Ghanaian socialite and influencer, Mona Faiz Montrage, popularly known as Hajia4Real is celebrating her 31st today.
As part of the celebration, Hajia4Real, in her birthday message, finally spoke about the criminal case hovering around her – a romance scam in the United States of America.
“Happy Birthday to me, and a big thank you to everyone for the birthday wishes and, above all, your love and prayers showed to me during these difficult times.”
She recalled an adage her father always told her, which suggests that she remains a victim in her current circumstance.
“One thing that my father has always told me since I was young is that “only the good die young, “and now I truly understand what that statement really means.”
According to her, “There is a time for everything, and the world will come to know the truth, and my story will be heard.”
Hajia4real is alleged to be a member of a criminal conspiracy known as the Enterprise that specifically targeted older Americans through romance scams which were both financially and emotionally devastating for vulnerable victims.
U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York, she had been doing this from about 2013 through to 2019.
Under false pretense, she is alleged to have induced victims to send money for payments to transport gold to the United States from overseas, resolve a fake FBI unemployment investigation and assist a fake United States army officer in receiving funds from Afghanistan.
She is said to have received approximately 82 wire transfers totaling approximately $89,000 to purportedly help with costs associated with her father’s farm in Ghana.
In total, Hajia4Real is believed to have controlled bank accounts that received over $2 million in fraudulent funds from the Enterprise.
She is currently facing six charges, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of wire fraud, one count of money laundering conspiracy, and one count of money laundering, each of which carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
She is also charged with one count of receipt of stolen money, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, and one count of conspiracy to receive stolen money, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. In total, she could see a possible 95-year jail term.
Currently, the defendant, Hajia4Real is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Hajia4Real was arrested in the United Kingdom on November 10, 2022, and was extradited from the United Kingdom on May 12, 2023.
She has been Extradited From the United Kingdom To The United States, where U.S. District Judge Paul A. Crotty will be handling the case.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mitzi Steiner and Kevin Mead are in charge of the prosecution.
Ghana’s Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) and Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) have taken a significant step in the fight against trans-border organized crimes by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
The MOU was signed as a culmination of the three-day Cyber Peer Exchange Programme hosted by the EFCC in Nigeria, which saw the participation of West African countries.
The main objective of the exchange programme was to enhance regional collaboration and cooperation in combating cybercrime and other forms of serious and organized crime.
The programme provided an opportunity for both institutions to share best practices, address existing challenges related to regional cooperation mechanisms, and explore effective ways to collaborate in tackling cybercrime and other serious crimes.
During the signing ceremony at the EFCC Headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria, Chairman AbdulKarim Chukkol acknowledged the previous MOU signed in 2019 that had not been fully operationalized. He emphasized his commitment to ensuring that the newly signed MOU becomes more than just a piece of paper and that concrete actions are taken to implement its provisions.
Chairman Chukkol also expressed the EFCC’s readiness to collaborate at any level, formal or informal, to ensure the success of joint efforts. He expressed confidence that EOCO, Ghana’s counterpart, will apply the valuable lessons learned during the programme to further strengthen their ongoing work.
“I hope as you go back to your country, some of the things you see, the positives, you will go and put into use. And, if there is any need to talk to us or seek our assistance in anything, especially in terms of asset forfeiture, in terms of cybercrime investigation and prosecution; we are always ready to partner with you. We have no choice because crimes are transnational today and this engagement, I think, will be a warning that crime does not pay. Wherever you are, we are going to use our slogan which says; we will get you anywhere, anytime,” he said.
Executive Director of EOCO, COP Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah (Mrs) was grateful to the EFCC for organising the peer exchange programme. She mentioned that her team has learnt so much during the programme and believes they are ready to work with her to change the tides of the office.
She assured the acting Chair of the EFCC that EOCO will do all it can in its power to implement all the great strategies that EFCC has in place to fight crimes and to make EOCO an organisation of world repute.
“I can say, the EFCC will be proud of us when you hear that the EOCO has also moved from the way we do things to a better way of doing it.
“I am very hopeful that all your effort will not be in vain. We have to operationalize this MoU because, if we don’t, it means we have wasted everybody’s time, and I assure you that when we go back if there is anything we need some clarification or explanation, we will not hesitate to reach out to you”, she stated.
The three-day Cyber Peer Exchange Programme was sponsored by GIZ Governance for Inclusive Development Programme, Co-funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, has arrived in Assin North to oversee the security preparations for the upcoming by-election set to take place on Tuesday, June 27, 2023.
During his visit, Dr. Dampare is scheduled to meet with the leadership of both the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the governing party and the main opposition party, respectively.
The primary objective of these meetings is to address any security concerns and ensure that both political parties maintain control over their supporters. Dr. Dampare, known for his commitment to maintaining peace during previous elections such as the Kumawu by-election, will advise both parties against engaging in any activities that could disrupt the peace and stability of the area.
The Assin North by-election was triggered after parliament notified the Electoral Commission of the vacant seat.
This decision followed a ruling by the Supreme Court, which found that the Electoral Commission had violated the constitution by allowing Mr. Quayson to contest the 2020 parliamentary elections without proving that he had renounced his Canadian citizenship.
As a result, the court nullified Mr. Quayson’s election, deeming it unconstitutional and invalid, including his swearing-in ceremony.
In the upcoming by-election, the NDC is supporting Mr. Quayson as their candidate, while the NPP in Assin North has selected Charles Opoku as their candidate.
With the election scheduled for tomorrow, the presence of the Inspector General of Police underscores the commitment to ensuring a peaceful and orderly electoral process.
Severe flooding has struck major parts of Tarkwa, a town in the Western region of Ghana, as the Bonsa River overflows its banks.
The rising waters have caused residents to abandon their vehicles, while buildings find themselves surrounded by a deluge of water.
Per reports, the river had been experiencing high water levels for several days, but the imminent overflow was not apparent until three consecutive days of heavy rainfall pounded the area.
As a result of the flooding, Tarkwa’s connection with the Bonsa area has been completely severed, leading to significant traffic congestion within the town.
The residents of Tarkwa are currently facing the challenges posed by the rising waters, and local authorities have been mobilized to respond to the crisis. They are coordinating efforts to ensure the safety and well-being of those affected by the flooding.
In spite of the ongoing criminal trial of the ousted Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin North Constituency, James Gyakye Quayson, some residents in the area appear undeterred and express their unwavering support for him.
A viral video circulating on social media shows these residents voicing their intention to vote for Gyakye Quayson, regardless of the trial’s outcome. They believe that the government will only pay attention to their needs when a by-election takes place in their constituency.
The residents believe that the electoral process provides an opportunity for their concerns to be addressed and for their voices to be heard.
“If Gyakye Quayson would be jailed after we have voted for him, then we would vote for him for there to be another by-election.
“Because if there was no by-election, they (the government) would not be doing the things they are currently doing for us and we would not be getting the money and other things they are giving us. So we would vote for him for another by-election to take place,” one of the residents, a seamstress, who goes by Gloria, said in Twi.
Background:
The Supreme Court of Ghana, on May 17, 2023, ordered the Parliament of Ghana to expunge the name of James Gyakye Quayson as a Member of Parliament (MP)
Justice Jones Victor Dotse, Justice Nene Amegatcher, Justice Mariama Owusu, Gertrude Araba Torkornoo, Justice Prof. Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu, Justice Yonny Kulendi and Justice Barbara Ackah-Yensu declared that Quayson was not qualified at the time he contested the election 2020 in the Michael Ankomah Nimfah vrs James Gyakye Quayson case.
According to the court, the ousted Assin North MP failed to prove that he had renounced his Canadian citizenship when he filed his nomination to contest the 2020 general elections.
Parliament subsequently declared the Assin North seat vacant, leading to the Electoral Commission of Ghana announcing a by-election on May 27, 2023, to fill the seat.
But there is still one case the former MP has to face in court after the Office of the Attorney General accused him of deceiving public officers to acquire state documents.
On February 12, 2022, the State charged James Gyakye Quayson with five counts; deceit of a public officer, forgery of a passport, knowingly making a false statutory declaration, perjury, and false declaration.
President Akufo-Addo has shown his generosity at a time deemed to be most controversial in the country’s political space.
In 48-hours to the event that decides the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) majority in Parliament, President Akufo-Addo made a move that is suspected to influence the electorates to swing towards the ruling party during the Assin North by-election.
On Sunday, the President worshipped at the Assin North Pentecost Church to thank God for his mercies, as well as solicit the votes of electorates for Tuesday’s election.
President Akufo-Addo clarified that although he is the father of the country, he has a responsibility to chair the affairs of the party, hence ensure the NPP’s victory in the upcoming by-elections.
To show the party’s support for the good works done by the Pentecost Church, the President, on behalf of the NPP, presented a sum of GHS150,000 to the leadership of the church.
He clarified that out of the total, GHS100,000 has been drawn from the coffers of the party, while the remaining GHS50,000 is given from his own volition.
In his campaign message, he entreated the congregants to “Give me (him) someone I (he) can work with” in the name of Charles Opoku.
“I’ve have a year and six months. There are so many things left to do. I need someone who can come and speak with me,” he added.
The NPP’s Charles Opoku and the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) James Gyakye Quayson are expected to engage in a keen contest.
Mr Quayson is no new face in Assin North. In 2021, he was sworn-in as the Assin North MP but after the discovery that he held dual citizenship during the 2020 parliamentary elections, the results have been annulled. The Cape Coast High Court’s decision and the Supreme Court’s corroboration that Mr Quayson unlawfully won the seat has prompted this by-election.
Meanwhile, the President has urged for a violence-free election as contrary could impede the development of the constituency and the nation at large.
“Let us make sure Tuesday’s by-election does not record any form of violence. We know that if we commit the election into the hands of God, it will be peaceful,” he said.
Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Bagbin, has entreated the Christian community to play a more active and effective role in affairs of the country.
During the induction ceremony of The Apostolic Church-Ghana on Saturday, June 24, 2023, Speaker Bagbin said that the church’s waning interest in national and political matters has had “severe consequences” on the country’s moral and social fibre.
According to him, “the politicians are part of the flock”, thus “you can’t abandon them.”
“We cannot continue to close our eyes, take a back seat and rely solely on your prayers as a replacement for discipline, hard work, and a sense of duty as patriotic citizens,” he added.
He insisted that prayer without action is not enough as “we need to be more proactive in addressing the challenges facing our country.”
Speaker Bagbin believes the church can use its influence to promote good governance, social justice, and economic development.
