TIG Post

Author: Chris Kodo

  • Gov’t halts work on new KATH 500-bed maternity block after securing £138m loan for project

    Gov’t halts work on new KATH 500-bed maternity block after securing £138m loan for project

    For about four months now, works on a 500-bed maternity and children’s block project at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), has been halted.

    This development has been attributed to lack of funding, although a sum of £138, 000, 000 was secured for the project.

    The situation has led to discomfort among health workers and the general public who fear the project may be left uncompleted just like the 45-year-old block that was eventually demolished.

    On May 2020, President Akufo-Addo cut the sod for the construction of a new maternity and children’s block of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital after the old one was pulled down for failing structural integrity test.

    “The project which is to be carried out within 36 months and whose funding has been fully secured. The finalisation of this project is as very dear to my heart as it would have a positive impact on our country’s drive towards achieving the SDG target under maternal and child health”, President Akufo-Addo stated.

    The 138-million Euro project was to be completed in May 2023 but it was later reviewed to be handed over by the end of the first quarter of 2024.

    Work began in earnest to meet the completion deadline.

    But the project has come to a halt since the beginning of 2023.

    TV3 sources revealed the about five hundred on-site workers have been laid off due to the unavailability of funds to continue with the project.

    The project site now looks empty with no sign of construction activity ongoing.

    The project site has now become the home to hawks with no sign of construction activity ongoing.

    With less than a year to complete and hand over the project, work is currently 40 percent complete.

    “We beg the government to release funds for the completion of this project. We were told the funds are ready before the commencement of work. So, what is delaying its completion? We don’t want what happened to the 44-year-old MBU block to happen to this. Enough of taxpayers’ money has been wasted already by demolishing the old building. This new one needs to be completed without any delays”, a resident in Kumasi, Seth Adu Sarkodie said.

    “The completion of this facility will come as a relief to us (health workers) and those who patronize the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital. Maternal and child health will further improve”, a midwife who spoke on the condition of anonymity noted.

    Once completed, the 500-bed maternity and children’s block will come with ten operating theatres and diagnostic rooms, fully equipped with X-Ray, ultrasound, and mammography facilities.

    Paediatrics, gynaecology and obstetrics units will be inclusive. It will house an intensive care unit, a high dependency unit, isolation rooms and student lecture halls, with the capacity to provide catering services for staff, patients and students”

    Fully equipped with modern medical equipment will mean enhancing on health care delivery towards meeting the SDG 3 target on improving maternal and child health.

    Old MBU block demolished

    After investing millions of dollars in the construction of the 45-year-old maternity and baby unit at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, the 6-storey building was demolished completely owing to compromised structural integrity.

    The structural defects according to contractors was as a result of years of neglect.

    The Ministry of Health (MoH) has justified the demolition with the explanation that, the old MBU building, due to its exposure to the weather, could not last for the next five to 10 years.

    Hence, its maintenance will be more expensive than building a new project to serve the people of Ashanti Region and beyond.

  • China tech giant Alibaba to roll out ChatGPT rival

    China tech giant Alibaba to roll out ChatGPT rival

    Chinese technology giant Alibaba has announced plans to roll out its own artificial intelligence (AI) ChatGPT-style product called Tongyi Qianwen.

    Its cloud computing unit says it will integrate the chatbot across Alibaba’s businesses in the “near future” but did not give details on its timeline.

    In recent months, technology companies around the world have unveiled their own so-called generative AI chatbots.

    Earlier this year, Alibaba revealed it was working on a rival to ChatGPT.

    Tongyi Qianwen roughly translates as “seeking an answer by asking a thousand questions”, although Alibaba has not given an English version of the name.

    “We are at a technological watershed moment driven by generative AI and cloud computing,” Alibaba’s chairman and chief executive Daniel Zhang said in as Tongyi Qianwen was launched.

    The company said Tongyi Qianwen, which is capable of working in English as well as Chinese, will initially be added to DingTalk, Alibaba’s workplace messaging app.

    It will perform a number of tasks including turning conversations in meetings into written notes, writing emails and drafting business proposals, the company said.

    Alibaba said it will also be integrated into Tmall Genie, which is similar to Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant smart speaker.

    Interest in generative AI has surged since the release of ChatGPT by Microsoft-backed OpenAI in November.

    Generative AI is capable of learning from past data to create content indistinguishable from human work.

    ChatGPT can answer questions using natural, human-like language and it can also mimic other writing styles, using the internet as it was in 2021 as its database.

    Microsoft has spent billions of dollars on the technology, which was added to its search engine Bing in February.

    The US software giant also said it will embed a version of ChatGPT in its Office apps, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.

    Alphabet’s Google and Chinese technology group Baidu have also announced their own AI models and released similar chatbots.

    On Tuesday, China’s cyberspace regulator unveiled draft measures for managing generative AI.

    Under the proposed rules, companies would be responsible for the legitimacy of data used to train the technology, the Cyberspace Administration of China said.

    The public has until 10 May to give feedback on the proposals.

    Last month, a group of high-profile figures in the technology industry called for training of powerful AI systems to be suspended amid fears of a threat to humanity.

    Twitter chief executive Elon Musk and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak were among those who signed an open letter warning of potential risks, and said the race to develop AI systems is out of control.

    Meanwhile, a recent report by investment bank Goldman Sachs estimated that AI could replace the equivalent of 300 million full-time jobs.

    Earlier this month, Italy became the first Western nation to block ChatGPT, with the country’s data-protection authority citing privacy concerns.

  • The murderer of Olivia Pratt-Korbel ‘will become super grass’ in prison for protection

    The murderer of Olivia Pratt-Korbel ‘will become super grass’ in prison for protection

    According to reports, the cold-blooded killer of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel will trade prison security for the lives of other criminals.

    According to the MailOnline, a £250,000 bounty has been placed on the head of murderer Thomas Cashman, 34, and he is presently being held in isolation in Strangeways Prison for his “personal protection.”

    After a jury found him guilty of killing the youngster in her own home in Dovecot, Liverpool, last August, he was given a life sentence with a minimum of 42 years in jail for his terrible act.

    According to a gang source, the crime has turned him into the community’s top nemesis in Strangeways.

    Police hope the killer will give up names and share details about a number of violent offences and drug conspiracies across the north west.

    The gang insider previously said: ‘There’s fears he will grass to get an easier life in prison as an informer. And also there’s people out for revenge. Cashman is a real target. The £250,000 bounty will entice people.’

    The source said the bounty was publicised on encrypted messaging app Telegram, as those who ordered the hit are likely worried Cashman will reveal information about gang executions and unsolved murders to improve the terms of his imprisonment.

    The source added: ‘His testimony would cause a world of pain for several big organised crime bosses who do not want their activities being looked at.

    Undated family handout file photo issued by Merseyside Police of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel. Thomas Cashman, 34, of Grenadier Drive, West Derby, has been charged with murdering Olivia nearly six weeks after she was fatally shot in the chest at her home in Liverpool and is due to appear at Liverpool Magistrates' Court, accused of her killing, after convicted burglar Joseph Nee was chased into her family's property in Dovecot on August 22. Picture date: Monday October 3, 2022. PA Photo. Cashman has also been charged with the attempted murders of Olivia's mother, Cheryl Korbel, 46, who was injured during the incident, and Nee. He faces two further counts of possessing a firearm to endanger life. A second man, Paul Russell, 40, of Snowberry Road, also in West Derby, has been charged with assisting an offender. See PA story COURTS KnottyAsh. Photo credit should read:Family Handout/PA Wire BEST QUALITY AVAILABLE NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
    Olivia was just nine years old when she was shot dead by Cashman (Credits: PA)

    ‘He has nothing to lose, he is cornered. There’s lifers who will be mixing with him in months and years to come who will not think twice about carrying it out.

    ‘Cashman knows everything there is to know about organised crime, drugs and violence in Merseyside.’

    On the day of Olivia’s killing Cashman was chasing drug dealer Joseph Nee, who was the intended target of the shooting.

    Nee fled into Olivia’s home and Cashman shot through the front door, killing Olivia and injuring her mum Cheryl.

    But the two guns used by Cashman that day have not been found by police, leading to concerns that they could be used in other crimes.

    Cashman denied killing Olivia and said while he was working as a drug dealer in the area at the time of the shooting, he was not the gunman.

  • We’re not intimidated by mere vituperation; we’re lions – Sosu to Bryan Acheampong

    We’re not intimidated by mere vituperation; we’re lions – Sosu to Bryan Acheampong

    Comments from Abetifi MP, Bryan Acheampong, suggesting that the New Patriotic Party will never hand over power to the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) continue to attract backlash from the public.

    The MP has been highly criticised by some Ghanaians who believe that the comment is a threat to the security of the country.

    Latest to react to the statement is MP for the Madina Constituency, Francis-Xavier Sosu, who has indicated that the NDC will not be intimidated by the statements.

    Mr Acheampong, who doubles as Agric Minister, at a New Patriotic Party rally on April 8 is on record to have said the NPP will match the opposition come 2024 and that they were never going to hand over power to the National Democratic Congress.

    Sosu via an April 9, 2023 post on Facebook reminded Acheampong that the NDC was birthed from a revolution, stressing in parables that the NDC was ever ready to face the NPP when the need arises.

    “We may look like sheep outside but we’re lions within. We’re children of the Revolution and not intimidated by mere vituperations. Ghana will vote NDC in 2024 and would stand by the NDC to take over power from the NPP and nothing will happen. Tsoooooooboi” his post read.

    The revolution referred to is the 31st December, 1981 coup that marked the second coming into office of Jerry Rawlings with the Provisional National Defense Council, PNDC.

    The council ruled for 11 year till 1992 when Rawlings formed the NDC largely out of the PNDC. He went on to win two elections with the NDC before leaving office in 2000.

    Bryan Acheampong booms

    Bryan Acheampong‘s controversial views were made at a party rally over the weekend.

    He is heard saying in a viral video that the NPP will do everything within its means to win the 2024 general elections.

    According to him, the NPP is not ready to hand over power to the National Democratic Congress (NDC), therefore, his party will go to the election fully prepared.

    He stated that the NPP has the men to match the opposition boot for boot during the 2024 polls.

    Addressing party faithful after a health walk through the principal streets of Mpraeso on Saturday, April 8, 2023, Bryan Acheampong stressed that “We will show NDC that we have the men if they want to do intimidate, harass us or do anything foolish during the 2024 elections…It will not happen that we will hand over power to NDC. We’ll use any means for NPP to stay in power.”

  • Copies of Prince Harry’s memoir stained with Afghan blood go on sale

    Copies of Prince Harry’s memoir stained with Afghan blood go on sale

    Copies of Prince Harry’s memoir smeared with the blood of Afghan people are set to go on sale – with a five-figure price tag.

    Artist Andrei Molodkin says he has covered 25 copies of Spare with human blood, which he will put on display at a shop in Windsor today.

    It comes after the Russian anti-war artist projected a sculpture filled with blood on to St Paul’s Cathedral in London, in a protest over the Duke of Sussex‘s remarks about his number of kills in Afghanistan.

    Artist Andrei Molodkin says he has smeared 25 copies of Prince Harry's memoir with blood donated by Afghans

    Molodkin said some of the blood donated for the artwork has now been used to create his “alternative Spare” books, which will be available to buy from 2 May – four days before the King’s coronation – for $10,000 (£8,000) each.

    The artist says any money raised from the sale will be donated to Afghan charities.

    In a statement about his latest stunt – called “Blood Money” – Molodkin said: “Prince Harry boasts of killing Taliban like they’re baddies in a video game, ‘otherising’ human life then cashing in on the sorry tale to sell books about his drug binging, sexual exploits and killing conquests.”

    After going on display in Windsor on Saturday, a spokesman for Molodkin said the blood-covered books will be available to buy at a/political, an arts organisation in Kennington, London, on 2 May.

    Harry faced criticism for revealing in his memoir that he killed 25 Taliban fighters while serving with the British Army in Afghanistan. He wrote that it “wasn’t a number that gave me any satisfaction… but neither was it a number that made me feel ashamed”.

    Prince Harry pictured while serving in Afghanistan in 2008
    Image: Prince Harry pictured serving in Afghanistan in 2008

    The prince also admitted that he did not think of those he killed as “people”, but instead as “chess pieces” that had been taken off the board.

    He wrote: “While in the heat and fog of combat, I didn’t think of those 25 as people. You can’t kill people if you think of them as people. You can’t really harm people if you think of them as people. They were chess pieces removed from the board, Bads taken away before they could kill Goods.”

  • The issuance of Treasury bills exceeded the Q1 target by GH8 billion

    The issuance of Treasury bills exceeded the Q1 target by GH8 billion

    The Treasury exceeded its Issuance target for Q1 2023 by approximately GH¢8.25billion, issuing GH¢36.41billion in total; thus frontloading its capital raising requirement on the money market due to limited investment options available to investors, resulting in higher demand for short-term securities.

    B&FT’s analysis of the issuance data reveals that the demand for T-bills continued to soar in Q1 2023 due to attractive yield levels and persistent market uncertainties. Across the 91-day to 364-day bills, the Treasury accepted about GH¢36.41billion in Q1 2023 from a total investor bid of GH¢39.46billion, against a target size of GH¢28.16billion.

    This follows the exemption of Treasury-bills from the domestic debt exchange programme in Q4-2022, as government turned toward the Treasury market to finance its budget deficit after being priced out of the bond market.

    During Q1 2023, the Treasury made fresh issuances of GH¢12.28billion while GH¢24.13billion covered maturing securities. The issuance made in Q1 2023 reflects an increase of 138 percentage points year-on-year, compared to Q1 2022 at GH¢15.28billion from a total investor bid tender of GH¢15.66billion.

