TIG Post

Author: Chris Kodo

  • 9-year-old boy commits suicide in Koforidua

    Police in Effiduase in the Eastern Region are investigating a suicide incident involving a nine-year-old boy.

    The deceased, Frimpong Adjei, was found hanging on a green nylon sponge tied around the neck to a crossbar in a room of a house in Asokore, a suburb of New Juaben North at about 3:30 pm on July 24, 2020.

    The cause of his action is not known.

    According to the local Police, Eric Frimpong, father of the deceased reported the incident at the Police station.

    Police investigators dispatched to the scene found the lifeless body of the child removed and lying in supine position at the porch of a single room house near Asokore Romantic Junior High School.

    Police also found out the deceased passed out during the act. Ligature marks were also detected around the neck when the body was examined.

    The body of the deceased has been deposited at the St.Josephs Hospital pending further investigation by Police.

    Eastern region has seen a surge in suicide cases this year. Over 10 incidents have been reported by Starr News Eastern Regional Correspondent Kojo Ansah since January. Alot are not reported.

    According to the World Health Organization (WHO) , close to 800,000 people die due to suicide every year.

    Source: Starr FM

  • Probe starts on police beating of Kenyan lawmaker

    Kenya’s police watchdog has launched investigations into Tuesday’s brutal conduct of four police officers pictured beating a female lawmaker in the capital, Nairobi.

    The police were deployed to the Nairobi County Assembly to disperse lawmakers who had tried to impeach the Speaker amid chaotic scenes, according to local media.

    A standoff between the police and lawmakers ensued and the four police officers were pictured assaulting local representative Patricia Mutheu.

    The country’s police watchdog said it had “contacted some of the people who were present during the chaos” to get testimonies.

    “The preliminary enquiry seeks to establish the role played by police officers who were deployed at the premise,” it said in a statement.

    The local affiliate of Amnesty International has called on the police officers to be held accountable:

    Source: bbc.com

  • Coronavirus Fight: Volta region markets, lorry parks fumigated and disinfected

    About 78 markets together with lorry parks, public toilets and other public places were on Tuesday disinfected and fumigated in the Volta Region.

    The exercise followed a huge clean-up operation last Monday by Dansworld International Services International Limited (DISL), in collaboration with Zoomlion Ghana Limited, in the markets and public places of the region.

    Speaking at the launch at the Ho Central Market in the Volta regional capital, Ho, the Volta Regional Minister, Dr Archibald Yao Letsa, explained that the exercise, which constituted phase two of the national disinfection and fumigation, was part of control measures by the central government to tackle the new coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) in the country.

    He intimated that the central government through the MLGRD was committed to winning the battle against the COVID-19.

    According to him, Volta Region was equally doing its bid to control the virus.

    Against this backdrop, Dr Yao Letsa appealed to the people in the region to always endeavour to comply with the COVID-19 safety protocols.

    However, he indicated that it was difficult ensuring social/physical distancing, especially in the markets, albeit the various metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) were doing the best.

    “We are also trying to enforce the wearing of nose masks across the region, all as part of efforts to control the spread of the virus in the Volta Region,” the minister intoned.

    He used the opportunity to lap praises upon the security agencies, comprising the military, police, fire service, prisons and the immigration service, for their supportive roles in the war against COVID-19 in the region.

    For his part, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Dansworld International Services Limited, Mr Bernard Danso Ntow, described his outfit’s partnership with Zoomlion as excellent.

    “Our partnership with Zoomlion is the first of its kind and so far its been excellent,” he said.

    According to him, their scope of work which will span three days, involved fumigating, disinfecting and huge clean-up operation in the markets and public places.

    While describing the phase two of the exercise as good, he, however, indicated that they will improve upon it in the second phase.

    Mr Danso Ntow, therefore, advised particularly the market women to observe the COVID-19 preventive protocols.

    “Yes disinfection against the virus is good, but my advice to our market women is that they should continue to observe all the WHO prescribed COVID-19 safety protocols,” he advised.

    The exercise started at 7:30 a.m., at the Ho Central Market with DISL using atomisers, foggers and Knapsack sprayers to disinfect the market, with drones carrying out the fumigation

    Public places that benefited from the exercise included the Assembly Mall, Intercity STC Terminal, Matse Ola Station Sokode Station, all in Ho, among others.

    It would be recalled that the central government through the MLGRD in March, this year, engaged Zoomlion Ghana Limited to disinfect all the markets across the country to help control the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Source: Regina Asamoah, Contributor

  • Feminist backlash over Nigerian train stations

    Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari has faced criticism after listing only one woman in the renaming of railway stations.

    On Monday, Mr Buhari named 23 train stations after “deserving Nigerians” seen to have contributed to the progress and development of their communities and the country.

    Among those named were former Nigerian leaders, serving ministers and Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka.

    But Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, a feminist and activist who was also mother of late Afrobeat music legend Fela Kuti, was the only woman honoured.

    Some on social media have likened this announcement to the president’s previous appointments – like in 2019 when only seven women, out of the 43, were appointed as ministers.

    They have suggested that women who deserved to be honoured include Stella Adadevoh, the medical doctor who died preventing Ebola from spreading in Nigeria, and Dora Akunyili, who spearheaded the crusade against fake drugs before her death in 2014.

    Former lawmaker Shehu Sani has asked the president to name a station in Kaduna after the female combat helicopter pilot, Tolulope Arotile, who died two weeks ago in an accident.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Mali opposition rejects deal to end crisis

    The opposition in Mali has rejected a compromise deal proposed by West African leaders to end the political crisis in the country.

    On Monday, presidents from the countries in the West African regional bloc Ecowas proposed a plan, which included resolving an election dispute by re-running polls for 31 MPs.

    But the plan stopped short of the opposition group M5-RFP’s main demand – that President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta resign.

    The country has been sliding into a political crisis for months.

    Huge protests started after the Constitutional Court threw out 31 results from parliamentary elections in April, which benefited President Keïta’s party.

    Tens of thousands of people have gone out on to the streets in a series of demonstrations – at least 11 protesters were killed earlier this month.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Transport fares cut by 10% but True Drivers Union fights reduction

    Effective 1 August 2020, transport fares will be reduced by 10 percent.

    The decision was agreed at a meeting between transport operators and the Ministry of Transport on Tuesday, 28 July 2020.

    However, a group known as the True Drivers Union has said its members will not budge.

    Their leader, Mr Barima, told Valentina Ofori-Afriyie on Class91.3FM’s 505 programme on Tuesday, 28 July 2020 that “we are ready to go to the Nsawam Prisons” over this.

    Several stakeholders called for a cut in fares after President Nana Akufo-Addo eased restrictions with regard to commercial transportation to allow taxis, ‘trotros’ and commercial flights to load full capacity.

    The Consumer Protection Agency (CPA), for example, asked the government of Ghana to cut transport fares by 15 percent.

    The CPA said it had noted that the prices of oil on the international markets have remained fairly stable, hence the local prices must be reduced.

    A statement issued and signed by Mr Benjamin Akoto, Head of Complaint at the CPA, said: “Prices on the international market have been fairly stable over a period now while the government has lessened directives within the transport sector on the fight against the novel COVID-19”.

    “Transport services have been cleared to operate at full capacity. The GPRTU and the other stakeholders who stand to benefit from the full capacity directive should consider the plight of consumers and reduce transport fares since they are now taking passengers at full capacity. We are suggesting that the 15% increment announced by GPRTU be reversed to reflect current trend and changes”, the CPA said.

    CPA also said oil marketing companies must respond to the market trends and reduce prices with immediate effect.

    “It is much surprising that the oil marketing companies adjust prices immediately there is a little upward shift of the factors that determine prices on the world market but reluctant to reduce prices when these same factors drop.

    “As of November 2019, crude on the world market was trading at $63 per barrel but has, however, dropped to as low as $31 per barrel on 9 March 2020.

    “We are, therefore, calling on the regulator to ensure that consumers are not taken advantage of at the expense of fair-trading practices. The CPA, therefore, expects nothing less than 15% reduction in transport fares in the country.”

    The first to call for a reduction in fares was the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers-Ghana (COPEC).

    Source: Class FM

  • Zimbabwe enters coronavirus danger zone – Government

    The panicky Zimbabwean government says the country has entered a Coronavirus danger-zone in which daily updates are now made in terms of deaths rather than confirmed cases.

    In a statement Monday, Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa urged all citizens to help stop the spread of the virus as cases and deaths more than doubled over the past week.

    “Fellow Zimbabweans the day we knew would come, but hoped would pass us by is now upon us. We are at a time where we speak more of how many of our loved ones have passed on than how many have tested positive,” she said.

    “This is not an easy time for the nation. Each one of us has a critical role to play in the battle that is before us. The Inter-Ministerial Taskforce continues to make preparation so that we can deal with the eye of the storm.”

    Mutsvangwa said members of the Covid-19 national taskforce have visited the country’s 10 provinces to assess the situation and had brought back grim and scary reports.

    “Over the weekend, members of the national taskforce visited provincial Taskforce structures across the country in order to inspect and monitor the progress these structures have made in the fight against the pandemic. These visits also sought to address province-specific challenges and to also evaluate localised COVID-19 responses.”

    She however said progress had been made in establishing isolation centres for those infected.

    “The national taskforce noted that there was progress in the rehabilitation and renovation of identified isolation centres, with some facilities now complete and already admitting mild cases and those cases that cannot self-isolate in their homes,” she said.

    She also bemoaned high cases of irregular migration and border jumping which are widely blamed for the proliferation of untraceable cases.

    “The taskforce noted with concern continued cases of illegal border crossers, but it commends responsible citizens who are apprising the police and health officials of these potential threats to local communities,” she said.

