Singer and fashion stylist, Maddy Maz Naz, has accused musician Wendy Shay of being disrespectful and ungrateful, following a disagreement between the two.
The stylist claimed that Wendy Shay had insulted her, and called her a failure over a brouhaha on social media.
Speaking in an interview on Hitz Daybreak on April 14, 2023, the stylist went on to describe the alleged incident, stating that Wendy Shay had messaged her with insulting language after a disagreement.
“She was one of my clients, she is just ungrateful.”
When she was asked whether Wendy Shay had patronized her without paying, she replied: “She can’t pay me, she couldn’t and she can’t pay me.
“She is disrespectful and ungrateful. She called me a failure, now let’s see who is going to be a failure. There was a brouhaha that went viral on social media, so she messaged me and called me a whole lot of names, and I was wondering, why? Has this girl forgotten or what? How can she forget everything that I have done for her?”
The stylist also claimed to have played a crucial role in launching Wendy Shay’s career, saying, “If it wasn’t for fashion, I don’t think there would be someone like Wendy Shay, because I saw her coming into my office, I know how she presented herself, it wasn’t even about only styling, there were so many things I put into her, she is ungrateful honestly.”
Israel observed Memorial Day for fallen soldiers and victims of terrorist attacks on Tuesday under some of the country’s most severe political splits ever as well as rising tensions with the Palestinians.
In remembrance of its 24,213 war dead and 4,255 attack victims, Memorial Day is one of the most melancholy days on Israel’s national calendar. This year, though, tensions between supporters and detractors of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration in Israel flared up on what is usually a day of national togetherness.
Instead of the customary trip to the cemetery in Tel Aviv, a group of grieving families held a separate, alternative ceremony to stay away from politics.
“This year, the Israeli nation is torn between extremists. And we don’t want to confront the politician saying their agenda, bringing their agenda inside our sacred place,” said mourner Israel Shur, who attended the alternative ceremony near a building where Israeli independence was declared 75 years ago.
As is customary, people across the country came to a standstill when a two-minute siren sounded late in the morning. Motorists and pedestrians halted in the street, stopped their cars and stood with heads bowed. Bereaved families visited cemeteries and attended ceremonies while television and radio programming shifted to somber music and documentaries about slain soldiers.
In a speech at the official ceremony at a Jerusalem military cemetery, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recalled the lives of several fallen soldiers and spoke of the “brotherhood” of the Israeli people, a kinship fortified by military service that is compulsory for most Jews.
“We will stand together as brothers and ensure our independence from generation to generation,” Netanyahu said. “We will bow our heads to the bravery of the fallen.”
This year, Memorial Day is tainted by deep divisions roiling the country over a contentious plan by Netanyahu’s government to overhaul the judiciary.
In Beersheba, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir attended a Memorial Day ceremony at a cemetery in the city, despite being asked by grieving families to stay away. Even before he arrived, a scuffle broke out. Some threw water at each other following the ceremony.
The upheaval on Israel’s 75th birthday threatened to mar Israel’s usually jubilant Independence Day festivities on Wednesday. Protesters planned massive demonstrations for the 17th week in a row on Saturday and the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, was to resume session next week.
“Citizens of Israel, the siren this year, the intensely Israeli signature call, is a wake-up call for all of us. The cost of internal strife is heavy,” Israel’s figurehead President Isaac Herzog said late Monday at the official ceremony marking the start of the day of remembrance.
Herzog, who is mediating talks between the government and the opposition to try to find a compromise on the legal changes, said he was working to preserve Israel as a Jewish and democratic state.
The solemnity of the occasion is typically a moment of national unity. At sunset, the mourning turns to exuberance for Independence Day. This year, as Israel turns 75 years old, it has much to celebrate.
But all of it is shadowed by a bitter split over the legal overhaul plan. Fighter pilots have threatened to stop reporting for duty. The nation’s leaders have openly warned of civil war, and families of fallen soldiers have called on politicians to stay away from the ceremonies. Many Israelis wonder if the deep split can ever heal.
Netanyahu has paused the overhaul push after weeks of massive protests that shut down highways, sparked a short general strike and spooked investors. The plan would give Netanyahu’s government, the most right-wing in Israeli history, power to overturn court decisions and appoint judges.
Memorial Day this year also comes as Israel and the Palestinians in the West Bank are embroiled in some of the deadliest violence in that area in years.
Just before the sirens wailed, the Israeli military said a shooting attack Tuesday in the West Bank wounded one Israeli.
Just a day earlier, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian man in a West Bank raid and several people were wounded when a Palestinian rammed his car into pedestrians near a busy Jerusalem market.
Israel has fought half a dozen wars with neighboring Arab countries, battled two Palestinian uprisings and endured scores of deadly militant attacks since its establishment in 1948.
At sundown on Tuesday, the country will shift from remembrance to celebration, kicking off its 75th Independence Day.
To music lovers who have been wondering what might have influenced Sister Deborah to once again collaborate with rapper Medikal on a song, she has explained that working with her former partner feels “easy and natural”.
Not only does work come easily, Derby, admires the rapper’s style of music although some have described it as corny.
She noted that Medikal has the ability to write songs that his fans on the streets can relate to, earning him hits after hit.
Derby made this submission on ‘If More Let’s Divide’ podcast with Mutombo and Fred in April 2023.
Earlier this year, the two musicians released a single titled ‘Cold &Trophies’ off Medikal’s upcoming album ‘Planning & Plotting’.
Sister Deborah detailed how they’ve managed to produce hit songs all these years: “How come it happened? I mean, him reaching out to me for the feature was normal because we did ‘Too Risky’ together and it was a hit. We’ve done other songs together like ‘Sampanana’ and we have another song on his old album called ‘Make I See’.
“Recording and working with him (Medikal) has always been so natural and easy. We like the same kind of vibe and I admire his talent…some people will say it’s corny but it works. His style is actually dope, the way he plays with his words. He uses words that the streets are familiar with. Those are the things that make people happy.”
Although the collaboration took many by surprise, Derby has maintained that there is no bad blood between herself and her former boyfriend, Medikal.
“Even though we had a relationship and we broke up, I haven’t had any bad sentiments or whatever about it. You just accept…I don’t keep bitterness and anger in me and also, I feel there is a reason for everything…during our issues, I had already had the song ‘Kakalika Love’ written down and recorded,” she explained.
According to the World Health Organization, one of its doctors was removed after charges of sexual misconduct surfaced, which were first reported by The Associated Press.
Following the allegations against the doctor, Temo Waqanivalu, a citizen of Fiji, the United States and other nations put pressure on the U.N. health agency to take action in the battle against sexual misconduct.
WHO spokeswoman Marcia Poole informed the AP in an email sent early on Tuesday that “Dr. Temo Waqanivalu has been dismissed from WHO following findings of sexual misconduct against him and corresponding disciplinary process.”
“Sexual misconduct of any kind by anyone working for WHO — be it as staff, consultant, partner — is unacceptable,” she added.
In January, the AP reported that Waqanivalu had been accused of sexually assaulting a woman at a Berlin conference in October and was flagged to senior WHO directors years ago for allegedly harassing another staffer.
The earlier allegation didn’t result in any significant consequences for Waqanivalu, who headed a small team in WHO’s noncommunicable diseases department and had been preparing to run for regional director of the Western Pacific.
According to confidential documents obtained by the AP, senior WHO directors were informed of a sexual harassment allegation made against Waqanivalu in 2018. The accuser was later informed that pursuing a formal investigation might not be the best option for her.
Waqanivalu was later given an informal warning that didn’t cite the woman who made the claim or his specific behavior.
In interviews with WHO investigators, Waqanivalu “categorically” denied he had ever sexually assaulted anyone. He declined to comment to the AP.
In recent years, WHO has been plagued by numerous reports of misconduct. In May 2021, the AP reported that senior managers were informed of sex abuse allegations during an Ebola outbreak in Congo but did little to stop it. A WHO-appointed panel later found that some 21 staff members had been accused of sexually abusing people during that outbreak, among a total of 83 alleged perpetrators connected to the 2018-2020 mission.
The Western Pacific regional director that Waqanivalu was seeking to replace at WHO was put on leave in August, months after the AP reported that numerous staffers had accused him of racist and abusive behavior that compromised the U.N. agency’s response to COVID-19.
Last month, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in an email to employees that the appointment of the regional director, Dr. Takeshi Kasai, had been terminated after an internal investigation resulted in “findings of misconduct.”
A resident of the neighborhood named Boraa Toyel severely tortured a Basic Six student at the Tanvaare Methodist Primary School in the Wa West District over an alleged theft of GH$800.00.
Boraa Toyel, a farmer and a tricycle rider, accused the 13-year-old boy (name withheld) of stealing GH₵800.00 out of a total of GH₵1900.00 kept in the room, but the victim has denied stealing the money.
Mr Yussif Abdullah, the Assembly Member of the area, who revealed this to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Tanvaare, said the incident happened on Wednesday, April 19.
He explained that Boraa Toyel severely beat up the child, tied him to a tree, and threatened to kill him if he did not release the money.
Mr Abdallah said Boraa Toyel traced the victim to the school, pulled him out of the classroom, and started brutalising him while dragging him to the house.
He said the incident happened in the school at the blind side of the school authorities who had gone to prepare for normal classes after holding sporting activities with the school children earlier that morning.
“The child was with other pupils at the school, but the teachers were not there at the time when Boraa Toyel came and accused the child of stealing his money, picked him from the classroom and started beating him as he pulled him out of the school.”
“He said the boy was in the room where the money was kept charging his phone and later, he (Boraa Toyel) could not find the money, so, he thinks it is the boy who picked the money, he did not catch him with the money,” the Assembly Member explained.
Mr Abdallah said an aunt of the victim later reported the incident to the school authorities who rushed to the scene and spotted the pupil tied to the tree with bruises all over his body.
“When the teachers got to the house, they took pictures of the boy tied to the tree and threatened that they will get him (Boraa Toyel) arrested if he does not release,” he explained.
The assembly member told the GNA that the victim was rushed to the Wa West District Hospital while the case was reported to the Wa West District Police command for the necessary actions to be taken.
The government has been urged to absorb the cost of all cancer treatment in the country.
That, according to the Principal Medical Physicist at the National Radiotherapy Oncology and Nuclear Medicine Centre at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr. Theophilus Sackey, was crucial to limiting the exposure of patients to quacks and unsafe treatments that often lead to complications and loss of lives.
“Depending on the treatment modality one is put on, one can spend a minimum of GHC10,000 on each and that is an amount the average Ghanaian cannot raise.
“People come here and once they are told the cost, they go soliciting for funds and by the time they come back, a stage one case which could have been easily treated has developed to stage three. Unfortunately, cancer cannot wait and government must help absorb more of these bills,” he pleaded.
Dr. Sackey spoke to the Ghanaian Times at the launch of the center’s 25th-anniversary celebration, which has the vision to provide comprehensive treatment to enhance the quality of life and prolong the survival rate of cancer patients in the sub-region.
On the theme; “25 years of excellence in comprehensive cancer care in Ghana” the celebration brought together founding and present staff of the centre as well as other health professionals at the hospital.
Dr. Sackey cautioned cancer patients against using herbal products and unorthodox medications purported to cure cancers.
“From what we know, most of these treatments don’t work. For instance, in the case of breast cancer, there are different kinds, so there is no one size fits all drug or herb that can treat it. Some don’t survive and others have worsened conditions.
Once you are diagnosed, report at the health facility. Currently, we have the capacity to manage all types of cancer in the country and if government is able to support the cost of treatment, we can save lots of lives,” he said.
Reading a speech on behalf of the sector Minister, the Director of Technical Co-ordination at the Ministry, Dr. Baffour Awuah, commended the center for its contribution towards reducing cancer deaths and improving the survival rate of cancer patients in the country.
“The center has reduced referrals of cancer patients outside the country. Now this country can boast of cancer survivors. Twenty-five years of this centre has resulted in comprehensive cancer care in the country, training in the health force for Ghana and Africa, and also a lot of research is ongoing and we all look forward to achieving universal health coverage in cancer care in the country.”
The head of the centre, Dr. Joel Yarney, said it was the hope of the centre to become an ultramodern centre for the diagnosis and management of cancer across the sub-region.
“Cancer is not a death sentence. Early diagnosis and treatment save lives and we encourage all to seek early treatment,” he advised.
Some activities lined up for the 25th anniversary include free cervical and breast cancer screening for staff of KBTH and residents of Dodowa in the Greater Accra Region, a health walk, fundraising and awards for health staff.
Nollywood actress, Victoria Inyama has taken to social media to offer prayers for May Edochie who buried her son, Kambilichukwu on Monday, April 24.
Recall that Kambilichukwu, the first son of Yul and May Edochie slumped and died while playing football.
Victoria confessed that there are no words to adequately describe her experience, but she nevertheless affirmed that God is God and asked for the Holy Spirit to direct and teach May to believe God without reservation.
She wrote: “I pray for you today. That the Holy Spirit guides you and lead you to trust God unconditionally. I still can’t find words to match your Experience…. God is still God @mayyuledochie”.
Earlier, Linc, brother of Nollywood actor, Yul Edochie said his nephew’s death was traumatizing.
In a video on his Instagram page, Linc expressed hope that the family would emerge stronger.
He said, “The last couple of days have been completely traumatizing. The bible says in all things, give thanks to God. It is actually difficult practising.
“This is because as human beings, it’s not easy but the bible doesn’t lie it says in all things give thanks.
“I pray that by the grace of God, we are going to come out stronger from this and I also know that evil has an expiry date.”
As part of a persistent onslaught that occurred as Ukraine was preparing its soldiers for an anticipated spring counteroffensive, a Russian missile struck a museum building in a Ukrainian city on Tuesday, killing one of its employees and injuring 10 others.
According to Ukrainian officials, the local history museum in Kupiansk, which is in the Kharkiv region, was struck by S-300 air defense missiles fired by the Russian military during the raid.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the president of Ukraine, shared a video from the scene showing the demolished structure and emergency personnel assessing the damage.
