The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) have issued an apology to all journalists who have endured physical abuse and harassment at the hands of military personnel.
The Armed Forces have declared such actions as unacceptable and have committed to addressing them.
During a meeting with the leadership of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Chief of Defense Staff Vice Admiral Seth Amoama expressed regret over such incidents.
A 2020 digital rights report conducted by iWatch Africa highlighted that journalists in Ghana frequently face substantial levels of online abuse, with female journalists being particularly vulnerable.
The report revealed that the ratio of female journalists facing digital abuse was 1:61, while the ratio for male journalists was 1:28.
Female journalists in Ghana often encounter misogynistic comments regarding their appearance, gender, and sexuality.
They are also more likely to receive threats of sexual violence and other forms of harm.
In December 2020, Afia Pokua, a prominent female journalist with the Despite Media Group in Ghana, expressed her frustration on Facebook regarding what she perceived as the Ghana Journalism Association’s inadequate protection of journalists.
She posted, “…if I die and come back, I will never return as a journalist!”
In 2021, Kenneth Ashigbey, who serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications, proposed that Ghanaian journalists might have to explore seeking remedies at the international level if domestic state institutions continued to fall short in delivering justice in cases of abuse or torture.
Ashigbey referred to a specific case in which the ECOWAS court ruled against The Gambia, compelling it to pay a compensation of $100,000 to two journalists and their families who had suffered torture during the rule of Yahya Jammeh.
Ghanaian international Jordan Ayew sustained an injury during Crystal Palace’s recent defeat to Aston Villa in the English Premier League over the weekend.
Ayew, a key figure for the Eagles in the ongoing campaign, was forced to leave the pitch when his team suffered a 3-1 loss at Villa Park on Saturday.
Unfortunately, he could only manage 25 minutes of play before being substituted for Jean-Phillipe Mateta.
The injury is a significant setback for Crystal Palace, given Ayew’s pivotal role for the club this season.
The full extent of his injury is expected to be assessed and disclosed later this week.
Notably, Ayew recently scored his 20th goal for Ghana in a friendly match against Liberia last Tuesday. Additionally, he has surpassed John Paintsil to become the fourth most capped player for the Black Stars.
🇬🇭 Jordan Ayew was subbed off early in the first half of yesterday’s game against Aston Villa with a leg injury.
The club will assess the extent of the injury on Monday.
The 32-year old has only missed one game due to injury for Crystal Palace since joining in 2019. pic.twitter.com/0y4IbtGXnL
The Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Dr. Henry Kokofu, has emphasized that there will be a significant strengthening of monitoring and enforcement measures moving forward.
This is in response to the tragic explosion at a quarry site in Anto-Aboso, Western Region, which claimed the lives of five individuals and caused multiple injuries on September 10, 2023.
Currently, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established a three-member committee whose primary task is to assess and revamp the agency’s monitoring and enforcement strategy.
Additionally, it has come to light that the quarry in question was operating without the necessary authorization, as confirmed by the Minerals Commission.
The Commission’s mine inspectors had observed that the company was conducting nighttime operations, seemingly to evade detection by Commission inspectors and the local task force, which included police and members of the Sand Winners and Quarry Association.
Following the tragic quarry explosion in Kobina-Andokrom, which claimed the lives of five individuals on Saturday night, the Western Regional Security Council (WSRC) established a 9-member committee on September 11 to investigate the incident’s cause.
Presidential aspirant for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kennedy Agyapong, has beefed up his campaign ahead of the party’s Presidential Primary slated for November 4, 2023.
For about a week, the Assin Central MP has been providing free rides to electorates via a bus branded with his image and campaign message.
In a video circulating on social media, a female staunch supporter called on citizens to hop on, while entreating them to vote for Mr Agyapong as President come the 2024 election.
“This is Honourable Kennedy Agyapong’s handiwork, Accra free; come and pick the car and vote for him, showdown man.”
The bus transported individuals stationed at Kwame Nkrumah Circle who were heading to Accra.
Mr Kennedy Agyapong has secured the top position on the ballot paper for the New Patriotic Party’s presidential primary on November 4.
In the balloting process conducted, Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has been assigned the second spot, followed by Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto in the third position, and Francis Addai Nimo in the fourth position.
At the end of the NPP’s Super Delegates Conference held on August 26, 2023, he placed third after obtaining 10.29% of the votes cast, while Dr Bawumia, considered the front runner, obtained 68.15% of the total valid votes.
Kennedy Agyapong's Showdown Bus Hits the Streets, Offering Free Rides to Travelers 🚌 pic.twitter.com/bJTsQvxDeD
Political analyst, Yaw Asani Tanoh, is of the assertion that retired Commissioner of Police (COP) George Alex Mensah, is susceptible to involvement in a coup d’état over his inability to become Inspector General of Police (IGP).
In recent weeks, the now-retired police commissioner gained significant public attention in Ghana due to the leak of a voice recording in which he purportedly discusses the performance of the current Inspector General of Police (IGP), George Akuffo Dampare, and advocates for his removal from office, citing mismanagement of the Ghana Police Service.
The leaked audio recording is currently under investigation by a parliamentary ad hoc committee. COP George Alex Mensah and other police officers have already appeared before the committee to provide their testimonies regarding the leaked recording. He has accused the IGP of masterminding the secret recording and its presence to the public. The IGP, has however, denied these claims.
In an interview on Neat FM, Yaw Asani Tanoh noted that the retired officer harbours bitterness, per his comments made to the media over the leaked tape, as such is peeved and may decide to engage in unlawful acitivities.
He likened COP Alex Mensah to the late retired General Joseph Arthur Ankrah, Ghana’s first military head of state, following the coup against Ghana’s first President Dr Kwame Nkrumah. He explained that General Ankrah participated in the ousting of Dr Nkrumah, over his forced retirement.
He said: “At a point, the Chairman of the Committee asked him why he is describing himself as best investigative officer. If indeed you are, you should have know that whichever meeting you were going to have with anybody was very sensitive and for that matter you should have been careful the way you go about.
“But you went ahead and spilled the beans. After the leaked tape, you came out to the public to spill bananas. So everyone watching and listening would say what wicked people.
“I will remind you of Kwame Nkrumah. He retired General Ankrah because of incompetence and backbiting. Because of his dealings in diamonds and other things. At the time, Nkrumah wanted to ensure that in the Police administration, they would not engage in profiteering within the system.
After he retired, Ankrah, when the coup was staged, Ankrah was one of the pivots around the coup. He was chosen as head of state after the coup. From the history I’ve heard, if you look at COP Alex Mensah’s demeanor and everything, he is a very right tool for coup d’état.
He therefore said “even in his retirement, he (COP Alex Mensah) should be watched carefully.
“He is peeved. He is hurt that he was not appointed IGP. He is very bitter,” he added.
Commissioner of Police (COP) George Alex Mensah officially retired from the Police Service on Sunday, September 17, 2023, upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of sixty (60), in accordance with the country’s laws.
Over his more than 30 years of dedicated service in the police force, COP Alex Mensah held various positions. Prior to proceeding on leave in preparation for his retirement, he served as the director general overseeing all Police operations nationwide.
With regards to a coup d’etat, Ghana is on the alert owing to a number of military takeovers in Africa, particularly the West African sub-region.
Democratic governance in countries such as Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have tumbled down.
Commissioner of Police (COP) George Alex Mensah officially retired from the Police Service on Sunday, September 17, 2023, upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of sixty (60), in accordance with the country’s laws.
Over his more than 30 years of dedicated service in the police force, COP Alex Mensah held various positions. Prior to proceeding on leave in preparation for his retirement, he served as the director general overseeing all Police operations nationwide.
In recent weeks, the now retired police commissioner gained significant public attention in Ghana due to the leak of a voice recording in which he purportedly discusses the performance of the current Inspector General of Police (IGP), George Akuffo Dampare, and advocates for his removal from office, citing mismanagement of the Ghana Police Service.
The leaked audio recording is currently under investigation by a parliamentary adhoc committee. COP George Alex Mensah and other police officers have already appeared before the committee to provide their testimonies regarding the leaked recording.
According to the Police Service Regulation of 2012, as outlined in Constitution Instrument (CI 76), all the entitlements and benefits to be provided to COP George Alex Mensah are specified.
Section 121 (1) states that “in accordance with Article 119(1) and (2) of the 1992 Constitution, officers of the service who have attained the voluntary and compulsory retirement age shall be paid gratuities and pensions from the Consolidated Fund.
(2) An officer of the service who has served for ten continuous years or more, shall be paid retiring benefits from the Consolidated Fund.
(3) An officer of the service who has served for less than ten continuous years is, unless otherwise prescribed in these Regulations entitled to receive proportionate gratuity for the period served.
(4) The consolidated annual salary to be used for the calculation of pension Retirement Benefits and gratuities shall be the basic salary and other allowances enjoyed by an officer of the service at the time of retirement.
(5) The Inspector-General, Deputy Inspector-General of Police or any officer not below the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police, shall on retirement, enjoy the benefits of the service as approved by the Council.
(6) The retirement benefits of an officer against whom criminal or disciplinary proceedings are pending shall be withheld until the proceedings are finally concluded.
Former President John Dramani Mahama, who is also the flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), has made a commitment to finish all ongoing projects, including those initiated by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government, if he is elected in 2024.
Mahama emphasized that the NDC is a patriotic and conscientious political party that upholds the principle of continuity and is resolute in ensuring that taxpayers’ resources are not squandered.
“I’m making a promise that when we come, we will continue all abandoned projects.
Even projects that this current NPP government does not finish, we will continue and finish because they are funded by taxpayers’ money, so when you abandon them, you’re wasting the money of Ghanaians,” he said.
Former President John Dramani Mahama made this declaration on Saturday, September 16, 2023, during the NDC Greater Accra Regional Zongo Caucus Stakeholders Forum held in Accra.
The forum convened representatives from diverse Zongo and Muslim groups and institutions both within and outside the party. Its purpose was to facilitate the exchange of experiences and discussions on topics of shared interest, fostering social connections and a sense of community.
Among the notable figures in attendance was the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Usmanu Nuhu Sharubutu.
Mr. Mahama’s commitment came in the wake of his criticism of the current administration for allegedly neglecting significant projects initiated by his party, particularly in Zongo communities, before he left office in 2016.
“When we were sharing the E-Blocks, several of them were allocated to the Zongo and Muslim communities but many of those schools have been abandoned. We have done a lot in our Zongos but we are not the type who come with a paper and read. Our people can see for themselves the work the NDC did when we were in office,” he stressed.
Mr. Mahama conveyed his heartfelt appreciation for the substantial support that his party has consistently received from the Zongo communities and the Islamic fraternity over the years. He assured them that he would never underestimate this support.
Furthermore, he pledged that the party would maintain an ongoing partnership and engagement with these communities, with the goal of regularly understanding their grievances and concerns, and actively working to resolve them.
“We appreciate that support and that’s why anytime we come to power, we try to make sure that when we are sharing the National cake and development, the Zongos get their fair share,” the 2024 NDC flagbearer added.
