Mahama and NDC have neglected us – Mills’s people cry

Residents of the Ekumfi Constituency of the Central region, the home constituency of late President John Evans Atta Mills, have lashed out at President John Mahama and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for neglecting the people of the area, despite the sacrifices and loyalty of the people and their son [Mills] to the NDC since the onset of the 4th Republic.

The people of Ekumfi expressed these concerns when the running mate of the NPP, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia visited the Ekumfi constituency on the second day of his Central Regional Tour.

Speaking at Narkwa in the Ekumfi Constituency, Seidu Adams, a leading member of the NDC in the constituency who recently defected to join the NPP Campaign lamented the plight of the people of Ekumfi and how the NDC had shown total disregard for the people of the area, despite the fact that the Ekumfi Constituency had voted for the NDC since 1992.

“The NDC has not shown good faith to the people of the Ekumfi Constituency. It is as if they don’t realise that Prof. Mills was from here. Let me tell you a bit about myself, I began my activism for the NDC in the Gomoa East Constituency, which has today been split into two constituencies. I was a Polling Station Chairman, I was a Communication Officer, a Constituency communication officer amongst others. In 2004, I was named as part of the National Organization Committee which was Chaired by Samuel Ofosu Ampofo. We worked hard in 2004 but didn’t win and eventually won in 2008.

Listen to Seidu Adams here

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“I will focus on Ekumfi, for the last 24 years, Ekumfi has only voted for the NDC, we have stuck with the NDC and so my brothers and sisters, if we all admit that things are hard in Ekumfi and that we have not received our fair share of development, can’t we blame anyone but the NDC? It is clear that the NDC has failed the people of Ekumfi”, Adams added. 

Continuing, Adams disclosed that he could no longer be part of a Party that continues to neglect his people and one where the top brass enrich themselves while the masses who support them continue to suffer. 

“As I speak, I am a Regional Communications Team member for the NDC, I am also part of the Regional Organization Committee and a Regional Zongo Caucus Communications Officer and I am telling you that the NDC has failed us. I told Allotey Jacobs that I will no longer be part of a team that has disappointed my people so much and made it clear to him that I will not only support the NPP Parliamentary Candidate, Ato Cudjoe, but that I will be at the forefront of the Campaign to vote out the NDC’, he stated to a loud applause from the hundreds gathered. 

Coastal Development Authority to Oversee Development of Coastal Areas

Dr. Bawumia on his part noted that it was unfortunate that many areas across the country continue to be plagued with basic developmental challenges and stark poverty, despite the enormous resources that had poured into the country recently and despite the hard work of the Ghanaian people.  

He disclosed that the NPP’s vision for the country was aimed at fixing the basic developmental issues that affects millions of Ghanaians especially in rural communities and said that the Coastal Development Authority to be established by a Nana Akufo-Addo government, will be resourced and tasked to tackle head-on, the basic development needs of Constituencies along the coast like Ekumfi. 

“God willing, when the NPP is elected into office, the Coastal Development Authority to be established and which will oversee the $1million per constituency allocations from the Capital Expenditure with regards to Coastal Constituencies, will ensure that many of your issues can directly be tackled so your lives can improve.

“With an equivalent of $1million or GHC4 million for the Ekumfi Constituency every year will lead to a major transformation in your lives. Moreover the Coastal Development Authority will also ensure that our fishing becomes more worthwhile with facilities and the needed support for fishing”, he said. 

Touching on the One District, One Factory Policy of Nana Akufo-Addo, which he indicated was one of the many policies that will lead to job creation for the youth, Dr. Bawumia pointed out that the youth of Ekumfi will greatly benefit from the sitting of such a factory especially because of the potential of the Constituency to become a hub for salt production and its allied industries.  

Listen to Dr Bawumia here

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Sandra targets topscorer award - FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup

Black Maidens captain, Sandra Owusu-Ansah says she is targeting the top scorer award at this year’s FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup which will kick off at the weekend.