“The terrorist country is doing everything to destroy us completely,” Zelenskyy said. “Our history, our culture, our people. Killing Ukrainians with absolutely barbaric methods.”
Kharkiv regional Gov. Oleh Syniehubov said that three people were hospitalized, seven received minor injuries and two others were still believed to be under the debris. Emergency responders were working to recover them.
Kupiansk was captured by Russian forces in the earlier stages of the Russian invasion and was reclaimed by Ukrainian forces in a surprise counteroffensive in September that saw the Russians driven out of broad swaths of the Kharkiv region.
A woman also died in Russian shelling of the town of Dvorichna, near Kupiansk, and two civilians were killed in the eastern Donetsk region, according to the Ukrainian presidential office.
The Ukrainian military is now preparing for a new massive counteroffensive, relying on the latest supplies of Western battle tanks and other weapons and fresh troops that were trained in the West.
Ukraine’s military intelligence chief, Maj. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, in an interview with RBC-Ukraine released Monday, described the planned counteroffensive as a “landmark battle in Ukraine’s modern history” that will see the country “reclaim significant areas.”
Sarkodie has in a series of tweets expressed concern over Africa’s progress after sighting a video that analyzed why the West worked to oust Ghana’s first president Dr. Kwame Nkrumah out of power.
The said video captured thoughts shared in Nkrumah’s book, ‘Neo-Colonialism, the Last Stage of imperialism’, published in 1965 which among others, espoused that “the result of neo-colonialism is that foreign capital is used for the exploitation rather than for the development of the less developed parts of the world. Investment under neo-colonialism increases rather than decreases the gap between the rich and the poor countries of the world…”
“Neo-colonialism is based upon the principle of breaking up former large united colonial territories into a number of small non-viable States which are incapable of independent development and must rely upon the former imperial power for defence and even internal security. Their economic and financial systems are linked, as in colonial days, with those of the former colonial ruler.”
Commenting on the video, Sarkodie in his tweets sighted by GhanaWeb subtly hailed Nkrumah for his selflessness while advocating the need for current leaders to emulate.
Below are Sarkodie’s tweets:
“Typical politicians are trained not to build anything but just to fulfill political ambitions (just win power) … About time we check the track records of the leaders we give power to. The discipline, commitment, and resilience needed in a leader cannot be overlooked.
Typical politicians are trained not to build anything but just to fulfill political ambitions ( just win power ) … About time we check the track records of the leaders we give power to. The discipline, commitment and resilience needed in a leader cannot be overlooked https://t.co/wxVbpJ4zes
“We have a lot of great minds in this country who have proven in their own way how they can make something out of nothing with little resources and maintain it for a long period of time. Such people deserve to be empowered.
We have a lot of great minds in this country who have proven in their own way how they can make something out of nothing with little resources and maintain it for a long period of time . Such people deserve to be empowered
“We can’t sit on all these resources and always sit humbly in front of other foreigners (with not that much resources) asking for help. At this point we should be talking collaborations only and still maintain ownership (100%).
We cant sit on all these resources and always sit humbly in front of other foreigners ( with not that much resources ) asking for help . At this point we should be talking collaborations only and still maintain ownership ( 100% )
Alexa Bartell was talking on the phone to a friend on Wednesday night as she was driving when the connection suddenly dropped.
With the use of her phone, Bartell’s friend located a wrecked yellow Chevy Spark in a field in Jefferson County, Colorado. According to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, the large boulder struck the 20-year-old Bartell and killed him. At least five similar incidents, all occurring in Colorado on Wednesday night within a three-hour span, were similar to this one.
“This is the most tragic of a series of similar crimes that happened overnight throughout Jefferson and Boulder counties,” the press release noted about the homicide.
An impromptu memorial site near the site of the homicide grew on Friday, with friends and family remembering Bartell.
“She was a friend to everyone and brought so much joy into everyone’s lives,” Bartell’s friend told ABC News‘ Denver affiliate KMGH.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office has been unable to identify any suspects associated with the crime spree, including the homicide. Investigators also believe there may have been more than five incidents and have asked victims to come forward.
Law enforcement initially believed the incidents were associated with a 2003-2005 Dodge Ram pickup truck and asked the public to help identify its owners. However, investigators later confirmed the owner of the car was not “involved in the crime series related to the death of Alexa Bartell,” leaving no suspects.
“[Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office] continues to urge anyone with information about the crime to call our tip line at 303-271-5612,” the press release read.
Based on a timeline released by the sheriff’s office, the incidents began at 10:04 p.m. Wednesday when the suspect or suspects threw a rock through a car’s windshield in Westminster, CO. The driver was uninjured by the incident.
At 10:26 p.m. nearly nine miles from the first incident, the suspect or suspects threw another rock through a windshield in Arvada, CO, injuring the driver.
The next two incidents occurred at 10:30 and 10:31 p.m. near the Rock Creek neighborhood, ten miles from the second incident in Arvada, CO. The 10:30 incident injured the driver after a rock broke the car’s windshield, while the 10:31 incident damaged the body of a Toyota SUV, though the driver was unscathed.
The event that resulted in Bartells death was the fifth and final such recorded incident Wednesday evening. At 10:45 p.m., Bartell was driving north on Indiana Street in Jefferson County, CO, when a large rock broke her windshield and fatally wounded her. The final incident was roughly two miles from the third and fourth incidents of the night.
An earlier timeline released by the Sheriff’s office stretched the incidents out over more than two hours Wednesday evening; the revised timeline narrows the crime spree to a 40-minute window across multiple miles. Investigators are still working to determine if the suspect or suspects threw the rocks from the side of the road or a vehicle.
“We believe there may be more victims,” the sheriff’s office’s release noted, urging the public to come forward if they have any information or dash camera video from the evening that might offer insights into the deadly incident. With incidents crossing multiple counties in the Denver metropolitan area, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office is working with the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office, Arvada Police, and Westminster Police.
On Monday evening, the police revealed more information about an incident where the suspect allegedly threw rocks at two cars on Highway 93 between Highway 128 and Highway 72.
The suspect was traveling northbound around 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday when they allegedly threw the rocks at the cars, damaging one car’s driver’s side rear windows and the other motorist’s windshield, police said. No passengers in the vehicles were injured, according to the police.
Bartell’s employer, Commercial Flooring Services, announced Friday that it’s offering a $15,000 reward for information about the homicide.
“CFS lost our youngest, brightest employee to this senseless act,” the company wrote in a social media post. \
In the Ghanaian music scene, leaving a group while still remaining relevant is like a curse.
On the bridge of working on their journeys, some of these stars who made up the bands end up realising their separation was a bad idea only after their journeys fail drastically.
Some of them put away their pride and work hard to mend their bands to their former glory, but that is as difficult as winning the hearts of fans.
However, some Ghanaian artistes who broke up from their respective groups have been able to still make huge impacts. They have stayed relevant even after going their separate ways.
In this article, Ghanaweekend profiles five of these artists.
1. Captain Planet[4X4]
Captain Planet was the leader of celebrated Ghanaian defunct music group 4X4. The group made up Captain Planet, Coded and Fresh Prince became a household name after releasing ‘Siklitele’ in 2003.
Captain Planet after going solo was able to uphold the trio’s reputation as a monster hit maker with his songs such as ‘Obi Agyi Obi Girl’ and ‘Abordie”.
2. Afriyie [Wutah]
Afriyie was an ardent member of the multiple award-winning Ghanaian music group, Wutah. Wutah, made up of Wutah Kobby, and Afritie parted ways in 2010.
They reunited in 2017 and split again in 2019. They are known for hit songs such as ‘Big dreams’ and ‘Kotosa’.
Ever since Afriyie went solo, he has been able to uphold the reputation of the group by churning out hit songs such as ‘Love Of my life’ and ‘Here to Stay’. These songs won him ‘Best Male Vocal Performer of the Year’ award at the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards.
3. Efya [Irene & Jane]
Irene & Jane was formed after contesting in the first edition of the defunct reality show ‘Stars of the Future’ in 2006. The duo with their silky voices went solo some 15 years ago.
While Efya went on to grab top awards and was adjudged the best vocalist of the year consecutively, Irene went private and in her own words, she experienced major setbacks including addiction and depression.
Efya won Best Female Vocal Performance at the Ghana Music Awards in four succession. In March 2021, 3Music Network included Efya on its list of the Top 30 Most Influential Women in Music.
4. Sparqlyn (Dunsin)
Dunsin, a celebrated Hiplife music group then made up of Ernest Obeng aka Omega, Ernest Wiafe-Koranteng aka Sweet Lips and Ahmed Kenneh Larweh aka Sparqlyn have records including “fefeefe”, “Oyadieyie” and “Falaa” which was formed in 2003, started recording professionally in 2005 and got their first smash hit ‘Oyeadieyie’.
Sparqlyn, after going solo has released a lot of good songs such as ‘Your Body’, and “Tumpa” that are doing very well on various streaming platforms.
5. Dada Hafco [Mframa]
Terry Asare Boamah, known by the stage name Dada Hafco is a Ghanaian high-life musician. He was formerly of the group called Mframa before going solo.
His song “Yebewu Nti” was nominated in the 2018 Vodafone Ghana Music Awards as the Highlife Song of the Year. He was also nominated for the Highlife Artiste of the Year in the VGMA for two years in a row.
Former Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Prof Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng has chastised Host of Good Evening Ghana, Paul Adom Okyere, over some comments he made following the release of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM) report authored by the Professor.
According to Prof, Mr Adom-Otchere during one edition of the Good Evening Ghana programme, said the Information Minister employs coded and evil tactics to deal with his real and perceived enemies.
The Professor who seemed worried over the comments advised Mr Oppong-Nkrumah to eschew such malice in the course of work as a government official since political power is transient.
“My advice is, always remember that political power is both short-lived and effervescenti In about 2 years’ time you may no longer be in government and you may experience the real world as former high profile political power holders do.
“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 his real and perceived enemies,” he said in a one-paged response to Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah following his reaction to the claims in the report.
It comes after the former Minister who was the chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM) released a report in which he alleged that some government officials are involved in illegal mining or galamsey.
The aftermath of this has been a series of rebuttals between the accused in the report and the Former Minister.
Key among persons fighting off allegations Mr Oppong-Nkrumah who has vehemently refuted claims that he masterminded the removal from office of the Prof Frimpong-Boateng.
But in a subsequent response, the former Minister said he is not surprised that Mr Oppong Nkrumah denied the claims.
“I have read your response to what I wrote about you in the report I sent to the Chief of Staff a little over two years ago. You have denied what I wrote and that is normal. Very few people in your position will own up to their wrongdoings.
“I have good advice for you, though. When I was part of the government, we were colleagues and I related to you as such. Now I will advise you as my son, just as I do my children. After all, you are the same age as my 4th born son. When I returned to Ghana from Germany to start the cardiothoracic project you were just 6 years old as my 4th child. I will not lie to you or insult you or be harsh on you,” he said.
Prof Frimpong-Boateng further revealed that he had received a tip-off from someone from the Minister’s constituency that illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey is going on in the area.
“Let me touch briefly on Illegal mining. Last week someone from your constituency sent me a video recording of illegal mining activities close to your hometown. I don’t want to believe that what the person said about your role is true. The important thing is that Chinese and their Ghanaian collaborators are engaged in illegal mining at your doorstep. I encourage you to investigate it and take appropriate action. The President of the Republic assures Ghanaians again and again that he is serious with the fight against Illegal mining,” he said.
After Ghana Airways went out of business in 2004, the nation was forced to abandon all investments it had made in the national airline.
According to a former Deputy CEO of Ghana Airways, Captain Paul Forjoe, he believes the country wasted huge sums of monies following the collapse of the national carrier.
Speaking in an interview with Accra-based Asaase Radio, Captain Forjoe recounted how the collapse of the once-vibrant national carrier could have been averted with proper planning and understanding of the business.
“One of the saddest things with the demise of Ghana Airways, to me, was that as a nation, we threw away money. Ghana Airways’ greatest asset was its rights and it could have been sold to other airlines but we failed to do so. For example, its land rights to Heathrow was hundreds of millions of pounds,” the former deputy CEO shared.
Captain Forjoe continued that, “Somehow, because we had people who did not understand the business, they declared bankruptcy believing that they could set up another airline and get those rights but it does not work that way because the moment you declare bankruptcy you have lost the rights.”
“In truth, if people understood this, people should be going to jail for financial loss [to the state] because what did Ghana Airways owe when it went bankrupt? It was a patent,” he added.
Since the collapse of Ghana Airways in 2004, and the subsequent collapse of Ghana International Airlines in 2010, Ghana has been without a national airline for international flight operations.
Despite the signing of several MoUs with Ethiopian Airlines and EgyptAir, moves to re-establish a national carrier hit a snag and this led to the establishment of a new committee to vet all proposals under the former Ministry of Aviation, which is now being run by the Ministry of Transport.
With years in the works to establish a new national carrier, the government of Ghana finally selected ‘Ghana Airlines’ as the name for the new home-based carrier, with plans to commence operations by July 2023.
Ahead of the selection, names such as Akwaaba Airlines, Black Star Airlines, and Kente Airlines were mooted as part of the efforts to get a suitable name that will reflect Ghana’s culture and boost the enterprise.
Ashanti Airlines, which is owned by business moguls, Osei Kwame Despite and his partner, Dr. Ernest Ofori-Sarpong has secured its Air Carrier License (ACL) and is seeking to complete the issuance of its Air Operator Certificate (AOC), which authorizes an operator to undertake specified commercial air transport operations.
Zotus Group Inc., in the United Kingdom, has also been selected to become the financial and operational partner of Ashanti Airlines, with the government of Ghana having its shares.
“I think it belongs to us.” It is for this reason that I am seeking reelection as president of the United States. Please come along. Let’s get this done.
