TIG Post

Author: aejay_wp

  • The thing is a brand, converting to mixed hall emotionally traumatising – ‘Katangees’ mount resistance

    Alumni of University Hall of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), popularly known as Katanga are resisting a decision by school authorities to assign females to the all-male hall.

    They say, sharing the hall with female students will dilute the brand that Katanga Hall has built for itself for more than half a century.

    “I don’t think any parent would allow the daughter to go to Katanga or Unity [Hall]; I believe strongly that,” the spokesperson for the alumni, Collins Kankam-Kwarteng, told Joy News.

    Read: Katanga, Conti become mixed halls 

    He added, “Katanga is male-oriented or male-infested everything, the thing is a brand and the whole anthem speaks for itself…and I don’t think that any female would want to go and sleep there.”

    KNUST authorities early this year announced plans to convert some single-sex halls in the school to accommodate its increasing number of female students.

    There are two all-male halls in the school namely Unity (Continental) and University Halls as well as one all-female hall, African Hall.

    Read: Former Kayayo overcomes odds; honored with Ashesi Presidential Award

    New programmes introduced by the school in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) are responsible for the increase in the female population on campus.

    Soon after the announcement, members of the Continental Hall Alumni Association of KNUST (Old Continentals) said the purpose for creating the all-male hall in 1968 will be defeated if the conversion is allowed to go on.

     

    So far, nine out of 43 females in the first batch of continuing students who are to be given accommodation, have been allocated to the hall.

    But Kankam-Kwarteng said the decision will leave a lot of the male students emotionally traumatised, wondering if the authorities have plans of changing a phrase in the Hall’s anthem which that says “…a united family of brothers we wrestle…”

    “I believe strongly in my heart and the hearts of the many thousands of ‘Katangees’ that are going through this emotional trauma that no lady…can go and sleep in Katanga.

    “And we are waiting to see the first lady who would step foot in Katanaga, no lady can do that,” he avered.

    “Whatever we want to say or whatever we want to do, we are keeping it to our chest,” he said.

     

    Source: myjoyonline.com 

  • Pro-NPP group want Wa MCE out for not giving them jobs

    A pro-New Patriotic Party(NPP) group in the Wa Central Constituency of the Upper West Region is demanding the immediate dismissal of the Chief Executive of the Wa Municipal Assembly, Issahaku Moomin Tahiru.

    The group, at a press conference held in Wa, said the MCE has failed to address the concerns of most party supporters in the municipality.

    Hanif Jaato, Wa Central Constituency Youth Organizer of the NPP, speaking on behalf of the group consisting of polling station and constituency executives accused Mr. Tahiru of denying them employment opportunities.

    “The MCE takes unilateral decisions and acts clandestinely on issues bordering on jobs, recruitment and other opportunities that we could have used as avenues to assist party faithful.”
    The Youth Organizer further opined that the situation has created serious disaffection among the leadership of the NPP in the constituency, leading to the sidelining of key party people by the MCE.

    “The party executives are neither involved nor consulted on any decision making that affect the rank and file of party foot-soldiers”.

    The group has therefore called on the president to heed their demands or they will be compelled to embark on series of activities to force out the MCE.

    But the MCE, Issahaku Moomin Tahiru, in a Citi News interview denied the allegations, describing them as baseless and a grand scheme by his detractors to get him out of office.

    “This group is not new. They have been consistent in their lies since 2012. I have been given a mandate by the president, I have never relented in prosecuting the development agenda of the president. Those are self seeking individuals who think their interests should supersede the generality of our people”.

    Source: citinewsroom.com

  • Pro-NPP group want Wa MCE out for not giving them jobs

    A pro-New Patriotic Party(NPP) group in the Wa Central Constituency of the Upper West Region is demanding the immediate dismissal of the Chief Executive of the Wa Municipal Assembly, Issahaku Moomin Tahiru.

    The group, at a press conference held in Wa, said the MCE has failed to address the concerns of most party supporters in the municipality.

    Hanif Jaato, Wa Central Constituency Youth Organizer of the NPP, speaking on behalf of the group consisting of polling station and constituency executives accused Mr. Tahiru of denying them employment opportunities.

    “The MCE takes unilateral decisions and acts clandestinely on issues bordering on jobs, recruitment and other opportunities that we could have used as avenues to assist party faithful.”
    The Youth Organizer further opined that the situation has created serious disaffection among the leadership of the NPP in the constituency, leading to the sidelining of key party people by the MCE.

    “The party executives are neither involved nor consulted on any decision making that affect the rank and file of party foot-soldiers”.

    The group has therefore called on the president to heed their demands or they will be compelled to embark on series of activities to force out the MCE.

    But the MCE, Issahaku Moomin Tahiru, in a Citi News interview denied the allegations, describing them as baseless and a grand scheme by his detractors to get him out of office.

    “This group is not new. They have been consistent in their lies since 2012. I have been given a mandate by the president, I have never relented in prosecuting the development agenda of the president. Those are self seeking individuals who think their interests should supersede the generality of our people”.

    Source: citinewsroom.com

  • Barcelona sign Lenglet from Sevilla for £32m

    Barcelona have signed Sevilla centre-back Clement Lenglet for 35.9 million euros (£32m) and put a 300 million euro (£265m) release clause on him.

    Lenglet, 23, has signed a five-year deal at the Nou Camp after the Spanish champions met his buy-out clause.

    The French international joined Sevilla from Nancy in January 2017 and scored four goals in 52 games last season.

    Barcelona describe Lenglet as “one of the most promising defenders on the planet.”

    Lenglet started in both Champions League last-16 ties against Manchester United last season, as Sevilla reached the quarter-finals.

    Barcelona say he “completes a spectacular defence” alongside fellow centre-backs Gerard Pique, Samuel Umtiti and Thomas Vermaelen.

     

    Source: Wires 

  • Barcelona sign Lenglet from Sevilla for £32m

    Barcelona have signed Sevilla centre-back Clement Lenglet for 35.9 million euros (£32m) and put a 300 million euro (£265m) release clause on him.

    Lenglet, 23, has signed a five-year deal at the Nou Camp after the Spanish champions met his buy-out clause.

    The French international joined Sevilla from Nancy in January 2017 and scored four goals in 52 games last season.

    Barcelona describe Lenglet as “one of the most promising defenders on the planet.”

    Lenglet started in both Champions League last-16 ties against Manchester United last season, as Sevilla reached the quarter-finals.

    Barcelona say he “completes a spectacular defence” alongside fellow centre-backs Gerard Pique, Samuel Umtiti and Thomas Vermaelen.

     

    Source: Wires 

  • EXCLUSIVE: Winful Cobbina signs for Albanian giants KF Tirana

    Ghana midfielder Winful Cobbina has completed a move to Albanian giants KF Tirana in the ongoing transfer window, GHANAsoccernet.com can exclusively confirm.

    The silky midfielder joined the White and Blues from Ghanaian top flight side Hearts of Oak after passing a medical on Thursday.

    Read: Fiorentina enter race to sign Alfred Duncan

    GHANAsoccernet.com can reveal that the left-footed enforcer signed for three years.

    Cobbina was on the verge of joining Danish second-tier side Viborg FF but the move collapsed at the dying moments of negotiation.

    He was a key member of the Black Stars B side that clinched the 2017 WAFU Cup.

  • EXCLUSIVE: Winful Cobbina signs for Albanian giants KF Tirana

    Ghana midfielder Winful Cobbina has completed a move to Albanian giants KF Tirana in the ongoing transfer window, GHANAsoccernet.com can exclusively confirm.

    The silky midfielder joined the White and Blues from Ghanaian top flight side Hearts of Oak after passing a medical on Thursday.

    Read: Fiorentina enter race to sign Alfred Duncan

    GHANAsoccernet.com can reveal that the left-footed enforcer signed for three years.

    Cobbina was on the verge of joining Danish second-tier side Viborg FF but the move collapsed at the dying moments of negotiation.

    He was a key member of the Black Stars B side that clinched the 2017 WAFU Cup.

  • FIFA extends invitation to President Akufo-Addo to watch World Cup finals live

    FIFA President Gianni Infantino has extended an invitation to the president of Ghana Nana Akufo-Addo, to watch the finals of the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

    President Akufo-Addo will use his official visit to discuss the current crisis in Ghana football with the top hierarchy at FIFA.

    Football activities in the West African state have been halted following a court action by government seeking for the dissolution of the Ghana FA.

    Read: FIFA urges World Cup broadcasters to show fewer shots of attractive women

    This is after the screening of an undercover investigation which exposed acts of corruption by referees and leading members of the Ghana FA including Kwesi Nyantakyi who has since resigned as President of the association.

    CAF and FIFA have since appointed a two-member liaison team to oversee the affairs of football in particular reference with the national team duties.

    Read: Fifa boss sad Africa is out of the World Cup

    President Akufo-Addo who remains strong in his resolve to dissolve the GFA in order to sanitize the sport will now have an opportunity to make his case before the FIFA President.

    Definite measures on the way forward of Ghana football is expected to be announced after the meeting this weekend.

     

    Source: Ghanasoccernet.com 

     

     

  • FIFA extends invitation to President Akufo-Addo to watch World Cup finals live

    FIFA President Gianni Infantino has extended an invitation to the president of Ghana Nana Akufo-Addo, to watch the finals of the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

    President Akufo-Addo will use his official visit to discuss the current crisis in Ghana football with the top hierarchy at FIFA.

