Joshua Hamidu gives Dan Lartey a
scare
Ghana needs a government of
"Welfarism"
GCPP calls for early elections
$20,000 loan for MPs is too small -
Dan Lartey
Country needs humane government –
GCPP
HIPC, greatest setback to nation's
image -Lartey
The
Minister of Economic and Regional Integration, Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom has stated
that it will be unfair for Mr Dan Lartey, Leader of the Great Consolidated
Popular Party (GCPP) to say that the government refused to listen to him.
He said all
the suggestions and inputs made by Mr Lartey on various national issues so far
have been taken in good faith and would be injected into the government’s programme
at the appropriate time.
Dr Nduom
said this in an interview with “The Evening News” in Accra in reaction to the
allegations made by Mr Lartey that the government was not taking his
suggestions though he had invited Dr Nduom and laid bare to him, his programme
to assist the government.
Dr Nduom
said he should not think that he is being ignored or his advice is not being
taken by government. The Minister said during the formulation of the Ghana
Poverty Reduction Strategy, political parties including the GCPP were invited
to participate and make inputs.
He said the
GCPP fully participated and made constructive and meaningful contributions to
the whole strategy. “Mr Lartey therefore, should not say that we did not invite
him or his party to take part in national issues,” he said.
Dr Nduom
confirmed that he responded to Mr Lartey’s call due to his position as leader
of a political party and went to him in his house. He said Mr Lartey discussed
with him wide range of issues confronting the agricultural sector and the need
to effectively mobilize resource to ensure self-sufficiency.
He said Mr
Lartey spoke about how things in the agricultural sector were done during the
late Gen Acheampong’s regime, particularly in the field network programme,
which the GCPP leader still thinks is important for the government to
implement.
Dr Nduom
said Mr Lartey stressed the need for the government to introduce policies that
would increase domestic production to avoid unnecessary importation of food. He
said what he deduced from the discussion that transpired between them, was Mr
Lartey’s genuine desire to continuously express his feelings and make his ideas
known to the government.
The
Minister said he also briefed Mr Lartey about what Major (rtd) Courage
Quarshiga, Minister of Food and Agriculture, was doing to bring almost all the
ideas of the GCPP leader into fruition.
GRi…/
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"I am no
coup maker" - Dan Lartey
Accra – 08 January 2002- Leader of the Great
Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP) Mr. Dan Lartey has denied allegations that he
was involved in the planning of the 1972 Coup d'etat that overthrew the Busia
government.
He said this claim by a section of the public is
'mere speculation', because there was no court action against him. Following
Mr. Lartey's claim that the recent invitation extended to him by the National
Security Advisor, General Hamidu, was an arrest, a section of the public
maintain that it was justifiable, because he masterminded the 1972 coup, and
currently poses a threat to the security of the state.
They alleged that immediately after the
overthrow of the Second Republic, the late General Acheampong, the Coup leader,
was seen at Mr. Lartey's residence, lending credence to his reported role in
the military coup. Mr. Lartey, also GCPP Flag bearer in the 2000 elections,
told the Network Herald the best interpretation he could give to General
Hamidu's immediate summons for him to report at the offices of National
Security is an arrest.
The 74-year-old politician was reported to have
been questioned in connection with his calls for an early election. Mr. Dan
Lartey still holds the view that there should be an early election, because
most Ghanaians are hungry and it is their right to pass a 'vote of no
confidence' over the NPP administration, though it is not enshrined in
thecountry's constitution.
The GCPP leader, remembered for his
'domestication' slogan had dismissed the policies of the Kufuor administration,
saying they rather put more burden on the already suffering Ghanaian populace.
He therefore advocates for an early election to vote the NPP government out of
power. However, political analysts have been making a mockery of Mr. Lartey's
calls for an early election saying there is no such thing in the laws of the
land.