    Meanwhile, from Chinhoyi, James Muonwa reports that Mutsvangwa who heads the Mashonaland West ministerial taskforce told government officials at the weekend that Covid-19 figures painted a grim picture.

    “It’s real, Covid-19 has come closer home. It is now widespread in our communities. As leaders go out there and tell people to adhere to regulations because this is not about government or the president saying ‘stay at home’, it’s about our lives,” she said.

    “These figures paint a grim picture. We’re in a war, let’s fight together.”

    Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council (ZNFPC) Monday closed its Chinhoyi branch after one of its staff members tested Covid-19 positive.

    The female ZNFPC staffer underwent testing after her husband was diagnosed positive in Harare. This prompted the organisation to shut its doors to the public while 14 employees who were in direct contact with the patient also underwent compulsory testing and are awaiting results.

    ZNFPC Mashonaland West provincial manager, Geshema Madzingaidzo confirmed the closure of the ZNFPC Chinhoyi branch.

    “Indeed, we have one of our female workers whose husband tested positive for COVID-19. She was also tested and results came on Thursday confirming she was also positive.

    “As a precautionary measure, we asked all our employees who were in direct contact with her to get tested and we are awaiting results,” Madzingaidzo told NewZimbabwe.com.

    Source: allafrica.com

  • Sierra Leone journalists welcome end to libel law

    The International Federation of Journalists has called the repealing Sierra Leone‘s criminal libel law is a “great victory for freedom of information”.

    The law, which meant people could be jailed for libellous statements, was repealed on 23 July.

    Before that, people could be jailed for up to three years, whether or not what they wrote was true.

    That’s because the law did not allow truth as a defence, unless you can prove that publishing the truth is in the public interest.

    Campaigners have been arguing for more than a decade for the law to be repealed.

    Among their complaints was that it was actually used to gag journalists and repress independent and opposition voices.

    Source: bbc.com

  • ‘Escaping Sudanese migrants’ killed in Libya

    Three Sudanese migrants were shot dead on Monday night after their boat was intercepted by the Libyan coastguard and they had been returned to shore.

    The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) says that the local authorities opened fire when the migrants attempted to escape from the disembarkation point at Al Khums.

    The migrants were among 70 disembarking from a vessel that was intercepted and sent back by the Libyan coast guard, reports Reuters news agency.

    Two people were killed on the spot, while a third later died in hospital.

    The IOM reiterated its call to the European Union and the international community to end the return of vulnerable people to Libya.

    “The use of excessive violence results yet again in the senseless loss of life, amid a lack of action to change a system that often fails to provide any degree of protection,” IOM Libya chief Federico Soda said in a statement.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Southern Africa hunger warning: 45 million at risk

    Nearly 45 million people in the southern Africa risk going hungry as a result of drought, floods and coronavirus, a regional bloc representing 16 nations says.

    Coronavirus has hit the urban poor especially hard, the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) says. Restrictions on movement make it difficult for them to go out to trade.

    Unemployment is up, businesses have been forced to close and remittances have decreased.

    People are selling basic household items in order to buy food.

    Children are also suffering, with eight million predicted to become acutely malnourished this year.

    School closures mean more than 20 million children are missing out on school meals.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Election race heats up as Tundu Lissu returns to Tanzania

    Opposition leader who survived an attack in 2017 returns home three months before the country heads to the polls.

    Prominent opposition leader and presidential hopeful Tundu Lissu has returned to Tanzania to a rousing welcome, three years after narrowly surviving an assassination attempt.

    Chanting “president, president”, hundreds of cheering supporters gathered on Monday at an airport in Dar-es-Salaam to greet the 52-year-old, who had been living in self-imposed exile in Belgium.

    Lissu fled the country after being shot 16 times by unknown gunmen outside his home in the administrative capital, Dodoma, in September 2017.

    A fiery critic of Tanzanian President John Magufuli, Lissu had had a series of run-ins with the police in the months before the gun attack. He was arrested several times, accused of insulting the president – whom he had called a “dictator” over alleged assaults on the opposition and the media and disturbing public order.

    Following the assassination attempt, Magufuli expressed shock at the news and ordered an investigation. Three years on, the gunmen remain at large.

    “The government should ensure his safety given his shooting in 2017,” Oryem Nyeko, a researcher with Human Rights Watch, told Al Jazeera following Lissu’s return to Tanzania.

    Lissu, a member of the main opposition Chadema party, has declared his interest in running for president in Tanzania’s highly anticipated election in October.

    If picked by Chadema, he will run against Magufuli, of the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party.

    The president was plucked from the relative obscurity of the Ministry of Works to lead the CCM ticket in the last election thanks to his scrupulous reputation and a work ethic that earned him the nickname “The Bulldozer”. He won the hotly contested vote in 2015 on promises to root out corruption and improve infrastructure.

    His time in office, however, has drawn criticism from the opposition and rights groups who accuse him of narrowing freedoms and repressing political dissent, including by stifling independent journalism and severely restricting the activities of NGOs. The government denies the allegations.

    “The space for government critics and political opposition in Tanzania has been shrinking dramatically since 2015, and we seem to be seeing a continuation of that as we get closer to the elections,” Nyeko said, noting “an increase in restrictions towards the opposition”.

    Last month, opposition leader Zitto Kabwe was freed on bail after he and several members of his Wazalendo Alliance for Transparency and Change (ACT Wazalendo) were arrested for holding an illegal assembly.

    Earlier in June, Chadema leader Freeman Mbowe was allegedly beaten and hospitalised in what his party said was a “politically motivated” attack. Tanzanian police cast doubt on the allegations.

    Meanwhile, authorities on June 23 revoked the licence of Tanzania Daima, an opposition-leaning daily, accusing it of spreading false information among others.

    Three months before the vote, Nyeko called on the government to “make sure that the environment for critics, the media, the opposition and NGOs is open”.

    He said: “That means the government should refrain from arresting critics, suspending or closing media houses, or implanting the myriad of restrictive laws that it has in the past used to clamp down on people that have differing opinions.”

    For his part, Magufuli has promised a transparent vote.

    “I want to assure everyone that the elections will be free and fair, for all political parties,” Magufuli told legislators as he dissolved Parliament in June.

    But Kabwe criticised what he said was a lack of a level playing field and repeated calls for the formation of an independent electoral commission.

    “[The] CCM government under President Magufuli has narrowed the civic space for the last five years,” he told Al Jazeera.

    “It is sad that Tanzanians are not free to air their views. Freedom of association and other fundamental freedoms are curtailed, and people are very angry.”

    The opposition has repeatedly questioned the government’s handling of the pandemic, accusing it of failing to inform the public on its true extent. Authorities have not updated the country’s official number of COVID-19 infections in three months, while Magufuli has declared the disease defeated.

    Besides voting for president, Tanzanians on October 28 will also head to the polls to elect members of parliament and local Councillors. The election commission has said campaigning will run from August 26 to October 27.

    “I believe that if the opposition work together and form a strong coalition, CCM can be defeated,” Kabwe said.

    “I hope we will be able to have a single presidential candidate and divide constituencies in a manner that the opposition will not divide their votes. The election is winnable,” he added.

    Source: aljazeera.com

  • ‘My Tanzanian family is split over coronavirus’ – BBC reporter

    BBC Tanzania reporter Sammy Awami writes that President John Magufuli’s faith-based approach to coronavirus has caused tension in his family.

    Since the first case of coronavirus was confirmed in Tanzania in March, I have been bombarded with messages and phone calls from colleagues, friends and family members living abroad.

    They’ve been wondering: how did a country with some of the most relaxed coronavirus measures in Africa manage to so far escape the kind of crisis which has visited many parts of the world.

    It’s a question puzzling even those of us who are living in the country.

    President Magufuli was among the few leaders who declined to impose any sort of lockdown and has scorned what he’s termed unnecessary panic in other countries.

    Yet, despite what many of his critics – and the more anxious among us – feared was a woefully reckless approach, the nation seems to have avoided for now the catastrophic number of deaths that many anticipated.

    The most confusing thing about all of this, is that no-one really knows how.

    ‘Prayers are true healing’

    One of the issues is that we don’t have any figures to go on.

    President Magufuli chose to put statistics in lockdown rather than people.

    As analyst Aidan Eyakuze said: “He officially made the country operate in data darkness.”

    Three doctors I spoke to off record said hospitals had not been overwhelmed.

    Some would argue that they support the government’s narrative because of fear of possible retaliation if they were to speak out.

    The president of the Medical Association of Tanzania, Dr Elisha Osati, has said there has never been a cover up, but he now wants to run for parliament as a candidate for the governing Chama Cha Mapinduzi party.

    In a situation where the government is not releasing figures and journalists cannot access health facilities to investigate independently, it’s the doctors’ word against their doubters.

    While some government health officials warned the public that the virus posed a real threat and urged them to follow basic hygiene guidelines, the president encouraged people to carry on with their business and pray to God for protection.

    As a devout Catholic, he told a congregation of worshippers that prayers are where “true healing” is found, and the disease had been been “eliminated thanks to God”.

    The president’s stance made things awkward between me and both my immediate and extended family.

    Most of my close relatives are supporters of the president and all of them are die-hard, thoroughly devout Christians.

    ‘WhatsApp battleground’

    From the very start of the outbreak, when daily reports of case numbers started to climb, I became increasingly worried about their safety.

    But the creeping politicisation of coronavirus in the country made it hard to convince some of my loved ones that they needed to take precautions.

    The family WhatsApp group became a battleground.

    It was flooded with a cocktail of re-shared media supporting the president and pseudo-science urging people to throw caution to the wind and hope for the best.

    They were also anxious about the loss of income that could result from a fierce lockdown.

    And as we learnt of the police brutality used in neighbouring countries to enforce such restrictions, this was only compounded.

    Take three of my uncles for instance, all of whom are full-time pastors.

