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Monday 7 January 2013

President Dramani Mahama's inaugural speech

INAUGURAL ADDRESS BY PRESIDENT JOHN DRAMANI MAHAMA
ON THE OCCASION OF HIS SWEARING-IN AS PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF GHANA

Rt. Hon. Speaker of Parliament,
His Excellency the Vice President,
Her Ladyship the Chief Justice,
Your Excellencies our dear former Presidents,
Your Excellencies Visiting Heads of State and Heads of Delegations,
Hon. Members of Parliament,
Members of the Diplomatic Corps,
Nananom,
Distinguished Guests,
My Fellow Countrymen-and-women,
Family and Friends.

Good morning.

It has been said that what is past is prologue, a mere introduction of all that is yet to come. If this is the case, then Ghana is in store for a wealth of achievement.

Ghana’s past is filled with one example after the other of courage, sacrifice and perseverance. Ghana’s past is defined by heroic men and women—pioneers, visionaries, patriots.

Indeed, we have inherited a powerful legacy, beneficiaries of a mighty history.

The names of our forefathers and foremothers are firmly etched in the world’s memory. People like Nana Yaa Asantewaa, Naa Gbewa, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and Dr. J.B. Danquah.

People like Efua Sutherland, Dr. James Kwegyir Aggrey, Dr. Esther Afua Ocloo and Dr. Ephraim Koku Amu.

These are but a few of the names of people who were fearless enough to fulfil their dreams, or to fight for the liberation of their people, or to envision change and then manifest it.

We rightfully memorialize the names of the many, many individuals whose singular contributions have elevated the profile of this nation and enriched the lives of its citizens.

We respectfully extol their virtues and hold them in high esteem. In fact, we hold them in such high esteem that we often overlook entirely the reality that these heroes, these men and women, were as human as you and I.

The majority of individuals who have had the greatest impact on this country came from humble beginnings.
They were not so different from most Ghanaians, like those assembled here or those going about the events of their day in the homes, churches, mosques, and offices across the country.

They were ordinary people who lived their lives to the fullest, made use of their God-given talents, and took pride in their activities. That was the simple call they answered, the call that placed them in extraordinary circumstances, events and experiences that led them to indelibly change the face and the very fabric of this nation.

Mention the name Tetteh Quarshie, for instance, and you will learn the story of an ordinary man, a blacksmith, the son of a farmer from Teshie. In 1870, Tetteh Quarshie travelled to Fernando Po, an island that belongs to the nation of Equatorial Guinea and is now called Bioko.

At the end of that fateful trip, Tetteh Quarshie returned home with several cocoa seeds. He planted those seeds on his property in Mampong-Akwapim to see if they would grow.

So well suited was this crop to the soil and climate that it grew abundantly. It took less than twelve years for the country to start exporting cocoa. Now, over one hundred years later, Ghana is the world’s second largest exporter of cocoa, and it is Ghana’s leading export earner.

This is the effect that the life of one ordinary citizen can have on an entire nation.

Complacency and frustration can entice us into believing that we are insignificant players stuck somehow in the background of a bigger picture, or that we are incapable of making a difference. But history itself has proven that nothing could be further from the truth.

We all, each and every one of us, have a role to play in the growth and development of our beloved mother Ghana. In our hands—yours as well as mine—rests the success or failure of Ghana’s future.

There is no denying the fact that in the past 55 years Ghana has made tremendous gains, but there is also no denying the fact that Ghana is still a young country and every young country goes through its share of instability and difficulty as it struggles to find the direction toward permanence.

Over the course of the last four years, a tremendous amount of work has been done. Nevertheless, there is a tremendous amount of work that still needs to be done.

More jobs must be created. More roads, bridges, schools and hospitals must be built. The infrastructure that we already have must be expanded, strengthened, and made better able to withstand the increased usage.

Equipment should not be the only thing that is state-of-the-art in our institutions; systems, procedures and staff must be brought up to standard; best practices must be implemented.

We need to look beyond temporary fixes to find lasting solutions for the complications we’ve experienced with power, water and sanitation.

We must continue to invest in our agricultural sector, and grow our economy so that it lifts the bulk of our most crippling financial burdens, especially among the poorest of the population.

A country’s most valuable resource is its human resource. This is why it is imperative that our citizens have access to good healthcare.

These issues and concerns are all works in progress; they are realistic goals that have been set, and that are within our capabilities to be met, and in a timely fashion.

I have taken an oath that as president of this nation, I will work hard to place us on the right path, and I will lead us over the hurdles and past the obstacles that might threaten to keep us from meeting our goals. The promises that I have made are promises that I intend to keep.

But change does not happen overnight and sometimes, despite whatever progress has been placed in motion, it will appear to be darkest before the dawn of the new day makes that progress visible. In such times I will be counting on you to maintain the faith and the trust that you have placed in me as president. I will not let you down.

Of course, every society has its share of people who would rather talk and complain about what is wrong, than devote their time and efforts to do what it takes to make things right.

At every given opportunity, they will tell us all the things we cannot achieve and all the reasons why we should not even attempt. The choice is ours to believe or not believe. We can look within ourselves and choose to see the lie of our powerlessness or we can see the unlimited horizon of our own potential.

Ghana is on the cusp of enormous transformation. We are moving forward at a rapid pace. New resources are at our disposal; new alliances are being formed. The opportunities posed by these gains could result in a self-sufficiency that was always imagined and desired, but was never a realistic occurrence in the foreseeable future, not in the way it is right now.

It is true that other countries have met adversity while trying to make the most of prospects such as the ones we have before us. But those countries are not Ghana. They do not have the benefit of our history or the example of our heroes. We have been the first before, the success story. We have blazed trails before for others to follow.

Nelson Mandela once said, “It always seems impossible until it is done.” I believe that with God, and in Ghana, all things are possible.

I believe this because I have seen the work and accomplishments of my predecessors, President Jerry John Rawlings, President John Agyekum Kufuor and, of course, the late President John Evans Atta Mills.

We were all witness to the way they were able to take what others said was impossible and to not only turn into something that was probable, but to realise their vision and get it done. To them I say, “Ayekoo.” I am ever grateful to have the advantage of your wisdom and the important lessons of your leadership.

I would also like to extend my gratitude and appreciation to my transition team for their time, their service and their tireless efforts. More than anything, I would like to acknowledge them for their morale and fair-mindedness, for their drive and their determination to place the good of the nation above all else.

There is a torch that is passed from one era of Ghanaians to the next. It is as fragile and as irreplaceable as any family treasure.

My fellow countrymen and women, that torch is now in our possession.

That torch is the tradition of optimism and hope that we must carry on. It is the responsibility that we have to take charge of our lives, and in so doing to determine the course of Ghana’s future.

We are now the keepers of that flame. It is only by doing and being our best that we can make Ghana its best. We must all do our part, every single day, whether it is by reducing the amount of plastic waste that is in our environment, by driving responsibly and courteously to ensure that our roads are safe, or by sharing kindness with a stranger or someone less fortunate.

Your actions do matter. You do make a difference.

As president, I will take to heart those very words that I have just extended to you. I will do and be my best. I will give my best, and I will ensure that my actions make a positive difference in the lives of Ghanaians.

I will work to ensure that our society is less polarized and weighted down by the pressures of political differences. I will work to ensure that Ghana is a place where all citizens, regardless of their religious faith, ethnicity or political affiliation, will have the opportunities available to them to reach their full potential.

