Spio-Garbrah bows out of NDC’s flag bearership race

Dr Ekow Spio-Garbrah after taking the bold step to join former first lady Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings, to contest the sitting President John Evan Atta Mills in the flag bearership position of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has withdrawn from the race.

The shocking revelation about the withdrawal was made at the party headquarters by his spokesperson Mohammed Nasiro on June 1 , the day Mrs Rawlings also submitted her nomination forms.

The editor of the Daily dispatch newspaper Mr Ben Ephson, earlier predicted that Dr Garbrah was going to withdraw from the race . But spokesperson for Dr. Gabrah,Mr Nasiro, says the withdrawal was as a result of harassment on the part of some delegates in the party.

Dr Spio Gabrah is expected to formally issue a release addressing Ghanaians on why he withdrew from the race.

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I love martial art- Majid declares

“Growing up, I studied Martial Art because I realised it was the only sport I was good at. When I started, I trained so hard that I killed my shin cell so if anyone tries to kick me in the shin, I’m sure he will get hurt and I’ll just be staring at him.” This was how ace Ghanaian Actor, Majid Michel described himself on Joy FM ‘Drive Time’ programme.

Majid revealed that when he was young, he was not fond of school but one thing he enjoyed was to train hard so he could become good at Martial Arts and that his favourite sport was “Kung fu”.

The ‘Heart of Men’ star said back in the day at Mfantsipim school, “during one of our Physical Education (PE) lessons, we were asked to do push ups. Some people did 25, others did 30 but the teacher and the rest of the class were surprised when I did a straight 80.”

“Everyone started to see me as a tough dude and when they asked me how I did it, I told them it was all about constant training,” he said.

Majid added that he still trains in Martial Art because he has to keep in shape. He refused to talk about football but when he was pushed to the wall, he noted that; “if I’m asked to choose two footballers I like, I’ll choose Manchester United Ryan Giggs and Ronaldinho because those two players are good at what they do.”

Majid began his acting career when he got a role as “Shaker” in the theatrically successful TV series ‘Things We Do for Love.’ Following his success, he made a smooth transition to the big screen when he appeared in his first movie “Divine Love,” alongside Jackie Appiah, and Van Vicker.

He has since starred in a lot of Ghanaian and Nigerian movies such as; Silent Scandal, Crime to Christ, Agony of the Christ, 4 Play Reload among others.

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Mills picks nomination forms

It was almost impossible for motorists travelling on the Ring Road Central to get to the Kwame Nkrumah Circle because delegates and party sympathisers stormed the NDC headquarters to welcome the president, H.E. John Evans Attah Mills.

President Mills arrived at 10:30am with a massive crowd of people cheering him as his security officials struggled to get him into the premises of the headquarters.

He paid 500ghc as filing fee to the party’s General Secretary, Mr Aseidu Nketia, who presented the nomination forms to him at exactly 11:07am.

The President, after picking his nomination forms assured the former First Lady of a free and fair Congress come July 8. He was accompanied by several ministers of state as well as party functionaries.

“…I would like to use this occasion to wish Mrs Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings well, I would like her to know that like the true sportsman that I am, we will give her a clean fight but at the end of the day both of us will win…”

Mills together with the NDC delegates and other party sympathisers moved to Kuku Hill in Osu where he is expected to launch his campaign.

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I’ll bring the NDC back on track: Konadu Rawlings

A crowd of vibrant people – old and young – dressed in their ‘Nana Konadu for 2012’ round neck shirts and party colours, gave Nana Konadu Agyemang-Rawlings – a potential flagbearer of the NDC for 2012 elections – a breath taking welcome into the Accra Conference Centre.

When the former first lady mounted the stage to deliver her speech, she said: “I am indeed honoured by this massive show of support from across the length and breadth of Ghana towards a historic journey of hope and freedom not only for the NDC, but for our country Ghana.”

She noted that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) fought a good fight in 2008 and through the toil of millions across the country, the NDC managed to uproot a party that was shamelessly institutionalising corruption.


“We voted for a candidate who promised change and we all wanted that change. We had the conviction that once again, our country was going to benefit from the NDC ideals of probity, accountability, freedom and justice which are the bedrock of every nation. The governance we have experienced since 2009 does not inspire confidence or give Ghanaians any hope for the future.”

She stated that the current leadership has failed to pursue the NDC avowed commitment of defending the will of the people and establishing a government that is entrusted by the people. “A government with humility and sensitivity; a government devoid of arrogance and vindictiveness.”

“A true blooded NDC leadership does not buy support. A true blooded NDC leadership does not buy votes. We don’t buy votes, we work towards the votes. Indeed we don’t buy delegates.”
This tendency, she said, is destroying the spirit and the strength of the NDC and “it’s a shame”.