    Football activities in the West African state have been halted following a court action by government seeking for the dissolution of the Ghana FA.

    Read: FIFA urges World Cup broadcasters to show fewer shots of attractive women

    This is after the screening of an undercover investigation which exposed acts of corruption by referees and leading members of the Ghana FA including Kwesi Nyantakyi who has since resigned as President of the association.

    CAF and FIFA have since appointed a two-member liaison team to oversee the affairs of football in particular reference with the national team duties.

    Read: Fifa boss sad Africa is out of the World Cup

    President Akufo-Addo who remains strong in his resolve to dissolve the GFA in order to sanitize the sport will now have an opportunity to make his case before the FIFA President.

    Definite measures on the way forward of Ghana football is expected to be announced after the meeting this weekend.

     

    Source: Ghanasoccernet.com 

     

     

  • Police regulations to be amended to include sexual offences Minister

    The Interior Ministry has intensified investigations into the alleged unprofessional conduct against some Ghanaian police who were on peacekeeping duties in South Sudan.

    Addressing the opening section of the second crime officers workshop in Accra, Minister of the Interior, Ambrose Dery maintained, the action is necessary in order to identify the culprits, if any, for appropriate sanctions.

    Some Ghanaian police officers on a peacekeeping mission in South Sudan were accused by the United Nations on February 24, of having been involved in sexual abuse at one of its protection camps in South Sudan.

    The 46-member unit were recalled from the civilian protection site at Wau, and later repatriated to Ghana after an investigation.

    Meanwhile, Interior Minister Ambrose Dery has assured that the officers who engage in the alleged unprofessional conduct will be investigated and punished accordingly.

    “Let me say that we are taking steps to investigate all allegations against our personnel who went out there to work, and we would ensure that should anyone be found guilty, the law will take its course and image of the police service will still be maintained. There shall be no compromises on that.”

    Ambrose Dery also hinted of an on-going process of amending police regulations to include sanctions for sexual misconduct.

    “I also wish to inform you that there are proposals on the way to amend the police regulations to provide specifically for sexual abuse offences,” he added.

    On retooling the police, the minister announced that over a hundred vehicles have arrived at the Tema Port awaiting clearance.

    “As part of efforts to retool and equip the police, the president announced an extra budgetary allocation of GHȻ 800 million to the Ghana Police Service. The government has further provided over 200 pickups, motorbikes, among others as logistics to the service.”

    “As we speak now, the service is to receive over 100 vehicles which are at the port awaiting clearance,” Ambrose Dery stated at the Crime Officers Workshop in Accra.

    The workshop is the second in the series aimed at equipping personnel of the Criminal Investigations Department with requisite skills to overcome challenging trends.

    The two-day event is on the theme, “moving to become a world-class police organization, the role of the crime officers”.

    Source: 3news.com

  • Police regulations to be amended to include sexual offences Minister

    The Interior Ministry has intensified investigations into the alleged unprofessional conduct against some Ghanaian police who were on peacekeeping duties in South Sudan.

    Addressing the opening section of the second crime officers workshop in Accra, Minister of the Interior, Ambrose Dery maintained, the action is necessary in order to identify the culprits, if any, for appropriate sanctions.

    Some Ghanaian police officers on a peacekeeping mission in South Sudan were accused by the United Nations on February 24, of having been involved in sexual abuse at one of its protection camps in South Sudan.

    The 46-member unit were recalled from the civilian protection site at Wau, and later repatriated to Ghana after an investigation.

    Meanwhile, Interior Minister Ambrose Dery has assured that the officers who engage in the alleged unprofessional conduct will be investigated and punished accordingly.

    “Let me say that we are taking steps to investigate all allegations against our personnel who went out there to work, and we would ensure that should anyone be found guilty, the law will take its course and image of the police service will still be maintained. There shall be no compromises on that.”

    Ambrose Dery also hinted of an on-going process of amending police regulations to include sanctions for sexual misconduct.

    “I also wish to inform you that there are proposals on the way to amend the police regulations to provide specifically for sexual abuse offences,” he added.

    On retooling the police, the minister announced that over a hundred vehicles have arrived at the Tema Port awaiting clearance.

    “As part of efforts to retool and equip the police, the president announced an extra budgetary allocation of GHȻ 800 million to the Ghana Police Service. The government has further provided over 200 pickups, motorbikes, among others as logistics to the service.”

    “As we speak now, the service is to receive over 100 vehicles which are at the port awaiting clearance,” Ambrose Dery stated at the Crime Officers Workshop in Accra.

    The workshop is the second in the series aimed at equipping personnel of the Criminal Investigations Department with requisite skills to overcome challenging trends.

    The two-day event is on the theme, “moving to become a world-class police organization, the role of the crime officers”.

    Source: 3news.com

  • Ghana lost GH¢892M in 2017 to financial irregularities in MDAs

    Ghana lost GH¢892 million in the year 2017 to what is described as financial irregularities in the operations of various Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

    This is according to the 2017 audit report released by the Auditor General, Daniel Domelevo.

    The overall financial impact of weaknesses and irregularities identified in the course of the audit amounted to GH¢892,396,375.19.

    Financial weaknesses and other irregularities in the report are summarised under six broad categories namely; Tax Irregularities, Cash Irregularities, Stores/Procurement Irregularities, Outstanding debts/loans, Payroll Irregularities and Rent payment Irregularities.

    According to Mr. Domelevo, “The irregularities represent either losses that had been incurred by the State through the impropriety or lack of probity in the actions and decisions of public officers or on the other hand, the savings that could have been made, if public officials and institutions had duly observed the public financial management framework put in place to guide their conduct and also safeguard national assets and resources”.

    Tax irregularities amounting to GH¢655.6million represents 73% of the losses recorded in 2017.

    The infographic below provides a breakdown of the losses in the MDAs according to the report.

  • Ghana lost GH¢892M in 2017 to financial irregularities in MDAs

    Ghana lost GH¢892 million in the year 2017 to what is described as financial irregularities in the operations of various Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

    This is according to the 2017 audit report released by the Auditor General, Daniel Domelevo.

    The overall financial impact of weaknesses and irregularities identified in the course of the audit amounted to GH¢892,396,375.19.

    Financial weaknesses and other irregularities in the report are summarised under six broad categories namely; Tax Irregularities, Cash Irregularities, Stores/Procurement Irregularities, Outstanding debts/loans, Payroll Irregularities and Rent payment Irregularities.

    According to Mr. Domelevo, “The irregularities represent either losses that had been incurred by the State through the impropriety or lack of probity in the actions and decisions of public officers or on the other hand, the savings that could have been made, if public officials and institutions had duly observed the public financial management framework put in place to guide their conduct and also safeguard national assets and resources”.

    Tax irregularities amounting to GH¢655.6million represents 73% of the losses recorded in 2017.

    The infographic below provides a breakdown of the losses in the MDAs according to the report.

  • Over 60% of highway crashes recorded on N1-Report

    About 60% of road crashes on major national highways in Accra, were recorded on the N1 highway.

    This is according to the first AMA Road Safety Report, analyzing data from 2011 to 2015.

    The report was put together by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, in partnership with the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety (AMA-BIGRS).

    The report indicated that the N6 and N4 also showed a significant proportion of crashes.

    Some other revelations made in the report showed that the highest number of crashes during this period was recorded in 2015, with 2,979 crashes, a 40.6% increase from the number recorded in 2014.

    Almost 90% of road fatalities in the observation period were pedestrians, motorcycle riders and cyclists—the most vulnerable road users.

    Pedestrians constituted about 70% of all fatalities, motorcyclists (drivers and passengers) about 14%, and cyclists about 2%.

    Males accounted for approximately 80% and 70% of deaths and severe injuries, respectively. The highest proportion of deaths and serious injuries in 2015 was among men between ages 25 to 39. 77 fatalities and 252 serious injuries occurred among males in this age group that year.

    Saturdays saw the highest number of crashes and serious injuries in 2015, although most fatal crashes took place on Sundays.

    In general, the hours of 7 to 8 p.m were particularly prone to crashes, fatalities and serious injuries in 2015.

    Speaking at the launch, the Metropolitan Chief Executive of Accra, Nii Adjei Sowah, emphasised his commitment to engage in partnership that would help ensure safety on our roads.

    “Over the last two years, the Accra Metropolitan Assembly with support from our partners has increased its efforts to improve road safety through improved collaborations with other state institutions whose specific mandates and responsibility for road safety, like the National Road Safety Commission, the Police MTTD, Department of Urban Roads as well as private organisations with an interest in the road sector.”

    The launch of this first AMA road safety report which was organized at the Accra City Hotel is a component of ongoing road safety surveillance activities.

    The AMA aims to regularly publish additional road safety reports to track progress and inform interventions to save lives.

    AMA-BIGRS is a five-year initiative supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies with four components: safer streets and mobility, enforcement, strategic communication, and surveillance.

    Source: citinewsroom.com

  • Over 60% of highway crashes recorded on N1-Report

    About 60% of road crashes on major national highways in Accra, were recorded on the N1 highway.

