ghananlpcommunity/ghana-gov-speeches huggingface dataset:
Full text: Mahama's speech at Presidential Election Peace Pact 2020 signing
Source: myjoyonline

Good morning my brothers and sisters. Peace be upon you – As-salamu alaykum. As we end our campaigns tomorrow and prepare to vote on Monday, I pledge to ensure peace and preserve the stability of our dear nation. Elections are about counting heads not cutting heads. And so we will work towards peace. I urge the security agencies, voters and all stakeholders to ensure law and order. We expect to see all security personnel deployed for the elections to be in uniform and with visible name tags. Let us strive to prevent the violence of the past, particularly as witnessed in early 2019 during the Ayawaso West Wuogon bye-elections, which till date has gone unpunished. Ladies and gentlemen, our country stands at a critical juncture of history. Never have the lives of so many depended on the power of a thumb. Now more than ever, we need the institutions of our democracy to work impartially to deliver an outcome that is fair, transparent and in the National Interest. The Electoral Commission, the Judiciary, the Security Services and the media hold the future of our nation in their hands. The United States of America has set an example for us, where institutions of democracy have upheld the constitution despite severe verbal and legal assaults by a losing incumbent. Will our institutions perform the same in the face of a similar situation? Recent events under the current President have given many anxious moments of doubt about this administration’s ability to deliver a peaceful, violence-free election. The events of Ayawaso West Wuogon are fresh in our minds. The administration’s refusal to sanction persons involved in assaulting an honourable Member of Parliament and injuring scores of people remain one of the darkest days in our democratic history. Reckless remarks by leading members of the ruling party that the unfortunate events of Ayawaso West Wuogun were just a dress rehearsal for the actual election, do not inspire confidence for the delivery of a peaceful election. A subsequent intervention by the Peace Council led to the two leading parties signing an agreement of 22 deliverables. Of these 22 deliverables, 18 were dependent on government. As far as I am aware, the government has failed to sign the agreement. The loss of three lives in the course of a regular voter registration exercise also gives cause for worry. The military siege of the Volta Region and other locations during the registration exercise created an intimidatory atmosphere akin to a nation at war. But we are optimistic. In the face of similar doubts in the past, Ghanaians have risen to the occasion and delivered peaceful elections. It is my prayer that despite our deepest fears we shall be proved wrong and Ghana will once again be proven to be the beacon of democracy in Africa. We have done it before, and we can do it again! Let us on Monday exorcize the ghost of Ayawaso West Wuogon. I am John Dramani Mahama and I stand for peace. Let there be peace in Ghana before, during and after the elections. God bless us all.
Full text: Mahama's speech on 42nd commemoration of June 4 Revolution
Source: myjoyonline

For the first time, the people of Ghana, comrades, supporters and sympathizers of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) will commemorate the June 4 Uprising without the inspirational and arresting physical presence of the Founder of our party, Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings (Rtd.), our former President, who departed from us last year. He was a key influence on Ghana's history for the two decades straddling the late 70s till year 2000. The June 4 Uprising was an epochal event that represents a major landmark in our nation's existence. Together with its sister event, the 31st December Revolution, the two shaped the course of Ghana's history resulting in a turnaround in Ghana's economic fortunes and the advent of the 4th Republic. Forty-two years on, our economy and democracy are in dire straits. Economic hardship, insecurity, political and ethnic polarization, deepening inequality, politicization of our democratic institutions, corruption, serious problems in the education and health sectors are challenges Ghanaians are confronted with in our daily lives. This has led to a crisis of confidence in the political leadership. Ghana is a country with exceptional human talent. Time is ticking fast and yet we can make things right if we work as one nation with a common destiny. As I have said in the past, broad consultations and consensus building does not take anything away from a leader. Broad consultations that bring the best and brightest together with stakeholders can forge consensus around issues such as economic recovery strategy, or implementational challenges of Free SHS in the national interest. The values June 4 espoused some four decades ago, remain as relevant today as ever before in our nation’s democratic journey. June 4 engendered hope in our people that the ills of our society would be rooted out and replaced with values of virtue and honesty. If we must get our people to hope again and to trust in our institutions and government, then we must encourage “fearless honesty” as enjoined by our national anthem. We must embrace and be guided by truth, transparency, probity and accountability – principles that have been bequeathed unto us, which are the bedrock upon which our nation, undoubtedly, will become great, strong, resilient and prosperous. We must encourage freedom of thought and expression rather than a culture of hypocrisy and silence. May the spirit of our Founder live on! I wish all our comrades a happy June 4 Anniversary! John Dramani Mahama Former President of Ghana
Full text: Mahama's tribute to Rawlings
Source: myjoyonline