A court has heard that a Tiktok celebrity allegedly killed her mum’s young lover by “ramming him off the road” as he threatened to make a sex tape public.
Saqib Hussain and his companion Mohammed Hashim Ijazuddin, both 21 years old, were allegedly killed in February of last year by Mahek Bukhari, 23, and her mother Ansreen Bukhari.
The Skoda Fabia Mr. Ijazuddin was driving when it was forced off the A46 in Leicestershire and “split in two” against a tree, killing the two men, who were both from Banbury, Oxfordshire.
Leicester Crown Court heard the 999 call to police made by front-seat passenger Mr Hussain just moments before his death.
He claimed their car was being ‘rammed off the road’ by balaclava-wearing assailants following in two pursuing cars.
In the recording, Mr Hussain said: ‘They’re trying to kill me, they’re trying to kill me. I’m just getting rammed off the road.
He can then be heard saying: ‘Please, I am begging you.’
Mr Hussain was heard to say ‘Oh my God’, before there was a scream, with the call cutting off abruptly at the sound of an impact.
Mohammed Hashim Ijazuddin died in the collision on February 11, 2022 (Picture: SWNS)
Mr Ijazuddin agreed to drive his friend to Leicester that night and had been ‘in the wrong place at the wrong time’, with the favour to Mr Hussain turning out ‘to be a tragic and fatal mistake’, prosecutors said.
Opening the Crown’s case, Collingwood Thompson KC told jurors it had been the 999 call which was key to the prosecution’s assertion ‘this was no ordinary traffic accident’.
After his death, Mr Hussain’s family later told detectives he had been having a three-year affair with the older woman, who was married with children.
Although starting off as ‘a bit of fun’ although with ‘quarrels’ for Mr Hussain the relationship ‘changed’ and he later told family ‘he was in love’ with Mrs Bukhari.
He spent up to £3,000 on taking Mrs Bukhari out, with the two having a ‘clear sexual relationship’.
Mr Thompson said: ‘A number of sexually-explicit videos and pictures were found, involving both Saqib Hussain and Ansreen Bukhari.
‘The existence of that material is at the very centre of this case because it was what that material could do that the Crown say led to … the murder of these two young men.’
By January 2022, Mrs Bukhari was trying to end the relationship, against Mr Hussain’s wishes.
He then became ‘increasingly obsessive about the relationship, professing his love for Ansreen and begging her to continue the relationship’, eventually ‘turning to blackmail’ to convince Mrs Bukhari to call him.
Mr Thompson said Mr Hussain threatened to send sexually explicit material to Mrs Bukhari’s husband.
‘What is implicit there, is her husband is going to be told about the affair, as is her son,’ added the prosecutor.
On January 4, last year Mahek Bukhari sent her mum a message which read: ‘I’ll get him jumped by guys and he won’t know what day it is.’
When Mr Hussain also tried to get Mahek Bukhari to get her mum to reply to him, the influencer replied: ‘She ain’t a dog, don’t f****** raise your voice and tell me what to do.’
Later, she allegedly told him: ‘I am sorry that this year you’ll be gone, Saqib.’
The mum and daughter, both from Stoke-on-Trent then decided they needed to ‘silence’ Mr Hussain.
On February 8, 2022, the Crown claimed Mahek Bukhari’s friend 29-year-old Rekan Karwan, of Tomlin Road, Leicester, was brought in, at first, helping in ‘negotiating with Saqib Hussain over money’.
He then allegedly brought in Natasha Akhtar, 22, Raees Jamal, 22, Rekan Karwan, 28, Mohammed Patel, 20, Sanaf Gulammustafa, 22, and Ammeer Jamal, 27.
All eight defendants are accused of murdering both men and also face two alternative manslaughter counts, but deny any wrong-doing.
Nikolai Peskov, the son of Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, stated in an interview with Russian media that he chose to join Russia’s Wagner mercenary group and fight in Ukraine.
“I felt it was my duty to… In an interview with the Russian newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda, Peskov said, “I couldn’t watch while friends and other people went there.
“I had to alter my last name when I went there. I wasn’t really known by anyone.
He said that he was awarded the Medal for Courage after serving for about six months.
CNN could not independently verify the claims.
Children of government figures and Russia’s elite have received criticism in the past for failing to fight in Ukraine.
Nikolai Peskov’s interview comes after the Wagner chief, Yevgeny Prigozhin, said on Friday that the Kremlin spokesperson’s son had served as a gunner with his mercenary force.
Prigozhin did not specify what period of time he was talking about.
According to Prigozhin, Nikolai Peskov served in PMC Wagner for six months under false documents with a different last name, working as a loader of an ammunition supply vehicle. The Wagner chief said Peskov attended a three-week training at their base in Molkino and later “left for Luhansk.”
Entertainment pundit Arnold Asamoah- Baidoo has stated that Ghanaian rapper, Obrafour missed an opportunity to create a business relationship with superstar, Drake by failing to respond to emails by the Canadian rapper’s representatives when they reached out to the former to sample his song ‘Oye Ohene’ which featured Tinny.
The entertainment pundit made this submission on Untied Showbiz with MzGee on April 22 when he punched holes into Obrafour’s lawsuit against Drake.
He explained how Obrafour could have benefited immensely from a collaboration with Drake on his song ‘Calling My Name’ off his 2022 album titled ‘Honestly, Nevermind’.
Arnold posited that Obrafour might not cash out in his 10 million dollar suit against Drake over the wrongful use of his song.
“Let me insist that if indeed Obrafour’s team saw the email and ignored it then that was a wrong move. There is no guarantee that they will win the court case. Number two, you’ve missed an opportunity to actually have some business relationship with Drake. Why waste time and contract lawyers from the US?
“You could have engaged the person one-on-one and settled everything,” he explained.
Arnold also shared his two cents on Mantse Aryeequaye’s move to publicly condemn Obrafour and claim ownership of his voice, ‘Killer Cut’ which was featured in Obrafour’s ‘Oye Ohene’.
He added: “I have seen a lot of people bashing Mantse but the gentleman says he has been trying to reach Obrafour or Hammer for the last 20 years and they never respond to him. So, what do you expect the person to do?…the only part where Manste slacked was his continuous tagging of Drake in his tweets.”
Data obtained from the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) have indicated that more diasporans are buying and obtaining private homes in the country.
The B&FT observed out of the 914,892 international tourist arrivals last year, the 2022 tourism report has 41.18 percent of diaspora tourists lodging in their private homes against the 32 percent who lodged in hotels, 19.40 percent in guest homes, 4.41 percent in corporate homes and 3.01 percent for others.
The numbers in 2022 also show that the largest percentage of international tourists have been visiting the country for business purposes since 2018.
The GTA and International Air Travelers Survey, IATS, noted that 42.5 percent of diaspora visitors came to the country on business motivations in 2018; 32 percent in 2019; 33.7 percent in 2020; 29.7 percent in 2021; and 24.2 percent in 2022 against other key purposes – including visit, transit, holiday, conferences, studies, government/official duties, conventions, culture, health, sports and others.
International tourists’ overall positive impression of Ghana in 2022 also scored more than 70 percent, according to the report.
GTA’s Chief Executive Officer Akwasi Agyeman explained that the unveilling of key projects and initiatives – including the Year of Return, Beyond the Return, Destination Ghana and several others – are contributing to the uptick of diaspora investment opportunities in the country.
The report said the USA continues to lead inbound visitor arrivals into Ghana, accounting for some 118,369 visitors in 2022 from the 92,139 recorded in 2021.
Apart from the US heading the arrival-list, Ghana has seen more visitors from Nigeria, the UK, India, Germany and Canada in that order since 2018.
This year, Ghana is anticipating about 1.2 million international tourist arrivals – bringing an estimated revenue of some US$3.4billion into the tourism economy.
Tourism minister Dr. Ibrahim Mohammed Awal, at the 2022 tourism report launch earlier this month, said the easing of COVID-19 restrictions and resumption of international travel will expectedly lead to a surge of inbound visitor-numbers, with an overall tourism medium-term strategy to reach two million arrivals by 2025 – with not less than US$5.2billion revenue.
A 42-year-old man has been honoured with a chieftaincy role in the Adansi Praso Traditional Council in the Adansi South District of the Ashanti Region.
Mr. Alex Osei Donkoh as known in private life is now called Nana Osei Seamanship I, following his enstoolment as Gyaasehene by the traditional leaders and people of Adansi Praso on Thursday, April 20, 2023.
After going through the customary and traditional processes, the new Gyaasehene was outdoored and presented to the family and the entire Adansi Praso Township in a very colourful procession through the principal streets.
The Chief of Adansi Praso, Nana Agyemang Pemsan I, explained that this is in recognition of his outstanding contributions towards the peace and development of the area.
According to him, through the effort of Nana Osei Okogyeaman(Alex Donkoh), the community is presently enjoying peace and stability after he waged war against notorious criminals who were tormenting the lives of the locals which in the long run induced the people into post-traumatic stress disorder.
“He hunted them down, got them arrested, and subsequently handed them to the police for prosecution. Unarguably, he deserves commendation and the title adorn on him will forever remain in his house”. He reiterated.
He, therefore, appealed to him to help foster peace and unity within the area and beyond.
Meanwhile, the Kyidomhene of Adanse Praso, Nana Okofo Tabi assured the new Gyaasehene of their unflinching support toward the development of the area.
Speaking with Angel FM and Rich FM reporter, Kwame Owusu Asante Shadrack after the function, the new Gyaasehene pledged to make peace, unity and development his focus.
He, however, appealed to the government and benevolent individuals to help build a police station as lands are available for the project to help mitigate crime and other related illegalities.
On part of the youth, he urged them to focus on building a better carrier through lawful means and desist from get-rich-quick syndrome since that could taint their future growth.
The installation ceremony brought together high-profile personalities including DCE for Assin North, Hon. Charles Ohene Andoh, Chief of Assin Dansame, DCE for New Edubiase, Chiefs across the region and some political representatives.
A number of celebrities from the entertainment industry have used social media to express their sorrow for Rudebwoy Ranking, a Ghanaian dancehall musician who was reported dead on April 24, 2023.
News of the demise of Rudebwoy Ranking triggered surprises amidst doubts with some fans commenting about the development on various social media platforms.
While information about his demise was scanty, Rudebwoy was said to have died in the early hours of Monday at the Ridge Hospital in Accra where he had been taken to, for treatment.
After a confirmation, some celebrities have mourned the musician and commiserated with the family of the deceased while others express disgust about what they claim to be hypocritical.
According to such critics, Rudebwoy did not receive support from industry stalwarts but is being mourned as though stakeholders supported his craft when he was alive.
Rudebwoy used to be under Bullhaus Entertainment.
His repertoires included ‘Jah Over Dem’, ‘No Drama’, ‘Yaro’, ‘Level Up’, and ‘My Time’.
While many Sudanese are trapped on the ground in dangerous and deteriorating conditions, foreign powers have rescued diplomatic employees, diplomats, and nationals caught in the country’s bloody battle.
According to a statement from the Preliminary Committee of the Sudan Doctors’ Union, Monday’s shelling that shook the nation’s capital Khartoum left at least 50 people injured and an undetermined number dead.
Foreign countries oversaw the rescue operations to remove civilians from the violent war. Over the weekend, US special forces aided in the evacuation of over 100 persons, the majority of whom were members of the US embassy staff and a small number of foreign diplomats, according to US authorities.
Many other nations are scrambling to do the same, with more than 1,000 European Union nationals evacuated so far.
The United Nations has temporarily relocated its Khartoum-based staff to Port of Sudan, it said in a statement.
Around 700 UN, international NGO and embassy staff and their dependents traveled by road to the Red Sea city, the statement said.
The evacuations have been complicated by ongoing clashes. The two sides at the center of more than a week of fighting – Sudan’s army and a paramilitary group called the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) – blamed each other after a French evacuation convoy came under fire trying to leave Sudan, with one French national injured.
An Egyptian diplomat, Mohamed Al-Gharawi, was shot and killed on his way back to the Egyptian embassy in Khartoum on Monday following “evacuation procedures for Egyptian citizens in Sudan,” Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
The Sudanese Armed Forces accused RSF for the death, which CNN has been unable to independently verify.
The RSF responded by offering their sincerest condolences to the Egyptian government and said that they will “spare no effort in cooperating with the brothers in the Republic of Egypt to uncover the facts about the Gharawi incident.”
Meanwhile, many Sudanese civilians are either trapped in their homes with dwindling food, or desperately looking to find exit routes out of the country via its land borders, with the capital’s main international airport still shuttered.
Sudan’s military leader, Gen. Abdul Fattah al-Burhan, and commander of the RSF, Lt. Gen. Mohamed Hamdan, seized control of the country in a military coup in 2021 and were due to hand over power to a civilian government but turned on each other instead.
More than 420 people have been killed and 3,700 injured in the fighting, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The humanitarian situation on the ground is deteriorating without access to medical services, and with many left stranded without food or water.
A series of ceasefires, including the latest called for the Muslim holiday Eid al-Fitr, have been broken. On Monday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that the warring factions had agreed on a new 72-hour ceasefire to begin at midnight, “following intense negotiation over the past 48 hours.”
Residents in parts of Khartoum told CNN early on Sunday morning that there were no signs that the cessation of hostilities was being adhered to, as they awoke to aerial attacks, heavy artillery, explosions and gunfire. They relayed that clashes were raging around the military headquarters and presidential palace in the city center.
Despite the risks, foreign governments continue to announce rescue missions for their citizens.
French Foreign Minister spokesman Anne-Claire Legendre told CNN’s Isa Soares on Monday that France evacuated approximately 500 people including almost 200 of them from 36 other countries.
Legendre said, “We’ve evacuated approximately 500 people. Now they’re safe and in security in Djibouti in our air force base there,” and added “We offered support to our friendly partners and allies. And there’s more than 36 nationalities, different nationalities that have been rescued, so almost 200 people from 36 other countries that we managed to evacuate.”