Source: Network Herald
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Accra (Greater Accra) 03 January 2002 - Following the invitation and subsequent interrogation of Mr. Dan Lartey, a Presidential candidate in the 2000 general elections by the National Security Adviser during the Christmas holidays, many interpretations have been given to the drama.
Mr. Dan Lartey, remembered for this ‘Domestication’ slogan as flagbearer of the Great Consolidated Peopl’s Party (GCPP) in the December 2000 Presidential and Parliamentary elections was according to him, invited by the National Security Co-ordinator following a recent remark he made to the effect that the ruling government of President J.A. Kufuor had failed Ghanaians one-year after being in office.
He went ahead to call foe fresh elections to remove the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government from office and made a veiled instigation for a forceful take-over of the reins of government probably by force of arms. The GCPP flagbearer has since been roundly condemned by a section of the public for making what they called “untoward” remarks.
Others told The Daily Guide that MR Lartey’s remarks were misplaced because the Ghanaian political system is protected by the 1992 constitution which provides that general election-presidential and parliamentary, must be held every four years like the American system. However, under the British Parliamentary system of governance elections can be called any time for “a vote of No Confidence” in a Prime Minister who is the head of the British government.
Ghana currently practises a hybird of both British and American systems of governance with the head of government in Ghana being the President just like the American system, The Daily Guide was told.
What is important however is the fact that the people of Ghana have made a pledge under the 1992 Constitution to give the mandate of ruling to an elected government for a period of four years after which elections are held under the supervision of the National Electoral Commission (NEC).
Some concerned Ghanaians have described the invitation and subsequent interrogation of the presidential candidate (2000) of the GCPP as one of the Gestapo tactics being employed by the NPP government to silence its strident opponents.
Many others who spoke to the Daily Guide also lauded the government for responding swiftly to matters and issues it considers to be security risk to the state.
Their views were hinged on the fact that in the past, some of these same utterances were either ignored or least paid heed to culminating in the usurpation of political power or the violent overthrow through a military coup d’etat of the Busia and Limann civilian (elected) governments in the Second and Third Republics respectively.
Contributing to the debate on radio, Dr. Nyaho Tamakloe, a leading member of the NPP and himself a detainee under the Acheampong and Rawlings governments, said the BNI and the National Security Apparatus, were right in inviting the Presidential Candidate of the GCPP for interrogation over certain remarks attributed to him which could disturb national security.
Dr Nyaho Tamakloe further alleged that Mr. Latery, now a printing press owner (Citadel Press) became chief adviser to the Acheampong National Redemption Council (NRC) regime which overthrew the elected government of the Progress Party (PP) on January 13, 1972 barely two-and-a-half years after Prof. K.A. Busia’s government.
Apart from suspicion that Dan Lartey is coupist, it is widely believed that he planned and hatched the 1972 coup alongside Acheampong.
After the success of the coup, Col. Kutu Acheampong went to the house of Dan Lartey, and told him he had staged it successfully, meaning the coup had gone according to plan and succeeded.
Nyaho Tamakloe, who exhibited confidence in his assertion, maintained that he (Tamakloe) was in political detention at the time and knew exactly what he was talking about. He said anyone can go for the records from the national archives since the perpetration of that illegal act constitute official information.
Mr Dan Lartey has meanwhile denied that he was ever involved in the planning and execution of the coup d’etat by the late Army General who was recently reburied together with together with seven other executed senior military officers.
Dan Lartey, conceded that although he never had any idea about the coup, the then Col. Acheampong drove straight to his (Dan Lartey’s) house to inform him of the success of the coup after broadcasting to the nation at the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) House.
It will be recalled that Dan Lartey caused quite a stir on Christmas Eve when on a redio programme, he called for early elections, one year after the NPP had been in power. By Ghana’s 1992 Constitution a government should serve four years in office. According to him Kufuor’s government had failed to alleviate the economic hardships facing Ghanaians.
