On February 6, 2023, a deadly earthquake struck southern and central Turkey as well as western Syria, trapping many people, including Ghanaian footballer Christian Atsu.
In a newly released report, the footballer’s agent, Nana Sechere, confirmed that the player has passed on in a tweet.
âIt is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to announce to all well-wishers that sadly Christian Atsuâs body was recovered this morning
“My deepest condolences go to his family and loved ones. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their prayers and support,â he said.
After the news broke, some Ghanaian celebrities took to social media to express their condolences and shock.
One of the first to tweet about the news was media personality Bridget Otoo who said, âNot the news you want to wake up to. May God comfort his family. No words can replace or measure their pain at this time.â
Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah for his part, also tweeted, âSad sad sad development.â
Musician Guru also tweeted his initial reaction choosing to use an exclamation. “Hmmm.”
Ghanaian veteran Gospel duo Tagoe Sisters have a new management.
In a communique released, the new management, Linmart Media Solutions indicated their signing of the multiple hitmakers.
Linmart Media Solutions also hinted at activities for the celebration of the duoâs 40th anniversary.
âLinmart Media Solutions, an artiste and events management company, is delighted to announce to the general public and the media that, henceforth, it is the new management for the Tagoe Sisters brand,â the communique said.
âLinmart Media Solutions bears the responsibility for all media and public engagement, brand positioning and commercial bookings.
âDetails of this new union will be made known during a planned news conference stipulating activities for the 40th-anniversary celebrations of Tagoe Sisters in the gospel and Ghana music industry,â the communiquesigned by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Nii Armah Amartefioindicated.
Twins Lydia Dedei Yawson Nee Tagoe and Elizabeth Korkoi Tagoe are the members of beloved Gospel brand called Tagoe Sisters.
Their hits and classics include: âFa Bibiara Ma No (Lay It All On Him)â, âYedi Nkunim (Weâre Victorious)â, âMenya Yesu (I Have Jesus)â, âAnka Matete (Iâd Have Been Destitute)â, âEto Betwa (Itâll All End)â, etc.
Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, executive director of the Danquah Institute, saw Manchester City defeat Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium in the English Premier League.
On February 15, 2023, Manchester City defeated Arsenal 3-1 in their standout game of the current campaign to take the top spot in the Premier League standings.
Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko after the game met the two Ghanaians in the Arsenal squad, Black Stars midfielder Thomas Partey and striker Eddie Nketiah who is yet to decide on his possible nationality switch from England to Ghana.
“Had lunch today with my good friend @Thomaspartey22 and the young man who calls me “Uncle”, @EddieNketiah9 after their training session. They are both in very high spirit and determined to see @Arsenal returning to winning ways, starting from Saturday against @AVFCOfficial,” Gabby Otchere-Darko wrote on his Twitter post with a picture of the meeting sighted by GhanaWeb.
Eddie Nketiah lasted the entire duration of the game in the defeat to Manchester City while Thomas Partey couldn’t feature because of an injury.
Manchester City are now on top of the ongoing 2022/2023 English Premier League table on goal difference as they are tied on 51 points with Arsenal having played a game more than the Gunners.
A Chinese man who concelaed a lottery win of 10 million yuan ($1.5 million) from his then-wife for two years has been ordered by a court of law to compensate the woman.
In 2021, the man, surnamed Zhou, won a lottery prize of 10 million yuan. After paying the mandatory tax, he was left with 8.43 million ($1.23 million). That was still lifechanging money for him and his family, only instead of sharing the wonderful news with his wife, he reportedly kept acting like nothing happened. On the day that the lottery prize was wired to his bank account, Zhou transferred 2 million to his sister and another 700,000 yuan to his ex-wife, to help her buy an apartment. He didnât mention the lottery win to his wife for two years.
Itâs unclear how Zhouâs wife found out about his decption, but the moment she did, she filed for a divorce and also sued him for her cut of the lottery prize. Since the two were married at the time of the win, the money is considered common property of the two spouses, but because Zhou had gone to great lengths to conceal the win from his wife, she actually asked for two thrids of the 2.7 million yuan he had sent his sister and former wife without her consent.
On February 1st, a Wenzhou court agreed to the womanâs request for 60 per cent of the concealed winnings, and no party has sought an appeal against the ruling.
The story went wiral on Chinese social media, with the vast majority of people blaming Zhou for keeping his wife in the dark about their common property for so long.
âHe used the coupleâs common property to buy a lottery ticket and won the top prize. He wanted to enjoy it alone?â one person asked rhetorically.
Interestingly, this is not a unique case. Just last November, we wrote about another Chinese man who collected his lottery prize in disguise so he could keep it a secret from his wife and kids.
A core of the team who participated in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar would be kept under new coach Chris Hughton, according to Black Stars assistant coach Mas-Ud Didi Dramani.
After taking over for Otto Addo as head coach, Chris Hughton is expected to make some significant changes to the Black Stars’ organisational structure.
âThe [World Cup] squad is still alive. You have to look at how the leagues are going now as well as those [players] who are on the pitch.”
“Talking about those to maintain, if the person is injured he is out [for the qualifiers]. The core of the team is still the base,” Mas-Ud Didi Dramani said as quoted by footballghana.
Chris Hughton previously served as the Black Stars’ technical advisor under Otto Addo’s tenure and was part of the team that took the team to the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Ghanaian actor, Steven Atange, popularly known as Don Little, has said the original masterminds in the weed trade in Ghana are people in positions of power, while the average person who likely engages in the practice for amusement purposes is often hounded.
He made this statement after the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) destroyed cannabis worth GH50 million on February 10, 2023.
In a 3News.com report, Don Little advocated for the legalization of weed.
âI buy and sell, and Iâm also a businessman. Any business is business. If you pimp girls, itâs a business. If you sell marijuana, itâs also a business.
âNo, itâs not bad because if you travel, weed is legalized. In Ghana, everything is poor, and we selectively criticise. Those in authority are doing it. Nobody is catching them. But we, the ordinary person, if we do it, they will be harassing and embarrassing us,â he said.
On February 11, 2023, Kwame Sefa Kayi (Chairman General), the host of Kokrokoo on Peace FM, expressed his sadness over the destruction of cannabis by NACOC.
Reacting to the report during a panel discussion on his morning show, the journalist noted that while the conversation around the issue has been limited to mental health and recreation, there are other economic and medicinal benefits of cannabis.
âI guess people are bringing up the issue of mental health because the conversation has been limited to smoking and recreation. But truth be told, I am pained because of the weed that has been burnt,â he emphasised.
Nigerian musician Tiwa Savage is expanding her creativity â moving from the world of music to film.
On Wednesday, the 43-year-old singer revealed that she is making her acting debut in the new film âWater and Garriâ.
The film seemingly takes its name from her 2021 EP.
Taking to Instagram to make the announcement, Tiwa Savage revealed that she co-directed the movie with popular Nigerian director, Meji Alabi.
Sharing some snaps of her on set she wrote âthis is about to be an ICONIC moment. My first calling and co-directing debut with the GOAT @meji Alabi.â
Meanwhile, according to Screen Daily, âWater and Garriâ shows Tiwaâs character, Aisha, a fashion designer in the US, returns home to confront her guilt.
The film, the website revealed, was shot in Cape Coast, in the Central Region of Ghana and produced by the African production company Unbound Studios and its subsidiary JM Films.
Filming has already been wrapped.
Speaking to Screen Daily, Tiwa Savage said that she was ecstatic to be on the project which has been a dream of hers for a number of years.
âPerforming as Aisha allowed me to be totally vulnerable and pushed me to express myself in a way that Iâve never done before. It was an honour to share my debut as an actress with Meji whilst filming on the African continent with a cast and crew that I have immense admiration and respect for.â
Co-director Meji Alabi also told the site that âItâs (Water and Garri) such an exciting story and Tiwa nailed her debut as a lead actress amongst an incredible supporting cast. Looking forward to sharing this film with the world.â
Rapper Okyeame Kwame born Kwame Nsiah-Apau says his ego will be bruised if his wife decides to financially cater to herself in their relationship.
According to the self-acclaimed Rap Doctor, he has been socialised as a man to be responsible for all the financial needs of the home.
In view of that, he would not allow his wife to take that responsibility from him no matter how much she earns.
âWe were all brought up in a socio-cultural concept. And I have been socialised that even if my wife is a trillionaire, I must give food, take care of the children and be the one to provide for the accommodation.
âSo for me, that type of service is attached to my ego, so if a woman is doing it for me, I will be offended,â he said.
Okyeame Kwame made this revelation when contributing to the topic âDo independent women expect men to be providers?â on Joy FMâs Super Morning Show on Friday.
The rapper also believed that considering the socialization of women in Ghana, particularly, in the Akan setting, a woman despite being economically independent would want that minuscule support from her partner.
âMost women are programmed through their parents to understand that a man must take care of you. For instance, when an Akan woman is getting married, sheâs told âIf you get any assets or children bring it home, but if you obtain liability send it to your husbandâs house.
âSo this is the programming a woman has received culturally, so once the woman is in that relationship, and sheâs making lots of money, she will still have that idea of expectation that a man must provide for her needs.â
According to him, he had advised AKA to purchase a gun after the latter had called him âwildâ for owning one.
Grammy winning Nigerian singer, Burna Boy, has reacted to the heartbreaking demise of South African rapper, Kiernan Forbes alias AKA.
Ogulu took to his Instagram stories where he shared an unreleased track in which he sang about the tragic death of the artiste.
According to him, he had advised AKA to purchase a gun after the latter had called him âwildâ for owning one.
