Prior to the interment, the late musician will be laid in state for viewing and filing past on Friday, October 7, 2022, also at the forecourt of the State House.
The remains of the king of highlife will be taken to his hometown at Obo Kwahu in the Eastern Region on Saturday, October 8, 2022, for interment.
Nana Kwame Ampadu passed on at the age of 76 on Tuesday, September 28, 2021, after he was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) in Accra.
On Thursday, November 11, 2021, Nana Akufo-Addo, announced his decision to honour the late legendary Ghanaian highlife musician, Nana Kwame Ampadu, with a state-assisted burial for his contribution to the growth of the Ghanaian music industry.
The Director of Communications for the Presidency, Eugene Arhin, made the announcement during a Jubilee House Press briefing.
Nana Ampadu was one time President of MUSIGA and was also the leader of the African Brothers Band, formed in 1963.
The legendary highlife musician has been credited with several popular highlife tracks.
He is known to have composed over 800 songs.
He came to prominence in 1967 when he released his song Ebi Te Yie (“Some Are Well Seated”), a song that was seen as critical of the then-governing National Liberation Council (NLC) which toppled Ghana’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah.
The song disappeared from the airwaves, only returning after the end of military rule.
In 1973, he won a nationwide competition in Ghana and was crowned the “Adwontofoohene,” or King of Singers.
About 38 persons alleged to be migrants from Niger were yesterday rounded up at Abofu in Achimota, Accra by the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS).
All women, with some carrying children, the migrants were rounded up during a decongestion exercise in Accra organised by the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) and led by the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Mr Henry Quartey.
They were picked up around 11 a.m. by the GIS to its headquarters for further investigations.
The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of the Okaikwei North Municipal Assembly (ONMA), NiiBoyeLaryea, told the media that he was informed about the arrival of the migrants by residents around 6a.m yesterday.
He said the alleged migrants were said to have been dropped by a bus around 11 p.m. on Monday with the whereabouts of the bus yet to be known.
Mr Laryea noted that intelligence found out that the migrants were making a transit from Niger to Cote d’ Ivoire and other places.
The MCE said he then informed the Regional Minister and the GISabout the incident while the Assembly’s task force assessed the situation.
The Regional Minister, for his part, stressed the need to treat the issue fairly as Ghana was part of the Economic Community of West African State (ECOWAS) and had signed on to its protocols.
MrQuarteyemphasised that there would be collaboration between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Gender and Social Protection and the GIS to ensure that the migrants went through the due process and were offered the needed assistance.
The leader of the migrants, MrsMadinaYagoudaNeanti, said they meant no harm as they were heading towards Cote d’ Ivoire only to be dropped at the location by the driver of the bus who was conveying them.
She said that they only needed another vehicle to convey them to their destination but the language barrier had been a challenge as they could not communicate effectively with the driver of the bus that brought them to the Abofulocation.
The time for President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to extend a hand of cooperation to stakeholders across the spectrum to “rescue” the economy from further decline is now, the Minority in Parliament has stated.
In the view of the caucus, Ghana has the requisite personnel to turn the economic situation around if the government opened up for alternative views.
Their call comes on the heels of a World Bank report which pegged Ghana’s Debt to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at 104.6 per cent, further impairing the economy.
At a press conference in Accra yesterday, the Minority said if the government had listened to the opposition parliamentary wing when it was cautioned against the excessive borrowing the regime engaged in.
“If they had listened to the Minority from 2017, certainly, we wouldn’t have been where we are today. Today, Ghana has become a laughing stock in the world.
“This mismanagement and incompetence is legendary and must be stopped and I think that the president must call on all of us to come onboard as citizens of this country to secure our future.
“We have the people who can do it. There are excellent people in academia and in civil society and in the other political parties.
“There is the need for us to come together to rescue our country because it is very clear that this government cannot steer us out of this economic meltdown,” Dr CassielAtoBaahForson, the Minority Spokesperson on Finance said.
The caucus, Dr Forson, MP for Ejumako/Enyan/Essiam said was vindicated by its long held view that government is guilty of subterfuge in relation to Ghana’s debt.
The Minority in the past has maintained that the US$2 billion sinohydro deal was a loan contrary to government’s position that it was a barter trade between the Chinese company for them to extract bauxite worth the amount.
This position which the government denied, Dr Forson said has come to light.
“They have hidden ESLA, they have hidden Sinohydro, they have hidden Daakye, and in fact, they have added debt through Road Fund and they are all public debt.
“Since 2017, we have been raising this concern that [the sinohydro and other loans calculated below the line] are public debts but this government thought they are wiser than all of us. Today, their master, the IMF, is in town.”
All the above debts, Dr Forson said, have eventually been added to the public debt which has pushed the country’s debt to over 100 per cent of GDP.
“Over the years, they have been deceiving stakeholders, you and I, creating the impression that our debt is sustainable. Today it is obvious that due to this government’s reckless management of the economy and the way they have piled the fiscals in an unsustainable manner, our debt is 104 per cent of our GDP,” Dr Forson said.
She said that residents of various coastal locations would be included in the government’s plan to improve their lives.
According to Mavis Hawa Koomson, the action was a part of the government’s strategy to develop the fishing and aquaculture sectors.
She made this known when she met all the 14 New Patriotic Party (NPP) constituency chairpersons in coastal communities in the Greater Accra Region last Monday, Graphic.com.gh reported.
“Hawa Koomson said in spite of some of the emerging issues regarding the distribution and sales of premix fuel, closure and opening of the fishing season, among others, her ministry had put in place interventions to improve the fishing and aquaculture industry in the country,” Graphic.com.gh stated.
The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) has ordered the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to pay compensation to its customers affected by its prepayment system across the country from September to early October, this year.
This follows the failure in ECG Prepayment vending System at Volta, Takoradi, Tema, Cape Coast, Kasoa, Winneba, Swedru, Koforidua, Nkawkaw andTafo among other locations.
To demonstrate good customer service, the commission has asked ECG to pay lifeline customers GH¢15, residential customers with 10 penalty units equivalent GH¢120; non-residential customers with 20penalty units equivalent GH¢240; commercial customers with 40penalty units equivalent GH¢480 and industrial customers with 100 penalty units equivalent GH¢1,200.
Dr Ishmael Ackah in a statement issued and signed and copied to Ghanaian Times in Accra on Tuesday said the ECG would pay the compensation in the form of a one-time electricity credit from last Saturday to Friday October 7, 2022 with the compensation clearly indicated on customer receipts.
“ECG shall issue widespread notifications to inform customers of the compensation due to them and shall maintain accurate records of measures taken to comply with this order including the number of temporary staff engaged (if any), for purposes of regulatory monitoring,” he stated.
“This order is without prejudice to any additional directives the Commission may issue with respect to the incident,” he added.
Dr Ackah noted that the order was issued under sections 11 and 12 (1) and (2) of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission Act, 1997 (Act 538); and regulations 41 and 45 of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (Consumer Service) Regulations, 2020 (L12413).
He said that the law imposed a duty on public utilities to provide safe, adequate, efficient, reasonable and non-discriminatory service.
“The law also mandates the Commission to impose compensation orders among other penalties on public utilities for failure to comply with their legal obligations,” he said.
Dr Ackah said it was for that reason the commission in consideration of the inconvenience occasioned by the failures with the ECG prepayment meter system determined that ECG would pay compensation to all its affected customers.
The Executive Secretary of the PURC said that the ECG would additionally adopt immediate measures to increase staff output and responsiveness to customers.
Dr Ackah said ECG would extend the working hours at all affected locations to 8pm,
engage temporary staff to ensure that affected customers were speedily attended to and were credited with the approved compensation by October 7, 2022.
“Final resolution of the vending failure as soon as possible with minimum further inconvenience to consumers,” he added.
Rapper Black Sherif on October 6, 2022, released his much-anticipated maiden album titled ‘The Villian I Never Was‘ and subsequently topped trends across Ghanaian social media platforms.
The 14-track album features his monster hits ‘Second Sermon’ remix which features Burna Boy, Kwaku The Traveller, and Soja released a few weeks ago ahead of the album.
The new entries include ‘The Homeless Song’, ‘Oil In My Head’, ’45’, ‘Prey Da Youngsta’, ‘Sad Boys Don’t Fold’, ‘Konongo Zongo’, ‘Wasremwn’, ‘We Up’, ‘Toxic Love’, ‘Don’t Forget Me’, and ‘Oh Paradise’.
Music lovers have already given high ratings to Blacko’s project which they believe sums up his life story and struggle in his hometown Konongo, and how he rose from a small community to become a Ghanaian music star.
Already ‘Konongo Zongo’, the 7th song on the album has earned the love of Twitter users. It is a favourite of many, who have credited the rapper for singing with passion.
We up, can’t pin we down. Them try but still we up. On God I trust no man 🔥.
“The villain I never was” is a masterpiece. A collection of thoughts from a worried soul who has the highest faith in God. The album is a conscious one and I love it. Victory is near, great job👏🏾
45, Sad Boys don’t fold, we up, from Konongo Zongo, that’s some Toxic Love City, I’m a Soja with Oil on my head, Wasteman don’t prey Da Youngsta with the Homeless song.
Blacko🔥
“You know sad boys don’t fold⁰So jigga man never fold⁰I kept my heart cold⁰And I fought like a man bro” herr Blacko, just at the right time😑 #TheVillainINeverWas
Social media users have tagged Mzbel’s upcoming song as a diss to her long-time rival, actress Afia Schwarzenegger who has earned the nickname ‘Asibolango’, a term popular used by Nana Tornado.
The Ghanaian musician famed for her 2007 hit single ’16 Years’, on Thursday morning disclosed that she has put together a song dedicated to the fans of Nana Tornado titled ‘Asibolanga’.
Making the big announcement to her fans, she promised to release the song which makes use of strong language next week.
“Single #ASIBOLANGA Dropping next week… Dedicated to Odii Tornado Fans. Tag a good graphic designer to design an art for me…@kingnanatonardo1,” Mzbel captioned the Facebook post.
Already, social media users are anticipating a clap-back from Afia Schwar who has been engaged in a beef with Mzbel and Tonardu for years. The general public has witnessed the entertainers going head-on against each other with Mzbel and Nana Tornado joining forces.
It is good to note that Afia, Tornado and Mzbel were one-time best friends in the entertainment industry.
Madam Stella Gyimaah Larbi, a 34-year-old English Language Teacher from Adenta Community Junior High School (JHS) in the Greater Accra Region has been adjudged Ghana’s Most Outstanding Teacher at the 2022 Ghana Teacher Prize held in Tamale on Wednesday.
