Category: Foreign

Agency Reporter

U.S. President Donald Trump called the speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives twice asking for assistance in revising his election loss in the state, media reported.

According to The Washington Post, the office of House Speaker Bryan Cutler confirmed these calls.

Pennsylvania is the third state after Georgia and Michigan, where Trump directly attempted to overturn the election results, the outlet noted.

Cutler reportedly told Trump that the state’s legislative authorities were not authorised to change the composition of the Electoral College selected by voting.

•  Why Trump might just fade away

• Pennsylvania, Nevada certify election results in favour of Biden

The winner of the U.S. presidential election, held on Nov. 3, is yet to be officially declared, but all major U.S. media outlets have named Democrat Joe Biden the winner.

Earlier, Trump announced that he had instructed his team to start the transition process, but still promised to continue his attempts to dispute the validity of the vote.

(Sputnik/NAN)

By Bola Olajuwon, Foreign Affairs Editor

 

 

GHANA’S voters yesterday went to the poll in tight presidential and parliamentary elections.

The exercise was characterised by allegations of malpractices from the camps of the country’s two dominant parties and shooting of two persons.

Counting of ballots and tallying of votes, however, continued into the evening after early closure of voting in most of the polling booths.

It was the country’s eighth election in the Fourth Republic. The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the major opposition party, National Democratic Congress (NDC), are head-to-head in the polls.

The allegation of  malpractices originated from the NDC as the party accused the ruling NPP of allegedly stuffing ballot boxes with thump-printed ballots purportedly in favour of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

NDC Director of Elections Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, at a news conference yesterday afternoon, alleged that the ballot-stuffing happened in Ejisu in the Ashanti Region, Circle in Accra and Bimbilla in the Northern.

He alleged that an NPP constituency chairman supervised the alleged ballot stuffing.

The NDC Director also alleged that the security agencies intentionally did not deploy many security officers to regions such as the Ashanti Region to undermine the process.

According to Ankrah, the police were ordered not to escort ballot boxes to collation centres.

He called on NDC supporters and Ghanaians to be vigilant and follow the ballot boxes to ensure that they were not tampered with before they arrived at the collation centres.

Also after casting his vote yesterday, NDC presidential candidate and former President John Dramani Mahama lamented the removal of some voters’ names from the voter register.

Mahama, who is contesting against his successor and incumbent President, said: “These (names missing from the roll and the breakdown of some machines) are some of the little things we kept complaining about. I mean the electoral commission said it had eliminated 30,000 names, without saying whose names they were.

“So now, we stand vindicated because these are issues we were warning the commission about, that on the day, the verification machines might not work because they failed to deploy and test them during the exhibition.”

The opposition candidate also maintained that he would keep his calm and promised not to generalise issues since the electoral process was smoothly operated.

But, the ruling NPP accused the opposition NDC of whipping up tribal sentiments for electoral gains in the elections.

Addressing a news conference in Accra, the party’s deputy campaign manager, Mustapha Hamid, said the NDC was anticipating defeat.

Hamid:  “Why are you calling on Volta region to rescue you; nobody is going to rescue you, your campaign has flopped. Are you a Volta party, I thought you are a national party. If indeed they have discovered illegal activities, they should go to the police and report those incidents,” he said.

The country’s Electoral Commission (EC) yesterday sacked a presiding officer at a polling station in the Korle-Klottey constituency for allowing a special voter to vote again.

Also, two EC officers who tampered with the presidential ballot papers in Awutu Senya West and Bawku Central were arrested and put in Police custody.

The two officials are Mary Adatsi and Ahmed Shafawu Alhaji Salam.

One of the EC officials was being interrogated in Awutu Senya Area for tearing the president out of the ballot paper before handing it over to voters.

A photo that went viral showed the ballot papers booklet with the president section on the ballot still on as the Akufo-Addo is cropped out.

Two persons sustained gunshot wounds after a shooting incident near the Steps to Christ polling station at Kasoa in the Awutu Senya East Constituency of the Central Region.

The two injured persons are receiving treatment at the hospital.

The incident happened at about 300 metres away from the Steps to Christ polling station, according to the police.

The Central Regional Public Relations Officer, DSP Irene Oppong, confirmed the incident, saying it happened at about 11:40am.

But, President Akufo-Addo cast his ballot yesterday in his hometown, Kyebi, in the Eastern Region.

He voted at the Rock of Ages Polling Station One in the Abuakwa South Constituency.

He was accompanied by the Member of Parliament for Abuakwa South area, Mr. Samuel Atta Akyea, Mahama also cast his ballot at the Bole District Assembly Office.

It took Mahama under five minutes from washing his hands to casting his ballots.

The presidential candidate of the National Democratic Party (NDP), Mrs. Nana Konadu Agyemang-Rawlings, cast her ballot at the Ridge Church School in the Korle-Klottey Constituency at 11:35am.

The wife of former President Jerry John Rawlings was accompanied by some party officials.

 

 

 

The United Kingdom (UK) and European Union (EU) have restarted talks on post-Brexit trade, with a minister telling the British broadcasting Corporation (BBC) there is “still a deal to be done” despite time running short.