âWTF is all of that about? I just heard he died, seen that video at that restaurant. Took me out of a positive mood/ Took me back to that day when you saw my gun and you said I was wild/ Then I told you you should have one too,â he sang.
The âLast Lastâ singer also referenced his beef with the rapper and stated that despite their differences, he never wanted him dead.
âBut I didnât want you dead, it was like that with me and you, have one too/ Cuz it werenât like nig*az wasnât dying but I thought you knew/ And I ainât really f**k with you/
âWicked! I hope they catch whoever did you wicked/ I hope you rest in peace, even though we ainât kick it/ At the end of the day we some grown ass ni**az,â he continued.
At the height of the 2019 xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other Africans in South Africa, Burna Boy condemned the act and threatened not to step foot in the country.
However, the issue escalated into a spat between him and the South African rapper on Twitter.
The South African artiste was shot dead in a drive-by attack at a restaurant in Durban, South Africa. His longtime friend, Tebello âTibzâ Motsoane, was also killed in the shooting.
The inquisitive fan took to the comment section to question Elsie on the welfare of her husband BasketMouth.
A fan took to social media to ask Elsie Okpocha, the estranged wife of Basketmouth about the comedian.
A few weeks ago, comedian Basketmouth took to his Instagram page to announce the end of his marriage with his wife, Elsie. The piece of news broke a lot of users who expressed their shock over their break up.
After Basketmouth announced the crash of their 12-year marriage, Elsie, his wife has never come out to comment on their divorce.
Fast forward, an inquisitive fan took to the comment section to question Elsie on the welfare of her husband BasketMouth.
The man with the handle @MARK_HILL237 WROTE: âHow is your husband? You don lose fun base well well oooâ.
In response, Elsie replied; â@MARK_HILL237 Heâs fine, thanks for askingâ.
It appears that Kisa Gbekle has inherited Afia Schwarzeneggerâs enemies following her involvement in the latterâs ongoing feud with Nana Tonardo.
Kisa isnât finding it easy in the hands of critics, particularly Nana Tornado, for taking sides with Afia Schwarzenegger in the ongoing banter.
Earlier, when Afia Schwarzenegger stormed Tik Tok with a barrage of allegations and her plot to expose Tonardo, Kisa Gbekle was spotted in the background, backing her up.
Kisa was heard in the background boosting Afia Schwarzeneggerâs morale and probing further while the comedienne dropped more claims.
Parts of their conversation during the TikTok live video read,
Afia Schwarzenegger: Kisa let me tell you something. I started chatting home on Friday. With less information but before I knew it, he had already recorded videos about the chief and his first wife, blab la. Tonardo is very stupid and daft, and I tell people that every day, including yourself. One thing I didnât know was that he was going to fall for this. I know Tonardo is hungry, and he will do everything for food. My daughter, read out the information for where I asked him to drop his Momo account for people to hear,â Afia told Kisa Gbekle.
Kisa Gbekle: âBut there was nothing like that? So did you send him the momo?â Bursts out with laughter
But in Nana Tonardoâs attempt to reply Afia Schwarzenegger, Kisa Gbekle wasnât spared.
In a video shared on his Instagram page, a furious Nana Tonardo said,
âWhen you were talking, some prostitute beside you was backing you up. Itâs funny that she also has got something to say. Do you think she likes you? She went about saying that she was the one who introduced you to the doctor in Turkey. She said you didnât pay a dime for your surgery as you claimed. She said you did adverts for the hospital in exchange for surgery. That stupid girl. You donât even like yourselves because you once told me that she was forcing herself on you.â
Bisa Kdei, a multiple award-winning musician, has been spotted with Memphis Depay, a newly signed Atletico Madrid footballer.
The two buddies have been spotted several times partying and on charity grounds in Ghana, and as part of Memphis Depayâs birthday celebration, the two decided to take the fun to Spain.
Memphis Depay, a featured artist on Bisa Kdeiâs most talked-about feature dubbed âDrinks On Meâ off the âOriginalâ album, has shared pictures and videos of them popping bottles together.
However, music lovers have been anticipating the visuals of âDrinks On Meâ for a while now and have been questioning if this recent hangout is part of the âDrinks On Meâ video shoot. Well, looking at these pictures, it seems we might be served soon.
Bisa Kdeiâs âOriginalâ album, which features some of the best musicians on the African continent, including Stonebwoy, Kidi, Teni, Camidoh, Sefa, and football star Memphis Depay, has been a success thus far.
Tonto Dikeh has kept the pace and has been consistent with the birthday celebration of her son, King Andre.
Nigerian actress, Tonto Dikeh went all out for her son, King Andre as he turned 7.
The deputy governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) got seven huge cakes to celebrate the milestone.
Tonto has kept the pace and has been consistent with the birthday celebration of her son, King Andre.
This yearâs birthday seems to be big like the previous years as the actress has taken to her page to share a video showing all the gargantuan birthday cakes she got for her son as he clocks 7 today, February, 17th 2022. Watch Video Below;
The encounter, a GPL round 20 match between Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko on March 5, will serve as the coronation event.
He reveals that the decision to take into account the league game for the President’s Cup match was made in response to complaints from supporters about the two titans of Ghanaian football playing each other too frequently.
“As I speak with you now, we are considering two different dates,” Fianoo told Akoma FM.
“Last year, the game was honored on 4th March. This year, we wrote to the FA and proposed the 3rd of March for it. The FA drew our attention to the fact that, there is a league game between Kotoko and Hearts on the 5th of March 2023.
“Fans have been complaining about playing Kotoko versus Hearts games too many times within a given year, so we have proposed a format that will see the Kotoko versus Hearts league game double as the President Cup as well.
“If there is a winner at the end of 90 minutes, we will present the Cup to them but should the game end in a draw, we will determine the winner on penalty shootout.
“But we are yet to reach an agreement with the FA and government on this.
“Since this year’s celebration will be held in Volta Region, we are deliberating on all these options regarding date, venue and format.”
He detailed that âWe are expecting a total of 152,000 metric tonnes, made up of 80,000 gasoil (diesel) and 72,000 gasoline(petrol).â
In terms of sharing, he added that a regulator is in charge of that arrangement to ensure that there is equity and fairness in the distribution.
Edwin added that the new consignment may have some effects as some BDCs have already made orders for the oil.
âWeâve had demand orders from 18 Bulk oil Distribution Companies totaling almost 114,000 metric tonnes. Youâve seen that since the first consignment came, GOIL has reduced its prices from almost 15 cedis to 14.90, this should tell you that Ghanaians who are not in a good place today, will have some respite with respect to a reduction in energy prices and its attendant benefits on inflation,â he told JoyNews on February 17, 2023.
The first consignment of the gold for oil programme arrived in Ghana on January 16, 2023, with about 40,000 metric tonnes.
This was just about 25% of the countryâs fuel needs. According to the government, the programme is to alleviate the current economic hardship by reducing fuel prices.
However, the impact has not been felt in the prices of fuel at the pumps.
Sellas Tetteh, who led Ghana to victory in the 2009 U-20 FIFA World Cup, said that the nation has not yet given him the $4000 bonus that was promised after his World Cup success.
As a result of his revelation, various people and organisations decided to support him financially while he recovered from his illness.
“Black Stars Captain Andre Ayew has made a donation to 2009 U-20 World Cup winning coach Sellas Tetteh.”
“The donation was done on his behalf by his mum Mrs. Maha Ayew and spokesperson Fiifi Tackie,” sports journalist Saddick Adams reported with a picture of the aforementioned individuals in a tweet sighted by GhanaWeb Sports.
Veteran Ghanaian artiste, Reggie Rockstone has disclosed how some netizens have shown gross disrespect towards him, claiming he is poor.
In an interview on Daybreak Hitz on Hitz FM, the artiste cum entrepreneur said people who disrespect him are attracting curses for themselves which is what is believed in the African culture.
âPeople say I am now poor and say all sorts of things to me, especially on Twitter. I am the pioneer of Hiplife. I am the reason Ghana had something unique to hold on to and now the young ones insult me on Twitter.
âWhen people do this it is a sign of ingratitude. I always tell our young brothers and sisters that they are cursing themselves because I have done nothing but good to them. In African tradition, it is a curse,â he stated.
While he touched on the topic of netizensâ disrespect, Reggie Rockstone also delved into the controversies surrounding the recently-released documentary on Hiplife, titled Hiplife Rewind, produced by the BBC.
The documentary featured the likes of Reggie Rockstone, music producer Panji Anoff, legendary video director Abraham Ohene-Djan, Kuami Eugene, KiDi, M.anifest, Eno, and Gyedu-Blay Ambolley.
Since its release, it has been heavily criticized by some highly influential figures who claim to have also been instrumental in the development of Hiplife music.
One of whom is a Ghanaian musician and radio show host, Okyeame Quophi, who on February 14, 2023, registered his displeasure about the project, and described it as misleading and non-factual.
âI watched this Hiplife documentary on YouTube yesterday which is produced by BBC and now fully understand why HIPLIFE IS DEAD. The 30 minutes plus presentation lacks the facts and is very misleading. Apuuu!!! Wei,â he wrote on Twitter.
Rumer said the family has been able to discover the true nature of the actorâs disease after he was diagnosed with aphasia last year.
âOur family wanted to start by expressing our deepest gratitude for the incredible outpouring of love, support, and wonderful stories we have all received since sharing Bruceâs original diagnosis,â the statement reads.
âIn the spirit of that, we wanted to give you an update about our beloved husband, father, and friend since we now have a deeper understanding of what he is experiencing.