Ghana should, and will, be a place where economic opportunities are available to everyone. I recognise the vital role that our private sector, especially small and indigenous businesses, play in the expansion of our workforce as well as in the growth and stability of our economy. I want to assure the business community that I will be an ally. I will extend whatever support I am able to reinforce your contributions to our development.

Let us all stand, not as separate entities but as partners. Together we will build a Ghana that will be a source of pride for all of us.

This is our country. This is our moment; Ghana’s time, once again, for greatness.

May God bless you, and may God continue to bless our homeland, Ghana.

Akufo-Addo rejects NDC's request to be joined in petition

The presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the December 2012 general elections, Nana Akufo-Addo, is opposed to the request by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to be joined in a petition challenging the results of the polls.

According to him, the move by the NDC was ‘calculated to delay” the action challenging the 2012 presidential polls in which the President John Dramani Mahama emerged the winner with 50.7 per cent.

The application by the NDC to join the petition challenging the declaration of President Mahama as winner of the December 2012 elections will be heard on Thursday, January 10, 2013.

However, in an application opposing the NDC’s request filed on Saturday, January 5, 2013, Nana Akufo-Addo said the NDC’s application would defeat the object of the new Supreme Court rule which is aimed at securing an expeditious trial in a petition challenging the results of a presidential election.

The Supreme Court rule states that hearing of a petition against a presidential election shall be done on a daily basis, including public holidays.

Rule 69 C (5) of the Supreme Court (Amendment) Rules, 2012 (CI 74) provides in part as follows: “The Court shall sit from day to day, including public holidays” when hearing a presidential election petition.

The NPP is at the Supreme Court contesting the Electoral Commission’s (EC’s) declaration of President Mahama as winner of the 2012 presidential election.

The EC has been joined to the petition, which has Nana Akufo-Addo, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the running mate of the NPP presidential candidate, and Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, the Chairman of the NPP, as plaintiffs.

According to the plaintiffs, irregularities recorded during the elections favored the NDC, noting that 24,000 of the pink result sheets from some polling stations indicated that those irregularities were enough to affect the results.


source: Daily Guide

Photos: Inaugurations of President Mahama



Credit of last photo: Abubakar Ibrahim

Mahama officially president

John Dramani Mahama has officially been sworn in as the 4th President of the 4th Republic of Ghana. He also happens to be the 4th John of the Republic of Ghana. The running mate, Amissah-Arthur was also sworn in as Vice President of the Republic of Ghana.

Sworn in by the Chief Justice, Her Ladyship Justice Georgina Wood at an impressive ceremony attended by several dignitaries including former Presidents Jerry Rawlings and John Kufuor and hundreds of Ghanaians.

The largest opposition, New Patriotic Party and Progressive People's Party all boycotted the swearing in ceremony.

source: www.inewsgh.tk

John Mahama: Ghana's NPP boycotts swearing in

Ghana's President John Dramani Mahama at a rally on 10 December Ghana's main opposition party is boycotting the swearing-in ceremony of President John Mahama following last month's disputed elections.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) said Mr Mahama won the election fraudulently.
Official results gave Mr Mahama 50.7% of the vote, enough to avoid a run-off against the NPP's Nana Akufo-Addo, who won 47.7%.
Ahead of his inauguration, Mr Mahama called for unity in Ghana - seen as one of Africa's most stable democracies.
Mr Mahama was Ghana's vice-president until the unexpected death of President John Atta Mills in July.
He has served since then as acting president.
On Friday, Mr Mahama appealed to members of parliament to work together.

'No betrayal
"For the long-term survival of our nation, we must agree and commit to a multi-partisan process," he said
"Whatever our differences, whatever our politics, we must pull together and rise to meet these challenges."
Thousands of Mr Mahama's supporters have packed Independence Square in the capital, Accra, for the ceremony, reports the BBC's Sammy Darko from the scene.
The stage is beautifully designed in the shape of the black star of Ghana, he adds.
Mr Mahama is due to be sworn in before 11 African heads of state. Officials from the US, China and the UK will also be there.
Ghana's privately-owned Joy FM radio station reports that about 40 NPP supporters have besieged the home of former President John Kufuor to prevent him from attending the ceremony.
Earlier, Mr Kufuor told Joy FM that he would attend the inauguration, in defiance of the wishes of his NPP party.
"Anybody who says that I have betrayed the NPP by attending President Mahama's inauguration is only following his emotions. Leading a nation is not easy so where I have reached, I am more of a statesman than mere party person," he is quoted as saying.

"Leadership comes with lots of responsibility so if I am called to a function by people who made me president some time back, who am I to decline?"
The NPP filed a petition over the election result at the Supreme Court in late December, saying it had found irregularities including unregistered voters casting ballots.
"We are challenging the legitimacy of that election and the winner of which is being sworn in," NPP spokesman Perry Okudzeto told AFP news agency.
"We don't see why we should be part of the swearing-in of an ill-elected president."
Mr Mahama's National Democratic Congress (NDC) said the elections were the most transparent the country had seen.
International election observers described the 7 December poll as free and fair.
Ghana's government says the presence of international leaders at Monday's ceremony is an endorsement of the vote.
Mr Mahama won by just over 300,000 votes, obtaining 5,574,761 ballots compared to Mr Akufo-Addo's 5,248,898.
The NPP is disputing about 1,340,000 votes cast for Mr Mahama - enough to swing the outcome in favour of Mr Akufo-Addo.



Presidential Election Results

  • John Dramani Mahama, NDC - 50.70%, 5,574,761 votes
  • Nana Akufo-Addo, NPP - 47.74%, 5,248,898 votes
  • Disputed votes: 1,340,000
source: BBC

PPP joins NPP in boycott of Mahama's inauguration

PPP joins NPP in boycott of Mahama's inaugurationThe Progressive People's Party (PPP) will neither send a delegation to President John Mahama's inauguration today nor participate in it in anyway, joining the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) to boycott the programme.

The hint was dropped by the party's General Secretary, Kofi Asamoah Siaw, yesterday in protest against the flawed December 7 polls' as he put it.

He said the polls were flawed and sending a delegation or partaking in it as though nothing was amiss was not the right thing to do.

"We consider the December 7 polls a flawed process, the product of which is the declaration of President Mahama as President-elect.

"Sending a delegation to the event or even taking part in it is giving legitimacy to what was by all standards a flawed polls," he told Daily Guide.

"We are calling for electoral reforms in the country. We have not heard from the Peace Council and EC regarding this call. We think that there is a deliberate attempt at scuttling attempts at effecting electoral reforms," he said.

"We cannot go and sit there and smile as if all is well and give legitimacy to a flawed electoral process. Our non-appearance at the inauguration is a way of registering our disapproval of the flawed elections."

The flag bearer of the PPP, Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom, he said, was in the United States attending to family issues.

Daily Guide gathered that the gentleman left the country fuming over what for him was the incessant talk about peace when injustice had taken centre stage in the scheme of things in the political system.

The PPP was one of the vocal parties contesting the authenticity of the outcome of the December 7 polls and the declaration of President Mahama as winner, arguing that some of their votes were stolen and given to the NDC in some constituencies across the country, although they did not head for the Supreme Court as did the NPP.

The PPP has however endorsed the action of the NPP.

The NPP National Council, the second highest decision making body outside congress, had resolved that the party would not take part in the inauguration because of the pending court case.

Party General Secretary, Kwadwo Owusu-Afriyie said the decision was taken “in order to undermine the critical principle of any democracy that the results of an election should reflect the voice of the majority of voters, not the voice of those who count, collate or declare the results.”