    This is according to the first AMA Road Safety Report, analyzing data from 2011 to 2015.

    The report was put together by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, in partnership with the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety (AMA-BIGRS).

    The report indicated that the N6 and N4 also showed a significant proportion of crashes.

    Some other revelations made in the report showed that the highest number of crashes during this period was recorded in 2015, with 2,979 crashes, a 40.6% increase from the number recorded in 2014.

    Almost 90% of road fatalities in the observation period were pedestrians, motorcycle riders and cyclists—the most vulnerable road users.

    Pedestrians constituted about 70% of all fatalities, motorcyclists (drivers and passengers) about 14%, and cyclists about 2%.

    Males accounted for approximately 80% and 70% of deaths and severe injuries, respectively. The highest proportion of deaths and serious injuries in 2015 was among men between ages 25 to 39. 77 fatalities and 252 serious injuries occurred among males in this age group that year.

    Saturdays saw the highest number of crashes and serious injuries in 2015, although most fatal crashes took place on Sundays.

    In general, the hours of 7 to 8 p.m were particularly prone to crashes, fatalities and serious injuries in 2015.

    Speaking at the launch, the Metropolitan Chief Executive of Accra, Nii Adjei Sowah, emphasised his commitment to engage in partnership that would help ensure safety on our roads.

    “Over the last two years, the Accra Metropolitan Assembly with support from our partners has increased its efforts to improve road safety through improved collaborations with other state institutions whose specific mandates and responsibility for road safety, like the National Road Safety Commission, the Police MTTD, Department of Urban Roads as well as private organisations with an interest in the road sector.”

    The launch of this first AMA road safety report which was organized at the Accra City Hotel is a component of ongoing road safety surveillance activities.

    The AMA aims to regularly publish additional road safety reports to track progress and inform interventions to save lives.

    AMA-BIGRS is a five-year initiative supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies with four components: safer streets and mobility, enforcement, strategic communication, and surveillance.

    Source: citinewsroom.com

  • Court sentences man who killed woman for refusing him sex to death

    A 35-year-old farmer, who killed a woman for refusing him sex, has been sentenced to death by the Tamale High Court.

    The High Court presided over by Mr. Justice Edward Apenkwah on Thursday, July 12, 2018 convicted Nabinte Lokwai and sentenced him to death.

    This was after a seven-member jury returned a unanimous verdict of guilty of murder.

    Lokwai murdered one Gbeni Yongbo at Bale, a village near Bole in the Northern Region on May 19, 2013.

    The court heard that Lokwai was on his way to the farm when he saw the deceased, [Gbeno Yongbo] picking shea nuts and approached her with a request that she should allow him to have sex with her but the deceased refused to yield.

    In an attempt to forcibly have sex with the deceased, a struggle ensued between them in the course of which the Lokwai stabbed the deceased with a knife and later took to his heels upon realising that Yongbo was unconscious.

    A female farmer, who happened to be in a nearby farm and heard the scream of the deceased during the struggle run to the village and informed members of the community who rushed to the scene where the body of the deceased was discovered.

    Later in the day, the convict was arrested at Chache border near Bole by an Immigration officer in his attempt to escape to Cote d’Ivoire.

    He confessed that he had killed a woman who refused him sex.

    The Immigration officer immediately handed him over the police and he subsequently led the Police to the scene where the body of the deceased was retrieved.

    Source: Graphic.com.gh

  • Court sentences man who killed woman for refusing him sex to death

    A 35-year-old farmer, who killed a woman for refusing him sex, has been sentenced to death by the Tamale High Court.

    The High Court presided over by Mr. Justice Edward Apenkwah on Thursday, July 12, 2018 convicted Nabinte Lokwai and sentenced him to death.

    This was after a seven-member jury returned a unanimous verdict of guilty of murder.

    Lokwai murdered one Gbeni Yongbo at Bale, a village near Bole in the Northern Region on May 19, 2013.

    The court heard that Lokwai was on his way to the farm when he saw the deceased, [Gbeno Yongbo] picking shea nuts and approached her with a request that she should allow him to have sex with her but the deceased refused to yield.

    In an attempt to forcibly have sex with the deceased, a struggle ensued between them in the course of which the Lokwai stabbed the deceased with a knife and later took to his heels upon realising that Yongbo was unconscious.

    A female farmer, who happened to be in a nearby farm and heard the scream of the deceased during the struggle run to the village and informed members of the community who rushed to the scene where the body of the deceased was discovered.

    Later in the day, the convict was arrested at Chache border near Bole by an Immigration officer in his attempt to escape to Cote d’Ivoire.

    He confessed that he had killed a woman who refused him sex.

    The Immigration officer immediately handed him over the police and he subsequently led the Police to the scene where the body of the deceased was retrieved.

    Source: Graphic.com.gh

  • Iranian man flogged 80 times for drinking alcohol as a child

    Amnesty International has condemned the Iranian authorities for publicly flogging a man who was convicted of consuming alcohol when he was 14 or 15.

    Local media published photographs of the man – identified only as “M R” – being given 80 lashes in a square in the eastern city of Kashmar on Tuesday.

    Prosecutors say he was arrested in the Iranian year of 1385 (March 2006-March 2007) and sentenced the next year.

    It is not clear why the punishment was carried out more than 10 years later.

    The photographs show a young man tied to a tree being flogged by a masked man in uniform. A small crowd of people can be seen watching at a distance.

    “The circumstances of this case are absolutely shocking, representing another horrific example of the Iranian authorities’ warped priorities,” Amnesty’s Middle East and North Africa Director, Philip Luther. said in a statement.

    “No-one, regardless of age, should be subjected to flogging; that a child was prosecuted for consuming alcohol and sentenced to 80 lashes beggars belief.”

    The Young Journalists Club website quoted Kashmar’s prosecutor as saying M R consumed alcohol at a wedding where an argument caused a fight in which a 17-year-old boy was killed. He was not suspected of involvement in the death.

    Article 265 of Iran’s Islamic penal code states that the punishment for consumption of alcohol by a Muslim is 80 lashes.

    More than 100 other offences are punishable by flogging, including theft, assault, vandalism, defamation and fraud, as well as acts that Amnesty said should not be criminalised, such as adultery, intimate relationships between unmarried men and women, “breach of public morals” and consensual same-sex sexual relations.

    Mr Luther said Iran should abolish all forms of corporal punishment.

    As a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the country was legally obliged to forbid torture and other cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment or punishment, he noted.

    “It’s simply unacceptable that the Iranian authorities continue to allow such punishments and to justify them in the name of protecting religious morals.”

    In 2014, six Iranians were sentenced to prison and 91 lashes after being arrested for appearing in a video dancing to Pharrell Williams’ song Happy.

     

    Source: BBC 

  • Iranian man flogged 80 times for drinking alcohol as a child

    Amnesty International has condemned the Iranian authorities for publicly flogging a man who was convicted of consuming alcohol when he was 14 or 15.

    Local media published photographs of the man – identified only as “M R” – being given 80 lashes in a square in the eastern city of Kashmar on Tuesday.

    Prosecutors say he was arrested in the Iranian year of 1385 (March 2006-March 2007) and sentenced the next year.

    It is not clear why the punishment was carried out more than 10 years later.

    The photographs show a young man tied to a tree being flogged by a masked man in uniform. A small crowd of people can be seen watching at a distance.

    “The circumstances of this case are absolutely shocking, representing another horrific example of the Iranian authorities’ warped priorities,” Amnesty’s Middle East and North Africa Director, Philip Luther. said in a statement.

    “No-one, regardless of age, should be subjected to flogging; that a child was prosecuted for consuming alcohol and sentenced to 80 lashes beggars belief.”

    The Young Journalists Club website quoted Kashmar’s prosecutor as saying M R consumed alcohol at a wedding where an argument caused a fight in which a 17-year-old boy was killed. He was not suspected of involvement in the death.

    Article 265 of Iran’s Islamic penal code states that the punishment for consumption of alcohol by a Muslim is 80 lashes.

    More than 100 other offences are punishable by flogging, including theft, assault, vandalism, defamation and fraud, as well as acts that Amnesty said should not be criminalised, such as adultery, intimate relationships between unmarried men and women, “breach of public morals” and consensual same-sex sexual relations.

    Mr Luther said Iran should abolish all forms of corporal punishment.

    As a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the country was legally obliged to forbid torture and other cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment or punishment, he noted.

    “It’s simply unacceptable that the Iranian authorities continue to allow such punishments and to justify them in the name of protecting religious morals.”

    In 2014, six Iranians were sentenced to prison and 91 lashes after being arrested for appearing in a video dancing to Pharrell Williams’ song Happy.

     

    Source: BBC 

  • Contractors threaten to go on demo over settled debts

    The Association of Conscientious Public Sector Contractors has given government a two-week ultimatum starting from July 5, to pay all money owed them failure of which they will demonstrate.

    The Association warned at a press conference addressed by its Chairman, Bernard Azumah, that if government fails to heed to their demand within the two weeks, they will hit the streets with a massive demonstration.

    The Association also says if government does not take clear-cut steps to ensure that the money is paid to them, they will advise their lawyers to proceed to court to seek redress.

    Mr Azumah also hinted that members are thinking of locking up various project sites across the country.