    Cumulatively, in 2022 the Treasury sold a gross amount of GH¢71.06billion across tenors on the money market, which was sufficient to cover a gross maturing face value of GH¢59.27billion for the year.

    Government has been tapping the Treasury-bill market to refinance maturing obligations and build buffers, leading to the continuous accumulation of a relatively high-interest burden. To reduce the cost of borrowing, the Treasury took advantage of the high demand environment for short-term maturities and compressed yields starting in March 2023. Government has attempted to drive down the interest rates across the 91-day to 364-day money market instruments, to as low as 15 percent.

    The market held the view that the relatively high interest costs do not factor in government’s medium-term Debt Sustainability Analysis (DSA), prompting the Treasury to take steps to ‘force’ interest rates down at the close of Q1.

    At the end of Q1, the coupon rate on the 91-day T-bill had reduced by 1648 basis point (bps) to 18.88 percent from 35.36 percent; and the 182-day bill also reduced, to 21.44 percent by 1454bps from 35.98 percent; and the 364-day bill declined by 1028 bps to 25.66 percent from 35.89 percent.

    MPC tightening stance

    The decline in yields across the short-term spectrum of the market has halted amid tightening liquidity efforts by the Bank of Ghana, signalling a reversal of cost-cutting moves by the Treasury to keep yields on the low at around 15 percent on the 91-day T-bill. At the March 2023 Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting, the policy rate was increased by 150 basis points (bps) to 29.5 percent and the cash reserve requirement increased to 14 percent.

    Treasury yields rose marginally over the last two weeks to attract investors as demand weakened in the previous week, marking a second successive week the yields on T-bills increased – following nine consecutive weeks of robust auction performance of oversubscriptions which had yields on the decline.

    During the last two week’s auction, which was settled on April 3, 2023, the 91-day bill increased by 50bps to 19.39 percent, while the 182-day bill surged by 42bps to 21.86 percent. Prior to this auction, which was settled on April 3, 2023 following the MPC’s decision, the market had signalled dissatisfaction with the yields on short-term bills. This resulted in a downturn of demand for T-bills after nine consecutive weeks of oversubscription – recording under-subscription of GH¢2.44billion, 24 percent short of the GH¢3.21billion issuance target.

    With GH¢1.68billion due across the 91- to 364-day bill this week, the Treasury intends to raise GH¢1.77billion to refinance its maturity value today.

    The market anticipates that yields will continue their upward trajectory in the coming weeks on the back of the liquidity crunch – albeit at a moderate pace to attract investors, as Treasury-bills remain one of the key avenues for government in financing its budget deficit.

  • Barton Fink’s Oscar-nominated actor Michael Lerner dies at 81

    Barton Fink’s Oscar-nominated actor Michael Lerner dies at 81

    US actor Michael Lerner, who received an Oscar nomination for his role in Barton Fink, has died at the age of 81.

    Lerner died on the evening of 8 April, his nephew Sam Lerner, actor in The Goldbergs series, announced on Instagram via a tribute.

    Alongside a picture of his uncle, Sam Lerner said: “We lost a legend last night. It’s hard to put into words how brilliant my uncle Michael was, and how influential he was to me.

    “His stories always inspired me and made me fall in love with acting. He was the coolest, most confident, talented guy, and the fact that he was my blood will always make me feel special.

    “Everyone that knows him knows how insane he was- in the best way. I’m so lucky I got to spend so much time with him, and we’re all lucky we can continue to watch his work for the rest of time. RIP Michael, enjoy your unlimited Cuban cigars, comfy chairs, and endless movie marathon.”

    Born in New York, Lerner kicked off his acting career on stage in productions of Death of a Salesman and Twelfth Night.

    He would join the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco in his 20s, later appearing in supporting roles in TV shows such as The Brady Bunch, M*A*S*H and The Rockford Files.

    Lerner featured in a few films before a notable performance as film producer Jack Lipnick in the Coen brothers’ 1991 thriller Barton Fink.

  • Interest rates likely to fall – IMF predicts

    Interest rates likely to fall – IMF predicts

    Interest rates in major economies are expected to fall to pre-pandemic levels because of low productivity and ageing populations, according to a forecast.

    The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said increases in borrowing costs are likely to be “temporary” once high inflation is brought under control.

    The Bank of England has been raising interest rates since December 2021, taking them from 0.1% to 4.25%.

    This has raised mortgage payments for many homeowners.

    Central banks in the UK, the US, Europe and other nations have been lifting interest rates to combat the rate of price rises, otherwise known as inflation.

    In the UK, inflation is at its highest for nearly 40 years because of rising energy prices and soaring food costs. A number of factors are fuelling inflation, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine which has helped drive up energy costs.

    However, in a blog the IMF said that “recent increases in real interest rates are likely to be temporary”.

    It added “When inflation is brought back under control, advanced economies’ central banks are likely to ease monetary policy and bring real interest rates back towards pre-pandemic levels.”

    The IMF did not say, however, exactly when interest rates were set to fall back to lower levels.

    The Washington-based financial institution said ageing populations would be one factor likely to lower inflation.

    Explaining why older people affect inflation, George Godber, fund manager at Polar Capital, said that they tend to spend less.

    “The amount that you spend relative to your income is highest when you’re in your 20s, 30s and 40s – often that’s maybe young families, when you’ve got households forming, you’ve got couples coming together, they tend to spend the most when they decorate and buy a car or whatever, and you as you get older in life you slow down your consumption,” he told the BBC’s Today programme.

    “There’s less heading to Glastonbury and nights out on the town, there’s more sitting at home and watching the Antiques Roadshow, so therefore your spending patterns sort of reduce and you save more and so an ageing population tends to be disinflationary.”

    Andrew Bailey, governor of the Bank of England, said recently that in the UK, the share of adults aged between 20 and 59 years-old has fallen to below 65% in the past decade “and it is set to decline further in the coming years”.

    He said that this has been driven by a decline in birth rates as well as people living for longer.

    The IMF also said low productivity – the measure of how many goods and services are produced – would bring inflation down.

    In a speech last month, Mr Bailey said that prior to the financial crisis in 2008, UK productivity had been boosted by the country’s manufacturing sector.

    “But following the financial crisis, manufacturing productivity growth fell back sharply. This fall in manufacturing productivity is the main cause of the slowdown,” he said.

    Just prior to the Covid pandemic, the UK’s interest rate was 0.75% but the Bank of England cut it twice in March 2020 to 0.1% as the country entered lockdown.

    The rate of inflation has risen steadily over the past couple of years and hit 10.4% in February – more than five times higher than the Bank of England’s 2% target.

    Following the decision to raise UK interest rates again in March, the Bank of England said that it expected inflation “to fall sharply over the rest of the year”.

    This is due to the government’s continuing help with household heating bills through the Energy Price Guarantee scheme as well as falling wholesale gas prices.

    However, Mr Bailey declined to say whether he believed that interest rates had reached a peak.

  • Four people killed and nine others injured in a bank shooting in Louisville

    Four people killed and nine others injured in a bank shooting in Louisville

    A bank employee opened fire at his Kentucky workplace, killing four people and injured twelve more.

    The Old National Bank building was the scene of a “active aggressor” around 8.30 am on Monday, according to the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD).

    Police officers arrived on the scene in three minutes.

    Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel, chief of the LMPD, claims that the suspect fired at the officers, who then returned fire.

    Four people were killed at the scene, while another nine were injured and transported to University of Louisville Hospital, LMPD Deputy Chief Paul Humphrey said.

    This photo provided by Reid Cornell shows police presence near the scene of a shooting in Louisville, Ky., Monday, April 10, 2023. (Reid Cornell via AP)
    The shooter, later identified as 23-year-old Connor Sturgeon, is seen with a rifle entering the Old National Bank (Picture: AP)

    Three of of the injured victims are still hospitalized in critical condition, and three more are hospitalized in stable condition. Three have been treated and released.

    The shooter was identified as Connor Sturgeon, 23-year-old employee at Old National Bank. Police believe he acted alone.

    The victims were identified as Tommy Elliott, 63, Jim Tutt, 64, Josh Barrick, 40, and Juliana Farmer, 57.

    According to police, Sturgeon wielding a long gun walked into an active board meeting at the bank and opened fire on bank employees.

    ‘Within 3 minutes of being dispatched, officers encountered the suspect still firing,’ Deputy Chief Humphrey said.

    The shooter was killed when LMPD returned fire.

    ‘At least 2 officers were shot during this exchange of gunfire, one of whom is currently undergoing surgery at University of Louisville Hospital,’ Deputy Chief Humphrey said.

    LMPD eventually identified the critically injured officer as Nicholas Wilt, a recent graduate of the city’s police academy.

    ‘Officer Nicholas Wilt, 26-years of age, just graduated from the police academy on March 31. I just swore him in,’ Chief Gwinn-Villaroel said.

    The police chief said Wilt was struck by a bullet in his head, and underwent brain surgery after being rushed to the the hospital in critical condition.

    ‘There is no active danger known to the public at this time,’ the LMPD said, but Louisville Mayor Craig Greenburg asked residents to avoid the entire area around Slugger Field, the baseball stadium adjacent to the scene.

    ‘This is awful,’ Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said at a press conference on Monday morning.

    ‘I have a very close friend who didn’t make it today,’ the governor added. ‘My AG campaign was out of that building. I know virtually everyone in it. That’s my bank.’

    Beshear thanked the LMPD and other first responders for their quick response. ‘I want to thank them, and all of their officers, for responding and doing their best to try to save some of my friends.’

  • US should not push LGBTQ+ agenda on Ghana in the name of human rights – Sekou Nkrumah

    US should not push LGBTQ+ agenda on Ghana in the name of human rights – Sekou Nkrumah

    Son of Ghana’s first President, Sekou Nkrumah, has waded into the LGBTQ+ conversation. He says the United States of America should not push their position on Ghana and other countries since we have different cultures and believes.

    He further averred that not everyone in the United States accepts same-sex relationships despite it being legal.

    Sekou Nkrumah speaking on the raging LGBTQ+ debate said like Ghana, the US had a strong conservative base and a religious population that did not believe in same-sex relations.

    He added, however, that the liberals are those championing and advocating for such rights.

    “Not everyone in America accepts homosexuality, and also America has a large conservative and religious population, but at the same time there are also many liberals who keep or maintain the balance in the society! And I think that is a good thing,” his post of April 2, 2023 read in part.

    Sekou also asked the US to stop pushing the narrative that LGBTQ+ is a human rights issue because that will not be accepted by Ghanaians for cultural reasons especially.

    He weighed in on the recent “LGBTQ+ is a human rights” comment as used by visiting US vice president Kamala Harris.

    “Before visiting Ghana for example the American veep should have had discussions with Ghanaians who live and work in America over these sensitive matters.

    “I genuinely believe that unlike the US, we are largely a conservative society and for most educated or otherwise it will be difficult to accept the practice of homosexuality,” he added.

    On whether or not Ghanaians will come to accept homosexuality sometime in the future, he posited: “Therefore, my suggestion would be to allow Ghanaians time to develop their critical thinking and come (on their own) to accept that homosexuality is a human rights issue, and allow those who practice it the right to do so.”

    Ghana is currently awaiting the passage of an anti-LGBTQ+ law which will criminalize same-sex relations and their attendant advocacy.

    Read his full post below:

    Recently I had a discussion over this matter of homosexuality and I told the person that the Americans should not push this agenda ( homosexuality as a human rights issue) on Ghana because we come from a different culture!

    Before visiting Ghana for example the American veep should have had discussions with Ghanaians who live and work in America over these sensitive matters.

    I genuinely believe that unlike the US, we are largely a conservative society and for most educated or otherwise it will be difficult to accept the practice of homosexuality. Therefore, my suggestion would be to allow Ghanaians time to develop their critical thinking and come ( on their own) to accept that homosexuality is a human rights issue, and allow those who practice it the right to do so.

    Not everyone in America accepts homosexuality, and also America has a large conservative and religious population, but at the same time there are also many liberals who keep or maintain the balance in the society! And I think that is a good thing.

    So time and not haste should make us wiser concerning these matters.

  • Okyeame Quophi responds to Nigel Gaisie’s lawsuit against Nana Romeo

    Okyeame Quophi responds to Nigel Gaisie’s lawsuit against Nana Romeo

    Radio personality Okyeame Quophi has reacted to Prophet Nigel Gaisie’s lawsuit.

    A few days ago, the leader of the Prophetic Hill Chapel sued Nana Romeo and Stacy Amoateng.

    The suit followed Nana Romeo’s claim that Prophet Gaisie had an affair with his girlfriend during an interview on ‘Restoration’, a program hosted by Mrs Amoateng.

    In a video sighted by Zionfelix.net, Okyeame Quophi defended that the person in the suit is not his wife.

    He argued that his wife is not called ‘Stancy’—as written in the writ of summons.

    Okyeame said the names of defendants should be written correctly during legal suits.

    Also, he stated that those being sued should be served physically and the date on which they were served must be indicated.

    Without these processes, the media personality appears not to see the suit by Prophet Nigel Gaisie as valid.

  • Hysteria as Kwame Sefa Kayi LPM’s Afriyie Akoto’s ‘ATOPA’ slogan

    Hysteria as Kwame Sefa Kayi LPM’s Afriyie Akoto’s ‘ATOPA’ slogan

    It was all laughter after venerable broadcast journalist Kwame Sefa Kayi disclosed on-air the campaign slogan for Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, former Minister for Food and Agriculture.

    Veteran broadcaster Kwame Sefa Kayi, during his Kokrokoo show on Peace FM, could not help but burst into laughter after mentioning Dr Akoto’s slogan.

    “Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto’s slogan is ATOPA, meaning Akoto Tops All,” Sefa Kayi said before bursting into uncontrollable laughter. 