    For them, the church is not only their core spiritual and social community, it is also their main source of income.

    ‘I tried to educate older relatives’

    My parents run a convenience store in their neighbourhood in the capital, Dodoma.

    It’s their sole source of income and a spot where they meet with their neighbours and friends on a daily basis.

    Because they are older I was concerned that their daily movements put them at risk.

    So, I set out to craft WhatsApp messages tailored to older family members to try to educate them about the pandemic, and convince them to stay at home.

    Unlike people living in other countries, they do have a choice.

    Do they listen to me, stay at home and lose their livelihood? Or follow the president’s advice to carry on their business and pray for the best?

    ‘Inventing a new enemy’

    Of course they believe the virus is deadly. But they also believe in prayers – perhaps even more so when their earnings are on the line.

    In a country where almost everyone identifies with one religion or another, and where the majority of people live hand-to-mouth, the president honed in on faith and income to promote his strategy.

    The president also made sure to invent a new enemy in the fight against the pandemic – the West.

    He consistently refers to powerful Westerners as “mabeberu”, literally “male goats”.

    The term was coined during the independence struggle which referred to a colonialist. This resonates well with the older generation, like that of my parents and uncles.

    Mr Magufuli alleged that the “mabeberu” and their cronies in the country were keen to use the virus to distract the country from achieving its economic goals.

    In one of his freestyle speeches he even suggested that the West could plant the virus on imported goods just to hurt Tanzanians.

    The president hearkened back to the era of measles and the early years of HIV/Aids, reminding people of a time when some parents stopped their children from visiting neighbours, for fear that their sons and daughters would be infected.

    At this point the government’s policy seems to be: “If people are not dropping dead in the streets, then life should go on.”

    It’s a risky strategy, but one that many here are willing to accept, and pray that the government is right.

    Source: BBC

  • Ghana Stock Exchange opens week flat

    The GSE Composite Index began the week flat, closing at 1,862.77 with a -17.47% year-to-date return while the market capitalization stayed at GH¢52.57 billion.

    Consequently, the GSE Financial Index recorded no gains or losses, closing at 1,725.21 with a -14.58% year-to-date return while the SAS Manufacturing Index remained unchanged at 2,581.74 with a year-to-date return of -25.84%.

    Trading activity weakened as 79,837 shares valued at GH¢125,780 changed hands from 20,924,985 shares valued at GH¢11,717,464 in the previous session.

    MTN Ghana dominated trades by volume, accounting for 51.81% of the total volume traded while GCB Bank dominated trades by value, accounting for 69.76% of the total value traded.

    We expect activity levels to increase as investors take advantage of bargain stocks.

    Source: SAS Ghana

  • On what basis will you give free water, electricity – Alex Segbefia questions government

    President Akufo-Addo in April this year announced the reduction of electricity tariffs by half and provision of potable water to all Ghanaians for free in the months of April, May and June after parts of the nation were locked down as part of measures to battle the coronavirus pandemic.

    After these reliefs ended, the Minister of Finance in the mid-year budget review announced that the electricity and water subsidies have been extended for another three months to make sure the ordinary Ghanaian continues to enjoy free electricity and water while government works to eliminate the virus.

    The President in his fourteenth (14th) address to the nation on measures taken to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, however, noted that the free supply of water for another three months will be reviewed after the period ends. He added, “Government is also extending free electricity supply to lifeline tariff customers until the end of the year.”

    The National Democratic Congress (NDC) congress has however chastised the president for deciding to provide Ghanaians with these freebies, especially electricity when the country already has a huge debt in that sector.

    Deputy Campaign Manager of the NDC campaign team, Alex Segbefia has opined that it is not understandable for the government to provide Ghanaians with free electricity when we are not under lockdown and restrictions have been eased considerably.

    He shared his opinion in an interview on the Happy Morning Show hosted by Samuel Eshun on Happy 98.9 FM.

    “On what basis will you give freebies when we are not under lockdown and the restrictions have been lifted? It is understandable to give free electricity during the lockdown but now that restrictions have been lifted, people can work and get money. So the question is how and why can you do this,” he queried government.

    According to him, there is no need for the government to keep on giving Ghanaian freebies but he believes the government is promoting a populace agenda. “The free electricity was not done to support the Ghanaian people to fight the COVID-19 pandemic but it was done to score political points.”

     

    Source: Happy 98.9FM

  • Robbers kill security man, steal ₵15,000 at gas filling station

    A security guard was on Sunday, July 26, found dead at the Wabco Gas filing station.

    Moses Buer is alleged to have been killed during a robbery at Sege, Ada West District in the Greater Accra Region.

    According to the Police, his body was found lying facedown with his mouth taped, and both hands and feet tied behind him.

    According to the Sege District Police Commander, DSP George Aboagye the local Police received a distress call at about 5:30 am that morning, informing them of a body that had been found on the premises of the filling station.

    “We inspected the body, took photographs and we lifted the body for preservation”.

    A preliminary investigation revealed that the assailants broke into the premises, murdered the 60-something-year-old security man, and made away with GH₵15,000.00.

    He said, their investigations have led to the arrest of four suspects.

    “We have arrested the manager and his assistant, Solomon Sebbie 20 and Emmanuel Vehe 23.

    “We also picked up Emmanuel Sorgbordjor 20, a pump attendant at the filling station and Buer Joseph, a taxi driver and a former worker who was sacked for mismanagement,” disclosed the Police Commander.

    The body of the deceased has since been deposited at the Police Hospital morgue.

     

    Source: GNA 

  • Give Hawa Koomson a break, she acted in self-defence – Council of Churches

    The Council of local churches in the Awutu Senya East Municipality has taken a swipe at persons calling for the dismissal of Special Development Initiatives Minister, Hawa Koomson for firing warning shots at a registration centre last week.

    The religious body stated on Nyankonton Mu Nsem on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm that the Minister acted in self-defence when her life was threatened hence there is no need for anyone to call for her dismissal.

    Leader of the Council, Rev. William Baako said the call for her dismissal is misguided and unwarranted.

    He claims the Minister and MP was trailed by unknown assailants who wanted to harm her and the only way she could have defended herself was through the warning shots.

    He also slammed the Peace Council Chair for calling for the dismissal of the MP.

    “I call on the National Peace Council of Ghana to refrain from calling for the resignation of Honorable Mavis Hawa Koomson, Member of Parliament for Kasoa and Minister for Special Development Initiatives. Our call is based on the law of natural principles and solidly grounded in the 1992 constitution of Ghana.”

    The Council he added believes the MP has for several years remained a very calm and solemn political figure worthy of emulation in our society.

    “But the facts of the matter are such that she was caught up within the midst of thugs who were wielding weapons and without the presence of her personal bodyguard. Suppose her personal bodyguard was even around, she, the MP/Minister also has a responsibility, over her life and possesses every right to defend herself,” he explained.

    Rev. Baako averred that there are many examples of political figures who have been gruesomely murdered in our country.

    “Sadly, we have not witnessed any logical conclusion of those murder incidences. It is therefore astonishing that such honoUrable personality has come under vilifying condemnation from civil society organizations including the National Peace Council,” he declared.

     

    Source: rainbowradioonline.com

  • Dr Nsiah Asare explains why restrictions on two female national teams was lifted

    Presidential adviser on health, Dr Anthony Nsiah Asare has explained the reasons behind why the government eased restrictions on two female national teams.

    He says that the Sports Minister presented proposals to the government about impending assignments for the two female national teams.

    According to Dr Nsiah Asare the team will be camping at places where tight security will be provided in order to prevent the to and fro of persons into the training camp.

    “The minister of sports had earlier presented a proposal on the national teams who had international assignments so we had to advise the president to allow the teams train beginning 1st August 2020″he told Kumasi FM.

    “The return matches of these national teams will be playing behind closed doors,the GFA will chose the venues for these games”

    “The teams will be camped with tight security where no one will be allowed to come out as done in our second cycle institutions till they complete the return encounters”

    “We will be doing the mandatory testing for these national teams as FIFA has recommended and the European clubs are following” he added.

     

    Source: Ghana Guardian

  • Jordan Ayew’s goal against West Ham wins Amazon Prime goal of the season

    Ghana forward Jordan Ayew‘s brilliant solo effort against West Ham United in the 2019/2020 English Premier League has won Amazon Prime’s goal of the season.

    The Crystal Palace attacker weaved his way through four defenders, before expertly chipping the ball past West Ham goalie Roberto.

    The goal was nominated goal of the week on Premier League matchday 19.

    Jordan Ayew ended the 2019/2020 English Premier League season with an assist to fellow Ghanaian international Jeffrey Schlupp as Crytal Palace drew with Tottenham on matchday 38.

    The Black Stars striker was involved in 12 goals for Palace after scoring nine and providing three assists.

    Source: Ghana Soccernet

  • CK Akonnor is the best man to coach Black Stars – Prince Tagoe

    Former Black Stars forward, Prince Tagoe, has said Charles Akonnor  is the best man to coach the senior national team, the Black Stars.

    Charles Akonnor, 45, succeeded James Kwasi Appiah on a two-year contract early this year.

    The former Asante Kotoko and Accra Hearts of Oak gaffer has been tasked to lead the country to break the 38 years trophyless jinx.

    According to Tagoe: “When I heard about the appointment of CK Akonnor, I was very happy,” he told Joy FM.

    “I know him personally and I have been to his house several times. He is a disciplined man and playing in Germany is a plus.

    “I don’t think he will be shy of any player because he has played to the highest level and for me, he is the best choice for us a football country.

    “I will only urge Ghanaians to offer their support and I know CK Akonnor to succeed,” he added.

    Charles Akonnor is being assisted by David Duncan.