Speaker Bagbin’s speech was met with massive applause from the congregation.
About the induction ceremony
The induction ceremony was held at the Apostolic Resource, Conference and Retreat Centre, Frafraha near Adentan, to usher in national leaders of The Apostolic Church-Ghana into office.
Apostle Dr. Aaron Ami-Narh, the President of the church was ushered into office for the second term together with the Church’s new Vice President, Apostle Christopher Affum-Nyarko and General Secretary, Apostle Alex Boateng.
The trio were elected for their respective positions in March 2023.
Former president of The Apostolic Church-Ghana, Apostle Ebenezer Nsesa Abebrese, administered the oath of office and inducted the new officers into office.
He congratulated them on their election and urged them to take the church to the next level.
Apostle Abebrese also inducted the church’s executive team.
Reports have it that the Bank of Ghana (BoG) has ordered all banks across the country to with immediate effect commence the use of armoured-plated bullion vans for cash movement operations.
The directive is said to have been issued in a letter dated June 23 and signed by Secretary of the Central Bank, Sandra Thompson.
“Failure to comply with this directive in all cash-related activities across the country shall attract severe sanctions,” a letter from the apex bank to the MDs read in part.
According to the Central Bank, this is to ensure “security of cash-in-transit activities and to underscore the Bank’s commitment to protect the lives of both Security Personnel and Bank Staff involved in all cash movements.”
The directive comes after a recent bullion van attack at Ablekuma Fanmilk at the premises of Star Oil filling station where a police officer was shot dead.
The incident reignited calls for the deployment of armoured bullion vans for cash-in-transit (CIT) operations.
Meanwhile, the BoG’s directive goes to supersede a Ghana Association of Banks’ (GAB) directive that starting July 1, all banks are to start using armoured-plated vehicles for CIT activities.
The Association of Bullion Van Owners of Ghana (ABOG) has also said it has 150 of such vehicles to be deployed come July 1.
A poll conducted by Global InfoAnalytics has revealed that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) are in a close race for the Assin North by-election scheduled for June 27.
The published results on June 25 indicate that the NPP holds a slight lead over the NDC by a margin of 1.1%, with 6.9% of respondents still undecided.
The by-election was triggered by the removal of James Gyakye Quayson of the NDC as the Member of Parliament for the constituency following a Supreme Court ruling against him in a dual citizenship case.
Despite facing criminal charges related to his 2020 candidature, Mr Quayson has been retained as the NDC candidate, polling at 45.6%. Meanwhile, the NPP’s Charles Opoku stands at 46.7%.
— Global InfoAnalytics (@GInfoanalytics) June 25, 2023
The analysis of the poll further reveals that Opoku, the NPP candidate, has experienced a significant drop in his commanding lead, falling from 57% on June 6 to his current rating. Conversely, Quayson has seen an increase from 38% to 45.6% during the same period.
The by-election has generated considerable political activity in recent weeks, with campaigns concluding on June 25 in preparation for the upcoming vote.
Flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has announced his intention to Mr James Gyakye Quayson as a minister in his next government after victory in the 2024 general elections.
The former president made this known during a recent meeting with Assin North constituents ahead of the scheduled by-election on Tuesday, June 27.
According to the statesman, his decision to have Mr Quayson become a part of his Executive stems from the worth-emulating virtues he poses.
“He is humble, God-fearing, and respects everyone. If God helps me to be president, nothing will stop me from appointing him as a minister,” he said.
Mr Mahama added: “Even as an opposition MP, look at what he has been able to do in terms of development from his own pockets. Just imagine what he would do if he becomes a minister,” Ghanaweb cited citinewsroom as the original source of John Mahama’s quote.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has nominated Mr. Quayson once again as their candidate for the upcoming by-election in Assin North.
The by-election became necessary after the 2020 parliamentary election results in Assin North were annulled due to the discovery that Mr. Quayson held dual citizenship.
The Supreme Court ruled that Gyakye Quayson’s name should be removed from Parliament’s records, as he was found guilty of holding dual citizenship before filing his candidacy for the 2020 elections.
Parliament subsequently declared the Assin North seat vacant, prompting the Electoral Commission to call for a by-election in the constituency.
Meanwhile, the people of Assin North are expected to elect their MP tomorrow, June 27, 2023.
The headquarters of Sierra Leone’s main opposition party has been surrounded by soldiers while the country awaits the results of the presidential election.
Samura Kamara, the leader of the All People’s Congress, reported that live ammunition was fired into the building during his news conference, which he described as an assassination attempt.
The area was enveloped in tear gas, adding to the chaotic situation.
The reason for the deployment of troops in large numbers remains unclear, and the police have yet to provide any comments on the incident.
The opposition party seeks to remove President Julius Maada Bio from office as he runs for a second term.
The election, held on Saturday after a tense campaign, saw sporadic violence targeting election officials.
Prince William is embarking on a significant five-year campaign to eradicate homelessness, firmly believing that it has no place in a modern and progressive society.
To kickstart this endeavor, the Prince of Wales’s charitable foundation is committing £3 million in initial funding to help make homelessness a rare, brief, and non-recurring occurrence.
To test innovative approaches to combat homelessness, six locations across the UK will serve as experimental sites.
Prince William’s vision for the “Homewards” initiative stems from the fundamental belief that “everyone should have a safe and secure home and be treated with dignity.”
This ambitious undertaking is poised to become one of the Prince of Wales’s defining projects, albeit one that carries the risk of being accused of delving into political matters.
In preparation for the launch, Prince William has engaged in conversations with notable figures such as Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove, and the first ministers of Scotland and Wales.
There are more than 300,000 people currently homeless across the UK, which includes those who are stuck in hostels and temporary accommodation, living in cars and sofa-surfing, as well as people who are rough sleeping.
As well as preventing homelessness, there is an aim to change attitudes and show how many people can be affected. Recently the prince opened an affordable housing project for young people with jobs, but who still needed help with accommodation.
Prince William’s plan is to bring together local coalitions of housing experts, charities and private industry to develop housing projects and support services, addressing different ways that homelessness occurs, whether in big cities or coastal towns.
Image caption,Prince William this month visited an affordable housing project in London for people who are in work or training
He will be holding a two-day whistle-stop tour of the UK revealing the locations for the initiative, which is backed by charities such as Shelter, Centrepoint, Crisis and The Passage.
A media briefing was told that success would be measured in terms of lowering homelessness in those places – and finding approaches that could be replicated elsewhere.
He has also drawn international inspiration from Finland, seen as a model for reducing homelessness to very low levels.
The campaign has published opinion polling from Ipsos of more than 3,000 adults in the UK, which suggests the level of public concern and support for an intervention.
85% think homelessness is a very or fairly serious problem
72% think homelessness has got worse in the past year
73% think ending homelessness is not given enough attention
22% have had a personal experience of homelessness, whether themselves, family or friends
But Prince William will also face challenges about how someone with such wealth and extensive property holdings can make such calls over homelessness.
“The last thing we need is for William to get involved in this issue, a man who has three huge homes and a vast estate gifted to him by the state,” says Graham Smith, of the anti-monarchy group, Republic.
He says homelessness is about government policy and investment and will not be “resolved by charity or royal patronage”, accusing Prince William of being “hypocritical”.
Image caption,Prince William with his mother and brother at The Passage homelessness charity in 1993
But a Kensington Palace spokesman said it was about the prince using his public platform to make a positive difference.
“This isn’t about a PR stunt. This is about trying to change the way that we as a society think about homelessness,” said the spokesman.
Matt Downie, chief executive of the charity Crisis, said he had personally spoken to the Prince of Wales about the project and endorsed the authenticity of his commitment.
“People who are experiencing homelessness can smell when someone’s not authentic. I certainly can see the difference between people who want to associate for PR purposes in this issue and people who are genuinely driven by righting one of society’s wrongs, and I saw that deeply there,” said Mr Downie.
Royal author and academic Prof Pauline Maclaran said such an activist approach was likely to go down well with a younger generation, who were more likely to question the value of the monarchy.
But she said it would need the prince to be seen to make a personal contribution. His Royal Foundation is providing £500,000 in seed funding at each of the six regional centres for the project, but so far there has been no confirmation of earlier reports of social housing plans for his Duchy of Cornwall estate.
Historian Sir Anthony Seldon said Prince William’s initiative showed how royal interventions could look beyond short-term political cycles at wider issues such as “the mental health and welfare of the population, the physical and built environment, and the economic condition of the people”.
But he said it meant the prince was “squarely in the space normally reserved just for elected politicians”.
Political parties are already sparring over the response to rising mortgage and rent costs and a lack of affordable housing.
Cllr Darren Rodwell, housing spokesperson for the Local Government Association, said councils feared a “national homelessness crisis” – and there were 1.2 million people on council waiting lists for housing in England.
He said there was a perfect storm of “depleting housing stock and an unaffordable and overly-competitive private rented market” and renters facing eviction – and he called for councils to be able to build 100,000 new social rent homes each year.
But Prince William said he was confident about the ambition to fundamentally reduce homelessness.
“I want to make this a reality and, over the next five years, give people across the UK hope that homelessness can be prevented when we collaborate,” he said.
A spokeswoman for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities welcomed the prince’s initiative.
“We are giving councils £2bn over three years, to help them tackle homelessness and rough sleeping, targeted to areas where it is needed most,” she said.
Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Sam Nartey George, is displeased by the manner in which the government has treated James Gyakye Quayson over the allegation of forgery and perjury.
He accused the government of abusing its power to bully an innocent citizen who has only sought to provide development to the people of Assin North Constituency but has been accused of having dual citizenship and breaching the law.
“It is just an embarrassing spectacle of how low this government has sunk that they have focused on Gyakye Quayson and have blatantly abusing power and incumbency. Trying to carry the Judiciary along,” he told JoyNews on Thursday.
Contrary to claims by the Attorney-General that Mr Gyakye Quayson owed allegiance to both the United States of America and Ghana when he contested the 2020 Parliamentary election, Mr Nartey George stated that Mr Gyakye Quayson at the time he contested the elections did not have any citizenship aside from the Ghanaian citizenship.
“Gyakye Quayson at the time he swore the oath to become a Member of Parliament did not have any other citizenship.”
He dismissed attempts to compare Mr Gyakye Quayson’s case to that of Adamu Dramani Sakande. “They are completely different. Comparing apples and ‘aliguintuguin’ to wit soursop,” he said.
In July 2012, a New Patriotic Party Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Adamu Dramani Sakande, was convicted by an Accra High Court after he was found guilty of perjury and forgery.