    The panellists for the Kokrokoo show, including veteran journalist Kweku Baako Jnr and social commentator Bernard Allotey Jacobs, who were amazed by the ATOPA slogan, joined Sefa Kayi to laugh their heads off.

    “Atopa” is an Akan word which means a man aggressively humping a woman during sexual intercourse.

    Dr Akoto is one of about 10 members of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) who have announced their intention of contesting in the party presidential primaries.

    As has become a custom, many presidential aspirants have slogans depicting their presidential campaign ideologies. These slogans are also used as catchphrases by the supporters of the presidential hopefuls.

    For instance, the NPP presidential hopeful, Alan Kyerematen, has GTP as one of his slogans which depicts his economic plan for the transformation of Ghana, the Great Transformational Plan (GTP).

    National Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential hopeful, Dr Kwabena Duffuor, goes by the slogan, ‘Ahoto’ which represents his initiative to support his party’s grassroots.

    Watch the incident in the video below:

  • Suella Braverman criticizes cops for their inanity

    Suella Braverman criticizes cops for their inanity

    Five cops seized a pub’s collection of golliwog dolls, prompting criticism of the police force for “getting involved in nonsense.”

    Following an anonymous complaint that their appearance was a possible hate crime, five Essex Police officers went to the White Hart Hotel in Grays and confiscated 15 dolls.

    A Home Office source claims that even Home Secretary Suella Braverman has criticized the force after officers questioned owner Benice Ryley at the pub on Sunday.

    According to the source, Essex Police are aware of the Home Secretary’s views because they have been made quite clear to them recently.

    ‘Police forces should not be getting involved in this kind of nonsense. It’s about tackling anti-social behaviour, stopping violence against women and girls, attending burglaries and catching criminals – not seizing dolls.’

    The force said they received an allegation of a hate crime in February, which led to their attendance at the pub on April 4.

    Mrs Ryley, 61, said police still have the dolls and they are unlikely to get them back until after her husband Chris, 65, returns from Turkey next month and is questioned.

    Chris and Benice Ryley pictured in 2018 with one of their beloved golly dolls (Picture: Eastnews Press Agency)
    Chris and Benice Ryley pictured in 2018 with one of their beloved golly dolls (Picture: Eastnews Press Agency)

    She added: ‘The whole thing is totally mad. Since the gollies were taken and the story was in the newspapers, we have had so many people get in touch with myself and my husband to say we shouldn’t give up and should keep them on our shelf.

    ‘Over the last two days my customers keep singing “save the gollies” and they want us to get them back.

    ‘So we are having a sign prepared that will say “gollies are on display, so don’t come in if that offends you” and once that’s ready we’ll restore some more of the dolls to the shelf.

    ‘They are sentimentally very valuable. The last thing this pub is is racist, we hold Indian weddings here all the time and of course everyone is welcome.

    ‘I told the officers it was all ridiculous to send so many of them for such a small thing – as they were bagging the gollies up I said “don’t worry, they won’t resist arrest”.’

    The golliwog first started appearing in children’s books in the 1800s and was created by cartoonist Florence Kate Upton.

    The dolls became popular in the 1970s in the UK but more recently they are considered to be a racist caricature of black people.

    The golliwog character was inspired by minstrel shows, where white actors would use ‘blackface’ and create a cartoonish black character who they would degrade and humiliate during the performance.

    A spokesman for Essex Police said: ‘We are investigating an allegation of hate crime reported to us on February 24. 

    ‘Essex Police have discussed the progression of this case with the Crown Prosecution Service. 

    ‘On April 4 officers attended a location off Argent Street, Grays, and seized several items in connection with that investigation.

    ‘The investigation is ongoing so we will not be commenting further at this stage.

    ‘The force is proud of the work we do prevent crime, tackle offenders and build trust and confidence in all communities.’

    The Home Office declined to comment.

  • Ghana has the highest number of piracy attacks on the Gulf of Guinea

    Ghana has the highest number of piracy attacks on the Gulf of Guinea

    With Nigeria recording no piracy incidents in 2022, Ghana and Angola have risen to top on the list of countries reporting piracy incidents in the Gulf of Guinea, data from the International Maritime Bureau’s Piracy Reporting Centre (IMB PRC) have shown.

    The data indicated that Takoradi Anchorage and Luanda Anchorage were both included in the IMB PRC’s list of worldwide ports with three or more reported incidents of piracy in 2022, with more than two-thirds of the events occurring while ships were anchored or berthed.

    The country ranks highest in percentage of incidents – 33 percent – with Angola scoring 24 percent last year, the IMB PRC pointed out.

    Despite the trend in Ghana and Angola, the IMB explained that the increased presence of naval vessels and cooperation between coastal authorities in the Gulf of Guinea continues to positively impact the piratical activities reported in Africa.

    Interestingly, South Africa and Egypt made their first appearance in the IMB PRC’s report in more than six years.

    Meanwhile, a non-profit group, Oceans Beyond Piracy, says the cost of maritime piracy in West Africa reached more than US$1.2billion in 2021.

    Gains made in 2022

    The overall number of incidents reported in the region last year decreased by 46 percent compared to 2021, and by a factor of four compared to 2020 the report said.

    Crew kidnappings have equally decreased; from 57 crew members taken in seven separate incidents during 2021, to two crew members taken in a single incident in 2022.

    Gulf of Guinea waters still dangerous

    The IMB emphasised that Gulf of Guinea waters are still dangerous despite the appreciable gains and recent positive trends.

    “The fact that two vessels were hijacked in 2022 – with 29 crew held hostage, and another vessel was fired upon while steaming demonstrates that threats to innocent seafarers remain in these waters,” the report noted.

    West Africa remains juicy for piracy

    Ninety percent of trade to West Africa comes by sea, according to the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs – with the Scandinavian nation noting that maritime security is a crucial factor in economies on the Gulf of Guinea stretch.

    With the region covering 11,000 km2 and stretching from Angola to Senegal, it is one of the world’s most important shipping routes for both oil exports from the Niger Delta and consumer goods to and from Central and West Africa.

    As the region remains vulnerable despite massive investments in security, the phenomenon has created ideal conditions for piracy to thrive.

    Overall drop in global piracy

    Overall, global piracy and armed robbery numbers decreased last year; a reduction the IMB annual report attributed to a general decline of piratical activities in the Gulf of Guinea. The entity’s annual report for 2022 shows a 13 percent drop compared to attacks in 2021.

  • Mahama counts his blessing; boasts about holding ‘every possible office’ in Ghana

    Mahama counts his blessing; boasts about holding ‘every possible office’ in Ghana

    Former president John Dramani Mahama has counted the blessings of God in his life relating it to his political journey from an assembly man to occupying the office of president.

    Speaking as an invited guest at an Easter Sunday service of the Holy Hill Faith Cathedral in Accra, Mahama used his political journey as an example of how a politician journeys through life with the risk of trappings of power.

    “God has blessed me, He has guided my steps. Any possible office in the politics of this country, I have occupied. I have been a deputy minister, I have been a minister, I have been a Member of Parliament for three terms, I have been a vice president.

    “And ultimately I have been the president of the republic of Ghana,” he added before stressing home how the trappings of office confers a sense of immortality on politicians.

    “What it does is that it gives you a sense of immortality. If you are used to the trappings of office, you will think that you will never step out of that office.

    “And so, for me; what I say to Christian politicians is let’s take Christ-like features into the work we do as politicians,” he is heard saying in a video shared on his Facebook timeline.

    John Mahama, a political thoroughbred

    Mahama’s political roots date as far back to the days of Ghana’s independence when his father served in the Nkrumah government.

    He is reputed to be one of the most thoroughbred politicians of the Fourth Republic having served from the local level (Assembly) through to becoming a Member of Parliament for Bole Bamboi on the ticket of the NDC.

    Mahama held deputy minister and ministerial portfolios under the Rawlings government before rising to become vice president under John Mills and president when he took over from Mills then won his first full term in 2012.

    He is widely expected to be elected NDC flagbearer in a race against three other contenders ahead of the 2024 polls as he seeks a final term in office on the back of two straight defeats to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in 2016 and 2020.

  • I don’t do music to receive awards-Kojo Antwi

    I don’t do music to receive awards-Kojo Antwi

    Ghanaian musician, Kojo Antwi has clarified that the goal is never to win an award for his hard work or production of timeless songs or albums. It is his desire to bless the world with his God-given talent.

    The celebrated Highlife legend noted that some people might misconstrue his statement however gaining recognition through an award scheme has never been his thing.

    “I hope people don’t misjudge me. I don’t go to all these awards we organize. I don’t play my music to win an award. God has given me this talent and if he blesses me with a song, I will give it to the world. That is what I look for,” Kojo Antwi disclosed in an April 2023 interview with Abieku Santana.

    The popular composer whose music career has spanned over 3 decades also added that although some musicians dream to win international awards, his aim is to produce songs that will linger forever.

    “It is nice to win a Grammy and see others win but me as an artiste, it is not my thing,” he hammered.

    Kojo Antwi is credited with several albums including ‘Mister Music Man’, ‘Densu’, ‘Afrafra’, and ‘Akuaba’.

    In recent times, Kojo Antwi has collaborated with some new school artistes including Stonebwoy and King Promise.

  • Kevin Taylor publishes Bryan Acheampong’s US Air Force service details

    Kevin Taylor publishes Bryan Acheampong’s US Air Force service details

    US-based Ghanaian broadcaster, Kevin Taylor has released some details on member of Parliament of Abetifi Bryan Acheampong’s US Air Force service.

    This release comes days after a purported Bryan Acheampong‘s US Air Force certificate was published on social media to call out the MP for some controversial political comments.

    Kevin Taylor on Sunday, April 10 published documents he claims to have gotten from the US military’s National Personnel Records Center [National Archives] through the Freedom of Information Act, FOIA.

    As part of information releasable under the Act, details of Acheampong’s four years in the army were given as follows.

    a. The MP’s status is given as “DISCHARGED”

    b. His assignment and geographical location was also given as NATIONAL GUARD RHODES ISLAND.

    c. Bryan, the document stated was trained at FUELS APPRENTICE SCHOOL.

    d. With respect to medals and decorations, Bryan received two – AIR FORCE TRAINING RIBBON – NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL and GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM SERVICE MEDAL.

    e. His service duration was given as MAY 31, 2005 – MARCH 1, 2009. He was, however, active from JULY 5, 2006 – SEPTEMBER 12, 2006.

    Purported Certificate saga

    The certificate was first shared by National Communications officer of the National Democratic Congress [NDC], Sammy Gyamfi in his response to a recent political ‘boom’ by Acheampong, who is also Member of Parliament for Abetifi.

    Addressing a New Patriotic Party [NPP] rally in the Eastern Region on Saturday, April 8, the minister said his party was never going to relinquish power to the opposition National Democratic Congress after the 2024 General Elections.

    The MP’s comment has attracted a lot of backlash especially from members of the NDC daring him and others to try rigging the upcoming polls.

    Sammy Gyamfi in reacting to the comments via a Facebook post, described them as “ludicrous tantrums.”

    He attached two photos, one of the said certificate and the other a brochure of the US Air Force in which Acheampong is captured along with others.



    Check the certificate and brochure page below:


    Gyamfi, through his post also stressed the importance of sovereignty to drive home the point that power rested with the people and not with a political party.

    He also took a swipe at the military background of the minister who served for two years in the US Air Force.

    “Ignore the ludicrous tantrums of Bryan Acheampong. Sovereignty resides in the people and not in a man who only served as a mere Airman Basic (the lowest enlisted rank in the United States Air Force immediately below airman) for about 2 years.

    “Majority of the Ghanaian electorate will surely vote for change come 2024 and nobody can subvert their will.

    “If Bryan and his ilk are motivated by getting away with the evil they perpetrated during the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-elections and the 2020 elections, then they are sorely mistaken, for it will not be business as usual. Notice is hereby served,” his post read.

    NPP will never hand over power to NDC – Bryan Acheampong

    Copied

    Bryan Acheampong’s outburst at Kwahu

    Bryan Acheampong is on record as saying the governing New Patriotic Party will do everything within its means to win the 2024 general elections.

    According to him, the NPP is not ready to hand over power to the National Democratic Congress (NDC), therefore, his party will go to the election fully prepared.

    He stated that the NPP has the men to match the opposition boot for boot during the 2024 polls.

    Addressing party faithful after a health walk through the principal streets of Mpraeso on Saturday, April 8, 2023, Bryan Acheampong stressed that “We will show NDC that we have the men if they want to do intimidate, harass us or do anything foolish during the 2024 elections…It will not happen that we will hand over power to NDC. We’ll use any means for NPP to stay in power.”

    SARA

  • Annoh-Dompreh defends Bryan Acheampong; slams ‘hypocritical’ NDC

    Annoh-Dompreh defends Bryan Acheampong; slams ‘hypocritical’ NDC

    Majority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, has defended his fellow MP representing the Abetifi Constituency over his comment suggesting that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) will never hand over power to the opposition NDC.

    He restated the support of the New Patriotic Party for Bryan Acheampong, a colleague MP and Minister of Agric.

    Acheampong has come under opposition critique following controversial comments he made last Saturday at a party event in Mpraeso, stating among others that the NPP was never going to hand over power to the National Democratic Congress after the 2024 polls.

    The NDC has since described the statement as reckless and treasonable and called for the minister’s arrest.

    The NPP in a response said they stood by the minister’s comment and that he was responding to similar comments by opposition leaders including by John Mahama and Asiedu Nketiah, the former president and NDC National Chairman respectively.

    Annoh-Dompreh who was at the event where Bryan spoke tweeted his support for the party position on Sunday, April 10.

