The Royal Golf Club in Kumasi, Ghana, came alive today as the 66th Asantehene Golf Tournament teed off amidst the vibrant atmosphere of the Vodafone Ghana Ashanti Month.
As the proud sponsor of the event, Vodafone Ghana reaffirmed its commitment to promoting sports, healthy lifestyles, and sustainable development in the region.
Throughout the month of June, Vodafone Ghana has been actively engaged in its Ashanti Month campaign, demonstrating its dedication to the Ashanti Region.
The campaign encompasses a range of activities designed to support local businesses, reward customer loyalty, and drive sustainable development.
The highly anticipated Asantehene Golf Tournament attracted a diverse group of golf enthusiasts, including both amateurs and professionals. The tournament commenced with a ceremonial tee-off, featuring Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the esteemed Asantehene, and Patricia Obo-Nai, the CEO of Vodafone Ghana.
This symbolic act further solidified the strong bond between Vodafone and the Ashanti Kingdom.
In addition to their participation in the golf tournament, Vodafone Ghana employees are actively involved in various initiatives that underscore the company’s commitment to the region. These include a courtesy call, an exclusive customer dinner, and several corporate social responsibility activities aimed at promoting long-term health, education, and sustainability outcomes in the area.
Among these initiatives is Healthfest, a free health screening program, Homecoming, an effort to settle bills for financially distressed hospital patients, and the provision of free ultrasounds for pregnant women in Pipie, located in the Bosomtwe district.
The 66th Asantehene Golf Tournament will culminate in the grand Royal Dinner on June 17th, graciously hosted by the Asantehene himself. This gala event will honor the tournament’s winners and add an extra touch of splendor to the festivities.
The tournament, coupled with the Vodafone Ghana Ashanti Month, represents a magnificent celebration of sports, customer engagement, and corporate social responsibility. These endeavors are all part of a collective commitment to fostering sustainable development in the Ashanti region and leaving a positive impact on the local community.
A Toyota Vitz vehicle was involved in a crash at the Burma Camp bypass underneath the Airforce Base overhead in Accra.
The incident, which took place on Saturday, June 17, 2023, occurred due to the driver’s intoxicated state.
Eyewitnesses reported that the driver lost control of the vehicle, causing it to somersault twice.
6:15am. Apparently, accident had happened 30mins ago. car spun twice they said. driver drunk! stopped a couple of cars for help and finally two policemen came through. driver who lays at the back was reeking of alcohol. guys don't drink and drive pic.twitter.com/dMfL7DfcS2
A social media user shared a photograph from the accident scene, revealing the severely damaged silver Toyota Vitz, with its front section (bonnet and side minor) completely wrecked.
The image depicted the driver lying on a block beside the car, seemingly in a helpless state. Fortunately, two policemen came to his rescue.
The paramount chief of the Wasipe Traditional Area, Wasipewura Mimuni Anyami Kabasagya II, has extended his support to the police administration in apprehending the suspects involved in the alleged attack on the Savannah Regional police commander and the Daboya Police Station.
Following a dawn police raid on June 16, which resulted in the arrest of four suspects, with three currently in custody in Tamale, Jantonwura Peter Awusi Yakubu, secretary to the paramount chief, addressed a press conference in Daboya on Saturday, June 17.
He expressed concern over the fear, panic, and escalating tensions caused by the police raids, and reaffirmed the chief’s commitment to assist the police in their efforts.
The conflict that unfolded on June 1 between the Gonjas and Mamprusis at Lukula and Mempeasem in the North Gonja district resulted in the loss of one life and the destruction of numerous houses.
In response, a group from Daboya allegedly attacked the Savannah Regional police commander and the Daboya police station in an attempt to free the arrested suspects.
In the aftermath, the police arrested 100 individuals involved in the attack, with 20 of them currently on bail and undergoing trial at a district court in Tamale after the screening process. The recent police raid on June 16 has reportedly heightened tensions in the area, leading to condemnation from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Savannah Region.
During the press conference, the paramount chief of the Wasipe Traditional Area, Wasipewura Mimuni Anyami Kabasagya II, expressed his willingness to assist the police in apprehending suspects listed as wanted, if their information is made available to him.
Jantonwura Peter Awusi Yakubu, acting as the spokesperson, emphasized that the chief’s offer aimed to bring an end to the raids, which have generated fear, panic, and heightened tensions in the town, resulting in the departure of young men from the community.
New leaders have been elected by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) constituency chairmen in the Greater Accra Region to guide the caucus for the next four years.
The ceremony, held on June 15, 2023, at the Best Western Plus Hotel, saw the NDC chairmen appointing six members to lead the association.
Benjamin Danso, the constituency chairman of Krowor, was chosen as the chairman of the Association, while Harry Otu Hesse, the constituency chairman of Ayawaso Central, became the vice chairman.
Gregory Quarshie, the constituency chairman of Okaikoi North, took on the role of Secretary, and Yussif Saeed, the Okaikoi South Constituency Chairman, was elected as the Convener. Mohammed Ramne (Alabi), the Ayawaso East constituency chairman, became the Deputy Convener, and Isaac Kportsu, the constituency chairman of Shai Osudoku, assumed the role of treasurer.
During the ceremony, the outgoing executives, Fiifi Taylor (former Okaikoi North constituency chairman) and William Olabode, officially handed over to the newly elected executives, urging them to work towards achieving the objectives of the caucus.
The meeting provided an opportunity for the constituency chairmen to discuss strategies for ensuring the victory of the NDC’s Presidential candidate, John Dramani Mahama, in the 2024 General Election. They also deliberated on ways to secure more parliamentary seats in the Greater Accra Region.
Given the upcoming by-election in the Assin North constituency, the NDC Greater Accra Chairmen agreed to visit the constituency and support the party’s parliamentary candidate in emerging victorious.
The NDC Greater Accra Chairmen expressed their unwavering loyalty to the party’s leadership at both the national and regional levels.
The meeting saw the participation of 24 constituency chairmen out of a total of 33 NDC chairmen in the Greater Accra Region.
Former constituency chairmen and outgoing executives were also present to witness the swearing-in of the new association executives.
At a vibrant ceremony held on Saturday, June 17, the school authorities of Prempeh College bestowed a great honor by naming a dormitory block after Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the Energy Minister and Member of Parliament for Manhyia South.
The decision to bestow this honor upon Dr. Prempeh, an alumnus of the school, was in recognition of his remarkable contributions to the school’s transformation in recent years.
Dr. Prempeh was joined by his paternal granduncle and mentor, former President Kufuor, who is also an old student of Prempeh College, affectionately known as an “Amanfoo.”
Former President Kufuor was honored with the naming of the largest auditorium in the school as the “J.A. Kufuor Auditorium.”
This recognition was a testament to his exceptional leadership, which led to Prempeh College being recognized as the Presidential College at one point.
During a keynote address, Konongohene Dr. Nana Awuah Abedimasa II, a member of the school’s Interim Management Committee, expressed gratitude for the immense support that Prempeh College has received and continues to receive from Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh. His contributions have been invaluable to the growth and development of the school.
The ceremony marked a momentous occasion where two esteemed individuals, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh and former President Kufuor, were recognized for their significant contributions to Prempeh College. Their names forever etched in the school’s history, symbolizing the enduring legacy of excellence and dedication to education.
“Prempeh College is so personal to him and he never gets tired of us. In our difficult moments, he always pulls through for us. It was a no-brainer, deciding to honour him this way”.
Nana Abedimasa said the former President and his grandnephew the Energy Minister were being honoured in their lifetime to serve as an inspiration to the rest of society moving away from the old age practice of recognizing only the dead.
“Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh has done tremendously well and for me, there are no questions conferring this lifetime honour” on him,
On his part, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh expressed his delight at the honour saying that it is humbling that his modest contributions are recognized.
“I want to reiterate my firm belief in making an impact in the society I find myself. After all that is the essence of leadership; to be able to positively affect lives”
“For me, everything I have done and continue to do for Prempeh College is also in honour of my grandfather, Otumfuo Nana Sir Osei Tutu Agyeman Prempeh II whose true intention for establishing the college was to promote education not only in the Asante Kingdom but the entire country.
“I cannot depart from this sacred duty,” Dr Prempeh said.
The Manhyia South legislator advised the current cohort of students to place so much premium on their academic work as according to him, it is the key to realising their dreams and even proceeding to become better in the near future.
The ceremony also witnessed the naming of another dormitory block after the former headmaster of the school from 1961 to 1963, Arthur Clarke, “Arthur Clarke House.”
Gilbert Asemuasa, a 24-year-old commercial motor rider in Akatsi, Volta Region, has been sentenced to two years in jail by the District Court for sharing his former fiancé’s private video on social media without her consent.
The convict was found guilty of the offence of Non-Consensual sharing of an intimate video, as stipulated in Section 67 of the Cybersecurity Act 2020 (Act 1038) of the Constitution.
During the court appearance on June 2, Chief Inspector Joseph Ajongbah, the Police prosecutor, provided details of the case. He explained that three years ago, the convict was in a relationship with a 20-year-old woman who had previously attended the Caring Sister Vocational Institute in Keta. In January 2019, the complainant visited the convict at his house, where they engaged in sexual intercourse.
Chief Inspector Ajongba stated that during their encounter, the complainant mentioned experiencing discomfort in her private area. Taking advantage of the situation, the convict secretly used his phone to record the private part of the complainant without her knowledge.
The prosecutor further revealed that the convict had warned the complainant not to end the relationship and threatened to expose her if she did. However, after a dispute, the complainant decided to break up with him. Subsequently, she received a threatening phone call, which she later discovered was from the convict, who intended to expose her by sharing the intimate video.
The complainant reported the matter to the convict’s brother, but no action was taken. Eventually, she lodged a formal complaint with the police in Akatsi, leading to the arrest of the convict. During the interrogation, he admitted to recording the video but denied sharing it on social media.
Following investigations, the convict was charged, arraigned, and subsequently convicted of the offence. The court, presided over by Mrs. Felicia Gandedzi, sentenced him to two years of imprisonment with hard labor after he confessed to the crime.
