The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) has announced the initiation of a process to phase out all driver’s license cards issued prior to September 2017.
These older cards will be replaced with new smart driver’s license cards.
This announcement was made in a statement released by the DVLA on September 6, 2023.
The DVLA’s plan will be in effect from now until March 31, 2024. After this deadline, all driver’s licenses issued with the old cards will be considered invalid by the Authority.
The DVLA is inviting all holders of the outdated card driver’s licenses to submit them to the nearest DVLA office for verification and replacement with the new smart card driver’s license.
“The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) wishes to inform the public that, it has commenced an exercise to phase out all Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) card driver’s licence (the old PVC card driver’s licences issued before September 2017) and replace them with the smart card driver’s licence.”
“The Authority is inviting all holders of the PVC card driver’s licences to submit them to the nearest DVLA office for verification and replacement for the smart card driver’s licence. This exercise takes effect from now till 31st March 2024 after which all PVC card driver’s licence shall be rendered invalid by the Authority. This exercise is at no additional cost to the holder.”
The Authority has issued a warning that individuals holding PVC card driver’s licenses who do not replace their licenses within the designated period will be required to reapply and complete all necessary tests to obtain a new driver’s license.
Officials at the Keta Municipal Library in the Volta Region are urgently seeking support to improve their operations.
This assistance includes the much-needed renovation of the deteriorating library building, the provision of laptop computers, furniture, novels, and other essential resources.
Mr. Victor Dela Odamson, the Librarian at the Keta Municipal Library, expressed these concerns during an interview with the Ghana News Agency.
He highlighted a range of challenges faced by the facility, including inadequate lighting, a shortage of library rooms, poor ventilation, and other issues that significantly impact their ability to serve the community effectively.
”We need a new and a bigger modern library which can accommodate huge numbers of students at a time,” he said.
Mr. Odamson also voiced concern about the situation where some students are forced to stand during their learning hours within the library hall due to a shortage of adequate furniture.
“We have only 13 tabletop computers that are functioning and we need more to enhance the learning of Information and Communication Technology (ICT).”
Mr. Odamson highlighted that the library’s collection includes books suitable for students ranging from kindergarten to tertiary education levels, including postgraduate materials.
He commended the students from Keta Nurses and Midwifery Training College, as well as other students from basic schools, for actively using the library’s resources.
Furthermore, he encouraged students to prioritize reading and learning, emphasizing that it enhances their knowledge, wisdom, and understanding.
Mr. Odamson also made an appeal to the government, philanthropic individuals, and corporate organizations to support the construction of a modern library facility capable of accommodating a larger number of students, thus enhancing the learning environment in the region.
Zambian police have taken into custody Esther Lungu, the wife of former President Edgar Lungu, on three charges, including the alleged theft of a motor vehicle, which she vehemently denies.
Esther Lungu, who is currently detained in the capital, Lusaka, has been apprehended alongside three other individuals.
According to a statement by police spokesperson Danny Mwale, the group has also been charged with theft of a certificate of title for a property in Lusaka, and they are further accused of possessing property believed to have been obtained through illegal means.
Several former ministers, government officials, and members of Mr. Lungu’s family are currently under investigation for suspected criminal activities, though all of them deny any wrongdoing.
The United States has imposed sanctions on a high-ranking Sudanese paramilitary official, marking the most prominent use of sanctions since the onset of the current conflict in Sudan.
Abdelrahim Dagalo, the deputy leader of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has been sanctioned by Washington due to his involvement in human rights violations during clashes between the RSF and Sudan’s army.
This action, announced on Wednesday, appears to be a response to the recent deadly violence in West Darfur, where the RSF, in collaboration with allied militias, has been accused of perpetrating atrocities.
The US has accused Mr. Dagalo of being linked to abuses such as “conflict-related sexual violence and killings based on ethnicity.”
The RSF has faced allegations from conflict monitors, human rights organizations, and witnesses regarding its involvement in the violence in Darfur.
Abdelrahim Dagalo, who is the brother of RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, is the first official on either side of the conflict to be sanctioned since the war began.
Previous sanctions had targeted companies and also encompassed both the army and the RSF.
Tunisian police have reportedly apprehended the highest-ranking officials of the main opposition party, as confirmed by the party itself.
Among those arrested is Mondher Ounissi, who is serving as the interim leader of Ennahda.
Mr. Ounissi’s detention is believed to be related to audio messages in which he allegedly accuses fellow party members of receiving illicit funds. However, he vehemently denies the authenticity of these recordings.
This incident adds to a series of arrests of opposition figures that have taken place in Tunisia this year.
President Kais Saied, who dismissed the parliament and dissolved the government in 2021, has been governing through decrees, a move that has drawn accusations of carrying out a coup from his critics.
Founder and leader of Alabaster International Ministry, Prophet Kofi Oduro, has placed responsibility for the current economic difficulties faced by the country squarely on President Nana Akufo-Addo.
According to the man of God, President Akufo-Addo’s tenure, which began on January 7, 2017, has witnessed a regression in Ghana’s economic stability.
Prophet Kofi Oduro went on to assert that resolving these economic challenges cannot rely solely on the president’s expertise; instead, he emphasized the need for divine intervention.
Furthermore, he made a bold prediction that unless these hardships see significant improvement before President Akufo-Addo’s term concludes in December, history will likely remember him as the worst president in Ghana’s Fourth Republic.
“I want to tell my president that your expertise cannot fix this problem. From now until December 7, Your Excellency, you will go down in history as the worst president in the Fourth Republic. It has been six and half years of pain and agony, six and half years of bleeding and bloodshed. We need help,” he stressed.
Ghana has been facing significant economic challenges since 2022, with the government attributing them to factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war.
These economic difficulties have resulted in a striking year-on-year inflation rate of 54.1% as of January 2023, with food inflation at 59.7% and soaring transport costs at 71.4%.
In response to the escalating debt crisis, the government initiated a $3 billion IMF bailout and a domestic debt exchange program.
During a valedictory service for Rev. Dr. Seth Kissi in the Eastern region, President Akufo-Addo called upon Ghanaians to pray for him and his appointees as they carry out their duties with humility and integrity. He expressed his desire to conclude his presidency with a sense of accomplishment, having diligently served the nation.
President Akufo-Addo also stressed the importance of unity, progress, and prosperity for Ghana. He emphasized the role of faith and appropriate policies in advancing the country’s fortunes.
Gabon’s military leader, General Brice Oligui Nguema, has held discussions with opposition candidate Albert Ondo Ossa as part of consultations aimed at rebuilding the country.
Mr. Ossa, who was the primary challenger to the deposed President Ali Bongo in the election that was nullified when the military seized power, seems to be courted by the military authorities in their efforts to seek support from the opposition for charting a new path for Gabon.
Notably, Mr. Ossa chose to boycott the inauguration ceremony of General Nguema that took place on Monday, asserting that he had won the invalidated elections and should have been sworn in as president.
The meeting between General Nguema and Mr. Ossa suggests that the opposition might play a role in the interim government, although specific details were not disclosed. Mr. Ossa emphasized that their discussions revolved around the transition process and the restoration of government institutions.
The coup that occurred last Wednesday appears to have garnered some level of popular support, but there remains uncertainty about the country’s future. General Nguema has not specified when he plans to return the nation to civilian rule.
In related developments, the junta has released several prisoners, including pro-democracy activist and leader of the most influential trade union confederation, Jean Rémi Yama.
The Election Committee of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has suspended the balloting of positions for the party’s Primaries slated for November 4, 2023.
Spokesperson of the Committee, Alexander Afenyo Markin, made this known today, September 6, during an engagement with the media.
“The engagement was fruitful. The issues raised were all addressed. We have agreed to proceed with the guidelines, and when we are done, we will again serve you notice, and soon thereafter, we will proceed with the balloting,” he said.
He engaged the press following a crucial meeting held by the Election Committee and the party’s presidential aspirants as well as members of the Electoral Commission.
Present at the NPP headquarters were Assin Central Member of Parliament, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong and former Minister for Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto.
Officials of the Electoral Commission (EC) led by Director of Electoral Services, Dr. Serebour Quaicoo, arrived at the venue to oversee the proceedings.
With Mr Kyerematen out of the race, Mr Kennedy Agyapong, Dr Afriyie Akoto and Francis Addai-Nimo will contest against Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, who is considered the front runner in the party’s presidential elections.
Six districts in the Upper East Region are reliant on only two operational baby incubators at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Zebilla Hospital for the care of premature infants.
These districts include Bawku West, Binduri, Garu, Pusiga, Tempane, and the Bawku Municipality, according to Ghana News Agency.
Furthermore, the hospital relies on just three functioning radiate warmers out of the five available.
The NICU was established by the hospital’s management in collaboration with UNICEF, a non-governmental organization, in May 2021. Initially, it began operations with just one baby incubator but later received two additional incubators from generous individuals to meet the high demand for admissions in the unit.
On average, the NICU admits approximately three infants daily from the six districts mentioned. Hospital records indicate that in the first half of 2023, over 500 babies were admitted.
Mr. Christopher Saganma Nambileeb, the Unit in-charge, conveyed this information to the Ghana News Agency, highlighting that they receive infants from all six districts. He earnestly appealed to the government, non-governmental organizations, philanthropists, and individuals for additional incubators to better serve their growing number of patients.
“The admissions are so much, if we had space and enough incubators, we would manage them. You can imagine, health facilities in Bawku Municipality call with preterm cases, Garu and the rest of them call, and sometimes they do not call, but come.
“When we try to refer them to the Regional Hospital in Bolgatanga, it becomes an issue, and as professionals, who are advocates for our clients, we would not want them to be stranded, we have to find places for them, and they may not get the best of care,” he noted.
He said with the two functioning baby incubators, staff of the Unit had over the years prioritized the care of preterm babies, “So when we have about five babies in need of incubators, we prioritize.
“We look at the gestational ages of the babies, the danger signs, and if the babies have no danger signs, we immediately lay such babies under radiate warmers. If they are stable under the warmers, we move them onto the Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) management,” he said.
KMC, or Kangaroo Mother Care, is the practice of placing a baby in direct skin-to-skin contact with the mother, resembling a kangaroo’s pouch position.
A clinic dedicated to KMC was established through the collaborative efforts of Momentum Country Ghana Limited (MCGL), UNICEF, and various Non-Governmental Organizations. This clinic is operated by NICU staff and serves as a supplement to the two operational incubators available.
“Because we do not have enough incubators, the KMC clinic comes to supplement the incubators. So, we manage the preterm babies together with the mothers, we teach them how to do the KMC, what to do and what not to do with the preterm babies.
“With that, the mothers become used to it, and they can assist in caring for the babies with the limited resources we have. We currently have five babies, and all of them cannot be in an incubator at the same time.
Mr Nambileeb noted that despite the limited resources in the Unit, they had achieved a lot of successes since the Unit was established.
“We managed a 25 weeks’ gestation baby who survived and is doing well now, the baby is almost two years now. When we were managing, some Doctors came from Accra and were surprised. They called it an abortion, but we managed, and the baby survived,” he recalled.
The individual in charge of the unit expressed their heartfelt appreciation to MCGL, UNICEF, the Unit’s staff, and the hospital’s management for their unwavering support.
They also underscored the importance of additional baby incubators and expanded space within the unit to enhance its operational efficiency.
A video circulating on social media has indicated UK-based Ghanaian boxer Freezy Macbones, who recently arrived in Ghana to represent Ghana in the 2024 Olympic Games qualifiers, is making pals with other athletes.
It would have been expected that he tangoed with other boxers, but Macbones decided to have a friendly encounter with former Ghanaian football international Asamoah Gyan after Gyan had finished his routine tennis practice.
