TIG Post

Author: Chris Kodo

  • State-owned businesses may produce value with the appropriate leadership – NAPO

    Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Minister of Energy, has praised the Bulk Oil Storage and Distribution Company Limited (BOST) for turning around its financial and operational fortunes.

    This follows the state-owned company’s increase in profits to GH 161 million in 2021 following a deficit of GH 291 million in the previous year.

    Dr. Opoku Prempeh stated the development proves that state-owned businesses can provide value via effective leadership and management to support national development while speaking at the company’s inaugural Annual General Meeting.

    “The transformation is indeed massive, as evidenced in improved operational efficiency. This is the path to go if we should attain the path of State-Owned Enterprises contributing to the fiscal policy of government for its national growth and development agenda. Imagine if 100 SOEs each made GH¢150million net income,” Dr. Opoku Prempeh said.

    The Minister disclosed that the improvement in BOST’s revenue was due to a core business strategy and an increase in petrol and diesel sales revenue of about 83 percent.

    He added that an amount of US$611 million paid from the US$624 million debt accumulated in 2017 was generated from BOST’s internally generated funds.

    The sector minister also lauded the management of the state-owned firm for the effective utilisation of revenue generated from the nine pesewas BOST margin on petroleum products.

    Using funds from the petroleum levy, he explained, fuel depots were renovated and repaired, tanks were decommissioned, four river boats were updated for fuel transportation on the Volta Lake, and the Akosombo jetty was improved.

    The remaining work includes upgrading and replacing the loading arms, pumps, and valves at all of the depots, including those at the Bolgatanga Petroleum Export Depot, Tema-Akosombo Petroleum Product Depot, and Buipe-Bolgatanga Petroleum Product Depot.

    Comparing the numbers, I also observed BOST cutting its administrative costs from GH538 million in 2016 with 349 employees to GH212 million in 2021 with 487 employees.

    The energy minister also commended BOST for deploying cost-cutting measures in its operations.

    “Genuine administrative costs grow upward and not downward due to factors like inflation among others but I would like to commend management for the prudence that resulted in these massive reductions in the cost of operations.

    The company is spending less while achieving more for the government and people of Ghana; from the face of the record, this is an impressive performance that the company’s board and management need to be commended for,” the energy minister stated.

    In his closing remarks, Dr. Opoku Prempeh emphasized the BOST of government’s commitment to turning the organization into a successful one.

    “I am aware of recent BOST news in the media, but I am also aware of the political economy surrounding the company’s operations.
    “We are not falling for those who wish to activate the reverse button,” he emphasized. “Government is also aware of the turf-war to get the corporation derailed.

  • I don’t see myself as a celebrity – Yaw Tog

    Yaw Tog, a rapidly emerging rapper from Ghana, has stated that despite his success in the music industry, he does not consider himself a celebrity.

    Although most people see him as a major musician, the “Sei Mu” singer revealed in an exclusive interview with Amansan Krakye that MyNewsGh.com was watching that he doesn’t allow himself to be influenced.

    I live my life like a normal person since fame hasn’t really infiltrated my life, he said. “I don’t see myself as a big artist who is so pompous or arrogant,” he added.

    He added “Although people see me as a big artiste, the moment you also see yourself as a celebrity or big artiste, it makes the fame enter you to do certain things that you’ll regret later on.

    “So, for now, I don’t see myself as a celebrity or big artiste,” he said on Cape Coast-based Kastle FM.

    “I shouldn’t even think about that to the extent that it will enter my head to feel too big for people to easily approach or talk to me,” he concluded on the Kastle Drive Show.

  • Databank projections regarding Cedi stabilization are “wishful thinking” – Prof. Steve Hanke,

    A recent report claiming that the Ghana cedi will soon stabilize against the dollar has been refuted by a professor of Applied Economics at Johns Hopkins University in the United States.

    Professor Steve Hanke, who has been weighing in on the Ghanaian economy lately, referred to a Databank Research on the stabilization of the local currency as “wishful thinking” and quoted it.

    The Ghanaian Cedi will stabilize in a few weeks, according to Databank Research. The cedi’s value against the USD has decreased by more than 41% since January 1, 2020.

    In a tweet that included a reference to a piece published on GhanaWeb, he wrote, “Remember my 95% Rule: 95% of what you read in the news is false or useless.”

    The Databank Research according to The Ghanaian Times report was projected to stabilize against other international trading currencies “in the coming weeks on the back of inflows from the Cocoa Syndicated loan.

    “In the coming weeks, we expect the cedi to find a cushion on the back of expected forex inflows from the $1.3 billion cocoa syndicated loan,” Databank’s Weekly Currency Report issued earlier this week stated.

    Databank is a leading financial institution that was co-founded by Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta. It is reputed to play a leading role in contracting government loans form the capital markets.

    The galloping depreciation of the cedi against the dollar has been topical in recent months along with rising inflation.

    The cedi’s surge in the first week of September this year was muted, according to Databank Research, despite the increased forex reserves. This is because of the cedi’s continued dependence on the dollar.

    According to Databank Research, the central bank recently “allotted $25 million throughout the 7-day to 75-day tenors against total bids of US$107.75 million.”

  • Black Sherif receives Golden Club plaque for 100m+ -Boomplay streams

    High-flying Ghanaian musician Black Sherif has been awarded the prestigious Golden Club trophy by Boomplay.

    After being the first artist from Ghana to exceed 100 million streams on the streaming service, he did this.

    Boomplay Ghana’s public relations manager, Paul Azumah-Ayitey, presented Black Sherif with the plaque and remarked, “For a platform that initially recognized Black Sherif as a potential emerging star, Boomplay is happy to see his tremendous success in such a short time.”

    Black Sherif receives Golden Club plaque for 100m+ Boomplay streams
    Boomplay’s PR Manager, Paul Azumah-Ayitey presents plaque to Black Sherif

    Boomplay’s Golden Club houses artists who have clocked and surpassed 100 million streams. We are excited about the journey thus far and believe this will inspire other new and emerging Ghanaian acts to greater heights with Boomplay at their side as an enabler.

    On attaining the the milestone, Blacko revealed to his fans that, “reaching 100 million streams on Boomplay and being the first Ghanaian artist to achieve this on the streaming platform is a big deal to me.”

    “As a young kid from Konongo, who only had a dream and a voice, this brings me to the realisation that I can achieve any and everything so long as I believe and dare myself to take action. Thank you for this one, Blacko Tribe. Big love to the Boomplay team for putting me on from day one till now.”

    Black Sherif receives Golden Club plaque for 100m+ Boomplay streams

    By joining Boomplay’s Golden Club of top African music stars, including Burna Boy, Wizkid, Davido, Diamond Platinumz, Simi, Rayvanny, Fireboy, Omah Lay, Joe Boy and more, Blacko becomes another shining light of Ghana’s music industry.

    The “Kwaku The Traveller” hitmaker will enjoy online and offline promotional support across Boomplay’s operational markets as well as prioritisation for his upcoming releases, including his highly anticipated album, as part of Boomplay’s Golden Club member benefits.

    Born Mohammed Ismail Sherif, the 20-year-old talented artist released “Money”, “Cry For Me”, and “Destiny” in 2020. Later, he dropped “Money (remix)”, “Adea Kye”, and “Ankonam” which garnered huge buzz on Boomplay across several countries. The release of “First Sermon” and “Second Sermon” in 2021, would see Blacko go viral, ushering him into mainstream limelight.  Consequently, Blacko earned a feature from fellow Golden Club member, Burna Boy, for the remix of Second Sermon” to give him further reach across Africa and opened the floodgates for plaudits from prestigious awards and platforms.

    Boomplay’s end-of-year recap, which highlights stats and insights of music consumption and engagement on the Boomplay platform, in 2021, had Blacko emerging as Ghana’s 2nd Most Streamed Artist of the year. His “First Sermon” and “Second Sermon” were the 1st and 2nd Most Streamed Songs of 2021 in Ghana.

    Blacko’s story written in bright stars, the sensational talent went on to win four awards at the 2022 3Music Awards, held in March 2022, including the Boomplay Breakthrough Act of the Year category.

    At the same event, he debuted a spectacular performance of “Kwaku the Traveller”. The song skyrocketed him to African stardom and peaked at No.1 on both Boomplay Ghana and Nigeria charts. It currently has over 57 million streams on Boomplay.

  • R. Kelly guilty in federal child pornography case

    R. Kelly was found guilty on Wednesday of three counts of child pornography by a federal jury in Chicago after he recorded himself abusing his goddaughter, who was 14 at the time.

    The Chicago Tribune reports that out of the 13 charges in the indictment, Kelly was also found responsible for three counts of coercive and enticing child sex trafficking.

    In his Cook County case from 2002, he was cleared of conspiring to impede justice. He was also cleared on two counts of receiving child pornography and one count of conspiring to do so.

    The verdict follows the testimony of Kelly’s goddaughter, who went by the pseudonym Jane. Three other women testified that Kelly had also recorded and kept tapes of himself sexually abusing them when they were underage.

    There were two co-defendants in the proceedings, former employees Milton “June” Brown and Derrel McDavid. Charges against them alleged a conspiracy to hide the videotapes and convince Jane to keep her sexual contact with Kelly private.

    Both Brown and McDavid were acquitted of all charges, including that they had conspired to receive child pornography, and that McDavid conspired to obstruct justice.

    In closing arguments, R Kelly’s attorney Jennifer Bonjean claimed that Jane’s parents were to blame for lying about her relationship with the singer and asserted this was not due to coercion, but because “They condoned it.”

    R Kelly was convicted on enticement counts regarding witnesses Jane, Nia and Pauline (all pseudonyms), but was found not guilty on two others.

    Jurors acquitted R Kelly of the alleged enticement counts in relation to another woman Tracy, one of the only witnesses whose age at the time of her alleged meetings with Kelly was challenged by defense attorneys.

    Jurors also acquitted the singer on one count of enticement related to Brittany, whom prosecutors had originally planned to take the stand. That did not happen for reasons that remain unclear.