    Source: footballghana.com

  • Coronavirus: Food buffer stock system key for post-harvest recovery – IEA

    Director of Research at the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) has urged the central bank, to be reactive in its development finance function geared towards a post coronavirus pandemic recovery.

    According to Dr John Kwakye, the BoG as a matter of priority must create a department within the bank or a separate development finance institution outside the bank to go beyond its narrow price stability mandate to support the economy.

    Speaking at a press briefing in Accra on Tuesday, July 28, 2020, Dr Kwakye said; “One key area that the BoG can offer direct support to the economy is the food buffer stock system, given the high incidence of post-harvest losses in the country”.

    Though Dr Kwakye commends the BoG for being somewhat involved in such a scheme recently, he is urging it to further develop in that role in order to scale it up to advance the economy.

    Data released by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) revealed that for the first quarter of 2020, the agriculture sector expanded by 2.8 percent and the industry sector by 1.5 percent.

    Some economists, civil society and advocacy groups have all urged government to set up an Agriculture Sector Investment Fund to help address the resource constraints for achieving food security for a post-harvest recovery as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Shut down all witch camps in Ghana Sam Pee Yalley to government

    Former Ghana High Commissioner to India, Sam Pee Yalley has called on the government to immediately shut down all witch camps in the country.

    According to him, nobody has any right to operate a witch camp in the country.

    The former commissioner who was reacting to the lynching of a 90-year-old woman in the Savannah Region, on UTV stated that, “faith and religion is causing this country a great harm…”

    He continued that, “Mind you where your faith ends that is where mine begins. It is high time the government closes all such witch camps”.

    Adding, “Government should close all witch camps now. It is not the time to go there and feed them, no no no. It is time to take a decision. Nobody has any right to open a witch camp in this country. The district assembly must be empowered to make sure all those operating witch camps are brought to book. It is shameful”, he added.

    He also cautioned chiefs who are fond of banishing their subjects to stop with immediate effect.

    Mr Yalley believes “if a citizen commits an offence, the best place to seek justice is the court and not taking the law into your own hands. I went to my home town and heard they have banished a whole family from the community. This is a bad practice, a bad practice that this country can no longer tolerate”.

     

    Source: Peace FM

  • Tanzania opposition figure Tundu Lissu returns from exile

    Tanzanian opposition politician and presidential hopeful Tundu Lissu has returned from exile in Belgium where he underwent treatment after he was shot multiple times three years ago.

    Lissu, a former politician with the Chadema main opposition party, was welcomed by hundreds of supporters, who clamoured around his car as he waved from an open sunroof on Monday.

    A critic of President John Magufuli, Lissu was shot 16 times in an attack by unknown gunmen in the administrative capital, Dodoma, in September 2017.

    At the time, Magufuli condemned the shooting and ordered security forces to investigate, but no one has been arrested.

    Lissu was arrested eight times in the year leading up to his attack and charged with incitement, among other alleged offences. His most recent arrest was in August 2017 – two weeks before he was shot.

    Upcoming election

    Tanzania will hold a general election on October 28, and the United States last month accused the country of seeking to “stifle democratic norms” ahead of the polls, with a string of arrests of opposition figures and the closure of a newspaper.

    Lissu’s return comes as the top opposition parties consider joining forces behind a single candidate to challenge Magufuli, who seeks a second five-year term.

    In an interview with AFP news agency shortly before leaving for Tanzania, Lissu said he was “going back home to try and fight for the presidency”.

    “Whether we are going to have free and fair elections, that is not the question, we don’t expect that. The issue is … are we going to have our lives by the end of the electoral process?”

    He said the opposition and his political party had “gone through hell during these five years”.

    “The biggest thing has been the untold suffering. Killings of political leaders, attacks on political leaders, abductions, disappearances, torture, illegal prosecution of opposition leaders and activists in courts of law, with trumped-up charges.”

    Lissu said his heath was good after his ordeal, in which he was shot at his home.

    “You have to be aware of the fact that I was shot 16 times. All my limbs, my legs, my waist, my arms, my stomach were basically ripped apart by 16 bullet shots and therefore to mend me, to put me back on my feet, took a long time.

    “Of course I’m not as I was three years ago: my leg is shorter by several centimetres (an inch or so). But otherwise, I’m fine.”

    Lissu told AFP that Magufuli’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic had been “a national embarrassment” and raised concerns about the holding of the election.

    Magufuli claims there are no more cases in the country, which last released official figures in April. However Tanzanian truck drivers regularly test positive in neighbouring countries.

    “So we have total blackout on corona and because there is total blackout, the president wants the world to believe that there is no corona. It’s a disaster.”

    Source: aljazeera.com

  • ECOWAS demands release of Mali opposition leader

    West African presidents have demanded the release of one of Mali’s opposition leaders, Soumaila Cissé.

    He was kidnapped by an unknown group just days before the now-disputed parliamentary elections on 25 March.

    The demand was made as part of a plan by the West African regional bloc Ecowas to resolve Mali’s ongoing political crisis.

    Tens of thousands of people have taken part in protests since June, with at least 11 protesters dying.

    The protests started after the Constitutional Court threw out 31 results from parliamentary elections in April, benefiting President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita’s party.

    On 5 June, thousands of people went out onto the streets in the first of a series of demonstrations. The protests turned deadly on the second weekend of July, when at least 11 people were killed.

    On Monday, after meeting up by video conference, the West African heads of state made a series of recommendations, hoping to bring the unrest to a close.

    They insisted that the Malian authorities “intensify efforts” for Mr Cissé’s release, while also asking for an inquiry into the protesters’ deaths on 10-12 July.

    They further asked that 31 MPs whose results are contested should resign and allow for new elections, and recommended a unity government, which includes the opposition, be formed.

    They said their plan should be implemented within 10 days and recommended sanctions against people who get in the way.

    They did not, however, recommend the protestors’ main demand – that President Keïta resign.

    The proposals are similar to previous plans, which the opposition coalition – a group called M5-RFP – has rejected.

    The BBC’s Ishaq Khalid says it is not clear if they will reject these resolutions as well.

    Mali’s neighbours are afraid that the crisis could slide into chaos as many are concerned that the situation could play into the hands of armed groups if not properly managed.

    Source: BBC

  • Coronavirus: How it turned the tables on Ghana’s diaspora

    In our series of letters from African writers, journalist and former Ghana government minister Elizabeth Ohene writes about how the prospect of living abroad has lost its attraction in the time of coronavirus.

    We used to say here in Ghana, half in jest, half in truth, that you can find a Ghanaian in every country in the world.

    I’ve heard of Ghanaians in Greenland, Iceland and Papua New Guinea. I admit, I haven’t heard about a Ghanaian in the Faroe Islands, which is my idea of the most exotic and faraway place, but I wouldn’t be surprised if one of us is there.

    From the middle of the 1970s through to the end of the 1990s, circumstances had conspired to turn us into a travelling people.

    Over the past 20 years we have continued to do it, not because the things that used to drive us away still exist, but simply because it has become a habit and our minds are tuned that way.

    The middle classes now try to send their pregnant wives to deliver babies in the United States. They beg, borrow and steal to send their children to universities in the US and UK and encourage the children to stay on after completing school.

    Then there are the adventurers among us who have always taken off to go and try their luck and seek fortunes wherever is said to be the current land of gold.

    Source: BBC

  • AKO Caine Prize: Irenosen Okojie wins with story of Grace Jones impersonator

    Nigerian-British author Irenosen Okojie has been announced as the winner of the 2020 AKO Caine Prize for African Writing for her short story about a Grace Jones impersonator with a dark secret.

    Judges praised the “radical” and “risky” work of fiction, which deals with questions of trauma and identity as well as pleasure and escape.

    “What I want people to take away from it is not just the pain of tragedy, it’s how we reconfigure ourselves past it,” Okojie told the BBC.

    The London-based writer says her £10,000 ($13,000) winnings will buy her more time to travel, to write and maybe even a garden shed as “a little enclave” to work in.

    “I’m predominantly passionate about writing about black women, and for me it doesn’t just mean black women from Nigeria,” Okojie says. “I think blackness is fascinating, especially cross-culturally.”

    Wearing a mask
    The story, which is called Grace Jones, follows Sidra, a young Martinican woman in London who is wracked with guilt after her whole family dies in a fire that destroys their flat.

    In later life she finds a sense of release working as a celebrity impersonator.

    Sidra is “hiding under” this mask of Jamaican singer, model and actress Grace Jones, says the author. “But under the character [she] herself is committing dreadful acts.”

    This leads to a deliberate blurring between the protagonist and her assumed identity.

    “Human beings are so fascinating – we cope with things in all sorts of weird and interesting ways. So I wanted to capture a character like that,” the author told BBC Focus on Africa radio.

    “The psychology of it, you know the idea of hiding behind another character and, you know, how do we cope with the traumas that affect us.”

    Foreshadowing real life
    Some have commented on the uncanny similarities between the fire that engulfs Sidra’s childhood home and the 2017 Grenfell tower fire in London, in which dozens of people were killed.

    “I’d written it just before Grenfell. It was almost this idea of foreshadowing – sometimes you have an idea that speaks so strongly to you and you don’t necessarily know why, and then something happens in the real world that echoes that idea,” Okojie told the BBC.

    The reality of life under a pandemic is also something the author has channelled into more recent work.

    Though there have been times during lockdown when she has felt overwhelmed and “done no writing at all”, she sees it as the the role of writers to make sense of the world.

    “Sometimes you just want to sit back and process it. We’re artists – and if we don’t respond in the moment, we will certainly respond post it.”

    Source: BBC

  • Dont allow politicians to use you to trigger election violence – Activist

    Joseph Tapena, a human rights activist, has advised the youth to be mindful of politicians who might want to use them to foment trouble before and during the December 7, 2020 elections.