The Ghana lead striker, who was in the 2014 squad that lost on penalties to Italy, says management’s decision to bring the team to Jordan a week ahead of the tournament has paid off and has helped them adapt to the weather conditions.

According to her, personally, it has also helped her improve in terms of performance and is hoping to do better than she did in Costa Rica two years ago.

Sandra, who was then just 14 years in 2014, scored a very wonderful goal in Ghana’s game against Korea DPR and her performance on the day saw her win the best player award for that particular match.

“Training has gone on very well for us in Jordan and it has really helped because we are now used to the weather conditions here,” the Ghana skipper said in an interview with Ghanafa.org.

“For us, as a team our collective objective is to do better than the 2012 squad that won bronze. We want to qualify from the group stage and focus on finishing as winners or at least runners up at the tournament,” the Ghana skipper said.

“Just as I scored that goal to win best player award two years ago, this year I am targeting to score more and hopefully emerge as top scorer of the tournament”.

Sandra also called for the support of all Ghanaians as the team goes into their opening match against defending champions Japan on Saturday October 1.

“We know the Japanese are good at possessing the ball so our strategy against them in the opening match will be to defend very well and keep the ball away from them,” she concluded.

Ghana’s U-17 female side will open their World Cup campaign at the Prince Mohammed International in Al Zarqa on Saturday.

Kevin Hart is highest-paid comedian

Kevin Hart certainly has a lot to laugh about. The funnyman has just topped the Forbes magazine list of the highest-paid comedians with earnings of $87.5 million.

The 37-year-old has dethroned longtime earnings leader Jerry Seinfeld, who made $43.5 million.

This year, Kevin has appeared in the movies Central Intelligence, Ride Along 2 and Secret Life Of Pets.

He has also been taking part in his lucrative What Now? comedy tour.

The magazine compiled the estimated income from June 2015 to June 2016.

Amy Schumer made her list debut, landing in fourth place behind Terry Fator with earnings of $17 million.

The 35-year-old is the only woman to ever make the highest-paid comedians list.

Jeff Dunham was in fifth with $13.5 million, Dave Chapelle was next with $13 million and Jim Gaffigan earned $12.5 million for seventh place.

It's set to be another successful year for Kevin, who is currently filming the Jumanji sequel alongside Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Karen Gillan, Nick Jonas and Jack Black.

The movie, which comes more than 20 years after the release of the 1995 original which starred Robin Williams, is scheduled for release in July 2017.

In the meantime, Kevin is working on an as yet untitled stand-up TV series and has two movies in the works.

He will be starring opposite Bryan Cranston in upcoming comedy/drama The Untouchables, and is also voicing a character in next year's animated Captain Underpants movie.

NDP to contest 22 seats in Ashanti

National Democratic Party (NDP) Logo

The National Democratic Party (NDP) has stated that it is ready to contest 22 parliamentary seats in the Ashanti Region in this year’s election.

It has already picked parliamentary forms for the areas, and the Regional Chairman, Mr. James Owusu Ansah, has predicted a strong showing in the polls.

He told the Ghana News Agency in Kumasi that their numbers kept swelling by the day and that they remained confident of success at the polls.

Election Campaign team

He said the party had put together its election campaign team and was firmly on the ground assisting voters to understand why they should trust the party with their votes.

The NDP is campaigning on job creation, education, building and revamping factories.

He said Ghana under the party’s watch would ensure transparency and bring efficiency into the management of the nation’s resources to create wealth and employment opportunities for the people.

Adding value

Mr Owusu Ansah gave the assurance that factories would be built along the coastal areas to mine salt and add value to the commodity for export.

He said the NDP government would revamp over 60 processing plants set up by the 31st December Movement, an NGO, led by its standard-bearer, Mrs. Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings.

He mentioned, among others, the gari and palm nut processing factories in Asuofua, Saaman and Barekese.

Mr Owusu Ansah appealed to voters, especially women, to vote for the NDP, who he said had better understanding of what their real needs were and how to resolve them.