Actor and Content Creator Jeffrey Nortey has revealed in an interview with Andy Dosty on Daybreak Hitz that he receives more love and support from Nigerians for his skits compared to Ghanaians.
While the majority of Ghanaians appreciate his content, he expressed his dismay at the tendency of some fellow Ghanaians to find ways to criticize his skits. Despite this, he remains grateful for the overwhelming positive response from the majority of his audience and continues to create entertaining content that resonates with viewers across borders.
“So there was a post somewhere and there were lots of comments – positive comments. But one guy came and said ‘Really? You guys find Jeffery Nortey funny?’
“Another person on YouTube said ‘I think you should learn from the Nigerians.’ In another video, the same person commented ‘I think you are copying the Nigerians’.”
The award-winning actor also shared that he receives personal messages on social media from Nigerians who encourage him to continue producing skits.
“When the Nigerians come to my DM, they say things like ‘Omo, make you no shake, na we wey go blow you’. They appreciate what I’m doing, content in Nigeria is a big deal, a very big deal”.
Party of the embattled Senegalese opposition leader Ousmane Sonko, PASTEF, has condemned the government’s recent decision to levy new charges against him.
They denounced the action as anti-democratic, as the government charged and detained Sonko on Monday for multiple offenses, including allegedly inciting insurrection, which the authorities claim resulted in fatalities.
Sonko’s lawyers have claimed it’s a political vendetta by the government of the outgoing President Macky Sall.
“We consider that the case is empty. We’ve put together a lot of statements to do this. But I have here statements by President Macky Sall, who made much more violent calls,” said Youssoupha Camara, the lawyer for Ousmane Sonko.
The lawyers have also questioned the independence of the judiciary accusing some judges of being biased and siding with the executive to propagate punitive agenda against the opposition.
“We think it was a political order that was unfortunately carried out by a judge. The aim of this political order was to prevent President Ousmane Sonko from taking part in the 2024 elections. And unfortunately, today, we have a judiciary that is almost subservient to the executive, not even to the executive, but to a regime that, whenever it wants, looks for trouble with its political opponents and sends them to prison. And that’s unfortunate for our Senegalese democracy,” said Babacar Ndiaye, the lawyer for Ousmane Sonko.
Less than two hours after his indictment, Interior Minister Antoine Diome announced in a press release the dissolution of the opposition party, Pastef, justifying his decision by its “frequent” calls for “insurrectionary movements” which, according to him, resulted in numerous deaths in March 2021 and June 2023 and “acts of ransacking and looting of public and private property”.
Internet was also restricted on Monday by the government in a move intended to curb spread of information to deter an insurrection.
Content creator Jeffrey Nortey has disclosed that he took up shooting skits as a coping mechanism for his depression.
In a candid interview with Andy Dosty, he said despite harboring dreams of becoming a renowned actor, he experienced disappointment and frustration when he struggled to secure roles in movies.
The uncertainty about his future in the movie industry weighed heavily on him, leading to a decline in his mental state. He expressed concern about losing the youthful vibrancy he once had as an aspiring actor. As a result, Jeffrey Nortey made the conscious decision to delve into shooting skits as a way to channel his creativity and find solace during his difficult times.
“I started as an actor hoping that I’ll be shooting in movies. But I was not getting gigs and I was depressed. Not because of the money but because the fire in me was burning so I needed to do something.”
Jeffrey Nortey further shared that his fortunes took a positive turn in 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic hit. During this challenging period, he began shooting a few skits, and to his surprise, they were well-received by the audience. Encouraged by the positive feedback, he decided to create more skits, and as he continued to produce fresh content, his popularity and success grew steadily.
The uniqueness of his skits played a pivotal role in capturing the attention of viewers. By offering something different from the norm, he managed to resonate with his audience, earning their admiration and support. This distinctive approach to comedy was a key factor in the surge of his success as a content creator and comic actor.
“During COVID time I decided to write my skits and gather some money. I did a few and people liked it. Money started flowing, exposure started coming and here we are.”
The actor who seems to do a lot of funny skits mentioned that the primary intentions are not for his skits to be funny.
“When I started I didn’t know I was writing comedy skits. I was serious about it. Even with the buttocks skits I was serious about it. Even up to now, I don’t think I am doing something for people to laugh. If you laugh fine if you don’t, that was not the aim.”
Jeffrey Nortey’s talent and hard work have not only led him to feature in numerous movies and TV series but have also propelled him to consistently create exceptional content on his social media platforms and YouTube channel. His versatility as an actor and his ability to consistently produce captivating and entertaining content have garnered him a loyal following and earned him recognition in the entertainment industry.
Renowned technology expert and Paramount Chief Torgbuiga Akpo Ashiakpor VI, representing the Weta Traditional Area in the Ketu North Constituency of the Volta Region in Ghana, has urgently appealed to the government for immediate action, urging the digitization of the country’s esteemed Chieftaincy institutions.
This forward-thinking initiative seeks to prevent potential crises and promote effective and sustainable governance in traditional leadership.
Torgbuiga Akpo Ashiakpor VI, as the Fiaga and Overlord of the Weta Traditional Area, emphasizes the importance of embracing modern technology to enhance the functioning and resilience of the Chieftaincy institutions.
He emphasized the urgent need for immediate action. The application of digital advancements can potentially revolutionize these institutions, ensuring a harmonious future for traditional leadership in Ghana.
The integration of digital transformation presents an opportunity for significant positive changes within the esteemed Chieftaincy Institutions. Embracing modern digital tools and platforms can lead to improved efficiency, transparency, and accountability in their operations. This transformation empowers leaders, adjudicating bodies, ministries, and the government itself, providing them with valuable insights to make well-informed decisions. By seizing this potential, Ghana can overcome obstacles and pave the way for a more robust and dynamic traditional leadership landscape.
One crucial aspect that becomes evident is the distinction between traditional boundaries of lands and the government’s administrative boundaries. It is imperative to acknowledge that these two realms differ, and this disparity has left certain traditional areas vulnerable to the machinations of charlatans seeking to undermine the rich antiquity associated with these lands.
Lack of education and proper record-keeping has inadvertently contributed to this vulnerability, creating an opening for individuals with ulterior motives to manipulate the identity and heritage of traditional areas. These opportunistic actors meticulously plan their approach, often targeting lineages where the elders and kingmakers have passed away or are too feeble to actively defend their rightful legacies.
“However, by digitizing the Chieftaincy Institution, we can preserve these invaluable legacies for future generations, safeguarding their heritage from those who seek to exploit it. Through the implementation of digital systems, comprehensive records can be created and maintained, ensuring the accurate documentation of lineage, land ownership, and cultural practices. This will serve as an invaluable resource, empowering communities to protect their identity and resist any attempts at illegitimate kingdom capture.
The preservation of these legacies is not only essential for historical continuity but also for the socio-cultural fabric of our society. The digitization of Chieftaincy Institutions will create a repository of knowledge and traditions, enabling future generations to connect with their roots, understand their heritage, and uphold the values that holds and define their respective traditional areas,” he said in an interview.
Moreover, digital transformation offers an opportunity to bridge the gap between traditional institutions and the government, fostering collaboration and harmonious coexistence. By leveraging digital platforms, communication channels can be established, allowing for seamless interaction and consultation between traditional leaders and government authorities. This synergy will strengthen governance, promote inclusive decision-making processes, and ensure the collective well-being of our society.
“The digitalization process entails the creation of comprehensive digital infrastructure, including advanced data management systems, secure online portals, and accessible archives. These technological advancements will facilitate accurate record-keeping, ensuring a wealth of information is readily available at the fingertips of stakeholders, from traditional leaders to government authorities and the public.
By embracing digitization, Ghana’s Chieftaincy Institutions can build stronger bridges of communication, promoting active engagement and collaborative decision-making. This inclusive approach will reignite public trust, empowering citizens to actively participate in governance matters, and fostering a renewed sense of unity and progress without having to fight over what everyone knows to be the true record of tradition or value,” he added.
Paramount Chief Torgbuiga Akpo Ashiakpor VI urges the Government of Ghana to prioritize the digitization of Chieftaincy Institutions, emphasizing the urgent need for dedicated resources and a collaborative task force. This joint effort, encompassing government agencies, technology experts, traditional leaders, and community representatives, will pave the way for a successful and transformative digital revolution.
“With the future of traditional leadership hanging in the balance, the Government of Ghana must heed the urgent call from this tech expert and Paramount Chief. By embarking on the digitization journey, Ghana has the opportunity to forge a path of resilience, prosperity, and harmony within its Chieftaincy Institutions and families. As the nation awaits the government’s response, all eyes are on Ghana, anticipating the dawn of a new era where technology and tradition converge, empowering our Chieftaincy Institutions to flourish and thrive.
As we embark on this transformative journey, it is crucial to recognize the urgency of digitizing our Chieftaincy Institutions. By doing so, we protect the integrity of our traditional areas, fortify the foundation of our cultural heritage, and empower future generations to embrace and celebrate their rich ancestral legacies. Let us unite in this noble endeavor, leveraging the power of digital transformation to secure our collective heritage, promote unity, and preserve the essence of Ghana’s diverse traditional areas for generations to come,” he concluded.
Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has turned his parliamentary oversight attention to Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, a lawyer and cousin of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
On August 1, 2023, the Member of Parliament posted a collection of documents as evidence to support his recent publication named “Kitchen Scandal.”
He alleges that Akufo-Addo’s close circle, particularly Gabby, is involved in a deal that has the potential to result in significant financial losses for the country.
He made public the revelation that the scandal under scrutiny amounted to GHS187,356,969.55.
The “Kitchen Scandal” according to the legislator is a narrative of betrayal, audacity, hypocrisy, leveraging of influence, deceit, avarice, cooperation, coercion, clear favoritism, and flagrant misuse of public funds.
“The Kitchen Scandal will afford us a rare insight into how President Akufo-Addo’s “Kitchen Cabinet” operates and how destructive they have been to national progress,” his introductory paragraphs to the exposé read.
According to Ablakwa, Otchere-Darko managed to get sections of government including the Attorney-General and elements within the Finance Ministry to agree to pay his new client the said amount even though there is no basis for so to be done.
“It is absolutely insane for Akufo-Addo’s “Kitchen Cabinet” to create this ginormous GHS187.3million liability for the Ghanaian taxpayer under this downgraded bankrupt IMF-bailout economy,” the MP lamented.
Read excerpts of the MP’s post below:
The Kitchen Scandal
The Kitchen Scandal is a tale of betrayal, bravado, double standards, influence peddling, dishonesty, greed, collusion, arm-twisting, naked nepotism and blatant rape of the public purse.
The Kitchen Scandal will afford us a rare insight into how President Akufo-Addo’s “Kitchen Cabinet” operates and how destructive they have been to national progress.
This Kitchen Scandal reveals the modus-operandi and sophisticated schemes of the grand master in the “Kitchen Cabinet” — Mr. Gabriel Asare Otchere-Darko, who prefers to be called Gabby Otchere-Darko.
Many people say Gabby is the “Prime Minister” of Ghana and what he wants always gets done — well, the volumes of intercepted documents in my possession appears to confirm this perception.
Gabby’s name has often come up in other multi-million dollar transactions such as PDS, Agyapa and recently Ameri when former Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko accused him of unilaterally renegotiating the infamous Ameri novation agreement which led to the minister’s unceremonious exit.
Justice Dotse may likely describe this Kitchen Scandal as a well-hatched conspiracy to “Create-Loot-and-Keep,” perhaps in a Cecilia Dapaah-like fashion.
This Kitchen Scandal is valued at a stupendous GH¢187,356,969.55.
How Gabby Otchere-Darko managed to get sections of government including the Attorney-General and elements within the Finance Ministry to agree that his new client: West Blue Company Limited must be paid the staggering GHS187.3million is most legendary.
It is absolutely insane for Akufo-Addo’s “Kitchen Cabinet” to create this ginormous GHS187.3million liability for the Ghanaian taxpayer under this downgraded bankrupt IMF-bailout economy.
Put in proper context, GHS187.3million is more than the entire 2023 budgetary allocation for the following ministries: Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations (GHS76.6million); Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs (GHS44.9million); Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs (GHS6.4million); Ministry of Information (GHS141.4million) and the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (GHS180.9million)
The monetary value of this scandal is also greater than the full 2023 approved budgets for the following institutions: Office of the Special Prosecutor (GHS129.5million); National Development Planning Commission (GHS13.2million); CHRAJ (GHS45.4million); NCCE (GHS84.4million); National Pensions Regulatory Authority (GHS98.4million) and Office of the Head of Civil Service (GHS50.2million).
Ironically, the GHS187.3million exceeds the total annual 2023 budgeted expenditure for the salaries of all lawyers and staff at the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice (GHS155.6million); all staff at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (GHS109.3million); all staff at the Ministry of Trade and Industry (GHS80.8million); all staff of the Ministry of Roads and Highways (GHS74.6million) — just to highlight a few.
