ghananlpcommunity/ghana-gov-speeches-sentences huggingface dataset:
I will also mention that I have also worked with the BBC for 14 years in the interim from 1986 to December, 2000.
I should also mention that I have also been in government, serving as a Minister of State in Ghana from January, 2001 to January, 2009 and I continue to be a front line member of the political party that is currently in power.
Okay, having got all that out of the way and thereby firmly planting my prejudices, I can tell you what I find worrying about this programme.
The BBC is primarily a news organisation and those who work there and make programmes are primarily journalists.
We do not expect that the BBC would only defend journalists and programmes from other jurisdictions that meet its own standards.
But when the BBC starts a programme that purports to be about Ghana's free speech being under attack, with a man whose claim to fame seems to be how scurrilous he can be about his opponents, who makes no attempt to be factual and who uses the most obscene language to describe Ghana's First Lady at every opportunity, I have to wonder about the BBC.
Have the editors of the programme determined that this is a journalist, doing a professional job who is being muzzled and attacked?
Then there is the second person who is cited.
I perfectly understand that for the BBC, someone who is a PhD student in Cambridge is in a rarefied stratosphere and cannot and should not be challenged by the authorities of a Third World country.
Did the editors of the programme take into consideration in making a judgement about Mr Barker-Vormawor that he had worked in the office of the two preceeding Presidents who are in opposition to the current government?
A bit of history here again might be useful.
Back in 1981, the BBC did a programme on how the authorities in Ghana had the security services following Flt-Lt Jerry Rawlings and his friend Capt.
(Rtd) Kojo Tsikata on suspicion they were plotting the violent overthrow of the government.
The 1981 programme lamented the abuse of freedoms under the Constitution.
Not too long after this programme was broadcast, a coup was staged, the government was overthrown and Flt-Lt Rawlings and Capt Tsikata were the architects of that coup.
Another bit of history to further make the point.
Before I joined the BBC in September 1986, I had established a weekly newsmagazine on West African affairs in London that I called Talking Drums which I ran between August 1983 until July 1986 when it collapsed.
During this time, there was the miners strike in the UK.
I wrote in the Talking Drums an article, that said if the things that were happening in the UK had been happening in Ghana, some would have said conditions were ripe for a coup d'etat and there would be enough justification for the coup citing the daily complaints made by Mr Arthur Scargill about police brutality.
I remember the BBC World Service invited me to be interviewed, they were so shocked, or would it be scandalised, that I would make such a suggestion of a possibility of a coup in GREAT Britain.
I lived in the UK when the Council Tax was introduced, my recollection is there was stronger objection to it than anything I've seen against the E-Levy here.
I don't remember that anyone suggested the British Army should therefore intervene to save the suffering British people.
The editors of this programme think campaigning against a tax measure means advocating for a military overthrow of an elected government?
Would that be because this is a West African country and not Great Britain?
The third person's experience cited in the programme, I'm afraid was unknown to me and I'm now trying to find more about it.
All the same, the events recounted by Mr Lateef sound to me like Police misconduct more than government trying to clamp down on free speech.
This current government in Ghana has been trying to clamp down on illegal mining since it came into office in 2017.
As a result of this policy, it lost many parliamentary seats in the 2020 elections when the opposition party campaigned in the mining areas, they would stop the clamp down if elected.
It's difficult therefore to see how a journalist doing stories on illegal mining would attract the ire of the government to lead to the journalist being targeted for manhandling.
It says in the programme at many points that the government had been asked for comments and had not offered any.
I have asked and been assured that neither the Minister of Information nor the Director of Communications at the Office of the President had been contacted by anyone to comment on the story by the producers of the programme The National Media Commission, which is the independent, constitutionally mandated body that deals with issues of press freedom and the protection of journalists was also not contacted for comments on your programme.
I am very sorry to have to say that I am not impressed with your reliance on the West African Media Foundation.
Unfortunately, they are no longer in my estimation, in a position to offer unbiased opinions on this government.