During his address, he took the opportunity to encourage all eligible citizens who have reached voting age to participate in the current limited voter registration process. Additionally, he urged the responsible officials to refrain from engaging in discriminatory practices, particularly targeting individuals they believe may not be Ghanaian solely based on their names.
“Everybody came from somewhere and that is why Ghana is a strong nation.
We are united in our diversity and cultures so we must know that we are all Ghanaians and have equal rights to be recognised as such,” the former President said.
The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has entreated the general public to adhere to regular handwashing practices to combat the rising instances of Acute Haemorrhagic Conjunctivitis, commonly known as Apollo.
Director of Public Health at the GHS, Dr. Franklin Asiedu-Bekoe, revealed that over 50% of reported eye cases at the Police Hospital’s eye clinic, are attributed to Apollo.
“This is about prevention, how do we ensure that people avoid touching their eyes, and we need to also promote handwashing,” the Director of Public Health at the Ghana Health Service advised.
“Apollo” is an inflammation of the thin, transparent layer (conjunctiva) covering the white part (sclera) of the eye, typically caused by viruses like enterovirus 70 and coxsackie virus A24.
This viral conjunctivitis spreads rapidly and presents various signs and symptoms, including excessive tearing, significant watery discharges, eye pain, conjunctival redness, eyelid swelling, gritty sensations, and sub-conjunctival hemorrhages.
While Apollo usually resolves on its own, patients may be prescribed eye drops to prevent secondary bacterial infections and mitigate severe inflammatory symptoms associated with conjunctivitis.
To prevent the spread of this eye condition, individuals are advised against touching or rubbing the eyes, shaking hands, and are encouraged to ensure regular handwashing with soap and water, the use of hand sanitizers, and rubbing alcohol.
Meanwhile, the Ghana Optometric Association has recommended that infected individuals stay away from schools, workplaces, or social gatherings.
Minority leader in Parliament, Dr Ato Forson, has highlighted the economic successes chalked up by the erstwhile Mahama-led government prior to the NPP government in 2017.
This has become imperative following claims by the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, that the Akufo-Addo-led administration inherited an indebted economy from former President John Dramani Mahama.
According to Mr Ato Forson, these are mere allegations without basis.
He argued that the Mahama-led government ensured the economy was in a stable position before leaving office.
“The people of Ghana would recall that because the Mahama administration left behind a robust economy, the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government within the first three months of its assumption of office was able to borrow US$2.25 billion from Franklin Templeton.
“Today, that same Franklin Templeton will not lend Ghana even one Dollar because the country is not credit worthy.
“The Minister of Finance should carry his mess and his shame. He should not bring the NDC into matters that border on his greed, state capture for his family and friends as well as his monumental failure in public office. We did better than they are doing and the NDC will always do better when the good people of Ghana give John Mahama and our party the opportunity to govern from January, 2025,” he wrote.
Below is a list of the achievements chalked under the Mahama government.
A public debt that was sustainable at 56% of GDP ( which has increased public debt to 103% of GDP with very little to show by the NPP government)
Sinking Fund, Stabilisation Fund, Ghana Infrastructure Investment Bank (GIIF), Ghana EXIM Bank
Robust tax revenue
Oil revenue from three oil fields
Government Integrated Financial Management Systems (GIFMIS)
Credit rating of B+ (currently rated D, a super junky economy under Akufo-Addo government)
Minority leader in Parliament, Dr Ato Forson has reminded the Bank of Governor, Dr Ernest Addison and Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta that their day of accountability is nigh.
He made this known in a rebuttal statement in connection with Mr Ofori-Atta’s “Stand with Bank of Ghana Governor” agenda. In a write up, the Finance Minister argued that Dr Ernest Addison is a competent professional who should not lose his job for protecting the economy.
“Governor Addison, just like me, has faced major economic hurdles since 2017, inheriting a derailed International Monetary Fund programme and a highly impaired and ethically strained financial industry from our predecessors, having to navigate the serious revenue shocks on the back of COVID-19 and distortions to our supply chain induced by both Covid-19 and international geopolitics,” he wrote.
The Finance Minister also defended the construction of a new headquarters for the Central Bank, arguing that it is “befitting”.
In response, Dr Ato Forson noted that the need to justify the “gross incompetence and misgovernance of the leadership of the Bank of Ghana,” by the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta “ended up worsening the case of the central bank and deepening its credibility crisis.”
He noted that it is legitimate for citizens to seek clarifications regarding value for money considerations in executing such a project and whether current circumstances justify a project of that nature as the central bank has made losses in three of the past six years; and is projected to declare a loss again in 2023 and possibly in 2024.
“The Minister should rather welcome the call for an independent audit into the project and to ensure value for money at the end of the day,” he added.
Dr Ato Forson concluded by reminding Governor Addison and Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta that “the day of reckoning is very near and they will be held accountable for their collective mess.”
On August 9, 2023, the Minority issued a 21-day ultimatum for the resignation of the governor of the Bank of Ghana and his deputies. The ultimatum has elapsed, however, the Minority has threatened to protest to demand their removal.
The Bole-Sawla section of the Bamboi-Wa highway was washed off by heavy rains last Sunday.
The road is the only link between the south of the country and the Upper West region.
As such, passengers travelling along the Bamboi-Wa highway were stranded.
Preliminary investigations carried out by the Ministry of Roads suggest that the washout was caused by a broken dam on the side of the road.
In view of this, the Ghana Highway Authority, has advised motorists from Wa and its surroundings travelling to the South, to turn off at Sawla and use the Sawla Fufulso Road to connect the N10 (Techiman -Kintarnpo Road).
“Motorists going to Wa from the South, should use the Techiman- Kintampo Road and turn off at Fufulso junction and use the Fufulso -Sawla Road to Sawla and subsequently to Wa and beyond. Motorists from Wenchi to Wa are to use the new Longoro to Kintampo Road on the N10,” a statement from the Authority noted.
According to the Authority, its engineers and technical team are working diligently to address the situation as quickly as practicable to restore normal traffic flow.
The Member of Parliament representing Dome–Kwabenya for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Sarah Adwoa Safo, has officially declared her candidacy for the upcoming 2024 election.
Adwoa Safo, who initially entered Parliament in 2012, recently publicly apologized to the President, Vice President, and the NPP leadership for actions she believes had an adverse impact on the party.
During her absence, which lasted nearly a year, a void was created both in Parliament and at the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection, where she had been serving as Minister. Following a tour of her constituency, Sarah Adwoa Safo confirmed that she had already communicated her intentions to run for office once again to the party.
“Politics is a game of numbers, if it’s the will of God and the people want me, I will run again,” Adwoa Safo said.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has expressed its endorsement of the public apology issued by the Member of Parliament. Haruna Mohammed, the Deputy General Secretary of the NPP, commended her apology as a positive step that enhances the party’s image. He stated, “She has taken a positive action, and the party welcomes her apology.”
Nevertheless, some NPP executives within the Dome-Kwabenya constituency have received the apology from Member of Parliament, Sarah Adwoa Safo, with skepticism.
Theophilus Larbi, the NPP constituency Secretary for Dome-Kwabenya, characterized her apology as a recurring pattern, adding that her potential re-election as the parliamentary candidate in the upcoming general elections could have a detrimental impact on the party’s prospects in the constituency.’
SHOULD CITIZENS STAND WITH THE BANK OF GHANA GOVERNOR WHO HAS AIDED THE GOVERNMENT’S ECONOMIC MANAGEMENT TEAM TO DESTROY LIVELIHOODS? THE POSITION OF THE MINORITY IN PARLIAMENT
In a recent statement intended to justify the gross incompetence and misgovernance of the leadership of the Bank of Ghana, the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta sought to “speak for” the Bank of Ghana but ended up worsening the case of the central bank and deepening its credibility crisis.
Ordinarily, the beguiled statement by the Minister should be disregarded entirely and treated with the contempt it deserves. However, there is the need to correct some of the key misconceptions peddled and to fact-check the assertions made by the Minister in the statement.
From the second paragraph, the Minister erroneously used nominal figures to argue that the Bank of Ghana had grown its assets phenomenally between 2016 and 2022. If the Minister describes a 2.4-fold increase from GHS53 billion in 2016 to GHS125.97 billion in 2022 as phenomenal, how would he describe the increase in Bank of Ghana’s assets by 8.2-fold during the period of the NDC government (2009-2016) when the same assets grew from GHS6.45 billion as at end-2008 to GHS53 billion as at end-2016?
What is even worse is that the increase in assets between 2016 and 2022 were largely driven by the illegal monetary financing of government; in other words, illegal lending to government. This excessive printing and lending of money to government is the cause of the economic woes the country is currently facing (high inflation, volatility in the exchange rate, and high interest rates) as confirmed by the IMF and the World Bank.
In the third paragraph, the Minister again used nominal GDP figures to argue that thesize of GDP had more than doubled in value from GHS219.6 billion in 2016 to GHS610.2 billion in 2022, without adjusting for the impact of inflation within the same period. The Minister must realize that nominal values will always rise, hence the right thing to do is to express these in real terms.
On the watch of this Minister, real GDP growth slowed between 2018 and 2020 and only recovered slightly in 2021 due mainly to revenues from the three oil fields they inherited as well as the massive covid-19 revenue inflows, and not due to any special expertise of the Minister. Again, the Minister’s management of the economy worsened in 2022 and it is projected to further deteriorate at the end of 2023 with growth projection of 1.5%.
In the same paragraph, the Minister also touted doubling revenues since 2016, with total revenues increasing from GHS32 billion in 2016 to GHS96.7 billion by 2022. Again, for the comparison to be meaningful, these nominal figures must be expressed in real terms. At best, these figures should be expressed as a ratio of GDP, or in other words movement of the revenue-to-GDP ratio. Indeed, data from the Ministry of Finance shows that revenue- to-GDP on the watch of this Minister has not performed well as he claims. Even in 2015, and with all the challenges faced by the economy then, revenue to GDP was 13.2%. Given all the resources that this government has received, including two additional oil wells, government’s revenue to GDP is just about 12.1%. The fiscal deficit on his watch actually increased in spite of the covid-19 revenue windfalls, hence his claim of increasing revenues over the period is inconsistent with what happened to government expenditures.
In paragraph 6, the Minister spoke about resetting the financial architecture since 2017. The question is what the cost of doing so has been, and whether the exercise could not have been handled more prudently and at a much lesser cost and with minimal disruptions in the financial architecture.
In paragraph 7, the Minister took another wrong dive stating, “However, as many central banks, including Bank of Ghana, moved away from pursuing quantitative targets of monetary policy towards price targets, dominance of the central bank’s balance sheet asthe key metric has waned in many economies and in academic literature as well”. This is entirely incorrect, both in practice and in theory. The central bank’s balance sheet remains critical in the implementation of monetary policy, hence liquidity management is at the core of this function.
If the Minister had appreciated the workings of monetary policy, he would have known that despite the move from monetary targeting to inflation targeting, liquidity management or the ability to control the central bank’s balance sheet remains an integral part of monetary policy implementation.