This was after he failed to denounce UK Citizenship before contesting for the Bawku Seat.
Highlighting the differences between the two cases, Mr Sam George said: “Adamu Dramani Sakande at the time he contested the election had three different nationalities.”
“Adamu Dramani Sakande at the time he swore the oath to become a Member of Parliament on the night of 6th and 7th was still holding three citizenship. He was still traveling with his British passport after being sworn-in.”
The Ningo-Prampram legislator therefore dared the government to provide Mr Gyakye Quayson’s other passport aside from his Ghanaian passport.
Background
The facts according to Deputy Attorney-General, Mr Tuah-Yeboah, are that, the accused on July 26, 2019, signed an application form for a Republic of Ghana passport in which accused indicated that he was a Ghanaian and does not have dual nationality.
The Deputy Attorney-General said that Mr Quayson, at the time, held a Canadian citizenship, issued on October 30, 2016, but failed to declare same on the application form.
Mr Tuah-Yeboah said based on alleged false information together with the other information provided by the accused on the passport application form, he was issued with a Ghanaian passport, number G2538667, on August 2, 2019.
Mr Quayson is currently on GH¢100,000 bail with one surety for alleged forgery, perjury and knowingly making false declaration.
An Accra High Court judge has declared that James Gyakye Quayson’s perjury and forgery trial will be conducted on a daily basis starting from July 4, 2023.
The court presided by Justice Mary Yanzuh had earlier ruled that the perjury and forgery trial involving Mr Gyakye Quayson will proceed on a day-to-day basis, starting from Tuesday, June 20, 2023.
Subsequently, the High Court set June 23 to rule on whether the trial of James Gyakye Quayson should be put on hold after the legal counsel of Mr Quayson led by Lawyer Tsatsu Tsikata filed processes urging the court to review its decision to hear the case on a daily basis. It then adjourned sitting to June 23.
In court today, the court after hearing the argument of Mr Quayson’s lawyers decided to begin the trail from July 4.
A member of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Communication Team, Nana Akomea, has joined the many who believe that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) are worried by the candidature of Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.
During an interview on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana this week, Nana Akomea revealed that he came by the realisation after carefully assessing the actions of the opposition party.
According to him, out of the 10 individuals contesting in the flagbearer race of the NPP, none but one has been heavily criticised in the campaign message of members of the NDC.
He stated that Dr Bawumia has been singled out by the NDC due to his influence. He asserted that the party is deliberately discrediting the Vice President to make him unpopular before the public.
“People say it, but I have not given the seriousness to that. But people say that the NDC is really afraid of Bawumia.
“Alan has filed and I didn’t hear NDC talk about Alan’s filing and criticizing him like they are doing to Bawumia. Why will the NDC focus on one person out of the 11 or 12 candidates,” he said.
Nana Akomea is not the only individual who shares such thoughts. The Vice President, the subject of the matter, also believes so since he asserts that the NDC will lose majority of its votes in the north should he contest.
“They know John Mahama cannot take me on in the North. I will beat him in the North. This is why they don’t want me be to flagbearer,” Dr Bawumia said to some NPP supporters over the weekend.
A member of the Perez Chapel International, Samuel Nartey George, is absolutely convinced that no harm will come against Archbishop Agyinasare or any Christian under the pavilion of God over the recent brouhaha involving Nogokpo traditional authorities.
He made the comments in reaction to a seeming caution by spokesperson of Nogopko, Nufialagah Mawufemor Kobla Nornyigbey, following the expiration of a 14-day ultimatum issued by the Nogokpo authorities to the founder and leader of Perez Chapel International, Archbishop Agyinasare over a derogatory comment during the church’s Supernatural Empowerment Summit.
Speaking in an interview on GEROM TV with Maame Grace on Friday, June 16, 2023, Mr Nornyigbey said that the chiefs of Nogokpo would take action because the people of the Volta Region have been disrespected enough.
“All the options are on the table for us. I mean all the options,” Nornyigbey said when asked whether the chiefs of Nogokpo are going to invoke their deity.
“It is about time others must learn to respect we Ewes. I don’t want to be tribalistic but Agyinasare cannot go to the Ashanti land or any Akan community and make that statement,” he said.
In response during an interview with JoyNews on Thursday, the Ningo-Prampram legislator noted that as he remains a firm believer in the efficacy and power in the blood of Jesus Christ “no power, no weapon fashioned against us will prosper”.
“He, who manifests in three beings – as Father, Son and Holy Spirit is ultimate and all powers, tongues will bow before him. And so long as we call on his name, his name is a strong tower the righteous will run into and they will be safe,” he added.
He also asserted that the words of Archbishop Agyinasare’s have been misconstrued as they have been taken out of context.
“I urge people to know every communication is in a context. If you take it our of context, you can spin it in a thousand ways. People have seen a video of about 3 minutes and drawn their conclusion. That whole sequence in the sermon was about 15 minutes,” he said.
In his view, persons who run riot just on limited information appear to be “shallow”.
Background
On June 2, the Nogokpo traditional authorities issued a 14-day ultimatum to Archbishop Agyinare after he referred to Nogokpo as the “headquarters of demons” in the Volta Region.
This came after Archbishop Agyinasare clarified that he did not intend to disrespect any specific groups or communities, expressing regret over any misrepresentation or misinformation that followed.
As of June 16, when the deadline elapsed, the archbishop had not presented himself to the Nogokpo traditional authority.
Since then, Archbishop Agyinasare has not directly comment over the matter. However, his recent sermon has been interpreted as a response.
Archbishop Charles Agyinasare, last Sunday entreated Christians to know who they are and let go of worries about being hurt by any oppressor.
According to him, anyone who accepts Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and savior has a protective covering, thus is not affected by any attack.
“The blessing of Abraham, ‘I will make your name great so that you can be a blessing’. And take the verse three, it says, ‘and I will bless anybody who blesses you and curse anyone that curses you’.
“Once I become a Christian, you make a mistake if you curse me. What is a curse? A curse is an invocation of spiritual forces to do you harm. So, if God says anybody who curses you, he will curse. Then anybody who pours libations and mentions your name, invoking spiritual forces against you,” he said.
Ablekuma Star Oil filling station’s CCTV camera has reportedly captured the identity of one of the attackers who shot dead a police officer during a suspected robbery attack on Thursday, June 22.
Relevant authorities such as the Police are however yet to confirm whether the two individuals in the photograph being circulated on social media are those of the attackers.
Though the viral image is not of best quality, it is believed that a concentrated mind can make out the said individual.
Also, it is reported that the attackers have been apprehended, but that is also yet to be verified by the police, who launched a manhunt for the culprits.
How the attack unfolded
A viral video shows two individuals riding separate motorcycles can be seen trailing a white bullion van.
One of the armed men approached the filling station where the van had just parked. He swiftly opened the door of the vehicle, where the officer was seated, and began firing shots.
Despite the officer’s attempts to defend himself, his efforts proved unsuccessful. Witnesses present at the scene, including the van’s driver, quickly fled to ensure their own safety.
This tragic incident adds to the list of police officers who have lost their lives due to bullion van attacks.
In June 2021, a bullion van robbery attack at Jamestown in Accra led to the death of Constable Emmanuel Osei.
Following this, the Bank of Ghana issued a directive for all financial institutions to procure protective sophisticated vans, failure to which the central bank would not admit any substandard vehicles by the close of June 2021.
On the matter, the Ghana Police Service announced its decision to withdraw their regular escorts if the financial institutions fail to comply with the directive.
But the June 2021 deadline was extended and all financial institutions are now expected to ensure they provide bullion vans latest by July 1, 2023.
An Accra High Court judge has declared that James Gyakye Quayson’s perjury and forgery trial will be conducted on a daily basis starting from July 4, 2023.
The court presided by Justice Mary Yanzuh had earlier ruled that the perjury and forgery trial involving Mr Gyakye Quayson will proceed on a day-to-day basis, starting from Tuesday, June 20, 2023.
Subsequently, the High Court set June 23 to rule on whether the trial of James Gyakye Quayson should be put on hold after the legal counsel of Mr Quayson led by Lawyer Tsatsu Tsikata filed processes urging the court to review its decision to hear the case on a daily basis. It then adjourned sitting to June 23.
In court today, the court after hearing the argument of Mr Quayson’s lawyers decided to begin the trail from July 4.
The court however affirmed that its previous order to hear the case on a daily basis, which was announced on June 16, was legally sound and no grounds for a review had been presented.
“Adjournments are at the discretion of the court and not the convenience of parties. The order of this court was clearly in line with the law.
“No where was it demonstrated that the order was contrary to law.
“His rights have not violated by court for refusing not to give him time to campaign.
“Mere refusal of the court does not constitute denial of right to fair trial,” the judge stated.
July 4, per reports, was selected due to the unavailability of the specific court room on Mondays, the June 27 by-election and the upcoming Holiday and Martyrs’ day.
Deputy Attorney General Diana Asonaba Dapaah, according to JoyNews, said the decision of the court is consistent with time tested principles of law.
“It sits with what we have always said that it is up to the court to decide the dates for hearing and not at the convenience of an accused person,” she stated.
However, a member of Mr. Quayson’s legal team, Baba Jamal, was elated by the court’s decision which he said will afford his client prepare adequately for the Assin North by-election slated for June 27.
“We don’t have any issues with day to day after the polls. We needed time to campaign. Even though our application has been dismissed, we are satisfied.”
In Ghana, the police service has implemented a special arrangement where officers are deployed to provide guard and escort duties for banks across the country.
This initiative aims to generate additional funds to support the administration. However, these officers face significant risks as they are exposed to potential attacks by armed robbers.
To ensure the safety of these officers, it is crucial that they are equipped with modern weapons and provided with bulletproof vests. Unfortunately, the reality is that police officers on guard or escort duties are often armed only with AK-47 rifles, which remain their primary means of protection. This leaves them vulnerable to external threats while carrying out their duties.
While the police administration benefits financially from this arrangement with banks, it is disheartening to note that the officers who put their lives on the line do not receive any extra compensation despite the inherent risks involved.
“If you are lucky and you find yourself at a bank that is ‘generous’, you are paid 100 cedis a week” one officer told www.247newsgh.com
Another officer lamented about the dangers they face and yet the police administration has refused to provide them the needed bullet proof vest to keep them alive on their job.
“We are just risking our lives, no one even cares, if you get injured or hurt, you are replaced’
The sentiment is one that is shared by a lot of the police officers who find themselves on guard or escort duties and even those not assigned.
