TIG Post

Author: Chris Kodo

  • More trouble for Nana Agradaa as police file second case against her

    Self-styled evangelist, Patricia Asiedua alias Nana Agradaa will spend more time in police custody as an Accra court has remanded her in a second case filed against her by the Ghana Police Service.

    This is the third time she has been remanded into custody in two separate cases.

    The traditional priestess turned evangelist was arrested last Sunday for allegedly swindling members of her Heaven Way Church at Weija.

    In the first case, the police arraigned Nana Agradaa before the court on 10th October 2022 after her arrest.

    he court remanded her into police custody to reappear on the 13th of October.

    The Police on the said date brought the accused before the court where she was remanded again to reappear on 17th October 2022.

    “In the second case, the accused was again arraigned before the court on Friday 14th October 2022 and has been remanded into police custody to reappear on 24th October 2022,” police said in a statement but failed to disclose her charges.

    I’ve not defrauded anyone; I only did fundraising – Nana Agradaa

    The self-acclaimed evangelist Patricia Asiedua had denied defrauding or swindling her church members.


    Explaining herself in an earlier video, she said, she actually invited church members for service last Friday and gave out money to help them with their various businesses.

    She said she also invited anyone who was interested in being helped, to come to church on Friday (October 7, 2022), convert to Christianity and become a church member.

    She said there was also fundraising through offertory last Friday.

    And so if new members, who were attending church for the first time and wrote their names, offered money to support the church and did not receive anything in return from her, they should count that as new members, their opportune time will surely come and therefore should not attribute that to fraud.

    She disagreed with the allegation that the GH¢1000, GH¢800, GH¢700, and coins offertory by members who attended the church service and willingly donated, should be interpreted as fraud.

    Source: Citinews

  • Napoli is a very good team – Ajax striker Brian Brobbey insists after UCL defeat

    Dutch-striker of Ghanaian descent, Brian Brobbey has admitted that Ajax lost to a better team in the UEFA Champions League in mid-week when the side fell to Napoli.

    The young forward was a second half substitute on Wednesday when Ajax lost 4-2 to the Italian Serie A club.second-half

    “If you look at the last game, I thought we were much better than in the other game. But Napoli is a good team,” the talented striker said.

    He further shared that he would have loved to he introduced earlier to help his Ajax teammates fight for a comeback.

    “Of course I’ll start on the couch. I also prefer to be in the base. I thought I should have come in much earlier today, at the 2-1,” Brian Brobbey added.

    Courtesy of the defeat in midweek, Ajax risk limitation from this season’s UEFA Champions League.

  • UNDP commits 700,000 dollars to SMEs in Ghana

    The United Nations Development Programme  (UNDP) has committed 700,000 dollars in support of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) operations in six assemblies in Ghana.

    These are the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, Ketu South, Sefwi- Wiawso, and Jomoro municipal assemblies, and the Sagnarigu and Kassena–Nankana West district assemblies.

    Mr Stephen Kansuk, the Head of Environment and Climate at UNDP, said the funds would help promote business development, service support, energy and resource efficiency to help businesses to save costs.

    “We engaged and audited 15 businesses including, manufacturing MSMEs and hotels across the six assemblies and it showed that businesses employed about 1000 workers, with over 80 per cent youth and about 70 per cent women, he said.

    Areas audited included utility consumption (water and electricity), internet and Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG), equipment being used, building architecture and maintenance culture.

    Mr Kansuk said this at a training workshop on Energy Efficiency for journalists in Takoradi,  organised by the Energy Commission with support from the UNDP to strengthen their capacity to ensure good corporate governance.

    He said the findings on energy consumption showed that almost all facilities had manually operated compound/outside lights kept on for several hours.

    Room appliances such as television sets were mostly on standby mode even when not being used, while air condition facilities had low-efficiency ratings, he said.

    The study recommended that all fluorescent lambs should be replaced with Light Emitting Diode, photo sensors should be installed to control compound lights, and energy-efficient air conditioners with a minimum of the three-star rated inverter must be used to save energy.

    On the use of water, he said most of the facilities used high water-volume water closet systems with high litres cistern capacities.

    He recommended an efficient WC system for example, (a six-litre cistern) and as well as a waste segregation system.

    Mr John Adjei, Senior Manager, Energy Efficiency Regulation, Energy Commission, said gadgets like transformers, chargers including phone and laptop chargers, desk printers, electric water heaters, water dispensers, television sets, sound systems and decoders were “agents of power thefts.”

    He advised participants to turn off unused office equipment including personal computers, and air conditioners, and also close windows and doors tightly when air conditioners were on.

    Mr Kennedy Amankwah, who spoke on Energy Management, suggested the appointment of energy managers, who would coordinate the efficient use of energy resources and ensure cost savings.

    The Ghana Statistical Service and World Bank COVID-19 Business Tracker revealed many businesses, including MSMEs, were affected by the pandemic.

    Source: GNA 

  • UMB seeks more investment from stakeholders

    The Universal Merchant Bank (UMB) is in discussions with some of its key stakeholders who are willing to invest more in the bank, the Chief Executive Officer of the bank, Nana Dwemoh Benneh, has disclosed.

    He said the investment was to help the bank to build a sustainable banking model hinged on providing quality customer service to its cherished clients, some of whom had been with the bank for over 30 years.

    Mr Benneh said that in an interview with the Daily Graphic to mark the 2022 Customer Service Week celebrations.

    He said although the bank’s third quarter financials saw a dip in profit, the future was very bright as it still boasted of customers who continued to repose their confidence in the bank.

    “Some of these customers are some of the key companies we have in the country and in the economy, so even though we have had challenges, when we look forward to how to make ourselves sustainable, there are enough opportunities that give us the confidence that the future is bright.

    “In these discussions, we are speaking with a number of our stakeholders who are standing in readiness to invest more in the organisation because they know that the returns for investment into the organisation would be good,” he stated.

    Faithful clients

    The CEO said the bank had an anchor of clients who had still remained faithful even in times where it seemed challenging.

    He said that was a demonstration that UMB was offering them something useful and beneficial.

    Capital adequacy

    With regard to the new capital adequacy expectations by the regulator and the threat it poses to indigenous banks, Mr Benneh said the bank had stakeholders that would stand behind the organisation by providing the resources required to ensure that it ran a sustainable business.

    He said being an indigenous bank, UMB was focused on small and medium enterprises (SMEs), often labelled the engine of growth.

    “The SME sector seems to connect better with indigenous banks like ourselves, and so once that aspect of the economy takes a hit, the ripple effect obviously is going to be felt by the bank as well.

    “But we believe in the resilience of the Ghanaian businessman, we believe in the resilience of the local businesses,” he stated.

    He said a number of these local businesses had been able to constantly pull themselves up whenever there had been challenges with the economy, and having been around since 1972 meant that the bank had been walking this path with a number of these businesses.

    Digitisation

    Mr Benneh said the focus of the bank’s customer service had been on how to use digital services to better serve its customers.

    He said the bank recognised that financial services had now been more democratised because of the use of technology and digital services.

    “You can now get basic financial services at a certain standard across the world, which means that barriers of entry in terms of competitiveness are relatively low now because everybody has access to these same systems. So the question is: how do we offer it in a different unique memorable way?

    “We believe that we’ve been serving Ghana since 1972, and so we have quite a sense of how the Ghanaian business person likes to conduct their business and how they will like to access their information and how they will like to be kept abreast of systems and how they will like us to suggest things to them, so we are holding on to that niche,” he said.

    Mr Benneh said the bank looked to digitisation and wanted to position itself as an aggregator of a number of fintechs and players in this area.

    Source: Graphiconline

  • Magician thrills audience with amazing performance

    Patrons of the SOHO bar and restaurant were aroused by an incredible performance by an illusionist (magician).

    The magician, Jiang Warang, held his audience’s attention for the period he performed with a jaw dropping performance which left them all thrilled.

    Fascinated by the performance, patrons of the bar could not hold back their loud cheers and claps.

    SOHO bar and restaurant, Ghana’s fast rising eatery, event and entertainment centre is indeed redefining Accra’s nightlife with great food and amazing Live Band shows.

    The centre, since its inception, has never ceased to thrill its patrons with amazing performances, especially from Liv North and the SOHO band.

    Aside from the mind blowing performance from Liv North and the SOHO band, SOHO also serves a variety of continental dishes, and drinks which all come at affordable prices, and other exciting activities to keep your Friday nights always alive.

    Source: The Independent Ghana

  • Abedi Pele, Mohammed Polo, Partey, Essien, others – CK Akonnor names his all-time Black Stars 11

    Former Ghana coach Charles Akonnor has named his all-time Black Stars 11 players with an emphasis on those he saw and the ones he played with.

    Born on March 12, 1974, in Ghana’s capital, Accra, CK Akonnor captained the Black Stars after the exit of the legendary Abedi Pele during the 2000 African Cup of Nations.

    CK Akonnor made his debut with the Black Stars in 1994, made 51 appearances, and scored 13 goals before hanging up his national team boots in 2001, a year after the AFCON that was co-hosted by Ghana and Nigeria.

    Asked to name his all-time Black Stars 11 in an interview with Paul Adom-Otchere on Metro TV’s Good Evening Ghana, the former Asante Kotoko and Accra Hearts of Oak coach stated that he will take out the 1960s and 1950s generation.

    Opting for a 4-4-2 formation, CK Akonnor chose Richard Kingston as his goalkeeper ahead of Mohammed Odoom and Abukari Damba.

    He selected Frank Amankwah as his right-back, Isaack Asare ahead of Kwasi Appiah for the left-back position, and Samuel Osei Kuffour and Frimpong Manso were CK Akonnor’s two choices for center-backs.

    He named Michael Essien and Thomas Partey as his base midfielders, while Mohammed Polo and Abedi Pele were his right and left-wingers.

    Ghana’s all-time top scorer, Asamoah Gyan, and third highest scorer Anthony Yeboah as his two attackers.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • Early exit from 2014 World Cup still hurt – Fatau Dauda

    Former Black Stars goalkeeper, Fatau Dauda, is still pained about Ghana’s failure to progress out of the group stages at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

    Fatau Dauda played in two of Ghana’s matches at the 2014 World Cup as the Black Stars lost to Portugal, and the USA and draw with Germany.

