Two young girls have been discovered dead at the Koforidua to Adukrom Highway’s Okrakwadwo section in the Eastern Region.
Residents woke up this morning to see the girls lying motionless beside each other at the roadside with some injuries on their heads.
The deceased are from the Okrakwadwo community and have been identified as Yvonne and Esther.
It is believed they were killed by their assailants at dawn before depositing them at the roadside.
The bodies have been retrieved by the Adukrom District police command and deposited at the morgue as investigation continues.
The assembly member for the area Michael Gadasu confirmed the incident to Starr News.
According to him, “there were no marks of injuries all of their body to say they jumped out of a moving vehicle. Beside that, they were arranged beside each other so we suspect they were killed and dumped “.
After the Dutch giants turned down an offer from Premier League team Everton, Ghanaian starlet Mohammed Kudus is expected to remain at Ajax.
Ajax are keen on keeping the the 22-year-old attacking midfielder since they have big plans for him and that he has a future at the club.
The Dutch champions are also not ready to listen any other offers for Kudus, insisting they won’t sell or loan the highly-rated youngster at any price.
The Black Stars midfielder has reportedly agreed personal terms with Everton and is interested in a move away from the Johan Cruijff Arena this summer.
Kudus is seeking for more playing minutes as the FIFA World Cup in Qatar this year is getting closer. He wants to keep in form and shape for the Mundial which kicks off in November.
The summer transfer window will shut in the midnight of Thursday, September 1, 2022 and the Toffees are expected to make another offer to Ajax.
Kudus signed for Ajax in July 2020 from Danish club FC Nordsjaelland for a fee around 9 million Euros after a blistering two-year spell in the Danish Superliga.
He has since made 47 appearances for the Dutch giants, scoring six times and providing four assists in the process.
The government has been accused of not doing enough to help people cope with the crisis, amid warnings that people are facing a dire winter with rocketing energy bills. Many people are having to make tough choices such as skipping meals, while others are dreading the colder months.
Both Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak, one of whom will be announced as the next prime minister, have pledged further support, though neither has given details.
James Murray, Labour’s shadow financial secretary to the Treasury, accused Mr Zahawi of being part of a “do-nothing Tory government” – adding that the chancellor was “jetting off to an international chinwag”.
“Rather than going on another junket at the taxpayers’ expense, the chancellor should start listening to people here at home and implementing Labour’s fully funded plan to freeze energy bills,” he said.
Trade union leader Frances O’Grady expressed surprised that Mr Zahawi had travelled to the US. She told the Today programme that trade unions had asked to meet him, adding: “I would’ve thought it was a priority to meet representatives of working people… who are just looking to keep their wages at least up with inflation.”
Mr Zahawi has insisted he has been working tirelessly to come up with proposals for either leadership candidate to bring in more cost-of-living support.
The chancellor – who could be replaced when the new Tory leader comes to power – is meeting banking chiefs in New York to discuss co-operating on financial services, before heading to Washington DC to discuss support for Ukraine, the global economic outlook and energy security at the US central bank.
In a video released on Twitter, Mr Zahawi said he would be talking about “Putin’s use of energy as a tool, a weapon to get back at us for the help we are putting in Ukraine and how we can coordinate further to deal with the challenge of remaining resilient in the face of that particular challenge”.
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Ms Truss’s campaign team says she will not finalise her plans for crucial cost-of-living support before receiving the “full support and advice” only available to the government of the day.
A campaign source told PA: “Liz and her team are working to ensure that they are able to hit the ground running if she is elected prime minister.”
The foreign secretary’s team said she is leaning towards targeted support over help for all, but maintained she is not “ruling anything out”, while it was also reported she is considering slashing VAT by 5% across the board.
A source close to her also told the BBC this week that she would prioritise tax cuts over giving direct payments to every household. Mr Sunak has said the government “must provide some direct support” to all.
Ms Truss – who polls suggest is the favourite in the leadership race – has so far promised to help households by reversing April’s National Insurance rise and temporarily cutting energy levies on fuel bills. Mr Sunak has proposed spending billions of pounds on further payments to pensioners and the low-paid over winter, arguing tax cuts would not help them enough – but has not set out details. He also wants to cut VAT on fuel bills.
Image source, Reuters
Image caption,
Tory leadership candidates Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss are under pressure to detail how they would help households this winter
Experts and charities have warned lives will be at risk this winter after the energy regulator hiked the price cap on household bills by 80%.
A typical household gas and electricity bill will rise to £3,549 a year from October, Ofgem announced on Friday.
The increase in consumers’ bills follows sharp rises in wholesale gas largely due to the conflict in Ukraine, which has reduced supplies of Russian gas.
The government has already said all households will get a £400 rebate on energy bills. It means about £60 will be knocked off energy bills every month for six months. Low income and vulnerable households will receive an additional £650.
However, energy prices have soared since that package of measures was revealed, and from October a typical household will see monthly energy bills of nearly £300 a month.
Meanwhile Boris Johnson, in his last week in office, will be in Dorset on Tuesday to see preparations for a government-funded scheme to give 7,000 rural homes superfast broadband.
It comes as work kicks off on the first major contract under the government’s £5bn Project Gigabit – the biggest broadband rollout in British history.
It is expected Johnson will also visit other parts of the country this week, in what has been described as a “farewell tour”.
The President of Football Operation,Titans Of Africa, Mr. Mohammed Osman Nkosi, and Chadwick Louisville of the West Potomac High School football team in Virginia, USA, have formally launched the Nation’s first-ever American football club with open camp in an effort to strengthen, promote, and develop American football in Africa.
The club’s establishment in Ghana forms part of the strongest pillars of the Beyond the Return initiative, which aims to give back to Ghanaians through sports, especially American Football.
Focusing on sustainable development, the Titans Of Africa is optimistic about promoting life values through sports and education to ensure the right opportunities reach deserving hands across the continent.
According to the president of the football operations, Titans Of Africa, Mohammed Osman Nkosi said the main objective of establishing the club is to unearth young talents within the country and ensure inclusiveness.
“Until I see American football being played in every corner of Ghana and until I see kids catch a football when thrown to them rather than catch it, there is no rest for me,” he stated.
He disclosed that the club is open to all Ghanaian youth between the ages of 13 to 30 years.
Mr. Chadwick Louisville, who had a successful coaching career with the USA national team in international Bowls for many years revealed strategic plans to push for the betterment of the sport in Ghana with his technical knowledge.
The club stated in a release on Tuesday, August 30, 2022, that Inaki has suffered a “sprained ligament in his right ankle” after the initial test.
However, the statement did not specify the length of the injury, citing that the striker will be evaluated further to determine other details about his injury.
“Athletic Club striker Iñaki Williams has sprained a ligament in his right ankle. He will undergo further evaluations and his progress will be monitored over the coming days,” reads the club’s statement.
Inaki Williams scored for the club in their 4-0 win over Cadiz, but was forced to leave the game after 54 minutes due to an injury.
This is the first injury he’s had in the last six years.
The torrential rains have also washed away roads, crops, homes, bridges and other infrastructure.
“I think it is going to be huge. So far, [a] very early, preliminary estimate is that it is big, it is higher than $10 billion,” Pakistan’s planning minister Ahsan Iqbal told the Reuters news agency.
Mr Iqbal said the country would face serious food shortages in the coming weeks and months and believed that the floods were worse than those that hit Pakistan in 2010, the deadliest in the country’s history which left more than 2,000 people dead.
He also called on richer countries to help Pakistan financially as he said it was a victim of climate change, which had been caused by the “irresponsible development of the developed world”.
To address food shortages, finance minister Miftah Ismail said Pakistan could consider importing vegetables from arch-rival India.
On Monday, the country’s climate change minister Sherry Rehman described the situation as a “climate-induced humanitarian disaster of epic proportions.”
“Literally, one-third of Pakistan is underwater right now, which has exceeded every boundary, every norm we’ve seen in the past,” Ms Rehman told the AFP news agency.
Even before the floods Pakistan was suffering from an economic crisis and had been negotiating with the IMF over a bailout.
Official figures released in recent weeks showed that the country had only enough foreign currencies in reserve for about a month of imports as its economy struggles with an annual inflation rate of almost 25%.
In a statement on the $1.1bn bailout, IMF deputy managing director Antoinette Sayeh said: “Pakistan’s economy has been buffeted by adverse external conditions, due to spillovers from the war in Ukraine, and domestic challenges, including from accommodative policies that resulted in uneven and unbalanced growth.”
The floods were not mentioned in the statement.
Many factors contribute to flooding, but a warming atmosphere caused by climate change makes extreme rainfall more likely.
The world has already warmed by about 1.2C since the industrial era began and temperatures will keep rising unless governments around the world make steep cuts to emissions.
The Deputy Minister in charge of lands and forestry Mr. Benito Owusu-Bio, has toured a housing development for employees of the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana Meteorological Service, and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA).
The site visit was to assess the progress of work and to ensure that the project will be delivered on time.
The Deputy Minister stated that a community police station would also provide services to residents of the nearby districts.
The project, which is a land swap deal between the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources; the Ministry of the Interior, the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission and a private developer, is situated in Kwabenya, a suburb of Accra.
It includes 504 housing units, a clinic, a school block, a police maintenance unit, a police barrack, a police station, a fuel depot and a garage.
The Technical Director at the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Maxwell Adu-Nsarfoa, who accompanied the Deputy Minister, disclosed that the project involves moving the inhabitants of the Ghana Airport Company and the Meteorological Service to the Jubilee Enclave to make room for the construction of the Jubilee City Project.
