ghananlpcommunity/ghana-gov-speeches-sentences huggingface dataset:
After this we had the Central Region with 1 million 74 thousand 519 (1,074,519) people, the Western Region with 734 thousand 545 (734,545) people, the Northern Region with 687 thousand 123 people (687,123), the Volta Region with 660 thousand 508 (660,508) people, the Bono Region with 460 thousand 226 people (460,226), the Upper East Region with 409 thousand 825 people (409,825), the Bono East Region with 391 thousand 777 people (391,777), the Western North Region had 300 thousand 15 people (300,015), the Upper West Region 299 thousand 480 people (299,480), the Oti Region with 226 thousand 109 people (226,109), the Ahafo Region with 212 thousand 670 people (212,670), the Savannah Region with 195 thousand 126 people (195,126), and finally the North East Region with 186 thousand 975 people (186,975).
As at yesterday, Sunday the 26 th of July a total number of 12 million 371 thousand 651 persons (12,371,651) had been successfully registered.
This represents 82.5% of our expected target of 15 million.
Regions Total Registered at the end of Phase 4 GREATER ACCRA 2,615,925 ASHANTI 2,089,923 EASTERN 1,084,734 CENTRAL 1,074,519 WESTERN 734,545 NORTHERN 687,123 VOLTA 660,508 BONO 460,226 UPPER EAST 409,825 BONO EAST 391,777 WESTERN NORTH 300,015 UPPER WEST 299,480 OTI 226,109 AHAFO 212,670 SAVANNAH 195,126 NORTH EAST 186,975 TOTAL 11,629,480 Persons with Disabilities We are pleased to note that the registration process has been inclusive and has attracted a good number of persons with disabilities.
At the end of the fourth phase, 46 thousand 237 (46,237) persons with disabilities had successfully gone through the registration process – this represents 0.40% of the total number registered.
These figures are very encouraging, and this is an indication of the unwavering interest that citizens have in who manages the reigns of leadership (of our dear country).
We have however received reports that a few persons with disabilities who visited the Registration Centers in the field, were not always given priority, as emphasized at our training programs.
Here I am referring particularly to persons with hearing and speech disabilities.
The Commission apologizes for this breach in procedure and will ensure that going forward, priority is given to all persons with disabilities who visit our Registration Centers.
We would however like to encourage persons with disabilities to take advantage of arrangements that have been put in place at the district office.
We assure them that their experience at the district office will be all together positive.
Gender Dynamics In terms of Gender, we have seen more women registering in this exercise than men.
Whilst this is not surprising, the gap is quite wide.
To date we have a total of 6 million 100 thousand 440 women (6,100,440) as against 5 million 528 thousand 970 men (5,528,970) who have registered.
Women make up 52.5% of registered citizens so far, compared to men who make up 47.5%.
First-Time Voters We now come to the interesting topic of first-time voters.
For the purpose of this registration we classify first time voters as persons who are exactly 18 at the time of registration.
It is encouraging to note the enthusiasm of our youth.
Generally, those within the 18-20 year have participated actively in this exercise.
However, the figures I will share today relate only to persons who are 18 years old at the time of registration.
We classify this age group as first-time voters because over the last two years we have had held district level elections and referenda.
Therefore, there is a possibility that those above 18 may have voted in those elections.
At the end of Phase Four, 480 thousand 851 (480,851) 18-year old’s had registered as voters.
This figure represents 4.1% of the register.
419 thousand 530 (419,530) 19-year old’s had also registered.
In a nutshell the 18 and 19-year olds make up 7.7% of the register.
Forms of Documentation Presented and Guarantor System Out of the 11.6 million registered at the end of the Phase Four, 60.32% of citizens used Ghana Cards, 37.73% registered using guarantors and 1.95% registered with their passports With regards to the Ghana Card, 80% of the population in the Eastern Region presented the Ghana Card.
Followed by the Oti Region where 78.4% of applicants presented the Ghana Card.