Dan Lartey also warned on the programme that if this is not done, some adventurers were likely to capitalise on the situation and take-over the reins of government, by force or words to that effect.
His assertion, similar to that of ex-President Rawlings June 4, 2001, infamous “Boom” Speech at the Arts Centre in Accra has since caused consternation and worry within the public and the security agencies, and some other circles.
Callers to the radio station after the programme poured a lot of scorn and invective on Mr. Dan Latery’s statement.
Indeed the report of the encounter between Dan Lartey and the national security boss, General Joshua Hamidu, had been mainly from the version of Mr. Dan Lartey himself.
According to him, he was invited by the security men to visit their head office at the Blue Gate for a chat, and he said they told him to either come immediately or at any other time at his own convenience.
Dan Lartey stated that as he had a choice he met the security capo two hours after the invitation had been extended to him. According to him the meeting was very cordial and turned into a chat between them. He said he was offered drinks, and he took the opportunity to explain his political ideologies and his party’s manifesto regarding his much acclaimed theoretical ‘domestication’ policy.
After the “cordial meeting” Dan Lartey himself rushed back to another radio station, where he told Ghanaians in equivocal terms that he had been arrested, invited, detained and questioned at the same time ‘by the National Security Adviser for nearly three hours on Christmas day, for critizing the government on a different radio station.
Dan Lartey claimed that during the interrogation, he was asked to explain his call for an early election and to give his assessment of the government’s performance.
He further alleged that General Joshua Hamidu demanded the GCPP’s blue print for economic development but he refused to comply, Dan Lartey himself described the invitation as a calculated attempt to intimidate him.
Mr Kwabena Agyepong, the Deputy Government Spokesman has told Ghanaians that the invitation of Dan Lartey by the Security agencies was nothing out of the ordinary. He said people are invited quite often over their activities but they do not choose to make a public statement out of it.
He said Lartey’s choice to make an official statement after his visit is the cause of the public consternation.
Meanwhile the National Security Apparatus has also been called upon to stop relying on the words of revenge seekers, gossips and rumour mongers to gather intelligence, and instead develop its own intelligence antennae (sensors) to gather information.
The call was made by a retired Diplomat, Mr K. B. Asante, an eminent Ghanaian. He however admitted that utterances by former President Jerry John Rawlings must not be taken lightly since he has a coup record and has got a large following.
GRi…/
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Joshua Hamidu gives Dan Lartey a scare
Accra (Greater Accra) 31 December 2001 - Lt General Joshua Hamidu, the National Security Co-ordinator who has been walking from one controversy to another hit rock-bottom when he invited Mr Dan Lartey alias ‘Mr Domestication’, the leader of the infant Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP) to the Castle Annex last Monday.
This was after Mr Dan Lartey has blown his chest and mirrored on the airwaves his impressions of the NPP government. He phoned in to a Peace FM morning show programme on Monday December 24 and by 11.00 am he was “invited” to meet face to face with Lt Gen Joshua Hamidu at his office behind the Accra Sports Stadium.
Mr Dan Lartey had spoken of the inefficiency and ineptitude of the NPP government, which have deprived the average Ghanaian a good Christmas. “We are Hungry”, He barked; “we are suffering” he added and warned that if the trend continue, an adventurer may try to exploit the suffering of the people and create chaos and instability.
He therefore called for a change in the style of governance or call an early election to test the popularity of the government. “The call to answer” came by emissaries who came to tell him that the security capo wanted to see him immediately.
In an interview with the Ghanaian Voice, Mr Dan Lartey said he went with his General Secretary Mr Amekah. When they got to the Blue Gate, and were ushered into Gen Hamidu’s presence, he was asked why he made those utterances on the Radio and Hamidu went over the bend and told him that the security is tight and foolproof and that no one can rise up against this government. Lt General Joshua Hamidu went on and issued valid threats against Mr Dan Lartey.