    “Leave Bryn alone. He said nothing new…The entire Party & the parliamentary Caucus is fully associated with him.. The hypocrisy of our colleagues is just nauseating often times…” he wrote.

    Bryan Acheampong booms

    Bryan Acheampong‘s controversial views were made at a party rally over the weekend.

    He is heard saying in a viral video that the NPP will do everything within its means to win the 2024 general elections.

    According to him, the NPP is not ready to hand over power to the National Democratic Congress (NDC), therefore, his party will go to the election fully prepared.

    He stated that the NPP has the men to match the opposition boot for boot during the 2024 polls.

    Addressing party faithful after a health walk through the principal streets of Mpraeso on Saturday, April 8, 2023, Bryan Acheampong stressed that “We will show NDC that we have the men if they want to do intimidate, harass us or do anything foolish during the 2024 elections…It will not happen that we will hand over power to NDC. We’ll use any means for NPP to stay in power.”

  • Putin’s army construct 45-mile “mega trench” in Ukraine’s frontline

    Putin’s army construct 45-mile “mega trench” in Ukraine’s frontline

    The trenches indicate Russian leaders are concerned about a significant Ukrainian counteroffensive.

    Russian forces have constructed a sizable defensive trench in Ukraine far behind the frontline, which is a stark indication of their dwindling confidence.

    According to the independent Crimean Centre for Investigative Journalism‘s analysis of openly accessible satellite photos, the defensive lines extend constantly across 45 miles of the seized Ukrainian countryside.

    It passes through Zaporizhzhia’s southern section, more than 50 miles into Russian-controlled territory and hundreds of kilometers from the most active fighting in the Bakhmut region, in the east.

    The western end of the ‘megatrench’ begins near Melitopol, which is the seat of a puppet government used by Putin to rule the occupied half of the region.

    Putin's 45-mile-long 'mega trench': Russian troops dig huge defensive fortification visible from space metro graphics Credit Google / metro.co.uk
    The ‘mega trench’ stretches continuousy across 45 miles of countryside
    45-miles-long 'Mega-trench' fortification line, dug by Russian troops in the occupied territory of??Zaporizhzhia region of Ukraine
    It appears on images from the EU-funded Sentinel-2 satellite (Picture: E2W)

    Melitopol is also seen as the ‘gateway to Crimea’, the peninsula which was illegally seized by Russia in 2014.

    The appearance of the trench hints suggests Russian commanders fears a Ukrainian counteroffensive could recapture most or all of its lost territories in the south.

    This would be a major blow to Putin as he would be reduced to fighting for slivers of new eastern land to tack onto parts of the Donetsk and Donbas regions which were already held by pro-Russian separatists before the 2022 invasion.

    Digging appears to have begun in September and ramped up massively in the following weeks, with fortifications completed by early April.

    This coincides with a period of retreat of Russian forces, who had advanced to Kyiv in the first stages of the war but were later pushed back and forced to abandon positions in central and northern Ukraine.

    The images showing the trenches were obtained from the Sentinel-2, one of several satellites from the EU’s Copernicus space programme whose data is available freely online.

    Natalya Gumenyuk, spokeswoman for Ukraine’s southern defence forces, said: ‘Well, at least they [the Russians] will win at something.

    ‘There will be no second victories. Let them be record holders from the trenches.’

    Reports suggest the Russian military, which is struggling to recruit reinforcements, was forced to complete the trenches using hired civilian workers from Kyrgyzstan who complain they have been underpaid.

    The lines were identified with defences seen in Russian propaganda footage which bizarrely brags about how the men had to dig ‘with sapper shovels like in the Second World War’.

    Trench warfare has largely died out due to advances in modern tactics as it is associated with high-casualty offences for little strategic gain.

    It has been virtually unheard of in the 21st century outside of eastern Ukraine, which was the site of a ‘frozen conflict’ between Ukraine and pro-Russian separatists for years before Putin’s invasion and is now dominated by bloody stalemates.

    Putin poured tens of billions of roubles into proxy forces and mercenary groups fighting to keep the separatists in control of Donetsk and Donbas.

  • A dollar sold at GH¢11.50, GH¢10.93 on BoG interbank as of April 11

    A dollar sold at GH¢11.50, GH¢10.93 on BoG interbank as of April 11

    The Interbank forex rates from the Bank of Ghana today, April 11, 2023, have shown that the Ghana Cedi is trading against the dollar at a buying price of 10.9245 and a selling price of 10.9355.

    At a forex bureau in Accra, the dollar is being bought at a rate of 10.50 and sold at a rate of 11.50.

    Against the Pound Sterling, the Cedi is trading at a buying price of 13.6120 and a selling price of 13.6267.

    At a forex bureau in Accra, the pound sterling is being bought at a rate of 13.50 and sold at a rate of 14.50.

    The Euro is trading at a buying price of 11.9278 and a selling price of 11.9386.

    At a forex bureau in Accra, Euro is being bought at a rate of 11.20 and sold at a rate of 12.20.

    The South African Rand is trading at a buying price of 0.6072 and a selling price of 0.6077.

    At a forex bureau in Accra, South African Rand is being bought at a rate of 0.30 and sold at a rate of 0.90.

    The Nigerian Naira is trading at a buying price of 42.1766 and a selling price of 42.2479.

    At a forex bureau in Accra, Nigerian Naira is being bought at a rate of 13.50 Naira for every 1 Cedi and sold at a rate of 18.50.

    For the CFA, it is trading at a buying price of 54.9442 and a selling price of 54.9940.

    At a forex bureau in Accra, CFA is being bought at a rate of 17.00 CFA for every 1 Cedi and sold at a rate of 21.00 CFA for every 1 Cedi.

    Our forex bureau rates are provided by Afriswap Bureau De Change in Osu, Accra.

  • Why Tyler Perry wants to purchase the majority of BET

    Why Tyler Perry wants to purchase the majority of BET

    Tyler Perry has disclosed that he is interested in buying a majority stake in BET following the news that Paramount was exploring a sale. Addressing reports concerning his interest in the channel that has been home to some of his shows, he disclosed that he is “very interested in taking as much of it…” as he can.

    He subsequently dispelled claims that he wasn’t interested in having a piece of BET in a recent interview on Entertainment Tonight at Tyler Perry Studios.

    “Rumor? No, it’s not a rumor,” Perry said. “I’ve been there for four years now and had tremendous success. I wasn’t expecting this to happen, so, yes … If it’s possible, I’m gonna take as much of it as I can.”

    Perry is not new to BET. His shows like “Sistas,” “The Oval,” and “House of Payne” among others all air on the black-owned channel. His deal with Paramount to air his shows is reportedly ending soon, and should he acquire a majority stake in BET, it will give him control over the brand that airs his shows.

    The actor, producer, and writer explained in the interview that his strong desire to purchase the station is for it to return to black ownership.

    He said, “I think there was sadness when Bob sold it, and I think there’ll be happiness when it’s Black-owned again. Even though Shari (Redstone) and what is it? Viacom and Paramount? They’ve done a phenomenal job with it.”

    “They didn’t let it fall by the wayside; they didn’t let it go into dust. They nurtured it and took care of it, and to see Shari at this position saying, ‘I think it should be returned to a Black owner?’ I figured, ‘OK, see, that’s my kind of person.’”

    In addition to Perry, other blacks interested in purchasing BET include Byron Allen and P. Diddy. Despite this stiff competition for ownership, Perry says he is happy black figures are interested in buying BET. He adds that returning to black ownership is what is important.

    “I’ve read about Byron Allen and Puffy and everybody wanting to bid and so on and so forth, and I think it’s really great,” he said. “This is what I love about it — when Bob Johnson sold it in 2000, I think it was, there wasn’t one Black person who could buy it. So now, to see all of these Black people, men and women, who are able to be in a position to buy it? Man, that makes me feel really, really excited.”

  • Alhassan Suhuyini fumes as he accuses NDC National Executives of coaching Parliament

    Alhassan Suhuyini fumes as he accuses NDC National Executives of coaching Parliament

    Tamale North Member of Parliament, Alhassan Suhuyini has blasted national leadership of his party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), accusing them of sleeping on their real responsibilities.

    A visibly angry Suhuyini, whiles speaking on Accra-based Pan African TV said the current situation where the leadership are seeking to coach parliament was totally wrong and inimical.

    He holds that the leadership should be managing core party business along with its leadership in parliament.

    “This is something I have said at the risk of being ostracized from the party, party leaders are not chosen to manage parliament. They are not chosen to be coaches of parliament. They are chosen to run the party along side parliament.

    “So when they have debate in parliament and the parliamentarians win that debate, you expect the national organizers and the women’s organizers and the chairmen and the secretary to be massing people up on the street.

    “To complement what parliament is doing, but when what we have is executives sitting on the bench coaching parliament and that wil not take us to victory. Our party leaders must begin to wake up and understand that the 2024 elections will not be won in parliament. It wil not be won by the work of any parliamentarian,” he stressed.

    Suhuyini is one of the open opponents of a change in the leadership of the Minority Caucus dictated via a statement from the party headquarters early this year.

    The changes were rung barely a month after Johnson Asiedu Nketiah took over as National Chairman.

    The changes saw the removal of Haruna Iddrisu as Minority Leader and Cassiel Ato Forson, coming in as his replacement.

  • Ghana’s bilateral creditors are expected to make room for an IMF bailout of $3 billion

    Ghana’s bilateral creditors are expected to make room for an IMF bailout of $3 billion

    Ghana hopes to take a big step towards restructuring its $58bn-worth of debt this week, with its bilateral creditors meeting on Tuesday to discuss whether to provide enough relief to unlock a $3bn IMF bailout.

    Ghana owes $5.5bn to foreign governments and their state banks. Ken Ofori-Atta, finance minister, said he had “hope” those bilateral creditors would consent to enough debt relief to enable the country to tap an IMF loan package agreed upon last year.

    “We hope on April 11 the Paris Club will meet with China present to provide financing assurances to the IMF,” he told the Financial Times. “This will be the defining input that [the IMF] will require to then go to their board.”

    Commitments from bilateral creditors to provide debt relief are often the first step to unlocking an IMF-backed restructuring programme. The French Treasury, which hosts the Paris Club of bilateral creditors, said the group was “doing everything” to reach an agreement on the commitments required.

    China, which is owed $1.9 billion, was expected by Ofori-Atta to agree to a deal, despite not being a member of the Paris Club.

    Ghana stopped repaying most of its debts in December and reached a preliminary deal with the IMF on a rescue package in the same month.

    But the IMF’s support is dependent on Ghana meeting a string of conditions, including measures to raise revenues through a rise in the rate of value-added tax, tariff increases on public utilities and an end to central bank finance for the government. The fund also asked Ghana to make progress on restructuring its domestic debts.

    Ofori-Atta said the fund’s conditions had been met. “Those are literally all done, so we are pretty much there,” he said. “We have done what is required.”

    Its restructuring talks are being closely watched by other low and middle-income countries who are in, or at risk of, default.

    Zambia defaulted on its debts in 2020 and its debt restructuring — on which a $1.3 billion IMF programme depends — has stalled amid disagreement among its creditors. Sri Lanka defaulted last year and finally won the backing of the IMF for a $3bn bailout last month.

    A breakthrough in Ghana’s debt talks could raise hopes of faster workouts in the restructuring of other countries’ debts in the future.

    The IMF and World Bank have warned that a third of developing countries, including 60 per cent of low-income countries, have debts that are unsustainable or in danger of becoming so.

    The pandemic, Russia’s war on Ukraine and last year’s surge in global inflation and in the value of the US dollar against other currencies have pushed many countries into economic crisis and to the brink of default.

    Once bilateral lenders have promised enough relief to make a country’s debt sustainable, it is up to the borrower to seek similar terms from other lenders including bondholders and commercial banks.

    Data from Ghana’s central bank show that the country had external public debts equal to 44 per cent of gross domestic product in September or about $34 billion, according to the IMF. Domestic public debts were equal to 32 per cent of GDP, or about $24 billion.

    Ghana halted payments on most of its external debts in December and called on holders of about $11 billion of its domestic debt to take part in an exchange that would significantly reduce the cost of debt service. Holders of about 85 per cent of the eligible domestic debt had agreed to take part, Ofori-Atta said.

  • GWCL to take legal action against defaulting consumers

    GWCL to take legal action against defaulting consumers

    Customers of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) who have defaulted in the payment of water bills will be subjected to the full rigor of the law, the company has disclosed.

    GWCL warned that it will resort to legal action against defaulting water consumers after failing to settle their debts within stipulation.

    The company has noted that it will ensure all outstanding debts are collected.

    The water supplying company has since last week employed robust mechanisms in collecting what it says is over GH₵800 million of debt owed by individuals and institutions.

    According to the company, some high-consuming entities who had entered into an agreement to settle their debts have failed to do so, thereby forcing the company to use legal action.

    The Public Relations Officer, Stanley Martey has however, emphasised that the company will not relent in pursuing its debtors.

    “Things are going very well. Anywhere we visited people have made payments and so we expect that it’s going to continue as we move on.

    “And like I said when we were moving on our rounds, we are not going to stop with this exercise until we collect all GH₵800 million owed the Ghana Water Company Limited. So it may not end next week, it may not end the week after, but until the GH₵800 million is paid,” he said.

    Meanwhile, Mr. Martey has indicated that the company plans to reintroduce the prepaid metering system after earlier attempts failed.

    He says people have tried to tamper with the meters in the earlier attempts by the company to roll out the prepaid services.

    The company is in talks with institutions that are into metering systems and hopes to get a better system, according to Mr. Martey.

  • Ukraine to run out of anti-aircraft missiles – ‘leaked Pentagon documents’

    Ukraine to run out of anti-aircraft missiles – ‘leaked Pentagon documents’

    The US has acknowledged that several leaked intelligence documents seem to be authentic.

