Somalia News Gazette

The Mo Ibrahim Foundation (MIF) 2023 Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG) report has revealed that data gaps is hampering Africa’s development agenda.

The report, dubbed ‘The Power of Data for Governance: Closing data gaps to accelerate Africa’s transformation,’ was launched on Monday in Accra at an event which was co-hosted by the MIF and Afrobarometer.

It said sound data was at the heart of Africa’s governance and development agendas, and the report underscores its role in driving progress, assessing government performance, setting policy priorities, and ensuring trust in governments.

Drawing from the 2022 IIAG dataset, the report reveals a strong positive correlation between access to high-quality statistics and effective governance across African countries from 2012 to 2021.

‘However, Africa remains the continent most impacted by data gaps globally, with the region possessing the lowest availability of civil registration and vital statistics,’ it said.

‘When it comes to the basic building bloc
ks of statistics that are key to defining public policies, such as population censuses and birth and death registration, many African countries are missing crucial data.’

The report said even in areas where strides had been made, critical governance data gaps persist on issues including health structures, the informal economy, the environment, violence against women, child labour, and illicit financial flows.

It noted that the underfunding of data remains a serious challenge globally, with statistics receiving just 0.34 per cent of total Official Development Assistance (ODA).

In Africa, ODA received for data and statistics has nearly halved between 2018 and 2021.

In addition to investing in data, the report outlines critical strategies to enhance data impact and accelerate development progress on the continent.

These include the importance of ensuring the independence of National Statistical Offices, harnessing alternative data sources like citizen-generated data and private company data, and leveraging
technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and machine learning.

Mr Mo Ibrahim, Founder and Chair of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, emphasised the importance of data for Africa in achieving key development and policy agendas. ‘Without data, we are driving blind – policies are misdirected and progress on the road to development is stunted,’ he stated.

‘We must act urgently to close the data gap in Africa if we genuinely want to leave no one behind. Data is key to achieving both the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the UN’ Sustainable Development Goals. I have long been thinking that what UN Agenda 2030 should have begun with is an SDG 0 – Sound Data for Governance.’

Mr Joseph Asunka, Chief Executive Officer of Afrobarometer, lauded MIF for its 2023 report, which highlights the importance of data to Africa’s development agenda.

He reiterated that data enables people to make informed decisions.

The launch followed a two-day meeting of the IIAG Expert Panel in Accra.

The renewed advisory body meets once a year
in a different African country for in-person consultations on the IIAG.

From its inception, MIF has been a strong supporter of Afrobarometer, which is now the leading African research institution conducting public attitude surveys on the continent.

Afrobarometer is the only source of the Citizens’ Voices dataset, which complements the IIAG dataset.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the Majority Leader and Leader of Government Business in Parliament, has congratulated all elected parliamentary candidates in the Saturday, January 27, parliamentary primaries of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

In a statement, Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said the elections had produced a mixed grill of ‘still maintain’ and new faces.

‘To all who participated in the contest, my sincere appreciation. Congratulations to the winners. To the non-winners, cheer up for a better tomorrow,’ he said.

‘It was a family contest. However, as the case is in any such contest, some unsavoury statements might have been made. Let the contestants, especially, the winners, stretch out their hands and reach out to each other as soon as practicable to reach out to heal wounds and bruises.’

He reiterated that collectively they had a charge to keep, to ‘break the 8’.

He noted that no party person must be left behind in confronting their principal opponent in the December 2024 Presidential and General electio
ns; saying ‘with God on our side we shall overcome.’

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament, Monday ordered Mr Kwasi Kwaning-Bosompem, the Controller and Accountant General to appear before it, to answer some questions.

Mr Kwaning-Bosompem, who was scheduled to appear before the Committee, however, failed to show up as expected.

He sent his three deputies as representatives, but they were rejected by some members of the PAC.

In his defence, Mrs Abena Osei Asare, a Deputy Finance Minister, notified Mr James Klutse Aveedzi, the Chairman of PAC, that Mr Kwaning-Bosompem, the Controller and Accountant General was unable to appear before the Committee due to unforeseen circumstances.

Mr Avedzi ruled that the committee should proceed with the hearing despite the Controller and Accountant General’s absence.

The PAC began its public hearing on Monday, January 29, 2024, to consider a report of the Auditor-General on the Public Accounts of Ghana-Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) for the year ended, December 31, 2022.

It would also evaluate a r
eport of the Auditor-General on the Public Accounts of Ghana-Public, Boards, Corporations, and other Statutory Institutions for the period ended on December 31, 2022.

PAC is expected to end its proceedings on Friday, February 23, 2024.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Akatsi North New Patriotic Party (NPP) Parliamentary candidate-elect, Mr Simon Peter Ofosu, has urged party faithful and all sympathisers to embrace unity after the primary election.

He said the call could help the party to capture the Akatsi North Constituency seat for the Party in the December polls.

Mr Ofosu, who is also the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Akatsi North, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency after winning in the primaries, said unity among party members would be a key factor towards winning the main seat, as well as ‘breaking the eight’ in the Elections 2024.

He indicated that although he was pronounced the winner of context in the primaries, the victory was for the party and not any single person.

