TIG Post

Author: Chris Kodo

  • AIDS Commission says Ghana needs about $86m to eliminate HIV/AIDS

    AIDS Commission says Ghana needs about $86m to eliminate HIV/AIDS

    The Ghana AIDS Commission has disclosed that the country needs about US $ 86 million to eliminate the disease.

    It is estimated that Ghana needs about $132 million to effectively fight new HIV infections to ensure its elimination by 2030.

    Currently, funds from donor partners such as the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the Global Fund, and UNAIDS amount to $45.2 million, leaving a funding deficit of more than 86 million dollars.

    If Ghana does not make up for the deficit in funding, it may miss the target to eliminate the disease at the set target.

    Dr Kyeremeh Atuahene, the Director General of the Ghana AIDS Commission disclosed this in an interview on the sideline of a USAID Focal Country Collaboration (FCC) Plan Workshop organised by SEND Ghana, in Accra, on Tuesday.

    He indicated that the situation could erode the successes made in reducing new infections over the years.

    “We have to find a way of filling this huge funding gap, otherwise, we stand the risk of reversing the gains that we have spent many years and resources to make,” he said.

    The FCC Plan involves USAID, Global Fund, UNAIDS, Government of Ghana (GOG) jointly promoting human rights, reducing stigmatisation and discrimination against Persons Living with HIV (PLHIV), Key Populations and Tuberculosis patients, and ensuring progress towards achieving the 10-10-10 society enablers.

    The objective of the workshop was to, therefore, review and prioritise the FCC Project activities for the next two years.

    Dr Atuahene called on Ghanaians to support the AIDS Commission to address the funding gap.

    He also called for funding support for constitutionally mandated bodies to protect the rights of vulnerable groups like People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV).

    Dr Atuahene noted that human rights protection was a function of law and indicated that they were constitutional and legally mandated bodies to enforce laws and protect the human rights of the citizens of the country.

    He said concentrating funding on only Non-Governmental Organisations at the expense of such bodies was inimical to the fight against the disease.

    “NGOs can contribute, but they have serious limitations when it comes to, you know, formulating laws and enforcing laws. That is not within their domain. And so, when we concentrate funding in the hands of NGOs at the exclusion of these state agencies, with the legal mandate for human rights and law enforcement, we end up not getting the optimal benefits of the investment we make with such resources.

    “So, I am emphasising that we give funding to such bodies through the Ghana AIDS Commission so that those bodies like the Attorney General’s Department, the judicial service and all the law enforcement agencies, the prison service, the police, and the others, they all play critical role reducing stigma and eliminating stigma and discrimination in this country. And so, we have to work with them,” he added.

  • Asani Tano demands for the arrest Kennedy Agyapong and ex-Fomena over bribery allegations

    Asani Tano demands for the arrest Kennedy Agyapong and ex-Fomena over bribery allegations

    Political analyst Yaw Asani Tano has demanded the arrest of Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, a candidate for the New Patriotic Party’s presidential nomination, and Kwasi Nti, the party’s former chairman in the Adansi Fomena Constituency.

    According to him, the two ought to be arrested and prosecuted for the payment and receipt of bribery respectively.

    “I am calling for the arrest of Mr Kennedy Agyapong and also Kwasi Nti, the former chairman for Adansi Fomena. Mr Kennedy Agyapong himself has come out to say he gave a bribe of one million Ghana cedi to Kwasi Nti to resign. It was a demand by the independent candidate,” Adansi Tano stated while appearing as a guest on UTV’s morning show on Tuesday, April 18, 2023.

    His call comes after the flagbearer hopeful during an interaction with some delegates of the NPP disclosed that he played a key role in the NPP securing the majority in the 8th Parliament after he paid a million cedis to the then NPP chairman of Adansi Fomena, Kwasi Nti.

    The payment according to Kennedy Agyapong was to facilitate the resignation of the chairman as demanded by the independent Member of Parliament for Adansi Fomena, Andrew Amoako Asiamah.

    But speaking on UTV, Mr Tano who described the action by Kennedy Agyapong as undemocratic and unparliamentary and said the two actors ought to face prosecution for their actions.

    “So to pay a bribe for somebody to resign for the NPP to have majority… My challenge is that Honourable Kennedy Agyapong has been preaching against corruption. Recently during the election of MCEs, the nominee for Kumawu confessed to paying a thousand cedis each to every voter and was subsequently arrested. The media propagated the issue so much that the man had to be arrested. Vicky Hamah under John Mahama insinuated that she is working towards amassing a million dollars in politics and she was fired.

    “So if an honourable member of parliament comes to say that he gave one million Ghana cedis for somebody to resign per the demand of the independent candidate, I am calling on Mr Dampare to arrest him for prosecution,” he stated.

    Yaw Adansi Tano further called on the NPP to disqualify the Assin Central Member of Parliament from contesting for the party’s flagbearership race.

    “Again, I am calling on the party vetting community to disqualify Mr Kennedy Agyapong for giving bribe for somebody to resign from his position,” he said.

  • Govt to tackle Bawku conflict head-on

    Govt to tackle Bawku conflict head-on

    Government has reaffirmed its commitment to resolving the Bawku conflict.

    The Minister of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Stephen Asamoah-Boateng, who gave the assurance, said addressing the issue will be a major preoccupation of the government, and as such everything will be done to prevent its escalation.

    He, therefore, appealed to the feuding factions in the fratricidal conflict to support the government’s bid to use dialogue to bring lasting peace to the area.

    Mr Asamoah-Boateng said this in an interview with the Daily Graphic yesterday after he had called on the factions in the conflict in Bawku.

    It was his first trip to the area since assuming office a fortnight ago.

    The separate meetings, which were attended by traditional leaders of the parties, were held behind closed doors.

    Finding lasting solution

    Notwithstanding the quest for lasting peace in the area, Mr Asamoah-Boateng said, the journey would be undertaken without compromising the rule of law.

    “I know there will be difficulties along the way; there will be challenges; there will be compromises, but I know that the core values will be protected so that you don’t compromise too much,” he added.

    The minister indicated that the government had a very well laid out plan to prioritise areas that required immediate attention to bring closure to those protracted matters.

    At the heart of the Kusasi-Mamprusi conflict are issues over litigation over allodial rights and chieftaincy.

    Both sides claim allodial ownership of Bawku.

    Mr Asamoah-Boateng described the trip as a listening engagement which was done with open-mindedness and said the next move was to put together a road map, with the input of all parties, taking cognisance of previous attempts.

    He commended both sides for the reception and their clear support, which was an indication of their recognition that the government wanted to tackle the problem and resolve it once and for all.

    Responsibility

    The Chieftaincy Minister further said he had made it clear to the factions that the responsibility of the government was to maintain law and order for people to go about their duties peacefully, ensure respect for the rule of law and protect freedom of expression.

    All those, he indicated, would be recognised along the way and acknowledged the fact that there would be challenges, the need for compromises in the process, and the requirement for give and take.

    He said the government also recognised that there were core positions or areas that should be recognised to provide a win-win situation for both sides so that they could live in peace as one people.

    Grievances
    Mr Asamoah-Boateng urged all interested parties to come to the table with their grievances and not to take entrenched positions while inflaming passions with their actions and commentary, adding that those with extremist stance must calm down and join the mainstream discussion.

    He emphasised that no breach of the law would be countenanced because it was the responsibility of the state to protect all its citizens and curb or deal with illegalities according to the rule of law.

    Security threat
    He bemoaned the fact that themajority of issues affecting the security of the state were chieftaincy-related, saying it was worrying that most of those involved brother against brother and people of the same family and with emotional attachment.

  • Hakimi’s mother details why she defended her son’s decision to have his fortune in her name

    Hakimi’s mother details why she defended her son’s decision to have his fortune in her name

    Hakimi and Abouk, who have been married for some years and have two children together, separated earlier this year after Hakimi was accused of rape. Since then, their divorce case has been making headlines, with reports suggesting that Abouk is seeking to claim half of Hakimi’s assets and fortune.

    However, it was later revealed that Hakimi had transferred all his wealth to his mother’s name, leaving Abouk surprised and reportedly angered.

    When asked about the matter, Saida Mouh said that if her son had indeed transferred his wealth to her, then she was not aware of it. Nevertheless, she said that there was nothing wrong with such a decision, and it was only meant to protect her son’s interests.

    “If he has taken any action to protect himself, I’m unaware of it,” Mouh said, as quoted by Morocco World News. “What’s the problem if the news is true? If my son does not do this, he will not be able to get rid of that woman [Hiba Abouk].”

    Hakimi has not publicly commented on the matter yet. However, the news has sparked a debate on social media, with some people supporting Hakimi’s decision to protect his assets, while others criticizing him for not being transparent about it.

    In any case, it remains to be seen how Hakimi’s divorce case will unfold and what impact his decision to transfer his fortune to his mother will have on the final settlement.

  • I don’t celebrate Christmas or Easter because it is not in the bible – Osebo

    I don’t celebrate Christmas or Easter because it is not in the bible – Osebo

    Ghanaian businessman and fashionista, Richard Brown better known as Osebo The Zaraman has revealed that he does not subscribe to Christmas and Easter celebrations like most Christians do.

    The popular figure who worships with the Kristo Asafo church said the two Christian celebrations had no biblical basis hence his refusal to indulge in them.

    Osebo made the startling revelation in an interview with blogger, Zion Felix on his Youtube channel.

    Addressing the similarities between his mode of worship and that of religious leader, Ajagurajah, Osebo noted they both did not celebrate these festivals

    “I don’t celebrate Christmas and Easter but I celebrate New Year because it’s the only one that has been prescribed,” He noted “In my church, the 1st of April is our New Year, that’s all we celebrate. We use a different calendar because there are only 12 hours in a day, not 24 hours,”

    Citing an example, Osebo mentioned that it would be wrong to celebrate the death of a loved one with the same object that killed him.

    “Imagine you lose your dad and he was killed by a tree. Do you think it’s reasonable to go to the forest each year to go and celebrate the tree that killed him like you people do when it’s time for easter? Are you remembering their pain??” he quizzed

    Rather he encouraged Christians to eagerly participate in the Lord’s Supper which has been mandated as a memorial to honour the death of Christ.

    “Which part of the bible asks us to celebrate Christmas?? It was instituted by Emperor Constantine. The Bible asks us to celebrate the Lord’s Supper so you are ignoring the bible and using what a man laid down,” he pointed out.

  • Ghanaians shouldn’t tolerate those lookalikes – Ras Kuuku

    Ghanaians shouldn’t tolerate those lookalikes – Ras Kuuku

    Ras Kuuku born Kojo Kurankye, a singer, has slammed Ghanaians over the current look-alike craze claiming there’s nothing funny, jovial, or comic about it.

    He told Amansan Krakye in an interview “People shouldn’t see this thing as funny or comic because it’s nothing like that and we shouldn’t joke with the work of an artiste.

    “If they continue on that tangent it’ll make the whole thing seem like we’re joking or engaging in some comedy of a sort,” Ras Kuuku remarked.

    Speaking on Cape Coast-based Property FM, the ‘3 3 & 1’ hitmaker said the wannabe celebs are being mocked by the media outlets who are granting them interviews.

    He added “I don’t agree with those granting the lookalikes interviews in the media space because they ought to know we’re serious-minded people in Ghana.

    “Many artistes have invested hugely into their craft with huge sums of money and now others portray themselves as lookalikes,” he revealed seen by MyNewsGh.com

    “When these lookalikes are granted interviews by the media, they might think they wish them well but they are actually making a mockery of them which they don’t know,” he ended on Property Showbiz.

  • TikTokers like Asantewaa should humble themselves – Ras Kuuku

    TikTokers like Asantewaa should humble themselves – Ras Kuuku

    Reggae musician, Ras Kuuku has criticized Ghanaian TikToker, Asantewaa for saying that “I’m like salt in music promotion, your songs can’t trend without me”.