In the viral video, it appears that the two are about to get each other’s throats, but deeper analysis shows it is a façade.
Freezy Macbones born Seth Gyimah arrived in Ghana on Wednesday, August 15, in response to a call from the Ghana Boxing Federation.
Since his arrival in Ghana, Macbones has been training with the Black Bombers team as they intensify their preparations for the upcoming Olympic Boxing Qualifiers scheduled for Saturday, September 9 to Saturday, September 15, 2023, in Dakar, Senegal.
Freezy Macbones, who returned to Ghana after 11 years in London, has been enjoying his time in the country. He visited his hometown and had some friendly interactions with various personalities, including Abraham Kotey Neequaye, the President of the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA), engaging in playful boxing exchanges.
Seth Gyimah boasts a professional boxing record of two wins out of two bouts since his debut in February 2023. In his second professional fight in April, as part of the undercard for the Joe Joyce vs. Zhilei Zhang bout at London’s Copper Box Arena, MacBones exhibited complete dominance over his opponent, veteran Darryl Sharp.
The Technical Advisor at the Office of the Vice President, Dr. Tiah Abdul-Kabiru Mahama, has rejected the assertions made by Alan Kyerematen regarding the New Patriotic Party’s alleged use of intimidation tactics to secure support for Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia during the party’s Super Delegates Conference.
Dr. Tiah Abdul-Kabiru Mahama, in response to Mr. Kyerematen’s claim that government appointees are endorsing a specific candidate due to job-related fears, has dismissed these allegations as unsubstantiated.
During an interview with JoyNews on Wednesday, September 6, Dr. Mahama argued that if anyone were to raise concerns about intimidation, it should be in favor of Dr. Bawumia.
“In 2007, when majority of government appointees were supporting Mr Alan Kyerematen, he still cited intimidation so for me if there’s any person who has had intimidations either direct or indirect, it’s the vice president who should be complaining,” he said.
His statement comes in response to Mr. Kyerematen’s announcement on Tuesday, September 5, in which he withdrew from the party’s flagbearer race and cited several incidents that he believed marred the party’s Super Delegates Conference.
The NPP flagbearer aspirant said that “After having carefully analysed the results of the said elections, it is absolutely clear to me from events leading to, during and after the elections, that the Special Delegates Conference was strategically and tactically skewed in favour of one particular aspirant.”
The statement further said that pronouncements by some leading members of the party “both before and after the elections, also lend weight” to his observations.
“The level of intimidation of varying intensity, directly and indirectly, unleashed on a significant number of Delegates at various Voting Centers across the sixteen regions, is unprecedented in the history of our Party,” Mr Kyerematen said.
On the back of this, Dr Mahama labelled the former Trade and Industry Minister’s allegation as baseless and lacking factual support based on the election process.
“So to suggest that any activist or supporter of any of the candidates has been intimidated will be untrue. There were several Members of Parliament who supported other candidates, especially Mr Alan Kyerematen and nothing happened to them.”
“There were cabinet ministers of state who supported Mr Alan Kyerematen and nothing happened to them. There were CEOs who supported him and nothing happened to them, so to say that you have been threatened or your supporter has been threatened is to tell a lie and we must be bold enough to call out some of these things,” he said.
He urged Mr Kyerematen to take responsibility and refrain from making complaints about intimidation during the NPP Super Delegates election.
The leadership of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has responded to claims of intimidation at the Super Delegates Conference by former Trade Minister, Alan Kyerematen.
Alan Kyerematen while announcing his withdrawal from the NPP presidential race on Tuesday, September 5, noted that his abysmal performance at the party’s just-ended Super Delegates Conference was due to the “level of intimidation of varying intensity, directly and indirectly unleashed on a significant number of Delegates at various Voting Centers across the sixteen regions.”
Mr Kyerematen has noted that his polling agent in the North East region has suffered severe damage to his eye sight, arising from his bold and courageous effort to ensure compliance with the very rules and regulations for the conduct of the elections as approved by the Presidential Elections Committee.
In response, the party has not refuted or admitted to the claims.
However, in a press statement dated September 6, General Secretary, Justin Kodua noted that both the Elections Committee and the Disciplinary Committee have initiated comprehensive investigations into all reported incidents of violations and infractions that are alleged to have occurred at various voting centers during the super delegates election which was held on Saturday, August 26, 2023.
“We wish to reassure all stakeholders and the general public that the reports of the aforementioned committees will be made readily available and persons who may be found culpable of any wrongdoing will be held accountable,” the party concluded.
Eleven members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), who were nominated to serve as members of the National Executive Committee, have been formally inaugurated into their respective roles.
The inauguration ceremony was conducted at the party’s headquarters on Wednesday, September 6, 2023.
Among the newly appointed executives are Professor Joshua Alabi, who assumes the role of Vice Chairman, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, appointed as the Director of Elections for the Party, and Edudzi Tamakloe, who has taken up the position of Director of Legal Affairs.
Speaking to party members during the ceremony, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, the National Chairman of the NDC, not only urged the newly appointed executives to fulfill their responsibilities effectively but also emphasized that any efforts to thwart the desires of the people for a change in government would not be accepted.
“Comrades, you are rising up today as patrons and the work you are going to do is daunting, but we trust that you will be able to live up to the challenge. There is no way you can constitute a governing team that will represent everybody, and we know there are shortcomings in this composition, but we are appealing to our party’s rank and file that this is a call to duty and not an honour. Wherever you are, you can find a way to help achieve the same purpose whether you are sworn in today or not.”
The Presidential Candidate from the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Mahama, has strongly criticized the government for the ongoing economic challenges being faced by the citizens.
John Dramani Mahama asserts that the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has not effectively tackled the urgent issues confronting the people of Ghana.
In his view, the President and his chosen officials are misallocating the limited resources, prioritizing their own comfort and that of their associates.
During a live Facebook address on Wednesday, the former President encouraged Ghanaians to vote against the NPP in the upcoming 2024 general elections.
“President Akufo-Addo and his administration have failed to address the pressing economic challenges they have exerted on the people of our country – misapplying our precious scarce resources and overspending on their comfort and largesse instead of building the critical infrastructure this country needs for job creation and development.”
He also added that the Akufo-Addo-led government has failed to fulfil its promises made to Ghanaians in the run up to the 2020 elections.
“Their promises during their campaigns are yet to be fulfilled, leaving the ordinary Ghanaian burdened with the consequences of their incompetence, cluelessness, and shameless arrogance.”
Meanwhile, Mr. Mahama has urged the Ghanaian people not to consider the ongoing corruption, which he characterizes as unprecedented, as a regular occurrence under the current government. He emphasized that this scourge is impeding the nation’s advancement and limiting job prospects for the unemployed youth of Ghana.
“Today, some Ghanaians glorify and make excuses for corruption because the NPP has allowed it to permeate every facet of our society. This must never be accepted as the norm. It hinders progress on many fronts, denying our youth opportunities that should have come their way if state resources were meaningfully applied.”
Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah, has rubbished the assertion that former Trade Minister, Alan Kyerematen, was let down by the people of Ashanti Region at the New Patriotic Party’s Super Delegates Conference.
At the end of the elections in the Ashanti Region, Dr Bawumia polled 97 votes out of the 121 total valid votes cast. Alan Kyerematen, on the other hand, garnered just 10 votes, whereas Kennedy Agyapong polled 6 votes.
For some experts, this came as a surprise, as the assertion was that the people of the Ashanti Region would side with a native. That was not the case.
According to Mr Osei Mensah, the delegates cannot be blamed but rather the strategy employed by the aspirants. He noted other natives of the Ashanti Region such as Francis Addai-Nimo failed to secure a single vote.
“Honourable Konadu Apraku, is from Akomadan, he has been an MP before, why did he get. No votes, so what should he say.
“Addai-Nimo, he was Mampong MP, he is from the Ashanti Region, what did he get. What did Alan get. In the Ashanti Region, did Alan not get 10 votes? When Addai, after the entire counting had 9. So what should he say. Kwabena Agyapong, is he not from the Ashanti Region, what should he say,” he said in an interview on Peace FM.
Simon Osei Mensah added: “In this election, everyone has a strategy. Let me say I’m contesting and give promises, the delegates will come in their numbers but how many of them will vote for me. You should know the type of election you are going into.”
Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, also known as Chairman Wontumi, has shed light on the probable cause for this achievement by the Vice President.
In an interview with Good Evening Ghana’s host, Paul Adom-Otchere, Chairman Wontumi noted that prior to the elections, the people of Ashanti Region had announced their support for the Vice President.
He noted that the condition given to him during the party’s congress that led to his election as Ashanti Regional Chair was for him to support the Vice President wholeheartedly.
“When I was running for elections, I told them. This is the message the people have given me that once I become a regional chairman, I should support the Vice President. You can ask all the constituency executives,” he said.
He alluded to the assertion that the super delegates who voted in favour of the Vice President had the blessing of the delegates who will partake in the November 4 primaries.
Meanwhile, former Trade Minister, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, has withdrawn from the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) presidential elections.
His official withdrawal is contained in a press statement issued on Tuesday, September 5, 2023.
According to the former minister, his withdrawal stems from his abysmal performance at the party’s just-ended Super Delegates Conference due to the interference of some leaders of the party.
In his statement, he said: “After having carefully analysed the results of the said elections, it is absolutely clear to me from events leading to, during and after the elections, that the Special Delegates Conference was strategically and tactically skewed in favour of one particular Aspirant. The pronouncements made by some leading Members of our Party both before and after the elections, also lend weight to my observations.
His withdrawal has been acknowledged by the party’s leadership.
Attorneys representing Patience Botwe, the primary suspect in the theft case involving former Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources Cecilia Dapaah, have submitted a bail application to the Circuit Court in Accra.
This move follows numerous verbal requests for bail made by her legal team.
During the court appearance on Tuesday, September 5, Nana Addo Asrifi, the lead counsel for Madam Botwe, appealed to the court to grant bail to his client. However, this request was opposed by the prosecution, led by Assistant State Attorney Akosua Agyeman.
Additionally, Benjamin Sowah, Madam Botwe’s boyfriend, also filed a bail application, which was ultimately denied by the presiding judge, Afia Owusuaa Appiah.
The judge’s decision was based on Mr. Sowah’s alleged involvement in the theft case, the amount of money he is believed to have received, and the circumstances of his arrest.
On a different note, Yahaya Sumaila, the seventh accused person and an excavator operator, was granted bail in the amount of GH¢300,000, with two sureties required for justification.
He must also deposit his passport with the court’s registry and report to the police every two weeks.
During the court proceedings, the Assistant State Attorney requested a two-week adjournment to allow investigators to conclude their inquiries. She attributed the delay to directives given to the investigators following advice from the Attorney General regarding the case docket.
Deputy Ranking Member of Parliament’s Food and Agriculture Committee, Dr. Godfred Seidu Jasaw, has urged African governments to prioritize the development of cohesive agricultural policies across the continent to effectively tackle food security challenges.
He has drawn attention to the current lack of coherence in agricultural policies in Africa and stressed the urgency of addressing this issue.
“From the biennial review report from the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development program, something is clear, country policies across the program show incoherence in policy and commitment in agriculture,” the MP for Wa East observed.
Dr. Jasaw addressed the 2023 Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, during a session with the theme “Parliamentary and Policymakers Forum: Facilitating a Business-Friendly Trade Environment.” This session focused on the vital importance of nurturing an environment conducive to the success of businesses operating within the food systems sector.
The session, expertly moderated by Dr. Apollos Nwafor, Vice President responsible for Policy and State Capability at AGRA, centered its discussions on the policies, laws, and regulations that can attract investments and bolster the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) within the agriculture and food sectors.