"We take this opportunity to remind the general public and our supporters that the scheduled inauguration of John Dramani Mahama as President of the Republic is without prejudice to the outcome of the case in the Supreme Court.

"We urge our supporters to continue to remain calm as we seek justice at the Supreme Court. The petitioners have put their case before Court, and we leave it for the Court to judge its merits." he said. 


source: Daily Guide

LIVE: Inauguration of President Mahama

Rihanna insults fans over marijuana allegations


Rihanna has hit out at a comment left on Twitter by a fan after she posted a picture of marijuana which looked like the shape of a skull.
According to The Sun, Riri saw red when a fan allegedly commented that she could follow in the same footsteps as Whitney Houston, who tragically passed away last year.
Upset by the comment left by the fan, it is believed that Rihanna, who is said to be back in a relationship with her former boyfriend Chris Brown, wrote back:
"Yea cuz Whitney overdosed on a joint! F*** outta here u weak b****!”



Meanwhile, it has been reported that Rihanna is keen to spend the whole of January with Chris, with a source telling HollywoodLife:
"Rihanna wants to spend everyday in January with him in 2013 because she thinks that will cement their relationship. She be on that whole sentimental stuff all the time."
The insider added:
"It’s the second day in the new year and they just want to be posted up together and Chris cool with that."
"He’s down for Rihanna right now. He’s on some chill s**t with her right now."



Sunday 6 January 2013

Photos from Black Star Square ahead of tomorrow inauguration

Mumuni denies rejecting First Deputy Speaker position

Mumuni denies rejecting First Deputy Speaker positionMinister for Foreign Affairs, Mohammed Mumuni has denied media reports that he has rejected the position of first Deputy Speaker of Parliament offered him by his party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Speaking to Joy News, the MP-elect for Kumbungu said he is yet to be officially approached for the position of first Deputy Speaker of parliament by his party.

He further stated that it is only when he is approached by the party that he would consider accepting the position or not.

According to the media reports, after Alhaji Mumuni's rejected the position of first Deputy Speaker, the NDC was compelled to replace him with Cape Coast MP and Deputy Attorney General, Ebo Barton Oduro.

The media reports were however not able to give reasons for the Kumbungu MP-elect's rejection but quoted insiders as saying he was unhappy he was being asked to serve under Edward Doe Adjaho, who has been nominated by the NDC leadership to become the next Speaker of Parliament.

"Hon Mumuni sees Hon Adjaho as his junior and more so he seems to believe that the position of Deputy Speaker is inferior to the post of both Foreign Affairs Minister and former Vice Presidential Candidate in the 2004 elections," a senior party disclosed to Accra-based Citi FM.


source: Joy Online

Rihanna and Chris Brown says it's ''nobody's business''

The latest song of Rihanna featuring Chris Brown is making waves in the musical  circles. ''NOBODY'S BUSINESS'' was recorded last year in a period where there were rumors about her and Chris Brown dating.

WATCH VIDEO BELOW


source; www.inewsgh.tk

Justin Bieber caught smoking

Photos have emerged of Justin Bieber smoking and partying the day after a photographer was killed whilst trying to get a picture of him.
The Canadian star is seen in pictures obtained by TMZ holding some kind of cigarette at the bash in a Newport Beach hotel room.
The snaps were allegedly taken on January 2, the day after a cameraman was run over whilst trying to get a photo of the 'Boyfriend' singer.
Reports had suggested that the man, Chris Guerra, had been tailing Bieber because he thought he had seen him smoking weed - though this rumour was lambasted by Bieber's reps.
Lil Twist - who was driving Bieber's car when Guerra was killed by a separate vehicle - was also at the party, according to the site's sources

He and Justin were reportedly "rolling all the blunts" at the bash, with a suspicious amount of pot smoke in the room. It is not known, however, what exactly Justin is smoking.
Furthermore, a girl allegedly slept in Justin's hotel room... a girl who is not his rumoured ex Selena Gomez.
Bieber's spokesperson has been contacted for comment, but in the meantime the star took to Twitter to address his fans.
"everyday growing and learning. trying to be better. u get knocked down, u get up," he said.
"back on tour tomorrow. ready to see u all smile. time to do what im supposed to be doing. performing. #BELIEVEtour"

He continued: "i see all of u. i hear all of u. i never want to let any of you down. i love u. and..thank u. #beliebers

"like i said...2013...new challenges. new doubters...Im ready. We are ready. see u all tomorrow and everyday after that. #BELIEVEtour"

source: Entertainmentwise

Saturday 5 January 2013

Facebook post lands someone in court

An Oregon teenager has landed himself in the county jail for what must be one of the dumbest Facebook gaffes ever: posting about his drunk-driving hit-and-run escapade.

"Drivin drunk ... classsic ;) but to whoever's vehicle i hit i am sorry. :P" was the early-morning post that quickly led to the at-home arrest of Jacob Cox-Brown in the Oregon-coast city of Astoria, reports the Daily Astorian.

Upon reading Cox-Brown's post, two of the 18-year-old's Facebook friends contacted the Astoria Police Department to report it; it became vital information after two officers responded to a 1am report of a hit-and-run, which left a white Scion plus an adjacent vehicle damaged in their parking spots.

After collecting pieces of the Scion's damaged taillight and bumper cover, the police received tips about the Facebook post and headed over to the home of Cox-Brown. They arrested the young man, charging him with two counts of failing to perform the duties of a driver. (Nearly nine hours had elapsed between the report and the confrontation, and the driver was no longer in his car, Deputy Chief Brad Johnston told Yahoo! Shine, which is why there was no driving-while-intoxicated charge.) He was held in the Clatsop County Jail and released on his own recognizance, and is scheduled to appear in Astoria Municipal Court on January 23.

"Astoria Police have an active social media presence," Astoria Police said in a press release. "It was a private Facebook message to one of our officers that got this case moving, though. When you post ... on Facebook, you have to figure that it is not going to stay private long." Also, Johnston told Yahoo! Shine, "We actually use Facebook to find things not unlike this."

 Cox-Brown's Facebook page is filled with telling clues about the young man's penchant for both altered states and vehicles: His "favorites" include Mommy Needs a Beer and Lifted Trucks USA, while "smoking blunts" and "rolling Ford Rangers" are listed among his "activities."

The 18-year-old now joins a roster of not-so-bright Facebook users who got themselves into hot water with the law, including Joseph Bernard Campbell, who was arrested in Florida for cyberstalking 19 women and putting risqué photos of them on Facebook; a group of Nevada girls arrested after posting an event called "Attack a Teacher Day"; and London Eley of Philadelphia, who was taken into custody after posting, "I will pay somebody a stack to kill my baby father."

source: Yahoo

NPP to contest results of 38 Constituencies in court-Akomea

NPP to contest results of 38 Constituencies in court-AkomeaThe New Patriotic Party will soon head to court again to contest the results of 38 Parliamentary seats in the just ended 2012 elections.

Director of Communications of the party, Nana Akomea believes the results churned out in those constituencies were questionable.

He made the disclosure on MultiTV and Joy FM news analysis programme Newsfile on Saturday in a reaction to a feature written by the General Secretary of the Ghana Medical Association Dr Sodji Sodji Tetteh which questioned the decision by the NPP to boycott the presidential inauguration and not the Parliamentary inauguration.

Nana Akomea said the view by the GMA General Secretary-a view the deputy Information Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa also holds- is flawed and unsustainable.

He argued the parliamentary elections are distinct from that of the presidential, explaining, the parliamentary elections are individual results whilst that of the presidential results are national.