    Jane joined the investigation just three years ago, after the airing of the 2019 Lifetime docuseries “Surviving R. Kelly.” In her June verdict, Jane testified that it was her on the videotapes and that Kelly had sexually abused her multiple times as a minor.

    R Kelly was sentenced to 30 years in prison in June after a jury declared him guilty of racketeering related to the sexual exploitation of children, kidnapping, and forced labour. He was also charged with eight counts of violating the Mann Act in a separate federal case in New York.

  • Disney to produce documentary on Nigerian boy whose ballet dancing video went viral

    Anthony Madu, a Nigerian youngster whose video of himself performing ballet barefoot in the rain in Lagos went viral, is the subject of a feature documentary being made by Disney Original Documentary.

    The 44-second video of the young kid performing exquisite pirouettes and leaps went viral, and the documentary “Madu” will concentrate on what transpired next. Anthony’s instructor shared the video on social media. He was only 11 years old at the time.

    He received numerous scholarships as a result of the popular video, including one at the esteemed Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre in the US and the century-old Elmhurst Ballet School in the UK.

    The talented young boy now studies at the prestigious Elmhurst Ballet School in the UK.

    In a press statement, Disney Original Documentary noted that “having grown up in an isolated community outside of Lagos and with almost no formal training, audiences will get a close look at Anthony’s journey after being awarded a scholarship to Elmhurst Ballet School, one of the most prestigious ballet schools in the United Kingdom.”

    They added, “Anthony comes from a community with limited opportunities, making this [a] chance of a lifetime to pursue his dream…By immersing the audience in Lagos’s culture and fascinating surroundings, Ogens and Benson use their unique perspectives to bring the film to life in the true spirit of Nigeria and its people.”

    Disney stated that the documentary will feature intimate vérité and stunning visuals and the film will immerse audiences into the characters’ worlds and examine their journeys in profoundly inspiring ways.

    Marjon Javadi also in a statement said that “Anthony’s journey is a beautiful one, full of courage, growth and acceptance. We aim to share unique, diverse and global perspectives with audiences, full of magic and heart. We’re thrilled to partner with Matt, Kachi and Hunting Lane Films to share this touching story with the world.”

    The documentary is co-directed by Kachi Benson, the director who won the Venice Award in 2019 for his documentary ‘Daughters of Chibok’ about the 276 Nigerian schoolgirls who were abducted by Boko Haram terrorists.

    Also directing is Oscar nominee Matt Ogens known for the docuseries Why We Fight and Netflix short doc Audible, which followed a handful of high school students at the Maryland School for the Deaf.

    Disney to produce documentary on Nigerian boy whose ballet dancing video went viral
    ‘Madu’ directors Matt Ogens (R) and Kachi Benson (Courtesy of Matt Ogens)

    The show is also produced by Jamie Patricof, Katie McNeill and Rachel Halilej of Hunting Lane Films and Vice President of Disney Original Documentary, Marjon Javadi, oversees the project.

    ‘Madu’ marks the first collaboration between Kachi Benson and Ogens.

    In a statement, the duo noted that “our shared journey is about curiosity and creating an understanding of different cultures through our connection with each other.”

    Disney to produce documentary on Nigerian boy whose ballet dancing video went viral
    Anthony Madu

    “Ultimately, this is a journey of discovery, growth, belonging and acceptance, a theme we both personally relate to. Making his voice heard is our ultimate drive, and we believe Anthony’s extraordinary story will make the most captivating, emotional, and riveting film either of us have told.”

    ‘Madu’ will get a festival run before a limited theatrical release.

  • Starting in January 2023, unlicensed cybersecurity service companies cannot function – Antwi-Boasiako

    Dr. Albert Antwi-Boasiako, the Cyber Security Authority’s (CSA) acting director general, stated that starting in January 2023, no company or individual operating in Ghana will be permitted to provide cybersecurity services unless that company or individual has been granted a license or accreditation by the Authority.

    He clarified that the licensing of cybersecurity service providers is one of the regulatory initiatives the CSA has started, along with legislation on cybersecurity incident reporting and response and the protection of Critical Information Infrastructures.

    Speaking at the media launch of the National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) 2022 in Accra on Wednesday, Mr. Antwi-Boasiako said the designated Critical Information Infrastructure Owners shall be subjected to mandatory audit and compliance checks against the Directive for the Protection of Critical Information Infrastructures which was adopted on October 1, 2021.

    “These are part of the new regulations and measures being implemented pursuant to the Cybersecurity Act, 2020. The Authority is being guided by the Governing Board and also through the Joint Cybersecurity Committee to approach cybersecurity regulations from a collaborative perspective. We believe collaborative regulations hold the key to bring both the public and private sector stakeholders together towards achieving a secure and resilient digital Ghana,” he added.

    He expressed concern about children becoming prone to online criminal practices which are detrimental to their development, even though the internet offers numerous opportunities that can improve their lives.

    “The Cyber Security Authority, as a regulator, is committed to ensuring the protection of children online per its mandate in the Cybersecurity Act 2020. In furtherance of the mandate, the Child Online Protection Framework has been revised to ensure the utmost safety of our children online,” he stated.

    He announced that as part of the NCSAM 2022 celebrations, the Authority would engage with stakeholders including public consultations for inputs into the various regulations which are expected to take full effect starting January 2023.

    “As part of measures to effectively implement the Cybersecurity Act, awareness creation cannot be overemphasised. The CSA, therefore, seeks to leverage the 2022 edition of the annual National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) to engage and partner with stakeholders in the public and private sectors to implement key cybersecurity regulations and to build capacity among critical stakeholders,” he added.

    For her part, Madam Ama Pomaa Boateng, the deputy minister for communications and digitalization, underlined that cybersecurity is essential to maintaining Ghana’s digitalization strategy.

    For the sake of our socioeconomic development, she continued, “it is essential to have effective methods to protect our key information infrastructure, coordinate and respond to cybersecurity crises, and establish a cybersecurity culture.”

  • For African economies to profit from the fourth industrial revolution, digitization is necessary – Dr Bawumia

    Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, vice president, has emphasized the significance of a digital economy in the contemporary world.

    He claims that the fourth industrial revolution, often known as the digital revolution and the future, has been somewhat felt in Ghana and many other nations.

    Ghana’s vice president advised African economies to swiftly digitize in order to reap the rewards of the digital revolution in an interview with The Standard, a Kenyan news outlet.

    “As an economic strategy in Ghana, digitization has received a lot of attention.
    The fourth industrial revolution, sometimes known as the digital revolution, is currently taking place on a global scale.
    It is a revolution built on systems and data.
    If you don’t digitize as an economy in this day and age, you will fall behind.
    Africa has lagged behind for far too long, and I think that leapfrogging will require digitization.

    “We digitalize not for its own sake but to solve problems, formalize and build a more inclusive economy, deal with corruption and to provide services to our people more efficiently from the government side,” Dr. Bawumia explained.

    He further outlined some steps taken by the governing NPP administration to usher Ghana into the digital world as part of the 4th Industrial Revolution.

    “A lot of people were excluded from the economy so we did digital IDs for our people, so we have unique identities for everybody. Once you have unique identities for everyone you will not have ghost workers on the payroll and also sort the voter registry.

    “We had an issue with the address system in Ghana, and through digitization, we solved the problem. Every part of the country, land or water, mansion or shark you have a unique digital address that we have rolled out in the country. This has solved a big problem as now deliveries can easily be made through e-commerce, and in the instance, you are applying for a job you can easily state your address,” Dr. Bawumia said.

    Touching on efforts made to enhance financial inclusion in Ghana, the Vice President said the implementation of the mobile money interoperability system has ensured that cash transactions are made in an easy and convenient manner.

    “It is not just operability between the mobile companies, but interoperability between the mobile wallet and a bank account which means that every mobile money account practicably has a bank account. We [Ghana] were the first country in Africa to do so. Today it is very easy for someone to open a bank account in Ghana, you have your national ID card, you get onto your mobile phone and then dial a USSD Code and you chose one of the banks and there you go, you have a bank account.

    “All of our databases have been merged, allowing us to maximize the benefits of our digitization process.
    For other African nations, digitization is the way to go, and with it, we can catch up to more developed nations.
    We are currently the world’s largest provider of medical drone delivery services in Ghana.
    We currently have 100 flights a day providing medicine using drones across the nation, he said.

  • The campaign Planting for Food and Jobs achieves impressive results – Agric Minister

    Minister of Food and Agriculture,Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, has said the Planting for Food and Jobs program has yielded impressive achievements in the agricultural industry.

    He claims that when comparing the program’s yields to those before to its launch, statistics demonstrate that it has produced favorable outcomes.

    “The PFJ initiative has helped Ghana make significant agricultural advancements.
    The following startling findings are shown when yield levels of maize, rice, and soya are compared to those prior to the launch of the PFJ program in 2016:
    According to myjoyonline.com, “Maize production climbed from 1.72 million metric tonnes (MT) to 3.58 million MT, a 108% rise; rice production increased from 687,700 to 1.07 million MT, a 56% increase; and soy output increased from 143,200 MT to 221,400 MT, a 55% increase.

    “Over the same period, yields increased by 38%, 13% and 4% for maize, rice and soya beans respectively. It is however important to state that these yields are still 40% below the estimated potential, and more has to be done to continue increasing the yields of smallholder farmers in particular,” he said.

    Following the introduction of the Planting for Food and Jobs initiative, many have questioned the rising spike in food costs, which prompted the Minister’s statement.

    For the month of August, inflation totals 33.9%, with food prices showing higher inflation than the national average.

  • The SEC will “name and shame” anyone responsible for internet Ponzi schemes

    Rev. Daniel Ogbarmey Tetteh, the Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), has indicated that his organization is collaborating with stakeholders to identify and prosecute anyone found guilty of operating online Ponzi schemes.

    He claims that in order to identify those who participate in online Ponzi schemes, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is striving to strengthen its partnership with the Economic Organized Crime Office (EOCO).

    This comes after the Commission warned the public to stay away from doing business with 17 unauthorized financial firms in any capacity.

    According to myjoyonline reports, the Director-General of SEC stated that this will help rebuild the public’s confidence in the investment market while attracting foreign investment.

