Some of India’s best airlines have been told to start giving passengers their bags within 10 minutes after the plane’s engines are turned off.
The aviation ministry says passengers should get their luggage 10 to 30 minutes after their plane lands.
The airlines need to follow the order by 26 February.
Luggage being delivered late is a common problem at airports.
The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) told seven airlines, including Air India, Vistara, and IndiGo, to make sure that they deliver luggage on time.
The rule was made after the aviation department checked how long it took for bags to be given to travelers at six big airports in India. Officials reviewed the activities of seven airlines during 3,600 flights.
The ministry said they started reviewing in January and are still doing it.
It also said that while all airlines are getting better at delivering baggage, they still aren’t meeting the rules.
It said that the first bag should come to the baggage belt within 10 minutes after the plane turns off its engine, and the last bag should come within 30 minutes.
Indian travelers often express their annoyance with how long it takes to get their luggage at airports.
Baggage can get delayed for almost an hour, and it takes even longer if there are problems with the baggage belt.
In recent months, the aviation ministry has been working to make air travel easier.
Last week, the international airport in Mumbai, India was told to reduce the number of flights to make air traffic less crowded and improve the time it takes for planes to land.
Author: Chris Kodo
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Indian airlines mandated to halt turmoil of baggage delays
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Protesters from Mexico gather in large numbers to protest vote modifications
Many people have gathered in Mexico City to show they are against changes to the electoral authority before the presidential elections in June.
The Mexico City government said about 90,000 people came to Zocalo Square in the city. The rally organizers said there were many more people than originally thought.
The opposition says President Andrés Manuel López Obrador is trying to make the National Electoral Institute weaker. The Institute is a group that is independent and doesn’t support any political party.
He says the INE is unfair and dishonest.
Since he won the 2018 presidential elections, Mr. López Obrador has been trying to change the INE. He says it will save taxpayers $150m (£119m) a year by greatly reducing the agency’s workers.
The protest on Sunday in the old square of the capital is the most recent protest in Mexico in the last few years.
We want to protect our independent organizations and defend our democracy. We want the INE to be safe from attacks. “We want to make our own decisions, and we don’t want the president to interfere with the election,” said protester Diana Arnaiz according to AFP news agency.
Maria de Jesus Torres, who was also at the rally, said: “There are many Mexican people who do not like this government, and I am protesting for my kids and grandkids. ”
Mr López Obrador cannot run for president again because Mexican presidents can only serve for one six-year term.
He is helping former Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum, who is currently ahead in the opinion polls.
Ms Sheinbaum, who is part of the Morena party, officially joined the race by handing in her registration papers on Sunday. -
Fugitive donkey skin trade outlawed in 55 nations
Charities that help animals are happy about a ban in Africa on the trade of donkey skins.
It will be against the law to kill donkeys for their skin in 55 countries in Africa.
The animals’ skins are needed because a lot of people want to use them for a Chinese medicine called Ejiao, which is made from donkey hides.
African leaders agreed to ban something at the end of their meeting in Ethiopia.
The Donkey Sanctuary charity said that the trade is very cruel and causing a lot of harm to donkeys all over the world, especially in Africa and South America.
Some people think Ejiao can make you look younger and keep you healthy, but there’s no proof of this. Chinese companies used to get the skins of donkeys from China to make their products. However, when the number of animals in the country fell, they started to look in other countries.
“Initially, our governments thought this was a good chance, so many legal slaughterhouses started in Africa,” said Dr. Solomon Onyango from the Donkey Sanctuary in Kenya.
“In Kenya, from 2016 to 2019, about half of our donkeys were killed for the trade,” he said.
Dr Onyango said to media that the ban will help protect donkeys and the people who depend on them.
Roughly 35 million donkeys out of a total of 53 million in the world can be found in Africa. Poor people in rural areas use them to travel and transport things like water, food, and other stuff.
A recent study in Ethiopia found that owning a donkey can make a big difference in how much money you make. It could mean the difference between being very poor and having enough to live on.
Raphael Kinoti, the boss of The Brooke animal charity in East Africa, said it’s a great time for African communities that have been using donkeys for a very long time.
“He said that killing donkeys for their skin in Africa has taken away peoples’ ways of making a living and has caused the continent to lose its culture, different kinds of plants and animals, and who they are as a people. ”
“We ask all AU members to follow the decision for the benefit of everyone. “ -
Bawumia would be worse than Akufo-Addo – Fiifi Kwetey
General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, has asserted that between President Akufo-Addo and Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the former is a better choice than the latter.
Addressing a gathering at the Dome Kwabenya constituency, where party flags were unveiled ahead of the 2024 elections, Mr Kwetey, asserted that Dr Bawumia cannot be trusted with the affairs of the country since he is an embodiment of deception and hypocrisy.
“Bawumia is the worst of them all. The biggest liar, that person, if you joke and you think Nana Akufo-Addo was bad, then I am telling you he is going to be far worse.
“Nana Akufo-Addo may have all the problems, but trust me, if you put Nana Akufo-Addo and Bawumia, I will choose Nana Akufo-Addo and leave Bawumia,” he said.
Speaking at the gathering, Mr Kwetey noted that despite the President’s shortcomings he is not a hypocrite and that makes him stand out between the two.
Kwetey asserted that if Akufo-Addo doesn’t like someone, he makes it clear, contrasting it with what he sees as Bawumia’s deceptive behaviour.
“Nana Akufo-Addo may be desperate, he may be bad, but at least Nana Akufo-Addo does not pretend. If he doesn’t like you, he doesn’t like you, but this one is a snake who smiles with you but is dangerous.
Kwetey entreated the members of the party to do everything in their power to prevent Dr Bawumia from becoming president in the 2024 elections.
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Akufo-Addo may have all the problems, but I’ll choose him over Bawumia – Fiifi Kwetey
General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, has asserted that between President Akufo-Addo and Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the former is a better choice than the latter.
Addressing a gathering at the Dome Kwabenya constituency, where party flags were unveiled ahead of the 2024 elections, Mr Kwetey, asserted that Dr Bawumia cannot be trusted with the affairs of the country since he is an embodiment of deception and hypocrisy.
“Bawumia is the worst of them all. The biggest liar, that person, if you joke and you think Nana Akufo-Addo was bad, then I am telling you he is going to be far worse.
“Nana Akufo-Addo may have all the problems, but trust me, if you put Nana Akufo-Addo and Bawumia, I will choose Nana Akufo-Addo and leave Bawumia,” he said.
Speaking at the gathering, Mr Kwetey noted that despite the President’s shortcomings he is not a hypocrite and that makes him stand out between the two.
Kwetey asserted that if Akufo-Addo doesn’t like someone, he makes it clear, contrasting it with what he sees as Bawumia’s deceptive behaviour.
“Nana Akufo-Addo may be desperate, he may be bad, but at least Nana Akufo-Addo does not pretend. If he doesn’t like you, he doesn’t like you, but this one is a snake who smiles with you but is dangerous.
Kwetey entreated the members of the party to do everything in their power to prevent Dr Bawumia from becoming president in the 2024 elections.
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Papua New Guinea ambush: Numerous people shot dead in the Highlands
Many people died in a fight between tribes in a far away area of Papua New Guinea, according to the government.
The people were killed in a surprise attack in Enga province last weekend, as said by a police spokesman.
The Highlands area has had a lot of violence for a long time, but people think these killings are the worst in a long time.
More illegal guns have been coming in, making fights more dangerous and causing more violence.
Officials first said that at least 64 people have died. But then, new information came out and they realized they had counted wrong. They changed the number to 26. The media has requested the Papua New Guinea police to confirm something.
The police are gathering up the bodies at the place close to Wabag, which is about 600km away from the capital Port Moresby.
“This is the biggest killing I have ever seen in Enga, and maybe in all of the Highlands as well,” said Acting Superintendent George Kakas of the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).
We are all very sad and mentally tired. “It’s really difficult to understand. ”
The police got some really disturbing videos and pictures that supposedly came from the crime scene. They showed dead bodies being put onto a truck. This is according to the news.
A fight between different groups in Enga got worse and worse, mainly because of arguments about land and money. This led to a three-month lockdown in July, where the police set a time when people had to stay inside and made rules about traveling.
Last August, the violence was big news around the world when a video showing three dead men started circulating on the internet.
Governor Peter Ipatas told ABC that there were signs that fighting was going to happen before the ambush.
He said that with 17 different tribes fighting, it was the security forces’ job to make sure there was no more fighting.
“From a smaller area, we knew there would be a fight and we told the police last week so they could stop it from happening. ”
Safety is still a big worry for PNG. Last month, the government said there was a big problem after riots and looting caused at least 15 deaths.
Australia, a close friend of the country, said they were very upset about the news of the killings.
“We’re giving a lot of help, especially for training police officers and for security in Papua New Guinea,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a radio interview on Monday. -
Israel gives Gaza’s ground offensive in Rafah until March
Benny Gantz, a member of the Israeli government, said that if Hamas doesn’t release all the people they are holding captive in Gaza by 10 March, the Israeli military will attack Rafah.
This is the first time Israel has mentioned when its soldiers might go into the crowded city of Gaza in the south.
Many people around the world are speaking out against the attack in Rafah, where 1. 5 million Palestinians live.
Before, the UN public health agency said that a important hospital in Gaza stopped working after an attack by Israel.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said it wasn’t allowed to go into Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis to check on things.
The IDF went into the building on Thursday because they had information that Hamas had taken hostages and were keeping them there.
The IDF said their mission in Nasser was careful and not big, and they blamed Hamas for using hospitals for terror.
Mr Gantz, who used to be in charge of defending the country, said on Sunday that if our hostages are not returned by the end of Ramadan, there will be more fighting in many places, including the Rafah area.
Ramadan is the important month of fasting for Muslims, and it starts on 10 March this year.
Mr Gantz said that Israel will work together with the US and Egypt to help civilians leave safely and try to avoid hurting them.
The Israeli war cabinet is made up of the most important people in charge of keeping the country safe. It was created a few days after Hamas fighters attacked Israel on October 7th, killing over 1,200 people and holding 253 hostages. Hamas has 130 hostages in Gaza, according to Israel.
Mr Gantz mentioned Egypt, which could mean Israel thinks some Palestinians may leave Gaza and go to Egypt. It seems like Egypt is making a big wall to keep them safe. This was reported by the BBC’s Paul Adams.
But the Israeli government has not shared any information about how they will evacuate people.
In three weeks Ramadan will start. Some people in Rafah are leaving and going to the coast, but most are still waiting and don’t know what to do.
Even though other countries are telling him not to, the leader of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, has promised to send troops into Rafah to get rid of the Hamas fighters there.
Egypt and some other Arab countries have said many times that if Israel attacks there, it could force a lot of Palestinians into Egypt. They don’t think this is okay. Saudi Arabia has promised that there will be big consequences if Rafah is attacked.
Many countries have told Israel not to attack a city in Gaza where the people are living in very bad conditions. The US, which is an important friend of Israel, warned that attacking the city without careful planning would be a very bad idea.
Israel has been attacking Hamas since 7 October and has caused a lot of damage to the Gaza Strip.
Over 28,400 Palestinians, mainly women and children, have died and over 68,000 have been injured since the war started, according to the health ministry run by Hamas.
The government says that at least 127 people from Palestine have died and 205 others were hurt in the last day.
Even though the conflict in Gaza is still going on, people have been trying to make a peace agreement between Israel and Hamas in Cairo. However, mediators from Qatar said that there hasn’t been much progress.