    “I have been in the World Cup once, that was 2014 so that’s the World Cup I can talk about,” he told 3Sports.

    The ex-goalkeeper noted that it was a good experience for the players, but their failure to make it out of the group stages for the first time was heartbreaking.

    “It wasn’t good for us the players because we couldn’t progress in the tournament but it was nice being in the World Cup. It’s good to play in the World Cup as a player.

    “We couldn’t progress from the group stages so that was the most painful thing but it was a very good experience for some of us who were playing in the World Cup for the first time,” he added.

    The Black Stars missed the 2018 World Cup in Russia but are back in the tournament after qualifying for the 2022 edition in Qatar.

    The Black Stars have been placed in Group H and will come up against Portugal, Uruguay, and South Korea.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • Striker Brian Brobbey assesses Ajax’s performance after two games against Napoli in UCL

    Ajax could exit this season’s UEFA Champions League at the end of the group stages following a run of three matches without a win.

    The Dutch giants starter this season’s campaign with a big win against Rangers. Since that game, the team has lost once to Liverpool and twice to SSC Napoli.

    In the first meeting with Napoli, Ajax suffered a humiliating 6-1 defeat at home before going on to lose 4-2 in the reverse fixture at in Italy.

    Speaking after the second game, striker Brian Brobbey has admitted that his Ajax side lost to a Napoli side that was better.

    “If you look at the last game, I thought we were much better than in the other game. But Napoli is a good team,” the young striker shared.

    Meanwhile, Brian Brobbey also felt he should have been introduced earlier in the second meeting of the Napoli game.

    “Of course I’ll start on the couch. I also prefer to be in the base. I thought I should have come in much earlier today, at the 2-1,” the forward added.

    After the two defeats to Napoli, Ajax are now oh rye brink of elimination from the UEFA Champions League as the team sits third on the log.

    Source: Footballghana

  • Seeking constant bailouts from IMF threatens nation’s democracy – Mahama

    Former President John Dramani Mahama has said that any government that comes to office must ensure the country never seeks a bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) again.

    That, he said, was because constantly seeking bailouts from the organisation creates instabilities thereby threatening the country’s democracy.

    “This should be the last time because going and coming to the IMF creates a certain instability in the whole system and reduces the faith that people have in our democracy,” he said.

    He made the statement in a television interview on the Voice of America (VOA) Straight Talk Africa programme in Washington DC.

    Home-grown policies

    Mr Mahama said engaging in an IMF programme would bring the country’s debts back to sustainable levels and help to achieve policy credibility which would motivate investors to do business in the country.

    However, he urged the government to also develop home-grown policies aimed at transforming the economy to ensure investor confidence.

    Mr Mahama also said the government must make reducing the budget of the Office of the President a key aspect in the negotiations with the IMF which, according to the former president, was necessary to show the government’s commitment to reduce expenditure.

    “They have to cut the budget to the Office of the President to show the way because if the president himself is cutting the budget of government machinery, then it means everybody must be prepared to make a sacrifice,” he explained.

    The former president therefore stated that the next National Democratic Congress (NDC) government would strengthen stated-owned institutions and undertake a constitutional review as part of their strategy to sustain the economy.

    “We have been operating it for more 26 years and I think the time has come to look at it again and do some tweaking so that we can have a proper constitutional environment in which to grow the economy,” he added.

    Opportunity for Africa

    Mr Mahama also stated that the current global economic crisis had presented Africa with a unique opportunity to trade internally.

    “It is an opportunity for us to look within and see why we can go better in terms of trading with ourselves.”

    Happily, we’ve passed the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and as I speak the first commodities are beginning to be exchanged and that is good news”, he said.

    Mr Mahama was hopeful that the initiative would increase Africa’s internal trade which would create opportunities for its citizens particularly the youth to realise their full potentials.

    Source: Graphiconline

  • Fatau Dauda explains why he celebrated after saving Ronaldo’s header during 2014 World Cup

    Former Black Stars goalkeeper, Fatau Dauda, has explained why he celebrated saving Cristiano Ronaldo’s header during the 2014 World Cup.

    He added that he celebrated that because he had trained for it.

    He said replicating what he had learnt in training prior to the game filled him with much joy.

    Speaking to TV3 in an interview, he disclosed that the goalkeeper’s trainer put him through how to stop Ronaldo during set pieces.

    “The reason why I celebrated Ronaldo’s save was before the game, we did some workouts with our goalkeepers’ trainer. We trained on how Portugal play their set pieces because Ronaldo is good at set pieces. We trained on how to save crosses. It was like you learning to write an exam and what you learned, you see the thing happening,” he told TV3.

    Fatau Dauda pulled off a magnificent stop to prevent Ronaldo from breaking the deadlock in the first half after the four-time Ballon d’Or winner connected with a cross from the right.

    Despite making the save and a couple of others, Ronaldo managed to get his name on the scoresheet as Portugal beat Ghana 2-1 in the final group match.

    Ghana crashed out of the group stages of the tournament with just a point.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • ‘Dollar has broken the 12; where’s your economic wizkid Bawumia?’ – Sammy Gyamfi quizzes government

    The National Communications Officer of the NDC, Sammy Gyamfi, has questioned the whereabouts of the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, in the face of recent depreciation of the Ghana Cedi.

    In a Facebook post on Friday, the NDC spokesperson asked about the Veep, who he said has been paraded by his supporters as an ‘economic wizkid’.

    In what appeared to be a taunt to the ruling New Patriotic Party, Sammy Gyamfi stated that, no amount of distractions will derail him.

    “Knowing your long-standing hatred for me and your determination to see my downfall, I can understand the desperation on display.

    For your information, I remain focused, unshakable, impregnable and unbreakable. None of these things move me. Know this truth and stop wasting your time and data on me.

    The dollar has shattered the 8 and broken the 12. Where is your economic wizkid, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia now?”, portions of the post read.

    The comments by Sammy Gyamfi, follow the news of the Cedi’s further depreciation against the dollar on Friday.

    The Ghana cedi breached the ¢12 to the dollar mark on Friday, October 14, 2022; selling at ¢12.10 at most forex bureaus or the retail market.

    This development comes within a week after the cedi earlier depreciated against the dollar.

    A visit by Joy Business to some forex bureaus indicates that most of the operators are selling the dollar for more than ¢12. They claim supply of dollars has reduced significantly.

    Again, the cedi is losing grounds quickly against the pound and euro. Whilst a pound is going for about ¢12.70, one euro is selling at ¢11.10.

    Within a week (October 10-October 14), the local currency has lost more than 6% value to the dollar. This means the year-to-date depreciation of the cedi is hovering around 46%.

    By this rate of depreciation, the working capital of businesses, particularly manufacturers that depend on raw materials from overseas, have gone down by about 46% since January 1, 2022.

    Meanwhile, scores of Ghanaians have taken to social media to bemoan the situation; urging government to take urgent steps to address the consistent depreciation of the country’s currency.

    Source: Myjoyonline

  • Is it time for Ghana to start taxing sports betting stakes?

    As the Ghanaian government continues to seek new ways of generating revenue for the economy, is it time for the authorities to turn their attention to sports betting stakes?

    The Ghanaian sports betting sector has enjoyed astronomical growth within the last decade, with the country now ranked amongst the top five betting nations in sub-Saharan Africa.

    The list of betting sites in Ghana is growing all the time, as more operators obtain their licences and enter the fray.

    But is Ghana getting the most from its betting industry? How much of this betting money is actually staying within the Ghanaian economy?

    In March 2021, while presenting the budget statement of the Ghanaian government, then caretaker Finance Minister, Osei Kyei-Mensa-Bonsu revealed that Ghana loses about GHS 300 million to leakages in the gambling sector.

    These leakages are partly caused by Ghana’s vague gambling laws, which have allowed unlicensed gambling companies to operate in the country despite not meeting the regulatory requirements.

    While the government looks to fix its gambling legislations, it is also seeking other ways of maximising the revenue generated from the sector.

    The controversial e-levy, for example, was partly targeted at the online betting industry, but should Ghana take it a step further and place taxes on actual betting stakes?

    Placing taxes on stakes is not a novel idea. It is currently being practised in Kenya, where bettors pay a 7.5% tax on every betting stake.

    All registered betting sites in Kenya are mandated to make this very clear on their sites and include the tax information on all betting slips.

    Unsurprisingly, the idea was initially not well-received in Kenya, with bookmakers and bettors kicking against the regulation, but the authorities stood their ground, and now, everyone is on board with the plan.

    Given the negative reaction that followed the e-levy ruling in Ghana, any talk of placing a tax on betting stakes is likely to be met with an even fiercer backlash.

    It is easy to understand why Ghanaian bettors might feel aggrieved if the government decided to tax their stakes, but such a law would actually be a win-win for everybody in the long run.

    By taxing betting stakes, the government gets more betting revenue, which can then be ploughed back into the economy to create better infrastructure and improve the general standard of living in the country.

    Given that only a small fraction of bets are actually won, a large percentage of betting stakes end up in the hands of the bookmakers anyway.

    Hence, paying taxes on stakes guarantees that at least some of the money will go to the government, and by extension, to the Ghanaian economy. This would therefore be an indirect way of recouping some of the betting stake that would have otherwise been totally lost to the bookies.

    It is safe to conclude the funds are more useful to Ghanaians when they are with the government.

    There is of course the question of trust and accountability. Will the government actually use the money to develop infrastructure in the country?

    That can only be answered by the government. In theory, placing a tax on betting stakes doesn’t seem like a bad idea at all.

    Source: 3news

  • CAF Confederations Cup: Hearts of Oak coach names 20-man squad for AS Real Bamako clash

    Interim Hearts of Oak trainer David Ocloo has called up 20 players for the side crucial CAF Confederations Cup clash against AS Real Bamako on Sunday.

    The Phobians suffered a humiliating 3-0 defeat to the Malian side in the first leg of the second preliminary round of the CAF Confederations Cup.