The Minister must also know that the use of price targets does not mean that monetary aggregates no longer matter. They still do matter in monetary policy implementation and therefore excessive central bank financing still matters for monetary policy.
In paragraph 8, the Minister simply re-echoed the Bank of Ghana’s earlier argument that it was normal for a central bank to operate with negative equity, and that its losses recorded in 2022 would not affect its operational efficiency. These industrialised countries cited in the paragraph did not underwrite any insolvency of their governments which caused such losses. The pandemic and the Russia/Ukraine war rather provided windfall revenues to the government of Ghana, and hence cannot be a reason in the case of Ghana. If the losses and the consequent slide into negative equity (projected to be repeated in 2023) would not matter, why then is the IMF programme asking for a repair of the balance sheet of Bank of Ghana in the medium term?
In paragraph 12, the Minister made another flawed statement that, “Accordingly, as the focus shifts from direct targets of money supply to interest rates as operational targets, the framework for analysing central bank balance sheets has shifted, enabling central banks to play more interventionist roles in the economy than before”. This is completely and utterly wrong. No framework for analysing central bank balance sheet has shifted; it remains same. The Minister is probably confusing the recent asset purchase practices in some central banks in the industrialised world, with fiscal dominance. These are not the same at all.
The interventionist role played by those central banks was to lend to corporates in the private sector in those countries directly through asset purchases, which was later redeemed and hence the central bank’s balance sheet was restored to good health. This is totally different from what the Minister has done to Bank of Ghana’s balance sheet through illegal money printing and lending to government. Indeed, this practice is at the root of Ghana’s macroeconomic problems currently.
In paragraph 14, the Minister sought to rub salt into the injury of ordinary Ghanaians and pensioners who out of patriotism invested into the future of our country in longer dated bonds. The book of Proverbs 22:22 states, “Don’t steal from the poor, because they are poor. Don’t oppress the needy in the gate.” And yet this Minister continues to tout a so- called success of government’s debt operations that commenced in 2022. With sleaze, this Minister continues to quote the bible and does not realise that he and his Databank owe a moral and spiritual duty to the people of Ghana to refund the commissions they earned on those very bonds that he has restructured.
This is a minister who claims to be faithful to the bible and says that he is doing a voluntary job as Minister. Yet he would never respond to the call by Ghanaians to allow a more competent person to take over the economic and financial affairs of the country, in the face of his poor performance. On the new Bank of Ghana building, the Minister must appreciate the opinion of Ghanaians as represented by their parliamentarians, on the subject matter.
The central bank has made losses in three of the past six years; and is projected to declare a loss again in 2023 and possibly in 2024. It is therefore legitimate for citizens to seek clarifications regarding value for money considerations in executing such a project and whether current circumstances justify a project of that nature. The Minister should rather welcome the call for an independent audit into the project and to ensure value for money at the end of the day.
Towards the end of his statement, the Minister surprisingly veered off from the defense of Governor Addison and decided to call for governance reforms that he claims could strengthen the Bank of Ghana. He strangely suggests a plan to dislodge the time- honoured arrangement which makes the Governor of the Bank of Ghana the Chair of the Board, as is the case in over 99% of central banks. The Minister must realise that this is precisely why Parliament’s oversight function is key as provided in Banks and Specialised Deposit-Taking Act 2016 (Act 930). The Governor is mandated to report to Parliament frequently and to yield to the latter’s oversight function. Unfortunately, Governor Addison has not yielded as required, and the Minister perhaps does not require him to do so, because he himself is also often deficient in the requirement.
The Minister must not seek to dismantle this carefully thought-through corporate governance architecture at the central bank. There is a reason why this is so in almost all countries in the world. Clearly, the current legal and corporate governance regime at the Bank of Ghana is not the problem; Ken Ofori-Atta is the problem.
History will remember this Minister of Finance and the government’s Economic Mismanagement Team headed by Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia for taking Ghana to the IMF in an ambulance.
The economy that the NDC’s John Mahama government bequeathed to the Akufo-Addo/ Bawumia regime was far better than what Ghana has today. This is because the NPP inherited a public debt that was sustainable at 56% of GDP; the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government has increased public debt to 103% of GDP with very little to show. In nominal terms, they inherited public debt of GHS 120 billion, which they have increased to approximately GHS600 billion with very little to show.
Again, the NDC left behind a robust economy with very strong buffers. The Mahama government left behind the Sinking Fund, Stabilisation Fund, Ghana Infrastructure Investment Bank (GIIF), Ghana EXIM Bank as well as a robust tax revenue and oil revenue from three oil fields which the NPP used to kickstart their administration. Yet they have very little to show and have collapsed the economy on their watch.
Furthermore, the NDC put in place a strong tax policy and a prudent and controlled expenditure regime, including the Government Integrated Financial Management Systems (GIFMIS). Yet the NPP came in and processed expenditure outside the GIFMIS architecture.
It is also noteworthy that the NDC government did not short-change Ghanaians with a haircut economy. The NDC government had a credit rating of B+; the Akufo-Addo/ Bawumia government’s management of the economy, with Ken Ofori-Atta as the Minister of Finance, is rated D, a super junky economy. Surprisingly, this government that boasted of not signing up to an IMF programme shamelessly did a U-turn and ended up with the worst form of an IMF programme; a programme that they announced and signed up at a time that they had collapsed the economy and Ghana’s economy was at the intensive care unit.
The Minister of Finance should not say anywhere again that the NDC administration left behind a derailed IMF programme. Clearly, at the time we were leaving office there was no monetary finance. For the first time in the history of Ghana, the government did not take money from the central bank even though the law allowed the then administration to take 5% of the previous year’s revenue from the central bank. But as a government that cared about the impact of inflation and how it could destroy the livelihoods of ordinary Ghanaians, we stayed away from borrowing from the central bank.
The people of Ghana would recall that because the Mahama administration left behind a robust economy, the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government within the first three months of its assumption of office was able to borrow US$2.25 billion from Franklin Templeton.
Today, that same Franklin Templeton will not lend Ghana even one Dollar because the country is not credit worthy.
The Minister of Finance should carry his mess and his shame. He should not bring the NDC into matters that border on his greed, state capture for his family and friends as well as his monumental failure in public office. We did better than they are doing and the NDC will always do better when the good people of Ghana give John Mahama and our party the opportunity to govern from January, 2025. Finally, the Minority in Parliament wishes to remind Governor Addison and Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta that the day of reckoning is very near and they will be held accountable for their collective mess.
The Minority caucus in Parliament has responded strongly to Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta’s accusations against the previous National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration regarding the state of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) program.
In a written piece, Ofori-Atta stated that when the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government took office in 2017, they inherited what he described as a ‘derailed IMF program’ and a financial industry that was facing significant ethical challenges from their predecessors.
This statement comes amidst a series of demands from the Minority for the resignation of the Governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG), whom they accuse of mismanaging the Central Bank.
Additionally, the Finance Minister, in his article, appealed for support in constructing a suitable new office for the Bank of Ghana (BoG).
In response to Ofori-Atta, Minority Leader Ato Forson released a statement asserting that the Mahama administration left behind a strong and stable economy.
“The Minister of Finance should not say anywhere again that the NDC administration left behind a derailed IMF programme. Clearly, at the time we were leaving office, there was no monetary finance. For the first time in the history of Ghana, the government did not take money from the central bank even though the law allowed the then administration to take 5% of the previous year’s revenue from the central bank.”
“The people of Ghana would recall that because the Mahama administration left behind a robust economy, the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government within the first three months of its assumption of office was able to borrow US$2.25 billion from Franklin Templeton”.
Ato Forson underscored that the NDC government achieved remarkable performance in contrast to what Ghanaians are currently observing during the Akufo-Addo administration.
“We did better than they are doing and the NDC will always do better when the good people of Ghana give John Mahama and our party the opportunity to govern from January 2025. Finally, the Minority in Parliament wishes to remind Governor Addison and Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta that the day of reckoning is very near and they will be held accountable for their collective mess,” he said.
He additionally stated that history will not forget Ofori-Atta for leading Ghana to the IMF under challenging circumstances, while also maintaining his insistence on the resignation of the Bank of Ghana Governor.
“History will remember this Minister of Finance and the government’s Economic Mismanagement Team headed by Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia for taking Ghana to the IMF in an ambulance”.
Pupils with special needs attending St Charles Special School in the Bolgatanga Municipality are faced with the distressing situation of defecating in the open due to the absence of toilet facilities.
This unfortunate issue compels all 105 pupils to resort to open defecation.
A recent visit by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) to the school’s premises revealed that some students were using the area behind the school, under neem trees, as a makeshift restroom.
The school, established in 2005, previously had a three-seater toilet, but it was demolished by the Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly in 2017 following complaints from a nearby restaurant about stench and septic tank leaks.
Since then, the school has lacked toilet facilities, forcing the pupils to practice open defecation, which poses significant public health concerns for both the students, staff, and the general public.
Furthermore, the school has only two classrooms, resulting in overcrowded classes with over 50 students per class, well above the recommended standard admission of around 15 special-needs students per class.
The headteacher, Ms. Fatima Samari, highlighted that the absence of toilet facilities is affecting academic activities as many students have to leave school to answer nature’s call.
She emphasized that there is available land for constructing a toilet facility and appealed to the government, NGOs, philanthropists, and other concerned parties to assist in addressing this pressing issue. Ms. Samari also noted that many of the students are orphans and require support to continue their education.
“Some of the students were benefiting from the disability fund from the Assembly but for some time now the school has not received any and so we are appealing for support,” she said.
Mr. Godfery Titigah, the Special Needs Education Coordinator for the Bolgatanga Municipality, pointed out that the school faces numerous challenges, including insufficient teaching and learning materials and infrastructure deficits. He noted that there are only two special needs schools in the region that admit children with intellectual disabilities and called on the Assembly and other donor agencies to provide support to ensure inclusive access to education.
Mr. Frederick Ayine Agunga-Dongo, the Public Relations Officer for the Bolgatanga Municipal Directorate of Education, acknowledged that the directorate is aware of the school’s challenges and has been collaborating with stakeholders to address them.
Mr. Rex Asanga, the Bolgatanga Municipal Chief Executive, stated that while the Assembly was aware of some of the school’s issues and had donated furniture, the lack of washroom facilities had not been brought to their attention.
He pledged to resolve the problem and appealed to other organizations for assistance.
The Western North Regional Commander of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), Assistant Chief Officer Grade II, Philip Kudzo Amagnoh, has issued an appeal to corporate organizations and individuals within the region.
He’s urging them to provide support to the Regional fire command to repair the currently non-operational fire tenders, which are vital for effective firefighting in the area.
Amagnoh revealed that out of the six fire tenders in the region, two were currently out of commission. This breakdown is posing significant challenges to their ability to carry out their firefighting responsibilities efficiently.
The Regional Fire Commander expressed gratitude for the support they received from the Chief Fire Officer, who helped in fixing one of the non-operational fire tenders in Wiaiwso.
However, they still require assistance to repair the one in Debeiso, which has also broken down, to ensure they can respond effectively to fire incidents.