The Western North Region came third, where 74% of applicants presented the Ghana Card.
Regarding the use of Guarantors, The Ahafo Region had the highest percentage of guarantors per population – with 57.5% of the population using guarantors, followed by the Bono East Region where 56.8% of the population used guarantors, and the Bono Region where 56.6% of the population used guarantors.
The guarantor system has been embedded in our law to ensure that eligible citizens who do not have a form of documentation are not left out of processes such as the voters registration exercise.
As such, for persons who do not have documentation to prove their eligibility, they have the window of physically presenting two guarantors to vouch for them.
The Commission is picking up information, to the effect that a number of individuals in our society are offering their services as guarantors for a fee.
This is illegal and we call on the Security Agencies present at the Registration Centers to arrest such persons!
Guarantors must know the persons who they are guaranteeing for.
In the spirit of inclusiveness and accommodation, The Commission has reduced the age limit for persons who can be served at the district offices to 50 years.
Additionally, accommodation has also been made for health workers, particularly front-line workers to register at the District offices.
All that is needed is for them to simply present their ID Cards indicating that they are health workers.
Introduction of New Policy on Nominations The receipt of nominations for presidential and parliamentary candidates for the 2020 election will take place on XX.
In view of the Covid-19 Pandemic, The Commission will for the first time make nomination forms available on its website.
As such, candidates no longer have to come to The Commission to pick up their nomination forms before filling.
They can simply visit our website and download the various forms.
This will also help to lighten the burden that candidates have to go through to file.
The guidelines for nominations will also be made available on our website.
The Commission believes that this initiative will simplify the arduous filing process.
Ladies and Gentlemen of the press, before we close our curtains to todays “Let the Citizens Know” encounter, we take this opportunity to thank the general public for the constructive feedback that we continue to receive from them.
This feedback helps us to improve upon our work and deliver better service to the citizenry.
As a listening Commission, our doors remain open and we look forward to receiving your feedback which we will implement as best as we can.
Thank you for your attention and God bless our homeland Ghana and make our nation Great and Strong.
Former President Rawlings has criticised people whom he said have “deliberately spent huge resources sponsoring a distortion of history based on outright lies, half-truths and the rendition by cowards who run away during those heady days.”
The architect of the June 4, 1979, and 1981 revolutions said some may not want to speak openly about the truth, “but there are millions alive who cannot forget the dire circumstances that this country found itself 40 years ago when the atmosphere was so fragile and volatile.”
According to him, “An important lesson in history is going to be lost on this nation because a handful of warped minds, full of hate and bitterness are being paid to distort and cover up events in our history with callous stories and lies.
“Why do we sit and allow these perfidious characters to get away with these lies and deceitful machinations through the power of the media all to the detriment of the nation?”
he quizzed.
Below is the full speech; Nananom, Distinguished guests, Cadres, Ladies and Gentlemen, Let me first express my gratitude to the Chiefs and people of Winneba for hosting us here today and to welcome all who have come from far and near to celebrate with us.
Many have today forgotten the circumstances that gave birth to June 4, 1979, and 31st December 1981 and some have deliberately spent huge resources sponsoring a distortion of history based on outright lies, half-truths and the rendition by cowards who run away during those heady days.
Some may not want to speak openly about the truth, but there are millions alive who cannot forget the dire circumstances that this country found itself 40 years ago when the atmosphere was so fragile and volatile.
An important lesson in history is going to be lost on this nation because a handful of warped minds, full of hate and bitterness are being paid to distort and cover up events in our history with callous stories and lies.
Why do we sit and allow these perfidious characters to get away with these lies and deceitful machinations through the power of the media all to the detriment of the nation?
In 1979 Ghanaians had suffered years of abuse and corruption and sought natural justice to punish some of those who were responsible for the humiliating circumstances they suffered.
Ladies and gentlemen, it will shock you to know that during the Acheampong regime, the banking sector especially the Ghana Commercial Bank was plunged into unimaginable corruption.