For her Prize, Madam Larbi will receive a three-bedroom worth GHc300,0000.00, as well as an educational trip to Dubai, promotion out of turn and a GETFund scholarship to study abroad.
Madam Fati from Buipe Girls’ Model School in the Central Gonja District of the Savannah Region emerged First Runner-up, and her prizes were a double cabin pick-up vehicle and promotion out of turn, whilst Mr David Harrison Mensah, from Sefwi Bekwai SDA JHS in the Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai District of the Western North Region, emerged Second Runner-up and his prizes were a saloon car, and promotion out of turn.
There were four other teachers at the Kindergarten, Primary, JHS and Senior High and Technical Schools (SHTS) levels who were also awarded.
They included Madam Enyo Adzo Dey from Dzelukope EP Basic School in the Anlo (Keta) District of the Volta Region, who emerged Best Kindergarten Teacher, Mr Samuel Yeboah from Asanteman ‘B’ D/A Primary and Kindergarten in the Bia West District of the Western North Region was awarded the Best Primary School Teacher category.
Mr Maclean Kwabena Owusu-Boateng from Naylor SDA Basic School in the Tema Metropolis won the Best JHS Teacher Award, and Mr Joseph Kwaku Agbevanu from Kinbu SHTS in the Greater Accra Region won the Best SHTS Teacher Award.
The Best Primary, JHS and SHTS Teachers received GHc8,000.00 as their prizes, while the Best Kindergarten Teacher received GHc6,000.00 as her prize.
There were also awards for non-teaching staff, where Mr Forster Oteng Kwadwo Amoako from Nkoranza SHTS in the Bono East Region emerged as the Best.
Mr Emmanuel Boye Ashitey, from Dzorwulu Special School in the Greater Accra Region, was the First Runner-up, and Mr Shamuna Mohammed Ahmed from Bono East Regional Education Office picked the Second Runner-up award, where they all received GHc15,000.00 while the Second Runner-up received GHc10,000.00.
In the Teacher in Leadership and Administrative Category, Madam Ivy Asantewa Owusu, Acting Bono Regional Director of Education was adjudged Best, while Mr Eric Boadi Sarpong from Atta Ne Atta D/A Basic School in the Kwahu East District of the Eastern Region emerged First Runner-up, and Madam Gifty Andoh from Accra Girls’ SHS took the Second Runner-up position.
They all received GHc15,000.00 each, while the Second Runner-up received GHc10,000.00.
Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, joined by Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, Minister for Education, decorated and presented the award to Madam Larbi, Ghana’s Most Outstanding Teacher at the 2022 Ghana Teacher Prize ceremony, which was attended by stakeholders in the education sector including development partners.
Madam Larbi expressed delight at the award and thanked the organizers and all the teachers who taught her, for their support, which helped to shape her life.
The National Best Teacher Award, instituted in 1995 and later christened Ghana Teacher Prize, is to motivate Teachers for higher performance and restore the respect the profession should enjoy.
It also aims to retain qualified teachers and improve their work performance and overall effectiveness in the classroom.
Dr Bawumia, in an address, said “The government remains committed to our teacher first policy in ensuring that our teachers, who are central to any education reform, are fully tooled, skilled and supported to deliver quality learning outcomes to support our development aspirations.”
He said the government acknowledged the value of education to human development and nation building, hence the massive investment in the education system including investing in teachers.
He said, “However, the massive investment in education will come to nothing if our teachers do not rise to the occasion and respond positively to the great vision of transforming our nation through education.”
Dr Bawumia spoke about the TVET sector and said “We have strategically created the Ghana TVET Service to focus on skills training and development. The government has equipped a lot of TVET institutions with state-of-the-art equipment to provide 21st-century skills to our learners. With the construction of 32 TVET institutions coupled with the introduction of free TVET, our nation is on the way to the fourth industrial revolution with more jobs to be created for the youth.”
Ghana witnessed one of the biggest outdoor events on September 24, 2022, and there’s been several talking points emanating from the event.
From production, performances, to who was brought who on stage to the President of Ghana receiving some jeers from a section of the crowd, it’s been such a week inundated with varied chatter on what transpired at the Black Star/Independence Square.
As we are still reeling over the grand spectacle that was unfurled last weekend, it would also be disingenuous on our part as an industry not be pick valuable lessons from the festival and try and better our space of events, production, performances and everything else.
It is really possible that we can have major concerts like that of Global Citizen Festival and not have any flaws.
There are quite a number of lessons to pick from but for the sake of lack of space, let’s stick with investment, organization, discipline, and timing among others.
Investment
From the gigantic stage to the exquisite set-up to everything else that went into the promotion of the show, the level of production and the international artistes billed, there’s little dispute on the sort of investment that was injected into the Festival.
Global Poverty Project, owners of the Global Citizen Festival run a well-financed Non-Governmental Organization with connections to various governments and the United Nations – making the festival one of the most expensive.
Most of the technical guys and assistants used for the festival are Ghanaians, led by Kojo Poku and Edem Lumor among others – and pulled off one of the best outdoor shows ever staged in Ghana.
The fact is; the likes of Big Ideas, Charterhouse, Image Bureau, Silicon House, 3Music and others have the men, the expertise and knowledge to pull events like Global Citizen but there’s one major setback; funding.
Clearly, there’s expertise, there are amazing performers, a music-loving public and a convivial environment to hold as many big concerts as possible. All we need is the adequate investment to have such a stage, set up and everything else that comes with staging a mammoth concert like what we witnessed.
Organization
The kind of organization that was exhibited with the Global Citizen Festivalwas top tier. From the day Accra was announced one of 2 host cities till the last performing act finished his set, everything, every move was properly planned and expertly executed.
For a moment, the feeling was that, the publicity was low in months leading to the event, but that was a wrong mindset. They had all avenues for marketing covered – starting with that massive online promotion, then traditional media took over and then with days to the event, the euphoria kicked in.
The organization on the day of the event was exemplary – from set up, to strict entry rules, security, strict performance rules, to the sharing and refilling of water bottles to refresh patrons. Amazing stuff!
Security was adequate and properly managed – from car park to the main event and on stage, no room was left for any unnecessary skirmish.
To have such an event and not have complaints of safety and security to bad performances tell of how grand the event was put together.
Discipline
One cannot recount how our artistes were this disciplined to any of our home-based events. For Global Citizen Festival, our A-list acts were humble, listened and complied with all directives without squealing.
Ghanaian artistes were not late for dress rehearsal, they were early to their hotels and of course, they were on time for their performances on the night.
Even Stonebwoy had no qualms opening the show as early as 8pm. In fact, from his entry to exit, he gave one of the best performances on the night.
If our artistes could exercise such restraint, tolerance and control and listen to foreign event organizers, then moving forward, they must exhibit the same form of discipline to our local events.
Timing
One of the biggest banes for our events is time. We hardly stick to the advertised time for the commencement and closure for most of our high-profile shows. That was not the case with Global Citizen Festival. The show kicked off officially at 8pm with Stonebwoy as the opening act and closed before 1am with Usher as headlining act – including all the various speeches and commitments expressed by World Leaders.
For a show produced live for TV and streamed across the world, the handling and execution of production was world-class.
The VGMAs and 3Music Awards are produced for TV too yet, the Red Carpet segment for such shows commence late in the night, forcing such shows to close very late – not to mention the technical challenges that fraught the events.
We know it is possible to have a blemish-less event like Global Citizen in Ghana; it is about to our home-based events having enough resources, having proper planning and handling and effective execution.
The Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of Ghana is anticipated to make its decision following the postponement of its 108th scheduled meeting to discuss economic developments.
After the Committee delayed its statement to coincide with the conclusion of the IMF mission team’s visit to Ghana, this has happened.
The Bank earlier explained the postponement is “to allow the decision on the policy rate to benefit from the broader discussions to be held during the period.”
The MPC has held its regular meeting from September 20, 2022, to Friday, September 23, 2022, to review developments in the economy.
Meanwhile, inflation for the month of August hit 33.9% with food and transportation being the major contributors. With the rise in inflation, it is expected that the committee will further hike the policy rate.
Nigerian musicianAsa is threatening to sue her colleagueJoeboy for copyright infringement a month after the latter released his new song ‘Contour’.
‘Contour’ was produced by Alague Michael Chidozie, also known as Tempoe.
In a legal notice shared on Joeboy‘s Instagram stories, Asa‘s Management claimed that the former’s new song samples a musical composition she had done.
They claimed that the producer, Tempoe, who was present during her recording sessions, used her composition on ‘Contour’ without her consent.
“We are aware that the use of our composition in the song was not authorised by our client, neither has she reached any commercial arrangements with you and your team for the recording, public performance, commercial release or distribution of the song which embodies our composition.”
Asa and her team are demanding thatJoeboy should apologise, pull down ‘Contour’ from all streaming platforms and pay her 60% of the publishing proceeds and ₦300,000,000 in damages.
“We, at this moment, demand that you immediately remove the song from all DSPs and any other platform within 24 hours of your receipt of this letter, with a written apology issued to our client, as well as halt any additional infringements of our composition including any other infringements.”
“We also demand that the sum of N300,000,000 and the 60% publishing split on the song be assigned to our client,” parts of the statement read.
Reacting to the notice, Joeboy noted, “cos I dey always do love and light you think sey I be soft meat. You said I have 24 hours; it’s been 48hours, do something [sic].”
Meanwhile, music journalist Joey Akan alleged that Asa is suing Tempoe and Joeboy for a beat she did not pay for.
Tempoe is suing Asa mainly for his production on IDG and another record.
Asa is suing Joeboy for a beat Tempoe worked on for her but she reportedly didn’t use or pay for, but Joeboy did.
Tempoe got his injunction and brought down her music. Let’s see if she gets hers too.
He wrote, “Tempoe is suing Asa mainly for his production on IDG and another record. Asa is suing Joeboy for a beat Tempoe worked on for her, but she reportedly didn’t use or pay for it, but Joeboy did. Tempoe got his injunction and brought down her music. Let’s see if she gets hers too.”
Injunctions are the hardest things to get in Nigerian court. You have to be able to convince a judge that you are the creator of the work, with emails bearing time stamps, your stems and timelines.
Tempoe did and forced litigation. Time for Asa to prove to a judge and get one.
A report by Premium Times Nigeria indicates that this is not the first time Asa and Tempoe have been involved in a legal copyright suit.
Earlier this year, Tempoe sued Asa and P.prime over copyright issues. This led to the retraction of Asa‘s song with Wizkid, IDG, and another titled ‘Love Me or Give Me Red Wine’ off her ‘V’ album.
Tempoe got a court injunction and had the songs taken off digital streaming platforms.
He claimed he initially made the beats for those records, but because he and Asa failed to conclude on the finances, she went to P.prime to reproduce the beats.