    “Before the emergence of TikTokers, a lot of artistes were making hits upon hits and even now that they are around there are a lot of hits without them,” he fumed.

    According to Kojo Kurankye aka Ras Kuuku in an interview with Amansan Krakye sighted by MyNewsGh.com, the popular TikTok influencer must learn to humble herself.

    He continued “Those TikTok influencers bragging must learn to humble themselves because if the musician doesn’t do the song where do you stand?

    “None of my songs have so far been given to any TikToker to hype it but my songs reign on TikTok because people use Me Mpaebo every day to do morning devotion.

    “They are not those to determine which songs become hits and so they should humble themselves to feed on the app that has come,” he cautioned on Property FM in Cape Coast.

    “They can’t say that they are the people who control Ghana music but maybe they control some section and not we the real people who do sensible songs,” he ended.

  • Two illegal miners meet their untimely death at Assin Awisam

    Two illegal miners meet their untimely death at Assin Awisam

    Two illegal miners have met their untimely death after a canoe they were traveling on capsized on River Pra at Awisam in the Assin Fosu Municipality of the Central Region.

    Information gathered by Kasapa News’ Yaw Boagyan, indicates that 11 illegal miners were traveling on the canoe which has capacity for 5 people after their illegal mining activity. But along the journey, the canoe capsized when it hit a rock causing the two to drown. The remaining 9 were able to swim to the bank of the river.

    The bodies of the deceased have been deposited at the mortuary.

    Meanwhile, the Assemblyman of the area, Mr. Jerry Ayuba in an interview said this is not the first time such sad incident has happened on that river, adding that the victims involved are mostly youth who seem to value the money they gain from the activities more than their lives.

    He, therefore, advised the youth against engaging in illegal mining.

  • Peter Okoye exposes imposter using his image to scam people

    Peter Okoye exposes imposter using his image to scam people

    Nigerian musician, Peter Okoye, one-half of the music duo Psquare, has shared a video online where he caught a fraudster red-handed using his face on video calls to scam people.

    The video showed the impersonator using old videos of Peter Okoye to deceive unsuspecting individuals.

    In the video call, Peter spoke to one of the fraudster’s victims through a man who knew Peter and informed him of the situation, revealing the tactics of the impersonator.

    The fraudster used an old video recording of Peter Okoye, pretending to be the singer and even claiming he had a show to attend in Abuja, unaware that he had been busted.

    Peter expressed his shock at how people keep falling for these scams, despite the increasing awareness of these fraudulent activities.

    He noted that the fraudsters use old videos in front of victims and communicate with them in the victims background.

    This pushed Peter to urge his fans and the public to be cautious of these fraudulent activities and stay vigilant.

    Peter wrote: “I CAUGHT A FRAUDSTER PRETENDING TO BE ME. How people keep falling these Scammers amazes me! Like how? It has been 2 years I stopped anchoring and calling @zoomupyourlife winners!

    “They Fraudsters insert my old videos in-front of you and start communicating with you in the background! Pls let’s be guided!”

    He warned against giving out personal information or money to people claiming to be him or other celebrities.

    The video serves as a reminder for everyone to be careful online and protect themselves from scammers.

  • Heavy rainstorm wrecks havoc at Dunkwa SHTS

    Heavy rainstorm wrecks havoc at Dunkwa SHTS

    A heavy rainstorm has wrecked havoc at the Dunkwa Senior High Technical School (DSTS).

    More than seven classroom blocks of the school have been destroyed after the heavy downpour at Dunkwa in the Upper Denkyira East Municipality.

    The devastating situation has left the students and teachers with no other option but to study in uncompleted buildings on campus.

    A visit by GhanaWeb saw that the storm had ripped off some roofs of the school, brought down powerlines, and destroyed instrumental materials used by both teachers and students.

    Both students and teachers have called on authorities to come to their aid as the situation is making teaching and learning uncomfortable and difficult.

    Abigail Ampofo, a Form one student, told GhanaWeb that they were scared and unhappy at their current learning blocks as the building was uncompleted and could be hit by unfortunate incidents anytime.

    She has, therefore, called on the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service to, as a matter of urgency, come to their aid to help create a conducive environment for their studies.

    “We can be hit with another disaster as the classroom block we use now is uncompleted, meaning it is not good for use.”

    Patience Larko-Lartey, the headmistress of the school, said in an interview that the downpour had destroyed a seven-unit classroom block and affected parts of the staff common room and administration block, among others.

    She noted that no one was hurt by the unfortunate catastrophe.

    Larko-Lartey, however, appealed to the old students of the school, individuals, and interested parties to come and support the school in constructing the damaged blocks.

    “The situation is unfortunate, and I am pleading with all persons, especially the old students, to come to our aid.”

    Meanwhile, authorities such as the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) and the Assembly have visited the scene, and efforts to resolve the situation are underway.

  • I strongly want to work with 2face – Stonebwoy

    I strongly want to work with 2face – Stonebwoy

    Ghanaian artist Stonebwoy has expressed a strong desire to collaborate with Innocent Ujah Idibia, popularly known as 2Baba, despite having worked with several notable artistes such as Beenie Man, Sean Paul, and Burna Boy in the past.

    During an interview with Pulse, the ‘Gidigba’ artiste spoke highly of the Nigerian music legend and his wish to collaborate with him.

    He stated, “Right now it’s 2face; I just want to get Baba, me, and Baba to work together.”

    In response to a different question, Stonebwoy was asked whether he would eat a bowl of worms and keep $50,000 or a bowl of ice cream and lose half of his wealth.

    Stonebwoy answered saying, he had more than $50,000 and would reject both offers since they weren’t in his favour.

    On April 14, 2023, Stonebwoy hosted a private album listening for his upcoming album, “5th Dimension,” which boasts of several impressive collaborations with artistes from around the world, showcasing his versatility and global appeal.

    The listening session gave media and business partners a sneak peek into what to expect from the highly anticipated album.

  • Roads Minister halts journey to attend to accident victim

    Roads Minister halts journey to attend to accident victim

    Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako-Atta, reportedly halted his convoy on the Tema Motorway to attend to an accident victim.

    According to a news report by UTV, the accident victim was left bleeding on the road after a trailer hit his motor bike.

    The report indicated that no vehicle stopped to help the man till the minister and his entourage, who were on a tour to inspect ongoing road projects, got to the scene of the accident.

    The report indicated that Amoako Atta personally stopped a vehicle to transport the victim to the hospital and gave the driver of the trailer money to cater for the medical expenses.

    It was also indicated in the report that the trailer hit the motor rider when its driver was swerving a vehicle, which stopped abruptly in front of him, to avoid an accident.

  • Beverly Afaglo reveals challenges celebrities go through in marriages

    Beverly Afaglo reveals challenges celebrities go through in marriages

    Ghanaian actress, Beverly Afaglo, has opened up about the challenges associated with celebrity marriages, revealing that a lot is always expected from the couple.

    A graphiconline.com report cited Beverly, who has been married to the Choirmaster of Praye for 11 years, as explaining celebrity marriages can be a bit more expensive than others.

    “Celebrity marriage is just like any other marriage, except that it is a bit more costly because both of you are in the limelight, so a lot is expected from you than other families.

    “Like what you wear, what car you drive, the school your children attend, etc. Apart from that, it is just like any other marriage like I stated earlier. Nobody goes like ‘I am a celebrity’ because if you do that, you are not ready for marriage,” she said.

    Beverly also shared why she keeps her family away from social media, saying, “There is really nothing to put out there. People know we are married, people know we are great together, people know we are in love, and they also know we are a celebrity couple, so I am not trying to prove anything.”

    The Agency actress expressed her concern about the lack of interest among young people who aspire to join the Ghanaian movie industry.

    She finds it mind-boggling that many aspiring actors seem to know very little about the industry.

    “When you sit as a judge on an audition panel, you realize that most of these aspirants don’t even watch our movies, they don’t know the already established actors, they haven’t been to any premiere before, nothing. How then do you want to be an actor when you know nothing about the industry you want to join?

    “And you just get up and you want to be an actor just because you want to be popular? If you really want to be like us, you should be able to attend our movie premieres, our stage plays, etc. and even convince others to do the same,” she added.

  • Public, private partnership is necessary in tackling high cost of fertilizer in Ghana

    Public, private partnership is necessary in tackling high cost of fertilizer in Ghana

    As part of its efforts to help develop actionable and outcome-oriented strategies to address the challenges of fluctuating prices facing Ghana’s fertilizer and agro-input market, the African Fertilizer and Agribusiness Partnership (AFAP), in partnership with Feed the Future Policy LINK, convened a regional conference to discuss innovative approaches to improving the availability and affordability of fertilizer and agro-input to smallholder farmers in Ghana and across Africa.

    The conference, themed ‘The Future of Fertilizer and Agro-inputs in Ghana Towards the Soil Health Summit,’ to be held in Senegal in June, 2023 aimed to address the challenges impacting local supply chains and their negative consequences on the country’s fertilizer and agro-inputs sectors.

    The discussion came at a time when stakeholders believe that government must help to address fertilizer and agro-input price fluctuations and disparities in the local market to protect farmers’ interest and guarantee them sustainable livelihoods.

    The conference brought in more than 100 key stakeholders from government agencies, academia, farmer groups, private sector, other African nationals including notable participation by Yaw Frimpong Addo, Member of Parliament, Deputy Minister, Food and Agriculture Ghana, Godfred Seidu Jaswa, Ranking Member for the Select Committee of Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs at the Parliament of Ghana and Prof. Richard Mkandawire, Director of Africa Secretariat, Alliance for African Partnership (AAP), among others to discuss approaches to improving the availability and affordability of fertilizer and agro-input to smallholder farmers.

    Speaking at the roundtable conference in Accra, Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture Ghana, Yaw Frimpong Addo, disclosed that the Government will need about two billion dollars to establish a fertilizer plant in Ghana to increase the volume of production and resolve the intermittent shortage of the commodity, which affects food production and security.

    According to him, fertilizer production must be crop specific to ensure farmers increased productivity adding that the Fertilizer Council was undertaking a national advocacy to promote organic fertilizer use, especially for vegetables, to facilitate all-year round production.

    “The Ministry would speed up the plan to establish the fertilizer plant because Ghana is blessed with gas deposits, which would facilitate the establishment of the plant and help to cut down cost.

    “We need public, private partnership to establish the fertilizer plant because we are all promoting Integrated Soil Fertility Management System to combine both organic and inorganic fertilizers to increase production levels and improve soil fertility and Government is committed to support and provide enabling environment for us to achieve it” he said.

    Ranking Member, Parliament Select Committee on Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs, Dr. Godfred Seidu Jasaw, supported the call by the minister adding that public, private partnership is critical, especially at this time that we facing fluctuating prices in Ghana’s fertilizer and agro-input market.

    “This would ensure availability and affordability of the commodity by small-holder farmers to improve yield,” he added.

    Chief Executive Officer, AFAP, Michael Sudarkasa, emphasized the need for partnerships and collaboration in addressing the challenges facing the fertilizer and agro-input sectors in Ghana and across Africa.

    He revealed that AFAP is committed to working with all stakeholders to develop practical solutions to the challenges facing the agriculture sector in Ghana.

    Country Lead for Feed the Future Policy LINK, Yunus Abdulai, expressed his appreciation for the active participation of all stakeholders and noted that the discussions would inform the development of evidence-based policy recommendations to support the fertilizer and agro-input sectors in Ghana.

    “We are helping deal with agriculture trade facilitation, seeds, fertilizer, access to finance, and climate change as the five key areas the organisation focused on to ensure holistic solution to the sector challenges,” he added.

    Director, Alliance for African Partnership, Professor Richard Mkandawire, recommended the building of robust small and medium scale enterprises in the fertilizer value-chain to boost production.

    “We need private sector and government to drive the change and transformation of the agriculture sector by leading the advocacy, building infrastructure to ensure accessibility and affordability of fertilizer, and investing in research and extension services to enhance the growth of the sector,” he pointed out.

