Award-winning Ghanaian actor and film director, David Dontoh has said he is not retiring anytime soon, not even when he is 100 years old.
According to the 58-year-old actor, it is easy for a person of old age to still be on the job provided he or she can walk and speak.
“I don’t know why they even use that word ‘veteran actor’. I’m not retiring, in fact, actors are the only professionals who don’t retire. If I am even a hundred years and can walk and talk, I will still act,” David Dontohsaid on e-TV in a studio discussion monitored by MyNewsGh.com.
David Dontoh is one of Ghana’s finest actors who has featured in both local and international movies.
He has been very influential in the development of television and drama, especially, during the golden age of theatre in Ghana in the 80s and 90s.
He took up acting in 1980 after seeing a National Film and Television Institute(NAFTI) newspaper advert inviting potential actors to come forward for training in stage and film acting.
The title of his first NAFTI film was “The Way To Shame” – a seven-minute stage production that was directed by Alex Bannerman as part of his formal assessment in drama production.
Alex, who was a student of NAFTI at the time, had chanced upon David and persuaded him to play the lead role as the intended person had not shown up during the shoot.
In what is believed to be a string of ritual killings that have struck Wa, the capital of the Upper West Regional, four dead have been found, and a thorough search is still on for three missing people.
At Bamahu, a Wa suburb, a suspect named Kankani Adongo was detained last Tuesday.
Latest body
The last of the four bodies, which was in an early stage of decomposition, was discovered last Monday in an uncompleted building near the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) on the Wa-Kumasi road.
Last Sunday, the third body was found in a shallow grave.
A statement issued by the police said the Special Purpose Police Intelligence and Investigation teams working with members of the Wa community said on September 18, 2022, the body was discovered in a shallow grave at Bamahu, a suburb of Wa.
The deceased was identified by family members as Seidu Baga, who was reported missing on September 16, 2022.
The bodies had been deposited at the Upper West Regional Hospital morgue by the Special Purpose Intelligence and Investigation team dispatched by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare, to the municipality, in the aftermath of demonstrations by residents calling for police action over the killings.
The police said a pathologist from the Police Hospital was heading to Wa as part of the investigations.
Police presence
The presence of the special police team had raised hopes among residents for the arrest of the perpetrators of the heinous crimes.
The Police High Command had announced a GH¢100,000 reward for anyone who would come with tangible information leading to the arrest of the suspects.
Visits
Meanwhile, the IGP had ended a three-day duty tour of the region, which took him to all the districts to acquaint himself with the police preparedness to combat crime.
The Minister for the Interior, Ambrose Dery, had also been to Wa where he met leaders of the Wala Traditional Council and gave an assurance of thorough investigations to bring the perpetrators to book.
In a video, Ghanaian gospel musician,Diana Asamoah, has flaunted an Israeli man she claims is the husband she prayed to God for before embarking on a Holy trip to Israel.
According to the gospel star in a video she shared on TikTok, no one should doubt her as she introduced a middle-aged man wearing a pair of sunglasses and an all-black attire.
“Ghanaians, this is what God has done. God’s miracles follow me. When I got to Isreal, this was the first thing I prayed about: I wanted an Israeli man. God has done well, this is he.
“The husband I have got for myself. We are bringing Israel to Ghana. This, don’t doubt it. Thank you all. My husband’s name is…[Pause]…What is your name?” she asks the man.
All this time, the man stood quietly looking amused at what Diana Asamoah was saying, probably lost with the whole introduction in the Twi language she spoke.
While her said husband stood amused, the gospel artiste smiled through her introduction as though she couldn’t believe it herself.
She did this presentation of her Israeli man wearing a beautiful long dress, coloured yellow with simple well-kept hair, braided in three big corn rows.
Although the worshipper recently made headlines following the fallout between her producer who doubles as her CEO, she seems happy and unperturbed by the news.
Emmanuel Anane Frimpong announced in a press release dated August 4, 2022, said he would no longer work with the gospel artiste.
According to the CEO, the gospel star derailed from the main reason they were brought together to work, with her attention channelled towards other things like her looks and many other things.
Diana Asamoahflaunts Israeli man, claims he is the husband she prayed to God for.
To strive for excellence in student training, the Eastern Region’s Kyebi-based Kibi Presbyterian College of Education (KPCE) has begun its 60th anniversary festivities.
On March 10 of the following year, the celebration with the theme “Giving voice to the Presbyterian value in pursuit of academic excellence: the duty of the 21st Century teacher” is anticipated.
The projects were a fully furnished modern visitors lounge, a three-storey female residential facility, a sachet water factory, a 22-seater water closest toilet and an infirmary.
Anniversary lecture
The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG), Rt Rev. Professor Joseph Obiri Yeboah Mante, delivered a lecture on the celebrations.
According to him, the college would continue to expand its programmes to meet the needs and aspirations of modern industry and society.
He noted that the college’s academic performance had improved and it was currently one of the best colleges of education in the country in terms of infrastructure development.
That, Rt Rev. Prof Mante indicated, was in line with the holistic nature of discipline in Presbyterian educational institutions as well as individuals.
The Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology Education, at the University of Cape Coast, Professor Douglas Darko Agyei, who was the guest speaker, said academic excellence was the ability to perform, achieve and excel in all aspects of education.
Professor Agyei explained that academic excellence was one’s intellectual understanding and capacity as well as skill rendered to the service of humanity.
That, Professor Agyei pointed out, would benefit the students they would be teaching in the future.
He noted that the college’s academic performance had improved and it was currently one of the best colleges of education in Ghana in terms of infrastructure development.
Professor Agyei, therefore, called on the government for financial clearance to open up spaces for more enrolment of teacher trainees and other non-teaching staff to enhance teaching and learning in the college.
Aspirations
The Principal of the College, Rev. Charles Fosu-Agyarkwa said the launch afforded the college the opportunity to reflect on its 59 years of growth, greatness and to celebrate all that the college achieved.
Many years after the declaration of African unification, he claimed that the obstacles of a shared currency, intra-African trade, and free movement of people and products remain.
According to Mr. Mahama, “Kwame Nkrumah truly never dies because his words will ring true for Africa across eternal millennia.”
In a tribute to the memory of Dr Nkrumah to mark Nkrumah Memorial Day which falls on his birthday on September 21 each year, President Mahama said “the visionary words by the Founder of our nation, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, span the timeless future of Africa.”
In front of 31 other African heads of state who met in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, on May 24 1963, Nkrumah appealed, cajoled, and did everything in, perhaps his greatest speech ever, to convince his colleagues to go the whole hog and create a strong continental union. Sadly, they decided otherwise.
“It is clear that we must find an African solution to our problems, and that this can only be found in African unity. Divided we are weak; united, Africa could become one of the greatest forces for good in the world,” Dr Nkrumah said
Nigerian actress Rita Dominic has debunked reports that she has given birth to twins.
This was after reports of the actress welcoming twins with her husband, Fidelis Anosike in the UK went viral on Wednesday afternoon.
Many expressed immense joy and congratulated the couple, especially with the film star barely a few months after tying the knot with her hubby in a star-studded event.
However, on the film star’s Instagram page, her last post was made six days ago where she shared a throwback photo, wishing her fans, the Zamundans a ‘Happy Throwback Thursday.’
Taking to her Twitter handle on Wednesday night as the reports continue to make waves online, Dominic shared with her fans a GIF with the inscription “fake news”.
Her post elicited mixed reactions as many took to the comment section to berate the height of misinformation bedevilling the society while others hoped for a real celebration soon.
3,954 students have been sent by the University for Development Studies (UDS) to various villages in the Northern, Savannah, North East, and Oti regions to provide community-based education services.
The TTFPP, which is a component of UDS’s academic programs, aims to meld academic study with civic engagement by assisting students in understanding and cultivating positive attitudes regarding residing and working in underprivileged areas.
Orientation, advice
Before they were dispatched, the students were taken through an orientation in Bimbila last Monday, to prepare them for the task ahead.
Professor Al-hassan, therefore, admonished the students to generate credible data to write comprehensive reports to help in effective development planning towards addressing challenges in the communities.
He also advised them to make positive impacts by assisting in community services in the areas of teaching school pupils, health care and environmental sanitation among others in their host communities.
Prof. Al-hassan further urged them to abide by the laid down rules and regulations governing the TTFPP, saying, “you are required to exhibit higher professional conduct and discipline while you live and study, as well as being ambassadors of the UDS brand in your communities”.
Commendation
The Nanumba North Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Abdulai Yaquob, commended the leadership of the university for instituting the TTFPP, and said most district assemblies had benefited from the reports written by students in their short and medium term development planning.
“The communities you are being deployed to, possess a wide range of relevant indigenous information and you have to work with the community structures and members in general to generate ideas, coordinate their thoughts and then present the issues and facts in an intellectual and acceptable manner for the attention of duty bearers for further intervention,” he noted.
Expectations
A BSc Social Change Communication student, Mumuni Yunus, who had been deployed to the Adamkpa community in the Krachi West District in the Oti Region, told the Daily Graphic that he was anxious but also excited and looking forward to a successful programme.
“It is both academic and social service, so I am a bit anxious, but I am looking forward to make the most out of the opportunity,” he said.
The symposium’s goal was to provide young Ghanaians in schools with academic, mentorship, and career support as they pursue academic and employment prospects. Its theme was “Life After School: Championing Chemistry/science-Related Careers in Ghana.”
The event, according to Dr. Anthony Karikari, Deputy Director of the CSIR-Water Research Institute, would enable students to grasp their particular abilities, relationships, and chances for growth and development as prospective scientists.
He added that it would help the students discover their passion for what they loved, commit to their studies, and establish meaningful careers that would enable them to succeed in their chosen fields of specialization.
He said as part of the CSIR-WRI corporate social responsibility to Ghanaian communities, the institution contributed towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal Four which aimed to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
She said for the students to succeed as young persons, they needed good educational policies, parental guidance and dedicated teachers.
Speakers at the symposium included a Principal Research Scientist at the CSIR-WRI, Dr Ruby Asmah, and the head of the Out Patients Department of the University of Ghana Hospital in Legon, Dr Afua Amoabeng Nti.
Both speakers encouraged the students to develop their spiritual capacity by getting closer to their Maker, build up their emotional, intellectual and social capabilities, and their physical capital through good grooming, learning etiquettes and excellent communication skills.
In a remark, the Director of the CSIR-WRI, Professor Mike Osei-Atweneboana, advised the students to pursue their desires and have a back-up plan in case life did not go as planned.
Institutions which participated in the symposium included Saint Mary’s SHS, Accra High School, Accra Girls SHS, Accra Academy, Achimota School and the Presbyterian Boys’ Secondary School.
An early-career research scientist with the ,CSIR-WRI, Dr Pennante Naa Ayikailey Bruce-Vanderpuije was awarded the grant for the symposium from the Royal Society of Chemistry, Inclusion and Diversity Fund (UK).
The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has donated 900 dual desks to 74 schools in the city in order to improve learning outcomes and support high-quality instruction.
She reaffirmed the government’s commitment to addressing the infrastructure gap and fostering an atmosphere that is suitable to teaching and learning in the city in order to improve educational quality and encourage effective learning.
She appealed to the education directorate and head teachers of the beneficiary schools to take good care of the furniture so they could last longer.
She advised the pupils to focus more on their studies to raise the level of education in the metropolis.
The Director of Education at the AMA, Stephen Abamfo, who received the desks at the City Hall of the Metro Education Directorate for onward distribution to the beneficiary schools, expressed his appreciation to Ms Sackey for the presentation and pledged the directorate’s commitment to ensure a strict maintenance culture.