Shocking and unexpected are words that both describe your dramatic entry onto the political scene of Ghana and also your silent exit from this world. It would take a whole book to write a tribute to a man whose life was so eventful; a man who has had a profound impact on several generations of Ghanaians. All the world is a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts. You strode onto Ghana’s political stage like a colossus and played many parts. Your part in the political drama has left an enduring legacy for our nation. No man is perfect and “as it is written, there is no one righteous, not even one’’ (Romans 3:10). And yet, the sum of your role in Ghana’s history will be remembered positively. Your role in bringing peace and stability to ECOWAS Subregion, especially the Liberian and Sierra Leone civil wars, is acknowledged and celebrated. Your leadership in what was the most difficult decade in Ghana's history led to important reforms that created the political stability and economic growth that we now consider absolutely normal. Your signature promulgating the 1992 Constitution gave birth the most enduring democratic Republic Ghana has experienced in its entire historical existence. Ghana has you to thank for this. The decentralised local government system based on the District Assembly concept is also a lasting legacy of your stewardship in Ghana's political space. Your contribution to the African success story in collaboration with other progressive African leaders culminated in ending apartheid in South culminated in ending apartheid and swearing-in of Nelson Mandela as its first black president. Your penchant for saying it as it is without regard for political sensibilities earned you the moniker "Mr. Boom". A proud son of the Volta Region, you gave Ghana another chance and a new breath of life under the 4th Republic. On this lifelong quest to achieve truth, probity and accountability, you gave your soul, your thoughts, your heart and all your energy ceaselessly. Last year, during the celebration of the 31st December anniversary Winneba you were in high spirits. Little did any of us who were with you that day know that we'll celebrate the next anniversary of the revolution without you. As founder of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) your death leaves a vast vacuum that would be hard to fill. None can match your political astuteness, wit and charisma. For those of us the comrades you've left behind, it is time to close ranks and collectively work to guarantee the unity and survival of your party NDC as a vehicle that entrenches your memory and legacy for posterity. "Boss" - you may be gone but your memory will continue to inspire countless generations of Ghanaians to challenge the status quo and use their non-conformism to spur societal progress. You were and remain the soldier of a lifelong and restless quest for freedom and justice. Flt Lt L. Rawlings, Chairman of the AFRC. Chairman of the PNDC, leader of the revolution, 1' President of the 4th Republic of Ghana, rest in eternal peace.
Full text: Minority statement on vetting of 3 nominees, other matters
Source: myjoyonline

The Minority in Parliament has accused Bernard Ahiafor, Chairman of the Appointments Committee and First Deputy Speaker of exhibiting bias and "extreme partisanship" during the vetting of ministerial nominees. They claim that his actions undermined the objectivity and integrity expected of the process. Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, January 15, Dr Gideon Boako, Member of Parliament for Tano North, alleged that the Chairman’s conduct obstructed a diligent and comprehensive vetting exercise. He expressed concerns that the Chairman's approach appeared to favour certain nominees, potentially compromising the committee’s mandate to ensure accountability and transparency. The Minority called for fairness and impartiality in the vetting process, emphasising that such practices are essential to uphold the credibility of Parliament. They urged the Appointments Committee to prioritise professionalism and adhere to its responsibility of thoroughly scrutinising nominees to safeguard the nation’s democratic principles. Below is the full text
Full text: Speaker Alban Bagbin’s message on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr
Source: myjoyonline