But Environment Secretary George Eustice said “sticking points” on fishing and business rules remained.

UK chief negotiator Lord Frost is taking part in discussions with EU counterpart Michel Barnier in Brussels.

Ireland’s foreign minister has said it is “in everybody’s interest” to reach an agreement soon.

Border checks and taxes will be introduced for goods travelling between the UK and the EU if a trade deal is not reached and ratified by the end of the year.

But the two sides still disagree over access to UK waters by the EU’s fishing fleets – an issue which erupted last week, with the UK accusing the EU of making extra “last-minute” demands.

They are also in dispute over what measures there should be to ensure a “level playing field” for businesses on both sides.

Eustice told BBC One’s Andrew Marr Show: “There’s still a deal to be done, but there’s no denying that the end of last week was quite a setback.”

He added: “The sticking points remain – quite fundamental ones. We’ve been clear all along that we can only do an agreement if it respects our sovereignty.”

Eustice also said: “I think we probably are now in the final few days in terms of deciding whether there can be an agreement.”

The EU wants this deal. A no-deal scenario would be costly for EU businesses – a nightmare for European fishing communities, largely dependent on access to UK waters.

The UK government isn’t the only one briefing that no deal “is better than a bad deal”. EU countries that do most trade with the UK, like France, the Netherlands and Belgium, say that too.

This week, they piled the pressure on those representing them in negotiations not to give “too much” away. France threatens to use its veto, while Germany speaks softly of red lines and compromise.

The tone is different; the message the same. The EU priority is to protect its single market in a deal with the UK.

From AbdulGafar Alabelewe, Kaduna

 

President of Africa Investors in Diaspora Association (AIDA) Dr. Philemon Ibrahim Gora said the organisation in 2020 launched an empowering projects that made at least 10,000 Nigerians beneficiaries to become millionaires, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and its adverse effect on economy.

He stated this while receiving Nigerian Leadership Award (NLA 2020) award in Kaduna at the weekend.

Gora said the empowerment project was achievable as his organisation provided access to loans without collateral, organised skills acquisition programmes, empowered the less-privileged, provided access to 25% subsidy for members, who shopped in some major stores in Nigeria such as Shoprite and Sahad, as well as provided agricultural grants for persons interested in farming.

Gora said the organisation had launched a product known as “double for your trouble”, which enabled members to have 100 per cent returns on any amount invested within seven working days.

According to him, AIDA is focused on uplifting the living standard of people and complementing government’s efforts at alleviating poverty through scholarship awards, subsidy, debt recovery services, viable short-term investment counselling and provision of interest-free and “non-collateral business loans to entrepreneurs”.

He also said 120 beneficiaries comprise students in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions recently received scholarship from the organisation.

Goro added that he discovered that there are many parents that are stranded and the children want to go to school but the parents do not have means, so he came to the rescue by assisting.

“I will pay 100 per cent into the school’s account while the parent is expected to refund 50 per cent to me. I have done it for 120 students,” he said.

He added that the students benefitted from the scheme, which started in September.

“I discovered that the secret of living is giving and the secret of money is that the more you give, the more you will get. Money lives in people and money lives in problems. Rich men of this world depend on people,” he said.

He added that the organisation also provided access to loans without collateral, organised skills acquisition programmes, empowered the less-privileged, provided access to 25% subsidy for members, who shopped in some major stores in Nigeria such as Shoprite and Sahad, as well as provided agricultural grants for persons interested in farming.

By Bola Olajuwon, Foreign Affairs Editor

 

 

Ghana’s electorate will today pick a new president.

The two main contenders in the election are incumbent President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and former President John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

It is the third time the two frontline politicians will contest against each other.

To many analysts, it’s a Judgment Day for Akufo-Addo. Voters will decide whether he had done better than Mahama, who he defeated in the 2016 election when he promised to turn the country into an Eldorado.

For weeks now, the country was gripped by apprehension as parties campaigned for presidential and parliamentary elections in which 17,028 million voters have registered to cast their ballots at 38,622 polling stations.

The election will be the country’s eighth since returning to democracy almost 30 years ago. Besides the President, 275 members of parliament will also be elected from 914 candidates.

Pressures are being mounted on political actors by the international community to ensure a peaceful election, especially as it is the first time a sitting president is being challenged by a former president.

According to Ghana’s Electoral Commission Chairperson, Mrs. Jean Mensa, 17,027,641 voters are expected to take part in the general election.

She said the number comprised 8,810,283 females (representing 51.74 per cent of total voters) and 8,217,358 males (48.26 per cent).

The electoral commission started deploying electoral materials to the country’s regions about a week before the election.

The two main candidates have committed to a peaceful vote by signing a peace pact at the weekend on behalf of their respective political parties.

Akufo-Addo and Mahama signed the six-point pact to ensure peace before, during and after the elections. This is the third such pact since 2012.

Chairman of the National Peace Council Dr. Ernest Adu-Gyamfi urged the two candidates to stick to their pledges to ensure a peaceful exercise.

