TIG Post

Author: Chris Kodo

  • DVLA : 13 staff members interdicted, 3 sacked

    DVLA : 13 staff members interdicted, 3 sacked

    The Driver and Vehicle Licencing Authority (DVLA) Board Chairman, Frank Davies, has disclosed that thirteen employees have been placed on interdiction and three others have had their appointments terminated as a result of staff misconduct at the company.

    Davies emphasized that the board is committed to not providing protection for individuals who violate the disciplinary regulations of the authority. He urged all staff members to maintain a standard of conduct that is beyond criticism and to exhibit behavior that serves as a positive example for others to follow.

    Davies noted that although the DVLA has achieved significant progress in optimizing services and decreasing processing durations, there are persistent obstacles like delays in printing driving licenses, instances of uncooperative behavior from certain staff members, and a rising occurrence of indiscipline and negative conduct.

    Mr Davies was addressing the launch of the 25th anniversary celebration and opening of the 2023 mid-year review conference in Sunyani in the Bono Region last Wednesday.

    It was organised on the theme: “Delivering quality service through optimisation: A panacea to consolidate our gains”.

    Mr Davies called on the staff to seek innovative solutions to improve their processes and service delivery.

    He said such innovative solutions to benefit clients remained at the forefront of technological advancements, and that it was worth exploring emerging trends in line with international best practices in order to promote road safety and environmental sustainability.

    Mr Davies challenged the staff to embrace change, and to see challenges as opportunities for growth.

    He gave the assurance that the DVLA was committed to building a customer-focused organisation that would be at the forefront of technological advancement.

    The Bono Regional Minister, Justina Owusu-Banahene, commended the DVLA for working hard to introduce sanity into its processes, such as cutting down delays and extortion.

    Ms Owusu-Banahene urged the DVLA to digitalise the renewal of driving licence and vehicle registrations, saying, “patrons are looking forward to a day when they can sit in the comfort of their homes and through technology renew their driver’s license and vehicle registrations”.

    She said a section of the public had also questioned the roadworthiness of some vehicles which plied the roads, especially some fairly over-aged heavy duty trucks which broke down to cause unnecessary traffic jams.

    Ms Owusu-Banahene urged the DVLA to work with the values of integrity, excellence, professionalism and reliability.

    The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the DVLA, Kwasi Agyeman Busia, said advocating the adoption of electric vehicles would herald a new dawn of clean and green transportation in the country.

    He explained that the promotion of the use of energy- efficient vehicles would mitigate the impact of fossil fuels on human health and environment.

    He explained that evaluation, assessment and redefinition to correct role overlaps and redundancy were ongoing to ensure credible salary restructuring, as the current salary grading had been in place since 2016.

    He said the DVLA had partnered tertiary institutions such as the University of Ghana (UG), University of Development Studies (UDS) and the University of Cape Coast (UCC) to train and issue driving licence to students while on campus or after graduation.

    The Bono Regional Manager of the DVLA, George Okyere, said the DVLA had seen a significant shift in its operations in the last decade with substantial successes.

    He said staff of the organisation were not content as emerging challenges, customer dynamics and technological advancement continued to create both opportunities and threats.

    Mr Okyere said the review would afford DVLA a chance to take stock of its reforms and strategise to improve its operations.

  • Russia finally launches Luna 25 mission to the moon 

    Russia finally launches Luna 25 mission to the moon 

    Russia successfully launched Luna 25, the nation’s first lunar lander in 47 years.

    The unmanned spacecraft took launched from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the Russian Amur Oblast. At 7:10 p.m. ET on Thursday, Luna 25 launched into space on a Soyuz-2 Fregat rocket at 8:10 a.m. local time on Friday.

    According to Reuters, there is a “one in a million chance” that one of Luna 25’s rocket stages may land there, thus residents of a Russian village were temporarily evacuated on Friday morning.

    The spacecraft is anticipated to first enter an orbit around Earth before changing to a lunar orbit and eventually dropping to the moon’s surface. On August 18, 1976, Luna 24, Russia‘s final lunar lander, touched down there.

    According to Reuters, there is a race to see which nation will arrive first when India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission and Luna 25 both intend to touch down at the lunar south pole on August 23. However, Roscomos stated that because their exact landing zones differ, it is not anticipated that the two missions will interfere with one another, according to Reuters.

    For one year, Luna 25, also known as the Luna-Glob-Lander, will investigate the elements that make up the lunar polar soil as well as the plasma and particles that make up the moon’s meagre atmosphere.

    According to NASA, the four-legged lander is equipped with landing rockets, fuel tanks, solar panels, computers, a robotic arm with a scoop to gather lunar samples, as well as a variety of equipment to analyse the samples and the exosphere.

    Initially, Luna 25, Luna 26, Luna 27, and the ExoMars rover were all going to be jointly developed by Roscosmos and the European Space Agency.

    But after Russia invaded Ukraine in April 2022, this collaboration came to an end, and the ESA Council decided to “discontinue cooperative activities with Russia.”

    Chandrayaan-3, which launched on July 14 and entered lunar orbit over the weekend, consists of a lander, rover, and propulsion module.

    India’s effort to make a landing at the lunar south pole follows Chandrayaan-2’s moon crash in September 2019. If the new mission is successful, India would become just the fourth nation, after the United States, the former Soviet Union, and China, to accomplish the challenging accomplishment. Chandrayaan-3 will spend a few weeks on the moon’s surface performing a number of scientific investigations to find out more about the moon’s makeup.

    In late 2025, during the Artemis III mission, NASA intends to place a woman and a person of colour on the moon for the first time at the lunar south pole.

    Due to its prospective riches, this region of the moon has been the subject of numerous missions. A crucial factor to take into account as organisations like NASA look to stably study the moon for extended lengths of time in the future is the possibility that deep, permanently shadowed craters in the lunar south pole contain ice that might be utilised for fuel, oxygen, and drinking water.

    “We’re going to see several spacecraft, some perhaps from other nations, that are going to be landing on the south pole in the near future,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said during a news conference on Tuesday. “There is a resurgence of interest in the moon, which is naturally due to the possibility of water. To prepare for a trip to Mars and a safe return, we’re travelling back to Earth to study how to survive in a deep space environment for extended periods of time.

    Nelson responded, “We wish them well,” when questioned about the forthcoming Luna 25 launch, stating that NASA and its Russian counterpart had been working together since 1975, going back to the Soviet era.

  • Sarkodie can never be bigger than me in his life -Shatta Wale

    Sarkodie can never be bigger than me in his life -Shatta Wale

    Ghanaian Dancehall artiste, Shatta Wale has confidently asserted that in no aspect can Sarkodie surpass his stature, urging people to refrain from drawing comparisons between them.

    During an interview on Empire 102.7fm on August 9th, Shatta Wale expressed his view that it’s disrespectful to draw comparisons between him and Sarkodie. He highlighted that he had established his presence in the music scene prior to Sarkodie’s entrance, but his contributions are often overlooked due to Sarkodie’s popularity among certain fans.

    When I released ‘Bandana from Ghana’, where was Sarkodie? So I’m more experienced in this business than all those kind.

    “So the moment you compare me to Sarkodie, you make Sarkodie feel too big and when I talk to Sarkodie, he feels like he is big.

    “Sarkodie can never be bigger than Shatta Wale in his life. Even when you give birth, there is a first born and a second born, you can’t give the first position to the second born. I’m not saying Sarkodie is not successful with what he is doing. He is playing his role as a musician but don’t compare me to Sarkodie,” he said.

    Shatta Wale disclosed that comparing him to Sarkodie has made the two time VGMA Artiste of the Year grow wings since he feels they are on the same level.

    During a recent discussion on United Showbiz following calls by the former French Ambassador for some Ghanaian artistes to be given diplomatic passports, Neat FM presenter, Ola Michael insinuated that the likes of Shatta Wale will make such a call difficult to implement.

    To state his displeasure, Shatta Wale has released a diss song for Ola Michael which he says is to express his displeasure for always being negatively used as study case.

    “Why didn’t he use Samini? He could have used anybody so why should Shatta Wale be used as an example in a diplomatic passport? Let’s think deeply, is it right?” he stated.

  • I hope Ghana continues to stay welcoming to LGBTQ+ – US Ambassador 

    I hope Ghana continues to stay welcoming to LGBTQ+ – US Ambassador 

    US ambassador to Ghana, Virginia Palmer, has commended the inclusivity of Ghana and its citizens while also warning about potential prejudice, particularly directed at the LGBTQ+ community.

    She noted that the nation’s strength and attractiveness as an investment hub primarily stem from its strong interfaith and inter-ethnic harmony.

    Nevertheless, Ambassador Palmer emphasized that any form of bias against LGBTQ+ individuals could convey an unfavorable message to American investors overall and should be prevented.

    “Ghana is a very welcoming tolerant society, lots of inter-religious, inter-ethnic harmony and that is what makes Ghana strong and stable and attractive for investment. I hope it stays that way with regards to the LGBTQ+

    community.

    “And again, there is money to be made, if the colour of your money is green or red, it is Ghanaian but there if there is discrimination or worse, then that will send a signal to not just LGBT investors but other American investors that Ghana is less welcoming than I am telling people that it is now. So, I hope it will stay welcoming,” she told journalists.

    She was speaking on the sidelines of the US-Ghana Business Expo which took place in Accra on August 10, 2023.

    “I want to send a signal that Ghana is open for business and its economic recovery has began,” she added.

    She revealed that the US group that had come to Ghana was a special trade delegation, the Global Diversity and Inclusion delegation that had reps from among others:

    National Black Chamber

    Women-owned businesses

    LGBT-owned businesses

    Native American owned businesses

    Washington has openly spoken in favour of the LGBTQ community and have spoken against Ghana’s anti-LGBTQ Bill which is due to be passed into law by Parliament during its next sitting.

  • Majority Leader justifies 10% withholding tax on betting 

    Majority Leader justifies 10% withholding tax on betting 

    Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, thinks that the 10% withholding tax imposed by the Ghana Revenue Authority on total earnings from gaming is reasonable.

    He remarked that the tax, scheduled to be implemented on Tuesday, August 15, is a prudent policy decision.

    In his view, gambling promotes idleness and dissuades people from putting in diligent effort.

    In an interview with Kumasi-based Angel FM on Thursday, Suame MP exhorted the youth to work hard and stop gambling.

    “I don’t believe in betting. I don’t believe in luck. I believe in hard work and sweat to get money. Let’s be serious. As for me, I’m against betting coming into the country. I don’t support it because it doesn’t encourage hard work.”

    “As an individual, I don’t engage in the lottery because I don’t believe in that. I don’t believe in luck. Work hard so God will bless it.”

    Background

    The implementation of a 10% withholding tax on all gross gaming winnings from August 15, 2023, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has announced.

    According to the GRA, the withholding tax will be charged on profits accrued after each win and the existing 15% Value Added Tax (VAT) rate on each stake will no longer be charged.

    The GRA said that the new policy is in line with an amendment to the Income Tax Act 2023 (No.2), Act 1094.

    Commissioner for the Domestic Tax Revenue Division at the GRA, Edward Gyamerah, addressed a press briefing and said gaming companies that fail to comply with the new policy will face sanctions.

    Such companies he added would have their licenses withdrawn.

    “Come August 15, we expect that when you are making the payments, you will withhold 10 percent to the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA). As you have been appointed as withholding agents, the obligation is on you to withhold. If you fail to do that, with the interactions we had with you and with the support of the gaming commission, you can be assured that your licenses will be withdrawn,” he said.

  • Roads Ministry to build temporary bridges in North East

    Roads Ministry to build temporary bridges in North East

    The Ministry of Roads and Highways has announced its plans to swiftly build temporary bridges and pathways on the segments of roads within the North East Region that were washed away by floods last Wednesday.

    The action is a temporary fix to allow pedestrian traffic while the ministry works to repair the collapsed bridges and roads as soon as possible.

    The immediate but temporary solution, according to Stephen Jalulah, Deputy Minister of Roads and Highways, will be the construction of temporary walkways and diversionary pathways to make the roads passable. He made this announcement after leading a delegation to the North East Region to assess the extent of damage to roads caused by the rain.

    The move is a stopgap measure to open up traffic for pedestrians as the ministry makes efforts to fix the collapsed bridges and roads as soon as possible.

    The Deputy Minister of Roads and Highways, Stephen Jalulah, who announced this after he led a delegation to visit the North East Region to assess the extent of damage to roads caused by the rain, said the immediate but temporary solution would involve the construction of temporary walkways and diversionary pathways to make the roads passable.

    Also, in the coming weeks, the roads will be permanently fixed, while there will also be the construction of additional culverts to hold future floodwaters.