The Forestry Commission has expressed concern about the insufficient human resources running the entire Accra Zoo complex.
The Head of Corporate Affairs and Media Relations at the Forestry Commission, Joyce Ofori Kwafo said the 19 hectares of the zoo is run by few men hands.
She attributed the death of a middle-aged man who is allegedly attacked and killed by a lion to the lack of human capacity to man the facility.
The deceased is said to have sneaked into the zoo.
Madam Ofori Kwafo said if the commission had the adequate human capacity to guard the facility against intruders, the unfortunate incident could have been prevented.
“We are just making use of the few staff members that we have to do all the work. Look at how big the Achimota Forest is. The zoo alone is about 19 hectares, and we have just a handful of men who go round doing the normal patrols. We are also trying to make good use of the little resources that we have. We need more staff, not only security guards, to do the work. In as much as we try to use technology, it is still not enough because the numbers are just inadequate.â€
Joyce Ofori Kwafo told Citi News “a staff of the Accra Zoo was going round [the facility] and noticed a lifeless body in the lion cage. He quickly drew closer to assess the situation. They quickly called in the Achimota police after which the body was conveyed to the mortuary.â€
She said the Commission is certain that the deceased broke into the cage.
“After a closer look, we realised that the deceased intruded. He did not use the right means to enter the zoo. The zoo is situated in the Achimota Forest. Whenever we get tourists, we assign tour guides to them. The cages of the lions are a bit far away from where the rest of the animals are. The idea is to give the lions something close to their natural habitat.â€
“The place has been properly secured. It has an outer and inner lock. The inner wall is 20 ft high. It is evident that the man tampered with the cage. We all suspect that he went in through there.â€
The Forestry Commission further cleared the authorities of the zoo of any blame.
“There was no security lapse. This incident beats our understanding. It has never happened before and we are all baffled,†she added.
The Auditor Generalhas identified at least 19 former and present judges of the Superior Courtsfor purchasing vehicles in violation of Public Financial Management Regulations, 2019 (Regulation 158). (L.I. 2378).
According to this rule, the Principal Spending Officer of a covered entity must have the Minister’s prior written consent before transferring, exchanging, selling, donating, providing a contribution in kind, putting a vehicle into trust, or doing any other type of vehicle disposal.
Any sale, lease, or other activity referred to in Sub-regulation 1 that is made without the Minister’s express consent is void, according to Regulation 158.
“In the absence of approval from the Minister for Finance, we recommended that the auction should be nullified, and the vehicles recovered,†the report stated.
Following the completion of the ongoing construction projects for seven TVET colleges, the Minister of Education has hinted that enrollment in tertiary Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions in the nation could shortly reach 100,000 by 2025, up from the current 62,000.
The minister claims that this will accelerate the development of artisans’ abilities and the study of TVET programs in the tertiary education sector.
He adds that the new location of TVET colleges will be Abrankese in the Ashanti region, Boako in the Western North Region, Kenyasi in the Ahafo Region, Patuda in the Bono East Region, Dambai in the Oti Region, Salaga in the Savannah region, Guabuliga in the North-East Region and Tolibri in the Upper West region.
Dr Adutwum announced this when he launched the maiden edition of the “Ghana TVET report 2021” put together by the Commission for TVET in Accra on Friday.
The 132-page report gives a background to the TVET agenda, TVET Governance, Access to TVET, Quality TVET delivery system, TVET Financing, Industry Engagement and International Cooperation among others.
The launching brought together various players in the education sector and the TVET space as well as partners from the international platform.
Dr Adutwum also announced that the country would soon become an industrial hub of Africa which stood the chance of turning the economic fortunes of the nation leading to an improved standard of living for the people. According to the Minister, looking at the policies, support, acceptability and the huge investment being made by the government in the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) space would bring about the transformation of the industrial sector leading to the socio-economic gains for the country.
The Education Minister commended Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for the tremendous resources and support he had provided in order to make a more vibrant TVET regime and an ecosystem to make the TVET system to thrive amid the economic challenges like the Covid-19 and the Russia Ukraine war confronting the country and the rest of the world.
He cited for instance that despite all the challenges confronting the nation’s economy seven new Colleges focussing on TVET were under construction at various locations across the country to help train much youth to support industrial growth in the country.
Dr Adutwum who is also the Member of Parliament for Bosomtwe hinted again that with effect from the next academic year, some selected TVET institutions in the country would begin operationalizing the “German Dual System”.
He explained the Dual System is a process whereby students would be granted the opportunity to study at school and also take part in industrial attachment to sharpen their skills to boost their training at school in turns.
“This would see TVET students spending some days in school and some days with industry to enhance their learning skills and this would help create more employment to make the sector more relevant to the society and the nation as a whole”. Dr Adutwum said. All these training and skills sharpening he said were being done in partnership with industry who would allow students to use their facilities and equipment for training which could lead to creating employment opportunities mostly for the youth. The Director General of the Commission TVET, Dr Fred Kyei Asamoah, in his welcome address lauded the various partners and all stakeholders who helped put together the maiden report.
He stated that the TVET sector was very crucial for the training and recruitment of the right skills needed to boost the nation’s socio-economic development of the country. The Director General was upbeat that the sharpening of the skills of people as it was very crucial in poverty reduction in the country as well as empowering the people to be self-dependent.
He was not happy with the general bias people had for the general education in the country at the expense of TVET which provided the right skills needed to create a job to support the nation’s gross domestic product.
Dr Asamoah indicated that the TVET sector is positioning itself to train those skills in short supply in the job market for the industry in the country and the rest of the sub-region.
The Auditor-General has revealed that 21 officials of the Electoral Commission (EC) failed to declare their assets.
According to the Auditor-General, 21 Electoral Commission (EC)officials failed to register their assets.
In its 2020 report, the Auditor-General also found that the officials had neglected to submit reports on their own background checks by the police.
All employees were required to provide the following information, among others, in a standard form: “Date of Birth certified by an original birth certificate or affidavit, hometown, whether convicted of criminal offense and number of children.”
However, none of the 21 officials’ files contained personal information such passport photos, asset and liability declarations, police background check reports, or personal data.
The Auditor-General in its 2020 report also found that the Electoral Commission did not have a register to capture its assets across the country.
The Auditor-General has drawn the attention of the Management of the Commission to the findings.
“In accordance with Article 9 (2) of the Agreement, Non-provision of these personal records on the personal files amounted to concealment of facts and intentionally refusing to provide them and could lead to the risk of termination of employment.â€
The Auditor-General also directed the Commission to get an Asset Register to capture all of its assets dotted across the country.
Contrary to sections of the National Pensions Act that stipulate that “Management did not make regular contributions on behalf of the Contract workers to SSNIT during the period under review†i.e., July 2019 to December 2020, the report revealed
“Management’s refusal to perform its obligation under the National Pensions Act accounted for this anomaly. Continued default of statutory payments would attract penalties which would affect the cash flow of the Authority. Legal actions can also be taken against the Authority by the affected employees.â€
The Auditor has therefore directed that the management with immediate effect settle all outstanding SSNIT payments of all affected staff.
It also stated that measures should be put in place to ensure that monthly payments of statutory deductions are paid within 14 days of the ensuing month to avoid penalties.
However, in response, “Management responded that they are investigating this issue and will ensure appropriate payments are done to SSNIT in favour of the affected staff immediately,†the report said.
The report on Public Accounts Public Boards, Corporations, and other statutory institutions is for the period ended 31 December 2021.
On Sunday, August 28, 2022, the conflict for dominance between Reverend Mrs. Anthony Boakye and the Resurrection Power New Generation Ministries leaders reached a new level.
The wife of the church’s founder, Reverend Anthony Kwadwo Boakye, is seen beating some church leaders in CCTV footage from the ceremony that was conducted at the church’s Kasoa headquarters on Sunday.
According to accounts,Mrs. Boakye was furious that church officials were seated near to where some chosen church members were counting offerings made during church service.
The money which was being counted was meant for the purchase of a “white car” for Reverend Boakye, who now preaches to his church virtually from a remote location.
Reverend Boakye, who is recovering from a long sickness, recently told his church members that God has directed him to buy a white car and therefore urged his members to contribute towards the purchase of the car.
The church members on Sunday conducted a special offering for the purchase of the car; however, counting the money resulted in an altercation between the church leaders and the founder’s wife.
The CCTV footage shows Mrs Boakye moving to the area where the money was being counted to confront some men who are reportedly church leaders.
A brother of Mrs Boakye, Reverend Johnson Kwasi Asare, in an interview with Ekuonaba TV, explained the circumstance of the quarrel.
While condemning his sister’s actions, Reverend Asare explained that the entire episode was set up by a cartel of church leaders to disgrace his sister.
“It is a cartel in the church made up of Church Father Mr Yeboah, Elder Boat and others. I have said before that it is all about money. The church leaders met with Bishop (Anthony Boakye) and some lawyers; they agreed to designate 12 people to count the church monies. The pastor’s wife and church leaders are not supposed to go anywhere close to where the money is counted.
“I believe my sister overreacted. But the agreement is there. The agreement was that the pastor’s wife, the church leaders and all the stakeholders would designate a representative to join the counting, and that is what has been in place for a while. But on Sunday, the pastor’s wife learnt that the church leaders who are seeking to squander the money had gone to sit where the counting was being done, and that was what prompted her to confront them,” he explained.
The Manso Amenfi-Bawdie road is now being reshaped by the Amenfi Central District Assembly due to concerns that its poor condition is significantly affecting the lives of locals.
Even though the 20-kilometer road was granted under contract, the contractor has yet to show up.