I repeated what I said and told him that I have expressed similar statements to the President, the Vice President and Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, I told him that the best defence against chaos and mayhem is good governance. I told the President in January to launch a crash programme to put food on the table of Ghanaians by July, if this advice had been heeded, we would not be having the mess we are having now.
GRi…/
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Ghana needs a
government of "Welfarism"
Accra – 30 November 2001 - Mr. Dan Lartey, Leader
of the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP) on Thursday said that the best
form of government for Ghana and Africa is a government of 'welfarism' - a
blend between capitalism and socialism - to propel the country and the
continent to economic independence.
He said, "entrenched political ideology of
capitalist or socialist form of governance is no longer eligible and
practicable in the 21st century democratic dispensation, hence the need for
Ghana and Africa to adopt the best policies from each ideological block for
good governance."
Mr. Lartey said in an interview with the Ghana
News Agency in Accra that 'welfarism' is an economic system of which capital
owners organized and control the economy, while workers are properly remunerated
and motivated to perform as well as being subjects to the share of the results
of their labour.
He said remuneration under 'welfarism' is based
on production to reduce waste of resource, apathy and build a sense of
commitment and dedication to work.
The GCPP Leader explained that government's role
would be to support capital owners by creating the enabling economic
environment, conducive for private sector growth and implementing more
pragmatic policies to woo and encourage local investors to create more jobs.
Government would also act as an arbitrator
between management, capital owners and labour for fair deal among the social
partners and ensure industrial peace necessary for increased productivity.
Mr. Lartey called for an urgent youth development
policy to harness the enormous potential of the youth and direct it towards
national development, saying, "Ghana and the rest of Africa would continue
to lack behind until the future leaders are properly glommed to assume their
real role of leadership.
He said that in most African countries the youth
waste most of their hay days on unprofitable ventures, and misdirected
priorities until they are of age to face economic realities with little or no
practical experience. "The continent and country cannot developed based on
uncertain youth."
On his political future and the future of GCPP,
Mr. Lartey, 75, said he intend to lead the party to an electoral victory in
2004 and form a government that would aim at correcting the wrong and canker of
society within his first term in office.
He noted that his age would not be any
hindrance, to his quest to be the President of Ghana as youthfulness is a stage
of mind. He said that during his leadership the youth would be prepared to
assume their proper role as future leaders of the nation.
Mr. Lartey said the GCPP's African Youth League
Web-site (AYLWS) is the first step towards developing the youth to attain the
potential early in life.
He said AYLWS would aim at identifying national
economic ventures and resources, link it up youth with requisite qualifications
and understanding to practical experience for the future.
He said regional network would be developed for
the youth of Ghana and Africa to interact, share ideas and learn more about the
country and the continent on a more direct format.
He said GCPP would also initiate programmes that
would open up the rural and deprived areas to motivate the youth to help
develop their communities instead of trooping to urban centers for non-existing
white colour jobs.
GRi../
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GCPP calls for early
elections
Accra – 12 October 2001 - The Great Consolidated
Popular Party (GCPP) on Friday urged the NPP government to accept its handicap
in administering the nation and called for early elections to redeem it and the
country from political embarrassment.
"The President's ministerial changes within
10 months in office is clear manifestation of its inadequacies and an
indication of round perks in square holes which has begun crumbling under heavy
media and civil society scrutiny."
Mr Dan Lartey, GCPP leader, was speaking to the
Ghana News Agency in an interview in reaction to President John Agyekum
Kufuor's cabinet reshuffle. He said a party that was in opposition for eight
years should have been in a better position to adequately assess the
capabilities and qualifications of its members before assigning them portfolios.
"Ten months is long enough for the
government to establish its policies both locally and internationally to show
the country's direction but unfortunately Ghana now lacks focus on policies.
"We are still being ruled under the shadows of the former NDC government's
policies."
Mr Lartey cited the government's joining of the
HIPC initiative without adequate consultation, lack of a master plan for
economic recovery and the negative impact of 'Positive Change' on the lives of
the people.