âSince we announced Bruceâs diagnosis of aphasia in spring 2022, Bruceâs condition has progressed and we now have a more specific diagnosis: frontotemporal dementia (known as FTD). Unfortunately, challenges with communication are just one symptom of the disease Bruce faces. While this is painful, it is a relief to finally have a clear diagnosis.â
In the statement, the family added that Bruce would have also wanted to also raise awareness of the disease if he was able to.
âBruce always believed in using his voice in the world to help others and to raise awareness about important issues both publicly and privately. We know in our hearts that â if he could today â he would want to respond by bringing global attention and a connectedness with those who are also dealing with this debilitating disease and how it impacts so many individuals and their families,â the family added.
âOurs is just one family with a loved one who suffers from FTD, and we encourage others facing it to seek out the wealth of information and support available through AFTD (@theaftd, theaftd.org).
The family further appreciated people who have been showing support for the actor since his diagnosis.Â
âWe have been so moved by the love you have all shared for our dear husband, father, and friend during this difficult time. Your continued compassion, understanding, and respect will enable us to help Bruce live as full a life as possible.â
Thomas Partey will be evaluated to determine whether or not he can play in this weekend’s match against Aston Villa, according to Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta.
Thomas Partey suffered a late injury and was unable to play in Wednesday’s match between Arsenal and Manchester City.
Several Arsenal supporters claimed that the 29-year-absence old’s was to blame for their team’s loss to Manchester City at the Emirates.
Ahead of Arsenalâs game against Aston Villa on February 18, 2023, Arteta gave an update on the injured players and disclosed that the medical team have to monitor Partey to know when he will return to action.
âWe have to assess him [Partey] again today, he had a little muscle discomfort & we have to see how he is. Emile [Smith Rowe] will be training today, so if heâs fine, he will be in the squad. Gabi [Jesus] is still not there,â the Arsenal coach said at the press conference ahead of the Aston Villa match.
Partey has played a key role in Arsenalâs quest to challenge for the Premier League title. The former Atletico Madrid player has played 18 out of 22 matches and scored 2 goals in the campaign.
At the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence, Prampram, 34 Black Queens have gathered in preparation for this month’s international friendly against Togo and Benin.
Princella Adubea from FC Hiryat in Israel, Evelyn Badu from Avaldsnes FC in Norway, Captain Portia Boakye from Djurgardens IF in Sweden, and Azumah Bugre from IFK Norkoping in Sweden are four players who are stationed abroad and arrived on Monday to get ready for the games.
Also in camp are, Israel based, Janet Egyir, Grace Asantewaa (Spain), Naomi Anima (Jordan), Jaqueline Opoku (Israel) and Safiatu Salifu (Tanzania) â with the rest of players carefully selected from the Twenty (20) Womenâs Premier League clubs in Ghana.
The team have had two intensive training sessions, Monday evening and Tuesday afternoon with all players taking part.
Coach Nora Häuptleâs side, will depart Accra on Friday for Cotonou where they will take on Benin on Sunday, February 19 before locking horns with Togo on Saturday, February 25, 2023.
Variations in amounts of allowances paid to public sector employees are exacerbating earning inequalities, a new Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) study has shown.Â
This has created a wider disparity in the gross earnings of employees, with persons getting higher net salary averagely earning higher allowances.
The study titled: âGhana 2022 Earnings Inequality in the Public Sectorâ, revealed that the average allowances of people with a basic salary of between GHâľ5000 and GHâľ9999 are more than 26 times larger than their counterparts with basic salaries below GHâľ1000.
Speaking to findings of the report, Prof Samuel Kobina Annim, the Government Statistician said one of the ways to address earnings inequality was through progressive statutory deductions where higher earners paid more.Â
He said the difference in deductions among income groups, though progressive, was marginal and had minor impact on reducing earnings inequalities.
The study indicated that while those with salary above GHâľ10,000 had statutory deduction of an average of 25 per cent of gross salary, those with salary between GHâľ2999 and GHâľ1000 paid 20 per cent of the gross salary as statutory deductions.
It was also highlighted that basic salary, deductions and allowances all increased with age and highest for the age group 50 to 60 years.
âHowever, the rate of upward changes in earnings between ages 20 and 40 years is marginally steeper compared to increases after age 40 years,â the report indicated.
The study analysed the December 2022 earnings of 687,984 public sector employees belonging to 50 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA) and on 129 payrolls who received GHâľ2.3 billion in salaries and allowances.
The data derived from the Controller and Accountant Generalâs Department was not exhaustive as it excluded Article 71 office holders, public universities employees, security agencies and other non-subvented institutions.Â
The award-winning actress wore a black skintight dress that displayed her cleavage. Yvonne Nelson wore bold and stunning makeup and charming braids gorgeously tied to avoid dominating her entire look.
The founder of Just Like Mama Creche school completed her look with a red designer bag.
Majid Michel, Akuapem Poloo, and other cast members looked elegant in their red carpet outfits
Award-winning actor and phenomenal public speaker Majid Michel looked dashing in a long sleeve kaftan outfit, black shoes, and sunglasses.
Actress and entrepreneur Akuapem Poloo covered up entirely in a green lace gown with a matching turban and a red bag as they posed with the audience.
Media personality and activist Chris Kata slayed in an oversized jacket and white lace bra. She rocked her natural dreadlock hairstyle and a brown clutch bag.
The Association of Ghana Industry (AGI) has expressed fears that financial institutions may not have enough liquidity to give them loans for their business operations.Â
The situation, they say, may lead to a slowdown of operations and increase unemployment.
The AGIâs concerns come as the Government secures about GHc83 billion from financial institutions and individual bondholders in its Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP), aimed at restoring market confidence and economic stability. Â
Mr Tsonam Cleanse Akpeloo, Greater Accra Regional Chairman, AGI, described the DDEP as a ânecessary evilâ for Ghana to secure the $3bn International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan-support programme.
However, Mr Akpeloo, who is also an Economist, feared that it would be difficult for industries to get access to funds, especially from banks, to support their operations as a result of the DDEP. Â
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency in an interview on Wednesday, Mr Akpeloo asked the Government to ensure that confidence in the financial sector was not eroded through the debt restructuring and the IMF programme.
âOur fear is that a lot of people may not be willing to save their money at the banks or pursue some of these government bonds. Because as it stands now, thereâs little money in the system and when that happens, confidence in the financial sector will be eroded.
âThe challenge would be that you will have few people sending money to the banks (who themselves use depositorsâ and bondholdersâ money), and they may not be in the position to give loans to industry. That will mean that our industry will begin to sink,â he said.
Mr Akpeloo noted that it had taken Ghana a long time to restore confidence in the financial sector, recalling past years when many people resorted to keeping their monies at home.
âFor an exceptionally long time, people had to keep their money at their homes and it has taken a lot of work to build our financial system to this level. Our fear for this programme is that we may be going back to that situation where all the gains made in building confidence in the financial sector will be eroded.â
The Government, must therefore, make sure that even under the DDEP and the IMF programme, it safeguards confidence in the financial sector, he said.
Professor Godfred Alufar Bokpin, an Economist, institutions and individuals had sacrificed enough to enable the government to secure the GHc83bn under the DDEP to help in dealing with the economy difficulties.
He said the DDEP meant that âinsurance companies have lost hugely, individuals, who sign up have also lost hugely, as such, the Government must also show much commitment in cutting down expenditure further.â
The Government in 2023 budget announced among other measures to cut down on government spending and boost revenue, the reduction of expenditure on appointees including salary freezes and suspension of housing, utilities and clothing allowances.
The measure also included a freeze on new tax waivers for foreign companies and a review of tax exemptions for the Free Zone, mining, oil and gas companies, as well as a hiring freeze for civil and public servants.
However, Prof Bokpin, said those measures were not enough, suggesting that considerations should also be made in reducing the size of the Government and the termination of Ex-gratia payments.
Dr Patrick Asuming, a Senior Lecturer at the University of Ghana Business School (UGBS), noted that the amount secured by the Government through the DDEP would provide some relief on finances.
âIn terms of Government finances, it means that government gets some breathing space to be able to undertake some of its programmes and will enable the Government to get the IMF facility approved.â
Dr Asuming also urged the Government to be prudent with its expenditure, increase domestic revenue mobilisation efforts, and pay more attention to agriculture and the manufacturing sectors to change the structure of the economy.
Former Chief Executive Officer of the defunct UT Bank, Prince Kofi Amoabeng has spoken about what led to the collapse of his bank; the UT Banks, some 6 years after its collapse.
The UT Bank was one of many affected during the New Patriotic Party (NPP)âs banking sector cleanup, leading to the collapse of the bank.
Many blamed the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta for spearheading the cleanup exercise, leading to the loss of jobs by many.
Speaking in an interview on GTVâs Breakfast show however, Mr. Amoabeng said that Ken Ofori-Atta cannot be blamed for the banking sector cleanup that led to the collapse of his company.
According to him, Ghanaians were the ones who voted for the then government, and the decision was a collective one on the part of government therefore Ghanaians should be the ones to blame.
âWhen the UT bank went down, or the government collapsed the bank, people came to me and said, [so, your friend is Ken Ofori-Atta and he took your bank] and I said ânoâ.
He was presented with facts and documents and arguments for him to make a decision and that decision I hope, he did in the best interest of Ghanaians even though I doubt it, but because of what information they had given to him.
âI said listen, it is not Ken Ofori-Atta who I refer to as my brother who collapsed the bank, it is Ghanaians who collapsed that bank, because Ghanaians chose the government. Ghanaians chose the government that collapsed the bank and I cannot hate all Ghanaians because Iâm a Ghanaian myself. We voted for government, the government came and made a decision,â he added.
