TIG Post

Author: Chris Kodo

  • Chicago Fire forward C.J Sapong shares experience of social inequality in the U.S

    U.S born Ghanaian footballer C.J Sapong has joined a tall list of celebrities fighting against social injustice and racism in America.

    The Chicago Fire forward opened up on his personal experiences with racism and has called on people of colour to learn, listen and take action against inequality.

    This comes after protest across America following the killing of a black man (George Floyd) by a police officer.

    In an Instagram chat with former teammate and current Colorado Rapids forward Kei Kamara, the pair discussed a wide-range of issues on being black in America.

    Last night, Sapong appeared on ESPN’s Banter with Taylor Twellman alongside FC Dallas’ Reggie Cannon and North Carolina Courage’s World Cup winner Jessica McDonald for a roundtable conversation on racism.

    Watch videos below:

    Source: Ghana Soccernet

  • Nana Yaw Amponsah set to join Queens Park Rangers as an administrator

    Former GFA presidential aspirant Nana Yaw Amponsah is expected to join English side Queens Park Rangers in the coming weeks.

    Amponsah will leave the country once the borders are open to conclude negotiations with QPR who are looking to boost their management team with the young football administrators.

    It is understood that he would be working closely with Director of Football Les Ferdinand with whom he has a great relationship and would offer QPR a great perspective on their engagement of African players and future investments on the continent.

    He is currently the Director of Football Talent at Phar Partnerships, a UK based Sports Sponsorship and Talent company chaired by QPR Co-Owner Tony Fernandes.

    There were speculations that the astute football administrator could be joining Asante Kotoko as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) under the newly constituted Board.

    However, he has opted to join QPR in England.

    Source: footballghana.com

  • ‘I would be your Muhammad Ali’ – Kevin-Prince Boateng on racial unrest in the United States

    Besiktas forward Kevin-Prince Boateng has asserted if he were currently playing in the United States Major League Soccer, he would campaign the ongoing racial protests the way legendary boxer Muhammad Ali did.

    USA is presently in a state of unrest following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis after a police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes with Floyd having apparent breathing difficulties and passing away in hospital.

    It has led to protests not only across the United States but also in other parts of the world like the United Kingdom, France, Germany and even in African countries like Nigeria and South Africa.

    Racism has been rife in football with Boateng among several black players that have been targeted by fans in stadiums.

    “It is a difficult situation. Other than being sad, I am angry. It just hurts always coming back to the same feeling. It’s very difficult for me right now,” Boateng told Sky Sports.

    “[Completing a potential move to the USA to play in MLS] wouldn’t change a thing. I would be the same person. I would fight the same because I’m numb now. It hurts me but it doesn’t touch me now, I’m strong enough to deal with it.

    “Maybe that would be the perfect thing for me to play there right now – to make a statement to give something back to show the people that I’m on the frontline, that I will be your front guy – I will be your Muhammad Ali.

    “He always said ‘I will be there, I’m more than a boxer’. I want to be more than a boxer. There are a hundred players better than me, faster than me, I will fight for something bigger.

    “Even if I change two minds, three, one hundred – that’s in my power. America, Germany, Italy, France, England – everywhere there is racism so it doesn’t matter where I play. I will always play for the right thing.”

    Liverpool players recently stood on their knees in training in solidarity for Floyd, while Borussia Dortmund players Jadon Sancho and Morocco international Achraf Hakimi wore shirts with inscriptions calling for justice for Floyd in their last Bundesliga match.

    Boateng made the headlines in 2013 while playing for AC Milan when he walked off the pitch after racist chants were hurled at him in a friendly game against Pro Patria. Boateng has been a campaigner ever since and says football isn’t doing enough to tackle the problem, insisting he would walk away from the pitch if he was abused again.

    “I saw Liverpool kneeling and that is a good start to show that they are with us,” the 33-year old Ghanaian continued.

    “In general what is football doing? Not a lot. An advert on television or a banner when the teams walk onto the pitch [is not enough]. It’s already late but it’s never too late, we just have to wake up.

    “There’s always a little chain – we have to start to believe in what we are doing. People say it was a friendly game, but I didn’t care in that moment because it was something bigger inside of me. It wasn’t about the game. Even if it was a Champions League game I would have walked off.

    “It’s not a discussion, it’s just if we’re strong enough, if we really want to change something, we have to take big measures.”

    Boateng is on loan at Besiktas from Fiorentina. He has scored two goals in six Turkish Super Lig outings.

    After two months of inactivity because of the coronavirus pandemic, football in Turkey will resume next weekend with Besiktas hosting Antalyaspor at Vodafone Park.

    Source: goal.com

  • What would sport be like without black people for a day? – Kevin-Prince Boateng asks

    Kevin-Prince Boateng has spoken out following the death of George Floyd at the hands of four police officers in the United States and thinks that black professionals should go a day without work to show their worth.

    Floyd’s killing sparked protests and riots all over the world and the former Barcelona forward stands in support of those sending a message.

    “Do one thing,” Boateng told Sky Sports, “take every black person out of sports and every black actor out of the movies and how is it going to be? Boring.”I want to get a day that no black player goes to work, maybe on George Floyd’s birthday. Not because we don’t want to work or disrespect our club but to honour our black community.”

    The idea was just one that Boateng, who is currently on loan at Besiktas from Fiorentina, had as he continued to call on people to do something to combat racism.”Of course,” he responded when asked if others could get involved with such a movement.”Imagine what a message it would be if white people stick with us, if they said,

    ‘I won’t go to practice’ or ‘I won’t go to work’ or ‘I won’t play’.”Imagine it’s on a Saturday, the day of a game, that would be a big message.”I’m trying to think of answers – putting cameras and speakers inside the stadium so you can point out who is that person. I’m trying to do something because nothing is happening.” There’s always just something tragic happening – and then it’s too late.”

    Boateng previously walked off the pitch during a friendly match with AC Milan as he was the victim of racist abuse from the stands but he knows that others are fearful of doing the same thing.

    “It was a powerful image and still is now,” he said.”But I think even now people are scared they are going to get sanctioned.”There’s always a little chain – we have to start to believe in what we are doing.”People say it was a friendly game, but I didn’t care in that moment because it was something bigger inside of me. It wasn’t about the game. Even if it was a Champions League game I would have walked off.”It’s not a discussion, it’s just if we’re strong enough, if we really want to change something, we have to take big measures.

    When asked if society as a whole was doing enough, Boateng recognised that although some recent efforts were appreciated, more needs to be done.”Of course not,” he said.

    “We have to talk; we have to be louder. We have to use social media, today it is the biggest platform.”People might say I only have 100 followers, well maybe you can influence 50 of them. Even showing you as a white person are with us, that gives us so much power. We believe you are with us so we can go forward with a bigger chest.”No one is doing enough. #BlackOutTuesday is not enough, it’s too easy. Because people are scared to stand for something, to say something because of sponsors or large followings. A black picture is way too easy.”It’s a beautiful message but I’m mad because people have it so easy.”If you ever point a finger at them, they’ll say ‘but I posted that picture’. The picture [alone] does not mean anything to me.”

    Source: marca.com

  • Aker Energy on course to finding a solution for Pecan field development

    Aker Energy Ghana Limited has reaffirmed its commitment to finding a solution that will allow for the commencement of a phased development of the Pecan field offshore Ghana.

    “In a time when most other E&P companies are putting development projects on the shelf due to the COVID- 19 situation and historic low oil prices, Aker Energy and our partners, Lukoil, Fueltrade and GNPC, working closely with the Ghana government, are actively pursuing a development concept where we can commence phase one of a phased development of the Pecan field,” said Håvard Garseth, CEO of Aker Energy.

