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Fix depreciating Cedi and stop dancing off-beat – Ato Forson to Bawumia
The Minority in Parliament has expressed concern over the ongoing challenges facing the Ghana Cedi, warning that the situation is likely to deteriorate further.
They highlighted that the local currency now trading at GH₵15 against a dollar has led to traders passing on the increased costs to consumers.
This has resulted in a noticeable surge in the prices of goods and services across various commercial districts such as Okaishie, Abossey Okai, and Kejetia.
Addressing journalists in Parliament on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, the Minority Leader Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson criticised the Chairman of Economic Management Team, Dr. Bawumia, for what he perceives as a failure to address the currency’s depreciation effectively.
Dr. Ato Forson emphasised the adverse impact of the Cedi’s decline on businesses, stressing the need for urgent action to stabilise the situation.
The former Deputy Finance Minister urged all well-meaning Ghanaians to hold Dr. Bawumia accountable for his performance as the head of the Economic Management Team.
He argued that Dr. Bawumia’s administration has fallen short in managing the economic challenges, particularly regarding the stability of the Cedi.
According to him, “In spite of the huge inflows of foreign exchange from the IMF and the World Bank, into the Ghanaian economy, and I’m talking of billions of Ghana cedis, billions of US dollars, the government’s action and its management of the cedi have continued to fuel steep depreciation with no end in sight unfortunately.”
“So far, the decisions of the Economic Management Team, chaired by our Vice President Alhaji Bawumia leaves a lot to be desired. The reality of the Ghanaian economy today exposes the credentials of the so-called economic wizkid who was marketed as the saviour of Ghana’s economy. Alhaji Bawumia’s credibility is now in tatters,” he noted.
“I want to use this opportunity to urge the Vice President to quit his off-beat dancing on the campaign trail and focus on the dancing cedi. There’s a lot awaiting our country as a result of reckless mismanagement by Alhaji Bawumia’s government,” he said.
The Minority’s remarks come amidst growing concerns among traders and consumers regarding the continuous depreciation of the Cedi and its ripple effects on the cost of living.
Many traders have been forced to adjust their prices upwards to offset the increased exchange rates, further burdening consumers already grappling with economic challenges.
Source: Citinewsroom.com
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Focus on more pressing issues like Galamsey, not hate speech – Ellen Ama Daaku to Mahama
An aide to former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia,Ellen Ama Daaku has advised President John Dramani Mahama to shift his attention from social media hate speech to more urgent national issues such as illegal mining.
Speaking in an interview, she noted that the President’s recent comments about tracking the IP addresses of people who spread hate speech were unnecessary.
According to her, President Mahama must first define what he considers to be hate speech before seeking to punish people for it.
Ms. Daaku argued that the President himself had benefitted from hate speech and social media attacks in the past when he was in opposition.
She said even during his time in government, he described his opponents and their tribesmen in unpalatable terms, which later drew complaints from former President Nana Akufo-Addo to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference.
She stressed that harsh criticism of leaders on social media should not automatically be considered hate speech, adding that former leaders, including former President Nana Akufo-Addo had all been subjected to it.
“He is only feeling what Nana Akufo-Addo went through for eight years,” she remarked.
While acknowledging the need to regulate misconduct online, Ms. Daaku insisted that going after social media activists should not be a priority.
She noted that many political activists, including herself, had been insulted and attacked online but never called for arrests.
She concluded that President Mahama should focus his energy on solving pressing problems such as galamsey and the economy instead of concentrating on critics on social media.
By: Jacob Aggrey
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Prof Alidu Seidu files nomination for Tamale Central seat
The newly elected parliamentary candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for Tamale Central, Prof Alidu Seidu, has submitted his nomination forms to the Electoral Commission.
As of 10:00 a.m. today, he was the only person who had filed to contest the seat.
Nomination of candidates will close at the end of the day.
Associate Professor and Head of the Political Science Department at the University of Ghana Legon, Prof. Alidu Seidu won the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary primaries in the Tamale Central constituency with a landslide victory.
The elections, supervised by the party’s Elections and IT Directorate in the Northern Region, saw Prof. Seidu poll 840 votes out of the total valid ballots cast.
His closest contender, Lawyer Hanan Gundadow Abdul-Rahaman, secured 536 votes.
The other aspirants could not make significant gains, with Dr. Seidu Fiter obtaining 44 votes, Aliu Abdul-Hamid 23 votes, and the rest recording fewer than 10 votes each.
In all, 1,500 ballots were cast, with 6 ballots rejected and 7 spoilt ballots recorded.
The results were signed and declared by Dr. Arnold Mashud Abukari, NDC Northern Regional Director of Elections and IT.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) held parliamentary primaries in Tamale Central to choose a candidate for the upcoming by-election following the death of the sitting Member of Parliament, Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed. Dr. Mohammed, who also served as Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, tragically died in a military helicopter crash in the Adansi Akrofuom District on August 6, 2025, alongside seven others.
His passing left the Tamale Central seat vacant, as required by Ghana’s 1992 Constitution.
The Electoral Commission has scheduled the by-election for September 30, 2025. While the NDC moved quickly to open nominations and vet aspirants, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) announced it would not contest the seat, citing the need to respect the somber circumstances and promote national unity.
By: Jacob Aggrey