Between 2020 and 2021 there were heightened attacks on bullion Vans. Police Officers accompanying the money, were attacked by armed robbers and sadly lost their lives.
The then IGP had described the pool of vehicles used as bullion vans as ‘not fit for purpose’
The Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service, Ken Yeboah, also announced that police officers accompanying ‘bullion vans’ will be well protected. He went further to say that there would be more than one police officer following a bullion van.
That same year, the Bank of Ghana announced in July 2021 that Banks would use armoured bullion vans.
All these directives were not adhered to by the the Bank of Ghana or the police service.
Two years down the line and under the current IGP, George Akuffo Dampare, nothing has changed.
Police Officers still lack sophisticated weapons and bulletproof vest while on guard duties
Lack of motivation, and proper remuneration is why some of the police officers have compromised their positions, becoming accomplices of this criminal gang that is attacking ‘the not fit for purpose bullion vans.
In 2022 the police administration announced that about 8 of their officers were involved in a series of bullion van robberies.
The Police administration arrested four of their officers in a raid to uncover the suspects behind the bullion Van attacks. Two other officers who were suspects were killed during a raid to arrest more suspects.
A number of police officers on these special duties have repeatedly complained about the unavailability of bulletproof vests and sophisticated weapons to protect them on these assignments, aside the not fit for purpose bullion vans.
As the administration sits unconcerned, another police officer has been shot and killed in Ablekuma.
Unconfirmed reports indicate that a group of assailants that shot dead an officer of the Ghana Police Service at Ablekuma Star Oil filling station in Accra on Thursday, June 22, have been apprehended.
Following the tragic incident, the police launched a manhunt to apprehend the suspected robbers involved in the tragic event.
Sources say the robbers have been captured but that is yet to be confirmed by the Police.
A viral CCTV footage shows a group of four men trailing what appears to be a white bullion van.
One of the armed men after arriving at the filling station just as the van had parked opened the door where the officer was seated and opened fire.
The officer attempted to attack but his efforts were unsuccessful. Witnesses at the scene including the driver of the van eloped to save their lives.
This tragic incident adds to the list of police officers who have lost their lives due to bullion van attacks.
In June 2021, a bullion van robbery attack at Jamestown in Accra led to the death of Constable Emmanuel Osei.
Following this, the Bank of Ghana issued a directive for all financial institutions to procure protective sophisticated vans, failure to which the central bank would not admit any substandard vehicles by the close of June 2021.
On the matter, the Ghana Police Service announced its decision to withdraw their regular escorts if the financial institutions fail to comply with the directive.
But the June 2021 deadline was extended and all financial institutions are now expected to ensure they provide bullion vans latest by July 1, 2023.
As the by-election approaches in the Assin North Constituency, the political atmosphere is intensifying, with significant figures from the two main political parties, the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the major opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), making their way to Assin North to rally voters for their respective candidates.
Haruna Iddrisu, the former minority leader and Member of Parliament for Tamale South, has recently been seen actively campaigning for the NDC candidate, James Gyakye Quayson, in the constituency.
A viral video circulating on social media shows Iddrisu engaging with market women, visiting different tables and shops to garner support for the NDC.
The presence of Haruna Iddrisu has generated enthusiasm among the market women, who expressed their joy at seeing the former minority leader.
They enthusiastically pledged their support to the NDC and cheered Iddrisu as he interacted with them.
Hon Haruna Iddrisu storms Assin North Constituency to camps for Hon Gyakyie Quayson. pic.twitter.com/0dbJmr1iEZ
The Environmental Health Department of the Twifo Atti-Morkwa District Assembly in the Central Region has initiated a large-scale operation to cull dogs on the main street of Twifo Praso, resulting in the death of more than 200 dogs within the community.
According to Emmanuel Forson, the Environmental Health Officer at the Twifo Atti-Morkwa District Assembly, the objective of the exercise was to address the issue of numerous stray dogs roaming the streets of Twifo Praso, which posed a significant threat to human lives and other vulnerable animals in the area.
Mr Forson highlighted the concerning behavior of these stray dogs, including their tendency to hunt and kill other animals such as guinea fowls and turkeys, as well as their unprovoked aggression towards people on the streets.
Additionally, the indiscriminate defecation by these dogs posed potential health risks to the local population.
In an interview with Kasapa News, Mr Forson emphasized the importance of dog owners vaccinating their pets against rabies on an annual basis and restraining them appropriately.
He stated that the department would continue the culling exercise until full compliance with the law is observed by the residents of Twifo Atti-Morkwa District.
Upon learning about the operation, many residents have taken measures to protect their dogs, either by hiding them or sending them to neighboring communities outside the district to prevent them from being culled by the assembly.
A prominent figure within the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Victor Smith, has called for an investigation into the citizenship status of other MPs following the removal of James Gyakye Quayson as Member of Parliament for Assin North, for failing to renounce his Canadian citizenship prior to the 2020 elections.
According to Mr Smith, he possesses information regarding an MP from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) who applied for the renunciation of her US citizenship at a later date than Gyakye Quayson did for his Canadian citizenship.
The MP in question represents the Nsuta-Kwaman-Beposo Constituency and happens to be Adelaide Yaa Agyeiwaa Ntim, the sister of NPP National Chairman Stephen Ntim.
“Gyakye Quayson is in court for something to do with dual nationality. There are a few people in there (parliament) and we have to investigate this. It is documented that one NPP MP, called Yaa Agyeiwaa Ntim, a sister of the NPP chairman, had a similar issue.
“Even for her, she said she filed for her renunciation in 2020 before she went for the election. I’m almost certain that if we look at her document or that from the US Embassy, we would see that her renunciation did not take effect before we went into the election. But as for her, they have left her remaining as an MP,” he said in Twi in an Ahorot FM interview on Thursday, June 22, 2023.
Victor Smith, a former High Commissioner of Ghana to the United Kingdom, said that he is certain that the NPP MP did not get her renunciation certificate from the US government just like Gyakye Quayson before the 2020 election.
“In the case of Gyakye Quayson, they agreed that he has renounced his foreign citizenship but at the time he went for the election, the approval had not been given and so because of that he can’t be an MP,” he said.
He called on the NPP MP to prove him wrong saying, “I’m asking that this woman, Yaa Agyeiwaa Ntim, the MP for Nsuta-Kwaman-Beposo, to bring documents to show that the time she went for election, the US government had approved her renunciation.”
Zambia has successfully reached an agreement to restructure its debt of over $6 billion owed to various governments, marking a significant step towards its economic recovery, according to President Hakainde Hichilema.
While the deal with other governments is seen as a milestone, President Hichilema emphasized that further efforts are needed to reach a separate agreement with private creditors.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Zambia became the first country to default on its debt, with a significant portion owed to China.
The debt restructuring agreement was announced during a global finance summit held in Paris, where there were also calls for a comprehensive reform of the international finance system to support developing nations and address the challenges posed by climate change.
SPEECH: KEYNOTE PRESENTATION BY HE JOHN DRAMANI MAHAMA ON ASSET VALUATION AS A GLOBAL ANTI-CORRUPTION TOOL AT THE 53RD ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE NIGERIAN INSTITUTION OF ESTATE SURVEYORS & VALUERS, ILORIN- KWARA STATE.
Mr President, the Governing Council, and the entire membership of the NIESV, please accept my sincere gratitude for this invitation. I am also grateful to the Governor of Kwara State and my brother Abdul-Rahman Abdul-Razaq, for graciously acting as my host and landlord.
Let me also compliment you, members of the Institution, for your immense contribution to Nigeria’s national development, policy advocacy and formulation on housing, land compensation payment, property rating, land administration, and management.
I am impressed with the twenty-five (25) Professional Groupings under the Institution (NIESV) and the existence of fifty-nine (59) Branches across the country. I admire the vibrancy and discipline of the NIESV.
Ladies and gentlemen, corruption can be described as an instrument of murder because its effects can lead to loss of citizens lives due to deprivation of critical public infrastructure and services. Surveyors, Architects, and Engineers who sign-off on poorly constructed or shoddy infrastructure projects like roads, bridges, buildings, and railways can lead to loss of lives due to fatal accidents.
Because corruption is a global challenge, its scope and seriousness have led to calls for a worldwide response and cooperation in the fight against it. Corruption is an economic malady. It means different things in different contexts, but, my brothers and sisters, whichever form it takes and no matter the context, corruption is a feature of poor governance and ethics in both public and private sectors.
And we all know why. Graft thrives due to the layered irresponsibility of institutions and state actors that must fight it. The World Bank explains corruption as the abuse of public office for private gain in the public sector. On the other hand, Transparency International (TI) says corruption within the private sector is the misuse of entrusted power for personal gain.
Whichever way you visualise it, corruption must be fought whether it occurs in the public or private sector.
Your Excellency Governor, distinguished guests, there are at least three elements required for corruption to occur. First, someone must have discretionary power, which includes the ability to influence the formulation of regulations and administer them. Second, economic rent must be associated with discretionary power, primarily when higher rents are related to the misuse of discretionary power. Third, when the governance or legal system offers a sufficiently low probability of detection or sanction for wrongdoing.
The World Economic Forum estimates suggest that the global cost of corruption is at least US$2.6 trillion. This equals 5 per cent of the global gross domestic product (GDP). The World Bank has also disclosed that businesses and individuals pay more than $1 trillion in bribes yearly.
This being the case, the international community, and I am talking about development partners, international organisations, non-governmental organisations, academic experts, and professional bodies, continue to advocate an integrated and comprehensive approach to fighting corruption worldwide.
Among the approaches and initiatives adopted by the international community are the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, the United Nations Declaration against Corruption and Bribery in International Commercial Transactions, the International Code of Conduct for Public Officials and Nationals, as well as International Codes of Conduct for Professionals. The African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption is another germane instrument.
While these initiatives have had a variable impact at stopping illicit financial flows, definitely more needs to be done using all instruments available to the international community and individual nations in the fight against corruption. The advocacy of these international agencies and initiatives is highly commendable, especially as it relates to the pervasive and negative impact of corruption on economic growth and development of nations.
Empirical evidence shows that because of its secrecy, corruption distorts incentives and market signals and aggravates economic distortions. This is because enormous productive resources, such as human talent, which should be channelled to constructive engagements, are diverted into rent-seeking activities for financial rewards and further into escaping detection and punishment.