The District Chief Executive for the area, Patrick Hockson Amponteng says “are technical challenges.â€
“Having knowledge of the untold hardships the poor state of the roads have brought onto the people, the assembly, while waiting for the contractor to report has reshaped the road from its Internally Generated Fund. This will help ameliorate the plights of road user and residents in the area,†the DCE told journalists.
The assembly has deployed heavy machinery to smoothen the surface of the road. The work is being done in collaboration with the Amenfi West District Assembly.
He says the reshaping has become necessary due to the dilapidated nature of the road. “It is riddled with potholes, and part of the stretch is eroded, making driving difficult and dangerous for drivers,†he observed.
Farming is the main livelihood of residents along the stretch and the poor road has made it impossible for them to move produce to the urban areas for sale. “It is long overdue that the road gets a facelift. Plans are far advanced to get the contractor back to site to ameliorate the transportation difficulties faced by commuters and motorists,†he told the media.
He says the reshaping and leveling of the road is a temporal measure to relieve the people, as issues are sorted out with the contractor to permanently fix the road by overlaying it with bitumen.
Shaibu Adamu was taken into custody on Friday in Abirem-Jamase, close to Kenyasi, together with 556 bags of fertilizer.
On the same day, nevertheless, bail was granted to him.
Shaibu claimed to have received the fertiliser from an unknown guy in return for lumber that the man had failed to pay for, according to sources within the Police.
He has since declined to offer Police information on the name and contact details of the said man, after several rounds of interrogation.
The 50KG bags fertiliser has COCOBOD embossed on them
The 50kg size sacks containing the fertilisers, have Ghana Cocoa Board inscriptions embossed on them.
It was seized from a warehouse at Abirem-Jamase on the Kenyasi-Amoam-Achiase road after Police intelligence.
The Ashanti Regional Police Criminal Investigations Department has taken over investigations whilst police launch a manhunt for suspected accomplices.
Meanwhile, COCOBOD has confirmed the fertilisers were meant for distribution to a group of farmers.
An official, who pleaded anonymity says the board will collaborate with Police in the investigations.
One of the reasons is water scarcity sub-Saharan Africa has the largest number of water-scarce countries in the world.
But there are concerns about how safe rainwater is to drink. It can be contaminated by dust and ash in the surroundings or by heavy metal from roofing material.
Another concern is the presence of manufactured chemicals called perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), or “forever chemicalsâ€.
As environmental scientist Ian Cousins and his team explain, they are a threat to the use of rainwater for domestic purposes.
What are PFAS and why should we be worried about them?
PFAS are a group of man-made substances often described as “forever chemicals†because they never break down in the environment.
They are found everywhere in air, soil, and water as well as in wildlife, plants and humans. They can be found on the highest mountains, in the deep oceans and on both poles. A recent study highlighted the widespread presence of PFAS in rainwater, from the Tibetan Plateau to Antarctica, and noted that according to recently published health advisories, rainwater everywhere could be considered unsafe to drink.
According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, there are more than 12,000 of these chemicals in use. They have been produced and used on a large scale in a wide range of industrial and commercial applications since the second world war. Well-known uses include fire-fighting foams, non-stick cookware, and paper and board used to wrap and contain food. There are hundreds of uses, too numerous to list.
The human exposure pathways and health effects of most of the chemicals are poorly understood or unknown, except for four about which there is good information. They are: PFOS (perfluorooctanesulfonic acid), PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid), PFHxS (perfluorohexanesulfonic acid) and PFNA (perfluorononanoic acid).
At elevated levels of exposure, these four have been associated with serious human health harms, including different forms of cancer, development toxicity, infertility and pregnancy complications, high cholesterol, ulcerative colitis, liver hypertrophy (“enlargementâ€), and thyroid disease.
The recent extremely low advisories for drinking water were prompted by the observation that exposure to these chemicals can lead to decreased vaccine effectiveness in children.
PFAS have been used for a long time. But intensive research on them began only about 20 years ago. Since then, the knowledge of toxicity has increased enormously. Based on this knowledge, the exposure level that is considered safe for humans has been set lower and lower.
The PFAS levels in health advisories for food and drinking water have been reduced to a point that is hard to achieve. This is because the advisory values are close to or even higher than the PFAS level in the environment.
In our recent study we showed that levels of certain PFAS in rainwater now exceed the guidelines set by the US Environmental Protection Agency even in the remotest regions of the Earth.
It is important to note that the levels of the four PFAS in rainwater and other environmental media have not increased recently. The use and emission of these so-called “legacy†PFAS was discontinued in many countries in recent years. But their stability means that they will remain in the environment indefinitely.
The levels of the four PFAS in the atmosphere have been stable since they were first measured in the early 2000s, which means their levels have been above the most recent drinking water advisories since then.
The situation will also not improve soon. PFAS do not not break down in the environment. Their only route for removal from environments where we produce food is slow dilution into the deep oceans. Rainwater levels may take decades to fall below the levels set in health advisories. The exact recovery time is uncertain.
How are people most exposed?
For the four well-studied PFAS, humans are exposed primarily through food, drinking water and household dust. Food and drinking water are contaminated primarily by the environment.
For the larger class of PFAS, human exposure pathways vary enormously, and there are many thousands of other PFAS that are not monitored or studied at all, so we know nothing about their exposure levels or toxicities, which is concerning.
There are ways to remove PFAS from water, but it is not clear if the levels can be brought below the latest health advisories.
Regular vacuuming can reduce dust exposure, but there is no way to remove PFAS from food. Therefore, it is not possible to completely avoid exposure to low-level PFAS. Humans will have to live with it.
Is it safe to drink rainwater?
We are uncertain. It is unlikely that many of the effects listed above would be observed at very low exposure levels, of pg/L or ng/L (picogram/litre and nanogram/litre are units of concentration). An effect that might be observed at these low levels is the decreased effectiveness of vaccines.
The health advisories are set so low because the authorities want to be close to certain that no effects will occur at those levels. The precautionary assumptions are used to ensure that the public is protected. Therefore, we have to hope that some effects on the large scale will not occur, but we cannot be certain.
What lessons can be learned?
There are more than 12,000 PFAS currently in use, with hundreds of individual uses. All PFAS are man-made and, therefore, they have no place in the natural environment. Due to concerns about their eternal presence and potential toxicities, scientists have suggested that PFAS should only be used where they are essential and that the essentiality of every PFAS used should be evaluated.
The trustees identified as Nana Boakye Akeampong and Charles Owusu have been instructed to discontinue sharing the properties of the deceased.
The widow stated that Sir John’s family have turned a blind eye to the fact that she is unwell and they have refused to offer financial help.
She referenced Section 13 of the Wills Act, Act 360 of 1971 and Article 22(1) of the 1992 constitution and said that no provisions were made for her in the Will.
The late former General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, popularly known as Sir John, was laid to rest on Thursday, June 3, 2021.
A plan by the government of the Central African Republic to allow foreigners to acquire citizenship and land using a new cryptocurrency has been ruled as “unconstitutional” by the country’s top court.
Last month the government launched Sango Coin amid a sharp fall in Bitcoin prices and doubts over the project’s viability in a country with poor internet connection and destabilised by conflict.
Sales of the initial $21m (£17m) on offer have been slow, with just over 5% of the target bought in the hours after its launch on 21 July.
According to the Sango website.
, foreign investors could obtain citizenship for $60,000 worth of crypto – with the equivalent Sango Coins held as collateral for five years – and “e-residency” for $6,000, held for three years.
Investors would also be able to by a 250 sq m plot of land for $10,000, with the Sango Coins locked away for a decade.
The constitutional court ruled that nationality did not have a market value and that residency required a physical stay in the country.
A government spokesman had no response on Monday and the impact of the ruling on ambitious crypto project is not clear, Reuters news agency reports.
“It’s been over a month of living with nothing,” Neelakka Modem, a tribal woman from the western Indian state of Maharashtra, says gloomily as rain trickles down her rickety plastic tent.
She and her family, along with 700 others, were forced to abandon their homes in Somanpalli village in Gadchiroli district after heavy rains in July triggered massive floods. They have been camping along a national highway ever since.
“The authorities came in the middle of the night and asked us to move to safety. We left with nothing but the clothes we were wearing,” Ms Modem, 70, recalled.
The state government has provided food and water, but living by the highway carries risks – speeding vehicles, wild animals, including deadly snakes, are common in this region which is home to dense tropical forests.
Back in the village, Ms Modem’s son Madhukar, a farm labourer, is trying to salvage whatever he can from their destroyed house. But Ms Modem wonders if they will ever go back.
“We can’t live there anymore – the place is inhabitable. The government should rehabilitate us elsewhere,” she said.
Image caption, Residents of Somanpalli village in Gadchiroli have been living in camps along a highway
Heavy rainfall is common during the monsoon in Gadchiroli district, which is surrounded by forests. Here, the Godavari river, the second longest in India, along with its tributaries, forms a flood-prone zone between June and September. During those months, if often overflows and enters the villages.
But residents say the flooding has become worse in recent years.
Torrential rains this year between 11 July and 19 July left a trail of devastation- at least 34 of the 52 towns and villages along the riverbank in Gadchiroli were submerged for days, while three of them, including Somanpalli, were almost wiped out as water levels rose to their highest point in 35 years.
The rains have stopped now, but people are yet to return home or start rebuilding their lives.
“I’ve never seen a flood like this. This time, it has taken everything,” Ms Modem said.
Image caption, The lush region of Gadchiroli receives heavy rainfall every year, Image source, ANI
Villagers and environmental experts say the heavy floods are caused by the discharge of water from a nearby dam in Medigadda – a village in the neighbouring state of Telangana. But authorities have denied the claim.