Mr Netanyahu said he sent people to talk after President Biden asked, but they didn’t go back for more talks because Hamas wanted things that were not reasonable.
Hamas said Israel is not making progress in getting a ceasefire. -
Special forces prevents elite Afghan troops’ bids for resettlement in UK
The UK’s Special Forces stopped Afghan soldiers they had fought with from moving to the UK when the Taliban took over Afghanistan. This is according to a report by BBC Panorama.
Leaked papers prove that special forces said no to some people who applied to join them, even though some of the applications showed strong proof that the person had served with the British military.
Afghan commandos went with British special forces on very risky missions during the war.
The Defence Ministry said it was doing a review on its own.
When the Taliban took control in August 2021, members of Afghan Special Forces units CF 333 and ATF 444 were in danger because they had helped UK Special Forces fight against the Taliban.
They could apply to move to the UK under the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (Arap) program, but many were not approved. Many people have been hurt, harmed, or killed by the Taliban since.
The Armed Forces Minister, James Heappey, said that they will check 2,000 applications again because they think the process for making decisions about them was not strong enough.
Panorama saw some papers that show a set of rules that say since 2023, any Triples applications that meet a certain standard have been sent to UK Special Forces for approval or denial of sponsorship.
The SOP document, which was found by the investigative website Lighthouse Reports and shared with Panorama, says that if UK Special Forces said no to sponsoring someone, that person was automatically seen as not eligible and got a rejection letter.
Panorama got a hold of emails from inside the Ministry of Defence. The emails showed that government workers in charge of moving people to a new place couldn’t argue with the special forces’ decision to say no, even when they thought the person should be resettled.
Ex-SAS soldiers have told Panorama that they think the veto in the SOP document is a problem for UK Special Forces because it creates a conflict of interest.
The veto allowed special forces to make decisions about applications at a time when an investigation was happening in the UK. The investigation was looking into claims that SAS soldiers had committed war crimes in Afghanistan while the Triples units were there.
The public inquiry can force people in the UK to come and give information, but it can’t force people from other countries who are not in the UK to do the same. If the Afghan Special Forces were in the UK, they might be asked to give important evidence.
“One former UK Special Forces officer said it’s a clear conflict of interest. ”
“At the same time that UK Special Forces are being looked into for their actions by a public inquiry, their headquarters were able to stop former Afghan Special Forces colleagues and potential witnesses from coming to the UK safely. ”
Another ex-soldier from the UK Special Forces told the BBC that it’s not okay and it seems like they are trying to hide something.
A person from the inquiry team told Panorama that they cannot talk about particular witnesses but they know about the recent news about the Triples. They also want anyone with important information to speak up.
Panorama talked to people who used to be part of the Triples but were not allowed to move to a new place in 2023. They say they saw or told about things that seemed like serious crimes done by UK Special Forces.
We looked at the papers from two ex-Triples officers when they applied to the Arap scheme. Here are some examples:
A letter inviting someone to come to SAS headquarters in Hereford to give a talk about the Triples.Message from the British embassy about money.
Pictures of two UK Special Forces leaders and a British ambassador.
Pictures with Gen David Petraeus, who leads all US troops in Afghanistan.
A British officer’s letter talking about someone who is a part of the “UK mentored Afghan SF” team.
Previous permission to come into the UK.
The people who applied to be officers were not allowed to enter the UK.
They told Panorama that they are hiding in Afghanistan, going from one house to another. They can’t be with their families or work.
One person said he was questioned and hurt by the Taliban before running away. The other person said he ran away first, but heard the Taliban went to his house looking for him.
I’m in a really bad situation. I am hiding and my family can’t live together, go out, or work,” he said.
“I thought my British coworkers and friends, who I worked with for many years, would help me get to a safe place. ” Now I feel like no one remembers the sacrifices I made.
“I feel like I’m all by myself in a really terrible place. ”
Both officers were involved in SAS operations that are currently being looked at closely by the public inquiry.
Someone complained to the British military during those operations. He said that the SAS did bad things in the war and took his team away from helping them because he thought they were killing Afghan people without following the law.
The move caused a big problem in the UK Special Forces. The leaders had to try to fix the situation and get the Afghan partner units to cooperate again.
Lawyers who help former Triples members apply for support said that more of them are getting denied under the Arap scheme.
“Many Triples asked us for help after being turned down in 2023, even though they showed proof of working with the UK Special Forces in Afghanistan and the dangerous situation they are still in,” explained Erin Alcock, a lawyer at Leigh Day.
Ms Alcock said that the applications were rejected all at once under a “blanket policy”.
The Ministry of Defence said that Arap caseworkers make the final decisions and then send eligible cases to the minister for approval.
But it did not argue that UK Special Forces could not refuse applications in 2023.
“We are carefully looking at all the applications from former members of Afghan specialist units, including the Triples, one by one. ” This review will look at all the information we have, including what other people have given us.
“Someone who has never worked on these applications is doing the review. ”
Mr Heappey, who is in charge of the military, said that Triple applications were rejected because the government does not have enough information about their employment and payment history compared to other applicants.
However, soldiers who worked with the Triples disagreed with the minister’s explanation. They said that the Afghan forces were paid by the British directly and that there were records for every payment.
“One former officer saw spreadsheets that clearly showed we paid them for their service, skills, rank, and the number of operations. ”
“These men were on the ground almost every day for 20 years, risking their lives in operations that we told them to be a part of,” he said.
A former soldier said to the BBC that Mr. Heappey was given the wrong information or was lied to. Either way, he is not showing a real interest in learning and exploring new things in his job.
The UK Special Forces were accused of stopping military investigators from asking Afghan partner units about alleged war crimes by the SAS.
Experienced investigators from the Royal Military Police said that leaders of special forces kept stopping them from talking to Afghan soldiers during their investigations from 2012 to 2019.
One former senior investigator said that they found the Afghan partner forces who worked with UKSF could be important witnesses. But when they tried to interview them, the special forces leaders made it very difficult.
The RMP had a hard time getting information, so in 2014 they asked the military prosecutor to charge a high-ranking UK Special Forces officer with interfering with justice. This happened after he ended an interview with an Afghan soldier about accusations of war crimes. The Service Prosecuting Authority decided not to take on the case. -
Have you seen any letter? – Nana B clashes with Kwasi Pratt over reports on Ofori-Atta’s new appointment
National Organizer, Henry Nana Boakye (Nana B), has questioned the authenticity of reports suggesting that the outgoing Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has been given a new appointment.
Speaking on Peace FM’s morning show, Kokrokoo, Nana B noted that there has not been any official communication in that regard, therefore, such reports cannot be trusted.
His comments were in reaction to concerns raised by the Managing editor of the Insight Newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr, over Mr Ofori-Atta’s said appointment.
Mr Pratt, who was baffled by the fact that President Akufo-Addo is seeking to offer the Finance Minister another role, which appears to be bigger than his previous position, despite relieving him of his Finance Minister role.
More baffling, Mr Pratt asserted is the fact that some Members of Parliament (MPs) belonging to the New Patriotic Party called for the head of the Minister over claims that he is incompetent.
“I am a bit worried about something, NPP MPs said they didn’t want Ken Ofori-Atta, so he should be sacked. Then the president intervened, saying he had work for him, so they should take their time; when he finishes, he will vacate the position.
“So, is he gone now, or is he still at post? If you look at the government structure, both Ofori-Atta and Osafo Maafo hold the same position. Ofori-Atta is a senior advisor on finance and the economy, and additionally, he is a special envoy for the international financial economy. Which position is bigger than this?” he said.
While making his case, Nana B reacted,challenging the authenticity of the reports.
“Have you seen any letter from the presidency indicating his appointment?,” he mounted a strong defense, however, Mr Pratt stood his ground, asserting that he had seen a lot to prove that the reports could be true, especially with reports on pro-NPP media outlet, Asaase radio.
In response, Nana B asked if Asaase radio was Eugene Arhin’s office?
“No, it is not Eugene Arhin’s office. But our brother Gabby Otchere Darko is very instrumental in the affairs of the government, so I will believe any news coming from his stations unless it has been disproved,” Kwesi Pratt replied.
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13 people and what roles they are expected to play in Bawumia’s campaign
A list of persons who will be playing key roles in the campaign of Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has surfaced.
According to the details published by the Daily Guide newspaper, the Vice President has meticulously selected some people he believes are competent and can help him win the presidential bid in the upcoming elections.
The newspaper further indicated that the Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia is set to unveil the list of persons today, February 19, 2024.
The Vice President was voted as the Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in November last year to lead the party to ‘break the eight.’
Here is the list of 13 persons that will play key roles in the Vice President’s campaign:
Senior advisors
A key part of the list is of senior advisors, the VP split the four slots among party bigwigs, Fred Oware, a key ally through his fleagbearership election and one-time national chairman Peter Mac Manu, a seasoned election expert.
Two young politicians, considered as his “boys” are also listed. They are one-time MP for Lawra, Anthony Karbo and the aspiring MP for Akuapem North, Sammi Awuku.
Bawumia will engage with the National Executive Committee (NEC) for review and endorsement of his senior advisors.
Other members expected to be listed in other capacities include:
* Dan Botwe, campaign chairman
* Justin Frimpong Kodua, NPP General Secretary to serve as Head of Campaign Operations
* Frederick Opare-Ansah, campaign manager
* Kwabena Agyepong and Nana Akomea, Deputy campaign managers
* Osei Bonsu Amoah, Deputy Campaign Manager in charge parliamentary affairs,
* Dennis Miracles Aboagye, Adomako Baafi and Akbar Khomeini as campaign spokespersons.
Other reports suggest that Krobea Kwabena Asante, another close aide is expected to be given a role. Conspicously missing, however, is Bawumia’s current spokesperson, Gideon Boako, who will be contesting to enter Parliament on the Tano North ticket.
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Mahama messed up big time because he never expected to be President – Asamoah Boateng
Minister of Chieftaincy Affairs, Stephen Asamoah Boateng, has asserted that former president John Dramani Mahama failed during his tenure as President because the position was served to him on a silver platter.
Speaking during an engagement with the people of Damongo on February 17, 2024; Asamoah Boateng, affectionately called Asabee, stated that Mr Mahama could not serve Ghanaians then when he had the chance and does not deserve to be given another chance.
“He never expected to be president. Somehow it was thrown at him and he messed up. And he messed up big time. Now, I don’t know what he is coming back to do,” Boateng, popularly referred to as Asa Bee stressed.
“But his brother Bawumia from the north has leapfrogged him already. Bawumia is looking forward not backwards,” he added before alleging wrongly that Mahama, a year on from his election as 2024 flagbearer for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has said nothing by way of policy directions.
“After being nominated in just two months, Bawumia has come up with policy directions and the way to get the economy to the higher level,” Asa Bee stated in reference to the vice president’s February 7 lecture.
He underscored the fact that Bawumia knew how to build the economy and the he represents the future of the country.
“So, let’s go out of this room and all of us, do hard work. It is not going to be easy but I know we will win, we will beat the NDC to pulp,” he stressed.
The main challenger to Bawumia in the 2024 election is John Dramani Mahama, who is seeking his final term in office on his fourth consecutive run for the presidency.
He won his first shot in 2012 but lost the second and third attempts to Akufo-Addo in 2016 and 2020 respectively.
The John Mahama versus Mahamudu Bawumia contest will be the first time in the Fourth Republic that both major contenders for the presidency will be from the northern part of the country.