He said the NPP is challenging results of 38 constituencies and will soon head to court. He did not however mention the constituencies.

He defended the party’s decision to boycott the swearing-in of President John Mahama as consistent with the party’s decision to go to court.

He explained they cannot be part of an event that will legitimize a president whose election results they are contesting in court.

"The inauguration and swearing in are on the basis of the disputed election… We find it difficult to lend our support to a ceremony which will legitimize those results,” he said.

He said Parliamentary boycotts are legitimate means of protest in a democracy and cited instances in which the NDC also boycotted Parliament.

In 2007, the NDC minority in Parliament also boycotted the State of the Nation Address by then President John Kufuor in protest over the incarceration of Dan Abodakpi, Nana Akomea stated.

He added the NPP will “find it difficult to support any major activity of the president.”

But the Deputy Majority Leader in the recently dissolved Parliament Rashid Pelpuo said the decision by the NPP is unfortunate.

He said the boycott is only a smear campaign against the president and to create a wrong impression to the outside world that the election 2012 was flawed.

He blamed what he said was leadership failure of the NPP, adding the opposition party has always shown it is always a bad loser.


source: Joy Online

www.inwesgh.tk

The president cannot reach out to a reckless opposition – Agyenim Boateng

The president cannot reach out to a reckless opposition – Agyenim BoatengDeputy Information Minister James Agyenim Boateng says whilst arguments that President John Mahama must be conciliatory and reach out to the opposition are sound, the opposition itself must be seen to be responsible.

“It is important,” he said, “to underscore the fact that you need to have a responsible opposition political party; it’s not enough to...say oh Mr. President reach out, reach out; reach out to who? Reach out to a reckless opposition?” he asked.

Mr Agyenim Boateng was responding to submissions by co-panelists Ursula Owusu, the New Patriotic Party Member of Parliament-elect for Ablekuma West and the Women Organiser of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Susan Adu Amakwah on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show Friday.

Ms Owusu said it was important for the president to realise that for the time being (until the determination of the NPP’s petition by the Supreme Court) he as president was leading a deeply divided nation for which reason he must work to build bridges.

She said it was not enough for the president alone to be measured in his utterances; same standard must be demanded of his appointees as well.

The MP-elect insisted that President Mahama must demonstrate through his appointments that he was willing to bring moderates into his government - to minimise the acerbic tone for which some members of the current government are known - by sidelining such persons.

“I think that it is time for all of us a nation to realise that may be the Good Lord is speaking to us with the very close results we are getting from our elections; it is time to move away from extreme partisanship to extreme nationalism; if you are winning round 50 per cent of the vote in two consecutive elections that should tell you something (that the nation is divided),” she stated.

Mrs Adu Amakwah in her contribution said the President’s calm demeanour which has been his strength should transcend just his party to opposition leaders who are understandably bitter about their electoral loss.

“People are hurt, it may be rational, it may not be rational but the fact is that people feel they’ve robbed; I’m not justifying it but when people feel hurt – whether it is right or it is wrong – there should be that calming voice, there should be the soothing voice that will say “ok you are hurt, I am not about to even rationalise why you are hurt but I am recognising that you are hurt and I want you to get over it,” she added.

Dissenting, the Deputy Information Minister said the Constitutional requirement to be president was 50% plus one vote of all valid votes cast and that there was no need to burden the president with demands to bring everybody on board.

Betty bounces back?

Reports suggest that President John Dramani Mahama has also penciled Mrs. Betty Mould Iddrisu, former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, as his next Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration.

It is believed that the current Minister Alhaji Mohammad Mumuni would take up the First Deputy Speaker position in Parliament.

The likely appointment of Mrs. Mould-Iddrisu, who served as Education Minister as well, forms part of efforts by the President to recognize the contribution of women in the success of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

However, she is coming with a baggage of paying the GHC51.2million to NDC financier Alfred Agbesi Woyome, who had no contract with the State among other controversial judgment debt scandals.

Other women being considered for appointments are Benita Okitiy Dua, the newly-elected MP for Ledzokuku who might be Minister of Women and Children’s Affairs at the expense of Juliana Azumah Mensah.

Dzifa Ativor, a deputy Minister of Transport as well as Moses Asaga, Minister of Employment and Social Welfare who is a personal friend of the President, is likely to be retained.

A source at the Castle said that the President is determined to ensure “a significant shift in his appointments.”

“New faces as well as young people are also being considered by the President,” the source added.

It is rumoured that current ministers including E.T. Mensah at Works and Housing, Fritz Baffuor of Information, Dr Joe Oteng Agyei of Energy, Alex Asum-Ahensan of Chieftaincy and Culture, Mike Hammah of Lands Forestry and Natural Resources and even Dr. Kwabena Dufuor of Finance and Economic Planning are not likely to be re-appointed.

In Dr. Dufuor’s case, his deputy Seth Terkpe, Dr. Samuel Cadman Mills, brother of the late President John Evans Atta Mills, and Alhassan Andani of Stanbic Bank, have all been rumoured to be considered by the President for appointment as ministers.

Regional Ministers like Ama Benyiwa Doe (Central), Paul Evans Aidoo (Western), Kwadwo Nyamekye Marfo (Brong Ahafo) and Moses Bukari Mabengba might not be considered for re-appointments.

Deputy Ministers like Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa of Information, Fifi Kwetey of Finance, Baba Jamal of Tourism are said to be on their way out of their positions to enable them to concentrate on their parliamentary work.

Spokesman for Former President Jerry John Rawlings, Kofi Adams, would get a ministerial appointment for the support he gave to the Mahama campaign.

Already, a group has started lobbying the leadership of the party to get Mr. Adams to contest the Buem seat which has been left vacant by the sudden death of Volta Regional Minister Henry Ford Kamel and analysts believe that would help him to get more recognition

source: Daily Guide.

BukBak: Most Talent Shows are a waste!

Buk BakkolomHiplife group BukBak have waded into the ongoing debate on the sustainability and onward progression of products who come out of reality television shows in Ghana. The subject of what becomes of these products; particularly the front runners or winners have been a waterloo subject for producers of such shows.

The group, obviously not pleased with how most of these acts are transitioned from wannabes to mainstream professional acts, say most of the Talent Shows on music on television, are nothing but a waste.

In series of tweets posted on the micro blogging site Twitter, the group posited that: “Talent shows churn (sic) out people who can sing other peoples songs well. They finish the show and can’t sing to save their lives”.

“U (you) see talent on TV singing their heart out on TV. And u (you) can bet their career is ending the moment the show ends a month later. Waste!!!!” “U (you) see a talent who finished a talent show 8 years ago still scavenging for a hit. How,” they asked.

The group also took a swipe at how most of these shows don’t “get talent managers to handle these talents they promote months on their platforms”. “Wasting talents,” they added.

Most Talent Shows the group suggested “need content they can market to make $$$ (referring to dollars, which equates to money). “You get the fame and what do u (you) do with it,” they wondered.

“It takes more $$$ to get that fame u (you) get when u (you) get into da (the) finals of a talent show. U (you) come home and relax tinkin (thinking) u are a star?

“People want to associate to people who speak into their lives. The talent Show ppl (people) give u (you) a preview of a success. Live up to expectation”.

They however praised local television network TV3 and events production outfit CharterHouse for coming up with the Mentor and Stars of the Future shows respectively, adding that the latter for instance, has brought out some “super talents”.