Nothing wrong with such a position, just as long as it is labelled as such.
I did not intend to write such a long treatise and I apologise.
I feel strongly about the BBC, having spent such a long part of my working life with the organisation.
The BBC used to always have some history and context.
These days, it's hard to discern that sometimes in your programmes.
Most Sincerely, Elizabeth
Good afternoon, distinguished members of the press, colleagues, and fellow citizens.
Over the past fifteen months, Government has worked with focus and discipline to stabilise Ghana’s power sector and deliver a more reliable electricity supply to homes, businesses, and industry.
This has been achieved despite inheriting a generation deficit of over 700 megawatts in December 2024, a gap that posed a serious risk to national productivity and economic stability.
Through coordinated effort and decisive leadership, we have implemented significant structural reforms across the entire power value chain; from generation, through transmission, to distribution.
These reforms are not abstract; they are measurable and impactful.
On the generation side, Independent Power Producers have experienced improved payment performance, restoring confidence and strengthening partnerships within the sector.
Fuel supply has stabilised considerably.
Natural gas deliveries from TEN, Jubilee partners, and N-Gas have increased and remain consistent.
Liquid fuel availability has been secured, and critically, gas payments are now made on time, eliminating the uncertainty that previously threatened continuous generation.
Within the distribution segment, revenue collection by the Electricity Company of Ghana and Northern Electricity Distribution Company has improved significantly.
This has enhanced their operational capacity and enabled critical investments in network maintenance and expansion, while maintaining discipline in overall expenditure.
Taken together, these efforts have resulted in a period of relative stability in power supply, one that many Ghanaians have experienced over the past year.
However, we have recently experienced two setbacks that have impacted power supply.
While these incidents are unfortunate, they are being addressed with urgency and coordination.
Our technical teams are actively working to resolve them, and we will maintain full transparency on their causes, implications, and the measures being taken to restore normalcy.
Notwithstanding these challenges, the overall trajectory of the power sector remains one of progress, reform, and resilience.
AKOSOMBO SUBSTATION FIRE I address you today on two critical but distinct developments within our power sector that have affected electricity supply across the country recently.
The first is the recent fire at Ghana's biggest generation plant, the Akosombo Substation, an unexpected and significant incident that has disrupted power evacuation and generation.
Fellow citizens, this incident represents one of the most serious and unprecedented disruptions ever experienced in Ghana’s power sector.
The fire incident severely damaged the control room responsible for power evacuation, crippling a critical component of the transmission system and leaving over 1,000 megawatts of power stranded at Akosombo.
This has inevitably resulted in supply disruptions across parts of the country.
Fellow Ghanaians as Minister responsible for the energy sector, my foremost desire is to ensure that every Ghanaian, and every part of our country, enjoys a stable, reliable, and uninterrupted power supply.
This has been the focus of our efforts since assuming office.
This unfortunate and unprecedented disaster, which has resulted in the temporary curtailment of power from our largest generation source, the Akosombo Dam, has led to severe supply challenges not witnessed in recent times.
To all those affected by this situation, I wish to assure you that I deeply empathise with you and share in your frustration and discomfort.
But le me assure that Government, working through all relevant sector agencies, has responded with urgency and coordination.
Our engineers have remained on site, working around the clock under extremely difficult conditions to restore operations.
I am pleased to report that, through emergency technical interventions share determination, the first generating unit was successfully restored yesterday.
This afternoon, I just received confirmation that the second unit has also been successfully synchronised, bringing the total to 2 units as I address you.
Work is actively ongoing to bring the 3rd and remaining units back into operation as quickly and safely as possible.
Ladies and Gentlemen, on behalf of the Government and the good people of Ghana, I wish to take this opportunity to commend and salute our engineers and technical teams who have remained on site, working tirelessly under extremely difficult conditions to restore the system to full operation.
Your dedication, professionalism, and unwavering commitment in the face of this challenging situation are truly commendable.