In-depth conversations among experts and policymakers revolved around the challenges faced by businesses and explored the roles of governments, parliamentarians, and private sector stakeholders in fostering a business-friendly atmosphere that facilitates trade.
Dr. Jasaw underscored the need for African countries to ensure a harmonious alignment between the executive and legislative branches in the formulation and enforcement of agricultural policies.
“There is a shrinking of the conceptualization of governance to think the government is just the executive. If we think of policy actions, we should think of the legislators. We should take the legislators along in the policy formulation and implementation,” he said.
Dr. Jasaw also called for increased and timely funding of agricultural initiatives on the African continent. “Most agricultural activities in Africa are timely and rainfed. If the government doesn’t receive the budget in good time, they will not be able to achieve their targets. The executive and legislators must be ready to work hand in hand to ensure government is held accountable,” he said.
Rose Kayi Mivedor, Minister of Investment in Togo who also spoke at the session said her country is prioritizing investments in the agricultural sector to help better the lives of people.
“60% of the population in Togo lives in rural areas and the agricultural sector contributes to 33% of the GDP. As a result of this, we have put a strong focus on agriculture to improve access to land, seeds, and fertilizer,” she said.
“We have put in place policies to reduce prices and implemented programs for irrigation, fertilizer, and training to ensure good yields and increase production. We need to have a strong involvement from the head of states to drive successes in the agribusiness sector and to show the youth population that agribusiness is suitable for them,” she added.
Former Tanzanian president Dr. Jakaya Kikwete who delivered the keynote address at the session called on African countries to take advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to improve agriculture.
“We had a meeting in Ghana and the subject of discussion was promoting trade in the agricultural commodities. One thing that struck me at that meeting was that there are still a number of African countries that haven’t ratified the AfCFTA. It is a big shame,” he observed.
“If we talk of Africa coming together, AfCFTA is that process that brings Africa together on the economic front beyond the political front,” he added.
Dr. Kikwete said through AfCFTA, Africa has a rare opportunity to transform its food system, create wealth, and feed its people.
“But we need not do business as usual. And this involves ensuring a transformation of smallholder farmers who constitute more than 60% of African agriculture,” he said.
The leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has acknowledged receipt of Alan Kyerematen’s letter announcing his decision to withdraw from the upcoming Presidential Primaries.
The ruling party made this known in a press release issued on September 6, which was signed by General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong.
Earlier, Deputy General Secretary, Haruna Mohammed, noted that the party has not received official communication regarding Alan Kyerematen’s withdrawal from the presidential race.
He stated, “We have learned of this news through the media, but we have not officially received communication from a senior party member, Alan Kojo Kyerematen; the party has not yet officially received any communication (regarding his withdrawal).”
“The proper procedure would involve drafting a statement or a letter to the presidential elections committee… The elections committee will be prepared to receive him, his representatives, or his agents tomorrow (Wednesday) for the balloting,” he added.
But as it stands now, the party has been duly informed of Alan Kyerematen’s decision.
“The leadership of the New Patriotic Party hereby acknowledges the receipt of a letter dated September 5, 2023, signed by Hon. John Alan Kyerematen and the contents therein are duly noted. We note with regret Hon. Kyerematen’s decision to withdraw from the upcoming Presidential Primaries,” the Party noted in its statement.
Alan Kyerematen announced his withdrawal from the NPP presidential race on Tuesday, September 5, citing his abysmal performance at the party’s just-ended Super Delegates Conference and “level of intimidation of varying intensity, directly and indirectly unleashed on a significant number of Delegates at various Voting Centers across the sixteen regions,” as reasons for his decision.
In response to his claims, the party has noted that both the Elections Committee and the Disciplinary Committee have initiated comprehensive investigations into all reported incidents of violations and infractions that are alleged to have occurred at various voting centers during the super delegates election which was held on Saturday, August 26, 2023.
“We wish to reassure all stakeholders and the general public that the reports of the aforementioned committees will be made readily available and persons who may be found culpable of any wrongdoing will be held accountable,” the party concluded.
Technical Advisor at the Office of the Vice President, Dr. Tiah Abdul-Kabiru Mahama, has indicated that Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s campaign team was not caught off guard by Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen’s withdrawal from the party’s flagbearer race.
He emphasized that the party had anticipated Mr. Kyerematen’s decision and believed that he had recognized his chances in the party’s November primaries.
Mr. Mahama further explained that individuals with presidential ambitions should evaluate whether their candidacy makes sense and whether they can have a meaningful impact.
In his opinion, if he were in Mr. Kyerematen’s position, he would have made the same choice. He added that the former Trade and Industry Minister had consulted with political experts who advised him to withdraw from the race.
“So when we heard of the intended press conference to be organised by Mr Alan Kyerematen, we were clear in our minds that, that probably was going to be a platform to share with his supporters that he was no more on the road and that he has gotten to the round of the runway and it was going to be a difficult decision to take off so he would rather stop the plane than to crash in the plane.”
He added: “So it didn’t come to us as a surprise at all. What is different from the reasons Mr Alan Kyerematen gave for his resignation in 2008 or when he lost the elections to Nana Akufo-Addo? If you listen to the reasons, he mentioned then that there were intimidations of his party supporters across the country, the same reasons are given to us today by Mr Alan Kyerematen as the reasons why he is no more contesting.”
He also noted that the current spirit within the NPP is favoring the candidacy of Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia. This suggests that Mr. Kyerematen’s choice to withdraw from the flagbearer race aligns with the party’s overall direction.
Furthermore, the Technical Advisor at the Office of the Vice President emphasized that rather than attributing his decision to skewed voter registration, Mr. Kyerematen should take responsibility for his performance, as shifting blame is not a productive approach.
Former Trade Minister, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, has withdrawn from the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) presidential elections.
His official withdrawal is contained in a press statement issued on Tuesday, September 5, 2023.
According to the former minister, his withdrawal stems from his abysmal performance at the party’s just-ended Super Delegates Conference due to the interference of some leaders of the party.
In his statement, he said: “After having carefully analysed the results of the said elections, it is absolutely clear to me from events leading to, during and after the elections, that the Special Delegates Conference was strategically and tactically skewed in favour of one particular Aspirant. The pronouncements made by some leading Members of our Party both before and after the elections, also lend weight to my observations.
A member of the Communications Team of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Alfred Thompson, has blamed delegates he describes as hypocritical for former Trade Minister, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen’s, withdrawal from the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) presidential elections.
According to Mr Thompson, Mr Kyerematen was sweet-talked into believing he stood a great chance in his quest to becoming the NPP’s flagbearer for the 2024 elections.
He emphasised that the former Trade Minister wholeheartedly believed what was told him by delegates.
“To tell you the truth, if you listen to wholeheartedly to what delegates tell you, you will behave exactly like what has happened.
Because they will tell you all sorts of things just to make you happy and believe that you are going to win, and you will win convincingly. So when results come this way and you get those votes, you sit back and ask yourself, Is it that what the people are saying were true?” he quizzed during an interview on TV3.
Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen’s official withdrawal is contained in a press statement issued on Tuesday, September 5, 2023.
According to the former minister, his withdrawal stems from his abysmal performance at the party’s just-ended Super Delegates Conference due to the interference of some leaders of the party.
In his statement, he said: “After having carefully analysed the results of the said elections, it is absolutely clear to me from events leading to, during and after the elections, that the Special Delegates Conference was strategically and tactically skewed in favour of one particular Aspirant. The pronouncements made by some leading Members of our Party both before and after the elections, also lend weight to my observations.
If you listen wholeheartedly to what delegates tell you, you will behave exactly like what has happened – Alfred Thompson on Alan Kyerematen's withdrawal from the NPP flagbearer race.#TV3NewDaypic.twitter.com/sGNWjDkav1
Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia won the super delegates conference held on August 26, with a total of 629 votes, representing 68.15% of the total valid votes.
Assin Central MP Kennedy Agyapong came in second with 132 votes, or 14.30% while former Trade Minister Alan Kyerematen placed third with 95 votes, or 10.29%.
With Mr Kyerematen out of the race, Mr Kennedy Agyapong, Dr Afriyie Akoto and Francis Addai-Nimo will contest against Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, who is considered the front runner in the party’s presidential elections.
The Concerned Drivers Association of Ghana (C-DAG) has threatened to demolish all abandoned tollbooths across the country should the government fail to do so over its inability to resume road toll collection.
According to the Association, its threat stems from the surge in road accidents reported at the various toll booths, which are currently not functioning.
A statement issued by the association, on Tuesday, 5 September 2023, and co-signed by its Deputy National Secretary, Nana Oweredu, and its PRO, David Agboado, noted that no measures have been put in place to control traffic flow at the various booths since they were decommissioned over a year ago.
“The Kasoa and Motorway toll booths have recorded the most dangerous and life-threatening accidents and just Sunday 3rd September, 2023, another one occurred at the Tema toll plaza,” the Association stated.
It, therefore, wants the government “as a matter of urgency, demolish all those tollbooths or take steps to decommission them according to this year’s budget statement presented by the finance ministry.”
“Failure on the part of the government to do any of these may cause us to carry out the demolition by ourselves as we can’t afford to put our lives at risk in the line of contributing to national development,” the Association added.
In 2022, road tolls were abolished following the implementation of the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy). However, road tolls were subsequently reinstated during the budget presentation on November 24, 2022.
The Finance Minister, on the matter, said: “The fiscal policy measures to underpin the 2023 Budget for consideration and approval by Parliament include the reintroduction of tolls on selected public roads and highways with a renewed focus on leveraging technology in the collection to address the inefficiencies characterised by the previous toll collection regime.”
A member of the Communications Team of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Alfred Thompson, has faulted former Trade Minister, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, for wholeheartedly believing what was told him by delegates.
Former Trade Minister, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, has recently announced his withdrawal from the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) presidential elections.
His official withdrawal is contained in a press statement issued on Tuesday, September 5, 2023.
According to the former minister, his withdrawal stems from his abysmal performance at the party’s just-ended Super Delegates Conference due to the interference of some leaders of the party.
In his statement, he said: “After having carefully analysed the results of the said elections, it is absolutely clear to me from events leading to, during and after the elections, that the Special Delegates Conference was strategically and tactically skewed in favour of one particular Aspirant. The pronouncements made by some leading Members of our Party both before and after the elections, also lend weight to my observations.
Reacting to this, Alfred Thompson noted that Mr Kyerematen could have avoided this if he had been circumspect while engaging delegates.
He suggested that the former Minister was sweet-talked by delegates into believing that he had a chance in the NPP primaries.
“To tell you the truth, if you listen to wholeheartedly to what delegates tell you, you will behave exactly like what has happened.
Because they will tell you all sorts of things just to make you happy and believe that you are going to win, and you will win convincingly. So when results come this way and you get those votes, you sit back and ask yourself, Is it that what the people are saying were true?” he quizzed.
If you listen wholeheartedly to what delegates tell you, you will behave exactly like what has happened – Alfred Thompson on Alan Kyerematen's withdrawal from the NPP flagbearer race.#TV3NewDaypic.twitter.com/sGNWjDkav1
Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia won the super delegates conference held on August 26, with a total of 629 votes, representing 68.15% of the total valid votes.
Assin Central MP Kennedy Agyapong came in second with 132 votes, or 14.30% while former Trade Minister Alan Kyerematen placed third with 95 votes, or 10.29%.
With Mr Kyerematen out the race, Mr Kennedy Agyapong, Dr Afriyie Akoto and Francis Addai-Nimo will contest against Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, who is considered the front runner in the party’s presidential elections.
Former National Organiser for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Sammi Awuku, has thrown a word of caution to the campaign team of the Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia following the withdrawal of former Trade Minister, Alan Kyerematen, from the party’s presidential candidate race as announced on September 5.