France evacuated “12 American citizens as well as British, Irish but also from Africa, Asia and rest of the world,” Legendre pointed out.
Several other countries have successfully carried out evacuations, including Spain, Jordan, Italy, Denmark and Germany, while the United Kingdom has evacuated embassy staff. Several of those convoys also carried citizens from other countries, including Swedes, Portuguese, Mexicans, Palestinians, Iraqis and Syrians.
US citizens in Sudan were advised they could join evacuation convoys organized by the UAE and Turkey on Sunday, with the US government saying it has no plans for its own citizen evacuation.
There are an estimated 16,000 American citizens in Sudan – most of whom are dual nationals.
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said Monday that more than 1,000 EU nationals have been evacuated so far, calling it a “successful operation.”
More evacuations are still being planned or are underway for the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Germany, Sweden, Egypt, Turkey, Libya, India, Russia, Australia, Japan, China and the Philippines.
About 500 Indian nationals reached Port Sudan with more on the way, India’s Minister of External Affairs Dr. S. Jaishankar said Monday.
The German Armed Forces evacuated 311 people on Monday morning, including Germans and evacuees from more than 20 other nations. A Spanish military plane with 34 Spaniards and 38 citizens from 11 other nations landed in Madrid on Monday morning, according to Spain’s foreign ministry.
Uganda is evacuating 300 of its citizens via buses to the Ethiopian border, where they will fly out of Ethiopian city of Gondar, Dickson Ogwang, the head of the chancery of the Ugandan embassy in Khartoum, told CNN.
Up to 50 Irish citizens have been extracted from Sudan in the last 24 hours with the assistance of France and Spain, the country’s foreign minister said Monday.
In Rome, the first Italian nationals evacuated from Sudan landed in the capital on Monday evening local time. Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that some Japanese nations evacuated from Sudan had arrived in Djibouti, with the help of the French government.
At the same time, Britons in Sudan said they feel “abandoned” by the UK government’s move to evacuate diplomats only.
One British citizen, named Fatima, told the BBC that she feels “abandoned” by the government, calling the situation on the ground “traumatizing.”
Meanwhile, the UK’s Africa Minister Andrew Mitchell has stressed that the government “will do everything” it can to get thousands of British citizens out of Sudan.
But as foreign nationals rush out on evacuation planes, millions of Sudanese citizens have been left to fend for themselves – stranded for days in their homes and uncertain of how to make their way out to safety.
International organizations have condemned the fighting, which has targeted hospitals. Out of 79 hospitals in the Sudanese capital, only 22 are currently operational, according to the Central Committee for Sudan Doctors.
One doctor told CNN that food and medical supplies are running precariously low. Howeida Al-Hassan, who is a doctor at Khartoum’s Alban Jadid Hospital, told CNN that most victims coming into the hospital have suffered multiple gunshot wounds.
“Every injured person we get has multiple gunshot wounds – bullets in the chest, stomach, leg. Each surgery takes a long time,” Al-Hassan told CNN on Monday.
She also says the medical team at the hospital have been working around the clock for the past 10 days.
“It’s the same staff from the first day [of the fighting]. We went in and never left. We are very exhausted. We sleep sitting down,” Al-Hassan said. “You can’t really call it sleeping, it’s more like passing out.”
As regions of Sudan are battered by the violence, the International Committee of the Red Cross said it will have to “adapt” its emergency response.
“We have managed to relocate some our staff by road to Kassala and Gedaref and will try to evacuate some non-essential personnel by road to Ethiopia and Chad,” Africa’s regional spokesperson Alyona Synenko told CNN in a statement.
“We are also urgently looking for ways to deploy additional personnel and deliver supplies to provide emergency response in Khartoum and other regions of Sudan affected by fighting.”
Isma’il Kushkush, a Sudanese-American journalist based in Khartoum, was trapped with 29 residents, including children and foreign nationals, in a building in downtown Khartoum near the presidential palace for days.
“No power or water for five days. Using little water remaining in water tank. Running out of food rations. Unable to leave the building which is located two blocks from the presidential palace. Epicenter of the fighting since the conflict began,” he said in a string of text messages to CNN. The group was later safely evacuated.
In neighborhood WhatsApp group chats and on social media, others were deliberating over where to get water, to charge phones, find medics and find safe passages out of Khartoum free of fighting. Many asked for advice on routes to Egypt on public transportation.
A woman in her 30s, who asked not to be named for security reasons, told CNN that she managed to flee Khartoum by bus to Egypt.
She said she was driven to do so by the unpredictability of the RSF and the worsening conditions in the capital.
While her family had a generator and they were able to supply water to houses in their neighborhood, it was unclear how long they would be able to carry on or when the tide of clashes might bring fighters to their doorstep.
“It was a case of do we stay and risk starvation. Or be killed by a stray bullet? … We decided to take the risk,” she said, adding that she had heard of people without food and water dying in their homes. “We just figured we were sitting ducks sheltering in our houses.”
A group of her relatives, including two babies and an elderly woman with a serious medical condition, found a bus driver willing to take them to Egypt. They left Friday morning and arrived at the border on Saturday evening; the group was only stopped once by Sudan’s armed forces in Omdurman, she said.
But they struggled to get men without visas into Egypt and a few people without passports – including newborn babies – were turned away.
“They had to be left behind. And we’re still trying to work out how to get them paperwork to get them across the border,” she said.
The Interbank forex rates from the Bank of Ghana today, April 25, 2023, have shown that the Ghana Cedi is trading against the dollar at a buying price of 10.9386 and a selling price of 10.9496.
At a forex bureau in Accra, the dollar is being bought at a rate of 11.50 and sold at a rate of 12.20.
Against the Pound Sterling, the Cedi is trading at a buying price of 13.5726 and a selling price of 13.5884.
At a forex bureau in Accra, the pound sterling is being bought at a rate of 14.30 and sold at a rate of 15.30.
The Euro is trading at a buying price of 12.0080 and a selling price of 12.0198.
At a forex bureau in Accra, Euro is being bought at a rate of 12.40 and sold at a rate of 13.20.
The South African Rand is trading at a buying price of 0.6049 and a selling price of 0.6055.
At a forex bureau in Accra, South African Rand is being bought at a rate of 0.30 and sold at a rate of 0.90.
The Nigerian Naira is trading at a buying price of 42.0729 and a selling price of 42.1807.
At a forex bureau in Accra, Nigerian Naira is being bought at a rate of 13.50 Naira for every 1 Cedi and sold at a rate of 18.50.
For the CFA, it is trading at a buying price of 54.5730 and a selling price of 54.6267.
At a forex bureau in Accra, CFA is being bought at a rate of 17.00 CFA for every 1 Cedi and sold at a rate of 21.00 CFA for every 1 Cedi.
Our forex bureau rates are provided by Afriswap Bureau De Change in Osu, Accra.
Young people in Japan are taking over government positions, so move over, boomers and older millennials.
Supporters have hailed the recent by-elections as a welcome change to the nation’s administration, which is dominated by conservative older males. The elections have brought a number of different new faces into the national spotlight.
Data from the Inter-Parliamentary Union shows that the majority of members of the Japanese parliament are male and between the ages of 50 and 70.
Making headlines is Ryosuke Takashima who, at 26 years old, is Japan’s youngest-ever mayor, according to Japanese public broadcaster NHK. He graduated last year from Harvard University, where he earned his bachelors degree in environmental engineering.
“Being young, I think there is a possibility that citizens will feel closer to me. Because I have no experience in politics, I can ask around what I don’t understand, learn various things, and I want reflect them in my own vision,” he told reporters, according to NHK.
The country’s previous youngest mayor had been Kotaro Shishida, elected in 1994 at the age of 27, NHK reported.
Takashima had campaigned on green infrastructure planning, promising to create more public spaces and parks, as well as reforms in education, childcare and youth healthcare. He will begin serving as mayor of Ashiya City in Hyogo Prefecture on May 1.
Then there’s the 26-year-old YouTuber who ran his campaign for Hiratsuka City Council – and won – under the official name “Shin the Hiratsuka YouTuber.”
Shin also runs a Pokemon card store but is best known for his YouTube channel, where he makes videos about local shops and events in the city; his most popular video reviews 10 recommended ramen shops in Hiratsuka.
It was while making these videos and talking to local business owners that Shin learned about their complaints and troubles – inspiring him to run for city council and freshen up the staid political scene, according to his website.
“Japan’s politicians are aging,” his site reads. “There are many high schools and universities in Hiratsuka, so there is no doubt that young people live here.”
As a single father of a 3-year-old son, he focused on childcare issues during his campaign, highlighting the need for greater support for parents and work-life balance – as well as supporting the elderly, as Japan’s population rapidly ages and its workforce shrinks.
Ayaka Nasuno, 25, is another Gen Z politician making her debut after winning the highest share of votes for the Kawasaki City Council earlier this month.
After being bullied as a child, Nasuno decided to “create her own community” by organizing a local trash cleanup effort – which is how she began working with constituents and local resources, according to her website and multiple social media accounts.
“This is the start of my career as a councilor, so I will work hard for the benefit of my hometown,” she wrote on Twitter after the election, thanking supporters for their votes.
Another high-profile name this election season is 34-year-old Arfiya Eri, whose parents are Uyghur and Uzbek, and who has advocated for greater women’s rights and gender equality.
With her election to Japan’s Lower House, Eri is the first woman of Uyghur descent to be elected to any parliament in the world, according to the World Uyghur Congress, which called her victory significant for the Uyghur Japanese community and the global Uyghur diaspora.
The Uyghur ethnic group largely lives in China’s western Xinjiang region, where Beijing is accused of committing human rights abuses against Uyghurs. The United Nations has called these actions “crimes against humanity” in a report last September, while the United States has previously accused China of holding up to 2 million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in detention camps, accusations Beijing has repeatedly denied.
She is also one of the few parliament members with non-Japanese ancestry in what remains a highly homogenous country with comparatively low levels of immigration.
Eri was born in Japan but moved to China as a child, before studying at Georgetown University in the US and working for the United Nations. She researched Uyghur issues during her studies abroad, according to her official website – with one blog post decrying the “unspeakable tragic oppression and human rights violations” taking place against Uyghurs.
She has also turned the spotlight to Japan’s male-dominated politics and society, highlighting issues such as the gender wage gap, the unequal burden of housework and childcare on women, and the need for men to take more active roles in child-rearing.
Her election as a “33-year-old working woman” would send a message to the world that “Japan is going to move forward,” she wrote on her blog last year.
With her most recent single, “Scar,” which features North London rapper JBee, Gyakie, the popular afro-fusion artist, has topped the Apple Music Ghana chart.
The song released on Friday, April 21, 2023, has achieved a record-breaking success by dominating Apple Music Charts in less than 24 hours after its release.
The award-winning songstress, since her debut in 2019, has been taking the music world by storm.
Collaborating with renowned artistes such as Omar Lay, Davido, Blaq Jerzee, Major League DJz, Mayorkun, AKA, Diplo, among others, her unique style and incredible talent have made her a force to be reckoned with. Her hit single ‘Forever’ catapulted her to international fame, amassing over 150 million streams across various platforms.
SCAR, her latest track, is a powerful track detailing love and pain, tells two sides to the story of the hardships in a relationship. Depicting the duality both sonically and lyrically, the story of nuances and layers is heightened through the song’s combination of R&B, hip-hop, and drill.
Flip The Music signed artist, Gyakie teamed up with UK rapper JBee, one of the go-to fresh faces in British Rap to bring her latest single, ‘SCAR’ to life.
Speaking on the release, JBee said, “I was in Ghana for New Year, even though it was the holiday season when Gyakie calls, you answer! We linked up in Ghana and ‘Scar’ was born. Even though I am London born and raised, I’m Ghanaian myself and I’m so happy we got to collaborate and make this track. I hope the fans love this one seeing two worlds collide!”
Minority Chief Whip, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, wants investigations to be conducted into the leaked Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM) report, which accuses a number of government officials of being involved in illegal mining.
The South Dayi MP, has therefore petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to investigate violations of fundamental human rights, alleged corrupt practices, issues of conflict of interest and abuse of public office by certain public officials and others cited in the report of the Work of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM).
The petition filed by lawyers for the MP also wants CHRAJ to investigate allegations of corruption, conflict of interest and abuse of office made by Charles Bissue, the former secretary of the IMCIM, against Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, the former chairman of the IMCIM, in respect of matters involving some 500 excavators that supposedly went missing around February 2020.
The petition dated April 25, 2023, says the report of the IMCIM dated 19th March 2021 and confirmed to have been authored by Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, cites various public officials and other individuals for corruption, conflict of interest and abuse of public office, including for instance, “…the following findings of corruption, conflict of interest and abuse of public office were made: “On Monday 11th January 2021, the task force entered a concession at a location called Bepotenten we had been monitoring for some times.
“Residents in the area complained about harassment by Chinese miners. The damage to the forest reserve was unimaginable. Big economic trees had been felled and dumped into muddy water bodies to rot. Huge pits were scattered over dozens of acres land. Near cocoa farms had been destroyed. Seven excavators were seized, As usual so[1]called big men started calling. First was Mr. Charles Owusu, who claimed ownership of the concession and of the excavators. This individual happens to be the Operations Manager of the Forestry Commission and there he was mining in a forest reserve without any permit and destroying forests, farm lands, water bodies and indeed the entire biodiversity,” the report said.
More than eight months after being detained amid heightened tensions across the Taiwan Strait, a political activist from Taiwan has officially been taken into custody on suspicion of “secession” in China.
Last August, just hours after former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi concluded her crucial trip to Taipei, Yang Chih-yuan, a lawmaker and democracy advocate, was seized by Chinese state security in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province.
The visit enraged Beijing, which responded by holding days of extensive military maneuvers and launching missiles over the autonomous island, raising tensions to their worst level in decades.
Yang’s fate remained unknown for months.