Strikingly, GHS187.3million is far greater than what the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government is spending on numerous flagship programmes such as: Railways Development (GHS164.5million); Water and Sanitation Initiative (GHS74.4million); National Identification Authority (GHS37.6million); MASLOC (GHS14.4million); Fish Landing Sites (GHS26.3million) and Zongo Development Fund (GHS24.4million).
A head-on collision between a car and a van has claimed the lives of two young men.
The two perished when the red Ford Escort they were riding in collided with a silver Ford Panel van moving the other way.
Although emergency personnel flocked to the A20 near Farningham, Kent, they were both declared dead there.
The incident injured two additional guys who were riding in the vehicle, and they were brought to the hospital for medical attention.
Their wounds are not thought to be severe.
Around 4 o’clock on Monday, police and paramedics were called to the scene of the accident.
Police are currently asking any witnesses to come forward.
‘Officers from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit are conducting enquiries and are also requesting witnesses and anyone with pertinent CCTV or dashcam footage to contact them,’ a Kent Police statement said.
The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has recently disbursed an additional sum of Ghs186 million cedis on July 31, 2023, effectively reducing the outstanding claims payments backlog to just one month.
Before this recent payment, the NHIA had already settled GHs 471 Million Cedis, addressing claims submitted up to January 2023. As part of its commitment to meeting its financial responsibilities, the Authority now adopts a monthly payment approach, ensuring timely remittance to service providers whose claims have undergone thorough vetting and received approval.
The prompt and regular payments made by the NHIA to healthcare providers have significantly bolstered their confidence and trust in the Authority.
Moreover, the NHIA has set a strong commitment to achieving a complete transition to 100 percent electronic claims management by the end of the year 2023. This strategic move aims to eliminate wastage and promote the judicious utilization of available resources, ultimately leading to the delivery of top-notch healthcare services to NHIS members and reaffirming the government’s trust in the NHIA’s sound fiscal discipline.
As a result of the rapid Claims payments, the Authority launched a platform known as the ‘Sunshine policy’ to deepen accountability, transparency, and social auditing.
Since its launch in March 2023, suppliers of drugs to healthcare facilities and other stakeholders are able to log onto the NHIS website with privileged access to view payments made to deserving facilities.
This highest level of transparency has won the admiration of healthcare managers as a critical innovation.
Access to view monthly payments under the Sunshine Policy on the NHIS website has been given to all stakeholders with the latest being all Regional Ministers through Hon. Justina Owusu Banahene, Bono Regional Minister.
The Chief Executive, Dr. Bernard Okoe-Boye has confirmed that key traditional rulers will also be given access to view claims paid so as to deepen their ownership, involvement and advocacy for the Scheme.
The Ministry of Works and Housing in Ghana will today launch a revised National Affordable Housing Programme called ‘My Home My Peace.’ This new initiative takes a pragmatic approach to tackle the issue of housing affordability and aims to enhance access to housing for the people of Ghana.
In light of this, His Excellency the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, is set to inaugurate the National Affordable Housing Programme and conduct the groundbreaking ceremony for the Pokuase Affordable Housing Project on Tuesday, 1st August 2023, at 9:30 am.
The event will take place at the project site, situated on Stadium Road in Amasaman. This significant initiative aims to address housing affordability and enhance access to housing for the people of Ghana.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) announced on Tuesday that a former daycare worker has been charged with 1,623 child abuse offences allegedly committed against 91 children in Australia and abroad over a 15-year period.
Since August 2022, when he was first accused of producing child exploitation material and using a carriage service to distribute it, the 45-year-old Gold Coast man has been in police detention.
More child abuse content was allegedly found on computer devices purportedly belonged by the individual, who worked between 2007 and 2022 in 12 childcare facilities in Brisbane, Sydney, and an unidentified foreign location. Police said a special inquiry unearthed the material.
In a news conference, New South Wales police Assistant Commissioner Michael Fitzgerald remarked, “This is one of the most horrific cases of alleged child abuse our detectives have seen.”
Numerous more accusations relating to holding, creating, disseminating, or getting child exploitation material include hundreds of counts of indecent treatment of a child under the age of 16, counts of generating child exploitation material, and other crimes.
Police stated that all the allegedly wronged children were prepubescent girls and that they were “highly-confident” that all 87 Australian children who were reportedly depicted in the purported material had been located and that their parents had been notified of the investigation.
The AFP stated that it is collaborating with international authorities to assist in the identification of four minors seen in the allegedly child abuse-related foreign video.
Acting Assistant Commissioner Col Briggs of the Queensland Police Service said, “These allegations are horrific and confronting, but I commend all investigators from each jurisdiction for their tireless efforts to make sure that our community is made safer as a result of the arrest of the alleged perpetrator.”
On August 21, the man—who has not yet been given a name by the authorities—will appear before Brisbane Magistrates Court.
Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has released a mindblowing piece, detailing how President Akufo-Addo’s “Kitchen Cabinet” operates.
The piece dubbed: “The Kitchen Scandal,” according to the legislator, “is a tale of betrayal, bravado, double standards, influence peddling, dishonesty, greed, collusion, arm-twisting, naked nepotism and blatant rape of the public purse.”
The Kitchen Scandal he stressed, “will afford us a rare insight into how President Akufo-Addo’s ‘Kitchen Cabinet’ operates and how destructive they have been to national progress.”
Read the MP’s full publication below:
The Kitchen Scandal
The Kitchen Scandal is a tale of betrayal, bravado, double standards, influence peddling, dishonesty, greed, collusion, arm-twisting, naked nepotism and blatant rape of the public purse.
The Kitchen Scandal will afford us a rare insight into how President Akufo-Addo’s “Kitchen Cabinet” operates and how destructive they have been to national progress.
This Kitchen Scandal reveals the modus-operandi and sophisticated schemes of the grand master in the “Kitchen Cabinet” — Mr. Gabriel Asare Otchere-Darko, who prefers to be called Gabby Otchere-Darko.
Many people say Gabby is the “Prime Minister” of Ghana and what he wants always gets done — well, the volumes of intercepted documents in my possession appears to confirm this perception.
Gabby’s name has often come up in other multi-million dollar transactions such as PDS, Agyapa and recently Ameri when former Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko accused him of unilaterally renegotiating the infamous Ameri novation agreement which led to the minister’s unceremonious exit.
Justice Dotse may likely describe this Kitchen Scandal as a well-hatched conspiracy to “Create-Loot-and-Keep,” perhaps in a Cecilia Dapaah-like fashion. This Kitchen Scandal is valued at a stupendous GHS187,356,969.55.
How Gabby Otchere-Darko managed to get sections of government including the Attorney-General and elements within the Finance Ministry to agree that his new client: West Blue Company Limited must be paid the staggering GHS187.3million is most legendary.
It is absolutely insane for Akufo-Addo’s “Kitchen Cabinet” to create this ginormous GHS187.3million liability for the Ghanaian taxpayer under this downgraded bankrupt IMF-bailout economy.
Put in proper context, GHS187.3million is more than the entire 2023 budgetary allocation for the following ministries: Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations (GHS76.6million); Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs (GHS44.9million); Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs (GHS6.4million); Ministry of Information (GHS141.4million) and the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (GHS180.9million).
The monetary value of this scandal is also greater than the full 2023 approved budgets for the following institutions: Office of the Special Prosecutor (GHS129.5million); National Development Planning Commission (GHS13.2million); CHRAJ (GHS45.4million); NCCE (GHS84.4million); National Pensions Regulatory Authority (GHS98.4million) and Office of the Head of Civil Service (GHS50.2million).
Ironically, the GHS187.3million exceeds the total annual 2023 budgeted expenditure for the salaries of all lawyers and staff at the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice (GHS155.6million); all staff at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (GHS109.3million); all staff at the Ministry of Trade and Industry (GHS80.8million); all staff of the Ministry of Roads and Highways (GHS74.6million) — just to highlight a few.
Strikingly, GHS187.3million is far greater than what the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government is spending on numerous flagship programmes such as: Railways Development (GHS164.5million); Water and Sanitation Initiative (GHS74.4million); National Identification Authority (GHS37.6million); MASLOC (GHS14.4million); Fish Landing Sites (GHS26.3million) and Zongo Development Fund (GHS24.4million).
NPP’s POSITION ON THE WEST BLUE CONTRACT
In opposition, the NPP raised fire and brimstone and mounted the most fierce resistance to the National Single Window System and an Integrated Risk Management System contract awarded to West Blue Ghana Limited on 4th August, 2015.
The NPP’s Alexander Afenyo-Markin, MP for Effutu went to court in a spirited effort to stop the contract.
Not even a ruling by His Lordship Justice K.A. Okwabi on August 31, 2015 dismissing Afenyo-Markin’s injunction application deterred the NPP from continuing with further legal actions in a bid to scuttle the West Blue Contract. I must add that these NPP-led legal actions are still pending in court, albeit cold cases now.
The NPP continued to fight the West Blue contract in and outside the courts. On the 16th of May, 2016 — the NPP’s Director of Communications, Nana Akomea issued a statement on what they said was President Mahama’s record of corruption. First on his list was the West Blue Contract. This is what Nana Akomea wrote: “President Mahama told a blatant lie when he said in London that he does not put himself in a position to be bribed as he does not involve himself and his Office in public procurement.
As fate will have it, on 12th May, 2015, exactly a year ago to the day he granted the BBC interview, the President, through a letter signed by his Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, personally and directly instructed the Minister of Finance “to formally engage West Blue Ghana Limited”, without any competitive tender.
This was the contract for the implementation of the National Single Window for the inspection of goods at the ports. This contract is estimated to be worth more than $300 million over the next five year. By directing his Minister of Finance to give the contract to a particular company the President, by his own logic, had put himself in a position to be offered and receive bribe.”
The NPP won the 2016 elections and could now act on their opposition to the West Blue Contract.
The NPP Government discovered that the 4th August 2015 West Blue Contract had as a condition precedent to contract effectiveness, a value-for-money audit. In August 2017, the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government got Crown Agents to complete the value-for-money audit. The outcome was that the contract did not guarantee value for money. Crown Agents recommended either a cancellation or a termination. (Report attached).
On 21st September 2017, Ports and Customs World Ghana, with links in Dubai, wrote to the Ministry of Finance that it had taken over West Blue and expressed readiness to renegotiate the West Blue contract. (Letter attached).
On October 2, 2017, West Blue also wrote to the Ministry of Finance indicating that they had been taken over by Ports and Customs World. (Letter attached). The Government of Ghana wrote to Ports and Customs World on 25th January, 2018 on the basis of Crown Agent’s value-for-money audit, revising the fees under the contract downwards from 0.35% FoB to 0.28% FoB and bringing forward the termination date from December 2020 to December 2018. (Letter duly attached). Ports and Customs World/West Blue, per a letter dated January 30, 2018 accepted these reduced terms and new contract termination date. (Letter attached). On March 14, 2019, government entered into a mutual understanding with West Blue to hold the fort by delivering services on the reduced terms until government replaces them.
DOUBLE STANDARDS AND BETRAYAL
Despite the NPP’s firm public opposition to the West Blue contract and termination of same, President Akufo-Addo’s cousin and grand master of his “Kitchen Cabinet,” Gabby Otchere-Darko has strangely become the chief advocate and super strategist for West Blue.
Gabby’s law firm, Africa Legal Associates (see articles of incorporation attached) now represent West Blue. Who would have predicted this considering the political tsunami Gabby and his collaborators created for President Mahama a few years ago in the aftermath of the West Blue contract?
Curiously, Gabby has not only surreptitiously departed from the position the NPP canvassed publicly and vehemently in opposition and in government, he has managed to get the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame to strongly agree with him.
Suddenly, to Gabby who may have transmogrified from Saul to Paul — contrary to the claims they made in opposition, the West Blue contract is no longer over priced due to sole sourcing; basically, it’s no longer a ripoff.
Now Gabby actually suggests that President Mahama’s government did not pay West Blue fully and fairly — wonders they say will never end! In an unusual development, the Attorney-General has issued three pro-Gabby legal opinions on this matter.
What is even more worrying about the AG’s latest legal opinion dated 16th December, 2022 is that it failed to take into consideration inputs from the Ministry of Finance and the Ghana Revenue Authority as both institutions had not submitted their written arguments. (Legal opinion attached) Gabby and Godfred now state emphatically that despite the fact that the value-for-money condition precedent was not met, the contract is still valid.
The duo have also questioned the post value-for-money contract downward revisions and are insisting that the colossal West Blue demands are met.
These Gabby-Godfred positions run contrary to what the Finance Ministry had earlier communicated to West Blue through former Deputy Minister of Finance, Mr. Kwaku Kwarteng on January 25, 2018 which the latter accepted in writing. (See letters attached)
Interestingly, the previous lawyer for West Blue, Mr. Ace Anan Ankumah wrote to the Ministry of Finance on March 10, 2020 proffering a different opinion from Gabby and Godfred although it related to a proposed market value audit when he asserted: “As you are aware, the written agreement dated 4 August 2015 that West Blue entered into with the Government of Ghana, acting through the Ministry of Finance and the Ghana Revenue Authority, for a National Single Window System and an Integrated Risk Management System (“Agreement”) did not come into effect as the conditions precedent for the agreement to become effective were not fulfilled. An agreement that did not become effective cannot be used as a basis for the market value audit.” (See letter attached)
Is the Attorney-General suggesting the Finance Ministry and the GRA did not seek his legal advice when they were declaring the August 4, 2015 West Blue contract ineffective? Why is Gabby and Godfred happy to impose this huge financial burden on Ghanaians when West Blue had earlier accepted in writing the “new understandings” which substantially protect the public purse? What could be their motivation? Does Godfred Dame recognize that by issuing his one-sided legal opinion without the inputs of Finance and GRA as he concedes, he has undermined the position of the state should Gabby decide to proceed to court? Is this a conspiracy to cause financial loss to Ghana?