Sammi Awuku wants all factions of the ruling party to unite ahead of the 2024 general elections when they go up against the National Democratic Congress and its flagbearer, former President John Dramani Mahama.
Below is Mr. Awuku’s message to the Bawumia camp;
To Team Bawumia, this is definitely not the time for us to make it “us vrs others” in our party or a time to pass uncomplimentary remarks to aggravate wounds as Dr. Bawumia has admonished us his campaigners.
Instead, this is a time to reach out to each and everyone to make the 2024 campaign and election victory a possibility.
To all the supporters of the candidates who couldn’t make it to the top 5 and supporters of aspirants who made it to the top 5, please let’s come together.Let’s solve our problems together and once again position the NPP still as the party of choice ahead of the 2024 General Elections to deliver economic prosperity for our nation, Ghana.
The challenges we face today as a party and country may be fearsome, but so are our strengths.
Dr. Bawumia and his team will work hand in hand with each and everyone within the NPP and outside the party to once again deliver victory in 2024.
I miss my brothers and sisters in all the camps of our party.Please come and let’s work together!
To my very own astute communicator and sister Hon. Catherine Abelema Afeku,Yaw Buaben Asamoa Esq. Hopeson Adorye,Davis Ansah Opoku MP, Hon. Dr. Samiu Kwadwo Nuamah,Collins Randy Owusu Amankwah, Richard Barima Sarpong you have done a good job and been greatly missed ,
Come join us, and let’s all work for another emphatic New Patriotic Party (NPP: Development in Freedom) victory in 2024.
The journey won’t be easy, but with you all playing a role, Dr. Bawumia can surely lead us all to Break the 8.
I kindly call on you all on behalf of DMB to hit the road together!
ITISPOSSIBLETOGETHER.
Below is a video on why Alan Kyerematen withdrew from NPP presidential candidate race;
The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal is scheduled to deliver its verdict on Wednesday, September 6, in response to suits filed by five political parties, namely the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), Action Peoples Party (APP), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), and the Action Alliance (AA).
These parties contested the outcome of the February 25, 2023, presidential election, which resulted in the emergence of Bola Tinubu as the winner.
The five-member panel of justices, headed by the presiding justice, Justice Haruna Tsammani, will convene to deliberate and possibly vote on the final decision. In the event of disagreements on trial issues, the panel will make a collective decision. It’s important to note that the tribunal’s decision is not final, as any dissatisfied party can still appeal to the Supreme Court.
The judges overseeing the tribunal proceedings are as follows:
Justice Haruna Tsammani: Born on November 23, 1959, Justice Tsammani is from Tafawa Balewa LGA of Bauchi State. He earned his LL.B degree from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, in 1982. He began his career as a High Court judge in Bauchi State on September 17, 1998, and was subsequently elevated to the Court of Appeal on July 16, 2010. He is the longest-serving Justice of the Court of Appeal among the panel members.
Justice Stephen Adah: Born on June 13, 1957, Justice Adah hails from Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State. He obtained his LL.B degree from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, in 1981 and his BL from the Nigerian Law School, Lagos, in 1982. He was appointed a judge of the Federal High Court on November 12, 1998, and later elevated to the Court of Appeal on November 5, 2012.
Justice Mistura Bolaji-Yusuf: The sole female member of the panel, Justice Bolaji-Yusuf, was born on August 7, 1959, and is from Oyo West LGA of Oyo State. She earned her LL.B degree from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, in 1983, and her BL certificate from the Nigerian Law School the following year. She became a Judge of the High Court of Oyo State on January 30, 1997, and was later elevated to the Court of Appeal on March 24, 2014.
Justice Boloukuoromo Ugo: At 57 years old, Justice Ugo is the youngest member of the panel. He hails from Kolokuma/Opokua Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. He obtained his LL.B degree from the University of Calabar in 1989 and his BL certificate from the Nigerian Law School in Lagos in 1990. He was appointed a Judge of the High Court of Bayelsa State on March 21, 2006, and later elevated to the Court of Appeal on March 24, 2014.
Justice Abba Mohammed: Justice Mohammed is from Kano State and was born on February 19, 1961. He earned his LL.B degree from the Institute of Administration, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, in 1984 and his BL certificate from the Nigerian Law School in Lagos in 1985. He was appointed a judge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in 2010 and later promoted to the Court of Appeal on June 28, 2021. He previously chaired the Nasarawa State Governorship Election Tribunal in 2019.
These justices will play a pivotal role in delivering a verdict on the presidential election petitions, and their decisions will have significant implications for the outcome of the case.
Some social media users on Twitter are dissatisfied with the current state of the Accra-Tema Motorway.
For months, the pothole-ridden and rough route, which serves as a critical transportation link between Accra, the economic and administrative center of Ghana, and Tema, has continued to be a disservice to motorists as lives have been lost and the cost of car maintenance has surged.
In a recent video shared by Twitter user, @AsieduMends, the bad state of the road is once again brought to bare.
Reacting to this, some tweeps noted how dangerous it has now become and how heartbreaking it is for the government to sit aloof while several lives are endangered on the road.
Per reports, while the section of road from Tema to Accra remains in a deteriorated state, the segment near the Ashaiman tollbooth has been severely impacted by potholes, with transit trucks often parked on the shoulders for extended periods. Additionally, erosion has eroded the edges of the road.
Furthermore, the portion just before the Abattoir Bridge, which had been recently repaired, has now developed potholes, compelling drivers to reduce their speed.
This situation results in traffic congestion, especially during peak hours, that extends all the way to the Ashaiman underbridge area.
The eagerly anticipated judgment day has arrived, casting a cloud of tension and anxiety across Nigeria. In a significant development, the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) has announced a date for delivering its judgment on the petitions challenging the outcome of the 2023 presidential election.
Adding to the intrigue, the PEPT has declared that the judgment delivery will be broadcast live.
Notably, President Bola Tinubu is scheduled to travel to New Delhi, India, for the G-20 Summit, as disclosed in a statement issued by the Presidency on Sunday, September 3.
This means that he won’t be in the country when the tribunal determines the fate of his victory, which is being contested by Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP), and the Allied Peoples Movement (APM). Each of them filed separate petitions to challenge the outcome declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) following the presidential poll on February 25.
It’s worth noting that the coincidence of the tribunal scheduling its judgment on a day when the President is abroad has not gone unnoticed. Nigerians are awaiting the decision of the Justice Haruna Tsammani-led panel with great anticipation.
The 2023 presidential election was among the most fiercely contested and disputed in Nigeria’s democratic history since the return to civilian rule in 1999. As the tribunal prepares to announce its verdict today, Wednesday, tensions have risen throughout the country.
On Monday, September 4, the same day when the tribunal disclosed its judgment date, the Department of State Services (DSS) released a statement revealing that it had uncovered plans by certain elements in various regions of the country to organize violent protests aimed at discrediting the Federal Government.
While the DSS did not explicitly link this alleged plot to the tribunal’s judgment, the language used in the statement bore similarities to an earlier one released by the agency, which warned of plans by certain politicians to establish an interim government after the 2023 general elections, just before former President Muhammadu Buhari handed over power to Tinubu on May 29.
“Intelligence reports have indicated that the plotters include certain politicians who are desperately mobilising unsuspecting student leaders, ethnic-based associations, youth, and disgruntled groups for the planned action.
“The Service has identified the ring leaders of the plot as well as sustained monitoring around them in order to deter them from plunging the country into anarchy,” the DSS said in the statement released on Monday, September 4.
Before his departure for India, Tinubu presided over a National Security Council meeting at the State House in Abuja. Although the specifics of the meeting were not disclosed publicly, many Nigerians speculate that it might be related to the mounting tensions surrounding the impending tribunal judgment.
Contrary to the escalating tension, the Presidency asserted that the President remains unfazed by the tribunal’s impending decision. Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, conveyed this message during his appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today program on Monday evening.
“He’s not worried simply because he knows he won the election,” Ngelale said.
But, in a veiled reference to the controversial ‘All Eyes on the Judiciary’ billboards erected by some Nigerians ahead of the tribunal’s verdict, the presidential spokesperson added, “The President sees no need to threaten judicial officers. He sees no need to raise speculations against the integrity of judicial officers; he believes in the sanctity and integrity of the Nigerian judicial system, he believes the great men and women on the panel will make their decisions based only on the facts before them.”
According to Ngelale, “He (Tinubu) will continue to ensure that no matter what the outcome of the judgement is, he does his part and ensure that our institutions continue to be respected, not just by him, but all actors.”
However, the Labour Party immediately countered the Presidency’s assertion that Tinubu won the election.
When contacted by DAILY POST on Tuesday, September 5, spokesperson of the Labour Party, Obiora Ifoh expressed confidence that the judgement will go the way of the party and its presidential candidate, Obi.
“We are positive that the judgement will favour the Labour Party and our presidential candidate, Peter Obi. We are also positive that the will of the people will prevail.
“Most Nigerians have waited this long and their wishes will be granted. The mandate freely expressed on February 25 will be returned to the rightful winner of the election,” Ifoh said in a message he sent to DAILY POST on Whatsapp.
PDP spokesperson, Debo Ologunagba, could not be reached for comments on Tuesday. Calls to his phone were not answered. He also did not reply to an SMS sent to him by DAILY POST.
The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) has reserved judgment since August 1, following the adoption of final written addresses by all parties involved. According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Bola Tinubu of the APC won the presidential election with 8,794,726 votes. Atiku Abubakar of the PDP came second with 6,984,520 votes, and Peter Obi of the LP finished third with 6,101,533 votes.
Tinubu secured victory in 12 states, just like Atiku, while Obi won 11 states along with the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). However, an issue to be decided by the tribunal is Tinubu’s eligibility for the presidency, given that he failed to obtain at least 25 percent of the votes in the FCT.
Atiku, Obi, and the APM have requested that the tribunal nullify the 2023 presidential election. Atiku, represented by lead counsel Chris Uche, SAN, argued that Tinubu was not qualified to contest the election due to a United States court ruling that ordered him to forfeit $460,000 for drug and money laundering-related offenses. He also urged the tribunal to nullify the election and call for a fresh one, alleging that INEC failed to electronically transmit the results, in contravention of the amended Electoral Act.
Obi, in his petition, raised concerns about Tinubu’s alleged drug trafficking offense in the US and his failure to obtain 25 percent of the votes in the FCT. Obi’s legal team argued that Tinubu should not have been declared president because of these issues. They also claimed that the votes for Tinubu should be invalidated due to the simultaneous nomination of Kashim Shettima as the APC candidate for Borno Central Senatorial District and the party’s vice-presidential candidate, which violated the Electoral Act.
The LP candidate contended that INEC’s claim of technical glitches causing the failure to upload results on the INEC Result Viewing portal was an act of sabotage to influence the election outcome. Obi asked the tribunal to cancel the election and order a fresh one or declare him the President-elect and issue him a certificate of return.
The APM argued that Tinubu’s candidacy was invalidated by the withdrawal of Ibrahim Masari, who was initially nominated as the vice-presidential candidate of the APC. They urged the tribunal to declare that Shettima was not qualified to contest as the vice-presidential candidate of the APC as of February 25 when the election took place. The APM requested the tribunal to nullify all the votes Tinubu received and set aside his Certificate of Return.
Tinubu, the APC, and INEC have asked the tribunal to dismiss the petitions. Fagbemi, SAN, argued that Tinubu’s forfeiture of $460,000 in the US was a civil matter and should not disqualify him from the election. Olanipekun, SAN, argued that the FCT should be counted as the 37th state for electoral purposes, and the President’s failure to obtain 25 percent of the votes in the FCT should not invalidate his election.