    Impact
    Parts of the West Mamprusi and East Mamprusi municipalities were submerged following the four-hour downpour.

    Walewale, the West Mamprusi Municipal capital, has been cut off from Nalerigu, the regional capital, as a bridge and a dam at Tinguri were swept away by the floods, making the main road linking the two towns inaccessible.

    The situation has rendered residents of the affected communities homeless while passengers travelling from Walewale to Nalerigu and adjoining towns have also been left stranded.

    A number of houses, farmlands, livestock and other property were also swept away by the floodwaters.

    Some of the affected communities are Gaagbini, Tinguri, Mimima, Kuruguduri, Walewale and Nalerigu.

    As of yesterday, Nalerigu remained inaccessible, with officials of NADMO still rescuing victims.


    The Deputy Minister was accompanied by the North East Regional Minister, Yidana Zakaria; the Chief Executive of the West Mamprusi Municipal Assembly, Issahaku Aremeyaw Somo; the Member of Parliament for Nalerigu/Gambaga, Issifu Seidu Baba, and some technical staff of the ministry and road sector agencies

    The delegation toured Gaagbini, Tinguri, Nalerigu and Gbuntiri, which were severely hit by the disaster.

    Permanent solution
    Mr Jalulah said the ministry was not only looking at bridges, but also roads that deteriorated as a result of the floods.

    He said a team of engineers from the ministry and the Ghana Highways Authority were currently assessing the extent of damage so as to get contractors on site to fix the situation.

    “We have already engaged two contractors to fix the damaged roads and bridges.

    For now, they will create temporary bridges, fix some alternative roads for the people to use as we work hard to fix the problem,” he said.

    Aside from the roads, the deputy minister said the dam that broke its banks, resulting in the damage to a section of the road at Tinguri, would also be fixed.

  • China claims CIA spy turned out to be military firm employee

    China claims CIA spy turned out to be military firm employee

    The latest in a long line of highly publicised espionage claims between Washington and Beijing, China’s civilian intelligence agency has exposed a Chinese national for allegedly giving secret military information to the CIA.

    The suspect, who goes by the surname Zeng, was employed by an unnamed Chinese military industrial firm, according to a statement released by China’s Ministry of State Security on Friday, and his position allowed him access to vitally sensitive classified information.

    Zeng, 52, was sent to Italy by his company, according to the ministry, to further his education. The statement claims that while he was there, a representative of the US embassy approached him. Over the course of their interactions, which included dinner parties, excursions, and opera viewings, they supposedly grew closer.

    The ministry asserted that as their relationship progressed, the US diplomat exposed his identity as a CIA agent. According to the statement, Zeng was allegedly offered “a huge amount” of cash in addition to family immigration to the US in exchange for confidential information regarding the Chinese military.

    According to the report, Zeng signed an espionage deal with the US and got evaluation and training.

    After completing his studies, Zeng allegedly travelled back to China where he repeatedly met with CIA agents to offer “a large amount of core intelligence,” according to the statement.

    After discovering proof of Zeng’s espionage activities during a probe, the ministry said it had taken “compulsory measures” against him. The prosecution has been given the case to evaluate and indict, it continued.

    A week after two US Navy sailors in California were detained for allegedly giving classified US military secrets to Chinese intelligence agents, China made its disclosure regarding the accused CIA spy.

    A civilian organisation in China, the Ministry of State Security is in charge of domestic and international intelligence and counterintelligence. Its mandate has prompted comparisons to a combined CIA and FBI, although it is much more clandestine about its activity, without even an open website outlining its operations.

    However, the ministry has become more well-known recently. It opened a public account on Wechat, China’s leading social media platform, on August 1. In it, it urged “all members of society” to join the fight against espionage and offered rewards and safety to those who provided information.

    On Friday, the ministry’s Wechat account also posted a message regarding Zeng’s case.

    The Chinese military has its own intelligence organisation as well.

    Although the two greatest economies in the world have always been rivals, the current worsening in relations has intensified this competition.

    While Xi Jinping, China’s most powerful and authoritarian leader in a generation, has made national security his top priority, China’s Communist Party leadership have long promoted the idea that “foreign forces” are attempting to undermine the country’s progress.

    The scope of espionage was further broadened by China’s amended counter-espionage law, which was unveiled last month.

    According to The New York Times, CIA operations in China experienced a shocking setback starting in 2010 when the Chinese government assassinated or imprisoned more than a dozen sources over a two-year period.

    According to a CNN article from 2021, as part of a larger change to sharpen its emphasis on foes like China and Russia, the agency was revamping how it oversees and trains its network of spies.

  • I pray before choosing a song to dance to – Dancegod Lloyd

    I pray before choosing a song to dance to – Dancegod Lloyd

    Ghanaian dancer Dancegod Lloyd recently spoke with MC Yaa Yeboah on Bryt Extra about his method for choosing songs to dance to.

    He explained that before making his choices, he prays to God for divine guidance and emphasized the importance of incorporating his strong religious beliefs into his projects.

    “I am a very religious person, so I pray to God whenever someone approaches me with a project. I pray to God. If this is the right one, I will select it, and if it’s not the right one, I move. So, it is not even about me, it is not even about the music. It goes beyond the dance,” he explained.

    In addition to prayer, Dancegod Lloyd takes into consideration other factors when choosing songs to dance to. These include the artist behind the song and the meaningfulness of the song’s content.

    He values his reputation as a dancer and works to match his artistic vision with opportunities for recognition on a global scale. He made it clear, though, that he is particular about the music he chooses to perform to and will not dance to just any song.

    “I want to dance to songs that can go viral, songs that are meaningful, and songs that I know will do well on the international stage. I try my best, for any project that I work on, and I make sure it’s out there well. I am not going to project any rookie song,” he emphasized.

  • IMF clarifies Bank of Ghana’s GH¢60 billion loss

    IMF clarifies Bank of Ghana’s GH¢60 billion loss

    The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has taken action to allay concerns raised by the Bank of Ghana’s (BoG) significant GH60 billion loss recorded during the fiscal year of 2022 by explicitly stating that there is no immediate need for alarm, thereby attempting to allay any prevailing anxieties within the economic landscape.

    The Bank of Ghana (BoG) has come under intensified examination from opposition political groups and civil society organizations as a consequence of the significant loss it experienced.

    On Tuesday, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, the Minority Leader, firmly expressed his position by calling for the resignation of Governor Dr. Ernest Addison and his deputy officials, asserting that the losses were a result of negligence within the central bank—a claim that the Bank of Ghana promptly refuted.

    The IMF has since posted a detailed explanation on its official website, shedding light on the BoG’s participation in the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP), a critical facet of the government’s strategy to reestablish macroeconomic stability and public debt sustainability.

    The IMF clarified that the BoG’s involvement in the DDEP was intended to distribute the burden of the program among various entities, including government debt holders, financial institutions, banks, pension funds, and individuals.

    The incurred loss, as per the IMF, has played a role in diminishing the BoG’s net equity to a negative value.

    However, the IMF underscored that this occurrence does not hinder the BoG’s ability to fulfill its policy mandates and execute measures to steer inflation gradually towards its 8-percent target.

    The IMF expressed confidence that the central bank’s income is anticipated to be sufficient for covering operational costs related to monetary policy.

    Consequently, the IMF expects the BoG’s net equity to witness significant improvement over time, eventually returning to positive territory.

    Below is the IMF’s post about the BoG’s losses;

    Why did the Bank of Ghana (BoG) incur losses from the authorities’ domestic debt exchange and what are their implications?

    The Ghanaian authorities’ domestic debt exchange (DDE) is a key element of their plan to restore macroeconomic stability and public debt sustainability. The BoG is participating in the DDE to share some of the burden the DDE places on government debt holders, along with banks, other financial institutions, pension funds and individuals.

    The loss the BoG incurred in the process has contributed to reducing its net equity to a negative value. Importantly, however, this does not prevent the BoG from fulfilling its policy mandates and ensuring inflation gradually returns toward its 8-percent target. Indeed, central bank income is expected to be sufficient to cover monetary policy operational costs. The BoG’s net equity is expected to improve significantly over time and eventually return to positive territory.

  • Six individuals detained for murder of presidential contender are Colombian – Ecuador

    Six individuals detained for murder of presidential contender are Colombian – Ecuador

    Authorities have revealed that six of the individuals detained in connection with the murder of Ecuadorian presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio are citizens of Colombia and are members of gangs. This comes as a former vice president has called for action to stop the country’s spiralling violence.Villavicencio, a legislator and anti-corruption activist who frequently spoke out against the carnage brought on by drug trafficking in the nation, was fatally shot on Wednesday during a campaign rally in the nation’s capital Quito.Ten days prior to the first round of the presidential election, the 59-year-old was assassinated. As Ecuador’s violence has increased in recent years, Villavicencio’s campaign promises to crack down on crime and corruption.

    After exchanging gunfire with security forces, the alleged shooter passed away in police custody, according to Ecuador’s Attorney General’s Office on Wednesday.

    Six other people were detained in relation to the murder. Juan Zapata, the interior minister for Ecuador, stated during a news conference on Thursday that there is early evidence the suspects are associated with organised crime gangs.

    A rifle, a machine gun, four handguns, three grenades, two rifle magazines, four boxes of ammo, two motorcycles, and a stolen car suspected to have been used by the guys were discovered by officials during nocturnal raids, according to Zapata.

    Ecuador’s President Guillermo Lasso tweeted that a mission from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation would soon be arriving in the nation after the attack prompted him to ask for assistance.

    In addition, Lasso declared a 60-day state of emergency, an immediate nationwide mobilisation of the military, and three days of national mourning.

    The assassination sparked a global outcry of disapproval, notably from the UN Human Rights chief, the United States, and the European Union.

    In an exclusive interview with CNN on Thursday, former vice president of Ecuador and current presidential hopeful Otto Sonnenholzner claimed that the degree of violence in Ecuador is “something we have never seen before.”

    It’s a novel idea. Maybe a year and a half or two years ago, it began. It’s an uncontrollable spiral of violence that needs immediate government response, but we aren’t seeing it, Sonnenholzner added.

    The Andean country, which was previously relatively quiet, is currently affected by a deepening security crisis brought on by drug trafficking and a turf war between competing criminal organisations.

    As criminal organisations compete for possession and distribution of narcotics, mainly cocaine, violence has been most pronounced along Ecuador’s Pacific coast.

    Additionally, the nation no longer has authority over its overcrowded jails, which are frequently run by criminal gangs. Between these opposing groups, horrific prison riots have claimed the lives of hundreds of prisoners.

    Sonnenholzner claimed that “the gangs are controlling crime in the streets from the jails.” “There is a lot of influence of drug dealers and traffickers in different institutions in the country,” he added, adding that corruption has a negative impact on the judiciary, some police, and even local administrations in Ecuador.

    According to Sonnenholzner, Villavicencio had received threats from Ecuadorian organised criminal groups two weeks prior, but he had not been shielded.

    According to interior minister Zapata, Villavicencio did have a security detail at the time of the incident that included five police officers, numerous patrol cars, and his own armoured vehicle, however he pointed out that the armoured vehicle was not deployed in Quito.

    According to local media, Zapata said earlier this week that seven of Ecuador’s eight presidential contenders were being guarded by police.

    Every day, gun control fails totally. The offenders’ firearms are comparatively recent. The six attackers who were caught yesterday had grenades and machine guns, and Ecuador has historically been a fairly peaceful nation,” Sonnenholzner added.

    Sonnenholzner announced that he had stopped participating in public campaign events “for the next few days” and hired his own private protection.

    The Electoral Council President Diana Atamaint announced on Thursday that the presidential election for Ecuador, set for August 20, will proceed as scheduled.

    Sonnenholzner claimed that in order to give Villavicencio’s political party, Movimiento Construye, time to locate a replacement candidate, he has asked that the Sunday, television-only presidential discussion be postponed.

    Villavicencio, he pointed out, had originally come to prominence as an investigative journalist who campaigned against power abuse and corruption.

    Sonnenholzner declared that his “fight against corruption should be his legacy.”

  • Abass Nurudeen criticizes KMA Boss over tricycle ban

    Abass Nurudeen criticizes KMA Boss over tricycle ban

    The Kumasi mayor, Samuel Pyne, has been urged to permit tricycle drivers to travel the city’s main thoroughfares.

    The Communications Officer for the opposition National Democratic Congress, Abass Nurudeen, who made the statement on Inside Politics on TV XYZ Thursday contended that the operations of the tricycles cannot be blamed for the choked streets in the busy areas of the Ashanti Regional capital.

    He attributed the heavy traffic jams in those areas to the street vendors and vendors who sell their wares on the shoulders of roads in Kejetia, Adum, and other parts of the central business district.