“As the party stands now, most Ghanaians are convinced beyond reasonable doubt that something dynamic and phenomenal has to happen in the NDC for 2012 victory. Yes, something phenomenal is going to happen and the most phenomenal thing that can happen is when the good people of Ghana, led first by the party delegates who carry the destiny of our party on their shoulders take a bold decision and call for real change on July 8, 9 and 10, when the party goes for congress in Sunyani.”

It can be recalled that Nana Konadu picked her nomination forms at the party headquarters on 3 May around 10:30am. It went down in the history books of Ghana that Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings is the first woman to pick a nomination form to contest a sitting president at the flagbearer ship level.

Mrs Rawlings said she performed that historic act because she feels the pain and despair that have engulfed the true supporters of the party.

“Having heard the cry of millions of our party supporters across the country, I cannot sit unconcerned and look on while our party, this party that you and I sacrificed to build. is brought crashing down on its knees by people who do not seem to have the growth of the party at heart.”

“The true NDC person knows that the time has come for a regeneration of the true spirit of devotion and loyalty of our party. The time has come to put an end to the politics that pursues division and return the NDC to a variable political party that will bring us together.”

As she brought her message to an end, she emphasised that; “I stand before you today to bring our party back on track”.

The founder of the NDC, Jerry John Rawlings explained when it was his turn to deliver his speech that since the day was for his wife, he was going to say two or three things and reserve the rest for June 4th.

He mentioned that: “the NDC started losing the 2012 election within the first week when they assumed power. We finally lost 8 months back and until we change gear, until we change the driver of this bus, we will lose the 2012 elections.”

“The congress slated for July should have taken place last year but when they conducted their search, they realised that this lady was going to beat them hands down. They changed it again to march and again to July. This time they can’t change it again. I supported Mills when all the people he put around him deserted him,” he said.

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Okyeame Kwame clears doubts over ‘Faithful’ song

Okyeame Kwame has cleared the storm of doubts over the ‘exact’ role he played in his latest hit song ‘faithful’.

He admitted on e.tv late night celebrity show that “yes it is true that Kwabena Kwabena sung in my ‘faithful’ song but he didn’t sing the whole chorus like people are saying.”

Bra Kwame confessed to Dzifa Smith, the host of the show that at the time when he was recording the song in the studio, Kwabena Kwabena walked into the studio to see the sound engineer. “….it was then that the sound engineer asked him to help me out with the ‘oooh oooh’ part of the song.”

“Since Kwabena is a very good friend of mine, he did not hesitate to help me out. We sung only that part together with Bertha and nothing else,” he said.
The ‘Rap Doctor’ as popularly known in the Ghanaian music industry found himself in the mist of allegations that he did not sing the chorus of the said song.
These claims intensified when Okyeame Kwame failed to sing his part of the chorus well at the just ended Ghana Music Awards festival where he performed the song with a live band.

A copy of the song’s promotional CD apportions no credit to Kwabena Kwabena as the name behind the voice of the lyrics.

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Ghana 1-1 England:As Gyan does his dance

In the history of football, Ghana is the fourth African country to have played at the Wembley Stadium and the first to have come out with a draw.

Wembley Stadium was flooded with Ghanaian fans from home and away as the match started. About 81,102 fans filled the stadium.

With Asamoah Gyan and Adiyah playing the striking position, the team constantly pressured the England for a goal but was to no avail.

England took the game to the Blacks Stars before the end of the first half when Andy Carrol fired a shot past Goalkeeper Richard Kingson.

The second half saw six substitutions for the Ghanaian side as Coach Goran Stevanovic made tactical changes to change the rhythm of the African game.The Black Stars again dominated the game in that half.

Gyan showed composure in the 91st minute to dribble Joleon Lescott on the edge of the area before curling a left-footer to far corner beyond the English Goalkeeper Joe Hart . The brilliant skill by Asamoah Gyan earned Ghana a share of the spoils at Wembley as he scored a late equaliser to deny England victory.

The international friendly ended in a 1-1 draw and England coach Capello in an interview after the match said: “I am happy because Ghana didn't play it like a friendly. The two teams on the pitch were really, really good. The players were strong in the tackle. I'm happy with the performance of the squad. The players played without fear and with confidence.”

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NHIA debunks Oxfam’s report

The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) today debunked the findings of the non-governmental humanitarian organisation, Oxfam International that the National Health Insurance Scheme on health care delivery in Ghana is unfair.

Briefing the Press on Thursday morning, the Chief Executive of the NHIA, Mr Sylvester A. Mensah stated emphatically that the report that was put forward by Oxfam was full of flaws.

Mr Mensah pointed out that the research methodology the organisation used to arrive at the conclusion of their report was totally flawed and further explained that the report did not describe the type of study that was taken neither did it state the sample size and the type of sampling adopted by study.