Mr Chairman, corruption hinders economic development, diverts investments from infrastructure, institutions, and social services, and undermines efforts to achieve other country-specific development goals and targets. Corruption also retards growth because bribes paid by investors to secure investment licenses, including building permits, increase the cost of doing business and, consequently, reduces the incentive to invest in a country.
Corruption also has adverse effects on productivity. If the permits and licenses needed by innovators or new producers are obtained by paying bribes, that could impede the entry of new goods or technology onto the markets of many economies.
Specifically, the impact of corruption in our nation states show that high corruption rates contribute to high inflation rates. Corruption-induced inflation contributes to high cash and unproductive capital inflows into an economy and leads to macroeconomic instability. These eventually impact microeconomic activities as prices of goods and services and the cost of living in general increase, culminating in labour agitation for commensurate increases in wages and salaries.
The Central Bank is then compelled to respond with policies to help reduce inflation and achieve price stability. Some of these policies include monetary measures that increase the primary lending rates of banks through the base rates to induce low lending till the excess cash is mopped up from the system. This is certainly inimical to the growth of businesses that rely on credit to survive. This relates to SMEs in particular.
Also, because of our current interconnectedness, we have open economies that allow the easy transfer of funds, which often could include financial rewards from corruption related activities. Corruption, therefore, has the negative effect of robbing a country of productive capital gained from graft because the proceeds may be transferred to foreign bank accounts.
The practice of capital flight from corruption will worsen the growth of developing countries if the international community does not enforce the Conventions and Declarations against corruption.
Mr Chairman, the international community has embarked on a global anti-corruption fight across several sectors, including real estate. We all admit, without question, that the real estate sector remains a very vibrant sector whose economic health impacts every sector of an economy.
Real estate is a factor of production in the same light as labour and capital. Real estate provides unique, tangible, and intangible benefits that attract investors. Compared to other asset classes, real estate investment, studies have shown, is a store of value, a hedge against inflation, and a good portfolio for investment diversification. Real estate investment serves as a cash flow stream from tenant’s rent payments.
In 2022, a Real Estate Market Size Report revealed that the size of the professionally managed global real estate investment market increased from US$10.5 trillion in 2020 to US$11.4 trillion in 2021. The estimates were from 37 markets in America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific. Keep in mind that COVID-19 was ravaging the world between 2020 and 2021.
Therefore, real estate asset and property valuation are a critical factor in asset investment decision-making and a vital tool for the global fight against corruption. Asset valuation is an exercise conducted by professionals in public agencies, private companies, organisations, and individual professionals.
Considering the heavy reliance on physical asset collateralisation by our financial intermediation systems, including government-required performance bonds, the mechanisms deployed for asset valuation must be scientific, transparent, and credible.
Unfortunately, despite the good aspirational intents, African countries have frequently been bedevilled with the ripple effects of skewed valuations driven by the wilful narrow ends of a few.
Considering the enormity of the consequences of perversely attributed values to assets, asset valuation deservedly demands and requires increased attention from critical actors, such as the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers. Similar attention is also needed from your counterparts in my country, Ghana, and across the globe.
I dare say that among several vices, dubious valuation for assets that are used as collateral deposited with financial institutions or for business valuations during Initial Public Offering (IPOs), mergers and acquisitions are at the top of the list of potential dangers to the growth of the private sector.
Our fragile financial intermediation systems’ security and growth face significant risks from poorly done asset valuation. To remain relevant in pursuing economic and social progress and distributive justice and equity, you as professionals must rise to the occasion and create a more responsive regime to aid Africa’s renaissance and growth.
You must work to build Africa as a centre of excellence in the asset valuation space. It is possible for Africa to offer global leadership in this sector, the same way we have done in leading the world in the deployment of mobile and e-money.
A multifaceted interventionist approach is required to improve the asset and business valuation environment to restore credibility in the operational mechanisms deployed by professionals in this regard.
To achieve this aspiration, Africa needs to offer contextually relevant solutions and valuation mechanisms that are fit for purpose, consider the peculiarity of our building systems and the comparable higher durability. We must also anticipate future economic, social, and geographic occurrences and their impact on asset values.
In Africa, assets, especially houses, offer more than a monetary value. Assets may have ancestral relevance, must never be flipped in an economic exchange or sale, and are often appreciated beyond monetary value.
I suggest that professionals such as yourselves reinforce the unique value proposition of Africa and espouse cherished and touted African values in valuation mechanisms. Professionals must measure their relevance beyond a mere regulatory anchor that insists people use their services.
Do not get me wrong – regulation is critical to promote sustainable cohesion, growth, and development. However, professionals must always ask if people will voluntarily request their services if there is no regulatory requirement.
I am encouraging your Institution to take up the challenge and embark on a massive outreach to engage Nigerians. Professionals have often assumed that being technically competent is enough to sustain their relevance.
Well, it is not. For instance, the number of technical jargons in your reports can be reconsidered, especially from the end user’s perspective. Ultimately, your service is to your clients, who may not always be as technically apt as you are.
Related to this is the number of disclaimers that accompany most of your reports, almost absolving valuers from significant professional misconduct and abuse. This may require a critical reconsideration.
Asset valuation service users may require asset valuation for several reasons. At the very minimum, asset valuation must identify the right price for an asset so that the purchaser does not mistakenly overpay for the acquisition, nor does the seller erroneously accept a discounted price. This means all parties, without any moral hazard, can determine the actual value of the business in the event two companies merge or one firm acquires another. Mr Chairman, we must agree that if we are to improve asset valuation in the quest to tackle corruption globally, there must be a limit to using arbitrary powers for asset valuation. Instead, we should amplify tried and tested distinct methods that rely on valuation standards.
Overstating the assets and understating their liabilities has led to the crash of some multinational corporations and had reverberating effect on the whole world economy. In the United States, as recent as the late 2000s, the failure of real estate appraisers to abide by standards led to overvalued properties that are perceived to have contributed to significant mortgage defaults, which impaired the capital reserves and operating ability of many financial institutions and led to a crisis in the world financial system that spread beyond the borders of the US.
As a person who has served in public office at the highest level, let me tease your minds by raising the issue of the requirement for public officers to declare their assets prior to taking office and upon exit from office. This regime of declaration of assets is a useful tool in the fight against corruption, but in many cases is not utilized to maximum effect.
The assets declaration forms must be filled by the individual prospective public office holder. In Ghana, the individual is asked to list all assets and properties they own. Examples are houses, farms, vehicles, jewellery etc. You are also required to assign values to each of these assets.
How will physical examination of assets and valuation assist to strengthen the assets declaration regime to assist the fight against corruption? What role can the determination of the net worth of a public officer before and after office assist in curbing the canker of corruption.
It is good practice that valuation or appraisal organisations require their members to adhere to a particular set of standards. The American Society of Appraisers (ASA) and the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) insist on standards and performance measurements partly because they wish to avoid the mistakes of their past.
Performance measurement is not an exact science, but I urge you to allow these indices to guide your noble efforts borne out of your intrinsic motivation to right the wrongs of the past. The Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority, beneficial ownership legislation, and the development of an online portal for planning applications have brought more clarity for example. Through transparency, Nigeria can better tackle corruption in the real estate sector.
Mr Chairman, Surveyor President, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, my speech has mapped out asset valuation as a vital tool for national development. We are yet to maximise the potential of asset valuation as a tool for nation-building and anti-corruption. Let us constantly strive to improve and enforce existing global anti-corruption conventions designed to curtail the negative impacts of corruption on national economies.
In addition to the Institution’s efforts, Estate Surveying and Valuation Companies must adhere to laws and standards and take internal steps to prevent corruption in asset valuation. Please also partner with government to implement global standards and national professional codes of conduct and standards.
Finally, the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers must champion efforts to enhance real-time data availability, improve technology adoption for land and real estate services online, and formulate relevant legislation for property management.
With the leadership and commitment of the NIESV, asset valuation as a global anti-corruption tool will take firm roots in Nigeria with the hope that the giant of West Africa will rise again and soar like the eagle that calls its compatriots to obey.
Director of Local Government Services at the Office of the President, Dennis Miracles Aboagye, confidently asserts that the upcoming Presidential election within the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has already been decided, with Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia emerging as the clear winner.
Miracles emphasizes that the NPP is seeking a leader who possesses two unique qualities, and in his opinion, Vice President Bawumia embodies those qualities.
According to Dennis Miracles Aboagye, the Vice President’s selection as the NPP’s presidential candidate is a foregone conclusion, reflecting the party’s conviction in his leadership abilities.
“We are looking for a leader with two qualities; one that can win the elections in 2024 for us and one that can actually execute the job when we elect him. At the moment, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia is the person with these two qualities,” he said during Peace FM’s ‘Kokrokoo’ discussion programme.
To him, there is absolutely no shred of doubt that the party delegates will elect the Vice President to lead them into next year’s presidential election.
Dennis Miracles Aboagye, the Director of Local Government Services at the Office of the President
“Everywhere you go around this country, the voices you hear, the sound you hear from the party people who take the decision is very unanimous that Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia is the person to win power for us. No doubt about that,” he asserted.
The New Patriotic Party will hold a Super Delegates Congress in August this year to trim the number of aspirants from ten to five before they conduct their main primaries in November, 2023, to elect their flagbearer.
Ten aspirants, including Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, former Trade Minister Alan Kyerematen, Assin Central Member of Parliament Kennedy Agyapong, former Agriculture Minister Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, former Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko, Joe Ghartey, and former General Secretary of the party Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, among others, are actively preparing to engage in a highly competitive race for the leadership position within the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
With each aspirant vying for the opportunity to be elected as the party’s leader, the contest promises to be intense and challenging. The individuals involved bring a wealth of experience and diverse backgrounds, setting the stage for a compelling competition within the NPP.
Following the passage of a contentious online news bill in the Canadian parliament, Meta has announced its intention to implement news restrictions on its platforms exclusively for Canadian users.
The bill mandates that major platforms must provide compensation to news publishers for the content shared on their sites.
Both Meta and Google have already conducted trials by limiting news access to certain Canadian users.
This move echoes a similar action taken by Facebook in 2021 when Australian users were blocked from sharing or accessing news content in response to a comparable law.
Known as Canada’s Online News Act, the legislation was approved by the senate on Thursday.
It establishes regulations that require platforms like Meta and Google to engage in commercial negotiations and financially compensate news organizations for the utilization of their content.
Meta has called the law “fundamentally flawed legislation that ignores the realities of how our platforms work”.
On Thursday, it said news availability will be ended on Facebook and Instagram for all users in Canada – before the bill takes effect.