    It will be recalled that operators of the tricycles clashed with the police in Kumasi over a ban by the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) on their operations in certain parts of the city.

    Several police officers were hurt during the altercation, and some protesters were detained.

    The matter has not been fully resolved as police in Kumasi prevent riders of tricycles from operating in some areas.

    Nurudeen believes the KMA Boss, Sam Pyne, is over stepping his territories by placing hurdles on the way of the men whose only source of livelihood is from riding those mini cabs.

    To him, the KMA Boss is being partisan with his approach because the operators of the tricycles are mainly from the stronghold of the NDC and thus he has to frustrate them.

    “Sam Pyne must be careful with his approach. The riders of these tricycles are earning decent money from their daily work,” Nurudeen said in Akan.

    ” Sam Pyne knows those who are causing traffic jam in Kejetia and Adum. He knows it is the women who sell on the shoulders of the road and in some cases, overtake parts of the roads at Adum and the Hello FM area. He is reluctant to sack them from the roads because they are members of his party–the NPP.”

    Nurudeen also alleged that the traffic jam is caused by some illegal lorry terminals at Adum and Kejetia market that were created by the KMA Boss.

    ” He [Sam Pyne] knows about this. He is one of those who have created illegal lorry terminals and taking daily sales from the drivers,”Nurudeen fumed.

    He added, ” the KMA Boss should rethink his actions or else we will face him.”

  • Be careful with your approach! – ‘Angry’ Abass Nurudeen warns KMA boss over tricycle ban

    Be careful with your approach! – ‘Angry’ Abass Nurudeen warns KMA boss over tricycle ban

    Kumasi’s Mayor, Samuel Pyne, has received a request to permit tricycle operators to use the roads within the central business district of the city.

    Abass Nurudeen, the Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), expressed during an episode of the TV XYZ show “Inside Politics” on Thursday that the presence of tricycles on the roads in the congested parts of the Ashanti Regional capital should not be solely held responsible for the traffic congestion.

    Instead, he attributed the heavy traffic congestion in those areas to street hawkers and vendors who sell their goods on the sides of roads in places like Kejetia, Adum, and other sections of the central business district.

    It will be recalled that operators of the tricycles clashed with the police in Kumasi over a ban by the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) on their operations in certain parts of the city.

    The clash resulted in several injuries among the police while some of the protestors were arrested.

    The matter has not been fully resolved as police in Kumasi prevent riders of tricycles from operating in some areas.

    Nurudeen believes the KMA Boss, Sam Pyne, is over stepping his territories by placing hurdles on the way of the men whose only source of livelihood is from riding those mini cabs.

    To him, the KMA Boss is being partisan with his approach because the operators of the tricycles are mainly from the stronghold of the NDC and thus he has to frustrate them.

    “Sam Pyne must be careful with his approach. The riders of these tricycles are earning decent money from their daily work,” Nurudeen said in Akan.

    ” Sam Pyne knows those who are causing traffic jam in Kejetia and Adum. He knows it is the women who sell on the shoulders of the road and in some cases, overtake parts of the roads at Adum and the Hello FM area. He is reluctant to sack them from the roads because they are members of his party–the NPP.”

    Nurudeen also alleged that the traffic jam is caused by some illegal lorry terminals at Adum and Kejetia market that were created by the KMA Boss.

    ” He [Sam Pyne] knows about this. He is one of those who have created illegal lorry terminals and taking daily sales from the drivers,”Nurudeen fumed.

    He added, ” the KMA Boss should rethink his actions or else we will face him.”

  • Otumfuo ‘sacks’ another Chief over galamsey

    Otumfuo ‘sacks’ another Chief over galamsey

    Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has removed Nana Saforo Koto from his position as the Chief of Bekwai-Abodom.

    The removal from office occurred due to Nana Saforo Koto’s failure to provide a defense against approximately 20 accusations raised by concerned residents in his locality.

    The majority of the accusations directed at him primarily involve the purported unregulated selling of land to unauthorized miners. This practice has been contributing to the harmful activities of illegal small-scale mining, commonly known as ‘galamsey,’ which has caused significant damage to local water sources.

    Moreover, he stands accused of neglecting his community duties for an extended period of 7 years, resulting in the abandonment of critical traditional rites and rituals within the stool house, along with other customary activities.

    Subordinates operating under his authority have taken issue with Nana Saforo Koto’s blatant disregard for essential traditional practices associated with his position.

    During the proceedings at a sitting of the Asanteman Traditional Council, Otumfuo Kyeame Kwaku Owusu, a key representative of the Asantehene, revealed that Nana Saforo Koto, when given the chance to address the allegations at the committee level, failed to provide satisfactory responses.

    After attentively considering the perspectives of various divisional chiefs and assessing the available evidence, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II deemed Nana Saforo Koto culpable on all counts. Consequently, the decision was reached to strip him of his title.

    Ahead of the 25th Anniversary celebration of Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, it has been indicated that additional chiefs involved in illicit mining activities could face destoolment if found guilty. This decisive measure aims to curtail the unfortunate pollution of river bodies resulting from unlawful mining practices.

  • I receive just GHC300 from GHAMRO royalties in 16 years -Ohemaa Mercy discloses

    I receive just GHC300 from GHAMRO royalties in 16 years -Ohemaa Mercy discloses

    Ghanaian gospel musician has made a startling disclosure regarding her earnings from the Ghana Music Rights Organisation (GHAMRO).

    Despite her sixteen-year career in music, she disclosed receiving a meagre sum of only 300 cedis as royalties from the organization.

    In an exclusive interview with GhanaWeekend, the award-winning singer expressed her frustrations and highlighted the challenges faced by many artists who find themselves in similar situations.

    Known for her hit songs like ‘Wobeye kese’ and ‘Ote Memu,’ Ohemaa Mercy emphasized that the 300 cedis were the extent of her royalty payment since 2007.

    Her revelation raises serious questions about the transparency and accountability of royalty collection and distribution within the Ghanaian music industry, particularly in relation to GHAMRO.

    The organization, established to safeguard and manage the rights of musicians and songwriters, is responsible for collecting royalties on behalf of artists for public performances and broadcasts of their music.

    These royalties are meant to be a vital income source, supporting artists’ creative pursuits and livelihoods.

    During the interview, Ohemaa Mercy expressed her frustration over the financial challenges she has faced due to the absence of proper structures to ensure rightful royalty earnings. She stated, “I received GH¢300 in 2007 and since then, I have never received any money from the royalties-sharing agency.”

  • Ghana risks losing LGBTQ investors – US Ambassador warns

    Ghana risks losing LGBTQ investors – US Ambassador warns

    The US ambassador to Ghana, Virginia Palmer, praised Ghana for its tolerance and warned against impending discrimination, particularly against the LGBTQ community.

    She claimed that interfaith and interethnic tolerance was a key factor in the country’s strength and stability as a place to invest.

    However, Ambassador Palmer emphasised that discrimination against LGBTQ people must be avoided as it would send the wrong message to American investors in general.

    “Ghana is a very welcoming tolerant society, lots of interreligious, interethnic harmony and that is what makes Ghana strong and stable and attractive for investment. I hope it stays that way with regards to the LGBT community.

    “And again, there is money to be made, if the colour of your money is green or red, it is Ghanaian but there if there is discrimination or worse, then that will send a signal to not just LGBT investors but other American investors that Ghana is less welcoming than I am telling people that it is now. So, I hope it will stay welcoming,” she told journalists.

    She was speaking on the sidelines of the US-Ghana Business Expo which took place in Accra on August 10, 2023.

    “I want to send a signal that Ghana is open for business and its economic recovery has began,” she added.

    She revealed that the US group that had come to Ghana was a special trade delegation, the Global Diversity and Inclusion delegation that had reps from among others

  • ECOWAS directs ‘prompt activation’ of standby force in Niger

    ECOWAS directs ‘prompt activation’ of standby force in Niger

    West African leaders ratcheted up their criticism of the coup leaders in Niger on Thursday, ordering the “activation” and “deployment” of a regional standby force to reestablish the rule of law in the nation.

    Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) leaders called for a deployment “to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger,” according to a statement read by Omar Alieu Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission, at a meeting in Abuja, Nigeria, after the one-week deadline they gave the military junta in Niger had passed.

    What the “deployment” and “activation” of the force would entail was not immediately obvious. The declaration emphasised a “determination to keep all options on the table for the peaceful resolution of the crisis.”

    Since late last month, when the presidential guard overthrew President Mohamed Bazoum in a coup d’état, Niger has been mired in political upheaval. Days afterwards, ECOWAS responded by imposing sanctions and giving the military junta in power one week to disband or risk military intervention.

    On Sunday, August 6, that deadline passed without causing the political climate to change. The leaders of ECOWAS have stated that they would only send soldiers in a last-ditch effort to resolve the problem diplomatically.

    The regional bloc will “uphold all measures and principles agreed upon by the extraordinary summit held on Niger on July 30th 2023,” whereby severe penalties were established against the military regime in Niger.

    Touray also issued a warning over the repercussions for “member states who by their action directly or indirectly, hinder the peaceful resolution of the crisis.”

    The president of Ivory Coast, Alassane Ouattara, revealed that all the leaders of the 15-nation ECOWAS organisation had attempted to communicate with the junta but had been warned that they would hold the leader “as a hostage” instead.

    We must take action; we cannot allow this to continue, added Ouattara.

    He said that he had told his country to mobilise soldiers in preparation of the ECOWAS operation, saying the military junta should fight extremists “and not try to kidnap a democratically elected president.”

    Mali and Burkina Faso, led by soldiers who overthrew the government, have declared their support for the Niger junta and issued a warning that any military action will be interpreted as an act of war. Additionally, Guinea has endorsed Niger.

    A military source told CNN that the Nigerian armed forces appeared to be getting ready for a potential military intervention this week. At dusk on Sunday evening, a convoy of about 40 pick-up trucks carrying troops from other parts of the nation entered the capital.

    Assembling the ECOWAS forces takes time, several analysts told CNN that a military action in Niger was probably not near.

    According to Murtala Abdullahi, a defence and security expert based in Abuja, the communique is “about mobilising the necessary resources should an intervention be needed, but it’s also a signal to the junta in Niger that ECOWAS is prepared to take necessary actions, including force, should talks fail.”

    The bloc provided no timetable, and the current head, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, insisted that using force would only be a last choice. Abdourahamane Alkassoum, a security analyst for CNN, noted that the Nigerien military has been gaining popularity locally as ECOWAS continued to talk tough, suggesting that the news may be interpreted in Niger as being more urgent.

    Another analyst recalled that ECOWAS‘s deployment to Gambia in 2017—a less challenging assignment than Niger—took 7 weeks.

    According to Cameron Hudson, a senior associate at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, “the mission to Gambia was much more straightforward.” A hostage rescue of a president who is under house arrest and being exploited as a human shield by the junta would take place in Niger, not only as an intervention.

    He continued, “Niger has a sizeable army that has been trained by the US and is battle-tested after years of a counterinsurgency.

  • What happens to your body when you abstain from sex?

    What happens to your body when you abstain from sex?

    Abstaining from sex can lead to various physical and psychological changes in the body. These effects can vary depending on the individual, their health, and the duration of abstinence. Here are some general things that might happen when you abstain from sex:

    1.Hormonal Changes: Sexual activity can influence the release of certain hormones like oxytocin and dopamine, which contribute to feelings of pleasure and bonding. Abstaining from sex might result in fluctuations in these hormone levels.

    2.Physical Tension and Frustration: Sexual arousal and activity can help release built-up physical tension and stress. Abstaining from sex might lead to feelings of frustration or restlessness.

    3.Changes in Libido: Over time, abstaining from sexual activity might affect your libido, causing it to increase or decrease depending on various factors.

    4. Emotional and Psychological Effects: Sexual intimacy can contribute to feelings of connection and emotional well-being. Abstaining from sex could potentially impact mood and emotional states.

    5.Physical Changes: Some people might experience physical changes such as a decrease in vaginal lubrication (for females) or possible temporary changes in erectile function (for males). These changes are often reversible once sexual activity resumes.

    6.Improved Focus: Some individuals report improved focus and productivity when they’re not preoccupied with sexual thoughts or activities.

    7.Reduced Risk of STIs: Abstaining from sex can significantly reduce the risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

    8.Increased Self-awareness: Abstaining from sex can provide an opportunity for self-reflection and understanding of one’s own desires and motivations.

    Social and Cultural Factors: Abstaining from sex might lead to feelings of isolation or differing social experiences, particularly in cultures or communities where sexual activity is a common topic.