While Mahama is gunning for his final term in office, Bawumia wants to go a step further after serving for two terms as Vice President, he is in his final year in the role.
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Another KNUST student reported dead
The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has plunged into mourning once again following the death of another student.
The tragic event comes as a devastating blow barely 24 hours after the demise of final year student, Jim Ofori Twumasi.
Reeves Baafi, a level 200 student pursuing Agriculture, passed on in the late hours of Thursday, February 16.
His sudden death has left a profound impact, leaving many questions unanswered and hearts heavy with sorrow.
Reeves is the second Agriculture student to pass on since the beginning of the year.
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BREAKING: Alan’s secret alliance with NDC to fight NPP revealed
In a recent revelation, the Social Democratic Forum, affiliated with the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), claims to have unearthed ties between the Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen Movement for Change and the primary opposition party, NDC.
Expressing dissatisfaction with the NDC’s reliance on Alan Kyerematen and his Afrafranto Movement to combat the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), members of the Social Democratic Forum have voiced concerns about the viability of this alleged alliance.
In an official communication addressed to NDC Presidential Candidate John Dramani Mahama and the party leadership, the Forum stressed the need to shift focus towards empowering grassroots members. While acknowledging Kyerematen’s influence in the Ashanti Region, the Forum cautioned against overestimating his impact and underscored the necessity for broad-based grassroots support.
Advocating for increased investment in grassroots empowerment, the Forum suggested that strengthening grassroots initiatives could improve the NDC’s prospects in the upcoming 2024 elections. They emphasized the pivotal role of grassroots mobilization in laying a robust foundation for electoral success.
The Executive Secretary of the Social Democratic Forum, Mubashir Kuoru Tikumah, signed the letter, warning against the risks of overreliance on any individual or faction and encouraging prioritization of grassroots empowerment in the NDC’s strategic planning.
However, responding to these allegations, the Movement for Change issued a press release denying any collaborative links with the NDC. The movement reiterated its status as a distinct entity aiming to transcend the existing political duopoly of the NPP and NDC.
Asserting that neither the NPP nor the NDC aligns with the country’s interests, the Movement for Change emphasized its commitment to championing constitutional defense and economic prosperity for all Ghanaians. The movement called on citizens to vote for Alan Kyerematen in the 2024 Elections, advocating for a Government of National Unity under his leadership.
Represented by spokesperson Duke Aaron Sasu Esq., the Movement for Change remains steadfast in its objective to engage all Ghanaians in a transformative journey and establish a fresh path for the nation, beyond the NPP-NDC paradigm.
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SHOCKING: 22-year-old housekeeper kills his madam after stealing $5600
A 22-year-old housekeeper, Maku Kuame, has been remanded by the Asokwa District Court 2 in the Ashanti Region.
He will be in police custody for two weeks pending further investigations into the alleged murder of her mistress, Margaret Oppong, 83.
This decision came after a request by the police for additional time to conduct thorough inquiries into the case.
Presiding over the court proceedings, His Honor Kwaku Baah Frimpong granted the prosecution’s plea and scheduled the next hearing for January 17, 2024.
The prosecution, led by Chief Inspector O.N. Tetteh from the Legal and Prosecution Unit at the Regional Headquarters, explained the necessity for extended investigation time to unravel the circumstances surrounding the alleged murder.
Background details revealed that the accused, Maku Kuame, stands accused of killing her employer, Margaret Oppong, following an interrogation about missing funds amounting to over $5,600 from their residence in Ayeduase, located in the Oforikrom Municipality of the Ashanti Region.
According to Kwame Boateng, the son of the deceased, Maku Kuame confessed to the murder during police interrogation, alleging that she conspired with her boyfriend to eliminate Margaret Oppong after facing repeated questioning about the missing money.
The case has sparked public interest and raised concerns about the safety and security of domestic workers in households, prompting authorities to prioritize a thorough investigation into the matter.
The remand of Maku Kuame underscores the gravity of the allegations against her and highlights the need for a comprehensive legal process to ensure justice for the victim and her family.
As the investigation unfolds, the community awaits further developments in the case, hoping for a fair and transparent judicial procedure to bring closure to the tragic incident.
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Farouk Aliu Mahama remains blacklisted as GJA lifts media blackout on Hawa Koomson
Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has lifted the media blackout imposed on Member of Parliament for Awutu-Senya East and Minister of Fisheries and Aqua Culture Development, Mavis Hawa Koomson. The decision was made following engagement between the GJA and its media partners on February 15, 2024.
In a press release issued by the GJA and sighted by GhanaWeb, it was disclosed that the decision to revoke the media blackout was primarily based on Hawa Koomson’s engagement with the association and her promise to facilitate justice for journalist David Kobenna, who was assaulted during the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary primaries in her constituency.
The release stated, “The decision was taken after the GJA and its media partners met on Thursday, February 15, 2024, to review the blackout imposed on the MP, who is also the Minister of Fisheries and Aqua Culture Development.” It further highlighted that Hawa Koomson redeemed her promise to engage the GJA in resolving the impasse, which led to a meeting between the National Executive of the Association and the Minister at the Ghana International Press Centre.
During the meeting, Hawa Koomson assured the GJA of her commitment to supporting efforts to ensure justice for David Kobenna. She stated, “I will give you the necessary support,” indicating her willingness to collaborate with the association in seeking redress for the assaulted journalist.
However, the GJA clarified that the media blackout on another MP of the ruling NPP, Farouk Aliu Mahama, the MP for Yendi, remains in force.
Background:
The media blackout on Hawa Koomson and Farouk Aliu Mahama was initiated by the GJA after the two MPs were accused of assaulting journalists during separate incidents. Hawa Koomson allegedly ordered thugs to attack a Cape FM journalist, David Kobbina, during the vetting of NPP parliamentary aspirants in Awutu Senya East Constituency. Similarly, Farouk Aliu Mahama was accused of physically assaulting a journalist during the New Patriotic Party parliamentary primary in Yendi.
The GJA’s decision to lift the media blackout on Hawa Koomson underscores the importance of engagement and commitment to addressing issues of assault against journalists, emphasizing the role of cooperation between political figures and media associations in upholding press freedom and ensuring accountability for attacks on journalists.
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Alan Kyerematen vows to prioritize support for orphaned and disadvantaged children if elected president
Founder and leader of the Movement for Change, Alan Kyerematen, has pledged to provide tangible support to orphaned and disadvantaged children if elected President in the upcoming December 7 polls.
Kyerematen articulated his commitment to revamping the social welfare department and allocating necessary resources to enhance its capacity to cater to the needs of vulnerable children.
During his campaign tour, Kyerematen encountered orphaned children begging for alms at the Bantama market, an experience that reinforced his determination to prioritize the welfare of neglected children.
In response, he emphasized the importance of creating market-based support centers and delivering essential services such as teaching, counseling, healthcare, and nutritional assistance to these children.
“These centers will serve as havens of safety and support, nurturing not just their material needs but also their emotional and psychological well-being,” Kyerematen remarked in a Facebook post.
Highlighting his vision for inclusive governance, Kyerematen stressed the need for collective action to ensure that every child, irrespective of their circumstances, receives the care and support they deserve. He emphasized the role of compassion and proactive measures in building a future where no child is left behind.
“If entrusted with the presidency, I am more determined than ever to prioritize the welfare of neglected children,” Kyerematen affirmed. “Through compassion and action, we can build a future where no child is left behind, beginning with initiatives rooted in our markets.”
Kyerematen’s commitment to addressing the plight of orphaned and disadvantaged children underscores the importance of social welfare initiatives in promoting inclusive development and safeguarding the rights of vulnerable populations. As Ghana prepares for the upcoming elections, Kyerematen’s pledge resonates with the aspirations of many citizens who prioritize the well-being and protection of children as a cornerstone of national progress.
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Kwaku Kwarteng confirms he rejected Akufo-Addo’s ministerial appointment; here’s why
Member of Parliament for the Obuasi West Constituency, Kwaku Kwarteng, has confirmed reports that he declined a ministerial appointment offered by President Nana Akufo-Addo. The offer reportedly involved his appointment as the Minister for Finance, replacing his former boss, Ken Ofori-Atta.
Kwarteng, who previously served as a deputy finance minister in the first term of President Akufo-Addo, was among the initial list of appointees in the recent reshuffle announced on February 14, 2024. However, he opted to remain in his parliamentary role, citing a preference for supporting the government’s work from within the legislature.
In a statement issued on Friday, February 16, 2024, Kwarteng expressed gratitude for being considered for the ministerial role but highlighted his belief in the critical role of Parliament, particularly in matters related to finance and the economy. He emphasized his confidence in his ability to better support the government’s agenda from his position in Parliament.
“I am also thankful and humbled by the knowledge that our President found me worthy to serve in the Executive in the recent reshuffle,” Kwarteng stated. “I declined for the following reasons: The role of Parliament in the work of the Executive, especially in matters relating to finance and economy, is critical. It is my humble belief that I can better support the work of government from Parliament.”
Furthermore, Kwarteng expressed appreciation for President Akufo-Addo’s support and influence on his political career, pledging continued readiness to support the government’s vision in any capacity.
The decision by Kwarteng to decline the ministerial appointment comes amidst reports of a rift between him and the government following his removal from the role of deputy finance minister. However, Kwarteng’s commitment to serving his constituents and contributing to governance from his parliamentary position remains unwavering.
Kwarteng’s decision underscores the importance of parliamentary oversight and the integral role of legislators in shaping and scrutinizing government policies, particularly in critical sectors such as finance and the economy. As Ghana continues its journey towards sustainable development and good governance, the collaborative efforts of both the executive and legislative branches will be crucial in driving progress and delivering on the nation’s development agenda.
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GHS150m disbursed by govt for fixing potholes
Government has disbursed GHS150 million dedicated to addressing the issue of potholes across the country.
In a press release issued on February 15, the Ministry outlined plans to commence routine pothole patching activities on major roads, leveraging the dry season to undertake these crucial repairs.
According to the statement, many roads endured substantial deterioration in the past year due to heavy rains, exacerbating the prevalence of potholes. Recognizing the importance of swift action to mitigate risks and enhance road safety, the Ministry is determined to tackle this challenge head-on.
“The amount is part of the first quarter releases from the Ministry of Finance to the Ministry of Roads and Highways,” the statement clarified, indicating the government’s commitment to prioritizing road infrastructure maintenance and improvement.
With the allocated funds, the Department of Urban Roads will spearhead the initiative to patch potholes, targeting major roads across the country. This proactive approach aims to not only reduce the likelihood of accidents but also to prolong the lifespan of Ghana’s road infrastructure, ensuring smoother and safer journeys for motorists and pedestrians alike.
The Ministry assured the Ghanaian public of its unwavering dedication to addressing road network challenges nationwide. Encouraging cooperation from all stakeholders, including citizens and road users, the Ministry emphasized the importance of collective efforts in achieving tangible improvements in the national road network.
As Ghana continues its journey towards enhanced infrastructure development and road safety, the allocation of GH¢150 million for pothole repairs underscores the government’s commitment to addressing critical infrastructure needs and improving the overall quality of transportation infrastructure across the country.
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Ghana stands to make $1bn revenue annually from salt production – MIIF CEO reveals
Chief Executive Officer of the Mineral Income Investment Fund (MIIF), Edward Nana Yaw Koranteng, has disclosed that Ghana is poised to generate approximately $1 billion in revenue annually from salt production.
