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  • GBA boss files suit to challenge ex-gratia to MPs

    GBA boss files suit to challenge ex-gratia to MPs

    The Brong Ahafo regional Chairman of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) Alfred Tuah Yeboah has filed a suit at the Supreme Court challenging the retiring package paid every four years to Members of Parliament on expiration of a Parliament.

    According to him, the treatment given to MPs is not in conformity with the 1992 constitution.

    “If you’re an MP and you take your retirement benefit it means that you’re now out of parliament that is the essence of retirement. Who in Ghana has gone on retirement three, four, or five times. If that was the intention of article 71, then that will mean that all Superior Court Judges will have to retire every four years, take their benefits and come back.

    “A judge will take his retirement benefit when he/she gets to his retirement age of either 65 or 70, but MPs take it every four years…I think it’s unconscionable and that is not a rational of article 71, finetune it and make sure that people do not benefit unduly under the guise of retiring every four years.”

    Presently retiring Supreme Court and High Court Judges, the President and his vice and outgoing ministers and MPs are paid huge retiring packages popularly known as ex-gratia but MPs are paid such monies every four years.

  • Mahama holds last cabinet meeting today

    Mahama holds last cabinet meeting today

     

    President John Mahama is holding his last cabinet meeting as president of the republic today Tuesday, January 3,2017.

    He is set to hand over to president-elect, Nana Akufo-Addo, who led the NPP into the 2016 elections, on Saturday January 7.

    Mr. Mahama, who was vice president,  became president in July 2012 following the sudden death of his boss, professor John Evans Atta Mills.

    He subsequently contested the 2012 presidential elections and beat Nana Addo by some 300 thousands votes.

    His administration, although can boast of massive nationwide infrastructural development, has been plagued by reports and speculation of corruption.

    He lost the 2016 elections to the former foreign affairs minister by some 1.5 million votes making him the first one-term president since the coming to being of Ghana’s 1992 constitution.

     

     

     

     

  • Relocation of GNPC “not well thought through” – ACEP

    Relocation of GNPC “not well thought through” – ACEP

    The incoming government’s plans to relocate the headquarters of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) to the Western region is not prudent, the Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP) has stated.

    The President-elect Nana Akufo-Addo during the electioneering and his visit to the Western Regional House of Chiefs in Sekondi to thank the chiefs for their support said: “The commitments that we have made are commitments that are going to be fulfilled. They were not platform or campaign talk. They were full commitments that we made… We are going to relocate the headquarters of GNPC to this region.”

    But speaking at a media interaction in Accra, the Head of Policy Unit of ACEP, Dr. Ishmael Ackah described the move as “not well thought through because very soon we are going to produce oil in the Volta Region so are we going to shift GNPC from the Western Region to the Volta Region.”

    He thus urged the incoming government  to “maintain GNPC here and rather open a subsidiary office probably for operations in the Western Region. What we can also suggest is that instead of GNPC, we can rather move Petroleum Commission which is the regulator to the Western Region.”

     

     

     

     

  • Frema Opare is Akufo-Addo’s Chief of Staff

    Frema Opare is Akufo-Addo’s Chief of Staff

     

    StarrFMonline.com can state on authority  that barring any last minute changes, former Member  of Parliament for the Ayawaso West Wugoon constituency Frema Opare will be announced  Chief of Staff for the incoming Akufo-Addo government.

    StarrFMonline.com sources say all  necessary negotiations for the appointment  of Ghana’s first main female Chief of Staff  have already been concluded.

    She will be assisted in a deputy position by Abu Jinapor, who is brother to the outgoing deputy Power minister, John Jinapor.

    Already, Nana Addo has stated that celebrated heart surgeon Professor Kwabena Frimpong Boateng will be his minister for Environment Science and Technology.

    The Akufo-Addo government will be sworn into office on Saturday January 7, at the Black Star Square in Accra.

     

     

     

  • Avram Grant names 26-man squad for AFCON 2017

    Avram Grant names 26-man squad for AFCON 2017

    Coach of the senior national team  Avram Grant has announced   a 26-man provisional squad for the 2017 African Cup of Nations Cup competition.

    Skipper Asamoah Gyan leads the team which will camp at the UAE  before travelling to Gabon on January 13 for the AFCON.