The future hangs uncertain for the hundreds of artisans and traders who have long operated at Odifuor Asare Park in Amakom, Kumasi. Their livelihoods are now at stake following a high court ruling on Friday, June 16.
For nearly four decades, the 3.4-acre land has served as a bustling hub for various skilled workers, including mechanics and food vendors.
But a private individual laid claim to the land, challenging the artisans’ longstanding presence and usage.
Over 300 artisans embarked on a legal battle against the private individual, seeking to establish their rightful ownership of the land.
Regrettably, the ruling declared the land to belong to the private individual, leaving the artisans in a state of uncertainty and potential displacement.
The ruling has left the artisans grappling with the fear of losing their source of income and the economic stability they have built over the years.
“We are more than three hundred people operating in the area. All these persons have apprentices. I have worked at the place for the past 38 years. I was the first to start operating there. The KMA allowed us to engage in our activities there. Even if they want to sell the land, we can buy it,” Akwasi Addai, one of the mechanics stated in an interview with Citi News.
In light of this verdict, the aggrieved individuals are now reaching out to the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and President Nana Akufo-Addo, appealing for their intervention to prevent the potential loss of their source of livelihood.
“We are appealing to the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and President Akufo-Addo to intervene. We have no one to come to our aid,” one of the affected persons, Georgina Mensah appealed.
Emmanuel Addai, the lawyer representing the affected persons, has expressed the intention to appeal the court’s decision on behalf of his clients.
He urged the artisans to remain calm during this process, assuring them that legal action will be taken.
Efforts to contact the private individual involved in the case have thus far been unsuccessful.
Tragedy struck in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, as seventeen individuals, including five children, lost their lives in an airstrike, according to officials.
The devastating attack occurred in the densely populated Yarmouk district, where twenty-five homes were destroyed on Saturday.
This deadly incident took place just a day after a high-ranking army general issued a threat to escalate attacks against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The conflict between the Sudanese army and the RSF erupted in mid-April due to a fierce power struggle within the country’s military leadership.
By early June, the RSF declared its complete control over Yarmouk, an area in the capital known for housing an arms manufacturing facility. However, the situation escalated further on Saturday with the tragic airstrike.
In an effort to mitigate the violence, the warring factions reached an agreement mediated by Saudi and US representatives. The agreement stipulated a 72-hour ceasefire set to commence on Sunday at 06:00 local time (04:00 GMT).
It is important to note that similar ceasefires in the past have not been effectively observed.
Precise figures on the number of people killed in the fighting are difficult to establish, but it is believed to be well over 1,000, including many civilians caught in the crossfire.
Roughly 2.2 million people have been displaced within the country and more than half a million are sheltering in neighbouring countries, according to the UN.
Several ceasefires have been announced to allow people to escape the fighting but these have not been observed.
The recent attack targeted civilians in Mayo, Yarmouk, and Mandela areas, according to the RSF. The army has not commented.
Since the hostilities began, tens of thousands of civilians have fled across the border into neighbouring Chad.
Doctors and hospitals there have been overstretched and struggling to cope.
The violence has also resurrected a two-decade-old conflict in Sudan’s western Darfur region.
In light of the increasing risks posed by uncertified loan applications, cybersecurity analyst Maximus Ametorgoh has urged the Bank of Ghana to enhance its regulation of loan applications.
This call comes following the recent crackdown by the Bank of Ghana on 97 loan apps that were found to be engaging in unlicensed lending activities, thereby violating the Banks and Specialized Deposit-Taking Institutions Act, 2016 (930).
In an interview with Citi Business News, Mr. Ametorgoh emphasized the importance of collaboration between the Bank of Ghana, telecom service providers, value service providers, and app developers to ensure the secure operation of loan apps and safeguard vulnerable borrowers.
He highlighted that individuals seeking loans often face economic pressures that drive them to explore digital lending options, without necessarily being aware of whether these apps are certified or authorized.
To address this issue, Mr. Ametorgoh proposes that “the Bank of Ghana engages in dialogue with telecom service providers, value service providers, and app developers, establishing a baseline regulation that requires any payment platform, electronic money issuer, or loan provider operating on the internet to obtain approval from the central bank.”
By implementing this measure, any financial service available online would be presumed certified, ensuring that borrowers can make informed decisions without the risk of falling victim to unlicensed lending activities.
Additionally, Mr. Ametorgoh suggests the development of a short code or an app that individuals can utilize to verify the certification and legitimacy of loan apps.
This verification mechanism would provide borrowers with the necessary information to assess the credibility and compliance of these digital lending platforms, thereby mitigating the chances of fraudulent or predatory practices.
Mrs. Joycelyn Adii, the Bono Regional Director of the Department of Gender, has emphasized the importance of husbands supporting their wives in household chores to foster family unity and promote socio-economic progress.
Mrs. Adii highlighted that many women, particularly housewives, sometimes feel overwhelmed by household responsibilities, leading to a lack of interest in sex and denying their husbands. She urged men to understand and assist their wives with tasks such as washing, cooking, and cleaning to alleviate their burden.
Speaking at awareness programs organized by the Global Media Foundation (GLOMeF) in Yawmiri, Wawasua, Nsagobesa, and Antwikrom in the Sunyani Municipality, Mrs. Adii addressed the issue of unpaid care work.
These programs, supported by Plan Ghana as part of the ‘WISE Project,’ aimed to educate community members on the benefits of supporting women’s economic participation.
The WISE Project focuses on women’s economic empowerment, aiming to enhance their decision-making agency, productivity, profitability, and innovation in their businesses through innovative and gender-transformative business services.
Mrs. Adii also noted that many marriages face the risk of dissolution due to minor marital issues that can be easily resolved. She highlighted factors such as lack of communication and denial of sex as contributors to divorce and emphasized the need to address these challenges within relationships.
It is important to recognize and support gender equality in households, promoting shared responsibilities and open communication to build stronger marriages and foster overall well-being.
“If we want our marriages to stand the test of time then we must try and tackle the issue of unpaid care work which tended to over-burden many women”.
“In fact, a good husband must remain supportive to the wife. Women feel proud, dignified and are submissive when they see their husbands supporting the household’s chores” she stated.
Mr Raphael Godlove Ahenu, the Chief Executive Officer of the GLOMeF said children and men were the most affected in families that lacked peace and cohesion, saying “it is always uneasy for some men to return home after work due to family problems in the house”.
He advised men to spend ample time with their wives, communicate and listen to them, and added “women must also endeavour to remain submissive to their husbands too.”
Mr Ahenu said the project was being implemented at communities including Abesim, Adomako, Asufufu, Kwasi-nfum, Benue Nkwanta, Kyeredua, Watchman, Yawsae, all in the Sunyani Municipality.
According to the former president, it is essential for fathers to be recognised for the role they play in their family and society.
“I want to take a moment to recognize my fellow fathers, for the incredible work that you do as fathers. Today, we celebrate you and all that you bring to our society,” he wrote in a Facebook post today.
He highlighted the love and dedication fathers show to their children, both biological and others. For him, this “is truly admirable.”
The statesman therefore entreated all dads to “continue to put our families first in everything that we do.”
“I must say that, on occasions such as today, we must use it, as we are celebrated or we celebrate ourselves, to strengthen our resilience in playing our role as fathers.
Congratulations for all you do to support your families and communities. Happy Father’s Day!,” he added.
Edward Bawa, a Member of Parliament’s Mines and Energy Committee, has refuted speculations made by the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) regarding the energy sector debt in Ghana.
He clarified that the country has not reached a point where it needs to pay for excess capacity.
Mr. Bawa stated that since 2001, Ghana has never experienced a situation where its available capacity reached 3,700 megawatts.
He further explained that considering the government’s peak demand of around 3,480 megawatts and the fact that the available capacity falls below that level, it indicates that the country has never had to incur capacity charges.
The committee member defined excess capacity as when the power generator declares availability, but the off-taker (the entity purchasing the electricity) is unable to utilize it.
He emphasized that there have been no instances where availability was declared, but the off-taker was unable to access the power.
“If you look at between 2001 to today, I tell you that to a very large extent, we have actually not gotten to a state where we have to pay excess capacity. If you look from 2001 to 2003 as we speak now, we have not had a situation where our available capacity had gone up to 3,700.
“So if you have a situation where your available capacity is not up to 3,700 and your peak demand is around 3,480, taking into consideration that you also need redundancy in your system, what it simply means is that we have not had the occasion to pay capacity charges,” he said on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday.
Mr. Bawa therefore said that there is room to believe that the government has not been transparent in its argument on the capacity charges, warning that until there’s transparency the challenges facing the energy sector will persist.
Ghana’s energy sector is facing a debt crisis. The NPP has accused the NDC of signing some harsh Power Purchase Agreements which have become a burden on them.
Country Director for World Bank, Piere Laporte also made the same claim while speaking on the debt crisis bedeviling the sector.
The NDC has argued that even the NPP MPs at the time the PPAs were signed also appended their signatures to the same measure.
In 2021, Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta while before parliament disclosed that the government paid a total of $937.5 million to independent power producers (IPP) for excess capacity charges between 2017 and 2020.
The total debt owed IPPs presently hovers around $1.58 billion. The power producers have also rejected a proposal from the government to restructure the debt.
James Gyakye Quayson, the former Member of Parliament for Assin North, has expressed his belief that the High Court in Accra is engaging in intimidation tactics during his criminal case.
This statement follows the court’s dismissal of his motion to suspend the ongoing proceedings until the by-election in Assin North takes place.
The Supreme Court nullified Mr. Quayson’s parliamentary election in Assin North, and he is now facing charges of perjury and deceiving a public official.
These charges are based on accusations that he provided false information by denying allegiance to any country other than Ghana during the election process.
Speaking in an interview with Woezor TV, Mr. Quayson attributed his removal from office to the dynamics within the current Parliament but said the people of Assin North are solidly behind him.
“I think basically, it is an intimidation process because I haven’t seen any criminal trial where an accused person or suspect is arraigned before the court on a daily basis and so we all know that it is an executive influence on the process. The people of Assin North understand the circumstances and situation that I am going through and they also understand that the fight is not about me but about them.”
Mr Quayson also addressed the ongoing road construction by the government ahead of the by-election and urged the residents of Assin North not to be swayed by any monetary offers in exchange for votes.