    The reigning FA Cup champions will be looking to overturn the tie when they host AS Real Bamako in the return fixture at the Accra Sports Stadium.

    Ahead of the clash, the stop-gap Hearts of Oak coach has announced a 20-man squad for the much-anticipated clash.

    Missing in the squad were first-choice goalie Eric Ofori Antwi, Daniel Kordie, and Yassan Haaland Ouatching due to an injury situation.

    David Ocloo did not also included Zakaria Yakubu to the squad.

    Below is the 20-man squad for clash:

    Afriyie Barnieh

    Salifu Mohammed

    Konadu Yiadom

    Dennis Korsah

    Seidu Suraj

    Kwadwo Obeng Jnr

    Gideon Asante

    Samuel Inkoom

    Gladson Awako

    Robert Addo Sowah

    Richard Attah

    Richmond Ayi

    Fatawu Mohammed

    Rashid Okine

    Caleb Amankwaa

    Mohammed Alhassan

    Kaaba Junior

    Enock Asubonteng

    Prince Nana Kwesi Darmang

    Isaac Mensah

  • Drake celebrates 50 billion Spotify Streams with OVO FC Barcelona Kit

    When FC Barcelona suits up to play Real Madrid this weekend during the El Clásico, their kits will look a bit different. To celebrate 50 billion streams on Spotify, Drake is teaming up with Barcelona to add the OVO Sound logo to their jersey.

    Drake initially teased the newly branded kits on Friday morning, showing off OVO’s signature owl placed right in the center of the jersey. “This doesn’t feel real but it is,” he wrote in the caption.

     

     

    View this post on Instagram

     

    A post shared by champagnepapi (@champagnepapi)

    “We were really excited to celebrate one of the biggest games of the year and mark Drake’s milestone as the first artist to reach 50 billion streams,” said Marc Hazan, VP of Partnerships at Spotify. “We’ve always said that we want this partnership to be a celebration of fans, players and artists on a global stage – and there’s no bigger stage than El Clásico.”

    The partnership comes several months after the Spanish club unveiled a partnership with Spotify that added the streaming service’s branding to Barcelona’s stadium, making its official name Spotify Camp Nou. It will be the first time since 2006 that the stadium holds a sponsored name.

    “Our alliance with Spotify goes beyond a mere commercial relationship. It is a strategic relationship through which we seek to bring together two worlds that can arouse emotion, namely music and football,” said Juli Guiu, Vice President for the marketing area of FC Barcelona. “This initiative is another example of this desire and the innovative spirit of our collaboration.”

    Source: Complex.com

  • Video shows Climate Activists throwing soup over Van Gogh painting at London Gallery

    Climate activists were taken into custody in London on Friday after tossing soup over a Vincent van Gogh piece.

    Per a report from the Guardian, the incident took place at the National Gallery and saw an entry from van Gogh’s Sunflowers series being targeted with cans of tomato soup. Footage of the act of protest, seen above, shows two activists approaching the piece before throwing the soup, at which point others in the room can be heard reacting with shock.

    “What is worth more, art or life?” one activist then tells the crowd. “Is it worth more than food, worth more than justice? Are you more concerned about the protection of a painting or the protection of our planet and people? The cost of living crisis is part of the cost of oil crisis. Fuel is unaffordable to millions of cold, hungry families. They can’t even afford to heat a tin of soup. Meanwhile, crops are failing. Millions of people are dying in monsoons, wildfires, and severe drought. We cannot afford new oil and gas. It is going to take everything we know and love.”

    Just Stop Oil, per its official website, is “a coalition of groups working together to ensure the government commits to halting new fossil fuel licensing and production.” On Friday, the activists also glued themselves to the wall of the gallery space.

    In a statement shared Friday morning, a National Gallery rep announced that two people had been arrested in connection with the incident. As for any impact on the painting, the rep confirmed there was only “minor damage to the frame.” The painting itself was not harmed.

    Source: Complex.com

  • Losing my position at Kotoko was one of the toughest times in my life – Felix Annan

    Former Asante Kotoko captain Felix Annan says losing his position at the club was one of the toughest moment of his career.

    The shot stopper who had been Kotoko’s safest pair of hands for four seasons was dropped to the bench under Maxwell Konadu.

    Annan had asked for permission to marry his longtime girlfriend, which saw him losing his role to the former Inter Allies goalkeeper Kwame Baah.

    In an interview with Nhyira FM, Felix Annan, who now plies his trade in the USA said, “Losing my position at Kotoko was one of the toughest times of my life. I wish I could get answers but I still don’t have. I confronted Maxwell Konadu but I didn’t feel the need to make the issues public”

    Since his debut, Felix Annan has made three appearances for the Black Stars and was part of Ghana’s team at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

    The 27-year-old currently plies his trade for American side Maryland Bobcats FC.

    Source: Footballghana

  • Jack Harlow’s at his best when at his most intimate

    “I go by the name of Jack Harlow,” Harlow said as he walked onto the Brooklyn Steel stage, addressing a crowd of fans who knew exactly who he was.

    It’s a Wednesday night, one of the colder nights of the fall season, and fans are making their way into the live music venue for “American Express Presents Louisville by Jack Harlow,” an intimate concert with Kentucky’s star of the moment. The exclusive concert marks a weeklong member card celebration of events and experiences.

    Up until tonight’s show, Jack Harlow had been performing for sold out arenas on his Come Home The Kids Miss You Tour. In fact, just a week ago, on October 7, Harlow performed a sold out show at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, which has around 19,000 seats. And this coming Friday, the rapper will head to Miami’s FPL Solar Amphitheatre which holds 8,500 seats.

    To sell out, let alone play in front of thousands of screaming fans is a dream come true for any artist, but especially one as new as Jack Harlow. But for this show, at his most intimate—performing at avenue with a capacity of just 1800—Jack Harlow shined the brightest.

    Making my way into the venue, I was immediately transported into Harlow world. Despite Harlow’s rising starpower, the event’s aesthetic portrayed a more humble vibe. All aspects of the event paid homage to the rapper’s hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. Close to the entrance was a table of exclusive merch that included a 5-piece collection of shirts, hoodies, and crossbody bags designed by Louisville illustrator Bri Browers and allowed each fan to customize them with vintage -inspired iron on patches. Waiters also walked around, offering small plates of food inspired by Harlow’s favorite Vincenzo’s, such as fettuccine alfredo. The bar served a selection of Kentucky craft cocktails (the Louie Lemonade was a personal favorite).

    jackharlowbrooklynsteelamexconcertreviewtwo
    Photo by Mike Coppola for American Express/Getty Images

    Inside the concert hall, fans gathered in front of the stage as a DJ spun some of the hottest tunes in the city (“Munch” by Ice Spice was a particularly big hit with the crowd). Then, a little after 30 minutes of the DJ set, it was time for the main show.

    Jack Harlow appeared from backstage with a cool and suave demeanor as the crowd roared with excitement. He very quickly captivated fans’ attention as he ran through his early hits, including “Route 66,” “I Wanna See Some Ass,” and “Way Out.” His set was mostly dedicated to his sophomore album, Come Home the Kids Miss You, though, from which he spun big crowd pleasers like “First Class,” “Dua Lipa,” and “Churchill Downs.”

    One of the greatest surprises came when Kentucky’s own Bryson Tiller joined Harlow on stage to perform their single “Luv Is Dro.” Harlow even graciously allowed Tiller space to perform “Sorry Not Sorry” from his highly acclaimed album, Trapsoul.

    The crowd knew every word to every song that was played, but what was more impressive than the crowd’s memorization skills, was how at ease Harlow appeared to be on stage. Harlow may be in a position in his career to sell out arenas and stadiums, but he shines the most when he is in front of a small audience.

    The small venue setting allowed him to interact with his fans on a more personal level, touching hands, and pointing at blushing girls in the audience. He was also able to take control of the whole stage. It was easy for him to get to both ends without running back and forth as he would most likely do in a larger venue. This allowed him to dance, be silly, and show a little more of his swagger.

    Source: Complex.com

  • How nurses handled injured ex-BB Naija housemate before his death

    Social media users have gone crazy after videos of nurses filming late Big Brother star, Rico Swavey, instead of rushing to save him after his ghastly accident went viral.

    In a video taken at an unidentified hospital, nurses could be captured standing aloof as though they weren’t sure what to do for the Big Brother star.

    Rico, who looked unconscious and wounded, was placed in a wheelchair with an oxygen mask to support his breathing.

    Netizens in several reactions have expressed that, Nigeria’s failed healthcare system and its unethical professionalism killed RicoSwavey and not the accident.

    A user said “Very sad news, truth Is this could be anyone of us. Our health care failed him at the most critical time.”

    Another cited that, “The Health Care didn’t only fail him, he was taken to the Hospital late. His friends were taking Videos and picture pieces of evidence instead of helping the nurses to lift their Friends to that Bed That’s the most Insensitive thing tbh.”

    “Pray for safety in Nigeria. In a case where you need urgent assistance, people who are around you may be more interested in other things. RIP,” a third added.

    Source:ghanaweb.com

  • Fuel prices to go up from October 16 – IES

    Fuel prices are expected to go up at the pumps from Sunday, October 16, 2022, the Institute for Energy Security (IES) has projected.

    This is due to the increases in price of the products on the international market, and the significant decline in the value of the local currency against the American greenback or US dollar.

    “The sharp rise in gasoline [petrol] and gasoil [diesel] prices on the global market may drive the price of domestic gasoline and gasoil rise higher, as against the rise in LPG [Liquefied Petroleum Gas] price.

    “In IES’ estimation, consumers of gasoline and gasoil may pay between 7% and 12% more for a litre at the pump in the next two weeks, with gasoil per litre price hinging close to ¢15”.

    It added that “although the rise in the price of LPG on the world market was moderate, the significant fall in the value of the cedi, may cause the domestic selling price to rise by not less than 4 per cent at the local pump”.

    The IES however noted that competition for market share will account for variance in the rate of increases at the pump, across various OMCs.

    Prices of petroleum products went up during last pricing window

    Prices of finished products on the local market saw changes in the last pricing window across all Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs).