    Below is the list:

    Goalkeepers: Razak Braimah (Cordoba, Spain), Adam Kwarasey (Rosenborg, Norway) Richard Ofori (Wa All Stars)

    Defenders: Harrison Afful (Columbus Crew, USA), Andy Yiadom (Barnsley, England), Baba Rahman (Schalke, Germany), Frank Acheampong (Anderlecht, Belgium), (John Boye (Sivasspor, Turkey), Jonathan Mensah (Anzhi, Russia), Daniel Amartey (Leicester City, England), Edwin Gyimah (Orlando Pirates, South Africa)

    Midfielders: Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu (Udinese, Italy), Afriyie Acquah (Torino, Italy), Thomas Partey (Atletico Madrid, Spain) Mubarak Wakaso (Panathinaikos, Greece), Christian Atsu (Newcastle, England), Ebenezer Ofori (AIK Stockholm, Sweden), Samuel Tetteh (Leifering, Austria), Joseph Larweh Attamah (Ba?ak?ehir, Turkey)

    Forwards: Asamoah Gyan (Al Ahli, UAE) Jordan Ayew (Aston Villa, England), Abdul-Majeed Waris (Lorient, France), Andre Ayew (West Ham, England), Ebenezer Assifuah (Sion, Switzerland), Bernard Tekpetey (Schalke, Germany), Rahpael Dwamena (Austria Lustenau, Austria)

     

     

  • Era of prosperity beckons – Nana Addo

    Era of prosperity beckons – Nana Addo

     

     

    President-elect Nana Akufo-Addo says he is hopeful Ghana will be moving back to the times of prosperity, as he prepares to take over the reins of the state.

    According to him,  his administration will require oneness of purpose and unity among Ghanaians in order for the country to rise to its pride of place.

    “It’s time that Ghana went to an era of prosperity so that all our people can feel the goodness of this country and that is what hopefully is coming this year. Oneness of purpose; and we are prepared to work hard and lift our country up and bring prosperity to our nation.

    “We have a lot of work to do ahead of this year and we are praying that there will be unity amongst us, oneness of purpose so that we can get our country going again,” Nana Addo told journalists at the Ridge Church on year’s eve.

    The investiture of the former attorney general and his vice Mahamudu Bawumia will take place on Saturday January 7, at the Black Star Square in Accra.

    The veteran politician defeated President John Mahama who was seeking a second term in office on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress.

    Mr. Mahama, who was vice president before ascending the presidency following the death of his boss, John Mills, is the first President to have served one term under the 1992 constitution.

     

    Source: Ghana/StarrFMonline.com/103.5FM

  • E/R: Man stabbed to death

    E/R: Man stabbed to death

    A young man has been stabbed to death in Koforidua in the Eastern region of Ghana.

    The yet to be identified young man was stabbed on his chest by his assailant at around 12:30am on December 31, 2016. The incident occurred close to Dadys Bar – a popular drinking bar and pub in Koforidua.

    According to Starr News’ Eastern regional correspondent, Kojo Ansah, the deceased was found bleeding profusely and battling for his life at the roadside near the bar.

    Distress calls were placed to the New Juaben Municipal police command and immediately the Police Patrol team rushed to the scene and conveyed the victim to the hospital, however, passed on a few minutes after arrival at the Koforidua Government Hospital.

    The New Juaben Municipal Police Commander, Superintendent Richardson Kumekor, confirmed the incident to Starr News, but said investigation has commenced into the incident.

    The body of the young man, who is reported to be a resident of Batom, a suburb in New Juaben Municipality, has been deposited at the morgue.

  • Frimpong Boateng to be Environment minister

    President-elect Nana Akufo-Addo has dropped hints he will appoint renowned heart surgeon Dr Kwabena Frimpong Boateng as Environment, Science and Technology minister when he assumes power next week, Saturday January 7.

    Nana Addo also suggested Dome-Kwabenya MP Adwoa Sarfo will also have a place in his yet to be  announced government.

    The President-elect made drooped the hints when he spoke at the 36th Annual Technology Exhibition of Kristo Asafo in Accra.

    The incoming NPP administration led by Akufo-Addo will be sworn into office on January 7.

    Akufo-Addo and the NPP beat President John Mahama and the NDC by some 1.5 million votes in the December 7, 2016 polls.

    The opposition party also took over parliament in the elections that shook the umbrella family.