The views expressed by BukBak should somewhat set the tone for a debate on how to usher music reality stars onto mainstream success.

source: enewsgh

Best 10 videos of Beyonce

1. Single ladies(I am....Sasha Fierce)
2. Run the world(4)
3. Halo( I am...Sasha Fierce
4. Best thing I never had( 4)

5. If I were a boy( I am...Sasha Fierce)

6. Love on top(4)

7. Crazy in love featuring Jay Z(Dangerous in Love)

8. Sweet Dreams( I am...Sasha Fierce)

9. Diva( I am...Sasha Fierce)

10. Irreplaceable(B-Day)

Friday 4 January 2013

Church of England drops gay bishop opposition

The Church of England has dropped its prohibition on gay clergy in civil partnerships becoming bishops.
The announcement, from the Church's House of Bishops, would allow gay clergy to become bishops if they promise to be celibate.
Conservative evangelical Anglicans say they will fiercely resist the development in the synod.
The issue has split the church since 2003 amid a row over gay cleric Jeffrey John becoming Bishop of Reading.
Mr John, now Dean of St Albans, was forced to step down from the role after protests from traditionalists.
He was also a candidate for Bishop of Southwark in 2010 but was rejected. Evidence emerged that this was because of his sexual orientation.
Evangelicals have warned they would be willing to bring in bishops from overseas to avoid serving under a gay bishop.

The Church has already agreed to allow people in civil partnerships to become clergy, provided they promised they would remain celibate, and repent for active homosexuality in the past.
Those conditions are now to be extended to clergy becoming bishops.
BBC religious affairs correspondent Robert Pigott said given the tension surrounding the issue of sexuality, the Church's decision to allow men in civil partnerships to become bishops represented a major concession and one with considerable symbolic significance.

source: BBC

Full extract of President Mahama's State of the Nation Address

STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS BY H.E JOHN DRAMANI MAHAMA,
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF GHANA AND
COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE ARMED FORCES


Right Honourable Speaker of Parliament,
His Excellency, the Vice President,
Her Ladyship, the Chief Justice,
Honourable Members of our August Parliament,


In accordance with Article 67 of the 1992 constitution of the Republic of Ghana, I appear before you to deliver a message on the state of our nation prior to the dissolution of the 5th Parliament of the 4th Republic.

I undertake this task, with mixed feelings. The 5th Parliament of the 4th Republic started with His Excellency Professor John Evans Atta Mills as President. Indeed he took his oath of office before this very august body.

On the 24th of July 2012, I had the most unpleasant duty of informing you about his untimely demise which sad event occasioned my assumption of the Presidency on the same day under the provisions of the 1992 constitution. As a nation we stood together through that difficult and painful moment. We managed the transition in a manner that made our nation stand tall among the comity of nations.

What was by far the saddest moment in our lives, proved also to be one of the most unifying moments in our history as a nation. We showed that even in adversity we can rise to the occasion as one people, with a common destiny.

Madam Speaker, I must congratulate you personally for the able manner you have conducted affairs as the first female Speaker this country has ever had. You have distinguished yourself to the admiration of many. On behalf of the people of Ghana, I say Ayekoo.

Working with you, honourable members of this house, particularly these last few months has been a rewarding experience. I want to thank each and every one of you for playing a part in the realisation of the Better Ghana Agenda.

Madam Speaker, I remain particularly thankful that this House showed foresight and a sense of common purpose in a number of critical instances. These instances have and will make significant impact on the fortunes of this country.
To my comrades and very good friends, the Honourable Doe Adjaho, Honourable Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, Honourable Cletus Avoka, Honourable Osei Kyei-Mensa-Bonsu, Honourable Rashid Pelpuo, Honourable Ambrose Dery, and of course many of you time will not permit me to name, your contribution to elevating the level of our constitutional democracy in this Parliament will be remembered for a long time to come.

Madam Speaker, when the mandate of governance was bestowed on President John Evans Atta Mills, he pledged that his administration will work to build a Better Ghana through the establishment of a strong economy, investment in the people of this country, expansion of our infrastructure and the running of an open and accountable government.

It is my wish that President Mills was here to report on the unprecedented achievements of this administration but the lot has fallen on me to give an account of the state of our nation.

The purpose for this State of the Nation address at the end of a Government’s term in office I believe is to allow the President to place on historical record an account of his stewardship. I will with your permission, Madam Speaker, present here a brief overview of the State of the Nation, while a full and much more detailed compilation is presented to Madam Speaker for consideration by the House.

The NDC administration, as Honourable members will recall, came into office at a time when the economy of this nation was in significant distress. Through hard work and implementation of prudent fiscal and monetary policies, we were able, over the last four years, to stabilize the macro-economic environment. This resulted in remarkable acceleration of our growth.

And today, Ghana’s GDP growth rates continue to be among the highest in the world. With the record-breaking growth of 2011, occasioned partly by the commencement of oil production, this year again we expect an eventual positive out turn of growth between 8.5 and 9 percent.

Madam Speaker, we have not only held down inflation and maintained macro-economic stability, but also worked to ensure discipline in government’s fiscal regime to avoid unbudgeted expenditures that could distort the economy’s performance.

Government also in our term of office put in place appropriate mechanisms and the legislative framework for the judicious utilization of our oil and gas revenues and resources. This is in line with our commitment to transparency and accountability.

Madam Speaker, upon assumption of office, the Atta Mills Administration had to move swiftly to deal with major challenges confronting the education of children. Such problems as the ‘schools under trees’ phenomenon, non-availability of teaching and learning materials and low remuneration of teachers, posed serious threats to the provision of quality education to our children.

In line with our commitment to invest in people, measures were rolled out to address these problems at all levels.

Madam Speaker, I am happy to report that remarkable progress has been made since these efforts begun.

Four years on, about 40% of the over four thousand ‘schools under trees’ have been replaced thereby making it possible to move hundreds of thousands of Ghanaian school children into decent classroom blocks. We intend to move quickly in this new mandate granted us by the favour of God and the people of Ghana to, to work hard towards the eradication of the remaining ‘schools under trees’.

During the same period, millions of learning and teaching aides like exercise books, textbooks, school uniforms and computers have been distributed to schools across the country.

Other pro-poor interventions like the capitation grant and the school-feeding program have been expanded to cover many more children. Today more than a million children are being fed one meal a day at school.

With the implementation of the single spine pay policy, teachers have seen an appreciable upward adjustment in their remuneration making them better motivated than ever before.

Madam Speaker, evidence of improvements in education standards have already begun to show in some modest improvements performance of our children both at the first and second cycle levels of education. I am gratified that the considerable investments made in our children are beginning to yield dividends. We will continue to pursue investments that will go to improve the quality at all levels of our educational system.

As I speak similar efforts have yielded results in the expansion of access at the tertiary level in the shape of two new public universities to augment the existing traditional universities and the expansion of infrastructure at various public Tertiary institutions.

In the area of healthcare, the national health insurance scheme whose implementation we inherited after we had piloted it in the first NDC administration has been strengthened.

Active membership of the scheme, utilization, claims payment and other important indicators of public confidence have risen sharply over the last four years.

Madam Speaker, from the early days of this administration we have worked relentlessly to give individuals and families better access to more qualitative health care.

Across the country, an unprecedented number of modern health care delivery facilities including the upgrading of the Tamale Hospital into an ultra-modern Teaching Hospital have been provided. We have also established over 1,300 CHPS compounds, 19 health centres for areas with population of over 500, 12 district hospitals, 15 polyclinics and provided 161 ambulances for the National Ambulance Service.

In the area of training, several nursing and midwifery training institutions have been established as well as a University dedicated to the training of auxiliary health care professionals.