The Western North Region is serviced by fire tenders stationed in various districts, including Waiwso, Adabokrom, Debeiso, Juabose, Bibiani Anwhiaso Bekwai, and Enchi. To improve their fire education efforts in remote areas, they also need additional fuel and motorbikes.
Amagnoh’s appeal highlights the need for community support and resources to bolster firefighting capabilities in the Western North Region of Ghana.
“We are appealing that corporate institutions, individuals and residents from the Western North Region both home and abroad to come to our aide because fire do not tell when it will come.”
He emphasized that fire was hazardous and that his outfit was ever ready to protect lives and properties, “considering the economic activities springing up in the region we will need good fire tenders that will enable us to prepare for any eventualities.
“I have written series of letters to institutions and individuals who are yet to respond but I believe this appeal would yield positive results.”
The Second Vice President of the Ghana Boxing Federation (GBF), Solomon Otoo Lartey, has called for the removal of Coach Ofori Asare, who serves as the Head Coach of the national amateur boxing team, known as the Black Bombers.
This demand comes in the wake of the team’s failure to secure an Olympic slot during the Africa Boxing Championship qualifiers held in Dakar, Senegal.
Expressing disappointment over the team’s inability to qualify for the next Olympic Games, Mr. Otoo Lartey emphasized the necessity for changes within the team’s technical department. Coach Asare has been the longest-serving coach for the national amateur team.
“Coach Asare has been there for long and contributed his quota to the team, its time he makes way for another person to take over.
“He has been there for long. We need a new man with fresh ideas to revive the fortunes of the team,” Mr. Otoo Lartey stated.
Mr. Lartey stated his intention to propose Charles Quartey as the next coach of the team to the Executive Committee. He believes that Quartey possesses the necessary qualifications to revamp and restructure the team.
“Charles Quartey is a competent coach and understands the latest trends in the sport. We would need him to take charge of the team,” he noted.
Despite having 12 boxers under Coach Asare’s guidance, the Black Bombers were unable to secure any Olympic qualifications during the Africa Championship. As a result, there is a growing demand for his removal. Nonetheless, the team will have another chance to pursue Olympic qualification in Italy next year.
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe expressed his relief after his team narrowly defeated Brentford, putting an end to their three-game losing streak in the league.
Callum Wilson secured the win with a penalty kick at St James’ Park, and Howe openly acknowledged his sense of relief once the match concluded.
He said: “I think there was a lot of relief in our emotions at the end.
“It wasn’t a fantastic performance from us but it was a determined one, a gritty one. It was one that wanted to show our response from the Brighton performance.
“I think we’ve seen that, a clean sheet, a massive three points, and now we can move forward.
“When you’re manager of this football club you can’t lose games on a consistent basis, it can’t become a habit. We are determined to bounce back from the three defeats and that’s the Premier League, there’s no easy fixtures.
“Today was a tricky one for us, Brentford are a really good team. We stayed in the game and in the second half we were a lot better. I’m really pleased with the focus, we know how important the Premier League is for us.
“I only look at the next game and pick the team to win that. Whether the team changes for Tuesday night [against AC Milan] who knows.”
Wilson also expressed his satisfaction with the outcome, emphasizing the significance of obtaining a win following three consecutive league defeats, including a significant 3-1 loss to Brighton.
He said: “It [the win] was massive. The break probably came at a good time for us, we were on a run of defeats and needed back to winning ways.
“The break got us to regroup, we worked on a few things we had to improve. We had to win ugly and three points were the most important today.”
Some Persons with Disability (PWDs) in the Keta constituency of the Volta Region are expressing concerns about the financial burden associated with reaching the limited voter registration center in the area.
The registration exercise, conducted in accordance with Article 45 of the 1992 Constitution, aims to register eligible voters aged 18 years and above for the upcoming District Assembly elections in October and the 2024 General Election.
Madam Sherita Kudoda, the Chairperson of the PWDs in Keta, stated in an interview with the Ghana News Agency that some PWDs residing in the area are struggling financially to travel to the registration center.
“Many do not have the money to travel long distances to Keta, where the registration center is located,” she explained.
Madam Kudoda pointed out that PWDs living in areas such as Hatorgodo, Lawoshime, Hagodzi, Mamime, Abor, and the surrounding communities would have to spend a significant amount, not less than GH₵200, to access the limited registration center in Keta. She described this situation as challenging and unfortunate, potentially disenfranchising eligible voters in the upcoming elections.
“Our organization does not have the financial means to cover the travel expenses of our people to the registration center,” she added.
Madam Kudoda appealed to individuals, philanthropists, and political parties to assist in transporting members to the registration center to enable their participation in the exercise.
She also urged the Electoral Commission to reconsider holding the limited voter’s registration at various polling stations to make it more accessible for PWDs and other eligible voters, reducing the financial burden on them.
Barcelona delivered an impressive performance, defeating Real Betis 5-0, with Joao Felix and Joao Cancelo scoring their debut goals for the Blaugrana.
The scoring began in the 25th minute when Joao Felix finished from a tight angle after strong pressing from Xavi’s team.
Felix played a crucial role in the second goal by dummying a pass from Andreas Christensen, allowing Robert Lewandowski to calmly slot the ball into the net.
In the second half, Ferran Torres extended Barcelona’s lead with their first direct free-kick goal since Lionel Messi achieved this feat in May 2021.
Raphinha added a fourth goal with an unstoppable strike from the edge of the box into the bottom right corner, and Cancelo sealed the victory with a powerful effort past Francisco Vieites.
This win propels Barcelona to the top of LaLiga with 13 points, maintaining their unbeaten league record. However, Real Madrid has an opportunity to regain the top spot when they face Real Sociedad on Sunday evening.
In what was Xavi’s largest victory to date as Barcelona manager, the Spanish tactician still believed there was room for improvement.
He said: “It’s impossible to call this a perfect match. We need to improve in several aspects.
“But yes, we played an excellent match, and I am satisfied with the performance of my players and the way they enjoyed the match”
Xavi also credited the fans for driving his team forward.
He said: “It felt like we played at the Camp Nou today. The Fans were spectacular and they helped us a lot.”
Five individuals engaged in illegal mining activities in the Ankobra River without authorization have been collectively sentenced to a total of 125 years in prison with hard labor.
The convicted individuals, namely Richard Kumasi, Fiamahe Jerry John, Korblavi Kumasi, Daniel Afenu, and Matthew Gedie, initially pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit a crime and engaging in small-scale mining without proper authorization.
Following a trial, Mrs. Hathia Ama Manu, the presiding judge, found all five defendants guilty of the charges brought against them.
On the first count, each defendant received a five-year prison sentence. On the second count, each defendant was fined GH￠120,000 (Ghanaian Cedis) or, in default, would serve an additional five years in prison with an additional 20 years of hard labor. These sentences will run concurrently.
The prosecution was led by Mr. Kingsley Agyekum, the Assistant State Attorney of the Western Region. The complainant in the case was Nana Yaw Baako, the Assemblymember of the Himan Electoral Area. The accused individuals were identified as illegal miners residing in Ankobra within the Prestea Huni-Valley Municipality.
The incident occurred on August 17, 2021, at around 1500 hours when the complainant and five community opinion leaders received information about the accused individuals using a dredge machine, commonly known as a “Boat,” for gold prospecting in the Ankobra River.
Acting on this tip, they proceeded to the village of Kpoviadzi in the Prestea Huni-Valley Municipality, where they apprehended the five individuals who were engaged in the illegal mining activity. The accused were subsequently handed over to the Prestea police for further investigation, and the dredge machine was set on fire.
Prior to the trial, the five defendants had been granted bail, as requested by their counsel, Mr. Augustine Arvoh-Mensah.
General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Southern Command of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), Brigadier General Michael Ayisi Amoah, has stated that the routine field training exercises conducted by the army are aimed at preparing troops to effectively address potential terrorism threats.
Brig Gen Ayisi emphasized that the army’s ability to respond to both domestic and external threats to the country relies on these training exercises. This training is essential to keep personnel vigilant and enhance their overall readiness to tackle such threats.
“This is to test our level of readiness, skills and preparations for any eventuality. We have been faced with terrorist threats, secessionism and other threats that have the potency of destabilising our country. As mandated by our constitution, we are the primary institution to ensure both internal and external stability, peace and tranquillity and so it is good that we train hard”, he said.
The GOC elaborated on this during an interview conducted on the second day, which also marked the culmination of the 2023 Exercise Kullum Shiri. This exercise took place at the 64 Infantry Battalion Training Camp in Asutuare, located in the Greater Accra Region.
He further suggested that the nation should engage in a thorough analysis of potential threats, create diverse scenarios, and devise corresponding strategies. These measures would aid in the development of additional contingency plans to effectively mitigate these threats.
“It is important that we take training as seriously as we can to be ready. We always say ‘ever ready’ for any task that comes up. We are all aware of current threats and challenges facing our nation and the subregion, and so the only rational thing for us to do is to prepare adequately to mitigate the effects of such threats on our stability and development,” he said.
He emphasized that the selection of specific geographical terrain for training exercises was not designed to penalize or cause discomfort to the troops. Instead, it was intended to prepare them for real-world threats that could emerge at any moment.
On the second day of Exercise Kullum Shiri, a series of training activities took place. These included extensive long marches, covering several kilometers, undertaken by Army officers and personnel wearing full battle gear and carrying ammunition.
These exercises were complemented by other operations, such as navigation challenges and obstacle crossings, culminating in a shooting competition involving various participating units in Exercise Kullum Shiri.
The event involved hundreds of uniformed personnel from three battalions: the 1 Battalion of Infantry (1BN) stationed in Michelle Camp, Tema; the 2 Battalion of Infantry (2BN) stationed in Takoradi; and the 5 Battalion of Infantry (5BN) located in Burma Camp, Accra. Additionally, two regiments, the 48 Engineers based in Teshie and the 66 Artillery stationed in Ho, along with the Headquarters of Southern Command Camp in Teshie, were also part of the exercise.
Numerous prizes, including undisclosed cash awards, were presented to both units and individual personnel who demonstrated exceptional performance during the two-day training.
The top position in Navigation and the first runner-up were secured by 2BN, while 5BN clinched the second runner-up position. The 48 Engineers Regiment, in addition to claiming the third runner-up position, also earned recognition for excelling in the best obstacle crossing category and the best in orders team category.
Maj Gen Joseph Prince Osei-Owusu, who served as the Guest of Honour and holds the position of Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of Logistics at the General Headquarters, concluded the event by affirming that the exercise aligns with the Chief of Army Staff’s vision. This vision aims to create a highly motivated, well-trained, and well-equipped Army comprising quality officers and personnel capable of fulfilling the army’s responsibilities.
He emphasized that this training was imperative to establish a consistently prepared standing army capable of addressing emerging threats, including the rapid spread of violent extremism in the West African sub-region. Such threats pose a risk to Ghana’s territorial integrity and security.
The Shama District Assembly, home to numerous quarry sites and ceramics manufacturing companies, lacks an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officer responsible for effective monitoring and enforcement of environmental regulations.