    According to what appears to be a leak of top-secret Pentagon data, Ukraine’s air defenses may run out of ammunition in a matter of weeks.

    There have been several reports presenting American intelligence assessments, one of which claims that two of Ukraine’s main anti-aircraft missile systems will be depleted by May 2.

    In a statement on the subject released on Sunday, the Pentagon did not attempt to discount the documents as false despite the fact that they had not been validated.

    They have also sparked a stern response from two other US allies, South Korea and Israel, after appearing to leak explosive internal security information.

    One of the leaked Western documents regarding the Ukraine - Russia war. According to a leaked Pentagon document, Ukraine?s stocks of missiles that make up 89 percent of its protection against most fighter aircraft and some bombers could be depleted by early May. The same document assessed that Ukrainian air defenses designed to protect troops on the front line will ?be completely reduced? by May 23.
    The documents appear to lay out a detailed timeline of Ukrainian defence capacities, some of which partly rely on allied supplies

    One paper described as a ‘Top Secret’ CIA update from last month said Israel’s equivalent of MI5 was encouraging protests against an alleged power grab by its prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

    The dramatic claim suggests the Israeli government is more splintered than it has been for decades over Mr Netanyahu’s reforms, which would give his ministers power to appoint judges.

    Another document suggested CIA spies had been monitoring talks among South Korean officials over the sale of artillery shells to the US that could end up in Ukraine.

    One of the leaked Western documents regarding the Ukraine - Russia war. According to a leaked Pentagon document, Ukraine?s stocks of missiles that make up 89 percent of its protection against most fighter aircraft and some bombers could be depleted by early May. The same document assessed that Ukrainian air defenses designed to protect troops on the front line will ?be completely reduced? by May 23.
    The New York Times shared some of the papers which it claims to be genuine
    One of the leaked Western documents regarding the Ukraine - Russia war.
    The Pentagon has stressed some other documents appearing online have been altered

    The claims are embarrassing for the South Korean government, which has joined international sanctions against Russia but refuses to send weapons to the Ukrainians.

    The papers on Ukraine appear to be an assessment of its Ukraine’s S-300 and Buk missile systems, which are the defenders’ main protection against Russian fighter jets and bombers.

    The New York Times reports there are no plans to restock the systems, and that current usage indicates they will be in trouble by mid-April and be ‘completely reduced’ by May 23.

    This would hammer Ukraine’s ability to hold the frontline in the east of the country, where troops rely on convoys of supplies vulnerable to harassment by Russian bombers.

    Ukrainian service members ride a self-propelled howitzer, as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues, near the front line city of Bakhmut, Ukraine April 7, 2023. REUTERS/Oleksandr Klymenko
    Ukraine’ ability to hold the frontline of Bakhmut could be hampered if its air defences do run out (Picture: Reuters)

    It’s not known whether new arrangements have been made to replenish the systems.

    The US Department of Justice has opened a criminal investigation into the leak, admitting the documents ‘appear to contain sensitive and highly classified material’.

    Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh said the Ukraine-related documents appear to be photographs of documents which were uploaded to the social media platform Telegram.

    Some of the slides appear to have been crudely doctored, such as one which massively undercuts publicly known Western estimates of Russian troops killed in action.

    US officials confirmed that some of the documents appear authentic while others have been altered.

    Ms Singh added in a statement: ‘An interagency effort has been stood up, focused on assessing the impact these photographed documents could have on U.S. national security and on our Allies and partners.

    ‘Over the weekend, U.S. officials have engaged with Allies and partners and have informed relevant congressional committees of jurisdiction about the disclosure.’

  • Somanya police arrest suspect after a speeding car killed an assembly man

    Somanya police arrest suspect after a speeding car killed an assembly man

    Police in Somanya are holding a suspect in relation to the death of Eric Narh Aglazo, the assembly member for Sra electoral area.The deceased met his untimely death in a car accident on Monday, April 10, 2023.

    Police started investigation almost immediately after news emerged that the assemblyman who was riding on his motorbike had been hit a speeding vehicle leading to his death.

    The incident took place on Easter Monday in front of the Kings Pizza in Somanya.

    Although the length of the road from Trom via Somanya to Nuaso has had an asphalt overlay since 2016, there are no road markings or signs, despite the fact that a lot of schools are located along that route, a Citi News report stated.

    Police are yet to ascertain the exact cause of the collision and or the release details of the suspect.

  • Putin is currently experiencing “severe head ache, blurred vision, and numb tongue

    Putin is currently experiencing “severe head ache, blurred vision, and numb tongue

    As per reports, Vladimir Putin experienced a number of significant health scares that led medical professionals to “panic.”

    According to the General SVR Telegram channel, the Russian president experienced “extreme pain” in his head, clouded vision, and a “numb tongue.”

    Additionally, it is said that he had a “partial loss of sensation in his right arm and leg” that necessitated immediate medical care.

    First aid was administered, and Putin was told to take medicine and take it easy for a few days by a “committee of doctors.”

    But rather than following this advice, the Russian premier refused to rest, choosing instead to give gloomy reports from the war in Ukraine.

    His condition improved, easing concern among his large team of medics, said the post.

    It stated: ‘The president’s relatives were more worried.’

    TEHRAN, IRAN - JULY 19: (RUSSIA OUT) Russian President Vladimir Putin coughs during his press conference, July,19,2022, in Tehran Iran. Russian President Putin and his Turkish counterpart Erdogan arrived to Iran for the 7th Guarantor States Summit. (Photo by Contributor/Getty Images)
    The Russian president also had a ‘partial loss of sensation in his arm’ (Picture: Getty Images)

    For them ‘such a sharp deterioration in Vladimir Putin’s health caused a nervous reaction, more like panic’.

    The channel, which claims inside knowledge from the Kremlin, has repeatedly said Putin is terminally ill with cancer, and his conditions and medication impacts his decision-making.

    ‘The temporary sharp deterioration in the president’s health has already made those closest to him tense,’ said General SVR.

    ‘The sudden death of Putin will put them all in front of the unknown, or rather, on the brink of survival.’

    It stated that ‘none of them even had a rough plan of action in this case’.

    Rumours have spiralled about Putin’s health fuelled by his habit of gripping hard onto desks and making strange twitching movements with his feet.

    The Kremlin and his ministers insist he is in perfect health.

  • I will still make more babies despite having 13 – Michael Afranie

    I will still make more babies despite having 13 – Michael Afranie

    Veteran Kumawood actor Michael Afranie has revealed that he has no intention of stopping when it comes to expanding his brood, despite already having 13 children.

    Speaking to the effervescent Deloris Frimpong Manso on The Delay Show on Sunday, April 10 2023, the veteran actor explained that he firmly believed in the benefits of having many offspring.

    Afranie, who is a familiar face on the Ghanaian entertainment scene, explained that he sees his children as an investment for his old age.

    When I’m old and need someone to take care of me, I’ll have plenty of options. I don’t want to be a burden on anyone. I want to have my own people around me. He said.

    The actor, who has starred in numerous movies and TV shows over the years, revealed that his oldest child was 24 years old, while his youngest was just a year old. He went on to explain that having young children was not a bad thing, as they would be able to take care of him when he was in his 70s.

    By that time, my older children will have their own families and won’t have time for me. But my younger ones will still be by my side. They’ll be the ones who will take care of me. He explained

    His viewpoint was met with mixed opinions by social media users. Aside from Michael Afranie, Kumawood has made other big stars over the years.

    Ghanaians React To Michael Afranie’s View On Child Birth

    Anning Kwadwo wrote:

    Afranie u re spot on

    Lisacommented:

    He’s very wise I know most children who sold all their fathers properties cos of waywardness. Educate them

    Sika Pa reacted:

    he’s only being honest to himself… that’s all

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  • Law cannot be superseded by traditional practices or spirituality – Albert Gyamfi

    Law cannot be superseded by traditional practices or spirituality – Albert Gyamfi

    It is true that conventions are important, but a custom that violates the law is invalid and cannot be recognized, according to a private legal practitioner.

    Albert Gyamfi, who is with Totoe Legal Services, said this while explaining the significance of one’s customary practices against the law with regard to the acquisition of the properties of a dead person.

    According to him, the law is supreme over everything and, therefore, the properties of the deceased cannot be meddled with using one’s customs as an excuse.

    “Ghana is a country that is governed by the rule of law so if you look at the laws of Ghana, although the laws of Ghana recognise customary law as part of the laws of Ghana, a custom that is contrary to law, in other words, an act of parliament, the CI, the LI, or the constitution is void”.

    “And as such if there is a customary practice that sins against PNDC Law 111 which is considered to be an existing law and has the same status as an act of Parliament, that custom is void, it cannot be recognised as part of customary laws in Ghana,” he said.

    Speaking on the Joy News’ The Law, Mr Gyamfi indicated that Ghana is not governed by any form of spirituality or scripture and again if there is any scripture that is contrary to the laws of Ghana, then it cannot be applicable.

    “As such, it is only the PNDC Law 111, the Wills Act, the Administrative of Estate Act and other such laws that governs the distribution of properties of a deceased person and that cultural and religious practices do not come into play,” he explained.

  • Abetifi stone age park commissioned by Akufo-Addo

    Abetifi stone age park commissioned by Akufo-Addo

    The Abetifi Stone Age Park has been commissioned by President Akufo-Addo to promote ecotourism in the Eastern Region.

    He commended the chief executive officer of the park, Benjamin Addo, for the initiative and pledged the government’s support to expand the project.

    The president said that the economic impact of ecotourism cannot be overemphasised.

    He urged Ghanaians to protect the environment to help deal with illegal dumping of refuse.

    The park, which sits on a 52-acre land has a cave where stone-age people lived for years, an artificial waterfall and other recreational facilities.

    Akufo-Addo commissions stone age park

    The deputy minister of tourism, arts and culture, Mark Okraku-Mantey, said since the inception of the “Year of Return” initiative in 2019, the country has witnessed significant increase in tourists. An increase of over one point five million tourists has injected more than three billion US dollars into the economy.

    Okraku-Mantey added that, it has created job opportunities for the youth. This has reduced the unemployment rate in the country.

    Addo said the park used to be a refuse dump but he had to use his initiative to turn it to what it has become.
    It took years for the center to take shape. He hopes that other projects, like a museum, will be built later at the centre.

  • Ghana’s democracy is under threat because of you – Minority tells Bryan Acheampong

    Ghana’s democracy is under threat because of you – Minority tells Bryan Acheampong

    Bryan Acheampong, the representative for Abetifi, has been criticised by the minority in parliament for asserting that the ruling NPP will not cede power in the 2024 elections.

    Bryan Acheampong after a Walk dubbed “Walk to Build A Better Ghana” with a multitude of NPP supporters at Mpreaso-Kwahu in the Eastern Region on Saturday April 8, 2023” has stated that the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), will never hand over power to the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in 2025.

    The walk was graced by the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Mr. Bryan Acheampong further indicated the NPP will ensure it remains in government at all cost.

    He cautioned that the NPP will show the NDC that they have the “men” should they try to use threats and violence in the 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections.

    In a statement by ranking Member of Committee on Defense and Interior in Parliament, James Agaliga says the Abetifi lawmaker is threat to Ghana democracy.

    According to him, the propensity of the NPP to use violence to disrupt elections is echoed in Bryan Acheampong’s statement.

    “The disruption of the Ayawaso West -Wuogon by election by hoodlums associated with the NPP is still fresh in our minds. We were not surprised at all that the Emile Short Commission of Inquiry implicated Bryan Acheampong in its findings and recommendations.

    “The killing of eight (8) Ghanaians during the conduct of the 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections by NPP thugs who infiltrated the security services through back door recruitment in order to manipulate and to subvert the will of the electorate as was seen in the Techiman North constituency cannot be forgotten,” Mr. Agaliga stated.

    He continued: “In view of the above, the dishonourable conduct of Bryan Acheampong poses a direct and grave threat to Ghana’s democracy and for which reason he must be held accountable. Consequently, we entreat the Inspector General of Police to as a matter of urgency arrest Bryan Acheampong and cause his prosecution for engaging in conduct which has the potential to undermine the peace and security of our country.”

    Below is the full statement from the Minority

    Bryan Acheampong- A danger to Ghana’s democracy.
    ———————————————-

    Hon James Agaliga, Ranking Member, Committee on Defense & Interior, Parliament of Ghana.
    ———————————————-

    My attention has been drawn to a statement made by Hon Bryan Acheampong, the MP for Abetifi and Minister for Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs on the 8th of April, 2023 which statement is captured in a video that has been widely shared on social media. The crux of the statement is that, the NPP as a political party will never hand over political power to the NDC and will do anything possible to retain power in 2024.

    If one unpacks Bryan Acheampong’s statement, two irresistible conclusions will be arrived at; First, the NPP is hell bent on subverting the will of the Ghanaian people in order to perpetuate their stay in power even when they loose the 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections which is almost certain given its abysmal performance in government and the pain, suffering and hardship they have inflicted upon Ghanaians.

    Secondly, the NPP is prepared to use violence to disrupt the impending elections if it becomes apparent that it will loose.

    The conclusions drawn from Bryan Acheampong’s ominous statement is manifested in the overall conduct of Akufo Ado’s government’s approach to issues bordering on the impartiality and credibility of the Electoral Commission moving in to the 2024 elections. The recent appointment by President Akufo Ado of Dr Peter Appiahene, Hajia Salina Ahmed Tijani and Rev. Ofori Boateng who are known activists of the NPP is consistent with Bryan Acheampong’s effusion.

    Again, the propensity of the NPP to use violence to disrupt elections is echoed in Bryan Acheampong’s statement. The disruption of the Ayawaso West -Wuogon by election by hoodlums associated with the NPP is still fresh in our minds. We were not surprised at all that the Emile Short Commission of Inquiry implicated Bryan Acheampong in its findings and recommendations.

