Five people are standing trial for allegedly stealing gold worth GHc 1.8 million.
The team made up of three siblings and two others have been charged for stealing 2.4 kilograms of gold worth GHc1.8 million or equivalent to $150, 000.
Theresa Oppong, 28, said to be the mastermind, Alice Gyan, 21, and Beatrice Asabea, currently at large, said to be siblings, were charged together with Ishmael Ocansey, Thomas Adjapon, both gold dealers.
When they were arraigned at the Circuit Court in Accra before a relieving judge, Samuel Bright Acquah, both Oppong and Gyan pleaded not guilty to separate of stealing and abetment respectively.
But whilst Oppong was remanded, Alice was granted bail in the sum of GHc50,000 with two sureties who should be her relatives.
Ishmael Ocansey and Thomas Adjapon who were charged for dishonestly receiving and were on Police enquiry bail did not show up in court and have been warned to show up at the next court sitting.
Oppong and Asabea who is at large are both on the charge of conspiracy.
Brief facts
Per the brief facts of the case presented to the court by Chief Inspector Amoah Richard were that, the Complainant Sopam Maseker also known as Aba is an employee of AU Gold Resources Ltd, a Gold buying company in Ghana.
Theresa Oppong, Alice Gyan and Beatrice Asabea are siblings living at Accra and Ashaiman respectively.
Ishmael Ocansey and Adjapon Thomas, he said, are gold Dealers at Adabraka.
The Prosecutor said, about nine months ago, Oppong was employed as a cook and a cleaner and during her stay continued to pilfer from the complainant and other inhabitants of their money and gold but none was officially reported.
Chief Inspector Richard said, on March 23, 2023, the complainant called on Oppong to clean and dress his bed where some amount of money and 2.4 kilograms of gold were concealed in a bag under the bed.
The Prosecutor said, during her cleanup, she came across the valuables and called Alice to discuss on how to steal the money.
Chief Inspector Richard said, Oppong then carried the gold in the bedsheet into the washroom and subsequently took the gold in a mob bucket surreptitiously into her room.
He said, Oppong after a short while proceeded to meet Alice at Osu where Asabea was met.
Gold dealers
According to him, Oppong, Alice and Asabea proceeded to meet Ishmael and Thomas at their shops at Adabraka and sold the gold to them at prices of GHc360,000.00 and GHc369,728.00 as galamsayers from Obuasi.
Asabea, according to the Prosecutor, after the sale, took part of the gold and the entire booty away because Ishmael and Thomas had no money to buy them.
“On 24/03/2023, the complainant detected the theft and reported the matter to the Police upon several review of their internal CCTV footages,” the Prosecutor told the court.
Oppong and Alice were subsequently arrested and brought to the CID headquarters for questioning.
He said, Oppong later broke down in tears with the truth and told the Police that she called on Alice and Asabea about the means to steal same.
Oppong, the Prosecutor said, further intimated that on March 23, she managed to steal the gold and met Alice at Osu as Asabea joined them from Ashaiman to Ishmael and Thomas for sale.
Ishmael and Thomas reported themselves at the CID headquarters upon invitation and they readily produced the gold and stated that, they were made to believe that Oppong, Alice and Asabea were into galamsey with their brothers and decided to sell same here in Accra.
The accused persons were charged and put before the court whilst efforts are underway to arrest Asabea.
Rapper Desiigner has been charged with indecent exposure on an aircraft after allegedly masturbating in front of flight attendants while on an international flight.
The 25-year-old Brooklyn-born rapper, whose real name is Sidney Royel Selby III, faces a misdemeanor charge punishable by up to 90 days in custody and $500 in fines linked with accusations about his conduct on an April 17 Delta flight from Tokyo to Minneapolis.
Prosecutors said the rapper, best known for his 2016 hit song “Panda,” masturbated and exposed himself multiple times in the first class section of a Delta flight on April 17, 2023.
Initially, Desiigner exposed himself about 60 to 90 minutes after takeoff while seated in first class, before he covered up himself, according to a legal complaint, but a pair of flight attendants saw him playing with himself and told him to stop, which he did.
At that point, the lead flight attendant informed him that he was going to be taken into custody over his behavior.
Soon thereafter, he was seen a third time with his genitals exposed, at which point he was taken to the back of the aircraft, where two of his travel companions monitored him.
Desiigner dropped a container of lubricant – Vaseline – into the aisle when he was switching seats at one point, according to the complaint.
After news of the incident broke, the rapper posted a statement to his Instagram stories where he said he was “ashamed” and that he was seeking treatment.
“For the past few months I have not been ok, and I have been struggling to come to terms with what is going on. While overseas for a concert I performed at, I had to be admitted in to a hospital,” he wrote. “I was not thinking clearly. They gave me meds, and I had to hop on a plane home. I am ashamed of my actions that happened on that plane. I landed back to the states, … am admitting myself in a facility to help me.”
Issues surrounding the death of 26-year-old Maa Adwoa, who was shot five times by her boyfriend, have taken over social media amidst various concerns from netizens.
The controversial socialite Afia Schwarzenegger has joined the list of Ghanaian celebrities reacting to the death of a young lady who was reportedly murdered by her lover in Adum, Kumasi.
The public has been privy to claims that Maa Adwoa’s boyfriend murdered her on the basis of cheating.
But following the suspect’s arrest and confessions in court, other twists to the incident have been unraveled.
Asides from the suspect’s disclosure in court that Maa Adwoa owed him an amount of GHC5,000, the deceased’s friend, identified as Eunice Boakye, was also said to have been present at the crime scene.
According to reports, on the day of the incident, Eunice played the role of a ‘go-between’, whose phone call compelled Maa Adwoa to step out of her room so she and her ‘police lover’ could trash out their issues.
In reaction to this, Afia Schwarzenegger insists that Eunice played a major role in her friend’s death.
Analyzing the events from that faithful day, Afia said it was Eunice’s phone call that dragged Maa Adwoa out to be killed.
She also wondered why Eunice failed to raise an alarm while fleeing the scene where her friend was being killed.
“If you pay close attention to Maa Adwoa’s story, she was indoors and then her female friend convinced her to step out of her room. It was her friend’s phone call that physically exposed her to her killer. Maa Adwoa’s friend fled the scene while she was being shot. Did she scream or raise an alarm on her way? Per the laws, if you meet someone committing a crime, you must raise an alarm but did she do that?
“I have warned people about friends on this social media several times. Now I am tired. Not everyone around you is your friend, some of them have been contracted to work against you. Spiritually and physically. They have been sent to destroy your life, your future,” she added.
Rick Ross has reached out to Don Lemon to offer him a job at Wingstop after the 57-year-old news anchor was fired from CNN.
Lemon was let go by CNN on Monday, with the network saying the two had “parted ways.”
The host, who had worked for CNN for 17 years, wrote on Twitter that he was “stunned” and that he found out he had been terminated through his agent.
Tagging Lemon in an Instagram story on Tuesday, Ross said that there were positions open at his Wingstop locations.
“Just found out Don Lemon was terminated from CNN. Damn, dawg,” the rapper, who reportedly owns over two dozen Wingstop restaurants across the United States, said. “But guess what? The brother’s got your back.”
“We hiring at Wingstop,” he added. “And for some reason, I believe you know what you doing with the lemon pepper wings, so man, just send over your résumé. I’mma make sure I get you in front of the right grill, brother. Stay solid, brother.”
In a second video, Ross pitched Lemon another business proposition involving his energy-drink company, Rapstar.
“Just came up with a wonderful idea — well, really, Don, you helped me come up with this,” he said. “I need to hit the team over at Rapstar Energy Drink and let ’em know we should introduce the Don Lemon flavor. What y’all think? Aye, Don, we got you brother!”
The first trailer of “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” was shown at CinemaCon, the annual movie-theater convention, on Tuesday during a presentation by Warner Bros, attended by Insider.
Heard, who played Mera, the love interest of Aquaman (Jason Momoa) in the hit 2018 original movie, is featured in two brief shots during the trailer in which she’s doing battle underwater. She has no dialogue in the trailer.
In June of last year, a now-deleted post on Just Jared reported that Heard was being “cut out” of the sequel.
“The rumor mill continues as it has from day one — inaccurate, insensitive, and slightly insane,” a spokesperson for Heard told Insider in response to the post.
Heard’s Mera character was first introduced in the 2017 film “Justice League” before becoming a protagonist in 2018’s “Aquaman” alongside Momoa.
During her defamation trial with her former husband, Johnny Depp, Heard said her role was heavily reduced in “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.”
“I fought really hard to stay in the movie — they didn’t want to include me in the film,” Heard said on the stand, adding that she performed “a very pared-down version” of the role that took away action scenes between herself and another character.
If the trailer is any indication, Heard’s Mera is not the main supporting character she was in the first movie. Instead of Aquaman and Mera teaming up for most of the movie, in the sequel, it’s Aquaman and his half-brother Orm Marius, played by Patrick Wilson.
“Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” opens in theaters on December 20.
Private Legal Practitioner Maurice Ampaw has advised wives to be very demanding of their husbands in order to reduce the tendency of them to spend on their side chics
He says men have the tendency of spending on other women if their women are not very demanding of them.
Maurice Ampaw who was speaking on the State Broadcaster, Ghana Television (GTV) said unlike previously when women were compassionate with their husbands, that should not be the case now.
“Women must always make demands of their husbands. Don’t pity your husband, don’t be compassionate towards your husband, don’t say my husband doesn’t have. Men if you don’t demand we will give that money to our side chics. Never favor a man, never think that you’re doing your husband good.
Please let him be responsible. We have situations where a woman is going to marry and she says I have my clothing and some of them even allow men to sign fake cheques. When you allow men that space, they will disregard the marriage. We value our wives when we spend on them. When men spend on you then they begin to love you. I can tell you our love is based on how much we have spent on you. The more we spend on our women…That is why a man can be crazy about their side chic because they spend on them.
Make sure that your husband spends on you. Don’t allow your husband enough money. When you take good care of your wife, you treat your wife with respect, make sure that you give your wife quality enjoyment, take your wife out and all the things that you do for the side chic do same for your wife and you’ll see that your love will develop,” he said.
Financial Economist, Professor Godfred Bokpin has criticised the Bank of Ghana (BoG) for publishing what he believes is “unreliable” data on the country’s international reserves.
According to him, the Central Bank is on record for providing conflicting data, contrary to what the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank put out.
His comment is coming at a time, the IMF is warning Ghana’s international reserves is almost empty contrary to what the Bank of Ghana had published in its January 2023 Summary Economic and Financial Data.
Prof. Godfred Bokpin told Joy Business providing inaccurate data is unacceptable.
“Of course, we know that when it comes to our international reserves, it is not the first time. In fact, in 2014, the Central Bank had a dispute with the international community as well as the IMF because, in 2014, our reserves from net basis could only cover two weeks of imports…only two weeks.”
“Meanwhile, the Bank of Ghana had data that suggested we could do more than one month…you can check the data, and the explanation then – and I believe it will not vary now”, he explained.
“Is it that probably the Bank of Ghana is looking at reserves on a gross basis?” Professor Bokpin quizzed.
He added, “When they [reserves] also include the heritage fund and all of that, and probably the Fund [IMF] will be looking at reserves on a net basis and also in terms of the denominator they are looking at both imports of goods and services”.
He pointed out that the Central Bank indeed financed the government to the tune of over ¢77 billion, based on the latest data from the IMF.
“Do you remember that somewhere last year…I think in the middle of last year, there was the issue [argument] of the Bank of Ghana monetising the deficit and printing and sustaining the government, the Central Bank denied that but what do we see today? If you check the latest figures, you will see that the Bank of Ghana’s overdraft facility, everything put together is over ¢77 billion”.
He concluded that providing inaccurate data does not help the financial market.
“The other bit is to look at the Bank of Ghana’s own official exchange rate. You can’t refer to that rate as a transactional rate because the dollar is not clearing at that particular rate.
“So, when we do all these things we are actually not helping the market because one important function of the market is price discovery”.
The 5.8-kilometre Borteyman-Motorway Road project will soon be commissioned for use, following the progress of work so far.
The road is about 70% complete, with asphalt overlay expected to start in earnest this month.
The project which is aimed at improving road connectivity and access to the Borteyman Sports Complex, where the 13th All Africa Games will be held next year commenced officially in August 2022 and is expected to be completed at the end of this year.
The project which is being executed by Oswal Investments Limited when completed is expected to reduce travel time and improve road safety around the Ashale Botwe, School Junction, Nmai Dzorn, and Borteyman to the motorway.
The Minister of Roads and Highways, Mr Kwasi Amoako-Attah who inspected the progress of work at the site with Heads of the Agencies, and Directors of the Ministry last Wednesday inspected the progress of work on the School Junction-Borteyman- Motorway Road Project expressed satisfaction with the quality of the work done by the contractor.
He expressed excitement with the speed at which the contractor is working without compromising on quality.
“The period of construction is 18 months. However, this job has been done ahead of schedule, within 12 months, and is cumulatively 70% complete’’.
The Director of the Department of Urban Roads, Ing. James Amoo-Gottfreid also shared in the sector Minister’s joy saying “The work is on course, the contractor is ahead of schedule, and we are satisfied with the quality and progress of the work done so far.
“We believe that most of the work would have been done by the end of this year unless some unexpected events happen.”
The general scope of the project includes the construction of a 5.8km dual-lane main carriageway (4×3.66m lanes) with asphaltic concrete pavement surface, an additional 5.8km single service lane with 2×6m lanes with asphaltic concrete pavement surface, and the construction of walkways and cycling lanes on both sides of the road.
Others include the provision and installation of 2no traffic signals at West Trasacco and Stadium Junctions, the provision of streetlights on the entire stretch of the road, construction of 8no lay-byes along the route to support public transport as well as other related works such as drainage, road signs, and markings, crash barriers, and public transport facilities have been incorporated as required.
“The Flash” is finally making its way to the big screen after nearly a decade of development, writer and director reshuffles, and a number of troubling claims involving its star, Ezra Miller.
The film sees Miller reprise their role as Barry Allen/The Flash, as he travels back in time to stop his mother’s murder, only to change the present day as a result of his actions. Not only that, but he has to get help from none other than Michael Keaton’s Batman, and Sasha Calle’s Supergirl.
Warner Bros. showed the movie to critics at CinemaCon on Tuesday, and it was met with a number of glowing reactions online.
Many reviewers on Twitter said that the film’s heart and humor work well, and also praised Miller’s performance as two different versions of the Scarlet Speedster.
Collider’s Steve Weintraub called the movie “fantastic,” while also saying that Miller has made “a lot of mistakes.”