    “Although we have an altered timeline, we are on our way to finding a development concept with a breakeven price that is sustainable and resilient also in a low oil price environment.”

    In March, Aker Energy announced that a final investment decision (FID) for the Pecan field development project had been placed on hold, postponing the project.

    While no new date has been set for the FID, the company is working actively to confirm the feasibility of a phased Pecan field development by executing conceptual studies.

    The phased development of the Pecan field and the utilisation of a redeployed FPSO vessel will substantially reduce the CAPEX and, hence, reduce the breakeven cost.

    In addition, it will increase the possibility of reaching a commercially feasible project that will allow for an investment decision.

    Aker Energy and partners are currently assessing several FPSO candidates for redeployment, and the final selection will be based on technical capabilities and cost.

    While the original field development concept was based on a centralised FPSO supporting the development of the entire Pecan field, as well as tie-ins of all other area resources, the focus has shifted toward a phased development approach.

    This approach will enable Aker Energy to commence with one FPSO for Pecan in the south and expand to a second FPSO in the north after a few years, with tie-ins of additional discovered resources.

    The first FPSO will be deployed at around 115 kilometres offshore Ghana over a subsea production system installed in ultra-deep waters in depths ranging from 2,400 to 2,700 metres.

    “Getting projects like the Pecan field in operation is key toward our mission of making Ghana a major producer in West Africa and Africa as a whole,” says Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam, Deputy Minister of Energy.

    “Along with our partners, we are optimistic that we will establish a workable concept so that we can finally see first oil in the fourth offshore field in Ghana,” said Kadijah Amoah, Country Director in Ghana.

    “We remain committed to Ghana.”

    Source: laudbusiness.com

  • Leaked powerful document : Look at a one sheet document that everybody in NDC Is running away from.

    The Electoral Commission of Ghana yesterday piloted the 2020 voter’s registration exercise in some selected polling stations all over the country.

    It ended successfully with the opposition National Democratic Congress trying hard to put their reputation well in the public eyes. This is because some of their executives secretly abandoned their party’s stand against the compilation and joined the exercise. Notably among them was former member of Parliament Honorable George Loh.

    In an interview on Citi FM, Umaru Sands interviewed him why he took the stand and he had this to say :

    ‘ All my colleague regional executives took part in the exercise. We were instructed through a letter from the Director of Elections and we acted accordingly. Why is George Logs picture the only thing out there? ” He answered in a telephone interview.

    In the evening, a document purported to be written by the NDC Director of Elections instructing executives to join the registration exercise popped up. A Letter that placed the last nail in the reputational coffin of the NDC.

    This letter everyone in the NDC is trying to tag as fake but was accepted by George Log as the basis of their actions. Everyone is running away from this letter to skip shame.

    Why is the NDC so shy to let Ghanaians pardon them for misleading the whole count into believing that the voter’s registration exercise is not worth and they are against it but secretly run to take part of its pilot?

    If you don’t eat pork, you don’t help in its preparation let alone giving some for your children to eat. The NDC owes Ghanaians a great apology.

    Below is the Document

    Source: opera.com

  • EC declines to appear before Parliament on June 9

    The Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) has shot down an invitation by the Parliament of Ghana to appear before the house on June 9 to brief the legislature on its plans for the upcoming December polls.

    The minority in parliament has since April 30 been mounting pressure to have the EC summoned before the house but that has not happened yet though majority leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has indicated there are still ongoing engagements.

    However, he said an earlier planned June 9 date has failed because the EC will be out in some districts for other assignments which will end on June 14, thus a new date has been fixed on June 16 for them to appear before the house.

    “The EC has assured they will be here on the 16th, I was trying to pull them to be here on the 9th of June, that is this Tuesday. That had been my own stand… they have indicated to me they have to fan out to various places in the districts to pursue a cause and that they will be coming back the Sunday leading to the 16”, he said.

    He added that while the engagements were ongoing “a few issues came up”, some of which he mentioned the order by the Supreme Court for the EC to file the legal basis for which they want to exclude the old voters’ ID cards in the compilation of the new voters’ register.

    The EC is expected to update the house on how it is going about the electoral processes in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

     

    Source: 3 News

  • Enough of Becca, see more Ghanaian celebrities who betrayed their dark skin to white (Photos)

    Apparently we have been condemning Akosua Acheampong Becca for bleaching her skin, forgetting the fact that many Ghanaian celebrities if you dig deep you would find out that their initial skin color is different from what we know them with.

    Though we can partly blame Becca for becoming the center of trolling from Ghanaians because she brought it upon herself after she started what she would never win, ignoring the fact that internet never forgets.

    Away from that, to the main issue, there are a lot of Ghanaian celebrities including singers, Stylists, bloggers etc who are on the same table with Becca.

    Can you recall Ama Boahemaa?

    I can vivid remember about 6 years ago, Ghana went crazy with this interview with former Gospel Musician Ama Boahemaa.

    When she was asked how her skin changed so drastically her “milk” response was outrageous.

    This woman obviously bleached her skin and was ashamed to say it for fear of being lambasted.

    Then we have Akosua Vee who used to be that dark glowing beauty queen. Though she hardly found herself in one scandal or the other.

    Men are also not left out of the business of bleaching, Shata Wale and hosts of other male celebrities.

    Source: opera.com

  • Boy,14, drowns in dam at Kasoa Ofaakor

    A 14-year-old boy, Eric Addo has met his untimely death after he drowned in a dam at Odupong Ofaakor in the Awutu Senya East Municipality of the Central Region.

    Information gathered indicates that the deceased went to the dam with his friend to swim but Eric failed to return.

    The body of the boy was found after eight hours of searching only after elders of the community performed some rituals.

    In an interview with Kasapa News Yaw Boagyan, the Assemblyman for Oldtimers Electoral Area, Jones Kwarteng lamented how recalcitrant the youth of the town are, as the authorities in the town have tried all possible means to stop the children from swimming but yield no results.

    “This is not the first time such an incident has happened in the area and the same dam. We will organize a task force that will always ensure that people will not swim in the dam.”

     

    Source: Kasapa FM

  • Full list of top 15 richest black people in the world and their powerful financial assets

    Four Nigerians have again given the country pride of place among wealthy people in the world according to Africa Facts Zone.

    In the top 10 list compiled by the Twitter handle, Dangote leads the pack with $9.5bn, while Mike Adenuga makes number three on the list with $5.8bn.

    The third and fourth Nigerians are Rabiu at number six and Folorunso Alakija, number 14, with a wealth commanding power of $3.2bn and $1bn.

    Famous show host, Oprah Winfrey, and popular actor, Will Smith take numbers seven and four with $2.6bn and $5bn respectively.

    Below are, therefore, the full list of the 15 richest black people:

    1. Aliko Dangote (Nigeria) – $9.5 billion

    2. Mohammed Hussein (Saudi) – $8.1 billion

    3. Mike Adenuga (Nigeria) – $5.8 billion

    4. Will Smith (US) – $5 billion

    5. David Steward (US) – $3.5 bn

    6. Abdul Samad Rabiu (Nigeria) – $3.2 bn

    7. Oprah Winfrey (US) $2.6 bn

    A collage of Dangote, Jay Z, Kanye, Oprah, Adenuga.