The bank served as an avenue for cronies and a particular ethnic group to feed fat on loans without collateral.
Sadly these loans were never paid.
Some private entrepreneurs like the ones Adongo Okyere alludes to in his misleading narration used to go for soft-loans, build fancy residences, rent them out to expatriates and ironically pay the proceeds into their foreign bank accounts.
A two-man committee established then to look into the fraudulent activities of the bank had their activities come to an abrupt end when one of the members was killed and burnt under mysterious circumstances.
How bad could the situation have been to warrant such a heinous and atrocious crime in an attempt to conceal their misconduct?
These and many more wicked and morally disgusting actions were commonplace.
It is however unfortunate that some have chosen to siphon the negatives, leaving out the overwhelming gains made by these interventions of the people.
The two interventions 1979 and 1981 were not about Rawlings.
They were the effects of the mood of the country and the mood of the people.
In telling the story, the context and the circumstances cannot be discounted or overlooked.
An explosion of human rage in our history, meant to teach us not to treat fellow human beings with disrespect, is being distorted by persons who lack credibility.
How can we decline to the extent of losing our morality and sense of discernment in even appreciating and identifying people of value and integrity?
Recently at funeral service in the Volta region, I went down on my knee out of respect to Togbega Addo VIII, Paramount Chief of Klikor, to seek permission to depart the ceremony ahead of time.
Many were those who wondered who he was and why I had to kneel before him.
We no longer show enough respect to our traditional leaders who are the custodians of the soul and spirit of our nation.
Amongst these traditional leaders are some of the most disciplined, clean, just and most revered personalities.
We have to wake up to our responsibilities as a people and give due respect to all deserving people and not only to people of high social class and some whose claim to respect is due to their wealth or elected office.
In the coming weeks, I will engage the nation and take us through our socio-political trajectory and unravel key historical antecedents that have shaped us as a people.
Ladies and gentlemen, I intend to be brief but it will be unfair to conclude without touching on the case relating to social injustice and violation of the rights of some University of Education, Winneba staff by the Abeka led council.
First of all, I commend the government for their prompt intervention by laying a roadmap for the peaceful resolution of the matter after I expressed my initial concerns.
From the records of EOCO and other state agencies the affected individuals were exonerated as there was no evidence of misconduct established against them.
Ironically the current Vice-Chancellor who was indicted in the same report still remains at post.
Notwithstanding the effort of government towards immediate resolution, no significant progress has been made after more than three months.
More than 20 dismissed staff at the UEW are going through discontent and pain.
I hope this important matter is given the urgency and attention that is required.
I understand there are investigations ongoing regarding the current Vice-Chancellor.
It will be appropriate for the Council to request that he steps aside for fairness to prevail as has been the practice with other similar circumstances in the past.
We should not allow the distortions of our history to continue.
Everyone here who claims to be an adherent of the decade that stopped the socio-political decay in our country must recognize the calculated efforts to destroy the legacy that we all laid.
Those who have allowed corruption to rear its ugly head, and permitted it to fester, want to belittle the discipline, the law and order we introduced into this country, so they can justify their corrupt tendencies.
The lighting of the perpetual flame and the laying of wreaths is to show reverence to all who sacrificed their lives during that difficult time in our country.
Let no one downplay those sacrifices through historical distortions, twists and utter fabrications.
We will face those cowards firmly.
Let’s remain strong and resolute and not allow anyone to tell our story for us.
We will tell our story!
I thank you all for coming.
I wish you a Prosperous New Year and may God bless us all.
President-elect outlines his policies and vision after winning the US election over incumbent Donald Trump.
My fellow Americans, the people of this nation have spoken.
They have delivered us a clear victory.
A convincing victory.
A victory for “We the People”.
We have won with the most votes ever cast for a presidential ticket in the history of this nation – 74 million.
I am humbled by the trust and confidence you have placed in me.
Who doesn’t see red and blue states, but a United States.
And who will work with all my heart to win the confidence of the whole people.
For that is what America is about: the people.