“It is the heaviest rainy season in the country and there is no road construction going on anywhere in the country but if that is how they operate, we welcome it.
“Assin North people are way beyond giving money for votes but I have already told them that any money they bring here, they should take it because they deserve it and it is money they should have used to develop the area that they have kept for themselves,” he added.
Many homes in Larabanga in the West Gonja Municipality of the Savanah Region are in a state of shock following the death of a philanthropist.
58-year-old Samba as popularly referred was found dead on Tuesday and it appears to be suicide, however, that is yet to be confirmed.
According to the residents, the deceased was seen in town the previous night with his colleagues, and are still finding it difficult to come to terms with the reality of his death.
“Samba gave his cow to Alhaji from Engbaripe to sell for him. So, he sold it and came and called him to come for the money and he said he was coming. But Alhaji waited in vain and went home only for us to see Samba’s body hanging here this morning”, a resident said.
But some residents said they suspect foul play because another herdsman unknown to the deceased came and stayed with him briefly as a Mallam but vanished on the eve of his death.
A popular tourist in Larabanga, Ahmed Mohammed, explained to JoyNews why they suspect the Mallam.
“You see, Samba just married a second wife from a different community not long ago. But he know that woman was another Fulani man’s wife he went in for. He didn’t also know that the Fulani man that came to him two months after his second marriage was a fake Mallam who came to stay with him(the deceased) because that was the former Father-in-law of his second wife.”
“He convinced Samba he was a big Mallam helping people so, Samba told the town people and many even took loans from people and went to the Mallam. Also, he prepared ritual water in a big calabash for Samba to be bathing and so, it was when Samba died and we went to tell the family about it that they said the Mallam left the previous night and we suspect him because it was like he came to revenge his Son’s former wife being taken away from him,” Ahmed indicated.
Police in Damongo later went in for the corpse but handed it over to the community for burial after visiting the Hospital. But the residents will not give in on their suspicion as they pledged to join hands with the police to hunt down the man they call, a fake Mallam.
During a campaign visit to the Assin North constituency in the Central Region, a tragic road accident occurred, resulting in the death of a supporter of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) who was travelling with former President John Mahama.
Several other party supporters were also injured in the incident, which took place on Saturday.
In a heartfelt tweet, Mr. Mahama expressed his condolences to the family of the deceased, acknowledging the sorrowful loss experienced by all those affected by the accident.
He further suspended his campaign for two hours to visit persons injured.
“I’ve had to suspend my campaign in Assin North for about 2hrs to visit injured sympathizers who were involved in an accident after our engagement at Dansame. Unfortunately, we lost one of our comrades who enthusiastically joined others in the programme. Our condolences to her family,” his tweet read.
Assin North electorates are preparing to go to the polls in 10 days to elect a new Member of Parliament.
Hence, all the major political parties have been trooping to the area in order to convince the electorates to vote for their representatives.
Before commencing their campaign for the by-election, the former president together with the NDC candidate, Gyakye Quayson, paid a courtesy to the Assin Breku Traditional Council.
Amid a deteriorating humanitarian crisis in Sudan’s West Darfur state, an increasing number of individuals are fleeing and seeking refuge in Chad.
Thousands of people are pouring into Chad, escaping the escalating violence. Recognizing the urgent need for aid, a United Nations official is striving to gain access to the war-torn region to deliver critical medical supplies, food aid, and other essential assistance to alleviate the suffering caused by the conflict.
“Darfur is an area we have not been able to access and there is significant fighting [there],” Clementine Nkweta-Salami, the UN’s humanitarian coordinator for Sudan, told Al Jazeera on Saturday.
“We need to be able to bring in staff. We need to be able to get agreements so that we can move along the routes [and] our trucks that are presently in parts of the country can make their way to Darfur,” she said, calling for a security agreement for the safe movement of aid.
In the two months since the Darfur city of el-Geneina has been under siege, Adam Mohd Yousef has lost 22 members of his family – 15 of them children.
“The Sudanese government didn’t help us. They see what is happening and just watch us burn,” he told Al Jazeera, bursting into tears.
Yousef is among the thousands of Sudanese refugees crossing into Chad to escape violence in the continuing war between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), with the situation in Darfur particularly catastrophic according to humanitarian groups and international actors.
“The UNHCR is here assessing the situation and they say it has never – in the past two months of war – ever, been this bad, certainly not at this border check post in Adre,” said Al Jazeera’s Zein Basravi, from the Chadian city on the border with Sudan.
The UNCHR says there is not enough international interest in the crisis and that they are underfunded, Basravi said.
At least 1,000 people have been killed in el-Geneina in particular, where there have been new waves of attacks by Arab nomadic tribes with ties to the RSF. The fighting has also sent more than 270,000 refugees across the border to Chad.
The refugees at the Adre checkpoint told Al Jazeera their city of el-Geneina no longer exists, as thousands turn up each day to the border crossing, tired, desperate, and in fear for their lives and future. Many of those crossing are also unaccompanied children who are picked up by strangers along the way.
“I don’t know where my children are. I had to leave them behind,” a sobbing woman told Al Jazeera, before falling down in exhaustion.
While UN agencies like the World Food Programme (WFP) have been able to get aid in other fighting strongholds like the capital, Khartoum, they have been unable to provide relief in Darfur.
On Thursday, the United States and UN said the situation there could herald a repeat of past mass atrocities.
Events in the region are “an ominous reminder of the horrific events that led the United States to determine in 2004 that genocide had been committed in Darfur,” the US State Department said in a statement.
“Darfur is rapidly spiraling into a humanitarian calamity. The world cannot allow this to happen. Not again,” UN aid chief Martin Griffiths also said in a statement.
On Wednesday, the killing of West Darfur state Governor Khamis Abakar after he publicly blamed the deaths of civilians on the RSF marked a new escalation in the conflict.
Justice Isaac Douse, a former Justice of the Appeal Court, has disagreed with the Supreme Court’s judgment that resulted in the removal of James Gyakye Quayson, the former Member of Parliament for Assin North.
In his assessment, Justice Douse believes that the justices who presided over the case made a significant error in ruling that Gyakye Quayson was ineligible to contest in the 2023 elections.
During an interview on CTV on Friday, June 17, 2023, as reported by GhanaWeb, the former judge stated that the ousted MP successfully demonstrated to the court that he had taken the necessary steps to renounce his citizenship, which should have been sufficient.
“You write an examination and you are given a result that shows that you have passed but you are denied admission because you have not been given a certificate yet. So even though you have passed because you don’t have the certificate, you don’t get admission.
“This is what the ruling of the judges means. They (the judges) erred bad time,” he said in the Twi dialect.
Justice Douse also said that the criticism the Supreme Court is facing over its ruling is justified.
He added that when Ghanaians living abroad get high positions in foreign governments they are praised but when one is going home to help, s/he is faced with unnecessary impediments.
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 vs 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.
A presidential hopeful from the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwabena Agyapong, has provided his account of the events that allegedly led to the removal of the former national chairman of the party, Paul Afoko, in 2015.
According to Agyapong, the root cause of Paul Afoko‘s removal was the pressure exerted by certain party members, including President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who was then a contender for the party’s flagbearer position, for early presidential primaries.
During an interview on Neat FM on June 14, 2023, Agyapong further explained that once the issue of early primaries was resolved, confusion arose regarding the disbursement of funds to support the party’s grassroots during the parliamentary primaries.
This confusion ultimately led some individuals to call for Afoko’s suspension.
“This was what lead to people calling for his suspension. They said he was the one behind someone who was creating confusion about the money. But I said that he had done nothing wrong and that for the chairman of the party to be suspended, it must be for something very drastic.
“All of a sudden there was a petition for his suspension which was brought by two northerners, his own people. The petition did not even follow the required root. It was not sent to the party’s headquarters, according to our own rules and regulations, it went straight to the disciplinary committee,” he said in Twi.
He added that the committee invited Paul Afoko but he refused their invitation because they had no power to invite him without going through the proper channel.
But the committee went ahead to recommend that he should be suspended as they (the leaders of the party) were about to attend their international conferences aboard.
“We finished one of the conferences and I went to visit my wife at Leicester after which I was to meet candidate Akufo-Addo at London so we would travel to Washington. Then all of a sudden, I was told that there was an emergency executive committee meeting and that the chairman has been suspended indefinitely,” he said.
“I called Paul and asked him when he authorised the meeting but he also did not know about it. And I said ‘What, a meeting can be conveyed with you (Afoko – the chairman), without the general secretary. That is improper, irregularly and so it cannot stand,” he said.
Kwabena Agyapong, who was been the general secretary of the NPP, said that after the news of Afoko’s improper removal, he told Akufo-Addo that he could not continue with him and left him in London.
a 45-year-old man named Samuel Dokurugu Gumah was fatally shot during a robbery attack in Sawaba, located in the West Mamprusi Municipality of the North East Region.
The incident occurred between 7 PM and 8 PM on Thursday, June 15, 2023.
According to the victim’s family, Samuel Dokurugu Gumah was escorting a Fulani man from Gbimsi to Sawaba.
The Fulani man had visited the deceased at his residence in Gbimsi, and they had conducted a transaction involving the sale of a cow. The Fulani man had sold the cow in Kumasi and brought the proceeds to the deceased’s residence in Gbimsi.
After receiving the money, the Fulani man requested that the deceased give him a ride on his motorbike to his residence located in a remote area in the bush at Sawaba. Unfortunately, they encountered armed robbers on their way.
During the robbery attack, both individuals were assaulted by armed criminals. Tragically, Samuel Dokurugu Gumah lost his life as a result of the attack. The other man, who also sustained injuries, is currently receiving medical treatment at the Walewale Government Hospital.
The incident has brought sorrow and shock to the community, and authorities are working to investigate the crime and bring the perpetrators to justice.
Reverend Joseph Gumah, a family member of the deceased in an interview with GhanaWeb said “The man came and paid the money to him and then told him to send him to Sawaba. So, when they were on their way to Sawaba, this incident happened.”
Reverend Joseph Gumah appealed to the police to investigate the matter to ensure that the bandits are arrested.
“The police should do very well to bring out the mystery behind this,” he said.