    “We are not going to relent in our efforts to see the possibilities of tracking the culprits behind this case. We will continue to keep our eyes on the grounds,” he assured.

    “Our investigation team is actually being proactive to pick up such schemes that may be operating under-ground and again expose them. We believe that when we expose them, we will reduce their effectiveness,” Rev. Ogbarmey stated.

    He did, however, add that the SEC’s increased cooperation with security organizations will help to lower the frequency of scams.

    “We’ll keep warning the public, and after that we’ll cut down on the amount of scam victims.
    To accomplish this goal, we have increased our cooperation with the security authorities, he stated.

  • The wedding gift that shocked Wode Maya

    Famous Ghanaian YouTuber Wode Maya got a two-bedroom condo and a one-bedroom flat as wedding presents.

    The founder of Mwale Medical and Technology City, Mr. Julius Mwale, said in the video he posted announcing his wedding that he was giving Wode an apartment as a gift for traveling to Kenya to be their in-law.

    What do you mean it’s my unit now? Wode Maya, who was kidnapped following the announcement, queried the man in amazement and bewilderment.
    Is it available for rent or what?

    Mr Mwale responded by saying, “No, you own this now. This is a gift to you for coming to Kenya as an in-law from this community.”

    As if the two-bedroom apartment wasn’t enough, his wife also added that she had gotten a one-bedroom unit as a gift as well.

    As the video unfolded, the newly-wedded couple mentioned that they had spent only $1000 on their wedding, which is equivalent to 10,000 cedis while the ring among other things was catered for by people they considered family.

    According to Wode and Trudy, God sent people their way to make sure they had everything at their disposal.

    In the video that was shared on September 13, 2022, the YouTuber disclosed that his marriage ceremony had taken place on September 10, 2022, in Kenya, a day that marked 13 years of the passing of Trudy’s mother.

    Introducing the special video that announced his marriage, Wode disclosed that should his children ask him in future “hey dad, what was your 1000th video on YouTube?” he will say “it was the day I got married to your mum.”

  • BOST praised by the energy minister for posting a profit in 2021

    Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation (BOST) has received praise from Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Minister of Energy, for the business’s historic financial turnaround in 2021.

    Dr. Opoku Prempeh praised BOST’s profit in the 2021 Financial Year during his remarks at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of BOST on September 14, 2022.

    He said that the company’s GHS164 million profit before tax in 2021, a huge increase from the GHS2 million it achieved the previous year, demonstrates that BOST will “perform its responsibility of ensuring the nation’s fuel security” with the appropriate leadership in place.

    “This is also happening at a time, where the company is making assiduous efforts at extricating itself from a quagmire of protracted debts”,

    Making a profit of GHS126 million before taxes as opposed to the prior statistics of GHS2 million is an impressive accomplishment, he said.

    Ekow Hackman, the board chairman of BOST, also stated that the business is on the correct track to declare dividends in the upcoming years.

    To ensure that we carry out our corporate mission and provide value to the shareholder, “passion, performance, and perfection remain at the core of our business.”

  • Domestic operations at Sunyani Airport will start on September 19

    The Bono Regional Minister, Ms. Justina Owusu-Banahene, said on Thursday that the Sunyani Airport’s domestic flight operations will resume on Monday, September 19, 2022.

    She asserted that the restoration of the service will allow for quick economic development in the area.

    This was revealed by the regional minister during the Accra meet-the-press events.

    He said that Passion Air would start offering flights between Sunyani and Accra, and that plans had been made in advance for four weekly flights.

    The Sunyani airport was, on August 3, 2022, commissioned by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo after the completion of the first phase of rehabilitation after six years of closure.

    The operation, she stressed, would stimulate the economic growth potential of the region through increase in trade and investments and reduce road travel time from about eight hours to about an hour.

    On road infrastructure, she said the Government had constructed 13 road projects with a total length of 342.3km.

    Some of the projects are the upgrading of 30km menji-bui road, upgrading of 10 km Nkrankwanta-Krasse Road and 15 km Brekum-Drobo.

    She said the Government had constructed a new transport terminal, police post, ambulance bay, fire post, and supplied and installed electricity.

    On health, Ms Owusu-Banahene said the Government had made significant strides in the sector.

    She said the doctor to patient ratio improved to 1: 10395 in 2021 from 1:14898 in 2016.

    The midwife to women in fertility ratio age in 2021 was 1:372 compared to 1:1502 in 2016.

    She said other health infrastructural projects completed were the Tain District Hospital, nurse’s bungalows at Koraso-Brekum West, physician assistant bungalows at Jinijini and Agubie CHPS at Wenchi.

    Regarding education, the Minister remarked that the area could be proud of 12 unit classroom blocks, of which five had been finished, and six unit classroom blocks with auxiliary facilities, of which 21 had been finished, with six still under construction.

    Other examples include two-unit classroom blocks, out of which one is ongoing and two three-unit classroom blocks, 20 of which have been finished.

    She reported that a 32-seater bus had been given to CHIRAA Senior High School, that the Ghana Education personnel had been given motorbikes, and that Our Lady of Province Girls’ SHS in Keasibourkrom had a dormitory complex built.

  • Murder of Fennec Okyere: Shatta Wale cried when he saw me in cells – Bulldog

    Entertainment pundit, Lawrence Nana Asiamah Hanson, popularly known as Bulldog, has disclosed how Shatta Wale cried when he visited him in cells in 2014.

    Bulldog was taken into custody on suspicion of killing Fennec Okyere, the manager of Kwaw Kese.

    On an Adom Radio program, he admitted that he had tears in his eyes and had to fight so hard to keep them from falling when the dancehall artist sobbed.

    “Shatta came to visit me because he hadn’t visited me in two weeks. I was telling them not to come around and all, but then, there was one day when Shatta said, no way, he wasn’t going to come.

    “When he came, I was behind the counter and he stood in front of the counter. So, when you are called, you will go and check. Peeping to know who is looking for you is called ‘catching 11’.

    “When I peeped to see him, he immediately started crying. He cried like a baby. That made me teary. It was just that day,” he said.

    He also mentioned that after his arrest, he was locked in cells for a month without getting the chance to breathe fresh air from outside or see the sun except when he was going to court.

    “I slept in the cells for a month. If you are going to court, you are handcuffed. That’s the only time you see the sun. It was there that I remember crying in the police cells.

    “There was one day, but the tears didn’t drop. If it dropped, I would have been disturbed. I had tears in my eyes,” he added.

     

  • Brand developments sponsored by taxes – Government

    The government has been advised to publicize development initiatives across the nation, including those funded by tax dollars, including WASH facilities, hospitals, and schools.

    Mr. Benedict Doh, Finance Manager, Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), claimed that branding such facilities will provide Ghanaians with “convenient evidence” of the need of paying taxes.

    He said that by doing so, Ghanaians would be more likely to have faith in the Tax and Revenue Administration system and, as a result, be prepared to pay taxes in support of the government’s development objective.

    Mr. Doh stated in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Accra that it would be simpler for individuals to pay taxes freely if they could recognize the initiatives that their taxes were funding.

    He also said: “That is what we want to encourage the Government to do; appropriately label projects that they use taxpayers’ money to fund as funded with taxpayers’ money.”

    It would help address the complaints many make about not seeing what the Government was doing with taxes paid.

    Mr Doh who also is a Tax Analyst said: “We know the Government uses revenues from taxes to fund some of the development projects. But several of them are even ‘labelled as GoG funded.’ That is great, but let’s go to the next level of labelling them specifically as being ‘funded with taxpayers’ money if it is so.”

    “We know that the part of tax revenues that goes into capital expenditure is not that much. But as little as it might be, if people begin to see projects funded with taxpayers’ money, and labelled appropriately, it will have a positive impact on their willingness to contribute,” he emphasised.

    Apart from the labelling projects financed with taxes for easy identification by the citizenry, Mr Doh called on the Government to work towards making loans attractive to businesspeople.

    He said: “Beyond that, we should also see issues of corruption being tackled decisively by the Government, because most people think the resources are not being managed very well by the State, and that does not encourage them to pay.”
    The Finance Manager encouraged the Government to make its digitisation processes benefit people in rural communities by introducing payment and transactions platforms like SMS and educating them on the use of such platforms.

    He also asked the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to intensify its public education, especially in rural areas.

    Despite the implementation of the Electronic Transactions Levy (E-Levy), which is intended to expand the tax net and increase the country’s revenue by roughly GHS 6.9 billion (original objective), Ghana is still having trouble reaching its revenue goals.
    According to a GII report, the current economic situation in Ghana is forcing many firms and other taxpayers to forgo paying taxes, which has a negative impact on both productivity and profit.

    Six million eligible Ghanaians pay taxes, or about 1.5 million of them, making Ghana’s tax to gross domestic product (GDP) ratio one of the lowest in Africa.

    Therefore, stakeholders have urged for coordinated actions to alter the situation in order to encourage Ghanaians to comply voluntarily while pushing the government to establish a strong and well-structured system to increase tax contribution and compliance.

  • Ask my management why I am not producing any songs – Krymi to critics

    Henry Nuamah, better known by his stage name Krymi, a signee with Highly Spiritual Music, has requested that anyone curious as to why he hasn’t published a song in a while contact his management.

    The “Dw3” hitmaker claimed in an interview with Nana Romeo on Accra FM that while people criticize him for not releasing new music, the proper inquiry is whether or not he has actually written any songs.

    I hope Kaywa were questioned rather than Krymi. Let me give you an explanation. Since Krymi is a musician who is signed to Highly Spiritual Music, each song she releases must fall under their label.

    “So, it should tell you that, it is not that Krymi doesn’t have music or he is not releasing any music. If Krymi has music, then, the release has to come from the management.

    “I will appreciate that people wouldn’t attack the artiste, but they would rather confirm whatever situation it is from the management and they will properly explain,” he said.

    He also added that, although news has circulated about his dormancy in the music industry, he is a great artiste, adding that there is more time for him to improve himself.

    “Krymi is a great artiste, it has been a gradual process for Krymi in terms of new song releases among other things. There is so much room for improvement but Krymi is still a good artiste,” he added.