That notwithstanding, I must point out that even though Gabby Otchere-Darko doesn’t state his name in all his letters for this frightening GHS187.3million West Blue demand, I can confirm that he is the one signing the letters as I have obtained his GRA Taxpayer Registration Form which bears the same signature. (See attached).
What is increasingly troubling is the shifting position of the Ministry of Finance to align with Gabby. Insiders say Ministry officials are terrified as the “Prime Minister’s” pressure mounts. Already, it is suspected in several quarters that the former Chief Director of the Ministry of Finance, Mr. Patrick Nomo was transferred because he wasn’t cooperating on this matter.
The new Chief Director and Ken Ofori-Atta staunch ally Eva Esselba Mends seems more amenable and is piling pressure on GRA to respond to Gabby’s 6-week ultimatum for payment to be effected. (See her 30th June, 2023 letter to GRA attached).
Analysts agree that Eva won’t be writing those letters to GRA if she didn’t have Ken’s approval.
Also, Ken’s cousin Gabby won’t be getting bolder and bolder with his threats and ultimatums if the family had a genuine objection. A really complex nepotistic web.
By some sheer coincidence, Gabby’s 6-week ultimatum letter for payment of the colossal GHS187.3million is dated May 3, 2023 — the same month Ghana received US$603million from the IMF.
DEMANDS
1. President Akufo-Addo must immediately instruct his Finance Minister and the GRA to ignore Gabby’s 6-week ultimatum and not to pay the GHS187.3million; 2. President Akufo-Addo must instruct his Attorney-General and Minister for Justice to withdraw his lopsided pro-Gabby legal opinion because of the obvious dangers to Ghana’s interest in any likely litigation; 3. President Akufo-Addo must caution his cousin, Gabriel Asare Otchere-Darko to back off and stop issuing threats to GRA officials; 4. President Akufo-Addo should as a matter of urgency constitute an independent panel to investigate these grave matters; 5. The Finance Committee of Parliament should urgently summon all parties and initiate a full-scale parliamentary inquiry into this GHS187.3million West Blue saga.
ASSURANCES
May I assure the top public officials working with me on this latest patriotic project, and the Ghanaian people that we shall not relent until this unconscionable GHS187.3million Gabby-orchestrated demand is defeated. We are preparing to stage a mammoth “Enough of the Looting Demo” if we do not see urgent action from the President on this matter. May God give us fortitude and victory. For God and Country. Ghana First
As Typhoon Doksuri‘s leftovers dumped the highest rainfall in a decade over portions of northern China, deadly downpours caused landslides and floods that damaged roads and carried away cars in Beijing.
According to footage posted on official television and social media, two days of rain have overflowed riverbeds near the western edge of the Chinese capital, turning once-calm streams into furious torrents that have washed into people’s houses and destroyed entire streets.
According to state broadcaster CCTV, more than 127,000 people have been evacuated from the city and at least 11 individuals have died and 27 more have gone missing.
According to CNN Weather, the vast metropolis, which is home to around 22 million people, had an average of 175.7 millimetres (almost 7 inches) of rain over the course of 48 hours.
The downpours were much worse in the western districts, which were the hardest hit and where the majority of fatalities were reported. According to data from Beijing’s meteorological department, the average rainfall in the Mentougou area was above 18 inches, while the nearby Fangshan experienced 16 inches of rain.
The storm is the deadliest to hit Beijing since 2012 floods, which claimed 77 lives and which the government originally attempted to hide.
Typhoons and torrential rains are a summertime occurrence in China, but experts warn that climate change has increased the frequency and destruction of these yearly rains. In 2021, flooding in Zhengzhou, the heart of Henan province, claimed at least 300 lives.
CCTV broadcast videos of a road bridge that had split in half in Beijing, with a queue of motorists on top as many vehicles in the river below were being washed away.
Videos published on X, formerly known as Twitter, showed footage of a sinkhole that appeared outside of a west Beijing mall and flooding at the Beijing Daxing Airport.
While trying to flee the advancing floods, rescue personnel and locals could be seen in other footage wading through water that was waist deep.
State media stated that Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered an increase in search and rescue activities on Tuesday.
According to state-run news agency Xinhua, Xi stated that “the affected people should be properly resettled, and the damaged infrastructures… repaired as soon as possible to restore the normal production and living order.”
Although they had issued a warning prior to the storm’s arrival that torrential rains could harm crops and fields just weeks before the typical autumn harvest, Chinese authorities have not yet provided estimates of probable financial damages.
One of the most powerful typhoons to strike China recently was Doksuri. In the Fujian coastline province in the southeast, where it made landfall, more than 2.6 million people were reportedly impacted, according to authorities.
As it moved north, the typhoon lost strength and became a storm, although it still dumped copious amounts of rain.
At least 39 people were killed by the typhoon in the Philippines before it made landfall in Fujian, and it also devastated sections of southern Taiwan.
According to a state-run radio station, hundreds of passengers aboard trains that were left stranded on the rural outskirts of Beijing were among those affected by the chaos.
Based on interviews with two passengers travelling from Zhangjiakou, a city in the neighbouring province of Hebei that served as the site of some of Beijing’s 2022 Winter Olympics events, to Mentougou, a state-affiliated TV station in the southwest province of Guizhou reported that some passengers were stranded for 30 hours without food.
“As the rain continues to fall, there appear to be landslip warning signs in the front. A train cannot move either forward or backward. One passenger told the TV network that some passengers were already feeling queasy.
“Supplies can’t get in, and people are starving… We are unable to leave since the car door is locked, according to the second passenger.
According to Xinhua, which cited Beijing’s state railway operator, at least 1,870 passengers and 68 crew members were finally brought to safe ground by Monday afternoon after being stuck on two trains.
According to the rail operator, a different train was still stuck at a different station, where staff members had to wade through deep muck to bring food and water to the stranded passengers.
There is little hope of respite even as Doksuri fades away.
With storm tides expected to batter coastal parts of eastern Zhejiang province till Thursday, authorities are bracing for inbound Khanun, the sixth typhoon scheduled to hit China this year.
Ghana has been selected as the venue for the Extra Ordinary Session of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament, scheduled for September 2023 in Winneba, demonstrating the commitment to bringing parliamentary activities closer to the people.
This is in line with the sub-regional integration efforts aimed at enhancing governance accessibility to the populace.
This will mark the second time that Ghana hosts the ECOWAS Parliament, an assembly that convenes twice a year, fostering regional cooperation and collaboration among member states.
The 2023 First Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament was officially inaugurated on Monday, May 8, 2023, in Abuja, in accordance with Article 21.1 of the Supplementary Act focusing on enhancing the powers of the ECOWAS Parliament. This act mandates the Parliament to convene twice a year for Ordinary Sessions, serving as a crucial platform for in-depth discussions and strengthening the collective stance of Member States on matters of regional and continental significance.
The session, which lasted until Friday, May 26, 2023, also aligned with Article 32 of the supplementary Act, enabling the President of the ECOWAS Commission to present a comprehensive report on the progress made in implementing the Community Work Programme to the Plenary. This report offers valuable insights into the initiatives and efforts undertaken by the Community towards regional integration and development, fostering cooperation and collaboration among the ECOWAS member nations.
Through this, the House is kept up-to-date on Community developments, and opinions and recommendations are expressed.
Delegates also have the opportunity to present their country’s reports to inform the Body of developments in their respective Member States and the progress made in implementing the texts of their community.
After a joint delocalized meeting, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, the head of the Ghanaian delegation, contacted the media in Monrovia.
He explained that the Conference being hosted out of the capital would bring governance to the doorsteps of the people and create an opportunity for the region by way of putting it on the visibility map for development.
“This will also allow Member States not only to connect to build consensus towards ECOWAS Development but also an opportunity to travel outside the capital city to familiarise themselves with neighbour countries,” he said.
Mr Afenyo-Markin, also the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Deputy Majority Leader in Parliament and a Member of the ECOWAS Parliament, further told Journalists that international programmes created opportunities for growth, development and tourism; and Winneba being the capital of one of the Municipalities in the Central Region was more than ready to welcome the ECOWAS delegation.
According to him, the Session would also market the region, the Effutu Constituency and the city which was a coastal city for greater opportunities.
He maintained that such Sessions projected facilities towards development and urged his colleagues to push for more opportunities and take advantage of such possibilities.
“We cannot always over-concentrate in the capital cities; we need to move out and spread opportunity to the people,” he said.
The Effutu NPP Member of Parliament (MP), told Journalists from Member that this will not be the first of its kind, particularly when Winneba 2021 successfully hosted a delocalised meeting and an Extra Ordinary Session, and therefore a precedent had been set.
… “We are optimistic that this will be better than before. The Ghanaian government will put in place the necessary protocols for all MPs, focal persons and staff, security arrangements will be in place. Winneba, which is the capital of my constituency, is just an hour’s drive from Accra on a good road,” he said.
Mr Afenyo-Markin noted that Members were already used to that route with facilities going to be there to host them, adding “As I did indicate, we hope to make it a pleasurable time, profitable time for all; we encourage all of you to come and take part in the programme,” he said.
The Kitchen Scandal is a tale of betrayal, bravado, double standards, influence peddling, dishonesty, greed, collusion, arm-twisting, naked nepotism and blatant rape of the public purse.
The Kitchen Scandal will afford us a rare insight into how President Akufo-Addo’s “Kitchen Cabinet” operates and how destructive they have been to national progress.
This Kitchen Scandal reveals the modus-operandi and sophisticated schemes of the grand master in the “Kitchen Cabinet” — Mr Gabriel Asare Otchere-Darko, who prefers to be called Gabby Otchere-Darko.
Many people say Gabby is the “Prime Minister” of Ghana and what he wants always gets done — well, the volumes of intercepted documents in my possession appears to confirm this perception.
Gabby’s name has often come up in other multi-million dollar transactions such as PDS, Agyapa and recently Ameri when former Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko accused him of unilaterally renegotiating the infamous Ameri novation agreement which led to the minister’s unceremonious exit.
Justice Dotse may likely describe this Kitchen Scandal as a well-hatched conspiracy to “Create-Loot-and-Keep,” perhaps in a Cecilia Dapaah-like fashion. This Kitchen Scandal is valued at a stupendous GHS187,356,969.55.
How Gabby Otchere-Darko managed to get sections of government including the Attorney-General and elements within the Finance Ministry to agree that his new client: West Blue Company Limited must be paid the staggering GHS187.3million is most legendary.
It is absolutely insane for Akufo-Addo’s “Kitchen Cabinet” to create this ginormous GHS187.3million liability for the Ghanaian taxpayer under this downgraded bankrupt IMF-bailout economy.
Put in proper context, GHS187.3million is more than the entire 2023 budgetary allocation for the following ministries: Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations (GHS76.6million); Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs (GHS44.9million); Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs (GHS6.4million); Ministry of Information (GHS141.4million) and the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (GHS180.9million)
The monetary value of this scandal is also greater than the full 2023 approved budgets for the following institutions: Office of the Special Prosecutor (GHS129.5million); National Development Planning Commission (GHS13.2million); CHRAJ (GHS45.4million); NCCE (GHS84.4million); National Pensions Regulatory Authority (GHS98.4million) and Office of the Head of Civil Service (GHS50.2million).
Ironically, the GHS187.3million exceeds the total annual 2023 budgeted expenditure for the salaries of all lawyers and staff at the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice (GHS155.6million); all staff at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (GHS109.3million); all staff at the Ministry of Trade and Industry (GHS80.8million); all staff of the Ministry of Roads and Highways (GHS74.6million) — just to highlight a few.
Strikingly, GHS187.3million is far greater than what the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government is spending on numerous flagship programmes such as: Railways Development (GHS164.5million); Water and Sanitation Initiative (GHS74.4million); National Identification Authority (GHS37.6million); MASLOC (GHS14.4million); Fish Landing Sites (GHS26.3million) and Zongo Development Fund (GHS24.4million).
NPP’s POSITION ON THE WEST BLUE CONTRACT
In opposition, the NPP raised fire and brimstone and mounted the most fierce resistance to the National Single Window System and an Integrated Risk Management System contract awarded to West Blue Ghana Limited on 4th August, 2015.
The NPP’s Alexander Afenyo-Markin, MP for Effutu went to court in a spirited effort to stop the contract.
Not even a ruling by His Lordship Justice K.A. Okwabi on August 31, 2015 dismissing Afenyo-Markin’s injunction application deterred the NPP from continuing with further legal actions in a bid to scuttle the West Blue Contract. I must add that these NPP-led legal actions are still pending in court, albeit cold cases now.