Koranteng emphasized the significant potential of this natural resource, envisioning Ghana as the leading salt producer in Sub-Saharan Africa.
In an interview with Oxford Business Economics Africa, Koranteng highlighted the multifaceted benefits of salt mining, including the creation of sustainable employment opportunities and the generation of domestic revenue.
“Ghana is positioning itself as the number one salt producer in Sub-Saharan Africa. There’s the potential for Ghana to make about $1 billion every year from salt alone. The country is investing $30 million in salt production since salt cannot only rake in revenue for the country but can also feed the pharmaceutical and textile industries,” Koranteng affirmed.
He further elaborated on the diverse applications of salt, emphasizing its role in various industries such as pharmaceuticals, food preservation, textiles, and aluminum castings.
Koranteng underscored MIIF’s commitment to expanding the salt value chain through investments in Electrochem, an indigenous mining company managing a 41,000-acre salt-rich land in the Ada Songor area.
According to Koranteng, Ghana possesses the capacity to produce approximately 2.2 million tonnes of salt annually, catering to both domestic consumption and export markets.
The revelation comes amidst Ghana’s concerted efforts to capitalize on its abundant salt resources, leveraging them for economic growth and industrial development.
With strategic investments and a focus on value addition, Ghana aims to maximize the potential of its salt industry, contributing significantly to the country’s revenue generation and economic prosperity.
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I will sue GLC, I’ve never paid bribes! – Woyome reacts to former state attorney’s disbarment
Businessman embroiled in the GHS51 million Waterville judgment debt case, Alfred Agbesi Woyome, has announced his intention to sue the General Legal Council (GLC) for disqualifying former Chief State Attorney, Samuel Nerquaye-Tetteh, who was involved in his case and allegedly facilitated the transfer of GHS 400,000 to his wife.
Mr Woyome contends that the GLC‘s actions amount to contempt of court, asserting that judicial decisions have exonerated him and any other parties involved in the contract of any wrongdoing.
The GLC recently withdrew Mr Nerquaye-Tetteh’s license after finding him in violation of professional conduct standards within the legal profession.
In response to the GLC’s decision, Mr Woyome expressed disappointment, suggesting that it was unfairly targeted at him. While he acknowledged transferring GHS400,000 to Mr Nerquaye-Tetteh’s wife, he maintained that it was solely for humanitarian purposes.
Mr Woyome stated, “Thank God that we have got all the judgments. Thank God that I am waiting for the Supreme Court to do the honourable thing by departing away from the so-called linking me to something that I am not part of…I can say that I pledge on my honour that I will remain very active to make sure that the institution of government do the right thing. And I want to announce here that I am taking the General Legal Council (GLC) to court early next week.”
He continued, “We will pursue GLC and the AG for them to stop what they are doing…Nerquaye-Tetteh’s wife’s money that I sent to her was on the basis of what I do at WOFA, Wilmy Foundation for Africa. I pay fees and pay other things for many people across the whole African country. When I work that is what I used my money for, philanthropy.”
Mr. Woyome’s threat of legal action against the GLC underscores his determination to challenge the council’s decision and defend his reputation amidst ongoing legal proceedings related to the Waterville judgment debt case.
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“I’m not sure whether to believe the news” – Wife of Navalny
Navalny’s wife said she’s not sure if she should believe the terrible news or not.
Yulia Navalnaya said she only heard about her husband’s death from government sources while speaking at the Munich Security Conference.
She says we can’t trust Putin and his government.
Then she says that if her husband really died, Putin and his friends should be held personally responsible for it and everything “they are doing to Russia”.
“I want everyone here to come together and support punishing the Russian government,” Navalnaya says. -
Putin’ should be answerable’ for Navalny’s demise – David Cameron
UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron said that Vladimir Putin should be responsible for Alexei Navalny’s death. He did not say what consequences the Kremlin should face.
During the Munich Security Conference, Cameron said that Navalny is very brave for fighting against corruption. He gave up everything for what he believed in.
Cameron thinks there should be no question about how bad Putin’s government is in Russia after what just happened.More update on this story soon
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MoFA and KOICA launch $6.5m project to rehabilitate irrigation sites in Ghana
The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), in partnership with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), has initiated a $6.5 million project aimed at rehabilitating three irrigation sites in Ghana. The project, titled “The Rehabilitation of Irrigation Schemes and Improvement of Irrigation Water Management,” was officially launched with beneficiary sites located in Dawhenya and Ashaiman in the Greater Accra Region, as well as Aveyime in the Volta Region.
The primary objective of the project is to enhance irrigation facilities in these regions, focusing on upgrading pumps, constructing drying floors, installing solar power systems, and increasing reservoir volumes. Additionally, the project emphasizes sustainability and capacity-building, aiming to empower water users’ associations (WUAs) and government officials with the necessary knowledge and skills.
The launch event, representing the Minister of Food and Agriculture, was overseen by Dr. Bryan Acheampong, the Deputy Minister in Charge of Crops, with Yaw Frimpong Addo expressing gratitude to the Korean government through KOICA for their financial support. Mr. Addo highlighted the project’s overarching goal of increasing farmers’ incomes, particularly those utilizing public irrigation schemes at the targeted sites.
Furthermore, Mr. Addo stressed the government’s commitment to modernizing and commercializing agriculture, as evidenced by the second edition of the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ 2.0) initiative. He emphasized the importance of rehabilitating irrigation schemes to promote year-round farming and ensure food security, particularly in rice production.
Explaining the project’s rationale, KOICA Ghana Country Director Dong Hyun Lee underscored its significance in bolstering Ghana’s agricultural sector. Mr. Lee outlined the project’s components, designed to optimize irrigation water usage and maximize agricultural output, including repairing canals and land development.
KOICA’s support for the project stems from a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with MoFA in 2020, with an additional MoU with the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority (GIDA) for $2.55 million to rehabilitate the three irrigation schemes.
Richard Oppong-Boateng, Chief Executive of GIDA, commended KOICA for its dedication and collaboration, which have strengthened GIDA’s operations over the years. He highlighted the agency’s participation in KOICA fellowship programs, providing comprehensive training opportunities for engineers, agronomists, and WUAs in various aspects of irrigation both in Korea and Ghana.
The project launch attracted various stakeholders, including members of the WUA in the catchment sites, signaling a collective effort towards enhancing irrigation infrastructure and agricultural productivity in Ghana.
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Akufo-Addo is a very stubborn man – Kwame Jantuah
Private legal practitioner and member of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Kwame Jantuah, has voiced criticism over President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s recent ministerial reshuffle, stating that it has come too late.
Jantuah expressed particular concern regarding the timing of the reshuffle, asserting that the President waited until situations worsened before making changes, especially regarding the former Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.
Speaking in an interview on Friday, February 16, Jantuah remarked, “Unfortunately, sometimes the president is stubborn; he waits till things nearly spoil then he comes in.” He cited instances where he believed the President delayed action until circumstances became dire, such as the decision to seek assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) despite initial assurances to the contrary.
Jantuah’s comments come in the aftermath of President Akufo-Addo’s decision to relieve Ken Ofori-Atta of his position as Finance Minister, alongside several other ministerial changes announced in the latest reshuffle.
Notable figures who have been removed from their posts include Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Works and Housing Minister Francis Asenso Boakye, and Health Minister Kwaku Agyemang Manu, among others.
The reshuffle, announced by the Director of Communications at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin, on Wednesday, February 14, also saw the reassignment of some ministers to different portfolios. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, for instance, was reassigned to Works and Housing, while Asenso-Boakye was moved to Roads and Highways.
In a statement released by the Presidency, President Akufo-Addo expressed his gratitude to each departing minister for their dedication and hard work during their tenure in office, wishing them well in their future endeavors.
However, Jantuah’s critique underscores broader concerns regarding the timing and effectiveness of government actions, particularly in response to challenges facing the country.
The delay in implementing changes, as perceived by Jantuah, raises questions about the government’s responsiveness to issues and the proactive management of key portfolios.
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Patients at Gaza’s Nasser Hospital afraid as Israeli raid goes on
The Israeli military says its special forces are still in the Nasser hospital in Gaza and they are carrying out a mission against Hamas there.
Israel started a mission on Thursday that it said was careful and not too big. The army says it has arrested many people they think are involved in terrorism.
Hamas said the claim was not true.
The WHO said the facility urgently needs fuel to keep providing life-saving services.
The hospital in Khan Younis had a power outage and couldn’t give oxygen, so five people died, the health ministry said.
These deaths have not been confirmed by another source.
Nasser is the main hospital in southern Gaza. It is one of the few hospitals still open and there has been a lot of fighting between the IDF and Hamas there for days.
On Wednesday, the Israeli army told lots of people who had been staying there to go away.
Tarik Jasarevic, who works for the WHO, said that there are now reports that the orthopaedic unit has been damaged.
“He said it’s harder to give quick medical help. There are still very sick patients at the hospital. ”
“The more the hospital gets worse, the more people die. ”
Nahed Abu-Teima, the director of Nasser hospital, said to the media that the situation inside the hospital is really bad and very risky.
Pictures confirmed by the media showed doctors and nurses quickly moving patients on beds through a hallway that was full of smoke or dust.
“Nasser Hospital is surrounded and we have no water or food,” said Raed Abed, a man who was injured and forced to leave the hospital. He told the Associated Press.
“Trash is everywhere, and there is sewage overflowing in the emergency room. ”
The IDF thinks that Hamas has been using hospitals and other places where civilians go for protection while doing military activities.
“We can’t let Hamas go free, we need to make sure they are found and stopped,” said Lt Col Peter Lerner, spokesperson for IDF, in an interview with the media.
He said the military worked very hard to move people from the hospital to keep them safe and denied targeting civilians.
The IDF caught 20 Hamas members at the hospital who were involved in the 7 October attacks on Israel.
It also reported that it found weapons, like grenades, at the building.
The army is also looking for Israeli hostages’ bodies that might be hidden in the hospital based on information from intelligence.
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said that Israeli tanks were attacking the nearby Al-Amal hospital and causing a lot of damage to two nursing rooms.
They posted on social media that no one had been injured.
There have been a lot of fights near the hospital lately. The PRCS was “raided” last week because 8,000 people had to leave.
On Friday, they said that two doctors who were taken by the police were let go, but 12 other staff members were still in jail.Israel started to attack after groups of Hamas fighters crossed into Israel on 7 October. They killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took 253 others as hostages to Gaza.
The health ministry in charge of Hamas says that over 28,700 people, mostly women and children, have been killed in Israel’s attack.
Israel is being told to be more careful by other countries, but talks to stop the fighting haven’t worked yet.
A top Palestinian official involved in the talks about stopping the fighting said to the BBC that the two sides still disagree on many of the ideas for how to make peace.
Top leaders from the US, Israel, Egypt, and Qatar are in Cairo this week to try to make a deal.
The official said the main problem is the disagreement with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about what happens after the war ends. The US wants the Palestinian Authority to be stronger, but Israel doesn’t want one government to control both the West Bank and Gaza.
Another argument is about Israel’s goal of completely eliminating Hamas, which the US believes will be hard to do in the near future.
The US is trying to make both sides agree to stop fighting for a long time, so they don’t start fighting again. -
Peasant Farmers Association Ghana urges govt to entrust GIDA with 1V1D program
The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) has called upon the government to empower and resource the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority (GIDA) to take full control of the One Village One Dam (1V1D) program in Ghana.