    The Association accused the government of deliberately failing to pay for contracts completed since 2016 under the erstwhile administration.

    According to them, contracts awarded in 2017 and 2018 are being paid for promptly when they are completed, unlike other projects awarded before then.

    Mr Azumah said not even a single day passes without a member of the Association visiting the GETFund Secretariat to check on the status of their pending certificates, but the constant response they receive from the Secretariat is “there is no money”.

    He said the situation is taking a devastating toll on their members especially those who have taken loans and other facilities from the banks and suppliers to execute their contracts.

    The Chair of the Association said they find it difficult to believe that President Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who has been touted as the foremost Human Right Activist in Ghana, will condone what they believe is a clear injustice.

    The Association blames the GETFund Secretariat for what it says is preferential treatment of some contractors.

    “We are businessmen and women, not politicians, therefore, the apparent stratification of the nation along party lines is inhumane and un-Ghanaian and at variance with President Akufo-Addo’s mantra of being president for all Ghanaian,“ he lamented

    They have, however, reminded the president of his campaign promise to pay all contractors within 100 days if he is elected as President and therefore urged him to use his good office to facilitate the payment of their long overdue certificates.

    Source: Joy News 

  • Contractors threaten to go on demo over settled debts

    The Association of Conscientious Public Sector Contractors has given government a two-week ultimatum starting from July 5, to pay all money owed them failure of which they will demonstrate.

    The Association warned at a press conference addressed by its Chairman, Bernard Azumah, that if government fails to heed to their demand within the two weeks, they will hit the streets with a massive demonstration.

    The Association also says if government does not take clear-cut steps to ensure that the money is paid to them, they will advise their lawyers to proceed to court to seek redress.

    Mr Azumah also hinted that members are thinking of locking up various project sites across the country.

    The Association accused the government of deliberately failing to pay for contracts completed since 2016 under the erstwhile administration.

    According to them, contracts awarded in 2017 and 2018 are being paid for promptly when they are completed, unlike other projects awarded before then.

    Mr Azumah said not even a single day passes without a member of the Association visiting the GETFund Secretariat to check on the status of their pending certificates, but the constant response they receive from the Secretariat is “there is no money”.

    He said the situation is taking a devastating toll on their members especially those who have taken loans and other facilities from the banks and suppliers to execute their contracts.

    The Chair of the Association said they find it difficult to believe that President Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who has been touted as the foremost Human Right Activist in Ghana, will condone what they believe is a clear injustice.

    The Association blames the GETFund Secretariat for what it says is preferential treatment of some contractors.

    “We are businessmen and women, not politicians, therefore, the apparent stratification of the nation along party lines is inhumane and un-Ghanaian and at variance with President Akufo-Addo’s mantra of being president for all Ghanaian,“ he lamented

    They have, however, reminded the president of his campaign promise to pay all contractors within 100 days if he is elected as President and therefore urged him to use his good office to facilitate the payment of their long overdue certificates.

    Source: Joy News 

  • 1 trapped, 2 injured in Kumasi trailer accident

    One person is believed to be trapped under a trailer full of cement at Anloga junction in the Ashanti Regional capital, Kumasi.

    At least two others are in critical condition after the trailer veered off the Anloga intersection into some structures close by. The trailer is also believed to have suffered a brake failure.

    The two have been rushed to the hospital as residents, as well as personnel from the Fire Service and Road Safety, make strenuous attempts to rescue the trapped victim.

    But for a recent demolition exercise which reduced the congestion in the area, the accident would have been even more disastrous, eyewitnesses have said.

     

    Source: myjoyonline.com 

  • 1 trapped, 2 injured in Kumasi trailer accident

    One person is believed to be trapped under a trailer full of cement at Anloga junction in the Ashanti Regional capital, Kumasi.

    At least two others are in critical condition after the trailer veered off the Anloga intersection into some structures close by. The trailer is also believed to have suffered a brake failure.

    The two have been rushed to the hospital as residents, as well as personnel from the Fire Service and Road Safety, make strenuous attempts to rescue the trapped victim.

    But for a recent demolition exercise which reduced the congestion in the area, the accident would have been even more disastrous, eyewitnesses have said.

     

    Source: myjoyonline.com 

  • Trump wants peace in ‘vicious’ Africa

    US President Donald Trump has vowed to help end “vicious and violent” conflicts on the African continent.

    “Africa right now has got problems like few people would even understand,” he said at a Nato summit press conference.

    “It is so sad, it is so vicious and violent,” he said, promising that his goal was to build up the US military and bring peace to the world.

    The US is active in counter-terrorism operations and training African troops to fight jihadists in the Sahara.

    The 72-year-old US leader was speaking after a two-day summit in Brussels, where he said Nato allies had agreed to increase their military spending.

    ‘We want peace in Africa’

    His comments about Africa’s problems came after a Tunisian journalist expressed gratitude for US efforts in North Africa, where various Islamist militant groups operate.

    The president said the continent had “got things going on there that nobody could believe in this room”.

    “If you saw some of the things that I see through intelligence – what’s going on in Africa – it is so sad, it is so vicious and violent,” he said.

    “We want peace for Africa. We want peace all over the world. That’s my number one goal – peace all over the world and we are building up a tremendous military because I really believe through strength you get peace.”

    Mr Trump said that the US was “going to have a military like we never had before”.

    But his remarks have drawn some criticism on social media – and come seven months after he was alleged to have used the word “shithole” to describe African nations. He denied that he was racist.

    Commentators on Twitter suggested he was reinforcing Western stereotypes of the continent, with one Kenyan journalist implying he was naive not to realise that Africa had 54 countries.

     

    https://twitter.com/emcleans/status/1017398927052509184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1017398927052509184&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.myjoyonline.com%2Fworld%2F2018%2FJuly-12th%2Ftrump-wants-peace-in-vicious-africa.php

    Another tweeter suggested that an American school shooting was as vicious as any conflict in Africa.

    https://twitter.com/RobynDixon_LAT/status/1017381317057474562?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1017381317057474562&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.myjoyonline.com%2Fworld%2F2018%2FJuly-12th%2Ftrump-wants-peace-in-vicious-africa.php

    BBC Africa correspondent Alastair Leithead says the US has about 7,000 military personnel in Africa and 34 individual bases or staging posts across the continent – and probably many more secret facilities.

     

    Source: BBC 

  • Trump wants peace in ‘vicious’ Africa

    US President Donald Trump has vowed to help end “vicious and violent” conflicts on the African continent.

    “Africa right now has got problems like few people would even understand,” he said at a Nato summit press conference.

    “It is so sad, it is so vicious and violent,” he said, promising that his goal was to build up the US military and bring peace to the world.

    The US is active in counter-terrorism operations and training African troops to fight jihadists in the Sahara.

    The 72-year-old US leader was speaking after a two-day summit in Brussels, where he said Nato allies had agreed to increase their military spending.

    ‘We want peace in Africa’

    His comments about Africa’s problems came after a Tunisian journalist expressed gratitude for US efforts in North Africa, where various Islamist militant groups operate.

    The president said the continent had “got things going on there that nobody could believe in this room”.

    “If you saw some of the things that I see through intelligence – what’s going on in Africa – it is so sad, it is so vicious and violent,” he said.

    “We want peace for Africa. We want peace all over the world. That’s my number one goal – peace all over the world and we are building up a tremendous military because I really believe through strength you get peace.”

    Mr Trump said that the US was “going to have a military like we never had before”.

    But his remarks have drawn some criticism on social media – and come seven months after he was alleged to have used the word “shithole” to describe African nations. He denied that he was racist.

    Commentators on Twitter suggested he was reinforcing Western stereotypes of the continent, with one Kenyan journalist implying he was naive not to realise that Africa had 54 countries.

     

    https://twitter.com/emcleans/status/1017398927052509184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1017398927052509184&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.myjoyonline.com%2Fworld%2F2018%2FJuly-12th%2Ftrump-wants-peace-in-vicious-africa.php

    Another tweeter suggested that an American school shooting was as vicious as any conflict in Africa.

    https://twitter.com/RobynDixon_LAT/status/1017381317057474562?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1017381317057474562&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.myjoyonline.com%2Fworld%2F2018%2FJuly-12th%2Ftrump-wants-peace-in-vicious-africa.php

    BBC Africa correspondent Alastair Leithead says the US has about 7,000 military personnel in Africa and 34 individual bases or staging posts across the continent – and probably many more secret facilities.

     

    Source: BBC 

  • Provide security clothes for your reporters police to media owners

    The Director of the Police Intelligence and Professional Standards (PIS) Bureau, COP Nathan Kofi Boakye, has advised media owners to provide protective cloths for their reporters who join the police to cover events such as protest and demonstrations.

    He said it is important for the police and the media to have meetings before and after operations to brief and debrief each other for mutual understanding and teamwork.

     

    On his part, the Programs Officer for UNESCO Ghana, Yakub Abdul Hamid has hinted that UNESCO, in collaboration with the Ghana Police Service, is working on a manual to train police personnel.

    This, he said, will help the police to work in tandem with world-class police standard.

    Yakub added that UNESCO will soon commission a School of Psychology to help journalists on recurrent crime in the country so as to aid their reportage.