    “As a youth, you must not allow politicians to use you as tools to cause misunderstanding that could easily trigger violence in the electioneering,” he said.

    Rather channel your youthful exuberances into activities that would promote peace and social cohesion and remain as campaigners of societal peace, he said.

    “Always be conscious of what you say wherever you find yourself”, Mr Tapena stated during a zoom concert organized by the Initiative Black and White Ghana-Germany (IBWG), a human rights-centred non-governmental organisation in collaboration with the Sunyani Youth Development Association (SYDA) held at the weekend.

    The ‘George Floyd’ concert was aimed at raising awareness on the need for peace, as Ghana prepares for the Election 2020.

    Describing political violence as uncivilized and unacceptable, Mr Tapena, who is the Country Director of the IBWG, said it was the worst form of human rights abuse inimical to human growth and development.

    Political violence threatens multi-party democracy, he added and advised the youth to remain resolute, ignore and help name and shame perpetrators of political violence.

    Mr Atta Akoto Senior, the President of the SYDA, urged the unemployed youth to engage in skill training to better their lives.

    “Don’t sell your conscience to politicians because if you allow that they will use you to achieve their political ends and later dump you”, he advised.

    Mr Akoto called on the youth to take advantage of the internet to search for opportunities to further their education and learn new entrepreneurial skills as well.

    He said with the support of the Australian government the SYDA was currently assisting school dropouts, teenage and single mothers to engage in employable skills training to improve on their socio-economic livelihoods, and appealed for support so that many of the vulnerable youth would benefit from the training.

    Source: GNA

  • Government is determined to improve basic school infrastructure – MP

    Kwaku Ampratwum Sarpong, the Member of Parliament for Asante Mampong, has reiterated the government’s commitment to improving infrastructure at the basic school level.

    He said after much investment in the expansion of infrastructure at the senior high school level to cope with the increasing number of students following the implementation of the free senior high education programme, the government was now turning its attention to the basic level to strengthen the base of education.

    Mr Sarpong stated this at separate ceremonies to cut the sod for the construction of classroom blocks for the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) and New Daaman Basic schools in the Mampong municipality.

    The construction of the six-unit classroom block each for the schools by the Municipal Assembly was to ease congestion and also replace old classroom blocks in the schools.

    Mr Sarpong said the construction of the classroom blocks would help ease congestion and strengthen teaching and learning in the schools to improve outcomes.

    He asked the school management committees to work to protect and maintain the classroom blocks to prolong their lifespan.

    Mr Thomas Appiah Kubi, the Asante Mampong Municipal Chief Executive, said the assembly was working to replace all dilapidated classroom blocks which had become death traps, with modern ones to improve teaching and learning.

    He said the government was committed to addressing all challenges facing educational delivery in the municipality to improve performance of pupils at the basic level.

    Source: GNA

  • African trade deal could lift millions out of poverty – World Bank

    A pandemic-delayed African free trade deal, if fully implemented, could boost incomes across the continent, pull millions out of poverty and cushion against the negative fallout from COVID-19, the World Bank wrote in a report on Monday.

    The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) was due to come into force on July 1, but that proved unworkable after the virus forced widespread border closures and halted talks between governments over the removal of tariffs.

    It may now begin operating from the start of 2021.

    The pandemic is expected to cost Africa up to $79 billion in lost economic output this year alone with the additional risk of millions of job losses.

    “In this context, a successful implementation of AfCFTA would be crucial,” the report said. “(It) is a major opportunity for Africa, but implementation will be a significant challenge. Lowering tariffs is only the first step.”

    Once in force, the AfCFTA will bring together 1.3 billion people across 55 countries with combined gross domestic product of $3.4 trillion.

    World Bank researchers estimated the trade deal would lift 30 million Africans out of extreme poverty and 68 million from moderate poverty by 2035.

    Full implementation could increase real income in Africa by 7%, or nearly $450 billion, mainly by reducing the cost of trade through the elimination of tariffs and red tape.

    Ivory Coast and Zimbabwe – countries with the highest costs of trade – could see income gains of 14%.

    The volume of total exports would increase by almost 29%, according to the World Bank, with exports between African nations rising 81%. Exports to non-African countries would increase 19%.

    “The report estimates that compared with a business-as-usual scenario, implementing AfCFTA would lead to an almost 10% increase in wages, with larger gains for unskilled workers and women,” the report said.

    Source: reuters.com

  • Election 2020: Ayawaso MCE meets Dumelo, Lydia over growing tensions

    The MCE for Ayawaso West Municipal Assembly Sandra Owusu-Ahinkorah has called for calm in the on-going registration exercise.

    The MCE who is also the chairperson of the Municipal Security Council made the passionate appeal when she invited the leading parliamentary contenders for the upcoming December polls.

    Sitting MP Lydia Seyram Alhassan represented the NPP while Mr John Dumelo also represents the NDC.

    The meeting assessed the first two phases of the voter registration process such as the busing of people to registration centres, use of macho-men and the alleged attempts by foreigners to take part in the exercise.

    The candidates expressed their satisfaction over the meeting and pledged to play by the rules and maintain peace before, during and after the December polls.

    Source: Starr FM

  • Transport operators agree to reduce transport fares by 10 percent

    Transport operators have agreed to reduce transport fares by 10 percent beginning August 1, 2020.

    This follows the decision of the government to relax the COVID-19 restrictions and allow public transports to load full capacity.

    The leadership of various transport unions met in Accra on Monday, July 27, 2020, and agreed on the reduction.

    They have consequently agreed to issue a communique to all member transport unions for them to implement the 10 percent reduction by Saturday, August 1, 2020.

    The National Chairman of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), Mr Kwame Kuma made this known.

    more to follow…

     

    Source: Graphic.com.gh 

  • Lax laws in Zambia promoting child marriages

    The Zambian government should do more to protect schoolgirls who are being married off because learning institutions have been closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, the director of an umbrella civil society body dealing with womens’ rights and gender issues has told the BBC.

    Engwase Mwale from Gender Organisations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC) blamed a lack of stringent laws to protect girls.

    “There is therefore need to strengthen laws that will stop this scourge. Partly, child marriages have been on the increase because of the conflict in the laws,” Ms Mwale said.

    Her comments follows a story in state-owned Zambia Daily Mail quoting Chief Chikanta of the Tonga tribe in Kalomo in the southern region, saying girls between the age of 13 and 17 were being married.

    “With the closure of schools due to COVID-19, we have seen a lot of girls trying to go into marriages, they are instead abandoning school and choosing marriage. Just in the past four days, I have received about three elopement cases,” Chief Chikanta said.

    The traditional leader said he was engaging the affected families to ensure that the practice is stopped to allow the girls to focus on education.

    Source: bbc.com

  • COVID-19: Ghana records reduction in active cases

    The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has announced a reduction in Ghana’s active COVID-19 cases.

    The Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Patrick Kumah Aboagye, at a press briefing today in Accra said the country now has 3,617 active cases, a reduction of 38 cases from the last announced figure (3,655).

    Dr Aboagye said the country also had 30,621 recoveries from the illness from a cumulative total of 34,406 cases and 168 deaths (a cases fatality ratio of 0.54%) as of July 26.

    Testing

    Dr Aboagye stated that the country had so far conducted a total of 382,752 tests with an 8.9% test positivity rate.

     

    He said: “The active cases continue to stay quite low… now we are doing 11 percent of our cases which are active, the rest have all recovered.

    “We need to focus on active cases because that is where we need to respond with our healthcare services, with our beds, our contract tracing and we are lucky that the numbers seem to be going low…”.

     

    Source: Graphic.com.gh 

  • I stepped back in NDC running mate race for fresh faces – Prof Kwesi Botchwey

    Professor Kwesi Botchwey, Ghana’s longest-serving Finance Minister has disclosed that he decided to step back in the running mate nomination of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

    The reason, he said was to allow for fresh faces to take up that position and that anybody who is articulate and understands the fundamentals of governance fits that position.

    He, however, disagreed with suggestions that it is only persons with economics background that fits the vice-presidential position or slot.

    Responding to what he makes of the selection of Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang as the running mate of Mr John Dramani Mahama, Prof Botchwey said she has what it takes to partner the NDC flagbearer.

    He said she has proven track records to partner the flagbearer to capture power in the December 7, 2020 polls.

    Prof Botchwey’s name came up last year as a possible choice as running mate to the NDC flagbearer.

     

    But reacting after Prof Opoku-Agyemang was selected, Prof Botchwey said: “I think that every party, our party [NDC] especially has forged a generational transition so that we, the older ones can step back a bit to provide guidance and support.”

    “We can’t have the same generation or people leading the party. That was my view and I think I’ve been vindicated, you’ve seen Naana, she is very focused, she is very driven, she is humble, she is well spoken, she is every bit of what we will want to see in the vice-president. So this is about Naana, it is not about Kwesi Botchwey.”

    ”There is nothing in our laws, in our constitution anywhere that says that the vice-president must be an economist. What you need is to be a good social analyst, a good social scientist, with the tools to ask the right questions and be focused on the business of national development and that is all you need.”

     

    more to follow

     

    Source: Graphic.com.gh 

  • United Bank for Africa Group announces global management appointments

    United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA) a pan-African financial services institution has announced the appointments of Rokia Hacko, Chioma Mang, Chinedu Obeta, Bode Aregbesola, Kingsley Ulinfun and Usman Isiaka as chief executive officers of six of its 20 subsidiaries across Africa, subject to regulatory approvals.

    The new CEOs will drive the Group’s strategy and activities in Mali, Uganda, Zambia, Senegal, Tanzania and Sierra Leone respectively.