    Source: UGC

    8. Mike Jordan (US) – $2.1 bn

    9. Patrice Motsepe (South Africa) – $2bn

    10. Isabel Dos Santos (Angola) – $1.8bn

    11. Strive Masiyiwa (Zimbabwe), Michael Lee-Chin (Canadian-Jamaican) – $1.7 billion

    13. Kanye West (US) – $1.3 billion

    14. Folorunsho Alakija (Nigeria) – $1 billion

    15. Jay-Z (US) – $1 billion

    Source: yen.com.gh

  • Beautiful pictures of Mercy Johnson, her husband and four children

    Mercy Johnson is a Nigerian born actress and one of the trending actress in Nollywood today. She is brave, talented and very creative. Mercy was awarded as one of the most influential actress in Nollywood entertainment industry. In this article, I will be sharing with you 10 facts about Mercy Johnson that you may not know.

    1. Mercy Ozioma Johnson popularly known by fans as Meet Johnson, is a chef, model, producer, television personality and also a philanthropist. She is well known all over the world due her ability to cry in movies. She is pretty, gifted and talented actress who play her roles in movie perfectly. Merry know her to interpret her roles and can perform any character given to her.

    2. Mercy was born on the 28th, August 1984 in the acient city of Lagos and she is currently a 34 year-old young lady. She was born into a large family of seven which happens to be the sixth child. Her father is Mr Daniel John while her mother is Mrs Elizabeth John. Mercy’s father was once a naval office while her mother is civil servant. She grew up in Lagos, Calabar and Port Harcourt, Rivers State. She is happily married to one Mr Odianoson Ikojie and they are blessed with four children namely; Henry, Angel, Divine-mercy and Purity. She got married to the love of her life in 2011.

    3. She hails from Ikene local government area of Kogi state and started attending school in Calabar where her father stays. Mercy completed her primary school education in Calabar and her secondary school in Navy secondary school, Port Harcourt where she obtained her Senior School Certificate of Education (SSCE). During her stays in Port Harcourt, she was actively involved in arts and drama performance.

    4. Having completed her secondary school education, Mercy relocated to Lagos State in search of green and pasture. She wasn’t able to complete her Universitiy education after failing JAMB twice. During her stays in Lagos, she was introduced into the Nigerian Nollywood entertainment industry.

    5. The actress joined the movie industry in 2004. In 2005, she gained her popularity after been stared in a tragic movie title “The Maid” in which she acted as the housemaid. The movie was such a heart touching and due to her ability to cry, she really acts her roles perfectly by displaying her talented skills. The movie won her an award as The Most Progressing Actress in Nigeria (MPAN) at the 2005 Africa Movie Academy Awards.

    6. In an interview with Mercy Johnson, she Confessed that she joined the movie industry after failing the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) twice. The actress has stared in over 160 indigenously movies. Mercy is currently among one of the most talented and gifted actress in the Nigeria entertainment. Due to her fame, she charged morning less than a million naira in every film she stared in and has a lots of roles which makes many producers rushes after her.

    7. She is known as one of the versatile actress in the Nollywood entertainment. Mercy have the ability and the capability to perform any character given to her by the director or the producer as she knows her to play roles very well. Mercy can be fitted into; Ghetto movies, Sorrowful movies, Tragic movie and can perform any task given to her. Some of her movies includes; War in the palace, Baby Oku, Cooperate Maid amongst many others.

    8. Mercy won an award of The Best Supporting Nollywood Actress at the Africa Movie Academy Awards in 2009. She won an award as The Best Actress of the year in 2013 at The Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards (AMVCA). Mercy won the award as the Best Actress Leading Roles (BALR) at the Best of Nollywood Awards.

    9. Currently, she is the most sought-after actress at the Nollywood industry and also regarded as one of the most expensive actress in Nigeria. In 2013, she was listed among the top most searched celebrity on Google, the position which she once held in 2012. Apart from her acting career, she devot lots of her time for her family. Mercy is a chef and own an institution where she teaches people how to prepare different African dishes.

    10. Mercy currently have an estimated networth of Over $2million.which makes her one of the most accomplishing and prominent actress in Nigeria. Mercy Johnson was appointed as the Special Adviser to the Kogi state government on entertainment, arts and culture on 1st April 2017.

    See more of their beauty pictures below;

    Source: opera.com

  • NPP won’t have an extravagant campaign like NDC did in 2016 – Sammi Awuku

    Every election year is filled with massive campaigns and other activities by the various political parties.

    By now, the airwaves would have been filled with campaign songs by political parties especially the major ones; the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

    Huge billboards of various presidential candidates would have been mounted but for COVID-19.

    The prevalence of coronavirus in the country has somehow ‘silenced’ the usual ‘pomp and pageantry’ that is associated with an election year.

    The new normal is now ‘door to door’ campaign; which the NPP describes as ‘retail campaign’ and social media.

    Speaking to this, National Organiser of the NPP, Sammy Awuku said his party is not going to be ‘smart and strategic’.

    “Our lives have changed; we need to be smart and strategic to reach the voter. We will not run an extravagant campaign; we will run a campaign that depicts the morals of our sitting President. We will not have a flashy flamboyant campaign like the NDC did in 2016,” he said on ‘Me Man Nti’ programme on Neat FM.

     

    Source: Peace FM

  • Supporters of disqualified NPP MP invoke curses on party executives

    Some governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) delegates in the Juaben Constituency of the Ashanti Region have invoked curses on the national executives of the party for disqualifying their preferred candidate from contesting in the parliamentary primaries.

    The National Executive Council (NEC) of the party, according to the aggrieved delegates who spoke to Kumasi FM’s Elisha Adarkwah, disqualified Mr Francis Owusu Achiaw, their preferred candidate and another aspirant without any tangible reason, to pave the way for the incumbent MP, Ama Pomah, to go unopposed.

    The delegates, numbering over 200, do not understand why Mr Francis Owusu Achiaw has been disqualified because, according to them, he successfully got vetted in Kumasi.

    Unhappy with the circumstances of the disqualification, the delegates wore red armbands and marched to a river called “Asuo Abena” located at Nobowam in the constituency with schnapps and a sheep to invoke curses on anyone who was involved in disqualifying their candidate especially, Mr F.F. Anto, the first national vice-chairman of the party.

     

    Source: Class FM

  • Becca replies a fan who asked her to return to her dark skin color

    Akosua Rebecca Acheampong otherwise known by her stage name Becca or Becca Africa is currently not experiencing the best moments of her life in the world of social media.

    Like a rope used to kick start a generator, the African Woman crooner was dragged by dozens of Twitter users who come for her as result of her controversial post.

    In the post, Becca equate ethic discrimination among African parent to that of American racism. She concluded that Ghanaians are suffering from hypocrity.

    However Ghanaians did not take her remarks about them likely as they dug out her old photos as far back as when she was dark skin.

    They complain bitterly that about bleached color as they described it as her own way of discriminating against her own race which is back.

    One of her fans advised Becca to return to her old dark color. 

    Becca rather than admit her wrong doing by pulling the post, she went ahead to reply the fan with a simple and brief post accompanied with her light skin.

    She seems to be saying she is much in love with her looks regardless of what people think about her or say. 

    Source: opera.com

  • AU aims for 10 million coronavirus tests

    The African Union (AU) has started an ambitious initiative to increase testing for Coronavirus across the continent.

    The aim is to take the total number of tests done up to 10 million over the next two to three months.

    To date, more than 160,000 cases have been confirmed in Africa with 4,600 deaths.

    But experts fear many cases could be going undetected because of low testing rates, which are some of the lowest globally.

    The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention says about 2.4 million tests have been conducted so far.

    But they now want to reach three times as many people again in the coming weeks, meaning almost 1% of people in Africa would have been tested.

    That would give a clearer picture of the pandemic in Africa.