    The national average price per litre of petrol stood at ¢11.05, up from ¢10.90 in the last window, representing a 1.36% increase.

    The average price of diesel per litre fell to ¢13.98, from ¢14.45, representing a 3.25 per cent reduction.

    The IES MarketScan picked Sel, GOIL, Total, and Shell/Vivo as OMCs with the highest-priced fuel on the downstream petroleum market.

     

    Source: Myjoyonline

     

  • CAGD staff threaten to halt validation services for public sector workers

    The staff of the Controller and Accountant General’s Department (CAGD) across the country are threatening to halt validation services for public sector workers over the non-payment of Special Duty Allowances (SDA) and other administrative issues.

    They are further threatening to boycott the forthcoming production of the third-quarter national accounts of the Consolidated Fund.

    According to them, their action has become necessary following delays in the payment of their allowances.

    In a petition sighted by Citi News, the staff is demanding the payment of their maintenance allowances for 2021 and the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd quarters of 2022 without further delay.

    They are therefore calling on management to address these issues within fourteen days or face their wrath.

    Source: Citinews

  • Ghana forward Bernard Tekpetey reacts to Ludogorets victory over HJK in Europa League

    Ghana forward Bernard Tekpetey has expressed his joy following Ludogorets victory over HJK in the UEFA Europa League.

    The 25-year-old started and lasted 86 minutes as his side inflicted a 2-0 win over HJK on home turf on Thursday night.

    Tekpetey provided an assist that propel the side to seal the victory against their opponent.

     

    Ludogorets sit second in Group C and are on the brink of securing progress to the knockout stage.

    “Excellence is a gradual result of always striving to do better,” wrote the Ghanaian on social media after the game.

    Bernard Tekpetey has scored six goals and recorded four assists in all competitions this season.

    Source: Footballghana

  • Fuel prices to increase by 10% from October 16 – COPEC predicts

    The Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC) is predicting a 10 percent increase in the price of petroleum products effective October 16, 2022.

    The price adjustment falls in line with the second pricing window for the month of October.

    The Chamber in a statement said that from the observed figures within the downstream industry and forex movements, it anticipates an average price escalation of about 10 percent for both petrol and diesel based on the increase in the price of crude oil on the international market and the depreciation of the cedi.

    “Between the current window and the next window due, 16 Oct 2022, Crude oil price is observed to have seen an increase of 3.66% from $89.46 to $92.73 per Barrel, whilst the Dollar index has further gone up by about 4.08% from GHS10.21 to GHS10.627 per Dollar as per Government rate (Conservative figures) though actual market rates are quite higher currently,” COPEC noted.

    The Chamber, however, called on government to adopt urgent measures to stabilise the cedi to the US Dollar exchange rate in order to prevent the pricing of petroleum products reaching an impending disaster.

    Read the full statement below:

    CHAMBER OF PETROLEUM CONSUMERS
    ACCRA

    14/10/2022

    FUEL PRICES TO GO UP FURTHER BY 10% FROM 16TH OCTOBER

     

    The upcoming second fuel pricing window of October 2022 which commences on Sunday, 16/10/2022, fuel prices across pumps within the country are projected to see an increase of average 10% for both petrol and diesel.

    From observed figures within the downstream industry, and forex movements, COPEC anticipates an average price escalation of about 10.12% for both petrol and diesel*_ based on the following analysis.

    Between the current window and the next window due, 16 Oct 2022, Crude oil price is observed to have seen an increase of 3.66% from $89.46 to $92.73 per Barrel, whilst the Dollar index has further gone up by about 4.08% from GHS10.21 to GHS10.627 per Dollar as per Government rate (Conservative figures) though actual market rates are quite higher currently.

    The corresponding international processed petroleum prices for the next window averages as follows:

    Petrol: $964.75/MT (up by 15.72%)
    Diesel: $1,097.15/MT (up by 9.60%)

    Internally, the projected average price of both Petrol and Diesel for the next window are expected to be GHS13.77/L, showing a price jump of 10.12% over the current Mean fuel Prices for both products across the various OMCs trading.

    From observed data, Petrol, which is currently selling at an industry average of GHS11.06/L is likely to be sold at GHS12.38/L (11.88% higher) from 16 October 2022 whilst Diesel currently selling at an industry average of GHS13.95/L is likely to be sold at GHS15.16/L. (8.72% higher)

    For LPG, the international price is estimated to hit $618.34/MT (up by 3.81%); the price of LPG is likely to go up by 5.04% to sell around GHS10.21/kg.

    Considering no sudden jerks in Crude Oil pricing, that may lead to changes in Petrol, Diesel and LPG Prices on the International market, the Mean Ex-pump prices are expected to be within the projected figures by +/-2% as indicated below:

    Petrol: GHS12.12/L to GHS12.63/L
    Diesel: GHS14.86/L to GHS15.46/L
    LPG: GHS10.01/kg to GHS10.41/kg

    We implore on the petroleum service providers to be considerate of applying the full force of the indexes in their pricing as times are rough for everyone, we are without equivocation, mindful that, the projected figures are conservatively lower than what the actuals could be due to the continuous depreciation of the local currency.

    COPEC is once again, further, admonishing the Government to do whatever it deems neccesary, to ensure an urgent stabilisation of the cedi to the Dollar exchange rate in order to prevent pricing of petroleum products getting to an impending disaster as the effect of these steep increases in fuel prices cuts across all sectors of the local economy and to also further ensure some drastic reductions of some of the existing taxes and levies on Petroleum products to help ease the burden on consumers.

    Signed.

    Duncan Amoah
    Executive Secretary.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • What useless celebration is that? – Abeiku Santana kicks against ‘No Bra Day’

    Popular broadcaster, Abeiku Aggrey Santana, has questioned why Ghanaians encourage the celebration of ‘No Bra Day’ when there are other pressing issues that equally need attention.

    He made this statement while making a tall list of equally important matters begging for attention.

    ‘No Bra Day’ is usually observed on October 13, annually, to raise breast cancer awareness.

    On this day, a lot of women forego their bras and share pictures of themselves with their ‘freed boobs’ on social media.

    Many female celebrities and influencers commemorate the day with some men showing great interest as they anticipate fixating their eyes on breasts.

    Reacting to this, Abeiku Santana said it was disgusting how a full day is usually set aside to promote what he described as nudity and promiscuity.

    He pointed out issues relating to climate change, floods and galamsey that instead, needed more attention.

    “Dome, Ashaiman, Circle, Adabraka and Kasoa are now flood-prone areas. Today is World Disaster Risk Prevention Day. Nobody is talking about it. Rather, we are discussing No Bra Day. Intelligent and elite people are also following the trend and posting on their timelines, promoting nudity and sexualism. Are we serious at all? I don’t blame you. I blame the media who is supposed to champion sensible things in order to inform and educate Ghanaians.

    “The media is feeding Ghanaians with useless information. Now in order to get the attention of people, you’d have to make vulgar statements. We are not talking about climate change because we think it’s a topic for only those living abroad. There is a paradigm shift in our weather, so sit there and assume that everything is okay,” Abeiku Santana fumed.

    Source:ghanaweb.com

  • Buy everything you need before October 19, we will close our shops – GUTA

    The Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) has advised residents in Accra to buy all items they would need for their respective homes before Wednesday, October 19, 2022, since they will shut down all shops in the region.

    President of GUTA, Dr. Joseph Obeng, who disclosed this said they are in solidarity with traders in Kumasi, who locked their shops in protest of what they say are exorbitant taxes imposed on businesses by government.

    The traders are also kicking against a decision by the Ghana Revenue Authority to station their officers at each shop to record Value Added Tax (VAT) on products they sell.

    Dr. Obeng said the issues raised by the traders were not limited to that Kumasi traders but nationwide hence traders across the country, are not in good standing at the moment.

    Speaking on Nyankonton Mu Nsem on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm, he said aside from the killer taxes, the depreciation of the cedi against the dollar is also threatening the expansion and successful operation of Ghanaian businesses.

    “The issues raised by the traders in Kumasi are not only limited to Kumasi. GUTA is in full support of their action. Traders in Tamale, Accra and other regions are also experiencing the same problem. The exorbitant taxes imposed on our businesses are not the best,” Dr Obeng said.

    “We are struggling. The cedi depreciation and other challenges confronting businesses are collapsing our businesses. We have complained, but we have not been given the attention,” he stated.

    “As a result, we are asking Accra residents to go out and buy household items because we will close our shops next week on Wednesday, October 19, 2022. We didn’t know when we’d reopen the shops after closing them. So, please, go out there and buy what you need so that when we close our shops, you won’t have to struggle,” he stated.

     

  • Police kill suspected robber and arrest two others in Ashanti Region

    The police on Thursday arrested two armed robbers and shot one dead at Asuofua Asamang in the Ashanti region.

    According to the police, the specialised intelligence operation on Thursday [October 13, 2022] led to the arrest of Kwaku Boateng, alias Form Noede and Kojo Gyamfi.

    They are both in police custody being prepared to face justice in court, the police said in a statement.

    The police statement signed and issued by the Director of Public Affairs, Chief Superintendent Grace Ansah-Akrofi said the deceased has been identified as Issaka Muniru.

    According to the police, he attempted to fire at the police but was shot by the police instead.

    He reportedly died upon arrival at the hospital.

    The police said they retrieved a Smith & Wesson SD40 VE pistol which was used to fire at the officers, and thirteen rounds of live ammunition.

    “The deceased, Issaka Muniru and his robbery syndicate have been involved in a series of robberies within the Kumasi Metropolis and its environs for years”.

    The statement added that “before his demise, Issaka Muniru was standing trial with three other accomplices Ernest Agyei Badu a.k.a. Gangster, Rider and MBY at the Nkawie Circuit Court for robbing one Pastor Emmanuel Barfour Awuah of Abuakwa Abakomadi at gunpoint on 26th May, 2021, and making away with his two gold wrist watches, mobile phones and an unspecified amount of money”.

    “The deceased was granted bail by the court but he jumped the bail and a bench warrant was therefore issued for his arrest,” the police stated.