    In addition, Ogechi Altraide has become the new Head, Retail Banking; Amadao Konate, Head, Treasury & International Payments for UBA America. These international appointments compliment the prior appointments of Sola Yomi-Ajayi as the CEO of UBA America, and Patrick Gutmann as the CEO of UBA UK. UBA provides a full suite of corporate banking products and services to businesses, multilateral institutions and governments transacting from and with Africa.

    Earlier this month, UBA announced the appointment of Ayoku Liadi and Oliver Alawuba respectively, as Deputy Managing Directors in charge of the Group’s Nigeria and Africa businesses, attesting to the importance of UBA’s African business and its strategic positioning as “Africa’s Global Bank”.

    UBA Group Chairman, Tony O. Elumelu, stated “The appointments further reflect the strong growth of the Group’s pan-African businesses, currently responsible for over 40% of total Group revenue and the increasing importance of our international businesses in London, Paris and New York, offering superior treasury, trading and corporate banking solutions to clients globally. We are committed to catalysing growth on the African continent and the new CEOs are taking up roles at a very exciting period, as the Group executes its innovative digital play across the African continent”.

    Also announced were the appointment of three new country Executive Directors – Haoua Cisse as the Executive Director, Wholesale, UBA Mali and Julien Kouassi as Executive Director Wholesale, UBA Côte D’Ivoire.

    United Bank for Africa is one of the largest employers in the financial sector on the African continent, with over 20,000 employees group wide and serving over 20 million customers, across its approximately 1000 branches and over 30,000 ATMs, PoS, and agencies in Africa.

    Operating in 20 African countries and globally in the United Kingdom, the United States and France, UBA provides retail, commercial and institutional banking services, leading financial inclusion and implementing cutting edge products, including the first ever banking chat bot in Africa, LEO.

    Source: africabusinesscommunities.com

  • Kenya’s medics say they are not prepared to tackle coronavirus

    Health workers have said they are struggling to respond to the Coronavirus pandemic and are ill-prepared to face the swelling numbers as more medics get infected.

    As the national and county health workers tackle the pandemic, they say they are heading for a crisis without the necessary resources.

    The medics said they have not been properly trained on handling Covid-19, lack the appropriate protective gear and most are now experiencing burnout.

    Various cadres of health professionals are demanding better workplace protections as the country nears in Covid-19 peak yesterday said that the death of a senior public health officer in Wajir County due to lack of oxygen was worrying.

    Mr Abdi Yussuf, who died on Friday, is the eight medic to succumb to the virus, with another 531 medics reported to have contracted COVID-19.

    Clinical officers’ union chairman Peterson Wachira said medics are at high risk of getting the disease because they don’t have adequate protective gear.

    “The death of eight medics from various counties with another 531 infected with Covid-19 has forced use to try and assess the situation and the biggest problem we have is the lack of proper protective gear,” he said.

    The union’s Secretary-General, Mr George Gibore, said that medics who perform procedures that are more likely to generate high concentrations of infectious respiratory aerosols than coughing, sneezing or talking are at increased risk of infection because most hospitals do not have the appropriate masks.

    “We conducted a joint health workers’ survey, which revealed that 72 percent of health workers performing aerosol-generating procedures do not have proper protective equipment. They do not have N95 masks while s 74 per cent are anxious that they are not using the protective equipment properly,” he said.

    Mr Gibore said the survey, which assessed infection prevention and control among health workers, found that only 24 per cent of medics had undergone a two-day training on Covid-19 as recommended by global health bodies. He said 64 percent of the medics have reported experiencing burnout from working long hours.

    “We would like to implore the government to look at these challenges and ensure our welfare is secured especially since we are headed to the peak and we have not seen a significant increase in health workers,” he said.

    Source: allafrica.com

  • Confidence indicators beginning to show signs of improvement – Addison

    Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr Ernest Addison has said the global financial markets have eased somewhat reflecting decisive monetary, financial, and fiscal policy actions which have helped stabilize investor sentiments.

    According to him, confidence indicators are beginning to show signs of improvement although still below pre-pandemic levels, especially in countries that have successfully slowed the pace of COVID-19 infections. Notwithstanding these signs of early bounce back, lingering concerns of a second wave of the pandemic seem to be weighing on risk sentiments, with implications for borrowing costs, currency stability, and rising debt levels.

    He was speaking during the sitting of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) on Monday July 27.

    The outlook for the global economy remains uncertain despite these early encouraging signs of recovery. Signs of a second wave of infections and intensification of the pandemic in other economies is sparking fears of a re-imposition of restrictions and containment measures, leading to a further slowdown in the world economy.

    Global inflationary pressures remain subdued reflecting low energy prices and sharp drop in real GDP with significant slackness in labour market conditions. Core inflation remains low in Advanced Economies and inflation projections have generally been revised downwards in the near term.

    In Emerging Market and Developing Economies, the BoG said the inflation dynamics will continue to depend on the direction of movement of the exchange rate and the impact of COVID-19 on food prices.

    On the domestic scene, there has been some pressure on headline inflation. After remaining flat at 7.8 percent in the first quarter, inflation jumped to 11.2 percent in the second quarter.

    This sharp increase was driven in large part by food prices, which spiked in response to the panic-buying episode preceding the partial lockdown that was announced at the end of March 2020.

    Food prices continued to increase from 8.4 percent at the end of the first quarter to 13.9 percent at the end of the second quarter. Non-Food inflation also rose from 7.4 percent to 9.2 percent, but this has been at a much slower pace than food prices.

    The sharp rise in inflation in the second quarter has somehow disrupted the disinflation process.

    Meanwhile the MPC has kept the policy rate at 14.5 per cent.

    Source: Laud Business

  • Zimbabwe targets 50% teenage pregnancy cut

    he Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council (ZNFPC) is escalating efforts to halve the country’s teenage pregnancy rate from 24% to 12% by end of this year.

    This envisaged goal will come at the backdrop of an envisaged successful roll-out of the Zimbabwe National Family Planning Costed Implementation Plan (ZNFPCIP).

    The blueprint translates the nation’s strategy 2016-2020 into a result-based and actionable costed plan to guide intervention programming, resource mobilisation and allocation, and performance measurement.

    ZNFPC sister-in-charge for Mashonaland West, Christopher Katanda, told NewZimbabwe.com recently that teenage pregnancies remained a huge challenge, particularly in rural areas where there is low uptake of contraceptives among young and unmarried sexually active women.

    “This has contributed to the high prevalence of teenage pregnancies, therefore, there is need for demand creation for contraceptives as we push to reduce the teenage pregnancy rate from 24 to 12 per cent by end of 2020,” said Katanda.

    Journalists attending a recent ZNFPC media engagement meeting, raised fears of an upsurge in unwanted teen pregnancies in light of the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic, which has seen most youths redundant and exposed to mischief.

    According to the ZNFPCIP, Zimbabwe seeks to increase, among its key populations, knowledge of long-acting and permanent family planning methods among all women and men from 46 to 51% by 2020.

    Long-acting and reversible contraceptives include implants and intrauterine contraceptive devices (IUCDs), while permanent methods include male and female sterilisation.

    ZNFPC targets to avert over 3 million unwanted pregnancies, cut in excess of 900,000 abortions, supress 7,000 maternal deaths and avoid 33,000 child deaths by end of this year (2020).

    According to the last population census, Zimbabwe has an estimated 15 million people and is projected to reach 19, 3 million by 2032, based on the country’s total fertility rate which is higher among poor less-educated rural women.

    This demographic group averages five births per woman.

    Family planning is vital in a country’s development as it informs government budgeting of key resources, policy formulation and implementation aimed at improved livelihoods of families and communities.

    Source: allafrica.com

  • Ghana FA partners AMA to erect monuments of football heroes

    Ghana Football Association boss Kurt Okraku has chalked another milestone by reaching an agreement with city authorities for the erection of monuments to celebrate football heroes in the West African nation.

    The Ghanaian FA leader held a fruitful discussion with the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) boss Mohammed Adjei Sowah at at the City Hall in Accra.

    Mr Okraku tabled the proposal for the erection of monuments and decorate public walls with colourful murals of football heroes both past and present which has been wholly accepted by the city authorities.

    In a country where heroes are easily forgotten or left without a trace, this is massive move to ensure football’s men and women of courage are celebrated immortalized for future generations.

    “From day one we have been looking for ways to build very good relationships with state and private institutions because football cannot be managed in isolation. Football, as we all know, is the passion of the nation and it permeates through every facet of our life. The football platform is huge and AMA can harness the potential on the football platform. AMA also has a huge platform where the football industry can also harness its potential and we think that we can do something together,” FA boss Kurt Okraku said.

    ” From your side, we believe you do engage the community a lot and you can use the football platform to do so. We use TV a lot and if you are embarking on educational campaigns you can use the football platform. We are strong on social media as well. It is a win-win partnership we looking for, you can use our premier league platform in your brand positioning.”

    On his part, the Metropolitan Chief Executive of AMA Mohammed Adjei Sowah was left thrilled with the proposal as its gives true meaning to his outfit’s #AccraforArt initiative launched last year.

    “The introduction of astroturf in our communities has helped us to, first of all, to capture the open space people had encroached upon. It has provided a modern field for playing football and I think the GFA must capitalise on this golden opportunity to bring back the vibrancy and excitement of local football. This is because the proximity of sporting facilities in communities goes a long way to encourage and unearth talents,” the AMA boss said.

    Source: Ghana Soccernet

  • Government urged to reopen basic schools

    A senior lecturer at the University for Development Studies (UDS), Faculty of Education, Dr. Ibrahim M. Gunu pleads with government to reopen basic schools in low risky areas.

    He argues that the continuous closure of basic schools in Ghana as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic could lead to an upsurge in early marriages, school dropouts and child labour in Northern part of Ghana.

    In an article, Dr. Gunu stated that, “I want to commend government for the continuous engagement of significant stakeholders in the education sector and I suggests that government should at least reopen basic schools in low risky areas in Ghana by September, 2020.”