Insider’s own Jason Guerrasio pointed out that it’s “not the best superhero movie ever made,” but called it “impressive” with “lots of emotion.”
Hollywood Critics Awards founder Scott Menzel had the opposite reaction by saying it is “one of the best superhero movies of all time.”
And Gizmodo’s Germain Lussier compared it to “Back to the Future” and “Spider-Man: No Way Home.”
“If anything, it might be a tad too ambitious but it’s also just incredibly satisfying, heartwarming & fun,” wrote Lussier.
Fandango’s Erik Davis hinted that fans will love the Easter eggs.
ComicBook.com’s Brandon Davis called the film “super inventive.”
And Fandom’s Eric Goldman said it has “creative” scenes that aren’t in “a million other superhero movies.”
“The Flash” has had a difficult journey to the big screen, as it was first announced back in 2014 as part of Zack Snyder’s roadmap for the DC Extended Universe, alongside the likes of the now-canceled “Cyborg” and “Green Lantern” movies.
Originally dated for release on March 23, 2018, the movie has been moved multiple times from July to June 2022, and then November 2022. It will finally arrive in theaters on June 16.
Miller has made the headlines numerous times over the last few years amid a string of concerning incidents in Iceland and Hawaii, where they were arrested twice, and they also pleaded not guilty to felony burglary charges in Vermont. Protective orders were granted against the star, as allegations of grooming were made against them.
In August 2022, Miller made a statement apologizing for their actions and explained that they had started “ongoing treatment” for their “complex mental health issues.”
They said: “Having recently gone through a time of intense crisis, I now understand that I am suffering complex mental health issues and have begun ongoing treatment. I want to apologize to everyone that I have alarmed and upset with my past behavior. I am committed to doing the necessary work to get back to a healthy, safe and productive stage in my life.”
Per Entertainment Weekly, director Andy Muschietti took part in a Q&A on the Warner Bros. lot after a separate screening of the film on Monday night and briefly touched on the controversy surrounding Miller.
“They’re taking the steps to recovery. Ezra is dealing with mental health issues, but they’re well. We talked to them not too long ago, and they’re very committed to getting better,” said Muschietti.
World Health Organization has flagged an Indian-made cough syrup over contamination.
WHO said that the batch of contaminated India-made cough syrup has been found in the Marshall Islands and Micronesia.
The WHO said that the tested samples of Guaifenesin TG syrup, made by Punjab-based QP Pharmachem Ltd, showed “unacceptable amounts of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol”.
Both compounds are toxic to humans and could be fatal if consumed.
The WHO statement did not specify if anyone had fallen ill.
The latest alert comes months after the WHO linked other cough syrups made in India to child deaths in The Gambia and Uzbekistan.
Sudhir Pathak, managing director of QP Pharmachem, told the BBC that the company had exported the batch of 18,346 bottles to Cambodia after getting all due regulatory permissions. He said he didn’t know how the product had reached the Marshall Islands and Micronesia.
“We did not send these bottles to the Pacific region, and they were not certified for use there. We don’t know under what circumstances and conditions these bottles reached the Marshall Islands and Micronesia,” he said, adding that his company has sent a legal notice to the firm that exported the batch of medicines to Cambodia.
The WHO statement said that the product, which is used to relieve chest congestion and cough symptoms, was tested by Australia’s drug regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration.
The syrup was marketed by Trillium Pharma, based in Haryana state. The BBC couldn’t reach a Trillium representative on the phone. The Indian government has not reacted to the latest alert.
The statement added that “neither the stated manufacturer nor the marketer have provided guarantees to WHO on the safety and quality of these products”.
India is the world’s largest exporter of generic drugs, meeting much of the medical needs of developing countries.
But in recent months, many Indian firms have come under scrutiny for the quality of their drugs, with experts raising concerns about the manufacturing practices used to make these medicines.
In October, WHO had sounded a global alert and linked four cough syrups made by Maiden Pharmaceuticals to the deaths of 66 children from kidney injuries in The Gambia.
Both the Indian government and the company, Maiden Pharmaceuticals, had denied the allegations.
In March, India cancelled the manufacturing licence of a firm whose cough syrups were linked to 18 child deaths in Uzbekistan. Earlier this month, the FDA said it had found that the Indian manufacturer of eye drops linked to three deaths and serious infections in the US had violated several safety norms.
A resident of Navrongo has filed a lawsuit seeking the removal of Prof. Eric Magnus Wilmot, the Vice-Chancellor of C.K. Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences.
He is also seeking the removal of Dr. V.A. Ankamah-Lomotey, the university’s registrar, on the grounds that the two are above the retirement age and are, therefore, ineligible to hold their positions.
Apart from their removal from office, the plaintiff, Joseph Pwoawuvi Weguri, wants the court to order the two defendants to refund all monies, including salaries and allowances, they received from the Consolidated Fund and/or from the university, and costs, including his (Mr Weguri’s) legal fees.
The Fourth Estate reported in October last year that the appointment of the two retirees had become a matter of concern for the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), which expressed reservations about the university’s decision to appoint them to substantive positions.
The plaintiff describes in his suit filed on March 20, 2023, as “unlawful, arbitrary, and illegal” actions in relation to the two university officials’ appointments and wants the court to nullify it.
Also joined to the suit are the university, located in Navrongo in the Upper East Region, and the Attorney General.
The plaintiff contends that the Act establishing the university mandates it to appoint its officers, including a vice-chancellor and registrars, in accordance with the statutes of the university.
However, the plaintiff claims that the appointing authorities violated the public service laws of Ghana, especially Article 199 of the Constitution, 1992, by allowing the public officers to remain in full-term employment after they attained the age of compulsory retirement.
The plaintiff also claims that the GTEC cautioned public universities on appointments and post-retirement contracts in a circular dated June 8, 2021.
Despite this warning, the university, by letters dated December 1, 2020, appointed Prof. Eric Magnus Wilmot as Vice-Chancellor and Dr. V.A. Ankamah-Lomotey, as Registrar of the institution for full terms of four (4) years each.
The plaintiff further alleges that before his appointment as the substantive vice-chancellor, Prof Wilmot, who had retired as a public officer of the University of Cape Coast in 2019, was first appointed interim vice-chancellor of the institution.
Although Prof. Wilmot and Dr. Ankamah-Lomotey have attained the ages of compulsory retirement, they have remained in full-term employment at the university and have been receiving salaries and allowances from the Consolidated Fund.
Mr Weguri, who contested the 2016 parliamentary election on the ticket of the Peoples National Convention (PNC), contends that the continuous occupation of office and withdrawal of salaries and allowances by the two university administrators, after they have attained the age of compulsory retirement and after Prof Wilmot had retired from the public service, is not only unlawful but also illegal.
He claims that while Prof. Wilmot turned 60 years in April 2022, Dr. Ankamah-Lomotey attained 60 years in August 2021.
He further claims that the defendants (the university and the government) acted in an unlawful, arbitrary, and capricious manner by giving full-term employment to the two after they attained compulsory retirement age and after Prof. Wilmot had retired from public service.
The plaintiff further states that the university did not follow laid down procedures in appointing the two, which included constituting a search party, publishing vacancies, and shortlisting applicants for interviews to select suitable persons for the positions, including the positions of Vice-Chancellor and registrars.
The plaintiff said he had petitioned the Minister of Education and the university for the removal of the two university officials, but the petition was dismissed on unjustifiable grounds.
In the petition dated, November 21, 2022, Mr. Weguri pointed out that the irregularities in the appointment of Prof. Wilmot and Ankamah-Lomotey, “are inconsistent with Article 199 of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana (as amended by Act 527-Amendment Act 1996).
The law states that:
“Notwithstanding clause (1) of this article, a public officer who retired from the public service after attaining the age of sixty years may where the exigencies of the service require, be engaged for a limited period of not more than two years at a time but not exceeding five years in all and upon such other terms and conditions as the appointing authority shall determine.”
According to the petition, it was in compliance with this provision of the Constitution that President Nana Akufo-Addo first appointed the duo in an interim capacity in May 2020.
However, the petition pointed out that the then Minister of Education, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh; the Director-General of GTEC and the Governing Council of CKT-UTAS violated the 1992 Constitution by appointing them into substantive positions with effect from September 2020 in a letter dated December 1, 2020, for a full term of four (4) years.
“This Act of impunity is also frowned upon by the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission Directive on reengagement of retired employees of Higher Education Institutions which states among other things that ‘persons who are re-engaged after retirement subject to permission cannot be assigned position holding roles nor draw allowances due a person still in active service.’”
He asserted, “It is worthy of emphasis that even where the government would approve post-retirement contract appointments in public universities, it is usually to non-office holding positions and the skills of the retiring officer must be in short supply and unavoidably needed.”
Timeline of events.
Governing Council’s Response to Allegations
Meanwhile, the university’s Governing Council in a letter dated January 12, 2023, responded to Mr Weguri’s allegations.
The letter signed by Professor Gordon A. Awandare, the Chairman of Governing Council CKT-UTAS, acknowledged that in May 2020, Prof Wilmot and Dr Ankamah-Lomotey were given interim appointments for a year.
“The Governing Council when duly constituted was given the mandate to regularise the appointments of the vice-chancellor and registrar. At the time of their appointment, the vice-chancellor was 58 years old while the registrar was 59 years old. In pursuit of its mandate to appoint a VC and Registrar, the Governing Council constituted a committee, chaired by an eminent retired professor, to interview and ascertain the suitability or otherwise of the two officers.”
It continued: “The committee, therefore, subjected the officers to a rigorous interview and submitted its report to the Governing Council. Council discussed and approved the report and then formally sought and obtained approval from the Minister of Education through the Director General of the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) to offer full four-year terms of office to Professor Eric Magnus Wilmot as vice-chancellor and Dr V. A. Ankamah-Lomotey as registrar, spanning September 2020 to August 2024,” it said in response to the allegations of wrongdoing.
Gross incompetence
According to the letter, although there have been accusations of incompetence, the council has regularly received quarterly reports from the vice-chancellor and has been content with the management’s overall performance and the progress being made.
“We do not believe there is ‘gross incompetence’. As is the case in every new institution, challenges exist, and [the] council is providing the needed supervision to management to tackle the challenges and provide a solid foundation for the university,” it said.
Background
The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) last year expressed reservations about the increasing number of post-retirement contract staff appointed to positions in stated-funded higher education institutions (PFHEI).
GTEC has stated that people who are re-engaged after retirement cannot be assigned position-holding roles nor draw allowances due to a person still in active service.
The integrated personnel payroll department and budget department of the commission were instructed not to process the emoluments of any post-retired staff without the required evidence after August 1, 2021.
However, it has been revealed that Professor Eric Magnus Wilmot, a university retiree holding a substantive top position of vice-chancellor and Dr. Vincent A. Ankamah-Lomotey have both been given substantive appointments that would keep them in office after their retirement age of 60.
Professor Wilmot retired voluntarily in 2019 from the University of Cape Coast (UCC), where he was the Provost of the College of Education Studies for three years. In 2020, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo granted him an interim appointment for only one year as vice-chancellor for the CKT-UTAS. The interim appointment was due to elapse in July 2021.
But before the appointment elapsed, the university’s governing council issued its own appointment to Prof. Wilmot, giving him four years to serve further as vice-chancellor.
The post-retirement appointment of Prof. Wilmot as vice-chancellor took effect on September 1, 2020. He is due to retire again in 2024, and when he does, he will be entitled to some benefits as per the conditions of his post-retirement service at the CKT-UTAS.
The Registrar of CKT-UTAS, Dr. Vincent A. Ankamah-Lomotey, was a former deputy registrar of the College of Science at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). President Akufo-Addo gave him an interim appointment in 2020 for one year as the registrar of the CKT-UTAS. He was a little over 59 years at the time, with barely a year to hit the mandatory retirement age of 60.
Months before the one-year interim appointment was to elapse in July 2021, the school’s governing council offered him a four-year appointment. Both the retiree vice-chancellor and the registrar are no longer serving the president’s one-year interim appointments, which elapsed in July 2021.
They are currently serving in substantive positions on full-term appointments issued by the governing council, contrary to the rules governing such appointments in public universities in Ghana.
When The Fourth Estate contacted the vice-chancellor on the post-retirement appointment, he stated that no rule had been broken, and he was performing his role, so he deserved his post-retirement earnings. When the registrar was asked about the issue, he did not provide any response.
The Ghana Police Service has appears to be gaining public trust with its recent operations, particularly with arrests carried out recently.
Previously, the service had been under public criticism over a number of wrongs and accusations against it.
To a large extent, the public image of the service has been on the negative side of conversations.
They police have been accused of bribery and corruption, extorsion, incompetence and unprofessionalism, among others.
However, in the last few weeks, the police service has made some great strides in their service delivery by making some major arrests within good time.
In this piece, we breakdown some three major arrests made the Ghana Police Service in the last few weeks, which require commendation.
Police confirm arrest of Axim galamsey kingpin, Kwame Ato Ani; three others:
Kwame Ato Asare, alias Kwame Ani was arrested by the police together with three other members of his gang.
He is a notorious illegal miner together with three others who attacked the Axim District Police patrol team on March 9, 2023.
His arrest added to eight, the number of suspects linked to the crime, and who had been arrested at the time.
Kwame Ato Asare and the three other suspects, Williams Kwofie, Richard Kwesi and Emmanuel Kojo Bronie, who were on the police radar, went into hiding following the attack on the patrol team.
They were arrested on April 21, 2023, at a village near Enchi in the Western North Region.
Kwame Ato Asare, while in hiding, made allegations of extortion against the Axim District Police Commander, the Crime Officer and other police officers in the district, through several media interviews, which are currently being investigated by the Police Professional Standards Bureau (PPSB).
Tarkwa gold robbery: Two foreigners and a Ghanaian arrested:
The Tarkwa Police Command confirmed the arrest of three suspects: a Togolese, a Nigerian and a Ghanaian, in connection with the Tarkwa gold robbery that happened on Tuesday, April 18, 2023.
The suspects are Samuel Amaeshi, a Togolese, 47 years; Ezekiel Stephen, a Nigerian, 45 years; and Fataw Awudu, a Ghanaian of 42 years.
These three suspects were part of six armed robbers who were wearing face masks and helmets and entered the KK Gold buying agency and subjected victims to severe beatings at gunpoint.
They made away with gold weighing 408.5 grams, worth six hundred and thirteen thousand Ghana cedis (GH¢613,000.00), and an undisclosed amount of money, while on three motorbikes.