Scientists believe that a whopping 20,000,000,000,000,000 (20 quadrillion) ants live on Earth — and that’s just a conservative estimate.
The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) revealed its stunning findings in a paper released Monday highlighting new insight into the insects’ population, which scientists know little about.
The Earth’s ant population is believed to have a total biomass of ∼12 megatons of dry carbon, which “exceeds the combined biomass of wild birds and mammals,” per the paper.
The scientists from the University of Hong Kongassessed 489 global studies as part of their research into the global ant population as they look to expand the world’s breadth of knowledge on the insects.
Patrick Schultheiss, a lead author on the study who works as a researcher at the University of Würzburg in Germany, described the findings as “unimaginable” in an interview with the Washington Post.
“We simply cannot imagine 20 quadrillion ants in one pile, for example,” Schultheiss told the outlet. “It just doesn’t work.”
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The global ant population “is distributed unevenly” across Earth, according to PNAS. The tropics are home to the most ants, though they can be found in various environments.
Leaf-litter ants are most common in forests, while ground-foraging ants are currently highest in dry, desert-like regions, per Monday’s paper. Ground-dwelling ants, meanwhile, are largely found in tropical and subtropical regions.
Information about insects’ abundance has been “is currently lacking,” despite them being a “fundamental” part of understanding how ecosystems function.
The new study not only emphasizes “the central role ants play” in our ecosystems, but also addresses the “major ecological and geographic gaps” in humans’ knowledge of these insects, PNAS said.
“Our results provide a crucial baseline for exploring environmental drivers of ant-abundance patterns and for tracking the responses of insects to environmental change,” they added.
According to Prof. Opoku-Agyemang, who served as the Pan-African Non-Governmental Educational Organization’s immediately preceding president for six years and is currently a board member, FAWE’s mission is to guarantee high-quality education for African women and girls.
Goal
She disclosed that “our goal is to ensure that our immediate target receives quality education that equips the learner with the requisite knowledge, skills, competencies and values to ensure optimum productive participation in society”.
FAWE was founded 30 years ago by five women ministers of education in Africa namely, Paulette Mousavou from Gabon, Alice Tiendrebeogo from Burkina Faso, Fay Chung from Zimbabwe, Simone de Comarmond from the Seychelles, (current President and Chair of the African Board) and Vida Yeboah from Ghana.
The non-governmental organisation, according to Prof. Opoku-Agyemang, currently operated in 33 countries across the continent, focusing on lifting the education and quality of the African child and woman for meaningful impact and living.
Speaking last Saturday at the institute’s 20th anniversary celebration, he noted that in order to improve teaching and learning in the classrooms, the GES must also focus on its supervisory function.
Curriculum Evaluation
“There is no need to reserve 30% of admission quota for public basic school candidates into category A senior high schools, as the National Council for Curriculum Assessment is ready to introduce new educational reforms,” he said. “Instead, the Ministry of Education and the GES should channel their energies and resources into improving the quality of teaching and learning in public basic schools.”
When the institution first opened its doors to less than 50 students from kindergarten through primary school in 2002, Mr. Asare-Bediako, who told the institute’s history, said it was a small step toward reaching excellence in basic education.
“Today, 20 years down the lane, we have 1,070 pupils with 110 teaching and non-teaching staff, with 3 streams from KG1 to JHS 3. Several factors have contributed to the growth of our school, but two key factors stand out. These are our compelling vision and our enduring values”, Mr Asare-Bediako informed the gathering.
The school is driven by its clear and compelling vision to become a world class school, providing teaching and learning environments of the highest quality.
The special guest of honour for the celebration, Director of Education, Awutu Senya East Municipal, Faustina Alimatu Braimah, in her address, recognised the contribution of Bediako Memorial Institute (BMI) to education in the area.
She congratulated the school on its excellent academic achievement and said the rapid growth and its attendant challenges and nuances in the municipality, called for the need for a balanced education which allowed for participation of private entities.
“The rapid growth with its attendant challenges and nuances in our beloved municipality make the call for a balanced education even more urgent. The participation of private entities has gone beyond desirable to a level of necessity and urgency”, the Awutu Senya East Director of Education stated.
BMI Choreography Group, BMI Taekwondo Squad, BMI Cultural troupe, BMI Dance Band, BMI School choir as well as BMI pupils’ Cadet, displayed top notch performances to the admiration of parents, old students, pupils and the invited guests at the 20th Anniversary celebration held on Saturday, September 17, 2022 on the school’s premises at Kasoa.
Deserving pupils
Prizes were presented to deserving pupils and students who had academically distinguished themselves, as well as teaching and non-teaching staff who have provided dedicated service to the school. The Pre-Tech students, Home Economics students, Visual Arts students and Science students also displayed craftsmanship of amazing artefacts, food, dresses and household items that blew the minds of invited guests.
He also stated that in the case of debt distress, the banking sector will not be the only affected sector.
“We estimate that if there was a 30% haircut, that would make at least several banks insolvent. It’s not just the banking sector that would be affected but also insurance companies, pension funds, asset managers – anyone who holds government securities,” he stressed.
In August this year, rating agencies downgraded Ghana’s creditworthiness status to junk.
This has affected the country’s ability to secure credit facilities from the global market.
Inflation has skyrocketed to an all-time high of 33.9% s the cedi continues to depreciate against major trading currencies.
Meanwhile, three Ghanaian banks have also been downgraded by Fitch.
He said the current global economic slowdown, which has left many African economies in upheaval, was a pointer that the continent required a larger influence on the global economic order when speaking at the 77th annual high-level debate of the United Nations General Assembly.
A watershed moment: Transformative solutions to interlocking difficulties served as the focus of the high-level General Debates of the UNGA77, which began on Tuesday, September 20, 2022, and ended on Monday, September 26, 2022.
Reinforcing his point, the President noted that the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with the Russian war in Ukraine, had seen inflation rates surging a record four times higher in several African countries, including Ghana, making the cost of food very unaffordable, especially for the urban poor.
“Moreover, the spillover from central banks raising interest rates to combat inflation has been severe beyond borders, as global investors pull money out of developing economies to invest in bonds in the developed world.
“This has led to depreciating currencies and increased borrowing costs; meaning we need to raise and spend more of our own currencies to service our foreign debts in US dollars.”
He emphasised that the international financial architecture was skewed significantly against developing and emerging economies like Ghana, saying, “the tag of Africa as an investment risk is little more than, in substance, a self-fulfilling prophecy created by the prejudice of the international money market, which denies us access to cheaper borrowing, pushing us deeper into debts.”
“It has become clear, if ever there was any doubt, that the international financial structure is skewed significantly against developing and emerging economies like Ghana… The avenues that are opened to powerful nations to enable them take measures that would ease pressures on their economies are closed to small nations.
“The financial markets have been set up and operate on rules designed for the benefit of rich and powerful nations, and, during times of crisis, the façade of international co-operation, under which they purport to operate, disappears.
“These are the savage lessons that we have had to take in, as the world emerged from the grip of the coronavirus to energy and food price hikes, and a worldwide rise in the cost of living. The necessity for reform of the system is compelling,” he stressed.
Touching on the theme of the 77th session, President Akufo-Addo stated: “We do not have the luxury of being able to pick and choose which big problem to solve.
None of them can wait; the economic turbulence requires urgent and immediate solution; the turmoil and insecurity in many parts of the world require urgent attention; and so does the need to tackle the problems posed by climate change.”
“A watershed moment, indeed, it is, and history will judge us harshly if we do not seize the opportunity to make the changes that will enable us deal with the many problems we face,” he told the gathering.
Many of the speakers at the Assembly focused their debates on the war in Ukraine, the soaring energy and food prices, climate action and ending COVID-19 pandemic.
The Alliance for Development and Industrialization (ADI) asserts that “if industries are provided long-term, inexpensive financing facility which would enable them to grow their productions for export, the country’s GDP is poised to record double-digit.”
According to the most recent data from the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), the economy grew by 4.8 percent of GDP, but the manufacturing sector saw GDP rise by 8.8 percent by the second quarter of the year.
This means that the government’s industrial policy has begun yielding the optimum results, and if the needed support is given to the private sector, the country will soon achieve a double-digit GDP; this was contained in a statement issued in Accra and signed by Richard Danso, the president of ADI.
According to the ADI, Ghana is most likely to recoup about US3 billion through import substitution in the wake of the speeding depreciation of the country’s currency, the cedi.
The cedi started its free fall at the beginning of this year, almost depleting the country’s Gross International Reserves.
But, according to the Alliance for Development and Industrialization (ADI), the depreciation of the cedi has positioned the country to be self-dependent and a good destination for export.
“What we need to do now as a country is to position ourselves and produce more to support the country and the continent as a whole”, it said.
“Now that importation has now become unattractive, the financial institution should begin to look into supporting import substitution”, it said.
According to the ADI, this would help support the country’s balance of payment and stabilize the cedi.
Africa, with its untapped potential, was the new frontier for manufacturing, technology, and food production, he said, accounting for more than 60% of the world’s uncultivated arable land.
“Africa is prepared for commerce.
When it was his turn to speak at the general debates of the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Wednesday, the President urged world leaders, “Africa needs you and you need Africa.
The high-level General Debates of the UNGA77 opened Tuesday, September 20, 2022 with the theme of “A watershed moment: transformative solutions to interlocking challenges.” It would end on Monday, September 26.
Drawing on the effect of the Russian-Ukraine war that has triggered global food crises, President Akufo-Addo rapped the investor community to see agro-business in Africa more of an opportunity, rather than the perceived, exaggerated risk, which according to him has been false but the dominant narrative.
“There is a renewed commitment towards an inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and economic integration and the intensity of the challenges we face today is only matched, like never before, by the immensity of the opportunity before us.”
“Incidentally, 2022 is billed as Africa’s Year to take action on food and nutrition development goals. We see the current geopolitical crisis as an opportunity to rely less on food imports from outside the continent and use better our sixty per cent global share of arable lands to increase food production.”
“We have enough land, enough water, enough gas and enough manpower to produce enough fertilizer, food and energy for ourselves and for others. You need Africa because Africa is busily building the world’s largest single market of 1.3 billion people,” he stated.
Georgieva said the following when speaking at the Africa Adaptation Summit in the Netherlands earlier this month:
“Ghana’s people have been harmed by exogenous (external) shocks, just like everyone else on the earth.
“The epidemic came first, then Russia’s conflict in Ukraine.
We must recognize that this is not the result of poor national policy, but rather of a confluence of shocks, and help Ghana as a result.
stated Georgieva.
Discussing Ghana’s ongoing talks with the IMF, Georgieva highlighted that the Fund had ‘started very constructive discussions’, noting that she would support Ghana “because your (Ghana’s) strength contributes to the strength of your neighbours; it contributes to a stronger world”.
In the face of the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, as stressed by Georgieva, Ghana proactively entered talks with the IMF for a $3 billion loan.
The loan will be used to stabilise the economy in the face of global economic turbulence, supporting the cedi and helping to reduce the price of food and fuel.
In the past month, the IMF has provided loans to both Pakistan and Sri Lanka, showing the global nature of current economic challenges.
Meanwhile, the immediate past IMF resident representative for Ghana, Dr. Albert Touna Mama, said Ghana has dealt well with those external shocks and expressed confidence that it can deal with these ones too.
“This country has known a lot of shocks and we have navigated those together. There is no reason it cannot navigate the current ones,” Dr. Mama said.
Two U.S. veterans who volunteered to help defend Ukraine against Russia’s invasion and were featured captured by the Russian-backed forces in June have been released, according to their family members.