On behalf of the Parliament of Ghana, I congratulate our Moslem fraternity on the occasion of Eid-Ul-Fitr which is Thursday, May 13 2021. I believe the period of fasting has helped strengthen and renew the faith of our brothers and sisters in Islam. I am persuaded that this renewal of faith will guide all of us to be tolerant of one another and to focus our energies on today’s pressing issues that will help us to fix this beloved country of ours. It is with that in mind that I wish to commend the youth, both Moslems and Christians, who are demanding a lot more pragmatic measures from the leadership of our country to fix the numerous challenges that confront us at the moment. It is obvious that the majority of the concerns expressed by the Fix Ghana Movement have existed since our independence. However, it is also true that these challenges have become more pronounced in today’s Ghana. Indeed, various governments in our history have attempted to fix these issues without success. The solutions to these problems would require all of us working in concert towards what we aspire to as a nation. They require constitutional changes, review of our institutions, systems, processes and procedures. We can only tackle these challenges with a renewed commitment to the faith that we all profess to, be it Christianity, Islam or Traditional Religion. We can fix this country by reviewing our economic management paradigm that seems to over focus on borrowing. We need to interrogate the relevance of our educational system and make it more responsive to the demands of today. We must relook at the conduct of our politics and religion, and the extent to which they feed into, or detract from our national aspirations. We require bold thinking on fighting corruption, on confronting galamsey, improving our public safety, delivering reasonable and affordable healthcare, creating jobs for our youth and restoring trust between the Ghanaian voter and the political elite. We require bold stance from our religious leaders on the issues that are holding this country back. Our country is failing and we must work together in a peaceful approach to avoid a recourse to violence. A peaceful approach includes acknowledging the rights of individuals to assemble and to demonstrate without any subterfuge calculated at denying the youth of that right. The youth seeking to protest are not misguided law-breakers. They are patriots and citizens; citizens in the sense that the President called for in his first inaugural address. On the occasion of Eid-Ul-Fitr, my message to them is this: We hear you, we stand with you and we will work with you to build the Ghana we all dream of - a nation that offers succor to all its citizens irrespective of their religious beliefs and political persuasions; a nation that lives up to its motto--Freedom and Justice! Happy Eid-Ul-Fitr! Long live Ghana. Signed: Rt. Hon. A. S. K. Bagbin, Speaker of Parliament
Current situation on CSM and COVID -19 in Ghana
Source: parliament_of_ghana
Date: 2020

STATEMENT BY THE HON. MINISTFR FOR HEALTH ON THE fllRRENT SITUATION ON CSM AND COVID-19 IN GHANA. Mr. Speaker, I come before this honorable house to present the current situation on the CSM and COVID- 19 in our beloved country, Ghana. Mr. Speaker, few weeks ago, 1 presented to this house the situation with CSM and COVID-19 as at we had recorded 273 cases of CSM in the Upper West Region with 43 deaths unfortunately being recorded. As I stated then, majority of the cases had been caused by Neiserria Meningitidisfl^l sero X of which there is no vaccine. In fact approximately 60% of the samples analyzed were NM( SeroX) a strain with no vaccine globally as at now due to its rarity at causing epidemics. Week 20 ended yesterday, the 17th of May, 2020,with 42 new cases,bringing the total case count to 315 cases.
Statement on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's) and a call of Parliament to set up an Oversight Committee on the SDG's to advocate greater action
Source: parliament_of_ghana
Date: 2019