  • Chairman Wontumi hauls Afia Schwarzenegger to court again

    Chairman Wontumi hauls Afia Schwarzenegger to court again

    Afia Schwarzenegger has been dragged to court once again for violating the terms on which she was freed in an earlier contempt case.

    One can recall that after Chairman Wontumi slapped the comedienne with a defamation lawsuit, she reportedly failed to show up in court despite several cautions.

    Things escalated and she was sentenced to 10 days in prison, on the grounds of Contempt of Court, but she went into complete hiding.

    She later turned herself in, issued an apology with remorse, and her lawyer prayed the court that his client should be made to pay a fine instead.

    It was in the bid to annul the 10-day prison sentence that the socialite was ordered to sign a bond of good behavior for 36 months, in addition to a fine of GHC60,000.

    Afia was also ordered not to comment on the case on any platform during the pendency of the bond, with the court directing that any breach of these orders will warrant the socialite being hauled back.

    But Chairman Wontumi, after analyzing events closely on social media, has come to the realization that the socialite did not heed any of the court’s rules.

    In that regard, Wontumi’s counsel has issued another lawsuit seeking the court to haul back the comedienne.

    “The counsel for and behalf of the applicant herein will move this honorable court for an order praying the honorable court to punish the respondent herein for continuing contempt arising from respondent violation and disobedient to the terms of the judgment of this court,” parts of the statements made available to GhanaWeb read.

    Check out the full statement below:

  • Workers of Tema Oil Refinery embark on industrial action

    Workers of Tema Oil Refinery embark on industrial action

    Workers of Tema Oil Refinery(TOR) have given notice of their intention to embark on a series of actions, including picketing at the Jubilee House, to support their call for the revamping of the refinery.

    Mr. Bernard Owusu, National Chairman of the General Transport Petroleum Chemical Workers Union (GTPCWU), announcing this in a press conference at the forecourt of TOR, said the industrial actions would precede the May Day celebrations.

    Mr. Owusu said other workers would also picket at the premises of the Ministry of Energy and other strategic locations as several calls and meetings with management and government officials had yielded no result.

    He said it was worrying that the refinery, which has the best engineers in the sub-region and has the capacity to refine 45,000 barrels a day, was only carrying finished products instead of fulfilling its core mandate of refining crude.

    He questioned why Ghana has crude oil and yet TOR could not get crude to refine, adding that, almost all the companies created by Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah Ghana’s First President has collapsed.

    He said TOR workers would not allow that to happen to the refinery.

    He reminded the government that if TOR was working at full capacity, it would supply the country with 50 percent of its overall domestic consumption, provide 100 percent of the residual fuel oil (RFO) for industrial operations, provide 20 to 25 percent of LPG consumption, and provide 100 percent of Aviation Turbine Kerosene (ATK).

    The National Chairman of GTPCWU further said that on average, Ghana required about $4.8 billion to import petroleum products per year.

    He said if TOR was producing, the forex requirement for petroleum product imports would significantly reduce by over 50 percent.

    He said other benefits included the lowering of domestic ex-pump prices due to the removal of certain import charges, including the freight rate of about $92/Mt for petrol, $101/Mt for diesel, and $83/Mt for LPG.

    He added that revamping TOR to work at full capacity would also lower the financing charges as these transactions were cedi denominated.

    The Union observed that as Ghana was currently going through financial distress and a debt restructuring programme, significant benefits from TOR’s work should be top on the national agenda.

    “Unless the managers of the country have no confidence in those, they have appointed to manage the TOR facility, the state is responsible and determines those who constitute the Board of Directors and the MD of TOR.

    “Therefore, all past and current operational anomalies and challenges must be borne by the appointing authority of these key critical office holders, knowing very well that all operational controls are a function of management,” he added.

    Mr. Anthony Koomson, Chairman of the Senior Staff Union, reminded the government that when TOR functions, it does not only benefit the staff but all Ghanaians and the economy.

    Mr. Koomson said if the issue has to do with competent management, then the government must appoint the right people.

  • Akufo-Addo, Adwoa Safo in a hearty handshake despite ‘bad blood’

    Akufo-Addo, Adwoa Safo in a hearty handshake despite ‘bad blood’

    President Akufo-Addo and Member of Parliament for the Dome Kwabenya Constituency, Sarah Adwoa Safo, were captured in an amicable posture during the commissioning of the Kwabenya Police Barracks. 

    The two were spotted exchanging pleasantries at the commissioning of the facility which took place on Wednesday, April 19, 2023. 

    It was speculated that there was bad blood between the two following a series of events that occurred within the party. 

    Adwoa Safo had been absent from Parliament for over a year and was not present to vote on crucial policies proposed by the government. 

    She was allegedly not communicating with her party during her absence and this generated a lot of contention between party members and herself. She was accused of deliberately sabotaging the party because she lost her position as Deputy Majority leader. Some MPs on the Majority side were also calling for her resignation since her long absence from official duties was having a toll on the operations of the Majority Caucus in Parliament. 

    Despite duly informing the President of her absence and requesting for leave (through a letter) which was granted and later extended (indefinitely) upon her request, she was accused by the Majority Caucus in Parliament of not informing the House of her absence. 

    She finally appeared on JoyNews explaining the cause of her long absence, attributing it to family issues. 

    “As you know, my son is unwell and has to transition to school, so I have to ensure that all that is settled before I can resume my duties and that is exactly what I am doing,” she said. Months later, she was dismissed by President Akufo-Addo as Gender Minister. It appears both of them are on good terms after all these events.

    At a colourful event to commission for use the newly constructed Dome Kwabenya Police Barracks, the President can be seen holding the hand of the MP in a handshake, with a broad smile. The MP coyly returns the smile.

    Meanwhile, Adwoa Safo has pledged her renewed commitment to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the government of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. She made this known at a meeting with the leadership of the NPP at the party headquarters.

  • African nations must industrialize instead of pleading with the West for aid -Business mogul

    African nations must industrialize instead of pleading with the West for aid -Business mogul

    Group Chairman of Allied Consortiums, Benjamin Kofi Quashie, has said Africa needs to invest more in industrialization by creating an enabling environment for businesses to thrive.

    According to him, it is about time Africa quits running to the Bretton Woods institutions – International Monetary Fund and World Bank for financial assistance anytime they are hit with a crisis.

    He opined that monies received from the West should be used to build or revamp industries.

    Mr Quashie said this would help boost trade as products from these industries would be locally processed for Africans’ perusal and exported as well.

    Locally manufactured goods when exported would also help African countries rake in some money.

    “Africa looks for money from Europe for a lot of things. You think that this free trade agreement is signed and we say let’s go to the West if we have to depend on them for loan to build our own industries, they won’t help? They will because we cannot always go to them cap in hand them to cup and be supporting us here and there,” Benjamin Kofi Quashie told GhanaWeb Business in an exclusive interview.

    “We should also enable that environment where we can say as a continent that enough is enough, we should be able to process our oil and we should be able to export as well,” he stated.

    Speaking in the same vein, the Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Wamkele Mene, stated that intra-Africa trade is the only way to help African economies build robust and more resilient economies to absorb both internal and external shock(s).

    He said intra-Africa trade on the continent will mitigate the risk of reduced support for development finance as there would be a boost in trade which would in turn reflect in the GDP of every African economy.

    They made this known at the AfCFTA Business Forum held in Capetown, South Africa.

  • No woman should depend on any man for survival – Maya Blu

    No woman should depend on any man for survival – Maya Blu

    Ghanaian female artiste, Maya Blu, has revealed that it’s bad for any woman to depend on a man for survival.

    Speaking in a one-on-one interview with blogger and journalist, Attractive Mustapha NII Okai Inusah, in Ho during the VGMA jam, Maya Blu said that there’s nothing more precious and sweet than a woman working hard and having her own money.

    The female artiste who has been nominated in the ‘Unsung’ category for this year’s VGMA, and had the privilege to perform one of her popular songs titled ‘Good girl no they pay’ also said that being a good girl doesn’t pay.

    Explaining, she said the song is actually her personal love story. According to her, she wrote and recorded the song which literally means if you are a good girl it doesn’t mean your man will stay beside you and never leave.

    She narrated how she sacrificed herself a lot in her own relationship with hopes of keeping the man but the man ended up stabbing her in the back.

    “When both of us are hungry, I make sure he eats before I eat. I did everything that a woman is supposed to do for a man to be happy,” she said.

  • Shatta Wale welcomes Gramps Morgan at KIA ahead of album collabo

    Shatta Wale welcomes Gramps Morgan at KIA ahead of album collabo

    Charles Nii Armah Mensah, alias Shatta Wale was at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) on Tuesday evening to welcome Gramps Morgan to Ghana.

    The Morgan Heritage member arrived at the airport to a sizeable welcome crowd and was captured in a video with Shatta Wale making their way out of the facility into a waiting car.

    “GHANA I have touchdown for the @morganheritage @shattawalegh @JChameleone
    Collab on the NEW Morgan Heritage Album “The Homeland” PRE ORDER NOW,” Morgan posted in a tweet hours after his arrival.

    Accompanying the tweet were photos of himself and Shatta Wale along with other associates.

    The three-time Grammy award-winning artist flew into Ghana from Uganda, where he had promoted the album on which he is set to collaborate with Shatta Wale.

  • ‘Burning mannequin’ in a field discovered to be a dead body

    ‘Burning mannequin’ in a field discovered to be a dead body

    In an open field, what first seemed to be a burning mannequin was actually a dead human.

    According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, police were called to the 1100 block of Will Scarlett Avenue, which is behind a residential neighborhood in Ruskin, Florida, shortly after 8 a.m. on Saturday.

    A 911 caller reported seeing what appeared to be a flaming mannequin while driving near.

    County rescue crews responded to the scene and put out the fames, and at that point determined that it was not a mannequin, but rather a dead person.

    The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office is conducting a homicide investigation
    The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office is conducting a homicide investigation (Picture: WFTS)

    ‘This is a jarring scene,’ stated Sheriff Chad Chronister. 

    ‘At this time, our deputies are doing everything they can to determine what happened to this person.’

    The victim sustained upper body trauma and could not be immediately identified due to the severity of the burns, according to the sheriff’s office.

    The incident is under investigation as a homicide by the sheriff’s office.

    No information on a possible suspect has been publicly released.

    ‘We do believe this is an isolated incident,’ Chronister stated, ‘And we will continue to work tirelessly until we determine how this horrific crime occurred.’

    Ruskin is an unincorporated census-designated place over 20 miles south of Tampa.

    The incident ended much more tragically than another scene in March near Swayfield in Lincolnshire in the UK. A concerned train passenger sounded an alarm after seeing what looked like a corpse or very ill person in a field.

    ‘Several officers including a drone pilot from Boston rushed to the fields in the locality to carry out a search,’ stated a Lincolnshire Police spokesperson.

    ‘However it was one of our finest, a real life farming Special Constable, who found the tragic scarecrow just asleep on the job.

    ‘Uprighted and given some bird scaring tips along with some jolly good words of advice, he was allowed to get back to work.’

  • Benjamin Quashie urges youth to venture into entrepreneurship in economic crisis

    Benjamin Quashie urges youth to venture into entrepreneurship in economic crisis

    In light of Ghana’s ongoing economic crisis, the government has taken some steps to ensure that the local economy bounces back and continues to be robust.

    Speaking on this growing development, the Group Chairman of Allied Consortiums, Benjamin Kofi Quashie, has said for the Ghanaian economy to grow, the government has to encourage people, especially the youth to venture into entrepreneurship.

    He further said the creation of an enabling environment for businesses to operate will lead to their growth and expansion.

    This will subsequently lead to the creation of jobs for the teeming unemployed youth in the country.

    In an interview with GhanaWeb’s Ernestina Serwaa Asante on the sidelines of the AfCFTA Business Forum held in Capetown, South Africa, Mr Quashie said, “Once we are all concerned about growing our economy and making the economy dependent not only on government and enterprises, I think it is time we encourage businesses, entrepreneurship.”