    It’s important to note that the effects of abstaining from sex can be different for each person. Some individuals might not experience significant changes, while others might notice distinct shifts in their physical and emotional well-being. If you’re considering abstaining from sex, it’s a good idea to consider your own motivations and communicate openly with your partner if you have one. If you have concerns about your sexual health or well-being, consulting a healthcare professional or a qualified therapist is recommended.

  • UN chief prosecutor criticises tolerance shown to those guilty of genocide

    The International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals‘ head prosecutor, Serge Brammertz, has issued a warning that the system has to devote more resources to finding suspects.

    He was speaking to BBC Focus on Africa TV after a UN court mandated that Félicien Kabuga, a suspect in the Rwandan genocide, have his war crimes trial suspended indefinitely due to dementia and that his release be considered.

    In 2020, Mr. Kabuga was apprehended after 20 years on the run.

    The prosecutor urged nations that refused to extradite individuals to quickly set up procedures for prosecuting these suspects there instead.

    The BBC was informed by Mr. Brammertz that “time is running out for the pursuit of justice” and that “this case very much shows that justice delayed in some cases can be justice denied.”

    In addition, the UN tribunal rejected the prosecutor’s requests for a quicker alternative process.

    Even while the accused is somewhat at the centre of the proceedings and their rights must be protected, Mr. Brammertz noted that the issue at hand is far larger than just the accused person.

    “There are thousands of casualties as well. The genocide’s historical record. In addition to weighing the accused’s situation, which is crucial, one must also consider how justice is administered.

    However, Mr. Brammertz continues to be confident that more justice for genocide survivors must be sought.

  • US and Ghana forge strong trade links, attain $3.7bn in goods exchange in 2022

    US and Ghana forge strong trade links, attain $3.7bn in goods exchange in 2022

    The United States and Ghana achieved a historic peak in goods trade in 2022, reaching a record-breaking total of $3.7 billion.

    Additionally, in the year 2022, Ghana revealed a trade surplus of $1.8 billion with the United States, as stated by the US Embassy situated in Accra.

    The Embassy’s statement highlighted that the trade in services is robust and on the rise. Under the African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA) trade preferences, Ghanaians have the opportunity to export over 6,500 items to the United States without incurring duties.

    The United States government continues to support economic development as Ghana’s top development partner. 

    In 2022, U.S. bilateral assistance to Ghana totalled over $150 million with programs in health, economic growth, agriculture, education, human rights, governance, and security. 

    Last year, the U.S. government also provided over $32 million in agricultural assistance in Ghana. 

    More recently, the U.S. Development Finance Corporation announced new support for $25 million in financing for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises in the agricultural sector in Northern Ghana.

    Supporting digital economic development, the United States recently announced a $300 million investment in data centres in Africa, including Ghana.

    Find more details below;

    Two-Way Trade:

    • Value of U.S.-Ghana two-way trade in 2022: $3.7 billion
    • Ghana exports to the United States in 2022: $2.7 billion
    • Major Ghanaian exports to the United States include crude oil, cocoa (bean, paste, and butter), apparel, rubber, and cassava.
    • The United States is Ghana’s fourth largest export market.

    U.S. Exports to Ghana in 2022: $1 billion

    • Major U.S. exports to Ghana include cars, machinery, paper products, plastics, medical devices, fertilizers, and agricultural goods.
    • Ghana is the United States’ third largest export market in Sub-Saharan Africa behind South Africa and Nigeria.

    Business and Investment:

    • More than 100 U.S. companies and brands operate in the Ghanaian market, investing locally and employing Ghanaians.  U.S. investment in Ghana is concentrated in energy, mining, agro-processing, healthcare, ICT, consumer goods, and food packaging. 
    • Ghana’s tourism industry continues to grow, generating $2.4 billion in 2022.  Americans are now the largest number of international visitors to Ghana, accounting for roughly 100,000 visitors per year.   
    • Foreign direct investment (FDI) from the United States totalled $421 million in 2021.  In 2022, Ghana received $1.5 billion in FDI from all sources.

    In a related development, the U.S. Embassy, U.S. Commercial Service, the American Chamber of Commerce in Ghana (AmCham), the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Embassy of Ghana in Washington, D.C. will co-host the U.S. – Ghana Business Expo from August 10-11, 2023 at the Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra. 

    The event will prioritise opportunities to form new partnerships between U.S. and Ghanaian companies.

  • Watch full report of a Nigerian undercover journalist at Agradaa’s church

    Watch full report of a Nigerian undercover journalist at Agradaa’s church

    Gbenga Adewoyin, a Nigerian atheist and content creator, has released an undercover video that exposes certain events occurring within the congregation of Evangelist Patricia Oduro Koranteng, formerly a fetish priestess and the founder of Heaven Way Gospel International Church. She is widely recognized as Nana Agradaa.

    With a strong record in “exposing” religious myths and the perpetrators of religious fraud, Adewoyin’s first impression of Agradaa’s church was being in the presence of a cult rather than a church.

    “This is just a plain cult as it stands right now. People are not allowed; you are not allowed to take pictures in her church. You are not allowed to actually record any video, you can’t even take a picture of yourself.

    “I got there and I was taking a picture, I wasn’t even doing any kind of secret thing, I was just taking a picture of the hall and they just took my phone. And I was like wow, f**k. ‘why are you taking pictures, why are you taking pictures, there are no pictures’ and this is a church for Christ sake,” he stated while showing a bold notice on a pillar in the auditorium stating “no pictures allowed.”

    While endeavoring to personally meet Agradaa, a subordinate pastor outlined the prerequisites, which encompassed acquiring specific spiritual items referred to as “oil” and an obligatory payment of 50 Ghana cedis.

    “We have protection oil, oil that will protect you from evil things,” the junior pastor said.

    “I came to see her personally,” the undercover investigator insisted.

    In response, the junior pastor said, “Yeah, you will pay GHC50 for a card and GHC20 for oil.”

    After paying the stated amount and joining a queue with other persons who had all parted with similar amounts, Adewoyin finally got to sit across Agradaa in her office.

    Agradaa who has a strong presence on social media was mostly concentrated on her phone while she listened to her guest through his junior pastor who served as an interpreter.

    “I have an issue, I was recommended to come here. It is a sexual issue… I have this incredible issue, on the minimum I have sex with about three girls in a day. I have someone actually waiting for me at home right now,” he narrated his made-up story to which the junior pastor retorted saying “so what do you want Mama to do for you?”

    Adewoyin responded saying he had come to find out what the problem was with him and a further question as to whether his sexual encounters included spiritual ones to which he responded in the affirmative.

    After being told the mission of her guest, Agradaa’s immediate response was a demand of an amount of GHC200, so that his problem will be worked on.

    Asked if he was going to find out what exactly was causing his sexual problems, the evangelist responded with “unless you bring the money, we will give you the direction and see what is wrong with you.”

    With no other money left on him, he was asked to bring the money at a later date.

    This time in a voice-only recording, the conversation continued in the office of the evangelist.

    After finally paying the GHC200, he was made to understand that the amount was only for his problem to attain the listening of the church leader and that he now needed to commit another money towards the spiritual direction/solution to his problem including purchasing some items.

    The items as listed by Agradaa were alata soap, a rubber bucket and an oil which is supposedly only sold to a spiritual person.

    “There is an oil you should buy, when you go you are not a spiritual person, so they won’t sell it to you unless you give us money then I will send them to go and buy,” she stated.

    She mentioned the names of the oils as Mialingle Oil and Camo Oil adding that it will take seven bottles each with both pegged at a unit price of GHC100 and GHC200 respectively bringing the total amount for the oil to GHC2,100.

    While a Google search showed the Camo Oil to be a baby oil product, there was no result for Mialingle.

    “Then we asked people, what does this Mianlingia Oil and Camo Oi actually mean? And people that were familiar with that thing actually told me that she was making things up. Because there was no evidence of this oil, I asked Ghanaians.” Adewoyin stated.

    Unconvinced by her demands, the undercover investigator said he felt the need not to give the requested amount but was barraged with Agradaa’s persistence to bring “whatever he has for the work to be started.”

    The church leader flatly refused a request by her guest to make the payment through a wire transfer.

    “Not transfer, we are using it to buy the things. You can’t transfer it to anybody’s account. So if you have small one, you bring it. I will add this thing here and start…” she said.

    The meeting ended with an agreement for Adewoyin to return on Sunday with the money.

    Watch full video below

  • Tonto Dikeh speaks on her imperfections

    Tonto Dikeh speaks on her imperfections

    Nollywood actress Tonto Dikeh has opened up about her shortcomings.

    Expressing herself on her instagram page, the mother of one stated that no matter how hard she tries, she would never be as perfect as Jesus.

    Tonto Dikeh admitted that she isn’t perfect and didn’t profess to be, adding that she is just a young woman who is still thriving and developing.

    “I am not perfect. I don’t claim to be. I could never be Jesus, even if I tried. I am just a girl growing, glowing. I am just a girl growing, glowing. Happy Living and just God’s radical baby”.

    Tonto Dikeh was heavily blamed for her failed marriage and other failed relationships witnessed on social media.

    Check out post

    See netizens’ reactions below

    calistaokoronkwo: “Fresh like today’s bread”

    hildabaci: “Beautiful”

    official_ifeomanwaocha”

    joshrealboi: “With her fine set of teeth”

    queensluxurystoree: “You do no wrong in my eyes …….fav my proud Rivers sister…..Her Excellency I greet you specially”

    cocosherie: “The skin is skinning fav video”

    bibichristophers: “This my madam … why soo fine like this”

  • Ato Forson retracts application to replace trial judge

    Ato Forson retracts application to replace trial judge

    Minority Leaders and a former Deputy Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, has retracted a request for disqualification of Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe, a Justice from the Court of Appeal with additional duties as a High Court judge.

    On June 29, 2023, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, represented by his attorney Dr Abdul Aziz Bamba, lodged a petition requesting the trial judge’s recusal based on claims of partiality towards the defendant.

    Dr Bamba explained that the application was submitted to the Court through its inherent jurisdiction, asserting that the trial judge lacked the authority to proceed with the case.

    The Counsel said the application had to do with certain pre-juridical comments and utterances made by the judge during the process of the trial.

    However, Justice Asare-Botwe, struck out the application as withdrawn.

    Mr Godwin Edudzi Tameklo, who held brief for Dr Bamba, subsequently prayed for the Court to release the passport of Dr Forson to enable him to keep it till October 1, 2023.

    Justice Asare-Botwe granted the request and ordered the accused to return the passport to the Court’s Registrar by 12 noon of October 2, 2023.

    Dr Forson and two others; Dr Sylvester Anemana, a Former Chief Director of the Ministry of Health and Mr Richard Dzakpa, a Businessman, are being prosecuted over the purchase of some ambulances.

    Dr Forson was granted a self-recognisance bail of GHC 3 million for allegedly willfully causing financial loss of 2,370,000 euros to the State.

    He is also facing an additional charge of “intentionally misapplying public property contrary to section 1 (2) of the Public Property Protection Act, 1977 (SMCD 140)”.

    Dr Anemana was also granted a bail of one million Ghana Cedis with three sureties one of whom shall be a public servant not below the rank of a director.

    While Mr Dzakpa was granted bail of five million Ghana cedis with three sureties one of whom must be justified with documents of landed property.

    Earlier, the Chief Justice, Gertrude Araba Sackey Torkornoo, dismissed a petition asking her to transfer the case to a different judge.

    Mr Dzakpa petitioned the Chief Justice to remove the trial judge, alleging bias against him because of an incident which occurred during one of the court’s sittings.

    The case has been adjourned to October 2, 2023, in the new legal year.

  • Notorious fraudster Mark Acklom released from Spanish prison – court told

    Notorious fraudster Mark Acklom released from Spanish prison – court told

    A court has learned that a serial fraudster who was sentenced in the UK after defrauding his ex-girlfriend of £300,000 has been freed from a Spanish prison.

    After being released from a term of almost six years for defrauding Carolyn Woods of Gloucestershire out of her life savings, Mark Acklom was extradited to Spain two years ago.

    In 2016, midway through a three-year sentence, he had already left Spain.

    The British man was located in Switzerland and returned to his country of origin.

    However, it has since been revealed to a UK court that the 50-year-old was released from a Spanish prison after spending an additional two years.

    There have been several sessions at Bristol Crown Court over the past four years to determine how much money Acklom gained from his crimes and his assets in relation to the fraud against Ms. Woods, which started in 2012.

    The Proceeds of Crime Act has been used by the prosecution to attempt to recoup the funds taken from his ex-girlfriend.

    Acklom pretended to be an MI6 spy and Swiss financier while dating Ms. Woods.