“The dam has no effect on the flood situation in Gadchiroli and its neighbouring areas. In fact, because of the construction of flood banks, heavy damages could be avoided during the recent floods,” said Dr Rajat Kumar, a senior official in Telangana’s irrigation department.
Mr Kumar added that irrigation officials in his state were “continuously coordinating” with their counterparts in Maharashtra over the situation.
The dam, known as Lakshmi Barrage, is located on the border between Maharashtra and Telangana. It was constructed in 2016 after the two states signed a water-sharing agreement.
Since its inception, the project has been embroiled in controversies over the alleged violation of environment laws – a claim denied by both state governments.
“People had opposed construction of this dam and there were protests, but the government of Maharashtra and Telangana did not pay any heed – now, we are suffering because of that,” said Ranjit Gagapurwar, a local social activist.
He added that villagers who live on the banks of the Godavari river needed to be relocated permanently because “it will flood every monsoon”.
Jitendra Shiktode, a government officer in Maharashtra who is in charge of Gadchiroli, said: “We are trying hard to help the villagers. But it’s not possible to relocate them so quickly.”
Image caption, Environmental experts say that the intensity of floods in the region has increased over the years
Experts, however, say that the issue is not just about rehabilitation, but about the management of hydro projects.
“Every dam is a potential source of disaster. That’s the reality and one needs to be aware of it,” says Himanshu Thakkar, an environmental activist and water expert, who is also the coordinator of South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP).
“It’s not just that the dam could break, but also if it is not operated properly, it could lead to floods.”
On 8 August, India’s ministry of water resources had acknowledged that “faulty operations of reservoirs may sometimes result in flooding of downstream regions.”
Mr Thakkar explained how this could happen: “India has concentrated rainfall in three-four months of monsoon. So if a dam is filled right at the beginning of the season and it rains further, authorities end up releasing water from the dam while the area downstream is already flooded, worsening the situation.”
One of the things to ensure proper operation of dams is a “rule curve” or a graph that shows when and how a dam is to be filled gradually through the season.
This graph, Mr Thakkar explained, must be designed considering the siltation and carrying capacity of the downstream river, or the tide timings, if the dam is close to the coast.
Image caption, Residents say that a dam located in the neighbouring state of Telangana is responsible for the floods
Besides, authorities also need to regularly update the curve to accommodate changes in rainfall patterns. “Increasingly we are witnessing late monsoons. So we need to change the rules accordingly,” he said.
This is extremely important for regions like South Asia, where extreme weather events like floods are expected to become more frequent amid rising temperatures, according to a 2022 report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
Back in Somanpalli, water levels have reduced. But villagers are still living by the highway.
They fear another deluge since the monsoon is not over yet.
“What’s the point in going back? We have lost everything,” Ms Modem said.
Ecuador has launched an investigation into the killing of four Giant Galapagos islands tortoises, which prosecutors fear were hunted and eaten.
Remains of the reptiles were found in a national park on Isabela, the largest island in the Galapagos.
Killing the endangered animals has been banned since 1933 but more than a dozen have been hunted in the last two years.
Tortoise meat was once considered a delicacy, but those who hunt them now face up to three years in jail.
In September 2021, park rangers found the remains of 15 Sierra Negra giant tortoises on Isabela.
Photos of their empty shells were widely shared on social media and caused outrage in Ecuador – of which the Galapagos Islands are part of – and beyond.
Evidence gathered at the time suggested the 15 had been hunted for their meat.
The recent discovery of remains of four more animals has reignited fears that the practice continues despite the total hunting ban.
Experts will carry out post-mortems on the remains and a unit specialising in environmental crimes is collecting testimonies from national park agents.
Giant Galapagos tortoises have a lifespan of more than 100 years and are synonymous with Charles Darwin, who pioneered the theory of evolution by studying them.
The ship Darwin sailed on, The Beagle, took 30 live tortoises on its long voyage from the Galapagos to Polynesia. Most of them were eaten by the crew.
There are currently about 15,000 of the giant tortoises in the world, compared to 200,000 in the 19th Century.
Three days after the self-service app SIM re-registration exercise was launched, the Director of Consumer and Corporate Affairs of the National Communication Authority (NCA), Nana Defie Badu, has disclosed that over 10,000 Ghanaians have downloaded the app.
Out of the said number, a total number of 2000 have used the app successfully and completed their SIM card registration.
In an interview with Peace FM, Madam Badu noted that, “Over 10,000 people have downloaded the app. Currently, we have about 2000 who have used the app successfully and completed their registration.”
Nana Defie Badu encouraged citizens who have not yet registered their SIM cardsto take advantage of the app to avoid long queues at their various service providers.
The app called Gh SIM Self Reg, she says is available on Google Play Store and is designed to be user-friendly.
She explained that before one can complete his or her registration on the app, he or she should have first completed stage 1 of their SIM card registration which entails the person dialling *404# and entering his/her Ghana card particulars to generate a unique code which will be used to complete the self-service app registration successfully.
She further added that the app is also available for use to Ghanaian nationals in the diaspora with a Ghana Card.
“For now, the app uses the Ghana Card. So, those abroad who have their Ghana Card can use the self-service appto complete the registration”, she said.
Nana Defie Badu asked persons with problems with their using the app to contact 0800110622.
“We have people available on weekdays and weekends from 7 am to 7 pm who receive complaints and show people what to do”, she assured.
Meanwhile, users of the self-serving app will be surcharged an amount of GHC 5.
Queen Elizabeth made some last-minute changes to her will to make sure Kate Middleton and Princess Charlotte would get the bulk of her jewellery collection worth $110M, a new report claimed.
Sources told Star Magazine, in its latest edition, that Queen Elizabethhas been rethinking her plans amid her health issues.
The monarch has been rarely seen in public lately, but she joined Princess Anne in opening a new building at Thames Hospice in Maidenhead, England.
At the time, Queen Elizabeth donned a blue floral frock and sported her signature necklace of pearls and a large, bejewelled brooch that belonged to her personally and not to the Crown. It is said to be an important distinction, especially for her heirs.
The jewels belonging to the Royal Collection, part of the regalia used in state ceremonies, will automatically pass to Prince Charles during his reign as King.
Why Queen Elizabeth and the Royal Family don’t have last names
However, the personal pieces of Queen Elizabeth, which are more than 300 items are hers to give as she chooses.
An unnamed source told the entertainment news outlet, “She’s been focusing on her beloved pieces and who deserves what.
“The whispers are that she’s made some last-minute changes to her will that’ll be a shocking surprise for her heirs.”
Insiders believe that Kate Middleton will be the big winner. Queen Elizabeth is rumoured to hand over some of her baubles to Princess Anne and Prince Andrew’s daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.
The unnamed informant claimed, “Kate Middleton and her daughter, Princess Charlotte are likely to get the bulk of the collection. Kate is clearly the family favourite.”
Camilla Parker-Bowles, who will wear the crown before Kate Middleton, has reportedly never been close with Queen Elizabeth and should not expect more than a token.
A tattler said, “She’d never say it, of course, but it’s one of the reasons Camilla resents Kate.”
Star Magazine noted that Prince Charles’ second wife could take some comfort that it’s the other duchess, Meghan Markle, and her daughter, Lilibet,who could really end up getting the royal shaft.
An unnamed source said, “There’s very good chance Queen won’t leave either of them any jewels of value.”
However, given Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s decision to move to the U.S., “it’s not surprising, since they’re not working members of the royal family anymore. But, it would be a real slap in the face.
Queen Elizabeth has yet to report to the claims that she is taking account of her heirs, with more than $110M worth of jewellery in her private collection.
So, avid supporters of the British monarch should take all these unverified reports with a huge grain of salt until everything is proven true and correct.
A Nigerian judge on Monday rejected a request by the federal government to extradite a suspended police chief to the United States to face charges linked to fraud.
Commissioner Abba Kyari has denied involvement in what a U.S. indictment describes as an elaborate scheme to defraud a Qatari businessperson of more than $1 million, masterminded by a Nigerian celebrity fraudster known as “Hushpuppi”.
Kyari has denied any wrongdoing.
He is in prison awaiting trial on separate charges of alleged criminal conspiracy, official corruption and tampering with exhibits after his arrest by the local drug enforcement agency in February.
On Monday, High Court Judge Inyang Ekwo said Kyari could not be extradited because of that trial in Nigeria and handing him over to the United States would breach the country’s extradition law.
“By that fact, it (the extradition request) is incompetent, it is equally bereft of merit and ought to be dismissed and I make an order dismissing this case,” Ekwo said in a ruling.
The Minister of Justice and Attorney General Abubakar Malami could not be reached for comment.
Kyari was one of six people indicted over the alleged fraudulent scheme last year, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California.
Nigeria has long struggled to control the problem of financial scams, often perpetrated by email.
Germany and France have issued a joint warning against a ban on tourist visas for Russians, saying such a step, advocated by other European Union member states, would be counter-productive.
The split on tourist visas will be at the heart of a meeting of the bloc’s foreign ministers in Prague on Tuesday and Wednesday, as they discuss what further steps they can take to sanction Russia for its six-month old invasion of Ukraine.
Defence ministers meeting in Prague are likely to agree in principle on the less controversial step of organising joint military training missions for Ukrainian troops.
“We caution against far-reaching restrictions on our visa policy, in order to prevent feeding the Russian narrative and trigger unintended rallying-around the flag effects and/or estranging future generations,” France and Germany said in the joint memo seen by Reuters.
