Welcome to Aziz Amankwah Boateng's Blog: May 2017

Capt Mahama death report ready, nobody involved would escape justice - Gen. Akwa

The report on investigations into the murder of Captain Maxwell Mahama is ready and the Ghana Armed Forces has pledged to follow its recommendations to the latter.

This assurance was given by the Chief of Defence Staff, Major General Obed Akwa, when he, Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, and other officers of the Ghana Armed Forces visited the family of the deceased in Accra on Wednesday May 31.

Major General Akwa also assured the bereaved family that nobody involved in Captain Mahama’s death would escape justice, further urging them to

The military men and the youth they rounded up

Several youth of Boase in the Upper West Denkyira district of the Central region have been rounded up by uniformed military men who have stormed the town over the killing of an officer, Captain Maxwell Mahama, by indegenes of the mining community.

According to an army statement, about 35 troops are currently in the town to unravel the circumstances surrounding the mob killing of the young officer.

The youth are being held for their alleged involvement in the murder of the soldier.

Mahama was lynched by residents on

The two men linked to the murder of a former Member of Parliament (MP) for Abuakwa-North, Mr J.B. Danquah-Adu, were Tuesday morning discharged by the Accra High Court following the filing of a Nolle prosequi by the Attorney General, Graphic Online's Emmanuel Ebo Hawkson reports from court.

Daniel Asiedu and Vincent Bosso, the two men who standing trial in connection to the murder were subsequently set free by the court.

The filing of nolle prosequi meant the Attorney General wanted to discontinue with the

Scores of armed military personnel have been deployed to Denkyira-Obuasi in the Central Region as they mount a search for residents said to have lynched the Captain in charge of the area.

Thirty-Five (35) Men and Two Officers have been dispatched to the community where the incident took place, Defence Minister, Dominic Nitiwul told Kojo Yankson on the

The report on the $4 million allegedly siphoned from the coffers of the National Communications Authority (NCA) by the bigwigs of the government institution has taken a new twist.

Even though he has been mentioned as one of the bigwigs who benefited from the purportedly missing $4 million, William Tevie, the immediate-past Director General of the Authorit, has denied any involvement in the reported scandal.

He said he never admitted to the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) or any other investigative body that he collected any amount of money from the

Some 15 senior officers of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), who were recently arrested, are allegedly responsible for the loss of GH¢1.2 billion in revenue, according to a hint dropped by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

According to him, the revelation emanated from the efforts his government is making to block revenue leakages at the country’s ports.

He said, “That money was going, not into the government’s coffers, but into private pockets. We have importers who evade duty because they

“You Are Truly A Historic Figure” – President Akufo-Addo To President Johnson Sirleaf

With five months to the holding of Liberia’s next presidential election, signalling the beginning of the end of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s tenure of office, the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has paid glowing tribute to the leadership shown by Africa’s first female

Listowel Kojo Fordwor with the documents at the EOCO office yesterday

Thousands of protestors who hit the streets of Accra yesterday in demand of justice and accountability have given the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) a three-month ultimatum to retrieve an amount of $1.2 billion allegedly stolen by some civil and public servants.

The group, led by Captain Kwadwo Smart, host of an Accra-based radio station – Adom FM’s – morning show programme, ‘Dwaso Nsem,’ is demanding an

The National Youth Employment Agency (YEA) says it has deleted about 18, 000 names from its payroll system. This follows some discrepancies found on YEA’s payroll system.

YEA suspended payments of allowances in April 2017 when it discovered that some 2,999 beneficiaries were not at post but continue to draw allowances for no work done while too many beneficiaries used the same E-Zwich numbers.

YEA through and internal audit on its payroll also

Ghana’s former High Commissioner to the UK, Victor Smith, says he wept when he saw ex-President Rawlings hobnobbing with Akufo-Addo during his investiture.

Nana Addo’s investiture, has been described by political watchers as a colourful event which also saw Ghana’s political leaders displaying a high sense of unity in politics amidst difference in ideas.

The two[Rawlings, Nana Akufo-Addo] were seen in a hearty chat when the

Ghana’s former High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Victor Smith, has disclosed that he’ll contest the Flagbearship position of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) for the polls in 2020, if ex President John Mahama decides not to run.

According to him, he’ll offer himself as a courageous leader who will make the laws of Ghana work, a leadership quality he asserts the

The Central Regional police commander, DCOP David Ampah Bennin, has emphatically stated that some people have threatened to burn down the Kotokuraba Market if they (people) suspect any bias in the allocation of the stores.

According to him, his outfit had been monitoring the situation to ensure a peaceful atmosphere.

The commander gave the information during a regional Security Council meeting at the Central Regional Co-ordinating Council in Cape Coast on Tuesday.