The PFAG made this plea during a stakeholder dialogue on irrigation development held in Accra, organized with support from GIZ under the Sustainable Employment through Agribusiness (Agribiz) program.
The dialogue shed light on the shortcomings of the 1V1D program, particularly concerning the involvement of private contractors and the subsequent construction of substandard and dysfunctional dams, primarily affecting farmers in the Northern regions of Ghana.
Dr. Charles Nyaaba, the Executive Director of PFAG, expressed disappointment in the implementation arrangements of the 1V1D policy, noting the absence of GIDA’s involvement in overseeing dam construction. Instead, contracts were awarded to private contractors by the Ministry of Special Development Initiatives, some of whom lacked the requisite expertise in dam construction.
Dr. Nyaaba highlighted instances where contractors sold contracts, leading to reduced funds allocated for construction work. Moreover, he pointed out that the inexperience of these contractors resulted in poorly sited dug-outs with inferior engineering, posing safety hazards for farmers.
Mr. Wepia Addo Awulgwa, President of PFAG, echoed these concerns, urging the government to invest in irrigation development and utilize relevant state agencies, like GIDA, for such projects. He emphasized the urgent need for attention to uncompleted irrigation schemes across the country, which have been neglected by the government.
The stakeholder dialogue convened various actors, including farmers, civil society organizations (CSOs), officials from GIDA, and the media. It provided a platform for PFAG to present research findings on irrigation development in Ghana, focusing on deficiencies within the 1V1D program. Notably, research on the Vunania and Gia dams in the Upper East Region highlighted numerous defects hindering their usability by farmers.
A policy brief outlining recommendations for enhancing irrigation development in Northern Ghana was presented to GIDA for consideration. The PFAG’s advocacy underscores the importance of effective collaboration between government agencies and stakeholders to ensure the success of agricultural initiatives like the 1V1D program and ultimately improve livelihoods in rural communities.
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Ghanaian Ambassador urges businesses to leverage China’s booming economy, pushes for direct flight
Ghana’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Dr Winfred Nii Okai Hammond, has emphasized the need for Ghanaian businesses to capitalize on the burgeoning commercial and industrial opportunities in China.
Dr Hammond urged businesses to seize the moment amidst efforts to establish a direct flight route from Guangzhou, China to Accra, Ghana.
Highlighting the exponential growth in trade volumes between the two nations, Dr Hammond revealed that trade figures have surged from US$7 billion to US$10 billion in the last three to four years.
However, he underscored the challenge of limited travel options between Ghana and China, with currently only a few airlines servicing the route.
Dr. Hammond emphasized the strategic importance of establishing a direct flight route between Accra and Guangzhou, citing the latter’s significance as a hub for Ghanaian and West African traders. He emphasized that such a connection would not only facilitate trade but also enhance economic cooperation, particularly with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat based in Ghana.
The ambassador stressed the time-saving benefits of a direct flight, highlighting the potential reduction in transit times by 6 to 8 hours, which could significantly enhance business efficiency and productivity.
Acknowledging ongoing discussions supported by Ghana’s Finance and Transport Ministries, Dr. Hammond expressed optimism about the imminent realization of a direct flight route. He disclosed that talks have progressed significantly, with the involvement of relevant government agencies and potential airline partners like China Southern.
Dr. Hammond underscored the pivotal role of collaboration with China in Ghana’s economic development, noting China’s support in securing loans from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). He urged Ghanaian businesses to recognize the efforts made by the Ghanaian government in strengthening ties with China and encouraged them to leverage the favorable business climate in China to expand their enterprises legitimately.
Dr. Hammond reiterated the importance of fostering stronger economic cooperation between Ghana and China, emphasizing the mutual benefits it could bring to both nations. He expressed confidence in Ghana’s ability to capitalize on China’s economic boom for its own advancement, urging businesses to seize the opportunities presented by this burgeoning partnership.
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President Tinubu of Nigeria appoints his son-in-law to lead housing agency
Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, has given his son-in-law a job as the leader of the Federal Housing Authority. This has made people worried about nepotism.
Oyetunde Oladimeji Ojo is married to Mr. Tinubu’s oldest daughter, Folashade.
This is the first time President Tinubu has chosen a family member to work for the federal government.
The presidency said Mr. Ojo has worked in housing and hospitality for more than 10 years.
He used to be a member of the House of Representatives.
But many people on social media are upset and saying that there were other people who were better and deserved the job more than Mr.
“Showing favoritism to family and friends is a bad quality in a leader. ” “The fact that Nigerian leaders don’t consider it a moral failure is sad,” someone wrote on X.
Some people support Mr. Ojo being named for the role and say that his connection to the president should not stop him from getting government jobs.
He was chosen by the president to help change how the housing ministry is run.
The FHA, managed by the government, helps to provide low-cost homes in Nigeria.
The government has not said anything yet about the complaints about the appointment. -
Fraud arrest following stranding of charity trek atop Kilimanjaro
A man was taken into custody for possibly tricking a group of charity hikers and leaving them stuck in another country.
26 hikers gave Aspire Adventures in Brynrefail, Gwynedd, money to help them climb Mount Kilimanjaro. Each hiker paid up to £3,500 to cover the costs of places to stay, things they needed, and people to help them.
After arriving in Tanzania, they learned that no help would be available.
The police in North Wales arrested a 49-year-old man because they think he lied to trick people and commit fraud.
Most of the group climbing Africa’s highest mountain wanted to raise money for Hope4, which helps Ukrainian refugees and orphans in Moldova.
The trekkers had to ask for help from others and use their own money to keep going on the trip.
North Wales Police said they are still looking into the situation. -
5 records Ofori-Atta has broken as Finance Minister
Finance Minister of Ghana, Ken Ofori-Atta, was relieved of his duties by President Nana Akufo-Addo on Wednesday, February 14, 2024. While Ofori-Atta’s tenure saw significant economic challenges and achievements, it also sparked debate and scrutiny over his management of the country’s finances.
During his tenure, Ofori-Atta navigated Ghana through major global events, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine War. However, these events, coupled with domestic factors, contributed to economic lows, including a record inflation rate of 54.1% in December 2022 and a significant depreciation of the country’s currency.
Ofori-Atta’s tenure, spanning approximately seven years, marked him as the longest-serving Finance Minister in Ghana’s Fourth Republic. He assumed office in January 2017 and was retained for a second term until his recent dismissal.
One of the notable milestones of Ofori-Atta’s tenure was leading Ghana out of an International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout program in March 2019. However, his subsequent request for another $3 billion IMF bailout program in 2023 drew criticism and raised concerns about the country’s debt accumulation under his leadership.
During his tenure, Ghana’s public debt reportedly increased by approximately GH¢480 billion, reaching nearly GH¢600 billion as of March 2023. Ofori-Atta’s administration also acquired significant debts from various sources, including the Paris Club, Chinese government, Eurobond market, and multilateral lenders, making him the finance minister responsible for the most debt accumulation in Ghana’s history.
Additionally, Ofori-Atta oversaw the issuance of numerous Eurobonds, with 11 bonds signed during his tenure, extending beyond the usual 10-year maturity period.
Another contentious issue was Ghana’s default in the payment of its international and domestic debts under Ofori-Atta’s watch. This marked the first time in the country’s history that such default occurred, prompting the government to implement a Domestic Debt Exchange Programme and restructure its international debts.
Despite these challenges, Ofori-Atta’s tenure also witnessed significant achievements, including leading Ghana through global economic crises and initiating efforts to address the country’s economic challenges.
Here are five records the Finance Minister has broken
The longest serving finance minister in the 4th Republic:
Ken Ofori-Atta left his role at his bank, DataBank, to become Ghana’s finance minister on January 27, 2017.
After successfully completing the first term (4 years) of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s tenure, Ofori-Atta was again retained as finance minister in the second term of the government until his sacking on February 14, 2024.
This brings Ofori-Atta’s reign as finance minister to about 7 years, making the longest-serving finance minister Ghana has had in the 4th republic.
Until Ofori-Atta, no finance minister in Ghana’s 4th republic has been in office for more than one term (4 years).
The only minister who has taken Ghana out and into an IMF program
Ofori-Atta’s reign as finance minister began with Ghana already implementing an International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme started by the John Dramani Mahama government.
In March 2019, Ofori-Atta led Ghana out of the ‘shackles’ of the IMF after the successful completion of the bailout programme, which was marked by a kenkey party at the inner court of the Ministry of Finance on March 22, 2019.
Having vowed that Ghana’s 16th visit to the IMF was going to be its last, and that another visit would never happen under his watch, Ofori-Atta requested for a $3 billion IMF bailout programme on May 17, 2023, after an order by President Akufo-Addo.
This makes Ofori-Atta the only finance minister in Ghana’s history to lead Ghana out of an IMF bailout programme and subsequently into another one.
The finance minister who accumulated the most debts in Ghana’s history
Under Ofori-Atta’s leadership as finance minister, Ghana added about GH¢480 billion to its nearly GH¢600 billion public debts as of March 2023.
The national debt Ofori-Atta inherited as finance minister was about GH¢120 billion.
This means that the Akufo-Addo government has borrowed more money than all of the governments Ghana has had since independence put together.
Here is a list of some of the debts accrued by Ofori-Atta
1. Paris Club – $2 billion
2. Chinese government – $1.9 billion
3. Non-Paris Club members – $3.8 billion
4. Chapmenten – $2.5 billion
5. $8.8 billion to the IMF
6. $14.9 billion to the Eurobond market
7. $8.8 billion in multilateral debts (the highest in Africa).
The finance minister who has gone for the most Eurobonds in Ghana’s history
In the history of the 4th republic of Ghana, Ghana has gone for 17 Eurobonds, with 4 of these bonds being acquired in 16 years by 4 governments.
Ofori-Atta alone has led Ghana to sign 11 of these Eurobonds with maturity dates beyond the usual 10 years.
The first Eurobond was also celebrated during the Kenkey party in 2019.
Below is a list of Eurobonds Ofori-Atta has signed for Ghana:
1. Eurobond in May 2018 – 30-year maturity period, bond expires in 20248
2. Eurobond in 2019 – 31 years maturity period
3. Eurobond in 2020, matures in 2061 – 41 years maturity period
4. Eurobond in March 2021, matures in 2041 – 20 years maturity period
The first finance minister to default in the payment of the country’s debt:
Lastly, Ken Ofori-Atta is the only finance minister under whose watch the government of Ghana has defaulted in the payment of its international and domestic debts.
In all the previous 16 visits to the IMF, none of the governments defaulted in the payment of its debts.
On December 5, 2022, the finance ministry announced a Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP) to restructure its domestic debts as part of efforts to get the $3 billion IMF bailout.
The government also went into agreement with countries and multi-national organisations to restructure its international debts.
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Alexei Navalny: who was he?
Alexei Navalny was born to factory owners in a village near Moscow and became a very well-known critic of Vladimir Putin.
His involvement in politics, where he looked into high-level corruption and tried to become mayor of Moscow, made him well-known. Many people thought he could be a danger to Mr Putin.
In August 2020, his disagreement with the Russian president became big news around the world.
He got very sick on a plane from Siberia to Moscow, so they flew him to Berlin while he was still unconscious.
His group said the Russian government made him sick, but the Russian government said it didn’t.
Doctors in Germany said he was poisoned with a Russian nerve gas called novichok. It took him a long time to get better.