The bloc’s two leading countries argue for close scrutiny of visa applications for security risks, but believe visas should still be issued.
“We must not give up on supporting pro-democratic elements with Russian society,” they said. “Our visa policies should reflect that and continue to allow for people to people contacts in the EU with Russian nationals not linked to the Russian government.
“We should not underestimate the transformative power of experiencing life in democratic systems at first-hand, especially for future generations,” they added.
Clear Message
Others, in particular eastern and Nordic member states, have argued strongly for a ban. “It is very provocative to me that you see Russian men on European beaches in Southern Europe and at the same time Ukrainian men between 18 and 60 years cannot even leave their country but have to fight for their freedom,” Denmark’s Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod said last week.
“We think it is right that we together in Europe can limit and cut off tourists from Russia and it would send a clear message to (President) Putin.”
An EU diplomat said the foreign ministers might agree in principle to suspend a visa facilitation agreement with Russia, which would mean Russians face a longer procedure and pay 80 euros instead of 35 for EU visas, but that divisions over tourism visa bans were too deep for any agreement on that.
Russians mostly enter the EU via the land borders of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Finland, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said last week, adding that these countries may act on their own if the EU does not agree on a union-wide ban.
Meanwhile, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said he hoped defence ministers would give him a green light to start working on an EU military training mission for Ukraine.
“A number of EU countries are already hosting training facilitation for Ukrainians but I think it would be good to … ensure that the EU collectively is doing that in an organised way that can last for some time,” Ireland’s Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said in Prague.
The Netherlands also backed the idea, saying it was working on de-mining training along with Germany.
When budding Gospel artiste, Ndowuona Music hosted a press briefing in May this year, his main purpose was to introduce himself to the Gospel fraternity.
The event also involved a listening session for his maiden Extended Play (EP) he was working on at the time.
Last week, Ndowuona Music real name Nii Dowuona Owoo officially released two songs, Follow You and Fake Identity out of the four-track EP.
The songs written by Ndowuona Music were arranged by Minister Igwe.
According to him, both songs were inspired by the negative lifestyles the youth is leading in recent times.
Ndowuona Music mentioned that as one coming from a poor background but doing very well for himself now, he deemed it a divine mandate to use his music to encourage people to always choose the right path to success.
Hence, Follow You admonishes people to diligently seek God in all their endeavours. He also advises people to avoid being pressured into fake lifestyles on social media on Fake Identity.
Producers who worked on the EP are SHA and Soundgod. Instrumentalists are Emmanuel Bludo (Drums), Prince Senaa (bass), Charlie Keys (keyboard), Dan Grahl (bass) and Cute Guitar (Guitar).
“The listening session in May gave me the chance to get constructive criticisms on my work and to better the final product. I know that Follow You and Fake Identity will make great impact,†he told Graphic Showbiz.
He honed his singing abilities in 1988 when he joined the Celebration Choir in Holland where he lived most of his adult life before returning to Ghana.
He urged Gospel artistes not to be distracted by competition among themselves but focus on using music to change the world.
“As Gospel artistes, it is not about who is more popular but how we are impacting the world should be the focus,†he added.
Nigeria‘s north-eastern Borno state government has launched an ambitious school enrolment programme for thousands of children displaced by the Boko Haram jihadist insurgency.
The state governor, Babagana Zulum, launched the initiative in Monguno town where victims of the conflict have been staying in camps after being displaced from their communities.
Some 7,000 children were registered to primary and junior secondary schools in the first phase of the programme on Sunday and Monday, his spokesman told the BBC.
The authorities say many of the beneficiaries are children orphaned by the violence. They say the project is targeting more than 20,000 children across the state.
The insurgency, which began in 2009, has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions of others in north-eastern Nigeria and several neighbouring countries.
It forced many children to abandon schools and others could not be enrolled at all. Learning institutions have also been destroyed.
The authorities however say they are making efforts to ensure children are back to class by building new schools and sponsoring their education.
At least 15 people have been killed in clashes between Iraqi security forces and supporters of a powerful Shia cleric in the capital, Baghdad.
Officials say dozens more were injured after protesters loyal to Moqtada al-Sadr stormed the presidential palace.
The violence began after Mr Sadr announced his retirement from politics.
His bloc won most seats in parliament last October, but he has refused to negotiate with Iran-backed Shia groups to form a government.
There has been a year of political instability as a result.
Street fighting erupted overnight, as fighters exchanged gunfire and tracer rounds illuminated the night sky in some of the worst violence to hit the Iraqi capital in recent years.
Much of the fighting has been concentrated around the city’s Green Zone, an area that houses government buildings and foreign embassies. Dutch embassy staff were forced to move to the German mission due to the clashes.
Security officials said some of the violence was between the Peace Brigades, a militia loyal to Mr Sadr, and members of the Iraqi military. Videos shared on social media appeared to show some fighters using heavy weaponry, including rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs).
Iran has closed its borders with Iraq amidst the fighting, and Kuwait has urged its citizens to leave the country immediately.
Medics said 15 supporters of Mr Sadr had been shot dead and about 350 other protesters injured, according to AFP news agency.
A spokesperson for UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said he was alarmed by events and called for “immediate steps to de-escalate the situation”.
And Mustafa al-Kadhimi, Iraq’s caretaker prime minister – and Sadr ally – has declared a nationwide curfew after unrest in several other cities.
He has suspended cabinet meetings and has pleaded with the influential cleric to intervene and stop the violence.
For now, Mr Sadr has announced a hunger strike until the violence and use of weapons by all sides stopped.
Image caption, The unrest continued throughout the night. Image source, Getty Images
In his statement on Monday, Mr Sadr said: “I had decided not to interfere in political affairs, but I now announce my final retirement and the closure of all [Sadrist] institutions.” Some religious sites linked to his movement will remain open.
Mr Sadr, 48, has been a dominant figure in Iraqi public and political life for the past two decades. His Mehdi Army emerged as one of the most powerful militias which fought US and allied Iraqi government forces in the aftermath of the invasion which toppled former ruler Saddam Hussein.
He later rebranded it as the Peace Brigades, and it remains one of the biggest militias which now form part of the Iraqi armed forces.
Mr Sadr, one of Iraq’s most recognisable figures with his black turban, dark eyes and heavy set build, had championed ordinary Iraqis hit by high unemployment, continual power cuts and corruption.
He is one of a few figures who could quickly mobilise hundreds of thousands of supporters on to the streets, and draw them down again. Hundreds have been camped outside parliament since storming it twice in July and August in protest at the deadlock.
Once an Iranian ally, Mr Sadr has distanced himself from Iraq’s Shia neighbour and repositioned himself as a nationalist wanting to end US and Iranian influence over Iraq’s internal affairs.
To mediate the standoff between the Electricity Company of Ghana and Krobo inhabitants, a coalition of religious organizations has been established under the sponsorship of the municipal council of churches in Yilo and Lower Manya Krobo in the Eastern Region.
After observing disagreement on the issue among traditional and political leadership in Kroboland and a lack of confidence between the feuding parties—ECG and the Krobo residents—religious organizations in the two towns established the mediation committee.
Apostle Samuel Gakpetor, the chairman of the Agormanya Area of The Church of Pentecost, the head of the Dangme-Tongu Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, and Rev.
The committee’s secretary is Abraham Okai.
Other members are Rev. Dr. Stephen Ohipeni Narh, Rev. Father Moses Huadji, Rev. Stephen Narteh, Rev. Joshua Akanyork, Alhaji Innusah (Chief Imam).
The terms of reference for the mediation committee is to among other things work as neutral arbiters, ensure compromises to facilitate resolution processes taken into consideration the interest of the nation and Kroboland, and ensure peace and tranquility in the municipality.
At a prayer meeting attended by Church leaders in the two municipalities Sunday evening of August 28,2022 at Zimmermann Presbyterian Church, the chairman of the mediation committee Apostle Samuel Gakpetor briefed the church leaders on the work done so far by the committee constituted on August 7,2022 .
According to him, the committee has met all Ministers of the gospel in the two municipalities to unite the Pastorate front to support the committee. They have also had engagements with traditional rulers, political leadership including Eastern Regional Minister Seth Kwame Acheampong, influential individuals, various groups in Krobo area and visited victims of the recent military brutality.
The mediation committee is expected to meet management of ECG, military high Command, and possibly hold durbar in Nuaso and Kpongunor communities.
Rev. Abraham Okai, Secretary to the committee appealed for withdrawal of the armed military personnel to deescalate the tension in the community to facilitate mediation.
The impasse between ECG and Krobo residents has existed for many years and led to deadly clashes.
In a renewed feud, ECG cut power supply to the Yilo and Manya Krobo area on July 27,2022 after residents resisted prepaid meter installation and allegedly tampered with transformers.
However, power was restored on August 19,2022 with exclusion of Nuaso community.The military invaded the community brutalised and shot some residents over alleged provocative attacks
Senior European Union ministers are meeting in the Czech Republic, with defence ministers set to discuss setting up a centralised military training mission for Ukraine.
Individual members have been training Ukrainian troops for a while, mostly in operating new weapons, but the EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has said he hopes more “high-level training” can be offered.
He said a central training system would allow EU members to be “more predictable and to provide stronger support” to Ukraine.
Meanwhile, EU foreign ministers are also set to meet this week, with a debate introducing visa restrictions on Russian citizens expected to dominate discussions.
EU members are set to continue discussions in the Czech capital Prague on Wednesday.
The Duchess of Sussex has spoken of the importance of forgiveness in a wide-ranging interview with a US magazine.
Meghan, 41, told The Cut “it takes a lot of effort to forgive” when asked about her relationship with the Royal Family, and her own relatives.