Ghanaian Highlife legend, Daddy Lumba, says he was confined to bed for over five years.
This predicament, he noted, taught him a valuable lesson in life.
The singer in the latest interview on his birthday, September 29, opened up about his life, adding that, he is willing to interact more with his fans now.
On his 58th birthday, Daddy Lumba pondered over his life, detailing moments where friends who promised to be there for him left when he fell sick.
“So it was after my mum’s death that I got sick… I have been sick for about five years… and on my sick bed, it dawned on me that people loved me but at that point, I was alone and wondering why,” the Aben Wo Ha hitmaker said.
“You can have people around you and even family, but you will be shocked if you have to sit in a wheelchair for 10 years, you will realize that what I said is true. I have been through it, so if I am saying this, you have to believe me,” Daddy Lumba said.
According to him, fame and money attract the crowd but when he was left alone on his sick bed, he realised not everyone truly loved him.
One passenger got the surprise of a lifetime when her water broke on an American Airlines flight.
Kendra Rhoden, who lives in Connecticut, had six weeks left before her due date when she boarded a flight to the Dominican Republic last month, according to CBS affiliate WFSB.
“Everything just happened so fast, it just happened so quick,” she told the outlet.
And before the plane was able to make its arrival, her son made his.
As for his name, Rhoden wanted to pay tribute to the unique way her son came into this world.
“His name is Skylen,” Rhoden told WFSB. “Because he was born in the plane.”
And while her son is a U.S. citizen, his place of birth is listed on his birth certificate as “in the air,” according to the outlet.
Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty American Airlines plane
Her sister, who was also making the trip, documented the entire experience on TikTok.
“This is how my vacation is going,” she wrote alongside one clip that showed her sister cradling her newborn as they were taken off the plane.
After Rhoden’s water broke, a number of nurses who were on board quickly jumped in to help — and while the family didn’t get a chance to thank them at the time, her sister shared a warm message to all of the “heroes” who helped them.
“We really appreciate you for all the hard work you did that day because we know how things really could have went left,” her sister said in another TikTok video. “We know it’s not easy to deliver a baby on an airplane.”
The District Chief Executive for Bosome Freho in the Ashanti Region, Yaw Danso, is facing an investigation for alleged involvement in galamsey.
An audio in circulation seems to implicate the Chief Executive in illegal mining activities
Some members of the Assembly have already called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, his Chief of Staff, Local Government and Decentralization Minister, and Lands and Natural Resources Minister Abu Jinapor to take a serious look into the allegations.
Speaking with MMDCEs at a galamsey engagement yesterday, President Akufo-Addo said the District Chief Executive has been invited to defend himself against the charges.
Yaw Danso was noted by the President to be in a period of mourning after being bereaved, and the summons was old.
“When the one-week celebration is over, he will have to respond and depending on the quality of his response, we will decide what the future holds for him,” President Akufo-Addo said.
While speaking to MMDCEs during the engagement, the President said that he will not shield any government official found complicit in galamsey activities.
The President also met with the National House of Chiefs, where he called for better collaboration in the fight against illegal mining.
Here are 4 reasons why it is best to engage real estate professionals when you want to buy a property in Ghana.
1. Navigate a Complicated Process
2. Property marketing power
3. Objective Voice
4. Quality Homes
Purchasing a property in Ghana can be a nightmare and sometimes cumbersome as there are several unqualified people and companies passing off as realtors or real estate agents. Regulations and standardization are also in their nascent state.
It is, therefore, in a buyer’s best interest to work with professionals like Devtraco Plus, Imperial Homes, Rehoboth to mention but a few, who have the requisite expertise to advise and guide you through the homeownership process. If you need further convincing, here are 5 reasons why it is best to engage real estate professionals when you want to buy a property in Ghana.
1. Navigate a Complicated Process
Buying or selling a home usually requires disclosure forms, inspection reports, mortgage documents, insurance policies, deeds, and multipage settlement statements. When you work with professionals, the stress of having to deal with all this paperwork is lessened.
All paperwork is handled by sales professionals who help you avoid delays or costly mistakes and make sure that all you have to do is sit back, sign on the dotted line, and have your keys presented to you. Life can be this easy.
2. Property marketing power.
Selling real estate takes a lot more than just advertising. In fact, most real estate sales are the result of a practitioner’s contacts; either through previous clients, referrals, friends, or family.
A number of these real estate companies have been in existence for several years, therefore, they have acquired vast experience, built a network of trusted contacts, and acquired several industrial awards, making them a trusted brand to support you in buying or selling your property.
So instead of looking for a real estate agent with no clout, why not let these professionals, with their long list of clientele and experience, put you in a position to get more value out of your property further?
3. Objective Voice
A home is more than just the four walls and roof, it often connotes family, rest, and a sense of security. Due to this, home buying and selling can be an emotional undertaking as well as financially demanding. Indeed for most people, a home is the biggest purchase they’ll ever make.
Real estate professionals take into consideration the client’s needs, history, and family size, to make sure that in making one of the biggest decisions in your life, you are suited to the right choice.
4. Quality Homes
A number of these sales professionals lookout for the best for the clients in terms of the quality of the home. They ensure that the real estate companies they are in contact with only produce the finest of homes in Ghana. One such company is Devtraco Plus.
They do not just sell houses but sell signature homes tailored for their clients. These companies are keen on the type of apartments and townhouses they construct. Taking into consideration, detail and ensuring that every home that is built is top-notch. All aspects of the home are thought through such as location and even the type of building materials to use, that will make your home comfortable for you to stay in.
Sales professionals make it their priority to find solutions to meet the client’s requirements in the form of payment plans, which are made custom to each client and their cash in-flow.
Addo, 44, has come under intense pressure following Ghana’s friendly games against Brazil and Nicaragua.
The Black Stars suffered a 3-0 defeat in their first September friendly before beating 139th-ranked Nicaragua by 1-0 in their final game held in Spain.
The team’s set-up and the tactics in both games have been questioned by several Ghanaian football fans.
And with less than two months to the start of the Mundial in Qatar, Gyan, who played in the 2006, 2010, and 2014 World Cups believes Addo and his technical team will get their tactics right before the start of the tournament.
“In football when you suffer defeat, everyone will have their opinion,” he told Kumasi-based Kessben FM.
“The first half was not good but the second half was much better and he did that to avoid humiliation.
“He will keep trying and I believe before the World Cup start, Otto Addo will get his tactics right,” he added.
Ghana will take on Switzerland in their final game before the start of the global showpiece in Qatar in November.
The Black Stars have been housed in Group H alongside Portugal, South Korea, and Uruguay.
The 22nd edition of the World Cup will kick off from November 20 to December 18.
Abdul Malik Kweku Baako, the Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide newspaper, has stated that the controversy around the Tano Nimiri forest reserve in the Amenfi West Municipality of the Western Region is much ado about nothing.
According to him, records show that Akonta mining limited – a firm which belongs to Chairman Wontumi – the Ashanti regional chairman of the governing NPP, has no business in the forest reserve.
Speaking on Peace FM’s ‘Kokrokoo’ Morning show, Kweku Baako explained, “I have checked all the licences they hold from 2011, 2012 till date and it doesn’t have one for forest reserve. But the last one which the company’s application is pending, the one in August, it has not been approved but that is in the forest reserve. So, what was the company doing there?…They had no business being in that particular place doing anything because, first of all, they haven’t approved that licence.”
He said the New Patriotic Party, NPP,needs to get to the bottom of the issue since it involves a key member of the governing party.
He stressed, “this is tough call, a really tough call, that again how this matter is handled would either enhance the integrity of the fight or diminish it.
“The issue is not that they have applied for a licence to go into a forest reserve. The issue is that you don’t have a licence yet but the company is there. Why? What kind of impunity is that?”, he exclaimed.
Some personnel from the Forestry Commission were recently chased out from the Tano Nimiri forest reserve by some muscular men allegedly working for Chairman Wontumi’s Akonta mining.
Following the incident, Akonta Mining Ltd, said the company has a mining lease to operate in the forest reserve but the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and the Minerals Commissioncontradicted that view.
A statement by the Minerals Commission indicated that, “as indicated in the Ministry’s Press Statement, dated 30th September 2022, Akonta Mining Ltd has a pending application dated 25th August 2022, for a Mining Lease over an area within the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve. That application has not been determined by the Minister, who is mandated by law, to grant or refuse such applications.
“And for the avoidance of any doubt, Akonta Mining Limited has NO mining lease, mineral right, and/or permit to undertake any mining operations in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve, and steps are currently being undertaken to enforce the Minister’s Directive issued on 30th September 2022.”
During this week’s new episode of The Kardashians, Kim Kardashian laughed over some text messages from her ex-husband, Kanye West.
While Kim was in Milan, Italy for a Prada fashion show, she shared, “Look what Kanye texted me: No white glasses. Make security wear black gloves. The orange look made me so mad, I would have went to jail before I went out in that. I’ll be home for North’s game.”
When Kim and Kanye were together, Ye was the one who styled almost all of Kim’s looks, but Kim was on her own after she filed for a divorce from Kanye in February 2021.
While some may remember when Kanye called Kim to tell her her “career is over” when he first saw one of her outfits that he hadn’t styled, apparently, the exes are still critiquing each other’s ‘fits months later.
“We can laugh about things we like or don’t like,” explained Kim. “No matter how crazy things are sometimes, we’re always going to be family and I’ll text him back and be, like, ‘You know you have been wearing those boots for a long time. So, when you’re ready to change your outfit, let me know, and then you can have advice on mine.’”
This week Kanye has been catching a lot of heat for wearing a “White Lives Matter’ t-shirt during his surprise Yeezy Season 9 fashion show in Paris and, the following day, continued to make waves on social media when he went after Vogue contributor Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, who shared her thoughts on his controversial clothing. On his Instagram, Ye posted pictures of Karefa-Johnson along with captions criticizing her style. So, at least Kim isn’t the only one whose style he’s dissing?
Minority Leader and Tamale South Member of Parliament, Haruna Iddrisu, has described as embarrassing events that led to the passage of Mavis Hawa Koomson as a Minister.
The then Fisheries and Aquaculture Ministry nominee’s appearance before the Appointments Committee was deemed under par relative to the competence of the portfolio, hence a widely held view that the Minority should use their numbers to reject her approval when it came to a vote at the plenary.
That was not to be as the outcome of the vote showed that quite a number of Minority MPs voted in favour of Mrs. Koomson.
This was in early 2021 when President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was constituting his new cabinet after winning the 2020 polls.
Months on, Haruna Iddrisu in an interview on Pan African TV explained why Hawa Koomson and other controversial nominees were approved by Parliament.