    ” I have said that in the 21st century and our globe as it is now, there should be a paradigm shift from government always doing things to corporate individuals always doing things. Entrepreneurship, to me, is the way to go,” he pointed.

    It would be recalled that in October last year, Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, admonished young people in Ghana to create their own jobs.

    According to him, the government’s payroll is full and has no more room for employment in the public sector.

    “The future for you in regard to jobs is the most important thing for you at this stage, and we have gone through a period when most people look for a job from government or state institutions, but that payroll is full,” the finance minister said.

  • Be careful of friends who can’t celebrate you publicly – Empress Gifty

    Be careful of friends who can’t celebrate you publicly – Empress Gifty

    For years, gospel musician Empress Gifty, whose first marriage collapsed because of fake friends, has dedicated her platform to warning the public of individuals that pose as close confidants.

    In her latest advice on Facebook, Empress recorded a video that exposed some of the moves by fake friends.

    “Let me tell you something, anyone who can’t celebrate you publicly might have spread cheap gossip about you.

    “Anyone who fails to appreciate what you do for them by saying thank you is the one who says negative things behind your back. In their minds, they will look stupid once they publicly praise you, and of course, such people are stupid because of their ungratefulness,” she disclosed on Wednesday, April 19.

    In a January 2019 interview with Foster Romanus, the singer opened up about how some friends contributed to the woes in her marriage with Prophet Elisha Osei.

    “There are some of the gospel musicians I confided in who went behind me to destroy me. These people would send information to my ex-husband through different phone numbers. These people have the worst marriages but would go out to spoil your marriage,” she said.

  • 10% tax on sports is a lazy way for the govt to raise money – CBOG

    10% tax on sports is a lazy way for the govt to raise money – CBOG

    A member of the Concerned Bettors of Ghana (CBOG), has said the government’s new 10% tax on earnings from sports betting is a lazy approach of making money.

    The member, who gave his name only as Abednego, explained that by the government’s new approach, it does not care about the numbers of times or even how much they lose.

    Speaking on Say It Loud on GhanaWeb TV, he explained that it takes a lot of sacrifices for them to be able to stake bets and for the government, which has not provided them with jobs, will then decide to take part of their earnings.

    He was responding to a question on what he would do when the tax takes effect.

    “If it does, I think it’s a lazy way of making money. Betting companies are paying tax. If they are paying tax, I don’t know why their customers must be taxed when they earn money from betting? Because they are not interested in what I’m losing.

    “If I lose GH¢100 today and I am able to win, let’s say GH¢300 tomorrow, and you take 10% out of it, I think that’s a lazy way of making money,” he lamented.

    Abednego was part of a team of six who spoke to GhanaWeb TV’s Etsey Atisu on the new sports betting tax that has just been signed into law by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

  • Kojo Jones’ name not part of the official database of NDC in the Keta constituency – Close source reveals

    Kojo Jones’ name not part of the official database of NDC in the Keta constituency – Close source reveals

    A close source of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Keta constituency has told GhanaWeb that the Functional Executive Committee (FEC) of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has confirmed that the name of a parliamentary hopeful for Keta, Emmanuel Jones Mensah, is not in the official database of the party.

    Speaking to GhanaWeb, the source explained that it has been confirmed by the party that the candidate’s name does not appear in its database.

    “The Functional Executive Committee at its meeting today, Tuesday 18th April, 2023 deferred its decision on the eligibility of Mr. Emmanuel Jones Mensah, an aspirant in the Keta Constituency Parliamentary primaries of the party.

    “This was after FEC considered the report of a special committee that has been set up to determine certain special appeals emanating from the decisions of vetting committees of the party.

    During deliberations on the findings of the special committee by FEC, it became apparent that Mr. Emmanuel Jones Mensah’s name is not in the official Ashaiman database of the party as at 2018,“ the source said.

    The party, the source added, has since put the decision on the eligibility of Emmanuel Jones Mensah on hold.

    Read the full statement from the source below:

    NDC’S FEC PUTS DECISION ON ELIGIBILITY OF EMMANUEL JONES MENSAH TO CONTEST IN ITS KETA PARLIAMENTARY PRIMARIES ON HOLD FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS.

    The Functional Executive Committee at its meeting today, Tuesday 18th April, 2023 deferred its decision on the eligibility of Mr. Emmanuel Jones Mensah, an aspirant in the Keta Constituency Parliamentary primaries of the party.

    This was after FEC considered the report of a special committee that has been set up to determine certain
    special appeals emanating from the decisions of vetting committees of the party.

    During deliberations on the findings of the special committee by FEC, it became apparent that Mr. Emmanuel Jones Mensah’s name is not in the official Ashaiman database of the party as at 2018.

    At the said meeting, some members of FEC presented strong evidence that suggests that the aspirant’s name must have been fraudulently inserted in the VALCO BASE FLAT 1A branch register.

    It is instructive to note that the same aspirant is alleged to have been found to have engaged in similar fraudulent registration at the DZELUKOPE RC branch of the NDC in the Keta Constituency sometime in August 2022.

    In a shocking twist, the aspirant who is alleged to have used the said fraudulent registration to vote in last year’s (2022) branch elections at the DZELUKOPE RC branch in the Keta Constituency of the party and further used it to propose a candidate who was vying for the position of Executive Member now claims that he was not privy to the fraud that was perpetrated for his benefit.

    Barely a month after the annulment of the said fraudulent registration in the Keta Constituency per a ruling of the then General Secretary of the party, Hon. Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, the aspirant Mr. Jones Mensah is alleged to have contrived a new claim that he has been a member of the VALCO BASE FLAT 1A branch in the Ashaiman constituency since 2018.

    However, records from the official database of the party shows that the said alleged membership of the Ashaiman constituency is equally fraudulent as same is not contained in the official database of the party.

    Sources at FEC say that, a detailed analysis of the VALCO BASE FLAT 1A branch register shows that the aspirant’s name and details has been inserted at the exact position of one Anthony Hammond, who has been fraudulently removed from the branch register even though he is in the membership database of the party.

    FEC is expected to take a final decision on the eligibility or otherwise of the embattled parliamentary aspirant upon receipt of a report from the party official who is responsible for the maintenance of the database of the party.

  • Gifty Anti allegedly sacks husband from her house

    Gifty Anti allegedly sacks husband from her house

    According to rumors spreading on social media, veteran media personality Gifty Anti is now a single woman living alone after allegedly throwing her husband Nana Ansah Kwao IV out of her home.

    This jaw-dropping information was shared by Instagram gossip blog, ThoseCalledCelebs.

    In a post on the Gram, the ghost blogger said Gifty Anti now lives with just her daughter after she successfully drove her husband Nana Ansah IV out of her house.

    The rumour reared its ugly head after fans noted that Gifty Anti has stopped talking about her husband and has also stopped going to events with him.

    On the back of this, a source believed to be close to the couple has revealed that Gifty Anti has sacked her man.

    However, it has not been confirmed as to whether she just wants to live alone or she has actually asked for a divorce.

  • Did you expect me to cover the boxers with Kente? – Okyeame Kwame replies politician calling for his arrest

    Did you expect me to cover the boxers with Kente? – Okyeame Kwame replies politician calling for his arrest

    Okyeame Kwame has thrown an interesting response at an NDC communication team member, Mr. Haruna Amaliba who called for the musician’s arrest after spotting a picture of his boxer shorts on social media.

    Okyeame unveiled his special boxer shorts brand to mark his 47th birthday and he was captured as its model.

    Social media was buzzing after chancing on pictures of the Ghanaian rapper rocking a pair of tight boxers in several colours.

    While this ‘unexpected development’ generated some level of excitement, others labeled it as an ‘indecent exposure’.

    Haruna Amaliba, who joined the list of critics, said Okyeame Kwame should be made to suffer the same fate as Akuapem Poloo.

    In an interview with NeatFM, he insisted that the police must arrest Okyeame Kwame for sharing half-naked pictures on social media just as Poloo was punished for displaying indecent photos of her and her son.

    “Akuapem Poloo was arrested for indecent exposure but when Okyeame Kwame was celebrating his birthday, we saw his half-naked photo on social media. What is the police doing about it?” the NDC Communications team member asked.

    On the same platform, Okyeame Kwame was informed about what the politician had said and this was his response:

    “If Calvin Klein or GUCCI had offered me $1million to post a picture on my page, what would he have said? Whenever he purchases a new set of boxer shorts, what type of dress does the model on its label wear? Can he tell me what dress he wears to advertise the boxer? You can’t wear boxer shorts and wear kente on it to outdoor it.

    “The most effective way to sell your boxer shorts is to wear them for people to see it. I didn’t post my picture for people to see my tummy or leg. I was selling my boxer shorts. And as for selling a boxer, which better way could I have done that than wearing it? And by God’s grace, I made massive sales on that day,” he told the host Kwasi Aboagye.

    The ‘Rap Dacta’ gave key reasons he settled on his birthday to unveil the new product.

    “I had planned on unveiling my own boxer shorts brand because I have had issues with some boxers in the past due to my sensitive skin. I planned on doing this for others who have sensitive skin like me. It was ready in January but I was looking for the perfect time to unveil it and I settled on my birthday to do that. I felt like that was the best time to post so I could attract a massive engagement without having to pay for it,” he added.

  • It is senseless for Muslims to gather at Mecca to pray every year – Bongo Ideas

    It is senseless for Muslims to gather at Mecca to pray every year – Bongo Ideas

    Bongo Ideas has questioned the rationale behind a religious congregation’s annual gathering at the same location for prayer.

    The controversial Bongo Ideas has questioned why a group of people will gather in millions to pray at a spot every year when they came pray at home.

    The social media personality says it doesn’t make sense to him that 2 million people will converge at same spot every year to pray.

    He says unless their prayers in their individual rooms can’t be heard he doesn’t see why it’s necessary to gather in millions to pray at a sacred place.

    He added that religious tourism argument is valid but religious status shouldn’t be tied to pilgrimages.

  • Four shot to death and three injured close to a house on the highway

    Four shot to death and three injured close to a house on the highway

    After four people were shot and killed at a home in Maine and three more were shot and hurt on a highway, a man has been charged with murder.

    On Tuesday, Bowdoin resident Joseph Eaton, 34, was detained and accused with four charges of murder.

    It follows the discovery of four bodies in a Bowdoin home last night.

    They were found not long after three individuals were shot in their vehicles on Interstate 295 in Yarmouth, 25 miles away, according to authorities.

    The shootings were connected, Maine State Police spokesperson Shannon Moss confirmed.

    Their identities have not yet been released.

    Mr Eaton was expected to appear in court this week.

    A police officer stands on the corner of Portland Street and Main Street in Yarmouth, Maine, on Tuesday, April 18, 2023. State police say gunfire that erupted on a busy highway is linked to a second crime scene where several people were found dead in a home about 25 miles away in the town of Bowdoin, Maine. Police briefly ordered people in nearby neighborhoods to shelter in place, but authorities later announced there was no threat to the public. (Michael Leonard via AP)
    Police on the corner of Portland Street and Main Street in Yarmouth, Maine (Picture: AP)

    The highway shootings led to a heavy police presence in Yarmouth, including officers carrying rifles.

    At one point, heavily armed officers peered inside the trunk of a car that had apparent bullet holes in the windscreen at a slip road.

    Witnesses told reporters they saw one person in handcuffs.

    Maine Governor Janet Mills tweeted her concern for the ‘families, friends and loved ones of those impacted by this tragedy.’

    She said she was praying for the injured. She said: ‘Like people across Maine, I am shocked and deeply saddened.

    ‘Acts of violence like we experienced today shake our state and our communities to the core.’

    State police Lt. Randall Keaten asked anyone who may have witnessed something or has any information about the Tuesday morning incidents to reach out.

    Keaten said: ‘We’ve got vehicles that have been hit by straight gunfire all across that we’re getting reports on, so if anybody has holes in their vehicles, please contact us so that we can follow up with that.