    The killing of eight (8) Ghanaians during the conduct of the 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections by NPP thugs who infiltrated the security services through back door recruitment in order to manipulate and to subvert the will of the electorate as was seen in the Techiman North constituency cannot be forgotten.

    In view of the above, the dishonourable conduct of Bryan Acheampong poses a direct and grave threat to Ghana’s democracy and for which reason he must be held accountable. Consequently, we entreat the Inspector General of Police to as a matter of urgency arrest Bryan Acheampong and cause his prosecution for engaging in conduct which has the potential to undermine the peace and security of our country.

    Whilst unequivocally condemning Bryan Acheampong for his unguarded statement, we wish to send a clear message to him and people of his ilk that the NDC shall not leave any stone unturned to ensure that Ghana’s current democratic dispensation which was birthed by it in 1992 is safeguarded even in the face of intimidation and adversity.

    Signed:
    Hon James Agalga
    Ranking, Committee on Defence and Interior

  • Video: Akufo-Addo in Kwahu for Easter bash

    Video: Akufo-Addo in Kwahu for Easter bash

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo looked classy in a long-sleeve shirt and black trousers for the Easter bash in Kwaku.

    Veteran Ghanaian musician Amakye Dede entertained patrons with a spectacular performance at the yearly event.

    The president of Ghana joined dignitaries, celebrities and music lovers at the nightclub of Rock City Hotel in Kwahu on April 8, 2023.

    In a viral video shared by Ghana Music on Twitter, the president looked majestically into the club as the MC repeatedly screamed, “Addo Showboy, Addo Showboy, Addo Showboy.

    Several of his guards accompany the president as he makes his way across the hall to his seat. Ghana Music captioned their tweet thus:

    Check out Amakye’s DeDede’serformance at Rock City Hotel in Kwahu last night. He had President Akufo Addo in attendance.

    The Rock City Hotel is owned by Abetifi Member of Parliament Bryan Acheampong, who also doubles as an agric minister. It is a significant attraction for patrons who attend the annual Easter celebrations in the Eastern Region.

    This is not the first time the president is joining patrons in the nightclub in Kwahu. He was in attendance last year as well.

  • Kwaw Kese congratulates COP Kofi Boakye on his retirement

    Kwaw Kese congratulates COP Kofi Boakye on his retirement

    Famous Ghanaian rapper Kwaw Kese caused an online stir when he sent a message to the Commissioner of Police (COP) Kofi Boakye to wish him well on his retirement after serving in the Ghana Police Service for 34 years.

    This comes after COP Kofi Boakye announced his retirement in a lavish social media event featuring many famous people.

    The policeman has been widely acclaimed as one of the best and hardest-working police officers the service has ever produced.

    His tenure as the Ashanti Region’s regional commander is highly commended since it guaranteed regional law and order.

    Several people sent him heartwarming messages on social media congratulating him for doing an excellent job at the police service.

    Kwaw Kese posted a tweet to congratulate COP Kofi Boakye, which many believe is an exciting turn of events since the rapper was detained for smoking Indian hemp in public sometime in 2014 under the direction of COP Kofi Boakye.

    Kwaw Kese’s tweet reads:

    There’s time for everything my don, a time to arrest and a time to retire. Happy retirement my don

    Ghanaians react to Kwaw Kese’s tweet

    Several Ghanaians found the post interesting and shared their thoughts in the comments. YEN.com.gh compiles a few below.

    @ansuboahs said:

    You should have rather said, ‘a time to arrest, and a time to rest’ which would have been consistent with the rapper you are

    @girls_mirror commented:

    This guy ruined you, he made your life miserable, but thank God you bounced back stronger

    @HomicideBm remarked:

    You’ll never forget this man

  • Baena files complaint against Valverde over alleged assault

    Baena files complaint against Valverde over alleged assault

    Alex Baena, a midfielder for Villarreal, has reported Federico Valverde to the police for allegedly assaulting him after the LaLiga game on Saturday.

    Baena, a player for Spain’s Under-21 team, reportedly got into a furious argument with Valverde soon after the game.

    Baena reportedly received a punch while walking to the Villarreal squad bus and was distracted by his phone, according to the sports publication AS.

    Baena contributed actively to the LaLiga match at the Santiago Bernabeu, helping Villarreal defeat Madrid 3-2 with a late goal from Samuel Chukwueze.

    In a statement issued late on Sunday, in which Valverde was not referenced by name, Villarreal confirmed the police involvement and said Baena have the club’s support.

    The club said: “Villarreal CF player Alex Baena was assaulted last night while on his way to the team bus after the match against Real Madrid CF at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium.

    “Faced with this situation, the player has decided to file a complaint against the aggressor with the police.

    “Once again, Villarreal CF rejects any act of violence and firmly believes in the player’s version of events and will support him throughout this process.”

    Baena has denied reports he made crude personal remarks about Valverde before the alleged attack.

    The 21-year-old has represented Spain at every age-grade level from under-16 and has made over 50 appearances for Villarreal since making his senior debut in July 2020.

    Valverde and Los Blancos have yet to comment on Saturday’s alleged incident.

  • 11-year-old US-based Ghanaian gifted $15k piano for amazing Mozart-level talent

    11-year-old US-based Ghanaian gifted $15k piano for amazing Mozart-level talent

    11-year old Jude Kofie of Aurora, had an incredible surprise toward the end of last year 2022. The person who remarked, “The best things come in small packages,” has never received a grand piano as a present.

    One day the piano just appeared at Jude’s house.

    “All for free,” said his father, Isaiah. “Who does that?” 

    To understand how we got here, we have to go back a year-and-a-half, when Isaiah heard a noise coming from the basement. There was an old keyboard down there, but no one knew how to play it, certainly not his autistic son — or so he thought.

    Jude had never had a lesson. No one taught him how to play. But Isaiah got Jude a larger keyboard to see what more he could do. 

    US-based 11-year-old Ghanaian gifted $15k piano for incredible Mozart-level talent

    “It’s a miracle,” Jude said of his musical talents. 

    “You think it’s a miracle?” CBS News asked Jude. 

    “That’s what I prefer,” Jude responded. 

    US-based 11-year-old Ghanaian gifted $15k piano for incredible Mozart-level talent

    Bill Magnusson prefers that, too.

    Magnusson is a piano tuner. He saw a story by a Denver TV station about Jude and heard him play. He learned Jude’s parents immigrated from Ghana and were raising four children, as well as sending money back home to their family in Ghana.

    “What resources are left over to help this special little soul?” Magnusson said. 

    Using his father’s inheritance, Magnusson bought a $15,000 piano — estimated to be worth $45,000 — and promised to tune it once a month for the rest of his life. He’s also paying for Jude to get professional lessons. 

    “We’re family now,” Magnusson said. 

    The Kofie family is thankful. 

    “Somebody to just love your son like that by making sure that his future is secured, we are super thankful,” Isaiah said. 

  • Deputy Minister urges media to validate financial institutions before advertisement

    Deputy Minister urges media to validate financial institutions before advertisement

    The deputy minister of finance, Abena Osei-Asare, has exhorted the media to make conscious efforts to confirm financial institutions before endorsing their products.

    She explained that financial products and services advertisements on radio and television influence people’s purchasing decisions.

    Madam Osei-Asare made this appeal during the official launch of the National Financial Education Campaign Program in Accra.

    “The Ministry of Finance as part of the design of the financial education campaign conducted a preliminary assessment of Ghana’s financial literacy education landscape in 2021. The assessment which aimed to identify financial literacy gaps among citizens revealed that the average financial literacy score in the country is 12 out of a total score of 21,” she said.

    “This indicates that many Ghanaians lack the basic understanding of key financial issues such as the impact of inflation on the value of their money, computation of interest on loans and investments, and awareness and use of financial products and services, among others. These make it difficult for them to make an informed financial decision,” She stated.

    According to her, it was also revealed that between 19 per cent and 32 per cent (an average of about 28 per cent) of Ghanaians follow trends in the financial sector. This implies that about 72 per cent (on average) of the population do not follow trends in the financial sector and as such, have no idea of developments in the sector.

    “This shows the lack of interest by people in the management of their finances. They rather would prefer to shift their financial responsibilities to others,” she added.

    On his part, the Chief Executive Officer at Asamoah & Williams Consulting, Mr Mawuko Williams noted that financial literacy was a key component to building an efficient and well-functioning financial sector.

    “It does ensure that consumers are aware of their rights and responsibilities regarding the varying financial products on the market and can access them to improve their financial well-being and to alleviate poverty,” he added.

    He acknowledged that his firm, Asamoah and Williams Consulting and Trans Media Network, which served as an independent consultant, was hired to assist in the design and implementation of the campaign to support the work of the committee.

    “As part of the design process, the consultant undertook a detailed assessment of the financial education landscape across the 16 regions of Ghana to collect data that will inform the identification of the target audience, their level of financial literacy and knowledge gap as well as their preferred delivery platform. The findings from the survey informed the development of a five-year national financial literacy strategy (2021-2025) to serve as a blueprint for bolstering the financial capacity of Ghanaians,” he stated.

    He asserted that though comprehensive, the designed financial education campaign does not address all the gaps identified from the survey and the defined priority areas in the national financial literacy strategy.

    “We will therefore call on other stakeholders within the financial education space to consider the other defined priority pillars in the national strategy in their subsequent campaigns,” he noted.

  • Osebo donates to Muslim widows during Ramadan

    Osebo donates to Muslim widows during Ramadan

    Fashion icon Osebo made a charitable donation to Muslim widows in Kasoa during their Ramadan fast on April 9, 2023. The philanthropist visited the women to show his support and handed out food items, water, and pieces of cloth from the back of a pickup truck.

    Osebo’s act of kindness towards the Muslim widows in Kasoa has garnered positive reactions from many who have seen the heartwarming video he shared on TikTok. In the video, the fashion icon could be seen handing the items to the women, who expressed gratitude for the kind gesture.

    The women were visibly elated and thankful for the fashion icon’s support during their time of need. They appreciated his kindness and thanked him for remembering them during their Ramadan fast.

    @osebo247

    Osebo Foundation made donation to moslem widows in Kasoa Ofaakor to support their fasting #fypシ #viral #foryou #moslem

    ♬ original sound – Osebothezaraman247

    Osebo’s visit to the Muslim widows in Kasoa demonstrated his commitment to using his platform for good causes. Osebo has always been known for his unique fashion sense and impeccable style, but his philanthropy and generosity towards the less privileged prove that there is more to him than just fashion.

    Many people have praised Osebo for his act of kindness, with some even calling on others to follow in his footsteps and use their resources to help those in need.

    Ramadan 2023

    Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, prayer, reflection, and community.

    It is a time when Muslims abstain from food, drink, and other physical needs from dawn until dusk as a way of purifying the soul and strengthening their relationship with Allah.

    Ramadan 2023 began on Thursday, March 23, and will continue until the evening of Friday, April 21.

  • Akufo-Addo should not accent to new tax bills – Kwame Pianim

    Akufo-Addo should not accent to new tax bills – Kwame Pianim

    President Akufo-Addo has been urged not to sign the three revenue measures bill into law.

    An economist Kwame Pianim, made this request in an interview with JoyNews on Saturday, arguing that Parliament did not carefully consider the law.

    “President Akufo-Addo should refuse to sign these bills,” he urged.

    He accused the lawmakers of failing to ask the relevant questions while the bill was laid before the House.

    Mr Pianim therefore wants the president to send the bill back to Parliament for reconsideration.

    “After the Ministry of Finance has done its work, obviously, they have to have an economic model which says after the domestic debt exchange what is the economy looking like? What is it going to be?

    “Are we going to have depression and low economic growth for the next three or five years and if so what is going to happen to government’s revenue? Nobody seems to be looking at that and then it goes to Parliament.

    “We expect parliamentarians to consult their people, think about it and ask questions. They obviously don’t they just pass them so our last hope is for the President to say thank you Parliament I will not sign this bill because it is not good,” the NPP stalwart said.

    As a result, he criticised the 8th Parliament over the passing of three new taxes – the Income Tax Amendment Bill, The Excise Duty Amendment Bill and the Growth and Sustainability Amendment Bill.

    Mr Pianim said the current Parliament “is going to go down in history as one of the worst Parliament we’ve [Ghana] has ever had.”

    On April 1, Parliament passed three revenue measures in the government’s attempt to generate approximately ₵4 billion in internal revenue.

    The measures, according to government, will enable it complete processes to secure a $3 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme.

    However, the business, traders associations and some Ghanaians have been agitated about the passing of these new measures saying it will lead to the collapse and relocation of businesses in the country.

    Meanwhile, the President of the Ghana Union of Traders’ Association (GUTA) contributing to the discussion on the same analysis programme expressed his disappointment at Parliament for approving government’s new tax bills without consulting stakeholders.

    Dr Joseph Obeng disclosed that despite making several pleas and petitions to the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin and Parliament itself to reconsider the decision to approve the tax bills, they were not heeded.

    Dr Obeng said the action of Parliament was needless as there are many options to consider other than approving the taxes.

  • I keep short hair because I feel lazy to waste long hours on my hair – Ahuofe Patri

    I keep short hair because I feel lazy to waste long hours on my hair – Ahuofe Patri

    Ghanaian actress Priscilla Opoku Agyeman has revealed why she has maintained a short hairstyle for 11 years now.

    The curvaceous content creator is among the female celebrities who have inspired their followers with their elegant short hairstyles and flawless makeup looks.