    Testing was hampered, in part, by a global shortage of diagnostic kits.

    But a new continental pool by the AU will now give each African country equal access to the supplies.

    The plan also includes training 100,000 front-line healthcare workers and deploying about a million others to communities to help trace contacts of patients.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Ashgold coach Thomas Duah wants 2019/20 league season cancelled

    Ashanti Gold SC head coach Thomas Duah supports the idea to cancel the 2019/20 league season because of the coronavirus pandemic.

    All football leagues have been halted since mid-March as part of measures to help curb the spread of the disease.

    Recently, the President of Ghana, Nana Akuffo Addo extended the ban on sporting activities to July 31 however, the GFA has set June 30 as the date they decide the future of the league.

    “I don’t see why we should continue with the league looking at the time left for us,” he told Oyerepa FM.

    “You go to Belgium, Holland, and France they have all ended their leagues, they are more advanced than us but what did they do.

    “Some are suggesting playing behind closed doors that I disagree because we can’t do without the supporters, that’s not us, it can’t work.”

    Meanwhile, restrictions on non-contact sports have been eased, similar to religious and educational organizations.

    The GFA proposed weekly testing of all players and also training in smaller groups but did not meet the expectation of the government.

    The Premier League was at its match week 15 stage when it was halted with Aduana Stars leading the table with 28 points.

    Source: footballghana.com

  • Lebanon to shelter abandoned Ethiopian workers

    The ministry of labour in Lebanon says it will give shelter to Ethiopian domestic workers abandoned without pay by their employers.

    An initial group of 35 Ethiopian women camping outside their consulate in Beirut has been housed in a hotel by the Lebanese authorities after a public outcry over their plight.

    But more are continuing to arrive outside the consulate as the Lebanese economic crisis intensifies.

    The authorities have promised to take action against their employers.

    Last month, dozens of Ethiopian women were repatriated. A majority of the quarter of a million domestic workers in Lebanon are from Ethiopia.

    Source: bbc.com

  • African countries secure 90 million coronavirus test kits for next six months

    African countries have secured 90 million test kits for the novel Coronavirus for the next six months, a regional disease control body said on Thursday, urging states and donors to boost testing capabilities on the continent as quickly as possible.

    “We needed to increase our testing very quickly to about 10 to 20 million tests to move ahead of the curve. This is a call to action which means we have to rally everybody,” said John Nkengasong, head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), a branch of the African Union bloc.

    Nkengasong presented a new initiative, the Partnership to Accelerate Testing in Africa (PACT), which aims to increase testing across the continent. He added that 3.4 million tests have been conducted in Africa so far, about 1,700 tests per 1 million people, compared to 37,000 tests per 1 million in Italy and 30,000 per 1 million in Britain.

    Last week South Africa said it had a backlog of more than 96,000 unprocessed specimens awaiting coronavirus tests, reflecting what the government called a global shortage of test kits.

    Even with the supplies from PACT and other sources, there is a supply gap of around 25 million tests needed to match the testing rate of Europe, according to the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change.

    So far Africa has 161,793 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, with 4,592 deaths and 69,953 recoveries, according to a Reuters tally based on government statements and World Health Organization data.

    Source: af.reuters.com

  • NDC Tema East opens parliamentary slot again after candidate disappears

    The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has opened slots for three candidates to file nomination for consideration as the parliamentary candidate for the Tema East Constituency.

    This is due to the absence of the elected parliamentary candidate, Ashai Odamtten, who has been out of the jurisdictions since September 2019.

    In a letter sighted by GhanaWeb, the Regional Secretary, Theophilus Tetteh Chai, tasked the Executive Committee to “meet and nominate three candidates for consideration for the Tema East Parliamentary elections.”

    The Parliamentary candidate for Team East Constituency, left the country for the US in September 2019 which was just two weeks after the parliamentary primaries of the party and has since not returned back to Ghana.

    Ashai Odamtten served as the Chief Executive of the Tema Municipal Assembly in the previous Mahama administration.

    Below is the letter

     

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Ibrahim Dossey calls on Ghanaians to support GFA boss Kurt Okraku

    The Head of Operations of Proton Sports, Ibrahim Dossey has called on Ghanaians to support Kurt Okraku to succeed as Ghana Football Association president.

    There have been diverse views about the performance of the Ghana Football Association in the past as they’ve been accused of bribery and corruption under the leadership of ex-GFA boss Kwesi Nyantakyi.

    But according to Dossey, with the support of Ghanaians, Kurt Okraku will succeed as the GFA president.

    “Former president Nyantakyi was chastised by a session of the media on things he did not do but were purported he did, that’s how come the term ” Sika die ” came to existence,” he stated on Ashaiman Tv.

    “Now it is known that he never took monies from the GFA accounts but unfortunately the has been destroyed by this untruly told story.”

    He added, “Now Kurt is in and trying to build the brand again but He is facing the same problem by the media but I know Kurt is a strong character and will definitely achieve his aim before bowing out as the GFA president, let’s all support Kurt and He will deliver ”

    Source: footballghana.com

  • Sporting Lisbon interested in Ghana youth star Osman Bukari

    Portuguese giants Sporting Lisbon have joined the list of suitors for Ghana youth international Osman Bukari.

    The 21-year-old is one of the most sought-after youngsters in Europe going into the summer transfer window.

    Bukari produced eye-catching performances for AS Trencin this season in Slovakia.

    He is scored a total of eight goals and 12 assists in 25 matches in all competitions.

    Turkish giants Galatasaray, Celta de Vigo, Slavia Praga and Nimes also want the former Accra Lions FC player.

    Source: Ghana Soccernet

  • Nigerian woman put up for sale refuses to return home

    The Nigerian woman who was advertised for sale on Facebook in Lebanon has refused to return home, according to the head of Nigeria’s diaspora commission.

    The woman was being sold for $1,000 (£793). She was rescued by the Lebanese authorities and taken to the Nigerian embassy in Beirut.

    The advert caused an outcry in Nigeria and the man suspected of involvement in the advert was arrested.

    The 30-year-old woman now says she has found another job in Lebanon.

    Head of the commission Abike Dabiri-Erewa said she tried to convince to return home home but she refused.

    “Even the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) of Oyo State, where she is from, spoke to her. We just hope that Nigerians going to work in Lebanon will be properly treated and not treated as slaves,” Ms Dabiri-Erewa said.

    She said the Lebanese government had brought back 69 out of 79 Nigerians who were in Lebanon. The 69 are currently in quarantine.

    The Lebanese embassy stopped issuing visas to Nigerians seeking domestic work in Lebanon after the incident.

    Source: bbc.com

  • South Sudan minister resigns over peace deal

    A junior minister in South Sudan has resigned and accused President Salva Kiir of lacking interest to implement the 2018 peace agreement.

    Deputy Interior Minister Mabior Garang was appointed in March when Mr Kiir re-appointed the then opposition leader, Riek Machar, under the terms of the agreement.

    Mr Garang said the security situation in the country was worsening.

    Communal violence in which hundreds have been killed in Bhar-el-Gazal, Equatoria, Upper Nile, Abyei, Greater Pibor and Rweng were linked to “dismal failure to implement the security arrangements” in the peace deal.

    Mr Garang is the son of the late John Garang de Mabior.

    The rivalry between President Kiir and Mr Machar triggered a civil war that killed thousands.

    Source: bbc.com

  • George Floyd: ANC to launch ‘Black Friday’ campaign

    South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) will on Friday launch an anti-racism campaign.

    It will be a show solidarity with protests in the US that were sparked by the death of African-American George Floyd in police custody last month.