INEC’s counsel, Mahmoud, SAN, disputed the petitioners’ claims that the failure to upload results on the INEC IReV portal affected the election outcome. He argued that the election was conducted in substantial compliance with the Electoral Act.
All eyes are on the judiciary as the tribunal prepares to deliver its verdict. Nigerians have various expectations for the judgment, with some emphasizing the need for a fair and just decision, while others express their anticipation for the outcome. Billboards with the inscription “All Eyes on the Judiciary” had appeared in different parts of the country but were later removed due to ARCON’s orders. However, the focus remains on the judiciary as the nation awaits the tribunal’s decision on this matter.
He said, “Nigerians are divided along political lines. Peoples’ expectations are largely based on their political affiliations.
“Supporters of the APC, PDP and LP are all clamouring that the judgement must be in their favour. But this is like a game of football, not all of them will carry the day. Somebody will come out victorious.
“But the judgement should be based on sound reasoning. Whatever decision they arrive at should be based on sound principles of law, not on technicalities. That is what every Nigerian should be expecting.
“Justice is not a one-way traffic. Justice must be done based on what the law says. The only advice for the judges of the tribunal is that their judgement should be based on justice, fairness and equity and on sound principles of law.”
Also speaking with DAILY POST, Secretary General of the Conference Of Nigeria Political Parties, CNPP, Willy Ezugwu, noted that the eyes of the whole world is on the tribunal.
“The world is watching, not only Nigerians. Everybody is watching the judiciary. We are watching to see what the tribunal will come up with, with all the evidence on the ground,” Ezugwu said.
He also advised against building the judgement on technicalities.
“They don’t have to arrive at the judgement on technicalities. Every person knows – no one can say they are not judges and for that reason, they are not able to decide. That is why Nigerians are crying, they are shouting, they are pronouncing that all eyes are on the judges,” he stated.
Member of Parliament for Klotte Korle constituency, Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, has expressed that she would consider it an honour if her name were to be included among the potential running mates for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate in the upcoming 2024 general elections.
Even prior to the re-election of former President John Mahama as the NDC’s flagbearer for the 2024 elections, there had been ongoing discussions about who his potential running mate might be.
These conversations gained momentum partly due to the perception among some political analysts that Mr. Mahama may not retain his 2020 running mate, Prof. Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang. Arguments against her potential selection often centered on concerns that she might not be as active or bring significant advantages to John Mahama’s candidacy for a second time.
Additionally, with Mahama aging, analysts believed that a more youthful and energetic running mate may be needed to assume a more active role both during the campaign and as Vice President if the NDC were to win the 2024 election.
One of the names that has surfaced as a potential running mate is Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, 45.
The young medical doctor, who is seeking a third term in parliament, has typically refrained from commenting on this issue. However, for those who view her as a potential candidate for the role of running mate, particularly if the NDC opts to maintain a female candidate, they see her age, vitality, eloquence, and charisma as her standout qualities.
During an interview on Asempa FM’s Ekosiisen program on Monday, September 4, the medical doctor and activist addressed the alleged mention of her name as a possible running mate.
She said, “I am sure people are looking at a lot of different factors and perhaps coming to that conclusion. Flattered? I don’t know if I will quite say that. I think it’s an interesting responsibility because what it does is perhaps to remind me to maintain a certain level of integrity in what I do because these things matter. I guess I am honoured by the fact that the name keeps coming up if that’s the case.
“But ultimately, I won’t be the one to appoint myself. So, I think beyond that I don’t know how to respond to this question “she noted.
Asked by the host, Osei Bonsu [Alias OB] whether she will respond to the call to be a running mate, she said “let’s not be preemptive and premature on this matter.”
“Look, at the end of the day, when we are called to duty, we take it up. And it’s not the case of shying away from any chance to serve the party and ultimately Ghana. And for now where I find myself is a Member of Parliament and a parliamentary candidate for the constituency [Klotte Korle], so the job before me is what I am focusing on “she noted.
A recent report has suggested that the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who emerged as the victor in the 2023 presidential elections, could potentially have faced defeat.
Published by TheCable, this report highlights a noteworthy detail: all of Tinubu’s primary opponents were former members of the main opposition party, the PDP.
Collectively, they garnered a significant total of 14,582,740 votes, surpassing the number of votes secured by Tinubu to secure the presidency.
For context, the presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress, Tinubu, received a total of 8,794,726 votes to clinch the victory over his rivals, which included Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi of the Labour Party, and Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).
Atiku, the former Vice President, secured the second position with a total of 6,984,520 votes, while Obi accumulated 6,101,533 votes, placing him third in the race. Kwankwaso came in fourth with 1,496,687 votes.
In terms of the nationwide distribution of votes, the APC garnered 37%, compared to PDP’s 29%, and LP’s 25%.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has invoked his statutory power under Section 38(1) of Act 959 and Regulation 19(1) of L.I. 2374 to retain possession of Madam Cecilia Dapaah’s funds, despite the High Court’s directive to return them.
This means the former Sanitation and Water Resources Minister will not be receiving the money seized from her house anytime soon.
On August 9, the former minister’s cedi and dollar accounts were frozen by the OSP pending further investigations into corruption and corruption-related activities.
But last week, the Accra High Court issued an order instructing the OSP to unfreeze Ms. Dapaah’s bank accounts and return seized cash.
However, the OSP, in a statement, asserted that it had indeed complied with the court’s order but clarified that ongoing investigations had led them to believe that the money might be linked to illegal activities, prompting them to maintain custody of the amount.
The OSP has therefore frozen Cecilia Dapaah’s bank accounts.
“Consequently, subsequent to the indicated ruling and order of the High Court and the compliance by the OSP with said ruling and order, the Special Prosecutor considers that freezing the bank accounts and investments of Ms. Dapaah is necessary to facilitate the ongoing investigation. Therefore, the Special Prosecutor has invoked his statutory power under section 38(1) of Act 959 and regulation 19(1) of L.I. 2374 by directing the freezing of the bank accounts and investments of Ms. Dapaah effective 5 September 2023.”
“Further, subsequent to the indicated ruling and order of the High Court and the compliance by the OSP with said ruling and order, the Special Prosecutor considers that he has reasonable grounds to suspect that the cash amounts seized from and returned to Ms. Dapaah is tainted property and it is necessary to exercise the power of seizure to prevent the concealment or loss of said cash amounts. Therefore, the Special Prosecutor has again invoked his statutory power under section 32(1)(a) of Act 959 by directing the seizure from Ms. Dapaah of the cash amounts previously seized from her. Authorized officers of the OSP have seized the said cash amounts from Ms. Dapaah.”
In July 2023, former Sanitation Minister, Cecilia Dapaah, garnered significant public attention when The Chronicle Newspaper reported that her domestic staff had been taken to court on allegations of stealing a substantial sum of money and personal belongings. The reported stolen items included $1 million, 300,000 euros, several million cedis, and various valuable possessions belonging to both the former minister and her husband.
Following public outcry, Cecilia Dapaah resigned from her ministerial position and was subsequently arrested by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP). She was later granted bail.
On Monday, July 24, 2023, officials from the Office of the Special Prosecutor conducted a search at the former minister’s residence. During this operation, the OSP uncovered a significant amount of cash totaling US$590,000 and GHC2.730,000.
Promptly recognizing the importance of this discovery as potential evidence in their ongoing investigation, officials from the Office of the Special Prosecutor took immediate action by seizing these substantial sums of cash. Additionally, the OSP exercised its authority to freeze seven bank accounts belonging to Cecilia Dapaah as part of the investigative process.
The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Bank of Ghana will hold its 114th Regular meeting from Tuesday, September 19, 2023, to Friday, September 22, 2023, to review developments in the economy.
The meetings will conclude with a press conference on Monday, September 25, 2023, to announce the decision of the Committee.
In July this year, the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of Ghana, as part of efforts to address the surging inflation, raised its Policy Rate by 50 basis points, reaching 30%.
This is the latest move in a series of increases since November 2021, amounting to a total of 15.5%.
Interestingly, despite the hike in the policy rate, lending rates are not anticipated to rise. Surprisingly, the cost of credit has been decreasing, contrary to the expected upward trend.
After declining consistently between January to April, headline inflation increased in May and June on account of a variety of factors, including higher food prices, implementation of new tax measures, and utility tariff adjustments.
Overall inflation increased from 41.2 percent in April to 42.2 percent in May and then further to 42.5 percent in June.
Underlying measures of inflation have all ticked up in May 2023, the BoG said.
Banks and Specialized Deposit-Taking Institutions (SDI) collectively issued and registered secured loans with a total estimated value of GHS5.9 billion in the second quarter of 2023, according to the Bank of Ghana.
This figure reflects a notable growth of 15.5% compared to the previous year.
According to the second quarter Collateral Registry Report released by the Bank of Ghana (BoG), banks were responsible for ¢4.9 billion of these secured loans during the same period in 2023.
This represents a substantial increase of 14.8% compared to the second quarter of 2022. The banks’ share of the total secured loans constituted 83.7% of the overall figure.
In contrast, Specialized Deposit-Taking Institutions recorded a total of GHS971.1 million in secured loans during the second quarter of 2023. This share accounted for 16.5% of the total secured loans and marked a significant rise of 19.1% from the ¢815.0 million recorded during the equivalent period in 2022.
Quarter 1, 2023
The value of secured loans for which collateral was registered by banks and SDIs was GHS5.26 billion in Q1:2023, relative to GHS 6.5 billion in Q1:2022, indicating a year-on-year decline of 19.23 percent.
Banks accounted for GHS 4.3 billion of total secured loans, representing 25.1 percent decrease from GHS 5.8 billion recorded in Q1:2022 and a share of 82.4 percent out of the total secured loans . On the other hand, the SDIs recorded a total amount of GHS 924.7 million secured loans representing a share of 17.6 percent and an increase of 29.8 percent from the GHS 712.6 million recorded for the same period in 2022.
Quarter 2, 2023
In the second quarter of the year, banks continued to hold the lion’s share of secured loans, accounting for a substantial 83.7% of the total.
Savings and Loans companies, on the other hand, saw their portion of secured loans increase to 9.8% compared to the same quarter in 2022. In contrast, Finance Houses experienced a decline, with their share dropping to a mere 0.3% from 0.8% in the second quarter of 2022. Microfinance Companies also saw a slight uptick, claiming 1.1% of the secured loans, up from 0.9% during the corresponding period in the previous year.
During the second quarter of 2023, a total of 50,695 collateral registrations were recorded, marking a growth of 15.5%. This is in comparison to the 43,861 registrations seen in the same quarter of 2022, representing a 15.6% year-on-year increase.
Breaking down these registrations across various categories of lenders, Savings and Loans Companies dominated the landscape with 39,796 registrations in the second quarter of 2023, indicating a significant surge of 23.8% from the 32,147 registrations recorded during the second quarter of 2022.
Spokesperson for Dr Mahamudu Bawumia’s campaign, Nana Akomea, has chided former President John Dramani Mahama over his recent comment that casts aspersions on the integrity of the judiciary.
Former President John Dramani Mahama has claimed that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government has selected individuals with close ties to the ruling party to hold positions within the judiciary.
Mr Mahama contended that President Akufo-Addo’s appointments to the judiciary seem to be a deliberate strategy aimed at installing judges who might lean toward his interests once his tenure ends.
The 2024 National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer proposed that the president’s actions are designed to protect himself from accountability once he finishes his term in office.
Mr. Mahama said: “Currently, the judiciary is packed with NPP-inclined judges because this government has carried out a deliberate policy of putting their people onto the bench.”