But on Tuesday, China’s Supreme People’s Procuratorate announced on social media that prosecutors in Wenzhou had approved the arrest of Yang on secession charges, after the city’s state security bureau concluded its investigation and handed the case to the prosecutors for “review and prosecution.”
The statement did not mention when Yang will appear in court.
Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council said they had repeatedly reached out to mainland authorities about Yang’s detention but had not received a direct response.
“The government reiterates that Yang is innocent and calls on the Chinese Communist Party to release Yang and allow him to return to Taiwan as soon as possible,” the council said in a statement to CNN Tuesday.
Yang, 33, has been active in Taiwan’s social movements for more than a decade and once contested for a seat in Taiwan’s legislature, which he did not win.
In 2019, he became the vice chairman of the Taiwan National Party, a fringe political party advocating Taiwan independence. The party is now defunct, according to Taiwan’s Ministry of the Interior.
China’s state broadcaster CCTV reported on August 3 last year that Yang was taken into custody by the state security bureau in Wenzhou for engaging in “separatist activities” supporting Taiwan independence and endangering national security.
China’s ruling Communist Party claims Taiwan as its own territory, despite having never controlled it, and has refused to rule out the use of force to “unify” the island with mainland China.
Under leader Xi Jinping, China has stepped up crackdown against perceived threats from both within and outside the country, arresting Chinese and foreign nationals for endangering “national security” – a broadly and vaguely defined concept under Chinese law.
Non-mainland Chinese citizens have also been imprisoned for national security crimes. Taiwanese human rights activist Lee Ming-che, for example, was sentenced in 2017 to five years in prison for “subverting state power.” Lee was released last year after serving his full sentence.
CCTV said Yang had long advocated the idea of “Taiwan independence” and founded the Taiwan National Party to push for Taiwan to become an independent, sovereign country and a member state of the United Nations.
The broadcaster aired footage showing a handcuffed man purported to be Yang being held by two officers, as the police went through his phone, wallet and other personal belongings.
In a subsequent report, CCTV said Yang had been placed under “residential surveillance at a designated location” from August 4 – a form of secrete detention frequently applied to national security cases in China that United Nations human rights experts say tantamount to enforced disappearance.
Authorities in Beijing and Taipei have not given any explanation as to why Yang had traveled to the mainland.
However, Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council reminded Taiwan citizens to evaluate the risks before traveling to mainland China, citing the “repeated occurrence of similar cases recently,” without elaborating on the incidents.
“When the epidemic on both sides of the strait is gradually slowing down and people on both sides are hoping to resume normal exchanges, the mainland arbitrarily arrested Taiwanese people, seriously harming the rights and interests of our people and creating fear,” it said in a statement to CNN. “This is bound to be detrimental to the exchanges and interactions across the strait.”
News of Yang’s formal arrest comes as concerns are mounting for a Taiwan-based book publisher, who reportedly has been detained in China since March, according to Taiwan’s Central News Agency (CNA).
Li Yanhe, better known by his pen-name Fu Cha, was reportedly detained by police in Shanghai in March, shortly after he arrived in China to visit his family and deal with residency-related issues, the CNA reported.
Last week, an official with Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council said Li was “safe,” but declined to provide further details citing the wishes of his family.
A group of 40 Taiwan and international writers, scholars and media workers have issued a joint statement calling for Li’s release, according to the CNA.
Li’s company Gusa Publishing said in a statement Monday on Facebook that it will stop commenting on the case out of respect for Li’s family’s positions but thanked the public’s support for Li.
It declined to comment when contacted by CNN Tuesday.
Manager and brand influencer Ayisha Modi has asked Ghanaians to bow their heads in shame for not celebrating and promoting one of its talented Reggae and Dancehall musicians, Rudebwoy Ranking who passed away on Monday, April 24 at the Ridge Hospital, Accra.
According to Ayisha, it is typical of the showbiz industry to celebrate a talent when they are longer alive to benefit from their toil.
She claimed that the deceased musician never received the support that would catapult him to the next level in his career.
Ayisha in an Instagram post called for a change adding that the young man deserved better while he was alive.
Her post which paid tribute to Rudebwoy read: “Why didn’t he get all this support when he was alive? We Ghanaians have to change our mindset and behavior. You will get billions to celebrate you when u are dead and gone. Shame on everyone who never supported his career but supporting to see him off to his grave. Shame on most of you. Rest well young Superstar.”
Meanwhile, a host of industry players and music lovers have paid tributes to Mustapha Rahman, who was professionally known as Rudebwoy Ranking.
Fox News announced on Monday that it is cutting ties with fiery anchor Tucker Carlson, the network’s most well-liked prime-time host and a prominent figure in the contemporary conservative movement known for his provocative remarks and conspiratorial language.
The network announced the stunning news days after it agreed to pay nearly $800 million to Dominion Voting Systems to avert a high-stakes defamation trial that had cast a shadow over the future of the network.
“FOX News Media and Tucker Carlson have agreed to part ways,” the company said in a short news release. “Mr. Carlson’s last program was Friday April 21st.”
Carlson’s most recent broadcast did not feature any indication that he was preparing to leave the network. “We’ll be back on Monday,” he said cheerfully at the end of Friday’s episode.
Fox News did not specify why Carlson is leaving, and a spokeswoman did not immediately respond to an email from NBC News requesting more information on his abrupt exit.
The network’s statement did not include any comment from Carlson. The network will rely on a rotation of interim hosts until it names a permanent anchor for the 8 p.m. ET programming block.
“Fox & Friends” co-host Brian Kilmeade anchored the 8 p.m. hour on Monday and opened the show with a brief statement addressing the elephant in the room: “As you probably have heard, Fox News and Tucker Carlson have agreed to part ways. I wish Tucker the best.”
“I’m great friends with Tucker and always will be,” Kilmeade added. “But right now, it’s time for ‘Fox News Tonight,’ so let’s get started.”
The Individual Bondholders Association of Ghana (IBHAG) has withdrawn from the Technical Committee of the government’s Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP).
It announced its decision to exit the Committee due to a lack of alignment with the interests of its members.
The association in a statement noted that the deliberations were causing further harm and despair to bondholders, which diverges from the government’s promises to them. IBHAG’s Convener, Martin Kpebu, noted that the government could not continue to ignore the suffering of individual bondholders, who are being punished for not signing up to the DDEP, and asked for a more sensitive and humane approach to alleviating their plight.
“The Government cannot continue to be insensitive to the suffering of the individual bond holders by deliberately punishing those who did not sign up to the DDEP as it meticulously executes the various threats made to them for not signing up. The Ministry cannot keep making things comfortable for the government by not sharing in the burden of the economic hardship we are in as a country under its leadership,” the group noted.
The association insisted that it will, however, stick to the earlier timelines of payment agreed with the government and expects payments to be effected to its members on outstanding principals and coupons.
“IBHAG will hold on to the already agreed timeline as per earlier meeting on the 14th of April 2023 with the Ministry of Finance where we expect all outstanding Principals and coupons to be paid. We urge you to consider a more sensitive and humane approach to alleviating the plight of the suffering Individual Bond Holders in Ghana,” he stated.
Kpebu also criticized the Convener of the Individual Bondholders Forum (IBF), Senyo Hosi, for his wavering views and alleged closeness to the Ministry of Finance.
“Senyo Hosi of IBF, appears to be an appendage of the Ministry of Finance; doing its bidding. This is supported by the wavering views, which departs completely from the past collective position of individual bondholders. Private meetings between Senyo Hosi of IBF and the Ministry of Finance, are not the solutions to the concerns of Individual Bondholders whose coupon and principal payments have been in arrears for over two months,” he said.
Svetlana Maniovich is a woman of expensive tastes: invite-only Parisian jewelers, couture clothing and yacht vacations on the Mediterranean. The lifestyle isn’t unusual for people in her elite Russian circle, and her lavish spending has been on display on social media and in Russia’s society pages. But she’s no ordinary Moscow highflyer.
Her former partner, Ivanov, is a senior architect of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – a man who, on paper, reportedly has an official income of around $175,000 per year. He’s also the subject of European Union (EU) and American sanctions over the war on Ukraine.
Maniovich is the subject of an extensive investigation by the Anti-Corruption Foundation (ACF), an investigative team founded by jailed Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny. The ACF, which organized the Paris protest, alleges that it is Ivanov, and ill-gotten gains brought in by his government position, that has funded Maniovich’s lifestyle.
“For the uber-corrupt people, it’s almost like it was – almost like nothing changed,” said Maria Pevchikh, head of investigations for the ACF, in reference to the impact of Western sanctions.
Drawing on a trove of 8,000 leaked emails, Pevchikh and her team assembled a picture of a woman who has seemingly escaped all scrutiny for Ivanov’s role in Ukraine, and the extreme profits he’s allegedly reaped. A video about Maniovich produced by the ACF has racked up over six million views on YouTube.
Using invoices found in her email, the ACF investigation claims, for instance, that on March 25, 2022 – as Russian missiles were raining down on Kharkiv – Maniovich spent more than $100,000 in a top Paris jewelry store on the famed Place Vendome.
Just last month, and more than five months after the EU placed Ivanov on its sanctions list, a Ukrainian video crew caught Maniovich on camera shopping and dancing in Courchevel, the elite French ski resort.
Maniovich – who also goes by Svetlana Ivanova, as well as by her maiden name, Svetlana Zakharova – did not return CNN’s request for comment.
CNN has not independently verified the source of Maniovich’s apparently unexplained wealth. Her lifestyle is funded, the ACF alleges, by the graft of Ivanov, who holds “one of the most lucrative jobs that one can have in the Ministry of Defense,” according to Pevchikh.
“He is responsible for construction,” Pevchikh said. “So every building site (that) there is for the Russian army, that’s his domain.”
His extreme wealth – with assets including, the ACF says, a historical house in one of Moscow’s most expensive districts, and a luxurious dacha – has a simple explanation.
“The answer is corruption,” Pevchikh argued. “Corruption, and specifically kickbacks. This is the system, the core concept of Russian corruption.”
The Russian Ministry of Defense did not respond to CNN’s request for comment.
The ACF alleges that Ivanov, already a wealthy man, is benefitting extensively from the invasion of Ukraine.
The minister is frequently pictured in Russian-occupied Mariupol by state media, cutting ribbons on various construction projects. When Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Mariupol in March, he held what was billed as an impromptu middle-of-the-night encounter with residents at one of Ivanov’s new apartment blocks.
“They destroyed Mariupol first, and then they designated a little plot of land where they built display houses,” Pevchikh said.
“The same company that built the display houses in Mariupol is paying for Timur Ivanov’s personal bills, personal construction projects, like his house on the outskirts of Moscow and his house in the center of Moscow,” she claimed.
So how is Maniovich able to get away with her luxurious, European lifestyle?
“It’s a very simple trick that they’ve played,” Pevchikh said. First, she said, Maniovich has an Israeli passport, through her first husband.
But more to the point, the ACF alleges, Maniovich and Ivanov have severed their ties – at least on paper. The pair finalized their divorce in August 2022, according to court documents included by ACF in their investigation – six months after the war began and just two months before the EU placed an asset freeze and travel ban on him – but not her.
Yet no public records show Maniovich and Ivanov have even begun the process to divide assets or custody (which can take years), the ACF says.
“The biggest indication of a real divorce is the division of assets afterwards. We see none of that,” Pevchikh said, referring to the evidence uncovered by ACF’s investigative team.
“In terms of the things that legally point to a real divorce, we don’t see any changes. It all still looks the same.”
In a statement to CNN, the French Foreign Ministry said it does not comment on individual cases, but that it had targeted 1,499 Russian officials with sanctions.
“We are continuing discussions with other member states in order to adopt new sanctions, to maintain pressure on Russia and to hinder its war effort,” the ministry said.
Whether the protesters’ demand that Maniovich herself face a reckoning is, so far, a question without a satisfactory answer.
According to IBF, the accusations made by IBHAG against the convener following their recusal from the government’s Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP) are rather false representations which are detrimental to the collective effort of the committee.
“The IBF therefore considers the statements from the letter, attacking the personality of Senyo Hosi unfortunate, inaccurate, unfair, and dishonest. The ideas and proposals tabled by Mr. Hosi at the meetings with MoF (all of which have been public) have been concepts prior discussed and approved by the relevant committees of the IBF. These proposals were also prior discussed with the leadership of the IBHAG.
“We find the false representations of IBHAG an affront to the collective effort to ensure that the GoG honours its commitment to individual bondholders whose coupon and principal payments have not been honoured since they became due,” the forum said.
The statement by IBF follows a statement issued by IBHAG announcing their exit from the committee over claims that the convener of IBF has become an appendage of the government in their efforts to secure the payment of their principals and matured coupons.
IBHAG in the statement issued by lawyer Martin Kpebu criticized Senyo Hosi, for his wavering views and alleged closeness to the Ministry of Finance.
“Senyo Hosi of IBF, appears to be an appendage of the Ministry of Finance; doing its bidding. This is supported by the wavering views, which departs completely from the past collective position of individual bondholders. Private meetings between Senyo Hosi of IBF and the Ministry of Finance, are not the solutions to the concerns of Individual Bondholders whose coupon and principal payments have been in arrears for over two months,” he said.
But responding to the allegations, IBF rejected the allegations while emphasising its confidence in the leadership of their convener.
“The IBF with its over 340,000 members has no objection to IBHAG recusing itself from the Technical Committee. Our primary objective is to continue the engagements with the MoF to secure full and final closure to the issue of coupon and maturity payments for individual bondholders and collective investment schemes that chose the option to self-exempt under the DDEP. We expect that the Technical Committee will submit its report by Wednesday 26th April 2023 after which we will hold the Government to account on all agreed deliverables.
“We reaffirm our confidence and trust in the leadership of Senyo Hosi. We will continue to work assiduously to advocate for, and effectively represent the interests of, individual bondholders and collective investment schemes notwithstanding the advocacy group they decide to be part of. We welcome collaboration with all honourable groups and persons who share in the vision of IBF,” it added.