    The Black Friday campaign will call on South Africans to wear black every Friday for an unspecified period. It will also highlight the racism and police brutality in South Africa.

    The campaign will be launched by President Cyril Ramaphosa, the party said in a statement posted on Twitter:

    Source: bbc.com

  • Kenya sends coronavirus patients home

    Kenya’s health ministry has said it will soon roll out home-based care for Covid-19 patients because the country’s isolation facilities are almost full.

    Health Minister Mutahi Kagwe said they will first publish guidelines for home-based care before patients can be released to their families so as to free hospitals.

    He urged Kenyans not to stigmatise patients who will be allowed to recover at home.

    Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, has two isolation facilities whose bed capacity is almost full.

    The country on Thursday recorded 124 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total to 2,340 including 592 recoveries and 78 deaths.

    The World Health Organization’s guidelines for home-based care for Covid-19 patients say patients are to be isolated in their own rooms and minimise interaction with other people.

    Shared items and facilities are to be thoroughly disinfected and caregivers are to wear protective gear.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Coronavirus: AstraZeneca to begin making potential vaccine

    Drug company AstraZeneca is to start producing a potential vaccine for coronavirus, its boss has told the BBC.

    Trials of the drug are under way but Pascal Soriot said the firm must start making doses now so that it can meet demand if the vaccine proves effective.

    “We are starting to manufacture this vaccine right now – and we have to have it ready to be used by the time we have the results,” he said.

    AstraZeneca says it will be able supply two billion doses of the vaccine.

    Speaking to the BBC’s Today programme, Mr Soriot said manufacturing was beginning already because, “we want to be as fast as possible”.

    “Of course, with this decision comes a risk but it’s a financial risk and that financial risk is the vaccine doesn’t work,” he added.

    “Then all the materials, all the vaccines, we’ve manufactured will be wasted.”

    He said AstraZeneca would not seek to make a profit from producing the drug during the pandemic.

    If it works, the company will be able to produce two billion doses after signing two new contracts on Thursday, one of which was with billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates.

    AstraZeneca, which is developing the vaccine with scientists at Oxford University, has agreed to supply half of the doses to low and middle-income countries.

    One of the new partnerships is with the Serum Institute of India (SII), the world’s largest manufacturer of vaccines by volume. The other is a $750m (£595m) deal with two health organisations backed by Bill and Melinda Gates.

    The two charities, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and GAVI vaccines alliance, will help find production facilities to produce and distribute 300 million doses of the vaccine. Delivery is expected to start by the end of the year.

    Mr Soriot has said he expects to know by August if the AZD1222 vaccine is effective, while CEPI chief executive Richard Hatchett said there is still a possibility the vaccine may not work.

    AstraZeneca’s licensing agreement with India’s SII is to supply one billion doses for low and middle-income countries, with a commitment to provide 400 million before the end of 2020.

    Mr Soirot said the company was building a number of supply chains across the world “to support global access at no profit during the pandemic and has so far secured manufacturing capacity for two billion doses of the vaccine”.

    “Having a vaccine is one thing but you need to produce it at scale and I can tell you that It is not an easy thing to do,” the pharmaceutical boss told Today.

    He has described the coronavirus pandemic as “a global tragedy” and “a challenge for all of humanity”.

    AstraZeneca has already agreed to supply 300 million doses of the potential vaccine to the US and a further 100 million to the UK, with the first deliveries expected in September.

    Governments around the world have pledged billions of dollars for a Covid-19 vaccine and a number of pharmaceutical firms are in a race to develop and test potential drugs.

    “A vaccine must be seen as a global public good – a people’s vaccine, which a growing number of world leaders are calling for,” United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres said in a video message on Thursday.

    Source: bbc.com

  • George Floyd protests: Ex-top general rebukes Trump’s troops threat

    Another senior former military officer has denounced President Donald Trump’s threat to use troops to suppress ongoing protests in the US.

    The ex-Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, Gen Martin Dempsey, told National Public Radio that Mr Trump’s remarks were “very troubling” and “dangerous”.

    Mr Trump’s current and former defence secretaries have also spoken out.

    On Monday, the president threatened to deploy the military to “quickly solve” the unrest if states failed to act.

    Mainly peaceful protests have spread across the US since the death of African-American George Floyd in police custody last month.

    While demonstrations over Mr Floyd’s death appear to be simmering down in the nation’s capital, the White House’s security perimeter has expanded in recent days.

    Police used batons and tear gas to clear protesters from nearby Lafayette Park on Monday, and have since erected high fences around the White House.

    Who has criticised the president?

    “The idea that the president would take charge of the situation using the military was troubling to me,” Gen Dempsey said in rare public remarks on Thursday.

    “The idea that the military would be called in to dominate and to suppress what, for the most part, were peaceful protests – admittedly, where some had opportunistically turned them violent – and that the military would somehow come in and calm that situation was very dangerous to me,” he added.

    Gen Dempsey served as America’s most senior military officer under former US President Barack Obama from 2011-15.

    “Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people – does not even pretend to try,” Mr Mattis wrote in the Atlantic magazine. “Instead, he tries to divide us.”

    Mr Trump hit back via Twitter at the “overrated general”.

    Earlier that day, Mr Trump’s current Defence Secretary Mark Esper had also spoken up.

    He said the use of active-duty forces to quash unrest across the nation would be unnecessary at this stage, in remarks that are known to have displeased the White House.

    What did Trump say about deploying the military?

    Mr Trump said on Monday from the White House Rose Garden that he would act to disperse violent protesters.

    “If a city or a state refuses to take the actions that are necessary to defend the life and property of their residents, then I will deploy the United States military and quickly solve the problem for them,” he said.

    While he spoke, authorities used force to disperse a mainly peaceful protest nearby so the president could walk to a historic church that was damaged by fire in the unrest and be photographed holding up a Bible.

    The justice department had ordered Lafayette Square, just outside the executive mansion, to be fenced off for Mr Trump’s walkabout.

    By Thursday afternoon, that security zone was significantly expanded, with high fencing installed around the park area known as the Ellipse just south of the White House.

    What other fallout has there been?

    Also on Thursday, a moderate Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski broke ranks to say she was unsure if she would support Mr Trump’s bid for re-election.

    In what is being seen as the most outspoken criticism yet of the president from a senator in his own party, Ms Murkowski told the Washington Post: “I thought Gen Mattis’s words were true and honest and necessary and overdue.”

    Shortly afterwards Mr Trump tweeted that he would campaign to throw the Alaska senator out of office when she is up for re-election in 2022.

    Meanwhile, the New York Times has said it was wrong to publish an opinion column by Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton entitled, Send in the Troops.

    It comes after dozens of journalists at the newspaper criticised the decision to run the piece, tweeting it put “Black @nytimes staffers in danger”.

    The Times initially defended its publication of Sen Cotton’s column, which called for the military to be deployed against protesters – saying that it wanted to provide readers with a range of opinions.

    But the paper later issued a statement saying “a rushed editorial process led to the publication of an Op-Ed that did not meet our standards”.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Australia moves to ban anti-racism protest citing virus

    Australian police on Friday moved to ban a Black Lives Matter protest planned in Sydney, citing the risk of spreading the coronavirus.

    Around 10,000 people are expected to march in Sydney on Saturday to express solidarity with US protestors and demand an end to frequent Aboriginal deaths in custody in Australia.

    On the eve of the protest, the police — backed by prominent local conservatives — launched legal action to ban the rally on health grounds.

    Australia has detected a sustained drop in the number of COVID-19 cases, but social distancing rules remain in force and mass gatherings are not permitted.