And that is what our administration will be about.
I sought this office to restore the soul of America.
To rebuild the backbone of the nation – the middle class.
To make America respected around the world again and to unite us here at home.
It is the honour of my lifetime that so many millions of Americans have voted for this vision.
And now the work of making this vision real is the task of our time.
As I said many times before, I’m Jill’s husband.
I would not be here without the love and tireless support of Jill, Hunter, Ashley, all of our grandchildren and their spouses and all our family.
They are my heart.
Jill’s a mom – a military mom – and an educator.
She has dedicated her life to education, but teaching isn’t just what she does – it’s who she is.
For America’s educators, this is a great day: You’re going to have one of your own in the White House and Jill is going to make a great first lady.
And I will be honoured to be serving with a fantastic vice president – Kamala Harris – who will make history as the first woman, first African American woman, first woman of South Asian descent, and first daughter of immigrants ever elected to national office in this country.
It’s long overdue, and we’re reminded tonight of all those who fought so hard for so many years to make this happen.
But once again, America has bent the arc of the moral universe towards justice.
Kamala, Doug – like it or not – you’re family.
You’ve become honorary Bidens and there’s no way out.
To all those who volunteered, worked the polls in the middle of this pandemic, local election officials – you deserve a special thanks from this nation.
To my campaign team, and all the volunteers, to all those who gave so much of themselves to make this moment possible, I owe you everything.
And to all those who supported us: I am proud of the campaign we built and ran.
I am proud of the coalition we put together, the broadest and most diverse in history.
Democrats, Republicans and independents.
Progressives, moderates and conservatives.
Young and old.
Urban, suburban and rural.
Gay, straight, transgender.
And especially for those moments when this campaign was at its lowest – the African American community stood up again for me.
They always have my back, and I’ll have yours.
I said from the outset I wanted a campaign that represented America, and I think we did that.
Now that’s what I want the administration to look like.
And to those who voted for President Trump, I understand your disappointment tonight.
I’ve lost a couple of elections myself.
But now, let’s give each other a chance.
It’s time to put away the harsh rhetoric.
To lower the temperature.
To see each other again.
To listen to each other again.
To make progress, we must stop treating our opponents as our enemy.
We are not enemies.
We are Americans.
The Bible tells us that to everything there is a season – a time to build, a time to reap, a time to sow.
And a time to heal.
President-elect Joe Biden speaks on Saturday in Wilmington, Delaware [Andrew Harnik/AP] Now that the campaign is over – what is the people’s will?
What is our mandate?
I believe it is this: Americans have called on us to marshal the forces of decency and the forces of fairness.
To marshal the forces of science and the forces of hope in the great battles of our time.
The battle to control the virus.
The battle to build prosperity.
The battle to secure your family’s health care.
The battle to achieve racial justice and root out systemic racism in this country.
The battle to save the climate.
The battle to restore decency, defend democracy and give everybody in this country a fair shot.
Our work begins with getting COVID under control.
We cannot repair the economy, restore our vitality, or relish life’s most precious moments – hugging a grandchild, birthdays, weddings, graduations, all the moments that matter most to us – until we get this virus under control.
On Monday, I will name a group of leading scientists and experts as transition advisers to help take the Biden-Harris COVID plan and convert it into an action blueprint that starts on January 20th, 2021.
That plan will be built on a bedrock of science.
It will be constructed out of compassion, empathy and concern.
I will spare no effort – or commitment – to turn this pandemic around.
I ran as a proud Democrat.
I will now be an American president.
I will work as hard for those who didn’t vote for me – as those who did.
Let this grim era of demonisation in America begin to end – here and now.
The refusal of Democrats and Republicans to cooperate with one another is not due to some mysterious force beyond our control.
It’s a decision.
It’s a choice we make.
And if we can decide not to cooperate, then we can decide to cooperate.
And I believe that this is part of the mandate from the American people.
That’s the choice I’ll make.
And I call on the Congress – Democrats and Republicans alike – to make that choice with me.