Alexander Drueke and Andy Huynh, both from Alabama, were believed to be the first Americans to be detained since the war began in February. Drueke and Huynh were freed following a prisoner exchange brokered by Saudi Arabia, ABC News reported.
“We are thrilled to announce that Alex and Andy are free,” a joint statement from their families via Facebook read. “They are safely in the custody of the US embassy in Saudi Arabia and after medical checks and debriefing they will return to the States.”
Alexander J. Drueke and Andy Huynh.Alexander J. Drueke/Facebook; Courtesy the Black Family
“We deeply appreciate everyone’s prayers and especially the close communication and support of our elected officials, Ukrainian Ambassador Markarova, and our members of the US embassies in Ukraine and Saudi Arabia and the US Department of State,” the statement continued.
Drueke’s aunt Dianna Brown Shaw tells PEOPLE that Drueke and Huynh are “spending the night in [the] hospital, they’re in Saudi Arabia, they’re getting fluids and having their vitals monitored, just to make sure they are healthy enough to travel, nothing seemed to be amiss with either of them, they seemed to be okay, just tired, you know, dehydrated.”
“We are hoping they would be released in the morning, and then we can make arrangements to get them home,” she adds.
Two U.S. veterans who volunteered to help defend Ukraine against Russia‘s invasion and were featured captured by the Russian-backed forces in June have been released, according to their family members.
Alexander Drueke and Andy Huynh, both from Alabama, were believed to be the first Americans to be detained since the war began in February. Drueke and Huynh were freed following a prisoner exchange brokered by Saudi Arabia, ABC News reported.
“We are thrilled to announce that Alex and Andy are free,” a joint statement from their families via Facebook read. “They are safely in the custody of the US embassy in Saudi Arabia and after medical checks and debriefing they will return to the States.”
Alexander J. Drueke and Andy Huynh. Alexander J. Drueke/Facebook; Courtesy the Black Family
“We deeply appreciate everyone’s prayers and especially the close communication and support of our elected officials, Ukrainian Ambassador Markarova, and our members of the US embassies in Ukraine and Saudi Arabia and the US Department of State,” the statement continued.
Drueke’s aunt Dianna Brown Shaw tells PEOPLE that Drueke and Huynh are “spending the night in [the] hospital, they’re in Saudi Arabia, they’re getting fluids and having their vitals monitored, just to make sure they are healthy enough to travel, nothing seemed to be amiss with either of them, they seemed to be okay, just tired, you know, dehydrated.”
“We are hoping they would be released in the morning, and then we can make arrangements to get them home,” she adds.
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Shaw also tells PEOPLE that Drueke’s mother, Lois, was able to speak to him after receiving a call from the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia Wednesday morning and confirmed that Huynh was also able to get in touch with his fiancée, Joy Black, around the same time.
As for when her nephew and Huynh are expected to arrive in the U.S., Shaw says “we are hoping within the next two, three days.”
The release of Drueke and Huynh and eight other foreign prisoners of war — including British, Swedish, Moroccan, and Croatian citizens — originated from “mediation efforts” by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Wednesday, per ABC News.
Rep. Robert Aderholt of Alabama shared a picture via Twitter of Drueke and Huynh stepping out of a plane as they safely landed in Saudi Arabia.
After learning about their release, Aderholt tweeted that his office “is working to get more information from the State Department about the health of these men and when they will return to their families in the U.S.”
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also expressed his gratitude to Saudi Arabia and Ukraine for their efforts to secure the freedom, saying in a statement that the U.S. “is appreciative of Ukraine including all prisoners of war, regardless of nationality, in its negotiations,” the Associated Press reported.
“Drueke and Huynh were serving in the Ukrainian Army when the unit they were assignedto came under heavy fire on June 9,” Drueke’s aunt Shaw previously said in a statement via Facebook. “The families first learned the men were missing in action on June 13, and received evidence of their captivity two days later.”
Huynh cited the fact that 18 year olds were being drafted into the Ukrainian Army as the primary reason he volunteered, and acknowledged that “it wasn’t my problem” but that it “broke my heart.” His remarks came in his local newspaper, The Decatur Daily, before flying to the war-torn country in April.
Huynh enlisted in the Marines when he was 19 but was not involved in any active combat. He was born and raised in California and moved to Alabama two years ago to be with his fiancée, the paper reported.
Drueke also joined the army at the age of 19 after the 9/11 terrorist attack and believed his training in the military would help contribute to the Ukrainians in fighting the war against Russia, per the AP.
The U.S. Department of State and Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
The Russian attack on Ukraine is an evolving story, with information changing quickly. Follow PEOPLE’s complete coverage of the war here, including stories from citizens on the ground and ways to help.
Shaw also tells PEOPLE that Drueke’s mother, Lois, was able to speak to him after receiving a call from the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia Wednesday morning and confirmed that Huynh was also able to get in touch with his fiancée, Joy Black, around the same time.
As for when her nephew and Huynh are expected to arrive in the U.S., Shaw says “we are hoping within the next two, three days.”
The release of Drueke and Huynh and eight other foreign prisoners of war — including British, Swedish, Moroccan, and Croatian citizens — originated from “mediation efforts” by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Wednesday, per ABC News.
Rep. Robert Aderholt of Alabama shared a picture via Twitter of Drueke and Huynh stepping out of a plane as they safely landed in Saudi Arabia.
The family of Andy Huynh has informed my office that he and Alex Drueke have been freed from their captivity in Ukraine. My office is working to get more information from the State Department about the health of these men and when they will return to their families in the U.S.
After learning about their release, Aderholt tweeted that his office “is working to get more information from the State Department about the health of these men and when they will return to their families in the U.S.”
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also expressed his gratitude to Saudi Arabia and Ukraine for their efforts to secure the freedom, saying in a statement that the U.S. “is appreciative of Ukraine including all prisoners of war, regardless of nationality, in its negotiations,” the Associated Press reported.
“Drueke and Huynh were serving in the Ukrainian Army when the unit they were assigned to came under heavy fire on June 9,” Drueke’s aunt Shaw previously said in a statement via Facebook. “The families first learned the men were missing in action on June 13, and received evidence of their captivity two days later.”
Huynh cited the fact that 18 year olds were being drafted into the Ukrainian Army as the primary reason he volunteered, and acknowledged that “it wasn’t my problem” but that it “broke my heart.” His remarks came in his local newspaper, The Decatur Daily, before flying to the war-torn country in April.
Huynh enlisted in the Marines when he was 19 but was not involved in any active combat. He was born and raised in California and moved to Alabama two years ago to be with his fiancée, the paper reported.
Drueke also joined the army at the age of 19 after the 9/11 terrorist attack and believed his training in the military would help contribute to the Ukrainians in fighting the war against Russia, per the AP.
The U.S. Department of State and Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
After the passing of Queen Elizabeth IIon September 8, her eldest son Charles ascended to the throne and declared his wife Camilla to be the next monarch.
Additionally, Charles declared that his daughter-in-law Kate Middleton and son-in-law Prince William will succeed to the titles of Prince and Princess of Wales.
Prince Harry and Meghan’s children were still referred to as “Master Archie Mountbatten-Windsor” and “Miss Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor” despite an update to the royal family website to reflect these changes.
Behind the scenes, there have been arguments over titles for Archie, 3, and Lilibet, 1.
Under current guidelines, grandchildren of a monarch could be princes or princesses. A rule established by King George V after he issued a Letters Patent in 1917 read: “…the grandchildren of the sons of any such sovereign in the direct male line (save only the eldest living son of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales) shall have and enjoy in all occasions the style and title enjoyed by the children of dukes of these our realms.”
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.BEN STANSALL/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
As monarch, King Charles III could change that rule, but it’s unlikely he’ll choose to do so.
A spokesperson said that nothing would be decided or said about the issue while the family was in mourning, a period that lasts one week past the funeral.
A source previously told PEOPLE: “Archie will almost certainly become a prince one day. Charles isn’t going to disavow his grandson, so it’s hugely unlikely that he’ll change the rules to stop it happening. The Charles also isn’t going to say that Archie can’t use the title any time soon.”
Chris Jackson/Getty; Taylor Hill/WireImage
When Prince Harry, 38, and Meghan, 41, were married in May 2018, the Queen gave them the titles of Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Archie was entitled to the “courtesy title” of Earl of Dumbarton upon his birth. However, the couple announced that they had not given him a courtesy title and he would be known as Archie Mountbatten-Windsor. Down the line, Archie could be given the secondary Sussex title, before inheriting the dukedom.
The couple relocated to California after stepping back as senior members of the royal family in 2020.
During Meghan and Prince Harry’s 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, the Duchess of Sussex revealed there was a conversation about titles ahead of Archie’s birth.
“They were saying they didn’t want him to be a prince or princess, which would be different from protocol, and that he wasn’t going to receive security,” Meghan said. “This went on for the last few months of our pregnancy where I was going, hold on for a second.”
“And it’s not our decision to make,” she said. “Even though I have a lot of clarity of what comes with the titles good and bad…that is their birthright to then make a choice about.”
In his first speech as monarch, King Charles mentioned his younger son and daughter-in-law.
“I want also to express my love for Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their lives overseas,” he said.
The development of an integrated bauxite and aluminum industry in Ghana has been announced by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
He stated this during the 77th session of the UN General Assembly on September 21, 2022, and added that Ghana was processing more of its cocoa in addition to refining more of its natural resources, particularly gold.
“We are going to exploit the entire value chain of our enormous lithium deposits,” he added, adding that “we are processing more of our cocoa and refining more of our gold.
“We are busily building an integrated bauxite and aluminium industry and an integrated iron and steel industry, building new oil refineries and have, so far, attracted six (6) of the world’s biggest automobile manufacturers to set up assembling plants in Ghana, prior to producing them in the country,” he stated.
He stated that in line with government’s industrialization agenda, the creation of a single market is key to achieving this vision.
He claims that through supporting these start-ups, the numerous young people who are unemployed will be given jobs.
According to a 3news article, the Deputy Finance Minister made this statement during the signing ceremony with 13 Participating Financial Institutions (PFIs) to support the YouStart program.
He continued, saying that despite its development issues, Africa was in a good position to conduct business with the investor world. “Africa needs you, and you need Africa,” he added.
This was mentioned by President Akufo-Addo during his speech to the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, USA.
“Already, goods and services are flowing more freely across our artificial borders,” he said, with a renewed commitment towards inclusive and sustainable industrialization and economic integration.
President Akufo-Addo said it had become clear today more than ever before, the importance of the strength and unity of Africa, with the leaders working assiduously to shed that image of a helpless and hapless continent.
In line with the Africa Union’s Agenda 2063 as well as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Africa’s ambition was to transform its food systems over the next decade.
“What we require now is support from the investor community for the rolling out of this lucrative agro-industry,” he added.
The President urged African leaders to see the crisis that confronted the continent as an opportunity to achieve a breakthrough in the development agenda of the people.
“Incidentally, 2022 is billed as Africa’s year to take action on food and nutrition development goals.”
“We see the current geo-political crisis as an opportunity to rely less on food imports from outside the continent, and use better, our 60 percent of the global share of arable lands to increase food production.”
President Akufo-Addo noted that the continent had come to realize the devastating impact of relying on Russia and Ukraine for 70 per cent of its wheat consumption.
The recent crisis between the two countries, he said, had come with its attendant negative consequences on Africa, hence the need for the continent to champion its own cause to enhance food security and sufficiency.
“We have enough land, enough water, enough gas, and enough manpower to produce enough fertilizer, food, and energy for ourselves and for others,” he said.
On economic empowerment, the President said the creation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, with its office in Accra, was driving intra-African trade and creating unparalleled momentum for economic diversity and transformation.
