News
National Peace Council has a critical role to play in ensuring peaceful elections – Dr. Palgrave Boakye-Danquah
Former government spokesperson on governance and security, Dr. Palgrave Boakye-Danquah, has emphasised that the National Peace Council has a critical role to play in ensuring peaceful elections in Ghana.
He explained that engaging political actors was important because it reminded citizens that elections were about electing representatives in Parliament through a peaceful and violence-free process.
“If we say we are a country of peace, then this election must be another test to prove that. We must not repeat the unfortunate incidents we saw in Ablekuma North,” he said.
Dr. Boakye-Danquah added that investigations into the incident were ongoing and should be closely monitored.
in an interview with Channelone TV, he said the New Patriotic Party (NPP) had been working to remind constituents of the achievements of the late MP, Ernest Kumi.
He urged voters to support the NPP candidate, Solomon Kwame Asumadu, to continue Kumi’s legacy.
Dr. Boakye-Danquah rejected suggestions that the party was seeking sympathy votes, stressing that the NPP had already won the seat in the December 2024 general elections.
“The court case that dragged on for six months was only resolved three weeks before Ernest passed away. That shows clearly that the seat belongs to the NPP,” he stated.
He emphasised that while ensuring peace was a shared responsibility, the National Peace Council remained central in guiding political actors to maintain calm before, during, and after the polls.
By: Jacob Aggrey
News
Criminal and Seditious Libel Law was repealed in 2001 yet we still face harassment – NPP
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has criticised the government for what it calls a return to the “culture of silence” in Ghana, despite the repeal of the Criminal and Seditious Libel Law more than two decades ago.
In a press statement issued on Wednesday, the party said the arrest and detention of its Bono Regional Chairman, Kwame Baffoe, also known as Abronye, for allegedly insulting the Inspector General of Police (IGP) was the latest sign of political intimidation.
According to the NPP, eight months into President John Dramani Mahama’s administration, state security had been “weaponised” not to fight illegal mining or protect citizens, but to intimidate and punish dissenting voices.
The party said insecurity in areas such as Bawku, Nkwanta and Gbeniyiri in the Savannah Region had claimed more than 32 lives and displaced over 50,000 people, yet the police and national security were more focused on arresting opposition supporters and social media users for their posts.
The NPP noted that Ghana abolished the Criminal and Seditious Libel Law in 2001 under President John Agyekum Kufuor to protect free speech and media freedoms.
It described the recent arrests of opposition members as an erosion of those democratic gains.
The party said it did not condone insults or vulgar language in public discourse but stressed that anyone who felt defamed should seek redress through civil defamation suits, not criminal prosecution.
It also accused the government of undermining the judiciary by “weaponising” it against political opponents, citing the removal of the Chief Justice.
“The growing climate of intimidation and criminalisation of speech is a serious assault on Ghana’s democracy,” the statement signed by NPP General Secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong said.
The NPP called on all Ghanaians to resist what it described as a return to tyranny and pledged to roll out a series of actions to protect the country’s democratic gains.
By: Jacob Aggrey
News
NIA opens Premium Centres to register children
The National Identification Authority (NIA) has started registering Ghanaian children aged between six and 14 years at all its Premium Centres across the country.
The Authority says the exercise is part of its duty to register every Ghanaian, both at home and abroad, so that all citizens can have a secure and verifiable national identity.
It explained in a statement issued today that the registration will help build a complete and inclusive National Identity Register (NIR) that captures every Ghanaian from childhood.
According to the NIA, the fee for first-time registration at Premium Centres is GHS 310, which is the approved charge for premium services.
The Authority said the requirements are the same as for applicants aged 15 years and above.
It affirmed that Parents or legal guardians were required to present either a valid Ghanaian passport of the child, the original copy of the child’s birth certificate, or be a Ghana Card holder who can vouch for the child.
The NIA also announced that from Monday, September 15, 2025, its online registration and booking system will be extended to the remaining 11 Premium Centres nationwide.
This it said will allow parents and guardians to schedule appointments more conveniently and avoid delays at the centres.
It further stated that information on the issuance of Ghana Cards for children aged six to 14 years who had already registered will be shared later.
In the coming weeks, the Authority plans to extend this registration service to all NIA District Offices to make it easier for more people to access the service.
By: Jacob Aggrey