  • Increase the price of cocoa bags from GH660 to GH1,500 or we’ll export them – farmers

    Ghanaian cocoa farmers have warned that if the price of cocoa does not increase from GH660 a bag to GH1,500 for the 2022–2023 harvest, they will be compelled to abandon their crop.

    The cost of living has reportedly reached an alarming level, and they have not been spared the harsh realities, according to the Obaatampa Cocoa Farmers Cooperative Union, Dormaaman Cocoa Farmers Cooperative Union, Ghana National Cocoa Farmers Association (GNACOFA), Upper Dwira North Cocoa Farmers Cooperative Union, and WASSA Cocoa Farmers Cooperative Union.

    They require the increase to avoid having to export their harvest from Ghana.

    They also lamented the high cost of agricultural equipment, utility services, transportation, and many others, so we are urging the government to raise the price of cocoa for the farmers.

    “Once more, the suffering that Ghanaian cocoa farmers are experiencing is intolerable, and if measures are not taken, the farmers’ situation will deter the majority of the nation’s youth from entering the farming industry, reducing the country’s cocoa production and lowering our country’s foreign exchange because cocoa is the foundation of Ghana’s economy.”

    “One of the leaders, Yaa Asantewaa, remarked on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm’s Nyankonton Mu Nsem that because the government is committed to assisting businesses in growing, why shouldn’t cocoa farmers receive the same assistance? Farmers of cocoa go to the same marketplaces as other people.
    Therefore, for the 2022–2023 cocoa season, the price of cocoa should be increased to GHC 1,500; otherwise, they should give up on cocoa.

  • Ghana has 17 million internet users – Albert Antwi-Boasiako

    Ghana will have 17 million internet users by 2022, up from 2.31 million in 2012.
    Additionally, the daily average for internet usage on mobile devices is around 5 hours.


    In particular, roughly 11.18 million users access sports betting websites online, 10.79 million access news websites, 10.68 million access social media websites, and 2.57 million access informational websites.


    At the media launch of the National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) in Accra on Wednesday, Dr. Albert Antwi-Boasiako, the acting director general of the Cyber Security Authority, revealed this information. He noted that the statistics were important because as more people connect to the internet, they are more vulnerable to cyber-attacks.

    “While digitalisation is bringing remarkable economic and societal benefits to the majority of the global population, it is worth noting that these technologies, irrespective of the opportunities they create, have inherent risks such that when taken advantage of by cybercriminals, could have detrimental effects on individuals, enterprises, societies, and nations at large,” he stated.

    He said studies have shown that increasing reliance on the internet has created more risks and vulnerabilities and opened up new possibilities for criminal activity.

    “In recent years, there have been several major cyber incidents that have significantly impacted businesses, including financial institutions and other critical information infrastructure worldwide. That is to say, as dependency on digital technologies surges, so does cybercrime. Cybercriminals are seizing every opportunity to exploit vulnerabilities against people, businesses and organisations; having a grave impact on the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of systems and networks, including critical information infrastructures.

    “As of the first half of 2022, the National Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-GH) at the Cyber Security Authority has received a total of 7,135 contacts through the various points of contact launched in 2019. Out of these, 309 were recorded as cybersecurity-related incidents. The top 5 incidents received from the public include online fraud; 110 incidents, unauthorized access; 89 incidents, online blackmail; 58 incidents, online impersonation; 23 incidents and publication of non-consensual intimate images; 10 incidents,” he added.

    He said the proliferation of cyber-attacks targeting individuals, businesses, and critical infrastructure led to the passage of several mandatory cybersecurity regulations.

    “Globally, regulatory compliance has become one of the most effective and reliable strategies to mitigate cyber risks within the industry.

    In this light, it is crucial to put cybersecurity legislation into place to deal with both current and emerging cyberthreats that could jeopardize the digital rewards anticipated from our digital economy, he added.


    In order to ensure the safety and security of Ghana’s digital environment, he urged the media to promote awareness of cyber security.


    To emphasize the value of remaining safe and secure online, October is recognized as National Cyber Security Awareness Month.

     

  • Black Sherif, Gyakie, Amaarae, KiDi, others nominated for 2022 AFRIMA

    The African Union Commission and the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) organizers have jointly unveiled the official list of nominees for the 2022 ceremony (AUC).

    On September 14, a list was made public. Over the 39 categories, Ghana received nine nominations.

    Black Sherif is in first place in Ghana with four nominations. With fierce opposition from Burna Boy, Fireboy DML, Kizz Daniel, Rema, and Wizkid, he was nominated for Best Male Artiste in Western Africa.

    His hit song ‘Kwaku The Traveller‘ secured him a spot in the Song of The Year category. Also in the fight for the award is Burna Boy (Last Last), Kizz Daniel (Buga), Fireboy DML (Peru Remix) and Rema (Calm Down).

    Black Sherif is also nominated for the Best Artist, Duo or Group in African Hip-Hop award. In the same category, he was nominated for featuring on UK-based Nigerian artiste Darkoo’s ‘Always’.

    Musician Gyakie was nominated for the Best Female Artiste in Western Africa award. Others in the category include Nigeria’s Asa, Simi, Tiwa Savage, Tems, Vivian Chidid (Senegal), Soraia Ramos (Cape Verde) and Oumou Sangare (Mali).

    Singer/Songwriter Amaarae secured two nominations.

    Amaarae’s ‘A Body, A Coffin’ featured on the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Prologue placed her in the battle for the Best Soundtrack Movies, Series or Documentary award.

    Also in the category is Nigeria’s Tems. She was also nominated for her ‘No Woman No Cry‘ cover on the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Prologue.

    For featuring on Tiwa Savage’s ‘Tales by Moonlight’, Amaarae secured a second nomination in the Best Artist, Duo or Group in African RnB & Soul category.

    Meanwhile, KiDi’s Touch It Remix ft Tyga earned him a nomination for Best Artist, Duo or Group in African Reggae, Ragga, and Dancehall award.

    Nektunez and Goya Menor, known for the hit single Ameno Amapiano, are in the run for the African Fans Favourite award.

    The duo are facing stiff competition from Oxlade, Lojay, Joeboy and Bello Falcao.

    Also, Camidoh with the aid of his hit song ‘Sugarcane Remix’, earned a nomination in the Breakout Artiste of the Year category.

    Also in the category are Nigeria’s Asake, Pheelz, Daliwongo (South Africa), El Grande Toto (Morroco) and Costa Titch (South Africa).

    Lastly, Gospel musician Diana Asamoah was nominated in the Best Female Artist in Africa Inspirational Music category. She secured the animation with her song ‘Awurade Ye’.

    Meanwhile, Ghana missed out on other big categories including Artiste of the Year, Best African Rapper/Lyricist, Producer of the Year and Songwriter of the Year.

    Dominating the list with the most nominations, this year, are South African maverick, Costa Titch and  Congolese maestro, Dadju with six nominations each.

    Burna Boy, Fireboy DML, Kizz Daniel and Tiwa Savage secured four nominations each.

    The public voting portal for the 2022 AFRIMA edition would be live on Sunday, September 25, 2022, at 12:00pm CAT.

    African music lovers within the continent, and around the world, can visit the official website to vote. Voting closes at 12.00 (CAT), December 10, 2022, before the AFRIMA main awards ceremony.

    Meanwhile, the 2022 All Africa Music Awards will be held from the 8th to the 11th of December 2022. A special announcement will be made on the host country and location for the awards, on Wednesday, September 28, 2022.

    The AFRIMA awards ceremony will feature a four-day fiesta of music, glitz, and glamour aimed at celebrating Africa, recognising talents and expanding the economic frontiers of the culture and creative industry on the continent.

     

  • Ghanaians troll Nigerians over new Super Eagles jersey

    Some Ghanaians have turned to social media to make fun of Nigerians after Nike unveiled the Super Eagles’ new jersey.

    Some have sarcastically questioned Nike’s decision to design a new kit for Nigeria, who will not compete in the World Cup.

    Nigerians themselves have been divided regarding the design as some are pleased while others opined that it’s below-par.

    Nike released the jersey on Thursday, September 15, 2022, along with other sponsored national teams ahead of the World Cup.

    Nigeria could debut the new outfits during the upcoming September international break. The Super Eagles will face Algeria and Portugal.

    France, Portugal, Qatar, Canada, the United States, Saudi Arabia, Croatia, Poland, Brazil, England, and South Korea have all had their World Cup jerseys designed by Nike announced.

  • Dadiesoaba Nursing College shut down over fire outbreak

    Management of Dadiesoabo Nursing and Midwifery Training College in the Asutifi South District of the Ahafo Region has been shut down for two weeks following a fire outbreak that razed down a hostel in the school.

    Following the incident, students in the school have been asked to go home as management looks for alternative accommodation for them.

    The decision by management to shut down the school became necessary because it was becoming difficult to house the students.

    According to the Principal of the Dadiesoabo Nursing and Midwifery Training College, Marcelina Teni Kwose, they were forced to accommodate the students in classrooms for two days before eventually shutting down the school.

    “It has not been easy at all, I mean where to put the students is a problem. When the incident happened, we had to keep them in one of the big classrooms and that is where they were putting up for two days and then I sent them back home so that we can adjust,” she said.

    She stressed that in the interim, they will be converting the kitchen and dining into classrooms so that the students can use the classrooms as hostels when return.

    “We are trying to use the kitchen as a classroom right now and then our dining hall as a classroom so that we make way for the classrooms to be hostels for them to adjust to the situation until something is done,” she added.

    Meanwhile, some of the affected students have revealed that they were traumatised as a result of the incident because they lost all their belongings in the fire.

    A final year student, Dorothy Ofori, who will be writing her final examination in two months disclosed that she lost all her books in the inferno which is likely to affect her.

    “This incident has affected the students a lot. Our books, laptops, clothes, money everything got burnt in the fire. I am about to write my final exams in two weeks but I have lost all my handouts and how am I going to prepare.”

    A female hostel housing 208 students at the Dadiesoaba Nursing and Midwifery Training College was completely razed down by fire on Sunday, September 4, 2022.

    Though no casualty was recorded, the students lost all their properties.