“A legislative framework that compels us to pay for links or content that we do not post, and which are not the reason the vast majority of people use our platforms, is neither sustainable nor workable,” a Meta spokesperson told Reuters.
The company said the changes to news would not have an impact on other services for Canadian users.
Google called the bill “unworkable” in its current form and said it was seeking to work with the government to find a “path forward”.
The federal government says the online news bill is necessary “to enhance fairness in the Canadian digital news market” and to allow struggling news organisations to “secure fair compensation” for news and links shared on the platforms.
An analysis of the bill by an independent parliament budget watchdog estimated news businesses could receive about C$329m ($250m; £196m) per year from digital platforms.
Earlier this month, Canadian Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez told Reuters the tests being run by the tech platforms were “unacceptable” and a “threat”.
In Australia, Facebook restored news content to its users after talks with the government led to amendments.
On Thursday, Mr Rodriguez’s office said he had met both Google and Facebook this week and planned further discussions – but the government would move forward with the bill’s implementation.
“If the government can’t stand up for Canadians against tech giants, who will?” he said in a statement.
Media industry groups hailed the bill’s passage as a step towards market fairness.
“Real journalism, created by real journalists, continues to be demanded by Canadians and is vital to our democracy, but it costs real money,” said Paul Deegan, president and chief executive officer of News Media Canada, a media industry group, said in a statement
The Online News Act is expected to take effect in Canada in six months.
Former President John Dramani Mahama was in Ilorin in the Kwara State of Nigeria on Thursday as a Special Guest of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers.
Mr Mahama addressed the Institution’s 53rd annual national conference, which started on June 19, 2023.
Speaking at the Conference on “Asset Valuation as a global anti-corruption Tool”, the statesman entreated Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers to reinforce the unique value proposition of Africa and espouse cherished and touted African values in valuation mechanisms.
“Professionals must measure their relevance beyond a mere regulatory anchor that insists people use their services.
“Do not get me wrong – regulation is critical to promote sustainable cohesion, growth, and development. However, professionals must always ask if people will voluntarily request their services if there is no regulatory requirement.
“I am encouraging your Institution to take up the challenge and embark on a massive outreach to engage Nigerians. Professionals have often assumed that being technically competent is enough to sustain their relevance,” he added.
Efforts to address corruption in Nigeria have been ongoing. The country has established anti-corruption agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), to investigate and prosecute corruption cases.
Additionally, Nigeria has signed and ratified international anti-corruption conventions and implemented domestic legislation to combat corruption.
However, despite these measures, the fight against corruption in Nigeria remains challenging.
Factors such as weak institutional frameworks, lack of transparency, political interference, and inadequate enforcement have hampered progress in combating corruption effectively.
Tributes are being paid to the five individuals who tragically lost their lives aboard the Titan submarine, which U.S. officials have described as experiencing a “catastrophic implosion.”
The victims have been identified as Hamish Harding, 58; Shahzada Dawood, 48, and his son Suleman Dawood, 19; Paul-Henri Nargeolet, 77; and Stockton Rush, 61.
The families of the deceased have expressed deep sorrow and honored their loved ones for their dedication to exploration.
Following the Titan’s loss of contact on Sunday, the U.S. Navy initially detected an “acoustic anomaly consistent with an implosion.”
Subsequently, a robotic diving vehicle discovered significant remnants of the submarine on the seabed, approximately 1,600 feet (480 meters) from the Titanic shipwreck, on Thursday.
James Cameron, the director of the 1997 Titanic film and an experienced diver who has completed 33 dives to the wreck, voiced his concerns about a potential disaster when the submarine went missing.
Experts are now questioning the safety of the Titan submersible and the regulatory measures governing private sector deep-sea expeditions.
Guillermo Söhnlein, a co-founder of OceanGate, has rejected some of the criticisms directed at the company over safety and certification.
Söhnlein left the company 10 years ago but still retains a minority stake.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, he said those commenting on the Titan’s safety, including film director James Cameron, were not fully informed.
“People keep equating certification with safety and are ignoring the 14 years of development of the Titan sub,” he says.
“Any expert who weighs in on this, including Mr Cameron, will also admit that they were not there for the design of the sub, for the engineering of the sub, for the building of the sub and certainly not for the rigorous test programme the sub went through.”
Söhnlein said it had been a “tragic loss for the ocean exploration community” but anyone who operates in the deep ocean “knows the risk of operating under such pressure and that at any given moment… you run the risk of this kind of implosion”.
He added that he thought technology and innovation can outpace regulation and developers are in a better position to understand the risks and best minimise them.
New information has recently surfaced regarding a brutal robbery that occurred in Ablekuma, Accra on Thursday.
Tragically, during the incident, a police officer was fatally attacked while guarding a bullion van.
According to the Ghana Police Service, an intensive manhunt is underway to locate a gang of four robbers who targeted a vehicle at a filling station situated in Ablekuma Fanmilk.
The driver of the van escaped unhurt.
Hours after the incident the CCTV footage of the whole incident has been made public.
From the video, the plan was executed in less than a minute as four men rode on two motorbikes which ambushed the van in broad daylight.
CCTV Footage from the robbery today which claimed the life of one Police officer.
The imposition of taxes on sanitary pads has faced strong criticism from the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Bagbin, who deemed it a grave wrongdoing.
Various civil society organizations had submitted a petition to Parliament, urging the removal of these taxes.
Conveying his profound dissatisfaction with the taxation of sanitary pads, the Speaker emphasized the urgency for the government to take immediate action in addressing this issue.
“The issue they raise is a very serious issue, why have we passed a law imposing taxes on sanitary pads? This is unconscionable, it is a cardinal sin. The House shouldn’t have allowed it at all. You know the impact of that law on human resource development is immeasurable.
“I have a copy of the petition and I am going to take immediate action to prevent whoever is the minister proposing that thing to take it off. The next budget it must not appear, it cannot be a tax.”
The Speaker’s remarks followed a protest by a group of Civil Society Organizations demanding the government’s removal of taxes on sanitary pads.
The imposition of a 12.5 percent value-added tax (VAT) and a 20 percent import tax on sanitary pads has led to a significant price increase, rendering them unaffordable for many women who constitute 51 percent of Ghana’s population, according to a concerned group.
Representing the group, spokesperson Ama Pratt emphasized their determination to continue advocating for the elimination of these taxes by the government.
While there is growing pressure from various quarters to abolish the taxes, the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) has expressed caution and warned the Akufo-Addo government against removing taxes on imported sanitary pads.
The AGI argues that such a move, if undertaken at the expense of local manufacturers, would have adverse effects on the economy and should be avoided.
A police officer has reportedly been shot dead in a robbery at Ablekuma Star Oil filling station in Accra on Thursday, June 22.
The incident has prompted a swift response from law enforcement, with a heavy security presence at the scene and investigations underway, according to sources.
In response to the incident, the police have launched a manhunt to apprehend the suspected robbers involved in the tragic event.
As per reports, a group of robbers had specifically targeted a pick-up truck that was transporting several individuals, believed to be bankers. There were four robbers in total who trailed the pick-up until it arrived at the Ablekuma Fan Milk filling station, where the shooting incident occurred.
Tragically, the police officer seated in the front of the pick-up was subjected to multiple close-range gunshots. The officer succumbed to the injuries sustained during the attack.
Following the incident, the body of the deceased police officer has been transferred to the Police Hospital morgue for preservation and further examination through an autopsy.
A judge who was among the group dismissed following the Anas Aremeyaw Anas exposé has achieved a favorable judgment at the Court of Appeal, overturning the previous decision.
Benjamin Yaw Osei, who served as a judge at the Juabeng Circuit Court during the time of the investigation into judicial corruption, was one of the 20 judges from lower courts who faced dismissal in 2015.
The allegation was that he freed an accused person after receiving bribes from them.
Chief Justice Georgina Theodora Wood established a “prima facie case of stated misbehaviour against them”, a statement by Ghana’s Judicial Council said.
But his lawyers have been arguing that the allegation is not accurate because the accused person has actually been convicted and imprisoned.
Today, a 3-member panel of the Court of Appeal presided over by Justice Senyo Dzamefe overturned the earlier high court judgment against the appellant.
The recent ruling in his favor signifies a significant development in his case. However, specific details regarding the judgment and its implications were not provided.
The judgment means he may be reinstated as a judge.
Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, two prominent billionaires in the technology industry, have engaged in a playful exchange regarding a potential cage match.
Taking to his Twitter account, Elon Musk expressed his willingness to participate in a cage fight, inviting Mark Zuckerberg to join him.
In response, Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, shared a screenshot of Elon Musk’s tweet and replied with the phrase “send me location.”
Mr Musk then replied to Mr Zuckerberg’s response with: “Vegas Octagon.”
The Octagon is the competition mat and fenced-in area used for Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) bouts. The UFC is based in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Mr Musk, who turns 52 later this month, also tweeted: “I have this great move that I call ‘The Walrus’, where I just lie on top of my opponent & do nothing.”
He later tweeted short videos of walruses, perhaps suggesting his challenge to Mr Zuckerberg may not entirely be serious.
He also tweeted: “I almost never work out, except for picking up my kids & throwing them in the air.”
In the midst of this playful exchange, it has been noted that 39-year-old Mark Zuckerberg has been actively training in mixed martial arts (MMA) and has achieved victories in jiu-jitsu tournaments.
The online conversation between the two billionaires has quickly gained traction, capturing the attention of social media users. The viral exchanges have sparked debates among users, speculating on the potential outcome of a bout between them.
As a result, numerous memes and mock posters advertising the hypothetical fight have surfaced.
Elon needs to sign a waiver because Zuck will completely destroy him. https://t.co/qeazJGmi0M
The immortal words of George Eliot, “Our dead are never dead to us, until we have forgotten them,” have taken on a poignant meaning in the life of Abigail, the only daughter of the late Christian Atsu and his widow, Marie-Claire Rupio.
Although the former Black Star player is no longer with his family, his memory evidently lives on in their hearts.
When billions across the world on Sunday, June 18, shared heartwarming and thoughtful messages to their dads to commemorate Father’s Day, Atsu’s family was not left out.
His children, despite his physical absence, celebrated him in their own unique way.
Three days after the global celebration, Marie-Claire Rupio, his widow, shared a touching message that Abigail wrote in honour of her father, a post that has since deeply moved many.
Abigail, who is approximately 4 or 5 years old, wrote on a card saying: “Hands down Daddy, you were the best EVER! Happy Father’s Day Daddy! I love and miss you! Love Abigail X”
Deeply affected by this touching message, Marie-Claire shared the photo of the message accompanied by a crying face emoji and a dove of peace.