    ‘A lot happened this morning between those two scenes and those are the people that we want to talk to, those people that were impacted by this.’

    Yarmouth is a community of 9,000 about 12 miles north of Portland, the state’s largest city. Bowdoin is a rural farming community with about 3,000 residents.

    At the scene in Bowdoin, yellow crime scene tape hung around a home in a wooded area.

    About 10 marked and unmarked police vehicles and a crime scene van were parked outside

    In Yarmouth, traffic backed up on the interstate as police shut down the southbound lanes, and state, county and local police canvassed the area.

    Representatives for the Maine Department of Transportation said they closed the southbound side of I-295 in Yarmouth in late morning at the request of state police.

    Police briefly ordered people in nearby neighbourhoods to take shelter.

  • Misconduct claims ‘totally destroyed’ my reputation – Sacked CBI boss

    Misconduct claims ‘totally destroyed’ my reputation – Sacked CBI boss

    Following charges of misbehavior, the recently ousted CEO of the Confederation of British Industry claims his reputation has been “totally destroyed.”

    After the business organization fired director-general Tony Danker and placed three other employees on administrative leave, police opened an inquiry.

    In a BBC interview, Mr. Danker admitted to making some employees feel “very uncomfortable” and apologized for it.

    He also told the broadcaster his termination letter had cited four reasons for his dismissal: For organising a secret and private karaoke party for 15 people, for viewing the Instagram accounts of CBI staff, for sending non-work related messages to staff and for inviting junior staff to breakfasts, lunches or one-on-one meetings.

    Tony Danker claims he was made ‘the fall guy’ after being dismissed over a range of misconduct claims (Picture: Getty)

    However, he claimed his name had been wrongly associated with separate claims, including rape, which allegedly occurred before his tenure at the CBI.

    ‘You know, there was an incident where somebody raised a complaint about unwanted contact, which was verbal contact,’ he added.

    ‘There was never any physical contact. I’ve never had any physical contact. I’ve never used any sexual language. I’ve never propositioned anybody.’

    The CBI’s president said there were strong legal grounds for Mr Danker’s dismissal.

    Mr Danker, meanwhile, believed he had been assigned as ‘the fall guy’ for a wider crisis engulfing the lobby group which is facing a number of claims.

    He said his reputation had been ‘totally trashed’ because these claims – which included drug use as well as serious sexual assault -emerged a matter of weeks after the CBI disclosed that it was looking into separate allegations of misconduct against him.

    The former director admitted to messaging around 200 individual staff members at the company but insisted it was to try and build ‘rapport’ during lockdown and with colleagues who continued to work from home.

    FILE PHOTO: Tony Danker, director-general of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), speaks during the CBI conference in Birmingham, Britain November 21, 2022. REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo
    Mr.Danker is facing a range of allegations including harassment and sexual misconduct (Picture: Reuters)

    Detective Chief Superintendent Richard Waight earlier confirmed the City of London Police approached CBI following media reports of misconduct, but investigations were still at a ‘very early stage’.

    Mr Danker has responded to his dismissal by saying the allegations against him had been ‘distorted’.

    ‘I recognise the intense publicity the CBI has suffered following the revelations of awful events that occurred before my time in office,” he tweeted, referring to allegations against himself and others at the CBI.

    ‘I was appalled to learn about them for the first time last week.

    ‘I was nevertheless shocked to learn this morning that I had been dismissed from the CBI, instead of being invited to put my position forward as was originally confirmed.

    ‘Many of the allegations against me have been distorted, but I recognise that I unintentionally made a number of colleagues feel uncomfortable and I am truly sorry about that.’

    The trade body has been rocked by allegations of a toxic workplace culture since Mr Danker was last month accused of allegedly making unwanted contact with a woman who works for the CBI.

    She considered the contact to be sexual harassment, The Guardian reported at the time.

    The group launched an investigation into his behaviour and he agreed to step down in the meantime. The first part of this investigation by an outside law firm has been completed, the CBI said.

    ‘Tony Danker is dismissed with immediate effect following the independent investigation into specific complaints of workplace misconduct against him,’ it said.

    ‘The board wishes to make clear he is not the subject of any of the more recent allegations in The Guardian but has determined that his own conduct fell short of that expected of the director-general.’

    It comes after The Guardian said it was approached by more than a dozen women who claimed to be victims of various forms of sexual misconduct by senior members of the CBI who were not Mr Danker.

  • Fox News pays $787.5m to resolve the Dominion defamation case

    Fox News pays $787.5m to resolve the Dominion defamation case

    Fox News has settled a defamation lawsuit from the voting machine company, Dominion, over its reporting of the 2020 presidential election.

    In a last-minute settlement before trial, the network agreed to pay $787.5m (£634m) – about half of the $1.6bn initially sought by Dominion.

    Dominion argued its business was harmed by Fox spreading false claims the vote had been rigged against Donald Trump.

    The deal spares Fox executives such as Rupert Murdoch from having to testify.

    The judge in the case is not required to give his approval for the agreement.

    Fox said Tuesday’s settlement in one of the most anticipated defamation trials in recent US history reflected its “commitment to the highest journalistic standards”.

    The Fox statement added without elaborating that the network “acknowledges the court’s rulings finding certain claims about Dominion to be false”.

    Dominion chief executive John Poulos told a press conference the deal included Fox “admitting to telling lies, causing enormous damage to my company”.

    Justin Nelson, a Dominion attorney, told reporters that “the truth matters”.

    “Lies have consequences,” he added. “Over two years ago a torrent of lies swept Dominion and election officials across America into an alternative universe of conspiracy theories, causing grievous harm to Dominion and the country.”

    Mr Nelson added that for “democracy to endure”, Americans must “share a commitment to facts”.

    Opening arguments in the case had been due to start on Tuesday afternoon.

    The announcement of a settlement came after an unexplained delay of several hours once jury selection had finished, prompting speculation that talks were under way behind the scenes.

    On Monday, Delaware Superior Court Judge Eric Davis announced that the start of the trial would be delayed by 24 hours.

    Although he gave no reason, US media reported that it was to give both sides an opportunity to reach a settlement.

    On Tuesday morning, however, both sides appeared to be digging in for a lengthy trial.

    Attorneys for Fox had repeatedly objected to the $1.6bn in damages sought by Colorado-based Dominion, characterising the figure as massively inflated.

    The “real cost” of the case, Fox had argued, would be the “cherished” rights to freedom of speech and of the press enshrined in the First Amendment of the US Constitution.

    Dominion’s lawsuit argued that the conservative network had sullied the electronic voting company’s reputation by airing falsehoods about the 2020 vote being stolen from former President Trump.

    Mr Trump attacked the voting machine company after the ballot, falsely claiming that it rigged the election to favour winner Joe Biden.

    The lawsuit said that the false claims were partly an effort to win over viewers who were angered by Fox’s decision on election night to – correctly – declare that Mr Trump’s then-challenger, Joe Biden, had won the crucial state of Arizona.

    Two of the Fox executives responsible for the Arizona decision lost their jobs two months later.

    Legal findings released ahead of the trial suggested that a number of Fox executives and journalists privately questioned and dismissed conspiracy claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen, but still put them on air.Media caption,

    ‘Fox has admitted to telling lies about Dominion’ – CEO

    Court documents show that Mr Murdoch referred to the claims about Dominion as “really crazy”, but failed to take any action.

    In one series of text messages, top-rated host Tucker Carlson said some of the claims were “insane”. Another host, Sean Hannity, said privately he did not believe them “for one second”.

    Fox has said the words were taken out of context.

    Ahead of the trial, Judge Davis ruled that the claims against Dominion had already been proven false, emphasising that the falsehoods were “crystal clear”.

    Despite the mammoth pay-out, some legal experts believe the settlement was overall a positive outcome for the network.

    Syracuse University professor and First Amendment expert Roy Gutterman said: “Looking down the line at a six-week trial, this was going to be gruelling for everyone involved and likely embarrassing for Fox.

    “But a verdict against Fox could have been even costlier, and had serious implications on subsequent rulings on the actual malice standard and the First Amendment itself.”

    Had the defamation trial gone ahead, jurors would have been tasked with determining whether Fox News acted with “actual malice” by broadcasting claims it knew to be false.

    Civil litigation attorney Michelle Simpson Tuegel told the BBC that the settlement “speaks to the massive threat Fox saw from this litigation”.

    “The reputational harm of having executives, including chairman Rupert Murdoch, and hosts take the stand seems to have moved the parties towards a resolution,” Ms Tuegel added.

    Fox still faces a second, similar defamation lawsuit from another election technology firm, Smartmatic, which is seeking $2.7bn.

    Dominion still has litigation pending against two conservative news networks, OAN and Newsmax.

    The company has also sued Trump allies such as Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell and Mike Lindell.

  • Ghana Meteo warns of heavy rains, thunderstorms

    Ghana Meteo warns of heavy rains, thunderstorms

    The Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMA) has warned of heavy rains and thunderstorms.

    The Agency said Ghanaians living in the southern parts of the country to be prepared for heavy rainstorms, which will be accompanied by thunderstorms and strong winds on Tuesday, April 19, 2023.

    According to the agency, there will be rainfall of varying degrees along the coast of the country due to a rainstorm sighted in neighbouring Togo, which is expected to move into Ghana.

    “A rainstorm sited over the coast of Togo is also expected to continue its movement to the west to affect more areas in southern Ghana this afternoon.

    “Rain of varying intensity with thunder and occasional strong winds are expected,” parts of a release said.

    The statement added that cities in the Volta Region, including Aflao, Denu, Agbozume, Dzodze, Akatsi, Ho, and Keta should expect their rainstorms between 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm.

    Those in Somanya, Koforidua, Akropong, Madina, Ashaiman, Tema, Prampram and Accra in the Greater Accra Region are to expect the heavy rains between 2:30 pm to 5:00 pm.

    It added that communities in the Central, Ashanti, Western and Western North regions should expect the heavy rains between 3:00 pm and 6:00 pm.

  • Russia plan to obliterate communication wires and wind turbines in the North Sea – Report

    Russia plan to obliterate communication wires and wind turbines in the North Sea – Report

    According to recent reports, Russia intends to destroy communication lines and wind farms in the North Sea.

    Russia may have a fleet of boats posing as fishing trawlers and research vessels in the North Sea, according to a joint investigation by public media in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland, the BBC reports.

    The fleet is said to include underwater surveillance equipment and may be scouting out prospective sabotage targets.

    Additionally, Russian vessels may be traveling through UK seas, which UK officials may be aware of. However, sources did not specify whether any specific cases had been looked into thus far.

    The first part of a series of reports is due to be broadcast today by by DR in Denmark, NRK in Norway, SVT in Sweden and Yle in Finland.

    The documentary uses an anonymous expert, formerly from the UK Royal Navy, to track the movements of the Russian ship Admiral Vladimirsky.

    Officially it’s an underwater research vessel but the report alleges that it is actually a spy ship.

    The vessel was tracked by the UK Navy expert moving around the vicinity of seven wind farms off the coast of the UK and the Netherlands in one mission.

    The Admiral Vladimirsky is alleged to slow down and ‘loiter’ when it approaches wind farms, and when a reporter approached the ship on a small boat, he was confronted by a masked man carrying what appeared to be a military assault rifle.

    Reconnaissance of sensitive sites is not unusual – and Western countries are likely carrying out similar activity against Russia, spurred on by the war in Ukraine.

    The likely intention is to have options available should a conflict escalate, such as damaging communications or taking down power systems.

    So far the evidence of actual sabotage, as opposed to just intelligence gathering, is limited.

    The report suggests surveillance vessels could be linked to an incident south of Norway when an underwater data cable was cut last year.

    Norwegian police believe ‘human activity’ was behind the incident but have not officially accused anyone.

    Last September parts of the Nord Stream pipeline, designed to carry gas from Russia to Europe, was destroyed.