The association in a statement noted that the deliberations were causing further harm and despair to bondholders, which diverges from the government’s promises to them. IBHAG’s Convener, Martin Kpebu, noted that the government could not continue to ignore the suffering of individual bondholders, who are being punished for not signing up to the DDEP, and asked for a more sensitive and humane approach to alleviating their plight.
“The Government cannot continue to be insensitive to the suffering of the individual bondholders by deliberately punishing those who did not sign up to the DDEP as it meticulously executes the various threats made to them for not signing up. The Ministry cannot keep making things comfortable for the government by not sharing in the burden of the economic hardship we are in as a country under its leadership,” the group noted.
The association insisted that it will, however, stick to the earlier timelines of payment agreed with the government and expects payments to be effected to its members on outstanding principals and coupons.
“IBHAG will hold on to the already agreed timeline as per earlier meeting on the 14th of April 2023 with the Ministry of Finance where we expect all outstanding Principals and coupons to be paid. We urge you to consider a more sensitive and humane approach to alleviating the plight of the suffering Individual Bond Holders in Ghana,” he stated.
Kpebu also criticized the Convener of the Individual Bondholders Forum (IBF), Senyo Hosi, for his wavering views and alleged closeness to the Ministry of Finance.
“Senyo Hosi of IBF, appears to be an appendage of the Ministry of Finance; doing its bidding. This is supported by the wavering views, which departs completely from the past collective position of individual bondholders. Private meetings between Senyo Hosi of IBF and the Ministry of Finance, are not the solutions to the concerns of Individual Bondholders whose coupon and principal payments have been in arrears for over two months,” he said.
In a face-to-face meeting at the UN Security Council on Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was criticized by Western diplomats for his nation’s unjustified attack on Ukraine.
The conference was titled “Maintenance of international peace and security,” and Lavrov was in charge of it because Russia is presently the Security Council’s rotating president. When Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, it was the final time it presided over the Security Council.
UN ambassadors for the United States, United Kingdom and Switzerland all used their speeches at the meeting to condemn Russia’s invasion. The three women – the US’s Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Britain’s Barbara Woodward and Switzerland’s Pascale Baeriswyl – all voiced strong, direct criticism of Russia and Lavrov, at times looking directly at the top Russian diplomat.
“Our hypocritical convener today, Russia, invaded its neighbor, Ukraine, and struck at the heart of the UN Charter. This illegal, unprovoked and unnecessary war runs directly counter to our most shared principles – that a war of aggression and territorial conquest is never, ever acceptable,” Thomas-Greenfield said.
“As we sit here, that aggression continues. As we sit here, Russian forces continue to kill and injure civilians. As we sit here, Russian forces are destroying Ukraine’s critical infrastructure. As we sit here we brace ourselves for the next Bucha, the next Mariupol, the next Kherson, the next war crime, the next atrocity,” she added.
Opening the session, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also condemned Russia’s actions.
“Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, in violation of the United Nations Charter and international law, is causing massive suffering and devastation to the country and its people and adding to the global economic dislocation triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said, sitting right next to Lavrov.
Russian diplomats have been largely cut off from various international conferences since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year. However, the leadership of the Security Council, UN’s most powerful body, rotates alphabetically among its 15 member nations. Five countries – China, France, Russia, the UK and the US – have permanent seats on the council. The remaining 10 members are elected for two-year terms by the UN General Assembly.
Russia assumed the presidency on April 1, an event that multiple diplomats described as an “April Fool’s joke.”
The meeting on Monday was attended by Elizabeth Whelan, whose brother Paul Whelan has been detained in Russia for more than four years. The US considers Whelan to be wrongfully detained. The US government was unable to secure Whelan’s release last year when it brought home two other Americans who the US said had been wrongfully detained in Russia – Trevor Reed in April and Brittney Griner in December.
European Union countries issued a joint statement before the meeting, condemning Russia’s actions in Ukraine and criticizing Lavrov’s appearance at the meeting.
“Russia is trying to portray itself as a defender of the UN charter and multilateralism. Nothing can be further from the truth. It’s cynical,” said Olaf Skoog, European Union representative to the UN. “We all know that while Russia is destroying, we are building. While they violate, we protect.”
In his opening remarks, Lavrov launched into a tirade of unsubstantiated accusations against Ukraine and its western allies, blaming the conflict on them.
“As was the case during the Cold War, we have reached the dangerous, possibly even more dangerous threshold,” Lavrov said, accusing the “United States and its allies” of “abandoning diplomacy and demanding clarification of relations on the battlefield.”
Lavrov repeatedly described the Ukrainian government as “the putchists” and “the Nazi Kyiv regime,” a baseless claim that Russia has repeatedly made to justify its illegal invasion of the country. Lavrov also criticized Western countries for not recognizing the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea as Russian territory, despite “a referendum being held there.”
Russia forcefully annexed Crimea in 2014 after holding a sham referendum there. Ukraine and its Western allies consider the area occupied Ukrainian territory. The UN overwhelmingly rejected the referendum as illegitimate and the annexation as illegal.
Builsa South MP, Clement Apaak, has appealed to Ghanaians to remember former Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Prof Frimpong-Boateng in prayers.
The appeal follows the release of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM) report authored by the Professor, which alleges that a number of government officials are involved in illegal mining (galamsey).
He said the Professor has demonstrated love for the country and thus should be protected from “evil forces” that may arise against him
In a Twitter post, Dr. Apaak described Prof. Frimpong-Boateng as a patriotic and selfless Ghanaian who has devoted his life to the development of the country, particularly in the field of combating illegal mining activities, therefore Ghanaians ought to offer prayers for the celebrated heart surgeon to avert any evil forces against him.
“Folks, I urge all to pray for Prof Frimpong-Boateng. We ask God to protect and preserve him against the forces of evil. He has truly demonstrated love for country, and I’m proud of him as a Vmate!” the MP said on April, 24, 2023.
Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng has been in the news following a 36-page 2021 report he authored on illegal small-scale mining in Ghana.
The former minister, while submitting a report on the work of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), not only cited the challenges the committee faced but also persons he believes contributed to the frustration of his work.
The report, which was addressed to the Chief of Staff implicated some New Patriotic Party (NPP) members, including MPs and top government officials, as having been involved in the galamsey menace.
Portions of the report indicated that these MPs and government officials were either directly involved in galamsey or were using their power to protect relations who were involved in the menace.
The report implicated persons including the former MP for Manso Nkwanta, Joseph Albert Quarm; director of operations at the presidency, Lord Commey; executive assistant and head of social media at the presidency, Charles Nii Teiko; and Frank Asiedu Bekoe, director of political affairs at the Office of the Chief of Staff.
Prof Frimpong-Boateng also accused the Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, of hatching a plot to bring him down over his (Frimpong-Boateng’s) fight against the menace.
Ghanaian broadcaster Daddy Bosco opposes the plan to make highlife the only musical genre that represents Ghana abroad.
According to the Director of Communications and Special Projects at the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA), the “fixation on only highlife for me is very limiting.”
He made the statement on Joy FM’s Showbiz A-Z while responding for to a question on the right genre to represent Ghana on the international level.
Bosco cited America as a country that has many genres like jazz, RnB, funk, and country among others. He said even highlife has Western influences, a reason musicians should be allowed to experiment with rhythms.
“As a nation, we need to appreciate that it is sort of generational. So the kids today sing more with hiplife and the derivatives like Afrobeats. The other day I was hearing someone say Amapiano highlife,” he told the host Kwame Dadzie.
“The point I am making is that as a people we will not be represented by only highlife. What we need to do is to open up to our creativity. Because the conversation shows what we call highlife today is a fusion of African rhythms and Western rhythms, played with Western instruments,” Bosco added.
The dominance of Afrobeats on the global music scene has ignited the conversation about what can be done in Ghana to achieve a similar feat.
For many people, highlife, a music genre of Ghanaian origin is the only true identity of Ghana’s music industry.
UNESCO defines ‘Intangible cultural heritage’ refers to the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, and skills – as well as the instruments, objects, artifacts and cultural spaces associated – that communities, groups, and, in some cases, individuals recognize as part of their cultural heritage.
An American woman was detained in Sydney after flying from Los Angeles and landing there with a firearm that was 24-carat gold-plated.
The Australian Border Force (ABF) said in a statement that the 28-year-old lady did not have a permission to import or possess a handgun in Australia when she arrived in Sydney on Sunday.
Australia has some of the strictest gun laws in the world, and it is against the law to “intentionally” import weapons without authorization. Australia’s maximum sentence for this crime is ten years in prison.
The woman, who was not identified in the statement, appeared before a local court Monday and received bail. The status of her visa and continued stay in Australia is subject to the courts. Depending on the outcome, she could be removed from the country, according to the ABF.
ABF Commander Justin Bathurst said the arrest spoke to the diligence of the force’s officers and sophistication of the country’s detection technology.
“ABF officers are committed to protecting our community by working with law enforcement partners to prevent items like unregistered firearms getting through at the border,” Bathurst added in the statement.
Australia is often held up as an example of how decisive action gun control can succeed in reducing deaths from firearms.
The country implemented sweeping gun-control measures after a lone shooter murdered 35 people in Port Arthur, Tasmania, in April 1996.
Rapid-fire rifles and shotguns were banned, gun owner licensing was tightened and remaining firearms were registered to uniform national standards alongside a hugely successful nationwide buy-back and amnesty scheme.
Gun violence has reached record levels in the United States, which is the only nation in the world where civilian firearms outnumber people. In Australia, there are approximately just 14 guns for every 100 people, compared to 120 per 100 in the US, according to the Switzerland-based Small Arms Survey (SAS).
The US also has more deaths from gun violence than any other developed country per capita. The rate in the US is eight times greater than in Canada, 22 times higher than in the European Union and 23 times greater than in Australia, according to Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) data from 2019.
The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and a former NPP member running as an independent candidate are challenging the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 23rd May 2023 Kumawu by-election in the Ashanti region.
The Party on Sunday 23rd April 2023 elected Ernest Yaw Anim a native of Kumawu Bodomase as their parliamentary candidate to face the NDC’s prepared candidate, Kwasi Amankwa, grandson of the late Sekyere Kumawu Member of Parliament (MP) Philip Atta Basoa and Kwaku Duah an Independent Candidate, a Nephew to the Paramount Chief of the Kumawu, Barimah Tweneboah Koduah.
Addressing NPP members after a successful primary at Kumawu Besore, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, also known as ‘Chairman Wontumi’ chairman of the party for Ashanti, assured the party leadership and members of resounding victory ahead of the by-election.
He pledged to lead a close-fitting campaign in the constituency which will leave no breathing space for the NDC’s candidate and the independent candidate being sponsored by the major opposition Party the NDC going into the by-election.
“As the regional Chairman leading the party into this by-election, I can confirm that as of now, the NDC candidate and the former NPP member who has rebelled against us to contest as an independent candidate sponsored by the NDC behind the scene is now powerless and weak. This is because our candidate Ernest Yaw Anim is a native of Bosodomase where the bought NDC’s independent candidate is coming from. So therefore, the independent candidate is no more a threat to us, he is powerless to challenge us. So he is in this contest to pay school fees but not to make a meaningful impact against us’’ he alleged with assurance to the party.
He further questioned that, “If it’s not the NDC behind his campaign, why must he adopt the colour green, a known colour of the NDC on his campaign poster, question one. Question two, after this by-election; we will go into election 2024, where was he going to get money to contest this election? So, for now, Kwaku Duah is known as “ Kwaku Duah Ampontuah (rebel Kwaku Duah) he was an NPP member but now he is Judas Iscariot who now has the NDC behind. So the game is clear. Therefore, we are going to mobilize and unite all the aspirants who lost to face him in the election activities and so we are going to win the by-election and it has started’’ reiterated.
CNN anchor and morning show host Don Lenon has been fired by the news network.
According to BBC, he was fired over “misogyny and misbehavior.”
“I am stunned,” Lemon wrote on Twitter, saying he was told by his agent he had been let go.
CNN said it “parted ways” with Lemon, who co-hosted its morning show, saying “we wish him well”.
It follows on-air remarks by Lemon in which he said Republican Nikki Haley, 51, was not “in her prime”.
The dismissal also comes on the heels of another major US media departure. Just moments before Lemon’s announcement, Fox News announced it was parting ways with primetime host Tucker Carlson.
A long-time fixture of the network, Lemon was most recently a co-host of CNN’s This Morning programme.
But he landed in hot water earlier this year after comments he made about Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley, a former UN ambassador and governor of South Carolina.
Ms Haley was not “in her prime”, Lemon said in February, a remark widely decried as sexist.
“When a woman is considered to be in her prime – in her 20s, 30s and maybe her 40s,” he said.Media caption,
Watch: Nikki Haley fires back at CNN’s Don Lemon on age
“I’m just saying what the facts are – Google it,” he added, in response to objections from his female co-hosts, Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins.
Lemon issued a statement on the same day saying he regretted his “inartful and irrelevant” comments. He also apologised to the newsroom and agreed to partake in “mandatory training” to address the incident.
But the remarks sparked widespread criticism, including from actress Michelle Yeoh, 60, who appeared to reference the comments in her Oscar’s acceptance speech last month, saying: “Ladies, don’t let anybody tell you you’re ever past your prime.”
In a tweet on Monday, Ms Haley appeared to address the firing, calling it a “great day for women everywhere” adding “#StillInMyPrime”.
Lemon’s reputation was further clouded by a report from Variety earlier in April, which detailed accusations of misogynistic behaviour toward his CNN colleagues.
He called a producer fat to her face, Variety reported, mocked and mimicked one colleague and allegedly sent threatening texts to another. A representative for Lemon denied the reports.
Lemon has also faced controversy last autumn for saying that the US men’s soccer team should be paid more than the women’s, saying that the men were “more interesting to watch”.
The 57-year-old had appeared on CNN on Monday during the morning programme as normal, before reports of his dismissal were publicised later that day.