STATEMENT ON THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS AND A CALL ON PARLIAMENT TO SET UP AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE ON THE SDGS TO ADVOCATE GREATER ACTION BY HON. HARUNA IDDRISU, MP Minority Leader Mr. Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to make a Statement on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the need for the 7^^ Parliament to constitute an Ad Hoc Committee to oversight and monitor the implementation of the programmes aimed at attaining the SDGs. Mr. Speaker, in the year 2015, all the 93 Members of the United Nations (UN) unanimously adopted 17 goals towards attaining sustainable development in the World. The SDGs is the UN's agenda to'tackle global challenges such as poverty, climate change, environmental degradation, inequality, prosperity, peace and justice. The 17 Goals, represents a call to action by all countries, poor, rich and middle-income to promote prosperity and protect the environment by 2030. As noted by the then Secretary-General of the UN, Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, "The 17 Sustainable Development Goals are our shared vision of humanity and a social contract between the world's leaders and the people...They are a to-do list for people and planet and a blueprint for success." Mr. Speaker, former President John Dramani Mahama was appointed by the Secretary-General of the UN as co-chair of the Group of Eminent Advocates / for the 2030 Agenda and was succeeded in September 2017 by the current President, H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. Our President co-chairs the \ Group with the Prime Minister of Norway, H.E. Erno Solberg. The appointment \ 1
Welcome address by the Rt Hon Speaker on the occasion of the official visit by the Rt. Hon Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Source: parliament_of_ghana
Date: 2022

WELCOME ADDRESS BY THE RT HQN SPEAKER ON THE OCCASION OF THE OFFICIAL VISIT BY THE RT. HON PRIME MINISTER OF THE UNITED KINGDOM Yovir Excellency the Vice-President of the Republic of Ghana, Hon. Members of Parliament, Your Excellency the British High Commissioner, I have the honour to welcome to the Parliament of Ghana our distinguished Guest His Excellency the Rt. Hon. Mr. Tony Blair. Your Excellency the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, this, no doubt, is an historic occasion and the first time in four decades that a Prime Minister of the UK has visited Ghana. The Rt. Hon. Harold Macmillan, then Prime Minister, was in Ghana in 1960. In 2000 this Parliament was privileged to have in our midst Her Majesty the Queen of England and Head of the Commonwealth, Queen Elizabeth II. Since Her Majesty's visit a lot has happened in the political, social and economic life of this dear country of ours. Our Fourth Republican Constitution recognizes that the best democracy is that which affords all the people equal opportunity to participate in decision making at every level of national life. Government is taking all necessary steps to establish a sovmd and healthy economy to improve the conditions of life in our rural communities, thereby redressing the imbalance in development between our urban and rural areas. Appropriate measures are being taken to develop
Welcome remarks by the RT.Hon Speaker of Parliament , Professor Aaron Micheal Oquaye at the commencement of sitting of the Second Meeting of the Fourth Session of the Seventh Parliament of the Fourth Republic held on Tuesday 19th May , 2020
Source: parliament_of_ghana
Date: 2020-05

[parliament OF ghanaubraryI V/bLCOME REMARKS BY THE RT. HON. SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT, PROFESSOR AARON MICHAEL OQUAYE AT THE COMMENCEIViENT OF SITTING OF THE SECOND MEETING OF THE FOURTH SESSION OF THE SEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF THE FOURTH REPUBLIC HELD ON TUESDAY, 19™ MAY, 2020. Honourable Members, I warmly welcome you to the House to commence business for yet another Meeting. While the House was on recess, some Committees took time to carry out some official assignments. This Includes the Appointments Committee which held two meetings last week to consider the four Justices nominated by His Excellency, the President of the Republic to the Supreme Court. And the Standing Orders Committee which also met over the weekend to review the new Standing Orders. We appreciate the Committee for finally concluding its work.
International Women's Day 2020
Source: parliament_of_ghana
Date: 2020