    Many accused Russia of being responsible, but investigations are ongoing and other reports suggested the sabotage could have been carried out by others, including pro-Ukrainian actors.

  • I was raised by North Korea’s dictator – Daughter of Equatorial Guinea’s 1st president 

    I was raised by North Korea’s dictator – Daughter of Equatorial Guinea’s 1st president 

    Many would perceive a ‘brutal dictator’ like Kim Il-Sung, founder of North Korea, to be a hardhearted man, incapable of caring for another but on the contrary, daughter of the first President of Equatorial Guinea, Francisco Macías Nguema, has revealed that Kim Il-Sung affectionately took care of her when she was kept under his care.

    Monique Macias was packed off to North Korea with her siblings in the 1970s when her father, Francisco Macías Nguema, was overthrown by his nephew, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo.

    Monique Macías

    “When we arrived [at Pyongyang] I thought we were just going there for a trip with my parents but I wasn’t aware of why we were sent there until suddenly my mother disappeared from my life,” she said. 

    She was only seven (7) when this happened. 

    “[Initially] I thought she [mum] would come back soon but all the time, I said she would come back tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow but she never came back. It passed like years, one year, two years and after three years, then I think I accepted that she was no longer going there, that she’s no longer coming back,” she recalled.

    Francisco Macías Nguema – 1st President of Equatorial Guinea

    During her 15-year stay in his custody, Kim Il-Sung, revealed another side of his personality which had been concealed. 

    Kim Il-Sung was, basically, also a dictator. His rule was characterised by persecution, public execution, enforced disappearances and torture. Due to his atrocious deeds, he was seen as cold-blooded.  

    Monique Macias grew up as an African girl in North Korea – here she writes on identity and how she sees herself now

    Regardless of the general perception of him being a ruthless ruler, he remained loyal to his ‘friend,’ Macías by taking Monique under his protection. 

    “In the beginning we met him more frequently until he sent us to boarding school but he was always there over the phone and he kept the promise he made to my father . He didn’t have to do it, because my father was killed . He could have perfectly sent us back but he didn’t so I do respect that. 

    “If it wasn’t him maybe I wouldn’t be here,” she said. 

    During his dictatorship, Francisco Macías established strong ties with North Korea’s Supreme Leader Kim Il-Sung, who was another world leader known for his human rights abuses. Kim Il-Sung is the grandfather of the current North Korean Leader, Kim Jung Un. 

    Knowing his life and family were in danger from his many enemies, Macias had entrusted his three youngest children to Kim Il-Sung’s care. He had already sent his eldest son, Teo, to Cuba to become a ward of Fidel Castro. 

    Monique toasting with the second wife of Kim Il-Sung

    After Macias was overthrown in a coup by his nephew, Teodoro Obiang, and put on trial and executed, Castro sent Teo home “to the lions’ den” and Maribel rushed back to defend him. 

    During their stay in North Korea, the siblings were all enrolled in the Mangyongdae Revolutionary School on the outskirts of Pyongyang, a boarding establishment for children of party members – all fatherless – where Kim’s nephew, who had a direct line to him, was deputy director. 

    She was enrolled in the Mangyongdae Revolutionary School on the outskirts of Pyongyang

    The school was dominated by boys since it was a boys’ school, but 20 girls were brought in to make the Macias sisters more comfortable on Kim’s orders. 

    In school Monique learnt how to fire Kalashnikov rifles. She also learnt Korean rapidly, but was astonished by the institution’s rigidity, its 5am reveille followed by an hour’s exercise and the way her classmates asked permission to go to the lavatory. When she complained to a teacher, the tiny child was told, “Remember, you’re a soldier.”

    Monique is currently 51 years old. Since leaving North Korea, Macias has been working as a fashion designer in countries including Spain, South Korea, and the U.S. Macias recently wrote a book about her life in North Korea.

  • The advantages of ChatGPT as a business tool and possible drawbacks

    The advantages of ChatGPT as a business tool and possible drawbacks

    While ChatGPT has stirred up a bit of an artificial intelligence (AI) storm lately, AI is far from a novel idea. Businesses have actually been utilizing it, to varying degrees, for decades, whether to automate routine tasks, analyze data, or provide digital customer support

    What ChatGPT has done, however, is raise awareness of the potential that AI has to add significant value to businesses of all shapes and sizes.

    Chief Information Officer at First National Bank, Samuel Dakurah explained that, as an AI language model trained to understand and respond to human language, ChatGPT has itself become a popular way for many businesses and employees to save time and improve efficiencies.

    “However, while there are many benefits to using ChatGPT, there are also a number of limitations, even risks, that businesses should keep in mind in order to ensure that they are indeed making the most of this exceptional technology,” he said. Samuel shares some pros and cons for users of ChatGPT.

    The first, and arguably most valuable, of these benefits, is the opportunity that ChatGPT presents for businesses to save time when gathering knowledge or doing research. Instead of spending hours scouring the internet or consulting with expensive experts, businesses now have the option to simply ask ChatGPT for information on a particular topic and receive a response in a matter of seconds.

    This can be particularly helpful for small businesses or start-ups that may not have the financial or human resources at their disposal to conduct extensive research on their own. It can be a quick, cheap, and useful way to conduct market research, identify trends, and gather insights into customer behaviours.

    However, it’s important to be aware of the fact that the information ChatGPT provides is highly contextual.

    While ChatGPT can quickly identify trends and patterns, it is unlikely to be able to provide the same level of analysis as a human researcher. Therefore, businesses must balance the benefits of speed and efficiency with the need for accuracy and depth of analysis.

    “For example, if a business asks ChatGPT “What is the best way to win customers between income categories?” the response they will receive is likely to be very generic, without the addition of significant values or real strategic insights that they do not already have.

    The reason is simply that ChatGPT does not know any of the finer nuances about the business, or the geographic and demographic factors that may influence its marketing efforts. So, the response, while probably fairly accurate, will likely be far too broad to be useful”, he cautioned.

    The second benefit of ChatGPT is that it can help businesses improve efficiency by automating certain tasks. For example, ChatGPT may be useful in generating generic content for social media or marketing campaigns, thereby saving businesses time and resources.

    However, this content is once again going to be generic and may not capture the finer marketing requirements of the business. It is unlikely to be aligned with a business’s brand or messaging and it may not always be able to capture the subtleties of the brand voice.

    As a result, businesses need to be careful when using ChatGPT to generate content and ensure that it aligns with their overall branding and messaging strategy.

    The third business benefit of ChatGPT – and possibly the one that has the potential to be of highest value – is that the AI platform can serve as an objective sounding board for those looking to figure out whether they are asking the right questions about their business.

    By asking ChatGPT for information on a particular topic, and then critically assessing the responses they receive, businesses can gain valuable insights into whether they are actually asking the right questions or focusing on the right intelligence that will help them grow and prosper.

    “When asked the right questions, in the right way, ChatGPT may identify patterns and trends that would not be immediately apparent to human researchers. This can help businesses identify blind spots in their operations or generate new ideas for growth. This feature of ChatGPT can be particularly helpful for businesses that are just starting out, or those that are looking to pivot in a new direction based on market movements or competitor pressure,” Samuel explained.

    Of course, it’s important to remember that ChatGPT’s insights are only as good as the questions it is being asked. In other words, if a business is asking the wrong questions or focusing on the wrong information, ChatGPT may be unable to provide the insights they need. This means that any business wanting to derive worthwhile benefits from ChatGPT needs to be highly strategic in its use of the platform.

    Ultimately, it is imperative that business users of ChatGPT keep in mind that it is a tool, not a solution.

    While it can undoubtedly assist with certain tasks, it’s no substitute for human insight and creativity, and it should never be the sole source of business intelligence or market information.

    “As fantastic as ChatGPT may seem, an AI language model is not (yet) a substitute for a holistic business approach, built on relevant quantitative and qualitative data, and underpinned by deep experience and an integrated approach to understanding markets and customers,” he concludes.

  • One person dies and many others suffer injuries as a parking garage in New York City collapses

    One person dies and many others suffer injuries as a parking garage in New York City collapses

    In the Financial District of New York City, a parking garage collapsed, leaving one person dead and numerous more injured.

    Around 4.15 pm on Tuesday, emergency responders and firefighters flocked to the garage, a multi-level building at 57 Ann Street in lower Manhattan.

    The building’s at least three levels fell, sending automobiles tumbling to the ground.

    One person died and ‘as far as we can tell, so far there were six patients, six workers in the building at the time of the collapse,’ said New York City Fire Department Chief of Operations James Esposito.

    Four people were transported to hospitals and are in stable condition, he said. One person refused medical attention.

    Fire officials said said many more people could be trapped under the structure.

    A witness, Erasmo Guerra, a witness, said she heard an incredible noise’ and went to the window and saw the collapse unfold.

    ‘I just saw the top floor of this garage…just beginning to cave in and cars just following into this pit,’ Guerra, who recorded it, told News 4 New York. ‘I was just in shock. I heard people on the street just screaming and yelling for other people to get out.’

    The rescue operation is ‘extremely dangerous’ because the building is unstable, Esposito said. Firefighters were forced to retreat and the police department deployed its robotic Digidog to scope out the scene for survivors.

    In addition, drones were used.

    The building was in violation in 2003, according to the city’s Department of Buildings. The specifics of the violation and if it was corrected were not immediately known. The building, which received its certificate of occupancy in 1957, had active work permits for electrical issues.

    City officials said to expect traffic delays and emergency personnel in the area of Ann Street and Nassau Street, and asked residents to avoid the intersection if possible.

  • Putin ‘will be 104 when he frees his biggest enemy from jail’

    Putin ‘will be 104 when he frees his biggest enemy from jail’

    According to his staff, the most renowned opponent of Vladimir Putin will be imprisoned until the year 2056.

    Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, 46, is presently serving a nine-year prison term on fabricated embezzlement allegations. A fresh set of charges are being prepared against him.

    Putin’s main domestic challenger is pro-democracy activist Navalny, who the tyrant is said to despise so much for his caustic sense of humor that he won’t even say his name.

    If Russian authorities succeed in prosecuting Navalny on terrorism charges- considered by the West to be entirely fabricated- then he could end up serving a maximum sentence of 35 years.

    FILE - In this image provided by the Russian Federal Penitentiary Service, opposition leader Alexei Navalny appears on a video screen set up at Moscow City Court, on May 24, 2022. Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny says prison officials ordered him to serve at least three days in solitary confinement, citing a minor infraction, in retaliation for his activism behind bars.(Russian Federal Penitentiary Service via AP)
    Putin has been accused of trying to kill Navalny behind bars (Picture: AP)

    A conviction would see Navalny imprisoned until 2056- at which point he would be 80 years old and Putin would’ve turned 104.

    It is believed Putin’s real intention is to have Navalny assassinated in prison, after Russia’s FSB agency failed to kill him in 2020 by lacing his underwear with the poisonous nerve agent Novichok.

    At the very least, the goal is to ensure Navalny remains imprisoned for as long as Putin remains in power.

    Navalny is currently suffering a mystery stomach ailment, and is refused medical help.

    Members of his team believe the opposition leader is being slowly poisoned.

    ‘No-one knows the cause of his stomach ache,’ said his spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh.

    ‘He has never had this before.

    ‘And precisely this makes us suspect that perhaps he is being poisoned all this time, with small doses, so that he dies slowly and painfully, but attracting less attention.’

    Navalny currently resides in a high-security ‘torture prison’ notorious for brutal beatings and the systematic rape of male prisoners.

    This week he was kneed in the groin by one of Putin’s prison warden thugs, his lawyer Vadim Kobzev has claimed.

    The move was part of a provocation against Navalny when a ‘stinking’ homeless man was assigned to the politician’s cell.

    Navalny tried to escort the man out of the cell but he was accused of attacking him- and will face a charge over the incident which could add up to five years to his jail tariff.

    ‘Navalny, who did not offer any resistance, received a knee blow to the groin,’ said the lawyer.