    Source:ghanaweb.com

  • GPRTU hints of new transport fares soon

    The leadership of the Ghana Private Roads Transport Union (GPRTU) has indicated it will soon communicate to the public new transportation fares following the incessant increase in fuel prices.

    The union says the continuous rise in the price of petroleum products is draining the finances of commercial vehicle owners.

    The price of petrol per litre has crossed GH¢11 and diesel sells for over GH¢14  per litre at most pumps.

    In a Citi News interview, Head of Communications at GPRTU, Abbas Moro stressed that members under the union are pushing for an increase in transport fares.

    “We have sensitized the general public that whenever the prices of fuel go up 10 percent above the existing price, automatically we are supposed to increase fares. There are so many things to look out for including the current economic situation. So for where we are heading towards, we cannot keep sacrificing definitely when our leadership  meets something positive must come out.”

    Transport fares went up by 20 percent in May.

    As of May 9, 2022, when the new fares took effect, petrol and diesel were selling at a national average of GH¢9.41 and GH¢11.12, respectively.

     

  • ECG cautions public against power theft

    The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has cautioned against power theft in the country and urged the public to report such illegal activities to the company.

    “Members of the public with information on any illegal electricity connections or thefts should report such cases to the ECG, and the informants will be duly rewarded,” it said.

    Mr. Charles Nii Ayiku Ayiku, the General Manager, External Communications, ECG, said the Ministry of Energy, in collaboration with the ECG, had set up a national task force to combat illegal power activities, which was costing the company huge sums of money.

    In an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Accra, Mr. Ayiku said special utility courts, which sat on Saturdays, had been set up to deal with cases involving illegal power activities.

    He cautioned that those caught engaging in the act would be prosecuted.

    Through the court prosecutions the company was able to retrieve three million Ghana Cedis, he said.

    “We need to increase our revenues and decrease our loses so that we can serve our customers very well.”

    Mr. Ayiku said the ECG was committed to the smooth implementation of the new electricity tariffs approved by the Public Utility Regulatory Commission, and working around the clock to address the challenges of prepaid meters due to the new tariffs.

    He urged consumers encountering challenges with their prepaid meters to call their help desk lines for redress.

    Source:ghanaweb.com

  • Baba Spirit’s close friend speaks on how he died

    A close friend of the late Ghanaian actor cum comedian, Baba Spirit had provided some details about how he sadly passed on.

    The reports about his untimely demise filled the media space on Thursday, September 8, 2022.

    Soon after it was reported that he has passed on, it also emerged that he passed on as a result of battling an undisclosed ailment.

    In an interview to clarify issues about his death, a close friend of Baba Spirit who happens to also be a comic actor, Quappiah revealed that he received a call from the comedian that he had fallen off his bed and smashed his head on the ground in the process.

    He later rushed to his house but when he got there he had already been rushed to the hospital.

    Unfortunately, he was told his friend has passed on when he got to the hospital finally

    Quappiah in the interview he granted Ghpage confirmed that he was told by doctors that Baba Spirit late died as a result of anaemia.

    Watch the interview below:

  • I started my musical journey from a shrine – Enam

    Sensational Ghanaian female vocalist, Enam KeteKu Angela known by her stage name Enam has revealed that her dream of becoming a top music star started from the Yeweh Shrine in the Volta Region.

    Enam, who has carved a niche as an “Afro Spiritual” artiste, evokes soothing ancestral rhythms in her performances.

    According to the songstress, her musical journey started from the shrine where her love for music grew stronger when she was singing with her great grandmothers in her early childhood days.

    ” My kind of genre of music is influenced by the “Hadzivodushis” (music goddess) of the Yeweh Shrine.

    “I always feel I am meant for greatness because of my unique abilities and doing music makes me feel at ease,” she said.

    When asked about her debut Extended Play (EP), Enam said “Wuieve” which was the title of the EP meant number twelve (12) in the Ewe language as she believes her birth mark of twelve toes was a reminder that she was destined for something great in the music industry.

    “This is not just an extended play. These are the messages of my musical spirits, true feelings on beats.” “Wuieve” let the story begin and let the chants flow,” she added.

    The first single “Alomo” from the “Wuieve” EP featuring Akwaboah is available across various streams platforms.

  • I’ll prefer we use the National Cathedral as a theatre – Sista Afia

    The National Cathedral would have been a great venue to host musical concerts and events that would generate huge revenue for the arts and entertainment industry, this is according to singer, Sista Afia.

    The ‘Asouden’ singer in an interview on GhanaWeb TV with Paula Amma Broni disclosed her wish of converting the much-talked-about edifice into a theatre instead of a place of worship.

    When questioned what she could have done differently as the leader of the Musicians Union of Ghana, she said: “If I was the MUSIGA president, I would talk to Nana Akufo-Addo to give us the National Cathedral to do something for the music industry… a place where we can go do our concert which is actually gonna give money.

    “As for God, He gets plenty churches for here. Make he give the National Cathedral to us, ” she said in Pidgin.

    Ghana’s president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in March 2018 unveiled the design for the cathedral, an interdenominational Christian edifice to be constructed around the Parliament House in Accra.

    The project has received stiff opposition from individuals and groups who believe that the estimated $200 million cost could have been used for more beneficial projects in the country like the construction of roads, improve healthcare, agriculture and education.

    Source:ghanaweb.com

     

  • There is no tribe in Ghana called ‘Ashanti’ – Manasseh educates Sonnie Badu

    Ghanaian gospel artiste based in the United Kingdom, Sonnie Badu on Friday, September 9, shared a photo of himself wearing a colourful kente cloth to represent the rich culture and tradition of his region.

    In the Facebook post that has generated over 740 comments, his fans showered him with compliments for selling Ghana to the world.

    The image was captioned: “Proud Ghanaian… proud African…proud Ashanti.#Kente.”

    Ghanaian journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni reacting to the post, corrected the singer on the wrong spelling of ‘Asante’ which was misspelt as ‘Ashanti’.

    According to him, many locals get confused with the right spelling by replacing the last letter of Asante with the alphabet ‘i’. He added that it was adulterated by the white man.

    He, however, complimented Sonnie for his choice of outfit for the wedding he recently attended.

    “This is beautiful, but for your information, there is no ethnic group in Ghana called Ashanti. The right name is Asante. The traditional ruler of the Asante people is Asantehene and they speak Asante Twi. The Asante people refer to their kingdom as Asanteman. A singular Asante is called Asanteni and we refer to them as Asantefuo. So, you are an Asante, not Ashanti.

    He further explained that: “The “Ashanti” in our books is the white man’s adulteration of Asante, which is still being used to identify the administrative region of the Asante people. I wonder why we cannot just change it to Asante Region, instead of keeping the “Ashanti” Region. It’s just like Kibi (Kyebi) and Akim (Akyem) which are still on some names of schools and towns. And many will be surprised to know that there is no ethnic group called Dagaati. Maybe, we have to make a conscious effort to return to the right names.”

    Check out the post below

    Source:ghanaweb.com

  • Ana de Armas and ‘Blonde’ earn warm response in Venice

    Ana de Armas grew emotional at the premiere of her Marilyn Monroe biopic, “Blonde,” at the Venice Film Festival.

    The film landed a 14-minute standing ovation on Thursday, where de Armas was seen wiping tears from her face and hugging her costar, Adrien Brody.

    The actress stars as Monroe in the movie, which was adapted from Joyce Carol Oates’ novel of the same name. Brody plays her third husband, Arthur Miller.

    Brody had earlier praised her performance at the film’s press conference, saying de Armas was able to transport him “to another time and place.”

    De Armas told the UK’s Sunday Times that the role required a lot of preparation.

    ‘It took me nine months of dialect coaching, and practicing and some additional dialogue replacement sessions [to perfect the accent]. It was a big torture, so exhausting. My brain was fried,” she told the outlet.

    Brad Pitt, a producer on the film, also showed up to the premiere.

    Blonde is out on Netflix on 28 September.

    Source:CNN

  • Dolly Parton and Kelly Clarkson duet on ‘9 to 5’

    Dolly Parton has remade her hit song “9 to 5” as a duet, this time with Kelly Clarkson.

    The song comes more than 40 years after the original and was recorded as part of the forthcoming documentary, “Still Working 9 to 5.” The film explores the cultural impact of the 1980 comedy “9 to 5,” in which Parton, Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin starred.

    “Nobody sings like Kelly Clarkson. She makes any song come alive,” Parton said in a statement. “I love her voice on ‘9 to 5,’ and I am so proud I got to sing with her on it. I’m equally as proud of the wonderful arrangement and production by Shane McAnally.”

    Clarkson shared the admiration.

    “I am so honored that Dolly asked me to reimagine this iconic song, ‘9 to 5,’ with her!” the singer and talk-show host said in a statement.

    “She is so talented, an inspiration to all women, and one of the sweetest people you will ever meet!,” Clarkson added. “I hope y’all like what we did, but even if you don’t, remember I got to sing a duet with the magical Dolly Parton, and now have bragging rights til the end of time!”

    In March Clarkson honored Parton at the 57th annual Academy of Country Music Awards by performing Parton’s iconic hit song , “I Will Always Love You,” which was iconically covered by Whitney Houston.

    Source:CNN

  • Harry Styles, Elton John honor Queen Elizabeth II during their concerts

    Two of the UK’s biggest music stars paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth II in concert on Thursday.

    Harry Styles paused to honor the late monarch during his latest Madison Square Garden show.

    “From my homeland there’s some very sad news today,” Styles told the crowd Thursday night, before he led the audience in a round of applause.

    “Thank you, Madison Square Garden,” he said.

    Styles’ fellow Brit Elton John also paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth II with kind words at his concert in Toronto.

    “I’m 75, and she’s been with me all my life, and I feel very sad that she won’t be with me anymore, but I’m glad she’s at peace,” John told the crowd. “I’m glad she’s at rest, and she deserves it. She worked bloody hard.”

    Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II died on Thursday at the age of 96, bringing to a close a reign that spanned seven decades.