The NPP continued to fight the West Blue contract in and outside the courts. On the 16th of May, 2016 — the NPP’s Director of Communications, Nana Akomea issued a statement on what they said was President Mahama’s record of corruption. First on his list was the West Blue Contract. This is what Nana Akomea wrote: “President Mahama told a blatant lie when he said in London that he does not put himself in a position to be bribed as he does not involve himself and his Office in public procurement. As fate will have it, on 12th May, 2015, exactly a year ago to the day he granted the BBC interview, the President, through a letter signed by his Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, personally and directly instructed the Minister of Finance “to formally engage West Blue Ghana Limited”, without any competitive tender. This was the contract for the implementation of the National Single Window for the inspection of goods at the ports. This contract is estimated to be worth more than $300 million over the next five year. By directing his Minister of Finance to give the contract to a particular company the President, by his own logic, had put himself in a position to be offered and receive bribe.”
The NPP won the 2016 elections and could now act on their opposition to the West Blue Contract.
The NPP Government discovered that the 4th August 2015 West Blue Contract had as a condition precedent to contract effectiveness, a value-for-money audit. In August 2017, the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government got Crown Agents to complete the value-for-money audit. The outcome was that the contract did not guarantee value for money. Crown Agents recommended either a cancellation or a termination. (Report attached).
On 21st September 2017, Ports and Customs World Ghana, with links in Dubai, wrote to the Ministry of Finance that it had taken over West Blue and expressed readiness to renegotiate the West Blue contract. (Letter attached).
On October 2, 2017, West Blue also wrote to the Ministry of Finance indicating that they had been taken over by Ports and Customs World. (Letter attached). The Government of Ghana wrote to Ports and Customs World on 25th January, 2018 on the basis of Crown Agent’s value-for-money audit, revising the fees under the contract downwards from 0.35% FoB to 0.28% FoB and bringing forward the termination date from December 2020 to December 2018. (Letter duly attached). Ports and Customs World/West Blue, per a letter dated January 30, 2018 accepted these reduced terms and new contract termination date. (Letter attached). On March 14, 2019, government entered into a mutual understanding with West Blue to hold the fort by delivering services on the reduced terms until government replaces them.
DOUBLE STANDARDS AND BETRAYAL
Despite the NPP’s firm public opposition to the West Blue contract and termination of same, President Akufo-Addo’s cousin and grand master of his “Kitchen Cabinet,” Gabby Otchere-Darko has strangely become the chief advocate and super strategist for West Blue.
Gabby’s law firm, Africa Legal Associates (see articles of incorporation attached) now represent West Blue. Who would have predicted this considering the political tsunami Gabby and his collaborators created for President Mahama a few years ago in the aftermath of the West Blue contract?
Curiously, Gabby has not only surreptitiously departed from the position the NPP canvassed publicly and vehemently in opposition and in government, he has managed to get the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame to strongly agree with him.
Suddenly, to Gabby who may have transmogrified from Saul to Paul — contrary to the claims they made in opposition, the West Blue contract is no longer over priced due to sole sourcing; basically, it’s no longer a ripoff.
Now Gabby actually suggests that President Mahama’s government did not pay West Blue fully and fairly — wonders they say will never end! In an unusual development, the Attorney-General has issued three pro-Gabby legal opinions on this matter.
What is even more worrying about the AG’s latest legal opinion dated 16th December, 2022 is that it failed to take into consideration inputs from the Ministry of Finance and the Ghana Revenue Authority as both institutions had not submitted their written arguments. (Legal opinion attached) Gabby and Godfred now state emphatically that despite the fact that the value-for-money condition precedent was not met, the contract is still valid.
The duo have also questioned the post value-for-money contract downward revisions and are insisting that the colossal West Blue demands are met.
These Gabby-Godfred positions run contrary to what the Finance Ministry had earlier communicated to West Blue through former Deputy Minister of Finance, Mr. Kwaku Kwarteng on January 25, 2018 which the latter accepted in writing. (See letters attached)
Interestingly, the previous lawyer for West Blue, Mr. Ace Anan Ankumah wrote to the Ministry of Finance on March 10, 2020 proffering a different opinion from Gabby and Godfred although it related to a proposed market value audit when he asserted: “As you are aware, the written agreement dated 4 August 2015 that West Blue entered into with the Government of Ghana, acting through the Ministry of Finance and the Ghana Revenue Authority, for a National Single Window System and an Integrated Risk Management System (“Agreement”) did not come into effect as the conditions precedent for the agreement to become effective were not fulfilled. An agreement that did not become effective cannot be used as a basis for the market value audit.” (See letter attached)
Is the Attorney-General suggesting the Finance Ministry and the GRA did not seek his legal advice when they were declaring the August 4, 2015 West Blue contract ineffective? Why is Gabby and Godfred happy to impose this huge financial burden on Ghanaians when West Blue had earlier accepted in writing the “new understandings” which substantially protect the public purse? What could be their motivation? Does Godfred Dame recognize that by issuing his one-sided legal opinion without the inputs of Finance and GRA as he concedes, he has undermined the position of the state should Gabby decide to proceed to court? Is this a conspiracy to cause financial loss to Ghana?
That notwithstanding, I must point out that even though Gabby Otchere-Darko doesn’t state his name in all his letters for this frightening GHS187.3million West Blue demand, I can confirm that he is the one signing the letters as I have obtained his GRA Taxpayer Registration Form which bears the same signature. (See attached).
What is increasingly troubling is the shifting position of the Ministry of Finance to align with Gabby. Insiders say Ministry officials are terrified as the “Prime Minister’s” pressure mounts. Already, it is suspected in several quarters that the former Chief Director of the Ministry of Finance, Mr. Patrick Nomo was transferred because he wasn’t cooperating on this matter.
The new Chief Director and Ken Ofori-Atta staunch ally Eva Esselba Mends seems more amenable and is piling pressure on GRA to respond to Gabby’s 6-week ultimatum for payment to be effected. (See her 30th June, 2023 letter to GRA attached).
Analysts agree that Eva won’t be writing those letters to GRA if she didn’t have Ken’s approval.
Also, Ken’s cousin Gabby won’t be getting bolder and bolder with his threats and ultimatums if the family had a genuine objection. A really complex nepotistic web.
By some sheer coincidence, Gabby’s 6-week ultimatum letter for payment of the colossal GHS187.3million is dated May 3, 2023 — the same month Ghana received US$603million from the IMF.
DEMANDS
1. President Akufo-Addo must immediately instruct his Finance Minister and the GRA to ignore Gabby’s 6-week ultimatum and not to pay the GHS187.3million; 2. President Akufo-Addo must instruct his Attorney-General and Minister for Justice to withdraw his lopsided pro-Gabby legal opinion because of the obvious dangers to Ghana’s interest in any likely litigation; 3. President Akufo-Addo must caution his cousin, Gabriel Asare Otchere-Darko to back off and stop issuing threats to GRA officials; 4. President Akufo-Addo should as a matter of urgency constitute an independent panel to investigate these grave matters; 5. The Finance Committee of Parliament should urgently summon all parties and initiate a full-scale parliamentary inquiry into this GHS187.3million West Blue saga.
ASSURANCES
May I assure the top public officials working with me on this latest patriotic project, and the Ghanaian people that we shall not relent until this unconscionable GHS187.3million Gabby-orchestrated demand is defeated. We are preparing to stage a mammoth “Enough of the Looting Demo” if we do not see urgent action from the President on this matter. May God give us fortitude and victory. For God and Country. Ghana First
Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has claimed that Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, a lawyer and cousin of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, is exerting influence on Ministry of Finance officials to release GHS 187.3 million to one of his clients.
In his recent publication titled “Kitchen Scandal,” the lawmaker has revealed extensive information about the involvement of the president’s cousin in a scandal that could potentially result in a financial loss of GHS 187,356,969.55 to the state.
Ablakwa asserts that Gabby is at the heart of the scandal, which he describes as a story involving betrayal, audacity, hypocrisy, leveraging of influence, deceit, avarice, cooperation, coercion, clear favoritism, and blatant misuse of public funds.
In his pursuit of his objectives, the North Tongu MP claimed that Gabby has purportedly orchestrated the relocation of the Chief Director at the Ministry of Finance, leaving other officials intimidated or subdued.
“Insiders say Ministry officials are terrified as the “Prime Minister’s” pressure mounts. Already, it is suspected in several quarters that the former Chief Director of the Ministry of Finance, Mr. Patrick Nomo was transferred because he wasn’t cooperating on this matter.
“The new Chief Director and Ken Ofori-Atta staunch ally Eva Esselba Mends seems more amenable and is piling pressure on GRA to respond to Gabby’s 6-week ultimatum for payment to be effected,” he wrote in his publication published on Tuesday, August 1, 2023.
Ablakwa alleges that Otchere-Darko has successfully convinced certain parts of the government, including the Attorney-General and certain individuals within the Finance Ministry, to approve the payment of the mentioned amount to his new client, despite there being no legitimate grounds for such action.
“It is absolutely insane for Akufo-Addo’s “Kitchen Cabinet” to create this ginormous GHS187.3million liability for the Ghanaian taxpayer under this downgraded bankrupt IMF-bailout economy,” the MP lamented.
Frederick Addy, the 2020 parliamentary candidate for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Suaman constituency within the Western North Region, has urged party members to maintain unity despite the approaching primaries. He made this passionate plea while officially picking and filing his nomination forms to run in the NPP parliamentary primaries for the opportunity to represent the party in the 2024 election.
During the nomination filing, numerous party members, friends, and supporters gathered together, creating an atmosphere of jubilation and fanfare to celebrate the occasion after the completion of the nomination process.
The event served as a unifying moment, bringing NPP supporters and stakeholders together in support of Frederick Addy’s bid to secure the party’s nomination for the upcoming election.
During an interview, Mr. Addy acknowledged the critical importance of unity within the party, emphasizing that it is the only way they can secure victory in the Suaman constituency. He recognized that a united front will strengthen their chances of winning the seat in the upcoming elections, highlighting the significance of party members working together towards a common goal.
He urged the party to be united and forgive each other to avert the situation that caused their unpardonable defeat in the 2020 elections.
He was optimistic that with unity the NPP will win the parliamentary seat for the first in history.
The politician further asked the party supporters to avoid tribal politics and insults and work to prove to the delegates why he deceives to lead the party and win the parliamentary seat for the NPP.
A distressing incident occurred in Teshie, a community located in the Greater Accra Region, where a 29-year-old man named Daniel Ayi Armah was allegedly shot, raising suspicions of a chieftaincy dispute.
Following the shooting, Daniel Ayi Armah was rushed to the LEKMA hospital in Teshie for medical treatment. He sustained serious gunshot wounds, and in light of the incident, both he and his family have urgently appealed to IGP Dr. George Akufo Dampare to expedite investigations into the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
During a press conference held on Monday, July 31, 2023, the victim shared his account of the incident. He explained that he was visiting his grandmother’s house when they noticed that the lights in the vicinity were turned off. Upon trying to rectify the situation by turning the lights back on, he suddenly heard gunshots and was hit. In response, he hurried back to the house to contact the police for assistance.
According to Daniel, he was able to identify the individual who allegedly shot him, and the person’s name is Gbetsoolo. He asserted that the suspect confessed to firing the shots in self-defense. Consequently, he implored the police to thoroughly investigate the case and ensure that the culprits are brought to justice; otherwise, he hinted at considering taking matters into his own hands.
Moreover, he disclosed that the suspect, Gbetsoolo, had made threats to burn down their private property. Apparently, the suspect and his accomplices had later arrived at their home, intimidating them with threats of violence. During the attack, Daniel sustained three gunshot wounds on his hands and two on his legs. The financial strain caused by the incident made it impossible for him to afford the necessary medical treatment, leaving the bullets lodged in his body.
The incident has had severe consequences for Daniel, who worked as a carpenter, as it has cost him his livelihood. Being a family man with three wives and five children, he appealed to the IGP for swift action to seek justice.
Daniel’s distressed mother, Emelia Astwei Adjetey, also called on the Police Administration to thoroughly investigate the incident. She expressed her anguish, stating that she had been unable to eat for three days since the incident occurred. She further claimed that they felt intimidated by the shooter and his supposed accomplices. In response to speculations about a chieftaincy struggle, she denied any involvement of her son in such a dispute.
Following the spread of films showing a Malayan sun bear standing on its hind legs and seeming uncannily human, which sparked rumours and conspiracy theories on Chinese social media, an eastern Chinese zoo has refuted claims that some of its bears are human impersonators.
Officials from the Hangzhou zoo said that people “didn’t understand” the species in a letter written from the viewpoint of a sun bear named “Angela.”
The statement began, “I’m Angela the sun bear; I received a call yesterday after work from the head of the zoo asking if I was being lazy and skipped work today and found a human to take my place.”
Once more, let me state to everyone that I am a sun bear, not a black bear or a dog.
Videos of a sun bear perched on a rock and gazing outside of its enclosure were posted on the well-known Chinese microblogging website Weibo.