Let me state without equivocation that I am immensely proud of you.
I have directed the Electricity Company of Ghana to provide regular and timely updates to the public on affected areas and restoration efforts.
Let me state clearly: disasters of this nature are neither predictable nor entirely preventable.
However, what remains within our control is the speed, coordination, and determination with which we respond.
In our attempt to swiftly restore power, safety remains paramount.
We will move swiftly, but we will not seek to cut corners.
To get to gthe root of the fire incident, I have also constituted a Technical Committee, chaired by Ing.
William Amuna, to conduct a thorough and independent investigation into the incident.
I am well aware that the security agencies are also conducting the criminal aspect of the investigations.
Let me assure Ghanaians that we remain fully committed to restoring normalcy within the shortest possible time.
I have been brief that the engineers seek to restore normalcy within this week.
TRANSFORMER UPGRADE AND REPLACEMENT PROGRAMME (TURP) Fellow citizens, beyond this incident lies a deeper, long-standing structural challenge, the condition of our distribution infrastructure.
Many transformers across the country are obsolete and overstretched due to increasing demand and years of underinvestment.
This has resulted in overloads, low voltage, and recurring outages.
Government is addressing this directly through a nationwide Transformer Upgrade and Replacement Programme.
As an immediate intervention, about 200 transformers have so far been installed in April 2026 with another 140 scheduled to be installed this week.
Across the ECG operational areas, we aim to install over 2,500 transformers nationwide in 2026.
In addition, high-capacity transformers are being deployed at key Bulk Supply Points, including Adenta, Lashibi, and Teshie-Nungua, with further works planned for Kumasi next week.
The Ghana Grid Company is also preparing to commence critical transmission reinforcement works in Kumasi in June 2026.
CENIT Energy Limited is supporting efforts by airlifting critical components to boost generation capacity in the Ashanti Region.
CLOSING We are confronting both immediate disruptions and long-term structural weaknesses with focus and determination.
We are restoring what has been disrupted.
We are replacing what is no longer fit for purpose.
And we are building a stronger, more resilient power system for the future.
Government remains fully committed to delivering reliable electricity supply to every Ghanaian home, business, and institution.
Together, we will overcome these challenges.
Thank you, and may God bless our homeland Ghana.
He burst onto the scene like a meteor, but a meteor that did not burst into flames and disintegrate like all meteors do.
On the contrary, it remained potent until the very end of its life, leaving strong footprints in the sands of time.
The turbulent occurrences of the 1970s in Ghana – the overthrow of the 2nd Republic and the Progress Party Government by the military coup of 13th January 1972; the takeover of power by the Col.
I.K.
Acheampong-led National Redemption Council and, subsequently, the Supreme Military Council; the proscription of multiparty democracy; the professionals’ strike of 1976; the March 1978 Referendum on the proposal to entrench military rule through the Union Government concept; the formation of the People’s Movement for Freedom and Justice (PMFJ) to mobilise the ‘No Vote’ in the Referendum; the consequences of the vote, and the conspiracy to abduct the Electoral Commissioner; the palace coup that removed Gen.
Kutu Acheampong from office and ushered in Gen.
Fred Akuffo in his stead – culminated in the emergence of Flt.
Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings in the political space of our country.
Charismatic, energetic, fearless leader.
Such were the attributes ascribed by many Ghanaians to the man, Jerry John Rawlings, the young air force officer, who announced his presence in Ghana’s politics by the abortive coup of May 15, 1979, and was sentenced to death for his part in the failed effort.
He gave, at his trial, an important insight into his character, when he stood up, before the military tribunal, to accept sole responsibility for the attempt, and to request the NCOs, who were being tried with him, to be absolved and freed by the tribunal.
The great events that were to define his career followed quickly after his trial, conviction and sentence.