DCOP David Ampah Bennin disclosed that the

Former Board Chairman of the National Communications Authority (NCA), Eugene Baffoe-Bonnie, has reportedly started returning his share of the money he and his colleagues unlawfully pocketed in that state agency.

According to Mustapha Hamid, Information Minister, Mr Baffoe-Bonnie, former Board Chairman appointed under the Mahama-led National Democratic Congress (NDC) government, had paid $40,000 out of his share of $200,000 from a total amount of $4 million meant for buying phone tapping gadgets.

After reportedly admitting that they took $4 million unlawfully from the state kitty, some

Two former National Democratic Congress (NDC) government appointees have denied vehemently that some helicopters (choppers) belonging to the Ghana Gas Company are missing.

Ghana Gas has been in the news these few days following revelations by the Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC) that three helicopters (choppers) could not be found.

According to a leading member of

Editor-In-Chief of the Daily Dispatch Newspaper, Ben Epson, says the suspended General Secretary of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwabena Agyapong is likely to stage a comeback for his position.

The General Secretary position of the NPP is currently being occupied by John Boadu in an acting capacity.

According to Ephson, Agyapong despite being

Former Minister for Power, Dr Kwabena Donkor has said Ghana’s security under the watch of President Nana Akufo Addo is very weak and threatened, if indeed some helicopters purchased by the erstwhile Mahama administration for Ghana Gas have gone missing.

According to him, Ghana’s security is in wrong hands if such heavy military accoutrement painted in

I am thankful to God for His countless blessing of Political Organisation. Let's get to work. It's good we lost so that we would correct those mistakes that could have destroyed the party forever.

Our self inflicted wounds and politically suicidal actions were just too much. People who are mere mortals, all of a

The Chinese woman accused of being deeply involved in illegal mining in Ghana has reacted angrily to a judge’s decision to adjourn ruling on her bail application.

Aisha Huang banged her fists in anger and in protest over her continued stay in detention at the Nsawam prisons, Joy News’ Joseph Ackah Blay reported, Tuesday.

Huang and four other Chinese nationals were arrested for their involvement in the illegal by the Ghana Immigration Service in Kumasi but were

A probe ordered into the cost of a military cemetery under construction at the Burma Camp last week has resulted in the downward review by some $1.5 million. The Minister of Defence, on his tour of the site last week, ordered an investigation into the cost of the project which was estimated at $6 million dollars, an amount the Minister described as outrageous.

Following the order, a review of the contract has seen the cost come down to $4.5 million, according to a Deputy Defence Minister, Major Rtd Derek Oduro.

He also insisted that his Ministry will push for a

Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo has condemned the terror attack in Manchester, resulting in the deaths of 22 people and injuries to 59.

The blast happened at 22:35 BST on Monday at the end of a pop concert by the US singer Ariana Grande.

Akufo-Addo described the attack as “cowardly act” while extending his “deepest condolences to the affected families.”

Shocked and saddened by yesterday’s terror attack in Manchester, resulting in the deaths of 22 people and injuries to 59. (1/2)

Twenty-two people, including children, are now known to have been killed and 59 injured in a suspected terror

Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Peter Amewu, has caused the arrest of four expatriates operating an illegal gold mine at Tontokrom in the Amansie West District of the Ashanti Region.

The mining company, Geo Professional Services (GPS), which flouted a May 17, 2017 directive by the Lands Commission, has been shut down by the Minister.

“Your license is for small scale mining which is the preserve of Ghanaian nationals, in effect what you are

A blast on Monday night at a concert in the northern English city of Manchester where US singer Ariana Grande had been performing has killed an unknown number of people and wounded others.

Police said they were responding to reports of an explosion and there were a number of confirmed casualties.

There were no immediate details of what happened during the concert by the

Ghana and Cape Verde have resolved to begin the process of developing stronger ties between themselves, as well as exploring areas of co-operation to the mutual benefits of their peoples.

At the very beginning, Ghana is to deepen cooperation in the areas of fisheries and tourism, for which Cape Verde is noted, through the sharing of expertise and best practices.

This came to the fore at a meeting between the

Former General Secretary of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) Lawyer Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, aka Sir John has revealed that he’ll stage a come back for the General Secretary position of the party, should there be an overwhelming call on him from the party supporters.

According to him, as a party man he remains committed to the NPP’s course and will readily avail himself for service whenever

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for Cape Coast South, Kweku Ricketts-Hagan, has sent a message to the Minister of Energy, Emmanuel Boakye Agyarko, and members of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), telling them to stop making noise about the problems of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).

Instead, he wants them, especially, the

A former Attorney General, Martin Amidu has strongly defended the Principal State Attorney, in the matter of the Delta Force saga, describing the decision to drop charges held against the suspects as incontrovertible.