    His accomplices are still facing trial at the court, it added.

    In another robbery instance, he was arrested among four “but he managed to escape”.

    The three suspects have since been remanded into prison custody.

    Source: Graphiconline

  • ‘Gangs of New York’ TV series in development, Martin Scorsese to direct

    A TV series adaptation of The Gangs of New York is in development at Miramax, and Martin Scorsese is set to direct some of it.

    Deadline reports that Scorsese will direct the first two episodes of the show, which is based on Herbert Asbury’s 1927 non-fiction book of the same name. The director previously helmed the Oscar-nominated 2002 movie adaptation of the book, starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Camero Diaz, and Leonardo DiCaprio. Details on the series remain scarce for now, but playwright and TV writer Brett Leonard has penned the script.

    It’s unclear when the show is expected to either enter production or arrive, and it currently does not have an attached network or streamer. However, the prestige of Scorsese’s involvement means it likely won’t stay that way for long. This isn’t his first time attempting to adapt the book for the small screen, as he announced a show focused on the gangs of Chicago and New Orleans in 2013. That project never came to fruition, though.

    Gangs of New York marks yet another foray into the world of television for Scorsese, who previously helped bring HBO’s Boardwalk Empire to life as both executive producer and director of the pilot episode. He later collaborated with HBO on the short-lived period drama Vinyl, which he also directed the pilot episode of. He directed the seven-episode documentary series Pretend It’s a City last year, and is attached to produce an adaptation of Erik Larson’s 2003 non-fiction book The Devil in the White City.


    He’s also got a number of movie projects on the way, including the documentary Personality Crisis: One Night Only, which just recently premiered at the 60th New York Film Festival.

    His next major motion picture project, however, is the Apple Studios-produced Killers of the Flower Moon, a western drama starring his frequent collaborators DiCaprio and Robert De Niro, alongside the likes of Jesse Plemons, Lily Gladstone, John Lithgow, and Brendan Fraser.

    Source: Complex.com

  • Buy everything you need before October 19, we’ll close our shops – GUTA announces

    The Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) has warned Accra residents to get all household necessities before Wednesday, October 19, 2022, as they will close all stores in the area on that day.

    Dr. Joseph Obeng, president of GUTA, who made this announcement, said they stand in solidarity with Kumasi traders who shut their stores in protest of what they claim are excessive taxes levied on businesses by the government.

    The Ghana Revenue Authority decided to deploy officers at each business to record Value Added Tax (VAT) on goods sold, but the traders are fighting that decision.

    Dr. Obeng said the issues raised by the traders were not limited to that Kumasi traders but nationwide hence traders across the country, are not in good standing at the moment.

    Speaking on Nyankonton Mu Nsem on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm, he said aside from the killer taxes, the depreciation of the cedi against the dollar is also threatening the expansion and successful operation of Ghanaian businesses.

    “The issues raised by the traders in Kumasi are not only limited to Kumasi. GUTA is in full support of their action. Traders in Tamale, Accra and other regions are also experiencing the same problem. The exorbitant taxes imposed on our businesses are not the best,” Dr Obeng said.

    “We are struggling. The cedi depreciation and other challenges confronting businesses are collapsing our businesses. We have complained, but we have not been given the attention,” he stated.

    “As a result, we are asking Accra residents to go out and buy household items because we will close our shops next week on Wednesday, October 19, 2022. We didn’t know when we’d reopen the shops after closing them. So, please, go out there and buy what you need so that when we close our shops, you won’t have to struggle,” he stated.

  • Kessben’s son ties the knot with his beautiful girlfriend

    On Thursday, videos and photos from the customary wedding between Festus Boateng, the son of Ghanaian business mogul, Stephen Boateng, known chiefly as Kessben, topped trends.

    The display of culture, elegance and affluence at the marriage ceremony, which took place in the Ashanti Regional capital, Kumasi, highlighted the wealth of the Boateng family.

    The bride, Asomdwoe, who is a professional makeup artist and CEO of AnA Makeover, was the talk of the town.

    Her beauty and well-tailored traditional gowns caught the eyes of many.

    Also, the bridal team made up of the groomsmen and bridesmaids, left no stone unturned, from their outfits to the hype they gave to the newlyweds during their union.

    The event was broadcasted by wedding blogger, Kwaku, as well as the tall list of vendors who were employed for their services.

    The family of the latest couple also displayed style in their kente clothes and lace attire.

    Festus and Asomdwoe entertained their guests with their dance moves with the groom, showcasing his Kete dance.

    Check out some scenes from the wedding:

     

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    Source:ghanaweb.com

  • BizTech: The student-led group using gaming tournaments to sharpen IQ

    In the past few years, video and computer gaming activities are gaining notoriety among young Ghanaians.

    The industry which is not new to many Ghanaians is now creating various financial avenues and bringing social change among the youth especially.

    For students at the Academic City University College, video gaming tournaments are becoming a part of their educational journey.

    Papayaw Boakye-Akyeampong who is a Computer Science student of the university speaking on GhanaWeb TV’s BizTech highlighted the various benefits of video gaming and how the activity is improving their IQ skills.

    “Video games increase your attention span, improve decision-making and problem-solving capabilities in competitive environments. It also improves memory and learning and the cognitive abilities that society values,” he said.

    “Outside Ghana particularly in the Western countries, people play video games for various reasons. For instance, they are people who use gaming as a full-time profession which earns them money while others play to improve certain aspects of their daily lives,” he noted.

    Papayaw Boakye-Akyeampong however said although the gaming tournaments can be deemed as social events, many video and computer game enthusiasts have benefitted in various ways of their lives.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • British-born Ghanaian Kwasi Kwarteng fired as UK finance minister after 6 weeks in office

    British-born Ghanaian UK Finance Minister, Kwasi Kwarteng, has been relieved from his post by the British Prime Minister, Liz Truss.

    According to a Reuters report attributing the development to the UK Times newspaper, Liz Truss is preparing to reverse a decision announced in the country’s mini-budget which was delivered by Kwasi Kwarteng.

    The mini-budget has since sparked financial turmoil in the markets and caused a revolt among Conservative MPs in the UK.

    “I’m told that Kwasi Kwarteng is being sacked as Chancellor as Liz Truss prepares to reverse the mini-Budget,” Steven Swinford, Political Editor of The Times said on Twitter.

    “Not clear who will be replacing him,” Swinford added.

    Kwasi Kwarteng was recently appointed to serve as Chancellor of the Exchequer, United Kingdom where he served for six weeks.

    His appointment came at a crucial time when the country is facing a high cost of living, public sector layoffs, and among others.

    Kwasi Kwarteng after his appointment became the first black person to hold the position.

    British Prime Minister to announce tax cuts:

    Meanwhile, it is expected that Prime Minister, Truss will hold a news conference in due course, as speculation builds that the government could reverse more of the tax cuts announced in its mini-budget.

    Earlier, a No 10 Downing source told the BBC that Truss thought the chancellor was “doing an excellent job”

    The PM faces growing calls from within her party to rethink her economic plans, with one Tory MP telling the BBC: “It’s checkmate, we’re screwed”, the BBC further reported.

    Background:

    Kwasi Kwarteng, 47, took over as head of the British Treasury in September 2022, after new UK Prime Minister, Liz Truss, took over; with the responsibility of trying to pull the UK out of a serious cost-of-living crisis without plunging the public finances into the abyss.

    He took over from Nadhim Zahawi, an Iraqi-born Kurd, who himself succeeded Rishi Sunak, of Indian origin, and Sajid Javid, with Pakistani roots, embodying a more inclusive face of the Conservative party.

    His sack makes him the second shortest-serving UK chancellor on record.

    The shortest serving chancellor, Iain Macleod, according to the BBC, died of a heart attack 30 days after taking the job in 1970.

    Since 2019, the UK has had four chancellors, including Nadhim Zahawi who served the third shortest tenure with 63 days during a short-lived reshuffle under Boris Johnson, and Sajid Javid who served 204 days – the fourth shortest tenure on record.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • Kasoa murder: 7 Member jury for trial of teenage suspects

    The Criminal Jurisdiction of the Accra High Court has empanelled a seven-member jury for the trial of two teenagers accused of the murder of a 10-year-old boy in Kasoa for money rituals.

    That was after the court, presided over by Justice Lydia Osei Marfo, took the pleas of the teenagers, a 15-year-old boy (name withheld) and his alleged accomplice, who is 18 years old.

    The jury is made up of five women and two men.

    The two suspects objected to the inclusion of three persons from the pool of potential jurors before settling on the seven.

    Not guilty

    While the 15-year-old suspect has confessed to their involvement in the murder from the District Court, the 18-year-old suspect has, however, denied his involvement.

    However, taking their pleas on charges of conspiracy and murder before the trial court last Tuesday, the 15-year-old suspect pleaded guilty to the charge or conspiracy but pleaded not guilty to the charge of murder.

    The 18-year-old suspect on the other hand pleaded not guilty to both charges.

    The court, however, entered a plea of not guilty for the 15-year-old suspect.

    That was because the offence was conspiracy to murder and as a result, had to be tried by the jury.

    The charges were read to them in their preferred local languages.

    Jury

    The jury is made up of seven ordinary, but educated persons, who, subject to the directions of the judge, decide the guilt or innocence of an accused in a case tried upon indictment.

    After the seven-member jury had been empanelled, they were sworn in and they chose one of their own as a leader (foreman).

    They are expected to arrive at a unanimous verdict which is binding on the court.

    Advise

    The presiding judge advised the jury to be present in court at all times to listen to, see and hear the witnesses that will be called by the prosecution in their quest to establish the guilt of the accused persons.

    “You are not supposed to be influenced by anything you hear or see relating to this matter on social media or in the society.

    “You are only bound by the evidence that you hear or see in this courtroom,” the presiding judge said.

    Justice Marfo also urged them to comport themselves inside and outside of the courtroom diligently.

    “You must not be influenced with money or any other consideration whatsoever.

    “The court expects maximum cooperation from you as far as timing and dates are concerned.

    “The court will not hesitate to apply the necessary legal sanction to any recalcitrant juror,” she added.