“I’ve really made an active effort, especially knowing I can say anything,” she said.
She also spoke about the Duke of Sussex’s relationship with his father, the Prince of Wales.
Asked by journalist Alison P Davis about the impact of her privacy case against the Mail on Sunday, Meghan said: “Harry said to me, ‘I lost my dad in this process.’
“It doesn’t have to be the same for them as it was for me, but that’s his decision.”
A spokeswoman for the duchess later told BBC News that Meghan was referring to her own father, from whom she is estranged, and was saying she hoped the same would not happen to her husband.
A source close to Prince Charles told the PA news agency he would be saddened if Harry felt their relationship was lost, adding: “The Prince of Wales loves both his sons”.
Davis, a features writer who has previously interviewed celebrities such as Jada Pinkett Smith and Lena Dunham, asked Meghan if she thought there was room for forgiveness between her and her royal in-laws and her own family.
The duchess responded: “I think forgiveness is really important. It takes a lot more energy to not forgive.
“But it takes a lot of effort to forgive. I’ve really made an active effort, especially knowing that I can say anything.”
In the 6,450-word interview, Meghan also:
Prince Harry told Davis he did not believe some members of the Royal Family could live and work together as closely as he and his wife do.
The article described the Sussexes running their company Archewell while sitting at a single desk in a shared home office.
“Most people that I know and many of my family, they aren’t able to work and live together,” Prince Harry said.
“It’s actually really weird because it’d seem like a lot of pressure. But it just feels natural and normal.”
The 6,450-word interview appears in US magazine The Cut, part of New York magazine.
Prince Harry, 37, has previously said his father, Prince Charles, “stopped taking my calls” after the couple stepped back as senior working royals in 2020.
Under the arrangement, the couple gave up their Royal Highness titles, and became able to work to become financially independent. Harry retained the title of prince through birth.
Prior to stepping back, the Sussexes reportedly set out a vision for continuing to be working royals in the Commonwealth.
Meghan told The Cut she believed this proposal was not “reinventing the wheel”.
She added: “That, for whatever reason, is not something that we were allowed to do, even though several other members of the family do that exact thing.”
The Sussexes, who now live in Montecito, California, and also have a one-year-old daughter, Lilibet, have signed deals with media brands Spotify and Netflix since leaving the UK.
The Cut interview was part of a promotion effort for the duchess’ Spotify podcast, Archetypes, which launched last week.
The discovery of thousands of undeclared private swimming pools in France has provided an unexpected windfall for French tax authorities.
Following an experiment using artificial intelligence (AI), more than 20,000 hidden pools were discovered.
They have amassed some €10m ($9.9; £8.5m) in revenue, French media is reporting.
Pools can lead to higher property taxes because they boost property value, and must be declared under French law.
The software, developed by Google and French consulting firm Capgemini, spotted the pools on aerial images of nine French regions during a trial in October 2021.
There were more than 3.2 million private swimming pools in France in 2020, according to data website Statista, with sales already booming before the Covid pandemic.
But as more employees worked from home, there was a further surge in pool installations.
According to Le Parisien newspaper, an average pool of 30 sq m (322 sq ft) is taxed at €200 ($200; £170) a year.
The tax authorities say the software could eventually be used to find undeclared home extensions, patios or gazebos, which also play a part in property taxes.
Antoine Magnant, the deputy director general of public finances, told Le Parisien: “We are particularly targeting house extensions like verandas.
“But we have to be sure that the software can find buildings with a large footprint and not the dog kennel or the children’s playhouse,” he added.
The crackdown comes after Julien Bayou, of France’s Europe-Ecology Greens party, did not rule out a ban on new private pools.
Speaking to BFMTV, he said that France needs a “different relationship to water” and that the ban would be a “last resort”.
“The challenge is not to ban swimming pools, it is to guarantee our vital water needs,” he said.
His comments come as France tackles with its worst recorded drought that has left more than 100 municipalities short of drinking water.
In July, France had just 9.7mm (0.38 inches) of rain, making it the driest month since March 1961, the national weather service Meteo-France said.
Irrigation has been banned in much of the north-west and south-east of France to conserve water.
An Australianman who became the subject of a popular crime podcast has been found guilty of his wife’s cold case murder.
Chris Dawson’s trial in a Sydney court this year followed decades of speculation about the 1982 disappearance of his wife, Lynette.
Her body has never been found and all the evidence was circumstantial.
Dawson was charged in 2018 after the podcast garnered global attention and prompted a renewed investigation.
The 74-year-old denies killing Mrs Dawson, maintaining she had abandoned him and their two children – possibly to join a religious group.
When handing down his verdict on Tuesday, Justice Ian Harrison said the evidence against Dawson was “persuasive and compelling”.
The judge found Dawson was “possessively obsessed” with his teenage babysitter, who is known as JC for legal reasons, and wanted her as a “replacement” for his wife.
Dawson had become increasingly desperate as previous plans to leave his marriage failed and JC wanted to end the relationship, Justice Harrison said.
“I’m satisfied that the prospect that he would lose [JC] so distressed, frustrated, and ultimately overwhelmed him that… Mr Dawson resolved to kill his wife,” he told the New South Wales Supreme Court.
He moved JC into their house just days after Mrs Dawson disappeared and only reported his wife missing six weeks later.
Dawson will be sentenced at a later date.
Tears from Lynette Dawson’s family
Ashen and dazed. Chris Dawson appeared to be in shock as he stepped into a lift on the 13th floor of the court with his older brother, Peter, and his lawyer during a break in the judge’s deliberations.
I stood an arm’s length away from a man who a couple of hours later would become a convicted killer.
After 40 years, the mystery and tragedy of Lynette Dawson’s disappearance have finally been solved.
The judge demolished her husband’s defence, labelling key parts ‘absurd’ and ‘fanciful’.
There were gasps from his family members when the guilty verdict was eventually handed down. There were tears from Lynette Dawson’s relatives who sat quietly nearby.
The former teacher was led away in handcuffs, shaking his head. Justice Harrison’s lengthy verdict has finally exposed his lies and deceit.
The case shot to global prominence when it was investigated by journalist Hedley Thomas in podcast The Teacher’s Pet.
The series won Australian journalism’s highest honour and has been streamed more than 30 million times, topping charts in the UK, US, Canada and New Zealand.
But the podcast also jeopardised the case against Dawson, with Justice Harrison criticising its “less than balanced view” on the case.
The trial was initially delayed due to publicity the podcast created, and Dawson’s lawyers tried to halt the case altogether, arguing the series had contaminated witnesses and potential jurors.
Dawson was instead granted a trial before a single judge, rather than jury.
Victim ‘idolised her children’
Lynette Dawson, a 33-year-old mother of two, disappeared from her Sydney home in January 1982. Police have never found any trace of her.
Her husband told police she called him one weekend and told him she needed time away. He said he also received several phone calls from her afterwards.
But prosecutors argued Dawson murdered her after failed plots to leave the marriage – which they said included contemplating hiring a hitman and attempting to move to Queensland to start a new life with JC.
Justice Harrison rejected the claim about the hitman and allegations Dawson had been physically abusive towards his wife.
But he concluded she did not “abandon” her home voluntarily, as the defence suggested. He noted that Mrs Dawson “idolised her children and her husband” and all her belongings remained at her home.
“Even her contact lenses were found… in a blue container when delivered by Mr Dawson with her belongings,” he said.
One-third of Pakistan has beencompletely submerged by historic flooding, its climate minister says.
Devastating flash floods have washed away roads, homes and crops – leaving a trail of deadly havoc across Pakistan.
“It’s all one big ocean, there’s no dry land to pump the water out,” Sherry Rehman said, calling it a “crisis of unimaginable proportions.”
At least 1,136 people have died since the monsoon season began in June, according to officials.
The summer rain is the heaviest recorded in a decade and is blamed by the government on climate change.
“Literally, one-third of Pakistan is underwater right now, which has exceeded every boundary, every norm we’ve seen in the past,” Ms Rehman told AFP news agency.
“We’ve never seen anything like this,” the minister added.
Of those who are known to have died, 75 were in the past 24 hours alone, officials said on Monday, adding that the death toll is expected to rise.
Speaking to the BBC, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said one-third of those killed are believed to be children.
“We’re still coming to grips with the extent of the damage,” he added.
Officials estimate that more than 33 million Pakistanis – one in seven people – have been affected by the historic flooding.
Heavy waters in the country’s northern Swat Valley have swept away bridges and roads, cutting off entire villages.
Thousands of people living in the mountainous area have been ordered to evacuate – but even with the help of helicopters, authorities are still struggling to reach those who are trapped.
“Village after village has been wiped out. Millions of houses have been destroyed,” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Sunday after flying over the area in a helicopter.
Those who managed to escape have been crowded into one of many makeshift camps across the country.
“Living here is miserable. Our self-respect is at stake,” flood victim Fazal Malik told AFP from a school that was being used to home some 2,500 evacuees in the north-western Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Provinces like Sindh and Balochistan are the worst affected but mountainous regions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have also been badly hit.
This year’s record monsoon is comparable to the devastating floods of 2010 – the deadliest in Pakistan’s history – which left more than 2,000 people dead.
There is also growing concern about the looming cost of building back from this disaster, and Pakistan’s government has appealed for financial help from aid agencies, friendly countries and international donors.
“A very early, preliminary estimate is that it is big, it is higher than $10bn (£8.5bn),” Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal told Reuters.
Almost half of the country’s cotton crop has been washed away and vegetable, fruit, and rice fields have sustained significant damage, he added.