In his latest epistle, on the fall out from the discharge of the 8 Delta Force members, Mr. Amidu said the the State Attorney was not bound to refer to the decision of the

NDC Member of Parliament for Bongo constituency, Edward Bawa, says the rate at which the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is firing people from the public service without recourse to the law suggests that the Ghanaian leader is governing with a coup mentality.

According to him, the tactics or strategy adopted by the government under the New Patriotic Party (NPP) regime in sacking civil and public servant officials is an affront to the 1992 Constitution and other laws of the

President Nana Akufo-Addo, has assured that his government is fulfilling the promises made to Ghanaians, adding that, Ghanaians will soon be witnesses to the immense benefits of the realisation of the pledges made to them. President Akufo-Addo indicated that he did not make the promises to win votes but “to save the future of our country.”

Addressing the Ghanaian Community in Dakar, Senegal the President was confident that “with correct and honest leadership, we can get to where all of us

Maverick politician and leading member of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) Kennedy Agyapong has challenged Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to fix the country’s economy.

According to him, the NPP is now eating back its words after the party led by then flagbearer, Nana Akufo-Addo told then NDC government to fix the economy if

Former President John Dramani Mahama’s intention of contesting for the presidency again on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in 2020 is gathering momentum, even though it is shrouded in secrecy.

The ex-president went to Kumasi, in the Ashanti Regional capital, in a private jet last Sunday where he is alleged to have held secret meetings with several top guns in the NDC about his intention of running for the

The Deputy General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Koku Anyidoho, has described as premature, calls for all current national executives of the party to be voted out. The latest to call for the complete overhaul of the national executives came from Ghana’s Former High Commissioner to the UK, Victor Smith.

Mr. Victor Smith contended that, the abysmal failure of the NDC should be put squarely at the feet of the current executives, saying“we should change the

President Akufo Addo has reiterated his commitment to turnaround the country’s economic fortunes and expand the financial sector.

He admits that his administration comes at a time that the banks are facing tough times which have impeded their growth and their ability to support industrial growth.

According to the President, the policies being enrolled to deepen investor confidence should also culminate in the expected growth.

The President made the remarks when the MD of Standard Chartered Bank, Mansa Nettey, called on him at the

The apology from Gender Minister, Otiko Afisa Djaba, and the Northern Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Daniel Bugri Naabu, should not be accepted by Ghanaians, according to the National Democratic Congress (NDC). Speaking to Citi News, the NDC’s Deputy General Secretary, Koku Anyidoho, said, “Ghana is bigger than the NPP, so their internal apology means nothing to the larger Ghanaian populace…” He said the NPP could swoop in and pretend on the matter, but urged Ghanaians not to

The Okyenhene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin, has demanded an immediate apology from the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) for wrongfully accusing him of engaging in ‘galamsey’ activities.

That followed a BNI report which named the chief among scores of other chiefs from eight regions of the country as being engaged in illegal mining

The National Council of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), has directed all party officials serving in government to resign as soon as possible.

The Council which was the second highest decision making of the party said combining party work and government work is not the best.

The decision was taken at the council’s meeting on

The Northern Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Daniel Bugri Naabu has admitted guilt in making baseless allegation that the Upper Easter Regional Minister, Rockson Bukari and Gender Minister, Otiko Afisa Djaba were involved in the murder of former NPP Upper East Regional Chairman, Adams Mahama. According to him, he made the allegations out of “extreme anger and provocation”.

Bugri Naabu in an apology letter to the party and Ghanaians said, he apologized for the “unfortunate

The Minister of information, Mustapha Hamid has told the Chinese Ambassador to Ghana that the country will not hesitate to apply the full force of the law if any Chinese national is arrested in connection with illegal mining.

The Minister’s remark comes on the heels of government’s massive showdown with galamsey operators and the commitment to ending the illegal mining activities across the country.

The Ghana Immigration Service

A group of sympathizers of the embattled brother of former NPP chairman, Gregory Afoko have called for the immediate arrest of the party’s Northern Regional chairman, Daniel Bugri Naabu.

The call comes after Mr. Naabu said in a radio interview that the Upper East Regional minister, Rockson Bukari and Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Otiko Afisa Djaba were “deeply” involved in the murder of the NPP’s former Upper East regional chairman, Adams Mahama.

According to the group, known as the Free

I believe the internal rampage in the party now the president of the Republic of Ghana Nana Akufo Addo has heard it.

This same issue happens in the North where somebody pure acid on the Upper East regional chairman Mr. Adams Mahama and killed him.
This happened when former NPP chairman Paul Afoko and the general of the party Kwabena Agyei Agyapong held a meeting with some party members without consulted the late regional chairman Adams Mahama which raised agitation for the chairman to pass away.
Now the same "self-power control" has started again in the

President Akufo-Addo has assured the chiefs and people of Effutu Traditional Area that a committee will soon be established to help find lasting solutions to the Winneba chieftaincy disputes.