“Resorting to violence is ill-disposed and must be avoided. It is my hope that the signing of this pact will not just be another public show and that all the parties in this national accord will genuinely play their roles in ensuring peace during and after the 2020 general elections,” he said.

Akufo-Addo, who promised to accept the election results added: “I have said that we believe in elections, and I am happy to give my word that we shall accept the verdict of the people of Ghana.

“Above all, I pledge that the peace, unity, and safety of Ghana will be our primary consideration.”

Mahama said the Electoral Commission, Judiciary, Security Services and the media “hold the future of our nation in their hands”.

He also cited a number of recent cases of violence and voter oppression under the government as a source of worry ahead of the polls.

Restating his prayer for Ghana to be the beacon of democracy in Africa, he said: “We have done it before, and we can do it again! Let us on Monday exorcise the ghost of Ayawaso West Wuogon. I am John Dramani Mahama and I stand for peace. Let there be peace in Ghana before, during and after the elections,” he added.

The 10 other presidential contestants include two women and one independent candidate, on the ballot. Other candidates include Christian Kwabena Andrews (Ghana Union Movement); Ivor Kobina Greenstreet (Convention People’s Party); Akua Donkor (Ghana Freedom party); and Henry Herbert Lartey (Great Consolidated Popular Party).

Also in the race are Hassan Ayariga (All People’s Congress); Kofi Akpaloo (Liberal Party of Ghana); David Apasera (People’s National Convention); Brigitte Dzogbenuku (Progressive People’s Party); Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings (National Democratic Party) and Asiedu Walter (Independent).

Chairman of the Ghana-based Coalition of Domestic Election Observers, Aremeyaw Shaibu, urged the police to put in place strategies to ensure peace.

The Ghana police service has identified 4,098 likely dark spots and provided reports to the National Election Security Taskforce to guide its tactical arrangements and deployments across 16 regions.

The flashpoints include historical election-related hot spots and locations where other forms of violence and crime have occurred in history, said Yaw Nketia Yeboah, a spokesman for the Ghana police service.

Akufo-Addo has in the last three years been in the eye of the storm over allegation of corruption, favoritism, nepotism, indiscipline and maladministration.

He has been accused of favouring his tribe and region to the detriment of other regions

From a population of 31,072,940 people, the president is alleged to have appointed over 100 senior and junior ministers aside advisers, making Mahama’s former administration more compact.

Ghana’s special anti-corruption prosecutor recently quit, accusing Akufo-Addo of “political interference” over a report into a controversial gold royalties deal.

The move came just three weeks ahead of today’s presidential election.

Former Attorney-General Martin Amidu announced his resignation, saying he had become convinced “that I was not intended to exercise any independence on the job.”

The prosecutor said he decided to quit after the president tried to get him to “shelve” a scathing report on a plan to sell the bulk of Ghana’s future gold royalties to an offshore firm.

Ghana is viewed as one of West Africa’s most stable democracies.

 

The chief adviser for United States (U.S.) efforts to develop a coronavirus vaccine, Moncef Slaoui, said yesterday he planned to meet with President-elect Joe Biden this week to discuss the programme before the expected first round of vaccinations in the country later this month.

Slaoui, chief adviser to the U.S. government’s Operation Warp Speed initiative, said he has not yet met with Biden, who last week criticised the Trump administration’s vaccine distribution plan.

“We really look forward to it because actually things have been really very appropriately planned,” Slaoui said in an interview with CBS’ “Face the Nation.”

Biden said on Friday his team had not seen a detailed outline from the Trump administration to distribute a vaccine to various states, which he called an expensive and difficult process.

“There is no detailed plan that we’ve seen, anyway, as to how you get the vaccine out of a container, into an injection syringe, into somebody’s arm,” Biden said.

Slaoui said part of the confusion may be that the government’s plan relies on state health agencies to deliver the vaccine.

“I think the plans are there and I feel confident that once we will explain it, everything in detail. I hope the new transition team will understand that things are well planned,” he told the CBS program.

The United States is struggling with a resurgence of the virus, with record infections and a daily death toll that has exceeded 2,000 in recent days. More than 281,000 Americans have died from the COVID-19 disease, according to a Reuters tally.

President Donald Trump’s refusal to acknowledge his loss to Biden in the Nov. 3 presidential election caused a delay in the transition process that allowed White House health advisers to communicate with the new Biden health advisory team.

Biden was due to announce members of his public health team this week.

First-responders, health care workers and nursing home residents will be the first groups to receive the vaccine once the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approves it, which is expected in the next week or two. The FDA’s outside advisers are scheduled to meet on Thursday to review Pfizer’s emergency use application for its vaccine

Slaoui has said the second tranche of people to get the vaccine will likely include essential employees such as postal workers, and then the general population will follow.

Asked yesterday when Americans would start seeing the impact of the vaccine, Slaoui told CBS that might happen for the most susceptible people in January or February.

“But on a population basis, for our life to start getting back to normal, we’re talking about April or May,” he said.

Dr. Deborah Birx, who serves with Azar on the White House coronavirus task force, told NBC’s “Meet the Press” that public health officials have had to battle incorrect messages from the Trump administration about masks and other mitigation measures.