    In an exclusive interview with Graphic Sho,wbiz Priscilla Opoku Agyeman, popularly called Ahoufe P,atri said;

    It’s just laziness. I feel lazy to do my hair. When I see women sport wigs, braids, etc., I admire them, but the time to sit to get mine done is the problem. I would rather take a good nap than fix my hair,” she said.

    YEN.com.gh shares three photos of Ahoufe Patri’s classy outfits and short hairstyles.

    Priscilla Opoku Agyeman looks stunning in a black hairstyle

    As she stepped out, the gorgeous style influencer looked classy in a black lace dress and flawless makeup. She styled her look with an oval-shaped mini-black bag and elegant shoes.

    Priscilla Opoku Agyeman looks sporty in white sneakers

    The brand influencer looked sporty in a red designer top and pants styled with white sneakers for this photoshoot. She rocked a short-coloured hairstyle and beautiful loop earrings.

    Priscilla Opoku Agyeman models in a white outfit

    The fashion model looked regal in a white cutout turtleneck outfit and gorgeous earrings. She looked splendid in a black side-parted hairstyle and heavy makeup for the runway show.

  • NPP won’t have any room to operate in Keta after my victory – Dr Djokoto

    NPP won’t have any room to operate in Keta after my victory – Dr Djokoto

    Dr. Senanu Kwasi Djokoto, a contender for Keta in the Volta Region’s parliamentary primary, has promised to bring harmony and development to Keta if elected.

    Dr. Djokoto, who is a former Constituency Chairman for the area, said there were loopholes in the party that needed urgent attention to enable them to face the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2024 general elections.

    He told Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview, “I am highly optimistic that for what l have done and still doing for the party, l have a greater assurance from delegates to give me 90 percent of their votes to enable me to move Keta to next the level of development.”

    Dr. Djokoto, who is also the acting Volta Regional Director of Health, disclosed that Keta continued to lack several developmental projects, which contributed to youth unemployment in the area and some moving out to other places for greener pastures.

    “You need to put your people first and address their needs before any other equally important issues. Keta is the big hub of the NDC, and we must make sure we keep that standard,” he said.

    Dr Djokoto promised to solve some key challenges facing the constituents in the area which included, health, job creation, infrastructure, education, sports, tourism, among others if given the slot.

    He urged all delegates to keep calm and rally behind him since he would not disappoint them.

    Dr Djokoto is among five other parliamentary aspirants cleared after vetting to contest the Keta Parliamentary seat.

    The NDC has set Saturday, May 13 for their Presidential and Parliamentary primaries across the country to elect their flagbearer and parliamentary candidates for the 2024 general elections.

  • Marseille: 2 found after explosion

    Marseille: 2 found after explosion

    In Marseille, a city in southern France, a four-story apartment building was completely destroyed by an explosion. Two bodies have since been discovered.

    Six individuals, according to local police, are still missing and rescue operations are ongoing.

    The explosion happened in the La Plaine neighborhood on Sunday around 00:49 local time. (23:49 BST on Saturday).

    Investigators are investigating into the likelihood of a gas leak even if the source is yet unknown.

    Around 200 people had to be evacuated from their houses after the explosion caused minor injuries to five persons from nearby structures. A few hours later, two adjacent buildings partially fell without any further injuries.

    On Monday the mayor of Marseille, Benoit Payan, warned nearby buildings were at risk of collapsing.

    Around 100 firefighters attended the scene to tackle a blaze that burned under the rubble throughout Sunday.

    The fire hampered progress and made it difficult for rescuers to deploy sniffer dogs, although authorities said on Sunday evening that the blaze was showing signs of abating.

    The building is believed to have had one apartment on each storey, and city officials said earlier that the people missing included a “young couple”.

    Rescue operations continued into the early hours of Monday with the help of a crane and lights.

    In a brief statement announcing the discovery of the bodies, the fire department said that “given the difficulties of intervention, the extraction [of the bodies from the site] will take time”.

    A local gymnasium and two schools have been opened to accommodate the people who have had to leave their homes. Psychological support is also being offered.

    French President Emmanuel Macron said on Twitter that he was “thinking of those affected and their loved ones” and thanked the emergency workers for their efforts.

    Mayor of Marseille Benoît Payan said rescuers remained “determined” to find people alive. “Hope must hold us,” he said.

  • Ghanaian Sports journalist George Addo Jnr joins the BBC

    Ghanaian Sports journalist George Addo Jnr joins the BBC

    After working for more than ten years in Ghana and other African countries, sports broadcast journalist George Addo Jr. has joined the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).

    George has spent the previous 10 years working for the Multimedia Group Limited, Ghana’s largest media conglomerate. He plans to use all of this knowledge to help the BBC maintain its position as the continent’s and the world’s top source for sports news.

    After Yaw Ampofo Ankrah and Ibrahim Sannie Daara, George is the third sports journalist from Ghana to join the BBC and work there in the United Kingdom.

    George holds a bachelor’s degree in Linguistics and Psychology from the University of Ghana and a post-graduate certificate from the Global School of Business – UK in Sports Marketing and Communication.

    George’s love affair with sports stretches back to his days as a student. During his time at the university, he played a pivotal role in the University of Ghana’s Sports for Development Programme and provided extensive research for the Ghana Universities Sports Association. At Radio Univers, the campus station, George rose to the position of Head of Sports, leading the strategic coverage of two University of Ghana Sports Association games; that is the West African Universities Games and the World University Games. These giant strides did not go unnoticed, as he was subsequently adjudged Student Reporter of the Year in 2013 by his peers and the university community.

    When George made the step up to Joy FM, he fit in seamlessly and was the radio station’s chief football commentator for nine years. This role saw him deliver world-class commentary on several major sporting tournaments, notably including five Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournaments, two European football championships, five UEFA Champions League campaigns, three FIFA World Cup tournaments and seven Ghana Premier League campaigns.

    George Addo Jnr joins the BBC

    Rated as one of the best English commentators Ghana has ever produced by the venerable Mirror newspaper, George’s crystal clear, distinct and captivating commentary on radio and TV made him a three-time nominee for the PAV Ansah Communications Award under the prestigious EMY Africa Awards scheme.

    He was accredited to cover three consecutive UEFA Champions League finals in 2016, 2017, and 2018.

    Indeed, Addo created a bit of history for himself when, in 2021, he delivered commentary on the Euros final between England and Italy from Wembley for Joy FM. That same tournament saw him deliver television commentary for Joy Prime, who had exclusive TV rights to the games.

    A zealous storyteller, George used his creativity to craft excellent documentaries and features on the Ghanaian league, which positioned him for an award from the Ghana Premier League Board for his significant promotion of the topflight in 2013 and 2014. He was also chief athletics reporter at Joy FM, covering five major competitions – the 2017 World Athletics Championships in London, the 2018 Indoor Athletics Championships in Birmingham, the 2018 Africa Athletics Championships in Asaba (Nigeria), the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha, and the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Oregon.

    George’s catalogue of interviewees is also quite rich, having sat down with top personalities like CAF President Patrice Motsepe, Borussia Dortmund CEO Carsten Cramer, as well as Liverpool legends Ian Rush, Robbie Fowler and John Barnes. He has also interviewed World Athletics boss Lord Coe and legendary football commentators Peter Drury, Jim Beglin, among other distinguished personalities in the sports world.

    George has also been featured on some of the world’s leading and influential media, including SuperSport, talkSPORT, Newzroom Afrika, DW, and the BBC, where he now calls home.

    His experience in communications saw him handed the role of media lead for Borussia Dortmund’s first official visit to Ghana and Africa, while he worked as the communications director for the Ghana Beach Soccer Association from 2013 to 2017.

    Additionally, he was also named Communications Director of the Coach Hene Sports Club in East Manchester last month.

    George began his new role at the BBC in March, and has already slotted in as football reporter a number of times on the station’s Sports World radio show, which airs on weekends.

    George Addo Jnr joins the BBC

    Despite being permanently based with the BBC now, the corporation’s status as partner station for the Multimedia Group in Ghana means Addo still does a few programs for the Kokomlemle-based broadcaster on radio and TV.

    However, his primary focus at the moment is to make an impact at BBC Quay House in Salford, where he now calls home.

  • Let’s infuse our political life with Christlike qualities – Mahama

    Let’s infuse our political life with Christlike qualities – Mahama

    A former president of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, has urged Christian politicians to incorporate traits of Christ into their political lives.

    The former President said the trappings of political office can make one feel immortal, hence, the need for Christian politicians to embed the features of Jesus Christ into their political life to help them navigate their stay in office.

    The NDC presidential candidate hopeful made the comments when he joined the Holy Hill Assemblies of God Church at Circle on Easter Sunday to worship.

    “God has blessed me, he has guided my steps, any possible office, the politics of this office I have occupied, I have been a deputy minister, I have been a minister, I have been a member of parliament for three terms, I have been a vice president and ultimately I have been the president of the Republic of Ghana.

    “Wherever you go, you get soldiers lined, welcome parades, you inspect guards of honour, the band is playing and often what it does is, it gives you a sense of immortality, if you are used to the trappings of office, you will think that you will never step out of the office and so what I say to Christian politicians is we take christlike features into the work we do as politicians.”

  • Bryan Acheampong did not mean violence – Atta Akyea

    Bryan Acheampong did not mean violence – Atta Akyea

    Samuel Atta Akyea, the MP for Abuakwa South, has supported his Abetifi colleague in response to his assertion that the NPP would not cede power to the NDC in 2025. He claimed that Bryan Acheampong’s comment was political rhetoric during a Sunday JoyNews interview. He pointed out that the minister’s intended meaning was that the ruling party would break the eight. He claims that Mr. Acheampong’s remark has been misrepresented. “I was on the stage actually, there was nothing fury about that it. It was just in a context like you having a good fight – I will beat you to a pulp. “If you said that doesn’t mean that you going to use violence or anything, it is a political language so I was a bit surprised that people are giving it some violence undertones and all that..,” he explained. The Abetifi MP Bryan Acheampong on Saturday after a health walk says the current NPP will not hand over power to the NDC. According to him, the party will use whatever means necessary to remain in power in the 2024 general election. He added that if the NDC dares to use threats, and brute force in the 2024 election, the NPP will show them that they have the men. According to him, the NDC will collapse and the NPP we will show them that “we have the men”. But the Abuakwa MP said his words were taken out of context. Atta Akyea reiterated and assured Ghanaians that Mr Acheampong did not exhibit any signs of violence-based characteristics while making that statement. He, therefore, thinks the Abetifi MP did not have any intention to undertake any action that would cause havoc to disrupt the peace and stability in the country. The lawyer additionally pointed out the fact that no matter the influence any politician may have, at the end of the day, it was the EC that determined which party will govern the country. Meanwhile, the NDC has reacted to the comment by calling for the arrest of the Food and Agric Minister since his comment poses a threat to democracy. But reacting to this, he expressed surprise about how the NDC has taken the situation. According to him, it was completely “out of place”. “Immediately you go into this kind of frenzy, it won’t help the nation… because of the economy you are coming back – you can only reply that way that rather we will boot you out. “So when we say we will boot you out it is a metaphor it doesn’t mean we are going to use our foot but we will use our thump.”
  • Two Police officers sanctioned for failing to assist colleague

    Two Police officers sanctioned for failing to assist colleague

    Two police officers have been sanctioned for failing to intervene to save a fellow officer who was being attacked by some individuals on April 7, 2023, at the Wono Akotsosu snap checkpoint in the Kumawu District of the Ashanti Region.

    A Police statement revealed that the “two police officers No. 58741 G/Constable Isaac Boiatey and No.61963 G/Constable Evans Owusu who were on duty with the attacked officer have been interdicted for their seeming failure to rescue their colleague, subdue the attackers and get them arrested and have therefore been referred to the Police Professional Standards Bureau (PPSB) for an investigation into their professional conduct.”

    Meanwhile, six persons have been arrested for attacking the Police officer.

    According to the Police, the suspects, Edward Boateng, Evans Addo, Yaw Kusi, Michael Owusu, Yaw Boateng and Emmanuel Mensah, together with one other suspect who is currently on the run, pulled up in a taxi cab at the checkpoint.

    The taxi which was overloaded with seven male adults caught the attention of one of the three Police officers who were on duty at the checkpoint. He, therefore, stopped them and requested to search the car.

    However, the suspects in an attempt to prevent the Police officer from checking the car pounced on him and violently attacked him.

    A police reinforcement team which was responding to the incident succeeded in arresting six of the suspects and efforts are underway to get the last suspect arrested.

    The attacked Police officer who sustained a knee injury, together with one of the suspects who also sustained some injuries were sent to the hospital for medical attention.

  • NDC demands arrest of Bryan Acheampong over ‘treasonable’ comment

    NDC demands arrest of Bryan Acheampong over ‘treasonable’ comment

    The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has called on the Police Service to apprehend the Agric Minister Bryan Acheampong over his attempt to deliberately undermine Ghana’s democracy.

    Abetifi MP Bryan Acheampong says the current New Patriotic Party (NPP) will not hand over power to the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

    Speaking to party stalwarts over the weekend, he said the NPP will use whatever means necessary to remain in power in the 2024 general election.

    He added that if the NDC dares to use threats, and brute force in the 2024 election, the NPP) will show them that they have the men.

    According to him, the NDC will collapse and the NPP we will show them that “we have the men”.

    Reacting to his “reckless” comment, the NDC noted that the MP suggested treason, thus must be arrested and questioned just like public figures who have made similar statements.

     

  • An ex-Swedish soldier among Ukrainian medical personnel navigate no man’s land to save lives

    An ex-Swedish soldier among Ukrainian medical personnel navigate no man’s land to save lives

    A former soldier who joined a Ukrainian battalion of voluntarily employed paramedics and doctors has detailed the “intense” experience of traversing no man’s land.