    “We need to know that children cannot wait for that long. Children learn less, and lose the habit of learning. In some parts of Ghana if schools are not reopened, students may give up their studies and start work or get married. Children are more likely going to suffer abuse, malnutrition and poor mental health.”

    “Parents who have nowhere to drop their children struggle to go to work.”

    According to Dr. Gunu, Ghana’s high recoveries rate coupled with government’s stringent measures put in place to curb the pandemic’s widespread are enormous, hence his assertion.

    Below is the full text.

    The world has been under a lockdown for some time now as a result of COVID-19. Globally, schools, Colleges and Universities were closed as a result of the fear of spread of the disease.

    The continuous delay in reopening schools, Colleges, and Universities across the country, generated psychological effects on students, which can be expressed as anxiety, fear, worry, and even trauma, among others.

    In search of normalcy regarding teaching and learning in Ghanaian Schools, Colleges and Universities, the government of Ghana provided guidelines and support for these institutions, which I consider as a good leadership direction.

    Based on the guidelines, Universities in Ghana resorted to remote instruction in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The end of the school year in Ghana is associated with examinations. These are often used to select or certify students as they move from one level to the next or into the workforce.

    Concerns regarding the question of what it means to have spent years working towards an exam or a degree only to graduate in one of the longest waiting periods became an issue.

    Subsequently, final year students were recalled to take their examination in the Universities, Colleges, Junior High Schools (JHS) and Senior High Schools (SHS).

    Final year students in the Colleges of Education and some Universities have successfully finished their final examinations.

    It is important to mention that final year students participating in examination is a good idea. In my opinion, it will reduce the unbearable psychological pressure on them.

    Recommendations

    The Ghana Education Service (GES) in collaboration with the Ghana Health Service (GHS) should ensure the continuous observance of health protocols in schools in order to contain the spread of the COVID 19 pandemic in schools.

    The most vulnerable teachers should stay at home. Reduce class sizes, reduce contact hours for a start.

    Reorganize timetables to prevent crowding at school gates, ensure compulsory wearing of masks and separate desks with recommended spacing dimension.

    Government should allow continuing students in grades 1-8 (Primary 1 to JHS2) to be promoted to the next grade without taking examinations.

    Remedial measures should be put in place to support the students and government should avoid a situation where the entire academic year will be cancelled.

    The reopening of schools should not be a partisan issue, as it has sadly become in Ghana, where some people will assume it to be bad idea.

    The teacher unions should not take political stands and rather work with the government to support our children in the schools.
    Conclusion

    I wish to thank government for taking the needed steps to ensure normalcy in our schools (JHS and SHS), Colleges and Universities in Ghana.

    Whilst appreciating the fact that many parents are scared that schools are somehow crowded, that small children may not observe social distancing, cases are rising and many other examples, equally we need to know that recoveries are high and the cost of missing school is huge.

    This unprecedented crisis calls for a collaborative efforts for which reason, parents, teachers, politicians and other significant stakeholders should support the students and stop creating fear and panic as this will not support the growth and development of the nation.

     

    Source: Abdul Karim Naatogmah, Contributor

  • NSA clears the air on national teams

    The National Sports Authority (NSA) has cleared the Black Maidens and Princesses to go into campaign following the green light given by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

    The President of the Republic in his update Number 14 on measures taken against the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic gave the Black Starlets, Maidens and the Princesses the greenlight to start camping ahead of their respective international assignments.

    A statement signed by Prof. Peter Twumasi, Director General of the NSA and copied to GNA Sports, urged national teams to adhere to all safety protocols as they start camping following the greenlight by the President.

    “In line with the directions issued on 26th July 2020, by the President in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, the female Under-20 and Under 17 national football teams have been cleared to go into their respective training camps to begin preparations towards their FIFA and CAF sanctioned international matches, which begins in September this year.

    “While in training, they are expected to adhere strictly to all the protocols issued by the Government, CAF, and FIFA.

    “The directive further stated that all other team sports, contact sports, and competitive sporting events still remain suspended until further notice,” the statement said.

    The statement urged all stakeholders to adhere to and respect the directives of the President for their own safety during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Source: GNA

  • Today in History: AMERI deal: Homes of Jinapor, Ayine raided

    Exactly three years ago, private residences of former deputy Power Minister John Jinapor and former deputy Attorney General, Dominic Ayine were reportedly ransacked by a team of armed security personnel.

    The raid was reportedly in connection with the Ameri power deal which was then under investigation.

    It was reported that Mr Jinapor was restrained from leaving his house for 2 hours.

    In the course of the same week, home of Dr Kwabena Donkor, a former Minister of Power was also raided by security officers.

    The Ameri deal was part of measures to address power supply challenges in the country in 2015.

    As a result, the government entered into a BOOT agreement with AMERI Energy on February 10, 2015 for the provision of a fast-track turn-key power generation solution through the construction of a power plant.

    Per the agreement, AMERI Energy installed 10 gas turbines and all related equipment and provided certain services related to the operation and maintenance of the plant for a period of five years.

    Read the full story originally published on July 28, 2017, on Ghanaweb

    The homes of former deputy Power Minister John Jinapor and former deputy attorney general Dominic Ayine have allegedly been raided by some individuals believed to be working with the CID of the Ghana Police Service.

    It is unclear the reasons for ransack but Starrfmonline.com sources say it is in connection with the ongoing investigations into the Ameri power deal.

    According to sources, two of the five armed men, who accosted Mr. Jinapor while he was leaving home for parliament, wielded AK-47 riffles.

    The former presidential spokesperson was allegedly restrained from leaving his house for 2 hours.

    The development comes on the back of a similar raid at the residence of former Power Minister Kwabena Donkor last Tuesday.

     

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Robbers kill security man, GH¢15,000 missing

    A security man in his 60s, Moses Buer, was on Sunday July 26, 2020 found dead at the Wabco Gas filing station by unknown assailants at Sege, Ada West District, Greater Accra Region.

    According the Police, he was found lying facedown with his hands tied to his back as well as his legs as his mouth was sealed and taped.

    The Sege District Police Commander DSP George Aboagye told the GNA that the local Police received a distressed call on that fateful day at about 5:30am that a body was lying on the premises of the filling sttion.

    “We inspected the body, took photographs and we lifted the body for preservation”.

    A priminary investigation revealed that the unknown assailants broke into the premises and murdered the man who happened to be the security man of the place and took away GH¢15,000,” he said.

    He said, their investigations led to the arrest of four suspects.

    We have arrested the manager and his assistant, Solomon Sebbie 20 and Emmanuel Vehe 23.

    We also picked up Emmanuel Sorgbordjor 20, a pump attendant at the filling station and Buer Joseph, a taxi driver and a former worker who was sacked for mismanagement.

    The body has since been deposited at the Police Hospital morgue.

     

    Source: GNA

  • South Asia animal sellers go online for Eid al-Adha

    Pandemic badly hits India, Bangladesh and Pakistan markets as fears about catching the virus keep customers away.

    Prancing in front of a camera with its blond mane blowing in the wind, “007” is one of the thousands of goats being sold online as Muslims prepare for a key religious festival shaken this year by the coronavirus pandemic.

    Millions of goats, sheep and cattle are slaughtered annually during Eid al-Adha – the festival of sacrifice – one of two major holy days observed by Muslims across the world, including some 600 million in South Asia.

    The pandemic has, however, badly hit India, Bangladesh and Pakistan, which have shut or heavily restricted major markets, while fears of catching the virus are keeping customers away ahead of the main festival on Saturday.

    “We were traumatised by the loss of two of my uncles to COVID-19 and didn’t want to sacrifice an animal,” Saddid Hossain told AFP news agency in Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka.

    “But we have to stay within our religious tradition, so we’d rather buy from an online cow seller.”


    A livestock vendor waits for customers along a street in the old quarters of New Delhi ahead of Eid al-Adha

    Faced with deserted markets, livestock breeders and traders have turned to websites, apps and social media to showcase their animals.

    Fahad Zariwala promotes goats like 007 from farms across India on his YouTube channel, which has more than 800,000 followers.

    “I shoot a slow-motion video with beautiful music, and I make them [goats] popular,” said Zariwala, who is based in Mumbai.

    “They have a personality and are… mostly named after Bollywood movies and trending characters in Bollywood,” he told AFP.

    Zariwala has seen a huge increase in viewers from Australia, Britain, the United States and the Middle East, which all have large South Asian diasporas.

    One farm he promotes runs online beauty contests to tempt potential customers, who might buy the goats for their families in India, home to 200 million Muslims.

    PashuBajaar, which sells thousands of goats for Indian farmers, said online sales had jumped from a few dozen last year to more than 2,500 in the past three months.

    “We’ve even received online orders for thousands for next year,” Chief Executive Sanjeev Kumar told AFP.

    The animals are delivered to buyers in trucks that can carry 10 to 15 at a time.

    In Muslim-majority Pakistan, home to 215 million people, dozens of apps and websites have sprung up.

    Buyers can select an animal and have it delivered to their doorstep, slaughtered or donated to a charity.

    Qurbani App chief executive Muhammad Ali Chaudhry said: “Orders have gone through the roof.”

    Islamabad goat farmer Muhammad Naeem, meanwhile, said his digital transactions had jumped from 20 percent of sales to almost half.

    But the rise in online sales has been accompanied by plunging prices.

    Mumbai seller Walid Dawood Jat, who sold six goats online during India’s lockdown, said they fetched just half their usual prices.

    “We used to sell goats at 500-600 rupees [$6.70-$8.00] per kilo,” he said, adding the price had fallen by half.

    “Buyers haggle with us. They say they don’t have money, their income is down.”

    In Dhaka’s biggest cattle market, livestock sales are down from 400,000 a week in previous years to 30,000.