The Assemblyman for the Gbimsi electoral area, Iddi Jonah Salifu lamented the insecurity in the municipality and urged the security enforcement agencies to treat the matter as an emergency.
“I think our lives are in danger and there is the need for something to be done about it, so, I am pleading with the security agencies to come in and do whatever it takes to ensure that they reduce or take care of this insecurity issue and give us a breathing space,” he said.
The Youth Ministry Directorate of the Church of Pentecost has issued a statement distancing itself from a member of the Youth who allegedly wore a female outfit as part of the celebrations during their Youth Ministry Week.
The church expressed its disapproval of the “inappropriate use of their paraphernalia” in this specific instance.
The statement, which was issued and signed by Apostle Ebenezer Hagan, said it “unequivocally condemns such use, as it may connote other meanings, whether intended or unintended.”
“While the legitimate members of the one who used it in such an unacceptable way is in question, we in no unreserved terms condemn it,” a portion of the statement read.
Unfortunately, such attire violates this principle and does not reflect the values of the church, the church said.
Eric Nana Prempeh-Agyemang, the Director-General of the National Disaster and Management Organisation (NADMO), has cautioned people who take undue advantage when there is a disaster against selling relief items meant for victims.
He made the comment while touring the areas affected by floods in the Ketu South and Keta Municipalities of the Volta Region.
Speaking to Class 91.3 FM’s Volta Regional Correspondent, Kingsley Attitsogbui, the NADMO Director-General said “I have directed that relief items are not for sale. It is not meant for every individual in the community. It is meant for individuals who have been affected by the disasters.”
“So this time around I have pleaded with Chief Executives who are also chairpersons for disaster management committees in the various districts to make sure that nobody, no single person, takes anything to go and sell. They should make sure everything gets to the affected victims,” he continued.
He urged the local staff of NADMO to co-operate with the relevant authorities to ensure a smooth distribution of relief items.
“Co-operate with the assembly that is the Chief Executive so that things will be done orderly according to assessment,” he said.
The NADMO Director-General also pleaded with the locals to relocate to safer grounds.
He noted that despite the ancestral beliefs they might hold that deters them from moving from flood prone areas, in times like these, they must move away till a time when the flood waters recede in order to safeguard their lives.
Kenneth Adu-Amanfoh, the Director-General of the Narcotics Control Commission (NaCoC), has called for a unified and collaborative approach to combat drug trafficking and abuse in Ghana.
He emphasized that such an approach would not only improve public health but also disrupt criminal networks and significantly reduce the supply of illicit drugs.
Adu-Amanfoh made this appeal during the opening session of a workshop organized for Judges and Magistrates in Sunyani, Bono region.
The workshop, themed “The Narcotics Control Commission Act 2020 (Act 1019): Effective Implementation of the Act and the Role of Judges and Magistrates in Handling People Who Use Drugs,” was jointly organized by the Judicial Training Institute, the POS Foundation, and the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), a non-governmental organization.
The workshop aimed to provide participants with the necessary knowledge about the changes introduced by Act 1019 and the jurisdiction granted to trial courts under the Act.
Adu-Amanfoh emphasized that combating drug trafficking requires the collective effort of various stakeholders, including security services, the judiciary, and the public. He stressed that the responsibility cannot be borne by the Commission alone and appealed for widespread public support.
Superintendent Stephen Nti, in charge of Records, expressed regret over the overcrowding situation at the Sunyani Central Prisons, which currently houses 915 inmates despite its initial capacity of 450.
He highlighted that 31 inmates had been convicted of narcotics offenses, serving sentences ranging from 15 years and below, primarily for drug possession cases. Additionally, six other inmates were awaiting sentencing for various narcotics offenses while in remand.
By addressing drug trafficking and abuse through collaborative efforts and effective implementation of the Narcotics Control Commission Act, the aim is to mitigate the impact of drugs on society and promote a safer environment.
Kenneth Adu-Amanfoh, the Director-General of the Narcotics Control Commission (NaCoC), has called for a unified and collaborative approach to combat drug trafficking and abuse in Ghana. He emphasized that such an approach would not only improve public health but also disrupt criminal networks and significantly reduce the supply of illicit drugs.
Adu-Amanfoh made this appeal during the opening session of a workshop organized for Judges and Magistrates in Sunyani, Bono region. The workshop, themed “The Narcotics Control Commission Act 2020 (Act 1019): Effective Implementation of the Act and the Role of Judges and Magistrates in Handling People Who Use Drugs,” was jointly organized by the Judicial Training Institute, the POS Foundation, and the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), a non-governmental organization.
The workshop aimed to provide participants with the necessary knowledge about the changes introduced by Act 1019 and the jurisdiction granted to trial courts under the Act.
Adu-Amanfoh emphasized that combating drug trafficking requires the collective effort of various stakeholders, including security services, the judiciary, and the public. He stressed that the responsibility cannot be borne by the Commission alone and appealed for widespread public support.
Superintendent Stephen Nti, in charge of Records, expressed regret over the overcrowding situation at the Sunyani Central Prisons, which currently houses 915 inmates despite its initial capacity of 450. He highlighted that 31 inmates had been convicted of narcotics offenses, serving sentences ranging from 15 years and below, primarily for drug possession cases. Additionally, six other inmates were awaiting sentencing for various narcotics offenses while in remand.
By addressing drug trafficking and abuse through collaborative efforts and effective implementation of the Narcotics Control Commission Act, the aim is to mitigate the impact of drugs on society and promote a safer environment.
The Civil and Local Government Staff Association Ghana (CLOGSAG) in the Ho Municipality has issued a directive for its members working in the area to return to work on Monday, June 19, 2023.
This decision comes after an earlier directive instructing members to suspend work due to demands from Assembly members for the removal of the Municipal Finance Officer (MFO).
CLOGSAG characterized the actions of the Assembly members as an act of terrorism, which initially led to the order for its members to refrain from working.
However, following negotiations involving CLOGSAG, the Assembly members, and the Municipal Assembly, a resolution was reached, urging CLOGSAG members to resume their duties.
CLOGSAG in a statement however cautioned that, should such acts be perpetrated again by the Ho Municipal Assembly Members, they will advise themselves accordingly.
“The Presiding Member and the Assembly Members must note that they are not to direct or instruct the staff of the Assembly on how to go about their work. There are rules and regulations for efficient service delivery”.
“By these assurances; all CLOGSAG members of the Ho Municipal Assembly are to organize themselves and resume work on Monday, 19 June 2023. Should this dastardly act be perpetrated again on our members in the Ho Municipal Assembly; CLOGSAG would advise itself accordingly,” CLOGSAG warned in its statement.
The Assembly members on June 8, demanded the removal of the Municipal Finance Officer from office, for his failure to assist them in addressing challenges in their areas.
The assembly members, who were clad in red, besieged the Municipal Assembly’s premises and locked up the MFO’s office. They also clamped the office’s car, in a bid to force the MFO’s removal from office.
Two out of the four suspects who were arrested in connection with a viral video depicting the stripping and alleged gang rape of a woman in Kupelga, Bawku West District, have been sentenced to 15 years each.
The remaining two suspects are currently in police custody awaiting trial for a period of one week.
The incident, which gained widespread attention after a two-minute video circulated on social media, showcased a woman being subjected to dehumanizing treatment by a mob, with her being almost naked, wearing only a bra.
The incident is believed to have occurred in Kupelga, a suburb of Zebilla, as a retaliation for an alleged rape of a resident by a Fulani herdsman.
Yakubu Musah Bari, the General Secretary of Tabital Pulaaku International, Ghana Chapter, and spokesperson for the Fulani community, confirmed the sentencing of the suspects during an interview with Starr News.
“Four have been arrested and were sent to court yesterday. Two have been sentenced to 15 years each, two have been put in remand for a week.”
Yakubu Musah Bari added that the Upper East Regional Minister, Stephen Yakubu will today, Friday, June 16 meet with the Regional Security Council and community leaders on ways to remedy the situation, after which he will pay a visit to the victims.
Former President John Dramani Mahama has joined the ousted lawmaker, James Gyakye Quayson, today at Assin North Constituency to lend his support to Mr Quayson’s campaign leading up to the upcoming by-election.
Mahama expressed that his decision to support Gyakye Quayson stems from his commitment to pursuing justice and fostering development for the residents of the Assin North Constituency.
“This NPP administration has gone to indecent lengths to rob the people of Assin North of parliamentary representation. The reason? To gain an advantage in what has essentially been a hung Parliament.
“The James Quayson case will go down in the history of Ghanaian democracy as one of the most brazen manipulation of our judicial system ever.
“I firmly believe and trust the people of Assin North to right the wrong done to them and James Quayson by electing him once again as Member of Parliament for the constituency.
‘To the people of Assin North, I thank you for the continuous love and support you’ve shown James Quayson and the NDC, despite the last minute vote buying gimmicks being employed by the NPP,” he said.
The Electoral Commission has slated June 27, 2023, for a by-election to be held in the Assin North Constituency.
The National Coordinator of the Ghana School Feeding Programme, Madam Gertrude Quashigah, has announced plans to train caterers to effectively manage costs and reduce food wastage while cooking nutritious meals for school children.
The training aims to help caterers increase their profits by utilizing the GHS1.00 per child budget more efficiently.
Madam Quashigah made this announcement during a workshop focused on disseminating the Landscape Analysis Report on Rice Fortification.
The workshop shared findings from a comprehensive report on rice fortification and discussed strategies to enhance the nutritional value of school meals through fortified rice.
The workshop marks the beginning of a two-and-a-half-year project by the World Food Programme, funded by the Rockefeller Foundation and Royal DSM.
The project aims to improve the nutritional needs of school children through the Ghana School Feeding Programme, with a focus on enhancing the nutritional value of rice.
Madam Quashigah acknowledged the need for an increase in funding but emphasized that nutritious meals can still be prepared for the children with the current budget.
She mentioned that a proposed increment from GH₵1.00 to GH₵1.20 per child head has been agreed upon, with ongoing discussions with the Finance Ministry for further increments.