He said this while explaining his ideals in life that push him to forgive and pray for persons who may hate him. Mr. Amoabeng noted that he on the contrary hates no one because he is not necessarily privy to the reasons they take actions that they do and what informs certain decisions.
âI donât even think about it because I donât know what is behind whatever actions they take,â he stated.
The FIFA Foundation has raised $1 million in urgently needed humanitarian relief for the Syrian and Turkish earthquake victims.
On February 6, 2023, a powerful earthquake of high magnitude impacted northern and western Syria, south and central Turkey, and both.
More than 41,000 people have died as a result of the terrible catastrophe.
The purpose of the fund, according to a statement posted on FIFA’s website, is to “offer emergency and temporary shelter and safety.”
“Following consultation with the Turkish Football Association (TFF) and the Syrian Football Association (SFA), together with international and local non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the aid will be used to purchase and distribute essential humanitarian items, as well as to provide emergency and temporary shelter and protection,” part of the statement reads.
Among the victims is Black Stars winger Christian Atsu, who has gone missing since the disaster.
 Cocoa farmers have been urged to take pruning of their farms seriously to help maximise crop yield and increase beans production on their farms.Â
     Mr Ebenezer Agyin, Ashanti Regional Manager, Cocoa Health and Extension Division (CHED) of the COCOBOD, who made the call, said pruning was an effective farm hygiene exercise, which prevented diseases and pests and could reduce crop loses to about 40 percent.Â
He said Ghanaâs cocoa production rate which shot up to 1,000,000 metric tonnes in 2021, was as a result of effective pruning exercise carried out by the COCOBOD across the country.
Addressing the Susu Biribi Women in Cocoa Association at Kwamang in the Afigya Kwabre North District in the Ashanti Region, he said the COCOBOD was poised to assist farmers with the requisite technical expertise to increase crop yields in the 2023 season.
     Mr Agyin and a team of CHED officers had gone to the community to present quantities of chocolate products to the farmers as part of activities to climax the National Chocolate week celebrations in Ghana.Â
The products were made available by the World Cocoa Foundation, an international membership organization that promotes sustainability in the cocoa sector, and the COCOBOD.
The COCOBOD, according to Mr. Agyin, was supporting farmers with fuels to operate the motorised sprayers to enhance effective spraying exercises against insects and other cocoa diseases.
On farm rehabilitation exercise under the cocoa swollen shoot virus disease, he said the COCOBOD would engage affected farmers directly instead of relying on the rehabilitation assistants.
He explained that absenteeism on the part of some of the rehabilitation assistants, had left most of the farms to remain in bushes.
It was, therefore, imperative that COCOBOD engaged the farmers directly, entrust all farm maintenance activities and channel payments due them for the exercise.
Madam Christiana Amponsah, Ashanti Regional Coordinator for Gender, CHED, said women played major role, in cocoa production and that was why the COCOBOD saw the need to honour such women on the occasion of the National Chocolate Week.
She said about 30 per cent of cocoa produced in the country were from women.
However, this enormous contribution of women in cocoa production was often not recognized.
Madam Amponsah said it was important to carry women along the cocoa value chain to ensure sustainable increase in production.
Madam Mary Blankson, Financial Secretary to the Susu Biribi Women in Cocoa Association, commended the COCOBOD for presenting the products to the Association.
She called on the government to continually support farmers with farming incentives to boost production.
Mikel John Obi, a former Chelsea midfielder, has stated that Michael Essien earned the moniker “the train” at Chelsea for his extraordinary work ethic.
According to Mikel, the former Chelsea midfielder and teammate is not given the proper credit.
The former captain of Nigeria described Essien as a potent machine in an interview with Dubai Eye.
“He never gets the mention. He never gets the credit he deserves. We have been talking for the past what? And we haven’t mentioned him. He is the guy that we call the train in the training ground. He is a powerful machine, this guy. The way he trains as well. Every day he is there working, working and working.”
Obi further hailed Michael Essein‘s character outside of football.
“Apart from playing football. what a gentleman he is. And like I said, he is the train, he is the bison that’s what we call him.”
Essien joined Chelsea in 2006 while Mikel Obi a year later. They played together for 8 years until Essien departed Chelsea.
Essien was astonishing for Chelsea throughout the years he spent at the Blues. He is a Chelsea legend who won 9 trophies including the UEFA Champions League.
He won Chelsea player of the year once and two goal of the year awards.
The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) has, as part of its mission of contributing towards the growth of industry and protection of consumers, engaged stakeholders in the iron rod industry to discuss the quality of products on the market.
The Authority also informed the stakeholders about its intention to conduct periodic factory and market surveillance in a bid to ensure adherence to standards.
A statement issued on Thursday by the GSA, said the Authority last year, embarked on a market surveillance in Accra, to check the quality of iron rods on the Ghanaian market, as against the Ghana Standard (GS 788:2), and found that some of the products surveyed during the exercise undertaken in the Greater Accra Region, did not meet the requirements, especially in respect to marking on iron rods, hence the decision to engage the stakeholders.
Mr. Clifford Frimpong, the Acting Director-General of the GSA, noted in the statement that the meeting was timely as there had been calls for countries to step up their enforcement efforts in the building and construction industry in the wake of the recent earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.
âYour industry is a very important sector in the development of the country. Itâs important we all adhere to standards, especially in the construction sector, to avoid a major impact in the wake of natural disasters,â Mr Frimpong said.
âThe National Building Code is a model we can all abide by to help strengthen the industry,â he added.
According to the statement, the stakeholders welcomed the efforts of the GSA in trying to sanitise the market and industry from sub-standard products.
They, however, noted that there was a need to extend the discussions to other stakeholders in the sector.
âWe have full confidence in your processes and appreciate the work you are doing but we need to have a broader consultation for everyone to be on the same page so that compliance will become easy,â Mr. Eric GenĂŠ, Regional Managing Director of Fabrimetal, stated.
Mr. Seth Ayim, Executive Secretary of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, said his outfit was willing to collaborate with the GSA to sensitise its members on the importance of Standards.
Organisations that were present at the meeting included Tema Steel, Atala Limited, K.K Peprah Co Ltd., and Antis Ghana, Fabrimetal.
Tesla has issued a recall for over 362,000 cars due to a faulty Full Self-Driving driver-assistance system.
The New York Times reports that the cars will now have to be updated after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released data showing the driving system has boosted the chance of accidents. Even though the system is called Full Self-Driving, the technology still requires the driver to be in control of the car in case of traffic, an accident, or a system glitch.
The driving system allows the car to steer, accelerate, brake, and change lanes by itself, ultimately permitting the car to operate in an âunlawfulâ manner, according to the safety agency, particularly because the vehicle can accelerate above legal speed limits and through intersections.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shared data last summer, which revealed that around 400 vehicles with advanced driver-assistance technology were involved in accidents between July 1, 2021 and May 15, 2022. Those accidents ended in six deaths and five severe injuries.
Of those 400 cars, 273 of them were Teslas and five accidents led to fatalities. The agency is also investigating 41 cars with the Full Self-Driving technology that were involved in accidents from 2016 and onwards.
Tesla will use an over-the-air update to repair the vehicles and will let drivers know about the recall via mail until April 15.
Ibrahim Oppong Kwarteng, the executive director of the Crime Check Foundation, has stated that he has been informed that Christian Atsu left his flat before the earthquake struck.
A 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria on February 6, 2023, left Christian Atsu and Taner Savut, the technical director of his Hatayspor team, both missing.
Only a pair of Christian Atsu‘s shoes were discovered at the residence, according to his agent Nana Sechere, who accompanied a rescue team to the scene in search of his player. Christian Atsu was nowhere to be seen.
Providing his own update, Ibrahim Oppong Kwarteng who has been working with Christian Atsu over the years, stated that he has been told the player left the apartment minutes before the earthquake hit his building.
“I have been briefed by the club that he was not in the building. He run to the parking garage to get his car out and it was during that period that the Renaissance building totally collapsed and that happened 20 minutes after he left the apartment.”
“Our brother was not in the building, he went out before the building collapsed. But I can’t confirm whether he will able to leave the parking garage with his car or not,” he added in his update on Crime Check’s YouTube page sighted by GhanaWeb.
Karl Kaniâs contribution to hip-hop culture is undeniable. Since its inception in 1989, the iconic brand has become synonymous with the bold, head-turning streetwear worn by some of hip-hopâs biggest names. Weâre talking legends like 2Pac, Heavy D, Big Daddy Kane, and the Notorious B.I.G., as well as more contemporary artists, such as GloRilla, Quavo, YG, G-Herbo, and the late Pop Smoke.
In celebration of his work, Kani was presented with the lifetime achievement award at this yearâs MAGIC Las Vegas, an annual trade show that took place this week in Sin Cityâs Convention Center. The three-day event, presented by Informa Markets Fashion, included a performance by Busta Rhymes; guest speakers Billy Porter and Lauren Bosstick; top retailers, like Primitive, Honor the Gift, Vero Moda, and Barefoot Dreams; as well as a celebration of hip-hopâs 50th anniversary. The latter featured a conversation with Kani, who reflected on his career alongside Vibe magazineâs Datwon Thomas.
âFashion, music, and culture have always been on parallel paths,â Edwina Kulegoâvice president of PROJECT, MAGIC Menâs, and International Businessâtold Complex. âWith 2023 being the 50th Anniversary of hip-hop, we couldnât imagine a more quintessential pillar of the fashion community to compliment this moment than Karl Kani ⌠When we decided to focus on celebrating the 50th anniversary of hip-hop we started thinking of designers that made a prominent impact in that space. The very first name that was mentioned was Karl Kani. To make the connection even more meaningful Karl had a footprint on the MAGIC show floor during that time.â
Kani, born Carl Williams, was presented with the award during the hip-hop 50th anniversary celebration.
