th minute.

Precious Boah, after properly

positioning the ball, unleashed a

beauty into the net with the

Nigerian goalie looking stupefied

in between the sticks.

Boah will grow from hero to

zero minutes later when he received

a second booking for nonsporting

conduct to trigger his

ejection from the game.

Ghana played the remaining

minutes with 10 men but held on

solidly to ensure they ended the

game with their solitary lead.

The win qualifies Ghana to

the next stage while a draw in the

next game against Ivory Coast

will be enough to cement first

place in Group B.

For Nigeria, the defeat sees

then eliminated, an occurrence

that will serve as a payback from

Ghana following happenings at

the 2018 edition.

Ghana XI:

Ibrahim Danlad (GK)

Philemon Baffour

Benjamin Aloma

Kobina Amoah

Nathaniel Adjei

Emmanuel Essiam

Eugene Adjei Frimpong

Daniel Afriyie Barnie (C)

Matthew Anim-Cudjoe

Mohammed Sulemana

Precious Boah

Robert Addo extends Hearts

of Oak contract to 2023

DEFENDER ROBERT

Addo Sowah has signed a

new contract at Hearts of

Oak that keeps him at the

club until 2023.

The centre-back has in

the last few years been a key

man for the Phobians even

though he has not always

been a preferred first choice

in the team’s starting line-up.

With his high professionalism

and display of quality

whenever he is called into action,

he has managed to establish

himself as an asset for

the Accra-based club.

On the back of successful

talks with his representatives

and officials of Hearts of

Oak, Robert Addo Sowah

has inked a new contract

that will run until 2023.

This season, the 27-yearold

has featured in two

games in the Ghana Premier

League and has so far been

impressive.

As the season progresses,

he should have a big role to

play for the team as they eye

enjoying success at the end

of the campaign.

On the back of

successful talks

with his representatives

and

officials of

Hearts of Oak,

Robert Addo

Sowah has inked

a new contract

that will run until

2023.

•Thomas Partey

•Robert Addo Sowah

Partey was not rushed back

from injury - Mikel Arteta

ARSENAL MANAGER Mikel

Arteta insists Thomas Partey's injury

setback was not because he was

rushed back by the club for their

north London derby against Tottenham.

Partey will 'miss the next few

matches' because of a recurrence of

his recent thigh issue, Arteta confirmed

on Wednesday ahead of

their Europa League dead rubber

with Dundalk.

The 2-0 defeat by Spurs was

Partey's first appearance in almost a

month and Arteta said: 'He did incredibly

well and was very confident.

We tested him three times and

he had zero incidents. In football

you have a lot of unpredictable actions.'

Partey limped off the pitch

against Tottenham - leaving Arsenal

light in defence as Spurs scored

from a counter-attack.

Arteta is set to give Arsenal's

kids their chance in Thursday

night's clash. The club are looking

to end their Europa League group

with a perfect record after five wins

from five.

Arteta added he would fully support

his players if they decided to

walk off the pitch if they felt there

had been a racist incident, in light

of what happened in the Champions

League clash between PSG and

Istanbul Basaksehir.


DAILYHERITAGE.COM.GH

FRIDAY , DECEMBER, 2020

• Daniel Amartey

Inside December 11, 2020

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