“After 17 years at CNN I would have thought someone in management would have had the decency to tell me directly,” Lemon wrote on Twitter.
“At no time was I ever given any indication that I would not be able to continue to do the work I have loved at the network.”
He continued: “It is clear that there are larger issues at play.”
The network did not elaborate on the reason for his dismissal. But in a second statement issued on Monday afternoon, it called Lemon’s description of events “inaccurate”, saying he had been given an opportunity to meet with management.
Image caption, Lemon hosted CNN This Morning alongside Kaitlan Collins (left) and Poppy Harlow (right)
Lemon has hired entertainment lawyer Bryan Freedman to address his contract with CNN, which was signed to last until 2026, the New York Times reported, citing sources familiar with the deal.
CNN This Morning will continue with Lemon’s former co-hosts, Ms Harlow and Ms Collins, the network said.
Lemon came to CNN in 2006 after working for a local NBC station in Chicago. For over eight years, he hosted the primetime show Don Lemon Tonight. He left the slot to help launch CNN This Morning last November alongside Ms Harlow and Ms Collins.
After Lemon’s comments about Ms Haley, CNN producers discovered guests did not want to appear on the show with Lemon, the New York Times reported.
The show has struggled with ratings in recent months, lagging behind Fox’s Fox & Friends and MSNBC’s Morning Joe.
In a post on his social media site Truth Social on Monday, former President Donald Trump referred to Lemon as the “dumbest man on television”.
Former Minister for Environment Science Technology and Innovation, Prof Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, has offered ‘fatherly advice’ to Information Minister, Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah, following his response to claims in the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM) report.
He said the Minister should eschew “evil tactics” as employed by the host of Good Evening Ghana, Paul Adom Okyere.
“My advice is, always remember that political power is both short-lived and effervescenti In about 2 years’ time you may no longer be in government and you may experience the real world as former high profile political power holders do.
“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,” he said.
It comes after the former Minister who was the chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM) released a report in which he alleged that some government officials are involved in illegal mining or galamsey.
The aftermath of this has been a series of rebuttals between the accused in the report and the Former Minister.
Key among persons fighting off allegations Mr Oppong-Nkrumah who has vehemently refuted claims that he masterminded the removal from office of the Prof Frimpong-Boateng.
But in a subsequent response, the former Minister said he is not surprised that Mr Oppong Nkrumah denied the claims.
“I have read your response to what I wrote about you in the report I sent to the Chief of Staff a little over two years ago. You have denied what I wrote and that is normal. Very few people in your position will own up to their wrongdoings.
“I have good advice for you, though. When I was part of the government, we were colleagues and I related to you as such. Now I will advise you as my son, just as I do my children. After all, you are the same age as my 4th born son. When I returned to Ghana from Germany to start the cardiothoracic project you were just 6 years old as my 4th child. I will not lie to you or insult you or be harsh on you,” he said.
Prof Frimpong-Boateng further revealed that he had received a tip-off from someone from the Minister’s constituency that illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey is going on in the area.
“Let me touch briefly on Illegal mining. Last week someone from your constituency sent me a video recording of illegal mining activities close to your hometown. I don’t want to believe that what the person said about your role is true. The important thing is that Chinese and their Ghanaian collaborators are engaged in illegal mining at your doorstep. I encourage you to investigate it and take appropriate action. The President of the Republic assures Ghanaians again and again that he is serious with the fight against Illegal mining,” he said.
A political activist Dr Arthur Kennedy has cast doubt over the ability of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to effectively deal with illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
As such, he does not welcome the idea of the CID leading investigations into reports on illegal mining.
According to him, the outfit is comprised and too beholding to government to produce comprehensive and authentic results on the menace.
“I do not trust the CID to properly investigate this. I think that they are comprised and too beholding to the government,” he said on the JoyNews’ AM Show on Monday, April 24.
The US-based medical doctor said the situation requires a Parliamentary hearing in order to deliberate on how to make small-scale mining legal while ensuring it is environmentally friendly as well as beneficial to the country.
Dr Kennedy lamented the rising issue of state capture where affluent political actors who contribute to the success of candidates seek to rake in benefits from the state.
“We are watching the unravelling of this fourth republic and the country,” he said.
He has, therefore, called on all Ghanaians not to sit aloof while things are getting out of hand.
His comments in the wake of some top government officials being fingered in illegal mining, according to a leaked report by the former Environment Minister, Prof Kwabena Frimpong Boateng.
He has since been subjected to criticism as some implicated person has debunked the allegations with many of them saying the facts have been misrepresented.
The purpose of the two-day visit is to meet policymakers, business leaders and civil society representatives, while underscoring the WTO’s commitment to reinforcing support to Sub-Saharan Africa.
She is expected to meet Ghana’s President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, interact with female entrepreneurs and participate in a discussion on the theme: “Making Globalisation Work for Africa”.
The programme will be organised by the Institute of Economic Affairs.
She will also hold discussions with the Minister of Trade and Industry.
“I am very much looking forward to my visit to Africa. Africa is a vital part of the membership of the WTO,” Dr Okonjo -Iweala, said ahead of her trip, in a press release issued to the Ghana News Agency, in Accra.
“I look forward to strengthening our partnership with countries in the region.
African economies, she noted, had taken major steps towards economic integration over the last few years at a time when the global trade landscape was changing rapidly.
“We must make sure we all work together to help our members in Africa take advantage of the opportunities offered by re-globalisation.”
Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the seventh Director-General of the WTO, took office on 1 March 2021, becoming the first woman and the first African to serve as Director-General.
She is a global finance expert, an economist and international development professional with over 30 years of experience working in Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and North America.
Dr Okonjo-Iweala was formerly the Board Chair of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance previously on the Boards of Standard Chartered PLC and Twitter Inc.
She was appointed as African Union (AU) Special Envoy to mobilise international financial support for the fight against COVID-19 and WHO Special Envoy for Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator.
Previously, Dr Okonjo-Iweala twice served as Nigeria’s Finance Minister (2003-2006 and 2011-2015) and briefly acted as Foreign Minister in 2006, the first woman to hold both positions.
She had a 25-year career at the World Bank as a development economist, rising to the second position of Managing Director, Operations.
She is renowned as the first female and African candidate to contest for the presidency of the World Bank Group in 2012, backed by Africa and major developing countries in the first truly contestable race for the world’s highest development finance post.
As Managing Director of the World Bank, she had oversight responsibility for the World Bank’s $81 billion operational portfolio in Africa, South Asia, Europe and Central Asia.
Dr Okonjo-Iweala spearheaded several World Bank initiatives to assist low-income countries during the 2008-2009 food crisis and later during the financial crisis.
In 2010, she was Chair of the World Bank’s successful drive to raise $49.3 billion in grants and low interest credit for the poorest countries in the world.
Celebrated Nigerian actorJim Iykehas descended into the same gutter with a fan who made mockery of his feet.
The Nollywood bad boy shared a picture of himself in a green shirt, white pair of trousers and a white pair of sandals to match.
An Instagram user by name Lehlantse thinks Jim’s feet are not in a suitable condition for showoff. She asked the actor to do something about his feet before any showoff.
Her comment infuriated Jim Iyke who quickly assumed his Nollywood bad boy character as he extracts his own pound of flesh.
Jim Iykein response asked the follower to do something about her face because no one deserves the eyesore her face projects.
The actor continued and advise the fan to consider avoiding public spaces because her contorted features will never be easy on the eyes.
A group calling itself Concerned community members of Jaabu community in Wanchiki in the Chereponi district in the North East Region is commending the police in Chereponi for arresting one of the suspects in the February chieftaincy dispute in the area that led to the killing of four persons.
It could be recalled that on February 23, 2023, there was a clash at Wanchiki community in the Chereponi district over chieftaincy dispute.
The chief of Wanchiki enskinned a chief for the Jaabu community which resulted in a dispute where four persons were killed.
“We wish to strongly commend the Chereponi District Police for the swift manner in which they handled the tip-off leading to the arrest of this killer and thief. We have confidence that enough evidence has been provided in this case and that the police shall use him as a primary source to aid investigations leading to the arrest and prosecution of the rest of the perpetrators. This would bring justice to the lost souls of Abdul-Samed and 3 others,” the group in a statement said.
The police intervened to restore peace in the area to carry on with investigations.
On April 18, 2023, the biological son of the chief of Wanchiki was arrested by the Chereponi police for alleged possession of the mobile phone of one of the deceased persons.
He was arrested in Chereponi when he offered the phone for sale. A tip-off was given to the Chereponi police leading to the arrest of the suspect.
The group therefore commends the police for the swift action taken and hopes that the arrest of the suspect will lead to the arrest of the other culprits.
The group is therefore demanding justice for the deceased and hopes that the police will do a good job by using him as a strong evidence.
Read below full statement from the concerned Jaabu community members in Wanchiki
23rd April, 2023 For Immediate Release CHIEF KILLER IN THE 23RD FEBRUARY 2023 SHOOTINGS AND KILLINGS IN WENCHIKI APPREHENDED BY CHEREPONI DISTRICT POLICE We the concerned members of the Jaabu Clan of Wenchiki wish to commend the Chereponi District Police for apprehending the “Chief Killer” in the event of armed men sporadic shootings in Wenchiki on 23rd February 2023 that led to the death of 4 men from the Jaabu section.
Background
It would be recalled that on 23rd February, 2023, one chief Buba of Wenchiki insisted to enskin a chief for Nyangbandi community against security advise with the intention of using his armed boys to unleash violence against anyone who attempts to stop him. This day actually turned terrific as he succeeded in rolling out his illminded plan against his neighbouring Jaabus of Wenchiki.
He (chief Buba) has since claimed responsibility of that atrocious crime and walking freely until very recently one of his sons was arrested in his attempt to sell out a mobile phone he made away from Abdul-Samed; one the deceased. Abdul-Samed, a vulganizer was chased from his shop and slain in cold blood by this chief Buba boys on 23rd February, 2023. Later in an audio recording he boasted to have tasked to unleash such barbaric act on a community he claims to be chief over. Beyond coincidence, the biological son of the man who is on tape to have masterminded these shootings and unwarranted killing of 4 innocent souls is the one selling a mobile phone he made away from one of those they killed.
Abubakari Awuffor Sulemana (affectionately called Sule); the killer and mobile phone thief was apprehended by the Chereponi District Police on Tuesday 18th April, 2023 in Chereponi town upon a tip off from families of the owner of the phone; Abdul-Samed (deceased). The Police advised the confidants to stay calm and eventually, the killer and thief brought himself into the trap where he was picked.
He has since been transferred to Yendi Divisional Police Command, pending trial at the Yendi Circuit court on 25th April, 2023. He would further aid police investigations to apprehend all others who directly or indirectly played any role in the shootings of 23rd February, 2023 which led to the killing of Abdul-Samed and 3 others from the Jaabu community of Wenchiki without any provocation.
Conclusion
We wish to strongly commend the Chereponi District Police for the swift manner in which they handled the tipoff leading to the arrest of this killer and thief. We have confidence that enough evidence has been provided in this case and that the police shall use him as a primary source to aid investigations leading to the arrest and prosecution of the rest of the perpetrators. This would bring justice to the lost souls of Abdul-Samed and 3 others to rest in peace and bring an end to the growing insecurity in Wenchiki and its environs by Chief Buba and his armed boys.
# WE NEED JUSTICE FOR ABDUL-SAMED AND 3 OTHERS. COVENERS
Seidu Yussif (Secretary, Jaabu Community in Wenchiki) Sulemana A.S Frinjei (Secretary, JANDA NEC) Yahaya Hasmiyu Bansah (PRO, JANDA NEC)
Skit maker Ras Nene and his crew stormed the Cultural Center in Kumasi, to support gospel singer, Brodda Sammy, during his album launch.
It wasObaapa Christy’s turn to perform and the atmosphere was charged.
Patrons took to the dancefloor and others sang along to the spectacular performance delivered by the gospel singer on stage.
Interestingly, Ras Nene was captured in a viral video, performing with Obaa Christy on stage.
He also grabbed the microphone halfway through the performance and advised attendees to support the event with their money to make it a success.
While addressing the people from all walks of life who had come to support Brother Sammy, Obaapa Christy also used the opportunity to wish a belated Dr. Likee ‘A Happy Birthday’
The skit maker and comic actor sang some local gospel songs before exiting the stage.
The first time I watched this piece, it was staged at the ETS Drama Studio, University of Ghana, Legon. I totally enjoyed it even back then. I enjoyed the concept and how a whole story was told through dance and it caught my attention from beginning to end. It was not boring, and it was not one of those abstract dance with movements and rhythm that always seem to go right over my head. I usually have some difficulty understanding those ones.
Addiction was different, and I loved it totally. So when I heard that it was running again, I knew it would be awesome, and I was not wrong at all. The show opened with the younger ones setting the stage ablaze with some sweet dance moves. Those children know how to dance so much that they make some of us feel old. The flips and splits got me pretty excited.
Then comes the main show and I loved how it started off with personified addictions on a mission to get victims. Their demeanor in their dance moves said it all; vicious, vile and without mercy. It was quite fascinating to see them gather their victims right from dancers planted in the audience. I don’t know if the organisers planned to send this particular message across but to me it revealed that people with addictions are with us, and not special castaways rotting in some pit. It could be you, or me, anyone is either actively involved, or is a target.
Then we see the individual addiction dances and each dance is perfectly choreographed with props, lights, shadows, sound effects and well synchronized dance moves. I mean, even the darkness on stage told a story and it was beautiful and amazing to watch. Each story was told differently and I like how the beginning of almost each addition doesn’t start off as intense as it eventually pans out to be. It’s almost always a harmless little fun, till you realize your mind has actually become a prisoner to a behaviour that you thought was just harmless.
The costume was on point for all the scenes and the make up and props also told a story so great. The music used was also very appropriate for each scene and added on to it.
A special kudos to the light design team for a yeoman’s job. Great work there.