Mr Ofosu pledged to work with all, irrespective of one’s political affiliation, to bring progress, development and success to the good people of the area.

He said the party in the constituency had a big battle to fight with the aim of unseating Mr Peter Nortu-Kotoe, the incumben
t National Democratic Party (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP).

He thanked all the constituency delegates, Tescon representatives, electoral coordinators, polling station executives and others for giving him the nod again.

Mr Ofosu, who contested in the 2020 parliamentary election in the Akatsi North Constituency for the NPP, gathered 4,575 (31.89%) votes but lost to Mr Peter Nortu-Kotoe of the NDC who also polled 9,770 (68.11%) votes.

He described his second parliamentary contest as the ‘second coming of Jesus Christ.’

Mr Ofosu further urged all to rally behind him and the party for victory in the 2024 Election for better life and prosperity.

He polled 199 votes to beat his other contestant, Mr Prosper Patu who garnered 113 votes.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Isaac Boamah, a legal and taxation practitioner, who unseated the incumbent, Joseph Cudjoe in the Effia Constituency elections says the victory hinged on his constant engagement with the constituency.

He bagged 321 to beat incumbent Joseph Cudjoe who had 164 votes out of the 495 who voted in last Saturday’s NPP primaries.

Mr Boamah in an interview with the Ghana News Agency said his victory commemorated a new era of leadership where everyone in the constituency had a stake in the development discourse.

‘I have come as a leader for all the people in Effia, I will be the voice for all and ensure that our communities do well in terms of education, health, sanitation and employment.’

Also, in the Essikado-Ketan Constituency, Mr Charles Bissue emerged as the winner with 333 votes to beat two other aspirants in the race. They were Horma Miezah, 234; and Mr Geovani Osei Tutu, who had 199 votes.

Horma Miezah was one of the two women contestants in the Western Region. The other female contestant was Dr. Yaa P
okuaa Baiden for Kwesimintsin who lost the election to Dr Prince Hamid Armah.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Some concerned residents in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis have expressed mixed feelings about the outcome of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Parliamentary Primaries on Saturday, January 27.

While some were satisfied with the outcome of the results in all nine constituencies in the Western Region, others expressed great disappointment.

Mr Alex Cudjoe, a newspaper vendor, said though he anticipated that new faces would represent the NPP in Takoradi and Sekondi constituencies in particular, that did not happen.

‘I am surprised at the delegates for retaining both Members of Parliament (MPs) for the Sekondi and Takoradi constituencies… we needed new people with fresh ideas for development,’ he stated.

Madam Ishatu Ocran, a food vendor, had a similar thought, and said: ‘Other candidates need a chance to also bring on board their visions and plans for the good people of Sekondi and Takoradi.’

Mr John Mensah, a mobile money operator and an NPP supporter, said the two female candidates who contested the Essikado
-Ketan and Kwesimintsim constituencies should have won for them to try out new initiatives to improve upon the living standards of residents in those areas.

He said: ‘It is high time we give our women the chance to also bring change and development we desire as a people.’

He, however, expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the Effia Constituency elections, which saw the incumbent, Mr Joseph Cudjoe losing his bid to return to Parliament for his fourth term, to Mr Isaac Boamah Nyarko, who will be a debutant MP if he wins the parliamentary election and sworn into office.

Meanwhile, some NPP supporters also told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that it was their prayer that the party wins the 2024 general elections and retains all seats in the various constituencies.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Dr Kwaku Afriyie, outgoing Member of Parliament (MP) for Wiawso Constituency in the Western North Region, has congratulated Mr Festus Bumakama Agyapong on his election as the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate for the constituency.

He called on the rank and file of the party to unite and rally behind Mr Agyapong to ensure victory for the NPP in the December 7 general elections.

He said: ‘I extend my heartfelt congratulations to Festus Bumakama on his well-deserved victory as the 2024 Parliamentary Candidate for our great party.

‘This triumph does not only belong to him but serves as a victory for our entire party and marks the beginning of our journey towards another success on December 7, 2024,’ Dr Afriyie said.

A statement signed by Dr Afriyie, also the Minister for Science, Environment Technology, and Innovations, and copied to the Ghana News Agency, expressed gratitude to the delegates for placing their trust and confidence in the Parliamentary Candidate elected to take over the mantle
from him.

He pledged his commitment to support Mr Agyapong to retain the seat for the NPP.

‘To the other aspirants, I extend my best wishes for the future and call on you to unite as a strong team to safeguard the parliamentary seat and strive for further victories for both our Presidential and Parliamentary candidates, so together we can break the eight,’ he added.

The NPP delegates In the Wiawso Constituency on Saturday, January 27, elected Mr Festus Bumakama Agyapong as their Parliamentary Candidate for the 2024 elections after beating four other aspirants.

He polled 592 votes to beat Mrs Golly Antwi Bosiako who had 151 votes, Mr Yaw Atta Boamah who garnered 65 votes, Mr Martin Kofi, 49 and Dr Xavier Andoh Adjei who also had 17 votes.

He would succeed Dr Afriyie who won the Wiawso seat for the NPP in 2016 and 2020 and did not seek re-election in the just-ended parliamentary primaries.

Source: Ghana News Agency