âBeing a part of the celebration and reflecting on the growth of hip-hop through these years feels like a movie thatâs still being written. Back then, no one knew if hip-hop would last. We did,â the designer told Complex. ââŚÂ The relationship between hip-hop and fashion has grown tremendously throughout the years. Kani was the first clothing brand to embrace hip-hop because our brand is the embodiment of hip-hop culture.â
He continued: âBack in the early â90s, most fashion designers were afraid of having artists endorse their products. My, my how things have changed. Today every fashion house wants to be a part of hip-hop and to be associated with hip-hop. We knew what we had from day one. Just like hip-hop being the real deal from the streets, the Kani clothing brand had that same DNA. Thatâs why the Kani brandâs connection with hip hop is so iconic.â
Belgian winger Eden Hazard has been dubbed the “laziest” teammate in the history of the Chelsea icon John Mikel Obi’s playing career.
According to Mikel Obi, who shared a dressing room with Eden Hazard at Chelsea, he was a unique player from the rest of the team.
He added that while everyone on the Chelsea team would be giving it their utmost to win over the coaches and earn a spot in the starting lineup, Eden Hazard would be lazing around on the sidelines.
Mikel Obi reckons Eden Hazard got away with that attitude because he always delivered during matches. He also gave an insight into training sessions at Chelsea during his time, laying emphasis on the competitiveness in the team.
âI never knew how training meant to guys until I joined Chelsea. The way they play games is how they train. There is tackles flying and fights because everybody wants to be in the starting team come the weekend so there is no place for you to say I donât want to train.
âThe only player I saw did that and got away with it was Eden Hazard. He never trained. He is the laziest football Iâve ever seen in my life but come the weekend, he will just get into the squad and win man of the match. He comes in with the trophies and is like guys you see. I think he has lost some weightâ, he said.
The 2013 AFCON winner also offered insight into why Eden Hazardâs Real Madrid career has not turned out as expected.
He reckons Hazardâs poor work ethics and nutritional indiscipline might have caught up with him at Madrid.
âAt Chelsea the night before games, after dinner he sits there for about twenty minutes and eating rice pudding. He likes his food. He sleeps, wakes up on Saturday, comes to the field and produces the performance. In training he stands at one place and be demanding the ball but we donât give it to himâ he said.
Mikel Obi and Eden Hazard played together at Chelsea and won a number of trophies with West London side.
With Chelsea, Obi won eleven trophies and established himself as fansâ favorite.
The President of the World Bank will step down from his post in June, leaving the organisation almost a year before his term was due to end.
David Malpass announced his decision on social media, without providing a specific reason for his departure.
The pick of former US President Donald Trump has been criticised as a climate change denier.
Last year, the White House rebuked him after he said he did not know if fossil fuels were driving climate change.
He later apologised for the remarks.
Malpass started his five-year term in April 2019, after serving in the US Department of Treasury during the Trump administration.
In a statement, Malpass said he was proud of what he had accomplished at the bank, which oversees billions of dollars in lending to developing countries each year.
Financing âincluding climate financingâ had reached record levels under his leadership, he added.
âBy the end of the fiscal year, we will be well-positioned to feature sustainability more clearly in the mission of the World Bank Group, align the mission with resources, and set in motion an effective evolution to increase the institutionâs impact on people in the developing world,â he wrote in a statement shared on LinkedIn.
Malpass, who was sceptical of multilateral institutions, had long been seen as a controversial pick to lead the World Bank.
At an event in September, former US vice-president Al Gore called for his replacement, saying the bank was not doing enough to raise funding for climate issues and it was âridiculous to have a climate denier as the head of the World Bank.â
Asked later to respond, Malpass defended himself, but declined to say that fossil fuels caused climate change.
In a subsequent interview with CNN, he said he had not done a good job answering or hearing the question and that man-made emissions were âclearlyâ contributing.
US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, who has been pressing for reform at the World Bank and other development banks, thanked Malpass for his service in a statement that alluded to the controversy.
âWhile we all must continue to raise our collective ambitions in the fight against climate change, during President Malpassâ tenure the World Bank has made important recent advances in this area,â she said.
She said the US would put forward a new candidate to lead the bank soon.
The US is the World Bankâs largest shareholder and a major source of its funding.
An American has led the institution since its start in the 1940s, when it was created to help rebuild Europe in the aftermath of the Second World War.
The suggestion to increase the term limit for GFA presidents from two terms to three or four years has been rebuffed by former vice president of the Ghana Football Association, Fred Pappoe.
The GFA’s existing regulations only allow presidents to serve two terms of four years each, but according to Oluboi Commodore, general manager of Accra Great Olympics, a new proposal has been put up that, if passed by Congress, would allow a GFA president to serve for a total of 12 years.
Fred Pappoe called the plan unnecessary and advised those in the position to focus on carrying out their duties rather than seeking an extension of their term.
âI donât even want to talk about that third-term proposal. It is needless. I do not see the need for three terms. If the electorates exercise their voting powers rightfully, they shouldnât be scared about any term limit.”
âIt is not mandatory. I have a very funny of thinking about issues. The term limit doesnât really matter to me. If the delegates believe in the system it doesnât matter whether it is one term or two terms.”
“Regardless of the term limit, if you donât perform you can be voted out. The issue here is people exercising their voting powers rightfully,â Fred Pappoe said on Accra-based Asempa FM.
Fred Pappoe contested in the 2019 Ghana Football Association presidential elections but conceded defeat to Kurt Okraku before the third run.
Fans continue to come for GloRilla during her tour.
The Memphis rapper had another run-in with a fan on Tuesday during her Denver show. Footage of the incident shows a person in the audience throwing their jacket onto the stage and hitting Glo on her head.
âWho the fuck threw that?â she said into the mic. âWho threw it, you with these red braids? Look lil girl, donât throw shit else at me. Donât throw nun else at me, that hit me in my face.â The rapper also said she was going to jump into the crowd but that the girl âfucked it up,â which causes the crowd to yell.
https://youtu.be/cTCNWnOq1Gw
It seems like her show was still successful though, with the 23-year-old posting a video to Instagram of crowd cheering her on. âYâall was lit af,â she wrote.
Last week, footage of a fan throwing a water bottle at GloRilla made the rounds online. She had an apparent misunderstanding with a promoter who expected her to perform at an Oakland club after her San Francisco show, while she thought she was just hosting. Fans were seeming upset when they found out she wasnât going to play.Â
Later, an internet troll came for GloRilla, telling her âThe Bay donât play,â to which she said, âAinât nobody scared of no damn city.â
Lori Harvey and boyfriend Damson Idris just made their red carpet debut as a couple.
On Wednesday, the model and actor attended the premiere of the final season of Idrisâ show Snowfall. The couple was dressed to impress. Idris looked dashing in a black suit with a crisp white shirt underneath. As for Harvey, she rocked an off-the-shoulder black dress, with old school Hollywood-style curls. In many photos from the event, they smiled ear-to-ear and shared a sweet kiss.
Image via Getty/Amy Sussman
This comes just after Idris showered his lady with a private dinner and a sweet message. âI realized it has been exactly 100 days since your beautiful silver dress. Thank God for that dance,â Idris wrote on a Cartier card in honor of Valentineâs Day.
He continued, âEvery day since with you by my side has been my favorite movie. I canât wait til we hit 1000 months. Happy Valentine’s day baby. I love you. LUURVE.â
Lori posted the card on her Instagram Stories; Damson posted a cozy video of them on his.
Since hard-launching their relationship last month on IG, the couple have been out and about. Harvey celebrated her birthday with Idris on Jan. 13, alongside her celebrity friends at Lavo Ristorante in West Hollywood.Â
The SKN by LH creator is living her best life, and it appears her ex-boyfriend Michael B. Jordan is doing the same. Last week, the Creed IIIÂ star/director revealed how he was able to recover from their breakup after a year and a half of dating.Â
âI think for me itâs just, I was lucky enough to have a lot of work,â the 35-year-old said on CBS Mornings. âIâm a firm believer in âwhatâs for you is for you,â and coming out of that situationânot to give it, you know, any energy and kind of move from thatâis, you know, it was an experience for me to grow and learn.â
Ghanaian rap legend, Okyeame Kwame, has shocked fans with his position on meat consumption, revealing that he has been a vegetarian for six years and a vegan for two years.
The multiple award-winning musician made the surprising revelation during a recent interview on 3FM Drive with Giovani Caleb.
In the interview, Okyeame Kwame explained that he became a vegetarian six years ago after he realized the environmental impact of meat consumption. He went a step further, becoming a vegan after learning that animals have feelings just like humans. The revelation hit him hard, and he began to feel that killing animals for food was wrong.
The Made in Ghana hitmaker went on to explain that his decision to adopt a vegan lifestyle was not an easy one. He had to give up some of his favourite foods, including beef and cow meat and had to learn to cook vegan meals that were both delicious and nutritious. However, he said that he has never felt better physically and mentally.
Okyeame Kwame’s revelation has sparked a lot of debate on social media, with some fans praising him for his decision to adopt a vegan lifestyle, while others have expressed their surprise and scepticism. While speaking with Giovani, the musician stood firm in his beliefs and challenged his fans to give up meat and try a vegan lifestyle.
Okyeame Kwame added that he had even turned down a lucrative fish farming deal due to his beliefs. The rapper said that he was offered a significant sum of money to invest in a fish farm but turned it down because he did not want to profit from the exploitation of animals.
Unredacted court filings have shed more light on the relationship between Jeffrey Epstein and former Barclays executive Jes Staley.