Certified training programmes will be provided to caterers, enabling them to assess and improve their work. Madam Patience Asiedu, Head of Nutrition at the World Food Programme, highlighted that the project aims to support the government’s efforts in boosting local rice production. The capacity of 5,000 smallholder farmers and 10 rice millers will be enhanced to support local rice production for the School Feeding Programme.
The Ghana School Feeding Programme, initiated by the government in 2005, aims to provide food to children in public basic schools from kindergarten to primary six.
It aims to increase school enrollment, attendance, and retention, reduce hunger and malnutrition, and promote domestic food production. Currently, the programme benefits 3,801,491 pupils, employs 34,350 cooks and caterers, and covers 10,832 public basic schools nationwide.
Bolgatanga Girls’ SHS has faced disappointment for the past four years as they have failed to advance beyond the regional qualifiers of the National Science and Maths Quiz.
Once again, in the 2023 Upper East regional qualifiers, they were eliminated, this time by Notre Dame Seminary SHS. This continued their streak of unsuccessful attempts to secure a spot in the national championship.
Their previous participation in 2019, representing the Upper East region, ended in the one-eighth stage with a defeat against University Practice SHS. The girls from Bolgatanga Girls’ SHS were eliminated with a margin of 18 points, as University Practice SHS scored 37 marks.
In their ongoing efforts to restore their reputation and break their four-year drought, Bolgatanga Girls’ SHS entered the 2023 qualifiers with the hope of achieving success.
But in a contest that mirrored events in the last four years, their resolve was cut short yet again by the sons of Mother Mary after trailing them by a 30-point margin.
Members of the school’s quiz team attributed their sequential loss to inadequate resources and motivation from old students of the school.
Their coordinator and Head of the Science Department, Barnabas Awaredjan believes the support from the old girls could boost the confidence of the contestants ending the jinx that has befallen the school.
“The last time we qualified to Accra, not a single old girl came to support us. I believe if they come around, the girls will be gingered to do more,” he said.
After struggling to match up with the boys from Notre Dame Seminary, Bolga Girls only managed some 13 points at the end of the four-round contest.
Although perturbed by the abrupt low performance of the school, the girls are confident of bouncing back stronger.
“We’ve learned our mistakes. We will come back with more fire next year. The students after us will be trained well to face off against other contestants. Hopefully, we will win the championship,” one of the team members said.
Meanwhile, Navrongo SHS and Awe SHS have also booked slots at the national competition, hoping to devour any school they may cross paths with.
Stephen Koomson, a brilliant 21-year-old former student of Mpohor Senior High School in the Western Region who, for financial constraints, resorted to illegal mining (galamsey) instead of furthering his education, has been granted a full educational scholarship by the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) to study Law at the University of Ghana.
Koomson, whose plight caught the attention of GNPC when his story went viral on social media, recorded an impressive 5As and 3Bs across various subjects in the 2021 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) but has since had his education curtailed by the lack of support and this, according to him, led to his involvement in small-scale illegal mining.
At a brief meeting with the former Mpohor SHS student and his guardians, the Executive Director of the GNPC Foundation, Dr. Dominic Eduah, described Stephen’s circumstance as an “unfortunate situation deserving immediate attention” and hence, GNPC’s decision to intervene.
“We are enrolling him on the GNPC scholarship immediately to put his dreams of becoming a lawyer back on track and we are just as excited to offer him an opportunity to facilitate this in consonance with the tenets of our Education & Training mandate,” he said.
He added that GNPC, in collaboration with other relevant stakeholders, have set in motion plans to ensure Stephen gains admission into the University of Ghana Law School by the next Academic year.
A visibly elated yet emotional Koomson expressed his profound gratitude to GNPC for acting on his story to ensure the life and future he envisioned as a boy becomes a reality.
He assured of his readiness to remain studious and be a worthy ambassador for GNPC.
President Akufo-Addo has emphasized the importance of nurses and midwives accepting postings to rural and underserved areas where their services are most needed.
The President expressed concern that the refusal of some healthcare professionals to accept assignments in certain parts of the country hindered efforts to ensure accessible and high-quality healthcare services for all Ghanaians.
He made his concerns known during a grand durbar commemorating the 60th anniversary of the School of Nursing and Midwifery at the University of Ghana, Legon,
Under the theme “Resilience in Developing Nursing and Midwifery Workforce: Embracing Technology and Promoting Excellence,” the anniversary celebration highlighted the need for healthcare professionals to embrace technology and excel in their field.
President Akufo-Addo stressed the significance of equitably distributing healthcare professionals across the country. He viewed the concentration of health workers in cities and urban areas as unfair to the people residing in rural settings.
The President called upon nurses and midwives to follow the example of their predecessors who willingly served in any part of the country, even in challenging conditions without the present government’s incentive packages or optimal national infrastructure.
“Our schools of Nursing and Midwifery have got a good reputation and have been training good nurses and midwives who easily find work in all parts of the world.
“But the nurse-population ratio in our country remains unsatisfactory after 66 years of our nation. We currently do not have the number of healthcare professionals with the right mix of skills and expertise in some of our regions, districts, and deprived communities, especially in the newly created regions and districts.
“Nurses refusing postings is particularly distressing. I want to use this platform to encourage all health practitioners to follow the worthy example of your great forebearers who readily accepted postings in their early years when the national infrastructure was even more harrowing than it is now.
“Therefore, I am appealing to you as passionately as I can to accept postings to all regions and district hospitals where your services are most needed,” he said.
Gbese Mantse Nii Ayi-Bonte II has expressed concerns about a unilateral alteration of the traditional Ga ritual that prohibits drumming and noise-making within the Ga state on an annual basis.
He questioned why both the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey, and the Accra mayor, Elizabeth Sackey, who are natives of the Ga state, would collaborate with faith-based organizations to modify the customary practice preceding the Homowo festival.
A joint declaration was reached among the ministry, the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs, the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council (led by the Regional Minister), faith-based organizations, and representatives of traditional councils in the Greater Accra Region.
This declaration allows the Ga Traditional Council to grant permission for faith-based organizations to utilize microphones and public address systems at reduced volumes and to engage in minimal clapping, restricted to church auditoriums.
Already, the GaDangne Council had condemned the modification in a statement signed by its president Nii Ayikoi Otoo.
Speaking at the Odadao festival celebration to lift the ban, the Gbese mantse also voiced out his dissatisfaction with the modification.
“How is it possible that indigenes of the Ga state, Henry Quartey and Elizabeth Sackey, together with religious leaders, will try to change Ga traditions and customs? They have no right to do such a thing”, he fumed.
“I want to pass on a message to the AMA mayor, Elizabeth Sackey, to be given to Henry Quartey that this should be the first and last time he varies the terms in observing the ban on drumming and noisemaking. We have seen a lot of ministers, and it is not Henry Quartey who will try to destroy our customs and traditions”, Nii Ayi-Bonte II warned.
He said the “minister has not been able to come here. Elizabeth Sackey should inform Henry Quartey to apologise to the Ga state”.
Joseph Osei-Owusu, the 1st Deputy Speaker of Parliament, has provided an explanation for the delay in addressing the Ghanaian anti-LGBTQ+ bill in Parliament.
Mr. Osei-Owusu stated that progress on the bill requires the approval of the Speaker, considering that two lawsuits have been filed against it.
“In respect of that bill, there’s a court action pending which Mr. Speaker has been made a party. Mr Speaker brought the court action to the attention of leaders, and so I think in considering programming or not programming, you may wish to discuss with the Speaker and what steps he may take before you programme them,” the 1st Deputy Speaker told the House.
The Ghanaian anti-LGBTQ+ bill, known as the Proper Sexual Human Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, is a private member’s bill sponsored by the Ningo-Prampram MP, Sam George, along with other Members of Parliament.
However, the bill has encountered significant obstacles as two lawsuits have been filed against it—one at the High Court and the other at the Supreme Court.
As a result, Parliament has decided to take a cautious approach and slow down the decision-making process regarding the bill, causing a significant setback in its progress.
During a session in the House, Sam George expressed his dissatisfaction with the business committee for not scheduling the bill for consideration.
He thereby suggested that the committee tables the bill for the business of the House.
Mr George contended that “We [Parliament] can begin to sit on it and do the second reading, tending other government business, so if they can table it for next week, we will be grateful.”
But the 1st Deputy Speaker reiterated that the Speaker should be consulted as to whether or not Parliament could continue with the proceedings in the light of the constitutional interpretation that is being sought against the bill.
However, Mr Osei-Owusu assured that they would engage to decide the next step to take to avoid a “clash with the judiciary.”
The International Renewable Energy Agency estimates that Africa’s renewable energy capacity could reach 310GW by 2030, catapulting the continent into the top tier of green energy production.
The Bui Power Authority (BPA) hydro-solar hybrid power plant in Ghana is leading the way in Sub-Saharan Africa, with essential communication and operational management services provided across Huawei’s eLTE Broadband Network.
Energy Minister Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh says ICT systems providing intelligent energy management are critical for ensuring efficient power generation, power plant operations and power distribution.
They enable renewable energy to be integrated into the grid for the reliable, stable access and supply needed in order to achieve the country’s goal of universal electricity access by 2025.
Dr Prempeh made the statement when the Bui Power Authority put into operation a broadband private network built by Huawei.
“As Ghana is striding towards achieving universal electricity access by 2025, it is important for us to unleash the transformational power of ICT in optimising the operations at power plants, increasing the efficiency of renewable energy use, and ensuring a stable and cost-effective electricity supply to many more households nationwide,” said the minister.
Bui Authority and Huawei have built an eLTE broadband private network that penetrates the substantial concrete barriers and infrastructure at Bui Power Plant, in Ghana.
This is the first time that Huawei has deployed eLTE-based solution in the hydroelectric industry.
The network, which carries voice, video, and data services, enables instant communication between the control room and maintenance staff moving around the plant.
It covers, without extensive cabling and installation, both indoor and outdoor working areas, including roadways inside the dam, generator rooms, and employee living areas within the Bui vicinity.
More digital applications to come
With features like “push-to-talk” and group calls for both voice and video, the private network makes routine maintenance and handling of emergencies easier and more efficient at the power plant.
“Now staff can communicate via video call to fix maintenance challenges in record time”, said a Huawei engineer.