He cited how Ghana, for instance, had taken measures to process more of its cocoa, refine more of its gold, and was determined to exploit the entire value chain of the country’s huge lithium deposit.
“Ghana is also building an integrated bauxite and aluminium industry, as well as an integrated iron and steel industry, building new oil refineries, and had, so far, attracted six of the world’s biggest automobile manufacturers to assemble and set up manufacturing plants in Ghana prior to producing them in the country,” the President said.
Several African countries had inflation rates surging three to four times higher than what they were two years ago, he said, and Ghana was experiencing the highest inflation for 21 years.
The 77th session of the UN General Assembly opened on Tuesday, September 13, with the high-level debate running from September 20-26.
This year’s theme: “A Watershed Moment: Transformative Solutions to Unlocking Challenges,” acknowledges the shared roots of crises such as COVID-19, climate change and conflict, as well as the need for solutions that build global sustainability and resilience.
Ishmael Yamson, a management expert, has challenged persons in positions of authority to exhibit the greatest levels of ethics and discipline that many Ghanaians long for.
Whether or whether one finds themselves in a leadership position in the political, corporate, religious, or family sectors, he stated, people must never forsake their integrity in order to solve issues and advance the nation.
“For the young people who are coming up, for the leaders of our country and for the leaders in our corporate world, you cannot lead without integrity,” he added. “You can forget about success unless you can uphold the highest levels of honesty.”
“I can say that we have more leaders in this country who have not built than those who sought to build and that is why we are where we are today.
“And I need to say that my generation and the generation that will come, we need to change this mindset that leadership is about positions, honour and glamour. Leadership is neither of these but it is about you making things better than you found it,” he stated.
The event brought together a number of personalities who have demonstrated achievements in different facets of society to inspire the youth. They included the clergy, entrepreneurs and the military.
It was organised by Passionate African Leadership Institute (Pali) Global, a leadership-nurturing, talent-incubating entity with a strong emphasis on inter-generational congruence and ideation.
In his view, many leaders had just failed to deliver what they promised the people.
He, therefore, reminded leaders that in every country in the world, leaders were not appointed for fun.
“You are appointed to solve problems and make the life of the citizens better,” he stated.
He pointed out that Africa was such a prosperous continent but such prosperity had eluded its people.
“IMF bailout should make us ashamed”.
For instance, he said the government of Ghana, a country endowed with abundant natural resources, should be ashamed going to the International Monetary Fund for the 18th time.
He stated that poor nations only resorted to seeking IMF bailout when their economies had been destroyed.
“So, for the past 17 times that we were reckless with our economy, did we not know that we have lessons to learn and that for once, we could say our vision is never to return to the IMF?
“This should mean we will run our country in such a way that there will be no need to seek bailout as we do not need anybody’s money in Ghana to run this country,” he said.
Mr Yamson, who is now 80 years, also noted that Ghana’s economy was facing dire financial constraints due to bad decision leaders of the country had taken over the years, causing the country to lose control over its own gold assets.
“When our leaders sell all our shares in all the gold mining companies in Ghana and leave them to the foreigners then we complain the foreigners are taking our money away,” he said.
Hopelessness
Perpetual bad decisions by African leaders, Mr Yamson added, had caused the African not to enjoy its own natural resources over the years.
“Africa has been in search of prosperity for many decades yet the continent is still the poorest in spite of being the richest continent.
“We have everything to make us the richest continent in the world and why is it that the continent with the richest endowments should suddenly be the poorest continent?” he quizzed.
Expressing disappointment over the level of hopelessness facing many young Africans, Mr Yamson said today, many graduate from universities across the continent only to be unemployed for many years.
“So, the young people in Africa have a huge problem and that is why the leadership in Africa must wake up and think about young people,” he said.
“We all need to learn more about this law because it is not intended for a certain group of individuals, but rather for everyone,” he stated.
Therefore, Mr. Boateng urged the public to fully utilize the commission, adding “our doors are open to everyone and we beg the people to take advantage of this creation to exercise their right.” He was speaking during a health screening exercise.
The health screening exercise and health walk for residents of Madina and its environs in Accra formed part of activities of the Right to Information Week celebrations.
“Artificial intelligence – governance and access to information”.
The celebration falls in line with the International Day for Universal Access to Information on September 28, 2022, set aside by the UN to celebrate access to information across the globe.
Health walk
The residents were joined by staff of the commission to march through some principal streets of Accra starting from Dzorwulu and ended at the Presbyterian Boys’ Senior High School (PRESEC).
They carried placards with various inscriptions which sort to sensitise the public to their right to information.
At PRESEC, they were taken through aerobic routines amid singing and dancing, followed by football matches between various departments of the commission, as well as the Ministry of Information.
And during the free medical screening exercise, patrons were examined for Hepatitis B, eye and breast diseases, High Blood pressure, as well as other diseases.
According to Mr Boateng, the exercise was important because it enabled staff of the commission and the general public to keep fit.
A beneficiary, Vincent Agyapong Bediako, who had successfully gone through the processes, expressed gratitude to the commission and its partners for bringing health care close to the community.
“I just finished checking my eyes. There was nothing wrong with it but I know it’s good to check up. So that’s what I came here to do. I was offered some advice which I intend to follow,” he said.
Naa-Zoori Saaka Sulemana, the supreme chief of the Wungu Traditional Area in the North East Region, has urged those involved in the education system to improve the region’s deteriorating educational standards.
“As citizens, we must be concerned about the situation of education in our area, and it is our duty to support the government’s efforts to ensure that everyone in the North East Region has access to a decent education,” he said.
Naa-Zoori Sulemana made the call at Wungu last Friday when he donated 5,000 exercise books to the North East Regional Education Directorate for onward distribution to pupils in 88 primary and 54 junior high schools in the traditional area.
He said, “I deem it fit to make education development my priority and it is my duty as a traditional ruler to support the growth of education in my area to help produce productive citizens who will contribute to develop the region and the country in general.”
Naa-Zoori urged sub-chiefs in his area to prioritise education development by regularly visiting schools in their respective communities to monitor and help solve pertinent issues that affected the progress of teaching and learning process in the schools.
While urging the regional education directorate to strengthen their surveillance and monitoring, as well as supervision to curtail teacher lateness and absenteeism in schools, the paramount chief also advised parents to develop keen interest in their children’s education and provide them with their basic needs.
Gratitude
For his part, the North East Regional Education Director, Simon Anane Amokase, who received the exercise books on behalf of the beneficiary schools, expressed gratitude to the paramount chief for helping to address challenges such as the inability of some parents to provide learning materials for their children.
He said the seemingly falling standard of education in the region was a concern for his outfit and appealed to the chiefs and other stakeholders not to relent in their efforts to support the directorate to address it.
The West Mamprusi Municipal Chief Executive, Arimeyaw Issahaku Somo, commended Naa-Zoori for the kind gesture and said the government would continue to invest in educational policies which would benefit the region.
The Obuasi Mine of the mining company AngloGold Ashanti (AGA) is rethinking its health intervention to inhabitants in its catchment areas with a new strategy dubbed: “Mini-clinic initiative.”
It entails bringing the clinic right to the doorsteps of the locals while attending to their community’s unique medical requirements.
Following completion of the project, the mining company met the area’s residents’ critical health needs, providing benefits to around 1,000 residents of Nhyiaso in the Obuasi Municipality.
The program is a component of the company’s socioeconomic plan to encourage routine health screenings in rural areas amid worries about a potential rise in HIV, Hepatitis B, and COVID-19 infections.
The Stakeholder Engagement Superintendent of the AGA, Edmund Oduro Agyei, said it was the priority of the company to put people’s health in its host communities first to ensure a healthy community, adding “people’s life matter.”
He said the AGA Health Foundation was to provide quality healthcare not only to the mine employees and dependents but also to the people of Obuasi and neighbouring communities.
Mr Agyei assured the AGA’s continual support to host communities to ensure a sustainable future.
The Senior Manager, Environment, of the AGA, George Owusu Ansah, said the AGA’s malaria control programme remained a flagship health intervention, which was making a significant socio-economic impact not only in Obuasi but in Ghana as a whole.
He said the AGA’s 16-bed capacity maternity block, which was handed over to the Obuasi Government Hospital recently, had positively contributed to improving maternal and child healthcare to the people of Obuasi.
Mr Owusu Ansah assured that the initiative will open a new frontier of bringing quality healthcare to the doorstep of its host communities.
He encouraged the people to take advantage of the initiative and present themselves for screening each time the clinic got to their area.
Diseases
Residents were screened for HIV, hepatitis, toothache and oral health, hypertension, diabetes, eye, COVID-19 among others.
The Principal Medical Officer, Occupational Health of the AGA Health Foundation, Dr Justin Dakora, urged the mine to leave the communities better than it met them.
He encouraged the people to visit the hospital regularly to ensure their health was in better shape.
The MHA chose to develop the idea to assist those who required guidance and counseling on mental health as a result of the increase in suicides in 2017, according to Professor Akwasi Osei, Chief Executive of the MHA.
Additionally, it will aid in lowering the number of suicides.
“We have been consulting with the telecoms providers for five good years, and they finally agreed to the idea with a lower cost,” he added.
The Board Chairperson of the MHA, Estelle Matilda Appiah, who launched the centre, said the initiative was a relief as lives would now be saved through psychosocial support.
“The vulnerable will not have to battle alone with mental issues, but will be able to conveniently off-load stress to the people who have the expertise to help them through their challenges on the other end of the phone,” she said.
She added that it was the authority’s expectation that the initiative would be considered as a national resource and that people would seek to contribute to the long term sustenance of the call centre.
“Once in a while, each of us may experience some form of mental disorder and it is on these occasions that this resource will be available to everyone to help deal with whatever condition the vulnerable may face,” she said.
Important activity
The Head of Communications of MHA, Kwaku Brobbey, said the call centre was one of the MHA’s most important initiatives as it would require the support of all and sundry to ensure its growth and sustenance.
“With this, we can be assured that thousands of lives will be saved every year,” he said.
The Head of the Psychology Department of the University of Ghana Medical School, Prof. Angela Ofori-Atta, said the support system in charge of the call centre, Psych corps, consisted of individuals who had been well-trained and were well-versed in psychology and willing to assist individuals who needed help.
At the Bole District Hospital, the recently constructed Lordina Foundation Maternity and Children’s Ward has been operationalized and has begun to see patients.
This comes after Lordina Dramani Mahama, the president of the Lordina Foundation and the former first lady, donated the necessary soft furnishings, supplementary medical devices, and supplies.
Pillows, blankets, bed sheets, pillowcases, medical gloves, theater gowns, masks, stethoscopes, gallons of detergent, hand sanitizers, and sanitizer stations were among the products displayed.
Other items handed over by Mrs Mahama to enable the hospital to start using the new facility were a mobile ultra-scan machine, blood pressure monitors, autoclaves for the sterilisation room, a vaccine refrigerator, trolleys for the theatre and delivery rooms, baby bassinets, manual vacuum extractors, delivery and caeserean sets, and oxygen monitors.
Mrs Mahama, together with the district health and hospital management, went on a tour of the facility and interacted with some of the first set of patients that were admitted to the wards.
The Bole District Director of Health, Edapewurche Hajia Fuseina Sulemana, and the Medical Director of the Bole District Hospital, Dr Joseph Alphonsus Chantiwuni Nindow, thanked the former first family and the foundation, noting, among others, that the new wards and facilities were modern and would help improve healthcare delivery in the Bole District.
The traditional authorities in the area, urged the hospital management to ensure the proper maintenance of the facility.
Also present were the MP for Bole Bamboi, Sulemana Yusif, and officials of the Lordina Foundation.