Intelligence gathered by the police indicated that the robbers used the Tarkwa Banso, Esuso Bonsawire Road, and so communities within the enclave were informed.
On the evening of Tuesday, April 18, the Police Intelligence Department and a police patrol team, with the assistance of community folks, arrested two suspects: Samuel Amaeshi and Ezekiel Stephen.
A sack containing cash sum of three hundred and ninety-seven thousand, one hundred and ninety cedis (GH¢397,190) and gold that weighs 4.7 grams, were also retrieved.
The Police Intelligence Department, upon intelligence, later arrested Fataw Awudu on Wednesday, April 19, 2023.
All three suspects are currently in police custody while the police still makes attempts get the others arrested.
Inspector Ahmed Twumasi arrested – Police confirm:
Inspector Ahmed Twumasi, who shot his girlfriend, Maa Adwoa, 26, at Adum in the Ashanti Region, went into hiding after the incident on Thursday, April 20, 2023
On Sunday, April 23, 2023, however, the Ghana Police Service announced the arrest of the inspector, following an operation launched to track him down.
The operation, according to the police, led to the suspect’s arrest at Sekyere, near Effiduase in the Ashanti Region.
The suspect is currently in police custody after his first appearance in court on Tuesday, April 25, 2023.
Twumasi told the court that he shot Maa Adwoa five times over a GH¢5000 debt she owed him and that what happened was between him and God.
Barbie’s Fashionista collection included a black woman in a wheelchair among six different body types, nine skin tones, six eye colors, 11 hair colors, and 10 hairstyles.
2020
Barbie’s 2020 Fashionista line.
New dolls in the 2020 Fashionista line include a doll with vitiligo, another with a prosthetic limb, and one without hair.
2021
The five dolls Mattel has released to commemorate frontline workers.
In 2021, Mattel released a line of dolls to commemorate frontline workers during the pandemic, including one modeled after Sarah Gilbert, a professor of vaccinology at Oxford University who cocreated the AstraZeneca vaccine.
2022
Laverne Cox as a Barbie.
Actress and LGBTQ activist Laverne Cox, the first transgender actor to be nominated for a Primetime acting Emmy Award, became the face of a Tribute Collection Barbie in 2022.
Due to concerns that environmental activists may stage a protest at this year’s tournament, Wimbledon organizers have advised all spectators to “be considerate.”
A Just Stop Oil protester leapt on the table during the World Snooker Championship and threw orange powder all over the court. This was just one of many high-profile sporting events in the UK that have recently come under attack.
According to event director Hugh Brasher, a “handful” of Extinction Rebellion activists were going to “block” the London Marathon on Sunday, but a pre-race conversation with organizers helped to put a halt to any disturbance.
Meanwhile, this year’s Grand National was delayed by animal rights protestors, who tried to run onto the racetrack and climbed fences at Aintree with at least two fixing themselves to a jump using glue and lock-on devices.
Quizzed specifically about possible Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion protests at Wimbledon 2023, chief executive Sally Bolton said: ‘I think the first thing to say is that front of mind and paramount for planning for the Championships every year is the safety and security of those attending and indeed their enjoyment.
‘Every year we work with the Metropolitan Police and other agencies in planning for the Championships. As part of that, we do a very thorough threat and risk assessment.
‘Our arrangements for security are planned around those and that is an ever-changing environment.
Wimbledon held their pre-Championships spring media conference on Tuesday (Picture: Getty)
‘There have been some incidents recently that will inform the planning we will undertake. The picture is still emerging and our plans are evolving as time goes on.
‘What I would urge anyone attending the Championships to do is to be considerate of those who are also attending the Championships.
‘Our grounds conditions that apply to everyone are very much about the safety and security of everyone attending, but more importantly the enjoyment of everyone attending.’
The Laver Cup in September was interrupted by a climate change activist who burst onto the tennis court and lit his right arm on fire.
The incident occurred during Stefanos Tsitsipas’ singles match against Diego Schwartzman – with both players, match officials and fans left unharmed.
The protester wore a white t-shirt which read ‘end UK private jets’ and he was dragged off the court at The O2 in London by members of security.
Ghana’s capital Accra, has been ranked among the top ten most polluted cities in the world.
Data from the World of Statistics has mentioned Accra, Ghana’s capital, as the seventh most polluted city in the world.
This was contained in a Twitter post by the Institution.
According to the ranking, Accra comes below Dakan, the capital of Bangladesh, which placed sixth, and above Noida in India, which placed eighth.
Napal’s Kathmandu came first in the ranking, with Helsinki in Finland coming in as the least polluted city in the world.
It is however unclear what metrics were used by the World of Statistics in arriving at these rankings.
It can be recalled the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, in 2017 pledged his commitment to making Accra the cleanest city on the African continent within the next four years.
Six years on, the world ranking reveals that the commitment hasn’t been a reality.
Below is how the countries were ranked from the first to the tenth around the world:
1. Kathmandu 2. Tetovo 3. Faridabad 4. Ulaanbaatar 5. Beirut 6. Dhaka 7. Accra 8. Noida 9. Ho Chi Minh City 10. Ghaziabad
From a small mining community in the Ashanti Region of Ghana, a global hitmaker has emerged – none other than Black Sherif. With a unique blend of hip hop, afrobeat, and drill music, this young artiste has captured the hearts and ears of fans worldwide. But who is the man behind the music? In this bio, we’ll take a closer look at his life, career, and achievements, and discover what makes Black Sherif as one of the most promising talents in the Ghanaian music scene.
Life & Education: Black Sherif was born on January 9, 2002, in Konongo-Zongo, a suburb of the Ashanti Region of Ghana. His real name is Mohammed Ismail Sharrif, and he is also known as Blacko or Kwaku Frimpong. He grew up in a large extended family, as both his parents lived abroad. He attended Konongo Odumase Senior High School and later enrolled at the University of Professional Studies, Accra, to study marketing, where he later dropped out, to focus fully on his music career.
Career:
Black Sherif started his musical journey at a young age, inspired by artists like Sarkodie, Kwesi Arthur, and Drake. He began recording songs in his bedroom and uploading them on social media platforms. Black Sherif is a singer and rapper who blends hip hop, afrobeat, and drill music in his songs. He gained popularity in 2021 with his viral songs “First Sermon” and “Second Sermon,” which addressed the struggles and frustrations of the youth in Ghana. He also released his debut album “The Villain I Never Was” in December 2021, which featured songs like “Konongo Zongo”, “45”, and “Toxic Love City”. He is currently signed to EMPIRE, a US-based record label that has worked with artists like Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, and Tyga.
Achievements: The 21-year-old, is one of the most promising and talented artists in the Ghanaian music scene. He has won several awards and nominations, such as the Breakthrough Act of the Year at the 3Music Awards 2022 and the Best New Artiste at the Ghana Music Awards UK 2021. He has also collaborated with other artists like Larry Gaaga, Burna Boy, Malcolm Nuna, and Yaw Tog. He is known for his catchy hooks, witty lyrics, and energetic performances. He aims to inspire and motivate his fans with his music and to represent his culture and community. Black Sherif is one of the most promising and talented artists in the Ghanaian music scene. He has won several awards and nominations, such as the Breakthrough Act of the Year at the 3Music Awards 2022, Best International Flow nomination at the BET Hip Hop Awards 2022, and the Best New Artiste at the Ghana Music Awards UK 2021. He has also collaborated with other artists like Sarkodie, Larry Gaaga, Burna Boy, Malcolm Nuna, and Yaw Tog. He is known for his catchy hooks, witty lyrics, and energetic performances. He aims to inspire and motivate his fans with his music and to represent his culture and community.
The Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) employees are urging management to support their unionization efforts.
According to them, the welfare of staff is one of the key factors for the move as the development has had a negative effect administrative operation of the state institution.
One staff on condition of anonymity told Starrfm.com.gh that, “For the 21 years the GMA has been in existence, we have not had any union and we are not permitted to join any union. We have created some Associations but that is not a strong body that can push for staff welfare in a dispassionate manner.”
He said the development has resulted in low staff moral as some staff have stayed on the same rank for over 10 years.
“We are not saying promotion is automatic, but we recognize the hard work of some of our colleagues. If you are employed and you come to see someone who has stayed on a rank for 15 years in your department, what is the hope that you would rise in such a job,” she said.
She further noted that for fear of victimization, the status quo has remained for 21 years and efforts need to be made to allow the workers to have a union that would not only seek their welfare but ensure that they are also giving off their maximum best to help regulate Ghana’s waterborne transportation system as well as the implementation of the requirements of International Maritime Conventions.
Earlier this year, staff of the Authority made efforts to address this issue, but these efforts have not been fruitful due to what appears to be reluctance on the part of management for reasons unknown.
Some staff of the GMA have recently commenced engagements with management on the matter and are hopeful of fruitful discussions.
A visitor to a four-star hotel who reserved a room found out more than he anticipated when a complete stranger entered his room, undressed, and climbed into bed with him.
While his home is being repaired, Mason Sanders was living at the Hunton Park Hotel in Abbots Langley, Hertfordshire.
He had been sleeping in cheap hotels earlier, but that night he decided to pamper himself and spent £60 on a double room.
But when 24-year-old Mason rolled over to see if it was his partner climbing into bed with him in the early hours of the morning, he realised it was a total stranger.
Mason, a shop manager, says the stranger was given a key to his room which allowed him in at around 3.50am on March 17.
He explained: ‘I reached out my arm thinking my partner was next to me.
‘But instead it was some random drunk guy. The receptionist just handed a complete stranger the key to my room.
‘I could have been killed – but the hotel are refusing to accept the severity of the situation.
‘Coming to the hotel I was expecting good things. It had four stars and I was looking forward to a luxury stay.
The receptionist just handed a complete stranger the key to my room.’ (Picture: SWNS)The hotel has not commented (Picture: Google Maps)
‘But I was given the fright of my life when I rolled over in the night to find a drunk man sprawled across my bed.
‘When I put my arm out, I initially thought it was my partner who’d said he may be joining me after work.
‘But I quickly noticed that wasn’t the case.
‘I started shouting at this random person, and he shot up and ran to the bathroom and was sick everywhere.
‘He then picked up his clothes and ran down the hallway, still in his underwear, and sprinted past the reception desk and out the door.’
‘It was a horrific experience, and something that will stick with me forever’ (Picture: Mason Sanders/SWNS)
Mason immediately went down to reception, where he claims staff confirmed the man was given a key to his room without asking any security questions about who he was.
He escalated his complaint to management in the morning but he says the compensation offered – a refund for his room and his bar tab from the night before – isn’t enough to make up for what happened.
Mason, who is preparing to sue Countrywide Hotels over the incident, said: ‘Where is the safeguarding or security measures in place to protect guests?
‘Men can be just as vulnerable as women in scenarios like these, but Countrywide Hotels are refusing to take my complaint seriously.
‘It was a horrific experience, and something that will stick with me forever.
‘I’ve already sought legal representation and am preparing to sue the hotel chain – they need to be held accountable.’
Countrywide Hotels has been approached for comment.
Hertfordshire Constabulary confirmed they had received a call to report the incident, but said it was not a police matter.
Actress Fella Makafui is fighting back against non-fans who scrutinize her appearance and wardrobe because she is married.
In a recent video, Fella showed herself receiving treatment to keep her tummy flat and enhance her curves, which led to some negative comments from netizens.
Despite the criticism, Fella was unapologetic and defended herself by stating that she takes self-care seriously and wants to share her secrets with her fans.
In recent times, cosmetic procedures have become more common and are no longer solely reserved for the wealthy or famous, however, brands and plastic surgeons contract the services of influencers and actresses to promote their work.
Documenting the process on an Instagram post, Fella said, “You all know I don’t play when it comes to ‘self-care’ lol. You all been asking how I maintain my snatched waist so here you go.”
She even promoted the company that has been helping her achieve her desired look.
“They’ve been holding your girl down and I thought of sharing. For your cavitation and fat freezing. The procedure firms, tighten and contour the waist. It’s also painless and comfortable. Come thank me later, [SIC]” she captioned the post
Fella’s decision to share her experience with her fans has been met with negative reviews which triggered the mother of 1 to launch an attack on the haters.
“Some of you are hypocrites lol. Looking good has nothing to do with the fact that I’m married or not. I’m doing it for me. Sit in your house with your big tummy lol that’s your problem, not mine. I love to look good and feel good in my body, I will not stop this self-care treatment for myself. If you admire this, join the train if not too, Good luck on admiring.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) Dr Mustapha Hamid has argued that it will be very easy for Dr Mahamudu Bawumia to beat John Mahama in the 2024 Presidential Election given their credentials and the policy positions they have both espoused so far.
Speaking on Metro TV’s Good Evening Ghana show last Thursday, Dr Hamid while declaring his support for Dr Bawumia’s bid to lead the New Patriotic Party (NPP) argued Dr Bawumia is in pole position to beat John Mahama, the presumptive flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
“Well, I back Dr Bawumia. He’s going to win the NPP primaries. There is absolutely no doubt about it. Oh yeah! It’s done. I am sure the others [ aspirants to the flagbearer position] know. But it’s a competition so it’s okay for them to show up…So inside the NPP, he is going to win. Then when it comes to the national [ level], that is an even easier job. Have you heard John Mahama articulate any serious policy position? I don’t know; I haven’t heard. He has absolutely nothing to his name.
I want to sound very respectful. But with the greatest of respects, John Mahama is quite empty. And where we are as a country, we don’t need that hollowness, that shallowness. We need depth. We need deep thinking. We need someone who knows the craft of Government to be able to fashion out the kinds of programmes that will transform this country. And those are the programmes that under the leadership of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and with the support of Dr. Bawumia, the NPP has put all the way for the transformation of this country…We are going to make sure that by the time we go into the elections in 2024, Ghanaians have absolutely no doubt in their minds that Bawumia is the choice,” he expatiated.
Campaigns for the 2024 Presidential Election have started in earnest even though Ghana’s dominant parties – the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) are yet to select their flagbearers. John Mahama is predictably the NDC’s candidate for the election while it is still anybody’s game for the NPP even though Dr Bawumia is amassing massive support from party grassroots and high-ranking officers.
A stranger gave GHS5K to actress Efia Odo for dressing decently for church.
Efia Odo who is well known for flaunting her body in skimpy dresses apparently decided to visit the church and she covered herself without showing any flesh which surprised some people who knew her on social media.
One lady who from sources runs her own business and also happened a church member was so impressed to see the known socialite dressed in that manner and decided to give her a gift.
Efia Odo said she was initially dubious after receiving the call because she thought it sounded too good to be true; as a result, she had second thoughts about meeting this woman in the first place.