Although it was dangerous, Mr. Navalny chose to go back to Russia. He was arrested, found guilty of charges he believed were unfair, and stayed in Russian prisons until his reported death today. -
Alexei Navalny, critic of Putin, dies in prison
Updates on the passing of Alexei Navalny are coming from the Kremlin. Moscow claims to be unaware of the reason behind the death of the individual who spoke against Putin.
Dmitry Peskov, who speaks for the government, also said that the prison service is checking everything they need to about his death.
The Russian state media site TASS says that Vladimir Putin has been told about his death.
Political Analyst says this is a terrible event and a bad mark on Russia’s reputation.
Alexei Navalny has been getting sicker and has been kept alone in a cell for most of the time since he was put in jail in Russia.
But she thinks it’s very surprising that his health got so bad that he died.
Lately, Mr Navalny has been seen in videos at court. He seemed happy and had a strong presence on social media.
“He’s a 47-year-old man and he’s been through a lot in prison, but we didn’t expect him to die so suddenly,” Magnay said.
“I’m just thinking about whether something specific happened to him instead of him getting worse slowly over time. ”
She said it was a big surprise, and he had just been transferred to the Russian prison where he was living.
“It is very sad for the idea of a free Russia, a Russian democracy, and the future of Russia, which is what Alexei Navalny dedicated his life to. ”
She says: “Even from jail, he has been speaking out for what is right in Russia and against the lack of freedom for his people. “More update on this story soon
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Berlinale: German film festival sees Lupita Nyong’o make history
Kenyan actress Lupita Nyong’o has become the first black person to lead the Berlin International Film Festival jury.
The yearly film event, called the Berlinale, is one of the top five film festivals in the world.
The event has never had a black person leading the jury in its 74-year history, organizers told AFP news agency last year.
Nyong’o will choose the best films in the Golden and Silver Bears categories.
At the start of the event in Germany’s capital on Thursday, Nyong’o said she felt very honored to take on the position.
She said having different kinds of people on the jury would make the decision-making about which films to give awards to better.
“The amazing thing about bringing people from different backgrounds together is that we all have different reactions and responses,” said the actress, who won an Oscar for her role in 12 Years A Slave in 2014.
We have a lot of experience from around the world and we have some interesting opinions. It might also be hot and spicy.
When Berlinale chose Nyong’o as jury president in December, the festival’s directors, Mariëtte Rissenbeek and Carlo Chatrian, said Nyong’o was picked because she represents what we admire in movies, with her ability to act in different ways and appeal to different audiences.
The event will continue until February 25th, when the judges will announce the winning movies in the main categories.
Three African entries are part of 20 entries competing for the top prize, and they all tell stories from Africa.
They are showing movies like Black Tea, Who Do I Belong To, and the documentary Dahomey at the film festival. -
MCE denies involvement in railway track theft allegations
Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Akuapem South, Mr Frank Aidoo, has vehemently refuted accusations of his involvement in the theft of railway tracks within the municipality.
Recent events saw residents of the Pakro community intercepting a truck carrying stolen railway tracks, which were subsequently offloaded in the middle of the community.
This action followed a meeting between the MCE and the community, where residents were urged to remain vigilant to combat the issue of railway track theft.
In response to these developments, Mr Frank Aidoo took proactive measures by writing a letter dated January 15, 2024, to the Ministry of Railway Development, urging urgent action to halt the looting of railway tracks.
Additionally, he notified the Eastern Regional Minister, local police, and Eastern Regional Police Command to investigate and apprehend the perpetrators.
These actions directly contradict recent publications that falsely accused the MCE of involvement in cutting and selling railway metals to scrap dealers. Mr Frank Aidoo clarified that these allegations were baseless and aimed at tarnishing his reputation, particularly in light of the upcoming parliamentary primary in Akuapem South, where he is a contestant.
Railway track theft remains a nationwide concern, with various regions, including parts of the Eastern Region, witnessing an increase in such incidents. Despite this, the Railways Authority has faced criticism for its lack of decisive action against perpetrators.
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2 MPs turned down Akufo-Addo’s offer to serve in his government – Reports
Two Members of Parliament (MPs) nominated to critical ministries declined offers to serve in President Akufo-Addo‘s government, citing personal reasons.
Sources from the Jubilee House, the official residence and office of the President, have confirmed that Dr Nana Ayew Afriye and Kwaku Agyeman Kwarteng, representing the Effiduase Asokore and Obuasi West constituencies in the Ashanti Region respectively, rejected ministerial appointments extended to them by the President.
Dr. Ayew Afriye, the MP for Effiduase Asokore, was offered the position of Minister of Health but declined the appointment due to his principled stance against the size of the government.
Sources close to him revealed that he has been vocal about the need to downsize the government to curb excessive spending, and his refusal to accept the ministerial offer reflects his commitment to his principles.
The presidency was reportedly surprised by Dr Ayew Afriye’s refusal, given his prominent role as the Chairman of the Health Committee of Parliament.
Similarly, Kwaku Agyeman Kwarteng, the MP for Obuasi West Constituency, expressed dissatisfaction with how he had been treated by the President and declined another ministerial position.
Mr. Kwarteng, who previously served as a Deputy Minister at the Finance Ministry, conveyed his contentment with his current role as the Chairman of Parliament’s finance committee and opted not to accept a new appointment.
These developments come in the wake of President Akufo-Addo’s recent major reshuffle, the first in almost eight years. The reshuffle saw significant changes in key ministerial positions, including the removal of the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, and the Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako-Atta, among others.
In total, 13 ministers and 10 deputies were relieved of their duties, with some being reassigned to different roles within the government.
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Did you forget the sports minister? – Governance lecturer asks Akufo-Addo after reshuffle
A senior lecturer at Central University, Dr Benjamin Otchere Ankrah, has raised questions about President Akufo-Addo‘s recent ministerial reshuffle, particularly regarding the retention of Mustapha Ussif as Minister for Youth and Sports.
During a discussion on Thursday, February 15, 2024, Dr Ankrah expressed surprise at Minister Ussif’s survival in the cabinet shake-up, which saw the dismissal or reassignment of several ministers by the President.
Dr Ankrah criticized Minister Ussif’s performance, citing instances where he believed the minister had failed in his duties.
He highlighted the issue of housing for Black Stars coaches, alleging that the minister had failed to ensure appropriate accommodation and instead spent public funds on a hotel for the coach.
Additionally, Dr Ankrah pointed to the closure of stadiums for events and the lack of transparency regarding budgets for sports tournaments as further reasons for his discontent.
Questioning Minister Ussif’s continued presence in the cabinet, Dr. Ankrah speculated whether the President had overlooked the sports minister during the reshuffle or if someone had intervened to protect his position.
“I was expecting three people to go; Ofori-Atta, Amoako Atta, and the sports minister,” Dr. Ankrah stated, highlighting his disappointment with the reshuffle.
President Akufo-Addo announced changes to his government on February 14, 2024, which included the dismissal of key ministers in the roads, finance, and health sectors. While some ministers were reassigned, new appointments were made to fill the vacancies created by the reshuffle.
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Beyoncé: Star “can open the floodgates” for UK country music
Millions of people watched the Super Bowl to see the Kansas City Chiefs win, Usher roller skating, and the latest news about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.
However, many people thought the best part was a commercial from Beyoncé.
“Okay, they are prepared. “”Get ready for the new music,” she says, talking about the next part of her Renaissance project.
Two new country songs called Texas Hold ‘Em and 16 Carriages were released right away. They are part of the album that will be out next month.
Big artists like Beyoncé bringing country music, it’s just going to open the doors for us,” UK country singer Kezia Gill tells BBC News beat.
Kezia,who is from Derby, thinks that Beyoncé’s music can be enjoyed by everyone.
“Ifind it funny that a lot of people will think Beyoncé came up with this all by herself. “
“But if it can attract a lot of people of the same age, then it will be really great. “
Beyoncé recently announced her new project,shortly after Lana Del Rey confirmed that she is working on her first country album, Lasso, back in February.
UK artist Jess Thristan believes that it is important for female artists to release country music in order to help the genre grow,especially for women trying to make it in the industry.
Taylor Swift’s music album Fearless, released in 2008,helped make country pop music more understandable and enjoyable for young people.
Her new version of Fearless,called Fearless (Taylor’s Version), is currently the most popular country album in the UK. But Jess generally feels that the country music genre is mostly controlled by men and has a lot of stereotypes.
“In the UK, we have a great lineup of new female country singers. “
“I believe we are trying to change the idea of what male country artists are like, and to show people all the greatthings women are doing in the industry. “
Jess from Halifax says if you’re feeling inspired by Beyoncé and Lana’s new songs, go to a country show in the UK.
‘The dream is to be accepted. ‘
Roisin O’Connor, who works at The Independent with music, believes that Beyonce’s new music could change country music a lot.
“Since Beyonce is one of the most popular artists in the world, this could really get the UK excited,” she says.
I think you could call it the last place where things are discovered. It’s the one type of music that people in the UK don’t really understand yet.
“Many people in the UK like country music, but it’s not played as often on the radio compared to other types of music. “
Roisin thinks country music has had problems with being “closed off” to new ideas.
The radio station in Oklahoma didn’t want to play Beyoncé’s new songs at first, but now they have changed their mind and will play them.
“Roisin says the industry has a long history of not accepting or recognizing black artists. “
“It has also had some issues with women and creating narrow ideas about what a female country artist should be like. “
For me, this is Beyoncé asserting her position. She was raised in a place where country music is popular [Houston, Texas], so she has the same right as anyone else to make a country album.
Kezia thinks it would be really great if people in the UK accepted her type of music.
She said that people have a bad habit of saying “country and UK country. “
“It’s not the UK. “There is no music from the UK in the pop or jazz genre. It’s only music like jazz, pop, and country.
“Sometimes people think it’s just about line dancing and cowboys, but that’s not true. ” It’s not true, it’s a story.
I believe being accepted means we can perform at festivals instead of just performing on a country stage. “toonly be on the main stages,” she says. -
Journalist assaulted by 2 policemen for filming district assembly inauguration
Safety of journalists executing their duties has been called into question following reports of physical aggression, verbal abuse, and obstruction faced by Ralph Apetorgbor, the Consulting Editor of Telegraph Ghana, while covering the district assembly inauguration ceremony at the Ga Central Municipal Assembly.
The incident, which occurred on Monday, February 12, 2024, has sparked outrage in the area and brought attention to the challenges faced by journalists, particularly during an election year.
According to Apetorgbor’s account of the incident, he was covering the election of the presiding member at the assembly’s forecourt when he was approached by two police officers.
They accused him of filming the proceedings without authorization and demanded to see the photos on his camera. Despite his refusal to comply, one officer attempted to seize his camera.
Eyewitnesses corroborated Apetorgbor’s account, stating that the journalist refused to allow access to his camera, leading to a confrontation with the police officers.
Apetorgbor further described how he was physically pushed outside the premises by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Richard Kungu and Chief Inspector Aikins, who subjected him to verbal abuse. He highlighted the unprofessional conduct of the Sowutuom police officers, which hindered his ability to report on the proceedings.
Following the conclusion of the ceremony, Apetorgbor alleged that he was again confronted by ASP Kungu, who, along with Inspector Aikins, verbally assaulted and threatened him. The officers reportedly boasted about their impunity and threatened further violence against journalists.