    The New South Wales Supreme Court was asked to declare the protest illegal.

    “We have commenced legal action on the basis that we don’t believe the protest can be conducted in a safe way,” NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said.

    Civil rights protests shaking the United States have resonated with many in Australia — a country that also wrestles with the legacy of a racist past.

    Several protests have already taken place across Australia and the planned march in Sydney is one among several due to take place on Saturday.

    Organisers hope to highlight the high levels of imprisonment for First Nations Australians and the large number of indigenous deaths in custody — more than 400 in the last three decades.

    The legal action was a U-turn for the police — who initially granted the Sydney event the green light — and follows heavy criticism of the protest in the country’s conservative media.

    Organisers were determined to go ahead, using a groundswell of public opinion to press for long-stalled reforms.

    “Tomorrow, we are going to march if they like it or not, because this is our land and nothing is going to stop any of us,” said Latona Dungay, whose son David died in prison in 2015.

    Green party parliamentarian David Shoebridge attacked the move as heavyhanded, calling for police to take a more nuanced approach.

    “This is not what’s needed. This needs cooperation and understanding, not force,” Shoebridge said.

    Protesters in Melbourne were similarly warned they could face fines for attending a rally in the city, with authorities urging people to stay home.

    Earlier on Friday, hundreds of protesters gathered in the nation’s capital Canberra even as Prime Minister Scott Morrison urged people to stay home.

    “Let’s find a better way and another way to express these sentiments rather than putting your own health at risk,” Morrison said.

    He admitted there was more to be done to address indigenous inequality but continued to reject parallels with the United States.

    “Australia is not other places, so let’s deal with this as Australians and not appropriate what’s happening in other countries to our country at this time.”

    Source: france24.com

  • Kenya bans single-use plastics in protected areas

    Kenya on World Environment Day barred all single-use plastics such as water bottles and straws from its national parks, beaches, forests and other protected areas.

    The implementation of the ban, first announced a year ago, was ordered in a letter from Tourism Minister Najib Balala last week.

    It took effect on Friday, three years after Kenya announced one of the world’s strictest bans on plastic bags.

    “This ban is yet another first in addressing the plastic pollution catastrophe facing Kenya and the world, and we hope that it catalyses similar policies and actions from the East African community,” Balala said in a statement on Friday.

    Prior to the coronavirus outbreak, Kenya welcomed some two million tourists annually to see the Big Five animals in its national parks or visit its stunning coastline.

    The ban was welcomed by environmentalist Dipesh Pabari, who led a project to make the world’s first sailing boat made entirely of plastic waste, which sailed 500 kilometres (300 miles) along the coast from Kenya to Tanzania in 2019 to raise awareness about plastic pollution.

    “We have witnessed the catastrophic effect single-use plastics have on our ecosystems and our communities,” Pabari said in a statement.

    “And now, during the pandemic, we are witnessing first-hand what happens when we destroy our planet, which is that we destroy the system that supports human life.”

    Like much of the world, where plastic bottles, caps, food wrappers, bags, straws and lids are made to be used once and then tossed away, Kenya is battling the curse of plastic pollution, which chokes turtles, cattle, and birds and blights the landscape.

    The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) estimates more than 8.3 billion tonnes of plastic have been produced globally since the early 1950s, about 60 percent of which ended up in landfill or the natural environment.

    “By banning single-use plastics in national parks and protected areas, Kenya continues to demonstrate its commitment to addressing the global scourge of plastic pollution,” UNEP said in a statement to AFP.

    Source: france24.com

  • Saglemi Housing: Contractor misappropriated US$159m – Atta Akyea discloses

    The Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Samuel Atta Akyea has said Messrs Construtora OAS Ghana Ltd, a Brazilian company which was awarded the contract for the Saglemi Housing Project near Old Ningo in the Greater Accra Region, has allegedly misappropriated an amount of US$ 159 million.

    The Minister made the statement whilst answering a question by Hon Frank Annoh-Dompreh MP for Nsawam/Adoagyiri who wanted to know the state of the Saglemi Housing project and when Ghanaians will benefit from it.

    Hon Atta Akyea said the ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing (MWRWH) on 4th January 2013 signed an Engineering, Procurement and Construction Agreement with Messes Consrutora OAS Ghana Ltd to construct 5,000 affordable houses at a contract sum of US$200 million, after Parliamentary approval granted on 31st October 2012.

    However, the Minister said the then sector Minister, Hon Collins Dauda by his own authority reviewed the agreement with the Brazilian company to reduce the number of houses to be constructed to 1,502 housing units at the same contract sum of Ghc US$200 million.

    “On the 21st day of December 2016, 14 days after President John Dramani Mahama has lost his position in the elections, the then Chief Director, Alhaji Ziblim Yakubu and the contractor reviewed the first amended and restated agreement and signed the Second and Restated Agreement in which the scope of the works were reduced to 1,024 instead of the Parliamentary approved 5000 housing units, 388 to be finished completely externally and 90 units to be left at foundation or lintel levels. This brings the total units to be constructed to 1, 502 units at a revised contract sum of US$ 181, 519, 000,” Samuel Atta Akyea added.

    He also said the Chief Director of the Ministry of Works and Housing reviewed the Second amended restated agreement and signed the Third Amendment and Restated EPE Agreement to extend the period to December 2017, to allow the contractor complete the project.

    According to the Minister, the scope in the Second and Restated Agreement was maintained but the contract price was reviewed further downwards to US$181, 018, 000.

    Hon Atta Akyea said as soon as the ministry released a sum of US$80 million to the Brazilian contractor for mobilization when actual work had not started, the contractor transferred abroad US$ 40 million, which according to the minister led to the bankruptcy of the Saglemi Housing project.

    “In accordance with articles 35 (7) of the Constitution, the Akufo-Addo government pledges to complete the botched Mahama Saglemi Housing project. When we surmount these challenges, we can positively inform this August House as to when my ministry will deliver the 5,000 housing units with full amenities for the benefit of our hard-working workers,” the Minister stated.

    He said currently the contractor has completed only 636 housing units without water and electricity and 388 other housing units which are at various stages of completion.

    The Minister said total payment made by the Ministry to the contractor till date amounts to US$ 179.8 million. He said a value – for – money audit is being carried out on the project by the Ghana Institution of Surveyors after which civil action shall be used to recover monies lost to the state.

    The Speaker of Parliament Rt Hon Prof Aaron Mike Oquaye referred the matter to the Joint Committee of Works and Housing and the Committee on Legal and Parliamentary Affairs of Parliament for consideration and submit a report in two weeks to Parliament.

    Source: Peace FM

  • Biggest Drug Seizure: Three arrested after £12m cannabis find in UK

    Three men have been arrested in the biggest drug seizure carried out by the National Crime Agency in Northern Ireland.

    An estimated 600kgs of herbal cannabis were seized when a lorry was stopped in Templepatrick in the early hours of Wednesday.

    The drugs, with an estimated value of £10m-£12m, were discovered among a “cover load” of vegetables.

    NCA and PSNI officers took part in the operation.

    It is understood the vehicle had travelled through Great Britain and crossed into Northern Ireland on a ferry to Larne.

    Three men, including the lorry driver, were arrested on suspicion of conspiring to import controlled drugs.

    The men, aged 62, 37 and 32, are from County Tyrone, County Londonderry and County Armagh. All three remain in custody.

    Two premises were also searched, one in County Londonderry and one in County Tyrone.

    National Crime Agency Belfast Branch Commander David Cunningham said it was an “incredibly significant seizure”.