Three (3) weeks later, whilst awaiting execution of his sentence, he was dramatically freed from prison by the insurgents of what has come to be known as the June 4th Uprising, when junior officers and other ranks of the Ghana Armed Forces banded together to throw out the Supreme Military Council, and install the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC), headed by Flt.
Lt Jerry John Rawlings, thereafter ‘J.J’ to all and sundry in Ghana.
It is no wonder that he came to regard June 4th as “that divine day”.
He re-emerged as Chairman of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC), when he led the successful coup that brought the short-lived 3rd Republic to an end on 31st December 1981.
The tumultuous, and at times lawless, incidents of the AFRC’s three (3) month tenure of office, and of the early years of PNDC rule, are matters of record, winning him passionate admirers, vociferous critics, and determined lifelong enemies, all at the same time.
He was the longest serving ruler in our history – eleven (11) years as a military leader, and eight (8) years as a twice elected civilian President, making nineteen (19) years in all.
He was fortified in his work by his union with his celebrated consort, the equally dynamic Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, who proved to be a sturdy pillar and invaluable companion to the very end, and who bore him four (4) children, the eldest of whom, Zanetor, is continuing his tradition of public service.
It was no secret that the relationship that existed between the two of us, right from the heady days of 1979, through to my brief period in exile, his assumption of office as the 1st President of the 4th Republic, the historic Kume Preko demonstrations, my period as Attorney General and Minister for Foreign Affairs in the Kufuor administration, to my being elected 2008 NPP presidential candidate, was one of open animosity.
We did not see eye to eye!!
However, with time, things changed.
We came to see value in each other, and understood, to a very large degree, our respective perspectives.
One thing we had in common was our mutual commitment to public service.
My visit to his Ridge residence in 2012 signified the easing of tensions between us, leading to a friendship that lasted for the better part of some eight (8) years.
Indeed, when the Ghanaian people, in 2016, reposed, for the first time, their confidence in me in the elections of that year, one of the first persons on whom I paid a courtesy call was His Excellency Jerry John Rawlings.
From my entry into office, right up to the day he was called by his Maker, he remained a good friend and a repository of sound advice.
I knew that, in moments of difficulty in my presidency, I could count on his considerable wealth of experience and knowledge.
On those occasions, he came through for me.
There was a symbolic gesture he advanced to me at the funeral of his late mother, Madam Victoria Agbotui, held at the Forecourt of the State House on 24th October 2020.
It was to be our last time together.
He was called up by the clergy to receive special prayers as the only surviving son.
He told the men of God to wait and called for me to walk up to join him to receive the special prayers.
He whispered to my ears as I stood beside him: “I reminded them that they should pray for you also because you had also lost your mother.”
I was touched by this.
It is for good reason that his well-known, oft-cited ideals of “probity and accountability”, in which he invested a great deal of his political capital, have been enshrined in the Constitution of the 4th Republic, and, together with “Freedom and Justice”, the words of our nation’s motto, constitute the foundational principles on which social order is to be developed in Ghana.
There are many who acknowledge him as the Founder of the 4th Republic, a Republic which has proved to be the most enduring and stable in our history, and which has witnessed eight (8) successive elections, three peaceful changes of government from one party to another, and five Presidents.
For all his revolutionary antecedents, he set, in 2001, the enviable precedent, which has, since, guided our country, of respecting the two-term limit of the Presidency and superintending the orderly transfer of power to his democratically-elected successor.
Whilst he was with us, he, respectfully, declined an offer I made to him, in 2017, to have the University of Development Studies, Tamale, (UDS), which he, personally, helped establish, named after him.
His reason was that, in adhering to a long-standing principle, he did not want to have any national monument or facility named after him.
Two days after his passing, at the 21st Congregation of UDS, I expressed my strongest convictions, in spite of his reservations, that such an honour should be accorded him.
I am glad that this has found favour with his family, and the necessary formalities will be carried out to achieve this, i.e.
The Jerry John Rawlings University of Development Studies, Tamale.
Such is the measure of the man that the days associated with his political interventions in Ghana, i.e.