“Since the document was filled with factual inaccuracies, the NHIA had to come out to respond. Oxfam did not state the type of study they carried out. To make matters worse, the figures they used in their study also did not come from us,” Mr Mensah emphasised.

Oxfam’s report concluded that as at 31st December, 2009, the NHIS health delivery could be accessible to as low as 18 per cent with those excluded still paying user fees in the “cash and carry” system.

Mr Mensah noted that the mathematical formula used by the organisation to arrive at the membership data for the NHIS and health service utilisation by members was flawed.

“Indeed, until 2008, the denominator for calculating the percentage of the registered members was the 2004 population projection but this was always made clear when the figures for registration were presented. Accordingly, this is not at all a new discovery or revelation by Oxfam.”

“It is important to note that membership of a scheme such as the NHIS is not based on mathematical extrapolations but collation of names, addresses and critical bio-data of people which can be verified, and the fact that the researches did not exhaust the possibility of accessing such information, suggests a calculated effort to tarnish a home grown African initiative and underscores the poor quality of the research.”


He also noted that the personalities that the Oxfam report cited as support for the study, such as Mr Chris Atim have openly distanced themselves from the report through a written disclaimer.

It is purely evident that Oxfam international is out to find fault in Ghana’s National Health Insurance Scheme since the programme in gaining international acclaim as a potential model of healthcare financing in the world.

In November 2010, the NHIS was selected by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) for an award at its 2010 Global South-South Development Exposition held in Geneva, Switzerland for showing leadership in health insurance implementation in the developing world.

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I am the first hip life University graduate

Bice Osei Kuffuor, Known in music industry as Obour, is working on his new album and his 10th Anniversary celebration which is slated to be launched later in the year. In an interview, he said, he is the first Hip life musician to have gone on a nationwide tour in 2004 and 2005.


Apart from that, Obour mentioned also that he is the first Hip life musician to have graduated from University. The ‘Konkontiba’ hit maker has a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Music from the University of Ghana, Legon where he was in probably the most popular hall, Commonwealth Hall otherwise known as “the vandal city”.

According to him, “It has been 10 years filled with so many experiences. Such experiences include, 10 years of good music, devotion to the musicianship of Ghana and of service to social campaign. In all, it has been a wonderful revelation”.

Speaking about what inspired the lyrics of his songs, Obour revealed that because he grew up in Juaso in the Ashanti region among traditionalists like linguists, chiefs etc. it gave him the opportunity to do more inspirational traditional music. He said his traditionalist instincts, which are felt in his songs, are inspired from his childhood life history.

He added that, “I was born in Kumasi but I grew in Juaso. Because my Dad was a chief there, I grew up around a lot of tradition and culture.”

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Nyantakyi elected into CAF Executive Council

Kwesi Nyantakyi has been elected into the Executive council of CAF a while ago at the on-going 33rd CAF General Assembly being held in Khartoum, Sudan.
The results for the voting came a few minutes after the GFA boss cast his votes for the slot. KALUSHA BWALYA of Zambia and LEO TENGA of Tanzania were also elected onto CAF executive council.

Mr Nyantakyi as it stands now, is the first Ghanaian to secure a place on the Executive Committee since 1994 when Sam Okyere last served in the post.
Mr Nyantakyi, who is currently the president for the country’s Football Association, has an unbeaten record if it comes to contribution towards sports.

He masterminded Ghana’s first two World Cup appearances in which the country performed very well. Nyantakyi is also part of the recent successes of Ghana football at all levels including the youth level.

He endeared himself to the various African FA bosses with his affability, humility and his work ethic as compared to his main contender who has led Benin into chaos.

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NPP will do anything to come back into power

The editor of the Equirer newspaper, Raymond Archer says because the New Patriotic Party has tasted power before, they feel power must come back to them at all cost.

Speaking on Radio Gold’s Alhaji and Alhaji show on Saturday, Mr Archer explained that he has a feeling that what the people of Ghana want to see about a party in opposition is alternative leadership.

“It does not matter whether they provide alternative leadership or alternative policy that is credible or whatever, that thing the NPP have tasted is so important to them that they will do anything, as they have said in the past, to come back into power and that will make them lose power for a very very long time,” he said.

Commenting on the issue of the STX project, Mr Archer said he was happy for the President, John Evans Attah Mills and his vice, John Mahama and all the people who went through all they had to go through to get the project on course.

“I think if there is any project that this government appears to have gotten a lot of things right, from the start to where it now , then this could be one of those. The audacity to do this is incredible and I hope government will keep their eyes on this project.”

“I am very happy for our police officers and security officials, sometimes I wonder how they are able to deliver. I have always been in favour of government supporting the security service.”

Mr Archer noted that at least if the police and the security officials have the single spine and a decent place to lay their heads then he thinks they will deliver more than they are doing now.

Nii Ogbamey Tetteh

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