    “Last year many people came. We were very busy,” said trader Kalu Bepari, who traveled 245km (150 miles) to the market with 13 bulls, but has only sold two “for a very cheap price”.

    “This year, there is barely anyone due to coronavirus fears. Nobody even asks the price.”

    Source: aljazeera.com

  • Mahama & Naana ticket: Same old incompetent & corruptible group Bantama MP

    New Patriotic Party (NPP) Bantama MP, Okyeam Aboagye, says the selection of Prof Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang as Vice Presidential candidate of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) is no threat to the electoral fortunes of the NPP.

    “Our campaign is focusing on candidate Mahama, not his running mate”, he said.

    Speaking on UTV Late News, Okyeam Aboagye ridiculed the composition of the Mahama and his Running Mate ticket saying; “negative 1 plus positive 1 is equal to zero, thus the same old incompetent and corruptible Mahama.

    “2020 contest is the battle of what Mahama did in four years of his regime and what Nana Akufo-Addo has also done within the same period. As for NPP our message is very simple, it is not about our sister but about Mahama”

    “He is the one we are talking about; the man that causes dumsor for four years, responsible for collapsing banks, taking Ghana into IMF. Under his watch, we had an unemployment association. So it is not about her (Naana) but it is about him, JDM”, he stressed.

    Source: Peace FM

  • Morocco locks down main cities as virus surges

    Morocco’s government has announced a fresh lockdown in some major cities as new coronavirus cases in the country hit a record high.

    Movement has been restricted in the country’s largest city Casablanca, as well as in Tangier, Marrakesh, Fez and Meknes.

    Essential service providers authorised by government officials are exempted from the order. Those transporting goods are also allowed to operate.

    The lockdown has been reinstated because of non-adherence to guidelines intended to prevent the spread of the virus, officials say.

    The government warned that a nationwide lockdown was still an option if citizens kept disregarding the guidelines.

    The ministry of health on Saturday announced 811 new cases and a further 633 on Sunday – bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 20,278.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Ghana is ‘disfigured’ with murder of 90-year-old woman – Akufo-Addo

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo says the killing of a 90-year-old woman at Kafaba in the Savanna Region over witchcraft accusation has dented the reputation of the country.

    According to him, the gruesome murder has “disfigured” Ghana.

    Speaking in the region where he is currently on tour, the President called on the security agencies to expedite action on the arrest of the suspects.

    “The quick response of the police will lead to the rapid administration of justice in this unfortunate matter. I will make an appropriate contribution to the Akua Denteh Foundation to express my own revulsion at the awful, tragic act that has occurred in this region,” he said.

    Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Mr. James Oppong-Boanuh has dispatched homicide experts from the Police headquarters to the Savannah region, to help search for suspects.

    According to a Police statement, the suspects who are believed to have fled the town include one Sanjo, who is said to have hosted Hajia Filina, a priestess who declared the deceased a witch. Others are: the priestess Hajia Filina, one Teacher Aliu, Bumaye, Ashley, and Manafo.

    The IGP has also announced a two thousand Ghana Cedis (GhC2,000) reward for information leading to the arrest of any of the suspects.

    The incident happened on Thursday, July 23, 2020 in the East Gonja Municipality.

    The old woman whose body has since been deposited at the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) mortuary has been identified as Akua Denteh.

    Former President Jerry John Rawlings has called for a serious investigation and arrest of all who were involved in the “cruel and barbaric lynching of the 90-year-old woman.

    Source: Starr FM

  • Kennedy Agyapong pays last respect to late Stacy Offei-Darko

    Assin Central Member of Parliament (MP), Kennedy Agyapong, on July 28, 2019, joined other dignitiaries to bid farewell and pay his last respects to the late mother of his daughter, Stacy Offei-Darko.

    The late Deputy CEO of the National Entrepreneurship Innovation Program (NEIP)died under rather strange circumstances, which most persons attributed to a lipo surgery at the Obengfo Hospital in Accra.

    To honor the memory of Stacy, Mr. Agyapong, clad in black, with his daughter clinging to him, filed past the body of the deceased NEIP Boss.

    Ken Agyapong, following her demise, had revealed, among other things, that he was proud of the daughter who he says is very smart in school.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Bernard Tekpetey clashes with club side Fortuna Düsseldorf

    Ghanaian footballer Bernard Tekpetey has been suspended until Wednesday, 29 July 2020 by his club side Fortuna Düsseldorf.

    Fortuna Düsseldorf published their decision to suspend the Ghanaian international on their Twitter handle.

    The club said: “We have exempted Bernard Tekpetey from his duties and obligations as a squad player until Wednesday, July 29, so that he can look after his personal future during this time.”

    The 22-year-old forward has been forcing a move out of Düsseldorf despite being on contract with the club.

    With a possible loan move to Ludogorets Razgrad for a reported €200,000 in sight, Fortuna has suspended the Ghanaian player.

    The decision was made to allow Tekpetey focus on completing a move out of Fortuna Düsseldorf.

    The forward is on loan from Schalke 04 with just one year remaining on his deal with an option to make the deal permanent.

    Lacking opportunities to play regularly, Bernard Tekpetey, has made just 9 appearances for Fortuna Düsseldorf with the team finishing 17th in the 2019/2020 Bundesliga season.

    Source: Class FM

  • Trump and GOP senators again put economic openings ahead of suppressing virus

    President Donald Trump and his allies on Capitol Hill are still fighting the pandemic they wish existed, rather than a virus that unfolds at its own pace and is oblivious to their artificial political and economic timetables.

    Despite his supposed turn to taking the coronavirus more seriously, Trump on Monday warned some governors should be quicker in opening up their states, ignoring the fact his previous advice on such lines helped spark a surge in cases in the sunbelt.

    New stimulus bill: The Senate Republican Party meanwhile split over a new $1 trillion stimulus bill, with some conservatives warning that maintaining federal unemployment benefits at current rates would deter a return to work as the virus rages and delay the restoration of economy.

    Still, the impasse predated exceedingly difficult negotiations with Democrats and will inevitably degenerate into a hyper-partisan struggle given the stakes of the approaching election. But any delay could could see millions of Americans who lost jobs in lockdowns deprived of most of a $600 a week federal government lifeline that has already paid out for the last time at previous levels.

    It also emerged Monday that Trump’s national security adviser Robert O’Brien, who works in the President’s mask-free West Wing, tested positive for the coronavirus, in a sign of how flaunting basic precautions leaves no one safe from infection even if such steps are politically unpalatable.

    Crisis continues: The machinations in Washington unfolded against a backdrop of a crisis that is nowhere near fading despite Trump’s upbeat rhetoric. While there are signs the latest explosion of sickness in southern and western states may be cresting, the situation remains dire. By late Monday night, the daily toll stood at 53,972 new infections

    Source: cnn.com

  • Coronavirus: Spain races to save tourism as cases surge

    Spain is fighting to save its embattled tourism industry after the UK government imposed a 14-day quarantine on all arrivals from the country.

    Spanish officials insist the virus is under control and want certain areas exempt, including the Balearic Islands.

    The UK said it had no plans to change its decision, and extended its travel advice, telling nationals to avoid non-essential journeys to all of Spain.

    About 18 million Britons travelled to Spain in 2019.

    Junior UK health minister Helen Whately defended the quarantine decision, telling the BBC that after all the “sacrifices” made during the lockdown, the UK could not take the risk of going back to a situation of rising virus rates across the country.

    Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez said on television on Monday evening that the UK’s decision was “misguided” and that he would continue to try to negotiate.

    Spain’s rate of infection has jumped in recent days. While the outbreak remains under control in many parts of Spain, certain areas – in particular Catalonia in the north-east and the neighbouring region of Aragón – have seen a huge spike in infections.

    According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the country recorded 39.4 cases per 100,000 inhabitants over the last two weeks.

    The UK and neighbouring France both have a figure of 14.6 infections per 100,000 residents.

    What’s the latest from Spain?

    Local authorities have issued stay-at-home orders for some four million residents in Catalonia, including in the regional capital Barcelona. On Monday, Catalonia’s President Quim Torra said even stricter lockdown measures could be imposed if infection numbers did not improve in the next 10 days.

    “We are facing the 10 most important days of summer,” he said. The region recorded 5,487 infections last week compared to 3,485 the week before, Mr Torra told reporters, adding that the situation was “very critical”.

    But Mr Torra also assured people that the region remained safe for tourists. Speaking in English, he said that “measures had been taken” and people “can visit most of the region safely”.

    Spain imposed one of Europe’s strictest lockdowns in March to tackle coronavirus. The tight restrictions helped curb the infection rate, but also severely damaged the economy – in particular tourism.

    Tourism accounts for about 11% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), and a huge number of visitors come from the UK.

    As a result, the country has been desperate to bring back visitors to help revive struggling towns and resorts.

    On Monday, Tourism Minister Reyes Maroto said the government was working with UK authorities to exclude the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands from the quarantine, as both regions have low rates of infection.

    “What we’d like is for quarantines to be lifted on the islands as early as possible, and we hope it will be today rather than tomorrow,” she said.

    But a UK government source later told the BBC there were “no plans” to introduce air bridges with the Spanish islands to exempt them from the 14-day quarantine.

    In fact, the Foreign Office toughened its travel advice. Its earlier warning against all-but-essential travel had applied only to mainland Spain, but now includes the island groups too.

    Prime Minister Sánchez said decisions should be made on Spanish regions individually, according to “epidemiological criteria”.

    Other Spanish leaders have criticised the UK’s quarantine move as disproportionate, given the low rate of infections in many areas.

    Ximo Puig, leader of the Valencia region, told a local radio station that “our epidemiological data is better than the UK’s”, and said the quarantine order was “not justified”.

    Source: BBC