According to him, once such decisions are put to a secret ballot, the best he can do is to activate the party’s whip asking all members to tow a particular line, if they disobeyed, there was no way of knowing which of them had flouted the group position.
“If you put that to a vote and you saw the embarrassing outcome of Hawa Koomson, Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah,” he told the host of the Talk Time Show, Kwesi Pratt.
“Any elected MP is an adult, I Haruna Iddrisu cannot accompany an NDC MP into a ballot box to guide him on how to exercise his vote. He is responsible enough.
“Mine is to issue the party whip, which is the directive that we expect you to stand against this policy, nothing more. And as an adult, respecting the secrecy of the ballot, I cannot be held responsible,” he stressed.
He had in the same interview explained that to the extent that the Constitution said 51% of Ministers should come from Parliament, the best the Minority can do is to vet for competence and knowledge of portfolio and to do as much damage as possible to candidates who do not prove themselves fit.
Selah Marley has come under fire for rocking Ye’s “White Lives Matter” shirt, and she’s not having it. After the model received backlash for wearing the controversial tee, she responded early on Wednesday morning, taking to her Instagram stories to call out the “hive mentality” she sees in her detractors.
“The past 24 hours has allowed me to realize that most of yall are stuck in a hive mentality. You do what the group tells you to do and think what the group tells you to think,” Bob Marley’s 23-year-old granddaughter said. “Witnessing someone break free from ‘the agenda’ sends you all into such a panic that you will do whatever it takes to force them back into the box that you feel they should exist in.”
Lauryn Hill’s daughter then doubled down on her stance, claiming she did nothing wrong and expressing she wouldn’t allow the internet to “bully” or “manipulate” her.
“You cannot bully me, manipulate me, or coax me into silence. Nor will you bully me into being who I don’t want to be. I don’t care how many tweets you make, DMs you send, or articles you write.
“Throughout all the chaos, I have yet to speak about my experience. If you know me, you know that nothing I do is without deep thought and intention. Wait til you hear what I have to say.”
After her flurry of IG stories, she shifted her attention to Kanye himself, revealing a text message she sent him. The screen grab showed the Marley descendent asking the Chicago designer to expand the conversation and continue the dialogue around the “White Lives Matter” t-shirt.
Kanye West debuted the shirt during his YZY SZN 9 fashion show during the 2022 Paris Fashion Week. He wore the controversial garment as he addressed the intimate crowd, lecturing them on bullies in the fashion industry.
As his shirt and show received backlash, West claimed that the Black Lives Matter movement was a scam.
Sir Elton John and his family are living the dream, in every sense of the term. Now it’s no secret that John is a big real estate buff, purchasing some lavish homes throughout the years. But his latest buy is truly a treasure. He is now the newest resident of King West’s upcoming King Toronto development, a LEGO-like building designed by architect Bjarke Ingels that’s making huge waves in the design world.
The unique home resembles a mountain of boxes, shrouded from wandering eyes due to the overwhelming greenery surrounding it. Now John’s home is a two-story, three-bedroom, three-bathroom “Treehouse” penthouse that is up in the millions price-wise (the lowest is starting at $1.3 million!) See the photos HERE.
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Now John’s specific penthouse has 2,602 sq. ft of interior space and 597.2 sq. ft of terrace space, making it a paradise for him and his family. With custom bookshelves, a wine cellar, and a stunning curved sculptural staircase, this home is something out of a painting. Along with that, there’s an actual tree in their house to add to the sustainability the building prides itself on, and an inner courtyard and multiple terraces.
The building is expected to be completed by fall 2023, and John and Shawn Mendes have already bought their swoon-worthy properties.
Ever since 1974, John has been buying million-dollar estates around the world, from Britain to Los Angeles. Every time, he’s made the property his very own. And by “making it his own,” he means he stands by maximalism. He previously told Architectural Digest in an interview from 2000 about his philosophy. “And more is good,” he said. “A lot more is very good.”
Medeama SC midfielder, Godfred Kwadwo Asamoah believes the suspension of the Ghana Premier League makes it ‘not attractive’ and it has also negatively affected the players.
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has decided to put the topflight on hold due to a Motion on Notice for Injunction filed last Wednesday at the Human Rights High Court by AshantiGold SC and served on the GFA’s lawyers.
The Premier League was scheduled to enter match week four last weekend.
“That is the major problem we the players are facing now because the season has just began and we are doing our possible best,” Asamoah told Radio Gold Talk Sport.
Qatar on Wednesday announced that the number of government workers attending offices would be slashed and school hours reduced in a bid to ease congestion before and during the World Cup.
With more than one million visitors expected during the November 20 to December 18 tournament, the government is anxious to keep traffic off the streets around the eight stadiums.
Authorities are most worried about the first two weeks of the event when the peak number of foreign fans will be following the 32 participating nations.
An official spokesperson said after a cabinet meeting that only 20 per cent of government staff would be expected in offices from November 1 until December 19, and staff would only work four hours a day.
From November 1 to November 17, school hours will be reduced, opening only from 7:00 am to midday, and students will then be on holiday from November 18 until December 22.
The main Corniche highway along Doha’s seafront will be closed to all cars from November 1.
A key fan zone is being built alongside the route.
Former royal butler (yes, that is a real job) Grant Harrold is dishing on his time with the royal family, and dropped some cute details about what Prince William and Kate Middleton were like in the early days of their relationship.
“Oh, like any boyfriend and girlfriend,” Harrold mused to Slingo, via Marie Claire. “Not any different to anyone else, it’s mad saying that when you think about who they are, but there wasn’t anything different. What I liked was that Kate, being a girlfriend and obviously not a member of the family, would be with me and the other staff and she was so polite, friendly, and fun and making jokes. I remember there were days I had off where I’d be running an errand or I’d left something up at Highgrove [House] and they were around, so you’d just catch up with them.”
Harrold went on to say that his vibes with William and Kate were “always fun” and that they even asked him to “travel the country with them.”
“When my phone used to go off and it was William, all my friends would be like that’s so cool, but to me it was normal,” he said. “That was the relationship I had with them. I think it was really special and not unusual, actually, because in a private home you’re expected to get on with the family. As for the younger members of the family, you’re not employed by them, but you end up having a relationship with them as well. There’s very few people that the Royals actually get to know, so you do feel lucky that you were trusted with that.”
A statement issued on Tuesday providing financial literacy education on dud cheques reiterated that anyone who fails to comply with the directive will be jailed or asked to pay a fine whilst their offense is reported to the credit reference bureau.
For first-timers, the central bank cautioned, “Your financial institution will place you under surveillance for a minimum period of three years when you issue a dud cheque for the first time.”
“Again, if you issue a dud cheque for the second time within three years of the first offense, your financial institution will report your conduct to the Bank of Ghana,”, adding “your details and the breach shall be recorded in a dud cheque register maintained at the BoG,” it explained.
But for third-time offenders, the Bank of Ghana said consumers will be banned from issuing cheques within the country for a minimum period of three years.
As part of the financial literacy education, the Bank of Ghana called on the public and institutions to ensure they had enough funds in their respective accounts prior to issuing a cheque.
When found culpable of issuing dud cheques, the central bank said consumers will be banned from accessing new credit facilities from all financial institutions for a period of three years.
It added that the perpetrators’ names will be published in the national newspapers.
The Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Limited (BOST) Company says it is re-positioning itself in order to tap into the US$970 million petroleum re-export market in the West African Sub-region, the Managing Director, Mr Edwin Alfred Provencal, has said.
According to him, the re-export market in the sub-region had a huge potential that BOST could tap into to shore-up its demand for foreign currency.
“Ghana has the comparative advantage over its neighbours and could capitalise on it if all the non-tarrif barriers are removed. This will not only help the country to mobilise extra revenue to cushion the depreciating cedi, but also increase the company’s profitability,” he said.
Mr Provencal disclosed this when he took his turn at the bi-weekly Minister’s Briefing organised by the Ministry of Information in Accra yesterday.
He said Ghana could take a cue from the Singapore experience and become the re-export hub on the continent, stressing that “Last year, Singapore which has no landlocked countries surrounding it made more than $40billion in export revenue through re-export of petroleum products.”
Mr Provencal said as part of the repositioning plans, it had instituted a multi-sectoral forum to enable a discussion among all the stakeholders whose activities would enable the company achieve its set goal of increasing the re-export business.
Touching on operations of the company, Mr Provencal said his administration had been able to plough back on its losses making it profitable now.
He said as of 2017 when the new management took over, the company was financially stressed as it owed its foreign suppliers up to $624 million with loan indebtedness to domestic banks up to GH¢416 million and Bulk Distribution Companies (BDCs) up to $37 million.
“Also, majority of our network of infrastructure including farm tanks, barges and pipelines were dysfunctional due to lack of maintenance, thereby crippling our sources of revenue generation,” he said.
However, he noted that with efficient operational management coupled with a GH¢30 million loan support from the National Petroleum Authority the company was able to pay $624 million trade liability to its foreign suppliers and also made GH¢460 million profit after tax in 2021.
Moving forward in its business portfolio in the coming years, the MD of BOST said, it would move from just enhancing operational excellence towards aggressive growth in the business of transporting petroleum products across the country and to the landlocked countries including Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger to improve on its profitability.
In addition, Mr Provencal said the company would embark on rebranding of its corporate image, improve its corporate culture and human capital development as well as strengthen its trade partnerships.
He said with support from the Ministry of Energy, a petroleum hub facilities for storage purposes were being installed in the Western Region.
Additionally, 12-inch pipelines would be installed from Tema to Akosombo to improve the volumes of petroleum products from Tema Oil Refinery.
The MD of BOST gave the assurance that the rehabilitation of its dilapidated farm tanks and upgrading of depots would continue in 2023.
He assured that the company had instituted stringent measures to avert future contamination of its petroleum products.
Shortly after Tia Mowry confirmed her breakup from husband Cory Hardrict, Tamera Mowryweighed in on the couple’s split. “I support her,” Tamera said on an Oct. 5 episode of Today with Hoda and Jenna. “So whatever she wants, the Mowry’s have her back.”
The Real star went on to praise her twin sister, saying, “I love her dearly. She is strong.” She also noted Tia’s desire to process her breakup outside of the spotlight, which Tamara shared her support for.
“I know right now she just kind of just wants to, you know, just kind of process it all, take it all in and be a little private about that,” Tamara explained. “As a sister, you know, I’m just going to respect that.”
While discussing her sister, Tamara also reflected on the close bond they share as twins.
“Twins are very—we’re special,” she said. “We split into a cell!”
Tia, who filed for divorce from her husband on Oct. 3 after 14 years of marriage, also informed her followers of her split from Cory in a lengthy Instagram post.