     

    Source: Adomonline.com 

     

     

  • Provide security clothes for your reporters police to media owners

    The Director of the Police Intelligence and Professional Standards (PIS) Bureau, COP Nathan Kofi Boakye, has advised media owners to provide protective cloths for their reporters who join the police to cover events such as protest and demonstrations.

    He said it is important for the police and the media to have meetings before and after operations to brief and debrief each other for mutual understanding and teamwork.

     

    On his part, the Programs Officer for UNESCO Ghana, Yakub Abdul Hamid has hinted that UNESCO, in collaboration with the Ghana Police Service, is working on a manual to train police personnel.

    This, he said, will help the police to work in tandem with world-class police standard.

    Yakub added that UNESCO will soon commission a School of Psychology to help journalists on recurrent crime in the country so as to aid their reportage.

     

    Source: Adomonline.com 

     

     

  • Anlo Youth Council hints of court action over suspension of birth cert issuance

    A youth group in Anlo has condemned a supposed government directive suspending the registration of births in the Volta Region, describing the action as “discriminatory and detestable”.

    According to the group, the Anlo Youth Council (AYC), its independent checks from the district offices of the Birth and Death Registry in the region confirmed the cessation of issuance of birth certificates in the Volta Region, indicating the directive is in full effect.

    “The Council finds this disposition of government discriminatory and detestable as the directive deprives indigenes of the region their indefeasible rights and access to government services,” the group said in a statement Thursday.

    “Forty-Eight (48) years after the popular Sallah vs Attorney General case, the executive government is least expected to conduct itself in such discriminatory manner as we now witness from the current executive government,” it added.

    It has meanwhile asked anyone affected by any “arbitrary transfers” within the public service or being denied government services due to the government directive to contact the AYC.

    The Council said it is preparing to take legal action against the government to “to restore sanity and sanctity in the provision of government services in the Volta Region”.

     

     

    Source:  3news.com

  • Anlo Youth Council hints of court action over suspension of birth cert issuance

    A youth group in Anlo has condemned a supposed government directive suspending the registration of births in the Volta Region, describing the action as “discriminatory and detestable”.

    According to the group, the Anlo Youth Council (AYC), its independent checks from the district offices of the Birth and Death Registry in the region confirmed the cessation of issuance of birth certificates in the Volta Region, indicating the directive is in full effect.

    “The Council finds this disposition of government discriminatory and detestable as the directive deprives indigenes of the region their indefeasible rights and access to government services,” the group said in a statement Thursday.

    “Forty-Eight (48) years after the popular Sallah vs Attorney General case, the executive government is least expected to conduct itself in such discriminatory manner as we now witness from the current executive government,” it added.

    It has meanwhile asked anyone affected by any “arbitrary transfers” within the public service or being denied government services due to the government directive to contact the AYC.

    The Council said it is preparing to take legal action against the government to “to restore sanity and sanctity in the provision of government services in the Volta Region”.

     

     

    Source:  3news.com

  • Fiorentina enter race to sign Alfred Duncan

    Italian Serie A side Fiorentina have joined the fray to sign Ghana International Alfred Duncan.

    Duncan earlier this month declared his intention to leave Sassuolo, and revealed the club is open to his departure and is now awaiting the right price for his sale.

    According to reports in Italy, Fiorentina are considering a move for Duncan in a bid to strengthening their midfield options.

    The robust midfielder has been identified by Fiorentina manager Stefano Pioli as one of his most viable targets, and is keen to make his move in the coming days.

    Inter Milan and Lazio are among the clubs who have registered their interest in the 25 year old who made 26 appearances for Sassuolo last season.

     

    Source: citinewsroom.com

  • Fiorentina enter race to sign Alfred Duncan

    Italian Serie A side Fiorentina have joined the fray to sign Ghana International Alfred Duncan.

    Duncan earlier this month declared his intention to leave Sassuolo, and revealed the club is open to his departure and is now awaiting the right price for his sale.

    According to reports in Italy, Fiorentina are considering a move for Duncan in a bid to strengthening their midfield options.

    The robust midfielder has been identified by Fiorentina manager Stefano Pioli as one of his most viable targets, and is keen to make his move in the coming days.

    Inter Milan and Lazio are among the clubs who have registered their interest in the 25 year old who made 26 appearances for Sassuolo last season.

     

    Source: citinewsroom.com

  • FIFA urges World Cup broadcasters to show fewer shots of attractive women

    FIFA wants fewer images of attractive women in World Cup stadiums shown on future broadcasts, with sexism being a bigger problem than racism in Russia, according to anti-discrimination experts advising FIFA.

    FIFA diversity chief Federico Addiechi says football’s world body will talk with national broadcasters and its own TV production team.

    The subject arose Wednesday in a review of FIFA’s anti-discrimination program in Russia. Monitors identified sexist incidents including fans harassing female broadcasters as having been a bigger problem so far than acts of racism.

    Addiechi says FIFA’s stance is “a normal evolution,” and broadcasts in Russia have already improved from the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

    He says FIFA has already intervened with broadcasters “on a case-by-case basis when some cases arose and they were pretty evident.”

    At future tournaments, FIFA hopes hundreds of millions of television viewers worldwide will get a more respectful view of women at games.

    Fans harassing female broadcasters while they worked accounted for about 30 cases out of an approximate 300 incidents of “sexism on the streets” reported to FIFA by the Fare network.

    Racism was predicted to be the main World Cup problem because of longstanding issues in Russian football and other European fan bases.

    “There haven’t been a great deal of incidents of the type we expected,” Fare director Piara Powar said, praising Russian people who “played a magnificent role making people feel welcome.”

    Instead, treatment of female media workers and fans provoked debate.

    The large, and noisy, presence of Swedish fans was fitting: This city then a small town – was wrested from the Swedes in the early 18th century by Tsar Peter the Great. Fu Tian/China News Service/VCG

    Powar said about half of those reported incidents involved female broadcasters being “accosted while on air.” He estimated up to 10 times more unreported cases where Russian women were targeted.

    With World Cup costs for travel and tickets — $105 for the cheapest seats at group games for visitors — always rising, the different audience for games helps explain changing patterns of behaviour.

    Powar said with Russian authorities also keeping home-grown hooligans away from games, the World Cup had an international crowd “very different to the fans that come to domestic football.”

    “If you come to this tournament with prejudices, and don’t like people from a different nationality, then generally you’re in the wrong place,” he said.

    Still, FIFA did impose fines during the tournament on football federations including Serbia, Russia and Poland for racist, nationalist and offensive banners displayed by fans at games. The fines started at 10,000 Swiss francs ($10,100) for a first incident.

    FIFA and Russian organisers worked to identify fans linked to incidents of discrimination in Russia, and the most public violent incident was when Argentina fans attacked Croatia fans inside a stadium.

    Addiechi said some of the 1.5 million people issued with fan identification laminates had them stripped, and were deported. About 700,000 of the Fan IDs went to international visitors, he said.

    FIFA worked with Fare to ensure three expert monitors attend each of 64 World Cup games.

    Taking lessons from the World Cup in Russia, Powar said he hoped for more coordination between FIFA and its six continental governing bodies to ensure a consistency of monitoring and punishing discrimination cases.

    Russia has won praise for its hosting of the World Cup, including embracing some social programs FIFA requires of host nations.

    Addiechi acknowledged FIFA could have “a limited impact” from next week, and looked to former Russia player Alexei Smertin to continue leading its anti-discrimination work.

    “We definitely expect and count on the support of Alexei,” Addiechi said, “and the Russian football union.”

     

    Source: kwese.espn.com

  • FIFA urges World Cup broadcasters to show fewer shots of attractive women

    FIFA wants fewer images of attractive women in World Cup stadiums shown on future broadcasts, with sexism being a bigger problem than racism in Russia, according to anti-discrimination experts advising FIFA.

    FIFA diversity chief Federico Addiechi says football’s world body will talk with national broadcasters and its own TV production team.

    The subject arose Wednesday in a review of FIFA’s anti-discrimination program in Russia. Monitors identified sexist incidents including fans harassing female broadcasters as having been a bigger problem so far than acts of racism.

    Addiechi says FIFA’s stance is “a normal evolution,” and broadcasts in Russia have already improved from the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

    He says FIFA has already intervened with broadcasters “on a case-by-case basis when some cases arose and they were pretty evident.”

    At future tournaments, FIFA hopes hundreds of millions of television viewers worldwide will get a more respectful view of women at games.

    Fans harassing female broadcasters while they worked accounted for about 30 cases out of an approximate 300 incidents of “sexism on the streets” reported to FIFA by the Fare network.

    Racism was predicted to be the main World Cup problem because of longstanding issues in Russian football and other European fan bases.

    “There haven’t been a great deal of incidents of the type we expected,” Fare director Piara Powar said, praising Russian people who “played a magnificent role making people feel welcome.”

    Instead, treatment of female media workers and fans provoked debate.

    The large, and noisy, presence of Swedish fans was fitting: This city then a small town – was wrested from the Swedes in the early 18th century by Tsar Peter the Great. Fu Tian/China News Service/VCG

    Powar said about half of those reported incidents involved female broadcasters being “accosted while on air.” He estimated up to 10 times more unreported cases where Russian women were targeted.

    With World Cup costs for travel and tickets — $105 for the cheapest seats at group games for visitors — always rising, the different audience for games helps explain changing patterns of behaviour.