And a special kudos to the VDF team for introducing the fact that addictions are not broken by yourself, you need help on a higher level and it was portrayed beautifully at the end. They also portrayed that it is normal to slip and fall, but it’s always pertinent to keep fighting against it.
To Vivian and her team, you have done amazingly well. Addiction is a whole ministry and people, especially the young ones need to see it. I wish it will move from school to school or churches for them to see it. I hope individuals will support this for it to grow. Addiction is a very powerful tool to get humans off each addictive spirit and mindset holding them captive.
I encourage you to watch it anytime you hear it’s showing, even if you’ve already seen it, it hits differently, every time.
About 23 banks in the country are projected to lose about GH¢6.1 billion as a result of the reduced coupon rate and the extension of the maturity period from five to fifteen years.
The analysis of the DDEP by Dr. Richmond Atuahene and K B Frimpong, reported by JoyBusiness and cited by GhanaWeb, highlights that banks would have earned a cash flow of approximately GH¢10.1 billion during the period with an original coupon rate of 19.3% per annum.
The report indicated that the implementation of the DDEP, earnings from investments in Government of Ghana Bonds will be heavily impacted by the extension of maturity period and decrease in coupon rate.
“This liquidity gap is a result of the drop in the average bond rate of 19.3% to weighted average rate of 9% per annum, thus leading to nominal negative liquidity gap of 10.3%. The liquidity gap is expected to get worse if the average customer deposit rate was around 10% per annum, but later declined to weighted average rate of 9% per annum,” the report said.
“For example, Bank A with a bond value of GH¢9, I06,452,000 and average coupon rate of 19.3% would have had cash flow of GH¢1,821,290,000, but with the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme, the effective rate of 9% per annum will cause a drop in cash flow to GH¢720,927,000, thus leading to liquidity gap of GH¢1,100,363,000”, it added.
Meanwhile, an earlier report had disclosed that banks operating in Ghana stand to lose approximately GH¢41.3 billion from the DDEP between 2023 and 2028.
The computation of the Net Present Value (NPV) of the 23 local banks revealed that the losses could tally up to GH¢41.315 billion.
Former President John Dramani Mahama has pledged to resuscitate the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) if elected again as president.
Mr. Mahama says the once vibrant refinery is gradually collapsing under the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration.
Speaking to NDC delegates in Ashaiman to wrap up his campaign in the Greater Accra Region, John Mahama said he will ensure TOR returns to its former glory.
“Since we (NDC) left office, TOR has never processed crude oil again. I remember before we left office, we sent to TOR the first batch of Ghanaian crude oil from our own oil fields for TOR to process.
“That oil sat there for several years, eventually, they discounted the oil and sold it out without processing it. I can assure you, when NDC comes back, TOR will stand on its feet again,” he said.
The Toronto Duchess, Priscilla Saidu, has admitted that she fasts and prays to God whenever her hookup business is slow.
According to her, she always prays to God about everything relating to her life, including her prostitution business.
Speaking in a podcast on Hawt Mic, she disclosed that she makes as much as $5,000 a night.
Toronto Duchess explained that after her prayers, she gets unexpected phone calls to meet with clients which fetches her a lot of money.
She said; “I pray, I fast, at times when i want to go and hustle, sometimes when I’m not seeing work, I will just pray to God that, God you know I need to pay this bill, you know I’m your daughter, this is not what you planned for me to do, but this is a hustle, you created me, I do not have any choice. I’m someone that have grace, I’m a favoured person. Before the day ends They just call me.”
“I always do charity online as tithe, I will never give my tithe to church.”
When asked if God answers her prayers, she laughed and said “just pray to God in everything.”
According to Toronto Duchess, the easiest side hustle for a lady is prostitution, adding that she is into the business because she wants to build an empire.
Ghana recorded a total petroleum revenue of US$1.43 billion in 2022, representing an 82.4 per cent increase of US$783.3 million achieved in 2021.
The 2022 revenue figure, the highest for a single year since the inception of petroleum production, was realised from Carried Participating Interest (CAPI), which amounted to $733.8 million, Corporate Income Tax (CIT) of US$388.9 million, Income on Petroleum Holding Fund that generated US$2.4 million and Surface Rental earnings of US$687,759.
The country has so far cumulatively earned US$ 8.79 billion between 2011 and 2022 from 560,194,571(barrels) bbls oil produced between 2010 to 2022.
These findings were highlighted in the 2022 Public Interest Accountability Committee (PIAC) Annual Report on the Use and Management of Petroleum Revenue in the country.
The report attributed the increased revenues to favourable international crude oil prices which were higher than estimated prices.
Despite the increase in revenue however, PIAC observed a decline in annual production from 55,050,391 bbls in 2021 to 51,756,481 bbls in 2022, showing a 5.98 per cent decrease.
The committee also observed that Surface Rental arrears continue to rise as there had been an increase from US$2.58 million in 2021 to US$2.77 million in 2022.
“65 percent (US$1.80 million) of which is owed by four (4) contractors whose Petroleum Agreements were terminated in 2021. Efforts made by the Ghana Revenue Authority to retrieve the arrears are yet to yield the desired results” the report indicated.
In the 2022 Mid-year Fiscal Policy Review Statement, the Government revised the budgeted petroleum revenue for the year from US$1 billion stated in the 2022 Budget Statement to US$1.52 billion, representing a 51.23 percent upward adjustment.
The revised budgeted Annual Budget Funding Amount (ABFA), an amount used to finance the budget was US$782.88 million with the Ghana Petroleum Funds (GPF) projected at US$335.52 million, an increase of 64.68 percent.
An amount of US$335.7 million was disbursed to the national oil company, the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) for the year 2022.
The ABFA received a disbursement of US$526.3 million, representing 67.23 percent of the revised projected ABFA, and a 239.16 per cent rise above the total ABFA receipt for 2021.
The Ghana Stabilisation Fund (GSF) and the Ghana Heritage Fund (GHF), which make up the GPFs received an amount of US$562,268,874.95, representing an increase of 632.56 per cent over the 2021 actual receipt of US$76.75 million and 167.58 per cent of the 2022 revised budgeted allocation.
“For the year 2022, the GSF received an amount of US$387.8 million and the GHF -US$174.5 million representing a ratio of 69:31.
“This complies with the ratio of a maximum of 70 percent to GSF and a minimum of 30 percent to GHF stipulated by the Act for the allocation of revenue to the two funds,” PIAC noted.
Lydia Abayie Acquah, a deaf student has bagged a Master’s Degree.
Lydia defied the odds and graduated with a Master’s degree from the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), Tarkwa in the Western Region of Ghana.
Her accomplishment is not only a testament to her hard work and determination but also an inspiration to others facing similar challenges.
Lydia was born hearing but became deaf when she was ten years old, so, she learned how to speak before becoming deaf. Due to this, she is able to speak to some extent, but cannot hear.
But with all the challenges that come with deafness, she never relented on pursuing her dreams in life.
She worked hard and overcame every obstacle in her path from Primary, secondary and tertiary and finally graduated with a Cumulative Weighted Average (CWA) of 76.80% from the Master of Business Technology Management (MBTM) Programme during the just-ended 14th Congregation of the University of Mines and Technology in Tarkwa, where she focused on Management Information Systems (MIS).
According to Lydia, after becoming deaf, people began stigmatizing her in her community, and she could not sell for her mother as she used to do. As a singer in church, she could not sing again.
“People look down on you. They don’t welcome you, as if you have done something bad by becoming deaf. Everywhere you go you see that, so you begin to pull away from them. I was selling with my mother before becoming deaf, sometimes I go to sell alone. But after becoming deaf when I went out to sell and people call me and I don’t hear, they ask; have you sold your ears too?” she recounted some of the challenges she faced.
Lydia said “as a singer, I had a nice voice but when I became deaf, I stopped singing because my voice turned into different sounds so I stopped singing. It was like a shame to me around ten years and up.”
Her primary and secondary education
Despite facing numerous obstacles, Lydia refused to let her deafness hold her back from achieving her academic goals.
After becoming deaf, Lydia pretended she could hear but she could not. Teachers would send her but Lydia would neither come back with the item nor the money.
“My teachers would send me to go and buy something, I would not hear thinking that I should take the money so I would go and spend the money, then I would come back to the class after a long time and in the middle of the teaching, my teacher would ask, where is my groundnut, then I would go out and go and talk to somebody and find money and bring it back and tell the teacher when I went it was finished but I left the money somewhere and I have forgotten so I am bringing it back. It happened to me many times, I always made-up stories. So, after some time the teachers noticed that I had a hearing problem, but I passed through, learning small small,” she said while smiling.
But in all these, she was brilliant so she was able to pass her BECE. “Thankfully God gave me good brain to pass my exams from primary to the Junior High level at the time. I was one of the best students.”
She gained admission at the Tarkwa Senior High School (Tarsco) where she studied Business.
One of her challenges was writing notes anytime the teachers decided to dictate, because she could not hear anything but could only guess what the teacher is saying by watching the lips. But one of her classmates, Patience Sarko, came to her aid by deciding to write the notes for her anytime teachers decided to dictate.
Lydia described Patience as “one sweet good person. I think God just put her there for me. She would write her own notes and write mine for me at the same time the teacher is dictating. That is how I did it to the end. I was sitting in front every time to read the teachers’ lips. If the teacher turns, then I’m lost, but I was successful. I was among the best students at that time.”
Tertiary Education: University of Ghana
After completing Tarkwa Senior Secondary School, she enrolled at the Akuapim Mampong Secondary Technical School for the Deaf, where she learnt sign language before entering the University of Ghana to study Business Administration (Human Resource option).
As the only deaf student in the lecture hall with an interpreter in front of the whole class, she felt uncomfortable because all eyes were on her.
But this according to Lydia was an “immature feeling, I did not want to see people look at me.”
Due to this, she stopped going to lectures and her interpreter also decided to stop. This, she said, affected her performance badly as she began failing. At a point in time, the university almost revoked her admission but it took the intervention of one lecturer Dr. Kwabena Adu Poku who had much experience with the deaf, to save her from such fate.
She encouraged other deaf people not to feel shy if they experience the same thing, because it is a glorious thing not to hear among many people.
“The experience within, only you know what is inside. To be able to understand a sign language interpreting is a marvelous thing any deaf should be proud of,” she said.
Tertiary Education: University of Mines and Technology (UMaT)
Thirteen years after completing her first degree, Lydia decided to go for a master’s degree at the University of Mines and Technology.
Because of the challenges she went through due to her disability, Lydia worked closely with the University’s management, lecturers, and coursemates to be able to appreciate some complex course concepts and she persevered. The University ensured that she had the necessary assistance, such as Sign Language Interpreters to enable her fully participate in lectures and other academic activities.
Finally, the day of graduation arrived. Lydia walked across the stage to receive her Master’s degree, and she felt a sense of accomplishment that she had never felt before.
She looked out into the crowd and saw her family and friends cheering for her, and she knew that all of her hard work had been worth it.
The Head of the Department for Management Studies, UMaT, Dr. Kofi Kamasa said, Lydia was admitted without knowing she was deaf. But upon knowing that after her admission, the university put in the necessary support for her go through the programme successfully. He described Lydia’s admission to the University as a blessing in disguise.
Lydia’s sign language interpreter, Richmond Baidoo, in an interview, said he accepted to be Lydia’s personal interpreter because of the passion he has for deaf people and to make sure that Lydia’s vision of obtaining a master’s degree was achieved.
He explained that “I was dependent on the lecturer. Whatever he delivers is what I give to Lydia, but the pace with which the lecturer would go with the hearing students, I have to grasp the concept. I even have to pause the lecturer at a point in time to explain it further for me to get a clear picture of it for me to be able to explain to her before we move on.
“There are times I had to go to her house to make sure that certain notes taken were in accordance with whatever went on in class,” he said.
Lydia described her interpreter as an advocate and self-sacrificing. She expressed her appreciation to him for sacrificing his time to make sure she advanced in her education. She said if many interpreters have that same attitude of fighting for the deaf, helping create awareness of deaf issues, a lot of deaf people will have big opportunities.
She stated that “there are some interpreters when they face the least challenge, they will leave you, but this one (Richmond Baidoo), he endured with me, if there is a misunderstanding, we will fight, he will still come. Some of the lectures are late in the evening, but he will sacrifice and come.”
“If you give him small money he will accept. That is not to say that interpreters need small money. They need to be paid well because to stand and interpret is not a small work. It needs your all,” she added.
Lydia’s love life
Lydia is happily married to Samuel Asamoah and they are blessed with five children.
According to Mr. Asamoah, he got attracted to his wife because of her boldness at the University of Ghana. He overlooked her disability and decided to marry her. Mr. Asamoah has learned sign language through Lydia and that is the means through which they communicate. He is ready to support his wife in diverse ways to get her Ph.D.
Introduction of sign language
Lydia Abayie Acquah wants the government to make sign language a general subject for all school children to allow everyone to know sign language from infancy. Lydia said “Sign language is the way deaf people learn. It’s like any other language and how sign language conveys information to deaf people is powerful than hearing.”
She noted that “if the Ministry of Education makes sign language for all children, it will be good, because, at a point in time, old people may become deaf so by the time you arrive at being deaf (we are not praying for people to become deaf, but it is a possibility) you already know the sign language and communication becomes easy.”
Scholarship to pursue masters in Linguistic
With the aim of becoming a linguist, Lydia has gained admission at the Gallaudet University, a private federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C. for the education of the deaf and hard of hearing to pursue a Master in linguistics so she can get the training to support language development of the deaf in Ghana.
She is therefore soliciting for the support of organizations and individuals to help her pursue her dream because the university doesn’t have a full scholarship for international students.
Lydia’s success is a reminder of the importance of inclusivity in education. It is essential to create an environment where all students, regardless of their disabilities, feel supported and empowered to succeed.
By breaking barriers and achieving her goals, Lydia has opened doors for other deaf students and shown that anything is possible with hard work and determination.
Her story is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and serves as an inspiration to everyone.