Nevertheless, the presenter said she ultimately made the decision to meet this good samaritan, and to her utter surprise, the lady showed up and presented the full amount of money to her.
Efia Odo was seen flaunting the Ghc5 fresh notes in the video she posted on social media as she expressed outrage over the woman’s behaviour and pledged to support the woman’s business on social media.
It is common knowledge among those who have followed Efia Odo on social media over the years that she is one of the well-known entertainment figures who have no problem exposing female skin whenever she feels like it.
Jacinda Ardern, who left her position as prime minister of New Zealand earlier this year, has said she is forgoing the rigors of politics for a period of quiet meditation in academia abroad. She will be attending Harvard University this autumn on the basis of two fellowships.
According to a press statement from Harvard, she was selected to dual fellowships at the university’s school of public policy and government, the Harvard Kennedy School.
She will work as the Hauser Leader in the School’s Center for Public Leadership, a program where leaders from various sectors assist students and faculty in developing their leadership skills, and the Angelopoulos Global Public Leaders Fellow, a program designed for prominent leaders transitioning from public service roles.
“Jacinda Ardern showed the world strong and empathetic political leadership,” said Kennedy School Dean Douglas Elmendorf in the news release. “She earned respect far beyond the shores of her country, and she will bring important insights for our students and will generate vital conversations about the public policy choices facing leaders at all levels.”
“I am incredibly humbled to be joining Harvard University as a fellow – not only will it give me the opportunity to share my experience with others, it will give me a chance to learn,” Ardern said in the release. “As leaders, there’s often very little time for reflection, but reflection is critical if we are to properly support the next generation of leaders.”
At the same time, Ardern will be completing a separate fellowship at the Harvard Law School’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society, where she will be studying ways to contain extremist content online.
In an Instagram post on Wednesday, Arden said she would be doing “some speaking, teaching, and learning.”
She added that Harvard had been an important partner in her work for Christchurch Call – an initiative she helped launch in 2019 to counter terrorist and violent extremist content online, two months after the Christchurch terrorist attack that killed 51 people in two mosques. The attacker had livestreamed the incident and published a manifesto online beforehand.
Ardern said she would be gone for a semester, missing out on the New Zealand general election, but would return at the end of the fellowships. “After all, New Zealand is home!” she wrote.
When Ardern became the country’s prime minister in 2017 at the age of 37, she was New Zealand’s third female leader and one of the youngest leaders in the world. Within a year, she had become only the second world leader to give birth in office.
Her time in power was defined by multiple crises, including the Christchurch attack, a deadly volcanic explosion, and a global pandemic.
She quickly became a progressive global icon, remembered for her empathy while steering New Zealand through these crises and for taking her baby daughter to the United Nations General Assembly.
However, at home her popularity ebbed amid the rising cost of living, housing shortages and economic anxiety. And she faced violent anti-lockdown protests in the capital Wellington, with threats made against her.
Ardern announced her shock resignation in January, saying she no longer had enough fuel in the tank to contest an election.
She bid her final farewell earlier this month with an emotional speech in parliament, affirming to all the nerds, criers, huggers, mothers and ex-Mormons of the world: “You can be all of these things. And not only can you be here; you can lead. Just like me.”
A young woman got social media talking when she confirmed being pregnant for her best friend’s fiancé just two months before their wedding.
The tweep with the handle @praiseoghre, shared the incident on the microblogging platform after the lady sought her counsel.
She claimed the woman only slept with her best friend’s fiancé on one occasion, which resulted in the pregnancy, and she is at a loss for what to do.
According to her, their best friend’s wedding is in two months, and she doesn’t know whether to report herself to her friend before the wedding or keep it a secret.
@praiseoghre tweeted: “A lady confided in me yesterday, that she is pregnant for her best friend fiancé ( one night stand). who is suppose to be wedding in June, that her conscience was telling on her if she should speak up or allow them and keep everything until her last breath?”
Her revelation has generated mixed reactions on social media, some of which are captured below.
Check out some reactions
A lady confided in me yesterday, that she is pregnant for her best friend fiancé ( one night stand). who is suppose to be wedding in June, that her conscience was telling on her if she should speak up or allow them and keep everything until her last breath?
A lady confided in me yesterday, that she is pregnant for her best friend fiancé ( one night stand). who is suppose to be wedding in June, that her conscience was telling on her if she should speak up or allow them and keep everything until her last breath?
Thomas Cashman‘s murderous accomplice, who shot Olivia Pratt-Korbel, 9, to death, has been imprisoned.
Following the shooting death of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel in her Dovecot, Liverpool, home in August, Paul Russell, 41, was found guilty of aiding a criminal and sentenced to 22 months in prison at Liverpool Crown Court.
British singer Ed Sheeran has appeared in a New York City court to deny that his song Thinking Out Loud copied Marvin Gaye’s song ‘Let’s Get It On’.
Heirs of Gaye’s co-writer, Ed Townsend, argue that Sheeran, Warner Music Group and Sony Music Publishing owe them money for allegedly stealing the song.
As the case opened, their lawyer called Sheeran’s use of lyrics from Gaye’s song at his concerts a “smoking gun”.
But he said he’d “be quite an idiot” to do that if he had copied the song.
Asked by lawyer Keisha Rice about another song he wrote, Take it Back, which contains the lyrics “plagiarism is hidden”, Sheeran confirmed that he had written the words.
“Those are my lyrics, yep,” he said, adding: “Can I give some context to them?”
She said that if she wanted any context she would ask for it, and went on to ask him about concert footage recorded in Zurich showing him mixing lyrics from Gaye’s 1973 song with Thinking Out Loud.
Townsend’s daughter spoke outside court (REUTERS)
Earlier, another lawyer for the family – civil rights advocate Ben Crump – told the court that the concert video amounted to a “smoking gun” confession.
Sheeran responded that he sometimes mixed together songs with similar chords at his performances, and appeared to grow frustrated when Ms Rice cut him off.
“I feel like you don’t want me to answer because you know that what I’m going to say is actually going to make quite a lot of sense,” he said.
“You could go from Let It Be to No Woman, No Cry and switch back,” Sheeran continued under oath, referring to the Beatles and Bob Marley classics.
“If I had done what you’re accusing me of doing, I’d be a quite an idiot to stand on a stage in front of 20,000 people and do that.”
In his opening statement, Mr Crump “recognised the magic” of Gaye’s song and “decided to capture a bit of that magic for his own benefit”.
As the trial began on Tuesday, US District Judge Louis Stanton warned the seven-member jury that despite the fact that music will be played in court: “We don’t allow dancing.”
The trial is expected to last at least one week. If the jury finds the pop star liable for copyright infringement, the trial will enter a second phase to determine how much he owes.
The court case comes as the singer prepares to launch a North American stadium tour and release a new album.
Earlier on Tuesday, Sheeran’s lawyer argued that both songs are distinct from each other and that no artist should be allowed to “monopolise” commonly used musical chord progressions.
“No one owns basic musical building blocks,” said Ilene Farkas.
“The two songs share versions of a similar and unprotectable [sic] chord progression that was freely available to all songwriters,” his lawyers said in an earlier court filing.
Mr Townsend’s daughter testified before Sheeran, according to the New York Times.
Kathryn Griffin-Townsend praised Sheeran as “a great artist with a great future”, the newspaper reported. She told jurors she brought the case reluctantly, and because “I have to protect my father’s legacy.”
The latest trial comes one year after Sheeran was cleared at a trial in London of claims he copied his hit song Shape Of You.
The claim over Thinking Out Loud was originally lodged in 2018, not by Gaye’s family but by investment banker David Pullman and a company called Structured Asset Sales (SAS), which has acquired a portion of the estate of Let’s Get It On co-writer Ed Townsend.
Seeking $100m (£90m) in damages, they allege that Sheeran and his co-writer Amy Wadge “copied and exploited, without authorisation or credit” the Gaye song, “including but not limited to the melody, rhythms, harmonies, drums, bass line, backing chorus, tempo, syncopation and looping”.
Ms Wadge, and various expert musicologists, are expected to testify at the New York trial.
This is not the only trial Sheeran is facing over Thinking Out Loud, which went to number one in the UK in 2014 and won Song of the Year at the Grammy Awards in 2016.
SAS has filed a second case, which is currently on pause, while a separate suit by another portion of Townsend’s estate is awaiting trial.
Her husband did not only cheat on her; he also married another woman while they were still married, that is the story of Agnes Opoku Agyeman, a gospel musician who opened up about her marriage experience in an interview in April 2022.
“I was in my husband’s house when I heard he had married another woman… because of what people will say, I had to keep mute and suffer,” she said in the interview as she explained why she didn’t leave the house having been fed with the information about her husband’s second marriage.
Popular Ghanaian gospel musician, Agnes Opoku Agyeman, has narrated how her previous marriage to an unfaithful pastor brought her life to a standstill at a certain period.
The renowned gospel singer said contrary to society’s ‘picture perfect’ imagination of being married to a pastor, in her case, it was hell.
Recounting her painful ordeal, Opoku Agyeman said her former husband did not only cheat, but he went ahead to marry another woman while they were still married.
The ‘mensan makyi’ hitmaker said during that particular period, divorce wasn’t an option for her, adding that, she stayed and endured the maltreatment for the fear of being judged by society.
Agnes said she continued to live in her matrimonial home until her ex-husband, who got fed up, divorced her.
“I was in my husband’s house when I heard he married another woman but I had no choice but to stay because of what people will say, I was scared to leave to I had to keep mute and suffer. I cried; I was in pain but I had to endure. I stayed until he went ahead to divorce me. He was a pastor; I married a pastor.
“It got to a point, there were countless rumours about my marriage, but through it all, I prayed to God and asked him to take me out of this. I told myself that divorce isn’t my portion because my mother is 85 years old but she is still married to my 95-year-old father. I wanted to follow in that stead but I wasn’t fortunate. If I wasn’t grounded in the word of God, I wouldn’t have been able to pull through all I went through,” she stated in an interview with Joy Prime.
She also touched on the case of the popular Nigerian gospel singer, Osinachi Nwachukwu, who was recently allegedly battered and killed by her husband.
Likening that particular situation to hers, Agnes Opoku said the only difference was that she wasn’t physically abused, and on her part, she was advised to leave the marriage.
“Recently, with regards to the Nigerian gospel singer that died, I heard her husband usually beats her, and anytime she informed her pastor, he advised her to remain in the marriage. She was informed that a Christian should not divorce under any circumstance. but in my case a lot of pastors advised me to leave the marriage,” she said.
Agnes, who is currently happily married to another man, said it took her nine solid years to move on after her divorce.
“The divorce never affected my career because he wasn’t my manager. I stayed for nine years before re-marrying,” she added.
Nigerian talent manager cum producer, Soso Soberekon, has shared his thoughts on how ladies can detect if their partners are contributing to their problems.
The talent manager, in an Instagram post, stated that men who leave their girlfriends to figure out problems all by themselves are red flags.
He said male partners are supposed to share their ladies’ problems with them adding then that’s what a real man does.
When a woman tells her partner about her problems and he asks what she intends to do, Soso contends that she should be aware that he is just one of the many issues she has.
He wrote: “When you tell your boyfriend ur problems and he says, “What Are you going To Do”? Just Know You’re Dating One Of Ur Problems.”
The post has since garnered mixed reactions among social media users as they shared varied opinions about Soso’s comments.
Check out the reactions below:
oluwakemi._o: “So true. Even if he no geh money make E geh sense always having a strategy to tackle d problem.”
anike_modupeopla: “My head don full for relationship advice! Make Una give me food chop”
ddashnblushmakeovers: “Him asking what are you going to do might be that he wants to hear your feedback concerning the issue before he shares his idea/opinion. Even as a lady if u get problem & na to just carry am go meet your BF wey no be ur papa, u sef na problem them suppose avoid you. R/ship adviser…”
iamballing1122: “He didn’t lie. Person wey love you no go leave you with you problems. It’s applicable to both genders though.”
wendy_adamma: “Omo! If someone close to shares their personal problem with me. It instantly becomes what are “we” going to do.”
chaaretea: “Haba na , some people are actually honestly clueless, they don’t want to seem like there’re suggesting, so they’ll ask you what you want to do , then possibly work hand in hand with you for positive results .”
gatsegwasi: “I once dated someone like this. He never had any advise for me no matter what the challenge was. Narrate the situation and watch him say so what are you going to do now? Those words annoyed me so much. Imagine going over and beyond for someone and he gives you this response when it’s you.”
Paul Adom-Otchere, host of Good Evening Ghana, earned a spot in a letter addressed to Information Minister, Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah.
He appeared in the letter for defending some government officials cited in the damning report on illegal small-scale mining (galamsey) in Ghana.
One such officials is Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, the Minister of Information who was accused by former Environment Minister, Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng of undermining him during his leadership as head of government’s anti-galamsey taskforce.
In defending Oppong Nkrumah on his show last week, Adom-Otchere chided the former minister for aspects of his report that said Oppong-Nkrumah organized a media team to attack him in the galamsey fight.
Adom-Otchere said even if the information minister had any plans to undermine his colleague cabinet minister, he would use more coded means and not call a meeting at a public hotel as alleged by Frimpong-Boateng.
“If Kojo Oppong Nkrumah wants to do something, that is not how he will do it. He is not going to have a meeting at Forest (Hotel in Dodowa). No, no, no.
“He is going to send a text to somebody… Charlie what we go do… that is how they talk among themselves and they decide that what’s the plan, this is the thing. Ok, so, how do we execute?
“You won’t know, they don’t even talk normal, they talk in code. When they mention somebody’s name as Kofi, the person may not be Kofi, he is some other person…,” Adom-Otchere submitted on his show.
In his 23rd April reply to Oppong Nkrumah’s rebuttal to claims the former minister made in a 2021 report Frimpong-Boateng authored, he tasked Oppong Nkrumah to desist from coded and evil tactics in undertaking his responsibility as minister.
He specifically mentioned journalist Paul Adom-Otchere who had last week weighed in on the former minister’s report calling it into question and exonerating some of the persons implicated.
“I will urge you to do your work diligently and avoid the coded and evil tactics Mr. Paul Adom Okyere boastfully and unashamedly told the world on ‘Good Evening Ghana’ that you employ to deal with your real and perceived enemies,” the statement read in part.
Ghana’s economy expanded more than anticipated in the final quarter of 2022, despite the country dealing with high inflation, a moratorium on debt payments, and rising interest rates.
Gross domestic product expanded 3.7% from a year earlier in the three months through December, compared with upwardly revised growth of 3.1% in the previous quarter, government statistician Samuel Kobina Annim told reporters Wednesday in the capital, Accra.
