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We’re still shocked by the results of the parliamentary elections – Justin Kodua

The General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Justin Frimpong Kodua, has expressed shock and disbelief over the results of the just-ended 2024 parliamentary elections.
He stated that one major issue before the 2020 election was how the party had imposed some candidates on certain constituencies.
“So we vowed not to allow such instances to repeat themselves again in the 2023/2024 primaries. You can testify that we ran one of the most transparent and efficient parliamentary primaries in our party, with no traces of controversy after the election. The various constituencies were given the opportunity to elect whoever they wanted to lead them in the 2024 election,” he said.
He revealed that an album validation committee was established to ensure transparency during the election and avoid any misunderstandings among members.
In an interview on Asempa FM’s Ekosiisen Show on Tuesday, January 14, Mr Kodua mentioned that parliamentary candidates of the party acknowledged that the party had fairly provided maximum support during the election, making it unprecedented.
“Some of us are still mesmerized, we are still shocked by the outcome of the election,” he emphasized.
Mr Kodua further explained that he chose not to grant any interviews after the election because he was puzzled by how the party lost so many seats despite ensuring a smooth election process during the primaries.
He expressed strong confidence in the committee set up to investigate the aftermath of the 2024 election.
“The committee, headed by Prof Mike Oquaye, will probe further to find out what really happened,” he stressed.
He also attributed the party’s loss to apathy that had crept into the party, which he claimed led to the poor performance.
“The kind of apathy that infiltrated the party in the 2024 elections affected both the presidential and parliamentary candidates…” he concluded.
Although both parties had 137 MPs with one independent MP backing the NPP to give them a slight majority in the 8th Parliament, the 9th Parliament has seen the NDC winning 183 seats, with the NPP managing just 88 seats with four Independent MPs.
There’s just one parliamentary seat yet to be determined by the Electoral Commission due to an outstanding dispute.
Source: Myjoyonline.com
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Dzifa Gomashie launches three-day consultative meeting of ECOWAS Member States on copyright under AfCFTA

The Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie (M.P), on Tuesday, February 11, 2025, launched the three-day Consultative Meeting of ECOWAS Member States for a Coordinated Response to Copyright Issues in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Since January 1, 2021, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has brought together 54 countries of the continent and seeks to bring all member States of the African Union (AU) by bringing together key institutions as the common market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the East African Community (EAC) the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), the Southern Economic Community of Central Africa States (ECCAS), the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS), the Arab Maghreb Union and the Community of Sahel-Saharan States.
The objective of this meeting was to provide a coordinated response to the consideration of copyright issues in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) while taking into account the national legislation of ECOWAS member countries.
In her opening remarks, the Minister for Tourism, Culture, and Creative Arts emphasised that Ghana recognizes the immense potential of AfCFTA to stimulate economic growth, promote innovation, and foster cultural exchange across the African continent. Realizing these potential hinges on the establishment of a robust and harmonized intellectual property rights framework, with copyright at its core.
She urged the ECOWAS Member States to have a shared responsibility in ensuring that the National copyright laws align with international standards while reflecting the unique needs and circumstances of our region.
She was optimistic that, the consultation meeting would provide a valuable platform for member states to engage in open dialogue, exchange best practices, and identify areas of convergence in our respective legal frameworks.
The Minister further enumerated some key issues that attention should be paid to in the formulation of the legal framework or reference point when it comes to Intellectual property (IP).
i) The scope of copyright protection.
ii) Enforcement mechanisms
iii) Collective management organization
iv) Exceptions and limitations
v) Cross-border cooperation
Concluding her remarks, Abla Dzifa Gomashie encouraged Member States to seize the opportunity to work together towards a future where creativity is celebrated, innovation is rewarded, and the cultural wealth of our region is safeguarded for generations yet to come.
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120-Day Social Contract Task Force starts work

President John Dramani Mahama’s 120 Days Social Contract Task Force has held its inaugural meeting following the swearing-in of the full complement of ministers of state.
Chaired by Dr Valerie Sawyerr, Senior Presidential Advisor on Governmental Affairs, the 19-member task force is to ensure that the policies outlined in the NDC Manifesto to be achieved within the first 120 days of President Mahama’s assumption of office are fulfilled.
The president noted that while some of the promises have been delivered, others required a sectoral focus and needed the ministers to be in place.
“Some of the targets were to be achieved within 90 days, while others were in 14 days like the promise to assemble a full cabinet, which has been achieved.
“Others necessarily must go with some things, for instance the removal of some taxes and rationalisation of taxes can only be in the budget because you need to do revenue measures and put those tax instruments before Parliament,” the President said.
“So, all of you are supposed to focus on your sectors and work so that we achieve all the targets that we set ourselves in the 120-day plan.”
President Mahama, referred to Task Force as the G120, and urged them to work closely with the Chairperson, to make sure that the government is faithful to the mandate given it by the people of Ghana.
He noted that the National Economic Dialogue Planning Committee and the Constitution Review Committee have started work. The president lauded the Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, for setting up the National Forum on Education Committee.
“The Minister for Education, who was amongst the earliest to be sworn-in has already moved quite fast with the issue of the national education review and so for those of you who were sworn-in later look into your sector ministries and the promises that we made and then work as quickly as possible with the senior presidential advisor on governmental affairs to be able to achieve those targets we’ve set ourselves”, the President said.
The 120 days Social Contract Task Force include Dr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, Finance Minister, John Abu Jinapor, Energy Minister, Mrs Elizabeth Ofosu Agyare, Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Dr Dominic Akurutinga Ayine, Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, Education Minister.
The others are Hon. Dzifa Abla Gomashie, Minister for Tourism, George Opare Addo, Minister for Youth Development, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, Minister for Health, and Dr Abdul-Rashid Hassan Pelpuo, Minister for Labour, Jobs, and Employment.
The rest are Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Samuel Nartey George, Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation, Hon. Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, Mr Prosper Bani, National Security Adviser, Mr Goosie Tanoh, Presidential Advisor on the 24-Hour Economy, Professor Francis Dodoo, Presidential Adviser, Mrs Joyce Bawah Mogtari, Presidential Adviser and Special Aide to the President and COP Kofi Boakye (Rtd.), Director of Operations at the Presidency.
Dr Valerie Sawyerr on behalf of the Team, expressed gratitude to President Mahama for the honour bestowed upon them.
“We know how seriously you take your promises to the people of Ghana. Each promise is best with deep thinking, painstaking calculation, and consideration of various permutations to ensure they are viable, doable, and sustainable,” she said.
“We will not fail you; we will not fail the people of Ghana and God be our helper,” Dr Sawyerr said.
Story credit: Ghana News Agency.