Many Weibo users saw the bear’s erect stance and folds of loose fur on its back, which gave the bear an unusual appearance and stoked rumours that a human imposter might be passing as the real thing.
It can seem like a ridiculous gambit. Zoos in China, however, have faced backlash in the past for attempting to pass off domestic pets like dogs as wild animals.
A local zoo in the Henan province’s central region infuriated tourists in 2013 by attempting to pass off a Tibetan Mastiff dog as a lion. When they heard the “lion” bark, visitors who had just entered the enclosure were startled.
A golden retriever was seen sitting in a cage marked as an African lion habitat, shocking visitors at another Chinese zoo in Sichuan province.
The smallest bear species in the world, sun bears are indigenous to Southeast Asia’s tropical forests. According to scientists, adult bears can reach heights of up to 70 centimetres (28 inches) and weigh between 25 and 65 kilogrammes (55 and 143 pounds).
In addition to not hibernating, they have long tongues that enable them gather honey from bee hives and amber-colored crescent-shaped fur patches on their chests, giving them the moniker “beruang madu” (honey bear) in Malaysia and Indonesia.
According to conservation organisations like the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSCC) in Sabah, Malaysia, their numbers in the wild are under threat from poachers and deforestation and have decreased by 35% over the previous three decades.
District Chief Executive (DCE) of Bosome Freho District Assembly in the Ashanti Region, Yaw Danso, has been removed from his position.
Reports indicate he was dismissed on July 31, 2023, over his alleged involvement in galamsey.
Yaw Danso was suspended in October 2022 after being accused of involvement in illegal small-scale mining activities, commonly known as galamsey. The investigation into these allegations was initiated in response to an audio recording that purportedly linked him to galamsey activities.
Following Yaw Danso’s suspension, the Assembly members of Bosome Freho urged the presidency to carry out additional investigations into the allegations. In response, President Akufo-Addo organized a special meeting with Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) and invited Yaw Danso to present his defense during the meeting.
Subsequently, after conducting the investigations, it was determined that the allegations against Yaw Danso were substantiated, leading to the decision to dismiss him from his role as the District Chief Executive.
According to the report, the decision to remove him was communicated by the Minister of Local Government, Rural Development, and Decentralisation, Dan Botwe, to the Ashanti Regional Minister.
The dismissal letter stated, “His Excellency the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has relieved the chief executive of the Bosome Freho District Assembly, Mr. Yaw Danso, of his position with immediate effect.” The letter emphasized that the decision was prompted by the serious allegations of illegal mining against Yaw Danso.
In line with constitutional and legislative provisions, President Akufo-Addo has nominated Kofi Adu Amoateng as the new Chief Executive of the Bosome Freho District Assembly. The nomination is subject to confirmation by the regional Electoral Commission, as required by the relevant procedures.
Ghanaian artiste Lasmid did not have the best of nights at the 24th Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA).
It has been almost three months since the incident, but the artiste is still open about his performance on the day that was marred by technical difficulties.
According to Lasmid, the incident was basically a day gone bad as things did not go as planned.
“So I climbed that stage, I did my best. We wanted the best in our minds to come out so everyone can say the boy has put in work. It didn’t come like that,” he stated on Metro TV’s Entertainment Review.
During the 24th Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA), Lasmid emerged victorious, securing the prestigious awards for Best Hiplife Song and Best New Artiste, marking a significant achievement in his musical journey. However, despite his triumphs, his performance on the stage was met with intense criticism.
Lasmid, feeling disheartened and dissatisfied with his own performance, expressed his disappointment in himself.
China will impose export restrictions on drones and drone equipment to “safeguard national security and interests,” according to a statement made by the country’s commerce ministry on Monday. This decision may have an impact on the situation in Ukraine.
Vendors will need to request approval to export specific drone engines, lasers, imaging, communications, and radar equipment due to the equipment restrictions. The restrictions, which go into effect on September 1, also apply to consumer-grade drones that meet particular requirements.
An unnamed ministry representative issued an internet statement banning the export of any civilian drones not covered by the regulations for military use.
The statement added that China has “consistently opposed the use of civilian drones for military purposes” and that its “modest expansion of the scope of drone control this time is an important measure to demonstrate its commitment as a responsible major country to implement global security initiatives and maintain world peace.”
As Moscow wages war on its neighbour, drones have become a more prevalent component of modern warfare, being used by both Russia and Ukraine. During the conflict, civilian drones that could be modified or used for military purposes have also gained attention.
CNN discovered proof of an armed, downed Chinese-made drone earlier this year that had been deployed to target Ukrainian military.
It was their airframe, the manufacturer, Mugin Limited, said CNN, calling the situation “deeply unfortunate.”
The devices are referred to as “Alibaba drones” by some tech journalists since they can be purchased for up to $15,000 on Chinese marketplace websites like Alibaba and Taobao.
China has a substantial domestic drone manufacturing business and exports drones to many nations, including the United States.
A report created by the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence, which claimed that as of March, China “had shipped more than $12 million in drones and drone parts” to Russia, was published last week. The report cited a “third-party analysis” of Russian customs data and stated that China had exported more than $12 million in drones and drone parts to Russia.
The paper, headed “Support Provided by the People’s Republic of China to Russia” and dated 2023, mostly bases its assertions on information from open sources and news coverage from Western media.
The report mentions shipments of “dual-use” equipment but does not say if the alleged drone shipments were utilised in combat.
Friday, a representative for China’s Foreign Ministry denied the claim, stating that Beijing’s collaboration with Moscow “does not target any third party.”
In a statement released in April, the Commerce Ministry refuted claims that China was aiding Russia militarily by exporting drones to the front lines, labelling media reports of such behaviour as “deliberate smears.”
A spokeswoman stated that some Chinese civilian drone businesses had also “taken the initiative to suspend their operations in conflict areas” since the “crisis” in Ukraine started. This was due to China’s limitations on specific drones, which barred them from being used for “non-peaceful purposes,” the spokesperson added.
Chinese leaders have long been cautioned by Western officials not to financially back the Russian war. Beijing has maintained its diplomatic and financial backing for Moscow despite claiming neutrality in the war.
However, there are “ongoing concerns” that Chinese companies may be giving Russia technology that could “advance its aggression in Ukraine,” according to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who stated in June that Washington had “received assurances from China that it is not and will not provide lethal assistance to Russia for use in Ukraine.”
The measures also come amid high-tech export restrictions between the United States and China as a result of growing worries in Washington about the threat Beijing poses to its national security.
China claimed that its new policies, which were unveiled on Monday, do not target “any specific” nation.
Henry Gao, a law professor at Singapore Management University, claims that the limitations are an addition to the drone export prohibitions Beijing has already put in place for the better part of the last 20 years.
In recent years, “especially since the US-China trade war,” China has also placed restrictions on the grounds of national security, he claimed.
The additional actions would “further exacerbate US-China tensions and make it harder for businesses in both countries to do business,” Gao continued.
According to two US lawmakers, the largest drone manufacturer in the world, DJI, which is based in Shenzhen, makes more than 50% of the drones marketed in the US. US public safety agencies like DJI models. They proposed legislation earlier this year that would prevent the firm from using the communications infrastructure in the US.
The US implemented broad rules last year that prevent Chinese corporations from acquiring sophisticated semiconductors and chip-making machinery without a licence. Beijing implemented export restrictions on two components necessary for the production of semiconductors last month. The restrictions start on August 1.
Already, drones are a factor in US-China tensions.
In 2021, the US added DJI to a list of companies to avoid investing in because of allegations that the company assisted in the mistreatment of Uyghur Muslims and other racial and religious minorities in China’s Xinjiang region.
The business was prohibited from acquiring American technology since it was already on the US Entity List. DJI vehemently denied doing anything to earn a spot on the list.
Following the ministry’s announcement on Tuesday, DJI posted a statement to its website in which it declared that it had never created or marketed any technology for military use and that it would “actively cooperate” with the new export control regulations.
The residents of Gomoa Potsin have expressed deep concern and fear over the escalating criminal activities in the area, urging the authorities to take immediate action to address the situation.
The urgency for intervention was sparked by a harrowing incident where a 14-year-old boy, Philip Dadzie, a JHS 2 student at Gomoa Potsin D/A Junior High School, was brutally attacked by unknown assailants while jogging on the Potsin-Dominase stretch.
The attackers, riding on a motorcycle, approached the victim under the pretense of seeking directions, but shockingly launched a vicious assault on him, inflicting deep machete wounds.
Eyewitnesses who spotted the victim after the attack immediately raised an alarm, leading to his rescue and subsequent treatment at the Gomoa Potsin Polyclinic.
Due to the severity of his injuries, Philip Dadzie was later transferred to Accra’s 37 Military Hospital, where he is currently fighting for his life, especially due to a severe head wound.
Residents in the region are alarmed by the disturbing trend of such attacks and assert that they live in constant fear for their safety.
They also express concerns about the limited resources available to the local police, hindering their ability to effectively combat crime in the area.
As a result, the community is urging for improvements and reforms to address the rising crime rate. Jerry Kwaku, along with the medical superintendent at the Gomoa Potsin Polyclinic, Vlad Nkegbe, lamented the surge in similar assaults, highlighting that the clinic has treated multiple victims of attacks by unknown perpetrators, further emphasizing the urgent need for comprehensive measures to ensure the safety and security of the residents.
Cassiel Ato Forson, the Minority Leader in Parliament, has opined that the Finance Minister cannot take certain expenditure decisions unilaterally without Parliament’s approval.
Even though the minister noted in the 2023 budget that wages and salaries would not increase, he believes otherwise.
During the minister’s mid-year budget review statement, Ato Forson made the case in parliament.
He said: “I am of the view that if the minister of Finance is varying any expenditure line downwards there is the need for parliament to approve it. We know for a fact that the budget was prepared with the note that the government was not going to increase wages and salaries.
“Mr. Speaker, subsequently, government increased salaries and wages. It means that the mid-year review the minister is presenting today will include an increase in the compensation line. He can’t do it unilaterally; parliament will need to give him permission,” he noted.
The Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta is currently presenting the 2023 mid-year budget review to Parliament on Monday, July 31, 2023.
The presentation of the mid-year budget review statement is conducted in full compliance with the provisions of the Public Financial Management Act 2016, which grants the Minister of Finance the responsibility to present this review of the budget statement on the Economic Policy of the Government of Ghana for the fiscal year.
This process serves as an important platform through which the government can communicate its economic advancements and developments to both the House and the general public. Furthermore, it offers an opportunity to outline any essential modifications to budgetary allocations and policies, allowing for transparency and accountability in the nation’s financial management and decision-making processes.
Member of Parliament (MP) representing Asante Akim North constituency, Andy Kwame Appiah-Kubi, has initiated legal action against the assemblyman of the Obuasi Electoral Area, Enoch Sarfo Asiedu for defamation.
The lawsuit, filed at a Kumasi High Court, seeks a declaration that certain statements made by the defendant on a local radio station were defamatory and have negatively affected the MP’s image and reputation.
The 17-point statement of claim, presented by Kwasi Asokwa-Boateng of Appiah-Kubi & Associates of Nhyira Chambers, highlights that the defendant used offensive Twi language against the MP during a program on Salt FM radio on April 12, 2023, resulting in alleged damage to the MP’s political standing.
The MP contends that the defendant’s statements were made with malicious intent and is thus requesting the court to order a retraction of the statements and an apology. Moreover, Andy Appiah-Kubi is demanding GHȼ1 million in damages to address the harm caused to his reputation.
However, during a court hearing on July 28, 2023, the MP failed to appear, leading to the court imposing a GHȼ1,000 cost against him. The case has been adjourned to October 19, 2023.
Following the court proceedings, approximately 50 young individuals, holding placards, congregated at the court complex premises to express their dissatisfaction with how they believe their MP has neglected constituents’ calls for accountability. Some of the placards called into question the utilization of the Common Fund and demanded development in the Asante Akim-North constituency.
A woman who was under the influence of drugs attempted to remove her wisdom teeth and died.
In July of last year, Kiera Kent, 29, passed away at her house in St. Ive, close to Liskeard.
At a recent inquest, it was revealed that Ms. Kent, a mother of five, had long struggled with tooth problems before the tragic night she took the medicine.
DC provides proof According to Lindsay Cork, Ms. Kent’s mouth had scrapes and abrasions consistent with her pulling at her own flesh, according to the post-mortem report.
The injuries, which were deemed severe, also demonstrated that she had put her hand in her mouth while attempting to take her teeth out.
Liam Crabtree, Ms. Kent’s partner, had called the police because he was worried about her “bizarre and erratic” attitude, according to DC Cork.
Acute behaviour disturbance following cocaine use was listed as the official cause of death for Ms. Kent. This could have worsened a chemical imbalance already present in her body, which could have had fatal consequences.
According to a police report read aloud during the inquest, Ms. Kent and Mr. Crabtree hosted friends for a cookout the day before she passed away.
Ms. Kent took the medication and then walked upstairs. When she failed to return, Mr. Crabtree became worried. He went looking for her and found her laying on the bed covered in blood.