According to the Guardian, the newly unsealed documents allege Staley exchanged more than 1,200 emails with the convicted pedophile between 2008 and 2012. Some of those conversations included cryptic references to Disney characters, such as Snow White and Beauty and the Beast. The correspondence was outlined in a lawsuit filed by the United States Virgin Islands against Staleyâs former employer JPMorgan Chase.
According to the complaint, the men would communicate about âwomen who they referred to by the names of Disney princesses that Epstein [allegedly] procured for Staley.â The suit also alleges Epstein had âemailed Staley photos of young women in seductive poses.â
âIn July 2010, Staley sent an email to Epstein, saying: âMaybe theyâre tracking u? That was fun. Say hi to Snow White.ââ the suit read. âEpstein responded: â[W]hat character would you like next?â When Staley said âBeauty and the Beast,â Epstein replied: âwell one side is available.ââ
About seven months earlier, Staley allegedly messaged Epstein to tell him he was âdeeplyâ appreciative of their friendship, which he described as âprofound.â In December 2009, he reportedly told Epstein it was great to give him âa long, heartfelt hug.â The late financier allegedly responded to the message by sending two pictures of young women.
Staley is also accused of visiting Epsteinâs private island in the USVI, where most of his sex crimes allegedly took place. The USVI government sued JPMorgan Chase in late 2022, claiming it had âdirect and actual knowledgeâ of Epsteinâs crime and allowed him to use the bank to facilitate sex-trafficking activities.
Staley has denied the allegations.
âWe wish to make it expressly clear that our client had no involvement in any of the alleged crimes committed by Mr. Epstein, and code words were never used by Mr. Staley in any communications with Mr. Epstein, ever,â his lawyer Kathleen Harris previously said.
Africa Economic Summit, the first annual summit that establishes Africa as the frontier of global thinking on major economic issues in the world is an assemblage of senior leaders committed to the growth of the continent to discuss issues and frame solutions to the economic problems affecting African nations.
Holding for the third time since its inception in 2022, the Summit delivers a very influential network of leaders from around Africa and the world including top government officials, diplomats and senior business leaders.
The Summit has been successfully held in Cairo Egypt and Lagos Nigeria in the past.
According to Dr Brian Reuben, the CEO, Africa Economic Summit Group, organizers of the Summit, history shows that value shifts are always triggered by a new story.
The current state of the world has given us a rare chance to Africa to rewrite the story of Africa. But to do that, governments of African nations need the boldness to review and challenge the current models which drive government and private sector actions in Africa.
Through the Africa Economic Summit African and global leaders come together to facilitate new investments, encourage business development, share best practices, guarantee peer-to-peer networking, offer new industry insight, showcase excellence and promote thought leadership.
Engr Gbenga Komolafe â CEO, Nigerian Upstream Regulatory Commission; Bolaji Osunsanya â CEO, AXXELA, Nigeria; Dr McDan McKorley, Chairman McDan Group, Ghana. Others include Mazi Dr Sam Ohuabunwa â Former President of Nigeria Economic Summit Group;
Dr Joan M. Kiema-Ngunnzi â Minister of Trade And Industrialization, Government of Embu, Kenya; Mr Mohamed Abbas Fayed
CEO of FAB Bank â Egypt; Prof. Ndubisi Ekekwe â Founder, Tekedia Institute, USA and El Shahat El Ghatwary â Commissioner, Egypt Customs Authority, Prof Mohamed Loutfi, President and first Vice-Chancellor, The British University in Egypt among others.
âThe two-day summit will close with a release of a white paper on coordinated actions that governments and institutions should commit to and implement for the improvement of the economy of Africa, strengthening the competitiveness of African companies, addressing security challenges among othersâ, the Group CEO stated.
With the release of the iOS 16.4 developer beta version on Thursday, iPhone, iPad, and Mac users can now get a look at the 21 new emojis that should be available at their fingertips later this year.
Among the standout emojis on the way is the long-awaited arrival of the pink heart, which, according to Emojipedia, has been requested for years. The shaking face, or shook emoji, has undergone a slight alteration since it was first unveiled, prior to being submitted for approval from the Unicode consortium last year.Â
Check out the restâincluding symbols for moose, jellyfish, ginger, pea pod, donkey, goose, flute, maracas, and moreâbelow.
The pushing hand gesture emoji will come in the typical five different skin tones, which technically brings the new batch to a total of 31 additions. According to Emojipedia, the hand gesture can be placed alongside one another to create a high-five, with a collision emoji positioned between the hands for an added effect.
iOS 16.4 can only be downloaded by those who are enrolled in Appleâs beta software program. Itâs also worth noting that emojis are subject to change. In recent years, emojis for the bagel, peach, and goblin went through redesigns before going out to the masses.Â
iOS 16.4 is scheduled to be released to the public in either March or April 2023.
Heron Preston has never presented during New York Fashion Week. That fact is a bit surprising considering how much inspiration he gets from New York City, where he currently resides. But that all changes at 6 p.m. this evening. Preston will present his eponymous labelâs Fall/Winter 2023 collection in New York City for the first time.
âIt hit a point where I just started missing that thing that kind of happens with fashion shows, where you have a community coming together to celebrate all the hard work that weâve been putting into these collections. Iâve been living in New York City for the longest now and there are so many of my friends and family that havenât been able to come to our past fashion shows in Paris,â Preston tells Complex. âIâm really excited to finally be able to invite them and for them to see the full breadth of the collections Iâm working on. And for some of these people it will be their first fashion show ever. I think thatâs really exciting â providing access through my brand to experience something new.â
Upcycling will be a focal point of Prestonâs latest presentation. Three days ago, Preston posted a video on social media teasing the show. Shot by Justin Mariano, the clip showed Preston digging through garbage around New York City. He repurposed some of the items into his 400 show invitations. Those practices also informed the clothing, a philosophy Preston has coined âLess Environmentally Destructiveâ (L.E.D).Â
âThere is a bit of a denim story that has all this patchwork from past seasons, that whole story is kind of like pointing to this idea of repairing your clothes to extend the lifespan,â says Preston. âIâm really excited about the chainmail texture that youâll see and utilizing some ready made or found objects from the city. Iâm happy and excited that itâs an ongoing program of exploring new technologies and incorporating that into the collections.â
Prestonâs Fall/Winter 2023 presentation will also see the debut of a Ski and Snow collection, water sneakers, menâs fur boots, and the latest footwear in his ongoing partnership with Zellerfeld. The Zellerfeld project will be the sole collaboration seen on the runway.
âAt the moment, my main focus is just HP for now,â says Preston. âNot to say Iâll never do collaborations again, I work with so many amazing people, but for this collection it will focus on just HP.â
Ahead of tonightâs presentation, check out out our full conversation with Preston about sustainability, what inspires him most in New York City, the state of streetwear, and more, below.
What is the theme of the collection you will be showing on Saturday? Why does this particular theme resonate with you at the moment? The theme of the show is basically evolving the DNA of Heron Preston that Iâve established over the seasons, and continuing to push that vision of elevated great fits. Utility, practical fashion, elevated and considered through the details â less is more. My new sustainability practice is Less Environmentally Destructive (L.E.D) and thatâs a pillar of the collection this season. I was really reflecting on New York City as layers of materials and started with what I personally thought to be interesting, materials found throughout the city like chainmail and tarp, and then fusing them with canvas, leather, denim, jersey, and fleece garments. All this kind of mixing and matching â I think this kind of reflects the style codes of today. Mixing and matching and not so much wearing designer head to toe. Iâm trying to present this contrast of mixing and matching and staying true to the DNA of the brand.
This is your first time presenting in New York. What made you want to finally present during New York Fashion Week? Why did now feel like the right time? It hit a point where I just started missing that thing that kind of happens with fashion shows, where you have a community coming together to celebrate all the hard work that weâve been putting into these collections. Iâve been living in New York City for the longest now and there are so many of my friends and family that havenât been able to come to our past fashion shows in Paris. Iâm really excited to finally be able to invite them and for them to see the full breadth of the collections Iâm working on. And for some of these people it will be their first fashion show ever. I think thatâs really exciting â providing access through my brand to experience something new.
NYC has always inspired your work. It is such a huge place with so many things to explore. What specific elements of NYC do you personally find inspiration in? Some of my favorite parts and places in NYC that really inspire me are the underground; the MTA and taking the train. There is always some magic to be found down there. All these kinds of cross sections of cultures and people and style codes and street uniforms. The best place to see all these people at once is on the trains, a place where multiple stories can be told. The MTA is the melting pot of the city.
You created your show invitations using trash you picked off the street. How did that idea come about? What message do you want to deliver to your show guests with that choice? Less new paper. Less new material.The invitations are a smaller look into the larger picture of L.E.D practice. In my book, less is more, less is better, and circularity is cool. Each invitation for my FW23 show was reclaimed from the streets of NYC. If a fashion show invitation does not have a function or utility, then the chances of it being thrown away are very high. Wasted.
Each and every invitation for my FW23 show was reclaimed from the streets of NYC. I searched the city streets for discarded objects and materials in perfectly good condition with enough surface area to include the written details of my fashion show. This body of work turned into nearly 400 individually collected invitations, each one different from the other. If discarded, they will be returned to where they came from. If kept, then weâve managed to turn trash into treasure. Either way, itâs a win.
You worked with Justin Mariano on the video explaining this process. What made you want to work with him to help present this idea to the world? He just gets it. Heâs got a great eye and I like how he shoots. He is a really great creative and has worked with some of my friends already and all of their feedback has just been amazing. Iâm happy he was available to work with me on this.