“Building modern networks also provide capacity for growth, enabling the intelligent digital transformation of the site in the future.”
Hydro-solar hybrid system
Clean energy is becoming increasingly important in Ghana’s national energy mix, as Ghana’s National Energy Plan aims to achieve a 10% penetration of renewable energy by 2030.
The role of the Bui Generating Station as an important provider of hydroelectric power in the country has been further strengthened and complemented with a new installation of solar power generation capability.
In October 2019, construction commenced on the first phase of the 250MW project with the development of a Solar PV Facility.
Additionally, the Bui Power Authority (BPA) has commissioned a 5MW Floating Solar Plant which is the first in the Sub-Saharan region and supplies power through the Bui Switchyard to the National Interconnected Transmission System (NITS).
Powering development in Northern Ghana
The Bui Generating Station produces 404MW of hydropower.
An additional 50MW of power is generated from the solar installations on site, with the total renewable power output contributing around 6-7% of the total power generated in-country. This is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 47,000 tons per year.
The country is keen to take advantage of the reservoir created by the Bui Generating Station to promote fishing in the reservoir and the irrigation of over 30,000 hectares of land for crops, including maize, cashew, and sugar cane.
The BPA is collaborating with strategic private investors for the running of a local cashew processing plant and sugar mill within the Bui vicinity.
This intervention is aimed at developing agriculture in Ghana, boosting employment, and thus improving the lives of local people.
On Thursday, June 15, a distressing incident unfolded on the Dodowa-Somanya road, where more than 10 vehicles were targeted by armed robbers.
The harrowing ordeal, lasting approximately 45 minutes, took place around 9:00 pm. Eyewitnesses revealed that the robbers strategically blocked traffic near the Agomeda Luwuor Junction in the Ashai Osudoku District of the Greater Accra Region, enabling them to carry out their operation.
One victim shared their terrifying account with JoyNews, recounting how they and their motorcycle rider noticed three parked vehicles ahead upon reaching the Agomeda Luwuor junction.
Before they could comprehend the reason behind the halted vehicles, a masked individual abruptly emerged, brandishing a firearm and opening fire on them.
He added that “my motor rider drove quickly unto him and he run into the bush.”
“We decided to quickly turn and escape but unfortunately, one of our guys fell off the motorbike.”
He further explained that they had no option but to leave the guy behind and escape.
“Unfortunately, when we escaped, there were two other vehicles, one saloon car and one passenger car. We tried to stop the two vehicles but they didn’t stop.
“And then they also drove in and they stopped them. But for the commercial vehicle, that is the sprinter, they gave a warning shot. The driver had to park and then most of the passengers had to run into the bush,” the victim said.
“A few of them were got hold of and then I think they took most of their belongings.”
He added that they called the Police but upon their arrival, the armed robbers had escaped.
A driver of one of the commercial vehicles involved in the incident also told JoyNews what transpired.
“I was on the Somanya toad when I saw the roadblock, I tried to reverse but they started giving warning shots. So I packed my car and fled into the bush. But one of them followed me and caught up with me. I struggled with him, but I was overpowered after he hit me with a weapon. They really hurt me,” the driver narrated.
Six Ministers are expected to appear before Parliament next week to respond to 38 questions, of which one is urgent while 37 are oral.
The six are Land and Natural Resources; Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs; Employment and Labour Relations; Sanitation and Water Resources and Roads and Highways Ministers and a Minister of State at the Office of the President.
Mr Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, the Vice Chairman on the Business Committee of Parliament disclosed this on Friday when he presented the Business statement of the House for the week ending, Friday, June 23, 2023.
He further reiterated Osei-Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the Chairman of the Business Committee’s earlier call that urged Committees with referrals, particularly on public bills to expedite work on same for the consideration of the House.
“Mr Speaker, this call by the Business Committee is borne out of the fact that the House has barely seven weeks left to consider these important Bills and other parliamentary business that may require the attention of the House,” he said.
Mr Afenyo-Markin urged the Committees with pending Bills including the Grains Development Authority Bill, 2022; Wildlife Resources Authority Bill, 2022; Intestate Succession Bill, 2022; Ghana Industrial Property Office Bill, 2023; Rent Bill, 2023; Budget Bill, 2023, Criminal Offences (Amendment Bill, 2023 and National Petroleum Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2023 to expedite work on same for the consideration of the House.
While portraying an intense role, actors often invest a great deal of their passion and commitment, but few have gone to the extent that Jim Caviezel did during the filming of The Passion of the Christ, quite literally.
During the production of the religious film in 2004, Caviezel was struck by lightning not once, but twice, resulting in several unsettling injuries on the set.
Despite the challenges he faced, Caviezel persevered in his role, refusing to lose faith in the project, even if it seemed as if a divine intervention was attempting to halt his performance.
The assistant director of the film, Jan Michelini, was also struck by one of the bolts while shooting alongside Caviezel and Mel Gibson in Italy. Thankfully, according to reports from the BBC, neither of them sustained serious injuries. Nonetheless, the experience of being struck by lightning is undoubtedly far from pleasant.
Remarkably, this was not the first time Caviezel had been struck during the intense production. In a previous incident in Matera, Italy, the actor had experienced a bolt from the blue, resulting in minor burns to his fingers as he had been holding an umbrella at the time.
Lightning struck Caviezel twice during the making of the 2004 film. Credit: dpa picture alliance / Alamy Stock Photo
It was whilst cast and crew were recreating the Sermon on the Mount back in 2003, as depicted in the Bible.
However, the worst was yet to come for The Thin Red Line star and devout Catholic as filming continued.
As the film focuses on the last 12 hours of Jesus’ life, the now 54-year-old had to carry the cross as he recreated the religious figure’s crucifixion.
Whilst hanging from the cross through weeks of filming, the intense shoot took its toll on Caviezel, with the actor dislocating his shoulder and enduring numerous cuts from the chains wrapped around him.
Jim Caviezel endured endless injury and illness on set. Credit: Marquis Films
If that was bad enough, he also got pneumonia and a lung infection due to being semi-nude for the scene – wearing nothing but a thin cloth draped over him.
He was even accidentally lashed by a co-star, who was playing a Roman soldier, whilst performing the unenviable task of carrying the cross, leaving him with a 14 inch gash in his back.
“It just extended over the board and hit me with such a velocity that I couldn’t breathe,” Caviezel told Today, adding: “It’s like getting the wind knocked out of you. The stinging is so horrific that you can’t get air.
Filming this scene was just as gruelling as it looked. Credit: Marquis Films
Continuing, he joked: “I turned around and looked at the guy, and I tell you, I may be playing Jesus, but I felt like Satan at that moment.
“I turned to him, a couple of expletives came out of my mouth.”
Despite everything he experienced on set, Caviezel doesn’t seem to have lost his faith and is set to appear in a sequel to The Passion of the Christ in 2024.
A security guard who attacked a businesswoman by stabbing her twice in the abdomen with a knife and fork has been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment by the Accra Circuit Court.
The accused, Alhassan Abdul Rahuf, initially pleaded not guilty to charges of unlawful entry and causing harm. However, following the trial, the court, under the authority of Mr. Isaac Addo, found him guilty.
Consequently, the court delivered a sentence of 15 years imprisonment with hard labor for the offense of unlawful entry and an additional seven years imprisonment with hard labor for causing harm.
“Sentences will run concurrently,” the court said.
Throughout the trial, the prosecution presented three witnesses to testify, while the accused person, Alhassan Abdul Rahuf, chose to testify on his own behalf and did not call any additional witnesses.
When delivering the sentence, the Court took several factors into consideration. Firstly, it acknowledged that Rahuf was a first-time offender, implying that he had no prior criminal record. Additionally, the Court recognized that he was a young man. Finally, the Court also considered the period of time Rahuf had already spent in lawful custody.
It said, “However, looking at the nature of the offences, the premeditated way of carrying them out, the injury caused to the victim and the fact that the accused person was a security guard in charge of protecting lives and property at a residential area and he should have known better.”
It said, “The accused person deserves a deterrent sentence.”
The facts as presented by Chief Inspector Jonas Laweh were that the complainant Madam Rita Owusu is the Facility Manager of Arabella residence located at Cantonments.
The prosecution said the victim Belinda Akorli is a businesswoman and resided at Arabella residence while the accused person, now convict, was a security guard providing security for the Arabella residence.
It said on April 28, 2023, at about 0710 hours (about 4 weeks) the convict who was on guard duty at the above-mentioned residence sought permission from his supervisor to use the washroom and failed to return.
The prosecution said the convict, after using the washroom, went to the apartment of the victim and entered the room through the children’s playroom window.
It said the convict changed himself into the victim’s husband’s attire, left his uniform and boots in a polythene bag in the victim’s children’s playroom and hid himself.
The prosecution said on April 29, 2023, at about 1330hrs the same day, the victim was dressing up after taking her bath when the convict suddenly appeared naked in her bedroom.
It said the victim shouted for help, but the convict rushed to the kitchen, picked up a knife and a fork, and stabbed the victim twice in the abdomen with the fork.
The prosecution said the victim started bleeding and rushed out of the room naked.
It said the convict also rushed out and cut one of the electric fence wires and scaled the wall.
The prosecution said the victim was rushed to the police hospital for treatment by a neighbour and she was admitted.
It said the convict was later arrested at the nearby construction site after intelligence was gathered.
The prosecution said the convict admitted the offence in his cautioned statement and led police to retrieve his security uniform kept in the victim’s room.
Ghanaian comedian and skit actor, Timothy Musah Junior Abaadu, popularly known as MJ the Comedian has announced the seventh edition of his annual health walk.
This year’s walk is scheduled for 1st July 2023; which is Ghana’s Republic Day, and starts at exactly 7am.
MJ The Comedian’s 7th edition of ‘DashikibWalk’
The walk will start at the La Trade Fair, with a turning point at Ghana’s iconic Independence Square, and a finish point at the La Wireless Astroturf.
This year’s Dashiki walk is sponsored by 1XBet with support from Stepford Multimedia, Hydout, and Finish Point.
The health walk which resumed in 2022 after a 2-year hiatus, attracts thousands of people every year and it is one of the most anticipated events on the Ghanaian calendar.