    Powar said with Russian authorities also keeping home-grown hooligans away from games, the World Cup had an international crowd “very different to the fans that come to domestic football.”

    “If you come to this tournament with prejudices, and don’t like people from a different nationality, then generally you’re in the wrong place,” he said.

    Still, FIFA did impose fines during the tournament on football federations including Serbia, Russia and Poland for racist, nationalist and offensive banners displayed by fans at games. The fines started at 10,000 Swiss francs ($10,100) for a first incident.

    FIFA and Russian organisers worked to identify fans linked to incidents of discrimination in Russia, and the most public violent incident was when Argentina fans attacked Croatia fans inside a stadium.

    Addiechi said some of the 1.5 million people issued with fan identification laminates had them stripped, and were deported. About 700,000 of the Fan IDs went to international visitors, he said.

    FIFA worked with Fare to ensure three expert monitors attend each of 64 World Cup games.

    Taking lessons from the World Cup in Russia, Powar said he hoped for more coordination between FIFA and its six continental governing bodies to ensure a consistency of monitoring and punishing discrimination cases.

    Russia has won praise for its hosting of the World Cup, including embracing some social programs FIFA requires of host nations.

    Addiechi acknowledged FIFA could have “a limited impact” from next week, and looked to former Russia player Alexei Smertin to continue leading its anti-discrimination work.

    “We definitely expect and count on the support of Alexei,” Addiechi said, “and the Russian football union.”

     

    Source: kwese.espn.com

  • Actress, Bibi Bright is getting married on Saturday

    Actress Bibi Bright is getting married this Saturday and as usual, a bachelorette party had to go down before she became a bride so her friends and colleagues threw one for her.

    Her friends organized it to surprise her and she was indeed surprised. The floral decorations and coloured lighting gave it a beautiful setting and the all-white outfit theme was just right.

    In attendance at the party was her Zylofon colleagues, Zynell Zuh and Toosweet Annan, Lucky Lawson, Moesha, Princess Shyngle, and other friends, and they all seem to have given the party life.

    See all the fun photos from the bachelorette party. Congrats to Bibi.

    source: ghanafuo.com

  • President Akufo-Addo Cuts Sod For Irrigation Project At North Tongu

    The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, at the end of his 3-day tour of the Volta Region cut the sod for the rehabilitation and expansion of the Kpong Left Bank Irrigation Project, at Torgome, in the North Tongu Constituency of the Volta Region.

    With the country possessing 1.9 million hectares of irrigable land, only 210,000 hectrated is suitably developed, representing a little over 11% of the total area which can be potentially irrigated.

    That is why the Ghana Commercial Agricultural Project, in consultation with the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority (GIDA), has selected for rehabilitation and modernization the Kpong Left Bank Irrigation Project (KLBIP), together with four other major public irrigation schemes.

    According to President Akufo-Addo, the Kpong Left Bank Irrigation Project will rehabilitate, modernise and expand the existing gravity irrigation scheme from four hundred and fifty (450) hectares to two thousand (2,000) hectares, i.e. more than four-fold.

    On successful completion of the project, water made available by the modernised and expanded dam should increase food production through increased cropping intensity as a result of a more reliable supply of water.

    This supply, the President said, will be directly available to 17 communities of a combined population of over 6,000 people, with some of the benefits to the neighbouring communities including increased earnings of smallholder farmers, through double-cropping under irrigated conditions, and the creation of jobs, in addition to the completion of various agri-businesses down the value-chain.

    “Based on a comprehensive evaluation, nine (9) crops have been selected for cultivation under the scheme. These are rice, maize, soya bean, cowpea, pepper, okra, cabbage, watermelon, and butternut squash. The irrigated area will be cropped twice a year, resulting in a two hundred per cent (200%) cropping intensity, and a total cropped area of four thousand (4,000) hectares per annum,” he said.

    To link small-holder farmers effectively to markets, the scheme will have provision for large farming enterprises with substantial technical, managerial and financial expertise and working capital.

    “This Project will cost the Ghanaian taxpayer an estimated twentyfive million, five hundred and three thousand, two hundred and ninety-six dollars (USD25,503,296). It is expected that the operation, maintenance and management of the scheme will be financed by irrigation water users in the scheme, through regular payment of irrigation service charges,” President Akufo-Addo noted.

    The President thanked all those who have been involved in one way or the other in the realisation of this Project, and urged staff of the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority, Ghana Commercial Agriculture Project, the Consultant, the Contractor, the Chiefs and Elders and the members of the beneficiary communities to continue to play the roles expected of them to ensure that the project is completed on schedule.

    “We are determined to transform Ghanaian agriculture, and break with the recent, dismal record of decline and negative growth that has characterised the sector. That way, we can justify the huge investments that Government is making in the Project,” he added.

    Source: presidency.gov.gh

  • President Akufo-Addo Cuts Sod For Irrigation Project At North Tongu

    The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, at the end of his 3-day tour of the Volta Region cut the sod for the rehabilitation and expansion of the Kpong Left Bank Irrigation Project, at Torgome, in the North Tongu Constituency of the Volta Region.

    With the country possessing 1.9 million hectares of irrigable land, only 210,000 hectrated is suitably developed, representing a little over 11% of the total area which can be potentially irrigated.

    That is why the Ghana Commercial Agricultural Project, in consultation with the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority (GIDA), has selected for rehabilitation and modernization the Kpong Left Bank Irrigation Project (KLBIP), together with four other major public irrigation schemes.

    According to President Akufo-Addo, the Kpong Left Bank Irrigation Project will rehabilitate, modernise and expand the existing gravity irrigation scheme from four hundred and fifty (450) hectares to two thousand (2,000) hectares, i.e. more than four-fold.

    On successful completion of the project, water made available by the modernised and expanded dam should increase food production through increased cropping intensity as a result of a more reliable supply of water.

    This supply, the President said, will be directly available to 17 communities of a combined population of over 6,000 people, with some of the benefits to the neighbouring communities including increased earnings of smallholder farmers, through double-cropping under irrigated conditions, and the creation of jobs, in addition to the completion of various agri-businesses down the value-chain.

    “Based on a comprehensive evaluation, nine (9) crops have been selected for cultivation under the scheme. These are rice, maize, soya bean, cowpea, pepper, okra, cabbage, watermelon, and butternut squash. The irrigated area will be cropped twice a year, resulting in a two hundred per cent (200%) cropping intensity, and a total cropped area of four thousand (4,000) hectares per annum,” he said.

    To link small-holder farmers effectively to markets, the scheme will have provision for large farming enterprises with substantial technical, managerial and financial expertise and working capital.

    “This Project will cost the Ghanaian taxpayer an estimated twentyfive million, five hundred and three thousand, two hundred and ninety-six dollars (USD25,503,296). It is expected that the operation, maintenance and management of the scheme will be financed by irrigation water users in the scheme, through regular payment of irrigation service charges,” President Akufo-Addo noted.

    The President thanked all those who have been involved in one way or the other in the realisation of this Project, and urged staff of the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority, Ghana Commercial Agriculture Project, the Consultant, the Contractor, the Chiefs and Elders and the members of the beneficiary communities to continue to play the roles expected of them to ensure that the project is completed on schedule.

    “We are determined to transform Ghanaian agriculture, and break with the recent, dismal record of decline and negative growth that has characterised the sector. That way, we can justify the huge investments that Government is making in the Project,” he added.

    Source: presidency.gov.gh

  • Veteran actor Kuntu Blankson of Akan drama fame commits suicide

    Veteran actor, Kuntu Blankson of the Akan drama television series which was aired in the 1990s has committed suicide.

    The good old actor was found dead in his kitchen this morning. Sources say, he sneaked out of the bedroom and crept to the kitchen to hang himself, leaving behind his wife and children in grief.

    The incident occurred at the Moree Junction, a suburb of Cape Coast in the Central Region.

    Preliminary reports indicate that he had earlier attempted suicide but did not succeed. He was on a contract at the Laboratory of the University of Cape Coast.

    Personnel from the Criminal Investigation Department of the police service have since arrived at the scene to carry out further investigation and convey the body to the morgue for autopsy.

    source: Starrfmonline.com

  • Uganda reviews disputed social media tax

    Uganda is reviewing its decision to impose taxes on the use of social media and on money transactions by mobile phone, following a public backlash.

    Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda made the announcement soon after police broke up a protest against the taxes.

    President Yoweri Museveni had pushed for the taxes to boost government revenue and to end “gossip” on WhatsApp, Facebook and Twitter.

    Critics accused the 75-year-old of trying to stifle dissenting voices.

    The social media tax targets the use of what are described as Over The Top (OTT) services, which offer “voice and messaging over the internet”, according to a previous statement by telecom companies.

    Users are asked to make an electronic payment before they can access the sites.

    The social media tax is 200 Uganda shillings [$0.05, £0.04].

    Activists argue that while the amount may seem little, it represents a significant slice of what poorer people are paying for getting online.

    An Ugandan police officer lifts his AK-47 riffle aloft opposite protesters during a demonstration on July 11, 2018 in Kampala to protest a controversial tax on the use of social media
    Police carrying AK-47 rifles dispersed protesters

    There is also a 1% levy on the total value of mobile phone money transactions, affecting poorer Ugandans who rarely use banking services.