“He has appointed the biggest number of judges onto the bench, it is more than 80 towards 100 and counting. You can see what the current president has done. He has packed the court, and we know they have packed the court because they want to avoid accountability after they have left office.”
He made this assertion while addressing the closing ceremony of the 3rd Annual Lawyers Conference of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Saturday, September 2.
In reaction to the statesman’s comment, Nana Akomea noted that it is unacceptable for Mr Mahama to make such an accusation without providing any evidence.
According to Mr Akomea, the statement uttered by the former president must be condemned by all.
“The statements former president Mahama made should be condemned by every right thinking Ghanaian has only placed NPP supporters at the Judiciary without any proof that those there align with the NPP.
More dangerous is that he said because of this, should he return to power, he will put NDC individuals at the courts. It is a dangerous statement and everyone who respects our democracy must condemn it.
He has no basis. Someone who is a former president and still wants to be president. This is the reality Ghanaians are facing.
He therefore quizzed, “If you speak this way, do you deserve to be president?”
He accused the former President of consistently condemning state institutions when things don’t go his way.
Ghanaian boxer Seth Gyimah, also known as Freezy MacBones, made a long-awaited return to his hometown, much to the delight of the local community. The UK-based Ghanaian received a warm and enthusiastic welcome from his fellow townspeople, creating scenes of pure joy.
During his visit, MacBones revisited the modest mud house where he spent his early years in a village near Kumasi. He shared that his village lacked basic amenities such as access to clean water and electricity, highlighting the challenges he faced growing up.
MacBones recalled a time when electricity was non-existent, and having access to fresh water was a luxury he couldn’t afford. He vividly remembered trekking long distances to fetch water from a nearby river.
During his visit, he even playfully jumped and tapped the mud house’s wall, symbolizing his journey from humble beginnings to his current status as a professional boxer in the UK.
“Yesterday I visited the place I was born and grew up. It was amazing, it was emotional and exciting.
“The feelings were different. Thanks for all the support and prayers for yesterday.
“Let’s make history. Let’s win together. Feels good to be home.”
He is currently in Ghana preparing with the Black Bombers to be participate in a qualifying tournament for the 2024 Olympic Games.
On Sunday, the 27th of August 2023, I issued a public statement which made reference to the selection and shortlisting of Presidential Aspirants by the Special Electoral College convened by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on the 26th of August 2023.
After having carefully analysed the results of the said elections, it is absolutely clear to me from events leading to, during and after the elections, that the Special Delegates Conference was strategically and tactically skewed in favour of one particular Aspirant.
The pronouncements made by some leading Members of our Party both before and after the elections, also lend weight to my observations.
The level of intimidation of varying intensity, directly and indirectly unleashed on a significant number of Delegates at various Voting Centers across the sixteen regions, is unprecedented in the history of our Party.
In addition, the fact that my Polling Agent in the North East region has suffered severe damage to his eye sight, arising from his bold and courageous effort to ensure compliance with the very rules and regulations for the conduct of the elections as approved by the Presidential Elections Committee, will forever remain a dark spot in the history of internal elections within the Party.
This incident and various acts of violence and collusion, reported in other Voting Centers, are appalling, unconscionable, and despicable. I am committed to, and value the safety of those who work with me and for me, and I will always fight for their interest.
The question I keep asking myself is, “How did we get here as a Party in the first place, and how far are we prepared to tread on this dangerous path to self-destruction?”
Regrettably, I am not convinced that the circumstances I have referred to earlier, will not persist or even be escalated in the next round of elections, for which balloting is scheduled for Wednesday, 6th of September 2023.
In light of the foregoing, I wish to confirm that I am honourably withdrawing from the process that will lead to the Presidential Primaries to be held on the 4th of November 2023.
In the next upcoming weeks, I will provide an indication of the role that I will play in politics in Ghana, after consultations with my family and other well- wishers, various stakeholders and interest groups.
I wish all the other Aspirants well as they continue on their journey. I also wish to use this opportunity to express my profound gratitude once again to my family, the Alan 4 President (A4P) Campaign Team, and all my teeming supporters in Ghana and from around the world, who have supported me in diverse ways over the years.
Please be assured that the battle is still the Lord’s, and that those who wait upon the Lord shall have their strength renewed.
God bless our homeland Ghana and make our nation great and strong! .Signed…………. HON. ALAN KYEREMATEN
Former Trade Minister, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, has withdrawn from the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) presidential elections.
His official withdrawal is contained in a press statement issued on September 5, 2023, signed by himself.
According to the former minister, his withdrawal stems from his abysmal performance at the party’s just-ended Super Delegates Conference.
“After having carefully analysed the results of the said elections, it is absolutely clear to me from events leading to, during and after the elections, that the Special Delegates Conference was strategically and tactically skewed in favour of one particular Aspirant. The pronouncements made by some leading Members of our Party both before and after the elections, also lend weight to my observations,” he wrote.
Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia won the super delegates conference held on August 26, with a total of 629 votes, representing 68.15% of the total valid votes.
Assin Central MP Kennedy Agyapong came in second with 132 votes, or 14.30% while former Trade Minister Alan Kyerematen placed third with 95 votes, or 10.29%.
In the recent release, Mr Alan Kyerematen further accused the party of allowing the “level of intimidation of varying intensity, directly and indirectly unleashed on a significant number of Delegates at various Voting Centers across the sixteen regions.”
This, he said, is unprecedented in the history of the NPP.
“In addition, the fact that my Polling Agent in the North East region has suffered severe damage to his eye sight, arising from his bold and courageous effort to ensure compliance with the very rules and regulations for the conduct of the elections as approved by the Presidential Elections Committee, will forever remain a dark spot in the history of internal elections within the Party.
This incident and various acts of violence and collusion, reported in other Voting Centers, are appalling, unconscionable, and despicable,” he added.
Mr Kyerematen is of the assertion that the path allegedly taken by the party is one that would lead to “self-destruction.”
He is of the opinion that the challenges raised will be “escalated in the next round of elections, for which balloting is scheduled for Wednesday, 6th of September 2023.”
In view of the aforementioned matters, Mr Alan Kyerematen announced that he is “honourably withdrawing from the process that will lead to the Presidential Primaries to be held on the 4th of November 2023.”
He however revealed his intentions to update Ghanaians on the role he will play in the country’s politics in the next upcoming weeks.
Meanwhile, Mr Kyerematen has expressed his well wishes to the remaining individuals competing for the NPP flagbearership race.
“I wish all the other Aspirants well as they continue on their journey. I also wish to use this opportunity to express my profound gratitude once again to my family, the Alan 4 President (A4P) Campaign Team, and all my teeming supporters in Ghana and from around the world, who have supported me in diverse ways over the years.
“Please be assured that the battle is still the Lord’s, and that those who wait upon the Lord shall have their strength renewed,” he concluded.
With Mr Kyerematen out the race, Mr Kennedy Agyapong, Dr Afriyie Akoto and Francis Addai-Nimo will contest against Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, who is considered the front runner in the party’s presidential elections.
Editor-in-chief of the Insight Newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jr., is unable to comprehend a recent revelation that suggests that the top hierarchy of the Ghana Police Service requests the services of Malams to accomplish challenging tasks.
During one of the public hearings by a Parliamentary Committee tasked with probing a leaked tape on plans to oust the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr George Dampare, one of the accused noted that it was suggested that mallams be engaged to aid the removal of the IGP from office.
During his appearance before the parliamentary committee investigating the matter on Monday, Superintendent George Asare suggested that Bugri Naabu recommended the use of Mallams (spiritual practitioners) to aid in the removal of the IGP.
He claimed that Bugri Naabu advocated for both physical and spiritual measures to have the current IGP removed, citing previous instances where he had facilitated individuals in obtaining spiritual assistance for securing high-ranking positions.
“It was Chief Bugri Naabu who invited me to his office. I wasn’t lobbying for anybody. Chief Bugri Naabu made an emphatic statement about this thing, I want to quote him verbatim, but it will be difficult. All that he was trying to say was that this thing, we have to fight it, both physically and spiritually. And then he gave examples of people that he helped them fight for the positions spiritually. It was a private conversation, I don’t want to make it public here.
“But the spiritual one, he went further to show us which places he can go. So it was on the premise of this that I made the statement that Alhaji, this one, you are the spiritual controller. Because you [Bugri Naabu] made us understand that I didn’t even know that, when you are fighting for a position, you have to fight it in two ways, both spiritually and physically.”
He stressed, “I said that as for Master [COP Alex Mensah] I don’t think he will buy into this idea of fighting this spiritually, because he’s a Christian. He [Bugri Naabu] mentioned some Imams, that can help pray for him. Some Imams can help him with prayers. Chief Bugri Naabu insisted that he has to also see some Mallams. He recommended about three, some in the North, and some from his village. It was Chief Bugri Naabu himself that came forth with that suggestion,” Supt. Asare insisted.
Reacting to this information during an interview with Kwame Sefa Kayi on Peace FM, Kwesi Pratt Junior noted the laws have been discarded when it comes to the steps to be taken for the removal of the IGP.
For him, it is unbelievable the spiritual warefare that must take place for an IGP to be removed.
“This tape has got chills over my spine. I am shocked. I ask myself, in Ghana, if we are going to remove the Inspector General of Police, are the things being mentioned part of the things that happen?
“Even now Mallams are part. Is it not true, Kwame? Mallams can even be added. Ei. God damn it. Unbelievable.
“We have thrown away what the law says we should do when we want to remove the IGP. If not all, some Police officers have thrown it away completely.
“My own friend, Bugri Naabu, is an integral part of the removal of the IGP, ei Ghana,” he said.
Director General of the Ghana AIDS Commission, Dr Kyeremeh Atuahene, has indicated that the youth comprise 11 per cent of the cumulative figure of 355,000 Ghanaians living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
Per the data provided by Dr Kyeremeh Atuahene at the Joy Christian Forum held last week, more than 40, 000 youth aged 15 to 24 years are infected with the virus.
The health expert attributed the number of HIV cases recorded to the surge in immoral activities being undertaken by members of the general public.
This, Dr Atuahene said, has made it difficult for the Commission’s aim of “reducing infections by 17% every year.”
He elaborated on the higher HIV infection rates among women, attributing it to their genital anatomy. He pointed out that the vagina’s structure and its delicate lining make women more vulnerable to HIV infection because it serves as a receptor.
Additionally, Dr. Atuahene highlighted that individuals with untreated sexually transmitted diseases (STIs) face an elevated risk of contracting HIV, noting that between 10 and 13 percent of people diagnosed with STIs have HIV.
“If you have chlamydia, chancroid, or any ulcerative infections then you become even more vulnerable. When you sleep with anybody, because you have some ulcers down there, you’re most likely to get infected,” he said.
Dr Atuahene therefore entreated the youth to do away with immoral behaviors that are most likely to endanger their lives.
Despite the challenge faced, the Ghana AIDS Commission managed to see a reduction in infections by 2 per cent last year.
Meanwhile, there is the likelihood of a mass spread of the Human Immune Virus (HIV) in the country, according to the Ghana AIDS Commission, as over 100,000 individuals are oblivious to contracting the virus.
“More than 28% of people living with HIV still do not know their HIV status because they have not tested. That represents about 100,000 people. They are spreading it unknowingly and that is not the best,” Dr Atuahene told the media.
According to him, the looming mass spread can be curtailed should citizens inculcate the habit of testing for HIV/AIDS frequently.
“If you wait till you get AIDS before you go to the hospital, it will take a much longer time for you to recover in terms of boosting your immune system for it to regenerate and support your body, it takes a longer time,” he added.
The Ghana AIDS Commission says it has mounted a search for the individuals who may be spreading the virus without being aware of it.