The district, which recently faced issues related to clay mining, also hosts a thermal power generation facility within the Western Region.
This issue came to light during a visit by Dr. Emmanuel Marfo, Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Environment, along with some committee members, to the site of the Anto Aboso quarry explosion that occurred a week ago. The explosion resulted in the loss of five lives, with three individuals still missing and four hospitalized.
“It is surprising that such a district with all these industries lack an EPA officer, then who monitors to promote compliance?” Mr Marfo asked.
He expressed concern about the non-functioning of other regulatory bodies with similar mandates, such as the Environmental Health Department of the Assembly.
“One key deficiency in public sector management is the lack of coordination and collaborations between state agencies mandated to execute policies, programmes and laws for the welfare of society,” he said.
Since the incident, a team of 15 policemen has been assigned to oversee the site to prevent unauthorized access by community members and ensure security.
He pointed out that the non-compliance with environmental laws was leading to significant environmental damage, which in turn posed health and economic challenges to the nation and its citizens.
During their visit, the Committee members engaged in discussions with Mr. Erickson Abakah, the MP for Shama, Mr. Ebenezer Dadzie, the Shama District Chief Executive, and Mr. Owu-Ewie, the Assemblymember of the Anto Aboso Electoral Area.
Member of Parliament for Builsa South Constituency, Clement Abas Apaak, has expressed reservations regarding what he sees as a departure from the Electoral Commission’s (EC) mandated responsibilities.
He has pointed out that the EC has not followed the prescribed procedures during the ongoing voter registration process.
Apaak clarified that the EC’s primary duty, as outlined in the nation’s laws, is to facilitate the registration of eligible citizens who are 18 years and older and in sound mental condition at their own convenience.
“They should be able to register in a manner that is not going to dehumanize them and call their dignity in question.”
Dr. Apaak stressed that the various problems related to the voter registration process are undermining the rights of Ghanaian citizens and called for these issues to be resolved.
During an appearance on JoyNews’ Newsfile program on Saturday, he pointed out the specific difficulties encountered in his own constituency and expressed his disappointment at the challenges in mobilizing eligible youth to register for the upcoming elections.
The Builsa South MP firmly asserted that the actions of the Electoral Commission were not in compliance with the law.
“The Electoral Commission is being unlawful, honestly because if you look at the law, the C.I. the constitution, the mandate of the EC itself and the right to vote and the fact that one is entitled to be registered to vote, you juxtapose that with the EC’s posture and what we’re being told, the EC is breaking the law, the EC is being lawless and in fact, the EC is acting contrarily to what the framers of the constitution intended it to do.”
“The EC seems to have a penchant for imposing their understanding, their interpretation and their perspective of what is a challenge and what is not on we the people who have the constitutional mandate to enjoy the right.
“You don’t decide whether I should register this time to participate at the district level elections or wait to register later on to participate in the national election. That is not your decision to make. Your job is to make it possible for me to register,” he stressed.
The Builsa South MP added that it is not too late for the EC to do the right thing and urged them to expand the voter registration by devolving the registration centres from their district offices to other electoral areas.
“If you are to do that, you will remove many of these impediments”.
France has temporarily halted the issuance of new visas for students from Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso who were planning to continue their studies in the country.
This decision is a result of the closure of French consular services in these nations.
The suspension of visas follows mass protests in Niger’s capital, Niamey, where demonstrators demanded the withdrawal of France’s ambassador and troops from the West African country.
France had previously suspended cooperation with Niger and Burkina Faso on July 29 and August 6, respectively, in response to the coup in Niger. In November 2022, a similar decision was made for Mali.
Burkina Faso and Mali have expressed solidarity with the military authorities in Niger.
The French embassy in Niger has been closed since the military takeover on July 26, and the French consulate is unable to issue visas. The French Ministry of Research and Higher Education has stated that the suspension of visa services and civil cooperation was forced by security concerns. However, existing collaborations with universities and scientific institutions will continue.
The visa suspension has created challenges for many students, including those who have been accepted to French universities and have paid their registration fees, as well as those still waiting for responses from universities.
France currently hosts around 3,000 Malian, 2,500 Burkinabé, and 1,200 Nigerien students in its higher education institutions.
The Council of Nigeriens in France has called on authorities in Niger and France to find a solution for the affected students. The Union des Scolaires Nigériens has urged students to be patient and realistic, given the diplomatic tensions between Niger and France.
It remains uncertain when France will resume the issuance of visas to students from Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso.
Brighton achieved a remarkable 3-1 victory against Manchester United, adding to the woes of Erik ten Hag’s team following a tumultuous two weeks marked by controversies.
Jadon Sancho was excluded from the first-team squad, and Antony was granted a leave of absence due to assault allegations that emerged after their disappointing last-minute defeat to Arsenal.
On Saturday afternoon, Brighton compounded Manchester United’s misery on the field, with goals from Danny Welbeck, Pascal Gross, and Joao Pedro, offset only by Hannibal Mejbri’s consolation effort.
This defeat marked the end of Manchester United’s 31-game unbeaten streak at home in all competitions and occurred against the very team that last defeated them at Old Trafford during Erik ten Hag’s inaugural match in charge.
Welbeck, a former United player, opened the scoring, while Marcus Rashford’s strike struck the woodwork and Rasmus Hojlund’s first goal for the club was disallowed by VAR.
Gross, who netted both goals in last season’s win at Old Trafford, extended Brighton’s lead early in the second half, and substitute Pedro added another goal.
Despite Hannibal’s goal, there was no dramatic comeback akin to United’s recent home game against Nottingham Forest. Attention now shifts to Wednesday’s Champions League clash against Bayern Munich.
Brighton, on the other hand, can look forward to a historic Europa League match against AEK Athens after securing only their second victory at Old Trafford in their history.
De Zerbi made six surprising changes, while Ten Hag made three and opted for a midfield diamond that initially troubled the visitors.
Rashford’s skill and determination led to a low shot saved by Jason Steele, and Hojlund headed over. The two nearly combined when the newcomer stretched for Rashford’s cross.
However, Brighton remained composed and took the lead in the 20th minute through a well-executed move. Welbeck surged toward the box after playing wide to Simon Adingra, whose low cross from the right was cleverly left by Adam Lallana for the 32-year-old to score.
The goal injected energy into Brighton fans, but United responded five minutes before halftime. Rashford’s stepovers allowed him to reach the byline and pull back for Hojlund, who turned and poked the ball into the net for what seemed like his first United goal.
However, VAR intervened, and referee Jarred Gillett was informed by VAR Chris Kavanagh that the ball had gone out of play before Rashford made the pass.
United tried to rally, with Rashford looking dangerous, but Brighton remained determined to secure a second goal.
Gross capitalized on a pass from Tariq Lamptey just inside the box, sending Lisandro Martinez tumbling with a shoulder feint before scoring in front of the away fans.
United struggled to recover from that 53rd-minute blow, and Ten Hag made a change, replacing Hojlund with Martial, a decision that was met with audible disapproval.
Rashford’s free-kick was saved as the hosts desperately sought a goal, but Brighton struck again in the 71st minute.
Lamptey sprinted down the left, cut the ball back to substitute Pedro, who opened his body to fire a right-footed shot past Onana.
United managed to pull one back immediately, courtesy of young Hannibal, who unleashed a shot from 25 yards that beat Steele.
Victor Lindelof headed over, but intelligent Brighton controlled the game, exploiting the gaps left by the desperate hosts.
Kaoru Mitoma, substitute Evan Ferguson, and debutant Ansu Fati saw their shots saved as the clock ran down, with Onana stopping the latter again in stoppage time.
A 22-year-old man has been apprehended by the Upper West regional police CID for allegedly sexually assaulting a 4-year-old girl in Wa.
The incident took place on Saturday afternoon within an unfinished building situated in the Banmaarayiri community.
According to the child’s mother, she had sent her daughter to attend Arabic classes that Saturday morning. However, when the child did not return as expected, the mother grew concerned and began searching for her.
She discovered her daughter at the uncompleted building, where she witnessed the 22-year-old man, who was partially dressed, in a compromising situation with the child.
In response, the mother raised an alarm, and concerned neighbors swiftly intervened, managing to apprehend the suspect.
The police were alerted and subsequently took the suspect into custody. The young girl was promptly transported to the Wa Municipal Hospital for a medical examination.
The police have initiated an investigation into the incident.
Vice-President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has called upon the Member States of the West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ) to intensify their efforts in achieving the macroeconomic convergence criteria necessary for a single currency by January 2027.
This appeal comes in the wake of the Member States of WAMZ falling short of meeting all four convergence criteria for a monetary union as of June 2023.
Vice President Bawumia delivered this message during his address at the 2023 Mid-Year Statutory Meeting of West Africa Monetary Agency (WAMA), the West Africa Institute for Financial and Economic Management (WAIFEM), and the West Africa Monetary Institute (WAMI) held in Accra on Friday.
The primary objective of the meeting was to assess the macroeconomic development and convergence reports from Member States within WAMZ and evaluate the progress made in meeting both the primary and secondary criteria required for establishing a single currency.
The gathering brought together finance ministers and central bank governors from WAMZ member states, including Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia, The Gambia, and Sierra Leone.
Vice President Bawumia emphasized that the ongoing global geo-economic shifts make it increasingly crucial to pursue comprehensive monetary integration within the sub-region.
“It is important for the Member States of the WAMZ to take ownership of the convergence programme by mainstreaming it into the national macroeconomic frameworks and undertake meaningful reforms to achieving the convergence criteria on a sustained basis, otherwise the vicious cycle of endless postponements will continue to haunt us,” Dr Bawumia stated.
“We, therefore, must double our efforts in ensuring macroeconomic convergence and stability which are the necessary conditions for the take-off of a monetary union.
“As we engage in development activities in our various countries, we should not lose sight of the fact that macroeconomic stability is vital for monetary union to thrive,” he added.
The Vice President emphasized the importance of striking a balance between economic development and maintaining macroeconomic stability.
He acknowledged the formidable challenges in meeting the criteria but highlighted that considerable progress had been achieved over the years in implementing the activities outlined in the ECOWAS single currency roadmap.
“I understand that the name of the proposed single currency has been determined and is called the eco.
“A federal model structure has been adopted for the common central bank, the name of the common central bank has been determined as the Central Bank of West Africa, a flexible exchange rate regime adopted, and inflation targeting framework chosen,” he added.
Nonetheless, he pointed out that more than half of the activities outlined in the roadmap remained unfinished, encompassing tasks such as statistical harmonization, macroeconomic convergence, and capital account liberalization, among others.
He commended the African Development Bank for its substantial financial backing of US$9 million to WAMI for the implementation of the Unique Bank Identity (UBI) Project. This project aimed to establish secure digital banking transactions and enhance bank customer identification.
To address the regulatory requirements of emerging financial technological innovations within a globally interconnected financial system, model legislative instruments have been drafted for adoption by member states.
The Vice-President also highlighted substantial progress in debt and capital market integration, as well as insurance integration within the WAMZ.