    He asserted that he knew fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld, was friends with celebrities Nicky Clarke and Chris Evans, and was involved in MI6 missions. He also claimed to have communicated with Hillary Clinton.

    Acklom received a four-year prison sentence in 1991 for committing a £466,000 mortgage scam while pretending to be a City stockbroker. He was 16 years old at the time.

    He allegedly used his father’s credit card to make purchases totaling £11,000, conned a former teacher out of £13,000, and racked up a £34,000 account with a charter-jet firm.

    A four-day hearing to assess his financial responsibility in connection with Ms. Woods’ romantic fraud was scheduled to take place in November, but it has been postponed owing to the judge’s unavailability and will now take place in 2019.

    The court was informed that Acklom’s solicitors had filed fresh motions with the court alleging abuse of the legal system; the Crown will have time to respond.

    The prosecutor, John Hardy KC, told the court that he was pleased with the decision to push back the entire hearing until 2024.

    Reading between the lines, Mr. Hardy remarked, “I understand Acklom has been released from his Spanish detention. We do not anticipate that he will seek to attend the hearing in person, but he may try to attend remotely.”

    Judge Martin Picton set a four-day administrative hearing that would commence on April 16, 2024, for the 10th of November.

    There was no information provided regarding Mr. Acklom’s whereabouts, despite the fact that his wife and two children reside in Spain.

  • Former rebel commander promises to reinstall the overthrown Niger president

    Former rebel commander promises to reinstall the overthrown Niger president

    Leaders of West African nations claim that conversation with those responsible for the coup in Niger will form the “bedrock” of their response to the issue.

    To explore ways to compel Niger to return to democracy, the regional organisation Ecowas is having a meeting in Nigeria.

    The group, according to Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, is giving diplomacy first priority.

    Earlier, if former Niger President Mohamed Bazoum was not reinstated, there had been threats of military intervention.

    Correspondents report that resistance to a military solution appears to be rising, not least from within Nigeria and from Mali, which has backed the coup leaders, but the coup leaders in Niger have disregarded the warning.

    A new 21-member administration run by the military junta has been proclaimed, with crucial positions going to the coup leaders.

    To be sure, Mr. Tinubu is confident that this second Ecowas meeting on settling the Niger situation would be a “defining moment” for a “stronger, more resilient, and integrated West Africa.”

  • NPP Presidential Hopeful, Boakye Agyarko’s campaign song hits airwaves

    NPP Presidential Hopeful, Boakye Agyarko’s campaign song hits airwaves

    New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential aspirant, Boakye Kyeremateng Agyarko, has launched a captivating campaign song in which he encapsulates his vision for the future of the NPP and resonates with the hopes and aspirations of delegates. 

    In the song, he was adorned with a multitude of titles, being hailed as a unifying figure, a person of devout faith, and more.

    “Ɔsɛ akonnwa no nti yɛnfa mma no,” the chorus of the song says, to wit: “Let’s give him the mandate because he deserves it.” The song was placed on Peace FM’s morning show, Kokrokoo, which was hosted by Nana Yaw Kesseh.

    Listen to the song below:

  • Shatta Wale reacts to being referred to as the king of controversies

    Shatta Wale reacts to being referred to as the king of controversies

    Dancehall king Shatta Wale has questioned why he is frequently singled out for criticism when all of his other colleagues in the industry are just as flawed as he is.

    According to the dancehall artiste, he has been trademarked as the ‘king of controversies’ when the likes of Stonebwoy and Sarkodie have been involved in more damning scandals.

    Shatta’s remarks are a response to Ola Michael’s criticism of him receiving a diplomatic passport because of his “ill conduct” on social media.

    “Imagine Shatta Wale is given a diplomatic passport. Just imagine. I am sure there are rules pertaining to the acquisition of a diplomatic passport, and even Ghanaian artistes are not among the deserving people. It has to do with diplomats. We cannot give someone like Shatta Wale a diplomatic passport for him to rain insults on people on social media anyway. This issue should not be massaged,” Ola earlier disclosed on United Showbiz.

    However, after releasing a diss song for the NeatFM presenter, Shatta Wale went ahead to tackle what he described as favoritism in the industry.

    “If you want to do favoritism and take sides, you support Stonebwoy and Sarkodie and say they are the best, they will keep disgracing us. How can you make a statement like imagine Shatta Wale with a diplomatic passport? I can also say imagine Stonebwoy who has pulled a gun on stage. Imagine Sarkodie who has done an abortion with a woman and recorded a diss track for her afterward. What will you say about it? Nobody is perfect in this world. We just have to stop playing around with this business because it is business,” he fumed during an interview with Empire 102.7FM.

    He also questioned why he is constantly compared to artistes like Sarkodie and Stonebwoy.

    Shatta Wale cited that the two, especially Sarkodie, were nowhere when he started music.

    “The moment you compare me to Sarkodie then you make him feel big. When I talk to him, he wants to rub shoulders with me. Where I have been, he hasn’t been there before. You people make it seem like Sarkodie is bigger than me. He can never be bigger than me in his life,” he added.

  • Wagner recruited prisoner accused of double murder in Russia

    Wagner recruited prisoner accused of double murder in Russia

    A Russian prisoner who had been let free to fight in Ukraine is charged with killing two people when he returns home.

    Demyan Kevorkyan, who has been detained since 2016, is accused of killing a young man and woman on their way home from work. Kevorkyan has been incarcerated for 18 years.

    He denies the allegations made against him.

    Kevorkyan is one of thousands of detainees selected from Russian prisons to fight in Ukraine with the Wagner mercenary group.

    Despite suffering severe casualties, a handful of convicts have since fulfilled their contracts and have returned to Russia as free men. Recruits are promised freedom if they can survive six months on the front lines.

    On August 31, 2022, Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin reportedly paid a visit to Kevorkyan’s prison before recruiting him and about 150 other detainees.

    The ex-convict was reportedly recently seen in his birthplace of Pridorozhnaya in the Krasnodar area of southwest Russia after returning from the Ukrainian battlefields, according to a former detainee.

    Tatyana Mostyko, 19, who works as a children’s entertainment in the region, is one of his claimed victims.

    According to her mother Nadezhda, “She loved that work.” She would chuckle about what they had been doing and how she had made them laugh when she returned from a job.

    On April 28, after finishing a work, Tatyana and her boss Kirill Chubko were returning home when their car developed a punctured tyre.

    Darya, Kirill’s wife, informed the local media that he had called her during this period to let her know about the holdup and that some young men had politely offered to help.

    Both of them were ultimately killed by the three-person squad led by Kevorkyan.

    The other two suspects, Anatoly Dvoynikov and Aram Tatosyan, allegedly led detectives to temporary graves in a neighbouring wooded area near the location of Kirill’s burned-out automobile.

    The victims, Kirill and Tatyana, had both been fatally stabbed, and according to law enforcement, the girl had died violently.

    The worst part was when I turned my phone back on after we arrived. There were countless messages,” Nadezhda claims.

    You have no idea how terrified I was. They could only mean one thing, and that was that it was all over, so I threw the phone into the air. It was a dread of animals. I struggle to explain it.

    Kevorkyan was initially incarcerated for his participation in a carjacking gang that had taken possession of a vehicle close to the scene of the subsequent murders. The inhabitants had been robbed by the gang, who also shot and killed one person in the process.

    “What legal justification was there for his release?” The broadcaster was told by Nadezhda. According to Russian legislation, prisoners must complete at least two-thirds of their sentences.He ought to have served a minimum of 12 years. He only served six.

    President Vladimir Putin acknowledged for the first time in June 2023 that he had pardoned inmates who had returned from fighting in the Ukraine conflict.

    According to Prigozhin, the reoffending rate among ex-Wagner recruits is 10% to 20% lower than the national average for criminals who have been released from prison.

    However, Olga Romanova, the director of the prisoner rights group Russia Behind Bars, asserts that the actual figure may be far higher because many crimes go unreported because of a rule that forbids criticism of the Kremlin’s “special military operation” in Ukraine.

  • Putin’s fortifications breached by Ukraine with ‘dawn attack’ on Moscow airport

    Putin’s fortifications breached by Ukraine with ‘dawn attack’ on Moscow airport

    Early this morning, drones were shot down above one of Moscow‘s main airports, setting up a tremendous explosion.

    After the walkout at around three in the morning, some flights were temporarily halted at Domodedovo and Vnukovo airports while others were diverted to St. Petersburg.

    A mysterious fire that was burning over 13,000 square feet at a car repair shop several miles from the airport caused emergency personnel to rush to Domodedovo.

    Unverified video posted on Russian Telegram channels depicts a blast’s aftermath.

    Russia confirms it shot down a drone over Moscow’s Domodedovo airport while there is fire nearby.

    The Russian capital is being overtaken by thick black smoke that can be seen pouring into the sky from kilometres away.

    Russian social media reports claim that there were at least two explosions heard prior to the fire.

    Over Moscow’s central ring road, one drone was shot down, and another was caught in the Kaluga region’s Maloyaroslavsky district.

    Sergey Sobyanin, the mayor of Moscow, asserted that the attacks had done no harm.

    The military ministry claimed in a statement that no casualties were reported and blamed Ukraine for the attack.

    It said that attempts by the Kyiv government to conduct terrorist acts using unmanned aerial vehicles had been thwarted over the area of the Kaluga and Moscow regions, as well as Sevastopol.

    “Two UAVs moving towards Moscow were destroyed in the sky by air defence facilities over the territory of Odintsovo district in Moscow region and Maloyaroslavl district of Kaluga region.”

    Nine other UAVs were suppressed by electronic warfare tactics and crashed in the Black Sea without completing their mission, while two UAVs close to Sevastopol were destroyed by active air defence systems.

    In total, Russia claimed to have shot down 13 Ukrainian drones that were attempting to strike both Moscow and the biggest city in the Russian-occupied Crimea.

    This comes after a massive fire and explosion at a defence facility in Sergiyev Posad, close to the city, which was connected to Vladimir Putin’s fleet of Ka-52 strike helicopters and new generation stealth bombers.

  • Afenyo-Markin did not invite me out for dinner – Ato Forson clarifies

    Afenyo-Markin did not invite me out for dinner – Ato Forson clarifies

    Contrary to widespread claims that the Deputy Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, sponsored a birthday dinner for the Minority leader, Cassiel Ato Forson, the latter has clarified that the meal did not come from the coffers of his fellow MP. 

    In a viral video, Dr Ato Forson and Mr Afenyo Markin were seen having a conversation over a meal. Reports were rife that the deputy Majority Leader was giving Dr Forson a birthday threat. 

    However, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, reacting to these claims have described them as untrue.

    Speaking in an interview on Asempa FM, on Wednesday, August 9, 2023, the minority leader refuted assertions that the viral video showed him eating a birthday lunch bought for him by Afenyo-Markin.

    He explained that he [Forson], Afenyo-Markin, and other legislators were in Cape Coast for an event to mark the celebration of the 30th Anniversary of Ghana’s Parliamentary Democracy and they went to eat together because they were in the same hotel.

    “We were in Cape Coast to visit Nana Kwasi Authur’s place after which we went to rest at a hotel so that we would continue our work later. So in between, I went to meet my brother Kwamina Afenyo-Markin.

    “So, we went there (the restaurant) and some people took pictures and others recorded as he (Afenyo-Markin) was talking. I even posted it and said we are celebrating our 30th anniversary of multiparty democracy.

    “That doesn’t mean that there is something but I have seen that people are commenting on it as if he invited me. For records, Kwamina Afenyo-Markin was not the one who invited me,” he said in the Twi dialect.

    He added that assertions that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Effutu was treating him to a birthday lunch were false because his birthday was the previous day.

    Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, the MP for Ajumako Enyan Esiam, assured members of his party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), that he remains committed to holding the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government accountable.

    In the said video, the deputy Majority leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin teased that he had more physical appeal than his colleague, Ato Forson.

    “I am saying to the birthday boy [reference to Ato Forson], I am more handsome than him. He should debate it,” he said to the amusement of everyone.

    Dr Ato Forson on the other hand advised that, despite the political differences, they are one.

    “We are brothers, regardless of the political differences”.

    The deputy minority leader wished his colleague a happy birthday and they shared laughter together.

    Eyewitnesses joined in to share the moment with both individuals putting their political differences aside and having a good time.

  • “Adun Lei” was inspired by my first hearbreak- Abiana

    “Adun Lei” was inspired by my first hearbreak- Abiana

    Soul music singer, Eldah Naa Abiana Dickson, better known by her stage name Abiana, has revealed why she was moved to tears in her song “Adun Lei.”

    The singer sung the song passionately while sobbing, as if she had invested her entire being in the song’s video.