    “A seizure of this size will have a huge impact on the organised crime groups involved in its importation, depriving them of commodity and, most importantly, profit,” he said.

    “We are determined to do all we can with our law enforcement partners to disrupt and dismantle drug supply routes, not only here in Northern Ireland but across the UK.”

    Det Ch Insp Brian Foster, from PSNI’s organised crime unit, said: “This ongoing NCA-led investigation resulted in a joint operation between police and NCA over the last few days which has uncovered between £10-12m of herbal cannabis.

    “This successful operation demonstrates the significant benefits of joint working with law enforcement partners and we will continue to work closely with NCA to disrupt the nefarious activities of organised crime groups operating in Northern Ireland.”

    Source: bbc.com

  • Eurozone in fresh emergency action to boost economy

    The European Central Bank has taken further dramatic measures try to boost the eurozone economies, amid their biggest recession since World War Two.

    Just months after emergency measures, the central bank said it would increase the size of its bond buying programme by €600bn (£546bn) to €1.35tn.

    The programme will run until June 2021, six months longer than planned.

    The move will keep borrowing costs low for countries and firms as they face huge budget deficits and recessions.

    The purchases support “funding conditions in the real economy, especially for businesses and households,” the ECB said.

    The central bank also decided to hold its interest rates at record lows.

    The extra bond buying “is likely to push European government bond yields even further into negative territory, and investors in search of positive returns will be forced to take more risk,” said Rachel Winter, associate investment director at investment firm Killik & Co.

    The bond purchases are often referred to as Quantitative Easing (QE). When central banks buy bonds with printed money, the value of the bonds rise and borrowing costs drop.

    Some market commentators wonder how much money can safely be printed without causing the value of money to decrease.

    ‘Fiscal box’

    “Although inflation is currently very low, these levels of asset purchases are causing some concern about inflation further down the line,” said Ms Winter.

    “Economic theory tells us that that inflation is linked to the supply of money in the economy, and if the money supply is being drastically increased to fund quantitative easing then long-term inflation ought to rise too. These fears of long-term inflation have stoked demand for gold recently.”

    Gold is trading at about $1,717 (£1,368) an ounce, down from highs of $1,766 earlier in the month, but up compared to a price of $1,324 one year ago.

    In many ways, the ECB is playing catch-up with other central banks, said Neil Williams, senior economic adviser at US-based money manager Federated Hermes.

    “After lagging the US and UK, the fiscal box is now opening, he said. The planned spending works out at about €100bn a month, higher than the €80bn spent in the wake of the European sovereign debt crisis, he points out.

    Source: bbc.com

  • EC debunks false reportage on limited turnout during pilot biometric voter register

    The Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) has debunked reports that the pilot exercise for the Biometric Voter Register recorded low turnouts due to a system failure.

    According to the EC, the exercise went on smoothly at all the designated centres, except in the Western region where the BVR Kit developed a fault on the second day.

    The exercise went on smoothly at all the designated centres, except in the Western region where the BVR Kit developed a fault on the second day.

    A total of 1,990 applicants registered during a 2-day pilot exercise on the Biometric Voter Registration system in all the sixteen (16) regional capitals in the country, the Electoral Commission revealed.

    According to the EC, 745 applicants registered on day 1 and 1,245 on day 2 of the exercise.

    The Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) started the piloting of the new voter registration exercise in some selected constituencies on Monday and ended on Tuesday.

    The compilation of the new register will begin from late June 2020 and will be completed within 40 days.

    The essence of the exercise was to evaluate the preparedness of the Commission for the upcoming voter registration exercise.

    Amongst the metrics that were tested was the efficiency of the Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) kits and its adaptability to various operating conditions in various parts of the country.

    The Commission also took the opportunity to evaluate the various mitigation measures it has put in place to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 disease during the registration period.

    This leads to the suspension of the exercise in the Western region but afforded the Commission the opportunity to test its inbuilt processes of dealing with equipment breakdowns during the registration process.

     

    Source: Atinka Online

  • Kasoa Ofaakor: Pastor commits suicide over broken heart

    The Founder and Leader of Jesus Healing Prayer Camp at Kasoa Ofaakor Atopi Hill in the Awutu Senya East Municipality of the Central Region, Pastor peter has committed suicide after his wife allegedly divorced him.

    According to sources, the married man of God committed the act on Wednesday night after some church members went to visit him for prayers.

    In an interview with Atinka news, some eyewitness expressed shock after the news broke to them.

    Meanwhile, the Asafoakye of Awutu Ofaakor Asafoakye Duah Quaye revealed that the man of God died through broken heart after he caught his wife cheating on him.

    The deceased left behind two children.

     

    Source: Atinka Online

  • Emma Morrison resigns from Multimedia Group on her birthday

    MyNewsGh.com has confirmed the resignation of Head of Joy News Emma Morrison from the Multimedia Group Limited.

    No reasons have been assigned for her resignation and it is unclear where she could be heading after rendering meritorious services to the Kokomlemle based cluster of media houses.

    Our sources reveal her resignation takes effect on June 5, 2020 which coincides with her birthday.

    Prior to her current position, she was Head of Business News programming at the Multimedia Group and was in 2019 adjudged Corporate Personality of the Year at the Glitz Women of the Year Honours.

    The screen goddess and former General Manager for News and Sports at TV3 Network a subsidiary of Media General is however still looking young and vibrant in the media industry.

    Ms. Morrison over the years ruled the television screens and was loved by all with not only her looks but her outstanding voice, making listeners wanting more of the news.

    She started her media work with TV3 in 1997 as a reporter/newscaster rising through the ranks to become the General Manager for News and Sports at TV3. She later assumed a role as the Editor of Joy News TV.

    She has also won some awards like the Newscaster of the Year, TV Personality of the Year and her news programme News 360 won TV news programme of the year.

    Source: MyNewsGh.com

  • Three killed in Ashongman Estate wall collapse

    Three construction workers have reportedly died after a wall collapsed on them at Ashorman estate in Accra Friday morning.

    The victims, according to an eyewitness, Jerry, are workers of a construction firm working on streets around the Small Dome market area of Ashorman second lotto kiosk.

    One of the victims died on the scene while the two others who were reportedly rushed to the Ashorman Community Hospital also passed on minutes after arrival at the facility.

     

    Source: starrfmonline.com

  • John Dumelo continues to give Hon Lydia Alhassan pressure, see his new political trick

    The Parliamentary candidate for the Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency, John Dumelo continues to exert pressure on the incumbent Member of Parliament Hon. Lydia Alhassan after he won the NDC Parliamentary Primaries. He has announced his intention to fumigate some mosques and churches in his constituency from tomorrow June 4th, 2020.

    John, after winning the National Democratic Congress(NDC) Ayawaso Primary seat in 2019 has taken his campaign to the door step of his people aiming for the bigger kill. He has mentioned his devotion to his constituents and promised giving them hope. He has on several occasions mentioned that he’s a different breed of politician and so would not disappoint his people when given the mandate come election day 2020.

    John before his political career was an actor who has contributed greatly to the Ghanaian Movie Industry. His talents as an actor has earned him many awards and lovers overtime that went a long way to rally him support when he made his political intentions known.

    He got married to his UK based lawyer wife, Gifty Mawunya Nkornu in May 2018 and the two are blessed with one child, a boy. Come election 2020, many especially Ghanaians are waiting to see what happens on that day as John stands against the incumbent, Lydia Alhassan who won the seat after her husband died.