He reiterated the Government of Ghana’s commitment to reestablishing macroeconomic stability, which serves as the foundation for sustainable economic growth and development.
“We are leaving no stone unturned under our Post Covid-19 Programme for Economic Growth (PC-PEG) aimed at restoring macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability, building resilience through the implementation of wide-ranging and strong structural reforms programming and laying the foundation for stronger, more inclusive growth, while also protecting the poor and the vulnerable”.
In the medium term, he emphasized the government’s determination to exert substantial effort in revitalizing the economy and enhancing its alignment with the convergence criteria.
Vice President Bawumia extended his appreciation to WAMI and all involved stakeholders for their dedication in maintaining the single-currency project as a top priority and ensuring its progress.
Additionally, Ghana’s Finance Minister, Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta, was appointed as the Chair of the Convergence Council of Ministers and Governors of the Central Banks of the West African Monetary Zone.
The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) has noted that the gender wage gap in Ghana is significant, with women earning 34.2 percent less than their male counterparts among paid workers.
This information is based on the findings of the first quarter of the 2022 Annual Household Income and Expenditure Survey (AHIES) conducted by the GSS.
In a press statement released to celebrate International Equal Pay Day, GSS stated that “the gender wage gap is lowest among paid workers with tertiary education or more where women earn 12.7 per cent less than their male counterparts. The wage gap is highest among workers with basic education (60.1%) followed by workers with no education (54.0%).”
The Ghana Statistical Service observed that within the age range of 36 to 60 years, women receive salaries that are 33.4 percent lower than those of men.
Meanwhile, among individuals aged 15 to 35 years, women are paid 30.7 percent less than their male peers.
“When comparing sectors of employment, the gender wage gap is highest in the private informal sector where women are paid 58.7 percent less than men. This is followed by the private formal sector with a wage gap of 29.9 percent. The public sector, where women are paid 10.5 percent less than men has the lowest gender wage gap.”
Each year, International Equal Pay Day is observed on September 18th, dedicated to advancing the cause of equal pay for equal work.
The devastating gender wage gap is a global phenomenon world leaders are working to address.
Women in the health and care sector face a larger gender pay gap than in other economic sectors, earning on average of 24 percent less than peers who are men, according to a new joint report by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
The National Youth Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Salam Mustapha, has expressed his satisfaction with the initial week of the limited voter registration exercise.
Commencing on Tuesday, September 12, the Electoral Commission launched this registration effort with the aim of enrolling first-time voters who have yet to obtain their Voter ID cards.
Despite opposition from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and certain civil society organizations, the registration process has been ongoing at the district offices of the Electoral Commission nationwide.
During the first week, there were reports of system failures in some areas, which necessitated the commission’s officers to resort to offline registrations.
Additionally, long queues were observed at certain registration centers, mainly due to the restriction of registration to the commission’s district offices.
Salam Mustapha conducted tours of various centers, including Ada, Sege, and other constituencies in the national capital, and he commended the impressive turnout and performance of the Electoral Commission’s officers.
On the other hand, the National Democratic Congress accused the commission of obstructing registration in its strongholds. The opposition party claimed that the majority of the areas experiencing system challenges were situated in their strongholds exclusively.
However, Salam Mustapha refuted the NDC’s allegations, asserting that the challenges encountered were not limited to any particular district but were widespread. He provided examples from the Ashanti region and other significant NPP strongholds to support his argument.
More than 3,000 young people who have reached voting age in the North Tongu Constituency of the Volta Region are at risk of being unable to participate in the ongoing limited voter registration exercise.
Despite strong opposition from some political parties, the Electoral Commission (EC) has decided to restrict the registration process to its district offices. This decision is having a significant impact on voter turnout in the Constituency, which is geographically vast and divided by the Volta River.
During a media tour of the Constituency, accompanied by Member of Parliament Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Ghana News Agency (GNA) witnessed the challenges faced by those seeking to register.
For many residents living in communities that are several kilometers away from the EC district office in Bator Aveyime, the cost of a round trip can be as high as GHC 300. This expense, coupled with the requirement of two guarantors, makes registration seem like an unaffordable investment.
In communities like Salaga, which shares a border with the Ho West District, individuals would have to spend GH¢150 on a motorbike ride to Juapong before proceeding to Bator for registration. Even in some of the closer communities, such as Deve, Avorkpoe, Ayram, Avedotoe, and Workpui, the cost of a motorbike ride averages around GH¢40.
This situation highlights the challenges and financial burdens faced by eligible voters in the North Tongu Constituency, making it imperative for the Electoral Commission to consider more accessible registration options to ensure the democratic participation of all eligible citizens.
“I will have to sell 10 bags of maize for my 10 children to go and register. And so, I said they will not go,” a grain seller at Juapong market declared.
Juapong, situated along the Eastern Corridor, is a historic and vibrant industrial community in the region, located more than 50 km away from the Electoral Commission (EC) office. In this town, the youth have expressed their discouragement due to the high transportation costs associated with reaching the registration center. Additionally, concerns about the elderly and sick residents have been raised, highlighting the necessity for a registration center to be established in Juapong.
One individual shared a story of his wife, who spent three days registering for her Ghana card, which was a discouraging experience that has deterred them from pursuing voter registration.
Furthermore, there are concerns regarding the potential impact of dam spillage in the northern regions, which could elevate the risks associated with crossing the Volta River to access the registration center. Those who wish to avoid this risk must go through Sogakope, incurring even higher costs, especially for the predominantly rural communities in the vicinity. This situation underscores the urgency of addressing the accessibility challenges and providing convenient registration options for residents in these areas.
“We are not going there because of the River Volta. People die in the river and so if the EC is not coming here, we are also not going there. Then no vote,” many echoed.
During his tour of the Constituency to evaluate the registration exercise’s challenges, the Member of Parliament (MP) made a stop at the Kpong Dam. He voiced his concerns, noting that numerous communities had made significant sacrifices during the dam’s construction and should not be excluded from a nationwide participatory initiative.
“People of this area sacrificed for this dam. Most are yet to receive compensation and are living in squalid conditions. We are all citizens. We have contributed to the forward march of our country. A right is not a privilege”.
A devastating fire has ravaged numerous shops located behind Kantamanto in Accra, known as CMB, resulting in the destruction of goods valued at millions of Ghana cedis.
The exact cause of the fire, which ignited around 5:00 am on Sunday, remains unknown at this time. The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) swiftly dispatched firefighters to the scene, but the flames had already engulfed multiple shops by the time they arrived.
ADO1 Alex Nartey, a Public Relations Officer of the GNFS, reported that several combustible items were discovered at the fire site.
Tragically, by the time the fire was finally extinguished, several shops had been completely reduced to ashes. The incident left many traders at the market deeply frustrated and disheartened, with many of them having lost their entire livelihoods.
In response to this unfortunate event, the GNFS is offering guidance to traders, advising them to exercise caution with electrical appliances and refrain from storing flammable materials in their shops.
This marks the second major fire incident to occur at the CMB market in recent years, with a similar fire in 2020 causing the destruction of more than 200 shops in the area.
A lawyer and Senior Vice President of IMANI-Africa, Kofi Bentil, has criticized the Electoral Commission (EC), asserting that their actions in the ongoing voter registration process are designed to disenfranchise a significant number of Ghanaians.
He argued that the EC is constitutionally obligated to expand and implement specific programs and possesses the necessary resources to fulfill these obligations.
Mr. Bentil clarified during an appearance on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday that the concern goes beyond neglecting responsibilities; it encompasses actively impeding people’s right to register.
He further emphasized that such deviation from their constitutional mandate could potentially lead to the removal of the Electoral Commissioners from their positions.
“In omission and commission, it’s not a matter of just omitting, like they are not doing anything, the suggestion is that there will be problems with people exercising their rights to register.”
“The EC was set up to take away those problems, clear the way and create situations that will enable people to register. So they should actually do things, commit actions that will expand registration,” he said.
Mr Bentil maintained that “in this case, if you are not doing it at all, then you are omitting to do your job but as far as I’m concerned, they are actually taking steps, committing actions to stop people from registering which is directly against what they are to do.”
He criticised the utilisation of state resources to undermine public policy objectives, saying “We should all be minded when we do some of these things.”
The statement from the IMANI-Africa Vice President comes in response to the Electoral Commission’s announcement that the voter registration process would exclusively occur at its district offices nationwide.
However, this decision has faced opposition from numerous political parties.
On Thursday, September 7, the National Democratic Congress, along with four other political parties, initiated legal action against the EC due to its insistence on conducting the 2023 limited voter registration exclusively at its district offices.
The Convention People’s Party, All People’s Congress, Liberal Party of Ghana, and the Great Consolidated Popular Party also joined the suit, arguing that this decision could disenfranchise many eligible voters.
Consequently, they have petitioned the Supreme Court to halt the electoral management body from proceeding with the exercise until the substantive matter is definitively resolved.
Liverpool claimed a dramatic 3-1 comeback victory over Wolves, securing the top spot in the Premier League in the process.
The match at Molineux saw Liverpool trailing 1-0 after an early goal by Wolves’ Hwang Hee-Chan. Wolves dominated the first half, and only a missed opportunity by Matheus Cunha prevented them from extending their lead.
Liverpool’s performance improved in the second half, with Cody Gakpo scoring the equalizer. The Reds then secured the win with a late own goal by Hugo Bueno, sealing their third comeback victory of the season.
Manager Jurgen Klopp had expressed frustration with the fixture schedule before the early kick-off, and his mood didn’t improve when Wolves took an early lead.
Ultimately, Liverpool’s late show secured them the victory and the top spot in the Premier League.
Yet the Reds struck with four minutes left after Sa gifted them a second.
The goalkeeper’s poor clearance was collected by Robertson mid-way inside the Wolves half. He advanced to dart into the area, swapped passes with Salah and finish under Sa.
There was still time for a third in stoppage time when Elliott’s 20-yard drive clipped Bueno to wrongfoot Sa and roll in off the post.
The Deputy Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Serebuor Quaicoe, has emphasized that the Electoral Commission’s primary responsibility is to safeguard the integrity of the voters’ register.
He noted that those advocating for the extension of the limited voters’ registration process from district offices to electoral areas are primarily focused on boosting the number of new registrants, rather than upholding the integrity of the register.
Dr. Quaicoe pointed out that district offices are better equipped to ensure the maintenance of a clean and accurate voters’ register.
“For the media and the CSOs, your attention is register them, register them, register them, that is the focus of the media and the CSOs. And probably that may be the reason why maybe you’re quoting my chair, at that time she was a CSO. But when you come into the kitchen that is where you see that your responsibility changes.
“The thinking of the Commission is that it is to register people and also to protect the sanctity of the register. That is very, very important that nobody is talking about. You’re going to compile voters’ register that would be used to determine who leads Ghana in all fronts. What goes into the register should be something that should not bring about issues,” he said.
The Electoral Commission has faced serious backlash from political parties, civil society organisations and the general public for its insistence on carrying out the limited voters’ registration in the district offices only.
According to those opposing the EC’s actions, the inaccessibility of the district offices and the cost of transportation among others are some reasons why the exercise must be further decentralized to the electoral areas.