The median of four economists’ estimates in a Bloomberg survey was for growth of 2.6%. The cedi extended gains, strengthening 0.5% to 11.7565 per dollar by 11:59 a.m. in Accra, while the yield on Ghana’s $1 billion of eurobonds due 2026 fell marginally to 50.9%.
The main drivers of the economic growth were mining and quarrying, which grew 13.4% in the quarter from a year earlier, information and communications and agriculture, Annim said.
Economic growth slowed to 3.1% in 2022, from a revised 5.1% a year earlier, Ghana Statistical Service data showed. That undershot a Finance Ministry estimate of 3.7% and International Monetary Fund’s 3.2%.
Ghana is working to restructure most of its public liabilities, estimated at 576 billion cedis ($49 billion) at the end of November, to cut its debt from an estimated 105% of GDP in 2022 to 55% by 2028. This will enable the country to secure a $3 billion rescue package from the IMF, even as it undertakes belt-tightening measures set to weigh on economic growth this year.
Economists in a separate Bloomberg survey predict a 2.4% expansion in GDP in the three months through March, and 2.9% in 2023.
According to authorities, a crowd murdered more than a dozen persons on Monday in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, who were allegedly gang members.
Crowds were assembling nearby as victims were seen on video from Reuters and AFP with tires encircling them and in flames. According to locals who spoke to Reuters and AFP on video, the victims were members of gangs.
“It was 3:00am in the morning. Gangs broke into our area. Numerous gunshots were heard. All of the locals in the vicinity are calm citizens, and this neighborhood is no exception, a local told AFP.
Before the killing, Haitian National Police had stopped and searched the victims in a minibus in the neighborhood of Canape-Vert, seizing weapons and other equipment, according to a statement from the Haitian National Police.
“More than a dozen individuals riding on board this vehicle were unfortunately lynched by members of the population,” the statement said.
“If the gangs come to invade us, we will defend ourselves, we have our own weapons, we have our machetes, we will take their weapons, we will not run away,” a 15-year-old Haitian resident told AFP.
“We don’t ask for a lot. The gang members have invaded the area. We want the police to go ahead and confront them. We’re on our own. We have nothing,” said another. The resident added that suspected gangmembers had “invaded” the neighborhood early Monday morning around 2am.
In a tweet, Haiti’s Prime Minister Ariel Henry applauded the Haitian police on Monday for recent operations toward restoring “order and peace in our cities and neighborhoods.”
“Together, we will solve the problems related to security to move forward,” Henry wrote
Gangs control wide swathes of Port-Au-Prince, plaguing residents with extreme violence as Haitians also grapple with extreme poverty and a humanitarian crisis.
Fitch Ratings – Hong Kong – 21 Apr 2023: Fitch Ratings has downgraded Ghana’s Long-Term Local-Currency (LTLC) Issuer Default Rating (IDR) to ‘RD’ from ‘CCC’. Fitch has also downgraded to ‘CC’ from ‘CCC’ and subsequently withdrawn the issue ratings on five local-currency bonds issued prior to the domestic debt exchange. Fitch has affirmed the issue rating of local-currency bonds issued on the completion date of the domestic debt exchange at ‘CCC.’
Fitch has affirmed Ghana’s Long-Term Foreign-Currency (LTFC) IDR at ‘RD’.
Fitch typically does not assign Outlooks to sovereigns with a rating of ‘CCC+’ or below.
A full list of rating actions is at the end of this rating action commentary.
Fitch has withdrawn the ratings of five local currency-denominated bonds issued by the Republic of Ghana prior to the domestic debt exchange programme as they are no longer considered by Fitch to be relevant to the agency’s coverage because Fitch no longer rates any local-currency bonds issued prior to the domestic debt exchange. Missed payments on some of the local-currency bonds issued prior to the domestic debt exchange could affect one or more of these five previously rated bonds. These five bonds are ISIN no. GHGGOG044744, GHGGOG066150, GHGGOG043563, GHGGOG065475, GHGGOG044751.
Key Rating Drivers
Missed Local-Currency Debt Payment: The downgrade of Ghana’s LTLC IDR to ‘RD’ reflects the missed payments on some local-currency-denominated bonds that were not tendered or that are held by entities not eligible for participating in the domestic debt exchange.
The Republic of Ghana announced it was resuming payments on local-currency bonds issued prior to the domestic debt exchange (the ‘old bonds’) on 13 March 2023 to bondholders who were either ineligible or did not participate in the domestic debt exchange. However, the authorities have subsequently acknowledged that only the coupon payments on the two-year note that matured on 20 February 2023 and the 20-year note maturing in 2039 had been made. The principal payment on the former note has not been made.
Uncertainty Regarding Clearing of Missed Payments: Following a meeting with representatives of individual bondholders and pension funds, the government announced having reached an agreement on a pathway towards the settlement of the outstanding debt obligations by 28 April 2023. In Fitch’s view, this announcement does not clarify whether missed payments will be settled to all categories of holders of ‘old bonds’ or only to these two categories.
According to Fitch, 35 payments, whether principal or coupon, were due on the outstanding ‘old bonds’ between 20 January 2023 and 20 April 2023. Fitch has downgraded to ‘CC’ from ‘CCC’ the issue rating of five local-currency bonds issued prior to the debt exchange and has subsequently withdrawn the rating on these securities due to the limited information and uncertainty regarding the timely servicing of the securities issued prior to the domestic debt exchange.
New Local-Currency Bonds Affirmed: Fitch has affirmed the ‘CCC’ issue rating of local-currency bonds issued on the completion date of the domestic debt exchange programme (the “new bonds”) that was assigned on 22 March 2023. The first coupon payments on the new bonds are due in August 2023.
Solvency Concerns Remain Critical: The domestic debt exchange has increased the debt-to-GDP ratio by 0.6pp with payment-in-kind coupons corresponding to an increase in the face value of the new bonds compared with the face value of tendered bonds.
Despite a substantial redemption reprofiling and significantly lowered interest rates, Fitch estimates that the present value of public debt-to-GDP has been reduced by only 1pp to slightly above 100% of GDP (in present value terms) using the standard 5% discount rates that applies in the IMF/World Bank debt sustainability framework for low-income countries.
IMF support for Ghana will likely depend on the government’s ability to show a path towards bringing the present value of debt to 55% of GDP over the forecast horizon on the basis of the IMF/World Bank debt sustainability analysis and the ability of official bilateral creditors to provide financing assurances in the context of the Common Framework external debt restructuring that authorities have requested.
Although discussion has started among some official creditors, the official creditor committee, responsible for providing the financing assurances, has not been created yet.
Fitch does not expect the provision of financing assurances, which will pave the way for an IMF Board approval of the ECF arrangement and for a new debt sustainability analysis to be published, before end of 2Q23.
Foreign-Currency Debt Remains in Default: Fitch downgraded the LTFC IDR to ‘RD’ from ‘C’ on 21 February 2023 following the expiration of the grace period for a missed Eurobond coupon payment.
This missed payment was consistent with the partial suspension on external debt payments announced by the government in December 2022. Ghana subsequently asked official creditors for a restructuring of its external debt under the G20 Common Framework.
Partially Guaranteed Notes Not Affected: Fitch downgraded the issue rating on Ghana’s US dollar-denominated notes due October 2030 to ‘CC’ from ‘B-‘ on 21 December 2022. The notes benefit from a partial credit guarantee backed by the International Development Association (IDA) for scheduled debt service payments up to 40% of the original principal, or USD400 million, representing 3.5 years of full interest payments.
The notes are part of the current external debt moratorium and at least the non-guaranteed part is likely to be included in the external debt restructuring. However, the IDA guarantee provides additional liquidity for debt service over the next 3.5 years, and could lead to higher recoveries.
ESG – Governance: Ghana has an ESG Relevance Score (RS) of ‘5’ for both Political Stability and Rights and for the Rule of Law, Institutional and Regulatory Quality and Control of Corruption. Theses scores reflect the high weight that the World Bank Governance Indicators (WBGI) have in our proprietary Sovereign Rating Model.
Ghana has a medium WBGI ranking at 50.8 reflecting a recent track record of peaceful political transitions, a moderate level of rights for participation in the political process, moderate institutional capacity, established rule of law and a moderate level of corruption.
ESG – Creditor rights: Ghana has an ESG Relevance Score (RS) of ‘5’ for Creditor Rights as willingness to service and repay debt is highly relevant to the rating and is a key rating driver with a high weight. The rating on Ghana’s LTFC IDR reflects Fitch’s view that Ghana is in default.
RATING SENSITIVITIES
Factors that could, individually or collectively, lead to negative rating action/downgrade:
– The partially guaranteed notes could be downgraded depending on the evolution of the debt restructuring.
– The issue ratings on local-currency-denominated bonds issued on the completion date of the domestic date exchange would be downgraded in the event of increased risk that Ghana fails to honour the first coupon payments on these bonds due in August 2023.
Factors that could, individually or collectively, lead to positive rating action/upgrade:
– Once Fitch receives satisfactory confirmation that Ghana has settled all the missed payments, the rating agency will assign Ghana’s LTLC IDR based on a forward-looking assessment of its willingness and capacity to honour its local currency debt.
-Once Ghana reaches an agreement with private creditors on the restructuring of its foreign-currency-denominated debt and completes that restructuring process following the Common Framework official creditors’ claims treatment, Fitch will assign a LTFC IDR based on a forward-looking assessment of its willingness and capacity to honour its foreign-currency debt;
-Evidence that the partially-guaranteed notes will be excluded from the external debt restructuring could lead to an upgrade of the issue rating on the partially guaranteed notes.
Sovereign Rating Model (SRM) and Qualitative Overlay (QO)
Fitch’s proprietary SRM assigns Ghana a score equivalent to a rating of ‘CCC+’ on the Long-Term Foreign-Currency IDR scale. However, in accordance with its rating criteria, Fitch’s sovereign rating committee has not utilised the SRM and QO to explain the ratings in this instance. Ratings of ‘CCC+’ and below are instead guided by the rating definitions.
Fitch’s SRM is the agency’s proprietary multiple regression rating model that employs 18 variables based on three-year centred averages, including one year of forecasts, to produce a score equivalent to a LT FC IDR.
Fitch’s QO is a forward-looking qualitative framework designed to allow for adjustment to the SRM output to assign the final rating, reflecting factors within our criteria that are not fully quantifiable and/or not fully reflected in the SRM.
Best/Worst Case Rating Scenario
International scale credit ratings of Sovereigns, Public Finance and Infrastructure issuers have a best-case rating upgrade scenario (defined as the 99th percentile of rating transitions, measured in a positive direction) of three notches over a three-year rating horizon; and a worst-case rating downgrade scenario (defined as the 99th percentile of rating transitions, measured in a negative direction) of three notches over three years.
The complete span of best- and worst-case scenario credit ratings for all rating categories ranges from ‘AAA’ to ‘D’. Best- and worst-case scenario credit ratings are based on historical performance.
REFERENCES FOR SUBSTANTIALLY MATERIAL SOURCE CITED AS KEY DRIVER OF RATING
The principal sources of information used in the analysis are described in the Applicable Criteria.
ESG Considerations
Ghana has an ESG Relevance Score of ‘5’ for Political Stability and Rights as World Bank Governance Indicators have the highest weight in Fitch’s SRM and are therefore highly relevant to the rating and a key rating driver with a high weight. As Ghana has a percentile rank below 50 for the respective Governance Indicator, this has a negative impact on the credit profile.
Ghana has an ESG Relevance Score of ‘5’ for Rule of Law, Institutional & Regulatory Quality and Control of Corruption as World Bank Governance Indicators have the highest weight in Fitch’s SRM and are therefore highly relevant to the rating and are a key rating driver with a high weight. As Ghana has a percentile rank below 50 for the respective Governance Indicators, this has a negative impact on the credit profile.
Ghana has an ESG Relevance Score of ‘4[+]’for Human Rights and Political Freedoms as the Voice and Accountability pillar of the World Bank Governance Indicators is relevant to the rating and a rating driver. As Ghana has a percentile rank above 50 for the respective Governance Indicator, this has a positive impact on the credit profile.
Ghana has an ESG Relevance Score of ‘5’ for Creditor Rights as willingness to service and repay debt is relevant to the rating and is a rating driver for Ghana, as for all sovereigns. The defaults on the foreign and local-currency denominated debt reflected in the LTFC and LTLC IDRs at ‘RD’ has a negative impact on the credit profile.
Except for the matters discussed above, the highest level of ESG credit relevance, if present, is a score of 3. This means ESG issues are credit-neutral or have only a minimal credit impact on the entity(ies), either due to their nature or to the way in which they are being managed by the entity(ies).
George Quaye, the director of the stage play ‘A Detective Calls’ which was in honour of late Ghanaian actor, Ekow Blankson, has narrated how his colleagues gladly accepted to feature in the production.
Mr Quaye speaking on ‘Off-Script with Tilly’ highlighted how the family of Ekow Blankson reacted to the news and their willingness to grace the stage play which came off on April 22nd and 23rd at the National Theatre.
Seasoned actors including Fred Amugi, Akofa Edjean, Naa Ashorkor, and Fiifi Coleman starred in the theatrical masterpiece.
“Deciding to honour Ekow Blankson was emotional for all of us. I don’t want to call it surprising but it’s been a big motivator. Theater is expensive and the cast we’ve put in this one made it more expensive. These are not ordinary people, these are big people we grew up watching. It is not that simple engaging them, their face warm up when we say we’re doing this for Ekow Blankson...when we approached the family, they responded and were excited about it,” George Quaye disclosed.
The CEO of Image Bureau also mentioned that it took the team an estimated GH¢300,000 to pull off the show adding that theatre production in Ghana is not really profitable, especially for start-ups.
“If you want to do theatre because you want to make money in Ghana, then, you are dreaming. You will not make money maybe unless you get to the Uncle Ebo Whyte level where you’ve been able to consistently deliver your promise to your audience.
“It’s not the money, if it were the money, we’d probably pull off a music concert or something. The patrons for those ones are a lot larger. For me, it’s the message first…this project is costing somewhere around GH¢300,000 if I’m not mistaken,” he detailed.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale North, Alhassan Suhuyini, has made some allegations regarding the government’s fight against illegal mining in the country.
He has accused the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) of hypocrisy in its fight against illegal small-scale mining, popularly known as galamsey.
The MP argues that the NPP lost votes in galamsey communities during the 2020 elections not because of its commitment to the fight against galamsey, but because of its failure to address the issue in a fair and transparent manner.