Apetorgbor has since lodged complaints with the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr. George Akufo Dampare, and the Private Newspaper Publishers Association of Ghana (PRINPAG). He plans to officially file a complaint against the officers for threatening him, obstructing his professional duties, and verbally assaulting him.
As of now, the Sowutuom police command has not commented on the matter.
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Pastor imprisoned for molesting young escapees from North Korea sexually
A pastor from South Korea, who was once praised for helping hundreds of North Koreans escape, has been put in prison for sexually hurting young people who had fled from North Korea.
Chun Ki-won, 67, has been given a five-year prison sentence for touching children inappropriately at the school he ran in Seoul.
For many years, people saw the pastor as a saviour. They called him an “Asian Schindler” and said his operations were like an “Underground Railroad” for people escaping the North’s government.
He got caught by the police in Seoul in September.
The police said he did something bad to six teenagers from North Korea. They were staying at the school he started.
Chun said he didn’t do it, but the court decided the victims’ proof was undeniable.
“The victims are saying the same things, and it includes details that only someone who experienced the situation first-hand would know,” said Judge Seung-jeong Kim of the Seoul Central District Court.
The judge said that Chun did bad things when he had a lot of power.
He was found to have done bad things to kids in five out of six cases. Some of the kids had run away by themselves, and others had left with their families who were helped by Chun’s mission.
Chun started Durihana, a well-known charity in South Korea that helps North Koreans escape through China.
He says he has helped over 1,000 North Koreans get away from the strict Kim family rule in the last 25 years. Pyongyang has criticized him for his work.
In 2002, he was in the news because he was put in prison in China for seven months while trying to escape.
He set up a school for kids whose parents left North Korea. Many news outlets, like BBC and CNN, made stories about his work.
The media often said he was like Oskar Schindler, who saved over 1,100 Jews during the Holocaust.
South Korea is really surprised by his arrest and conviction, and everyone’s been talking about his trial this week.
The news on TV showed an older person named Chun wearing a white outfit and being taken to court with handcuffs on, surrounded by guards. -
Kazakhstan: Massive methane leak persisted for months
Last year, a really big methane leak happened at a faraway well in Kazakhstan. New research shared with the media has confirmed it was one of the worst ever.
Around 127,000 tonnes of gas escaped when a blowout caused a fire that lasted for over six months.
Methane is a stronger greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.
Buzachi Neft, the company that owns the well, says they did not leak a lot of methane.
The amount of pollution from the leak is like the pollution from driving 717,000 cars for a year.
Manfredi Caltagirone, who heads the UN’s International Methane Emissions Observatory, said that the size and how long the leak has been happening is really uncommon. “It is very large. ”
The leak started on 9 June 2023 when a problem happened while drilling for oil in the Mangistau region, southwest Kazakhstan. It caused a fire that burned until the end of the year.
It was only stopped on December 25th, 2023. Local officials told the news that they are currently using cement to close the well.
Natural gas is mostly made of methane, a gas that you can’t see.
However, when sunlight goes through a group of methane, it makes a one-of-a-kind mark that certain satellites can follow.
The French company Kayrros was the first to study this methane leak. The Netherlands Institute for Space Research and the Polytechnic University of Valencia in Spain have confirmed their analysis.
Scientists saw lots of methane in the air 115 times between June and December when they looked at the satellite information.
According to the readings, they found out that 127,000 tonnes of methane came out of this one well.
This could be the second biggest man-made methane leak ever.
Luis Guanter from the Polytechnic University of Valencia said that only the Nord Stream sabotage could have caused a bigger leak.
In September 2022, two pipelines that carry Russian gas to Germany were damaged by explosions under the water. This caused a release of up to 230,000 tonnes of methane gas into the air.
The International Energy Agency says that methane is to blame for around 30% of the increase in global temperatures since the Industrial Revolution.
Satellite readings can sometimes be influenced by things like clouds, but scientists are very confident that a lot of methane came out of this one well.
“MrGuanter found methane gas clouds using five different satellite instruments that are sensitive to methane. ” “Each tool checks for methane in its own way, but we got the same results from all of them. ”
The Department of Ecology in the Mangistau region said that the amount of methane in the air was too high 10 times between 9 June and 21 September.
It was also reported that after the accident, the amount of methane in the air was 50 times more than what is allowed.
However, Buzachi Neft, the company from Kazakhstan that owns the well, says that it did not release a lot of methane gas.
The company says there was only a very small amount of gas in the well, and any leaked methane would have burned off when it came out of the hole.
It also thinks that only water vapor escaped into the air, creating big white clouds that could be seen from space.
“We have handled the situation carefully,” said Daniyar Duisembayev, the company’s deputy director for strategic development, to the media. -
Mahama extends condolences to Namibia on passing of President Hage G. Geingob
Former President John Dramani Mahama has extended his heartfelt condolences to the people of the Republic of Namibia following the passing of President Hage G. Geingob, hailing him as “a patriot and a freedom fighter.”
In a statement released today, Mahama expressed his deepest sympathies to the people of Namibia and the family of President Hage Geingob. Writing in the book of condolence at the High Commission of Namibia in Ghana, Mahama also conveyed his sympathies to the Namibian community in Ghana and the High Commissioner.
President Hage G. Geingob, aged 82, passed away on Sunday at the Lady Pohamba Hospital in Windhoek, Namibia, after a battle with cancer. His passing comes less than three weeks after it was announced that he would undergo treatment for the illness.
Mahama recalled the strong and enduring relationship between Ghana and Namibia, reflecting on conversations he shared with President Geingob about the struggle for freedom from apartheid and Ghana’s pivotal role in the liberation of Africa. He fondly reminisced about their discussions during a summit held in Malta, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to share those moments with President Geingob and his wife.
Madam Selma Ashipala-Musavyi, the Namibian High Commissioner to Ghana, described the late President as a true Pan-Africanist, emphasizing his dedication to the principles of unity and liberation across the continent. She announced that President Geingob would be laid to rest on Sunday, February 25, 2024.
In honor of President Geingob’s memory, a memorial service is scheduled to take place at the Accra International Conference Centre on Saturday, February 17, 2024. The event will serve as an opportunity for dignitaries and members of the public to pay their respects and celebrate the life and legacy of the late President.
As Ghana and Namibia mourn the loss of a revered leader, the outpouring of condolences from Mahama and others underscores the profound impact of President Geingob’s contributions to Africa and the enduring spirit of solidarity and unity he embodied.
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Election postponement in Senegal declared illegal
Senegal’s top court said that postponing this month’s elections goes against the country’s constitution.
The Constitutional Council canceled President Macky Sall’s decision and a controversial law passed by parliament, which means the vote will now take place in December.
There are big protests happening in a country in West Africa that used to be known for its strong democracy.
Opposition leaders said it was like a takeover of the constitution.
Mr Sall said he would delay the election because he was worried about whether the opposition candidates were allowed to participate.
He got support from 105 out of 165 MPs for his idea after a heated argument, and the police had to remove some of the opposing MPs from the room. Originally it was suggested to delay the election by six months, but at the last minute it was changed to 10 months, so now the new election date is 15th December.
Mr Sall said again that he does not want to run for office again. But people who disagree with him said he either wants to stay in charge or wants to have too much control over the next leader.
The court’s decision on Thursday evening will make opposition candidates and lawmakers who had filed legal challenges to the bill feel justified.
Khalifa Sall, a top challenger and a former mayor of Dakar, who is not a relative of the president, said the delay was like a “constitutional coup. ” Another candidate, Thierno Alassane Sall, who is also not related, called it “high treason. ”
The court said the election can’t happen on February 25, but they want it to happen as soon as they can.
Mr Sall has not responded to the decision yet. His second time in office ends on April 2nd.
The election might happen before April, but the arguments that caused the polls to be delayed are still not fixed. These include claims of corruption in the Constitutional Council and objections from opposition candidates who were not included in the candidate list last month.
Carrying out the elections with the controversial candidate list could cause more protests and fighting by the followers of the people who are not allowed to run, especially Ousmane Sonko, who is very popular among young Senegalese.
Many candidates have not been campaigning since President Sall issued his decree on 3 February, just before campaigns were supposed to start.
The decision comes at the same time as a few opposition politicians and members of civil society were let out of jail. Some people in the country think this was done to make the public happy.
Senegal has been known for a long time as one of the most stable countries with a democratic government in the area. This country in mainland West Africa has never had a military takeover. It has changed leaders three times without much trouble and never before pushed back a presidential election until now. -
Bawumia is an inexperienced mate without driver’s license, don’t trust him – Kwaku Boahen
A former Deputy Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Kwaku Boahen, has sparked controversy by questioning the fitness of Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to assume the presidency of Ghana.
Boahen’s remarks came during a panel discussion on UTV’s Kokrokoo programme, where he highlighted Vice President Bawumia’s self-description as a “driver’s mate” in relation to his influence within the government of President Akufo-Addo.
The former NDC official argued that Vice President Bawumia’s acknowledgment of himself as a “driver’s mate” raises doubts about his competency for the highest office in the land.
Boahen contended that a “driver’s mate,” by definition, lacks the qualifications and experience to drive a vehicle, casting aspersions on Bawumia’s suitability for the presidency.
Furthermore, Boahen accused Vice President Bawumia of dishonesty, alleging that he has a propensity for lying. He criticized Bawumia for making promises that he purportedly failed to fulfill, branding him as one of the politicians who “lies his way through government.”
Boahen’s rhetoric intensified as he posed a rhetorical question, questioning the wisdom of entrusting the presidency to someone he deemed inexperienced and untrustworthy. He analogized the situation to entrusting a car to a mate without a driver’s license or driving experience.
The former NDC official’s comments have ignited debate and drawn mixed reactions from the public, with some expressing agreement with his sentiments while others vehemently oppose them. The controversy underscores the deep-seated political divisions and rivalries that continue to characterize Ghana’s political landscape.
As the nation prepares for the upcoming presidential elections, the debate over Vice President Bawumia’s competency is likely to intensify, with both supporters and detractors scrutinizing his credentials and track record.
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Hunter Biden and Burisma: FBI source accused of fabricating allegations of Biden bribery
A former FBI informant has been accused of lying about a plan to get money illegally from a Ukrainian company, involving President Joe Biden and his son Hunter.
Alexander Smirnov, who is 43 years old, is being accused of saying things that are not true about the Bidens getting money from a company called Burisma that works with energy.
The Justice Department said Mr Smirnov lied to the FBI because he didn’t like President Biden.
The Republicans used his statements to try to impeach Mr.
Hunter Biden will speak to the House Oversight Committee this month about the things people are saying about him, even though he says they’re not true.
Mr Smirnov was taken into custody in Las Vegas on Thursday after coming back from a trip outside the country, according to the Justice Department. He was accused of lying and making up fake documents.
Special Counsel David Weiss accused Mr Smirnov of giving wrong information to the FBI about the president and his son in June 2020.
This info was given after Mr. Biden became the Democratic nominee for the 2020 election, prosecutors said. Smirnov had shown bias against the former vice-president before this.
Republican members of Congress have been using Mr. Smirnov’s claims for the past year to investigate and possibly remove President Biden from office.
When the investigation was announced, former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said that a reliable FBI informant claimed that the Biden family was offered a bribe.
Republicans asked the FBI to share their notes about Mr. Smirnov’s statements and they were successful.
At that time, important Republicans in Congress said the claim was not proven, and there was no proof that Joe Biden got money from Ukraine.
Mr Smirnov said that Burisma hired the president’s son, Hunter, to keep them safe from problems because of his dad, during meetings in 2015 and 2016.