    Prison guards had previously been accused of forcing the politician to share a jail cell with ‘flu patients’, in an attempt to make him fall ill.

    Yarmysh said there are now ten criminal cases against Navalny, as the authorities seek to hide him from Putin forever.

    ‘By law, a person can receive no more than 35 years in prison,’ she said.

    ‘Based on the previous nine criminal cases, Alexei has already accumulated 35 years. A new case will not add anything in terms of time.’

    ‘Navalny’s defence is outraged by such a blatant, brazen and cynical provocation,’ said Kobzev over the latest ‘provocation’ against Navalny involving the stinking homeless man.

    ‘We demand an immediate response from the leadership of the [prison service] and the Prosecutor’s Office.’

    He accused Russia’s human rights commissioner Tatyana Moskalova of siding with the authorities and ignoring an advance warning that such a scenario would be staged against Navalny.

    The latest Navalny incident in his jail in Vladimir region comes in the week dual Russian-British citizen Vladimir Kara-Murza – was sentenced to a draconian 25 years in jail for ‘treason’ and opposing Putin’s war in Ukraine.

    Britain condemned the sentence as ‘politically motivated’.

    Navalny labelled the move as ‘fascist’.

    A Russian judge this week also turned down a bail plea by Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, a US citizen, who was arrested on charges of espionage for which he faces up to 20 years in prison.

    Navalny has said he wants to set Russia on a democratic path, and claims he would defeat Putin in a fair election.

  • Equipment plan for the Ministry of Defense is ‘out of date’ – MPs

    Equipment plan for the Ministry of Defense is ‘out of date’ – MPs

    According to a group of MPs, the Ministry of Defence‘s equipment strategy is “out of date” and disregards the lessons learnt from the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

    The MoD’s 10-year plan, according to the Public Accounts Committee, revealed a “broken system,” which could jeopardize the UK’s capacity to support Nato.

    Although the MoD was praised for its rapid action in assisting Ukraine, a damning study released today claimed there isn’t “sufficient urgency” to provide new capabilities required by our own armed forces.

    The report says there are doubts over whether the equipment plan is flexible and responsive enough, and that there is an ‘optimism bias’ affecting budget planning because it ignores the worsening economic environment.

    The MoD has forecast a deficit of £2.6 billion in the first seven years of the 10-year plan – without including external cost pressures such as inflation and foreign exchange movements.

    The plan relies on having a budget surplus of £5.2 billion in the final three years of the plan, as well as achieving all of the department’s efficiencies and savings to cut project costs by £30.4 billion.

    The report concludes that the MoD needs to ‘urgently reassess’ how affordable its equipment procurement and support programmes are.

    Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, deputy chair of the committee, said: ‘If the MoD does not act swiftly to address the fragility of its supply chain, replenish its stocks and modernise its capabilities, the UK may struggle to maintain its essential contribution to Nato.

    ‘The 2022/23 equipment plan is already somewhat out of date. It doesn’t reflect the lessons emerging from Ukraine, more than a year in. And every year it’s the same problems – multibillion-pound procurement problems.

    ‘Equipment arrives in service many years late and significantly over budget, and some of it just isn’t arriving at all.

    ‘The MoD still does not have or seem to be able to attract the skills it needs to deliver the plan.

    ‘Neither taxpayers nor our armed forces are being served well. There needs to be meaningful change of this broken system.

    ‘The department needs to break from this cycle of costly delay and failure and deliver a fundamental, root-and-branch reform of defence procurement.’

    John Healey, Labour’s shadow defence secretary, said: ‘The Conservatives are failing to secure Britain’s national defence for the future.

    ‘This report reinforces the serious questions over critical capabilities and the ability to field a war fighting division which are threatening to undermine the UK’s contribution to the Nato.

    ‘Ministers must ensure our troops have the right kit to fight and fulfil our Nato commitments.

    ‘Labour would apply a ‘Nato test’ to major defence programmes to ensure our alliance obligations are on track.’

    An MoD spokesperson said: ‘The Public Account Committee’s assessment that our equipment plan does not align with the lessons learnt from the Ukraine conflict is unsubstantiated.

    ‘The lessons we have seen from Ukraine have largely confirmed our 2019 warfighting analysis, which underpinned our subsequent investment decisions, meaning we have not needed to substantially reform our equipment pipeline.

    ‘Nor do we recognise the broken procurement system painted by this report. The department routinely assesses time, cost and risk factors on all projects, and delivers the vast majority on time and in budget, and we have made numerous changes to improve procurement practices where projects have fallen short.

    ‘Some of these projects are decades long, and many of our reforms will take time to deliver results.’

  • Rishi Sunak’s list of ministerial interests includes his wife’s childcare company

    Rishi Sunak’s list of ministerial interests includes his wife’s childcare company

    A childcare organization in which Rishi Sunak‘s wife owns shares is mentioned on a recently released list of ministerial interests.

    Some of the initiatives outlined in the Budget are expected to be advantageous for the nanny and childminder business Koru Kids, whose shareholders include Akshata Murty.

    The shares in the daycare center that his wife owns are listed on the PM’s list of interests, but it is unclear when he reported them.

    Under the section for relevant interests held by Akshata Murty, the list includes ‘a number of direct shareholdings’.

    His wife has shares in Koru Kids which has now been included in Rishi’s official interests (Picture: REX)
    His wife has shares in Koru Kids which has now been included in Rishi’s official interests (Picture: REX)

    A note says this includes her minority shareholding in Koru Kids.

    Rishi Sunak’s ethics adviser Sir Laurie Magnus said he was content that ‘any actual, potential and perceived’ conflicts of interests involving ministers ‘have been, or are in the process of being’ resolved.

    His comments came in the first list of ministerial interests he has overseen.

    The independent adviser on ministers’ interests explained: ‘The list is not a register of interests and does not therefore include every interest that a minister has declared in relation to themselves and their family members.

    ‘To do so would represent an excessive degree of intrusion into the private affairs of ministers that would be unreasonable, particularly in respect of their family members.

    ‘The list instead documents those interests, including of close family, which are, or may be perceived to be, directly relevant to a minister’s ministerial responsibilities.’

    He added: ‘I am content that any actual, potential and perceived conflicts have been, or are in the process of being, resolved, but it is important that ministers and their permanent secretaries remain alert in the context of their respective portfolios if ministers’ interests change.’

    The prime minister faced demands to ‘come clean’ about the shares last month after being questioned by MPs over why the childcare policy favoured private firms.

    A fortnight earlier, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced a pilot of incentive payments of £600 for childminders joining the profession.

    Questioning why the sum doubles to £1,200 if workers sign up through an agency, Labour MP Catherine McKinnell asked if Mr Sunak had any interests to declare.

    ‘No, all my disclosures are declared in the normal way,’ he said.

    Koru Kids, which is one of six childminder agencies listed on the Government’s website, welcomed the new Budget incentives as ‘great’.

    Rishi Sunak claims his interests are all declared ‘in the normal way’,

  • Obrafour sues Drake USD10 million in a 2023 lawsuit over copyright infringement

    Obrafour sues Drake USD10 million in a 2023 lawsuit over copyright infringement

    Canadian rapper Drake has been sued by Ghana’s Hiplife legend, Obrafour over copyright infringement in his 2022 song ‘Calling My Name’ off his ‘Honestly, Nevermind’ album.

    The court document, according to 3news.com, revealed that Drake’s team reached out to Obrafour for the use of his song ‘Oye Ohene’ remix which features Tinny and although he denied the request, Drake still went on with his move.

    Obrafour, real named Michael Elliot Kwabena Okyere Darko, who through his lawyers filed the case in the Southern District of New York, is seeking “at least $10 million in damages” from Drake.

    When news of the lawsuit became public, Ghanaian social media users shared their opinion with a pledge to follow the case which is of interest to many.

    Drake with a net worth is 250 million dollars was in November 2022 sued together with 21 Savage having used the Vogue name and trademark without consent in their joint album, “Her Loss”.

    Check out the two songs below:

  • I want to meet my son Agya Koo – Alleged father

    I want to meet my son Agya Koo – Alleged father

    A man purporting to be the biological father of popular Kumawood actor, ‘Agya Koo’, has been spotted on social media.

    The old man, identified as Kwesi Bediako, is seeking a reconciliation with his son, whom he had not seen since birth.

    According to Mr. Bediako, he and the actor’s mother met and started a relationship during his working days at Meridian Hotel in Tema.

    He said they had been together for a while until she informed him that she was pregnant and bolted afterward.

    In an interview with Ghana News TV, monitored by GhanaWeb, Mr. Bediako said he is seeking every means possible to get in touch with his son.

    “After Agya Koo’s mother and I met in Tema during work, we started a relationship and she later informed me that she was pregnant. She gave birth and named the child Kofi Adu but I wasn’t aware. I had not seen her and my child since.

    “My name is Agya Koo, so there is no doubt that my son adopted that name. It is no coincidence. I have heard different stories about his mother’s whereabouts. Some say she is dead; others say she is still alive, I don’t know.

    “As for my son, I didn’t know what he looked like until I bought one of his movies. Life is extremely hard for me. So, everybody is asking me to go and find my son and make amends because now he is a successful man. they have encouraged me to find him because he could transform my life for the better. He could help ease my present suffering as a farmer,” he established.

    He also stated some reasons that initially deterred him from reaching out to his son.

    “Initially I badly wanted to meet him but I was shy. I held back because I was skeptical about how he would receive me. I was scared he might not accept me because I wasn’t there for him while he was suffering. Also, how he acts on TV, tells me he could be a difficult person. All these things scare me,” he stated.

    Earlier in 2013, the veteran actor denied a 50-year-old woman who claimed to be his biological mother on a radio station in the Ashanti region.

    “My mother died 7 years ago…I don’t know that woman,” he expressed during a phone-in interview.

    Meanwhile, Agya Koo is yet to comment on the new development regarding his ‘lost and found’ father.

  • We won’t refund Mahama’s paid bills – ECG

    We won’t refund Mahama’s paid bills – ECG

    The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has indicated that former President John Dramani Mahama will not get a refund of his already paid electricity bills. 

    Managing Director of the Company, Samuel Dubik Mahama, made this known during an interview on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo morning show, where he said ECG regrets allowing the former President to foot his own bills when the state had a responsibility to absorb the cost.

    “I won’t put the blame at his doorsteps or make it political, it is my office, we were supposed to read his meter and take action by informing him that we will handle it, so, we now have put those structures in place after a very comprehensive conversation with the Chief of Staff,” he said on the show.

    This is after the former President in an exclusive interview with TV3 last year disclosed that all bills the state must cater for, including his electricity and water bills, have not been attended to since he left office in 2017. Mr Mahama emphasised that he pays them himself. 

    His claim has been confirmed by the ECG MD who attributed the anomaly to failure of the company to execute its mandate as required. 

    He explained that although all bills of former President John Agyekum Kufour have been duly submitted to the Chief of Staff for payment, however, Mr Mahama had already (personally) been paying his own bills at the time the company reached out to him.

    “…so, we had a meeting with the Chief of Staff and she told us her piece of mind and she told us exactly what we have to do because a lot of people would like to drop the problem at the political doorstep which is wrong,” he stated.

    He further sent a passionate appeal to the public not to politicise the matter and another appeal to the former President to forgo what he has already paid while ECG explored a way to deal with the matter going forward. 

    “I’ve requested a meeting with him and his aides so that we can see the way forward. I’ll plead with him to let go of what he has already paid and going forward we will take care of the rest,” he assured.

  • I’ll invite my look-alike over and groom him – Nacee

    I’ll invite my look-alike over and groom him – Nacee

    Ghanaian gospel singer Nacee shares a different opinion on the seeming worrying trend of ‘artiste look-alikes’ in the country.

    There have been concerns of some young men with little resemblance to some celebrities, seeking fame on social media in recent times.

    These individuals have been captured at media interviews, and events and have even garnered a large following on social media.