Jorge Vilda, the head coach of Spain’s Women’s World Cup-winning team, has been dismissed from his position amid the Luis Rubiales scandal that has engulfed Spanish football.
Spain’s Women’s World Cup victory was marred by controversy when the president of the country’s football federation, Luis Rubiales, was seen kissing forward Jenni Hermoso, a gesture she later stated was not consensual.
Following the incident, most of Vilda’s coaching staff resigned, and 81 players refused to represent Spain in protest.
While Luis Rubiales has resisted calls for his resignation, he has been temporarily suspended by Fifa, the global governing body of football.
In a statement, Spanish federation the RFEF did not give a specific reason for Vilda’s dismissal, saying he had been “a promoter of the values of respect and sportsmanship in football”.
Nevertheless, the RFEF has been contemplating the possibility of removing 42-year-old Vilda, who is seen as a close associate of Rubiales, since the previous week.
The RFEF described this action as “one of the initial renewal measures” announced by interim president Pedro Rocha, who has assumed the role during Rubiales’ suspension by Fifa.
It’s worth noting that Vilda had previously applauded Rubiales at the RFEF’s extraordinary general assembly in August, during which Rubiales reiterated his refusal to step down and indicated his intention to extend Vilda’s contract. However, Vilda has since criticized Rubiales’ conduct.
“The RFEF appreciates [Vilda’s] work at the head of the national team and in his functions as the head of sports for the women’s teams, as well as the successes achieved during his time crowned with the recent achievement of the World Cup,” said the RFEF.
“We value his impeccable personal and sporting conduct, being a key piece in the notable growth of women’s football in Spain.”
Vilda, who had been in charge of the national team since 2015, survived a player ‘revolt’ in September 2022, when the RFEF released a statement revealing 15 players had submitted identical emails saying they would not play for Vilda unless “significant” concerns over their “emotional state” and “health” were addressed.
‘Las 15’ – as the players became known – denied claims they had asked for Vilda, who has always maintained the support of Rubiales, to be sacked, but tension followed amid reports of concerns over training methods and inadequate game preparation.
Of those 15, just three ended their exile and were back in the squad as Spain beat England in the World Cup final in Sydney last month.
Vilda oversaw 108 matches as Spain coach, winning 75, and reached the European Championship quarter-finals in 2017 and 2022.
The World Cup winners are currently second in the Fifa women’s world rankings.
The RFEF’s statement added: “The RFEF would like to express its gratitude to Jorge Vilda for the services provided, for his professionalism and dedication during all these years, wishing him the best successes in the future.
“The RFEF is left with an extraordinary sporting legacy thanks to the implementation of a recognised game model and a methodology that has been an engine of growth for all the women’s categories of the national team.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Rocha apologised to the “whole of the football world” for the “totally unacceptable behaviour” of Rubiales.
Rocha said he plans to “give back the spotlight” to the women’s team after their World Cup victory was overshadowed.
A lengthy statement said: “The Royal Spanish Football Federation, through its president, Mr. Pedro Rocha, considers it is essential to present the most sincere apologies to the football institutions, the players, especially the players of the Spanish National Football Team and the English National Football Team, stakeholders involved in football and the fans around the world for the totally unacceptable behaviour of its highest institutional representative during the final of the Fifa Women’s World Cup 2023 and in the moments that followed.
“The damage caused to Spanish football, to Spanish sport, to Spanish society and the values of football and sport as a whole have been enormous.
“The RFEF wants to transmit to the whole of society and to the whole of the football world its utmost regret for what happened that has tarnished our team, our football and our society.
“We must apologise most sincerely and make a firm and absolute commitment that events like these can never happen again.”
On Monday, Niger’s military-appointed prime minister, Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, expressed optimism about the possibility of reaching an agreement with the West African bloc ECOWAS.
ECOWAS has previously threatened to use force to reinstate civilian rule following a coup in July.
“We have not stopped contacts with ECOWAS, we are continuing contacts. We have good hopes of reaching an agreement in the coming days,” Prime Minister Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine told a press conference in Niamey.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), has imposed significant sanctions on Niger following the coup on July 26 that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum, who had been democratically elected.
Additionally, ECOWAS has issued multiple warnings about the potential use of military intervention to restore Bazoum to power, but only as a last resort if peaceful efforts to resolve the crisis prove unsuccessful.
“We are bracing to be attacked at any time. Every preparation has been taken. It would be an unjust war. We are determined to defend ourselves if there is an attack,” Zeine told reporters.
A crucial issue in the crisis revolves around the timeframe for the restoration of civilian rule.
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, who currently chairs ECOWAS, proposed last Thursday a nine-month period similar to the transition Nigeria experienced in the late 1990s.
“The president sees no reason why such cannot be replicated in Niger, if Niger’s military authorities are sincere,” the Nigerian presidency said in a statement.
Algeria, Niger’s influential northern neighbor, has suggested a six-month transition period. However, the military authorities have not yet responded to these proposals, having previously indicated a three-year transition period.
ECOWAS has adopted a tough stance towards Niger, following a series of coups in the region since 2020. Military takeovers occurred in Mali and Burkina Faso, where, like Niger, armed forces have suffered significant losses due to a prolonged jihadist insurgency.
Additionally, a coup took place in Guinea in 2021 after the country’s octogenarian president, Alpha Conde, sought a third term in office, a move that opponents argued violated constitutional limits.
The Greater Accra Police Command has extended an invitation to the Minority in Parliament for a meeting scheduled for Tuesday, September 5, 2023.
The meeting aims to discuss the upcoming #OccupyBoG demonstration, which is intended to protest against the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr. Ernest Addison, and his deputies.
This is the second time the Minority and the Police are meeting over the matter.
Originally planned for September 5, 2023, the Minority in Parliament has decided to reschedule their demonstration and picketing to September 12, 2023. This change in date is attributed to the recent court proceedings that took place on September 4, 2023.
The Police secured an injunction to halt the protest. They registered dissatisfaction with the intended route to be used by the Minority, arguing that it would affect public safety and order.
In a recent statement, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, the Minority Leader, explained in a statement that the court was unable to provide an immediate ruling due to the substantial preliminary legal objections raised by the lawyers representing the Minority in Parliament.
According to the Minority in a statement dated Monday, September 4, protestors would use its earlier proposed route.
The march will commence from the frontage of Parliament House – Osu Cemetery Traffic Light Ministry of Finance – High Court Complex – Kinbu – Makola – Rawlings Park – Opera Square – Bank of Ghana.
In response to this development, the Police, through a letter addressed to Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has requested a meeting on September 5, 2023, to discuss the logistical and operational details of the demonstration.
Former chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana, Charlotte Osei, has explicitly stated that she has remained politically neutral before, during, and after her tenure at the elections management institution.
This comes after an accusation by a New Patriotic Party (NPP) member, Buhari, who claimed the former EC Chair was affiliated with the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Additionally, Buhari presented what he deemed evidence—a poster featuring Mrs. Osei, apparently indicating her intention to run as a parliamentary candidate under the NDC’s banner in the Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency.
In response, Charlotte Osei took to Twitter on September 4, 2023, to write; “I have NEVER been a parliamentary candidate or aspirant. For the records, I have also NEVER been a member of ANY political party. Please get your facts right.”
“It’s pretty easy to check who were the candidates in an election. And I am certain you have heard about graphic artistes. A poster with your picture and a party symbol does not make you a candidate,” Charlotte Osei added.
It’s pretty easy to check who were the candidates in an election. And I am certain you have heard about graphic artistes. A poster with your picture and a party symbol does not make you a candidate.
A 29-year-old disc jockey employed at Mankessim’s Coastal FM, named Kwame Egyama, who also worked as a taxi driver, has been discovered lifeless within a police cell in Mankessim, located in the Central Region.
Egyama had been apprehended by the Jedu Police after he refused to comply with a routine police inspection. Subsequently, he was placed in police custody but was tragically found deceased within the cell the following day.
This unfortunate event has ignited a wave of outrage within the community, with numerous individuals demanding justice. Calls have been made for the police to conduct a thorough inquiry into the matter and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.
The family of the deceased has expressed profound shock at the incident and has fervently called for a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding Egyama’s death.
“There was a window at the cell and it would have been difficult for someone to commit a crime. What I heard was that after he committed the act the policemen on duty heard loud noise. They quickly rushed him to the hospital.
“He was not dead at the time but died while at the hospital. I want to know why no family member was present when they took him to the hospital.”
President Akufo-Addo has indicated that Ghana is making strides in its effort to lower carbon emissions, primarily due to two of its flagship policy initiatives.
Speaking at the 2023 Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, the president pointed out the ban on illegal mining and the Green Ghana Day initiative as the forerunners to the enhancement of the nation’s resilience to the adverse effects of climate change.
He explained that the waterbodies and vegetation cover are being saved from pollution, and more trees have been planted to save the depleting vegetation cover due to the aforementioned initiatives.
“We placed a ban on illegal mining the phenomenon we call galamsey which was destroying our water bodies, vegetation and our forest. Some 20, 000 young people have been engaged to plant more than 30 million trees in two years to create jobs and restore degraded lands.
“These policy initiatives are already yielding positive results in the attainment of SDG Goals, particularly the goal of reducing our carbon emissions,” President Akufo-Addo said.
President Akufo-Addo therefore urged other African nations to follow suit by implementing similar measures to decrease their carbon emissions and bolster their capacity to withstand the consequences of climate change.
In January 2023, Ghana became the second African country, after Mozambique, to receive compensation from a World Bank trust fund dedicated to curbing emissions resulting from deforestation and forest degradation, known as REDD+.
Ghana received a payment of $4,862,280 from the World Bank’s Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) for its successful efforts in reducing carbon emissions by 972,456 tons during the initial monitoring period of the program, spanning from June to December 2019.
Ghana has developed an Energy Transition Framework to facilitate work on the global, long-term goal of net zero. This Framework seeks to guide the country’s transition to a net-zero economy by 2070 in a just and equitable manner and to minimize possible stranded assets and job losses in Ghana’s oil and gas sector.
The Framework provides the optimal and sustainable pathway for fuel supply security, diversified energy mix and cost-efficient electricity generation, with an estimated generation tariff of less than U.S. $4.5 cents per kilowatt hour to accelerate Ghana’s socio-economic development.
Although the government asserts that the ban on illegal mining has been effective, much more needs to be done as reports indicate that galamsey activities are underway in forests and waterbodies.
Due to the havoc caused by illegal miners, the Chiefs and residents of Akyem Hemang, a farming community situated in the Fanteakwa South District of the Eastern Region, have issued a 10-day ultimatum to the Ghana Police Service, Eastern Regional Coordinating Council, and the local assembly.
They are demanding that these authorities take immediate action to either remove or apprehend illegal miners who have been polluting water bodies and causing damage to farmlands in the area.
The Chiefs have made it clear that if these agencies do not intervene and put a stop to the mining activities within the stipulated 10-day period, the community will resort to taking matters into their own hands to safeguard their water resources and agricultural lands.
Chief of Akyem Hemang, Osabarima Mmirrikkissi Okasum Apori Atta, expressed his frustration, stating that the community can no longer tolerate the ongoing environmental degradation caused by illegal mining activities.
“We know you have done your best, but it is not good enough, if you can’t do it, give us about 10 policemen to accompany us. Who has authorised them to come and mine our waterbodies in the first place? We cannot build Ghana in this way…I cannot hold back the anger of my people again.
“Within 10 days, if we don’t hear anything we will apply officially, to follow due process to go on demonstration and we will need police guard to drive them away. If there are no laws in this land, let us know so we take the laws into our own hands.”