Madam Speaker, over the last four years our security agencies have seen the biggest retooling effort in their entire existence. The Ghana Armed forces comprising the Army, Navy and Air force have all benefitted from the acquisition of new and modern equipment.

This has enabled them to carry out even more effectively their mandate of ensuring our security by Air, by land or by sea.

Madam Speaker, the Ghana Police Service has also taken delivery of new high performance vehicles, communication gadgets and other essential equipment. The service can boast of an ultra-modern forensic laboratory, which has greatly improved their crime prevention and detection capabilities.

Indeed this capability was on full display before, during and after the 2012 elections, which saw them effectively provide security for us all. It is clear from the foregoing, Madam Speaker, that the NDC government’s efforts have not been in vain.

Government has over the past four years made significant investments in the energy sector.
This has culminated in an increase of 35 percent in our energy generation capacity since 2008. Access to electricity has also increased from 54 percent in 2008 to 72 percent in 2011.

About 1,700 communities have been connected to the national electricity grid since 2008 with a large proportion of this increase representing poor households. These, Madam Speaker, are communities that would have been in darkness.

Madam speaker, agriculture has received a major boost under the Better Ghana Agenda. Our objective for enhanced and sustained efforts at agricultural mechanisation and modernisation is to quicken the pace towards full domestic food security, increased agricultural exports, improvement in farm incomes and alleviation of poverty among others.

Our domestic maize production output recorded surpluses in 2010 and 2011, despite the adverse weather conditions experienced in 2011. Rice production has also doubled from the 2008 level, reducing our rice imports by almost 50 percent.

Cocoa Production exceeded one million tonnes for the first time in the 2010/2011-production year, while Cotton, which had seen a reduction in output to 5,000 tonnes in 2008, has seen an increase of almost 1,000 percent in output.

I could go on and on, and speak about the tremendous strides we have made in the area of Agriculture, SADA, public sector reforms and many other bold policy initiatives that this government has undertaken but I do not intend for this to be a lengthy speech as next month or there about, I will be coming back to address this august body on the state of our Nation.

In that address I will offer a more comprehensive review of the state of our nation. Suffice it to say Madam Speaker that we are making rapid progress as a nation. The democratic path we have chosen has created scope for good governance and sustainable economic development.

Madam Speaker, the success story of the country over the last four years would not have been possible without the full support and cooperation this august house has given the executive.

The many debates, close scrutiny and corrections to which government programs, policies, agreements and proposals were subjected to in this house helped shape and forge the success that we enjoy today.

I wish on behalf of the executive to thank you Madam Speaker and all honourable members of this house for the cooperation we enjoyed from you. What we have achieved together over the last four years should spur us on to work towards greater cooperation and collaboration irrespective of our political differences.

Madam Speaker, even as we pat ourselves on the back, let us not forget that hard work lies ahead of us. Keeping the nation safe; anchoring our constitutional and democratic legacy on stronger moral and cultural values; growing stronger institutions; delivering on infrastructural development and social services, infrastructure and amenities to all parts of this nation; as well as affirming our status as a Pan African giant remain far from finished, and it is our shared responsibility to work towards the achievement of these goals.

Whatever our differences, whatever our politics, we must pull together and rise to meet these challenges. For the long-term survival of our nation, we must agree and commit to a multi-partisan process to secure the future of this country. There have been times when we have worked together, there have been times when we have shelved the politics and come together as one nation for the glory of Ghana.

All of you know, and I also believe it was the right thing to do, and it felt good to do so. The people of this nation elected us all to work together and we owe them that much. What they demand from us is partnership and not partisanship.

They put us all right here in the same canoe, they gave us all paddles, and they told us to row this country gently on the road to recovery, growth and shared prosperity. That is the direction I believe we should take this country.

Madam Speaker, even with all our challenges, I believe a feeling of optimism is still seeping into our Ghanaian consciousness; a belief that the days of division and discord are behind us and that an era of unity and national renewal is upon us. We have much to be thankful for.

With four years of growth, we have won back the basic strength of our economy. Fellow Ghanaians, despite the challenges we face, the state of our nation is strong! But now we must rise to the decisive moment, to make this nation and our continent better than any we have ever known.

I wish to thank you for indulging me and may God continue to bless our homeland Ghana.

Ghana does not need partisanship

 ''The country needs now is a conscious effort to fast-track Ghana's development and this could only be achieved by avoiding partisanship.'', the President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama made this known to Ghanaians in one of the shortest State of the Nation address ever witness in the country's history.

He made an analogy ''put us all right here in the same canoe, they gave us all paddles and told us to roll this country gently onto the road to recovery, growth and shared prosperity.”

''Even with all our challenges, I believe a certain feeling of optimism is seeping into our Ghanaian consciousness; I believe that the days of division and discord are behind us and that an era of unity and national renewal is before us.”

He said " There have been times when we have worked together, there have been times when we have shelved the politics and come together as one nation for the glory of Ghana; all of you know and I also believe that it was the right thing to do and it felt good to do so."

He again talked about the achievement of the National Democratic Congress in the last four years of tenure.“With four years of growth, we have won back the basic strength of our economy"




www.inewsgh.tk



Photo: President Mahama delivery the state of the Nation Address

LIVE: President State of the Nation Address

Mahama, EC enter appearance in NPP's Supreme Court petition

The President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, has entered appearance in the petition instituted by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) at the Supreme Court challenging his being declared winner of the December 7, 2012 presidential election.

The Electoral Commission (EC), which is also a party in the petition, entered appearance through its lawyers on Wednesday, while lawyers for President Mahama filed an appearance on his behalf yesterday.

Ghana's biggest opposition party, the NPP, filed a petition challenging the results of the December 7-8, 2012 presidential election at the Supreme Court on December 28, 2012.

The plaintiffs in the suit are the NPP's presidential candidate, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo; his running mate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, and the National Chairman of the NPP, Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey.

One of the lawyers for the petitioners, Mr Godfred Yeboah Dame, confirmed receipt of the EC's conditional appearance to the Daily Graphic in Accra yesterday, while Mr Tony Lithur, a member of the NDC legal team, also established that the President entered appearance yesterday afternoon.

According to Mr Dame, Lynes, Quashie-Idun and Co entered appearance on behalf of the EC and explained that the EC had seven days, as per the Supreme Court rules (CI 74), to file a defence.

The President's legal team has indicated its readiness to defend him, arguing that claims by the petitioners were erroneous.

According to the plaintiffs, irregularities recorded during the elections favoured the NDC, noting that 24,000 of the pink result sheets from some polling stations indicated that those irregularities were enough to affect the results.

The Chairman of the EC, Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, on December 9, 2012, declared President Mahama winner of the polls with 50.70 per cent of the votes cast, while his closest contender, Nana Akufo-Addo, placed second with 47.74 per cent. 


source: Daily Guide

Doe Adjaho confirmed as Speaker of Parliament, Kumbour is majority leader

The leadership of the National Democratic Congress has confirmed to Radio XYZ that Edward Doe Adjaho has been confirmed as the next Speaker of the Sixth Parliament of the Fourth Republic, which commences on January 7, 2013.

He replaces Justice Joyce Bamford Addo who has been the Speaker of Parliament since January 2009.

Hon. Doe Adjaho who is also the MP-elect for Ave-Avenor in the Volta region would be assisted by the Foreign Affairs Minister Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni who has been selected as the First Deputy Speaker.

Hon. Adjaho will therefore have to vacate his seat in accordance with Article 97 (1) b which stipulates that “a Member shall vacate his seat in Parliament if he is officially sworn in as the Speaker of Parliament.