Speaking in a panel discussion on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana on April 25, 2023, he asserted that Professor Frimpong-Boateng, who previously served as the Minister for Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation, had recently admitted to the insincerity of the government’s fight against galamsey in his explosive report on the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM) presented to the Chief of Staff.
According to Suhuyini, the community members and chiefs in the affected areas were upset because the government had banned all forms of mining, yet some bigwigs and party people were given protection to mine in forest reserves.
He alleged that soldiers were brought in to provide protection for people to mine in their communities during the supposed ban.
“I said it in 2020 when the president and his communicators went on a rampage saying that they lost in galamsey communities because of their fight against galamsey, that it wasn’t true. Professor Frimpong-Boateng admits to what I said then, the reason why they lost in those areas is because the people were witnesses to the ununiform fight, and the people were angry by that because they had been stopped from mining but there was evidence that, there are big wings and party people who were given protection to mine in those forest reserves, when they had been stopped from mining.
“So, it was as a result of their disappointment, in the way the fight was waged that they punished the NPP, it was not because the NPP was committed to the fight and for which reason they lost votes, no it was the hypocrisy, and that is what Professor Frimpong Boateng admits to, the community members were upset, chiefs were upset…because soldiers were brought to provide protection for people to mine in their communities when there was supposed to be a ban.
“…this has come to confirm what we have always suspected, that there was never a fight in the first place, there was a platform created for people to be protected and for the operation to be limited to a few,” he said.
Three Russian aircraft were intercepted by German and British fighter jets in international airspace over the Baltic Sea on Wednesday, according to the German Armed Forces.
One Il-20 and two military Su-27 aircraft were “again flying without transponder signal,” the German Armed Forces tweeted.
The Baltic airspace in northeastern Europe has been protected by the military alliance since 2004 becauseNATO members Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania lack fighter jets of their own. In order to achieve this, the allies frequently send soldiers and fighter jets to Russia’s bordering Baltic Sea republics.
At the beginning of April, after eight months, the Bundeswehr handed over command of the NATO air surveillance mission to Great Britain. However, the German Air Force will continue to support it until the end of the month.
Charles Nii Teiko Tagoe, a presidential staffer has reacted to claims leveled against him in the IMCIM report authored by Prof Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng.
He has denied complicity in illegal small-scale mining (galamsey) after he was mentioned as part of Jubilee House staff engaged in galamsey.
Teiko and others were mentioned in the 2021 report by the former minister for Science, Technology and Innovation Prof Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, which report was recently leaked to the media.
A number of people mentioned in the report have rejected the contents of the report in whole or partially with others demanding a retraction of the allegations against them.
In his case, Teiko Tagoe issued an April 21, 2023 statement in which he denied having anything to do with galamsey.
He, however, disclosed the one occasion on which he contacted the minister who was then the chairman of government’s anti-galamsey committee, the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM).
“Let me state categorically that I have no involvement in galamsey,” his statement read.
It continued: “In 2019, I spoke to Prof. Frimpong-Boateng regarding an excavator being transported on a low-bed vehicle on a highway. He requested details, and I provided the information. However, I did not follow up on the request, and I have no knowledge of what happened with the excavator.
“It is unfortunate that Prof. Frimpong-Boateng would make comments about me in his report. I want to make it clear that I have nothing to do with illegal mining,” the statement added.
His full statement is below:
My fellow Ghanaians, I wish to address recent media reports attempting to link me to illegal small-scale mining activities, popularly known as galamsey. These reports are based on a statement made by Prof. Frimpong-Boateng, the former Chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining.
Let me state categorically that I have no involvement in galamsey. In 2019, I spoke to Prof. Frimpong-Boateng regarding an excavator being transported on a low-bed vehicle on a highway. He requested details, and I provided the information. However, I did not follow up on the request, and I have no knowledge of what happened with the excavator.
It is unfortunate that Prof. Frimpong-Boateng would make comments about me in his report. I want to make it clear that I have nothing to do with illegal mining. I urge the media and the public to disregard the portions of the report that pertain to me and treat it with the contempt it deserves.
I believe in the rule of law, and I am committed to supporting efforts to clamp down on illegal mining activities in the country. I remain committed to the development of Ghana and the well-being of its citizens.
A former senior official in the former government of Sudan who was wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes and crimes against humanity was recently released from jail in the country’s capital, Khartoum.
Numerous Sudanese leaders, including Ahmed Haroun, the leader of the country’s ruling National Congress Party, were detained in 2019 as a result of a popular revolt and military takeover that brought down the government of former President Omar al-Bashir.
As Sudan’s State Minister for the Interior and later State Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, Haroun is accused of committing more than 40 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur in the early 2000s, including murder, rape, torture, attacks on civilians, and property destruction.
Sudan has been plunged into chaos since fighting between two military factions broke out 12 days ago.
At least 459 people have been killed and more than 4,000 injured, according to the World Health Organization, while parts of the capital Khartoum have become a war zone.
In an audio message circulated on social media on Tuesday, Haroun said he and a number of former regime figures, who he did not name, left Kober prison in Khartoum after chaos hit the facility on Sunday.
Prisoners of Kober prison were released by authorities after inmates protested the lack of food and water by burning two cars inside the prison grounds, two Sudanese police sources told CNN.
Haroun claimed in the audio message he and other figures decided to leave the prison with the help of prison guards and armed forces, and they have been relocated to a safe place. He said he would turn himself into authorities when the situation returned to normal.
Unconfirmed reports claimed the former President al-Bashir was among the prisoners released from Kober prison.
However, the media office of Sudan’s Police and sources familiar with the matter told CNN Bashir remains in the custody of the Sudan Armed Forces at a military hospital in Omdurman, west of Khartoum.
Sources told CNN that Bashir was transferred to Alia Specialized Hospital a year ago due to health problems.
“Al-Bashir is still in the hospital, all the former regime leaders were evacuated from Kober prison before the other inmates were released yesterday,” the media office of Sudan’s Police told CNN on the phone on Monday.
Sudan has been racked with violence since a power struggle between two rival generals spilled into the open,with forces loyal to each man engaging in combat on the streets of Khartoum and in towns around the capital.
Water supplies are scarce and food is “running out” in Khartoum state, a witness told CNN on Tuesday. The WHO also on Tuesday warned of a “huge biological risk” after Sudanese fighters seized the National Public Health Laboratory in the capital.
Countries are racing to evacuate their citizens as an uneasy 72-hour ceasefire, announced on Tuesday, raised hopes that escape routes could be opened for civilians desperate to flee.
The ceasefire appeared to be holding “in some parts” on Tuesday, however, “reports of sporadic shooting are still coming in as well as reports of relocation of troops,” the UN Secretary General’s Special Representative for Sudan said.
Both Sudan’s Armed Forces (SAF) and Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have released statements acknowledging Haroun’s audio message and accused each other of helping him to escape.
“Today, the facts were revealed in a blatant manner after the statement issued by Ahmed Haroun, wanted by the Criminal Court, on behalf of the leadership of the defunct regime, who left Kober prison at the hands of the coup forces (SAF),” RSF said in a statement on Wednesday.
In his audio message, Haroun has also urged RSF fighters to join SAF in their fights and praised SAF across the country.
SAF saidin a statement Wednesdaythey have nothing to do with Harounand are “not concerned with any statements issued by any group or individuals who were released from these prisons in this way, including the statement of Ahmed Haroun.”
“We are very surprised that he referred to the armed forces, as they have nothing to do with Ahmed Haroun, his political party, or the administration of prisons in the country that fall under the responsibility of the Sudanese Ministry of Interior and Police,” SAF added in the statement.
The UN Secretary General’s Special Representative for Sudan warned on Tuesday that “with supply lines running out and destroyed in airstrikes, fear of increased criminality is mounting. Reports of prisoners being released from detention centers across Khartoum have compounded these fears.”
The conflict in Darfur began around 2003 when several rebel groups in Darfur, a western region of Sudan, took up arms against the government in Khartoum. They had grievances over land and historical marginalization.
In response, the government launched a brutal counterinsurgency operation to target opposition groups butwhich also reportedly expanded to target tribes associated with the insurgents. The government-backed Janjaweed militia was mobilized to crush the revolt and unleashed a wave of violence that Washington and activists said amounted to genocide.
The UN estimated that 2.5 million people were displaced and 300,000 people may have died in the Darfur conflict, although experts say that figure has likely risen since then.
Sudan’s then-President, Omar al-Bashir, was charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity by the ICC, including genocide, related to the Darfur conflict in 2009.
Under his 30-year iron grip an entire generation grew up in the shadow of war, where the threat of torture in infamous “ghost houses” was never far away, and press freedom was nonexistent. He was ousted in a military coup in April 2019 following a lengthy popular uprising and jailed in Khartoum.
Haroun was among the senior leadership in Bashir’s regime and was sanctioned by the US government in 2007.
At the time, the US Department of the Treasury said Haroun acted as a liaison “between the Sudanese government and the Government-supported Janjaweed militias, which have attacked and brutalized innocent civilians in the region.”
While serving as State Interior Minister, Haroun “played a central role in coordinating and planning military operations in Darfur between 2003 and 2005,” the statement said.
The US Treasury Department said Haroun was also responsible in the 1990s “for massacres in the Nuba Mountains and was nicknamed ‘the Butcher of Nuba’.”
According to mission designer Zhang Rongqiao, China’s Zhurong rover on Mars has been in slumber since last May because of a “unpredictable accumulation” of dust, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.
Zhurong, a solar-powered spacecraft, landed on Mars’ northern hemisphere’s Utopia Planitia on May 15, 2021, and went into hibernation there last May for the winter.
Since then, the rover has been dormant. “According to our analysis, the biggest possibility is that because of unpredictable accumulation of Martian dust, its power generation capacity was reduced and it was too low to wake itself up,” Rongqiao said.
He said the rover is expected to automatically wake up when the light and weather conditions improve with temperatures inside the cabin surpassing -15 degrees Celsius (5 degrees Fahrenheit) and when there is enough sunlight to charge the battery to at least 140 watts.
While he acknowledged there is a possibility the rover may never exit hibernation if dust accumulation exceeds 40%, he stressed the rover’s dormancy is “within our expectation.”
The rover’s primary mission, which lasted for three months, was to search for signs of ancient life. It investigated the minerals, environment and distribution of water and ice in the plain, which is all part of the largest impact basin in the Martian northern lowlands.
The data collected by the rover has found evidence suggesting water persisted on Mars for much longer than expected, findings that were published last year in a study in the journal Science Advances.
Rongqiao said the rover was designed to have a working duration of 90 days on Mars, but has so far worked 358 days and traveled 1,921 meters (6,302 feet) on Mars.
Martian winters can be tough on any spacecraft exploring the red planet, when more dust becomes lofted in the air, which obscures sunlight from reaching solar panels, and the planet’s already frigid temperatures drop even lower. NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter experienced issues during the same Martian winter that caused Zhurong to go into hibernation, although the chopper weathered the season and just completed its 50th flight on Mars.
Rovers and landers are no strangers to the risks that the Martian environment poses. The NASA InSight lander’s mission came to an end in December after spending nearly 1,500 days on Mars. Mission managers declared the program’s end after the lander failed to respond to two messages from mission control at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.
The mission ended more than four years after it first landed on November 26, 2018, revealing new information about the interior of Mars. Designed to last for only two years, InSight’s mission was extended twice. But a heavy accumulation of dust on its solar panels caused a steady drop in the lander’s power source.
The much-anticipated German-Ghanaian movie “The Recruitment” was released on Tuesday, April 25, 2022, setting the stage for its premiere at the Silverbird on May 13, 2023.
The film was directed by an award-winning Writer-Director, Divine Jones in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts & Culture and KULTUR TRIF(F)T German.
This powerful story delves into the complexities of the youth employment landscape, shedding light on the struggles and triumphs of those who navigate this terrain.
The film is believed will resonate deeply with audiences, sparking important conversations and inspiring change.
“The Recruitment” promises to be a gripping thriller and drama that will keep audiences glued to their seats. With its unique storyline, talented cast, and impeccable direction, it is sure to be a hit with moviegoers around the world.
The press launch which took place at the Silverbird cinema brought together dignitaries including the Deputy Minister for Education, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour and movie stars such as Fred Amugi, Edinam Atatsi, Emmanuel France, Salma Mumin, Vicky Zugah, and many others.
The Deputy Minister bought 100 tickets at the spot and Director of the GH Media, Leslie Addo Listowell also bought 50 VIP tickets on the spot to support the premiering of the film.
Delivering a short address at the launch, the Deputy Minister of Education, stated that the film will not only serve as a source of entertainment but also touch on the social economic challenges in the country.
According to him, it is high time that opportunities are created for the youths especially unemployed university graduates searching for job opportunities in the country.
He bemoaned the challenges that comes with having all the requirement to acquire a job but finds it difficult to be employed so the movie will serve as an eye opener for the young on job recruitments.
The deputy Ministry of Education has shown interest in the film and would be holding a private conversation with the Director and Producers of the film, a means to buy the tickets so every youth can have access to watch the film
About The Recruitment
The film follows the story of eight young individuals who receive a text message in the middle of the night, inviting them for a job interview with a reputable Secret Intelligence Recruiting Company, USP Firm. The interview is for a single vacancy, and the competition is tough.
The applicants arrive at the venue, and the coordinator sets the ground rules for the interview. However, things take an unexpected turn when conflicts arises leading to complications and crisis. The film is filled with suspense, drama, and unexpected twists, which will leave audiences breathless.
The film is shot in English and any local dialect and has a running time of 1 hour and 45 minutes. The 4k final cut rendition promises to be an immersive experience for viewers. The stereo mix adds to the overall cinematic experience.
An aspiring presidential candidate of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kennedy Agyapong, has vowed never to pull out of the party’s presidential race.
Addressing delegates of the party in New Juaben North constituency in Eastern Region, Tuesday evening, the Assin Central Member of Parliament assured the delegates to disregard false claims that he will withdraw from the race at the tail end of the contest to declare support for another candidate.
Kennedy Agyapong wants to break the Dankwa-Busia-Dombo tradition of the NPP by adding grassroot tradition to take power away from the elites in the party to the grassroot .
Mr. Kennedy Agyapong took time to recount huge financial and logistical support he has personally sacrificed for the NPP since its formation in 1993.
He accused some government appointees who have not spent a dime on the party but have become rich overnight of arrogance of power.
Mr. Agyapong said he will retire from politics to enjoy his riches if delegates of the party continue to vote for people who take them for granted.