The facility
Former President John Dramani Mahama and his wife, Lordina, constructed the 45-bed maternity and children’s ward for the hospital to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their marriage.
The 865-square metre facility has a standby generator, a Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) with three incubators, five phototherapy units and baby weighing scales.
It is also fitted with a Kangaroo Mother and Child Care room, a recovery ward, delivery, and theatre rooms with two beds each and accessories, a sterilisation room, doctors consulting rooms, nurses’ stations, a records room with lockers, a linen room and a store.
Inauguration
Inaugurating the facility, former President John Mahama, who is a former MP for Bole Bamboi, said, “I am a very proud man and husband.
“I want to thank my wife, Lordina; her organisation, the Lordina Foundation; their partners, and our friends who supported us, and ensured that this Lordina Foundation Maternity and Children’s Ward is ready and on time for today’s handing over to the Bole community and the hospital.”
In various sections of Accra, the police have detained 76 people for allegedly indulging in the unlawful trading of foreign currencies (forex), particularly US dollars.
Last Tuesday, a special squad from the Ghana Police Service (GPS) and the Bank of Ghana (BoG) descended on the suspects and took them into custody for illegally buying and selling foreign currency in Accra’s Central Business District (CBD), including the CFA Franc, the euro, and the British pound.
They have now been taken into police custody to help with the investigation leading to their conviction after being collected up from the Rawlings Park, Tudu, Cowlane, the Kwame Nkrumah Circle, Kinbu, Timber Market, and Lava.
The special team, made up of staff from the Foreign Exchange Bureau Office of BoG and police officers, moved from one spot to another, arresting the operators who were engaged in the practice.
According to the act, any person engaged in the business of dealing in foreign exchange without a licence committed an offence and was liable to summary conviction to a fine of not more than 700 penalty units or a term of imprisonment of not more than 18 months or both.
Nationwide exercise
The Head of the Foreign Exchange Bureau Office of BoG, Adjoa Konadu-Tortor, told the media after the exercise that the majority of those arrested were foreigners engaged in the illegal act.
According to Mrs Konadu-Tortor, the exercise formed part of a special operation by the central bank, in partnership with the police, to rid the system of the illegal forex traders, popularly called ‘black market operators’.
She said it was in line with efforts to sanitise the forex market of illegal operators by ensuring that only licensed operators were allowed to trade in foreign currencies.
She stated that similar swoops would be carried out nationwide, with a special focus on places known to be hotbeds for the illegal trading of forex.
The Head of the central bank’s Foreign Exchange Bureau Office described the exercise as long overdue, especially given the “havoc” it caused to the economy and the local currency.
Meanwhile, a statement from the Financial Stability Department of BoG said the swoop on illegal forex traders would be complemented by other measures to help sanitise the forex market.
It said the measures included enforcement of compliance from licensed foreign exchange bureau, particularly with the taking of customer identification (Ghana card) and issuance of electronic receipt for every forex transaction, intensified public sensitisation and media engagements to educate the general public on forex rules and regulations
The $430 million COVID-19 support from the Bretton Woods institution was used by the government in a manner that has been acknowledged as satisfactory by the World Bank.
The World Bank claims that the expense complied with procurement regulations.
The government has been charged with mismanaging the World Bank-funded COVID-19 program meant to combat the pandemic.
Pierre Frank Laporte, the country director for Sierra Leone, Ghana, and Liberia at the World Bank, stated on TV3 that “we know each and every dollar that is spent and accounted for.”
“We have done audits. There are always a few things here and there and some documentation that needs to be followed, but largely, speaking, we are very satisfied that our resources were spent in line with the procurement requirements that existed.”
“All the funds for COVID were not spent. There were immediate things to be spent on, but there was also construction and procurement of equipment. We don’t feel that our resources have not been properly spent,” Mr. Laporte explained.
The money provided by the World Bank was for communication campaigns, the sensitization campaign, equipping labs, equipping new facilities to receive patients, among others.
Meanwhile, Seth Kwame Acheampong, the Eastern Regional Minister has said the government led by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo went to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a bailout to continue the development of the country.
He said the government seeking IMF support was not to solve the economic challenges the country faces.
He made this known when he addressed the Muslims at the Central Mosque in Koforidua during the celebration of this year’s Eid-ul- Adha.
The Minister noted that Ghana is not broke as being festered for political gain by some Ghanaians especially the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Acheampong said “During the COVID pandemic, the President said we know how to bring back the economy but not the dead. So it is the same path of economic restoration that we are on now. I know many people think Ghana is broke reason we are going to IMF. No! That is not the case.
“Fund to run the country is available but going to IMF for more funds to enable government continues its programs and developmental projects. So it doesn’t mean Ghana is broke.”
“This is not the first time Ghana is going to IMF. For the sake of politics, people will say the government has mismanaged the economy but that is not the case.”
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has stated that all countries around the world are working to return themselves to a state of normalcy following the devastating impact of the pandemic of COVID-19, whose effects have been exacerbated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
According to Mr. Nketia, who is popularly known as General Mosquito, his body cannot take the toll of being the scribe of the NDC again.
“Age plays a major role in everything. This job of a General Secretary involves a lot; your time, energy, among others.”
“I have considered all these, and I am of the firm view that I won’t contest again. What I am saying is that, I won’t seek re-election as General Secretary,” Mr. Nketiah said.
Mr. Nketiah, who became NDC General Secretary in 2005, believes it’s time for him to make way for others to take over the administration of the party.
Relatedly, the Director Elections of the NDC, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah has accused the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) of using money to win the 2020 general elections.
According to him, the NPP had outspent the NDC by a ratio of about 1:1000 in the Parliamentary elections in order to win the seats they currently possess in Parliament.
In an interview on Accra based Joy FM, he alleged that the NPP shared money to some electorates on the eve of the elections.
“I believe we won 142 seats, five of them are in court now, and it was through violence. You saw what happened in Techiman, Tarkwa Nsuaem, Sefwi Wiawso and all those other places because of the violence that was deployed.
“And then again the NPP outspent us by a ratio of maybe about one to a thousand, because we know the money we made available to our parliamentary candidates for example. It’s not up to 100,000. It’s not even up to 50,000, but you heard an NPP Vice Chairperson saying that she was given 1 million, just her alone.
So they outspent us absolutely. They had so much cash, and that is why we’re in this crisis. They spent money, they opened the vaults. You’d be surprised to know that in some of the Northern, Savannah regions on the eve of elections bullion vans actually came to pack and money was being disbursed,” he said.
According to him, the election statistics show that even despite an NPP win, the NDC has gained more grounds among the Ghanaian electorates and is poised to take power in the upcoming 2024 General Elections.
It became a major topic of discussion among inhabitants of the nations whose leaders had been ordered to take shared buses to the late British monarch Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral.
On September 19, 2022, Westminster Abbey in the United Kingdom hosted the funeral service for the late Queen.
many world leaders, including the presidents of Commonwealth nations like Ghana and Kenya.
The new King, Charles III, had extended invitations to the presidents of the United States, France, Emmanuel Macron, and South Korea, Yoon Suk-Yeol, among others.
Despite the fact that many foreign leaders had been invited, there were restrictions about procedure for attending the burial.
As part of the arrangements, the office warned foreign leaders to, if possible, arrive in the UK using commercial flights rather than private jets as Heathrow Airport will be closed to that. They were also asked to gather at a site in West London where they will be bussed to and from Westminster Abbey where the funeral was to be held.
As such, Ghana’s President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Kenya’s President, William Ruto, First Lady, and Tanzanian President Suluhu joined an arranged bus consequently for the event.
Details of why Biden, others were exempted:
The U.S President, Joe Biden, and some other leaders from G-7 countries including France’s Emmanuel Macron, Israel’s Isaac Herzog, Canada’s Justin Trudeau, and Emperor Naruhito of Japan were however exempted from this directive.
They could use their official vehicles and for U.S President, Joe Biden who was attending with his wife, it had been stated that he was going to arrive in his 7-tonne armoured Cadillac presidential limousine: ‘The Beast’ escorted by a convoy.
According to the UK’s Express news portal, the White House demanded that Biden travels via a six-car motorcade for “security reasons”. Their request was granted by UK officials hence the development.
The Washingtonpost reports that the U.S. presidential limousine is armored, with thicker wheels, a heavy-duty chassis, expanded space for passengers, secure encrypted communications technology and ornate interiors that can include foldout desks.
The report also noted that officials from Buckingham Palace declined to “comment on security matters” but instead referred them to the U.S to respond to any such questions.
The development was however not received very well, especially by citizens of African countries who believed and suggested that the move by the UK was racist. Others were unhappy and expressed concerns about the security of their presidents being jeopardised.
Khloé offered viewers their first glimpse into the birth of her son on the season 2 premiere of The Kardashianson Thursday. Her son was born months after her ex Tristan Thompson’s paternity scandal initially broke.
Kim Kardashian, who was present for her sister’s delivery on July 28 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, was able to record the poignant event on tape.
From the moment Kim, 41, picked her up that day, Khloé, 38, showed signs of anxiety and said she was “not ready” to have another kid.
Kim, on the other hand, calmed her sister by saying, “You’re never ready, but you’re ready.”
Kim captured their journey to the birth room and the nurses’ preparation once they were inside the hospital.
The surrogate finally started pushing at the crucial moment.
Kim flashed the camera to Khloé, who took her mask off and placed her palms to her face as the physicians urged the patient to exert herself more.
Her baby boy arrived with a small cry only a few seconds later.
“He resembles True exactly!” In the video, Kim can be heard yelling in reference to True Thompson, Khloé and Tristan’s 4-year-old daughter.
Khloé Kardashian and her newborn son.HULU
In a confessional, Khloé said of the happy moment: “I am so grateful. It’s such a beautiful gift that we’re able to have.”
“Ever since December, it’s been this dark cloud looming over me. Every single day, I’ve been feeling depressed and sad, and now that my son is here, I get to move on, and I get to enjoy. It’s almost like I get to close that chapter and be done with this trauma and put it behind me,” she continued as a video montage of her and Kim holding the baby flashed across the screen.
“Now I finally get to start the healing process. Now I get to start enjoying my life with two kids in it and figuring this out,” she added. “This is gonna be day one, and this is gonna be the start of something positive, and happy and beautiful.”
Per the suggestion of Kim, Khloé also allowed Tristan into the hospital to meet his son, despite the ongoing drama between them.
“I’ve been on the fence about letting Tristan come to the hospital or not, but Tristan wants to be here so I just figured, why not let him come? I’ll never get this moment back,” she said in a confessional.
As fans know, Khloé and Tristan, 31, started dating in 2016 and welcomed daughter True in 2018. They split in June 2021 before reuniting. Khloé then ended her romantic relationship with the NBA player in January this year, shortly after it was reported that Tristan was expecting a baby with another woman. That same month, Tristan confirmed he fathered the baby with Maralee Nichols.
However, as Khloé claimed on Thursday’s episode, Tristan allegedly never said a word to her about fathering the other child even as they were trying for baby number two. She alleged they began the embryo transfer for their second child days before Thanksgiving, and she “found out about Tristan’s situation the first week of December.”
Khloé Kardashian and Tristan Thompson with their son.HULU
Earlier during the episode, fans saw Khloé privately struggling with the fallout of Thompson’s infidelity while fiercely protecting the news around her surrogate’s pregnancy.
“I want to keep this private for my loved ones as long as possible,” said Khloé, who had not yet announced she was having another baby. “I can’t hear about this for months, about what an idiot I am, what a dumb f— I am… I can’t even begin to think about that.”