Christian Atsu tragically lost his life at the age of 31 in the powerful earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria on February 6, 2023, claiming the lives of over 50,000 people. He had been playing for Hatay, a Turkish first division team, since September the previous year, based in Antakya, near the epicentre.
After two weeks of searching, his body was discovered on February 18 in the rubble of the building where he lived. He was laid to rest on March 17, 2023, leaving behind cherished memories in the hearts of his loved ones.
The Independent Power Producers (IPPs) have reiterated to the Finance Ministry their plan to halt power supply to the national grid starting from July 1, 2023.
“We refer to our letters dated March 27, 2023 and May 25, 2023 with reference number IPGG/1/2023 and IPGG/2/2023 addressed to the Minister [Finance] by which the IPP Chamber stressed the urgent necessity for the government to prioritise payment of the outstanding arrears owed to members of the IPP Chamber to enable the IPPs to cover critical operational costs required to continue operations and pay overdue debt service”, it disclosed in a statement to the Finance Minister.
The decision to cut power was reached during an emergency meeting held on Tuesday, June 20, 2023.
The Chamber of Independent Power Producers has been urging the government to make an interim payment of 30% of the outstanding arrears owed to each IPP by June 20, 2023. However, their appeals have reportedly been disregarded by Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.
According to the IPPs, members of the IPP Chamber are now at a point where they are unable to persuade their creditors, contractors, contractors, and other key stakeholders to further defer payments owed to them and to continue operations.
It therefore urged the government and the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and other stakeholders to treat this reminder with the urgency it deserves and take the steps necessary to obviate such a situation.
AirtelTigo, a prominent telecommunications network, has officially rebranded itself as AT, effective from Thursday, June 22, 2023.
In November 2017, Airtel and Tigo merged to form AirtelTigo, offering a range of telecommunications services including data, mobile money, and mobile voice services.
With the name change, all sub-brands such as AT Money, AT Business, AT Premier, and AT Insurance will now operate under the unified brand name, AT.
The rebranding will be reflected in all future communications, marketing materials, and branding initiatives. While the brand colors will remain the same, all trade materials previously displaying AirtelTigo will be updated to reflect the new brand, AT.
Speaking during a round table discussion, Leo Skarlatos, Chief Executive Officer of AirtelTigo said “AT is a bold and strategic move aimed at reflecting our brand promise of simplicity making it easier for our customers to identify and engage with us. Our stakeholders should note that this change is only applicable to the brand name and logo, and will not impact our management structure, products, or services.”
“We will continue to offer the same innovative services that our customers have come to know and trust, with an enhanced focus on user experience and customer satisfaction”.
He assured customers of AT’s commitment to making life simple for its customers.
“We believe that this name change will only serve to strengthen our brand identity and represents our dedication to growth and simplicity,” Mr. Skarlatos reiterated.
The Supreme Court has granted the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) Parliamentary candidate for Assin North, James Gyakye Quayson, a seven-day period to file for a review of the court’s decision.
The apex court on Wednesday, May 17, 2023, instructed Parliament to expunge Mr Quayson’s name from the House’s records.
Quayson’s legal team today informed the court that they received a copy of the judgment late and requested additional time to contest the decision. Following this, the court issued its directive.
After the 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections, one Michael Ankomah Nimfah dragged Mr Quayson to a High Court for contesting the Assin North seat while in possession of Canadian and Ghanaian citizenship.
The Cape Coast High Court after hearing both the petitioner and respondent in July 2021, nullified the Assin North election on the basis that Mr Quayson had dual citizenship.
However, Mr Quayson continued to parade himself as a legislator. This prompted the petitioner to take his case to the Supreme Court for interpretation of Article 94 (2) (a).
In April 2022, the apex court instructed the now former NDC MP to stop holding himself as an elected MP until the determination of the suit challenging his election.
The court also ordered him to abstain from any Parliamentary business and also refrain from engaging in activities pertaining to an MP.
Mr Quayson’s lawyers filed an appeal but the Supreme Court dismissed it.
In its ruling on May 17, the Supreme Court noted that it would not ignore the submissions on the continued disregard of the orders of the High Court which have not been suspended or overturned.
According to the court, allowing Mr Quayson to remain in the capacity as MP “will be an indictment of the administration of justice.”
Parliament on May 29 wrote to the Electoral Commission (EC) declaring the Assin North seat vacant.
According to sources, the Clerk of Parliament, Cyril Kwabena Oteng Nsiah sent the said letter to the EC.
In a related event, Mr Gyakye Quayson is also involved in a criminal case over allegations of forgery and perjury related to certain offenses ahead of the 2020 Assin North parliamentary election.
The High Court has set June 23 to rule on whether the trial of James Gyakye Quaysonshould be put on hold after sitting for the hearing of the application to vary the High Court’s order to sit on a daily basis.
Mr Quayson has been permitted to be absent from the next adjourned date.
Charles Bissue, the former Secretary of the defunct Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), has withdrawn one of his three cases against the Office of Special Prosecutor (OSP).
The case in question involved Mr. Bissue requesting the court to either halt the OSP’s investigations or include investigative journalist Anas Aremyaw Anas as a suspect. He also sought to restrain the OSP from arresting him. The OSP launched an investigation following a documentary by Anas Aremyaw, in which Mr. Bissue was allegedly filmed accepting bribes.
During the court proceedings, Nana Kojo Pintoh Gyabi, a member of Mr. Bissue’s legal team, informed the court of their decision to discontinue the case. Dr. Isidore Tufuor, the Director of Prosecution at the OSP, expressed no opposition to the application.
“This is their own application, if they intend to withdraw same, we are not opposed to it” he stated.
The court, therefore, struck out the case as withdrawn. This development comes barely a day after Mr. Bissue was arrested and granted bail by the OSP. There are currently two other cases filed by Mr. Bissue pending at the courts against the OSP.
One is a human rights action in which he alleges his rights have been abused with the other is the action in which he challenges the authority of the investigative body to probe him when the matter has been handled by the police already.
On Wednesday, six individuals sustained injury after a wall and a building under construction at Ablekuma NIC collapsed on them.
According to the Ghana National Fire Service, 2 out of the six are in critical condition.
The victims are currently receiving treatment at the Akawey Hospital.
Ghana has recently borne the brunt of structural challenges. According to the Ghana National Fire Service, two lives were lost, with 62 injured from February to May due to eight separate structural collapses.
In the Ashanti Region, the dinning hall of Ejuraman Senior High School in Ejura on February 7, collapsed on a group of students, trapping and injuring 45. They were rescued and transported to the Ejura Government Hospital.
A storey building under construction at Ashongman Estate collapsed, injuring five on February 15 this year.
On March 1 and April 21, a three-storey building at the Royal Gospel Junior HIGH school at Sakura and a warehouse with an adjoining building at Taifa collapsed respectively.
The school incident recorded no casualty, however, two individuals sustained injuries in the latter.
On May 1, an uncompleted three-storey building collapsed at SDA Junction near KPOGAS Furniture at Adenta. A life was lost as a result while two construction workers sustained critical injuries.
On May 4, another uncompleted three-storey building came tumbling down at Nanakrom within the Adenta Municipality where a life was also lost.
On May 6, a six-storey building under construction at the Tamale-UDS City campus in the Northern Region collapsed. No casualty was recorded.
The Bortianor incident where a three-storey building collapsed, injuring seven occurred on May 9.
Meanwhile, the GNFS has called on land developers to desist from engaging the services of uncertified development practitioners and rather use the appropriate processes of securing building or construction permits with the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs).
Also, the Engineering Council has announced that it will set up a team to look into the structural challenges recorded.
The Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) has cautioned the government against the removal of taxes on imported sanitary pads.
The AGI argues that any such action taken at the expense of local manufacturers would have a negative impact on the economy.
This warning from the AGI comes in response to calls from stakeholders urging the government to reduce or eliminate taxes on sanitary pads, as many young girls struggle to afford them during their menstrual cycles.
While the issue of affordability is a concern, the AGI emphasizes the potential adverse consequences of favoring imported products over locally manufactured ones.
A statement signed by Seth Twum-Akwaboah, the Chief Executive Officer of AGI said, “The Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) wishes to caution Government that any policy measure that seeks to remove taxes on imported sanitary pads, at the expense of local manufacturers of same will be very detrimental to our economy.
“Much as the waiver of duties/taxes on imported sanitary pads for our young women to make the pads more affordable may sound good, this will only end up completely wiping out the few local sanitary pad factories left in our country. Therefore, the Association is of the view that the call for the removal of duties on imported sanitary pads is misplaced”.
The AGI mentioned that such public discourse ought to be reconsidered.
“The public discourse and social commentary suggesting to Government to eliminate import duty on imported sanitary pads need circumspection and ought to be reconsidered vis-à-vis local manufacturing, job creation and revenue generation for Government.
“The few local manufacturers of sanitary pads face imminent collapse and AGI calls on Government to intervene as soon as possible. We caution Government not to play to the gallery, but rather stay focused on its industrial transformation agenda by incentivising local manufacturers rather than imports,” AGI stated in its statement.
The Minority in Parliament has expressed concerns over the potential negative impact on businesses following the government’s agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the quarterly adjustments of utility tariffs.
The Caucus predicts a bleak outlook for businesses, citing the government’s plan to raise utility tariffs every three months without consulting the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC).
They argue that this will exacerbate the already high cost of doing business and worsen the challenging economic conditions.
During a media address, Isaac Adongo, the Deputy Ranking Member on the Finance Committee of Parliament, emphasized the impending consequences of these tariff increases on the Ghanaian population in the coming days.
“Every three months, they will increase electricity and water tariffs without due regard to its impacts on individuals, households, and businesses and this will definitely impact badly in the cost of doing business and feed into the current debilitating inflation and suffering being experienced by Ghanaians.
“Now you go and buy electricity and when you get home, you are afraid to slot the card because the units on the card are not enough, and you will need to go back and buy to top up.”
A French vessel equipped with a submersible capable of reaching the ocean floor and transmitting images to the surface has arrived in the designated search area.
The vessel, named Victor 6000, is also equipped with two mechanical arms capable of delicate maneuvers like cutting or removing debris.
The search area, which is being scoured by aircraft, ships, and remotely operated vehicles, has been expanded to cover approximately 10,000 square miles of the ocean.