Hon. Alhassan Azong of the PNC and a Minister of State in charge of Public Sector Reforms has been selected as the Second Speaker of Parliament.

The decision to give the second Speaker of Parliament to the PNC member is likely to irk members of the largest opposition, the New Patriotic Party after indications were that Hon. Joe Ghartey, former Attorney General was being positioned to replace Hon. Mike Ocquaye as the second Speaker of Parliament.

Hon. Adjaho rose through the ranks in Parliament, becoming a Minority Chief Whip, Deputy Minority Leader, one time member of the Pan-African Parliament before attaining his current position as the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament.

Hon. Benjamin Kumbuor has also been selected as the majority leader replacing Cletus Avoka. Hon. Alfred Agbesi MP elect for Ashaiman constituency is the deputy majority leader.

Former Sports Minister Muntaka Mubarak is also the new Majority Chief Whip. 


source: Radio XYZ

Supreme Court sets date for NDC application

The Supreme Court will on Thursday, January 10, 2013, hear an application by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to join a petition challenging the declaration of President John Dramani Mahama as winner of the December 7,2012 presidential election.

A member of the NDC’s legal and communications team, Victor K. Adawudu, told the Daily Graphic in Accra yesterday that the Registry of the Supreme Court had communicated the date to the party.

He indicated the party's readiness to fully justify why it had to be joined to the suit. The New Patriotic Party (NPP) is at the Supreme Court challenging the Electoral Commission's (EC's) declaration of President Mahama as winner of the presidential election.

The President-elect has been joined to the petition, which has the presidential candidate of the NPP in the 2012 elections, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo; his running mate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, and the Chairman of the NPP, Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, as plaintiffs.

According to the plaintiffs, irregularities recorded during the elections favoured the NDC, noting that 24,000 of the pink results sheets from some polling stations indicated that those irregularities were enough to affect the results.

An affidavit in support of the motion for joinder deposed on behalf of the NDC by its General Secretary, Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia, said the NDC, as the party on whose ticket the President contested the elections, "has a direct interest and a stake in the matter and will be affected by any decision of this honourable court".

"As a party which will be directly affected by the decision, the NDC is entitled to be joined as a party and be heard in respect of the petition and seek to be joined by the motion herein," it pointed out.

It said the NDC was a political party registered under the laws of Ghana and had, since the inception of the Fourth Republic, nominated and sponsored candidates for both parliamentary and presidential elections.

On December 9, 2012, the EC declared the NDC's candidate, Mr Mahama, winner of the elections and, therefore, President-elect of Ghana.

The declaration was gazetted by the Declaration of President-elect Instrument 2012 (CI 80) on December 11, 2012. 


source: Daily Graphic

Does confidence really breed success?

Research suggests that more and more American university students think they are something special. High self-esteem is generally regarded as a good thing - but could too much of it actually make you less successful?
About nine million young people have filled out the American Freshman Survey, since it began in 1966.
It asks students to rate how they measure up to their peers in a number of basic skills areas - and over the past four decades, there has been a dramatic rise in the number of students who describe themselves as being "above average" for academic ability, drive to achieve, mathematical ability and self-confidence.
This was revealed in a new analysis of the survey data, by US psychologist Jean Twenge and colleagues.

Self-appraisals of traits that are less individualistic - such as co-operativeness, understanding others and spirituality - saw little change, or a decrease, over the same period.

 Twenge adds that while the Freshman Survey shows that students are increasingly likely to label themselves as gifted in writing ability, objective test scores indicate that actual writing ability has gone down since the 1960s.

And while in the late 1980s, almost half of students said they studied for six or more hours a week, the figure was little over a third by 2009 - a fact that sits rather oddly, given there has been a rise in students' self-proclaimed drive to succeed during the same period.
Another study by Twenge suggested there has been a 30% tilt towards narcissistic attitudes in US students since 1979.
The Oxford English Dictionary defines narcissism as: "Excessive self-love or vanity; self-admiration, self-centredness."
"Our culture used to encourage modesty and humility and not bragging about yourself," says Twenge. "It was considered a bad thing to be seen as conceited or full of yourself."

Not everyone with high self-esteem is a narcissist. Some positive views of the self may be harmless and in fact quite justified.
But one in four recent students responded to a questionnaire, the Narcissistic Personality Inventory, in a way which leaned towards narcissistic views of the self.
Though some have argued that narcissism is an essential trait, Twenge and her colleagues see it as negative and destructive.
In The Narcissism Epidemic, co-written with Keith Campbell, Twenge blames the growth of narcissistic attitudes on a range of trends - including parenting styles, celebrity culture, social media and access to easy credit, which allows people to appear more successful than they are.
"What's really become prevalent over the last two decades is the idea that being highly self-confident - loving yourself, believing in yourself - is the key to success.
"Now the interesting thing about that belief is it's widely held, it's very deeply held, and it's also untrue."

This bewitching idea - that people's lives will improve with their self-esteem - led to what came to be known as The Self-Esteem Movement.

Legions of self-help books have propagated the idea that we each have it within us to achieve great things - we just need to be more confident.
Over 15,000 journal articles have examined the links between high self-esteem and measurable outcomes in real life, such as educational achievement, job opportunities, popularity, health, happiness and adherence to laws and social codes.
Yet there is very little evidence that raising self-esteem leads to tangible, positive outcomes.
"If there is any effect at all, it is quite small," says Roy Baumeister of Florida State University. He was the lead author of a 2003 paper that scrutinised dozens of self-esteem studies.
He found that although high self-esteem frequently had a positive correlation with success, the direction of causation was often unclear. For example, are high marks awarded to people with high self-esteem or does getting high marks engender high self-esteem?
And a third variable can influence both self-esteem and the positive outcome.
"Coming from a good family might lead to both high self-esteem and personal success," says Baumeister.
"Self-control is much more powerful and well-supported as a cause of personal success. Despite my years invested in research on self-esteem, I reluctantly advise people to forget about it."

This doesn't mean that under-confident people will be more successful in school, in their careers or in sport.
"You need to believe that you can go out and do something but that's not the same as thinking that you're great," says Twenge. She gives the example of a swimmer attempting to learn a turn - this person needs to believe that they can acquire that skill, but a belief that they are already a great swimmer does not help.

Forsyth and Kerr studied the effect of positive feedback on university students who had received low grades (C, D, E and F). They found that the weaker students actually performed worse if they received encouragement aimed at boosting their self-worth.
"An intervention that encourages [students] to feel good about themselves, regardless of work, may remove the reason to work hard," writes Baumeister.
So do young people think they are better than they are?
If they are, perhaps the appropriate response is not condemnation but pity.
The narcissists described by Twenge and Campbell are often outwardly charming and charismatic. They find it easy to start relationships and have more confidence socially and in job interviews. Yet their prognosis is not good.

"In the long-term, what tends to happen is that narcissistic people mess up their relationships, at home and at work," says Twenge.
Narcissists may say all the right things but their actions eventually reveal them to be self-serving.
As for the narcissists themselves, it often not until middle age that they notice their life has been marked by an unusual number of failed relationships.

But it's not something that is easy to fix - narcissists are notorious for dropping out of therapy.
"It's a personality trait," says Twenge. "It's by definition very difficult to change. It's rooted in genetics and early environment and culture and things that aren't all that malleable."
Things also don't look good for the many young people who - although not classed as narcissists - have a disproportionately positive self-view.
A 2006 study led by John Reynolds of Florida State University found that students are increasingly ambitious, but also increasingly unrealistic in their expectations, creating what he calls "ambition inflation".
"Since the 1960s and 1970s, when those expectations started to grow, there's been an increase in anxiety and depression," says Twenge.