Speaking on Anas Aremeyaw Anas, Kennedy Agyapong stated that he has tamed the investigative Journalist to destroy his evil agenda against NPP and the government but regretted that no NPP man showed him support during his legal tussle against Anas.
Evangelist, Patricia Asiedua also known as Nana Agradaa, has stressed that she must have a ‘taste’ of the president’s money before she dies.
According to Agradaa who plans to venture into politics to expand her source of revenue, she must make money from either of the two leading political parties (NDC and NPP).
Touting herself as the ‘nation’s voice’, Agradaa said her influence is enough to draw money from this field.
“I am targeting money from the NPP and the NDC. Who is bringing the big cash? I tell you this, I always say this, I will have my share of the president’s money before I die. I am the nation’s speaker. I am the nation’s voice,” she said in a viral video making rounds on social media,” she told her congregants during a sermon.
Earlier in 2022, when Agradaa was arrested for allegedly swindling her church members, a Senior Lecturer at the Kumasi Technical University (KsTU) Dr Collins Kankam Kwarteng said she is no different from politicians in the country.
The lecturer, who reacted to the scam and money-doubling allegations Agradaa was hit with, stated that most politicians have used same clever means to deceive some gullible Ghanaians.
“The politicians have consistently thought us that, your level of survival largely depends on your smartness. Most of these leaders have one way or the other gained wealth from the country by outsmarting the laws governing the country.
“Let’s not focus only onNana Agradaa and look at the bigger picture. Almost everyone in the country including pastors, chiefs, public servants, politicians among others is trying to be smarter than the very systems that have been put in place to help run the country,” he stated in an interview with Otec FM.
“Too many people spend money they haven’t earned, to buy things they don’t want, to impress people that they don’t like.” – Will Rogers
The difference between the rich and the poor is not so much about how much they earn but about how they plan and spend their income. The rich do this through a budget. What is budgeting? Budgeting is the process of creating a plan on how to spend your money or income.
In other words, a budget is simply a spending plan. One notable thing about personal budgeting is that it helps you to balance your income with your expenses and avoid debt in the short to medium term. It is much easier to slide into debt when you do not have a strong budget.
Following a budget or spending plan will also keep you out of debt or help you work your way out of debt if you are currently in debt. In another sense, budgeting ensures that you will always have enough money for the things you need and the things that are important to you.
“Budgeting is not just for people who do not have enough money. It is for everyone who wants to ensure that their money is enough.” – Rosette Mugidde Wamambe
What is budget forecasting and planning?
Budget forecasting helps you to map out a spending plan for the future. By doing this, you can easily forecast which months your finances may be tight and which ones you will have extra money.
Budget forecasting is essential in the sense that it helps to extend your budget out into the future and also allows you to forecast how much money you will be able to save for important things like your vacation, a new vehicle, your first home or home renovations, an emergency savings account, marriage, or your retirement.
Using a realistic budget to forecast your spending for the year can really help you with your long-term financial planning. It is worth noting that budget forecasting is essential in keeping one’s finances in shape.
Becoming rich is hard. Staying broke is hard. Choose your hard. – Eric Worre
What are the steps to making a good budget?
Some guidelines on how to draw a good budget are as follows:
Step 1: Set a clear goal for your finances
How do you want your finances to look like in the next one year? How much do you want to earn and spend at the end of every month? You must be able to put figures to these. That serves as a guideline for you. Remember that goal for your money will help you make smart spending choices. Goal setting is the first requirement for becoming financially free.
Step 2: Identify all sources of income and your expenses
This is a very important part of the budget. You must be able to identify all the sources of income at your disposal. At the same time, you should also be able to identify all the places where your money goes.
You must track all your expenses. It must be said that one of the reasons why many end up in debt is because they are unable to tell where their money goes. While they know how much they earn, they cannot tell exactly how they spend that money. However, keeping a keen eye on your income and expenditure is the way to go when you want to end all financial headaches in your life.
“If broke people are making fun of your financial plan, you are on the right track.” – Unknown
Step 3: Prioritise your needs over wants
Your ability to differentiate between your needs and wants can make a great difference in your personal finances. At every point in time, there will be things that are more urgent than others. You should always make this distinction when planning your expenses. In budgeting, you must be able to separate your emotions from the realities on the grounds.
There is no need insisting on buying something that you really do not need at the moment. It also does not make sense buying things just to impress other people or trying to look extraordinary when you cannot afford it. Money hates the emotions game!
Step 4: Design your personal spending plan
Your spending plan is supposed to reflect how much you earn and not otherwise. Do not copy others’ spending plan and implement it. You may do that when it helps to make your finances better. For example, you can copy the idea of buying things in bulk instead of the ‘piece meal’ approach. It does not help that way. Make sure that you are not spending more than you make. Balance your budget to accommodate everything you need to pay for.
Life is a dance between making it happen and letting it happen – Arianna Huffington
Step 5: Put your planning into action
There are people who are very good with planning but will never put such plans into action. That is not a good habit when it comes to personal financial planning. When you plan to spend 20 percent of your monthly income on clothing, you must stick to it, no matter what. You should not get emotional and overspend in order to look good.
Just do what you say you would do! You must decide ahead of time what you will use each pay cheque for. Follow the spending rule for each expense to the letter. I am assuming that by now, you have decided how much to spend on housing, food, utilities, transportation, debt repayment, etc.
Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right. – Henry Ford
Step 6: Plan for seasonal expenditures
After you have drawn your budget, there will be things that will pop up that you did not plan for. These are emergencies. Things like funeral contributions, school expenses, new shoes or some annual school anniversary celebration do come up. What you need to do is to set money aside to pay for these expenses so you can afford them without going into debt. Do not let these take you by surprise.
Step 7: Keep improving your game
Personal financial planning takes time to perfect it, so please give yourself time. You may not succeed perfectly in following your budget when you start, but that is expected. What you need to do is to discipline yourself and keep learning along the journey. Do not hesitate to consult a professional where necessary.
The slightest adjustments to your daily routines can dramatically alter the outcomes in your life.– Darren Hardy
DISCLAIMER: Independentghana.com will not be liable for any inaccuracies contained in this article. The views expressed in the article are solely those of the author and do not reflect those of The Independent Ghana
The Board, Management and staff of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital have expressed their gratitude to the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, and leadership of the Bank of Ghana, for the various roles they played in the acquisition and installation of a Catherization Laboratory at the nation’s premier health facility.
The one million dollar ($1m) lab, the most advanced Cath Lab in the country, and its accompanying Big Detector, dyna CT and roadmap software and 3D workstation – essential for the requirements for achieving accurate and effective minimally invasive treatments – was procured and funded by the Bank of Ghana after an appeal by the Vice President for the Bank to consider funding the acquisition of such an essential medical equipment as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility.
Officials of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital say Ghana is currently the only country in the West Africa subregion offering advanced minimally invasive endovascular treatments (performing brain surgeries without cutting the skull) for conditions such as brain aneurysms, and the acquisition of this Lab is expected to reduce the incidence of patients being referred abroad for further tests and treatments.
By investing in such advanced medical facilities, Ghana can also attract and retain skilled medical professionals, improve the training of local doctors and enhance the quality of care provided to patient.
Speaking at the commissioning of the Lab in Accra on Tuesday, 25 April 2023 the Chief Executive Officer of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr Opoku Ware Ampomah, said Management of the hospital has been working assiduously to acquire, maintain and improve upon existing facilities, with investments into various aspects of the healthcare space through strategic partnerships.
“This investment by the Bank of Ghana in sponsoring the full cost of the Catherization Lab is a case in point. Thank you so much Bank of Ghana. This will greatly enhance our capabilities to provide cardiac catherization, stenting for various conditions and emergency treatment of strokes and thromboembolic phenomena and other life-saving interventions.
Describing Dr Bawumia as “a friend of Korle Bu”, Dr Ampomah recalled the instrumental role played by the Vice President, from engaging the Governor of the Bank of Ghana to see the acquisition of the Catherization Lab as an essential item that could fall under the Bank’s Social Responsibility obligations, through regular visits and updates during the installation process, to the commissioning today.
“Your Excellency, Korle Bu Hospital is indeed very grateful to you for your advocacy and personal interest which has brought the project to reality.”
Speaking at the launch, Vice President Bawumia challenged hospitals and other medical facilities across the country to partner with the private sector to provide and maintain essential equipment in order to help the facilities offer top-notch care to patients.
The Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has challenged hospitals and other medical facilities across the country to partner with the private sector to provide and maintain essential equipment in order to help the facilities offer top-notch care to patients.
Dr Bawumia, who made the call in Accra on Tuesday, 25 April 2023 said although government continues to invest heavily in the health sector, with unprecedented recruitment of health personnel, the provision of infrastructure such as the Agenda 111 projects, and the introduction of medical drone delivery services, the cost of providing some cutting edge equipment cannot always be borne by government, and it is therefore imperative that hospital managements explore other options.
The Vice President called for this partnership when he commissioned a Catherization Laboratory at the nation’s premier health facility, the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital. The one million dollar ($1m) lab, the most advanced Cath Lab in the country, and its accompanying Big Detector, dyna CT and roadmap software and 3D workstation – essential for the requirements for achieving accurate and effective minimally invasive treatments – was procured and funded by the Bank of Ghana as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility.
According to officials of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Ghana is currently the only country in the West Africa subregion offering advanced minimally invasive endovascular treatments (performing brain surgeries without cutting the skull) for conditions such as brain aneurysms, and the acquisition of this Lab is expected to reduce the incidence of patients being referred abroad for further tests and treatments.
Underscoring the importance of advanced, modern equipment in the delivery of quality healthcare, Vice President Bawumia acknowledged Government’s difficulty in solely meeting all the demands of the hundreds of health facilities across the country, and challenged the management of such facilities to be proactive and engage all stakeholders.
“A Catherization Lab is a valuable asset for any country, and a good addition to the overall healthcare infrastructure of Ghana. By investing in such advanced medical facilities, Ghana can attract and retain skilled medical professionals, improve the training of local doctors and enhance the quality of care provided to patients…
“I should note that the need for critical medical equipment is huge across all our hospitals. However, we don’t have many Bank of Ghanas around to finance the procurement of all the needed equipment. It is therefore important that going forward, hospitals should consider partnering with the private sector who would be willing to provide and maintain such equipment for a service fee in the context of a private-public partnership.
“I believe that with the right policies Ghana can have a first class health delivery system. It is possible” he declared.
Popular media personality Nana Yaa Brefo has expressed her disgust over recent reports of a police inspector who allegedly killed his lover due to allegations of infidelity and debt.
Ahmed Tumasi, who is reportedly married with kids, allegedly shot and killed his lover in front of her residence in Adum, Kumasi, after he suspected she was cheating, reports say.
The issue, which has since been of national interest has since sparked massive reactions on social media.
Some netizens have sided with the suspect and others have condemned his actions and are calling for justice.
However, Nana Yaa Brefo, during her show on Angel FM, decided to tackle the issue from various angles.
In her first submission, she furiously condemned the police inspector’s act of killing the young woman, adding that there should be no justification whatsoever for it.
Nana Yaa Brefo, who thinks the suspect has no moral right to take someone’s life, expressed that men would have been in trouble if women equally killed their cheating partners.
The popular broadcaster emphasized that women equally spend money on ‘cheats’ but do not resort to ending their lives.
“Men would’ve been finished in Ghana if women decided to kill for cheating. Whether politicians, pastors, judges, like by now they are all finished! Such rubbish! Women are equally spending lots of money on their men who cheat, have they been killed?” she queried.
She also slammed the deceased’s mother for what she described as condoning and encouraging her daughter to milk the suspect dry.
“Some women are fond of encouraging wrongdoings. You know very well what your daughter is doing isn’t right but you were silent. You were even pushing her into it. I wonder what went on in the house during Christmas. I’m trying to imagine the gifts they received from the man. In Ghana here, I don’t know why we condone stupid relationships such as these. Look at the emotional stress he is putting his wife through,” she added.
On Wednesday, a Singaporean man who had been found guilty of trying to smuggle about 2.2 pounds of marijuana was put to death. This sentence, which was harsh compared to many other countries, including those in the region, was criticized by rights groups and campaigners.
Despite the legalization of cannabis in an increasing number of countries around the world, Singapore still retains some of the strictest drug laws in existence. The country’s administration is determined that the death penalty deters drug traffickers and must thus continue to be used in order to protect the public.
Tangaraju Suppiah, a 46-year-old Singaporean, was put to death on Wednesday in Changi Prison, Singapore Prison Service said in a brief statement.
His sister Leelavathy Suppiah told CNN that her brother had been hanged and that the family had received a death certificate. It was Singapore’s first execution in six months.
In the days leading up to Tangaraju being sent to the gallows, family members and activists made public appeals for clemency and questioned the safety of his conviction. The European Union’s office in the city state and a United Nations’ rights office had also called for Singapore not to carry out his hanging.
Tangaraju was sentenced to death in 2018 for “abetting the trafficking of more than one kilogram of cannabis (1,017.9 grams),” according to a statement from the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB). The court found he was in phone communication with two other men caught trying to smuggle cannabis into Singapore.
Previous appeals against his conviction and death sentence were dismissed by the courts in 2019 while petitions for presidential clemency were also unsuccessful, CNB added.
“Tangaraju was accorded full due process under the law and had access to legal counsel throughout the process,” CNB’s statement said while describing capital punishment as “part of Singapore’s comprehensive harm prevention strategy.”
Family members and rights groups who took up Tangaraju’s cause rejected the government’s claims and detailed why they believed his death sentence conviction was unsafe.
“Tangaraju’s conviction relied mainly on statements from his police interrogation – taken without a lawyer and interpreter present – and the testimony of his two co-accused, one of which had his charges dismissed,” Amnesty International said.
“In countries that have not yet abolished this punishment, international safeguards require that the death penalty be imposed only when the guilt of the person charged is based upon clear and convincing evidence leaving no room for an alternative explanation of the facts – and after a legal process which gives all possible safeguards to ensure a fair trial,” Amnesty added.
Tangaraju’s sister Leelavathy spoke of her brother’s anguish and determination before his death sentence was carried out.
“Even from inside prison, he wanted to fight for his innocence,” she told CNN. “He believed that there would be a fair trial and wanted to prove his innocence – every step of the way.”
The Transformative Justice Collective (TJC), a local abolitionist movement, highlighted what they said were “serious problems” with evidence used to convict Tangaraju, describing it as “shockingly thin.”
“The case against Tangaraju is largely circumstantial and based on inferences,” TJC said in a series of statements.