Former National Youth Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Sammi Awuku, has assured that Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia only owes allegiance to Ghana and no other country.
The citizenship status of Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has recently become a topic of heated debate, as allegations of dual citizenship have been raised by his political adversaries.
The controversy was sparked by assertions made by former ambassador Sam Pee Yalley, who accused Bawumia of holding British citizenship while serving as a director at the Ghana International Bank Plc in London.
Yalley based his claims on information sourced from the UK Companies House website, which listed Bawumia as a British national and a former director of the bank. According to the records, Bawumia was appointed as a director on October 18, 2006, and resigned on April 15, 2009.
But addressing NPP faithful at the party’s headquarters today, June 16, when the Vice President filed his nomination forms for the flagbearer race, Mr Awuku noted that such spurious statements only seek to cast aspersions on the reputation of the Vice President.
“I am going to present to you our former running mate, fully Ghanaian, our Vice President who is also fully Ghanaian, I present to you the man who makes it happen, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia,” he said.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Vice President Bawumia, Dr Gideon Boako, vehemently denied the allegations and clarified that his boss neither holds nor has ever held British citizenship.
Dr Boako emphasized that Bawumia was only seconded to the Ghana International Bank Plc by the Bank of Ghana and did not require British citizenship to fulfil his responsibilities there.
The Public Affairs Directorate of Parliament has refuted reports suggesting an endorsement by Speaker Alban Bagbin for Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia ahead of the New Patriotic Party’s primaries.
During a courtesy call on the Overlord of Gonja, Yagbonwura Bii-Kunutu Jewu Soale, at his residence in Damongo, the Speaker revealed the possibility of Ghanaians having to choose between two northerners to lead the country in the 2024 election.
“This is the time that the two main parties in Ghana are both deciding that the flagbearers will be our sons from the North. What I plead with all of you is for us to accept our differences and see how we can come together to prepare to receive the development that is coming our way.”
This statement, Parliament said has been misconstrued.
According to Parliament’s Public Affairs Directorate, although the Speaker made reference to the two politicians at the said event, it was not an exercise in prediction.
The Speaker is said to have suggested that what should be of interest to the people in northern Ghana, in which context he was speaking, is that they will be well represented at the apex of Ghana’s political structure, and that should be a source of pride to them.
“The Rt. Hon. Speaker explained that despite political differences, we are one people with a common destiny. Our common goal therefore should be to work towards the common good of all Ghanaians, irrespective of our political differences,” a statement from Parliament noted.
Director of Legal Affairs of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Abraham Amaliba has entreated the Electoral Commission (EC) to heed the advice of former Commissioner, Dr Afari-Gyan to reduce the number of collation centres in the country.
Speaking at a forum to mark 60 years of the political science department of the University of Ghana this week, Dr Afari-Gyan noted that there is a positive correlation between increased collation centres and voter manipulation, hence the need to desist from adding further and reducing the current figure.
“Voter tabulation sounds like a simple and straightforward activity, however, examples from recent elections will indicate that collation centers are the most vulnerable points in manipulating election results. So it is not desirable to set up many collation points in the results management process.
“Each collation centre represents a point where results can be corrupted wilfully or through mistakes. Also, the more collation centers there are, the more difficult to track changes and results,” he said.
Sharing his view on Dr Afari-Gyan’s comment on the Big Issue on TV3 Friday, June 16, Mr Amaliba noted that there is the likelihood for tampering should results be commuted from the constituency to the region.
“The second collation center is clearly supposed to allow for mischief. A second collation Centre which is the regional collation center is a recipe for fraudulent acts. That is where the cheating takes place.
When you transmit the results from constituency to the region, the likelihood of tampering will take place,” he said.
According to him, officials of the Electoral Commission most at times engage in electoral malpractice.
“You have officials of the EC, whom if you are not vigilant could change your results for you. Results have been changed at polling stations in this country,” he added.
An Accra High Court has ruled that the perjury and forgery trial involving James Gyakye Quayson will proceed on a day-to-day basis, starting from Tuesday, June 20, 2023.
The decision was made by Justice Mary Maame Ekue Yanzuh, who denied a request from Quayson’s lawyer, Justin Terriwajjah, to postpone the trial until after the Assin North by-election scheduled for June 27, 2023.
Terriwajjah argued that Quayson needed a leveled playing field in the campaign as he was seeking to represent the people of Assin North in parliament.
However, the Attorney-General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, opposed the request, emphasizing that Quayson had not been given a national assignment.
Godfred Dame stressed the importance of expeditiously trying the case to clarify Quayson’s status, considering the charges he was facing, which could lead to conviction and imprisonment if found guilty.
The Attorney-General prayed for the trial to be conducted on a day-to-day basis, starting from the following week.
Although Terriwajjah agreed to the day-to-day trial, he requested it to commence only after the by-election.
The court dismissed his prayer, and the trial is now scheduled to continue on June 20, 21, and 23.
Quayson’s lawyers will proceed with the cross-examination of the first prosecution witness in relation to the charges of forgery and perjury that arose during the 2020 Assin North parliamentary election.
UFC fighter Conor McGregor is facing accusations of sexual assault following an NBA Finals basketball game in Miami earlier this month.
According to a legal letter sent to Mr McGregor and reviewed by BBC News, the alleged assault occurred in a bathroom at Kaseya Center.
In response to the allegations, a lawyer representing Mr McGregor stated, “The allegations are false. Mr McGregor will not be intimidated.”
The City of Miami Police has confirmed that an investigation has been launched.
UFC released a statement acknowledging the allegations and stated that they are in the process of gathering additional information. The Miami Heat, the host of the NBA Finals game, also stated that they are conducting a thorough investigation.
The woman’s attorney, Ariel Mitchell, stated that her client was attending game four of the NBA Finals on Friday, June 9, prior to the alleged incident.
The legal letter sent to Mr McGregor by Ms Mitchell alleges that the woman was forcibly taken into a men’s bathroom by NBA and Miami Heat security guards before being subjected to a violent sexual assault by Mr McGregor.
The letter claims that although the woman managed to free herself from the bathroom, she left behind her purse, which she later retrieved after pleading with security guards.
The letter further alleges that the security personnel from the league, team, and arena “aided and abetted” Mr McGregor by trapping and isolating her in the bathroom.
During an interview, Ms Mitchell mentioned that she has obtained video footage that partially captures the alleged incident.
A police report relating to the incident was made on Sunday 11 June, the City of Miami Police told BBC News.
“This is an open investigation so no additional information can be released at this time,” a police department spokeswoman said.
Mr McGregor’s appearance at the NBA Finals made headlines after the Irish former champion hit the Miami Heat’s mascot during half-time, in an apparent stunt for a pain relief spray he was promoting.
The person acting as the mascot was taken to a local hospital for treatment after the incident, the Athletic reported.
Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, a presidential hopeful for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has provided a number of reasons why he should be given the nod to govern the country following the expiration of President Akufo-Addo’s second term.
Addressing party faithful after successfully filing his nomination forms on Friday, June 16, the Vice President noted that he is best placed to lead the party and the country as he has made sacrifices for both which have led to their respective growth.
For 22 years, according to the Dr Bawumia, he has never erred the party or prioritised his personal ambitions over the betterment of citizens and the ruling party.
“From the President Kufuor era as Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana, through our years in opposition and now in government. During this period, I have sacrificed for the party. I have defended the party in good and challenging times.
I have never wavered and I have a record of achievement and performance as Vice President of the Republic of Ghana,” he said.
He emphasised that through thick and thin “I have shown unflinching loyalty to our party and government.”
Some of the achievements of the Vice President include championing the country’s digital transformation such as mobile money interoperability between bank accounts and mobile wallets, digitization of the national identity card and Universal QR Code payment system.
Despite the successes chalked, Dr Bawumia admitted that much more needs to be done to ensure Ghana catches up with developed countries.
He asserted that “it is possible for Ghana to be like the advanced nations” and as such has pledged to ensure that Ghana is regarded as the digital hub of Africa in his administration.
The Vice President who has a “compelling vision for Ghana’s future” also seeks to make sure that Ghana makes judicious use of its minerals such as gold.
This comes at a time when Ghana has reclaimed its position as the largest gold producer in Africa from South Africa.
President of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Joshua Mortoti made the pronouncement last Friday, 9th June 2023, stating that in 2022, Ghana’s gold production rose to 3.7 million ounces, a notable increase from the previous year’s 2.8 million ounces.
This growth has been attributed to advancements in both the large-scale and small-scale sectors of gold mining in the country.
Mortoti said member companies of the mines chamber had sold over 77,620 ounces of gold under the Domestic Gold Purchase Programme, a scheme launched by the Bank of Ghana to boost reserves. Ghana relinquished the top spot to South Africa in 2021.
NPP Flagbearership
Vice President Dr Bawumia is the second aspirant to file his nomination forms after former Trade Minister Alan Kyerematen.
The Vice President is set to compete against eight other contenders in the flagbearership race. The contenders include former Energy Minister Boakye Kyeremateng Agyarko, MP for Assin Central Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, former Minister of Justice and Attorney General and MP for Essikado-Ketan Joe Ghartey, and energy expert Kwadwo Poku.
The rest of the contenders are former NPP General Secretary and presidential spokesperson Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, former Member of Parliament for Mampong Francis Addai-Nimoh, former Minister of State Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku, and former Minister of Food and Agriculture Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto.
The party leadership has already announced that only five aspirants will be allowed to compete following the vetting process scheduled for July 3-6.
On Friday, July 21, the list of qualified presidential candidates will be made public, and three days later, the balloting for position on the ballot paper will take place.
Archbishop Charles Agyinasare, the founder and leader of Perez Chapel International, on June 15, held a meeting with officials from the United States government in Washington.
The Archbishop revealed this in a Facebook post but did not indicate the purpose of the meeting.
However, he indicated that the meeting which involved representatives from the office of US President Joe Biden was successful.
Additionally, he shared that he had the privilege of serving as the main celebrant at the Sub-Saharan African delegation program during his visit to the US.
“Thanking God for a productive meeting with President Biden’s administration yesterday at the US Department of State Headquarters.