He said: "We all stood and voted for
positive change instead of progressive change but now the government is ruling
under the later which is a direct violation of the people's trust and
mandate."
Mr Lartey admitted the constitution is silent on
early elections but said it is applicable. ''Ghana cannot wait for four years
for an inefficient government to continue in office." NPP General
Secretary, Dan Botwe, however, told the GNA that the changes are normal
government prerogative exercised by presidents to keep state machinery in
perfect operation.
He said the changes do not necessary mean the
affected ministers were incompetent. ''It is a normal administrative procedure
to add more dynamism to governance''. Mr Botwe also disagrees that some of the
ministers, especially Mr J. H. Mensah and Ms Elizabeth Ohene, have been
demoted.
Mr Mensah, formerly Majority Leader, Leader of
Government Business and Chairman of the National Development Planning
Commission, is now Chairman of the Economic Management Team. Ms Ohene, former Minister
of Media Relations, is now Minister at the Office of the President.
GRi../
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$20,000 loan for MPs
is too small - Dan Lartey
Accra – 12 October 2001 - Great Consolidated
People's Party (GCPP) presidential candidate in the 2000 Elections, Dan Lartey,
says there is nothing wrong with government making available 20,000 dollars to
each Parliamentarian to purchase a vehicle. According to him, the amount is
even small considering the amount of work that Parliamentarians have to do.
Mr Lartey who was contributing to the heated
debate surrounding the controversial $20,000 car loans for MPs noted that Parliamentarians
should be given four-wheel drives, which cost more than $20,000.
He cited examples where MPs whose constituencies
are in the three Northern Regions have to come down to Accra and contribute to
debates in the House during the week and sometimes travel back to their
constituents on weekends. Certainly, he said, they would have to get four-wheel
drives.
According to the Leader of the GCPP, people are
angry with the whole idea of the purchase of vehicles for MPs because the NPP
government has done nothing to improve the lot of Ghanaians ever since it
assumed office.
GRi./
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Country needs humane
government – GCPP
Accra – 02 February 2001 - Mr Dan Lartey, Leader
of the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), said on Thursday that the
country needed a humane government that would depend more on the country's
resources to develop rather than rely largely on foreign assistance.
"We must be proud of the abundant technical
and managerial skills we have in the country and begin to depend on them,"
he told the Ghana News Agency in an interview.
Mr Lartey lauded the achievement of Mr Kofi
Annan, UN Secretary General, and said, "a nation that has produced the
calibre of Mr Annan should not lack technical skills to the extent of depending
on foreigners to resolve its internal problems".
He said the party would hold its National
Delegates' Congress in September next year but before that it would undertake a
programme to reorganise its structures at the regional and national levels.
Delegates to the congress would include, the
national chairman, two national vice-chairmen, treasurer, general secretary,
all party members in parliament and ministers (if any), two delegates duly
elected by each constituency.
The rest are members of the regional executive
committee, members of the national executive committee, members of the national
working committee and members of the board of trustees.
Mr Lartey said the GCPP, which did not win any
parliamentary seat in last year's elections, was ready to break the political
dominance of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic
Congress (NDC) with a leftist progressive democratic government.
Mr Lartey said a GCPP government would take
steps to ensure political stability, promote national reconciliation and unity
and to safeguard the freedom of the people. The party would create the
necessary atmosphere for citizens to participate effectively in the national
democratic process and ensure that the civil rights of citizens were not
violated.
Mr Lartey said the GCPP, through the policy of
domestication, would bring about, as speedily as possible, the economic and social
reconstruction of the country.
It would safeguard the wealth of the nation and
use it in the supreme interest of the people.
Mr Lartey said the GCPP has structures that
differ from those of other political parties in the country.
"The leader of the party is the overall
head and stands automatically as the party's presidential candidate."
