Murdered Nkwanta-South DCE buried on Assembly Premises

The remains of the murdered Nkwanta-South District Chief Executive, Peter Kojo Kenyenso was on Saturday laid to rest at the forecourt of the district assembly premises at Nkwanta.

Hundreds of mourners including, Politicians, traditional leaders and business Executives trooped the Nkwanta R.C School Park to pay their last respects to a man, who was brutally shot dead by unknown assailants in the evening Monday, November 3 last year his residence.

A government delegation led by the Local government Minister, Julius Debrah, MMDCEs, MPs and leading members of the governing NDC party including Dan Abodakpi was present to mourn with the Kenyenso family including his wife and three kids

Several tributes poured in for the 50 year old local politician, with many describing him as ‘affable and energetic’ man with unbridled ‘passion and dedication’ towards the development of his area.

E.C Boss backs Partisan District Assembly Elections

Chairman of the Electoral Commission (EC), Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan has entreated Ghanaian Professionals to contest in the District Level Elections (DLEs) so as to enrich quality of district assemblies to accelerate development at the grassroots.

According to him, though the local government system is the foundation for the country’s democracy and development, it lacks the requisite human resources to effectively deliver to the citizenry.  

“Next time, all of you, become candidates, for you’ll improve the quality of the assemblies,” the E.C boss told Journalists during a day’s capacity building workshop in Ho on Monday.

Partisan Participation in DLEs

He also alluded to suggestions that the local government elections should be made partisan, saying “eventually in the future, we have to open it up to partisan participation, because they (parties) are behind the scenes,” though the law currently barred parties from doing so.

Alan K woos Volta NPP delegates

Alan Exchanging pleasantries with delegates

Mr. Alan Kwodwo Kyeremanten, one of the three contenders in the flagbearership race of the opposition New Patriotic Party NPP, has taken his campaign to the Volta region on Wednesday, promising party delegates a lot of goodies should he be given the nod at the October 18 congress to lead the NPP into  election 2016.

Addressing a mini rally of party delegates in Ho, Alan Kyeremanten promised to provide bicycles and motorbikes to party officers at the ward and Polling station levels, whiles each constituency will benefit from a new party office and a pickup vehicle.

“This time, if you make Alan your flagbearer, I will ensure that every executive, from polling station to coordinator to constituency will have the means of transport either bicycle or motorbike. Your bicycle will be registered in your personal name so that even when you are not an executive you can take it home as your reward for working for the party.”

‘Adaklu NPP falls flat for Nana Addo’

 

With less than two weeks to the October 18 delegate congress of the Opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP),  the party’s delegates in the Adaklu Constituency of the Volta region have acclaim   the party’s two time flagbearer and third time contender, Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo, as the 2016 Presidential candidate.

Addressing a press conference on Monday at Adaklu-Abuadi, Raybon Evans Anyadi constituency Chairman, ‘Adaklu Constituency is the smallest in terms of numbers, so we will not allow any other candidate, be it Alan Kyeremanten or Addai Nimo to come to Adaklu and muddy the waters for us, for that matter we are declaring our total support for Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo.’

Present at a press conference were 18 out of 36 polling station executives with host of party supporters.

According to Mr. Anyadi, the overwhelming endorsement Nana Addo had during the NPP’s Special delegate congress only shows that the party’s rank and files are solidly united behind him, hence the need for him go unopposed.

‘Ministers must declare assets at vetting’- Governance Expert

Harrison Belley

A governance consultant and a member of the Right to Information (RTI) Coalition in the Volta region, Mr. Harrison Kofi Belley has called for a review of the Assets Declaration Law to compel Public officials especially Ministers and their Deputies to declare their assets before the appointment committee of Parliament during vetting.

This, he said would ensure timely declaration and eliminate the tendency for false declaration by appointees, noting that ‘the law in its current form do not promote transparency as officials only list their assets on paper ,seal it in an envelope , and send it to the Auditor General, who is also not permitted to verify the information presented .‘

Article 286 (1) of the1992 Constitution requires "a person who holds public office to submit to the Auditor General a written declaration of all property and assets owned by or liabilities owed by him directly or indirectly."

Speaking at a stakeholder forum in Ho last Wednesday on the Right to Information (RTI), Mr. Belley posited that public declaration of assets by appointees would ensure greater transparency and accountability in governance, as it will empower the populace to verify and monitor the activities of such officials.

The forum organised by the Right to Information (RTI) Coalition with support from STAR-Ghana was on the theme ‘Promoting the passage of an effective RTI law in Ghana; Mainstreaming RTI into the Local Governance Structure’ and attended by members of various interest groups from both formal and non-formal sector.

Mr. Tenaso Kofi Gbedema, the Volta regional RTI focal person underscored the importance of the right to information bill but said passing it in its current state will not serve its intended purpose, noting that ‘the RTI a fundamental human right and the torch stone for all freedoms.’