Will this upcycling carry over to the clothes we will see you present? Can you explain your creative process for this show? There is a bit of a denim story that has all this patchwork from past seasons, that whole story is kind of like pointing to this idea of repairing your clothes to extend the lifespan. The whole process is really looking at the past of what weâve done, what weâve learned, what worked, what didnât. Carrying that into this next collection but also layering newness on top of that. Iâm really excited about the chainmail texture that youâll see and utilizing some ready made or found objects from the city. Iâm happy and excited that itâs an ongoing program of exploring new technologies and incorporating that into the collections. Weâve got a denim which replaces petroleum based elastics with rubber band based elastics. Every season we hope to include something that will help us push the forefront of fashion.
Can you highlight some of the specific pieces you have created? Are there any new silhouettes being added to the Heron Preston uniform? The Ski and Snow capsule is completely new. Weâve never done that before, I think that might be the newest thing for us. Everything else has become sort of core â we know what we like and we know what works for the brand. Itâs not necessarily always about changing, itâs about finding what we like and continuing to build on that. We continue to elevate and amplify those core styles. We found this really works for us. We have new shoes â including water sneakers and fur boots for him. You usually only see fur boots for girls but now we are styling them and hopefully that will create a whole new style code. I like to call this more of a styling exercise than a fashion exercise.
Will any new logos or graphics be used throughout this collection? If so, what are they and what inspired them? I like to make up my own New York City Institutions. So, we have the âHP Museum of Fine Artâ and the âSTFUâ graphic, which was kind of the mood of where we are in the world these days. I have a whole new Heron bird, which has always been an icon of the collections. I worked with a new artist to paint a new bird for me. We also have this remixed tribal graphic that spells out HP. The varsity graphics have different heron birds on the back of varsity jackets. HP sports performance is featured in the collection bridging two different worlds of extreme sports and office wear, again creating unique combinations.
We have seen you create innovative collaborations with brands like Zellerfeld. Will any other collaborations be debuted? If so, what will they be? At the moment my main focus is just HP for now. Not to say Iâll never do collaborations again, I work with so many amazing people but for this collection it will focus on just HP. However, there will be a Zellerfeld sneaker presented in this collection. Â
You come from a streetwear background. What are your thoughts on the current state of streetwear? Itâs evolving, always changing, every season I see new players added to the field and itâs interesting to see their take on streetwear. Iâve been in this world for quite some time so itâs interesting to see the rising youth, the bedroom designers, those kids. Iâm curious to see what they do. Funny how you start to see history repeat itself.
Do you think that luxury fashion is still embracing streetwear the way it has in recent years or are we seeing a shift? If so, what do you think that shift is? The guys in streetwear donât really like the word streetwear. I like to call it clothing. Itâs just clothing, and what I really think itâs about is youthfulness and breaking rules. Most importantly, not following the code. I think luxury fashion, and fashion in general, is inspired by youth and youth culture. We learn to adopt and engage with our own clothes and personal style. This is a fresh approach before we end up old and grey and start only wearing sweatpants and velcro shoes everyday. There is this interesting thing that happens when you are young and exploring personal style. You might include something unexpected to see and that becomes the next biggest trend all of a sudden.
How do you feel that your brand and your perspective as a designer has evolved since 2016? I think more focus. I really know what I want, what I like, and where I want to take this. Itâs all about crafting this identity. I always think about when someone closes their eyes. What do they see? What are we trying to help people see or understand? Who are those icons? I think itâs about being a lot more focused and understanding the use of color, fabrics, and materials. Again, just understanding people and their relationship to clothing. Iâve really learned a lot more over the years just from feedback. I think we are getting a lot sharper now.
If you had to represent this collection with one word, what would it be? Tight.
The McDan Group of Companies is set to bring life into the defunct Ghana Black Star Line as it procured two shipping vessels and two cargo planes to begin running an African shipping line.
This African shipping line will be in the style of the defunct Black Star Line in its resolve to support opportunities there are in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement.
The erstwhile Black Star Line (BSL) was a government-owned shipping line, which was established by Ghanaâs first President â Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah â in October 1957, after his government commercially engaged representatives of Zim, Israeli National Shipping Line, with an initial capital of five hundred thousand pounds.
The BSL, which was a source of pride for Ghanaians in the 1970s, emulated the American civil rights leader â Marcus Garvey â who established a shipping company called the Black Star Line in 1919, a kind owned and operated by black people, that would link America, the Caribbean and Africa, giving them direct access to shipping and tourism opportunities. It died out of thievery and mismanagement.
Black Star Line was amongst the renowned global cargo service provider which had been active in Africa in the Freight Forwarding Services for couple of decades dealing with major Corporate Accounts to handle their Air Freight, Ocean Freight, Projects / BB handling, Vessel Chartering, Customs clearance and Transportation offering Complete End to End handling solutions.
However, the company went defunct as its operations grounded.
Ghanaâs initial plan was to run the shipping vessels between the country and Europe, importing machinery, cement and other cargo, and exporting produce. With growth, the vessels sailed to North America and the Mediterranean, however, in the end, trade volumes and the capacity of the shipping line was uneconomical, thus, the companyâs fleet were eventually sold in the late 1990s.
Experts in Africaâs maritime sector have held that border controls are among major issues likely to impede AfCFTAâs successes. However, with the assurance of good maritime security and governance in littoral countries, there could be the certainty of smooth transit trade among African states, promoting huge sources of revenue, should there be an African shipping line.
They also assert that many foreign shipping lines virtually fleece their African clients with astronomical charges, and unnecessarily elongate the shipping routes: An example being one exporting via shipping vessels from one West African state to another â it is said to sometimes tranship to Europe before getting to its destination in the nearby country, reinforcing exorbitant freight charges.
The procurement of the two shipping vessels and two cargo planes is therefore, considered a good initiative that will engineer the global cargo services and place Ghana back on the map.
According to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the McDan Group of Companies, Daniel McKorley, the non-existence of a shipping line in any African country is a concern, and that every ship operating on African shores presently, comes from outside the continent.
Speaking as a Guest-of-Honour at the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College (GAFCSC), when the Military College commenced its 2023 edition of the Maritime Sector Governance Course 2023 (MSGC â23) on Monday 13 February 2023, Dr McKorley intimated that as a stakeholder in the maritime domain, his major concern is safety and security of investment, and therefore, would be interested in measures that will address identified threats.
He added that an investor would only be assured to make more investments, when the policies and arrangements put in place by all stakeholders to confront these threats, are appropriate and comprehensive.
It would be recalled that the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) Secretariat entered into an agreement with McDan Group for the transportation of goods across the AfCFTA member countries. The deal was signed at an official ceremony to launch AfCFTAâs Guided Trade Initiative in Accra.
At this signing ceremony, it was revealed that McDan Group is investing in cargo planes and sea freight vessels specifically to support the AfCFTA. The acquisition of these vessels are just in line.
Apart from reviving the defunct Black Star Line, McDan Group also expects to create thousands of job opportunities when the facility begins operation.
McDan urged participants of MSGC 23 â Senior Officers/Students of the Collegeâs prestigious 11-month Master of Science (MSc) in Defence and International Politics (MDIP) Course 44 â to excel in the course and practice, to join his setup in the future and be even more innovative than their distinguished current Generals.
He further urged the Military College to endeavour to merge academia and industry, since the global environment keeps changing so fast, and to scrutinize the AfCFTA, as a stakeholder in the maritime sector, in order to derive benefits from the treaty.
Shortly after delivering her âSmoking on My Ex Packâ freestyle, the ATL rapper returned with âLottery,â a disco-infused single featuring Congolese-Canadian singer Lu Kala. Latto previewed the joint via Instagram last month, when she shared a video of her throwing cash in the studio alongside Cam and model Brooklyn Nikole.
âPop Latto loadingâŚđâ she captioned the post.
Fast forward to Feb. 9, when Latto confirmed the trackâs official release date.
Fans and fellow artists immediately praised âLotteryâ for his infectious hook and catchy beat. âI smell a HIT,â Doechii wrote. Bxndo commented, âSounds like a mainstream hit. Sis makin feel good music.â
The song arrives nearly a year after Latto shared her sophomore album 777. The project, which peaked at No. 15 on the Billboard 200, spanned 13 tracks with guest appearances by 21 Savage, Lil Wayne, Child Gambino, Kodak Black, and more. Its lead single âBig Energyâ also earned the rapper a Grammy nomination for Best Melodic Rap Performance.
You can stream Lattoâs âLotteryâ featuring Lu Kala below via Spotify and Apple Music, and check back for the official video at lunchtime Friday.
A 49-year-old Black man, Ralph Blaine Smith, who was wrongly imprisoned for more than two decades will receive $1.3 million compensation by the state of Ohio.
According to the Columbus Dispatch, the Columbus resident received a 67-year prison sentence in 2000, after he was accused of carrying out an armed robbery in Lancaster. Prosecutors claimed Smith and another Black man broke into a family home occupied by two adults and their children. The man and woman told police the intruders ordered them to open a basement safe that contained valuable items. The alleged victims said the men ended up stealing rare comic books, jewelry, and about $10,000 in cash.
Though there was no evidence that linked Smith to the alleged crime, the man and woman identified him from a series of photos. He was ultimately convicted of aggravated burglary, aggravated robbery, and kidnapping along with a firearm specification.
Smith would spend the next 20 years maintaining his innocence and fighting for his freedom. In 2020, he contacted defense attorney Joseph Landusky and shared the details surrounding his controversial conviction.
âWhen I read about his case and started getting into it, I really believed that a crime didnât even happen in this case,â Landusky said, per WBNS-TV.