GRi../
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HIPC, greatest setback
to nation's image -Lartey
Accra – 16 January 2001 - Mr. Dan Lartey, Leader
and Founder of the Great Consolidated Popular Party on Saturday stated that the
government's joining of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiate is
the greatest setback to the nation's image.
He said: "Ghana has enough domestic
resource for capital mobilisation to support micro and macro industries of the
country for economic recovery without looking outside for an ad hoc measure
such as joining the straitjacket policy of "Supper Powers".'
"The HIPC Initiative is the greatest
setback and the hardest ever blow dealt to the nation's economy and image by
any government," Mr. Lartey stated at the Party's Greater Accra Regional
Delegates Conference in Accra, attended by five delegates each from the 22
constituencies of the region.
The Conference objectives was to elect the
party's regional executives, launch the African Youth League website and
deliberate on and adopt strategies for election 2004.
Mr. Lartey said: "Domestication is the only
path to chart to cancel the economic hardship in which we find ourselves and
grant good governance and bring prosperity that has eluded us for a long time
to our doors."
He said to achieve the ultimate, all Ghanaians
must increase domestic production, raise local capital for development, while
fashioning governance to ensure discipline, law, order and justice.
The concept of domestication is now the only
means by which Ghana could achieve excellence in doing things for herself and
in the supreme interest of the people.
Addressing the youthful and enthusiastic
delegates and supporters, Mr. Lartey condemned the government's intention to
ban private lotto operation, which generates capital outside the main banking system
to support the economy.
The GCPP leader questioned the rational for
banning domestic ventures in the interest of foreign lotto operations of
Malaysian Lotto 6/40 jackpot and 5/39 fan game.
The jackpot and the fan game drain the Ghana's
domestic capitalisation to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia without restrictions under
the banner of attracting foreign investment, he said. Mr. Lartey said the party
formed the African Youth League website to take care of the needs of the youth,
which have been neglected for far too long.
He said the league would identify the natural
and human resources of the country and plan strategies towards harnessing the
resources to develop and improve the lives of the people.
The seven-member regional executives is headed
by Pastor Henry Mentle, Chairman, Mr. Freddie Malm, secretary, Mr. Alfred Onibi
Lartey organiser, Mr. Robert Ago Mensah, Education Secretary, Ms. Linda Brown,
women organiser, Mr. Samuel Anoboah Treasurer and Mr. Jones Coleman,
Co-ordinator.
The Greater Accra District Electoral Office of
the Electoral Commission supervised the elections, which was by acclamation.
GRi../
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Mr Daniel Augustus Lartey
Founder and Leader of GCPP
Mr Daniel Augustus Lartey obtained a diploma at the London Chamber of
Commerce in 1940 and Sloan’s Shorthand Certificate of Proficiency in 1942. He also
obtained a diploma in commerce and industry from London School of Economics in 1956.
Mr Lartey’s political ambitions started in 1969 when he contested the Gomoa East
Constituency seat on the ticket of the national Alliance of Liberals (NAL). In 1972 he
was appointed a special adviser to the government of the National Redemption
Council.
In 1978 he represented the Gomao Ewutu-Effutu in the constituent assembly in the writing of the Third Republican Constitution.
Mr. Lartey was founding member of People’s National Party (PNP) in 1979, and also an
aspiring presidential candidate of the National Independence Party (NIP) in 1992. In the 2000 election, he was the Presidential Candidate for the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP) and is the leader and founder of the party.
Between 1944 to 1958, worked with the then United Africa Company (UAC) and rose to
Senior Management Status. He was posted to the Headquarters at Unilever House,
London. Mr. Lartey also established a number of businesses, including the Lartey and
Lartey Books and Stationary, which later became the nucleus of the Ghana Book Supply,
Citadel Printing Press and the Federal Stores of Nigeria.
Mr Lartey was born on 1st August 1926 in the Central Region and is married to Beatrice who was born on 1 May 1962.
GRi…/
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