Unlike their Western counterparts, Africans take elections very seriously — rising up early to queue patiently in line for hours under the hot sun and cast their ballots. Any misguided attempt to nullify or steal their votes will evoke (more…)
Posts Tagged ‘ghana’
What Ghana can teach the rest of Africa about democracy
Posted: December 6, 2012 in Africa, Economy, Europe, Ghana, Politics, WorldTags: africa, congo, cpp, George Ayittey, ghana, Institute of Economic Affairs, john mahama, Nana Akufo-Addo, NDC, ndp, New Patriotic, Non-governmental organization, Npp, pnc
How tribalism stunts African democracy
Posted: November 28, 2012 in Africa, Economy, Politics, WorldTags: africa, BBC World Service, botswana, chad, democracy, Democratic Republic of the Congo, dr congo, ethipia, ghana, kenya, lesotho, liberia, morroco, nigeria, rwanda, swaziland, tanzania, United States, Washington DC, zimbabwe
The challenge to democracy in Africa is not the prevalence of ethnic diversity, but the use of identity politics to (more…)
African viewpoint: Election campaigns, Ghana-style
Posted: November 23, 2012 in Africa, Economy, Ghana, Politics, WorldTags: ghana, Ho West, John Dramani Mahama, Kwame Nkrumah, Nana Akufo-Addo, National Democratic Congress, New Patriotic Party, United Gold Coast Convention
We are in the midst of furious campaigning ahead of presidential and parliamentary elections on 7 December. Every available space is covered with billboards, posters and flags.
As there are eight presidential candidates, the number of posters that can be squeezed around one light pole on a street is best left to the imagination. The decibel level around the country generally has gone up and we cannot hear each other talk or, if truth be told, we do not want to hear each other because, to quote a friend, our minds are made up and we do not want to be confused with facts. Political campaigning in Ghana has its own rules and quirks. (more…)
Ghana Elections_NPP to win by 52% says Polls
Posted: November 20, 2012 in Africa, Economy, Ghana, Politics, WorldTags: africa, December 7, ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo, National Democratic Congress, NDC, New Patriotic Party, Npp
The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) will sweep approximately 52 per cent of the total votes in the December 7 presidential polls, while its rival, the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) will get 46.9 per cent of the votes, a local research group, Marketing Social Research International (MSRI), has said.
The findings show that the other smaller parties would barely make one per cent of the collective votes.
The research was conducted between September and October 2012 across all the 230 constituencies in Ghana. (more…)
The Bravery Behind The Mask_Kwasi Afari Mintah_My Story
Posted: November 19, 2012 in Africa, Europe, Ghana, Politics, WorldTags: ghana, ghanaian, King, London, London King's Cross railway station, London Underground, Putney, Sunday, Victoria Line
He is the most badly burned survivor of the King’s Cross fire after his face melted away and his fingers fused together when he was hit by a 600C fireball.
But survivor Kwasi Afari Minta, a Ghanaian – whose face became the enduring image of the disaster – has said: ‘I feel lucky’.
The fire on November 18, 1987, killed 31 people and injured more than 60 others. The King’s Cross fire victim had to wear a medical mask to help skin grafts and treatment of his melted face after he was severely burnt
Bravery behind the mask: Kwasi Afari Minta, who was the most badly burned of the King’s Cross survivors, says he feels lucky
Hundreds were trapped underground as black smoke poured through the tunnels as panicking crowds, screaming in terror, hammered on trains which rushed past platforms without stopping.
Those that managed to survive from the furnace-like heat and smoke have since spoken of their horror 100ft below ground.
Kwasi was one of the survivors, but he has felt the pain ever since. (more…)
Ghana Elections Focus: Campaign Resumes after Mall Disaster in Ghana
Posted: November 14, 2012 in Africa, Economy, Ghana, Politics, WorldTags: ghana, Great Consolidated Popular Party, Institute of Economic Affairs, John Dramani Mahama, Nana Akufo-Addo, National Democratic Congress, New Patriotic Party, Progressive Peoples Party
Three presidential candidates have resumed rigorous campaigning in the regions, as they approach the homestretch of the December polls, after suspending their political campaign to commiserate with victims of the Achimota Melcom supermarket disaster. President John Mahama of the National Democratic Congress ((NDC),Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party(NPP)and Dr.Michael Abu Sakara of the Covention People’s Party (CPP) all abandoned their campaign tours in various parts of the country and rushed to Accra to witness rescue operations at the Melcom supermarket disaster spot and console families of victims. (more…)
How to Rob Africa_a must Read!!!….and a must Watch!!
Posted: November 10, 2012 in Africa, Economy, Europe, Politics, WorldTags: africa, america, ghana, Money laundering, nigeria, North Africa, off shore, People & Power, Robert Mugabe, south africa, Tendai Biti, the west, United States, west, zimbabwe, Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front
The world’s wealthy countries often criticise African nations for corruption – especially that perpetrated by those among the continent’s government and business leaders who abuse their positions by looting tens of billions of dollars in national assets or the profits from state-owned enterprises that could otherwise be used to relieve the plight of some of the world’s poorest peoples. (more…)
Africa Is Rising! At Least Its 1 Percent Is.
Posted: November 4, 2012 in Africa, Economy, Politics, WorldTags: africa, botswana, democracy, development, disease, egypt, ghana, Human Development Index, human rights, inequality, jobs, Mo Ibrahim, nigeria, poverty, rich, south africa, Sovereign Wealth Fund, Sub-Saharan Africa
“What we need in Africa is balanced development. Economic success cannot be a replacement for human rights or participation, or democracy … it (more…)
Romney Has Temper Tantrum, Admits Anti-Choice Positions
Posted: November 3, 2012 in KASA Videos, WorldTags: democrats, elections, ghana, Mitt Romney, mormon, mormonism, obama, religion, republicans, tantrum, usa
Anger at Ghana salary increases for Politicians
Posted: November 3, 2012 in Africa, Ghana, Politics, WorldTags: BBC, ghana, increase, John Atta Mills, John Dramani Mahama, kenya, Mahama, Member of Parliament, MP's, President Mahama, salary, wage, west africa
A significant increase in salaries for Ghana’s president, ministers and other top officials has been criticised by anti-corruption campaigners.
Parliament agreed to the pay rise earlier this week in a session that was not televised.
Last month President John Dramani Mahama authorised an increase in MPs’ pay.
The BBC’s Sammy Darko in Ghana says both rises will be backdated to 2009 – which has caused a public outcry.
Our reporter says news of the pay increase, agreed by MPs for the (more…)