“I have always been honest with my fans, and today is no different,” she wrote on Oct. 4 alongside a photo of the two. “I wanted to share that Cory and I have decided to go our separate ways.”
Pointing out that “these decisions are never easy, and not without sadness,” Tia made it clear that she and her ex plan to remain friends as they co-parent their children Cree, 11, and Cairo, 4.
Her post concluded, “I am grateful for all the happy times we had together and want to thank my friends, family and fans for your love and support as we start this new chapter moving forward in our lives.”
The Caretaker Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP), Ms Cecilia Abena Dapaah yesterday led a team to monitor the payment of social cash grants under the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme at Oboadaka in the Eastern Region.
LEAP is a social cash transfer programme for the poorest households in Ghana with the goals of reducing poverty by smoothening consumption and promoting human capital development.
The monitoring followed the release of a total of GH¢54.7 million to be disbursed to 344,389 beneficiary households nationwide as social cash grants under the LEAP programme.
The disbursement is for the 77th and 78th cycles, meaning all beneficiary households – constituting more than 1.5 million individuals – would receive double the regular bi-monthly grant.
In view of this, one eligible member household would receive GH¢64.00; two eligible members, GH¢76.00; three eligible members, GH¢ 88.00 while a household with four and more eligible members would get GH¢106.
The category of persons who make a household eligible are orphaned and vulnerable children (OVC); elderly (65 years+) without support; persons with severe disabilities who cannot work and very poor pregnant women and mothers with infants under one year.
The amount of money paid [through e-zwich] is not the same for all households benefitting from the programme. The amount paid to a household is determined by the number of eligible household members.
Ms Dapaah said government was resolute to assist the vulnerable in spite of the hackles the country was faced with.
She urged the beneficiaries to make good use of the monies they had been given and pray for the government and its leadership for consistent supply.
Ms Dapaah said the sector minister was also in the north regions, monitoring payments and advised persons who took grants on behalf of the aged to be truthful to them and take good care of them and children they are obliged to.
“We have not had issues of inaccuracies in the process, so we all should have mutual respect, trust and integrity in the process. So if you receive more than you should, please return it,” she added.
Ms Dapaah used the opportunity to call on the Ghana Police Service to see to the arrest of the man alleged to have beaten a two-year old to unconsciousness in a viral video, adding that the ministry would soon issue a statement of condemnation on the incident.
Mr Kwadwo Agyei, a beneficiary of the programme who is 86 years and received GH¢64 as monthly grant commended the government but pleaded with it to increase the amount to cushion him and his family.
“My children are not inclusive of the grant and this is my only source of income since I stopped farming so the government should add up to help us,” he added.
Another beneficiary, Gifty Kwakye, said she used the previous grant to start her “oblayo” business which was doing well and was supporting her family.
She expressed gratitude to the government and urged it, to continue to support others who needed the grant.
Eye on Port spoke with Lieutenant Commander Christopher Armah of the Ghana Navy, Dr. Capt. Nana Ofosu-Boateng, Head of the Nautical Studies Department at the Regional Maritime University, and Capt. Samuel Ofori-Danquah, a Senior Marine Officer at the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA), who all supported the industry’s transition to a more environmentally friendly model.
Lieutenant Commander Christopher Armah, a naval officer said ship-sourced pollutants from activities such as oil exploration, fishing, shipbuilding and ship repair, chemical and merchandise transportation have all taken their toll on ocean life and as such, immediate and collective sustainable actions are necessary. He cited the example of the Exxon Valdes oil spill in Mexico which claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of ocean species and its devastating effects felt 30 years after incident.
Capt. Samuel Ofori-Danquah, the Senior Marine Officer at GMA explained that ship-sourced air pollutants have contributed to the depletion of the ozone layer adding up to the volatile climate experienced in recent years.
“We have to understand that this is the only place we have to survive, and all hands should come aboard to fight the environmental problems,” he expressed.
The International Maritime Organization and its member states have set themselves an ambitious goal of reducing shipping emissions by at least 50% by the year 2050.
Dr. Capt. Nana Ofosu-Boateng, the Head of Nautical Studies Department at RMU said Sulphur scrubbers should be considered to eliminate 90% Sulphur content in vessel fuels. He also hinted at efficient ballast and propulsion systems for ships. He revealed that new technology is being explored to use sails for modern ships.
In addition to adopting greener fuel alternatives, Capt. Samuel Ofori-Danquah, on his part praised big players like Maersk for expanding ship sizes as a means to cut fuel use.
“Since 2015, Maersk Line has about 15 ships running on methanol and it is safe,” he remarked.
While it can be acknowledged that Africans lack the wherewithal of their global counterparts, the experts believe there is much Africa can do to contribute to the green agenda.
Dr. Capt. Nana Ofosu-Boateng urged African countries to work as a unit in its sustainable agenda.
Lieutenant Commander Christopher Armah also urged African countries to look into the production of biofuels, without being too concerned with short term profit making.
He added that “African ports can learn from the port of Antwerp where they use circular economy which tries as much as possible to recycle the waste generated from the port and ships which is used to generate energy for the port.”
According to the industry professionals, attitude is key when it comes to Africa’s approach to sustainable shipping.
Capt. Samuel Ofori-Danquah, the Senior Marine Officer at GMA said, “you go to some ports and intend of inspecting they’re taking money. In other situations, too, ship’s crew and seafarers throw garbage into the waters knowing very well African countries do not possess the kind of technology to detect them.”
Dr. Capt. Nana Ofosu-Boateng on the other hand called for increased punitive measures for recalcitrant vessel owners and operators to deter behavior.
Hearts of Oak have left the country to Mail to take on AS Real Bamako in the first leg encounter of the second round of the 2022/23 CAF Confederation Cup.
It will be David Ocloo’s first game in charge of the club after being appointed as an interim coach, taking over from Samuel Boadu who parted ways with Hearts after a slow start to the 2022/23 season.
The former Liberty Professionals trainer has named a 22-man squad for this first leg clash which is scheduled to come off on Saturday in Bamako.
Hearts of Oak forward Daniel Afriyie Barnie has been recalled from the Black Meteors camp to join the travelling team.
The return leg will be held at the Accra Sports Stadium on the weekend of October 14-16, 2022.
The winner of the tie will move to the play-off round where they will face one of the 16 losers from the CAF Champions League second round.
Hearts of Oak are Ghana’s sole representative in Africa following Asante Kotoko’s early exit from the CAF Champions League last Sunday in Kumasi.
Ghana U-23 side defeated Dreams FC 2-1 at the Accra Sports Stadium on Wednesday to continue preparations for the crucial qualifiers.
Ghana drew a bye in the first of a three-round qualifying series for the tournament to be staged in Morocco next year.
“We are preparing them very well, this week we have a lot time to train with all of them,” coach Tanko told Radio Gold Talk Sport.
“We still have two and a half weeks to the games so I think by then we will be ready for the game.”
He added, “If you look at the squad, we have almost six or seven players from the Karim Zito squad so I think it’s a good start and we hope that they will show something.”
Coach Ibrahim Tanko and his charges are expected to travel to the East African nation for the first leg before hosting their opponents in the 2nd leg at the Cape Coast Sports Stadium.
The first and second legs are scheduled for October 21-23 and October 28-30 respectively.
The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC)has ordered the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to pay compensation to its customers affected by its prepayment system across the country from September to early October, this year.
This follows the failure in ECG Prepayment vending System at Volta, Takoradi, Tema, Cape Coast, Kasoa, Winneba, Swedru, Koforidua, Nkawkaw andTafo among other locations.
To demonstrate good customer service, the commission has asked ECG to pay lifeline customers GH¢15, residential customers with 10 penalty units equivalent GH¢120; non-residential customers with 20penalty units equivalent GH¢240; commercial customers with 40penalty units equivalent GH¢480 and industrial customers with 100 penalty units equivalent GH¢1,200.
Dr Ishmael Ackah in a statement issued and signed and copied to Ghanaian Times in Accra on Tuesday said the ECG would pay the compensation in the form of a one-time electricity credit from last Saturday to Friday October 7, 2022 with the compensation clearly indicated on customer receipts.
“ECG shall issue widespread notifications to inform customers of the compensation due to them and shall maintain accurate records of measures taken to comply with this order including the number of temporary staff engaged (if any), for purposes of regulatory monitoring,” he stated.
“This order is without prejudice to any additional directives the Commission may issue with respect to the incident,” he added.
Dr Ackah noted that the order was issued under sections 11 and 12 (1) and (2) of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission Act, 1997 (Act 538); and regulations 41 and 45 of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (Consumer Service) Regulations, 2020 (L12413).
He said that the law imposed a duty on public utilities to provide safe, adequate, efficient, reasonable and non-discriminatory service.
“The law also mandates the Commission to impose compensation orders among other penalties on public utilities for failure to comply with their legal obligations,” he said.
Dr Ackah said it was for that reason the commission in consideration of the inconvenience occasioned by the failures with the ECG prepayment meter systemdetermined that ECG would pay compensation to all its affected customers.
The Executive Secretary of the PURC said that the ECG would additionally adopt immediate measures to increase staff output and responsiveness to customers.
Dr Ackah said ECG would extend the working hours at all affected locations to 8pm,
engage temporary staff to ensure that affected customers were speedily attended to and were credited with the approved compensation by October 7, 2022.
“Final resolution of the vending failure as soon as possible with minimum further inconvenience to consumers,” he added.
The International Coconut Festival’s 2022 edition, with the topic “Repositioning Ghana’s Coconut Sector for Accelerated Industrialization,” sought to investigate how to hasten the sector’s expansion by adding value to the raw materials made from coconut.
The three-day event, which included exhibitors, students, governmental officials, farmers, exporters, and traditional authorities among others, aimed to entice more Ghanaians to enter the coconut business and increase production and export.
Coconut from Ghana is in high demand globally and thus, GEPA has embarked on a number of initiatives that are expected to improve upon the country’s position as the world’s 9th leading producer.
GEPA has since 2017 provided a total of 600,000 disease-tolerant seedlings to coconut farmers to help boost the industry.
Speaking at the sidelines of the closing ceremony, Deputy Chief Executive Officer at GEPA, Samuel Dentu said Ghana intends to increase its market share in terms of coconut production globally.
“We have some seedlings that have been cultivated some two years ago which are nearing yielding. So by next year, you will see a lot of productivity coming online. We want to inch closer to being no 1,” he disclosed.
Chairman of the African Coconut Group, David Korboe, urged government to reclaim galamsey lands for coconut production.
He contends that in deciding what kind of debt restructuring regimes to implement, the government must show some initiative.
“Ghana is currently experiencing hardship related to sovereign insolvency; we are bankrupt. The decision to restructure must thus be made.