When Mr. Crabtree phoned the police, they came and asked for an ambulance, which they claimed took a long time to come.
Following that, officers handcuffed Ms. Kent in an effort to prevent her from hurting herself any more.
Prior to paramedics showing up and announcing her dead, the police gave her CPR for around 30 minutes after she stopped breathing.
During the hearing, assistant coroner for Cornwall Guy Davies remarked, “[The police] found Kiera in an extremely disturbed state, covered in blood, with injuries to the red raw skin on her hands from being put into her mouth. To attempt and preserve her life, [they] bravely struggled.
Kiera was a loving mother of five beautiful children, according to a fundraising campaign created by the family. Everybody here will sadly miss her.
The centre of our family’s existence was Kiera. One who was so nice to everyone she knew.
In order to increase funds for carbon capture, the government has awarded hundreds of new oil and gas licences in the North Sea.
In advance of his visit to Aberdeenshire later today, Rishi Sunak made the announcement.
Additionally, he declared that the Acorn carbon capture project would receive millions of pounds in support and stressed the importance of enhancing our energy security.
The Government promised to invest up to £20 billion in early carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) deployment, and the Acorn project and the Viking project in the Humber are now receiving support.
These projects are now the third and fourth of their kind to receive government support.
Future licencing will still be subject to a climate compatibility test, according to the government and the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA).
Greta Thunberg and other environmental activists, however, are already adamant that the Rosebank oil and gas field, which is located to the west of Shetland, should not be developed.
To have new licencing rounds, Mr. Sunak argued, was “absolutely the right thing to do.”
Shell UK and other businesses collaborated on the project.
“We have all seen how Putin has manipulated and weaponized energy, disrupting supply and stalling growth in nations all over the world,” Rishi Sunak said in a statement.
More than ever, it’s crucial that we increase our energy security and take advantage of our independence to provide British households and companies with more reasonably priced, clean energy.
Even when we reach net zero in 2050, oil and gas will still provide a fifth of our energy demands. However, some people want it to originate from adversarial nations rather than our own resources.
Instead of relying on more carbon-intensive petrol imports from abroad, “We’re choosing to power up Britain from Britain and invest in crucial industries such as carbon capture and storage, which will support thousands of skilled jobs, unlock further opportunities for green technologies and grow the economy,” the statement reads.
According to Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps, the commitment to new oil and gas licences will “drive forward our energy independence and our economy for generations.”
Our energy security is more crucial than ever in the wake of Putin’s heinous invasion of Ukraine, according to Mr. Shapps.
In order to prevent dictators like Putin from ever again using energy as a tool to blackmail us, the North Sea is at the centre of our strategy to power up Britain entirely from within the country.
“Today’s decision to move forward with new oil and gas licences will advance our economy and energy independence for generations.”
providing a domestic fuel for our economy that, for domestic gas production, has about one-fourth the carbon footprint of imported liquefied natural gas while maintaining vital jobs in every region of the UK.
As we carry out our aim of expanding the economy, “our next steps to develop carbon capture and storage, in Scotland and the Humber, will also help to build a thriving new industry for our North Sea that could support as many as 50,000 jobs.”
According to Downing Street, Mr. Sunak would use the trip to call Scotland the “cornerstone” of the government’s plans for energy security.
Additionally, No. 10 gave the impression that the PM would be expected to emphasise initiatives to “boost the capability” of the North Sea industry in the move to net zero.
Amid a government focus on the problem, Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps will also meet with leading executives from the oil and gas, renewable energy and nuclear businesses over the course of the week.
After Mr. Sunak had been criticised for days on worries that the government’s commitment to important net zero initiatives and environmental promises was waning, the focus has now turned to British energy projects.
Some Tory MPs have argued for a change in the Government to draw a new line with Labour in light of the party’s victory in the Uxbridge by-election, which was motivated by resentment over London’s ultra-low emission zone (Ulez).
Although Sir Keir Starmer has previously stated that a Labour administration would not interfere with current licences, the party would prohibit new North Sea oil and gas drilling.
“Every family and business is paying the price, in higher energy bills, of 13 years of failed Tory energy policy,” said Ed Miliband, the shadow climate minister.
“It is ludicrous that the Conservative Party is urging the public to think they can solve it after leaving our country so exposed.
And it’s telling that Rishi Sunak veers frantically towards a culture war on climate change to placate his divided party, losing track of what he believes from day to day, depending on which faction he’s met with. While Labour focuses on lower costs and good jobs.
It’s a bad way to run a government, and it costs the working class.
However, Mr. Sunak and his ministers have emphasised the necessity of using the fossil fuel resources of the North Sea, particularly in light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Climate activists are alarmed by these actions, and the government is already up against opposition to any development of Rosebank, an area 80 miles to the northwest of the Shetland Islands.
In an apparent effort to secure motorist support for the Conservatives, the prime minister ordered a review of the deployment of low-traffic districts, which raised concerns about his environmental credentials over the weekend.
The Financial Times also reported that the Government was moving to alter the UK’s post-Brexit carbon trading regime, giving companies additional allowances and making it less expensive to pollute.
‘We’ve taken substantial steps to increase the ambition of the UK Emission Trading Scheme, and recently announced a reduction in the cap of 30% – to bring the scheme in line with our net zero aspirations,’ a spokesperson for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said.
“We want to ensure a seamless transition to the net zero cap, giving the market and participants time to adapt, while ensuring that the strength of overall ambition is not affected,” the statement reads.
After some backbenchers encouraged Mr Sunak to revisit the timeframe for the 2030 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles, not all Conservative MPs want the Prime Minister to soften net zero pledges.
“To take the chance of frying the planet is not conservative.” Senior Conservative lawmaker Damian Green stated on Sunday’s Westminster Hour on BBC Radio 4 that “if you fry the planet you’ve got nothing to conserve.”
Only a few hours after announcing a large number of North Sea oil and gas licences, Rishi Sunak has once more defended his use of a private aircraft.
The prime minister has long been under fire for using a private jet to travel throughout the UK, with detractors pointing out that environmentally friendly transportation was frequently an option.
Sunak has taken a variety of trips, including a helicopter flight to Dover (followed by an hour-long train ride), three private plane flights in a 10-day period, and a private jet flight from London to Blackpool.
Private aircraft cause up to 14 times more pollution than commercial aircraft and consume more fuel than those aircraft.
Sunak, however, stated that he will travel to Scotland today to announce money for a carbon capture and storage project during a tense and difficult interview with the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland today.
I’ll be flying as usual since that’s the best use of my time, he declared.
The Tory leader claimed that individuals who were critical of him for using a private jet as the climate issue grew wanted to outlaw “holidays.”
If you or others believe that stopping people from doing anything is the best way to combat climate change, he continued, “I mean, I think that’s absolutely the wrong approach.”
Sunak took a private flight this afternoon to St Fergus, a small community near Peterhead, where the Acorn carbon capture project in the North Sea will be presented.
While some of Sunak’s private jet travel is funded by government dollars, it is also well known that Tory contributors pay the tab.
Given how “efficient,” he said, travelling by plane to St. Fergus is what prime leaders before him have long done.
Sunak continued, “But if your approach to tackling climate change is to say no one should travel, I think you are completely and utterly wrong. That is absolutely not the approach to tackling climate change.”
The transition will be aided by new technologies like carbon capture and storage, thus we are investing in sustainable aviation fuel.
Sunak asserted earlier today that the UK will give hundreds of additional oil and gas licences and that the country requires fossil fuels.
Despite the fact that the objective has been codified into law, he asserted, “Even when we reach net zero in 2050, a quarter of our energy needs will still come from oil and gas.”
According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), roughly six in ten Britons express concern about climate change.
The Conservatives have fought against green initiatives including low-emission zones and low-traffic districts while questioning some of Britain’s emission reduction targets.
The UK “has lost its clear global leadership position on climate action,” according to the Climate Change Committee, an independent advisory body to the government.
According to a study by the European Association for clean transport Transport & Environment, private jets are 50 times more polluting than railroads and 14 times more polluting than commercial planes per passenger.
A single private jet may produce two tonnes of CO2 in just one hour. An typical trip in one emits roughly the same amount of greenhouse gas emissions as driving a petrol vehicle 16 times the length of the UK, or around 860 miles, from Paris to Rome.
While the annual CO2 production of the average person is around seven metric tonnes.
In all, Greenpeace discovered in March that private aircraft emissions have skyrocketed in Europe, totaling 5,300,000 tonnes of CO2 over the previous three years.
This is a little bit more what Uganda, a nation with over 46,000,000 people, generates in a year.
British environmental policy, according to Oliver Sidorczuk, co-director of Zero Hour, the cross-party campaign for the Climate & Ecology Bill, is at best ‘poor’ even as climate change worsens.
After the hottest summer on record, the UK Government should be accelerating the transition to a zero-carbon, environmentally beneficial future rather than approving additional oil, gas and coal initiatives, said he.
Sunak must work with other world leaders to present a “people-powered plan to reverse nature’s decline,” which will help to reduce rising fuel prices and generate green jobs.
‘This should be Rishi Sunak’s top concern,’ Sidorczuk continued, ‘and possibly something for him to think about during his next helicopter or private jet trip.’
Manslaughter charges have been brought against a lady in relation to the death of an 11-year-old girl in London.
On December 11, 2021, Fatiha Sabrin was discovered unconscious at a residence in Shadwell’s Sutton Street. She passed away that same day at the hospital.
Jesmin Akter, 33, of Sutton Street, Shadwell, was also charged with importing a controlled substance, according to theMetropolitan Police.
On Tuesday, August 22, she is scheduled to appear in court at Thames Magistrates.
The charge has been disclosed to her family, who are still receiving assistance from family liaison staff.
The charge comes after a detective investigation by the Specialist Crime Command of the Metropolitan Police.
After Putin approved plans for a vast network of private militias on domestic turf, the leader of the Wagner mercenary company halted recruiting.
The creation of “specialised companies” to “ensure public safety” and defend Russia’s borders is now permitted thanks to new rules that the Kremlin discreetly approved last week.
Officials have not specified what responsibilities specifically will be assigned to mercenaries or why they are required in addition to Russia‘s territorial army and national guard.
However, the Russian president recently made a suggestion that he wants to alter the status of the numerous private military firms that operate in Russia but are not “legally existing.”
Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of Wagner who led thousands of his men on a failed mutiny march against Moscow last month, has not publicly replied to the proposals.
However, he seemed to go out of his way in an audio message shared on Telegram to make it clear that Wagner is not beefing up its soldiers in the wake of the incident.
The 62-year-old oligarch acknowledged that the majority of the Wagner forces are currently “on vacation” and that the remainder will train in Belarus or participate in ongoing projects in Africa.
He emphasised that Wagner is moving on to its “next tasks,” which are “becoming more and more clearly drawn,” although he made no mention of any new contracts.
Prigozhin continued, “We do not want to conduct a new recruiting as long as we do not have a shortfall in employees.
However, if you stay in touch with us, we’ll be very thankful, and we’ll start recruiting as soon as the Motherland needs to form a new (extra) group to be able to defend our nation’s interests.
The greatness of Russia “will be upheld” in the execution of any future Wagner missions, he continued.
Wagner’s military skill and Prigozhin’s popularity among his men have provided Putin, who is often ruthless in putting down dissent, with a difficult issue.
The remarks made by Prigozhin might have been an attempt to reassure Putin that he is no longer a danger.
However, they could also be a subliminal attempt to signal to Moscow that he still has the support of both his troops and the Russian people more than the president.
Only a few of his soldiers chose to enlist in the regular Russian army, a choice that was provided to them as part of the agreement to put an end to the coup, according to Prigozhin.
He described the situation as “unfortunate,” although this may have been little more than lip service to avoid upsetting the Kremlin.
According to reports, the mutineers were motivated by a string of military gaffes attributed to inept Russian generals, including rumours of unintentional friendly-fire missile strikes against Wagner outposts close to the front line.
After Russia’s military leaders’ progress in Ukraine stalled, Prigozhin criticised them more and more harshly.
He made the ouster of Valery Gerasimov, the chief of the military staff, and Sergei Shoigu, the minister of defence, the centrepiece of his uprising.
Prigozhin may be implying that Wagner still rules the mercenary world in Russia by publicly stating that Wagner warriors are still averse to fighting for Putin’s generals.
Putin claimed earlier this month that because Russia lacks a legislation governing private military enterprises, Wagner “does not exist” legally. He made this claim to a reporter for the Russian newspaper Kommersant on Thursday.
His ministries and the Duma, the Russian parliament, would discuss new legislation on the subject.
The Duma’s defence committee said on Tuesday that new regulations raising the military service age include “amendments” that “provide for a legal mechanism” on private military firms controlled by state officials.
The action is intended to strengthen Russia’s domestic security without producing another Wagner, claims Karolina Hird, a Russia researcher at the Institute for the Study of War.
According to Ms. Hird, “They’re trying to balance these two competing but extremely crucial security requirements.”
And that’s why it’s necessary to develop a militarised entity similar to Wagner but architecturally extremely different from Wagner, as Wagner’s design was essentially a byproduct of the security threat it ultimately posed to the Russian state.