    Source:CNN

  • ‘Cobra Kai’ hasn’t lost its kick in Season 5

    Crossing the streams with its sequels, the fifth season of “Cobra Kai” features heavy dollops of the second and third “The Karate Kid” movies while continue to carve out its own next-generation melodrama, all in extraordinarily nimble fashion. While it’s not the best series on TV (OK, Netflix), there should be some kind of prize for the best revival culled from limited source material.

    The inevitable battle of dueling dojos in Season 4, which saw seemingly every kid in Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley taking up karate, has left the region under the thumb of the oily Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith), who, like Martin Kove’s Kreese, has found a dazzling encore in getting to reprise this villainous role.

    Still, in order to battle the bad guy from “Karate Kid III,” Daniel (Ralph Macchio) has enlisted the heavy from “II,” Chozen (Yuji Okumoto), in an unlikely but utterly hysterical alliance. (A little fuzzy on his English, when Daniel suggests they need to cut off the head of the snake, the literal-minded Chozen pulls out a knife and is ready to go.)

    Of course, there’s a lot more to it than that, with the frequently down-on-his-luck Johnny (William Zabka) trying to navigate his romance with Carmen (Vanessa Rubio), and the rift between his son (Tanner Buchanan) and hers (Xolo Maridueña).

    The kids, in fact, have as many shifting allegiances as the elder generation, whose AARP-eligible karate masters continue to prove remarkably spry. The producers have also remained quite resourceful not only in weaving old clips into the show where appropriate but sprinkling in familiar faces — which, again, shouldn’t be spoiled and earnestly treat the original “Karate Kid” trilogy as if it were some mythic franchise, an earthbound cross between “Star Wars” and “Star Trek.”

    Like any show with this many high-school-age characters in the mix, “Cobra Kai” appears to be running out of real estate, at least in terms of how much more plausible mileage can be milked from the younger crowd. The seasons have also begun to exhibit a familiar pattern, starting and finishing strong while dragging a bit in the middle.

    Even so, the show’s remarkable resilience thus far — having started out on YouTube before migrating to Netflix, where it blossomed into an Emmy-nominated success — suggests it would be premature to count it out.

    Besides, “Cobra Kai” has again demonstrated that all you really need is one good leg on which to keep fighting. Five seasons in, the show has already surpassed any reasonable expectations, developing a life of its own that proves it wasn’t just “Karate Kid”-ing around.

    “Cobra Kai” begins its fifth season September 9 on Netflix.

    Source:CNN

  • ‘The Crown’ suspending production as ‘mark of respect’ for Queen Elizabeth II

    Producers of the Netflix historical drama “The Crown” are pausing production on the show’s sixth season after news of Queen Elizabeth’s death.

    “As a mark of respect, filming on ‘The Crown’ was suspended today. Filming will also be suspended on the day of Her Majesty The Queen’s funeral,” producers for “The Crown” said in a statement to CNN on Friday.

    The Emmy-winning series, created by Peter Morgan, centers on the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. Season 5, expected to premiere in November, will cover the events of the late monarch’s reign in the 21st century.

    “Harry Potter” alum Imelda Staunton will take over the role of Queen Elizabeth II which was played in previous seasons by Claire Foy (Seasons 1 and 2) and Olivia Colman (Seasons 3 and 4).

    Both Foy and Colman won Primetime Emmy Awards for their portrayals.

    The show is expected to conclude after Season 6.

    Source:CNN

  • Disney unveils first look at live-action ‘Little Mermaid’

    Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” is coming back to theaters next year, with Halle Bailey bringing a live-action Ariel to the big screen for the first time, and the studio unveiled a sneak peek at the new film at its D23 Expo.

    It’s short but oh so sweet, with a seconds-long glimps at Ariel in action, singing some impressive notes from “Part of Your World.”

    The film, directed by Rob Marshall, who has also helmed “Chicago” and “Mary Poppins Returns”, is being billed as a reimagining of the 1989 Oscar-winning animated musical classic.

    In addition to Bailey, a singer who has also appeared on Freeform’s “grown-ish,” the film features Daveed Diggs as the voice of Sebastian, Jacob Tremblay (“Luca,” “Room”) as the voice of Flounder and Awkwafina as the voice of Scuttle.

    “Little Mermaid” is set to hit theaters on May 26, 2023.

    Source:CNN

  • Life isn’t a fairy tale for Amy Adams in teaser trailer for ‘Disenchanted’

    Giselle is finding out what comes after happily ever after in the new teaser trailer for “Disenchanted,” the sequel to 2007’s “Enchanted” — and she’s not loving it.

    The film picks up 15 years since after Giselle (Amy Adams) found her New York prince Robert (Patrick Dempsey). When she begins growing tired of the city, they pack up a town called Monroeville, only to find out what so many do — that life in the ‘burbs not a fairy tale.

    Feeling further away from the storybook life that she imagined than ever — especially upon meeting the locals, like Maya Rudolph, who joins the cast as a creepy suburban housewife — Giselle tries some magical solutions with horrible consequences.

    Disney unveiled the teaser trailer for the film, directed by Adam Shankman, at the D23 Expo, taking place in Anaheim, California this weekend.

    “Disenchanted.” is set to stream on November 24, 2022 on Disney+.

    Source:CNN

     

     

  • ‘Black Adam’ features Dwayne Johnson in new chapter for DC Extended Universe

    A new trailer for “Black Adam” hints at a switch up for Dwayne Johnson’s character.

    The DC comic movie also costars Viola Davis, Pierce Brosnan and Aldis Hodge. Johnson plays Teth Adam, who In ancient Kahndaq “was bestowed the almighty powers of the gods. After using these powers for vengeance, he was imprisoned, becoming Black Adam.”

    “Nearly 5,000 years have passed and Black Adam has gone from man, to myth, to legend,” the description on the trailer reads. “Now released, his unique form of justice, born out of rage, is challenged by modern day heroes who form the Justice Society: Hawkman, Dr. Fate, Atom Smasher and Cyclone.”

    But is Black Adam a villain or a super hero?

    The film is being released by Warner Bros. which is owned by CNN’s parent company. It hits theaters on October 21, 2022.

    Source:CNN

  • Asantehene must organize Queen Elizabeth’s funeral else they will ruin it – Diana Asamoah

    Gospel music and minister of the gospel, Diana Asamoah has made a plea to Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to take charge of the burial and funeral service of the late British monarch, Queen of Elizabeth II.

    The queen who reigned for 70 years passed away on September 8 at age 96. The world and its leaders have mourned Queen Elizabeth, the longest-serving British monarch.

    Reacting to the news of her death and plans for her final funeral rites, Diana Asamoah in a video shared on TikTok just a day after the queen’s passing requested that Ghana’s president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the Chief of Staff, Frema Opare ensured that Asantehene took charge of the burial since the Ashanti Region holds the record as the best funeral organizers in the country and the world at large.

    “Dear Ghanaians and people worldwide, Africa, we all know what has happened to us. We are saddened by what has happened to the United Kingdom. Their Queen has been called to eternity by God. She lived a good life from which we all benefited.

    “I just have a little plea to make to our King, Asantehene, Osei Tutu II, President Akufo-Addo and Frema Opare,” she said in the video that captured her in a black dress.

    The gospel explained that in 2021, the funeral of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, husband of the late Queen wasn’t befitting for his status as a British royal reason why Asantehene must be handed over that duty.

    “We all witnessed the great and befitting funeral organized for the late Asantehemaa. I say that we weren’t impressed with the funeral of Queen Elizabeth’s late husband…as for the Queen’s funeral, I am on my knees begging the Asantehene to take over the organization.

    “It is a fact that we the Ashantis are the best organizers of funerals, so I plead with Asantehene to take over. The late Queen is a royal and so, we the Ashantis should give her a befitting burial…I am even prepared to sponsor it. Please act on it else they will ruin it. I thank you in advance for considering my request,” Diana Asamoah concluded in her message to Otumfuo.

    Meanwhile, the Manhyia Palace in a Twitter post on September 9, mourned the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.

    Watch the video below:



    Source:ghanaweb.com

  • Video of Shatta Michy serving as mate in a troski causes stir

    Beautiful Ghanaian singer and model, Shatta Michy, has got folks talking on social media after she was spotted acting as a trotro mate.

    In the video, the singer stood on the edge of a trotro door which was left ajar, and called for folks to board the vehicle as she screamed ”Ashaiman, Ashaiman”. Shatta Michy seemed to be enjoying the moment and had a look of excitement on her face.

    The video was taken on the day of Stonebwoy’s Ashiaman To The World Festival, where she performed with him.

    The video of Michy serving as a mate had many peeps fawning over her as they dropped interesting comments. See Video Here

    Shatta Michy Sparks Reactions

    Jennifer Richlove Apusiyine said:

    Michy just love you and your smile, you always smiling and I love that ❤️❤️

    Ange Otoo commented:

    michy mission is just one…to bring wake and bhim together for peace

    Mom nd son collections

    Michy seriously there is no different between you and SHATTA hahahahah I just love your energy hahHahahah

    Ohemaa Speechless also reacted:

    Wow this lady is really a woman in fact a QUEEN

    Reggie Quarcoo was impressed:

    I can see à bit of the shatta’s is still in you, we still love you

     

    Source:graphic.com

     

  • Sarkodie fires radio presenters who constantly call out Ghanaian artistes for ‘slow’ progress

    Ghana’s most decorated rapper, Sarkodie has for years witnessed some radio presenters and industry players downgrade local artistes for what they term as failure to go international with their music or mount bigger platforms like some of their African counterparts.

    Sarkodie in a recent interview emphasized that local radio presenters who have equally not made any big move in their career do not have the moral right to criticize artistes for not gracing international platforms.

    He subtly jabbed radio presenters who have over 20 years of work experience but still haven’t recorded any milestones. These same individuals turn to ‘disrespect’ and pressurize musicians for not winning big for the country adding that these presenters don’t create opportunities for them.

    “It is easy for someone to sit on the radio and say that Shatta Wale or Sarkodie didn’t do this or that. I know that we the artiste have things we should do because every time there is a step but if you are on a Ghanaian radio for close to 20 years and you’ve not moved to a platform like Choice or BBC, I don’t think you have the moral right to talk about Ghanaian artistes who have not moved,” said Sarkodie in an interview which has gone viral.