But Mr Sharif said the resumption of a loan by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), worth around $1.2bn (£1bn) over the coming year, would be of major assistance in reviving the economy.
The programme, which Pakistan entered into in 2019, had been suspended earlier this year after Islamabad failed to meet targets set by the lender.
On Saturday the UK government announced it had allocated up to £1.5m ($1.8m) for the flood relief efforts.
Speaking separately, Queen Elizabeth II said said was “deeply saddened to hear of the tragic loss of life and destruction” caused by the flooding.
“The United Kingdom stands in solidarity with Pakistan as it embarks on its recovery,” she added.
A rice farmer near the south-eastern city of Sukkur in the Sindh province, told AFP news agency that his fields had been devastated by the flooding.
“Our crop spanned over 5,000 acres on which the best quality rice was sown and is eaten by you and us,” 70-year-old Khalil Ahmed said. “All that is finished.”
Sindh is so inundated with water that emergency workers are struggling to reach those in need of help.
“There are no landing strips or approaches available… our pilots find it difficult to land,” a Pakistani military official told AFP.
Workers in the public sector have received a Cost of Living Allowance (COLA)payment from the government totalling four Hundred and Eighty-Five Million Ghana Cedis (GHc485,000,000.00).
In a press release from the Controller and Accountant-Department General’s (CAGD) dated August 29, 2022, disclosed that the money paid to public sector workers represents 15% of the 2022 basic salary for the months of July and August.
This, according, to CAGD is “pursuant to the approval given by the Ministry of Finance on 1st August 2022, following the Agreement signed between Government and Organized Labour on 14th July, 2022, the Controller and Accountant-General has paid the Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) to workers in Public Service Institutions.â€
The 15% increase in COLA, comes after a series of demonstrations coupled with industrial actions.
It would be recalled that during the May Day celebration this year, the Trades Union Congress (TUC), called on the government to give public sector workers a 20% cost of living allowance (COLA).
According to the TUC, this will help better a lot of public sector workers across the country owing to what they said, is the prevailing hardship in the country.
Subsequently, some public sector workers threatened to withdraw their services if the government did not pay the COLA.
The strike action was averted following a meeting of the tripartite committee which agreed on 15% COLA effective July 1, 2022.
A press release issued by the General Secretary of the Association, Mr Kofi Yeboah said a seven-member Awards Committee to select winners to be celebrated will also be inaugurated at the ceremony.
The Committee will be under the chairmanship of Dr Sarah Akrofi-Quarcoo, a lecturer at the Department of Communication Studies, University of Ghana.
According to Mr Yeboah, the committee has presented its report to the National Executive of the Association.
The event is tentatively scheduled to take place in November, the press release stated.
The flagship programme of the GJA is organised annually to recognise and reward excellence in journalism by members of the Association.
The awards ceremony was last held in 2020 but controversy surrounding the recent GJA elections did not permit the organization of the awards in 2021.
“The 26th GJA media awards promises to be better and bigger, following a review of the entire programme to make it more attractive to members”.
“The National Executive wishes to express profound gratitude to the chairperson and members of the committee for delivering on their mandate within a very short period.
The National Executive therefore urged members of the Association and sponsors to heavily patronize the awards in their respective roles to make the event successful.
The Ashanti Region in Ghana accounts for about 4,000 of the 23,495 individuals who tested positive for the human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome during the first half of this year (January to June).
Dr. Thomas Agyako-Poku, the regional coordinator for HIV/AIDS, told Elisha Adarkwah of Class 91.3 FM in an interview that the regional rate is one-fifth of the national rate.
Dr. Agyarko stated that the Ashanti Region is one of the areas with the highest percentage of persons living with HIV/AIDS in the nation, adding, “We’ve been hanging around 3%.”
He said, not only have the Ashanti and the Greater Accra regions always led the rate when it comes to the national count of people living with the disease but also the Ashanti Region does not go beyond the fourth position.
He attributed the prevalence rate of the disease in the region to it being an economic centre of the country.
He said if the region could bring down its figure, it would go a long way to reduce the national figure.
Dr Agyarko, therefore, advised the public to protect themselves against the disease while urging those with it to take their medication to reduce its spread.
Numerous young people who have excelled in a variety of endeavors, including the arts, music, and athletics, among others, were honored at the awards banquet held at the Marriott Hotel Al Jadaf in Dubai.
After winning her prize, DJ Zel said in an interview that she was ready to make Ghana and Britain proud as she continued to work toward her goal of becoming a successful entrepreneur and well-known international disc jockey.
“I would continue to do amazing work to project the image of Ghana and the United Kingdom because of the love I have for these two great nations.
“I want to dedicate this award to all my fans from these two nations, and I really appreciate the support they have given ever since I started back in 2019,†she said.
DJ Zel added that she plans to introduce new natural hair and body products in Ghana later in the year following the successful launch of the product in the UK last year.
“I want to launch the DJ Zel Natural Shea Butter Hair Cream and Oil, Body Cream and Oil, and Lip Balm in Ghana because I believe that black is beautiful and we have to develop products that will make it glow more.
“I intend to use 40% of the profit margins from sales to support various charity works in Ghana and other Africa countries, and I urge Ghanaians to support me,†she said.
DJ Zel is a popular show host in the UK and has been featured on big musical stages around the world.
The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has shut down a Shell fuel filling station at Atimpoku in the Eastern Region for selling petrol laced with water.
The move followed the circulation of a video on social media and subsequent complaint made to the NPA on August 29, 2022 about a suspected contaminated fuel purchased at the aforementioned retail outlet located close to the Adomi Bridge at Atimpoku.
A press statement dated August 29, 2022, issued by the Corporate Affairs Directorate of the NPA said a team from the Eastern Regional office of NPA was immediately dispatched to ascertain the veracity of the report.
“The team immediately undertook a water content presence test and a dip into the well of the outlet indicated the presence of water.”
“Management of Vivo Energy in a letter addressed to the Authority posited there was water ingress into the underground Super tank after a heavy downpour in the area which was corroborated by the investigative team sent by the Authority,” it added.
“However, a sample has been sent to the head office laboratory for further investigations with other segments going for forensic audit at the Ghana Standards Authority.”
Below is a copy of the statement issued by the NPA
NPA SHUTS DOWN ATIMPOKU SHELL FILLING STATION FOR SELLINGÂ PETROL LACED WITH WATER
1. The National Petroleum Authoritv (NPA) has shut down the operations of the Shell Filling station at Adomi Bridge (Atimpoku) in the Eastern Region for selling water-laced petroleum product to unsuspecting customers.
2. Following a widely circulated video on social media and subsequent complaint made to the Authority on 29th August, 2022 about a suspected contaminated fuel purchased at the aforementioned retail outlet, a team from the Eastern Regional office of NPA was immediately dispatched to ascertain the veracity of the report.
3. The team immediately undertook a water content presence test and a dip into the well of the outlet indicated the presence of water.
4. Management of Vivo Energy in a letter addressed to the Authority posited there was water ingress into the underground Super tank after a heavy downpour in the area which was corroborated by the investigative team sent by the Authority.
5. However, a sample has been sent to the head office laboratory for further investigations with other segments going for forensic audit at the Ghana Standards Authority.
6. We wish to assure all impacted customers whilst investigations are still ongoing that, the NPA’s remedial action would be for the station to fix the affected vehicles and
compensate the customers.
7. While we applaud the gesture of the customer who filmed the incident and shared on social media, we will encourage consumers of petroleum products to immediately call the NPA hotlines 0545006111/0545006112 or file the complaint on the NPA website: www.npa.gov.gh immediately a suspected adulterated product has been purchased.
8. The customer should report within 48hours: any delay after 48 hours risks the loss of evidence. The petroleum product in question could have been sold out or co-mingled with fresh like product.
“The unfortunate situation with our judiciary is exacerbated by a President who is packing the courts and appointing openly partisan judges to both the superior and lower courts. To make matters worse, the president and his legal team believe in weaponizing state prosecutions against political opponents. Not only has this government targeted former appointees who are being prosecuted on frivolous charges, but they are also prosecuting other persons and targeting business people perceived to belong to opposing parties,†he said.
President Akufo-Addo since 2018 has appointed fifteen (15) Supreme Court judges including four new recent ones, making him one of the Heads of State with the highest appointments in Ghana, only next to John Agyekum Kufuor.
Among the new appointments made by President Akufo-Addo is Justice Ernest Yao Gaewu, who was captured in a 2016 poster as a contestant for the Ho central constituency seat on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party; the ruling party.
Former president John Dramani Mahama has reassured Ghanaians that issues relating to ex-gratia payments will be addressed by the following National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration.
He asserts that changes must be made to the 1992 Constitution, which serves as Ghana’s ultimate legislation, in order to address the rights of officers covered by Article 71.
Speaking at a meeting with NDC lawyers, the former President assured that if the NDC is given the nod in 2024, the review process of the constitution which commenced during the period of late President Atta-Mills will continue.
“The next NDC government must commit to the implementation of the review of the 1992 Constitution, which was begun by President John Evans Atta Mills of blessed memory.
“This review should among others aim at reforming the judiciary and tackle head-on issues on ex-gratia payments and other matters of Article 71 emoluments,†Mahama stated.
In recent years, arguments have surfaced about the number of officials who benefit from the ex gratia payments and whether there is a need for the payments at all.
After Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State, Togbe Afede XIV, a former Council of State member, refunded monies paid to him as ex gratia, many have criticised public office holders as to whether they deserve the monies paid to them.