At that time, Mr. Biden was the second-in-command to Barack Obama, and his son Hunter was on the board of a company called Burisma.
Burisma was also being looked into by the Ukrainian prosecutor for possible criminal activity.
Mr Smirnov said the company gave $5 million to Mr. Biden and his son so that Hunter could help with the company’s legal problems because of his dad.
The prosecutors said that Mr. Smirnov only talked with Burisma officials in 2017, after Mr. Biden was not vice-president anymore and after the Ukrainian Prosecutor General had been fired in February 2016.
“In simple terms, the indictment said that when Joe Biden couldn’t affect US policy and the Prosecutor General was no longer in office,”
The prosecutors said that Mr. Smirnov turned his regular business dealings with Burisma into accusations of bribery against Joe Biden in 2017 because he didn’t like the president and didn’t want him to win the election.
When FBI agents asked Mr. Smirnov again in 2023, he allegedly changed parts of his story and made new accusations after saying he had met with Russian officials.
If found guilty, Mr Smirnov could be in prison for up to 25 years. -
McCann suspect faces unrelated sex offences in Germany
The main person accused of making three-year-old Madeleine McCann disappear is going to court in Germany on Friday for different sex crimes.
Christian Brückner will go to court in the city of Braunschweig. He is accused of raping three people and sexually abusing two others between 2000 and 2017 in Portugal.
He is already in prison for seven years for raping someone.
Brückner has not been accused of making Madeleine McCann go missing.
He said he didn’t do it.
A three-year-old girl from Britain went missing from a vacation apartment in Praia da Luz in Portugal in 2007. It’s still one of the most well-known cases of someone who is missing in the world.
Christian Brückner, who is 47 years old, was named by German investigators in 2020 as a suspect in a murder case. He was then formally accused by Portuguese authorities.
But Brückner has not been officially accused in the McCann case, and the German investigation details have not been made public.
Caution: Some of the information about the German case might be upsetting.
On Friday, he will appear in court in Braunschweig, Lower Saxony for the first time since being connected to Madeleine McCann’s disappearance.
He is being accused of five different crimes in Portugal. The trial will be decided by judges, not a jury.
A woman between 70 and 80 years old was raped in her vacation home in Portugal sometime between 2000 and 2006.Between 2000 and 2006, a girl who speaks German was raped at a house in Praia de Luz where she lived. She was at least 14 years old.
In 2004, a woman from Ireland was raped in her vacation apartment in Praia da Rocha. It is said that the man broke in from her balcony.
In all three instances of rape, Brückner is accused of hitting the victim and recording the attacks.
In 2007, a 10-year-old German girl was sexually abused at a beach in Salema. This happened 3. 5 weeks before Madeleine McCann went missing.
In 2017, during a festival in Bartolomeu de Messines, a man made an 11-year-old girl watch a sex act at a playground.
The trial is happening in the north-western state of Lower Saxony because that’s where Brückner was last officially signed up.
Under German law, he might go to prison for five to 15 years if he is proven to be guilty.
Brückner’s lawyer, Friedrich Fülscher, said before that the accusations are not solid and recently told the BBC that he thinks his client will not say much during the trial.
The lawyer said not to think badly about it.
Christian Brückner was born in Germany in December 1976 and spent time in foster care when he was young.
Authorities say that Brückner lived in the Algarve from 1995 to 2007 and worked in various jobs during that time.
BBC Panorama looked at some of his records from Portugal. They show that he has been convicted many times for small crimes, stealing and rape.
After Madeleine McCann went missing, they didn’t look into Brückner very much.
However, the police in Portugal said they think the parents of the three-year-old are possibly involved.
In 2008, Kate and Gerry McCann’s suspect status was removed, and they were later given an apology for how the police handled their case.
Bruckner moved between Germany and Portugal many times.
He is in jail for seven years for raping a 72-year-old American tourist in Praia da Luz in 2005.
This trial will decide if he stays in jail after his sentence ends in December 2026. -
Another military man robbed and killed in Ashaiman
Shock and fear have gripped residents of Ashaiman following reports of the murder of a military officer near the Ashaiman Kuffour Station.
The tragic incident, which occurred yesterday, Thursday, February 15, 2024, has sent ripples of apprehension throughout the community as unconfirmed details surrounding the brutal attack continue to emerge.
According to initial reports, the military officer was allegedly robbed and killed while attempting to withdraw money from an ATM in the early hours of the morning.
Rumors circulating in the town suggest that the deceased officer’s pregnant wife had been admitted to a local hospital, necessitating urgent financial assistance for her treatment.
It is believed that the officer, in a desperate bid to obtain funds for his wife’s medical expenses, ventured to a nearby ATM belonging to his bank. However, tragedy struck when he was ambushed and attacked by unknown assailants, resulting in his untimely demise.
Despite the incident occurring yesterday, the information has only begun to spread throughout the town, sparking widespread fear and apprehension among residents.
The prospect of a potential military intervention in response to the murder has heightened tensions, leaving many residents on edge and fearful of further violence.
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Congress: Opposition party in India says bank accounts “frozen”
India’s main opposition group, the Congress party, says the government has stopped them from using their bank accounts before the upcoming elections.
The party mentioned that the IT officials allowed them to use the money in the accounts until the court makes a decision.
Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said that stopping the funds is like attacking democracy.
The government or the IT department have not replied to the accusations.
Ajay Maken, a leader of Congress, said on Friday that the party found out two days ago that the checks it was giving out were not being accepted by banks.
Upon checking, the party was informed that “all their accounts had been stopped from being used”.
Mr Maken said that the party got money from online fundraising, and the youth wing got money from membership fees. He said that the bank stopped the accounts of the young members of the Indian Youth Congress.
Mr Maken said we don’t have money to pay for electricity or salaries for our workers. This will affect all the activities of our party.
He said they took action because the party filed their income tax returns 45 days late for 2018-2019.
The IT department wants Congress to pay 2. 1 billion rupees as a “recovery” amount.
Vivek Tankha, a leader of the Congress party, said that the court will listen to the party’s request for temporary help from the actions of the IT department on Wednesday.
Critics say that the BJP, led by Narendra Modi, is using government resources to go after opposition leaders before the elections. Modi and the BJP say the accusation is not true. -
Amorous relationships at Jubilee House; Bongo Ideas fingers Kojo Oppong
Startling revelations have emerged regarding the abrupt removal of Kojo Oppong Nkrumah from his position as Minister of Information, with allegations of involvement in amorous relationships with female staffers at both the Ministry and the Presidency.
According to Ghanaian netizen Albert Nat Hyde, popularly known as Bongo Ideas, the decision to remove Kojo Oppong Nkrumah from his ministerial post was driven by concerns surrounding his alleged engagement in romantic relationships with several female employees.
The claims, brought to light by netizen, Bongo Ideas, have sent shockwaves through the corridors of power and cast a shadow over the former Minister’s tenure.
The allegations suggest that Kojo Oppong Nkrumah’s conduct may have compromised the integrity of his office and tarnished his reputation, prompting authorities to take precautionary measures to safeguard the government’s image.
While details surrounding the alleged relationships remain murky, his removal from the position of Information Minister is viewed as a cautionary move aimed at averting further damage to his reputation and the government’s credibility.
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Robert Hur: House Republicans to hear testimony from Biden’s special counsel
Special Counsel Robert Hur has been asked to investigate how President Joe Biden dealt with secret papers. He will go before Congress to talk about it in March.
American news outlets said that Mr. Hur will speak to a group of Republican politicians about what he knows on March 12.
The news comes after Mr. Hur raised concerns about the president’s memory and mental health in his report.
Mr Biden had a strong reaction to the 345-page report.
“I know exactly what I’m doing. ” I was the president and I made this country strong again. Last week, the president said he doesn’t want his recommendation.
House Republicans want to talk to Mr. Hur about what he said about the president’s memory.
They also asked him to give them the recordings and written versions of his interviews with Mr Biden that he made during his investigation that lasted a year.
The US Justice Department said last week that Mr. Biden won’t be charged for keeping and sharing secret information as a private citizen.
The shocking part of the report was that one of the reasons Mr. Hur didn’t prosecute the 81-year-old president was because of Mr.
The special counsel said that most people would see Mr. Biden as a nice old man with a bad memory, not as someone who did something wrong.
The way he was described is a big problem for his campaign to get re-elected. Biden, his friends, and lawyers didn’t like it.
A letter from the White House Counsel to the Attorney General said that the special counsel broke the rules by making comments about Mr. Biden’s mental capacity. This was reported by Politico and the New York Times.
“The Special Counsel can say that the President didn’t remember a specific fact or series of events,” Mr. Siskel wrote in the letter, which was written on February 7th but first reported on Thursday.
“His report also says the President has trouble remembering things in general, which doesn’t have anything to do with enforcing the law. ”
The White House did not answer a question about the topic.
Mr Hur wrote a report after investigating Mr Biden’s handling of secret documents from when he was vice president for a year. The investigation included talking to the president.
The special investigator said that Mr Biden, who is 81 years old, knowingly kept secret documents after he stopped being vice president in 2017. He said it would be hard to prove Mr. Biden’s guilt due to his age, mental fitness, and behavior.
Sometimes, he used certain moments that Mr. Biden and his friends described as very personal.
In one part, he gave an example of the president’s memory, saying that Mr. Biden didn’t remember when his son Beau died, even though it was just a few years ago.
Some Republicans are criticizing Mr. Biden’s mental abilities and age as he tries to get re-elected for a second term as President.
At the same time, Democrats say that Mr. Hur, a Republican who was chosen by former president Donald Trump for the job of US attorney for the District of Maryland, is biased for political reasons.
After the report came out, Mr. Biden held a surprise news conference and said strongly, “My memory is good. ”
The president was angry and asked how could he dare to bring up that topic, referring to the claim that he couldn’t remember when his son died. -
Trump hit with $370 million fine in fraud trial in New York
The future of Donald Trump’s family business could be decided on Friday when a judge in New York is expected to give a decision in his civil fraud trial.
The old president, his grown-up sons, and his company were found guilty of lying about the value of their assets to get more money from banks.
The lawyers want the judge to make Mr. Trump pay a large amount of money and limit his business activities in the state.
That is a huge amount of money, even for someone who is extremely rich. Legal experts told the BBC that a really big fine, along with a possible final decision that could greatly affect his real estate business, could really hurt Mr.
“He won’t just start being a working class person,” said Diana Florence, a former federal prosecutor. It will just be a big amount of money. His money will be much less.
The New York Attorney General Letitia James said that the Trumps should pay $370 million as a penalty for making money through fraud.
She figured out the total using three things: money Trump may have made from interest on loans by giving incorrect information about his assets; extra pay for Trump Organization workers involved in the plan; and money from two property deals that James claims were obtained dishonestly.
Judge Arthur Engoron will decide how much money will need to be paid when he gives his decision.
No matter how much it is, Mr. Trump would also have to pay interest every year on the fine. The interest would go back several years to when the alleged crimes happened. The 9% interest rate in New York means that Mr. Trump may have to pay a lot more money in addition to the penalty.
Mr Trump says he didn’t do anything wrong and that the banks actually made money from his investments, so there was no crime. He will ask for another trial, which would stop the decision until a higher court looks at the case.
If he doesn’t want to pay the fine or risk losing his belongings while waiting for the appeal, he still needs to give all the money to the court within 30 days.