    She revealed that the first heartbreak she experienced in 2015 served as the song’s inspiration. She read the lyrics and decided to record it while trying to console herself by singing with her guitar.

    She spoke in an interview on Joy Prime’s Prime Morning on Wednesday.

    “Adun Lei was inspired by heartbreak in 2015. As I chop the thing, it went into my head. While I was holding my guitar, the lyrics started dropping.

    “But I wanted to write it creatively enough that when it’s criticised, people will not get the storyline as a heartbreak,” the singer revealed.

    So, in order to maintain its relevancy, the “Adun Lei” hitmaker penned the song humorously, utilizing the name of a local dish.

    “Adun Lei,” as it is known in Ga, is a Ghanaian delicacy that is tough to chew and can be crunchy at times.

    Therefore, “I felt like in this relationship that I was in, the person was using that strategy where he abandons me and pick me up anytime he likes. Treating me like “Adun Lei.”

    Watch interview

  • Man tries to smuggle 14 snakes through customs by stuffing them in his pockets

    Man tries to smuggle 14 snakes through customs by stuffing them in his pockets

    A man attempted to cross a Chinese border with 14 live snakes hidden in his pockets.

    He was apprehended at Futian Port, a crossing point between Hong Kong and mainland China in Shenzhen, eastern China.

    The individual was apparently observed by border patrol officers at Huanggang Customs in China to be uneasy and to be avoiding eye contact.

    When they asked to look over his stuff, they discovered 14 snakes wrapped in cotton stockings and socks.

    The passenger is shown on camera nervously checking his pockets as he waits at the checkpoint while wearing all black and a white hat.

    The video then switches to border agents handling socks with snakes poking out of them.

    The reptiles were delivered to the authorities in plastic containers.

    Ball pythons, sometimes known as royal pythons, are an African species categorised as “near threatened” on the Red List by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Three of the serpents were ball pythons.

    All animals that are brought into or out of China must first be quarantined and inspected, according to the law.

    The man may or may not have been charged at this time.

  • Aowin locals seize ‘galamsey’ machinery along River Disou in Western North Region

    Aowin locals seize ‘galamsey’ machinery along River Disou in Western North Region

    Residents from Old Yakaase in the Aowin municipality of the Western North Region,  have confiscated unauthorized mining machinery discovered near River Disou in the vicinity.

    Illicit mining operations have devastated nearly all water resources within the region, except for the River Disou within the municipality.

    Consequently, the leaders and inhabitants of Dabi Asem, Fawokabra, and Old Yakaase have chosen to collectively combat any unlawful mining activities in the vicinity of the river.

    The chief of Old Yakaase, Nana Ndoli Kwaku I, formed a voluntary task force to monitor activities on the river bodies, particularly River Disou because it is the only source of water for domestic, irrigation, and other purposes in the area.

    As part of their duties, the task force found and confiscated illegal mining equipment mounted on the river Disou in the deep of the forest to the palace.

    Some of the residents registered their displeasure with the miners and how their activities are affecting them.

    “We have nowhere to get money to purchase water. All our cocoa trees are ruined so we will protect our river. Whoever does not know and mounts illegal mining equipment, we will not bring it home at all but burn them,” one of the indigenes said.

    However, other residents of Old Yakaase threatened to fight anyone who engages in illegal mining on the only source of water in their community.

    “Whoever decides to mount illegal mining equipment will not have it easy with us.”

    The chief of Old Yakaase, Nana Ndoli Kwaku I, expressed worry about the state of the rivers in the area that have been destroyed by the miners.

    He explained that the owners of the seized mining equipment should come to the palace to identify their items.

    “They are mining on the land and I also heard that they have polluted part of our water leaving only the one that serves as our source of drinking water.

    “So I want everybody to understand that if you have mining equipment mounted on the river Disou, I have ordered the youth to go for them and it’s now with me.

    “If you are able to explain the reason why we should give it back to you, then we hand it over to you.”

  • If I only focused on music, I would have starved – Trigmatic

    If I only focused on music, I would have starved – Trigmatic

    Ghanaian rapper Trigmatic has opened up about what has kept him away from the music industry for more than five years.

    According to him, leaving the music industry hasn’t bothered him because he is also making money in other areas.

    Trigmatic, who is known for songs like “My Life,” “Gye Nyame,” and “Gimme That,” said in a recent interview with Graphic Showbiz that performing on stage is not his top priority because he is working on other projects that are also profitable.

    “Jumping on stage is not my priority at the moment. I want to leave a legacy and I know I am on the right path. Apart from my rice business which is doing well, I am also into other things which fetch me money and I am so happy I never boxed myself into doing only music at the time.

    “Very soon, Ghanaians will know what I have been doing behind the scenes. I recently met with Mr Eazi of Nigeria and other big giants in the music industry and something big is about to happen,” he told Graphic Showbiz.

    Trigmatic, who spent four years working at Vibe FM and YFM, responded that radio was the last thing he would consider doing, regardless of the compensation offered.

    “I resigned from YFM because I couldn’t continue working for people. It is about time I became my own boss and I am happy where I am now. However, I have held several music business dialogues and I get invitations from other countries to speak on music business. Gradually we are getting there, as for going back to radio I don’t think I will do that,” he told Graphic Showbiz.

  • British physician killed in South Africa after making a mistake

    British physician killed in South Africa after making a mistake

    Following a false detour from the airport, a British physician on vacation in South Africa was shot and killed.

    Last Thursday, the unidentified 40-year-old man’s car ended up in Ntlangano Crescent in the Nyanga township together with two other family members, according to reports.

    Police said: “Several suspects approached his vehicle, shot him, and killed him.” The fate of the other passengers in the automobile is yet unknown.

    One of Cape Town‘s oldest townships, Nyanga, has previously been referred to as the most hazardous place in the country.

    The doctor’s whereabouts remain a mystery, but the tragedy occurred as violent rioting tore through Cape Town.

    Minibus taxi drivers in the city have been on strike in protest of a recent crackdown on offences such operating without a licence or licence plates.

    They contend that local authorities unfairly single them out for impoundment for infractions that other drivers would only receive a fine for.

    The campaign, according to the city’s mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis, is an effort to make commuting safer for many people who use taxis to move around.

    Five people have died as a result of the rioting, including a police officer, as a result of looting, road blockades, stone-throwing, and burning.

    The primary implicated union, the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco), has denied that any of its members are responsible for the violence and on Sunday made a formal demand for an end to it.

    John HillLewis will not talk to unions until there has been a period of peace before engaging in negotiations with Santaco.

    Travellers are advised by the British Foreign Office to avoid the disturbances since they “have the potential to turn violent and may impact multiple areas, including journeys to and from the airport.”

    Similar to this, the British High Commission warned that using GPS services could lead to being diverted into unsafe places or into active protests.

    Formerly referred to as the murder capital of South Africa, Nyanga is famed for its horrifying bloodshed.

    Despite the fact that it no longer has the greatest murder rates (131 murders were reported in the years 2022–2022), it nonetheless frequently witnesses violent crimes committed during gang warfare in the township.

    As a result of the migrant labour system used under apartheid to enforce segregation while giving cities access to cheap black workers, Nyanga was created in the 1940s.

    Black men were effectively compelled to leave their rural family homes in search of jobs in urban centres where they could only find lodging in hostels or townships on the periphery.

    There are currently more than 500 townships in South Africa, and while many of them have developed into distinct neighbourhoods, they are often crowded and impoverished, with residents being the ones most likely to be a victim of the high crime rates in the nation.

  • Bagbin calls for adoption of a local dialect as official language

    Bagbin calls for adoption of a local dialect as official language

    Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has made a proposal that could reshape the linguistic landscape of the country, by calling for the adoption of a local dialect as the official language of Ghana.

    The speaker made the call during a courtesy call on the Paramount Chief of Essikado, Nana Kobena Nketsia V, at his palace, at Essikado in the Western Region.

    He justified his call with a claim that Ghana’s current official language – the English language belongs to another culture and that a society cannot progress using the language of another society.

    “No society develops with the language of another society,” he maintained. 

    He, thus, has called on stakeholders to formulate a national policy to adopt a local language as the country’s official language.

    “That is one of the challenges in Ghana, and we must get our language right as a country. For example, the Arabs are ahead of us in terms of development because they have adopted an official language of theirs which every citizen understands,” he stated.

    Additionally, he noted that it would be wise for the nation to embrace a distinctive national identity that would promote harmonious interactions among its citizens, thereby expediting the country’s progress and development.

    The Speaker’s visit constituted a portion of his interactions with essential stakeholders to garner their backing for the celebration of three decades of uninterrupted parliamentary democracy during the fourth republic.

    Mr Bagbin emphasised that Ghana should draw inspiration from East and South African countries, which have chosen to use a local language, like Swahili, as their official language.

    He mentioned that this approach would enhance inclusivity and involve all individuals in the nation’s endeavor to attain sustainable economic development.

    He expressed that after three decades of practicing democracy as a nation, it was essential to review and reformulate certain facets of the country’s democratic principles to ensure their ongoing maintenance.

    He pointed out that achieving this objective would require Parliament to actively interact with the public, understanding their perspectives and recommendations to shape policy revisions related to parliamentary affairs.

    Mr Bagbin highlighted the importance of increased participation of traditional authorities in the governance process, emphasising their role as guardians of the land. He mentioned that traditional leaders were the authentic leaders of Ghana and Africa, as they held the trust and allegiance of their followers.

    On his part, Nana Nketsia V commended the Speaker for his efforts to engage with stakeholders to consolidate and promote democracy in the country.

    Mr Bagbin was in the company of Mr Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, Western Regional Minister, and Member of Parliament (MP) for Takoradi Constituency, Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, MP for Ellembelle Constituency, Mr Joseph Cudjoe, MP for Effia Constituency and Mr Eric Afful, MP for Amenfi West Constituency among other dignitaries, when he called on the Chief.

  • Olivetheboy joins Sony Music’s Columbia Records

    Olivetheboy joins Sony Music’s Columbia Records

    Ghanaian Afrobeats musician, Olivetheboy, has signed a contract with Sony Columbia Records through its subsidiary Bu Vision Ent.

    He joins a distinguished group of African music legends who have signed with Sony Music, such as D’Banj, Davido, Wizkid, and the renowned Angelique Kidjo.

    The historic partnership, spearheaded by Bu Vision founder and Columbia’s Executive Vice President Bu Thiam, was signed over the weekend with Olivetheboy’s management, Loop Music/FulLCircL Management Ltd. However, it will not become effective until a special unveiling event for the budding star on Friday, August 24, 2023.

    Olivetheboy first came to the attention of Sony/Columbia Records through Bu Vision in May 2023 following the release of his international hit single, Goodsin.

    The song was deemed the most streamed Ghanaian single of 2023, earning the young virtuoso recognition as Ghana’s hottest artiste of 2023 so far, according to a midyear report by Chartmetrics.

    Columbia EVP Bu Thiam personally flew down to Ghana in June, before finally sealing the game-changing deal last weekend after three months of talks.

    And now, Bu Vision will oversee the crooner’s A&R while all licensing, promotion and distribution of creative works will be managed by Sony/Columbia Records.

    The partnership suggests that Loop Music/FulLCircL Management Ltd will likely retain ownership of his recordings, as has been done to date.

  • Nearly 100 Croatian ‘ultras’ show up in court over violent street brawl

    Nearly 100 Croatian ‘ultras’ show up in court over violent street brawl

    A violent night that saw hundreds of ultras fighting in the streets and leaving a path of devastation in their wake shook Athens.

    Monday’s altercation on the outskirts of the capital resulted in several stabbings of one of the Greek fans of the football team AEK Athens.

    Police say the 22-year-old male was taken to the hospital but later passed away.

    Skirmishes outside the AEK stadium in the northern suburb of Nea Philadelphia also resulted in eight fan injuries.

    At least 98 people were detained by police, the most of whom were Dinamo Zagreb supporters from Croatia.

    After the visiting team’s practise was over and the players had left the stadium, fights broke out.

    A video captured the chaotic events, as individuals were swinging wooden bats at each other and tossing flares and petrol bombs.

    The conditions for the play were not reached, so the game between AEK and Dinamo Zagreb, which was supposed to take place at the stadium on Tuesday, has been postponed.

    Violence has no place in our sport, and we demand that those accountable for this awful conduct be apprehended and brought before the law as soon as possible.

    Later on Tuesday, UEFA announced that the game had been moved to August 19.

    Giannis Oikonomou, the minister of Greek citizen protection, emphasised the necessity for the government to step up efforts to reduce sports violence.

    He deemed it “inacceptable” that police were unable to stop the incident.

    The politician claimed that as a result, seven police officers will be fired from their positions.