    While rescuing wounded soldiers from some of the most perilous positions in the battle zone, the rescuer and his Hospitallers Medical Battalion teammates have come under Russian fire.

    Before joining the team, he served as a machine gunner in the Swedish military. The team’s members frequently put their lives in danger to deliver critical medical assistance.

    The 25-year-old, who is on his third deployment with the Hospitallers, is based in Adviika, a frontline city being assaulted by Vladimir Putin’s forces in the eastern Dontesk region.  

    He previously served in an anti-sabotage unit in the Swedish air force and has also provided training to the Ukrainian military. Speaking under his team name of ‘Thor’, he told of the switch to becoming a driver, paramedic and close protection guard with a ‘medevac’ team amid heavy fighting in the Donbas.

    ‘The transition has been quite smooth,’ he said. ‘My previous role as a machine gunner came with training and a mindset to be brutal, for want of a better word. Now with the Hospitallers, I have the privilege to be able to save lives, which is the opposite of my previous role.’ 

    Arresting pictures of the Hospitallers’ work show volunteers on a specialised medical bus in the Dnipro region, which lies around 100 miles west of Adviika.

    Oleg, an injured Ukrainian soldier, waits for an evacuation by volunteers from the Hospitallers paramedic organisation inside a special medical bus in Donetsk region, Ukraine, Wednesday, March 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
    Injured Ukrainian soldier Oleg waits for an evacuation by volunteers from the Hospitallers paramedic organisation on a special medical bus in Donetsk (Picture: AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

    A soldier named Oleg is shown wearing a head net bandage above extensive facial scars as he waits to be evacuated on one of the specialised buses operated by the non-state group.

    Thor, who is on his third deployment, told Metro.co.uk that the demands of working in a warzone were becoming routine but his team was nonetheless encountering new hazards.

    ‘The pressure and challenges come in waves,’ he said. ‘This is my third deployment and my team and I have established routines. But there are always new challenges with every deployment 

    ‘Just the other day to get to our position where we waited for the alarm to receive patients we had to cross a “no man’s land” area where both sides sit and have fire observers to hit the area with artillery if enemies cross it. Our medical and our other casevac teams had to cross this area 

    ‘So we had to keep maximum speed and were forbidden to stop.

    ‘We were going at a steady 130km until we crossed this area which took 10 to 15 minutes. It was very intense as we could see and hear impacts on the field close to the road.’ 

    The Hospitallers have provided medical and first-aid training to more than 800 volunteers since Russia launched the full-scale invasion 13 months ago. Supported in part by funds raised in the UK, the group currently has more than 500 volunteers and 80 crews working to save lives. 

    Commander Yana Zinkevich was named on the BBC’s list of 100 inspiring and influential women from around the world in 2022. She became a medical volunteer after leaving high school and founded the organisation in 2014 at the outset of Russia’s military aggression in Ukraine. 

    The fundraising mission is continuing as Russian forces and the Wagner mercenary group continue to try and wrest the eastern city of Bakhmut from Ukrainian control and target the country with missiles. 

    Dozens of lives are saved by crews every day, according to the Hospitallers.  

    Thor joined after the full-blown assault began and is part of a team comprising Ukrainian and international volunteers who operate under the Hospitallers’ motto of ‘for the sake of every life’.

    The battalion says its crews witnessed the outcome of the atrocities in Bucha at a time when other organisations considered the city too hazardous to enter.

    ‘Ninety per cent of our patients have shrapnel injuries and other injuries from indirect fire,’ Thor said. ‘They occasionally have wounds to the lungs from hits to the side and traumatic head injuries from blasts 

    ‘We also have very common injuries of soldiers who stay in their trenches for longer periods of time and sustain blast after blast but don’t sustain any shrapnel injuries, just the shockwaves.

    ‘After a period of time, the soldiers experience light concussion and have symptoms such as nausea, dizziness and light confusion. They need to be evacuated for rest and evaluation at hospital.’

    Despite his military background, the Hospitaller has found it difficult to witness the impact of the war on Ukrainian recruits and civilians still in frontline areas, including elderly residents.

    ‘The worst part is seeing mobilised soldiers with minimum training and no proper equipment,’ he said.

    ‘They have high morale and will finish their mission with what they have. 

    ‘If we have a calmer rotation we try to give them medical training and with our donations from the West we are able to give out equipment like tourniquets.

    ‘On a previous deployment, we gave out machine gun pouches to a machine gun squad. The other worst part is seeing civilians so close to the front. You can on occasion see children walking around in the villages. 

    ‘A lot of older people don’t have anywhere to go and if they have a place to move they often don’t as they have lived their entire lives on this farm or house and refuse to flee because this is their home and birthplace, which I sympathise with.’

    The risks were gravely underlined in July 2022 when Hospitaller Natalia Frauscher, a Ukrainian volunteer who had been living in Austria before returning to help her homeland, died in a bus crash near the frontline.

    Hundreds of mourners attended the 47-year-old’s funeral at St Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery in Kyiv. A new medical evacuation bus has been named ‘Avstriyka’, as she was known, in her memory.

    Thor spoke in a week when the UK Ministry of Defence reported that Russian forces were still trying to advance on Adviika despite having suffered catastrophic losses of troops in the Donbas.

    Separate analysis released on Tuesday by the US Institute for the Study of War showed significant fighting around the city and to the north at Bakhmut, which has become the focal point of the war. 

    But Thor was unequivocal when asked about the reward for facing mortal peril on a daily basis. 

    ‘The best part is saving the lives of the Ukrainian heroes and defenders,’ he said. 

    ‘There’s nothing more satisfying than a successful rescue.’ 

  • The police seizes counterfeit products worth £6,000,000 from Manchester’s “Counterfeit Street.”

    The police seizes counterfeit products worth £6,000,000 from Manchester’s “Counterfeit Street.”

    In the ongoing Operation Vulcan , police have taken more than £6 million worth of counterfeit products from Manchester’s notorious “Counterfeit Street.”

    Easter has traditionally been one of the busiest periods of the year for the fake goods stores in the Cheetham Hill and Strangeways areas, according to Greater Manchester Police.

    However, this year’s counterfeit commerce has been hampered by the closure of 18 stores in the last two weeks.

    Over the past fortnight, police have encountered dilapidated buildings littered with rat urine and faeces, dangerous homemade electricity, hidden weapons, and shops without proper means of escape.

    Counterfeit clothing seized in one of the latest Op Vulcan raids
    Police have been cracking down on counterfeit goods in Manchester since last autumn (Picture: MEN Media)

    The seized Items will be repurposed and recycled, and turned into items the community can benefit from – including coats, hats, insulation, and even energy for houses.

    GMP says ‘relentless action by Operation Vulcan’ is starting to take its toll on Manchester’s illegitimate trade, with the latest seizures leading to goods worth millions of pounds being removed from the criminal market. 

    Around 33 organised crime gangs from across the country are believed to have links to the area.

    Since launching Operation Vulcan last autumn, police believe the total number of dodgy shops around Strangeways has been slashed from more than 200 to less than 10.

    More than 100 people have been arrested on suspicion of a variety of different offences in that time, including 38 for drugs offences.

    Inspector Andy Torkington, one of Operation Vulcan’s specialist officers, said: ‘We have been relentlessly targeting these illegitimate shops, but we are aware of the few remaining units who are attempting to operate in the area. We will be targeting these premises imminently and our investigations will continue as we seek out and arrest those involved.

    ‘We are seeing excellent progress in the area, and the feedback from the public has been overwhelmingly supportive, but there is still more to be done.

    ‘The criminality has been embedded into the area for decades, and we’re under no illusion that five months of relentless action will solve it, but these results show great strides in the right direction.

    ‘We need the community side by side with us, sharing information so we can act upon it and bring these people to justice. Operation Vulcan has unwavering support from partner agencies across Greater Manchester which will enable us to stamp out the criminality and build stronger communities.’

    An earlier raid on the area saw police seize £60k in fake cosmetics and beauty products, which were found to contain traces of cyanide and human urine.

    Included in the haul were around 400 perfume bottles and seven tonnes of counterfeit clothing and accessories, including knock-off beauty products from fake designer brands such as Chanel, Armani, Dior and Hugo Boss.

    Police also found more than 50 people being held against their will in a shop on Great Dulcie Street, in a building used to store goods which was littered with rat urine and faeces.

    After freeing the trapped people, Greater Manchester Police said: ‘Officers discovered incredibly dangerous infrastructure and signs of exploitative labour, including an underground homemade air conditioning system the staff had made by drilling holes into the pipes on the ceiling.’

  • Phones to be provided to murderers Wayne Couzens and Ian Huntley in their cells

    Phones to be provided to murderers Wayne Couzens and Ian Huntley in their cells

    According to reports, some of the deadliest murders in the UK, including Wayne Couzens, Levi Bellfield, and Ian Huntley, will have phones put in their cells.

    The concept of being able to place and receive private calls has been described as “buzzing” among inmates at HMP Frankland, often known as “Monster Mansion.”

    These are thought to have taken months for workers to install so that inmates wouldn’t have to wait in lines.

    Critics have called it a ‘terrible’ idea and say the scheme is open to ‘being abused’.

    Former Scotland Yard detective Peter Bleksley told The Sun giving a phone to ‘someone serving a relatively small sentence’ and planning to rebuild their life outside ‘is not a bad idea’.

    But he added: ‘The idea that monsters like Huntley and Bellfield are ­getting phones in their cells is outrageous. I can see it being abused.’

    Tory MP James Daley, who sits on the Home Affairs select committee, said victims and taxpayers will be ‘sickened’.

    Prisoners at Frankland – including Soham child murderer Huntley, serial killer Bellfield and rape killer cop Couzens – are housed in single cells with a TV, washbasin and toilet facilities.

    Those who behave well are also allowed games consoles and DVD players.

    A Prison Service spokesman told the paper that ‘phone use in prisons is subject to strict time limits, risk assessments and monitoring’.

    Other notorious inmates include Lee Rigby’s killer Michael Adebolajo, nail bomber David Copeland and Sally Anne Bowman’s murderer Mark Dixie.

  • Ukrainian counteroffensive will start “in weeks” – US

    Ukrainian counteroffensive will start “in weeks” – US

    According to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Ukraine is about to start its long-awaited counteroffensive against Russia.

    Following months of rumours and false information concerning the nature of Ukraine’s next move, Mr. Blinken’s remarks represent the most credible assessment of the situation on the front lines to date.

    In an interview with German media outlet Funke, Mr. Blinken stated, “A counteroffensive that will likely commence in the coming weeks.”

    During the interview, Mr Blinken stated that there are ‘two goals for Ukraine’s many friends and partners’ in the current conflict with Russia.

    The first aim is helping Kiev win back territories, which means assisting in a counteroffensive, the diplomat argued.

    The second goal, according to the secretary of state, is supporting Ukraine in building up its medium- and long-term capacities to deter Russia and to allow Kiev to defend itself from any future attack.

    Addressing calls for Ukraine to commence peace talks with Russia, Blinken said: ’For some, the idea of ​​a ceasefire may seem tempting – and I understand that. 

    ‘But if this leads to the practical ratification by Russia of the seizure of significant Ukrainian territories, this will not be a just and lasting peace. 

    ‘Russia could regroup its troops and attack again after a certain time. Russia must reach a point where it is ready to enter into constructive negotiations. The goal must be a just and lasting peace.’

    Ukraine has spent much of the winter ensuring the essential preconditions for a successful counter-offensive are in place, including the completion of training and integration of new units, degrading the Russian rear, a resilient logistics chain and real-time intelligence.

    Kyiv is currently setting up several new corps, each of which would comprise several thousand troops.

    ‘Included in these will not only be new Western tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, wheeled vehicles and other equipment but also a lot of engineering equipment,’ Mick Ryan, formerly a general in the Australian army, told CNN.

    After months of preparation, these units may nearly be ready.

    It is thought the upcoming offensive this spring will see a ‘decisive battle’ which may determine the eventual outcome of the war.

    But Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba pointed out last week that Kiev is concerned that the planned advance would not result in Russia being ‘100%’ pushed out of the territories that Ukraine intends to reclaim. 

    He urged Kiev’s Western backers not to treat the counteroffensive as a make-or-break moment, and called on them to maintain their support regardless of its outcome.

    His comments follow news that secret Nato plans for the upcoming offensive had been leaked to Russia, although these plans have been dismissed as disinformation.

    A Telegram channel linked closely to Russia’s FSB security services had boasted on Friday of a ‘First breakthrough for Russian intelligence’ when it published photos of the leaked documents.

    It said that the five documents marked as ‘Top secret’ gave away valuable intelligence which exposed the expected supply of weapons, the number of troops and the consumption of ammunition,’ it said.

    But closer inspection of the documents revealed they had been doctored, with certain figures changed to appear more favoured to Russia.

    But the plans were rubbished by Mikhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Volodymyr Zelensky, who said: ‘Since the USSR’s collapse Russian intelligence has degraded to the extent that the only way to redeem itself after “Salisbury” and “three-day plans” is to photoshop and fake leaks.’

    Mr Podolyak told Russia they ‘will see the real plans on the ground soon’, although the Pentagon appears to be taking the leaks seriously.

    ‘We are aware of the reports of social media posts and the department is reviewing the matter,’ said Sabrina Singh, the deputy press secretary at the Pentagon.

    Speculation on the location of the counterattack has focused most recently on the occupied town of Melitopol, in the south of the country, which was captured by Russia early in the war.

    The city grants access to strategically important road and railway hubs which connect to the Zaporizhzhya region and other parts of Donbas and Crimea.

    Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has insisted that Ukrainian talk of a large-scale spring offensive that would also target Crimea is merely ‘propaganda.’ 

    However, he did warn that if the peninsula came under attack, Russia would be justified in using ‘all means of protection,’ including nuclear weapons.