“I’m very scared,” she added. “It’s very scary. I think I’m emotionally equipped but … I have to brace myself for when this goes public because everyone is so mean … and you want to protect this innocent being who had nothing to do with this.”
Meanwhile, Khloé’s family expressed their disappointment in Tristan and continued to rally around her.
“It’s not about the baby, it’s about how this went down,” Kylie, 25, said in a confessional. “I hate that she’s sad… I love my sister, and I hate that she’s going through this.”
“I’m just really disappointed in Tristan,” she added in a separate confessional. “I think it’s really f—-ed up that he knew he had another baby on the way. It makes me really uncomfortable… this is just unforgivable in my books.”
Kim and Kris, who felt bad that Khloé was upset during what should be a happy time in her life, also expressed their thoughts on the situation — and vowed to lift her spirits by throwing her a small baby shower.
“It’s really tricky because she doesn’t want to celebrate anything but you want to start changing her mindset. We have to start shifting the energy a little bit so there’s some positivity and light during this time,” Kim said in a confessional. “It’s almost like this isn’t happening, and I think we just need to subtly push her in the right direction to want to feel the joy of a new baby coming.”
Tristan Thompson and Khloé Kardashian.Jerritt Clark/Getty ; Vivien Killilea/Getty
Kris, 66, shared similar sentiments during a separate conversation with Khloé, telling her daughter through tears, “I feel like you’re a little numb, it’s a lot, and my emotion comes from wishing you would enjoy it more… this is supposed to be one of the happiest times in your life. If you don’t appreciate those moments, you can’t get them back. The older I get, the more I realize how precious these times are, and I just want you to embrace it.”
“I just feel bad for her that the joy was kinda sucked out of it again,” she added in a confessional, referencing Tristan’s other cheating scandal, which surfaced days before True was born.
Later, while giving a speech at Khloé’s baby shower, Kim told her sister, “There’s nobody that deserves happiness like you do. You can’t see it now but this baby is gonna bring so much love and joy and happiness in our lives… he will show you what real love is supposed to be like, and that’s all that matters.”
Western Regional Minister, Mr Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, has called on investors to explore opportunities in the Western Region in order to invest more in the coconut production industry.
He indicated that the Region contributed more than 80 per cent of the country’s coconuts for local consumption and export.
Mr Darko-Mensah made the call when he addressed participants at the second International Coconut Festival which was held on the theme: “Repositioning Ghana’s Coconut Sector for Accelerated Industrialisation.”
He recalled that in 2020, he launched a five million coconut project in the Western Region, which commenced the establishment of two new seed gardens in the Shama and Jomoro Districts in addition to the existing two at Aiyinase and Bonsaso in the Ellembelle District.
The initiative, he said, was to revamp the coconut industry in the Region and expressed hope that more than $400,000 could be accrued to farmers per year should the four million coconut trees planted for the project survive.
He said it was expected that the international support platform and partnership would help investors to leverage efforts in building new relationships to achieve the intended goal.
He noted that there was a high demand for Coconut, which has been increasing by 10 per cent each year on a global scale of which Ghana has not truly capitalized on and, therefore, deemed the coconut festival a timely intervention.
The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor says Aisha Huang’s case can’t be a yardstick for measuring galamsey fight in the country.
He says the issue has been sensationalised. According to him, Aisha Huang is no different from other foreigners who have flouted the laws of the country.
Mr. Samuel Abu Jinapor told Umaru Sanda Amadu on Face to Face on Citi TV that it is outrageous to center the government’s effort in fighting illegal mining (galamsey) on “a Chinese woman, who has flouted the rules of the country.”
“The Aisha Huang case should not be looked at in isolation, but in the context of foreigners being involved in Ghanaian industries and perpetuating criminality and how we deal with it. Yes, it’s unfortunate that she entered the country after she was sent away, but that should not be the focus.”
“We are making it seem as though the entire effort of the President and government revolves around Aisha Huang. Aisha Huang is just a Chinese woman who flouted the laws of Ghana and cannot be a test stone. She is no different from the foreigners arrested a week ago.”
Since Aisha Huang was arrested earlier in September, there have been several claims about how she left the country in 2018 and when she re-entered.
Despite the government providing evidence of a repatriation notice and the Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, saying she was repatriated, the prosecutors in court on Wednesday stated that Aisha Huang sneaked out of Ghana after her arrest in 2017.
The initial report on the case was that she had been deported in 2018 after filing a nolle prosequi to discontinue an earlier case against her.
It also emerged that Aisha Huang in the wake of her re-arrest over illegal mining activities in the country despite her deportation was found to be in possession of a Ghana Card bearing the name Huang En.
Dr. Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah, commissioner-general of the Ghana Revenue Authority, has counseled Ghanaians to develop the habit of saving and investing.
He contends that investing and developing financial planning can protect investors from unforeseen events and shocks.
Rev. Dr. Owusu-Amoah remarked in a speech to attendees at the GRA’s Co-operative Credit Union’s 12th Annual General Meeting that relying on savings is frequently a wiser choice than applying for a loan during uncertain times.
In addition, he urged the general population to make every effort to save some portion of their daily, monthly, or annual income, regardless of the amount.
“Savings gives you a layer of support in times of need or in unexpected circumstances. If you fail to save, you are always tempted to run to ‘loan shacks’ for loans with a substantial interest which can be an expensive service. So, I want to take this opportunity to admonish all Ghanaian workers to develop a habit of savings no matter how small your salary is,” the GRA boss is quoted by Joy Business.
“As you save, you build the habit of converting your savings to investments. So, you can earn significant interest on your money,” he added.
“For us as a nation, saving is a source of wealth creation and that is where investments and other opportunities for growth of the economy come from. Every economy that has a good habit of savings realises sufficient growth.”
The GRA boss in his concluding remarks urged small medium and micro enterprises to also cultivate a savings and bookkeeping culture.
He explained that this will ensure businesses are able to track revenue and honor their tax obligations in a timely manner.
“Businesses that fail to file their taxes on time and opt for a spread of tax liability effectively end up paying more due to the interest accrued,” Dr. Owusu-Amoah concluded.
Chairman of the Upper East Regional Peace Council, Alhaji Sumaila Issaka, has condemned the recurrent conflicts in Bawku, describing them as unfortunate.
He said the sporadic shooting and killing of innocent people were unnecessary and criminal.
“We don’t know who is fighting who, is it Mamprusis fighting Kussasis or Kussasis fighting Moshies, or vice versa or is it an ‘all for all war’ or people want to sell their arms, because those dying belong to all the tribes”, Mr Issaka said.
He said the Bawku area was cosmopolitan with different tribes living together.
The Regional Peace Council Chairman, who shared his experience with the Ghana News Agency after a recent working visit to the Bawku Municipality and its environs, said he had to take a long detour from Binduri district to Garu to Pusiga District before arriving at Misiga, just to avoid volatile areas.
He said businesses at the shops, markets, vehicular and human movement within Bawku had virtually slowed to a halt except the Highways area towards the middle of the Township, where commercial vehicles load passengers and goods.
Meanwhile, the Upper East Regional Coordinating Council in collaboration with the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) at its emergency meeting on Monday, September 19, reviewed the security situation in the area, as part of efforts to enforce additional measures, following recent shootings and fighting in Bawku.
In a letter signed by the Chief Director, Regional Coordinating Council, Mr Inusah Abubakari Alhaji, on behalf of the Regional Minister and copied to the Bawku Municipal Security Council, REGSEC directed that, “only the Ghana Police Service, Ghana Immigration Service and the Military are allowed to use official motor bikes between 6 am to 6 pm.”
Other measures include a temporary ban on Tricycle, commonly called ‘Yellow Yellow’ operations until further notice and extension of curfew to cover Nayoko, Kpalgu and Manga communities.
According to pro-Nkrumah Kwesi Pratt Junior, the socialist movement in Ghana continues to mark September 21 as Founder’s Day even if the nation celebrates August 4 as Founders’ Day.
Pratt claims that the movement is unwilling to recognize August 4 as Founders’ Day, which honors all contributors, particularly the “Big Six” who spearheaded the fight for Ghana’s independence.
On September 21, 2022, he said the following on the GhanaWeb-recorded episode of Good Morning Ghana:
“We still think that 21st September is Founder’s Day. We refuse to accept that 4th August is the Founders’ day.”
September 21 is a day is set aside to remember and honour Ghana’s first President, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
In September 2009, President John Evans Atta Mills declared September 21 to be Founder’s Day, a statutory holiday in Ghana.
However, it became an issue of national debate when the Akufo-Addo-led government challenged the position of Dr Kwame Nkrumah as the Founder of Ghana, adding that he is not the sole founder of Ghana.
Later, President Akufo-Addo proposed legislation to designate August 4 as Founders Day, and the birthday of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, on September 21, originally observed as Founder’s Day, to be observed as Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day.
According to the President, the decision was to acknowledge the “successive generations of Ghanaians who made vital contributions to the liberation of our country from imperialism and colonialism.”
He issued an Executive Instrument to commemorate the celebration of Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day as a public holiday.
He claimed that unmanageable debt levels, credit restrictions on the private sector, and growing fiscal as well as external vulnerabilities were all contributing to the local economy’s instability.
based on Isaac Adongo “Ghana’s financial governance has been in limbo at this time due to Ken Ofori-Atta, the finance minister, being conspicuously absent.
Educative, now is the time for him to step up and offer leadership and guidance to pull this nation out of its own hole.”
It is the unsustainable debt levels, rising costs of debt affordability, high debt service, faltering revenue mobilization, spiralling non-performing loans, credit squeeze to the private sector, and the alarming gross financing requirements of the Government and rising fiscal and external vulnerabilities.
In recent times, Moody’s, one of the rating agencies, just like Fitch, has articulated these concerns aptly in its report on the economy.
But instead of reading the report in the whole for proper appreciation and self-introspection, the government expectedly zeroed in on the agency’s comment on growth after the easing of COVID effects to continue tickling itself for laughter on something it has less control on.
To start with, Moody’s optimism that growth would rebound is obvious. As COVID-19 restrictions ease and lives return to normal, economic activities will pick up and that should lead to strong growth, especially when compared to the prior year. That is why the news from the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) that the economy grew by 3.9% year on year to June 2021 from a negative 5.7% in the same period of 2020 should worry the government and all well-meaning analysts the more.
At 3.9%, the economic recovery is rather sluggish, suggesting that most businesses are still doing far below capacity as Government’s fiscal measures and worsening financial sector is unable to help in reviving businesses and funding growth.
Clearly, this is an automatic or auto-pilot growth consistent with the survival instincts of individuals, households, and businesses.
To celebrate this in the manner in which the government is doing, especially when Moody’s affirms Ghana’s growth outlook at negative, is mediocre and a demonstration of the lack of appreciation of the potential of the economy.
As a matter of fact, Ghana’s foreign currency-denominated bonds have been downgraded by Fitch due to worrying major fiscal risks and external vulnerabilities.
Ghana’s recent growth trajectory as reported by the Ghana Statistical Service provides a clear case of lack of Government support. For example, what has the Government done to take credit for the reopening of restaurants, drinking bars, chop bars, and hotels, among others? Were there any special incentives in 2021? Absolutely nothing.
These are some of the businesses that were closed due to COVID-19 restrictions in the period to June 2020. If the pandemic is gradually dying off and the restrictions are being relaxed, expect the businesses to reopen naturally, albeit at a lower capacity. It is, therefore, understandable that there will be growth, but the rates will be uninspiring because Government has done nothing to support them.
From the effects of a negative growth rate in 2020, a strong recovery of the economy towards its original potential required real quarterly non-oil growth of between 7% to 9% to achieve what can be described as a robust economy. Interestingly, this level of growth requires no effort from Government. It ought to come naturally and automatically because man is rational and a predictable economic agent. This is trite knowledge.