    The taxes came into effect at the beginning of the month.

    It is unclear how much revenue the government had hoped to raise through the taxes.

    Some have used Virtual Private Networks (VPN) to get around paying.

    A Ugandan journalist uses his camera after riot policemen fired tear gas to disperse activists led by musician turned politician, Robert Kyagulanyi, during a demonstrating against new taxes including a levy on access to social media platforms in Kampala, Uganda July 11, 2018
    Police fired tear gas to break up what what they called an illegal protest

    In a statement to parliament, Mr Rugunda said: “Government is now reviewing the taxes taking into consideration the concerns of the public and its implications on the budget.

    “The president has provided guidance on the matter and encouraged further discussion with a view to reaching consensus on how we should raise the much needed revenue to finance our budget.”

    A revised budget is due to be tabled in parliament on 19 July.

    Earlier, police arrested two people and fired tear gas and live ammunition in the air to break up a protest by about 300 people, AFP news agency reports.

    The protest was led by popular Ugandan singer and independent MP Robert Kyagulanyi, who is known to his music fans as Bobi Wine.

    He said on Twitter that police tried to arrest him, but failed after protesters rallied around him.

     

    Source: 3News.com 

  • Uganda reviews disputed social media tax

    Uganda is reviewing its decision to impose taxes on the use of social media and on money transactions by mobile phone, following a public backlash.

    Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda made the announcement soon after police broke up a protest against the taxes.

    President Yoweri Museveni had pushed for the taxes to boost government revenue and to end “gossip” on WhatsApp, Facebook and Twitter.

    Critics accused the 75-year-old of trying to stifle dissenting voices.

    The social media tax targets the use of what are described as Over The Top (OTT) services, which offer “voice and messaging over the internet”, according to a previous statement by telecom companies.

    Users are asked to make an electronic payment before they can access the sites.

    The social media tax is 200 Uganda shillings [$0.05, £0.04].

    Activists argue that while the amount may seem little, it represents a significant slice of what poorer people are paying for getting online.

    An Ugandan police officer lifts his AK-47 riffle aloft opposite protesters during a demonstration on July 11, 2018 in Kampala to protest a controversial tax on the use of social media
    Police carrying AK-47 rifles dispersed protesters

    There is also a 1% levy on the total value of mobile phone money transactions, affecting poorer Ugandans who rarely use banking services.

    The taxes came into effect at the beginning of the month.

    It is unclear how much revenue the government had hoped to raise through the taxes.

    Some have used Virtual Private Networks (VPN) to get around paying.

    A Ugandan journalist uses his camera after riot policemen fired tear gas to disperse activists led by musician turned politician, Robert Kyagulanyi, during a demonstrating against new taxes including a levy on access to social media platforms in Kampala, Uganda July 11, 2018
    Police fired tear gas to break up what what they called an illegal protest

    In a statement to parliament, Mr Rugunda said: “Government is now reviewing the taxes taking into consideration the concerns of the public and its implications on the budget.

    “The president has provided guidance on the matter and encouraged further discussion with a view to reaching consensus on how we should raise the much needed revenue to finance our budget.”

    A revised budget is due to be tabled in parliament on 19 July.

    Earlier, police arrested two people and fired tear gas and live ammunition in the air to break up a protest by about 300 people, AFP news agency reports.

    The protest was led by popular Ugandan singer and independent MP Robert Kyagulanyi, who is known to his music fans as Bobi Wine.

    He said on Twitter that police tried to arrest him, but failed after protesters rallied around him.

     

    Source: 3News.com 

  • Kylie Jenner to be ‘youngest self-made US billionaire’

    Former Keeping Up with the Kardashians star Kylie Jenner is worth $900m (£680m) at just 20 years of age, says Forbes.

    The business magazine said the social media star is on track to become “the youngest-ever self-made billionaire”.

    The fashion guru, the youngest of the Kardashian clan, launched a cosmetics firm two years ago.

    By comparison her half-sister, Kim Kardashian West, 37, has to scrape by on a measly net worth of $350m.

    Jenner, who is currently not old enough even to legally drink alcohol in the US, will turn 21 in August as her Forbes cover edition hits newsstands.

    “What her half-sister Kim Kardashian West did for booty, Jenner has done for full lips,” Forbes writes, describing her famous pout.

    Earlier this week Jenner, a mother of one daughter named Stormi, announced she would stop receiving lip injections, known as dermal fillers.

    Jenner admitted during an episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians in 2015 that her natural lips had been “an insecurity” that she wanted to change with temporary lip fillers.

    She later launched her brand Kylie Cosmetics, which included a line of lip products designed to help customers make their lips look bigger through over-lining and filling.

    Her surgically enhanced style has spawned a trend, plastic surgeons say, with more women requesting fuller lips.

    Jenner’s company, which she wholly owns, is worth $800m, according to Forbes.

    She is number 27 on Forbe’s list of richest self-made women in America, leap-frogging Barbra Streisand ($400m), Beyonce Knowles ($335m) and Taylor Swift ($320m).

    Jenner is on track to become a billionaire earlier than Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, who achieved that status at age 23.

    Evan Spiegel, the owner of Snapchat, also became a billionaire in his early 20s, but it is unclear exactly when he met that goal.

    “wow. I can’t believe I’m posting my very own @forbes cover,” she wrote to her 110m Instagram followers on Wednesday.

    “thank you for this article and the recognition. I’m so blessed to do what I love every day. I couldn’t have dreamt this up!”

    Dictionary.com tweeted about the Forbes piece: “Self-made means having succeeded in life unaided.”

    Jenner first rose to fame at the age of 10 when she appeared with her family on their eponymous reality show.

    On social media, several users scoffed at Forbes’ use of the term “self-made”, pointing out that Jenner’s parents were already wealthy and famous.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Kylie Jenner to be ‘youngest self-made US billionaire’

    Former Keeping Up with the Kardashians star Kylie Jenner is worth $900m (£680m) at just 20 years of age, says Forbes.

    The business magazine said the social media star is on track to become “the youngest-ever self-made billionaire”.

    The fashion guru, the youngest of the Kardashian clan, launched a cosmetics firm two years ago.

    By comparison her half-sister, Kim Kardashian West, 37, has to scrape by on a measly net worth of $350m.

    Jenner, who is currently not old enough even to legally drink alcohol in the US, will turn 21 in August as her Forbes cover edition hits newsstands.

    “What her half-sister Kim Kardashian West did for booty, Jenner has done for full lips,” Forbes writes, describing her famous pout.

    Earlier this week Jenner, a mother of one daughter named Stormi, announced she would stop receiving lip injections, known as dermal fillers.

    Jenner admitted during an episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians in 2015 that her natural lips had been “an insecurity” that she wanted to change with temporary lip fillers.

    She later launched her brand Kylie Cosmetics, which included a line of lip products designed to help customers make their lips look bigger through over-lining and filling.

    Her surgically enhanced style has spawned a trend, plastic surgeons say, with more women requesting fuller lips.

    Jenner’s company, which she wholly owns, is worth $800m, according to Forbes.

    She is number 27 on Forbe’s list of richest self-made women in America, leap-frogging Barbra Streisand ($400m), Beyonce Knowles ($335m) and Taylor Swift ($320m).

    Jenner is on track to become a billionaire earlier than Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, who achieved that status at age 23.

    Evan Spiegel, the owner of Snapchat, also became a billionaire in his early 20s, but it is unclear exactly when he met that goal.

    “wow. I can’t believe I’m posting my very own @forbes cover,” she wrote to her 110m Instagram followers on Wednesday.

    “thank you for this article and the recognition. I’m so blessed to do what I love every day. I couldn’t have dreamt this up!”

    Dictionary.com tweeted about the Forbes piece: “Self-made means having succeeded in life unaided.”

    Jenner first rose to fame at the age of 10 when she appeared with her family on their eponymous reality show.

    On social media, several users scoffed at Forbes’ use of the term “self-made”, pointing out that Jenner’s parents were already wealthy and famous.

    Source: bbc.com

  • UG Medical Center to begin operations on July 18

    The Ministries of Information and Health, together with the Interim Management Committee of the University of Ghana Medical Centre, have indicated that all is set for the facility to begin operations on, July 18, 2018.

    The government announced the opening date after persistent outrage over the abandonment of the$217 million medical center.

    Over 18 months since the Mahama administration commissioned the first phase of the facility, the current government is yet to open the facility to the public, citing technical reasons.

    But at a media engagement on Wednesday, the managers of the facility revealed that they will finally begin with the operationalization of the Out Patient Department (OPD).

    They were also optimistic that, the remaining three departments will come on stream by the end of the year.

    According to Citi News Checks, the facility was scheduled to open in November 2017,  but was kept locked to the public due to a tussle between the Minister of Health and the University of Ghana over who manages the $217 million facility.

    The University believes processes leading to the construction of the facility give it a direct oversight role of the Medical Centre.

    This is despite the Akufo-Addo administration reportedly thinking otherwise.

    Back in January, a Deputy Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, said the University of Ghana and the Ministry of Health had ended the tussle.

    “That standoff [between the University of Ghana and the Ministry of Health], as I speak to you, is being resolved. Between the University and the Health Ministry, they have agreed on a new management approach,” he said at the time.