    Next sitting

    At the next sitting slated for October 24, 2022, counsel for the accused are expected to address the jury on their expectation in the case while the prosecution addresses the jury on its case after which counsel for the accused persons will be given the chance to respond, paving the way for the trial to officially commence.

    Meanwhile, the investigator in the case is expected to file the report on the investigation of the notice of alibi filed by the 18-year-old suspect through his lawyers.

    Source: Graphiconline

  • Brace yourselves for more economic challenges – IMF to world leaders

    The International Monetary Fund (IMF), is asking countries across the world to brace themselves for more economic challenges.

    The Bretton Woods institution says global growth for next year has been pegged at 2.7 percent instead of the 6 percent expected.

    But the Fund says it will do its best to protect the vulnerable and weak economies.

    Managing Director of the IMF, Kristalina Georgieva speaking at the 2022 IMF spring meeting in Washington DC advised world leaders to prioritize protecting vulnerable households and businesses, which according to him are important to the economy.

    “But we have to do that with physical buffers, exhaust it because of the pandemic and this environment does not support emerging marketing and development.”

    “It is tough for everybody but even tougher for countries that have been hit by high dollar rates, borrowing costs, and capital inflows.”

    Source: Citinews

  • EXPLAINER: Debt restructuring and the ‘haircut’ policy

    As discussions with the International Monetary Fund for financial assistance continue, Ghana’s rising public debt stock has grown to be a source of serious concern.

    The IMF team visited Ghana in recent weeks to conduct a debt sustainability review and determine the level of the nation’s debt.

    But the IMF might not give the government financial support if the debt load is determined to be unsustainable.

    As a result, the government may have to take into account debt restructuring, a step that many have already suggested as a remedy for the nation’s significant debt problems.

    What is debt restructuring
    According to Investopedia.com, debt restructuring is a process used by companies, individuals, and even countries to avoid the risk of defaulting on their existing debts, such as by negotiating lower interest rates.

    Instead of waiting to go bankrupt, most institutions are advised to restructure their debt in a manner that gives them a longer duration to pay their debts or makes them less expensive.

    Usually, when an agreement to restructure is reached, the lenders either decide to reduce the interest rates on loans or extend the due dates for the repayment of the credit facilities.

    This gives the country or business ample time to pay their loans and avoid bankruptcy.

    Also, when debts are restructured, it makes it less probable to default on loans as payment becomes more flexible.

    In Ghana’s case, debt levels have been on the rise as inflationary pressures, coupled with a deteriorating exchange rate have caused Ghana’s debt to plummet to GH¢402 million as of July 2022.

    However, even though experts have noted that a restructuring may be the country’s best option, they have also explained that this may have grave effects on domestic investors.

    A ‘haircut’ policy on the other hand is a debt restructuring method where the remainder of the debt is written off or the interest rates are reduced to make them less expensive.

    Other types of debt restructuring include Debt-for-equity swap and Issuing callable bonds.

  • England captain Williamson out for ‘several weeks

    Williamson has made four appearances for Arsenal in all competitions this season

    England captain Leah Williamson will be out of action for “several weeks” with a footinjury.

    Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall confirmed that Williamson will undergo further assessment, but it is not likely she will need surgery.

    The 25-year-old centre-back was ruled out of England’s friendlies against the United States and the Czech Republic after sustaining an injury in training.

    She is set to miss England’s November fixtures against Japan and Norway.

    Williamson’s defensive partner, Rafaelle Souza, is also expected to miss several weeks with a fractured foot.

    The Brazilian, who is also unlikely to need surgery, has played in Arsenal’s first two Women’s Super League (WSL) games this season, scoring in the 4-0 north London derby win against Tottenham.

      The champion of two courts ignored by the world: Ora Washington fought to make her name in racially segregated AmericaHow is a jet engine made? Go behind the scenes at the Rolls-Royce factory in Derby to find out

    Source: bbc.com

  • Today in History: Beware if IMF praises you; there’s a diabolical intention – Kwesi Pratt

    Kwesi Pratt Jr., managing editor of the Insight newspaper, claimed that the IMF is “untruthful” and “unreliable.”

    His statement followed the IMF’s affirmation that Ghana’s economy is doing well.

    “I find it surprising when there is a lot of discussion about the IMF because their track record demonstrates that they are unreliable and dishonest.
    During a panel discussion on the Peace FM morning show “Kokrokoo” in 2019, he said, “They didn’t speak the truth to President Kufuor and they didn’t speak the truth to former President Rawlings; they have never spoken the truth and whenever they praise you, you should be careful because it might be diabolical.

    The Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr seems not to be happy with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

    He is of the view that the financial organization is ‘untruthful and unreliable”.

    His comment comes on the back of a commendation from the IMF that Ghana’s economy is in good shape.

    According to Kwesi Pratt whenever the IMF praises you, you must take it with a pinch of salt.

    “I get amazed when there is a whole lot of debate on IMF because there’s a history that shows they are not reliable and untruthful. They didn’t speak the truth to President Kufuor and they didn’t speak the truth to former President Rawlings; they have never spoken the truth and whenever they praise you, you should be careful because it might be diabolical” he said while contributing to a panel discussion on Peace FM morning show ‘Kokrokoo’.

    He went on further to give examples and instances to back his claim.

  • Bryan The Mensah releases ‘Problem No Dey Finish’ remix with Medikal

    Bryan The Mensah has released a remix of his song ‘Problem No Dey Finish (PNDF).

    The song features rapper Medikal and is produced by Okaiwav.

    The song is a humourless yet serious and relatable account of most young adults currently.

    His verse is a rant on the endless blocks he’s faced not by doing anything wrong but just by following all the rules to survive in the country.

    With Medikal as a worthy feature on the song, the multiple award-winning rapper showed up with his usual style of infusing humour into his lines.

    Problem No Dey Finish encourages people to let go and live in the moment noting problems will always exist and wallowing in them will only set a person back.

    The song is off Bryan The Mensah’s ‘Road To Hastafari’ project released in 2021.

    Stream PNDF remix featuring Medikal here.

    Source:myjoyonline.com

  • Former Kotoko captain Felix Annan blames Maxwell Konadu for losing Black Stars spot

    Former Asante Kotoko captain Felix Annan says he lost his Black Stars spot because of Maxwell Konadu.

    The shot stopper who had been Kotoko’s safest pair of hands for four seasons was dropped to the bench under the then coach Maxwell Konadu.

    Annan had asked for permission to marry his longtime girlfriend, which saw him losing his role to the former Inter Allies goalkeeper Kwame Baah.

     

    In an interview with Nhyira FM, Felix Annan, who now plies his trade in the USA said he lost his position in the national team because of Maxwell Konadu who limited his game time at Kotoko at the time.

    “I felt I was too good enough but the coach at (Kotoko), (Maxwell Konadu) didn’t give me much playing time and that’s why I lost my position in the Black Stars.

    Since his debut, Felix Annan has made three appearances for the Black Stars and was part of Ghana’s team at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

    The 27-year-old currently plies his trade for American side Maryland Bobcats FC.

    Source: Footballghana

  • Fuel hikes: We will soon shock the nation – Concerned Drivers Association

    The Ghanaian Concerned Drivers Association has issued a warning that rising fuel costs will shock the entire country.

    On Sunday, October 16, 2022, fuel prices are expected to rise by 10%, while transportation costs are predicted to grow by 40% over the next few weeks.

    “Prices of fuel have been gradually growing even at a period when crude prices were cut at the world market,” the association’s statement, which was co-signed by its National Chairman Paa Willie, National Public Relations Officer (PRO), David Agboado, and Deputy Secretary Nana Owiredu, stated.

    “As an association, we are promising the government, if they do not work on stabilising the fuel prices, we’ll not increase fares for the ordinary Ghanaian to suffer but we will shock the entire Nation.”

    It added: “No amount of intimidation can stop us this time around.”

    Speaking on 12Live on Class91.3FM, Friday, October 14, 2022, Deputy Communications Director, Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), Samuel Amoah explained the current condition of drivers.

    “Now the commercial drivers too are suffering. A driver will go to work, at the close of the day, all the money that the driver will get, he’ll just send it to a filling station, to just go and give it to them and go home, empty-handed.”

    “Likewise, in case you have a problem with your car, you’ll use all the money to go and buy spare parts, so we have come to realise that our businesses are going down and there’s pressure on us.”

    He indicated that transport fares will be adjusted upward by 40 per cent if the government fails to take action.

    “That is why this time around, per our calculation, we say we’re coming out with 40 per cent upward adjustment of transport fares,” he stressed.

  • Osinachi begged me not to report her husband’s abuse – Neighbour tells court

    On Thursday, Grace Nnaji, a neighbour of the late gospel singer Osinachi, told an FCT Court in Abuja that the singer, on several occasions, begged her not to report her husband, Peter Nwachukwu’s abuse.

    Ms Nnaji, a tailor, told the court that she met the singer when her husband approached her to sow a dress for her.

    Ms Nnaji, while giving her testimony led by the prosecution counsel, Aderonke Imana, said she became close to the deceased as her shop and residence were close to the Nwachukwu’s house.

    “The first time in 2014, when Nwachukwu brought her for her measurement when they got to the house, he said idiot, come out for your measurements,” she stated.

    Ms Nnaji said that she was shocked that it was his wife he referred to as an idiot.

    History of abuse

    She added that the deceased confided that the defendant constantly hit her at the slightest provocation.

    ”Ekwueme, as I used to call her, came to my shop one day with injuries on her daughter’s head, and she told me that the defendant pushed her and the child into the wall. The daughter had a fever at the same time, and I was the one that gave Ekwueme money to buy drugs from the pharmacy to give her daughter.”

    Ms Nnaji added that “another time, she came and showed me injuries on her back and told me that Peter kicked her on her back with his leg and slammed into the wall with her chest. One day, she ran to my house at about 5 am and said that she locked her door the previous night, and he kicked it open with his leg and proceeded to hit her on her chest. She fell to the floor and remained there crying until she slept off.”

    She further said the defendant was in the habit of locking his wife out whenever she went to church and would be at the gate knocking for hours.