    The rapper also took the opportunity to explain how late Ghanaian BBC journalist, Komla Afeke Dumor gave him a big spot on the BBC.

    IN 2013, Sarkodie was featured in an interview with BBC Africa’s Paul Bakibinga.

    “I for instance was on BBC because of Komla Dumor, he made it possible,” he added.

    Check out the video below:

  • Shatta Bandle congratulated on the arrival of his newborn

    Shatta Bandle, a social media sensation in Ghana, announced the birth of his child in a photo that was shared by bloggers on Friday, September 9.

    Bandle, in an unnamed hospital, couldn’t contain his happiness as he held his precious child in his arms.

    Several celebrities and admirers have sent the new father numerous congratulations on the birth of his baby boy on social media.

    Among the well wishes are people like Mona4Reall, Eshun, and Fiifi Adinkra. The socialite, for his part, accepted the messages using emojis.

    Shatta Bandle, who calls himself the richest man in Africa and is well-known for being a midget, has captured the hearts of many with his comedic films.

    Check out the first photo below:

    Source:ghanaweb.com

  • BMW PGA Championship: Fleetwood shines on return to share first-round lead

    Tommy Fleetwood impressed on his return to claim a share of the lead after round one of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, shooting eight-under-par to end Thursday tied with Andy Sullivan and Viktor Hovland.

    Fleetwood had not played since finishing fourth in the Open at St Andrews in July, having taken an extended period of absence following his mother’s death.

    But he showed no signs of rustiness on Thursday as he cruised around a rainy Wentworth in 64 shots, covering his last seven holes in six under before declaring his delight at returning to the DP World Tour.

    “It’s nice to be back more than anything,” said Fleetwood. “Seven weeks off feels more like two years I guess.

    “When you stand on the first tee, you don’t know what to expect, no matter how well you might have been practising or playing.

    “It was a lovely grouping to come back to, best friends on Tour [Justin Rose was in his group]. It’s always better that I played good rather than bad, but it was just nice to be back.”

    Sullivan recovered with a fine bunker shot at the 18th to ensure he remained level with Fleetwood, before Hovland joined the leading duo in style with an eagle on the last, sinking a fine putt from 27 feet.

    Jordan Matthew finished seven-under on a good day for the home hopefuls, with Shane Lowry, Jason Scrivener, Fabrizio Zanotti and Marcus Amitage all a shot further back.

    Rory McIlroy, who became the first three-time FedEX Cup winner last month, finished four-under for the day, and told Sky Sports he could have done more.

    “I thought I played okay, as you said the rain was on and off all day and that made it really tricky,” he said.

    “I felt four-under was pretty pedestrian, I didn’t do a lot right, I didn’t do a lot wrong, I definitely feel that the course is going to be very gettable for the rest of the week.

    “Winning gives me motivation more than anything else, you’ve proven to yourself that you can win, you can beat the best players in the world. I’ve always got this sense of excitement after a win, and it’s about resetting goals to strive for other things.”

     

    Source:livescore.com

  • Meet the painter behind Jubilee House, COCOBOD, other buildings

    A young man who specializes in interior and exterior painting has been establishing a profession for himself for the past 15 years.

    Through his inventive paintings and designs, Bright Hodzor, sometimes known as the “Celebrity Painter,” has somewhat disproved the notion that a profession in painting is a desirable one.

    Bright Hodzor is utilizing his talent to break down these prejudices while making the project a business-oriented one that also provides chances for others. He has painted the Jubliee House, the Ghana COCOBOD building, market squares, churches, and other locations all throughout the country.

    Taking his turn on GhanaWeb TV’s BizTech, the Celebrity Painter said his journey started when he left his hometown to Accra in search of greener pastures.

    “I had the talent of mixing colours for a long time when growing up as a child. I was able to visualize any color and know which shade to mix that color with. I can actually call this a natural talent which has been given to me by God”

    “The industry of painting in Ghana, has for many years, had its stereotypes but I have been able to help break that barrier with this talent I have been given. The exterior and interior painting industry in Ghana is one that has many prospects and opportunities”

  • RC Lens manager hails Ghanaian midfielder Salis Abdul Samed

    RC Lens manager Franck Haise has praised Ghanaian midfielder Salis Abdul Samed for his important role in the team.

    The 22-year-old joined RC Lens from Clermont this summer and quickly settled into the midfield, where he has taken on the heavy responsibility of succeeding Cheick Doucouré, who left for Crystal Palace.

    Samed, whom Franck Haise had seen on trial at the same time as Cheick Doucouré on leaving the Jean-Marc Guillou Academy, never stopped following him with the recruitment unit:

    “He’s someone who came to the test more than 3 and a half years ago and since this test, we have always followed him. He had shown things, even if perhaps not enough compared to Douc’ at the time. But we knew there was real potential.

    ha

    “We have always followed him, he worked well with Pascal Gastien in Clermont. With the cell, we quickly agreed to say that it was an element on which we could anticipate with the departure of Cheick Doucouré,” Haise said.

    Since then, the player has distinguished himself by a good communicative mood in the locker room. Last week, David Pereira Da Costa underlined the ability of his new teammate to do good for morale.

    Franck Haise also describes someone very expressive: “ If for Jean Onana and Alexis Claude-Maurice, I can speak of reserved people, he has a more extroverted side! (smile) That’s good, that’s the beauty of a group, we need everything! ”

    Samed has played six games this season and scored one goal.

    Source: Ghanasoccernet

     

  • The Queen: Friday play cancelled at BMW PGA Championship

    Friday’s play at the BMW PGA Championship has been suspended following confirmation of the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

    Her Majesty passed away at her home in Balmoral on Thursday at the age of 96.

    Play was immediately suspended at Wentworth once the news came through at 18:30 BST.

    In a statement released later on Thursday, event organisers paid tribute to the Queen and confirmed there will be no action on Friday as a mark of respect.

    “On behalf of our members and everyone associated with the European Tour group and the BMW PGA Championship, it is with great sadness that we have learned of the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II,” the statement read.

    “She truly was an inspiration to people the world over. Out of respect for Her Majesty and the Royal Family, play has been suspended at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Club for the remainder of Thursday and all flags at Wentworth Club will be lowered to half-mast.

    “Furthermore, no play will take place at the BMW PGA Championship on Friday and the golf course and practice facilities will be closed. Further updates on the resumption of play will be provided in due course. Our deepest sympathies and condolences are with the Royal Family at this time.”

    Tommy Fleetwood, Andy Sullivan and Viktor Hovland held a joint-lead with an eight-under par 64 when play came to a stop on Thursday.

    The tournament was scheduled to conclude on Sunday.

    Source:livescore.com

  • Man jailed 8 years for stealing electrical cables

    A 35-Year-old electrician, has been jailed eight years with hard labour by the Agona Swedru Circuit Court for stealing high-tension electrical cables valued at GH¢15,000.

    Thomas Essel pleaded guilty to two counts of stealing and causing unlawful damage to government property.

    The cables, belonging to Power TEC VENTURE Company limited, was being used for a rural electrification project for residents of  Broferase, Kwesi Paintsil and 10 other communities in the Agona East District of the Central region.

    Police Chief Inspector Maxwell Boadu, prosecuting, said the complainant was Mr William Azadekor, a foreman of the  Power TEC VENTURE, who lives at Kasoa.

    Prosecution told the court presided over by Mr Jonathan Nunoo that the convict was an electrician from Duabone, near Duakwa in Agona East, one of the beneficiary communities of the project,  but lives at Kasoa.

    Chief Insp Boadu said the complainant was contracted by the government of Ghana to extend electricity power from Broferase-Junction, near Agona Nsaba, to Kwesi Paintsil and other villages.

    The prosecution said the complainant reported the theft (removal) of a quantity of high-tension cables from some high-tension poles at the project site to the police.

    According to Chief Insp Boadu, the complainant also alerted residents of the beneficiary communities about the theft and urged them to be alert to help apprehend the culprit.

    He said on Saturday, August 27, 2022, around 10 am, Essel was seen with two fertiliser sacks, a pair of climbing shoes, an electricity power tester, a plier, a pair of safety boots and a pair of hand gloves at the project site.

    Chief Insp Boadu said the convict had climbed the high-tension poles and started cutting the cables, measuring 400 meters, valued at GH¢15,000.

    The court heard that a dog barked at the convict, which attracted the owner, Mr Kumi Shardrack.

    Chief Insp Boadu said when the owner of the dog saw Essel, he raised the alarm,  and some residents arrested Essel together with the stolen cables and handed him over to the police at Agona Nsaba.

  • Joselyn Dumas celebrates birthday with lovely picture

    Popular Ghanaian actress, Joselyn Dumas, is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful actresses Ghana has ever produced.

    She rocks every outfit with grace and without even trying. From being a plus-size woman to losing some inches off through dieting and exercising to achieve the hourglass figure, Joselyn never disappoints when she steps out.

    1. Glass nkoaa outfit

    Her look for the 2022 edition of the AMVCA was beyond stunning. She rocked a star-studded outfit with glass-like pieces fixed from the turtle-neck region to her waistline.

    The bottom section of the dress was designed with chains of beads that hang from the waistline.

    She wore a short blonde frontal lace wig to bring out the spark in her look. She wore a yellow pair of heels with a bow on top to create a design.

    Since it was an evening occasion, her makeup was heavy with smokey eyes and a darker shade of lipstick to make her makeup stand out.

     

    View this post on Instagram

     

    A post shared by JOSELYN DUMAS® (@joselyn_dumas)

    2. Wedding guest Joselyn

    For her friend’s wedding, Joselyn slayed in an ombre purple kente dress. It was made with a corset which snatched her waistline. The bottom section of the dress was long enough to touch the ground while accentuating her hourglass figure.

    She wore a brown wig with a curled strand on each side of her face. Since it was a wedding, her makeup was soft and almost had a natural touch to it. The eye shadow matched the colour of her outfit.

     

    View this post on Instagram

     

    A post shared by JOSELYN DUMAS® (@joselyn_dumas)

    3. The black goddess

    She looked gorgeous in her all-black lace dress with sheer fabric lined on the inside.