  • Let our past guide our future – Mahama to Ghanaians

    Outgoing President John Mahama has expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to serve as President of the country over the last four years.

    According to him, it has been a blessing to occupy such a position in his life.

    “It has been a blessing serving this great nation as President. I thank you, each and every Ghanaian, and God almighty for the privilege,” Mr. Mahama said in a New Year message.

    He however called on Ghanaians to ensure that their past guides their future in the management of the country.

    “The year 2017 marks our 60th year as a sovereign nation, it is my hope that we look to our past to help guide us into our future.  The world around us changing at a very fast pace.

    “In order to remain relevant on the world stage, we must keep up with those changes. We must recognize that we can forge ahead in this changing world only by consensual agreement on all the challenges we face, irrespective of our ethnic, religious, or partisan affiliation”.

    The President also extended his well wishes to the incoming president and his family.

    Below are details of the new year message by the President

    2017 NEW YEAR MESSAGE
    BY HE JOHN DRAMANI MAHAMA-
    PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF GHANA

    Good morning fellow Ghanaians,
    Once again we’ve entered a new year, a year in which our beloved Ghana will turn 60.

    Families and friends have come together to celebrate God’s free gift of life to us; even as we continue to hope and plan for a brighter tomorrow for ourselves and future generations.

    Join me to give thanks and praise to God for a successful election. I congratulate Ghanaians for collectively ensuring the peace and stability of our country. We have every reason to be proud of our achievements.

    In this season of love, sharing, goodwill and reflection, I am thankful for our time together and for what we have accomplished.

    Together we have conceived and nurtured our nation’s dreams of prosperity for all. Together we have sown the seeds of solid growth and sustainable development, much of which is abundantly evident by the degree of social and economic transformation that has taken place all around us these past four years.

    So here we stand today, having entered 2017, the year in which our beloved Ghana will turn 60. Here we stand today, recognized as the beacon of democracy and socio economic progress on the African continent.

    We recognize that Ghana’s success is our collective success. And, likewise, Ghana’s failure is our failure.

    The year 2017 marks our 60th year as a sovereign nation, it is my hope that we look to our past to help guide us into our future. The world around us changing at a very fast pace.

    In order to remain relevant on the world stage, we must keep up with those changes. We must recognize that we can forge ahead in this changing world only by consensual agreement on all the challenges we face, irrespective of our ethnic, religious, or partisan affiliation.

    My brothers and sisters,
    Let us move forward into this New Year as one nation, let us pray for the wellbeing, longevity and prosperity of our nation.

    It has been a blessing serving this great nation as President.
    I thank you, each and every Ghanaian, and God almighty for the privilege.

    I wish you, all, a joyous 2017.

    To the incoming President and his family; my family and I wish you God’s blessings.

    May time continue to be a friend to our nation’s progress.

    And may God continue to bless us all and our homeland Ghana.

    Source:Ghana/StarrFMonline.com/103.5FM

  • NDC’s “painful” defeat self-inflicted – Rawlings

    NDC’s “painful” defeat self-inflicted – Rawlings

     

    Former President JJ Rawlings has stated that the NDC’s defeat in the December 7, election was self-inflicted.

    According to him,  the party, before the elections, had departed from the core principles that birthed it, hence defeat was unavoidable.

    In a message during this year’s 31st December revolution commemoration, Mr. Rawlings said the party ignored several warnings and caution to get back on track and to its true character.

    “Most people are yet to recover from the traumatic shock of the December 7th election results. But I will have to state that if we turn our backs to our history us a party, we cannot escape the responsibility for the result. Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat their mistakes over and over again,” he said.

    He continued : “Need I remind you that the NDC was built on principles and values that emerged as a result of circumstances that led to our birth?

    “The NDC’s painful and massive rejection at the polls is indicative that we have lost the moral high ground that sets us apart from others. Great lengths were taken to draw the attention of the party as a collective but none of it will be tolerated or accommodated.

    “We lost the elections way before the 7th of December. We persistently and unrepentantly stayed on the slippery slope to the humiliating defeat despite the several warning lights right in our faces. My honest wish was for corrective measures to be taken to avert this electoral disaster”.

    The NDC lost the December 7, elections to the main opposition New Patriotic Party by some 1.5 million votes.

    Mr. Rawlings who founded the NDC did not take part in their campaign ahead of the polls.