j'^nuaniwuti ur Gii/y-.fvw STATEMENT DELIVERED BY HON CYNTHIA MAMLE MORRISON ON THE FLOOR OF PARLIAMENT TO COMMEMORATE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY 2020. MR SPEAKER, HON MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT The pleasure is mine to be given the opportunity to brief this august House on 2020 International Women's Day (IWD). Mr. Speaker. International Women's Day, which falls on 8^^ March annually, is a day set aside by the United Nation's globally to celebrate the economic, political and social achievements of women, past, present and future. The celebration of IWD is essential in drawing the world's attention to areas requiring further action, and the need to accelerate efforts at achieving gender parity across sectors. The commemoration of IWD also serves as a call on policy makers and governments around the world to ensure the achievement of gender equality. MR SPEAKER The history behind this celebration dates back to the 8th of March 1857, when garment workers in New York City marched and demanded improved working conditions and equal rights for women. Fifty-one years later (March 8, 1908) their sisters in the needle trades in New York marched again, honoring the 1857 march and demanding for their rights to vote, as well as calling for an end to sweatshops and child labour. In 1910, Clara Zetkin (a German Feminist) proposed that March 8th be proclaimed International Women's Day. It is against this historic backdrop that, the 8th of March has been earmarked by the United Nations to celebrate women and reflect on progress made to achieve equality. International Women's Day was first celebrated by the United Nations in 1975. Since the year 1996, a global theme is always proposed by the United Nations to mark the celebrations. Ghana has adopted the global theme for the commemoration of this year's International Women's Day (IWD) which is "I am Generation Equality: Realizina Women's Rights." Our campaign themes are: 1. #EachForEquality and 2. #EqualWorld=EnabledWorld.
2022 Edition of Green Ghana Day
Source: parliament_of_ghana
Date: 2022-06

STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER FOR LANDS AND NATURAL RESOURCES. HON. SAMUEL A. 3INAPOR. ON THE 2022 EDITION OF GREEN GHANA DAY WHICH IS SLATED FOR FRIDAY JUNE 10. 2022. MADE ON THE FLOOR OF PARLIAMENT WEDNESDAY JUNE 7. 2022 Thank you, Mr. Speaker for the opportunity to make this Statement, as we approach the 2022 edition of the Green Ghana Day. Mr. Speaker, in two days (2) time, specifically on Friday, June 10, 2022, the President of the Republic, H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, will be leading the entire nation to plant, at least, twenty million (20,000,000) trees across the country, as part of our aggressive afforestation and reforestation programme, to restore our lost forest cover, and contribute to global climate action. Let me, at the outset, thank you, Rt. Hon. Speaker, and Honourable Members of this august House, for your enthusiasm and support during the maiden edition of the Green Ghana Day, held on June 11, 2021, which contributed immensely to the success of the day. , of Ghana " Page 1 of 8
Foreign Affairs to mark the United Nation's Day to end impunity for crime against journalist
Source: parliament_of_ghana
Date: 2019

jPARLI/iENT OF GHANA LIBRARY STATEMENT BY SAMUEL OKUDZETO ABLAKWA, MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR THE NORTH TONGU CONSTITUENCY AND RANKING MEMBER, COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS TO MARK THE UNITED NATIONS' DAY TO END IMPUNITY FOR CRIMES AGAINST JOURNALISTS Right Honourable Speaker, I am most grateful for the opportunity to make this Statement. Last Saturday, the 2nd of November, 2019 was commemorated by UN member states as the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists. UN Secretary General, Antonio Gutteres in an address: "noted and condemned the rise in the scale and number of attacks on journalists and media workers, as well as incidents that make their work much harder, including threats of prosecution, arrests, imprisonment, denial of journalistic assess and failures to investigate and prosecute crimes against them." According to UNESCO report titled: "Intensified Attacks, New Defences", more than 1,100 journalists have been killed between 2006 and 2018 for reporting the news and bringing information to the public. On average, this constitutes one death every four days. In nine out of ten cases, the killers go unpunished. Impunity leads to more killings and is often a symptom of a worsening conflict and the breakdown of law and judicial systems. Mr Speaker, it is in recognition of the far-reaching consequences of impunity, especially of crimes against journalists, that the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution A/RES/68/163 at its 68th session in 2013 which proclaimed 2 November as the 'International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against journalists' (IDEI). Mr Speaker, the resolution urged Member States to implement definite measures countering the present culture of impunity.