Two major things, in my considered opinion, have been proven to be the major setbacks of development in Ghana and Africa at large: corruption and leadership nemesis. Both are complex subject matters one cannot exhaustively delve into with a single write up. I will leave the subject of leadership nemesis for another day.
Read moreIn this post, Corruption Watch replies to George Andah’s response to the investigation report on the vote-buying allegations during the NPP parliamentary primaries.
WE STAND BY OUR STORY ABOUT GEORGE NENYI ANDAH – CORRUPTION WATCH
We write in response to your letter written on behalf of your client, Mr. George Nenyi Andah, dated July 29, 2020 and headlined Re: Corruption Watch/CDD Report On Vote Buying During NPP Primaries- George
Nenyi Andah (MP) Cited. In the said letter, which was copied to the press, your client, Mr. George Nenyi Andah, MP for Awutu Senya West Constituency is demanding an unqualified apology and a retraction of a
purported report by Corruption Watch.
Mr. Andah claims that the Corruption Watch publication cited him for distributing “an amount of GHC1,000, a 32- inch Nasco Flat screen TV and a Standing Fan to each delegate in the [Awutu Senya West] constituency” in the NPP primaries.
We wish to state that our report which we published on our website on 24th July, 2020 did not cite Mr. Andah for distributing “an amount of GHC1,000, a 32- inch Nasco Flat screen TV and a Standing Fan to each
delegate in the [Awutu Senya West] constituency” in the NPP primaries. For ease of reference, we reproduce at the end of this letter, the section of our report on Mr. Andah and his challenger, Mr. Joseph Aidoo.
Indeed, in keeping with Corruption Watch’s principles of accuracy, balance, fairness and ethical journalism, Corruption Watch contacted both Mr. Andah and his challenger in follow-up interviews and put certain specific allegations to them three weeks before publishing our story. Our follow-up interview with Mr. Andah was part of the normal processing routine of Corruption Watch in which we gave him and all candidates who were to be featured in our story an opportunity to respond to findings of our field
investigators. Neither did our report of 24th July, 2020 nor any other report cite Mr. Andah for distributing “an amount of GHC1,000, a 32- inch Nasco Flat screen TV and a Standing Fan to each delegate in the [Awutu Senya West] constituency” in the NPP primaries.
We wish, therefore, to state that we stand by our story of 24th July, 2020 and do not deem it fit to retract the said story and render an unqualified apology for allegations that Mr. Andah himself caused to be published.
Download the full response below.
In the document below, George Andah (incumbent MP for Awutu Senya West) responds to the allegations from Corruption Watch’s investigation report on the vote-buying scandals during the NPP parliamentary primaries.
Senior Programmes Officer at the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) Paul Kwabena Aborampah says for Ghana to mitigate the phenomenon of vote-buying in the various electoral process, certain drastic measures would have to be taken including expanding the various electoral colleges.
Speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express, he said the move would make it extremely difficult for aspirants to pay their way through the electoral process.
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The founder of Capital Bank William Ato is said to have begun negotiations with the Attorney General to have some of the charges brought against him dropped.
This was disclosed in court by lawyers for Mr Essien, Thursday.
According to the lawyers who led by Thadeus Sory, they are engaging the A-G based on section 35 of the courts’ act.
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Lawyer and former legislator, George Loh, has described the contempt conviction against the Auditor-General, Daniel Domelevo as a blow to the fight against corruption in the country.
Speaking to Citi News, Mr. Loh said it “was not prudent for a judge to convict him [Mr. Domelevo] for contempt of court.”
“That way you are demoralising the whole architecture for fighting corruption,” he added.
Mr. Domelevo was found guilty of contempt of court for failing to respond to a suit filed by the Senior Minister, Yaw Osafo-Maafo, which was challenging a $1 million surcharge.
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The Supreme Court has in a majority 5:2 decision ruled that Martin Amidu is eligible to hold office as Special Prosecutor.
The decision read by Chief Justice Anin Yeboah means the retirement age for employees of public service does not apply to the office of Special Prosecutor.
Former Deputy Attorney General Dr. Dominic Ayine who filed the case said per the true and proper interpretation of Articles 190(1)(d), 199(1) and 295 of the 1992 Constitution, the retirement age of all holders of public offices created pursuant to Article 190 (1)(d) is 60 years, and not beyond 65 years.
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Private legal practitioner, Lawyer Martin Kpebu, has cautioned the Government of Ghana to think beyond the law by publishing any intention to procure anything through single-sourcing for the fight against COVID -19 before a decision to procure is concluded.
Speaking on the Corruption Watch show on Adom FM, he disclosed that although the procurement law permits the practice of single-sourcing during emergencies like in the case of COVID -19, first publishing the intension before activating that provision by the law will attract proposals from experts to ensure that only people with the requisite expertise are contracted to avoid errors and regrets.
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The dusty border town of Taftan in western Pakistan is a frequent stopover for religious pilgrims. Many members of the country’s Shiite minority pass through it en route to visit holy sites in neighboring Iran. But after Iran emerged as one of the countries hit hardest by the coronavirus, the Pakistani government set up a quarantine camp in Taftan to prevent further movement, inadvertently turning the town into an epicenter for the spread of COVID-19. Testing in the camp is sporadic at best, while health facilities are abysmal. Many pilgrims reportedly paid bribes to escape back into Pakistan, and as recently as the end of March, hundreds of people were still crossing the border at Taftan, despite rules to prevent them. Some officials in the region believe that 95 percent of Pakistan’s coronavirus cases are due to “mismanagement” at the Taftan camp.
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Asante K. Berko, the Managing Managing of the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) has resigned, two days after the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged him in a New York court for violating the US Foreign Corrupt Practice Act (FCPA).
Berko who was appointed MD of the country’s only oil refinery in January 2020, tendered in his resignation today April 15, 2020, and the President has accepted it.
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