“He never touched the cannabis he was accused of attempting to traffic. He was tied to the offense by two phone numbers found on the mobile phones of two men arrested by the CNB – one of which had been used to coordinate the cannabis delivery.”
“Tangaraju was already in remand for a separate offense by the time he was linked to this case – and his mobile phones were never recovered for analysis,” the group added.
Last year Thailand became the first country in Asia to decriminalize cannabis following years of campaigning by activists on the ground.
Meanwhile Malaysia, Singapore’s closest neighbor, passed sweeping legal reforms earlier this month to remove the mandatory death penalty and trimmed the number of offenses, including drug crimes, punishable by death – a move welcomed by rights defenders.
“It’s particularly outrageous that Tangaraju was arrested, convicted and executed for a cannabis related offense when much of the world is moving forward with cannabis legalization based on medical assessments,” Phil Robertson, Asia deputy director of Human Rights Watch, told CNN.
“Putting him to death also shows just how far Singapore has fallen behind Malaysia – its leaders like to claim that their country is more modern and developed but in the case of criminal justice and the death penalty, Singapore is clearly the laggard,” Robertson added.
“Once again, Singapore shows how completely out of step they are with the basic concepts of human rights, proportionality in criminal punishments and justice,” Robertson said.
But the Singapore government has continued to resist calls for reform, carrying out eleven executions last year alone, all for drug related trafficking offenses.
Under the law, anyone caught trafficking, importing or exporting certain quantities of illegal drugs like methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine or cannabis products receives the mandatory death sentence.
“Singapore adopts a zero-tolerance stance against drugs and applies a multi-pronged approach to combat drugs,” the Ministry of Home Affairs said in a statement responding to international criticism of Tangaraju’s execution.
“The death penalty is an essential component of Singapore’s criminal justice system and has been effective in keeping Singapore safe and secure.”
The Ministry of Home Affairs also rejected the criticisms made by rights groups, arguing the case against Tangaraju had been “proven beyond a reasonable doubt” and that the evidence “clearly showed that he was the person coordinating the delivery of drugs, for the purpose of trafficking.”
The ministry’s statement was published in response to overseas criticism of Tangaraju’s imminent execution, including from British billionaire Richard Branson, an outspoken opponent of capital punishment.
“Killing people for allegedly smuggling cannabis is particularly cruel and misguided, given that more countries are now introducing sensible drug policy by decriminalizing and regulating both medicinal and recreational cannabis,” Branson wrote on a blog on his company’s website.
Australian lawmaker Graham Perrett also said Tangaraju’s execution “violated international law standards.” “Imagine being hanged by the neck until you are dead because of a bit of weed,” Perrett, a member of the Labor Party, wrote on Facebook.
“As is the case for many people currently on death row in Singapore, Tangaraju was forced to represent himself to seek a review of the Court of Appeal’s decision to uphold his conviction. Singapore has a strong reputation as a rule of law country so this concerning omission is not normal,” Perrett added.
The European Union’s delegation to Singapore also called on authorities to halt the execution.
“The EU and our countries strongly oppose the use of capital punishment at all times and in all circumstances, which can never be justified – and advocate for Singapore to adopt a moratorium on all executions as a positive first step towards its abolition,” the block said in a statement. The UN’s rights office said it had “concerns around due process and respect for fair trial guarantees”. “The death penalty is still being used in a small number of countries, largely because of the myth that it deters crime. Increasing evidence, however, shows it is ineffective as a deterrent,” spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said in a statement.
International ratings firm Fitch has downgraded Ghana’s Long-Term Local-Currency (LTLC) Issuer Default Rating (IDR) to Restricted Default (RD) from ‘CCC’.
According to Fitch Ratings, this is due to missed payments on some local-currency-denominated bonds issued prior to the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP).
In May this year, Fitch Ratings upgraded Ghana’s LTLC IDR to ‘CCC’ from ‘RD’ following the completion of the DDEP on February 21, 2023.
But Fitch in its recent Rating Action Commentary published on April 21, 2023, explained that the reversal reflects missed payments on bonds that were not tendered or held by ineligible entities for participating in the domestic debt restructuring exercise.
“The downgrade of Ghana’s LTLC IDR to RD reflects the missed payments on some local-currency-denominated bonds that were not tendered or that are held by entities not eligible for participating in the domestic debt exchange,” the ratings agency noted.
Fitch continued, “The Republic of Ghana announced it was resuming payments on local-currency bonds issued prior to the domestic debt exchange (the ‘old bonds’) on 13 March 2023 to bondholders who were either ineligible or did not participate in the domestic debt exchange. However, the authorities have subsequently acknowledged that only the coupon payments on the two-year note that matured on 20 February 2023 and the 20-year note maturing in 2039 had been made. The principal payment on the former note has not been made”
Fitch further cited uncertainty regarding the clearing of missed payments as it believes the government has not clarified whether missed payments will be settled to all categories of holders of ‘old bonds’ after meetings were held with representatives of individual bondholders and pension funds.
Meanwhile, Fitch said about 35 payments consisting of principal or coupon, were due on the outstanding ‘old bonds’ between January 20, 2023, and April, 20 2023.
In addition to the rating action, Fitch has downgraded Ghana from ‘CCC’ to ‘CC’ based on the issue rating of five local-currency bonds issued prior to the debt exchange.
The agency has subsequently also withdrawn the rating on these securities due to the limited information and uncertainty regarding the timely servicing of the securities issued prior to the domestic debt exchange.
The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has reacted to a recent Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM) report authored by Prof Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng.
The leaked report on the activities of the defunct Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM) has been labelled by the NDC as “an obituary of President Akufo-Addo’s monumentally failed fight against illegal mining”.
The party at a press conference on Tuesday, April 25, chronicled various highlights of the report to support its claim that the fight against illegal mining was not a genuine one from the very outset.
Citing the decision by both the Lands Ministry and the Forestry Commission to grant mining and entry permits into Ghana’s forest reserves in 2018 when there was still an active ban on all forms of large and small-scale mining activities in the country, the NDC argued that government’s fight against the illegal mining menace was a ruse to enable some persons in both government and party to appropriate the illicit trade for themselves.
Addressing the press at its ‘Moment of Truth Series’, the National Communication Officer of the party, Sammy Gyamfi, named officials at the seat of government whom he alleges, were cited in the 37-page report to have acted in ways that promoted illegal mining activities in some parts of the country.
Of particular reference were Lord Commey, Director of Operations at the Presidency, Frank Asiedu Bekoe, Special Aide to the Chief of Staff and one Charles Nii Teiko Tagoe, a Presidential Staffer, who have been faulted by the report for one wrong or the other.
The party also called out legal practitioner and nephew of President Akufo-Addo, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, for placing a call to former Environment Minister, Prof. Frimpong-Boateng and engaging in what they termed influence peddling, when he sought to defend the work of his client, one Donald Entsuah over the activities of Heritage Imperial Mining Limited in the Diaso, Kobro and Apaprama forest reserves. The party chided the President’s nephew for defending wrong-doing and urged Ghanaians to condemn his conduct.
A recent 37-page leaked report on the activities of the defunct Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), has placed on the front burner, various issues that have plagued Government’s fight against illegal mining, leading to the eventual dissolution of the Inter-Ministerial Committee. The NDC believes there is some collusion among high-profile government and New Patriotic Party officials who have been complicit in promoting the activities of illegal mining for their own benefit, hence the failed fight.
The party has therefore called on the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Adjabeng and Parliament to activate a full-blown probe into the report into to establish the truth and punish all who are found culpable.
According to a recent study, dangerous, record-breaking heat waves are expected to become more frequent as the climate crisis worsens, and they will be especially damaging in nations and regions that are least prepared for them.
Scientists determined the possibility of previously unheard-before heat extremes occurring, as well as where they would occur, by examining temperature data sets spanning more than 60 years and climate models.
As “hot spots” for high-risk heat waves, they named Afghanistan, Papua New Guinea, and Central America, including Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.
These regions are particularly vulnerable due to their fast-growing populations and limited access to healthcare and energy supplies, which undermine their resilience to extreme temperatures, according to the report, published Tuesday in the journal Nature Communications.
“There’s evidence there that those regions may well be in for a big heat wave and they wouldn’t be prepared for it,” said Dann Mitchell, a professor in atmospheric sciences at the University of Bristol in the UK and a study co-author.
The threat facing Afghanistan is particularly stark, Mitchell told CNN. Not only is there high potential for record-breaking extreme heat, but the impacts will be intensified by the huge difficulties the country already faces, he said.
Afghanistan is struggling with dire social and economic problems. It also has a growing population which is increasingly exposed to the problems of limited resources, according to the report.
“When a really extreme heat wave does finally come along, then there are instantly going to be a lot of problems,” Mitchell said.
Heat waves have a wide-ranging negative impact. They reduce air quality, worsen drought, increase the risk of wildfires and can lead infrastructure to buckle.
They also take a heavy toll on human health, and extreme heat is one of the deadliest natural disasters. Heat stroke or heat exhaustion can trigger a wide range of dangerous symptoms, including headaches, dizziness, nausea and loss of consciousness, among others. Heat stroke is the most serious heat-related illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, causing body temperature to skyrocket in a matter of minutes, and can lead to permanent disability or death.
Several regions have already seen unprecedented temperatures this year. In March, parts of Argentina grappled with temperatures up to 10 degrees Celsius, or 18 degrees Fahrenheit, above normal, while high temperature records were smashed across large parts of Asia in April.
“Heat waves and other extreme weather events will only become more intense as the world continues to burn fossil fuels,” said Friederike Otto, a climate scientist at the Grantham Institute for Climate Change at Imperial College London, who was not involved with the study.
Nowhere is safe, noted the report, which found that “statistically implausible” heat waves – those that fell well outside the historical norm– occurred between 1959 and 2021 in around 30% of the regions assessed. These include the 2021 Pacific Northwest heat wave, where high temperature records were not just broken but completely smashed, killing hundreds of people.
In Lytton, British Columbia, temperatures peaked at just under 50 degrees Celsius (121 degrees Fahrenheit) in June 2021, breaking the previous record by almost 5 degrees. The village was almost completely destroyed by a wildfire just days later.
Scientists determined that the event would have been almost impossible without climate change.
Parts of China, including Beijing, and European countries, such as Germany and Belgium, also face a high risk, according to the report.
The millions of people who live in these densely populated regions could be badly affected by heat waves, even if these countries are more likely to have resources to mitigate some of the worst impacts.
The report calls on governments around the world to prepare for heat events that go far beyond current record temperatures, such as setting up cooling centers and reducing hours for those working outside.
Many policies exist that governments can implement to save lives, Otto said, including “preparing heat wave management plans, ensuring and testing they are implemented, informing the public about imminent heat waves, and protecting people who are vulnerable to the impacts of heat waves.”
Unprecedented heat events are becoming more likely as the world continues to burn fossil fuels, said Lucas Vargas Zeppetello, a research fellow at Harvard University, whose 2022 research found that dangerous levels of heat are set to at least triple across the world by the end of the century.
“By definition, we don’t know what could happen if large populations are exposed to unprecedented heat and humidity stress,” Vargas Zeppetello told CNN, “but heat waves in the past few decades have already been extremely deadly and there is serious cause for concern in the future.”
At the Ghana Professional Boxing League at the Bukom Arena, rapper Sarkodie challenged Shatta Wale to a fight, saying that he could beat him at any time.
The viral video that captured Sarkodie’s daring Shatta has got to the attention of the dancehall musicians who have accepted the challenge with the condition that the winner of the celebrity bout is awarded 2 million dollars.
Shatta who likes to talk business also expressed confidence in knocking off Sarkodie in the ring.
He made this known in a tweet on April 25, when rapper Ypee questioned his preparedness for the challenge adding that he was going to bet on him, “1don you get match o! We go bet on you.”
Shatta Wale tweeted: “The way ago beat am erh !!! He go tink say me I born am Am down but make them put $2million as winning price… If they make ready with the money make them call me!”
Meanwhile, Sarkodie in his interview with Yaw Ampofo Ankrah announced his interest in the game. “I love boxing, and I came here to enjoy myself. Now that I have discovered this place I will be here more…If you like you can fix a fight for me against Shatta Wale.”
The way ago beat am erh !!! He go tink say me I born am 🤣
Am down but make them put $2million as winning price .. If they make ready with the money make them call me !! https://t.co/KPtHobh9PD
After the army dispatched troops to look for the New Zealand pilot Phillip Mehrtens, who had been held hostage in February, separatist insurgents in Indonesia’s Papua area claim to have killed at least 13 soldiers from the Indonesian military.
In a statement over the weekend, the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) claimed that its fighters had attacked two Indonesian military outposts in the districts of Yal and Mugi in the Nduga Regency.
According to the statement, 13 members of the Indonesian military and police were killed by the insurgents in the Mugi area. The statement added—without offering any evidence—that rebels still had 12 bodies while one had been evacuated by the Indonesian troops.
In a televised press conference on Sunday, Indonesia’s military said one of their soldiers had been killed while combing the area near where Mehrtens is believed to be held.
Some soldiers were missing, the military confirmed, but the weather had made it difficult to determine their whereabouts.
“We know the location of the pilot, the operation has been escalated but the weather condition in Papua is unpredictable,” military spokesperson Julius Widjojono said.
Separately, the rebels said nine Indonesian soldiers were executed on Sunday after being captured in the Yal district.
The rebels said the attack on the Yal military post was “revenge” for an Indonesian military operation in the area in late March, when troops killed a pregnant woman and two rebel fighters.
A military spokesperson in Papua, Herman Taryaman, denied soldiers carried out the March attack, saying the security forces were protecting civilians who were chased away by the rebels, Reuters reported.
The rebel group said they’d proposed peace negotiations with the New Zealand and Indonesian governments, but for two months their letters had been ignored.
They said New Zealand and the UN had an “obligation to urge the Indonesian Government to stop military operations” and said peace talks could be conducted under a “neutral third party, namely the UN organizational body.”
Mehrtens was captured in February after landing a commercial Susi Air charter flight at the remote Paro Airport in Nduga regency.
The Indonesian military maintains a heavy and controversial presence in Papua, which came under Jakarta’s control following a widely disputed 1969 vote overseen by the United Nations. Unrest in the impoverished but resource-rich region has escalated in recent years as separatist fighters demand independence.
The TPNPB, designated by the Indonesian government as a terrorist group, originally said that Mehrtens would not be released until Jakarta acknowledged Papuan independence and withdrew its troops from the region.
However, they later dropped that demand as a condition of the pilot’s release, and now want to talk with the New Zealand and Indonesian governments to secure his release, according to TPNPB spokesperson Sebby Sambom.