Togbe Afede XIV who served as a member of the Council of State, an advisory committee to President Akufo-Addo between 2017 and 2020, while refunding the money stated that “I returned the ex gratia money not because I did not need money. In fact, at that particular time, I needed money very badly to meet various family obligations.
“But I truly believed that the money was not deserved. It was inappropriate for what I will emphasize again was essentially part-time work.â€
In 2017, however, Ghanaian lawyer, Elikplim L. Agbemava, went to the Supreme Court seeking clarification on some of the benefits enjoyed by the Article 71 officeholders.
He wanted presidential staffers who benefit from salaries, allowances, and privileges like the Article 71 officeholders, to be stripped of such gratuities, claiming it “is inconsistent with Article 71 and therefore unconstitutional.â€
The reported acts of brutality against the residents of Nuaso in the Lower Manya District on August 22, 2022, have been denounced by the Foundation for Security and Development in Africa (FOSDA).
“We are horrified by the news that the troops who followed Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) workers to the neighborhood to replace prepaid meters ended up brutalizing defenseless residents, firing at them, and injuring at least six of them with bullet wounds.”
“The alleged act of the military personnel is an unacceptable abuse and misuse of their powers and service. FOSDA, therefore calls for an independent investigation into the allegation and offenders sanctioned,†the Executive Director for FOSDA, Theodora Anti demanded in a statement.
According to her, FOSDA believes that an investigation is important to minimize such future abuses and misuse of the powers and services of the Security agencies.
“FOSDA intends to pursue this issue to a conclusive end,†Madam Theodora added.
The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Biakoye District Office, has launched a community sensitization program to inform the district’s citizens about violent extremism, peaceful coexistence, and national cohesiveness.
Speaking at one of these events at Nkonya-Adenkensu in the Biakoye District of the Oti Region, Reverend Leonard Kofi Aglomasa, Biakoye District Director of the NCCE, warned that violent extremism may threaten human security in Ghana if precautions were not taken.
He said the extremist activities have caused havoc in neighbouring countries and it should be a worry to all Ghanaians.
He asked participants to sit up so that they are not taken by surprise; urging them to “say something if they see something.â€
“So, the youth must be careful, vigilant and security conscious,†Rev Aglomasa said.
He urged Ghanaians to surveillance and monitor strangers who come to their localities and do proper investigations before renting to them.
Rev Aglomasa said national cohesion and peaceful coexistence were important for national development.
He said tolerance, respect for fundamental human rights, freedom of religion, and respect for rule of law were among the factors that ensured peaceful coexistence in all aspects of life.
He said national cohesion would be stronger if everyone in Nkonya-Adenkensu and Ghana has the opportunity, the resources, and the motivation to participate in society fully as they wish and on an equal basis with others.
Rev. Aglomasa reminded them to be respectful, trustworthy, self-controlled, and hard-working as a people.
Mr Stephen Adu, the Headman of the town, said it was good to live at peace with all; adding that embracing peace would ensure development in Adenkensu.
He pleaded with the people to live in harmony to avoid all forms of disturbances that could bring chaotic situations.
Mr Adu however, lamented that even though their area is big, they do not have an assemblyman nor a unit committee member to champion their course.
Speaking to Ghanaian Times in an interview last week Saturday on the sideline of a farewell and induction service in Accra, Reverend Frimpong-Manso said, already members of the congregation whose contributions were used to run the daily activities of the church pay taxes to the government.
He said the staff employed by most members of the GPCC including himself pays their income tax, while the church after paying their expenses, used the remaining contributions for humanitarian projects in support of government.
Reverend Frimpong-Manso said, even in some advanced countries, the state supports the church with back taxes.
He explained that, such taxes were used to support their humanitarian projects, stressing that, “in Ghana chunk of the monies collected by the Church were used for building schools, hospitals, provide portable water, support and needy children among others.â€
“But when churches run businesses, the business should be taxed. So for instance, if a church like Assemblies of God has opened a school or clinic.”
“It is the responsibility of the State to compel them to pay tax, because I always say that I support when the church pay tax on any businesses that they operate,†he said.
He urged the church to pay tax from their businesses as well as the income taxes of persons they employ to avoid tax evision.
The newly elected General Secretary, Apostle Immanuel Nii Okuley Tettey, promised to strengthen the unity among the various religious member organisations of GPCC and called for their support.
He noted that he would continue the good work embarked upon by his predecessors to attract more membership to the Council,and vowed to be guided by regulations instituted by the Council.
Apostle Immanuel Nii OkuleyTettey, who succeeded Reverend Emmanuel Teimah Barrigah, holds a Bachelor of Science in Development Planning, and a Master of Science, Development Policy and Planning from University of Science and Technology (UST), now known as the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).
The project is aimed at helping the grassroots of the party to be financially stable to run their operations efficiently in preparedness for the party recapturing power in the 2024 general elections.
The beneficiary constituencies are Sekyere Afram Plains, Sekyere Kumawu, and Asante Akyem North.
Each of the constituencies received 100 plastic chairs, four canopies, and a sound system amounting to GHS90,000.
The Project Manager, Mr Abass Osabutey, presented the items on behalf of the former Finance Minister at separate ceremonies held at the constituencies in the region.
He said the equipment would be rented to generate revenue for the party at the constituency level.
According to him, the revenue that accrues will be used to finance party activities and support the party’s grassroots members.
Beyond that, he inaugurated a committee to ensure the smooth management of the equipment.
The executives of the party, who received the equipment, expressed gratitude to Dr Duffuor for the Ahotor project.
They said it will help the party at the grassroots level.
The Constituency Chairman for Asante Akyem North, Mr Ibrahim Siedu, commended the former Finance
Speaking on Rainbow Radio, the songstress said, one needs a positive attitude to sail through school smoothly.
“I have come to discover that education is important. You need a positive mindset to succeed.
“If I had that positive mindset, I think I would have made it. But it is not too late. I will be going back to school. It is not too late to go back to school,†she said.
The gospel artiste also added that, if God was to bless people according to their level of education, she would be at the bottom of the list of candidates.
“If God only blessed people according to their level of education, I will not be where I am today. God gave me something, and that is what I have done all these years.â€
Obaapa Christy has announced a special concert to mark her 20th anniversary in the gospel music scene.
The 5th edition of the Ghana National Gospel Music Awards (NGMA) was powered by Global Expert Recovery Limited with sponsorship from Pedlo Energy. It was supported by Africa World Airlines.
The organizers also honoured Elder Samuel K. Ampiah with the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Below is the full list of nominees and winners.
Gospel Male Vocalist of the Year – Perez Musik (Hewale lala)
Gospel Female Vocalist of the Year – Celestine Donkor
Gospel Songwriter of the Year – Quame Gyedu – W’aho)den
Gospel Music Video of the Year – Empress Gifty – Skyweb Eye Woaa
Gospel Music Instrumentalist of the Year – Nana Yaw Safo
Gospel Music Producer of the Year – Dan Bassey – The Glory by Obaapa Christy
Traditional Gospel Song of the Year – Bethel Revival Choir – Agbadza Medley Vol 3
Gospel Collaboration of the Year – Prophet Joseph Atarah Ft Piesie Esther – Woye Odo
Best Worship Song of the Year – Perppy – Ofata Ayeyi
Best Praise Song of the Year – Diana Hamilton – Awurade Ye
Best Gospel Song of the Year – Ohemaa Mercy – Ote Me Mu
Gospel Music Promoter of the Year (Radio/TV) – Franky5 Hitz FM
Gospel Music Promoter of the Year (Online/Blogging) – Qweku Glover (GloversHub.com)
Adventist Vibrant Artiste of the Year – Alex Acheampong
Gospel Artiste Manager of the Year – David – Bethel Revival Choir
International Artiste(s)of the Year – Benestelle
African Artiste(s) of the Year – Nelkay (South Africa)
Urban Artiste of the Year – Scott Evans
Gospel Male Artiste of the Year – Akesse Brempong
Gospel Female Artiste(s) of The Year – Diana Hamilton
Gospel Artiste(s) of the Year (Diaspora) – Herty Corgie
Gospel Song of the Year (Diaspora) – Alex Acheampong – It won’t Be Long
Church Choir of the Year – Potters City Choir
Choral Group of the Year – The Harmonious Choir
Gospel New artiste(s) of the Year – Adom Kiki
Best Hybrid Gospel Song of the Year – Kofi Kinaata – Thy Grace II
Gospel Uncovered Artiste(s) of the Year – Rosemond Akyeampong
MUSIGHA Gospel Performance of The Year – Empress Gifty
The Cape Coast High Court 3, presided over by Justice Kwasi Boakyem has squashed all 14 allegations including financial malfeasance, autocracy and dictatorship, leveled against the Central Regional Chairman of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) by its national executives.
The executives, who interdicted Alhaji Rahyino Shaibu Artey, have been directed by the court to reinstate him.
Alhaji Rahyino Shaibu Artey was interdicted by the National Investigative Committee of the GPRTU, following allegations of financial malfeasance, autocracy and dictatorship.
The management in a letter explained that the decision was taken after preliminary investigations conducted into the allegations established prima facie evidence against the Central Regional Chairman.
At a press conference in Cape Coast to clarify the matter, the spokesperson of the Chairman for the Central Region of the GPRTU, Mr Yahuza Mohammed Sani, who spoke on behalf of the Regional Chairman, while explaining the genesis of the matter to Class 93.1 FM’s Central Regional correspondent, indicated that the 14 allegations against his boss were false and have been thrown out of court, in addition to an order for his restoration to his office.
Some members of the union, who spoke to the press, expressed joy and called on the chairman not to hesitate to work with his accusers in order to foster unity within the rank and file of the union.