The fact that we are rather registering economic growth of 3.9% from negative or zero betrays a struggling economy with huge challenges afflicting businesses, militating against their ability to breathe adequately.
One of these challenges is the tax regime and the austerity being pursued by Government in the midst of COVID-19 that is suffocating businesses. Over the period, the Government’s desperate desire for revenue has pushed it into other awkward policies that are compounding the problems of businesses in Ghana: taxes have been increased, the cedi IS struggling, port charges are on the ascendancy and petroleum prices are increasing on an hourly basis in the dark.
Instead of giving businesses real stimulus packages, the borrowing-minded government has even compounded the problem with their monstrous presence in the market on a daily basis, competing with and crowding out the private sector in their search for money to borrow.
Which competent economic management team does this?
Under such circumstances, how is this Government expecting businesses to recover to their potential after COVID-19?
It is more worrying, given a negative growth of 4.8% in quarrying and mining and more than 18% contraction being experienced in the oil and gas sub-sector.
To achieve the Government’s revenue targets, the economy must return to its full growth potential of the pre-COVID-19 era and a rebound in growth in the mining and quarry sub-sector.
The 5.2% growth of non-oil GDP and -4.8% in mining and quarrying show an economy gasping for breath to put people to work and food on their tables.
A lot of hard work is needed to fix this limping economy, not a lot of talk and propaganda.
Instead of shopping for experts to help them out of this quagmire, they are spin-doctoring and obfuscating the issues and celebrating an economy that is morbid and needing real fiscal and financial aid and robust monetary policies to recover.
Clearly, the ordinary Ghanaian (corporate or individual) has not yet been restored to the level of comfort in which they were before Nana Addo and his COVID-19 came.
The economy must be brought back to the pre-COVID-19 era and begin to register more positive numbers to create an impact on the lives of people. In order words, until we get there, it is safe to say that the economy is still struggling to return the people who lost their jobs during COVID-19 back to work, talk less of employing the hundreds of thousands of those already unemployed.
It takes sound policies to achieve this. For now, Government hasn’t done anything close to that. Conversely, people are being made worse off by the harsh economic environment.
Under Nana Addo and Bawumia, ‘the average man’s hand goes towards the mouth only when there is the need to drive away flies, not to put food into the mouth’.
Where’s Ofori-Atta?
While this is ongoing, Ghana’s financial governance has been in limbo with the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta conspicuously missing. Instructive, this is the time when he is needed to provide leadership and direction to steer this country out of its own ditch.
As President Nana Addo and his Vice, Dr Bawumia continues to launch one mediocre project after the other, the key official to drive the financing of these Government’s programs to ensure sustainable funding, is nowhere to be found. Ghana under NPP is being treated like a family property where people work at will.
Even when they claim they have several competent people who can provide leadership to get us out of this quandary, the President thinks it must just be only one man (his nephew).
Why is it that only that one person from the President’s family must hold on to the role of a Finance Minister? This obviously speaks volumes about what this “trusted family member” is sitting on for which the President feels uncomfortable to relinquish him from power.
Ken Ofori Atta’s continuous presence there has nothing to do with competence. He is there for a reason that only he and the President know.
Telling Nana to sack Ken Ofori-Atta is the biggest joke. The only way Ghanaians can get to see the most cherished secrets of Nana Addo and the NPP that his Finance Minister is sitting on is for the good people of Ghana to intervene at the polls of 2024.
We are further making a passionate appeal to the good people of Ghana to help save our economy from brazen and unmitigated robbery, hopelessness, and ultimate collapse by voting out this administration and any surrogates or leaches that they intend to impose on our destiny.
The Most Reverend Professor Emmanuel Asante, the former Chairman of the National Peace Council (NPC), has called on the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Tourism to promote dialogue among various ethnic groups in the country.
This would greatly enhance social cooperation, foster and deepen the unity required for national progress, he said.
Prof. Asante made the call when he was speaking at a forum to mark the 2022 International Peace Day in Sunyani.
In 1981, the United Nations General Assembly declared the third Tuesday of September as International Peace Day to strengthen the ideals of peace around the world.
The Bono Regional Secretariat of the NPC organised the forum attended by school children, Islamic scholars, civil society organisations and political party representatives.
Speaking on the topic: “Ethnicism on Sustainable Peace in Ghana”, Prof. Asante said concerted efforts must be made to make Ghanaians understand the need to tolerate each other’s ethnic values and diversities to deepen national peace, tranquility and social cohesion.
He emphasised God created human beings with ethic and cultural differentiations, saying “any attempt to deny who we are impedes our co-existence, growth and social progress”.
However, Prof. Asante said internal conflicts, which remained the bane of Africa’s development, were often characterised by ethnicity, tribalism and religion, and thereby threatened societal peace, required for national growth and development.
Prof. Asante said humans were social beings with diversities, hence the need for Ghanaians to accept and forbear each other’s cultural backgrounds and avoid ethnocentrism that turned to divide the people.
Ethnocentrism, he explained, was the tendency to judge others culture as inferior, and expressed worry that ethnocentric politics in the country continued to undermine and threatened the prevailing peace of the nation.
Professor Emmanuel Asante
Prof. Asante said politically Ghana was practicing a multi-party democracy that enjoined everybody, irrespective of ethnic or tribal background to join a political party of his or her choice, saying “our differences must not impede our healthy growth because reality is diverse”.
”This country must cautiously and deliberately practice ethnic balancing in areas of social and political endeavours, including employments and allocation of national resources in order not to exacerbate latent tensions in the country”, he added.
In speech read on his behalf, Rev. Father William Kyere, the Chairman of the Bono Regional Peace Council, expressed appreciation to all stakeholders, including traditional authorities for their support towards promoting peace in the region.
Earlier, Alhaji Suallah Abdallah Quandah, the Bono Regional Executive Secretary of the NPC, said the members of the Regional NPC had ended their service, saying a new council would be re-constituted.
He urged the people to continue to support the NPC to tackle the diverse problems that threatened the peace of the region.
Alhaji Quandah mentioned perennial chieftaincy disputes and land litigation as some of the pressing challenges and called on the judicial committee of the Bono Regional House of Chiefs to facilitate adjudication of the cases to sustain the prevailing peace in the region.
Football fans who intend to watch the Super Clash between Asante Kotoko and Accra Hearts of Oak on Sunday, April 24, have been informed about how much it will cost them to view the match from the Baba Yara Sports Stadium.
Asante Kotoko, the home club for the match have announced the gate fees for the game on Sunday.
To sit at the ‘Popular Stand’, a fan would have part with GH₵10 while those who will watch from the Centre Line will pay GH₵20.
The Wings of the stadium have been priced at GH₵30 whiles the VIP is pegged at GH₵50.
The match will be Asante Kotoko’s first match of the season following their engagement in the CAF Champions League.
Following their embarrassing exit from the Champions League, Kotoko will be hell-bent on picking a win to bring some joy to their fans.
Hearts of Oak, on the other hand, will be playing their third game of the 2022/2023 season. The Phobians lost and drew their opening two matches against Aduana Stars and Accra Great Olympics respectively.
Pressure is already mounting on coach Samuel Boadu to get the best out of his players and get them back to winning ways.
After being found stealing, a man in Agona Nkwanta was forced to clean the gutters.
Karim, a 23-year-old guy, was apprehended after breaking into a woman’s bathroom as she was taking a bath.
He was apprehended, per a report by Kessben.com, after the woman encountered him in her room and requested assistance from her neighbors.
After learning that the suspect was a serial thief, the locals who had originally planned to beat him up decided they would rather to have him perform hard labor.
The Ghana National Peace Council has appealed to the chiefs and people of the Bawku traditional area to cease fire over protracted conflicts in the area.
Reverend Dr Ernest Adu-Gyamfi, Chairman, National Peace Council(NPC), in his appeal, he admonished them to desist from the act, stating that “nobody gains from protracted conflicts. I am not sure any body involved in the conflict is happy that children are not in school, the sick cannot access health service, movement of goods and people have been restricted and freedoms curtailed,” Rev Dr Adu-Gyamfi stated in his address at the 2022 International Peace Day press conference in Accra.
“Let us confront the realities of the times and move on for the sake of our children and the future of Ghana,” he said.
“It must be said that building sustainable peace is a process which requires the efforts of both state and non-state actors and a daily renewal of the commitment to peace and love for our common humanity.”
He urged Ghanaians to continually commit to the process to enhance sustainable peace in Ghana.
The event was organised by the NPC in collaboration with the United Nations (UN) in Ghana.
The International Day of Peace was established in 1981 by the UN General Assembly to commemorate and strengthen the ideals of peace both within and among all nations and peoples as a period of non-violence and cease-fire.
The Global theme for this year’s commemoration is “End Racism. Build Peace”.
The NPC, in seeking to harness Ghana’s existing inter-ethnic and inter-religious ties and to promote tolerance, unity and a more inclusive society, domesticated the theme to read: “Managing Ethnic Diversity in Ghana for Sustainable Peace”.
Rev Dr Adu-Gyamfi said Ghana was a multiethnic, multi-religious, multi-lingual, and multi-cultural society; and that there were more than seventy ethnic groups in Ghana, who, regardless of their differences, had coexisted in an environment of tolerance of divergent views, and acceptance of differences.
Article 35(5) of the 1992 constitution states that “the state shall actively promote the integration of the peoples of Ghana and prohibits discrimination and prejudice on the grounds of place of origin, circumstances of birth, ethnic origin, gender or religion, creed or other beliefs’
He said managing ethnic diversities for sustainable peace, requires hardwork from both the government and citizens.
He said Peace was possible, and that life was better in a peaceful world.
“Let us, therefore, put aside our ethnic and tribal sentiments and see Ghana as the only nation we have as a people and seek to sustain Ghana as a united nation.”
Touching on Ghana’s Ranking in the GPI 2022, Rev Dr Adu-Gyamfi said Ghana had maintained her place as the most peaceful country in West Africa and second most peaceful country in Sub-Saharan Africa only after Mauritius with a score of 1.759, a percentage increase over the score for 2021.
He called on Ghanaians, institutions of state and civil society to join forces to remove barriers to the realization of a just, fair, open, and inclusive society for all the people.
Mr Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, President, Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), appealed to the Peace Council, the Police Service and institutions of peace to collaborate with the GJA in building the capacity of journalists on security issues to ensure a lasting peace in our communities and country.
He also called on the Interior Ministry to always update the media on the state of insecurity of the country to enable us the media and the citizenry to work towards creating the enabling environment for peace to reign.
Mr Charles Abani, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Ghana, said in terms of peace, Ghana was a crown of jewel in the sub-region; adding that Ghana’s peace architecture was a model for other countries to emulate.
Mrs Afi Azaratu Yakubu, Executive Secretary, National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons, appealed to Ghanaians to use dialogue in resolving their differences.
The event was attended by members of the Queen Mothers Foundation Ghana and students from Labone Senior High School and Accra High School.
The National Youth Authority’s (NYA) Chief Executive Officer, Pius Enam Hadzide, has denied accusations of theft made against him.
The CEO said in a Frontline interview on Rainbow Radio 92.4Fm in the UK that the accusations are untrue, unsubstantiated, and without merit.
He claims that others are spreading untruths and lies about him in an effort to defame him and harm his well-earned reputation.
He was replying to the report that the NYA broke the Ministry of Finance’s order by spending GH1.1 million on sitting allowance.
Responding, he said, “the issue lacks merit. It is baseless, reckless, and untrue.”