    A preliminary hearing was held in court earlier today for about 100 Dinamo Zagreb fans.

  • Burna Boy mocks Federal Government

    Burna Boy mocks Federal Government

    Following a coup in the Sahelian nation of Niger, Grammy Award-winning Nigerian singer Burna Boy has mocked the Nigerian government’s proposed military intervention.

    President Tinubu asked for backing from the Senate for military action against the military junta in the Niger Republic, but the Senate declined.

    During an Instagram Live session on Tuesday, Burna Boy questioned how the federal government intended to invade the neighbouring c given the ongoing fuel subsidy crisis.

    The musician born Damini Ogulu during an Instagram Live session on Tuesday questioned how the federal government plans to invade the neighbouring country with its prevailing fuel subsidy crisis.

    Speaking in Pidgin English, Burna Boy said, “Wettin dey sub na? Dem say na War we wan enter like this o [laughs]. Fuel never dey you wan go fight war.

    “How you wan reach the battlefield? You go use….Wettin dem dey use that generator now do? Gas generator. E shock me. Wahala no dey ever tire Nigeria.”

  • Microphone thrown by Cardi B auctioned for $100k

    Microphone thrown by Cardi B auctioned for $100k

    The microphone that rapper Cardi B famously threw into a crowd and made headlines for has since been sold on eBay for nearly $100,000 (£78,500).

    It was auctioned by the owner of an audio equipment hire company, who said all profits would go to charity.

    According to Scott Fisher, he had initially hoped that the bidding would top $5,000.

    After a fan threw a drink at her during a concert in Las Vegas, it was captured on camera that Cardi threw the microphone. Police have said the star will not face charges.

    The footage soon went viral, and the furore led Mr Fisher to list the infamous item for sale. Bidding eventually ended on $99,900.

    Mr Fisher said the proceeds would go to veterans’ charity the Wounded Warrior Project, and Friendship Circle Las Vegas, which connects young volunteers with people with disabilities and special needs.

    “I figured it would gain some attention nationally but the amount of news coverage has been staggering.”

    He said he had verified that the mic on sale was indeed the one Cardi was using at the time.

    “It’s standard procedure to mark all microphones and in-ear systems as to whom they ‘go to’ prior to soundcheck, to make sure the same person gets the correct items during the show,” he told CBS News.

    “You could see white tape on the Cardi B mic in all the videos, and that is how we knew which mic was hers.”

  • Man who threatened Biden shot and killed during FBI raid in Utah

    Man who threatened Biden shot and killed during FBI raid in Utah

    During an FBI operation on Wednesday, a man who had made violent threats against President Joe Biden and other authorities online was shot and killed.

    Just hours before President Biden was scheduled to visit the state, agents were seeking to serve Craig Robertson with an arrest warrant at his house in Utah.

    According to a federal complaint, Robertson threatened President Biden and a prosecutor who was investigating possible criminal charges against Donald Trump on Facebook.

    The FBI refused to provide more information.

    The raid took place in Provo, which is located around 40 miles (65 km) south of Salt Lake City, at around 06:15 local time.

    Robertson posted threats to kill Mr. Biden and Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney overseeing an investigation into a hush-money payment by Mr. Trump to an adult film star, as well as images of guns on Facebook, according to a criminal complaint.

    Other messages, according to the complaint, were directed at New York Attorney General Letitia James and US Attorney General Merrick Garland.

    On Facebook, Robertson wrote: “I hear Biden is coming to Utah. cleaning the M24 sniper rifle of dust and digging out my old ghillie suit.

    On two of Robertson’s Facebook accounts, there were dozens of other violent posts and images of weapons.

    According to the complaint, Robertson was observed by federal officials in March after making a threat against Mr. Bragg on the Mr. Trump-owned social media site Truth Social. The business informed the National Threat Operations Centre of the FBI.

    When FBI officers contacted the suspect later, he described the posting as a “dream” and declared, “We’re done here! Don’t return without a warrant!”

    Later posts by Robertson mentioned his run-together with the agents, featured images of him dressed in sniper-style camouflage, and repeatedly threatened government officials.

    Even on Tuesday, when he posted, the messages persisted: “Perhaps Utah will become famous this week as the place a sniper took out Biden the Marxist.”

    On Thursday, Mr. Biden will pay his first visit to Utah as president, stopping up at a veterans hospital and attending a fundraiser in Park City.

  • Image of tobacco plantation removed from Surrey shop after allegations of racism

    Image of tobacco plantation removed from Surrey shop after allegations of racism

    A store that came under fire for having a poster of “broken black men” on a tobacco farm removed after complaints of racism.

    Misan Harriman described the Farrants billboard in Cobham, Surrey, as “triggering and racist” in a video posted to social media on Tuesday.

    There is no reason why it should be there, he declared.

    The store afterwards issued an apology for using the image.

    Along with offering its own tobacco room where customers may purchase cigars and tobacco, Farrants also sells a variety of candies, greeting cards, newspapers, and toys.

    The retailer said that the photograph, which looked to depict black people working on a tobacco plantation under the supervision of white males, was taken at the Pinar del Rio plantation in Cuba in 1907, 21 years after slavery was abolished in the nation.

    The Duke and Duchess of Sussex‘s photographs were shot by Mr. Harriman, the head of London’s Southbank Centre, who also claimed that it didn’t matter if the picture genuinely showed slaves or indentured servants.

    This is in a neighbourhood store. He declared that the images was really upsetting and racist.

    It shows a group of broken black men at a tobacco farm, with their overseers standing nearby. I’m not joking.

    Farrants posted a statement on Instagram that read: “The offending image has been removed.

    “We sincerely apologise for any and all distress it may have caused.”

    A statement previously displayed next to the image in the shop said it was displayed to “honour, respect and recognise” those involved in the development of Havana cigars.

    Surrey Police said while no formal reports had been made, officers had spoken with the shop’s owner.

  • I only ‘smoke’ wee in my songs”- Black Sherif debunks chain smoker claims

    I only ‘smoke’ wee in my songs”- Black Sherif debunks chain smoker claims

    Ghana’s superstar, Black Sherif, popularly known as Blacko, has rubbished rumours that he smokes marijuana. The 21-year-old rapper, singer, songwriter, and performer from Konongo, Ghana, who took the music scene by storm with his hit album The Villain I Never Was, has revealed that he doesn’t smoke and only portrays that in his music videos.

    In an interview with Andy Dosty on Hitz FM, Black Sherif was asked if he smokes weed, to which he replied: “I don’t endorse marijuana, I don’t smoke”.

    He emphasised that he only rolls up for the song inside, meaning that he only acts like he smokes in his songs. He said that he does this to create a certain vibe and mood for his music, which resonates with his fans.

    Black Sherif is known for singing songs that glorify smoking weed, such as Kwaku the Traveller, Second Sermon, and Soja. His songs are often filled with references to weed, such as “I dey burn the kush”, “I dey smoke like a chimney”, and “I dey high like a kite”.

    However, he has clarified that these are just artistic expressions and not reflections of his personal lifestyle.

    Meanwhile, fans are in a frenzy in anticipation of his new single ‘Take Care of Yourself Blacko’, which he is set to release today. The song is expected to be another banger from the talented artist, who has been dominating the Ghanaian and African music charts.

    Black Sherif has also announced that he will be performing at the Wireless Festival in Abu Dhabi, Something In The Water Festival in Virginia Beach, and Afronation Miami later this year.

    https://twitter.com/thatcuteababio/status/1689562569030225920?s=20

  • Fires ‘nearly completely consume’ historic town in Hawaii

    Fires ‘nearly completely consume’ historic town in Hawaii

    The historic town of Lahaina on Hawaii’s island of Maui neary got destroyed completely by raging wildfires exacerbated by hurricane winds.

    The state’s US senator, Brian Schatz, claimed on social media that Lahaina is “almost completely burned to the ground.”

    Officials said on Wednesday that there were at least six fatalities in Maui County.

    Burn victims and those suffering from smoke inhalation have overrun Maui’s hospital system.

    Firefighters are still working to put out the fires, and our first responders are in search and rescue mode, according to Mr. Schatz.

    According to early Wednesday morning reports, some people attempted to flee the raging flames by jumping into the water. At least twelve persons were pulled from the ocean, according to the US Coast Guard.

    At a press conference, Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen Jr. stated that numerous residences and commercial buildings had been totally destroyed.

    One of the town’s 12,000 residents told the local media that every boat in the harbour was on fire.

    Chrissy Lovitt said to Hawaii News Now, “It looks like something out of a movie, a war movie.”

    The real scale of the damage on Maui, according to officials, is still impossible to assess, and they have issued a warning that the death toll could grow. There have been about 2,100 displaced persons.

    Some Lahaina residents’ relatives expressed concern for missing members of their family.

    Tiare Lawrence told Hawaii News Now, “I still don’t know where my little brother is. I have no idea where my stepdad is.

    “Everyone I know in Lahaina, their homes have burned down,” Ms. Lawrence added.

    According to the monitoring website PowerOutage.us, there were about 13,000 people without power on Maui.

    Due to the fires, thousands of people were left without cell phone coverage, and West Maui 911 services were unavailable on Wednesday.

    On Maui, three sizable fires are still burning and are out of control, according to officials.

    The Big Island, commonly known as Hawaii island, which is next to Maui, is also engulfed in a number of fires.

    Due to the fires, thousands of people were left without cell phone coverage, and West Maui 911 services were unavailable on Wednesday.

    On Maui, three sizable fires are still burning and are out of control, according to officials.

    The Big Island, commonly known as Hawaii island, which is next to Maui, is also engulfed in a number of fires.

    Sylvia Luke, the lieutenant governor of Hawaii, said, “This is not a safe place to be.”

    Shelters in certain areas of Maui are overcrowded, Ms. Luke continued. Our resources are subject to taxation.

    On the westernmost point of Maui is the historic town of Lahaina. Its centre is listed on the US National Register of Historic Places and dates back to the 1700s.

    The second-largest island in the Hawaiian archipelago, Maui is situated more than 3,200 kilometres (2,000 miles) from the US mainland in the northern Central Pacific.

    It draws a lot of tourists because of its stunning beaches and whale-watching opportunities in the winter, and 2.9 million people visited it last year.

    The tiny island features both wet and green jungles and dry, sunny microclimates. Hawaii experiences wet and dry seasons, with droughts growing increasingly frequent on its islands.

  • We don’t intend to scrap BECE – Deputy Education Minister 

    We don’t intend to scrap BECE – Deputy Education Minister 

    Deputy Minister for Education, Rev John Ntim Fordjour, has rejected assertions that the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) will be discontinued after the year 2023.

    He stated that the Ghana Education System (GES) does not have intentions to eliminate the BECE, but rather, there will be a revised structure maintaining the same examination standard set by the West African Examination Council (WAEC).

    Rev. Ntim Fordjour explained that the new format will be reflective of the curriculum that is being used in the various basic schools in Ghana.

    Speaking in an interview with TV3 on Wednesday, August 8, 20023, Rev John Ntim Fordjour entreated the general public to disregard claims of the abolition of BECE after the 2023 edition.

    “There’s no decision whatsoever to write off or jettison BECE, so that notion or perception should be disregarded.

    “Well, we are going to have the same form as we’ve been doing. Of course, the test items each year will have it in a different format, as WAEC determines, but the standard is going to be the same, and it’s going to be reflective of the curriculum that we have put in place. What they have been taught is exactly what is going to come up,” he told TV3.

    Rev John Ntim Fordjour’s comment comes in response to claims of a possible cancellation of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) after the 2023 edition over the introduction of a new examination for Basic schools in Ghana.

  • Deputy Minister says ‘BoG is solid’ despite claims of collapse by NDC 

    Deputy Minister says ‘BoG is solid’ despite claims of collapse by NDC 

    Deputy Minister for Education, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, has dismissed assertions that the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) will be eliminated after 2023.

    As per his statements, the Ghana Education System (GES) does not intend to eliminate the BECE; however, there will be a modified structure with equivalent examination standards established by the West African Examination Council (WAEC).

    Rev. Ntim Fordjour explained that the new format will be reflective of the curriculum that is being used in the various basic schools in Ghana.

    Speaking in an interview with TV3 on Wednesday, August 8, 20023, Rev John Ntim Fordjour entreated the general public to disregard claims of the abolition of BECE after the 2023 edition.

    “There’s no decision whatsoever to write off or jettison BECE, so that notion or perception should be disregarded.

    “Well, we are going to have the same form as we’ve been doing. Of course, the test items each year will have it in a different format, as WAEC determines, but the standard is going to be the same, and it’s going to be reflective of the curriculum that we have put in place. What they have been taught is exactly what is going to come up,” he told TV3.