What type of reorganization, though, is the question.
“That is the kind of conversation I believe we have to go in. We have to consider the kind of restructuring that we’ll do that will safeguard the economy and preserve us going forward. I believe that is where we’ve gotten to at this stage,” he is quoted by myjoyonline.com on October 5, 2022.
Ghana’s debt has been projected to become unsustainable after its debt to GDP is expected to hit about 104%.
“The first thing is after identifying that the debt is unsustainable how do you make it sustainable before you get the IMF programme? You need to agree on the debt relief that you will require. If you’ll need 20%, 30%, or 40% of your GDP in the form of debt relief, that brings the question, who will bear that burden?
“How are you going to burden share? Are you going to tackle external, domestic, or everybody else? Are you going to add an official bilateral or not? At that point, you need to make a decision, and would debt restructuring alone do the trick? Because remember debt restructuring deals only with commercial debt holders.
“So, if you’re going to deal with the official bilateral and export credit agency you need more than debt restructuring. You will need what we call a debt suspension initiative under the common framework. So that will mean you’ll need a double do,” he said.
He advised that government seeks counsel and professional advice from knowledgeable people in the country, especially in academia.
Ato Forson added that Ghana’s situation is beyond political gimmicks.
“The academia is big, you can tap into their knowledge, civil society, and even the political divide, across the political divide and pick knowledge. Let’s sit down and confront the situation at the national level. Unfortunately, they’re dealing with it at the partisan and political party level, which isn’t helpful. The situation goes beyond politics. We need to rescue our country because this is all we have and the situation is getting worse by the day,” he added.
Kanye West kept his latest Instagram posting spree going into Wednesday night, ending one prolonged missive by throwing a stray at John Legend and telling Justin Bieber to “get your girl before I get mad.”
The reference to Hailey Bieber comes after the pop star’s 25-year-old spouse simply showed kindness to Gabriella Karefa-Johnson following West’s targeting of the Vogue global fashion editor at large. Bieber wrote on her IG Stories, “My respect for you runs deep my friend! to know you is to adore you and to work with you is an honor. the most kind. the most talented. the most fun. the most chic.”
Ye uploaded a screenshot of a headline reading “Hailey Bieber Joins Gigi Hadid in Defending Gabriella Karefa-Johnson After Kanye West Criticism.” In his caps-lock caption he sarcastically inquired, “Wait Am I canceled again??? Justin please let me know.”
A couple hours later, amid a string of posts defending his “White Lives Matter” t-shirt and its supposed “paradigm shifting,” Kanye wrote, “I wanna just let everybody know there was also some fashion this week also. There was a major thing called Fashion Week which really last a month and there were some very well done crazy overpriced clothes being shown. It wasn’t just about my paradigm shifting t-shirt.”
“Just kidding. My tee shit on every body’s showssss,” continued the former 38-year-old-8-year-old, now imbued with 45 years of wisdom and maturity. “Nothing happened but my T shirt. To the Arnaults that hire anybody that worked for me, remember my one T shirt took allllll the attention. Beuase [sic] you’re all fucking programmed sheep. Aaaaaaaaand those boots Gab was wearing were fucking traaaaaaaaaaash.”
He then delivered the coup de grâce referencing his fellow artists: “But I’m sure John Legend still wants a pair. And Justin get your girl before I get mad.”
Hearts of Oak combative midfielder Abdul Aziz Nurudeen is set to undergo surgery today after doctors working on him gave him the green light for his surgery to be conducted.
A confirmed medical report indicates that Nurudeen will undergo a thigh surgery at the Netcare Linksfield clinic in South Africa on Thursday, October 6, 2022. The pre -surgery formalities on the player were conducted on 27th September 2022.
The medical team to conduct the surgery will be led by experienced surgeon, Dr. McCready. The doctor who operated on both Lawali and Daniel Kodie.
He is expected to stay in South Africa for his recuperation after which he will return to Ghana to continue with his rehabilitation.
Ahead of the surgery, Nurudeen has expressed his happiness for the scheduled surgery.
“I am not happy to be sitting out of the games. That is what I am paid for. My desire is to always get onto the pitch and get the work done. But I also admit that injuries are a part of the game,” he told the club’s website.
“This is certainly good news for my career. Hopefully it will all go well and I will go through the process and get back stronger for my team and country.”
Nurudeen added, “I need the prayers of all Phobians. To the leaders of the team, most especially the Board Chairman, I say a big thank you for making sure that this has happened.
“I am most grateful to all. I pray God gives me the strength to be back stronger than I was so I can contribute positively to this team” the player said.
“To my team mates, I want to assure them that I truly acknowledge their support and assure them that hopefully I will join them soon. To the teaming fans, I will say “I will be back to support my team to win more laurels.”
Until his injury, Nurudeen was a key figure in Hearts’ squad and was expected to lead the defensive midfield role in Ghana’s CHAN team, the Black Galaxies.
Numerous enterprises are functioning without Business Operating Permits in the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) region, according to the Executive Director, COP Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah.
She stated that EOCO will work with the AMA to resolve this issue.
When she led a group on a working visit to Elizabeth Sackey, the mayor of Accra, Madam Tiwaa Addo Danquah made these remarks.
She disclosed that her outfit decided to set up its Accra region to concentrate on the activities of various Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies and support them to increase revenue.
“There are a lot of things we bring to the table when it comes to the activities you do, there are a lot of fees and rates people don’t want to pay and we are here as a state organization to help you collect them, also our presence here is to let you know what we bring to the table and how we can support you to achieve your mandate to develop the Accra we want,” she said.
”We were in the Upper East and the MCE told us that those who were supposed to pay their rates and fees to the Assembly had done so by an invitation from EOCO… Together they have improved on their revenue collection and we want to extend that same collaboration to the AMA… There are a lot of businesses operating within your area of jurisdiction who have no Business Operating Permit from the Assembly and these are things that we will work on together,” she added.
The AMA boss who received the entourage to her office expressed concerns over the inability to generate enough revenue due to leakages adding that the Assembly was in the process of digitalising its revenue collection system to check revenue leakages and increase its Internally Generated Funds (IGF).
She said the Assembly was ready to work with EOCO to help address issues such as the issuance of fake tickets among other financial malpractices to increase revenue.
“We are ready to work together, we need your support in many areas and we are happy to have you, Our revenue is not flowing the way it should,” she said.
She assured the EOCO team of her offices’ resolve to work together to increase the Assembly’s revenue base.
The Bank of Ghana has engaged players in the financial space to address possible threats to the sector in order to achieve a sound and safe financial system.
To this end, the Central Bank, says it is committed in ensuring that its financial inclusion agenda is achieved in no time.
Speaking at the maiden edition of the Regulatory Sandbox Engagement Forum, on behalf of the first Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Head of FinTech and Innovation Office, Kwame Oppong, underscored the importance of such engagements with financial sector players.
“Let me underscore the importance of responsible innovation in this endeavor. Globally, sustainability has taken centre stage in all spheres of human activity. The need to assess the possible negative impact of our innovations on the present and future societies has become more critical than ever”.
“Adoption of responsible innovation presents a unique national advantage with the potential to attract investments into our FinTech ecosystem for the creation of employment and wealth”.
Mr. Oppong also addressed issues of privacy and confidentiality within the fintech space.
“Let me address the fintechs regarding issues of privacy and confidentiality. Bank of Ghana as a regulator of financial service maintains the highest level of confidentiality and secrecy.”
“We would like to assure you that every staff is committed to an oath of secrecy and under no circumstance will third party information be disclosed. A breach of the secrecy requirement attracts serious sanctions including dismissal”, he stressed.
King Charles III has a nickname for his daughter-in-law Meghan Markle, and it is…strange, to say the least. The royal family has been in the news a lot lately due to the death of Queen Elizabeth II last month. But the mourning period is over, and it’s time for some royal gossip.
Royals expert and journalist Katie Nicholls wrote a book called The New Royals: Queen Elizabeth’s Legacy and the Future of the Crown, which came out Tuesday, October 4. It shares all the juicy details on the late queen’s successor, King Charles III. According to Nicholls, the king—who was apparently jealous that Kate Middleton’s style was more of a media magnet than his good deeds— gave the Duchess of Sussex the nickname “Tungsten.”
“Charles reportedly nicknamed his future daughter-in-law ‘Tungsten’ because of her toughness and resilience,” Nicholls wrote in the book, per a report from Entertainment Tonight.
Tungsten, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, is “the chemical element of atomic number 74, a hard steel-gray metal of the transition series. It has a very high melting point (3410°C) and is used to make electric light filaments.” It’s a weird thing to call someone, but it is a compliment to Markle, especially considering all she’s been through since she began dating Prince Harry.
Nicholls writes in The New Royals that Charles first noticed Markle’s tungsten-level toughness at her first joint appearance with Harry, Prince William, and Kate Middleton during the Royal Foundation Forum in February 2018.
The Tano Nimiri Reserve is not covered by the mining licenses awarded to Akonta Mining Limited, according to the Commission.
For the avoidance of doubt, Akonta Mining Limited holds two mining leases in the Samreboi region, which were awarded following the issuance of reconnaissance permits on June 15, 2011, and prospecting permits on December 31, 2012, respectively.
“These are: Mining lease over an area in Samreboi, dated 23rd July 2021, (the Lease in circulation); and Mining lease over an area in Abokoase dated 23rd July, 2021,” the Minerals Commission said in a press release dated October 3.
The Commission, however, revealed that Akonta Mining Ltd indeed has a pending application dated August 25, 2022, for a Mining Lease over an area within the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve.
The inaugural Zongo Shark Tank Business Reality Show, which took place in the main hall of the St. Kizito Church in Nima, Accra, and featured a young entrepreneur from the Oti Region named Gibril Yakubu, who is also the CEO of Tanko’s Enterprise, was declared a winner.
In order to launch his mini-supermarket in the town of Attakrom in the Oti Region, Mr. Gibril received a subsidy of GH 10,000.
Oskhalim Food Processing and Ecoperiod also took home GH¢10,000 each for placing second and third respectively, among 10 other finalists.
The event, which was organized by the ZongoVation Hub, saw some influential business personalities who addressed the young entrepreneurs.
The CEO of ZongoVation Hub, Alhaji Mahmoud Jajah, in his submission, mentioned that the objective of the Zongo Shark Tank is to develop the startup and entrepreneur ecosystem of the Zongo communities in Ghana.
Mr Jajah said the only way to reduce poverty and the high unemployment rate in the Zongo communities is by supporting the youth to start and manage their own businesses.
The keynote speaker, Mr Baba Sadiq, the founder of 3 Music Group, congratulated the participants of the Zongo Shark Tank Business Reality Show for their courage and commitment to build their own businesses.