But Dr. Serebuor Quaicoe says the ongoing district registrations are geared towards the upcoming district level elections.
He explained that while the ongoing registration will be limited to the district offices, next year, the commission will roll out another registration exercise that will be held in the electoral areas.
He said, “we are revising the register to give those who have turned 18 years who want to take part in the district level election to get the opportunity to register so that next year we can now go out fully with the continuous voters register.”
A viral video circulating on social media depicts a truck driver using his legs to operate the steering wheel while driving on a highway.
The video captures two individuals inside the truck, which is traveling at a significant speed along the highway.
The driver, with an astonishing display of recklessness, confidently steers the truck using his legs, casually folding his arms and exhibiting a complete disregard for safety or the possible repercussions of his actions.
As the video progresses, other vehicles are shown approaching on the highway, underscoring the dangerous situation unfolding.
Despite the evident peril, the driver persists in this unconventional and hazardous mode of driving.
The video was originally posted on Twitter by the user @Daebreak01, who captioned the post thus: “Just look at this!!! If an accident happens right now, people will be saying bad roads, blaming the President and the Devil himself!! Bibinii.”
🚨ICYMI🇬🇭⚠️: A video seen by @eddie_wrt suggests that a driver in the Central Region of Ghana takes pride in steering a moving truck with his leg while driving on the highway.
Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has urged the Electoral Commission (EC) to take immediate measures to resolve network issues and congestion occurring during the current limited voter registration exercise.
The former president issued this request following his visit to the EC headquarters to evaluate the registration process.
“This is day 4 of the exercise, and we have been receiving reports from the various district offices,” he said. “Today, I decided to go around and see for myself. I understand there are five districts here, and there’s a lot of congestion.
“People are coming from all over to register at one point. The second thing I have noticed, and the complaint, is that the network is not strong. And so they are not able to use the instant online registration. And so they are capturing some data offline. The danger is that sometimes there’s a repeat of somebody’s name, not of his/hers.”
Mahama has appealed to the Electoral Commission (EC) to engage in discussions with telecommunications companies to address the network congestion issues, ensuring a smoother and faster registration process.
Additionally, he has urged the EC to contemplate expanding the registration exercise to additional centers in order to alleviate the problem of overcrowding.
“I have spoken to many of the young people who have turned 18 years, and they don’t have Ghana cards,” he said. “It means that if we had insisted on the Ghana Card as the only means of registration, it means all these young people I have seen would not have been able to register.”
Mahama’s call comes amid concerns from stakeholders about the smooth and efficient conduct of the limited voter registration exercise.
The EC has been criticized for its handling of the exercise, with some accusing the body of failing to adequately prepare for the high demand for registration.
The Shama District Security Council, in collaboration with the Minerals Commission, has uncovered a significant quantity of ammonium substances within the trenches of the Anto Aboso quarry enclave.
This area encompasses six separate quarry sites, raising serious concerns about the safety of both the quarry workers and the surrounding communities in the district.
According to the Minerals Commission, hazardous substances like ammonium should only be stored by companies with the appropriate permits in a designated area known as a Magazine.
Mr. Ebenezer Dadzie, the Shama District Chief Executive, addressed the media at the site, revealing that recent intelligence led to the discovery of the ammonium substance, which had been concealed within quarry dust in the nearby bushes just last night.
He emphasized that the safety of the communities in the vicinity had become a pressing concern for the local administration due to continuous expressions of fear by residents. Therefore, this operation was deemed necessary to eliminate the presence of such hazardous materials, reducing the risk of human error leading to accidents and preventable fatalities.
In light of these developments, the District Chief Executive Officer urged the local communities to actively participate in civic responsibility by promptly reporting any suspicious activities involving quarry operators in the area to the relevant city authorities, enabling swift and necessary actions to be taken.
“We believe, as citizens, we should begin to be active in watching our communities and societies…when we see something, we should say something,” he said.
He added: “I am taking this opportunity to also advise all the quarries operating in the district to voluntarily hand over any such substances in their custody to the assembly for onward transfer to the Minerals Commission.”
The revelation of these substances highlights significant regulatory inefficiencies and a failure to uphold civic responsibilities in addressing potential dangers promptly. Additionally, it underscores the severe public health risks associated with storing deadly explosives within the warehouses of quarry mining companies operating in this region.
It’s worth noting that just last Saturday, a tragic explosion took place at the Omni quarry site in Anto Aboso, located in the Shama district of the Western region. This devastating incident resulted in numerous injuries and tragically claimed the lives of five individuals.
The explosion, occurring around 22:30 hours on Saturday, affected both Ghanaian and Chinese nationals who were present at the time. This unfortunate event serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need to address safety concerns and ensure stricter adherence to regulations within the quarry mining industry in the area.
Harry Kane marked a significant milestone by notching his 300th career club goal in a thrilling 2-2 draw between Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen.
Kane wasted no time, heading in a goal just seven minutes into the match, extending his impressive streak of four goals in as many Bundesliga games. However, the excitement continued as Alex Grimaldo leveled the game with a spectacular free-kick.
Leon Goretzka, who scored moments after Kane was substituted, seemed to secure the victory with a tap-in goal four minutes before the final whistle. Nevertheless, Exequiel Palacios salvaged a valuable point for Xabi Alonso’s side with a controversial penalty awarded by the video assistant referee in injury time.
The draw means that both teams relinquished their perfect starts in the Bundesliga but maintained their unbeaten records.
Kane’s close-range header elevated his club career tally to an impressive 300 goals, with 280 for Tottenham, nine for Millwall, five for Leyton Orient, four for Bayern, and two for Leicester.
In other matches, Paris Saint-Germain suffered their first defeat under the new manager, Luis Enrique, falling 3-2 to Nice despite a brace from Kylian Mbappe.
Terem Moffi initially put Nice in the lead, but Mbappe equalized with a first-time shot from the edge of the area. Gaetan Laborde later restored the visitor’s lead, and Moffi secured his second goal shortly thereafter.
Although Mbappe’s volley offered PSG hope of a late comeback, they were unable to break down their resilient opponents.
Despite lingering uncertainty surrounding his future, the French captain has already tallied seven goals from five games in Ligue 1.
The victory propelled Nice into second place, just behind Monaco, pushing PSG down the rankings.
The families of three individuals who lost their lives at the hands of the police in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba district of the Savannah Region are demanding justice from the law enforcement authorities.
Jimah Kocho, Habibu Abudi, and Haadi Salifu were apprehended by the police in 2022, taken from their residences in three separate communities, on suspicion of their involvement in a robbery incident within the region.
According to family members, they were subsequently traced to Accra, and it was only after initiating legal proceedings that the police informed them that the three individuals had been fatally shot during an exchange of gunfire.
Chief Inspector Adams Yahaya (retired), an uncle of two of the deceased, is calling for a thorough investigation into the incident and for those responsible to be held accountable.
“We made some enquiries, and they told us the operation was not sanctioned by police headquarters or the National Operations in Accra. There’s no amount of money that can compensate human lives. So those who sanctioned the operation, we want the law to take its course, they should be investigated by a committee. If they are found culpable, they should be put before the court.
“All the deceased had children and wives, we need something [money] that can cater for their children from now to the tertiary level. We also need an apology from the policy administration. They have tainted the image of the family, those boys were not armed robbers,” he said.
Standard Chartered, the international banking group, has reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to fostering business growth and economic development in Ghana.
For decades, the bank has played a crucial role in supporting Ghana’s economic progress, enabling local businesses to realize their aspirations.
Experts have contended that Ghana’s financial narrative is inseparable from Standard Chartered, as the bank’s history is intricately woven into the nation’s journey of economic advancement.
These themes emerged from various engagements and discussions held during the recent working visit of the bank’s Regional CEO for Africa and the Middle East, Sunil Kaushal, to Ghana.
Throughout his interactions, Sunil emphasized the vast opportunities present across the continent and Standard Chartered’s dedication to being a progressive partner, empowering the bank’s clients and the broader business community.
He underscored Ghana’s position as a market with substantial growth prospects, driven by the expansion of inclusive financial services and the evolving technological infrastructure.
During his two-day visit to Ghana, Sunil met with the bank’s clients and engaged with key stakeholders, including the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, and the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr. Ernest Addison.
Standard Chartered has maintained a presence in Ghana for over 126 years, proudly serving as the country’s first commercial bank.
Director of Elections and Research for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Evans Nimako, has commended the Electoral Commission (EC) for its management of the ongoing limited voter registration process.
During an interview on Eyewitness News on Citi FM, Nimako expressed his support for the EC’s decision to restrict the registration centers to its district offices.
He argued that expanding the number of centers would only escalate the expenses associated with monitoring the exercise for political parties and other interested parties.
“When you sit back and do the assessment, you may conclude that if the EC opens up more registration centres, it helps but the more centres you have, the more cost you will incur as a party because you will have to put together your agents to observe this process. Either way, you will incur some amount of cost and some burden,” he said.
“The New Patriotic Party put forward the argument that in 2019, additional registration centres were created by the EC for purposes of registration aside from the district offices and so it was our position we stick with the district offices.
“The unfortunate thing is that our colleagues in the NDC have elected themselves not to participate in [Inter Party Advisory Committee] IPAC discussions and the other political parties that participate are labelled as mushroom parties created by the NPP but they are today able to join forces and sue the EC.”
Nimako also refuted claims that the NPP is luring registrants with monetary incentives, masking them as transportation allowances. He emphasized that the party’s primary commitment is to facilitate the registration of all eligible individuals, ensuring their right to vote is upheld.
“The New Patriotic Party is ready to facilitate the registration process for our members who are due [to vote] because the law says once you are eighteen years and above and of sound mind and your name is not already in the register, the EC must ensure that you get your name registered,” he said.
You aren’t smarter than Ghanaians. We can glean your partiality. Your body language, line of questioning and recurring remarks consistently hint at personal biases against the IGP.
You don’t look like a credible chairman of any important committee. Rather, you look more like a defence counsel for the bitter police officers whose quest to be made IGPs so they can subvert the will of the people has been exposed.
It is not by force to chair this committee, especially when your work output is more of a disservice. If you don’t have any personal interest in this matter, then recuse yourself or get replaced by the Speaker, as your role is more of a nuisance, and annoying, particularly when you think we are unable to read in between the lines.
Yaw Gyampo A31, Prabiw PAV Ansah Street Saltpond & Suro Nipa House Behind Old Post Office Larteh-Akuapim
DISCLAIMER: Independentghana.com will not be liable for any inaccuracies contained in this article. The views expressed in the article are solely those of the author’s, and do not reflect those of The Independent Ghana
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is collaborating with various ministries to formulate a comprehensive Lead Prevention Policy in a concerted endeavor to address lead exposure.
Simultaneously, the agency is intensifying its educational efforts to enhance public awareness regarding the hazards associated with lead.
The Executive Director of the EPA, Dr. Henry Kwabena Kokofu, made these announcements during a press conference held in Accra.