    Rev. John Ntim Fordjour’s comment comes in response to claims of a possible cancellation of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) after the 2023 edition over the introduction of a new examination for Basic schools in Ghana.

  • UN-Syria aid delivery agreement sparks alarm

    UN-Syria aid delivery agreement sparks alarm

    After weeks of deadlock, the UN reports that an agreement has been reached with Syria to reopen the only crossing for UN relief deliveries to the rebel-held northwest of the country.

    For 4.1 million aid-dependent individuals, the route from Turkey is a lifeline.

    Uncertainty about the agreement’s conditions has led relief organisations to express concern that Syria may now try to control how food and medicine are distributed.

    Syria had previously been denied any input into the procedure. It had vehemently protested the UN-approved activities through the Bab al-Hawa transit point, calling them a breach of its sovereignty, along with its ally Russia.

    “We are concerned that the removal of certainty and security provided by Security Council authorisation will impact on the ability of humanitarian organisations, and particularly Syrian NGOs, to operate effectively,” warned international assistance agency the International Rescue Committee.

    The agreement, according to the UN, would keep the bridge open for the ensuing six months. Following a disagreement between Russia and other security council members tasked with approving their continuation, operations had been terminated one month earlier.

    Since a devastating earthquake that killed more than 4,500 people and uprooted 50,000 families in north-western Syria in February, Bab al-Hawa has assumed an even greater role as a distribution point for relief.

    The UN reported that Syria has also consented to enable it to use two extra border crossings that had been opened with the Syrian government’s permission following the earthquake for an additional three months. The two crossings’ authorization was set to expire on Sunday.

  • $5M, GHC40M found in Cecilia Dapaah’s bank accounts

    $5M, GHC40M found in Cecilia Dapaah’s bank accounts

    An amount of $5 million and GH¢40 million were found in two different bank accounts belonging to embattled former Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources Cecilia Dapaah.

    This revelation was made by private legal practitioner and anti-corruption crusader Martin Kpebu.

    “The freezing is super-duper because of this current situation and the money involved. There were whispers of it in town following the search of the former Minister’s house.

    “What I am hearing is that they have found $5 million in her account and found GH¢40 million in another,” Kpebu added echoing a reportage by Accra-based TV3 of amounts found in the said accounts, that report has, however, been pulled down.

    Lawyer Martin Kpebu has expressed excitement at steps being taken by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) with respect to the case involving former sanitation minister Cecilia Abena Dapaah.

    Reacting on Accra-based Citi FM on August 09, 2023; to reports that te former minister’s accounts had been frozen, Kpebu said it was the right way to go, stressing that it was time for the embattled politician to speak but also for other relevant tax authorities to activate their processes.

    “Though we have to wait for investigations to unravel the facts, I believe that the monies they have discovered in her accounts are likely proceeds of corruption. Rumours of her owning restaurants, cosmetic companies, and other hosts of companies may be palpable lies,” he added.

    The Cecilia Dapaah case is currently before a Circuit Court where seven persons are facing a total of fourteen charges relating to stealing and receipt of stolen proceeds.

    The main accused are two former house helps who are alleged to have stolen a million dollars, 300,000 euros and 350,000 cedis belonging to their former employer along with other assorted items.

    The news broke on July 20 after it was reported by The Chronicle newspaper. Ms. Dapaah has since resigned as minister, been arrested and bailed by the OSP and is still under investigations.

    Meanwhile, the Attorney-General’s Office is set to take over the prosecution of the case of theft from the police, starting when next the Circuit Court sits.

  • UN worried about health of overthrown president of Niger

    UN worried about health of overthrown president of Niger

    The elected president of Niger, Mohamed Bazoum, who has been under house arrest for more than two weeks, is concern to the US and the UN.

    “We are deeply concerned about his health, his personal safety, and the personal safety of his family.” A representative for the US State Department said,

    The leaders of the coup in Niger had been given till Sunday to abdicate by the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas).

    Officials from Ecowas will meet later to deliberate the next steps.

    Antonio Guterres, secretary general of the UN, expressed his concern about the family’s allegedly “deplorable living conditions” among other things.

    On July 26th, Mr. Bazoum was dismissed.

    Earlier, according to Mr. Bazoum’s party, he and his family were being held in “cruel” and “inhumane” conditions, according to Reuters.

    Since that time, Niger has been governed by a military junta, with Mr. Bazoum being held at the presidential mansion. Regarding the condition of the ousted leader, junta members have remained silent.

    Washington reported that on Tuesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called Mr. Bazoum to reassure him of the US’s continued support.

    According to Matthew Miller, a spokesman for the US State Department, “as time passes and he is held in isolation, it’s a situation that is of growing concern to us.”

    In a statement, Mr. Bazoum’s political party, PNDS-Tarayya, asserted that he and his family lacked access to running water, power, fresh food, and medical care.

    The declaration confirmed earlier remarks made by the elected prime minister of Niger, Ouhoumoudou Mahamadou, who claimed that Mr. Bazoum was being held without electricity or water together with his wife and son.

    Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani, the commander of the presidential guard, claims to be in charge of Niger at the moment, while Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, the former finance minister, was named the country’s new prime minister by the military coup.

    Niger’s airspace has also been shut down by the new military government till further notice, citing Ecowas’ “threat of military intervention.”

    France refuted claims made by the military junta of Niger on Wednesday that it was attempting to undermine the nation.

    The leaders of the coup alleged that French planes had violated national airspace and that French soldiers had released jihadist prisoners so they could assault military targets.

    The French military and foreign ministries issued a joint statement, which was cited by AFP news agency, in which they categorically denied the latest false allegations made by the putschists in Niger.

    The military of Niger had approved the flight, they noted.

    The US and France both maintain military installations in Niger as part of efforts to dismantle Islamist organisations active throughout the region.

    After being ordered to leave Mali due to a coup, Niger became the major base for French forces.

    Two representatives of Nigerian President Bola Tinubu met with the junta in the nation’s capital, Niamey, as part of diplomatic attempts.

  • Police grabs man who allegedly killed niece for money rituals

    Police grabs man who allegedly killed niece for money rituals

    A 37-year-old artisanal miner, Nana Ackah, has been apprehended by the Western Regional Police Command on suspicion of killing his six-year-old niece in an alleged unsuccessful ritual involving money.

    The individual in question is thought to have sought out a practitioner of rituals to help him rapidly amass wealth or perform supernatural acts to improve his financial situation instantly.

    He was informed that in order for the procedure to advance, he would need to employ his niece as a sacrificial offering.

    Nana Ackah immediately rushed home, picked up his niece, Sandra Manu, and informed her parents and other relatives that he was taking her out on a treat.

    The two set out on their trek, and along the way, another relative approached them and asked where he (Ackah) was taking her.

    He was offended and asked if he didn’t have the right to take his niece out.

    The stated relative then warned them not to stay too long where they were.

    Sandra Manu questioned the uncle about where he was taking her while they were on their way, but he refused to say.

    The girl then began crying, but the uncle consoled her with toffee and requested that she stop.

    A few moments later, the uncle allegedly severed the minor’s head with a machete, removed her genitals and other parts of her body, and took them to the ritualist.

    Nana Ackah informed the ritualist that he had brought some pieces of the niece, as was required.

    But the ritualist told him that he did not ask him to kill the girl and send her pieces since she was needed alive for the money rituals.

    Nana Ackah then left the shrine and returned to the bush, where he allegedly murdered the girl and buried her remains.

    According to Agya Ben’s story on Nyankonton Mu Nsem on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM, Nana Ackah went home and told them Sandra had gone missing.

    He claimed to have requested that she wait for him at a specific location while he went to hear nature’s call.

    But met her absence after returning to the location where he had asked her to wait.

    The police were notified, and a three-day search for the girl was launched, even though Nana Ackah had reportedly murdered her.

    On the third day, he confessed to the crime and brought police, family members, and journalists to the site where Sandra was buried.

    The Police dug up the site and, to their astonishment, discovered Sandra’s headless body and the other pieces he had removed and planned to use for the money rituals.

    He then led the police to the ritualist, who has also been arrested but has denied any wrongdoing, claiming that he did not request that Nana Ackah kill Sandra but rather deliver her life to the shrine.

  • Black Sherif to release 2-track project dubbed ‘Take Care of Yourself Blacko’

    Black Sherif to release 2-track project dubbed ‘Take Care of Yourself Blacko’

    The Black Sherif is set to release ‘Take Care of Yourself Blacko’, an introspective pair of singles, “YAYA” and “Simmer Down,” today.

    The project highlights the growth of Blacko through adversities, as he navigates the cold streets of fame while staying true to himself.

    “Simmer Down” is a highlife, soul, and drilled infused anthem about maintaining a winning mentality and practising patience to downplay opposition. “YAYA” follows the perspective of his alter ego, a rebel who gave fate a chance and is seeking healing.

    Fans were given a sneak preview of the songs during his acceptance speech for “Artiste of the Year” at the 24th Vodafone Ghana Music Awards in Accra, which were produced by his two internal collaborators Samsney and Joker Nharnah.

    Black Sherif has established himself as one of Africa’s most influential artists since the release of his debut album, The Villain I Never Was, last year. He has also racked up enormous global streaming numbers, making him the most streamed Ghanaian artist of all time on popular African streaming service Boomplay and the most streamed Ghanaian artist of 2022 on Spotify.

    Black Sherif is one of the leading pioneers of the new sound coming from Africa, and he has achieved these heights in record time without the use of any gimmicks.

    Self-proclaimed as the “street preacher,” Black Sherif, who was born as Mohammed Ismail Sharif Kwaku Frimpong and is referred to as “Blacko” by those close to him, is already one of the foremost leaders for a new generation of African artists.

    He has defied all odds handed to him since growing up in Konongo, a small mining town from the Ashanti Region of Ghana, to become the country’s biggest star. Carving out his own lane by bringing a distinctive sound to a new African generation, Black Sherif bridges the gap between Afrobeats, Highlife and Asakaa (Ghanian Drill).

    His potent wordplay, illustrative storytelling and unique ability to seamlessly tread between dialects, regions and genres, combined with his captivating, explosive performances, has transcended his talents across borders.

    He dropped his first single ever, “Cry For Me,” fresh out of high school at age 17, while his next one, “Money,” released in January 2020, depicted his coming of age, maneuvering through the tough streets of Accra, Ghana. His big break came in 2021 when his songs, “First Sermon” and “Second Sermon,” catapulted both him and Asakaa onto the map.

    “Second Sermon” was listed #16 on The Fader’s 100 best songs of 2021 and the remix, which features Nigerian star Burna Boy, gave Black Sherif even more notoriety internationally. However, it was “Kwaku The Traveller,” the hit single that exploded on TikTok and generated 100 million plus streams in 2022, that stamped Black Sherif as a superstar in the making.

    NPR, The Fader, Complex UK and more, named “Kwaku The Traveller” as one of the best songs of 2022 and the success earned Black Sherif a nomination for “Best International Flow” at the 2022 BET Hip Hop Awards. His critically acclaimed debut album, The Villain I Never Was, arrived in October of 2022 with the lead single “Soja” debuting at #23 on the Billboard US Afrobeats chart.

    Accompanying music videos for album favorites “45,” “Konongo Zongo,” “Oil in my Head” and “Oh Paradise,” stand as a testament to Black Sherif’s artistic depth as each of the conceptual visuals have amassed many millions of views on YouTube.

    Recent months have been a whirlwind for Black Sherif, who for the first time graced stages around the world including Afro Nation Miami alongside Burna Boy, Pharrell’s Something in the Water Festival, Wireless Festival in London and his own debut headlining concert at Palladium Times Square in New York City.

    While in New York, Black Sherif was followed by OkayAfrica for their Summer 2023 cover story, and he also spoke with Ebro in an exclusive interview for Apple Music about his career to date.

    His appearance on the popular Creed III soundtrack, executive produced by J. Cole’s Dreamville, with “Blood, Sweat & Tears,” featuring Bas and Kel-P, and his appearance on “Celebrate,” a collaboration with Jamaican superstar Popcaan, are a couple of other recent highlights.

    While in New York, OkayAfrica trailed Black Sherif for their Summer 2023 cover story and he also sat down with Ebro for an exclusive Apple Music interview where he reflected on his journey so far.

    Other recent highlights include his appearance on the blockbuster Creed III soundtrack, executive produced by J. Cole’s Dreamville, with “Blood, Sweat & Tears” alongside Bas and Kel-P, and his feature on “Celebrate,” a collaboration with Jamaican star Popcaan.

    Black Sherif also was one of the key celebrity guests, alongside Idris Elba and Sheryl Lee Ralph, to accompany Vice President Kamala Harris in Ghana during her Africa tour in March.