    She added that, at times, it would take the intervention of neighbours before she would be allowed in noting that on one occasion Osinachi sat over at her place for two days after her husband he refused to let her into the house.

    She also testified that Mr Nwachulwu at a point left Osinachi in church after a vigil and while she was trying to find her way home, she was attacked by hoodlums who disposed of her phone and bag.

    ”When Ekwueme got home and told him about the incident, he said you are lucky you were not killed as that would have been the best thing that could have happened to you,” Ms Nnaji alleged.

    Death threats

    Ms Nnaji alleged that Osinachi was afraid to report the abuse because the defendant threatened to kill her brother and destroy her reputation.

    Ms Nnaji also said that when she told the singer to report the abuse to the police, her family, her church and a human rights radio, she refused.

    ”When I told her that I was going to report to the church, she begged me not to, saying that her husband would change,” she added.

    Speaking about when the deceased was ill, she said she had to sneak into her house to help her clean the house to avoid the defendant getting angry and complaining about an untidy home.

    When the witness was asked about the nature of the defendant’s job for which he was always home she said that “I asked Ekwueme, and she told me that her husband was her manager and that he does not have any other job.”

    The defence counsel, I. A Aliyu, slated to cross-examine the witness after the prosecution was through, craved the court’s indulgence to adjourn until Friday.

    However, the judge, Njideka Nwosu-Iheme, stepped down the matter until 2:30 p.m.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that two former employees of the deceased testified for the prosecution on Wednesday and alleged that the defendant verbally and physically abused the late singer.

    NAN also reported that Mr Nwachukwu is standing trial on 23 count charges bordering on domestic violence and culpable homicide and is accused of being responsible for the death of the late gospel singer who was popularly known for her song “Ekwueme”.

    Mr Nwachukwu has been remanded at the Kuje Correctional Facility since April after his wife’s death.

    Source:myjoyonline.com

  • Nana Addo bemoans dire consequences of Russia-Ukraine war on African countries

    President Nana Akufo-Addo has reiterated Ghana’s condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

    Nana Akufo-Addo says the attacks are unnecessary and an affront to global peace.

    The President at the Asian Society of France Conference in Paris said “Whatever the fates are, Ghana my country, beacon of hope and stability in Contemporary Africa, vigorously condemns Russia’s invasion of Ukraine because, in this dependent world, the consequences of this affect the lives of the millions of my fellow Africans.”

    ‘Bombs from Russia-Ukraine war hitting our pockets in Ghana’ – Akufo-Addo

    “The terrible events in Ukraine have a direct impact on our lives here in Ghana,” Nana Akufo-Addo has said.

    Ghana’s economy is going through turbulent times as it is plagued with a number of challenges, including rising inflation and the rising cost of fuel.

    The country’s currency is also suffering a depreciation, especially against the US dollar, while the public debt level has attained an unsustainable level.

    The Akufo-Addo administration has blamed Ghana’s economic meltdown on a multiplicity of factors, including the Covid-19 pandemic and Russia’s recent invasion of Ukraine.

    Source: Citinews

  • Mr. Kwame Baah-Acheamfuor recognised by the ITU leadership

    The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has recognized Mr. Kwame Baah-Acheamfuor, Director for International Relations at the Ministry of Communications and Digitalization, for his illustrious experience and admirable leadership skills displayed while serving as the Chairman of the Working Group of Plenary (WGPL) at the currently taking place ITU Plenipotentiary Conference (PP-22) in Bucharest, which is scheduled to end on the 15th.

    The PP- 22 Plenary established the Working Group of Plenary (WGPL) to recommend suitable responses to reports and recommendations filed about public policy, the Internet, and other general issues.

    The Working Group’s mandate is also in consonance with the mandate of other ITU Committees which require amendments to their respective Constitutions, Conventions, and General Rules.

    Mr. Baah-Acheamfuor led the agreements to perennial controversial issues two days before the end of the conference which in the past usually delayed the closing of the conference by several hours on the penultimate day of the conference.

    Under the leadership of Mr. Baah–Acheamfuor, the Working Group of the Plenary negotiated eighty-nine (89) proposals from various countries which resulted in the approval of two (2) new Resolutions and an update of twenty-one (21) Resolutions.

    There were no changes to the resolution OTTs and another resolution on ITU’s role with regard to international public policy issues relating to the risk of illicit use of information and communication technologies.

    The first new resolution agreed upon was on Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies and telecommunications/ICTs and the other was the Role of telecommunications/ICTs in mitigating global pandemics.

    Apart from being Ghana’s Focal Person to the ITU, he is also a Councillor to the ITU Council. For the first time in Ghana’s relations with the ITU, Ghana was re-elected to the ITU Council for the 2023 to 2026 term with 154 votes, the highest number of votes Ghana has obtained in the ITU Council Elections. In addition, Ghana’s Rev. Ing Edmund Yirenkyi-Fianko was also elected to the ITU Radio Regulations Board.

    The Plenipotentiary Conference (PP) is ITU’s highest policy-making body which meets once every four years to set the Union’s general policies and adopt the four-year strategic and financial plans. It is also responsible for electing the senior management team of the organization, the Member States of the Council, and the members of the Radio Regulations Board.

    This year’s conference dubbed PP-22 was held in Bucharest, Romania, from 26th September to 14th October 2022. The ITU PP-22 Conference hosted nearly 4,000 delegates from 193 countries.

  • My love for Shatta Wale will never die – Bullgod

    Entertainment pundit and former manager of Shatta Wale, Bullgod, says he will always love the dancehall artist.

    Speaking in an interview with Prince Tsegah on U Say Weytin, Bullgod claims that despite his mild dispute with the award-winning musician, he still has a love for him.

    According to Bullgod, his recent outburst on social media is mainly direct him to take the right path in the industry.

    “My love for Nii Amarh will never down. I don’t harbour things. My love for him will never die and that is why I am still on his case.”

    Bullgod revealed that though his relationship with Shatta Wale is not as cool as it was previously, he is ready to go public with some of the things he would have said to him privately.

    “My love for him will never die and that is why I am still on his case. If I don’t get close to him to tell him what I have to say privately, he will hear from me every day from now publicly,” he said on Hitz FM.

    It is no secret that the two have not been on good terms following their separation a few years ago.

    However, things have taken a different turn since Bullgod tipped Black Sherif’s debut album, The Villain I Never Was to do better than Shatta Wale’s upcoming Gift of God album.

    His statement did not sit well with Shatta Wale’s fans who expressed their displeasure on social media.

    Shatta Wale also took to social media to write what many call a subtle response to his former manager and friend. In the post, he said: “If Blacko’s album will do better than us, we like and we hear. At the end of the day, Ghana wins. Foolish people.

    “All be money matter. You should find something to do and stop that nonsense. Make money in your way.”

    Shatta Wale is readying to drop his Gift of God album this month.

    Source:myjoyonline.com

  • ‘The politics of scapegoatism’ – Gabby reacts to Kwasi Kwarteng’s sacking

    Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, a prominent member of the New Patriotic Party, has stated what may be characterized as his displeasure over Kwasi Kwarteng’s dismissal as the UK finance minister.

    On Friday, October 14, British Prime Minister Liz Truss removed Kwasi Kwarteng, a Ghanaian-born British finance minister, from his position.

    The decision was made as a result of the mini-consequences, budget’s which led to market volatility and a revolt among UK Conservative MPs, according to the BBC, which confirmed the news.

    Reacting to the news, Gabby Otchere-Darko took to his Twitter and wrote; ‘The politics of scapegoatism’ to suggest that Kwasi Kwarteng despite being in office for only six weeks suffered the ill consequences of being a political scapegoat.

    Kwasi Kwarteng was recently appointed to serve as Chancellor of the Exchequer, United Kingdom where he served for six weeks.

    His appointment came at a crucial time when the country is facing a high cost of living, and public sector layoffs, among others.

    Kwasi Kwarteng after his appointment became the first black person to hold the position.

    See Gabby Otchere-Darko’s tweet below:

    The politics of scapegoatism.

    — Gabby Otchere-Darko (@GabbyDarko) October 14, 2022

    British Prime Minister to announce tax cuts:

    Meanwhile, it is expected that Prime Minister, Truss will hold a news conference in due course, as speculation builds that the government could reverse more of the tax cuts announced in its mini-budget.

    Earlier, a No 10 Downing source told the BBC that Truss thought the chancellor was “doing an excellent job”

    The PM faces growing calls from within her party to rethink her economic plans, with one Tory MP telling the BBC: “It’s checkmate, we’re screwed”, the BBC further reported.

    ‘I am not going anywhere’ – Kwasi Kwarteng

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    Background:

    Kwasi Kwarteng, 47, took over as head of the British Treasury in September 2022, after new UK Prime Minister, Liz Truss, took over; with the responsibility of trying to pull the UK out of a serious cost-of-living crisis without plunging the public finances into the abyss.

    He took over from Nadhim Zahawi, an Iraqi-born Kurd, who himself succeeded Rishi Sunak, of Indian origin, and Sajid Javid, with Pakistani roots, embodying a more inclusive face of the Conservative party.

    His sack makes him the second shortest-serving UK chancellor on record.

    The shortest serving chancellor, Iain Macleod, according to the BBC, died of a heart attack 30 days after taking the job in 1970.

    Since 2019, the UK has had four chancellors, including Nadhim Zahawi who served the third shortest tenure with 63 days during a short-lived reshuffle under Boris Johnson, and Sajid Javid who served 204 days – the fourth shortest tenure on record.

  • Current Hearts of Oak players lack the spirit to play for the club – Don Bortey

    Hearts of Oak legend, Don Bortey believes the current players of the club lack the spirit to play for the club.

    The Phobians suffered a humiliating 3-0 defeat to the Malian side in the first leg of the second preliminary round of the CAF Confederations Cup.

    The Phobians will be looking to overturn the tie when they host AS Real Bamako in the return fixture at the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday.

    In an interview with Asempa FM, the former Hearts of Oak star was of the opinion current players lack the spirit to play for the club.