Mr Sadiq mentioned that entrepreneurship is not as easy as people see it. He advised the young entrepreneurs to be steadfast and determined in the face of challenges.
The CEO of Izar Group and founder of Alhaji’s Wife, Mrs Rashida Saani Nasamu, in her submission, expressed delight and happiness about the Zongo Shark Tank.
As an entrepreneur herself, she challenged the young entrepreneurs develop their capacities and broaden their network if they are to succeed.
The Deputy CEO of the Zongo Development Fund, Alhaji Baba Siddique Yakubu, also expressed his joy, and mentioned that gradually the Zongo communities are beginning to address the unemployment challenges.
At the launch of a menstrual hygiene management campaign, three under-aged girls [their real names concealed] shared their stories.
Sarah Baidoo is 15 years old and attends Akyempim basic school A and is in JHS 3. On her birthday this March, she saw her period for the first time.
Diana always felt left out whenever the subject matter came up in class on how they are menstruating.
“Sometimes our madam comes to class to ask, and I’ll be sitting there just like that because I haven’t menstruated yet.”
Akosua Aboagye is 14 years and in the same school and class as Diana. She also started to menstruate at 14.
“I was in school when it came. I was shocked, so I just run home. I told my mum what had happened, and she told me I must stay away from boys”.
Mary Addo is in class 6 at Akyempim DA Model School and is 13 years. She shares, “my big sister menstruates. When I had my period for the first time, she was menstruating too. I hid and watched how she fixed her pad and copied her”.
These three girls share something in common. Whatever they learnt about menstruation and menstrual hygiene either came from their teachers or other relatives, never their mothers, and this holds sway for many girls across Ghana.
Menstruation still appears to be a taboo subject in some parts of the world, such that it is treated hush-hush.
Most mothers do not openly have conversations about the subject matter with their girl children and even when they do, it does not extend to menstrual hygiene management.
To contribute to the 2022 global theme of making menstruation a normal fact of life by 2030, Golden Star Resources (GSR) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH have launched a one-year campaign on menstrual hygiene management in the catchment communities of GSR.
The menstrual hygiene management campaign will promote access to evidence-based information about menstruation and menstrual hygiene products, with the goal to prevent the stigmatization of menstruating women and girls.
This campaign will run in 14 schools in Wassa East district. Over the course of the campaign, 772 girls will benefit from almost 14,000 packs of sanitary pads to improve their menstrual hygiene management.
Sarah, Akosua and Mary are happy to be part of this campaign and for the next year, will not have to worry about where the next pad is coming from.
Part of the campaign strategy will see a team of health professionals travel to the schools to teach the girls basic grooming through periodic education on keeping clean during their periods and discarding sanitary pads properly. The education will also target mothers, underscoring the importance of initiating conversations on menstruation and hygiene management with their girl children.
In her engagement with the school girls, the Wassa East Ag. Director of Health Services, Sheila Ampadu Okyere, offered some tips on menstrual management by asking the girls to change their pads frequently, use cotton sanitary pads, wash reusable pads properly, keep the vagina clean and to seek gynecological help for any irritation around the vagina.
She called for action, stating, “we need passionate leaders to popularize menstrual hygiene management and ensure it finds its way into policy documents as well as the sector plans and a tangible programme on the ground.” Joining the call to end period poverty, the Managing Director of Golden Star Resources, Shadrack Sowah, re-echoed appeals for the exclusion of taxes on sanitary pads.
The menstrual hygiene management campaign is under the “COVID-19 Pandemic Management in times of COVID-19 and beyond”, a GIZ jointly implemented project with Golden Star Resources, one of several private partners and funded through the develoPPP programme on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The objective of the project is to increase the economic and health resilience within the catchment communities of the private partners in the mining industry to ensure they are better prepared to withstand future pandemic. This project started in September 2021 and hopes to have supported the catchment communities of its partners with enhanced access to healthcare, through Mass NHIS registration, extensive health screening exercises for various diseases, training of selected health personnel and campaign on maternal health by 2024.
President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Most Reverend Philip Naameh, has called on the government to address the rising poverty levels and discrimination in the distribution of state resources to avoid insurgency.
He said: “Poverty and rising inequalities have fostered a culture of hopelessness in our Ghanaian communities, and this has contributed to the recruitment of many of the youth into violent activities, putting the country at risk of external attacks.”
Most Rev Naameh underscored the urgent need for government to distribute development fairly among all groups to avoid widespread perception of discrimination and exclusion among the citizens, to strengthen the peace and social cohesion.
Speaking at the launch of the Sahel Peace Initiative (SPI) Phase II at Bolgatanga, in the Upper East Region, Most Reverend Naameh who is also the Metropolitan Archbishop of Tamale Catholic Diocese, noted that the high unemployment, corruption and unequal access to capital leading to unrest in some Sahelian countries also affected Ghana.
He said there had not been a comprehensive agenda to create enabling environment, particularly for the youth to thrive and that had made them vulnerable to attempts by terrorists’ groups to be recruited to cause instability.
“Once we create this vulnerability for our youth and many of our citizens, then, we invite the conflict even without intending it.
“Evidence of this is the reported incidents of activities of extremists in some neighbouring countries like Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso and along some border communities in Northern Ghana, giving widespread perception that governments in the Sahel are failing to provide critical social services,” he stressed.
Most Rev Naameh said it was “a big scandal” for majority of the citizens to be discriminated against when it came to the distribution of development projects, adding that “leaders must be committed to the common good of all Ghanaians.”
“While the majority are poor and struggling to get one meal a day, others can afford everything from the same Ghana, even primary school, they will send their children to Europe and America and this a big scandal which I call on those who manage our resources to address and do so immediately.
“If there is hardship, let everybody living in Ghana experience it but if some are excluded from it and take a life which approaches more of a wealthy country, then I will say that it is not right,” he said.
The archbishop commended government for efforts being made in the security and said it needed to make security presence visible in communities in Northern Ghana, especially those bordered by the countries which had experienced violence, to ensure that the country was protected.
The SPI is a peace project being rolled out by the Catholic Church with funding from the Catholic Relief Services (CRS), to create awareness on threats of terrorism, promote social cohesion through advocacy and build the resilience of communities affected by conflicts in the Subregion.
It would also work with relevant stakeholders to find mitigating measures to resolve conflicts through mediation and dialogue and respond to humanitarian needs of people affected by the threats and conflicts.
The project is being coordinated by the National Catholic Secretariat (NCS) and implemented by the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Catholic Diocesan Development Organisation (NABOCADO), a faith development organization.
Mr. Thomas Awiapo, the Executive Secretary, NCS, said the project which would involve women in the peacebuilding processes would build the capacity of communities especially the youth to enable them to identify early warning signals of activities of terrorism and help to combat them.
The minority in parliament has argued that paying cocoa farmers fair rates for their crop is the least that the Akufo-Addo administration can do in light of the country’s high inflation and general misery.
The government was criticized by the opposition members as being insensitive because, in their opinion, cocoa producers are suffering from extreme hardship.
In a press statement issued by Ranking Member on the Finance Committee of Parliament, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, reacting to the 1.13bn Syndicated loan agreement signed y the Ghana Cocoa Board and the Ministry of Finance, the Minority said the international price of cocoa has appreciated slightly, above the previous year levels, so this Government should not, in this dire economic situation remain insensitive to the plight of cocoa farmers, stakeholders and Ghanaians in general.
“We wish to assure our hard-working cocoa farmers, that a future NDC government will not short-change them, and only wait to increase cocoa prices in an election year as we saw in 2020 and which they appear to be planning to repeat,” the statements aid.
Below is the full statement…
Farmers and stakeholders are running out of patience for COCOBOD. Every year cocoa prices are announced at the opening of the season. 1st October is internationally recognised as the start of the cocoa season worldwide as affirmed by the UN body for cocoa, the International Cocoa Organisation — ICCO.
2. This year COCOBOD opened the cocoa season without a producer price for cocoa. After wasting scarce resources to organise a cocoa day that,was poorly attended, farmers and stakeholders in the cocoa industry are left in suspense about the price.
3. We wish to send a loud and clear message to this government; cocoa farmers are fed up and demand their cocoa price now.
4. After all this uncertainty, government should not announce any price below GHS 1000 per bag, or GHS16,000 per tonne. Ghanaians are all witnesses to the historic depreciation of the Cedi. In 2021, COCOBOD used an exchange rate of GHS 6 to the $1. We wish to
remind them that the dollar is now more than 10. Even at the dollar equivalent price, famers and all stakeholders including LBCs and Haulers should receive higher prices and margins this year.
5. On Friday 30th September 2022, Ivory Coast announced a price of 900 CFA which is equivalent o GHS852 per bag or GHS13,632 per tonne. If this government fails to raise cocoa prices, it could trigger massive smuggling, particularly at a time when we need every single dollar
6. With significant volumes of cocoa purchased in October, the Ivorian price now leading Ghana by a whopping GHS192, Ghana could be losing cocoa to smuggling as a result of the needless delay in announcing the producer price.
7. Considering extreme inflation and hardship in the country, the least this insensitive government can do is to pay cocoa farmers remunerative cocoa prices.
8. In addition, the international price of cocoa has appreciated slightly, above the previous year levels, so this Government should not, in this dire economic situation remain insensitive to the plight of cocoa farmers, stakeholders and Ghanaians in general.
9. We wish to assure our hard-working cocoa farmers, that a future NDC government will not short-change them, and only wait to increase cocoa prices in an election year as we saw in 2020 and which they appear to be planning to repeat.
Very late and very little: 2022 syndicated loan
10. The Syndicated loan was signed on 3rd October 2022, for the first time in 30-years. The Syndicated Loan is typically signed
before October so that the draw down is timed to the start of the season. However, this government has added late signing of syndicated loans to its plethora of failures.
11. Parliament approved up to $1.3 billion syndicated loan. However, COCOBOD could only get $1.13bn. This is purely due to the lack of confidence in the Ghanaian economy resulting from the generally agreed incompetence and gross mismanagement of the
Ghanaian economy.
12. With huge and unprecedented debt overhang at COCOBOD, will the syndicated loan go into purchase of cocoa and related operations? Or will LBCs suffer the same faith of borrowing very expensive loans to buy cocoa from farmers, only for COCOBOD
not to pay them, as we have seen since 2017?
13. During the just ended season, COCOBOD took a loan of $1.3billion to buy 850 tonnes of cocoa. Actual production is about 700,000, the lowest production in more than 10 years. Another unprecedented failure. Yet LBCs complain that COCOBOD is still owing them for cocoa delivered. Where is the money?