The Government of Ghana, under the auspices of the Ministry of Finance and the Bank of Ghana, and in collaboration with the West African Monetary Agency (WAMA), the West Africa Institute for Financial and Economic Management (WAIFEM), and the West Africa Monetary Institute (WAMI) will host the 2023 Mid-Year Statutory Meetings of the West African Monetary Zone from September 5–15, 2023 in Accra, Ghana.
The meetings will include a comprehensive review of Macroeconomic Developments and Convergence reports for member states.
This assessment aims to evaluate progress made toward meeting the primary and secondary criteria required for macroeconomic convergence within the zone. The West African Monetary Institutions are committed to fostering economic cooperation and integration within the region, and these meetings play a pivotal role in advancing this mission.
The West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ) is composed of six member states: The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone. Its organizational structure includes the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the WAMZ, the Convergence Council, the Committee of Governors, and the Technical Committee. These meetings are hosted by Member States of the WAMA and WAMZ on a rotational basis.
The West African Monetary Agency (WAMA) is an autonomous and specialized agency of ECOWAS. It is tasked with monitoring, coordinating, and implementing the ECOWAS Monetary Cooperation Programme (EMCP), which aims to establish a single currency for ECOWAS member states. WAMA’s membership comprises eight central banks of ECOWAS member states, including the BCEAO, the Bank of Cape Verde, the Central Bank of The Gambia, the Bank of Ghana, the Central Bank of the Republic of Guinea, the Central Bank of Liberia, the Central Bank of Nigeria, and the Bank of Sierra Leone.
The West African Institute for Financial and Economic Management (WAIFEM) is a sub-regional capacity-building organization. WAIFEM’s primary goal is to strengthen capacity in areas such as macroeconomic management, debt management, and financial and economic analysis. It collaborates with various organizations and institutions to provide training and capacity development activities in West Africa.
The meetings are scheduled as follows: • 7th Meeting of the Audit Committee of WAMA (5th September 2023); • 48th Technical Committee Meeting of WAIFEM (6th September 2023); • 43rd Joint Ordinary Meeting of the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee and the Operations and Administrative Committee, WAMA (7th-9th September 2023); • 46th Meeting of the College of Supervisors of the WAMZ (CSWAMZ) (7th-11th September 2023); • 8th Meeting of College of Supervisors of Non-Bank Financial Institutions (CSNBFI) of the WAMZ (7th-11th September 2023); • 53rd Meeting of the Technical Committee of WAMZ (11th – 12th September 2023); • 47th Meeting of the Committee of Governors of Central Banks of WAMZ (14th September 2023); • 45th Meeting of the Board of Governors, WAIFEM (14th September 2023); • 62nd Ordinary Meeting of the Committee of Governors of Central Banks of ECOWAS Member States, WAMA (14th September 2023); and the • 50th Meeting of the Convergence Council of Ministers and Governors of Central Banks of the WAMZ (15th September 2023)
The Chairman of Parliament’s ad-hoc committee overseeing the investigation into the leaked tape involving discussions about the removal of the IGP, Samuel Atta Akyea, has disclosed that certain senior police officers have submitted a petition to the committee.
Although the specifics of their petition have not been made public, Mr. Atta Akyea affirmed the committee’s unwavering dedication to ensuring that the truth is uncovered.
This development follows the testimony of four crucial witnesses who appeared before the committee.
“Whilst we were sitting, the petitions were brought to us. We have not even read them but trust us as a committee that there is nothing of consequence that we will brush aside. It is going to be a very comprehensive process so if people want to aid us to do our fact-finding, we will not block them.
“But first of all, the rest are doing some serious reading of what is supposed to be the original tape and that will inform our next activity and what material is different from what we have used and then we will do what we call the proper analysis of the new tape and that will inform what we will do next.”
“If your name is on the tape and your role is significant when we are doing the proper fact-finding, then it is automatic that you will have to appear here before the committee. But the issue for determination, we will all decide if we do an obvious interrogation like the one we are doing on-camera or we do in-camera because of national security,” Atta Akyea explained.
Mr. Atta Akyea also mentioned that the committee will investigate a legal action filed against IGP George Akuffo Dampare concerning promotions within the police service.
“We have also just seen that some police officers have even taken the IGP to court in relation to their promotion. So I have instructed for the writ so we know the content of what is pending in court.”
However, Inusah Fuseini, the former Chairman for Constitutional, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs, expressed concern over the degree of political bias displayed by the police witnesses during their appearances before the committee.
Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has stated that Ghana is on course to receive the second installment of the IMF bailout funds in December, aimed at bolstering the government’s balance of payments for the years 2023 and 2024.
Speaking at the 3rd GIPC-CEO breakfast meeting held in Accra, Mr. Ofori-Atta affirmed that the government is prepared for its initial review with the IMF scheduled for November, as they anticipate the arrival of the second tranche of $600 million.
“We are ready for the mission that comes at the end of September so that we can try and get the staff level agreement, while the mission is here, and then we go to the board in November for the release of the 2nd tranche which will be $600 million. In addition to that, there are certain things we need to do with the World Bank so that we can get our DPO, which will be another $300 million. I believe that we are on course to maybe get a billion dollars to support Bank of Ghana’s balance of payment issues.”
He also expressed optimism about finalizing discussions with the Paris Club and its bilateral creditors by the end of this year.
In May 2023, Ghana received the initial portion of its $3 billion bailout package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). This three-year extended credit facility was intended to resuscitate the country’s struggling economy.
However, in August 2023, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) issued a caution to the Bank of Ghana, underscoring the importance of adhering to its policy mandates despite the financial challenges experienced in the fiscal year ending in 2022. The IMF stressed the necessity for the central bank to implement decisive measures to steer inflation back towards its targeted rate of 8 percent.
“The loss the BoG incurred in the process has contributed to reducing its net equity to a negative value. Importantly, however, this does not prevent the BoG from fulfilling its policy mandates and ensuring inflation gradually returns towards its 8-percent target”, the IMF said in a press release.
Nonetheless, the IMF has endorsed the Bank of Ghana’s GHS 60 billion loss, asserting that the impairment, a result of the government’s Domestic Debt Exchange (DDE), was imperative to “reestablish macroeconomic stability and public sustainability.”
According to the Bank of Ghana’s June 2023 Economic and Financial Stability Report, the country’s balance of payments at the end of June 2023 registered a deficit of $107.8 million, equivalent to about 0.1% of GDP. This deficit is notably lower than the one recorded during the same period in the previous year.
The Chiefs and residents of Akyem Hemang, a farming community in the Fanteakwa South District of the Eastern Region, have issued a 10-day ultimatum to the Ghana Police Service, Eastern Regional Coordinating Council, and the local assembly.
They demand that these authorities take action to either expel or apprehend illegal miners who are causing water pollution and devastating farmlands in the area.
The Chiefs have expressed that if the mentioned agencies do not intervene and put a stop to the miners’ activities within the stipulated 10-day period, the community will resort to taking matters into their own hands to safeguard and preserve their water bodies and agricultural lands.
Speaking to the media, the Chief of Akyem Hemang, Osabarima Mmirrikkissi Okasum Apori Atta, conveyed that he can no longer contain the anger of his people.
“We know you have done your best, but it is not good enough, if you can’t do it, give us about 10 policemen to accompany us. Who has authorised them to come and mine our waterbodies in the first place? We cannot build Ghana in this way…I cannot hold back the anger of my people again.
“Within 10 days, if we don’t hear anything we will apply officially, to follow due process to go on demonstration and we will need police guard to drive them away. If there are no laws in this land, let us know so we take the laws into our own hands.”
Several irate community members, in conversations with Citi News, pointed fingers at the government, holding it responsible for the shortcomings in combating illegal mining in the nation.
In the meantime, Ernest Ofosu, the District Chief Executive for Fanteakwa South, who also serves as the Chairman of the District Security Council (DISEC), has provided assurance that an urgent DISEC meeting will be convened to address the grievances expressed by the community.
A two-unit classroom block with additional facilities for the Gyegyetreso-Dawusaso Basic School, an underserved community in the district, has been inaugurated.
This new classroom block, funded by the Amansie South District Assembly through its common fund, replaces a deteriorated makeshift wooden structure.
District Chief Executive for Amansie South, Clement Opoku Gyamfi, has called upon the residents of Dawusaso to actively rally behind the government’s commitment to enhancing the quality of education in the region.
He stressed the importance of taking pride in government-funded projects, particularly educational infrastructure, and preserving them for the community’s benefit.
These remarks were made during the inauguration.
The District Director of Education, Stephen Adu Darko, also called upon stakeholders within the district to actively support endeavors aimed at advancing the cause of quality education.
Despite the challenges faced by various communities in the district, including issues such as the lack of electricity, water, educational facilities, and poor road infrastructure, Mr. Gyamfi underscored that the district assembly remains committed to addressing these concerns. He acknowledged the financial limitations faced by the district but assured the community that efforts are being made to address the specific challenges encountered in each area.
“86 communities make up this district. This puts huge strain on our finances, but we are always striving best to address the challenges faced by each community.”
Cristiano Ronaldo currently holds a pessimistic view regarding Portugal’s chances of winning the World Cup.
Although his perspective may potentially evolve in the future, at present, he does not believe that Portugal possesses the necessary attributes to secure a World Cup victory.
During a recent lie detector test conducted in collaboration with Binance, a global company renowned for operating the largest cryptocurrency exchange in terms of daily trading volume, Ronaldo attempted to conceal his true sentiments regarding this matter.
“Will Portugal win the World Cup?” the interrogator, Andy, asked.
Don (left) and Andy (right)
Ronaldo replied, “Yes.”
But the lie detector ruled “Lie”. Not so optimistic Ronaldo then added “What a pessimist, huh?”.
Cristiano Ronaldo held high hopes of guiding Portugal to a deep run in the 2022 World Cup and ultimately clinching the coveted trophy. However, his aspirations were dashed.
The 37-year-old Ronaldo left the pitch in tears as Portugal’s journey in the 2022 World Cup concluded with a quarterfinal defeat to Morocco. It was likely Ronaldo’s final appearance in a World Cup tournament, marking his last opportunity to secure football’s most prestigious prize.
Reflecting on this, Cristiano Ronaldo shared on Instagram, “The dream was beautiful as long as it lasted,” hinting at the possibility of retirement. Argentina beat France to win the 2022 World Cup, cementing Messi’s Greatest Of All Time (G.O.A.T) tag.
In addition to these insights, Ronaldo also expressed his belief that the Premier League is the toughest league in the world. Furthermore, he regarded his bicycle kick goal as his finest ever, describing it as “the best goal— the most challenging and the most beautiful.”
Ronaldo affirmed his intention to continue playing professional football well into his forties.
Contrary to popular belief among Ronaldo fans, the football icon admitted to indulging in fast food frequently. Moreover, he conceded that he occasionally snores, a revelation confirmed by the lie detector, which detected more snoring than he had realized.
However, one lingering question remains: Would Ronaldo exchange all his Champions League medals for a World Cup trophy?
A presidential aspirant of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, will not announce the future course of his campaign after the party’s Super Delegates’ Conference today as expected.
The former Trade Minister was to hold “Alan Speaks” at the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra.
Immediately after the election on Saturday, August 26, the former Trade and Industry Minister notified the public of his intention to conduct a public address outlining the way forward for his campaign, following a thorough analysis of the election results.
In his statement, Mr. Kyerematen, who secured the third position in the election, strongly criticized the reported assault on his North-East Regional Coordinator during the voting day.
He deemed the incident as unjustified and unnecessary, emphasizing that his representative had committed no wrongdoing at the voting center.
But in a Twitter post on Tuesday, September 5, Mr Alan Kyerematen noted that the presser has been cancelled. He failed to disclose the reason behind this new development.
However, he did apologise to the members of the general public for any inconvenience caused by his decision.