    “I am not giving up because this is Hearts of Oak. I know these players don’t have the spirit to play Hearts of Oak but I am pleading with the management to give me the access to speak to the players”

    “We did it against St. Georges in Obuasi and I will ensure we repeat that on Sunday against ASR Bamako”

  • Artist uses hundreds of dead insect body parts to create ‘Frankenstein’ warriors

    A young biology graduate and former taxidermist from Ghent, Belgium, creates warrior figurines out of hundreds of dead insect body parts.

    28-year-old Joos Habraken typically spends between 20 and 30 hours working on each of his ‘Frankenstein bugs’, fantastic creatures born out of his imagination and featuring intimidating names and impressive backstories. He uses body parts sourced from his own impressive collection or from a network of people he has collaborated with over the years. He only uses body parts from already dead bugs and would never even consider killing insects simply to fuel his hobby.

    Habraken, who works in a climbing gym as a route setter and instructor, has always had a thing for taxidermy and insects, so his intriguing hobby combines both passions. It all started when he went to the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences for his masters, after studying biology in college.

    “We had a behind-the-scenes tour of the collections and were told volunteers could take some material home to mount the insects and bring it back – it all started from there,” Joos said. “I had a lot of free time so I started doing a lot of work for the museum and got to keep some broken butterflies.”

    For me it’s really important that the backstory is part of it because that’s where it all comes alive.

    “You start with nothing, just a steel rod and then you start looking for mythological names and looking at places where they could live.

    “And then you use all of these different parts of insects to create something beautiful.

    After graduation, the Belgian already had an impressive collection of insects and had started mounting them to sell to like-minded bug enthusiasts. Then he landed a job as a taxidermist and ended up piecing together his first Frankenstein warrior in his shop.

    In the beginning, his creations were simplistic and didn’t even have a name or a backstory. But that all changed after The Hero With A Thousand Faces, his first truly complex figurine, for which he used 70 body parts, including 26 insect heads.

    After his first complex project went viral, Joos Habraken kept challenging himself to create even more complex pieces, with his most recent projects featuring between 100 and 200 insect body parts and intriguing backstories.

    “For me it’s really important that the backstory is part of it because that’s where it all comes alive,” Habraken said. “You start with nothing, just a steel rod and then you start looking for mythological names and looking at places where they could live. And then you use all of these different parts of insects to create something beautiful.”

    The young Belgian uses superglue to piece hundreds of insect body parts together, spending tens of hours designing and experimenting with each creation. His latest one took a total of 40 hours – spread over several weeks – to finish.

    Source: Oddity Central

  • NAM1 deserves a monument for his impact on entertainment industry – Bullgod

    Former manager of Shatta Wale and the Head of A&R at Zylofon Music, Bullgod, has proposed that a giant statue should be erected in honour of Nana Appiah Mensah.

    According to Bullgod, no businessman past or present has made as much impact in the Ghanaian music industry as Nana Appiah Mensah, aka NAM1.

    In an interview on Hitz FM’s ‘U Sey Weytin,’ Bullgod praised Nana Appiah Mensah for investing huge sums of money into the creative industry.

    “No record label had come like Zylofon. He bought cars, and houses and gave them money. Nana Appiah Mensah deserves a statue in Ghana for what he did for the entertainment space.”

    According to the artiste manager, Nana Appiah Mensah had great plans and was keenly working to put Ghana music at the top until the MenzGold saga set in.

    “All these numbers these boys are running would have been done way before. Here we are, we had to cut our trees down and let foreign ones grow.”

    He added that “Zylofon was responsible for those international plugs… I was head of Zylofon as the CEO of Zylofon Music, there was a deliberate attempt to push every Zylofon act.”

    The Zylofon Music record label which signed Shatta Wale, Becca, Joyce Blessing, Stonebwoy, and Kumi Guitar, among others, collapsed when its CEO, Nana Appiah Mensah went down over the Menzgold scandal which rocked the nation back in 2018.

    Source:myjoyonline.com

  • Install a Currency Board to save depreciating Cedi –  Prof. Hanke to Ghana govt

    Professor of Applied Economics at Johns Hopkins University, Steve Hanke, has advised the government of Ghana, as a matter of urgency, to set up a currency board to help manage the cedi’s fall in value.

    Professor Steve Hanke, in a series of tweets on Tuesday, October 12, 2022, explained that a Currency Board will help with the appreciation of the Ghana Cedi, which has been in free fall against major trading currencies since the beginning of January 2022.

    He revealed that the Ghanaian Cedi has depreciated against the USD by 41.64% since January 2022, “which is why Ghana takes the 5th place in this week’s Hanke’s Currency Watch list.”

    According to the Bank of Ghana, as of September 30, 2022, the Ghana Cedi had depreciated by 37.5% to the United States Dollar.

    Under the same period of review, the Cedi had also depreciated by 24.1% and 27.5% against the Pound and Euro respectively.

    Per information from forex bureaus in the country, a dollar is selling a little above ¢11.62 as of October 13, 2022.

    The concerning value of the local currency is not the only issue Professor Hanke has opposing reports on.

    He also contests information provided by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) which indicates that as of September, the country’s inflation rate stood at 37.2%.

    “Today, I measure Ghana’s inflation at a stunning 89%/yr,” he wrote.

    Meanwhile, Professor Steve Hanke remains unwavering in his assertion that the economic programme Ghana is seeking from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will not resolve its numerous economic challenges.

    Ghana’s debt stock is on the rise, as well as its inflation.

    The October 2022 Bank of Ghana (BoG) Summary of Economic and Financial Data has revealed that Ghana’s public debt stock went from GH¢9 billion ¢402.4 billion as of July 2022.

    According to the report, the external debt remained largely unchanged at $28 billion, equivalent to 35.8% of GDP. 

    However, the domestic debt increased from ¢190.1 billion in June 2022 to ¢190.3 billion in July 2022.

    Source: The Independent Ghana

  • Ghana Premier League Injunction: Bibiani Goldstars coach Michael Osei reacts to adjournment of case

    Bibiani Goldstars coach Michael Osei is unhappy about the suspension of the Ghana Premier League.

    The 2022/23 domestic top-flight was put on hold due to a court injunction after three matches played this season.

    Today, the case between Ashantigold SC and the Ghana Football Association (GFA) has been adjourned to October 20, 2022 at the Accra Human Rights Court.

    This means the Ghana Premier League remains suspended.

    Speaking to Footballghana.com, the former Asante Kotoko trainer expressed his displeasure about the suspension of the league.

    Reacting to the adjournment of the case, he said, “Very unfortunate, no one is happy about it but we have to managed it”

    “As Coaches we need to improvise a lot on our training programmes to maintain the shape of the playing body” he said.

    Source: Footballghana

  • Netflix ad-supported service to launch in November

    Netflix is launching a new streaming option with adverts in November, introducing a less expensive offering as it fights to keep viewers.

    The plan will be available in 12 countries including the UK, US, Canada, Mexico and Australia.

    The firm said it would charge £4.99 a month for the service in the UK, while it will cost $6.99 in the US.

    Netflix has been losing customers as competition and cost of living pressures mount.

    The company lost more than 1 million subscribers in the first half of this year. It is due to provide an update of that figure to investors next week.

    ‘Price for every fan’

    Netflix’s move into advertising is a big change for the company, which pioneered the idea of subscription-based streaming.

    But as more entertainment companies roll out online streaming platforms, it has had a harder time retaining subscribers, especially as households concerned about the rising cost-of-living look for ways to cut back.

    In the UK, the least expensive plan without commercials starts at £6.99 a month.

    “We’re confident that … we now have a price and plan for every fan,” the company said in a press release.

    “While it’s still very early days, we’re pleased with the interest from both consumers and the advertising community and couldn’t be more excited about what’s ahead.”

    Subscribers to the new offering should expect to see an average of four to five minutes of adverts per hour, the company said.

    Some films and TV series also will not be available due to licensing restrictions.

    The company said it planned to expand the offering to more countries over time.

    Many of Netflix’s competitors already combine streaming with adverts or have plans to.

    Disney, for example, is due to roll out an advert supported service in December in the US. That plan will start at $7.99 a month.

    Jeremi Gorman, Netflix’s president of worldwide advertising, said it had nearly sold out all the available ad time for the launch, a sign of the interest from advertisers in reaching younger audiences that are increasingly turning away from traditional television.

    Netflix is asking people who sign up for the ad service for gender and birth date information as part of efforts to target ads.

    Source:myjoyonline.com

  • Ghana, 4 other ECOWAS states get $250m EBID support

    The Board of Directors of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) has approved USD 250 million for Ghana and four others to boost the oil & gas, energy, road infrastructure, and agricultural sectors in the sub-region.

    The four other member states to also benefit from the EBID support are Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Senegal, and Sierra Leone.

    President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of EBID, Dr George Agyekum Donkor, has explained that the support forms part of intensified efforts to invest in key sectors to spur post-COVID-19 recovery and mitigate the impact of the Russia–Ukraine war on the member states of ECOWAS.

    Dr George Agyekum Donkor made the comment at the just ended 79th session of the Board of Directors of the Bank on October 12, 2022.

    According to him, the impact of COVID-19 and the ongoing Russian – Ukraine war have left many economies in tatters. 

    He indicated that the current market conditions have compelled investors to seek a premium on investments in sub-Saharan Africa, thereby increasing the cost of capital.

    According to the President of EBID, this has resulted in dampening economic growth, wide-spread balance of payments deficits, unfavourable terms of trade, depletion of central bank international reserves, fiscal deficits, and debt distress. 

    He therefore noted the relevance of EBID, as the financial arm of ECOWAS, to deepen its financial intermediation in all the critical sectors of the Member States to assist them to recover from the economic challenges.

    Present at the session was the Vice-President of the ECOWAS Commission, Her Excellency Damtien L. Tchintchibidja, who lauded the tremendous impact of EBID’s interventions in the sub-region.

    She assured the Bank of the commitment of the new administration of the ECOWAS Commission to collaborate and support EBID in its multifarious activities, especially in the area of resource mobilisation to transform the ECOWAS communities.

    Source: The Independent Ghana