“I gave a speech; God honoured me, and I was the chief celebrant of the Sub-Saharan African delegation. Thanks for your prayers,” the Archbishop wrote.
Meanwhile, back home, the 14-day ultimatum the chiefs of Nogokpo gave for Agyinasare to appear before them over his “Nogokpo is the demonic headquarters of the Volta Region” statement expires today, Friday, June 16, 2023.
During the Supernatural Summit held at the Perez Chapel headquarters in Accra on May 25, 2023, Archbishop Agyinasare preached about divine protection and the existence of evil forces. In his sermon, he cited several examples to support his teachings, including an incident where his team experienced spiritual attacks after hosting a crusade in the Volta Region.
“During this crusade in Aflao… we slept at Agbozume; that was where our hotel was, and you have to go through Nogokpo. And Nogokpo is the demonic headquarters in the Volta Region.
“We only have not said it, but the second night I made Bishop Yaw Adu talk about witchcraft, and we disgraced the witches and wizards. When we were driving from Aflao to Agbozume, immediately we got to Nogokpo, Bishop Yaw Adu’s four-wheel drive, the tyre came out from under the car,” he recounted.
Agyinasare’s statement went viral, leading to criticism from sections of the public.
In response, a press conference was held at the Royal Palace of the Dufia of Nogokpo, Torgbui Saba V.
The chiefs demanded the presence of Archbishop Agyinasare within the given period, accusing him of making derogatory remarks against them. They said he was to appear before them to explain the comments he made.
Martin Adjei Mensah Korsah, the Deputy Minister for Local Government, has urged Municipal Chief Executives to effectively utilize their funds to mitigate the impact of recurring flooding.
The Deputy Minister conducted a working visit to assess the progress made in addressing flooding in flood-prone areas within various Metropolitan and Municipal Assemblies as part of the Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development [GARID] project.
To assist in addressing the flooding issues and desilting drainage systems along the Odor River, the Local Government granted each assembly an amount of GHC420,000.
During the one-week tour on Wednesday, June 14, the Local Government ministry visited several assemblies in Accra, including Ayawaso North, Central East, and West Municipal Assemblies, to evaluate the work accomplished.
While expressing his dissatisfaction with the pace of work in Ayawaso Central and North, Martin Adjei Mensah Korsah commended the Ayawaso East Municipal Assembly for effectively utilizing their allocated funds.
Overall, the Deputy Minister emphasized the importance of efficient fund utilization to combat flooding and encouraged Municipal Chief Executives to prioritize these efforts to safeguard their respective areas from the impacts of floods.
“You can see here that the Ayawaso East Municipal Assembly have made a good investment with their funds. There has been an impact in the area because some of the settlements we visited were now sweeping the gutters.
“In our next meeting we will urge the assemblies to choose spots where they can be able to make a huge impact by desilting their drainage systems and ensuring hygienic living,” the deputy minister said.
A visit to some areas in the Ayawaso North where a food vendor was selling close to the gutters displeased the MCE, Aminu Ahmed Zakari who threatened to sanction the food vendor for selling in a poor hygienic condition.
Hajia Selma Adams, the MCE for Ayawaso East promised that the drainage systems within her community would be fully desilt by the end of June 2023. She said, “We have done 75% of the work, hopefully by June ending we should be done.”
Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has submitted his nomination forms for the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) presidential race in the upcoming primaries.
The Vice President undertook this initiative personally while being accompanied by his wife, Samira Bawumia.
This comes a little over two weeks after former Vice Chairman of the NPP, Fred Oware, and former National Organiser of the party, Sammy Awuku, picked up the nomination forms on behalf of the Vice President.
Dr Bawumia used the opportunity to engage some party faithful at the NPP headquarters. He highlighted his goals for the country should he be elected as president in the 2024 general elections.
The Bank of Ghana has highlighted the “significant decline” in fraud activities at financial institutions involving company staff.
The Central Bank in its 2022 Fraud Report for Banks, SDIs and PSPs, recorded a 5.62% decline in staff-fraud cases from 53.46% in 2021 to 47.84% in 2022.
This has been attributed to the constant improvement in the internal controls of Banks and Specialised Deposit-taking Institutions (SDIs).
“Another factor is the stiff punishment that has been meted out by the courts to the culprits which has served as a deterrent to others,” the BoG further noted.
According to the Central Bank, a total of GH¢82 million were stolen by fraudsters in 2022.
The report comes at a time when some fraud activities by bank staff have left many Ghanaians and social media users shell-shocked.
25-year-old Emmanuel Sakyi Afriyie, a contract staff of one of the major banks in the country has been arrested during an escape attempt after allegedly stealing close to GH¢1.2million from customers’ bank accounts.
Emmanuel Sakyi Afriyie is facing charges on various crimes, including stealing and forgery of other documents and falsification of accounts.
Per reports from the complainant, who is the Head of Fraud Detection and Operations at the bank, Emmanuel secretly used a mobile phone to film his boss while she was entering her password to gain access to the monies from the customers’ accounts.
He allegedly used part of the money to buy a mobile phone, Iphone 14 Pro Max, a vehicle, Toyota Camry, moved some to his account in another bank and that of his accomplices’ accounts – 17 in total – in various banks and their mobile money accounts.
Emmanuel had been put before court together with some of his accomplices and was granted bail after pleading not guilty to the offences.
But on June 4, 2023, the accused together with his girlfriend, who stood as surety for him attempted to escape from the jurisdiction to Dubai, but were arrested at the Kotoka International Airport by the Ghana Immigration Service and handed over to the police.
Emmanuel is set to reappear before the court on June 16, 2023.
In a related event, Martha Amakye, a 34-year-old outsourced worker of Stanbic Bank, has been jailed 8 years for swindling numerous customers of the bank out of GHS1.8 million by an Accra High Court.
Amakye has been convicted of exploiting 246 bank customers from 2015 to 2016. She deceived these customers by collecting money from them, claiming that she would invest it in fixed deposits with lucrative monthly interest rates. However, it was later discovered that she had fabricated these fixed deposits without the bank’s approval.
Originally faced with 31 charges of defrauding by false pretense, Amakye initially pleaded not guilty. However, the court ultimately found the prosecution’s case to be convincingly proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
Although the number of staff involved in financial fraud has declined, the Bank of Ghana remains vigilant to nip the canker in the bud.
As such, management of banks and Specialised Deposit-taking Institutions (SDIs) have been admonished to undertake proper background checks of all prospective temporary and permanent employees.
A total amount of GH¢27 million was lost as a result of mobile money fraud incidents recorded by Payment Service Providers (PSPs) in 2022, according to the Bank of Ghana.
In its 2022 Fraud Report for Banks, SDIs and PSPs, the Central Bank however noted that the figure decreased to approximately GH¢26 million due to some recoveries made.
Per the report, the value of loss in 2022 increased significantly as compared to a loss of GH¢12 million in 2021, representing an increase of 117%.
In contrast, the number of mobile money fraud cases saw a marginal decrease. A total of 12,166 cases were recorded in 2022, as against 12,350 cases recorded in 2021.
According to the BoG, mobile money fraud has become very predominant, especially, to the vulnerable who mostly are unable to read.
“The aged and uneducated users of mobile money are not very conversant with the application. They would usually handover the phone to other people to do transactions on their behalf. Their PINs are compromised since they have to give it out to a third party to do the transaction,” the Central Bank explained.
The BoG further revealed that there is a lack of attention to security by most people in using the mobile money application.
“Also a general lack of security awareness has largely contributed to victims easily falling prey to fraudsters. Some users of mobile money do not periodically change their PIN making them easily prone to fraudsters,” the report added.
To address this, the Bank of Ghana has engaged the financial entities to put in stringent measures to mitigate the impact of this fraudulent activity.
The Bank of Ghana has advised that the sensitization programmes should be in multiple local languages to enable the vulnerable, in particular, and the public in general to appreciate it.
Fraudsters managed to steal GH¢82 million from various financial institutions in Ghana in 2022, according to a report by the Bank of Ghana (BoG).
The report covers the fraud incidents and losses recorded by banks, specialised deposit-taking institutions (SDIs) and payment service providers (PSPs), which include mobile money operators.
Out of the total amount stolen, GH¢56 million came from banks and SDIs, while GH¢26 million came from mobile money accounts.
The report reveals that the number of fraud incidents decreased slightly from 15,350 in 2021 to 15,164 in 2022, but the value of losses increased by 7.88% from GH¢61 million in 2021 to GH¢82 million in 2022.
The report also identifies the top five fraud methods that caused the most losses in 2022. They are:
Forgery and manipulation of documents:Fraudsters created or altered documents to deceive financial institutions and customers. This method accounted for GH¢33 million of the losses, a 334.99% increase from GH¢7 million in 2021. Most of the cases involved universal banks (commercial banks).
Fraudulent withdrawals: Fraudsters accessed customers’ accounts and wallets without their consent and withdrew money. This method accounted for GH¢7 million of the losses, a 1039.09% increase from GH¢620,000 in 2021. Most of the cases involved the banking sector.
Cheque fraud: Fraudsters used fake or altered cheques to withdraw money from accounts. This method accounted for GH¢5.1 million of the losses, a 1254.46% increase from GH¢370,000 in 2021. Most of the cases involved universal banks and rural and community banks.
Cyber/email fraud: Fraudsters sent malicious emails to trick recipients into giving up sensitive information or transferring money to them. This method accounted for GH¢4.3 million of the losses, a 65.55% increase from GH¢2.6 million in 2021. Most of the cases targeted universal banks.
Cash theft/cash suppression: Fraudsters stole cash from customers’ accounts or suppressed cash deposits by staff. This method accounted for GH¢3.9 million of the losses, a 7.12% decrease from GH¢4.2 million in 2021. Most of the cases occurred in the SDI sector, especially rural and community banks.
Other fraud methods that caused smaller losses included impersonation, ATM/card fraud, lending/credit fraud, burglary and remittances.
The report also shows that 188 bank staff were involved in fraud cases in 2022, a decrease from 278 in 2021. Most of them were involved in cash theft or suppression.
The BoG said that the report aims to provide an overview of the fraud situation in Ghana’s financial sector and to inform stakeholders on how to prevent and combat fraud.