    Artistes including Edem, Medikal, Shatta Wale, and others have condemned the development which they regard as impersonation.

    But popular gospel singer, Nacee, thinks otherwise.

    In an interview with JoyNews, the ‘Boys Boys’ hitmaker established that he will groom and offer free tuition to his look-alike should their paths cross.

    “As for me, if I see my lookalike, I will invite him, give him water and everything to make him comfortable and if he happens to be a good singer and is interested in doing what I am doing, I will teach him for free,” he said.

    According to Nacee, it would be a voluntary act on his part, but he would not hesitate to sever ties with anyone he chooses to mentor who will attempt to undermine his years of labour.

    “I will not be happy seeing my lookalike performing my songs on patches and somebody somewhere will think that I am the one and imagine the performance does not go as it is supposed to.

    “The insult will go like ‘w’abon’ and I can even lose business from that. I will welcome you, train you, but for you to ride on my glory, that will be so wrong. I would rather find a way and give you whatever support you need and I expect you to also accord me with that respect,” he cautioned.

  • Tiffany stuns in latest photos fit for a magazine cover

    Tiffany stuns in latest photos fit for a magazine cover

    Music lovers believe that singer Tiffany is up to something following the back-to-back release of some attractive photos on her social media platforms.

    ItzTiffany had gone mute for years with fans longing for a music release from this hitmaker. Despite the break, she remains active on Twitter and Instagram where she interacts with her followers.

    The 36-year-old ‘Agyekoom’ crooner in the past weeks has served some flawless looks fit for a magazine cover. According to fans, her fashion sense remains unmatched judging from the looks she has served in the past.

    One of the fierce images captured her in a green bodysuit with was complemented by heels and fewer accessories.

    “Every now and then I pop out and shut shit down,” she captioned one of such posts.

    The singer’s tattoo is one that has caught the attention of many as she constantly flaunts them. Her followers who are constantly in her comment section continue to demand a new song.

    Check out the images below:

  • We lack support and investors in Ghana – Kobi Rana

    We lack support and investors in Ghana – Kobi Rana

    Ghanaian actor, writer, producer and director Kobi Rana has said the apathy exhibited by Ghanaians for local movies and the lack of private investors such as Nigeria is enjoying is a great challenge to the film industry in Ghana.

    A singer-songwriter and choreographer also, Rana was with Nana Kwesi Asare on Class 91.3 FM’s ‘The Big Show, Saturday, April 15, 2023.

    “It is only a pretender who – for lack of a better word – will say we are not making movies,” Kobi first said.

    He listed some of the new films on the Ghanaian market: ‘Freedom & Justice (December 2022), Till Deaf Do Us Part (February 2023), A Taste of Sin (April 2023), among others.

    “This Eid, 23rd April, this Sallah, I’m bringing [a new movie called] Insha Allah,” he informed the audience.

    Stating that movies are coming out “weeks” apart, with attending radio, TV and social media engagements, he stressed that “it is only the pretender who will say that there are no Ghanaian movies.”

    “They see us working so if they want to invest, they will,” he added.

    “People will see your stuff on social media, ignore it, they’ll see your stuff on traditional media, ignore it and still go and say the movie industry [in Ghana] is dying. Meanwhile, they’ve seen movies – dope movies,” he noted.

    He argued that were he in Nigeria, “Nigeria would have made sure that the whole world hears about me. Nigeria’s social media would make sure they put me everywhere, they’d push me everywhere.”

    “If Nigeria made this first African movie with sign language – Till Deaf Do Us Part – and they put it on the Netflix, Ghanaians would have been the highest number of viewers and posters on social media,” Rana argued. “But it came from Kobi Rana so everyone has turned their attention the other way.”

    Meanwhile people from “France, US, White, Blacks, Yellow people were posting that movie… Not only people in the deaf community…” he noted, thanking the overwhelming number of patrons who attended the 2023 Valentine’s Day Airport View Hotel premiere.

    On the bright side, he said endorsement and “advertisement deals” for product placement in movies “do come” to him and other players in the movie industry.

    However, “individual investors like [Nigeria’s] Charles [Okpaleke]” are absent, he bemoaned. “So you have to use your money for everything. You have to pay all these artists – everything – crew, accommodation in hotels, the travels – everything.”

    He lamented that even promotion after the film production is a “single-handed,” burden and thus thanked “media platforms like Class FM,” who broadcast word about his works and grant opportunities for him to speak concerning them.

    He, however, admonished bloggers and social media influencers for their spirited broadcast of “gossip and lies” instead of informing their teeming followers about “the greats works,” in the film industry.

    He decried the efforts of “so called gatekeepers,” and media houses who have put some creative arts figures on “their black list,” denying them support.

    Kobi Rana has 15 years’ worth of experience in film and entertainment as an award-winning movie, music and dance star.

  • I was asked by Akufo-Addo to go after debtors – ECG MD

    I was asked by Akufo-Addo to go after debtors – ECG MD

    The Managing Director of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Samuel Dubik Mahama, has commended President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for his support in the ongoing revenue mobilization exercise aimed at retrieving all debts owed by the company’s customers.

    According to Mahama, he spoke to the president before the revenue mobilization exercise began, and received the green light to go after the debtors. He further revealed that there were cases reported to the president concerning the exercise, but the President was resolute in his stance, telling those individuals to pay their debts.

    Speaking in an interview with Peace FM’s Kokrokoo on April 17, 2023, the Managing Director also disclosed that he had the backing of other high-ranking officials, including Vice President Bawumia, the Chief of Staff, and the Minister of Energy, noting that they had all been instrumental in the process.

    “The president, I really salute him, because before I started the exercise I spoke with the president, and the president told me point blank that, Mister, go for the monies, is about time that we do the right thing.

    “So, in most of the cases that went to him, he told them point blank that they should go and pay, because if they don’t pay, do they expect him to pay it for them? So, everyone should pay. The Vice president also, the same…when you speak the truth it is good, I cannot emphasize it, the kind of support I have gotten from the Chief of Staff, president, Vice president, and Minister…”

    The revenue mobilization exercise, which began some weeks ago, has been aimed at recovering all debts owed to the ECG. Mahama urged all customers who were yet to settle their debts to do so as soon as possible to avoid disconnection.
    He further reiterated the company’s commitment to providing reliable and uninterrupted power supply to Ghanaians, urging customers to cooperate with the ECG in achieving this goal.
    The revenue mobilization exercise is expected to continue until all debts owed to the ECG have been recovered.

  • Actress urges women to work for their own money

    Actress urges women to work for their own money

    Actress, Nkechi Blessing has advised women on the importance of having their own money in a marriage or relationship.

    Her advice to women comes after an alleged divorce settlement involving football star, Achraf Hakimi and his wife, Hiba Abouk.

    In a post on her Instagram page, Nkechi urged women not to stop grinding.

    “Why it’s important as a lady to work for your own money, a man with money will be a plus and not a must.

    “Big shout out to all hardworking women out there, don’t stop grinding,” she wrote.

    Hakimi, 24, and his ex-wife, Abouk, are in their divorce process according to reports.

    Recall that news recently broke on the internet on how Hakimi, 24, dribbled his ex-wife in their divorce process by putting all his assets in his mother’s name to deny the mother of two a juicy divorce settlement.

  • Kim Jong-un brings back daughter to work for the space headquarters

    Kim Jong-un brings back daughter to work for the space headquarters

    After taking his daughter on a trip to the North Korean space station, Kim Jong-un has kept her in the spotlight.

    Kim Ju-ae, the dictator’s daughter, accompanied him as he was photographed being toured through various parts of the nation’s space headquarters.

    Kim Jong-un was spotted chatting to officials who were taking notes while smoking. While wearing a pinstripe suit, it may not have been as eye-catching as the Tom Cruise in Top Gun appearance he has previously chosen.

    Even as his daughter watched, he appeared to have time for a quick laugh and a joke.

    It’s not the first time the 11-year-old has been centre stage in recent months, with the pair showing up together more frequently for events and duties.

    Father-daughter time has been a regular fixture as they were both spotted watching a special anniversary football match in images released yesterday.

    North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his daughter Kim Ju-ae are pictured inspecting the National Aerospace Development Administration
    Kim Ju-ae, 11, was by her dad’s side for the space station visit (Picture: Getty Images)

    Just last week, the whole family came together to watch the test of North Korea’s ‘most powerful missile yet’.

    Meanwhile, Kim Ju-ae was pictured sitting next to her dad to observe the army simulating an attack on an unspecified South Korean airfield in March.

    Speculation has continued over whether she is being prepared to succeed her father as the country’s next dictator in future.

    And this latest stop off at the National Aerospace Development Administration will have done little to quell those theories.

    During the visit, Kim Jong-un said North Korea has completed the development of its first military spy satellite, according to state media reports today.

    Officials have been ordered to go ahead with the launch as planned by Kim Jong-un, who said developing reconnaissance is part of the nation’s efforts to counter ‘serious security threats’ from the US and South Korea.

    He said several satellites would be necessary to establish North Korea’s intelligence-gathering capability and urged the deployments to go ahead but has not yet confirmed a launch date, reports Al Jazeera.

    North Korea carried out a ‘final phase’ test for a spy satellite in December 2022 and said it would complete preparations for the launch by the end of this month.

    Kim Jong-un said at the time: ‘Securing real-time information about the hostile forces’ military scenario is the most important task.’

  • A man who beats you in a relationship can kill you in marriage –

    A man who beats you in a relationship can kill you in marriage –

    Nigerian talent manager cum businessman, Soso Soberekon, has opined why so many women are stuck with abusive husbands.

    On Monday, April 17, the socialite stormed Instagram with a post detailing how some couples are stuck in unhappy and unhealthy marriages because of material
    gains.

    According to him, the reason most individuals are dissatisfied in their marriages is that most men date women for their bodies while other women date their partners because of money, sex, food, and others.

    He however advised that marriage should be centered more on connection and a lasting friendship than any other factor.

    He wrote: “a man who beats you in a relationship can kill you in marriage. But penis, shawarma, catfish pepper soup Nkwobi and Goodies will not let you have sense.”

    See his post and reactions below:

    callmedamy: “Where’s the lie”

    flora_flawa_: “Nkwobi you mean to type ?”

    nirat__: “Is the catfish pepper and nkwobi for me “

    sharkaz_sharkaz: “Verified
    If a man starts beating you, the best thing is to walk out of that relationship while you still can”

    ugoforeign: “Soso tell them o. Them no wan komot toxic relationship cos of monthly allowance”

    _wendyrose: “Hungry girls you mean?”

    dear_enayi: “Ahhhh! Soso is here to replace blessing she hee ooooo”

    nelly.unique: “Am I d only one that doesn’t fancy all those thing’s especially that sharwama”

    preciouschimaofficial: “Pray not to marry your enemy! Marriage is sweet”

  • I don’t have any lookalike, stop tagging me with people – Ajagurajah warns

    I don’t have any lookalike, stop tagging me with people – Ajagurajah warns

    Founder and leader of Universal Spiritual Outreach Church, Prophet Kwabena Boakye Asiamah, popularly known as the Ajagurajah has issued a strong warning to a young man who has started posing as his lookalike.

    Taking to his TikTok page, Ajagurajah who sounded visibly angry stated that he has no interest in knowing that someone resembles him adding that people who deserve lookalikes are celebrities such as Jay-Z and Beyoncé, not him.

    He asked the man portraying himself as an Ajagurajah lookalike to desist from such actions if he doesn’t want trouble.

    “I don’t have a lookalike, my mom gave birth to me alone and so anyone claiming to be Ajagurajah’s lookalike should stop misbehaving,” he said angrily.

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    His comments come after a video where a young man with a striking resemblance to the spiritual leader was seen being hailed in public.

    At the time of writing the report, the video had raked in over 37,000 likes and 2000 comments.

    Watch the video below:
    @ajagurajah12

    Nonsense

    ♬ original sound – Bishopkwabena Boakye Asiamah