Efforts are underway to locate the missing submarine, which lost contact on Sunday while descending to the Titanic wreck. The US Coast Guard reported hearing additional noises in the search area, but their nature remains unclear.
The Victor 6000, carrying a crew of five, will play a crucial role in the search operation, utilizing its advanced capabilities to explore the depths of the ocean floor and potentially gather valuable information.
Deep-sea explorer Dr David Gallo believes it would take a miracle to rescue those trapped in Titan, but he remains optimistic.
He told ITV’s Good Morning Britain that the noises coming from underwater are “credible and repeatable” meaning teams need to assume they are coming from the submersible and move quickly to locate it.
“We have to, at this point, assume that that’s the submarine and move quickly to that spot, locate it and get robots down there to verify that is where the submarine is,” he said.
“They’ve got to go fully ready as if that was the sub because to locate it and get it up to the surface – it takes hours.”
Dr Ken Ledez – a hyperbaric medicine expert has said that running out of air isn’t the only danger now.
The vessel may have also lost electrical power, which plays a pivotal role in controlling oxygen and carbon dioxide levels.
As oxygen levels fall, the proportion of carbon dioxide being breathed out by those inside will rise, causing potentially fatal consequences.
“As levels of carbon dioxide build up, then it becomes sedative, it becomes like an anaesthetic gas, and you will go to sleep,” Dr Ledez tells the BBC.
Hypothermia – where the body gets too cold to function – is another risk.
In his recent sermon, founder and leader of Perez Chapel International, Archbishop Charles Agyinasare, has entreated Christians to know who they are and let go of worries about being hurt by any oppressor.
According to him, anyone who accepts Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and savior has a protective covering, thus is not affected by any attack.
“The blessing of Abraham, ‘I will make your name great so that you can be a blessing’. And take the verse three, it says, ‘and I will bless anybody who blesses you and curse anyone that curses you’.
“Once I become a Christian, you make a mistake if you curse me. What is a curse? A curse is an invocation of spiritual forces to do you harm. So, if God says anybody who curses you, he will curse. Then anybody who pours libations and mentions your name, invoking spiritual forces against you,” he said.
He added: “What that person is doing is that they are activating a spiritual law, against themselves and their families… if they take a calabash filled with palm wine or a glass filled with schnapps or ‘akpeteshi’, once they pour it and call your name, they have open a spiritual portal to fight them.
“If the world knew who we are and what we have once we become Christians… you don’t joke with a child of God.”
Archbishop Agyinasare’s sermon comes at a time when he is yet to meet with Nogopko chiefs after describing the town as “demonic headquarters”.
The traditional authorities issued a 14-day ultimatum on June 2 for the Archbishop to appear before them but the man of God failed to meet with them.
Police in South Korea have requested an arrest warrant for a woman who stands accused of killing two of her newborn babies and storing their bodies in her freezer for an extended period.
According to officials from Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police, the woman, who is in her 30s, admitted to the killings, citing economic difficulties in caring for her three other children aged 12, 10, and 8 as the reason behind her actions.
Both newborns were reportedly only a day old when they died. The first child, her fourth, was born in a hospital in November 2018, and the woman allegedly strangled the baby the day after giving birth before preserving the body in her home’s freezer.
Similarly, her fifth child, a boy born in November 2019, suffered the same fate.
The woman’s husband claims he was unaware of the alleged murders, as he was informed that the two children had been aborted, according to police statements.
The case came to the attention of authorities in May after the government’s Board of Audit and Inspection discovered that the births of the infants had never been officially registered, despite hospital records confirming their births.
The board then notified Suwon City Hal, the municipal government, which requested a police investigation after the mother refused an on-site inspection.
On June 21, the police conducted a search and seizure operation in the woman’s home, during which she confessed to the murders, police say.
The woman is due to attend an arrest warrant hearing on Friday.
Former President John Dramani Mahama has been extended a special invitation to the 53rd annual national conference of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, held in Ilorin, Kwara State.
The conference, which commenced on June 19, 2023, will feature Mr. Mahama as a keynote speaker on Thursday, June 22, 2023.
During his address titled “Asset Valuation as a Global Anti-Corruption Tool,” Mr. Mahama will leverage his extensive experience as Ghana’s former president to shed light on the detrimental impact of corruption on economies.
Focusing on various forms of corruption, he will emphasize how it hampers economic growth and development.
Additionally, Mr. Mahama will offer valuable insights and recommendations on effectively utilizing valuation and professional standards to combat corruption.
The aim is to inspire innovative approaches within the real estate sector and provide fresh perspectives to conference attendees.
This participation by Mr. Mahama is viewed as a significant contribution to ongoing anti-corruption efforts and the promotion of transparency, not only in Nigeria but globally as well. The Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers has a strong commitment to upholding ethical standards and professionalism in the real estate industry.
By inviting influential figures like Mr. Mahama, the institution seeks to foster collaboration, knowledge sharing, and ultimately strengthen the fight against corruption while promoting good governance in the sector.
In Kenya, Members of Parliament (MPs) have approved a measure to double the value-added tax (VAT) on fuel from 8% to 16%. This decision is expected to contribute to the increasing cost of living in the country.
During the parliamentary session on Wednesday, MPs from the ruling party coalition voted in favor of the proposal, with 184 supporting the inclusion of the clause in the new finance bill. On the other hand, 88 lawmakers opposed the measure.
The government’s objective in implementing this tax hike is to generate approximately 50 billion Kenyan shillings ($356 million; £279 million) in additional revenue, citing the necessity to address the mounting national debt.
But the leader of the opposition MPs in parliament said it was punitive, terming the decision to push ahead with the fuel tax clause as “the saddest day in the history of this country”.
This week, Kenya’s parliament has been combing through clauses within the unpopular finance bill and considering and voting on amendments.
Besides the fuel tax, some of the controversial proposals include a housing fund levy to be paid by all salaried workers and an increase in taxes for social media influencers.
A tragic incident occurred in Yinchuan city, northwest China, where an explosion at a barbecue restaurant has resulted in the loss of at least 31 lives.
Authorities suspect a gas leak as the cause of the explosion, which took place on Wednesday night local time.
President Xi Jinping has emphasized the need for extensive rescue efforts and a thorough investigation into the blast.
Among the nine individuals detained in connection with the incident, the owner of the Fuyang Barbecue Restaurant is included, according to state media reports.
The explosion took place on the eve of the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, a time when families and friends traditionally gather for celebratory meals in China. Tragically, the victims of this incident include several high school students and retirees, as reported by local media.
The death toll is expected to rise as rescue operations continue, with seven individuals currently reported as injured. One of the injured individuals is in critical condition, as stated by the Xinhua news agency.
President Xi Jinping has stressed the importance of providing optimal medical care to the wounded and implementing enhanced safety measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
“We must do our best to rescue the injured and reassure the families of the casualties, identify the cause of the accident as soon as possible, and seriously pursue responsibility according to the law,” Mr Xi said.
The restaurant is part of a cluster of eateries and entertainment venues in downtown Yinchuan, the capital of the Ningxia autonomous region.
State broadcaster CCTV aired footage of more than a dozen firefighters fighting the blaze as smoke poured out of a gaping hole in the restaurant’s facade. Shards of glass and other debris littered the street.
Fire and rescue services dispatched more than 100 personnel and 20 vehicles to the scene, the Ministry of Emergency Management said. The rescue operation lasted until 04:00 local time Thursday.
According to a preliminary investigation by the fire department, a restaurant employee had smelled a gas leak about an hour before the explosion.
He then discovered a broken valve on a liquefied gas tank, and was in the process of replacing it when the blast occurred, local media reported.
Barbeque restaurants are emblematic of China’s street vendor economy and a favourite of locals in the country’s north-west regions.
The Ghana Hajj Board has issued a statement informing the public about the rescheduling of the flight that was intended to transport the final group of pilgrims from Ghana to Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
According to the Board, the flight has been postponed and is now set to depart on Saturday, June 24, 2023. All prospective pilgrims are advised to report to the Hajj Village on Friday, June 23, 2023, to complete the necessary check-in procedures.
In their press release issued on Wednesday, June 21, 2023, the Hajj Board expressed their apologies for any inconvenience caused to the affected pilgrims and sought their understanding in this matter.
“The last flight for this year’s Hajj airlift has been postponed to Friday the day on which prospective pilgrims are expected to report at the Hajj Village for check-in formalities. Departure is scheduled for Saturday.
“The decision was taken at an emergency Hajj Board meeting to ensure that the necessary mop-up is done so no paid-up prospective pilgrim is left behind.
“The Board wishes to apologize to those who might be inconvenienced by the decision which after all will inure to the interest of prospective pilgrims,” the statement reads.
The first batch of pilgrims totalling 433 were airlifted from Tamale to Saudi Arabia on Friday, June 9, 2023.
Hajj is a mandatory religious duty for Muslims that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by all adult Muslims who are physically and financially capable of undertaking the journey.
The High Court has set June 23 to rule on whether the trial of James Gyakye Quayson, the National Democratic Congress’ Parliamentary candidate for Assin North constituency should be put on hold.
Today, the court sat for the hearing of the application to vary the High Court’s order to sit on a daily basis for James Gyakye Quayson’s case which involves allegations of forgery and perjury related to certain offenses ahead of the 2020 Assin North parliamentary election.
On Tuesday, the legal counsel of Mr Quayson led by Lawyer Tsatsu Tsikata filed processes urging the court to review its decision to hear the case on a daily basis.
Lawyer Tsikata prayed the court to adjourn proceedings to June 28 to provide his client ample time to campaign for the Assin North by-election slated for June 27.
But Deputy Attorney General Alfred Tuah Yeboah informed the court his office had not been served with the court processes thus requested that the trial continues and the arguments against the day-to-day hearing be dealt with on Wednesday.
He also resubmitted concerns raised by the Attorney-General, Godfred Dame with regards to the need for an assiduous trial as Mr Quayson had not been assigned any national duties.
Lawyer Tsikata then pointed out that “there is actually proof of service on the docket.”
The matters that are the subject matters of the motion, logically precede the continuation of the trial. We were referring to the extraneous, prejudicial and unjustified and insulting remarks that were made by the Attorney General in seeking an application for a day-to-day hearing.
“And that was after my learned friend had made it clear, that the accused person is in fact a parliamentary candidate for an election that has been fixed for the 27th of June.” Mr Tsikata stated.
After hearing both parties, the judge stayed proceedings for Tuesday and adjourned the hearing of the motion.
In court today, the judge also ruled to grant permission to Mr James Gyakye Quayson to be absent from the next adjourned date.