However, these organisations cannot be so centralised and strong that they develop into their own Wagner organisation and then represent a threat to the Russian state similar to what Wagner did during the uprising. “They need these kinds of entities to fill certain law enforcement and security roles in Russian regions.”
Experts have warned that if the Kremlin tries to enlist additional reserve soldiers or civilians for its invasion, the new armed organisations may also put an end to protests by regular Russian citizens.
A horrific collision involving two cars and a van in northern France claimed the life of a British woman.
One of the three people who perished on the A26, south of Lens, has been identified as Miriam Posen, a resident of the Orthodox Jewish neighbourhood of Stamford Hill, London.
Her two girls and their father were hurt in the collision and are undergoing medical attention, according to the Jewish Chronicle.
The mother of ten was reportedly travelling with seven family members when the incident occurred.
Seven Britons were reportedly inside the van when the crash occurred last night shortly after 6 o’clock, according to the local media.
Children are among those who were injured, according to an emergency services representative.
They said, “One of the three vehicles involved in the crash was a van with a British family of seven people on board.”
Along with two other passengers in another car, a 40-year-old British woman perished instantaneously.
The remaining travellers, who ranged in age from six to 48, were transferred to hospitals in Arras and Cambrai.
It has been determined that two people who were riding in one of the cars—a 75-year-old woman and a 45-year-old man—died.
A 79-year-old man who is in a “critical condition” and a 14-year-old boy who were the other two occupants in this vehicle.
Three children, the youngest of whom was six years old, were among the four occupants in the third car at the time of the collision.
Soon after, 60 firefighters and other emergency services rushed to the area.
The collision occurred between the towns of Neuville-Saint-Vaast and Thélus on a stretch of the highway when construction was being done on the roads.
‘We are in contact with the local authorities following a road traffic accident in France and have given our assistance to the family,’ an FCDO representative stated.
A small plane made a stunning crash landing in front of stunned beachgoers in the US state of New Hampshire, then somersaulted into the water.
The aeroplane is captured in a video taken by one of the people enjoying themselves on Hampton Beach on Saturday as it slowly approaches the sea before flipping over its own nose.
Just after noon, emergency personnel were sent to the location where they discovered the car bobbing around 30 yards (27 metres) offshore.
The pilot was helped out of the sea by New Hampshire State Lifeguards, who were unharmed. There was no one else on the aircraft with them.
The cause of the collision was not immediately apparent.
The aeroplane was flying a flag, however it was not specified what it said, according to local TV news station WMUR.
According to Liane McNamara, a local woman who has been recording her brother on the beach, the incident occurred just outside of where people were swimming.
Some individuals asked, “Is this a joke?,” she continued. Is it an act? It seemed quite bizarre. Even now, it seems absurd.
According to the newspaper, Eugene Grey, a local businessman and owner of Sky Lines Banners & Biplanes, owned the aircraft.
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) stated it would conduct an inquiry, according to Hampton Fire & Rescue.
Deputy Fire Chief William Paine came to the incident and stayed there until the FAA Investigator arrived and cleared the area, according to a statement.
The owner of the property was given the plane once more by an FAA investigator.
This morning at Myrtle Beach in South Carolina, a second banner plane crashed into the ocean further along the east coast.
The pilot was brought to a local hospital for medical attention.
Two guys tore up and set fire to the Quran outside the Stockholm parliament today.
In a video that went viral online that Metro has opted not to publish, Salwan Momika and Salwan Najem, who are both of Iraqi heritage, are seen trampling on the book before lighting it on fire.
The largest mosque in Sweden‘s capital city and the Iraqi embassy both hosted comparable protests this summer.
This is the most recent protest demonstration that the police have authorised in recent weeks, angering Muslim nations.
The two protesters were ready to burn the sacred scripture
In his application to the force, Mr. Najem stated, “I want to protest in front of Sweden’s parliament and demand that the Quran be banned.”
The two men were the only protestors, as they had been at previous demonstrations; a small number of counter-protesters had gathered outside the police barrier.
Although multiple applications for anti-Quran rallies were turned down, courts overturned those judgements, claiming they violated the right to free speech.
Due to earlier protests, Sweden’s diplomatic ties with several Middle Eastern countries have already become strained.
Denmark is thinking about outlawing the burning of the Quran or other religious literature due to security and diplomatic reasons after recent far-right actions.
If it is determined that such protests will have “significant negative consequences for the country, not least with regard to security,” the Danish government said on Sunday that it will look for a “legal tool” to enable authorities to interfere.
Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said today that “we are signalling both in Denmark and abroad that we are working on it will hopefully help de-escalate the problems we are facing.”
We don’t feel compelled to act in this way, but rather because our political analysis shows that it is in everyone’s best interests.
“We shouldn’t just wait for this to blow up,” someone said.
Separately, this month the Swedish government announced that it was also looking into a related option.
Right-wing parties have opposed the plans in both nations, with some arguing that free speech cannot be restricted.
Tobias Billstrom, Sweden’s foreign minister, claimed to have written to each of the 57 members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to clarify Sweden’s freedom to assemble and denounce Islamophobic behaviour.
54 people were killed in a suicide attack in Pakistan, and Islamic State has taken responsibility for it.
At a pro-Taliban cleric’s Sunday election gathering, a bomb exploded.
The blast injured close to 200 individuals.
Earlier today, hordes of mourners carried colourfully draped coffins to graveyards.
In a statement posted to its Amaq website, IS, also known as the Islamic State in Khorasan Province, claimed responsibility for the bombing.
It claimed that the attack was a part of the group’s ongoing campaign against democratic ideals that it sees as hostile to Islam.
There were at least five children among those murdered in the explosion.
The attack seems to be a reflection of differences among various Islamist organisations. In the Afghan bordering province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the groups are very active.
The Jamiat Ulema Islam party, which has ties to the Afghan and Pakistani Taliban, was the target of the bombing.
Four persons were killed on Monday when an Indian railway security guard opened fire on a train that was travelling through the western state of Maharashtra, according to a Western Railway official.
Around 6 a.m. local time (8:30 p.m. ET Sunday), the event happened aboard a passenger train running between Jaipur and Mumbai, the spokeswoman said on camera for the Indian news agency Asian News International.
The spokesman said that constable Chetan Kumar of the Railway Protection Force killed his coworker and three other passengers.
Three other passengers were also shot during the incident, according to the spokeswoman. “A constable, Chetan Kumar, opened fire on his colleague Tikaram Meena.”
The spokeswoman added that he pulled the alarm and jumped off the train before being apprehended by authorities.
The spokeswoman stated that an investigation is ongoing and that the cause of the incident is “yet to be established.”
The passenger list is still being used to identify the victims, he continued.
Neeraj Kumar, the divisional railway manager, informed reporters that the families are being contacted and that the next of kin will receive compensation.
Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has revealed that the government’s efforts to address the effects of COVID-19 and the prevailing economic difficulties have successfully stabilised exchange rates, moderated inflation, and reduced interest rates.
During his presentation, the Finance Minister attributed the accomplishments to the government’s ongoing fiscal adjustments.
He indicated that these fiscal adjustments have significantly improved the ailing economy.
“Mr. Speaker, the implementation of ongoing fiscal adjustments and sustained investments in our people have contributed immensely to the stabilisation we are seeing in the economy. Exchange rate has stabilised, inflation has softened, and interest rates have declined since December 2022, and private investments have been announced due to increased investor confidence in our economy.”
He intimated that he and the government remain committed to working to sustain the improvement in the economy to ensure that prices of goods and services are within the budget of citizens.
“Ordinarily, Mr. Speaker, these positive trends should ease the burden on our pockets. As a Finance Minister and a family man myself, I will continue to work hard to build and sustain a favourable macroeconomic environment, and remain confident that the prices of goods and services would reflect the trend for all of us – for our families and enterprises.”
Mr. Ofori-Atta further hailed the government’s domestic debt exchange programme which he said provided “the government with increased fiscal flexibility and addressed cash and other liquidity constraints. Once again, we are grateful to all investors who participated in this exchange.”
Minority Leader, Cassiel Ato Forson, has strongly denied the assertions made by Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta during the 2023 Mid-Year Budget review, rejecting the notion that Ghana has “turned the corner” amidst the considerable challenges experienced by the nation over the past three years.
In a passionate retort, Forson accused the minister of exacerbating the country’s difficulties instead.
During his address in Parliament following the finance minister’s statement, the Minority leader expressed his dissatisfaction, stating, “Mr Speaker, the minister should refrain from claiming that he has turned the corner; instead, he has exacerbated our challenges.”
What Ken Ofori-Atta said:
During the presentation of the 2023 Mid-Year Budget Review in Parliament, Ofori-Atta had remarked, “We have avoided the unimaginable, but what could have been so easily possible under different leadership circumstances.”
Highlighting the multitude of adversities faced by the nation, the finance minister continued, “Mr. Speaker, it is no exaggeration to say we cannot find another period in our history where so many different headwinds hit our economy at the same time with unrelenting speed and scale. Thankfully, as the numbers are beginning to show and as many Hon. Members of the House have indicated to me in our engagements, we have, together as a nation, turned the corner…”
He further added, “… With a lot of effort, we have managed to avoid empty shop shelves for medicines and other essentials; we have seen no shortages of food; we have been spared the frustrating spectre of long queues for fuel at our filling stations; and, we have managed, in spite of all the challenges, to keep the lights on.”
Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta‘s presentation of the 2023 Mid-Year Budget Review in Parliament has faced strong criticism from Isaac Adongo, the Ranking Member of the Finance Committee. Adongo characterized the presentation as akin to a “funeral dirge.”
During a press briefing held after the minister’s statement, Adongo expressed his dissatisfaction with the presentation, even revealing that he had to rouse some fellow members of the House to pay attention to Ofori-Atta’s speech.
“We all listened to the funeral dirge; at some point, I had to wake them to listen to Ken Ofori-Atta,” said Isaac Adongo, highlighting the lackluster nature of the finance minister’s address.
The Public Financial Management Act 2016 mandates that Ken Ofori Atta must appear before the House to deliver the mid-year budget review statement.
Under the provisions of the Act, it is the responsibility of the Minister of Finance to present the mid-year review of the budget statement on the Economic Policy of the Government of Ghana for the fiscal year.
Ghanaian hiplife musician Okyeame Kwame known as Ghana’s “Rap Doctor,” was presented with an honour by the United States ambassador to Ghana, Virginia Palmer, on July 28, 2023, which was World Hepatitis Day.
The recognition was proudly shared on the ‘USA Embassy Ghana’ Twitter page, lauding Okyeame Kwame’s unwavering dedication and collaboration with the National Black Nurses Association, USA, in the fight against Hepatitis B in Ghana.
Using his artistic platform, Okyeame Kwame has been a driving force for inspiring a healthier world. The embassy was delighted to welcome him and his team on the day preceding World Hepatitis Day. Expressing gratitude for the acknowledgment, Okyeame Kwame responded to the tweet, thanking the ambassador for her support in the global campaign against hepatitis.
For the past 14 years, Okyeame Kwame, alongside MDS LANCET Laboratories, has served as the Hepatitis ambassador, leading the charge against this disease even amidst the challenges posed by the Covid-19 lockdown.
His commitment is exemplified through his tireless efforts in organizing free screening and vaccination campaigns. He continues to advocate passionately for this cause, underscoring the urgency with the hashtag #HepCantWait, and passionately urging everyone to strive for a world with #nohep.
Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has announced that the government is in the final stages of implementing Phase II of the Planting for Food and Jobs (PfJ) initiative.
He made the remarks during the 2023 Mid-Year Budget Review.
“Mr Speaker, Planting for Food and Jobs has brought substantial improvements in Ghana’s agriculture sector. This has resulted in increased food security, employment along agricultural value chains, and accessibility of raw materials for developing industries. The programme has directly contributed to increased crop yields for major food staples such as maize, rice, and soya by 135 percent, 67 percent and 18 percent respectively within the period.
He further noted that the second phase comes with a focus on Storage and Distribution Infrastructure, Commodity Trading, etc.
“After a comprehensive review, the Government is finalising PfJ Phase II to ensure a more efficient and targeted support for the agricultural sector. The key elements of Phase II are Inputs Credit System, Storage and Distribution Infrastructure, Commodity Trading and Digitised Platform
“Planting for Food and Jobs” (PFJ) is an agricultural intervention program initiated by the Ghanaian government under the leadership of President Akufo-Addo. The program was launched in 2017 with the primary objective of increasing food production, ensuring food security, and creating employment opportunities in the agricultural sector.
The Planting for Food and Jobs program targets smallholder farmers and seeks to address challenges such as low crop productivity, post-harvest losses, and limited access to improved farming inputs and technologies.
Through the program, the government aims to improve the livelihoods of farmers, enhance agricultural productivity, and reduce the country’s dependence on food imports.
Earlier this month, President Akufo-Addo announced that the government is gearing up to advance its pioneering agriculture initiative, “Planting for Food and Jobs,” to the second phase.
He made this known during his address at the 4th European Corporate Council on Africa and the Middle East in Italy.