    But there was little progress made between then and July. leading to sustained pressure on the government from Citi FM and some civil society organisations to operationalise the centre.

    Ghanaians also signed an online petition as part of a social media campaign to push the government to operationalise the 597-bed capacity medical centre.

    A pharmacy student of the University of Ghana, Reginald Sekyi-Brown, also notably started a #OpenUGMCNow hashtag in protest.

    The government subsequently set up the interim board to operationalise the facility.

    The Board, chaired by Dr. Anarfi Asamoah-Baah, was to liaise with the turnkey contractor, to test run the equipment and operationalise the facility.

    Cabinet has already approved $50 million for the second phase of the centre.

    Part of the $50 million is expected to be used to procure drugs and non-drug consumables, as well as secure reliable power supply for the hospital.

     

     

    Source: citinewsroom.com

  • UG Medical Center to begin operations on July 18

    The Ministries of Information and Health, together with the Interim Management Committee of the University of Ghana Medical Centre, have indicated that all is set for the facility to begin operations on, July 18, 2018.

    The government announced the opening date after persistent outrage over the abandonment of the$217 million medical center.

    Over 18 months since the Mahama administration commissioned the first phase of the facility, the current government is yet to open the facility to the public, citing technical reasons.

    But at a media engagement on Wednesday, the managers of the facility revealed that they will finally begin with the operationalization of the Out Patient Department (OPD).

    They were also optimistic that, the remaining three departments will come on stream by the end of the year.

    According to Citi News Checks, the facility was scheduled to open in November 2017,  but was kept locked to the public due to a tussle between the Minister of Health and the University of Ghana over who manages the $217 million facility.

    The University believes processes leading to the construction of the facility give it a direct oversight role of the Medical Centre.

    This is despite the Akufo-Addo administration reportedly thinking otherwise.

    Back in January, a Deputy Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, said the University of Ghana and the Ministry of Health had ended the tussle.

    “That standoff [between the University of Ghana and the Ministry of Health], as I speak to you, is being resolved. Between the University and the Health Ministry, they have agreed on a new management approach,” he said at the time.

    But there was little progress made between then and July. leading to sustained pressure on the government from Citi FM and some civil society organisations to operationalise the centre.

    Ghanaians also signed an online petition as part of a social media campaign to push the government to operationalise the 597-bed capacity medical centre.

    A pharmacy student of the University of Ghana, Reginald Sekyi-Brown, also notably started a #OpenUGMCNow hashtag in protest.

    The government subsequently set up the interim board to operationalise the facility.

    The Board, chaired by Dr. Anarfi Asamoah-Baah, was to liaise with the turnkey contractor, to test run the equipment and operationalise the facility.

    Cabinet has already approved $50 million for the second phase of the centre.

    Part of the $50 million is expected to be used to procure drugs and non-drug consumables, as well as secure reliable power supply for the hospital.

     

     

    Source: citinewsroom.com

  • Man torn into two after car crash at Kwame Nkrumah Circle

    A middle-aged man was crushed to death by a commercial vehicle at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle in Accra on Wednesday afternoon.

    According to reports, his limbs, torso and entire body were totally run over by the vehicle at the popular Dubai interchange.

    Adom New reporter, Nana Yaw Daakye who visited the scene said the accident was so gory that many onlookers found it difficult to look at the remains.

    He said the deceased is suspected to be a mentally-challenged man loitering about in the area.

    He added that the police are at the scene controlling traffic and have conveyed the body to the morgue but are yet to identify his family.

    Source: adomonline.com

  • Man torn into two after car crash at Kwame Nkrumah Circle

    A middle-aged man was crushed to death by a commercial vehicle at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle in Accra on Wednesday afternoon.

    According to reports, his limbs, torso and entire body were totally run over by the vehicle at the popular Dubai interchange.

    Adom New reporter, Nana Yaw Daakye who visited the scene said the accident was so gory that many onlookers found it difficult to look at the remains.

    He said the deceased is suspected to be a mentally-challenged man loitering about in the area.

    He added that the police are at the scene controlling traffic and have conveyed the body to the morgue but are yet to identify his family.

    Source: adomonline.com

  • Drop your “old foto” if you think are handsome Patapaa dares celebrities

    “One corner” hitmaker Patapaa aka Patapeezy has dared those calling him to release their old pictures to prove that they are more handsome than him.

    This statement he made in his yet to be released song titled “Old Foto” which we are told he featured an underground artiste on it.

    Even though the song is yet to be released by the Swedru-based superstar, but a line in the song sees Patapaa bragging that he is handsome than most Ghanaian celebrities.

    Patapaa since coming into the limelight has had collaboration with some big artiste such as the likes of Shatta Wale, Article Wan, Pappy Kojo, Medikal etc.

    According to some punchlines in the yet to be released song, “Old Foto”, the “One Corner” hitmaker challenged Ghanaian celebrities who think they are handsome than him to release their old photos.

    The song, “Old Foto” is set to be released on July 20, 2018.

     source: ghpage.com

  • Blood collected during voluntary drives are not used for rituals – NBS

    The National Blood Service (NBS), Ghana has denied assertions by a preacher that blood donated during community blood donations organised by the Despite Group of Companies are used for rituals by Dr Osei Kwame Despite.

    According to the NBS, the assertions by Evangelist Emmanuel Addai that the blood collected from voluntary blood donors at events organised by Dr Despite’s companies do not get to hospitals are uninformed and portrays a lack of understanding of the process.

    A statement signed by Dr Justina K. Ansah, CEO of the NBS described the assertions which were contained in video and audio recordings as palpably false, baseless and most regrettable.

    “We wish to state without equivocation that NO STAFF OF THE DESPITE GROUP OF COMPANIES was involved in the technical processes of the blood donation exercise (that is, registration; screening; blood collection; storage; and transportation of the donated blood during the recent ceremony community blood drive at the El-Wak Sports Stadium on 30th June 2018. The entire blood donation exercise was successfully managed by a joint team of dedicated health professionals drawn from the Southern Zonal Blood Centre, 37 Military Hospital, Police Hospital, and Cape Coast Teaching Hospital,” the statement said.

    “The donated blood collected, as usual, were properly documented and uniquely identified with barcode numbers in line with the mandatory requirement for documenting and tracing blood which is aimed at improving blood safety”.

    Source: Graphic.com.gh

  • Blood collected during voluntary drives are not used for rituals – NBS

    The National Blood Service (NBS), Ghana has denied assertions by a preacher that blood donated during community blood donations organised by the Despite Group of Companies are used for rituals by Dr Osei Kwame Despite.

    According to the NBS, the assertions by Evangelist Emmanuel Addai that the blood collected from voluntary blood donors at events organised by Dr Despite’s companies do not get to hospitals are uninformed and portrays a lack of understanding of the process.

    A statement signed by Dr Justina K. Ansah, CEO of the NBS described the assertions which were contained in video and audio recordings as palpably false, baseless and most regrettable.

    “We wish to state without equivocation that NO STAFF OF THE DESPITE GROUP OF COMPANIES was involved in the technical processes of the blood donation exercise (that is, registration; screening; blood collection; storage; and transportation of the donated blood during the recent ceremony community blood drive at the El-Wak Sports Stadium on 30th June 2018. The entire blood donation exercise was successfully managed by a joint team of dedicated health professionals drawn from the Southern Zonal Blood Centre, 37 Military Hospital, Police Hospital, and Cape Coast Teaching Hospital,” the statement said.

    “The donated blood collected, as usual, were properly documented and uniquely identified with barcode numbers in line with the mandatory requirement for documenting and tracing blood which is aimed at improving blood safety”.

    Source: Graphic.com.gh

  • Okada rider, passenger crashed to death at Kyekyewere

    A commercial motorbike rider locally known as Okada and a passenger have been crashed to death at Kyekyewere near Suhum along the Accra to Kumasi Highways.

    According to the Ayensuano District Director of the National Disaster Management Organization(NADMO), Joseph Okai Djan who rushed to the scene with his staff, the commercial motorbike rider was crossing the highways towards Coaltar but crashed with a Toyota Highlander Vehicle with registration number GT 9024-11 headed from Kumasi to Accra.

    He said the Okada rider and the passenger died at the spot.

    Meanwhile, the driver of the Toyota Highlander suffered minor injuries after the car somersaulted several times before running into a ditch.

    The bodies of the deceased persons, both males have been deposited at the Suhum government morgue.

    Source: kasapafmonline.com

  • Okada rider, passenger crashed to death at Kyekyewere

    A commercial motorbike rider locally known as Okada and a passenger have been crashed to death at Kyekyewere near Suhum along the Accra to Kumasi Highways.

    According to the Ayensuano District Director of the National Disaster Management Organization(NADMO), Joseph Okai Djan who rushed to the scene with his staff, the commercial motorbike rider was crossing the highways towards Coaltar but crashed with a Toyota Highlander Vehicle with registration number GT 9024-11 headed from Kumasi to Accra.

    He said the Okada rider and the passenger died at the spot.

    Meanwhile, the driver of the Toyota Highlander suffered minor injuries after the car somersaulted several times before running into a ditch.

    The bodies of the deceased persons, both males have been deposited at the Suhum government morgue.

    Source: kasapafmonline.com