    She rocked a black and blonde ombre frontal lace wig that had big curls at the ends. She paired her look with a shiny pair of pointed heels.

     

    View this post on Instagram

     

    A post shared by JOSELYN DUMAS® (@joselyn_dumas)

    4. The golden queen

    She rocked a golden brocade dress that has huge puffs around the arms. Crystals were used to line the dress’s plunging neckline to add some spark to it.

    She wore a bone-straight wig that flowed effortlessly on her back. Her soft makeup gave her a fierce look.

     

    View this post on Instagram

     

    A post shared by JOSELYN DUMAS® (@joselyn_dumas)

    5. Star-studded gown

    The multiple award-winning actress looked really stunning in her sparkling see-through dress.

    Her makeup was flawless, with the highlights and contour as well as the blush done to perfection. She had on a black wig that had huge curls at the ends. To complete her overall look, she wore a gold pair of heels.

     

    View this post on Instagram

     

    A post shared by JOSELYN DUMAS® (@joselyn_dumas)

    Source:Yen.com

  • Alhaji Grusah blasts Black Stars technical team over zoom meetings

    Black Stars management committee member Alhaji Grusah has blasted the technical team, led by Otto Addo, for holding meetings via Zoom rather than in person.

    Grusah has threatened not to attend any Black Stars-related meetings if they continue to use the video app.

    Otto Addo and his staff should travel to Ghana for their meetings, according to the controversial football administrator.

    Black Stars coach Otto Addo is based in Germany, where is assistant coach of Borussia Dortmund. Assistant coach George Boateng until recently was a youth team coach at Aston Vila while Didi Dramani, another assistant coach, works with Danish side Nordsjaelland.

    “We have a big chance if we remain truthful and put the right measures in place,” he said as reported by Ghanaweb.

    “I’ve told them not to call into any online meeting. Zoom meet is archaic. The coaches should come down with their selections for us to have a discussion.

    “I’ve warned them not to call me into any zoom meeting. How can we be truthful if we are not seeing each other? I’m confident that with the right things we’ll qualify,” he added.

    Black Stars will return to action this month with games against Brazil and Nicaragua as part of preparations for World Cup in Qatar, where they will play Portugal, South Korea and Uruguay in group stage.

    Source: Ghanasoccernet

  • Despite the completion of SIM registration, subscribers complain about blocked calls and network services

    Despite completing the SIM registration process, some MTN customers claim their access to network services has been banned.

    The National Communications Authority has started rolling out punitive measures against users who have not finished their SIM registration, therefore customers flocked to different MTN branches to make sure their SIM cards are registered.

    Some of the throngs of customers who had gathered at the MTN locations in Akweteyman and Kwame Nkrumah Circle on Friday, September 9, 2022, when GhanaWeb visited them, voiced anger about having to endure the punitive measures despite successfully registering their SIM Cards.

    Some of the irate customers who contacted to GhanaWeb claimed that they started seeing a reduction in mobile services like incoming and outgoing calls.

    The customers claimed that this was significantly affecting both their personal and professional lives.

    “I have had to leave my work just because of this. We are wasting productive hours for something that is due to no fault of ours,” a customer at the Akweteyman MTN office said.

    Meanwhile, visiting the Kwame Nkrumah Circle branch of another service provider, Vodafone, there was relative calm with a little number of customers present for their SIM registration.

    Some of these customers included those who had suffered punitive actions for not registering their SIM cards.

    In the case of Vodafone customers, there were no incidents of registered users suffering punitive measures.

    The NCA had announced in a press release dated September 2, 2022, that some punitive measures had been discussed in a meeting and will be rolled out from September 5, 2022.

    Per this announcement, all unregistered SIM cards will be barred from receiving certain services, including all outgoing voice calls and data services.

    Following the commencement of this action, many Ghanaians who subscribe to MTN services claim to have equally been affected despite having registered their SIM Cards.

    Meanwhile, the Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful in a Facebook post has stated that there will not be an extension to the September 30, 2022 deadline for the registration of SIM cards.

    “I informed the media during my most recent meeting that the SIM registration exercise would not be extended past September 30. After evaluation at the end of August, it has been determined that starting the disciplinary steps outlined in the NCA press release is prudent.

    Additionally, any SIM that has not yet been completely registered will be unable to use voice and Internet services. Afterward, using unregistered SIMs will be more expensive. At a subsequent press conference in September, the full scope of the sanctions will be revealed. If you suffer that fate as a result of your own inaction, kindly do not blame your service provider. To be forewarned is to be forearmed,” the minister said.

  • Registered SIM cards blocked from making calls Residents lament

    Several residents in the Ashanti region claim that despite registering their SIM cards, their ability to place calls has been disabled.

    They claimed that even if the registration was completed at telecommunication networks’ offices, it was still prohibited.

    Despite the difficulty of waiting in long lines to register their SIM cards, several of them told Class News’ regional correspondent Elisha Adarkwah that they could only receive calls and not make them.

    While expressing worry about the situation and the negative impact it has had on their businesses, they called on the telecommunication networks and the Ministry of Communication to do something about it.

    Meanwhile, several people who have not registered their SIM cards and have had their SIM cards blocked from making calls have crowded the National Identification Authority offices and the Telecommunication networks offices.

    Some of them who spoke to Class News said they were there to get their Ghana cards for subsequent registration of their SIM cards while others who were at the telecommunication networks offices said they were there to register their SIM cards.

    Meanwhile, the Minister of Communications, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has said owners of unregistered SIM cards should not blame their service providers when the punitive measures agreed by the National Communications Authority (NCA) are applied against them.

    In a Facebook post on Wednesday, 7 September 2022, the minister stressed: “I informed the media during my most-recent meeting that the SIM registration exercise would not be extended past September 30”.

    “After evaluation at the end of August, it has been determined that starting the disciplinary steps outlined in the NCA press release is prudent.”

    She noted: “Any SIM that has not yet been completely registered will be unable to use voice and Internet services. Afterwards, using unregistered SIMs will be more expensive.”

    According to the Communications Minister, “At a subsequent press conference in September, the full scope of the sanctions will be revealed”.

    “If you suffer that fate as a result of your own inaction, kindly do not blame your service provider.”

    She added: “To be forewarned is to be forearmed.”

    The NCA, ahead of the 30 September deadline, has put in place punitive measures to ensure that all unregistered SIM cards are registered.

  • Stephanie, Kwame, & 5 other GH artists who made the Queen dance

    Queen Elizabeth II had a soft spot for music, which was described as a love affair. During her reign, she hosted various events which saw both British and non-British music stars serenade her and patrons of these events.

    American stars like Stevie Wonder, Lady Gaga, and Alicia Keys are among the artists who have shown off their vocals to Queen Elizabeth II. English musicians like Ed Sheeran, Adele, and Phil Collins also had the opportunity to showcase their talents to their Queen.

    Similarly, Ghanaian musicians also entertained the Queen during her reign. YEN.com.gh presents you with a list of Ghanaian artists whose performances she witnessed live and Ghanaian artists who performed at events organized in her honor.

    1. Kiki Gyan

    The multi-instrumentalist, musician, and songwriter of Osibisa fame played for the Queen after his exit from the famous Ghanaian band. Reports indicate that Queen Elizabeth II greatly loved Kiki Gyan’s performance and was amazed at his talent.

    2. Stephanie Benson

    UK-based Ghanaian singer and Queen of Jazz Stephanie Benson was a regular for the British Royals. The singer has entertained patrons of private and public events hosted by the Royal Family. One thing for sure is that the new King Charles III is a big fan of the singer. The first time he heard her sing, he allegedly told her, “You are one of the most amazing performers I’ve ever seen.”

    3. Kwame Yeboah

    Multi-instrumentalist Kwame Yeboah displayed his guitar skills in front of Queen Elizabeth and other members of the Royal Family in 2020. He performed alongside English singer Craig David at a service to celebrate the Commonwealth of Nations.

    4. Wiyaala

    Unlike the artists mentioned above, Wiyaala did not perform directly in front of the Queen. Instead, she has performed at events organized by the British High Commission in Ghana to celebrate the Queen’s 89th and 92nd birthdays.

    5. Gyakie

    Also known as the Song Bird, Gyakie had the opportunity to serenade persons at the British High Commission of Ghana to celebrate the Queen’s 96th birthday in April. The performance was live-streamed.

    6. Reggie N Bollie

    The UK-based Ghanaian duo ReggieNBollie, joined Wiyaala in 2018 to honor the Queen during her 92nd birthday party. The event is one of the many events organized by the British High Commission.

    7. Kelvyn Boy

    Kelvyn Boy made the news in April 2022 after he performed a slower rendition of his song Mea at a party held in honor of the Queen’s 96th birthday. The Ghanaian singer was the talk of the town after he got emotional during his set.

    Source”yen.com

  • WWCQ draw: Scotland, Wales face tough tasks

    Scotland will take on Austria in the first round of the European qualification playoffs for next year’s women’s World Cup, while Wales will face Bosnia and Herzegovina and Portugal will meet Belgium after the draw was conducted by UEFA on Friday.

    Scotland, Austria, Wales, Bosnia, Portugal, Belgium, Switzerland, Iceland and Ireland are all competing in the two-round playoffs after finishing second in each of their qualifying groups.


    Scotland will play Austria in their first-round playoff. ANP via Getty Images

    Scotland will take on Austria in the first round of the European qualification playoffs for next year’s women’s World Cup, while Wales will face Bosnia and Herzegovina and Portugal will meet Belgium after the draw was conducted by UEFA on Friday.

    Scotland, Austria, Wales, Bosnia, Portugal, Belgium, Switzerland, Iceland and Ireland are all competing in the two-round playoffs after finishing second in each of their qualifying groups.

    Playoff draw

    Round 1 (Oct. 6)

    Scotland vs. Austria

    Wales vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina

    Portugal vs. Belgium

    Round 2 (Oct. 11)

    Portugal or Belgium vs. Iceland

    Scotland or Austria vs. Ireland

    Switzerland vs. Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina

    Source: espn.co.uk