The American story is about the slow, yet steady widening of opportunity.
Make no mistake: Too many dreams have been deferred for too long.
We must make the promise of the country real for everybody – no matter their race, their ethnicity, their faith, their identity, or their disability.
America has always been shaped by inflection points – by moments in time where we’ve made hard decisions about who we are and what we want to be.
Lincoln in 1860 – coming to save the Union.
FDR in 1932 – promising a beleaguered country a New Deal.
JFK in 1960 – pledging a New Frontier.
And 12 years ago when Barack Obama made history and told us: “Yes, we can.”
We stand again at an inflection point.
We have the opportunity to defeat despair and to build a nation of prosperity and purpose.
I know we can.
I’ve long talked about the battle for the soul of America.
We must restore the soul of America.
It is time for our better angels to prevail.
Tonight, the whole world is watching America.
I believe at our best America is a beacon for the globe.
And we lead not by the example of our power, but by the power of our example.
I’ve always believed we can define America in one word: possibilities.
That in America everyone should be given the opportunity to go as far as their dreams and God-given ability will take them.
You see, I believe in the possibility of this country.
We’re always looking ahead.
Ahead to an America that’s freer and more just.
Ahead to an America that creates jobs with dignity and respect.
Ahead to an America that cures disease like cancer and Alzheimer’s.
Ahead to an America that never leaves anyone behind.
Ahead to an America that never gives up, never gives in.
This is a great nation.
And we are a good people.
This is the United States of America.
And there has never been anything we haven’t been able to do when we’ve done it together.
Angelique McKenna reacts to President-elect Biden’s victory speech in Washington, DC [Jacquelyn Martin/AP] In the last days of the campaign, I’ve been thinking about a hymn that means a lot to me and to my family, particularly my deceased son Beau.
It captures the faith that sustains me and which I believe sustains America.
And I hope it can provide some comfort and solace to the more than 230,000 families who have lost a loved one to this terrible virus this year.
My heart goes out to each and every one of you.
Hopefully, this hymn gives you solace as well.
“And He will raise you up on eagle’s wings, Bear you on the breath of dawn, Make you to shine like the sun, And hold you in the palm of His Hand.”
And now, together – on eagle’s wings – we embark on the work that God and history have called upon us to do.
With full hearts and steady hands, with faith in America and in each other, with a love of country – and a thirst for justice – let us be the nation that we know we can be.
A nation united.
A nation strengthened.
A nation healed.
And may God protect our troops.
26th August 2021 PRESS CONFERENCE BY THE NPP, ADDRESSED BY THE GENERAL SECRETARY, JOHN BOADU Ladies and gentlemen of the media, good afternoon and welcome to this press conference.
The 2020 general elections, we all know, were held successfully almost a year ago.
The verdict of the Ghanaian people, as declared by the independent Electoral Commission of Ghana and affirmed by the Supreme Court, was emphatic.
It was a big YES for the NPP Presidential Candidate Presidential Candidate, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, to continue his good works.
Many have thought that we have all moved on.
The President is focused on putting in place his government to help him deliver on his second term mandate, an exercise which is almost complete.
The economy, just like the world economy, which was ravaged by the crippling impact of Covid, is now seeing a strong rebound to the envy of many economic watchers.
Ghana is once again showing the way.
However, it appears not everybody is happy with these positive developments.
Some Ghanaians still think that the 2020 elections are not over.
They are unable to come to terms with their reality, that, election 2020 is over, and they have lost.
Ghanaians rejected them like they did in 2016 because they have nothing good to offer this country.
They just cannot think beyond partisan politics.
They are still in the campaign mood as though we are building up to a general elections.
Unfortunately, John Mahama, the former President, who ought to know better, is rather the one leading this backwardness.
As we speak, he is embarking on a nationwide thank you tour to thank Ghanaians for rejecting his incompetence and insensitivity.
Apparently, he was deceiving everybody.
He hasn’t still accepted his faith.