Yvoone Okoro's 'THE CONTRACT' breaks movie record

Actress Yvonne Okoro’s first produced movie, The Contract, directed by Shirley Frimpong Manso is doing wonders in Ghana's movie industry.

The movie's premiere at Ghana's National Theatre on December 28 turned out a huge success.

It was a sold out event. Tickets got finished ahead of the premiere, leaving hundreds of movie enthusiasts stranded without tickets.

It was a one-showing premiering event and every seat at the auditorium of the theatre was occupied.

Some patrons had to stand on their feet to enjoy the movie that is currently breaking Silverbird Ghana records.

A lot of movie enthusiasts have been queuing to watch the movie since it started showing at the Silverbird Cinemas from December 29. Two cinema halls had been allocated for the movie's screening but there seems to be some pressure due to patronage.

Ghanaian local radio station, Citi fm has reportedly named, The Contract, movie of the year 2012. The movie is expected to break into Nollywood cinemas very soon. It will also premiere in South Africa before it finally goes out of African continent.

The Contract tells the story of a successful businessman, Peter Puplampo, the ultimate alpha male played by South Africa's award winning actor Hlomla Dandala.

He is 40-years old, rich and a staunch bachelor. Despite his mother’s persistent attempts to find him a woman, Peter sticks to his rule of non-committal casual dates, freedom and being in control of his life until the desire to have a child arises.

In his quest to find the woman who will take his money, have his child and disappear, Peter begins a roller-coaster, contracted relationship with Abena Boateng (Yvonne Okoro), a crude but clever local girl who is anything but impressed with Peter’s affluence.

With a clear definitive contract from his lawyer outlining the dos and don’ts of bearing Peter Puplampo’s child, these two opposites must exercise every ounce of willpower not to kill each other until the child is born.

The movie is an unsuspecting romantic comedy with unusual twists that expose the flaws in being in control of one’s life.

It also stars Joseph Benjamin from Nollywood and introducing Ghanaian award winning model, Joycelyn Nketia.

source: Ghanaweb

Justin Bieber: I don't have access to my billions yet

Justin Bieber may be one of the richest teens out there, but the heart-throb has admitted that he STILL doesn't have access to his fortune, even though he admits he doesn't have an allowance anymore.
Biebs may have changed a fair bit since hitting the grand old age of 18, but it seems like the popstar still isn't trusted to take care of his millions himself.
"Normally I make good, sound decisions," he told Top of the Pops.
"You don't have to worry about me. My parents trust me."
He continued, "I don't have an allowance any more, which is good."
"I don't have access to all my money, but I have a bank account so I can get money out."
"I grew up without much money, so now that I don't have to look at the bill when I buy dinner, it's cool. I still look at the price tags on clothes though. I'm still cheap like that.

But, it seems like people may be holding Biebs' money back for a reason, as the 'Baby' superstar is said to be 'worrying' his bosses at his record label because of his 'uncontrollable behaviour and bossy nature'.
According to sources, the star has been ordering his staff around, isn’t listening to anyone and doing what he pleases when he pleases.
"Justin doesn't seem to care and does whatever he wants," a source informed New York Daily News.
"He orders everybody around. He's surrounded by hangers-on who say 'yes' to anything he wants. There's no supervision," the source continued.
"This could really damage his reputation if they don't get it under control. Justin is someone young teens look up to and this kind of behaviour can really hurt his career. Just look at what happened with Britney Spears," the insider confessed.
Uh-oh! Behave, Biebs...

source: Entertainmentwise

Top 20 songs of the week

1. Locked out of heaven- Bruno Mars
2.I knew you were trouble- Taylor Swift
3. Diamonds- Rihanna
4. Ho Hey- The Lumineers
5. Beauty and a Beast- Justin Bieber featuring Nicki Minaj
6. Gangnam Style- PSY
7. Die young- Ke$ha
8. One more night- Maroon 5
9. Home- Philip Philips
10. Thrift Shop- Macklemore featuring Ryan Lewiz, Wanz
11. I cry- Flo Rida
12. Scream & Shout- Will I am featuring Britney Spears
13. Some nights- Fun
14. Girl on fire- Alicia Keys
15. Don't worry child- Swedish House Mafia featuring John Martin
16. The A-Team- Ed-Sheeran
17. We are never getting back- Taylor Swift
18. Try- Pink
19. Cruise- Georgia Florida Line
20. Swimming Pools- kendrick Lamaar

Thursday 3 January 2013

Joe Ghartey should not emerge as 2nd Deputy Speaker - Ablakwa

Some National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs-elect are canvassing for support to block the election of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) nominee, Joe Ghartey as second Deputy Speaker of Parliament.

The NDC MPs are being led by a Deputy Minister of Information and MP-elect for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa who says the NPP’s complacent disposition towards the election of John Mahama as President automatically makes them an enemy to state.

According to him, such people must not be given any opportunity to derail the better Ghana Agenda.

“The Honourable Joe Ghartey should not emerge as the second Deputy Speaker of Parliament. In this Parliament, we have a PNC Member of Parliament; we have four independent candidates so we have a choice. The NPP is not the only non- NDC party in Parliament so that gives us options.”

 He further stated that the NPP “which is seeking to discredit President Mahama, embarrass him at the inauguration ceremony on Monday should not be allowed benefit from the same election which they are discrediting by appointing a second Deputy Speaker and expect us to come and vote for that second Speaker. None of us will support it.”

Mr. Ablakwa also said the move by the NPP to boycott the January 7 swearing-in ceremony of the President is purposely to disgrace him in the eyes of the international media.

“The NPP is seeking to embarrass President John Dramani Mahama. They have announced that they are boycotting the inauguration of President Mahama; they are discrediting the election that saw the emergence of President John Mahama as the next President of the Republic of Ghana. Some of us find it very strange and indeed conflicting. You cannot be condemning the election of President Mahama; the same election yet they are seeking to benefit from that same election.”

source: Citi Fm

NPP hints it may boycott bills brought by Prez Mahama

The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) is contemplating boycotting bills forwarded by the Mahama administration to Parliament for passage into laws.

According to the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the NPP, it has scheduled a meeting Friday to decide the fate of the minority in the next parliament which would be sworn in January 7, 2013.

Newly installed Deputy Minority Leader, Dominic Nitiwul, said the decision of NEC will be informed by the legal action the NPP has taken against the declaration of John Mahama as winner of the December poll.

Dominic Nitiwul said NEC will decide whether to view any business brought before parliament from the executive as an illegality and boycott it as such.

The opposition NPP has already stated their intention to boycott the swearing-in ceremony of John Mahama at the Independence Square on January 7 in support of the petition it filed at the Supreme Court contesting the declaration of John Mahama as president-elect. 


source: Joy Online

Kojo Antwi to Trademark his name

KOJO ANTWIFamed singer Kojo Antwi has decided to trademark his name. He is due to file an application at the Registrar of Trademarks at the Registrar General’s Department to that effect.
Kojo Antwi disclosed this in an interview on Ultimate Radio with Kojo Akoto Boateng. According to Kojo, he has a lot of plans for the new year and he intends to trademark his name to prevent misuse and protect his brand.
Kojo Antwi also revealed that he’s dropping the ‘Antwi’ from his stage name and would wish to be known as KOJO, which he intends to trademark.

source: totalshowbiz

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