14. This Government is collapsing the cocoa sector as it has done to every other sector. They must be reminded that Cocoa is the backbone of the Ghanaian economy. Ghanaians are saying enough of the mismanagement.
15. The NDC Caucus in Parliament demands an urgent intervention from the President on the policy alternatives we have provided in this statement so our suffocating cocoa sector would be salvaged.
The Member of Parliament for Daboya-Mankarigu constituency in the Savannah Region and Deputy Minister of Health, Alhaji Mahama Asei Seini has bemoaned the devastation caused by flood waters from the Bagre Dam to his constituents.
The development he says is making his constituents poorer as economic activities have come to a halt following the cutting off of the only road to the constituency by the floods.
The annual floods which happen along the White Volta and Mole rivers and which pass through the north Gonja district appear to be worsening.
Just as it happened in 2021, the only road to the district, the Busunu Daboya road, has been cut off for weeks now, leaving the area inaccessible.
Commuters who must travel into or out of the area have resorted to boats, a situation that is making life difficult for the people.
Alhaji Asei after touring the affected areas of the district said the situation is worsening poverty in the area.
“From the Busunu side of the constituency, we have the Mole river there that is at the south. From the Tamale side you hit the White Volta with its numerous tributaries at the north. Anytime the Bagre is spilled, we are cut off from the rest of Ghana. You can only access this place by helicopter or boats as we have done. The Busunu side where the lorries used to carry passengers and goods into Daboya town has also been cut off and as a result, we are not able to link with anywhere in Ghana, this is devastating.”
The worried-looking MP said his constituents are at the moment left at the mercy of the White Volta and the Mole river.
“We are left at the mercy of the White Volta and the Mole river. It is a very worrying development that all economic activities have come to a halt, people are not able to cart their goods from the farms to the marketing centres. Techiman and Tamale are our best bets in terms of economic activities since the linkages have been cut off, and we are in the middle, no economic activity has taken place and this has heightened poverty and deprivation.”
Alhaji Asei wants the Ministry of Roads and Highways to get a competent contractor to permanently engineer and fix the Busunu Daboya road, which has cut the constituency from the rest of the country, as soon as possible.
“I cherish my constituency very much because it is one of the constituencies that brought the government into power. We are the only constituency in the region which won for the president and the MP and when these things are happening we need to wake up as a government and so I am appealing to government and the ministry of roads and highways to come to our aid and make sure these roads especially Busunu entering Daboya is given to a competent contractor which has got the requisite skills to fix the road once and for all.”
The Burkinabe business community has been reassured by the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority’s Director General, Michael Luguje, of the Authority’s unflinching commitment to maintaining Ghana’s ports and corridors as the top choice for transit trade.
When a group from the Burkina Faso Chamber of Commerce, led by its president, Mahamadi Savadogo, paid a working visit to the Port Authority to look into methods to improve the business relationship the two parties have in the transit trade, the GPHA Boss made the Authority’s objectives known.
The delegation made a few concerns known such as port tariffs, the payment of VAT on transit goods charged by the GRA and the harmonization of shipping line charges among others.
The DG of GPHA explained how the Port Authority is working closely with the Government of Ghana to arrive at mutually beneficial solutions.
On shipping lines charges, Mr. Michael Luguje stated that “for now, government is unable to regulate the charges of shipping lines, so the charges are often arrived at by engagement and trade-related levels. However, it is a matter of concern. The Port Authority, the Ghana Shippers Authority and our mother Transport Ministry are discussing to see what arrangement we can arrive at.”
Likewise, the Director General of GPHA revealed that the Authority is working closely with the GRA to decide on the future of VAT as a transit charge.
He called for increased collaboration between his outfit and the economic operators of Burkina Faso in research and information sharing towards the improvement of services for the transit business.
The DG says while the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority collaborates with other ports to ascertain the cost of doing business in each country, a holistic and accurate picture of all the cost components is hard to come by. As such, he is falling on the economic operators to assist in providing such data that will help the Authority work with stakeholders within the chain devise strategies to reduce cost of doing business.
In a new court filing, Angelina Jolie accused Brad Pitt of choking one of their children and striking another on a 2016 flight.
The former couple has been engaged in a lengthy legal battle since Jolie first filed for divorce from Pitt in 2016. The two have been single since 2019.
The biggest stake in the divorce continues to be the custody arrangements for the couple’s youngest children.
In 2021, Brad Pitt was awarded joint custody of his six children with Angelina Jolie, a source familiar with the situation confirmed to Insider. Page Six first reported the news.
“Pitt has always been seeking the opportunity to have more time with his children and prioritized their well being while the other side did everything to try and stop that,” the source, whose identity is known to Insider but is being withheld due to the nature of the information, told Insider at the time.
If you’re not familiar with the Jolie-Pitt family, here’s a primer on the children in the order they became a part of the Brangie brood.
Maddox was adopted by Jolie in 2002 from Cambodia and originally changed his name from Rath Vibol to Maddox Chivan Thornton Jolie when she was still married to Billy Bob Thornton.
The following year, she opened a foundation in Cambodia (now the Maddox Jolie-Pitt Foundation) which helps provide health care, education, and conservation projects. In 2006, a children’s center was opened under his name in Cambodia’s capital.
Maddox had a small part in Pitt’s 2013 movie “World War Z” where he played a zombie who was shot. Maddox helped his mother with work on a Netflix original film based in his home country of Cambodia. Jolie directed and produced an adaptation of the Loung Ung memoir, “First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers.”
“The film will change Mad, but as much as he’s discovering the horrors of the past, he’ll also be discovering the culture before the war, the dignity of his country, how they held their heads up,” Jolie told Vogue in 2015 of Maddox’s role working on the film.
Pitt formally applied to adopt Maddox in 2005 at the same time he applied to adopt the couple’s other adopted daughter, Zahara.
It has also been reported that an alleged fight between Pitt and Maddox on a plane trip may have played a role in Jolie’s decision to file for divorce. In a statement released by Jolie’s attorney at the time of the announcement, it was said the decision to divorce “was made for the health of the family.”
The FBI cleared Pitt of child-abuse allegations in November 2016.
Maddox currently studies at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea. In a 2020 interview with Extra, Jolie said Maddox returned to the US to take his classes online. And in February 2021, Maddox showed off a rare look at the large dragon tattoo he has inked on his right rib-cage in a photo British Vogue published of Jolie cutting her son’s hair. The photo was among several intimate at-home snapshots Jolie shared for the magazine’s March cover story.
Maddox celebrated his 21st birthday in August with Jolie and his siblings before helping his sister, Zahara, start her own college journey.
The Member of Parliament for Effutu, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has made donations of tools and equipment to students of Winneba NVTI.
The tools and equipment which were handed over to Mr. Martin Young, the Principal of the institute, include ovens, sets of tool boxes for plumbing and electricals, laptops for I.T and industrial sewing machines for students in fashion.
Receiving the tools and equipment, the Principal of the institute recounted all the help and assistance received from the Member of Parliament for Effutu.
“This institute is very grateful to Honourable Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin for his immense contributions to the growth and development of this Winneba NVTI. At no point in time have we called on him that he hasn’t assisted us,” he said.
“Quite a number of students received scholarships from him every year. We have also received drilling machines today from him. He has built and furnished for us a new library complex stocked with 50 computers. There is also a 60-capacity classroom which has helped in our intake,” he said.
Mr. Martin Young also pointed out that the Deputy Majority Leader has also built a summer hut for the Winneba NVTI.
“We are eternally grateful for the assistance we have been receiving from Honourable Alex Markin. Without these tools and equipment, we have been finding it extremely difficult to function. This is a great relief to us, and we are grateful to our MP,” he further stated.
“Don’t forget the MP for Effutu, Honourable Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin. It is not everybody, it is not every MP that’ll do this. He has done so much for the school, and he is now doing it for individuals. He knows you are finishing school and that you need these things to start life. So you tell your parents to appreciate these,” he said in his concluding remarks.
The donations were made on behalf of Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin on Tuesday, October 4, 2022, at the Winneba National Vocational Training Institute.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has lauded the Ghanaian Muslim community for its decision to come together and advance the cause of the members and society in general.
The development, he said, was worth emulating by the other religious bodies, especially the resolve of the various sects (Al-Sunna, Tijaniyya, Shia, Ahmadiyya and the Ghana Muslim Mission) to bury their differences and establish a common front to spearhead the welfare of the people.
“It will make for unity, harmony and the peace of our country,” President Nana Akufo-Addo noted, when the leadership of the National Muslim Conference paid a courtesy call on him at the Jubilee House, Accra.
The delegation was led by the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Dr Osmanu Nuhu Sharabutu, who chairs the Conference.
The conference’s terms of reference include providing a common platform for the Muslim community to deliberate on issues of common interests, particularly in the area of education, health, finance and the general wellbeing of the people.
It is mandated to serve as a mouthpiece to engage the government and other bodies on matters relating to the community’s advancement and represent Muslims in the process of formulating and implementing national policies.
The Conference is expected to work towards the establishment of the Ghana Islamic Education Service, Ghana Islamic Health Service and Ghana Islamic Financial Service – all intended to cater for the needs of the people.
President Nana Akufo-Addo welcomed the unity of purpose existing among Muslims, saying the government acknowledged the critical role they played in achieving the nation’s development aspirations.
On the issue of the state giving formal recognition to the conference, the President assured: “The demand for recognition will be positive,”
“The recognition, courtesies and protocols that are extended to the other religious bodies will also be extended to the National Muslim Conference,” he stated.
President Nana Akufo-Addo singled out for praise, the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Dr Osmanu Nuhu Sharabutu, for his exemplary leadership and commitment to the cause of humanity.
“He has been a pillar of harmony of peace and reconciliation of our country,” he observed, citing the significant role the National Chief Imam had played over the years in uniting the Muslim community.
The nation, he said, was blessed to have such a man who continued to demonstrate a high sense of selflessness and patriotism in the development aspirations of the nation.
President Nana Akufo-Addo indicated that his Administration valued the contributions of Muslims to society’s progress, therefore, the authorities were determined to sustain the existing relationship between the government and that community for the benefit of the people.
The setting up of the Zongo Development Fund and other human-centred programmes, he said, were all geared towards making life comfortable for the Muslim community.
Alhaji Inusah Mohammed, Acting General-Secretary of the conference, said the body had representatives of all the various Muslim sects in the country.
According to him, their focus was to present a common front in deliberating on national policies and legislations that affected the people’s welfare.
Maulvi Mohammed Bin Salih, the Ameer of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission and Member of the Conference’s Governing Board, said the coming into being of the Conference was timely given the fact that Muslims had since the pre-colonial era been instrumental in changing the society for the better.