The Herald Newspaper, he claims, published the story in an attempt to discredit him and make him unpopular because he has expressed interest in the Asuogyaman constituency seat.
He said no attempt or lies would stop him from doing his work, adding, “when I was appointed, we organized nine board meetings. The cost of these meetings and other activities will not amount to GH¢300,000. The GH¢1.1 million is false and not an accurate figure”.
He told the host that the total expenditure of the NYA is about GH¢246,000 and not GH¢1.1 million, as alleged by the newspaper.
Derailing the costs involved in their activities, he said the NYA organised a Board meeting on November 9, 2021, and another one on 23rd November to continue with the continuation of the issues discussed during the previous date.
“We organised another one on June 24, 2022, January 31, 2022, May, 30, June 15, August 1, and September 7, 2022. The Board meetings were nine, and the costs involved are less than GH¢246,000,” he added.
The Ghana Journalist Association (GJA) has added its voice to calls for the perpetrators of the mysterious deaths happening in Wa in the Upper West Region.
GJA President, Mr Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, who made the call on behalf of journalists in the country urged the Police to ensure that the killers of five people in Wa are brought to justice.
He made the appeal at the 2022 International Peace Day press conference in Accra, which was organised by the National Peace Council (NPC) in collaboration with the United Nations (UN) in Ghana.
“As we celebrate this year’s Peace Day, it is my hope that Ghana and the world will witness a lasting peace,” Mr Dwumfour stated.
“This week alone, we all learnt with shock the dastardly killing of five persons in Wa. This has heightened tension in the Region which, if not handled well can disturb the peace we are all yearning for.”
He called on the Police to do everything within their powers to arrest the perpetrators of this heinous crime.
He said the Police must intensify security in the northern sector of the country, particularly, in Wa and work towards crime prevention, since it was the only way peace could be guaranteed.
The International Day of Peace was established in 1981 by the UN General Assembly to commemorate and strengthen the ideals of peace both within and among all nations and peoples as a period of non-violence and cease-fire.
The Global theme for this year’s commemoration is “End Racism. Build Peace”.
The NPC, in seeking to harness Ghana’s existing inter-ethnic and inter-religious ties and to promote tolerance, unity and a more inclusive society, has domesticated the theme: “Managing Ethnic Diversity in Ghana for Sustainable Peace”.
Mr Dwumfour appealed to the Peace Council, the Police Service and institutions of peace to collaborate with the GJA in building the capacity of journalists on security issues, aimed at ensuring a lasting peace in our communities and country.
He also called on the Interior Ministry to always update the media on the state of insecurity of the country to enable us the media and the citizenry to work towards creating the enabling environment for peace to reign.
“In achieving peace, we all need to put our shoulders to the wheel and commit to it. We need to “walk the talk and not talk the talk”,” Mr Dwumfour said.
He said the citizenry must also assist the Police with information to enable them fight crime which was a major threat to peace; saying “peace is a collective responsibility”.
He reiterated the GJA’s resolve and unwavering commitment to supporting the Peace Council to deliver on their mandate, which ultimately is ensuring peace in the country.
Reverend Ernest Adu-Gyamfi, Chairman, Governing Board, NPC, said the local theme for the celebration was to allow them to address Ghana’s peculiar challenge of ethnic and tribal sentiments that are gaining root in the country and gradually eroding the peace we have as a people.
He called on Ghanaians, institutions of state and civil society to join forces to remove barriers to the realization of a just, fair, open, and inclusive society for all the peoples of Ghana.
He appealed to the chiefs and people of the Bawku traditional area to cease fire; declaring that “Nobody gains from protracted conflicts. I am not sure any body involved in the conflict is happy that children are not in school, the sick cannot access health service, movement of goods and people have been restricted and freedoms curtailed”
Mr Charles Abani, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Ghana, said in terms of peace, Ghana was a crown of jewel in the sub-region; adding that Ghana’s peace architecture was a model for other countries to emulate.
Mrs Afi Azaratu Yakubu, Executive Secretary, National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons, said small arms and light weapons continue to play a terrible role in robbing the nation of its peace; saying “indeed, small arms and light weapons fuel a lot of our conflicts”.
For the sake of peace, she appealed to Ghanaians to use dialogue in resolving their differences.
The event was attended by members of the Queen Mothers Foundation Ghana and students from Labone Senior High School and Accra High School.
GhanaWeb reported on Tuesday, April 23, 2019, that the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs had cautioned its residents in Ghana not to participate in the illicit small mining activity.
“Foreigners still cannot do it…
On the Chinese social media platform WeChat, the government declared that they would not be covered by Ghanaian law.
Chinese citizens who work at gold mines in Ghana will not be protected by their home country if they get snared in a crackdown on illegal mining, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned after some Chinese nationals were detained for working in the African nation.
Although Ghana allows licensed companies to do small-scale gold mining, “it’s still illegal for foreigners” to work in the sector, “and they will not be protected by Ghanaian laws”, the ministry said on Monday on the Chinese social media app WeChat.
Some Chinese citizens had been detained “in recent days” for working at Ghanaian gold mines illegally, it said, without providing details.
China’s embassy in Ghana alerted miners at the start of the new year that they faced the possibility of being arrested as the local government stepped up its crackdown on foreign operations.
An official from the embassy’s consular affairs department, who declined to be identified, said he could not say more about the matter.
The ministry’s consular affairs’ media centre in Beijing could not be reached for comment.
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Chinese miners have been flocking to Ghana, Africa’s second-largest gold exporter and the world’s tenth largest, for several years.
At the height of the miners’ gold rush in 2012-13, more than 30,000 Chinese were mining Ghanaian gold, according to an earlier report by the Global Times, a newspaper owned by Communist Party mouthpiece People’s Daily. About 90 per cent of them hailed from Shanglin county in southern China’s Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, the report said.
But their number had fallen in recent years as Ghanaian authorities had stepped up their raids on illegal mining, Su Zhenyu, secretary general of the China-Ghana Mines Association, was quoted as saying.
But news website Asia by Africa reported last month that 50,000 Chinese migrants had poured into Ghana in recent years, drawn by the country’s unprotected mineral wealth and sky-high gold prices.
Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo called illegal mining by Chinese citizens a top concern.
“Ghana and China have a strong relationship,” he told Nikkei Asian Review last month. “However, we have a big problem [with] Chinese involvement in illegal mining activity in Ghana [and] we have decided to do something about it.”
In June 2013, 124 Chinese citizens were detained by Ghanaian police for digging for gold illegally.
The arrests prompted the Chinese foreign ministry to urge Ghanaian authorities to enforce their laws – in a civilised way – to protect residents from having their resources plundered by foreign invaders.
Beijing has long been determined not to allow relations with Ghana to be undermined by the arrests of the illegal gold miners.
It wants to protect its growing trade relationship with one of Africa’s brightest economic stars.
Ghana-China trade stood at more than US$6 billion in 2017, up 11.7 per cent from a year earlier, according to an article on the website Ghana Web.
It also seeks to defuse any issue that could stoke popular resentment against its citizens doing business in Africa or threaten its expanding trade relationship with the continent.
Brazil head coach, Adenor Leonardo Bacchi, commonly known as Tite could name a strong starting eleven against Ghana on Friday, September 23, 2022.
According to reports, Neymar has picked up a minor injury but the Paris Saint-German superstar could be ready for the match.
Tite could maintain his preferred 4-2-3-1 system with Alisson in goal, behind a back four of Elder Militao, Thiago Silva, Marquinhos and Alex Sandro.
In his double pivot, he could play his regular pair of Casemiro and Lucas Paqueta with Neymar sitting in from of them while Vinicius and Raphinha operate on the flanks.
Leading the line against Ghana could be Richarlison, who will play as a false 9 in the system.
The match is set for 18:30 kickoff time at the Stade Océane in France.
Full line up below
Alisson, Eder Militao, Thiago Silver, Marquinhos, Alex Sandro; Casemiro, Lucas Pagueta, Neymar, Vinicius, Raphinha; Richarlison
In spite of the current economic crisis, Ghanaians are being urged by Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta to keep up their hard work and support the government’s initiatives.
The Minister referenced recent economic growth data from the Ghana Statistical Service as proof of an economy that will recover while speaking at an event for banks backing the government’s flagship YouStart program.
GSS, recently disclosed that the economy grew by 4.8 percent in the second quarter of 2022, compared with 4.2 percent for 2021.
He said: “Indeed, the expected consequence would be the realization of a WISER (Wealthy, Inclusive, Sustainable, Empowered, and Resilient) society, with our young people more confident about their place in the World.”
He also quoted Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first president, to emphasize the need for the citizenry to remain dogged and continually optimistic about efforts to better the lot of Ghanaians.
He courage-laden quote from Nkrumah read, “Countrymen, the task ahead is great indeed, and heavy is the responsibility; and yet it is a noble and glorious challenge – the challenge which calls for the courage to dream, the courage to believe the courage to dare, the courage to do, the courage to envision, the courage to fight, the courage to work, the courage to achieve – to achieve the highest excellencies and the fullest greatness of man. Dare we ask for more in life?”
Ofori-Atta has come under sustained attack recently as critics continue to call for his sack amid the economic downturn.
He has rebuffed the calls and has also gotten the backing of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to continue in his role and to turn around the economy and reset it on a path of growth.
General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, will not contest in the party’s upcoming congress scheduled for December 17.
The veteran politician said it’s time for him to make way for others to take over the administration of the party.
According to him, the position demands a lot.
“Age plays a major role in everything. This job of a General Secretaryinvolves a lot; your time, energy, among others.”
“I have considered all these, and I am of the firm view that I won’t contest again. What I am saying is that I won’t seek re-election as General Secretary,” Mr Nketiah said in an interview with Accra-based Radio Gold on Wednesday, September 21.
However, when quizzed about his next move, he declined to answer, saying he will announce same at a later date.
However, political analysts have said he will be contesting for the National Chairmanship position of the party.
Mr Nketiah became NDC General Secretary in 2005.
The party is expected to go to congress on December 17, to elect new national officers.
The likes of Peter Boamah Otokunor and Elvis Afriyie Ankrah have declared their intention to contest the position.
Floods at the Kpasenkpe Bridge caused by the Bagre Dam spilling its contents onto some farmlands in the North East and Upper East Regions, respectively, have cut off two districts, the Mamprugu Moaduri District and West Mamprusi Municipality.
The White Volta bridge at Kpasenkpe in the West Mamprusi Municipality of the North East Region is inaccessible, and residents in the aforementioned districts, as well as other road users, have been locked out for the past week.
The journey, which is 2 hours trip from Mamprugu Moaduri District to Walewale in the West Mamprusi Municipality, will now take one to spend five to six hours to get to Walewale after using the Bolga-Navrongo road in the Upper East Region.
Motorbikes riders are compelled to pay Ghc30.00 before they are transported by a canoe from and to any side of the bridge for them to continue their journey.
Given this, Several farmlands along the White Volta and Black Volta tributaries in the North East Region have been flooded and destroyed by the Bagre Dam spillage and the torrential rainfalls.
“Almost all farms along the riverside have been messed up. Now, People cannot even cross the road from Kpasenkpe to Moaduri was the shortest road, but now it has been cut off from the bridge to Kpasenkpe. So people cannot cross to Kunkua unless they use a canoe,” he said.
“We don’t know the water level now because it is like seawater. So it is only God who can save us now,” he lamented.
Some other roads, including the Dibisi-Kpasenkpe road, have also been cut off, making them unmotorable for traders, farmers, and other road users to ply on the road.
Meanwhile, the farmers at Kpasekpe are salvaging their mature and immature crops with the canoes and, at the same time, using them to transport stranded toad users on that stretch of the road.