With the help of Landusky, Smith filed a motion for a new trial. He argued his first attorney did not receive evidence that may have proven his innocence. The motion pointed to a handwritten police report that contained ânumerous observations expressing skepticism about whether a crime had occurred.â
âHe was sentenced to 67 years in prison for a crime that was not even committed by anyone,â Landusky said. âWhen first responders showed up, there were no footprints in the snow. It had recently snowed. There was a dog barking right next door when they pulled up, the neighbors said no dog had barked in the last hour.â
In 2021, Fairfield County Prosecutor Kyle Witt declined to pursue a new trial and instead chose to drop all charges against Smith. More than a year after his release, Smith filed a wrongful imprisonment claim against the state, which resulted in the $1.3 million settlement reward.Â
Smith said he will split the payout with his legal team and use the rest to support his family.
Black Sherif’s song, âKwaku The Traveller’, spoke meaning into the skit since the hook of the song says, âOf course, I effed up, who never effed up hands in the airâ.
The video has close to a million views on Instagram and over 2.7 million views on TikTok.
Meanwhile, some Ghanaians have taken to the comment section to tag the celebrated Ghanaian rapper to draw his attention.
Read some reactions below
jarkorful78 said:
KWEKU THE TRAVELER ⌠Blacko to the world
ferozjan34 commented:
This man is very funny hhhhhhhhh
jtscootersports stated:
@blacksherif_ to the world
deba.971 said:
But big brother, it is a really harsh truth for us (students) to pass in the exam. Whether in school or college
Note that these rates may be different at a forex bureau near you.
Our forex bureau rates are provided by Afriswap Bureau De Change in Osu, Accra.
The Interbank forex rates from the Bank of Ghana today, February 17, 2023, have shown that the Ghana Cedi is trading against the dollar at a buying price of 10.7965 and a selling price of 10.8073.
As compared to yesterdayâs trading of a buying price of 10.7967 and a selling price of 10.8075. At a forex bureau in Accra, the dollar is being bought at a rate of 12.40 and sold at a rate of 12.90.
Against the Pound Sterling, the Cedi is trading at a buying price of 12.9644 and a selling price of 12.9785 as compared to yesterdayâs trading of a buying price of 12.9496 and a selling price of 12.9636.
At a forex bureau in Accra, the pound sterling is being bought at a rate of 14.60 and sold at a rate of 15.60.
The Euro is trading at a buying price of 11.5219 and a selling price of 11.5334 as compared to yesterdayâs trading of a buying price of 11.5281 and a selling price of 11.5386.
At a forex bureau in Accra, Euro is being bought at a rate of 12.80 and sold at a rate of 13.80.
The South African Rand is trading at a buying price of 0.5939 and a selling price of 0.5945 as compared to yesterdayâs trading of a buying price of 0.5978 and a selling price of 0.5982.
At a forex bureau in Accra, South African Rand is being bought at a rate of 0.50 and sold at a rate of 1.10.
The Nigerian Naira is trading at a buying price of 42.6684 and a selling price of 42.7416 as compared to yesterdayâs trading at a buying price of 42.6269 and a selling price of 42.7435.
At a forex bureau in Accra, Nigerian Naira is being bought at a rate of 14.00 Naira for every 1 Cedi and sold at a rate of 19.00.
Our forex bureau rates are provided by Afriswap Bureau De Change in Osu, Accra.
Michael Essien, a legendary player for Chelsea, has commented on the praise that ex-teammate John Mikel Obi gave him.
Michael Essien’s work ethic and importance to the Chelsea team were praised in Mikel Obi’s interview with Dubai Eye.
According to Obi, Michael Essien deserves more respect from the football community since he considers himself to be among the finest in the world.
“He never gets the mention. He never gets the credit he deserves. We have been talking for the past what? And we haven’t mentioned him. He is the guy that we call the train in the training ground. He is a powerful machine, this guy. The way he trains as well. Every day he is there working, working and working.”
Obi further hailedMichael Essienâs character outside of football.
“Apart from playing football. what a gentleman he is. And like I said, he is the train, he is the bison that’s what we call him.”
Michael Essien in a Twitter reaction quoted the video of Obiâs confession with emoticons that represent appreciation, acknowledgment or prayers.
Essien joined Chelsea in 2006 while Mikel Obi a year later. They played together for 8 years until Essien departed Chelsea.
The two were involved in the Chelsea team that won the Champions League in 2013.
Michael Essien won nine trophies with The Blues and was one-time voted Chelsea Player of the Year.
Ghanaian fashion critic Charlie Dior has commented on the stunning green two-piece Ghanaian musician Wendy Shay wore to perform at the coronation of Ayisha Modi.
The award-winning musician wore a long-sleeve top and matching shorts showing her smooth legs.
The Uber Driver hitmaker looked classy in her coloured natural locks. Wendy Shay completed her look with black sunglasses and platform shoes as she entertained the kings and queens and other members of the royal family gathering at the event.
Some social media users have commented on Charlie Dior’s post below
catosky
For this one time de3 I second ur critics, I wonder what inspired that abochi collection
blackbloggerhub
Even for a performance on her balcony, this choice would have been all shades of wrong. We r burning this look and throwing the ashes into the ocean.
freckledface
Whoâs her stylist ? Cos they need to be fired âźď¸
glitteratieent
I never understood why our people don’t appreciate our native looks versus these Western ones that are sometimes not at all appropriate. There is a time and place for that outfit. Nascar races or BMX quarter finals are one such example ! ….I love her, so I am so shocked. Time and place are the words for the day.
essie.pepis
If she even wore a Jeans and a nice top mpo would be better cause itâs bad honestly
elcona3
Why are you so like that do u always check urself before judging someone huh is too much please put a stop to it please
r_enam_
Thank you for this ..we love Wendy but that look was soo off ââď¸we regular girls saf won’t wear that for such an audience
mzz_xter
I was even shocked she wore this to the coronationâŚâŚwhy did it take you soo long to summon her to our court
Minister of works and housing, Francis Asenso-Boakye, has asked metropolitan, municipal, and district assemblies (MMDAs) in flood-prone districts to take swift, legal action to demolish all unauthorised structures situated on watercourses before the rainy season starts.
The minister also urged the assemblies to desilt and prepare storm drains ahead of the rains to reduce the chances of flooding, especially in Accra.
He has specifically directed the Ledzokuku Municipal Assembly to stop ongoing building construction works by private developers on the Kpeshie Lagoon Wetlands in Teshie, a suburb of Accra.
The Kpeshie Lagoon Wetlands, the Kordjor River, all in the Ledzokuku Municipal Assembly, as well as La Dade-Kotopong where parts of the buffer is, were experiencing heavy construction by private developers, some of them filling the reserved buffer, which is meant to hold excess volumes of water flow during heavy rains.
Mr Asenso-Boakye gave the charge last Wednesday when he toured some of the storm drains and flood-prone areas in Accra, to assess at first hand the situation on the ground.
He was accompanied by the Director of the Ghana Hydrological Services Authority, Dr John Kissi, and some engineers from the ministry.
The areas visited included Ledzokuku-Krowor, La Dade Kotopon and Ngleshie Amanfrom municipalities.
The chief executive officers of the relevant assemblies and their technical teams joined the tour.
Indiscipline
Mr Asenso-Boakye noted that flooding in Accra was largely as a result of indiscipline on the part of the public who built on wetlands left as a buffer for streams, rivers and lagoons, as well as those who blocked watercourses, filled them up with stones and sand in order to build on them.
He explained that while the ministry was tasked with the conceptualisation and classification of policies and programmes for the systematic growth of the country’s infrastructure, it was the duty of local assemblies to maintain such works and ensure that they were fit for purpose.
He, therefore, tasked MMDAs to periodically desilt storm drains and maintain them for the rains.
âWe are the cause of our own problem, and we will need some level of discipline. So, this morning, I am embarking on site visits to check on our drains to see how prepared we are ahead of the rainy season,â he said.
He said the free flow of storm water alone could prevent flooding in some parts of the city, but that the activities of some few individuals had blocked drains.
âThat is why these areas flood during the rainy season,â he said.
Investments
So far, Mr Asenso- Boakye said, the government had spent GH¢450 million on mitigation mechanisms as part of efforts to fight perennial floods, especially in Accra where the results of flooding had sometimes been catastrophic.
He said the ministry was in talks with the Finance Ministry to make available some funds to continue with the dredging works to expand existing drains.
âWe will do our part as a government, but we need all of you to send the message across because we canât keep on doing some of these things and expect to develop as a country. So, all of us must come together and fight these things now,â the minister added.
Task force
Meanwhile, the Chief Executive of La Dade Kotopon Municipal Assembly, Rev. Solomon Kotey Nikoi, urged the minister to appeal to Cabinet to set up a task force that would address the development of reserved lands, including wetlands, into residential communities.
He said the task force could be similar to the one set up to fight galamsey, with a clear mandate and timelines.
Rev. Nikoi, who complained to the minister about his safety, explained that anytime he embarked on exercises to restrict such developments, he was threatened, and that had been a major concern for him and his team over the years.
âWhat we are seeing here is becoming a national issue, and we have to get to a place where we put together a task force like we are doing with the galamsey because these developers have weapons; they threatened me that they will kill me. Itâs not easy. I canât sleep. They asked me to find out how the previous Chief Executive of the assembly died,â Rev. Nikoi said.
He added that: âWe come and stop them and sometimes we have to sleep here to prevent them. Last year, they nearly killed one of our guys.
“Itâs a challenge, and all of us, including the media and security agencies, have to come together. Yesterday, we arrested some of the trucks. Sometimes they carry arms; we canât fight themâ.