President Nana Akufo-Addo said the protracted chieftaincy problem and other related matters was having serious effect on Aboakyer festival and was retarding progress in the Winneba township.

These were contained in a speech read on

The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has revealed that close co-operation between Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire will be facilitated by a new initiative dubbed “An Agreement For a Strategic Partnership”, that will be signed by the two countries. This agreement, according to President Akufo-Addo, will bind Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire “in even closer intimacy and go beyond the bounds of the concept of the Permanent Joint Commission, which is the conventional tool for

Why do you want to fail the test of your creator?
Why have you allow yourself to be cajoled or used by the evil?
Why have you lost confidence, trust, believe and the faith you have in God the [Allah] who created you?.

God [Allah] never do something without a reason, are you the only person facing challenges, problems and difficulties? No!

Many got wealth from the beginning but they lost it at the end, before died.
Many got it from the middle of their age and they lost it at the end before

The Ghana Football Association (GFA), says it does not condone the racial abuse Ghanaian footballer Sulley Muntari suffered earlier this week in Italy during a league game. According to the FA, it was regrettable that the referee in the game booked Sulley Muntari for complaining about the abuse, while the Italian FA subsequently slapped him with a ban for the incident.

Spokesperson for the GFA, Saani Diara, in an interview with Citi News said the FA is actively looking into the

President Akufo-Addo has arrived in Burkina Faso capital, Ouagadougou to begin his 2-day tour of that country. His visit to the country will see him hold talks with his counterpart on the country on issues surrounding infrastructure especially transportation between the two countries.

At a State Dinner held in his honour, and in responding to the remarks made by His Excellency Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, President of the Republic of Burkina Faso, President Akufo-Addo indicated that the most important of these initiatives “are the regional projects in the

I gave him my shirt, to teach him that you’re not supposed to do that. I needed to set an example so he grows up to be nice”. This deep statement is not from Martin Luther King Jnr or Nelson Mandela, but from former Black Stars midfielder Sulley Ali Muntari, to one of the children who joined in the racial abuse against him.

Background On Sunday, Sulley Muntari, during a league match sort refuge in referee Daniele Minellil who was officiating his team Pescara’s game against Cagliari. Muntari complained to official about racist chants against him throughout the game but the referee surprisingly flashed his yellow card in Muntari’s face in

Former President John Dramani Mahama has said he was honest to Ghanaians about the state of Ghana’s economy in the run-up to the 2016 elections but the promises Nana Akufo-Addo swayed votes in his favour resulting in the loss of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Durban, South Africa on Thursday, he noted that he had an “incumbency disadvantage”.

Mr Mahama who was sharing some of the things that led to his loss in the 2016 elections added that he had managed the economy and “I knew what the

The Member of Parliament for Asawasi and Minority Chief Whip, Alhaji Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka thinks that his friend and Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu is also qualified as a presidential candidate for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for Election 2020.

Nonetheless, he thinks the time is not ripe to be deciding on who should lead the NDC for 2020 now.

Rather, he thinks the concentration for now, should be on working and reorganizing the grassroots of the NDC.

In a radio interview on Accra based Citi FM Thursday evening, Alhaji Muntaka said the

Former President John Dramani Mahama has backed Sulley Muntari’s walk-off after he was racially abused by fans during Pescara’s Serie A match with Cagliari on Sunday.

Mr. Mahama in a tweet said he stood with Muntari.

The Ghanaian left Pescara with 10 men and revealed he was abused by a child who was sitting with his parents.

He took his complaints to referee, Daniele Minelli, who initially ignored him before booking him for dissent in the 89th minute.

This prompted the former Portsmouth and Sunderland player to leave the pitch in protest.

He angrily confronted Cagliari fans, shouting: “This is my colour.”

His actions have been lauded and defended with the

A former New Patriotic Party (NPP) chairman of the Korle Klottey constituency Nii Noi Nortey is asking for clemency from President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, having defied him to go independent during the 2016 elections.

Nii Noi won the initial primaries to contest the parliamentary seat on the ticket of the then opposition NPP, but his main contender Philip Addison challenged the integrity of the internal poll in court and won.

Addison won the rerun

Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga has blasted President Akufo-Addo for failing to acknowledge former President John Mahama when he cut sod for the commencement of the construction of a 400MW Bridge Power project.

According to the NDC, although the world’s largest LPG-fired power plant was one of the numerous projects John Mahama bequeathed President Akufo-Addo; the latter deliberately failed to acknowledge the exploits of his

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