“The EPA will then move ahead and recommend that a high-level multi-sector ministerial sector committee comprising of the Ministry of Science, Ministry of Heath, Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development may consider the establishment with the support of Pure Earth and UNICEF to develop a lead prevention and reduction policy for Ghana,” he said.
The need for action has arisen following a recent extensive study encompassing nearly 200 consumer products and food samples across four regions in Ghana.
The study’s findings raised significant concerns regarding elevated levels of lead contamination in the widely used metal cookware known as ‘dades3n.’
This comprehensive research, known as the Global Rapid Market screening study, represents the largest of its kind and underscores the distressing presence of lead in consumer goods and food originating from low and middle-income countries, including Ghana. The implications of this issue extend globally.
Conducted by the environmental NGO Pure Earth’s Blacksmith Initiative, the study unveiled distressing levels of lead contamination in various categories: Metal cookware (Dades3n) exhibited 55% contamination, ceramic cookware recorded 18%, children’s toys contained 14% lead, and locally-produced mascara contained 7% lead.
A recent report released by the World Bank also emphasized the exceptionally high levels of lead exposure, which have been linked to a decline in IQ.
“Children under 5 years old worldwide lost 765 million IQ points, those living in low and middle-income countries lost 729 million IQ points.”
“There is an average loss of 5.9 IQ points per child and this IQ points loss is 80% greater than the previous estimate,” the report stated.
Esmond Wisdom Quansah, the Country Director for Pure Earth, emphasized that consuming food prepared in these metallic cookwares significantly elevates the risk of lead poisoning for individuals.
He further explained that the experiment was rigorously conducted on six separate occasions, consistently yielding the same results. Consequently, the institution is striving to raise public awareness to encourage the exploration of alternative options in order to prevent further harm.
“What this points to is that we are not safe, if you happen to be eating from any of these metallic or ‘dades3n’ cookware we are at risk of lead poisoning.”
“We’ve grown a step further, our scientists have conducted what we call the leach test to determine the percentage of leach of this lead concentration in this metallic or aluminium cooking pot into the food and we were surprised by the findings of the scientists.”
“52% of the pots tested leached lead in concentrations greater than our reference level of 10 ug/L. The repeated leaching “boils” in pots in general resulted in lower lead in leachate, although lead remained above the 10 ug/L reference level in most cases, so that is a cause for concern for everyone and that is why we are putting this information in the public,” he explained.
The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Jean Adukwei Mensa, was honored at the recently concluded Internal Audit Conference hosted by the Internal Audit Agency at UPSA.
She was presented with the award for Best Head of a Covered Entity that actively supports the Internal Audit Unit (IAU) within the MDA Category.
This recognition was bestowed in acknowledgment of her consistent adherence to audit recommendations and her overall commitment to facilitating internal audit initiatives.
The Board Chairman of the Internal Audit Agency, Joseph Winful, in a plaque citation stated that Madam Mensa “ensured that the Internal Audit Unit was provided with adequate resources, space and logistics to enable it deliver on its mandate in an objective and independent manner devoid of intimidation.”
“Your actions have undoubtedly enhanced the internal control systems of the Electoral Commission of Ghana,” he added.
All twelve of Ghana’s amateur boxers faced defeat in the 2024 Olympic Games qualifiers held in Senegal, thus dashing their hopes of securing berths for the forthcoming Paris Olympics next year.
Ghana had set lofty goals of securing several slots in the international event, with a representation of six boxers from both the Black Bombers and the Black Hitters (Ghana’s female amateur boxing team). This contingent also included two foreign-based competitors, namely Seth Gyimah, known as Freezy MacBones, and Ornella Sathoud.
However, the team’s aspirations crumbled as Freezy MacBones suffered a loss to his Senegalese counterpart, Seydou Konate, on a fateful Saturday, triggering a string of defeats for all his teammates against their respective opponents.
In the Flyweight division (51kg), Theophilus Kpakpo Allotey was the twelfth fighter to endure defeat, succumbing to Tunisia’s Ala Zidi Eddine.
“All of them are new, except Ornella Sathoud. Sathoud, however, got sick here and affected her performance,” Ofori Asare, the Black Bombers coach said after the game.
“For now, we know that, we have created a good base and our next qualification, it shall be well for us.
“At least, both Boxers who came here are new [Freezy MacBones & Ornella Sathoud], some of them have never been to the African competitions before,” he added.
The coach, however, remained optimistic about the team’s prospects for the future and remarked, “I believe this qualification event in Dakar will prove to be a valuable experience for our boxers in the upcoming qualification series.”
During the previous Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2020, Ghana secured its sole medal through the commendable performance of Samuel Takyi, who earned a bronze medal in the Men’s Featherweight category, bringing pride and recognition to Team Ghana.
The Ghanaian boxing team will have another opportunity to compete in additional qualification matches slated for November.
The police have taken two individuals into custody in connection with the murder of Princess Afia Ahenkan, a 35-year-old woman in Apaaso near Sokoban Ampabame, located in the Ashanti Region.
The arrested suspects have been identified as Allister John, who served as the deceased’s house-help, and his alleged accomplice, James Anokye.
According to a police statement posted on Facebook on Friday, the two suspects were apprehended as a result of a meticulously planned intelligence operation carried out on September 14, 2023.
The police further revealed that following the commission of the crime, the suspects absconded with the victim’s KIA Sportage private car, bearing registration number GS 307-21, which they subsequently sold.
However, the vehicle has been located in Adenta, complete with its accompanying documents. It has subsequently been seized by authorities and is currently held at the Oyibi Police Station. Ongoing efforts are aimed at apprehending the buyer of the vehicle to aid in the ongoing investigation, as stated by the police.
In the meantime, the deceased’s body has been placed in the morgue at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital to undergo preservation and an autopsy.
Afua Ahenkan, also known as Princess Afua, reportedly suffered multiple stab wounds at the hands of a young man she had hired through an agency just one month prior to the tragic incident.
Although details surrounding the killing are limited, preliminary reports indicate that she is the daughter-in-law of Reverend Osei Kofi, a former Ghana Black Stars and Asante Kotoko football legend.
Mrs. Ahenkan had apparently enlisted the services of the suspect to assist with her business, given that her husband resides in the United Kingdom.
The assailant is alleged to have launched the attack on the victim while she was engaged in a phone conversation. Her desperate cries for help during the assault raised concerns for the caller on the other end of the line. Consequently, this concerned individual decided to visit her residence after repeated unanswered phone calls.
According to reports, the suspect then purportedly moved the lifeless body of the victim into the garage and made off with her car, money, and other personal belongings.
National Youth Organiser of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), George Opare Addo, insists that the party will not waste its time attending the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meetings.
According to him, the opinions of the party are hardly accepted as they are shut down by the Electoral Commissioner, Jean Mensa.
He noted that the EC Chair has forced the party to opt out of IPAC.
“We have been told by Jean Mensa that IPAC cannot advise her on things we have to do. On many occasions, we have gone on IPAC meetings and made some suggestions, and Jean Mensa has been bold enough to tell us that she doesn’t need our suggestions. We don’t see the need to attend IPAC,” he said.
The main opposition party withdrew its participation from IPAC after the 2020 general elections, accusing the leadership of the EC of alleged bias in favour of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP).
The NDC accused the EC of overseeing the manipulation of the 2020 general elections.
Meanwhile, the former Chairman of the Electoral Commission (EC), Dr. Kwadwo Afari Gyan, has urged members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to rescind their boycott of the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC).
While addressing the 3rd Annual Conference of the NDC Lawyers Association in Akosombo in the Eastern Region, Dr. Afari Gyan emphasized the opportunities that IPAC offers to the various political parties.
“The IPAC makes it possible for political parties to know and make inputs to the important thing the Electoral Commission is doing at any point in time. It makes it possible to discuss the concerns of the parties and makes it possible to contribute to the making of subsidiary legislation, and I will appeal to the NDC to go back.”
“Don’t worry if your ideas are not adopted, please go there and make your ideas felt. Indeed, in some cases, IPAC is the forum for stakeholder dialogue towards achieving common ownership of the electoral system. Under Ghana’s Electoral system, there are many opportunities for political parties to participate in Electoral processes that promote free and fair elections,” Dr Afari Gyan advised.
The National Youth Organiser of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), George Opare Addo, has refuted allegations that his party has been transporting potential registrants to the limited voter registration centers.
Instead, he has asserted that it is the NPP (New Patriotic Party) that is involved in such activities, suggesting that they have wrongly accused the NDC of the same.
“We have seen videos of NPP going around communities dishing out money to people who have now turned 18 years to register. Have you seen any video of anybody from NDC bussing people?” he asked.
Opare Addo also acknowledged that it is entirely reasonable for individuals to seek assistance from their leaders when they encounter financial challenges.
“When you are leaders of a community and your members reach out to you about registration being done in communities far away where they are. And so we mobilised ourselves, can you help us with transportation, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it,” he said.
Opare Addo also maintained that the NDC has no intention of participating in Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meetings where their input is not taken into consideration.
He pointed to the behavior of the EC Boss, Jean Mensa, as the reason that led to their decision to abstain from IPAC.
“We have been told by Jean Mensa that IPAC cannot advise her on things we have to do. On many occasions, we have gone on IPAC meetings and made some suggestions and Jean Mensa have been bold enough to tell us that she doesn’t need our suggestions. We don’t see the need to attend IPAC,” he said.
Opare Addo’s remarks are made in the midst of allegations that both the NDC and the NPP are involved in voter mobilization strategies, which encompass the transportation of individuals to registration centers and the provision of financial incentives to potential registrants.
Ghana’s celebrated Afrobeat sensation, MzVee, has recently marked her impressive ten-year journey in the music industry with a thrilling anniversary celebration.
In conjunction with this milestone, she has delighted her fans by unveiling a brand-new single titled “Destiny.”
MzVee, a two-time BET nominee renowned for her chart-topping track “Come and See My Moda,” is now treating her dedicated fanbase to this fresh Afrobeat and dancehall fusion.
This release comes on the heels of a decade filled with numerous chart-toppers, multiple award victories, and memorable performances on both local and international stages.
“Destiny” offers music enthusiasts an enticing blend of mid-tempo Afrobeat vibes with a touch of dancehall, making it a track that is bound to be appreciated by a wide range of listeners.
In her latest song, MzVee empowers listeners with lyrics centered on personal triumph and taking control of one’s destiny. The track’s infectious and relatable lyrics resonate with anyone striving to overcome challenges while maintaining faith in their ability to achieve their goals.
MzVee has ambitious plans to expand her reach across Africa and beyond, and a well-thought-out promotional campaign is in the works to achieve this goal. This release aligns with her upcoming tour in Australia scheduled for November 2023.
Notably, MzVee holds the record for the most nominations received by a Ghanaian female musician at the Ghana Music Awards, a testament to her consistent success over the past decade. Her impressive repertoire includes global hits such as “Sing My Name” featuring Patoranking and “Coming Home” featuring Tiwa Savage.
“Destiny” is brought to life by the expert production of renowned Ghanaian producer Kizzy Beats, and the music video is skillfully directed by American filmmaker Zack Manzella.