15th May, 4th June, 31st December, and 7th January, are now significant days in the calendar of the nation.
But, the most significant of them all must be 7th January 1993, the day that ushered in the 4th Republic.
It is in recognition of this that I decided to commemorate 7th January as Constitution Day on the national calendar.
It is, perhaps, the greatest tribute a grateful nation can offer to the men and women whose efforts led to the establishment of the 4th Republic.
It is my hope and prayer that he remains, forever, the longest serving Head of State in our nation’s history, for that would mean that the 4th Republican Constitution and its enshrined term limits have endured.
His actions were not limited to Ghana only.
The African nationalist that he was, he held unwavering positions on all matters concerning the wider continent of Africa, especially when they involved foreign interference and control of Africa’s destiny, and was quick to voice his views on them.
His chairmanship of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government set the example, whereby virtually all his successors, John Agyekum Kufuor, John Dramani Mahama, and I, the 2nd, 4th and 5th Presidents, respectively, of the 4th Republic, have been honoured by their peers with the occupancy of that high office, reinforcing the pan-African vocation which has been an essential element of Ghanaian public policy since independence.
I called him ‘Comandante’, because of his admiration for the famous Latin American revolutionaries, Fidel Castro, Hugo Chavez, and Daniel Ortega, a nickname which seemed to please him.
I believe that history, on balance, will be kind to him, and will render a positive verdict on his contribution to the evolution of our nation, and the entrenchment of its democratic institutions and culture.
It is entirely appropriate and fitting that he should receive a State Funeral with full honours to express the gratitude of the nation for that contribution.
My wife Rebecca and our children join me in expressing our sincere, heartfelt condolences to his beloved wife, Nana Konadu, his children, Ezanetor, Yaa Asantewa, Amina, and Kimathi, and his entire family, for their great loss of one of the outstanding figures of modern Ghanaian history, a man whose sense of humour was truly infectious.
‘Comandante’, rest and abide in perfect peace in the bosom of the Almighty, until we all meet again on the last day of the Resurrection.
Farewell, God bless, and thank you for all your help.
SPEECH READ BY FELIX KWAKYE OFOSU AT NDC WEEKLY BRIEFING ON FALSE INFRASTRUCTURE CLAIMS BY PRESIDENT AKUFO-ADDO AT COMMISSIONING OF THE TEMA MOTORWAY INTERCHANGE.
Good morning ladies and gentlemen of the media, Thank you once again for your kind coverage of this important platform.
Last Friday, President Akufo-Addo, at the commissioning ceremony of the Tema Motorway Interchange stated as follows “we made a pledge to the Ghanaian people to expand and improve the road network while closing the missing link in the network”.
“We had to make this pledge because we know that the so-called unprecedented infrastructure development of the Mahama administration was fantasy, existing in the Green Book and not on the ground”.
It bears mentioning, that it would not be the first time that President Akufo-Addo has made such comments about the contents of the Green Book or the stellar record of his immediate predecessor, President John Dramani Mahama.
On 7th May, 2019, he had this to say to members of the Upper West Regional House of Chiefs who had paid him a visit at the Flagstaff House; “Before I came here, I was told by my biggest competitor that they have done all roads in Ghana and that they are responsible for an unprecedented infrastructure development.
Everywhere I go, I do not think there is any institution that had talked to me and has not raised the issue about the roads in their area as their principal concern”.
President Akufo-Addo took this narrative a notch higher when he stated in his fourth and hopefully final State of the Nation Address on 20th February 2020, that “artists impressions had been passed off as constructed roads”.
Ladies and Gentlemen of the media, The President’s misrepresentation of the Green Book predates his ascension to the highest office of the land.
He had claimed during the launch of the NPP manifesto, which has in the fullness of time proven to be the most deceptive and dishonoured in Ghanaian political history, that the Green Book was full of artist impressions.
In summary, the President through his various statements has sought to portray three things.