In the upcoming phase of the program, there will be greater involvement from the private sector, with a specific focus on attracting more youth participation in the agricultural sector.
Speaking at the 4th European Corporate Council on Africa and the Middle East in Italy, President Akufo-Addo emphasised Ghana’s successful attainment of food security through the program and stressed the importance of transitioning from import subsidies to an import credit scheme.
This transition is expected to drive greater investment and development in the agricultural value chain, ultimately boosting productivity and production in the sector.
Former France Ambassador to Ghana, Anne Sophie Avé, recently expressed her admiration for Ghanaian musicians on social media, praising their remarkable contributions in representing the country globally. In a tweet, she commended their outstanding achievements and even suggested that they should be recognized with diplomatic passports as an honor for their exceptional efforts in promoting Ghana on the world stage.
Among the talented artists whom she commended are some of Ghana’s most celebrated names in the music industry, including Sarkodie, Stonebwoy, Black Sherif, Shatta Wale, R2Bees, and King Promise. Anne Sophie Avé’s recognition highlights their significant contributions to Ghana’s musical reputation and global representation.
In her tweet, Ambassador Avé wrote, “Ghana, you should give these guys diplomatic passports: they put Ghana to the world better than even the best ambassadors could in a lifetime.”
The statement resonated with fans and music enthusiasts alike, acknowledging the profound impact these musicians have had in elevating Ghana’s image on the global platform.
To emphasize her point, the ambassador shared a video of Sarkodie performing in the United States in front of a massive audience of music lovers.
The video showcased the electrifying energy and passion with which these artistes captivate their international audiences, reflecting the immense pride and representation they bring to their homeland.
These musicians have not only amassed massive followings in Ghana but have also earned substantial recognition and acclaim on the international stage, solidifying their roles as genuine cultural ambassadors for the nation.
Their music serves as a powerful tool to exhibit the richness of Ghanaian culture, traditions, and artistic talents to audiences across the globe, leaving a lasting impact and fostering a deeper appreciation for Ghanaian heritage worldwide.
Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, has disclosed that the government’s One District, One Factory (1D1F) initiative has generated an impressive 160,000 direct and indirect jobs.
The Minister made this known while delivering the 2023 Mid-Year Budget Review, where he highlighted the success of the 1D1F initiative in promoting industrialisation and employment opportunities in the country.
“Mr. Speaker, in line with the Government’s unwavering commitment to industrialisation, the implementation of the flagship One District One Factory (1D1F) Initiative is on course. As of June, 2023, 126 factories were operational nationwide. Over 160,000 direct and indirect jobs have been created, especially for the youth who have been mobilised to establish agro-processing factories in 58 districts,” he said.
The “1D1F” initiative stands is an industrialisation program launched by the Ghanaian government with the goal of promoting economic growth and development at the district level.
The initiative aims to establish at least one factory or industrial enterprise in each of Ghana’s 260 districts to create jobs, drive local economic activities, and reduce the country’s dependence on imported goods.
The main objectives of the 1D1F initiative include: generating employment, economic diversification, value addition, etc.
Through the establishment of industries in various districts, the 1D1F initiative also aims to promote balanced regional development and reduce urban migration.
Government also seeks to collaborate with private sector investors to drive the establishment and sustainability of these factories, leveraging their expertise and resources.
Additionally, some of the factories established under the 1D1F initiative are focused on producing goods for export, thereby contributing to foreign exchange earnings and improving Ghana’s trade balance.
Director General at the National Lottery Authority (NLA), Sammi Awuku after a period of keeping his intentions private, Sammi Awuku, has finally broken his silence regarding his ambition to enter Parliament.
In an interview with Peace FM,he openly addressed his aspirations to become a Member of Parliament, putting an end to the speculation surrounding his political ambitions.
In a brief comment, Sammi Awuku revealed he would pick a nomination form once the New Patriotic Party allowed members who wished to run in its parliamentary elections to do so.
He revealed he will run for the parliamentary seat in Akuapem North.
“When the party opens nominations, I’m clear in my mind that I will pick forms to contest,” he stated.
Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, on Monday, July 31, 2023, delivered the 2023 Mid-Year Budget Review in Parliament.
During the address the Minister outlined the nation’s economic performance and offering insights into the government’s fiscal policies for the remainder of the year.
Among other things, the Minister state that Ghana’s economy is showing signs of recovery, while acknowledging that 2022 was a very difficult year.
He further updated the public on various projects, programmes and initiatives embarked by the government.
Member of Parliament for Bolgatanga, Isaac Adongo, has expressed his disagreement with Ofori-Atta’s claims that the government has been able to turn the corner with regards to the economic challenges in the country.
The Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta made this statement said while delivering the 2023 Mid-Year Budget Review in parliament on Monday, July 31, 2023.
Contrary to the Minister’s statement, the Bolga MP, Isaac Adongo, has presented a list of reasons that challenge the accuracy of the claims made by the Minister of Finance.
One of such, he said, is the fact that inflation is currently at 42%.
“The finance minister says he has turned the corner, you have turned the corner when inflation is 42%? Is that the corner? You have turned the corner when you are reporting that even by the end of the year, your reserves will only be 0.8 months, i.e. less than one month of reserves at the Bank of Ghana. And you said that is turning the corner?
“You have turned the corner when Governor and the MPC just recently increased monetary policy rates to 30%. You have turned the corner when the Bank of Ghana has reported that the cedi has depreciated by 30%. So, quite clearly, he is not even near the corner, let alone to turn it,” he stated.
Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has unveiled that the banking sector has defied expectations by achieving an outstanding performance during the first half of 2023.
He made the remarks while delivering the 2023 Mid-Year Budget Review in Parliament on July 31, 2023.
“Mr. Speaker, the banking sector posted unexpected, relatively strong performance during the first half of the year, despite the lingering effects of the DDEP,” he said.
He noted that the Banks have reported increased deposits and investments, higher profitability and a return on equity of over 35 percent.
“The impact of the DDEP, such as the increase in non-performing loans (NPLs), was partly moderated by the timely introduction of temporary regulatory reliefs. In the outlook, the operationalisation of the US$750 million Ghana Financial Stability Fund and the planned recapitalisation of banks would ensure stability as well as strengthen financial intermediation to support the private sector,” he added.
The Mid-Year Budget Review is in accordance with Section 28 of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921). It serves as a crucial stepping stone, enabling the government to embark on a transformative economic agenda for the latter half of the year.
Earlier, the Finance Ministry explained that this year’s Mid-Year Budget Review will lay out essential programmes and policies aimed at restoring macroeconomic stability, while propelling economic growth.
Excitement awaits music enthusiasts and Ghanaians in the USA as a stellar lineup of artists, including Kwabena Kwabena,Kofi Kinaata, Dada KD, Kumi Guitar, and Sonnie Badu, are all geared up to deliver electrifying performances at the highly anticipated Taptap Send Ghana Music Awards USA.
Set to take place at the opulent Lincoln Theater in Columbus, Ohio on August 26, this event promises to be a spectacular celebration of Ghanaian music talent and culture, attracting a multitude of music lovers and Ghanaians residing across various states in the USA.
With such a talented roster of performers, the night is sure to be unforgettable, igniting a wave of joy and unity among attendees, all coming together to revel in the essence of Ghanaian music.
Artistes scheduled to perform include award-winning artiste based in Ghana and the United States of America.
Ghana Music Awards USA is an awards scheme with a view of encouraging and recognizing Ghanaian musicians in the diaspora, especially, in the United States of America to actively participate in promoting and celebrating Ghana Music and culture.
Over the course of three years, the Ghana Music Awards USA (GMA-USA) has recognized and awarded more than 150 talented artists hailing from both Ghana and the United States.
As the event gears up for this year’s edition, expectations are running high, with promises of a top-notch experience from the CEO.
Patrons can look forward to an event that guarantees quality production and meticulously curated programming, ensuring a memorable and exceptional celebration of the diverse musical talents and cultural richness represented by the artists. The forthcoming GMA-USA is poised to exceed expectations, captivating the audience and leaving a lasting impression on all who attend.
Young Kumawood actress Clara Amoateng Benson, popularly known as Maame Serwaa has firmly stated that she will not be addressing any questions or speculations concerning her body, emphasizing that what she chooses to do with and for her body is entirely her own decision.
She confidently asserted that the changes in her body are a result of her hard work and dedication, attributing her new figure to exercise and natural factors.
In a video addressing rumors of cosmetic surgery, Maame Serwaa made it clear that she owes no one an explanation and firmly stood by her assertion that her body’s transformation is a result of her efforts and blessings from nature.
“When I was young, I didn’t have a big chest. As time passed and I grew up, I now have large chest even though I haven’t done anything or given birth. So it’s life” she said. When probed further, Maame Serwaa insisted that she sculptured her body in the gym. And also owes no one any explanation about her body.
“I’m training. I want to manage what I have. It’s my body and my choice. I want to manage it. That’s why I’m in the gym. I’m not going to clarify anything. It’s my body” she pointed out.
Government, through the Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, has announced the establishment of the Ghana Financial Stability Fund which is aimed at fortifying the nation’s financial sector.
Delivering the 2023 Mid-Year Budget Review in Parliament on July 31, 2023, the Minister noted that the newly unveiled fund seeks to provide vital liquidity and solvency support to financial institutions across the country.
“Government is working with key partners to establish a Ghana Financial Stability Fund to provide liquidity and solvency support to the financial institutions. The eligibility criteria agreed with regulators and international partners will be published soon,” the Minister indicated.
Addressing the House, the Minister emphasised the government’s commitment to safeguarding the stability of the financial sector.
Among other things, the Minister touched on the impact of the Debt Restructuring Programme which was recently launched and implemented stressing that: “Mr. Speaker, the Financial Sector, comprising Commercial Banks, Specialised Deposit Taking Institutions, Insurance Sector, and Fund Managers, participated significantly in the DDEP.
“The effects of the debt operations on the financial sector is elevated liquidity and solvency risks from impairment losses. Regulators, including the Bank of Ghana, provided temporary regulatory forbearance to mitigate the liquidity impact of the DDEP.”
The Mid-Year Budget Review is in accordance with Section 28 of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921). It serves as a crucial stepping stone, enabling the government to embark on a transformative economic agenda for the latter half of the year.
Earlier, the Finance Ministry explained that this year’s Mid-Year Budget Review will lay out essential programmes and policies aimed at restoring macroeconomic stability, while propelling economic growth.
Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta has stated that Ghana’s economy is displaying encouraging signs of revival.
The Minister made these remarks while delivering the 2023 Mid-Year Budget Review in Parliament on Monday, July 31, 2023.
“As I have indicated, we have made significant progress on restoring macroeconomic stability and the narrative is changing. The economy is showing signs of recovery,” he said.
He noted that “the exchange rate has stabilised, inflation has softened, and interest rates have declined since December, 2022.”
He explained to the House that the positive outcomes are a direct consequence of the dedicated execution of all the measures outlined in the 2023 Budget and the favorable sentiments stemming from the advancements made in the IMF Programme.
“Mr. Speaker, these outturns are the result of focused implementation of all the measures we presented in the 2023 Budget and the positive sentiments arising from the progress with the IMF Programme, which I will now discuss,” he noted.
The Mid-Year Budget Review is in accordance with Section 28 of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921). It serves as a crucial stepping stone, enabling the government to embark on a transformative economic agenda for the latter half of the year.
Earlier, the Finance Ministry explained that this year’s Mid-Year Budget Review will lay out essential programmes and policies aimed at restoring macroeconomic stability, while propelling economic growth.
Kumawood actress Maame Serwaa, has once more captured the attention of online viewers with a sneak peek into her workout routine, showcasing her stunning curves that have been expertly sculpted in all the right places.
Maame Serwaa was spotted confidently displaying her well-defined figure while working out hard in a video posted by well-known blogger Mari Gyata.
The actress occasionally squatted and bowed while expertly lifting weights, appearing to do so to deliberately draw attention to her slender backside.
Maame Serwaa’s commitment to her fitness journey is highlighted in the video, which also shows how determined she is to keep up her physical fitness.
Due to her exceptional acting ability and endearing personality, Maame Serwaa has amassed a sizable fan base over the years.
After the minister’s presentation of the mid-year budget review, as they demanded, ministers question the minister on his presentation and it was during this time that, Dr.Ato Forson poked at the finance minister “ not to say anywhere that he has turned the corners, but rather he has deepened our wounds”.
This comes after the minister stated in his presentation that, his government “has turned the corners”. Dr Cassiel claims that, the minister promised not to borrow any money this year but per records, the minister has failed at his own words as during his presentation he revealed that the government has borrowed about GH 5.5 billion cedis from January to June this year from treasury bills and has plans of even borrowing another 43.1 billion cedis in the coming year. “Say nowhere that you have turned the corners, in-fact you have deepened our wounds”. Ghana’s dwindling economy dragged the government to the IMF for a bailout in March.
After several deliberations, on May 17, 2023, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved a 36-month arrangement under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) in an amount equivalent to SDR 2.242 billion (around US$3 billion, or 304 percent of quota)