    He made the announcement in a tweet earlier today, 3rd June 2020. Read it below:

    Source: opera.com

  • The time Kwadwo Wiafe fought Counsellor Lutterodt for Freelove on live radio, RIP – Video

    As Ghana mourns the death of Kwadwo Wiafe, who was a radio personality for Despite Group Media comes a video of when he clashed with Counsellor Lutterodt on the radio for attacking “Date Rush” star Freelove.

    How Kwadwo Wiafe Died

    Ghanaians woke up to this sad news, we reported earlier, with shocking reactions from loved ones, fans, and followers all over social media.

    Neat FM radio presenter Kwadwo Wiafe died this morning at Nyaho Medical Centre in Accra after a short illness.

    Video

    In an old video we shared a few weeks ago, Kwadwo Wiafe took it upon himself to defend Freelove from attacks from Counsellor Lutterodt, and as the whole of Ghana is remembering him today, this is our way of saying goodbye to the good heart.

    Watch the video below and write your wishes in the comments section.

    Rest In Peace Kwadwo Wiafe!!

     

    View this post on Instagram

     

    The Time Kwadwo Wiafe Fought Counsellor Lutterodt For Freelove On Live Radio, Rest In Peace bro!!

    A post shared by thedistin.com (@_thedistin) on

    Source: thedistin.com

  • George Floyd: Steve McQueen dedicates Cannes films to his memory

    Oscar-winning director Steve McQueen has dedicated his two films selected for Cannes Film Festival to the memory of George Floyd.

    Mangrove and Lovers Rock would have featured at the festival before it was cancelled due to coronavirus.

    McQueen said: “I dedicate these films to George Floyd and all the other black people that have been murdered, seen or unseen, because of who they are, in the US, UK and elsewhere.”

    Mr Floyd died in US police custody.

    He died on 25 May in Minneapolis after a police officer knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes. Derek Chauvin has been charged with second-degree murder, while three other officers face charges of aiding and abetting murder.

    The death has caused protests and sporadic rioting in America, along with global mass demonstrations.

    Quoting the legendary Jamaican protest singer and reggae star Bob Marley, McQueen added: “‘If you are the big tree, we are the small axe.’ Black Lives Matter.”

    Both of his listed films are part of his BBC Small Axe anthology, consisting of five feature-length stories, which are all now in honour of Mr Floyd.

    In 2014, McQueen’s film 12 Years a Slave – based on the 1853 autobiography of the same name by Solomon Northup – won a host of Academy awards, including the Oscar for best picture and best director.

    The Brit won the Cannes Film Festival’s coveted Camera d’Or for best first feature film, back in 2008, for his work on Hunger; a historical drama about the 1981 Irish hunger strike.

    And while this year’s festival had to be cancelled amid Covid-19 concerns, the Official Selection is still considered to be a massive mark of approval for any movie.

    ‘It could not disappear’

    Also on the 56-strong list for 2020 were Wes Anderson’s The French Dispatch, and Ammonite, directed by another British filmmaker Francis Lee and starring Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan.

    In a statement, the festival’s artistic director Thierry Fremaux said in a statement that while the event – which has offered content to the ongoing We Are One online film event – “could not take its usual form”, it also “could not just disappear”.

    “We couldn’t send everyone to 2021,” he added. “So we continued our selection. And it was the right decision.”

    He added that the event will unveil its plans “to continue its activities into the autumn” in the near future.

    This year’s selection featured 16 female directors, up two from last year, when Mati Diop became the first black female director to have a film featured in-competition in the event’s history.

    Check out the full list of films on this year’s Official Selection here.

    Source: bbc.com

  • June 4th : Limping JJ Rawlings explains his new weird look. Just pray for him.

    Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings appeared today to have a virtual celebration of his June 4th uprising.

    Many were surprise at how the former leader has kept his hair and facial beards so bushy. He was noted for shaving his hair, although not entirely but with nice shape.

    The former leader who appeared quite limping on his right leg explained to Ghanaians about his new weird look as follows

    ” Ladies and Gentleman, since Nana Akuffo Addo has decided to use his Sakora to fight COVID 19 or whatever, I’m also using my Moses Afro style to do same so that at the end we all can have peace and live good ” He explained with laughter as the present witnesses laughed along.

    Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings came to power through blood shed and atrocities against Ghanaians in 1979 coup d’etat. He celebrates this day annually to mark the event. Present at the function was Asiedu Nketia and some NDC Executives.

    As the former leader has accepted his readiness to help government fight corona virus, remember him in your prayers to get the required strength to fight for us all.

    Source: opera.com

  • Do not pay any fee for stimulus package registration NBSSI

    Mrs Kosi Yankey Ayeh, the Executive Director of the National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI), said the application process for the COVID-19 Alleviation Programme (CAP) is free hence no one should pay any fee for it.

    The caution comes on the back of reports that some of the applicants were being charged between GH¢50 and GH¢150 to access the GH¢1 billion loan announced by the Government to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on businesses.

    Mrs Ayeh, who disclosed this in an interview with the media in Assin Fosu, cautioned the public to be wary of such fraudsters.

    “The NBSSI is not charging anyone to register and we are not going around telling people to pay any fee to register with us but what some unscrupulous persons are doing is taking advantage of the situation to make money, which is fraudulent,” she said.

    Mrs Ayeh advised persons interested in applying to decline working with people who came around the markets posing as staff of the NBSSI or members of any association working for the Board.

    Beneficiaries include businesses providing services in demand during the pandemic and which have the potential to grow and positively impact communities affected by COVID-19, as well as those focusing on digitisation to support Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSMEs).

    The maximum amount a business could receive would be determined after assessment by the Committee.

    “We are looking at kick-starting the schemes as early as this month. We just want to put in place structures to ensure that only deserving SMEs benefit from the support,” she said.

    To ensure fairness and transparency, Mrs Ayeh said the Board had launched a portal that received applications for the utilisation of the soft loan scheme for MSMEs affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, with application forms available online on www.nbssi.gov.gh.

    Businesses could also call the CAP Business Centre on 0302 477 777, or visit the nearest NBSSI Business Advisory Centre for assistance with their applications.

    The Board has received more than 5,000 applications with more than 1000 people making inquiries on how to access the facility.

    Government earlier announced a sum of GH¢600 million, which had been made available for businesses negatively impacted by the pandemic, but the amount was later increased to GH¢1 billion.

    Out of the GH¢1.2 billion earmarked for the programme, GH¢600 million will be disbursed as soft loans to MSMEs with up to a one-year moratorium and a two-year repayment period. The interest is pegged at three per cent.

    Additionally, selected participating banks will provide negotiated counterpart funding to the tune of GH¢400 million, summing up to GH¢1 billion for disbursement under this Business Support Scheme, with the entire scheme set to attract some 180,000 beneficiaries across the country.

    Source: GNA

  • 5 Ghanaian celebrities who died of cancer, kidney failure

    Deaths can generally be very shocking and unexpected. In Ghana, celebrity deaths are especially heartbreaking for many people who take them as a stark reminder of the transience of life. Below are 5 Ghanaian celebrities who died of cancer and kidney failure:

    1. Christopher Opoku

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    The late sports journalist was someone who was adored by many for his unique class of speaking the Queens’ Language. He worked with Metro TV, GTV Sports +, Luv FM in Kumasi and was the Managing-Editor of Footy-Ghana.com. Christopher Opuku died on Wednesday, 10 May 2017 at age 42 after battling cancer for 4 years.

    2. Nii Odoi Mensah

    The actor and former president of the Ghana actor’s guild died on April 12, 2016, in China, where he had gone to undergo a kidney transplant. Nii Odio Mensah had been battling kidney disease for months.

    3. Nkomode

    Comedian Yaw Donkor, popularly known as Nkomode, passed away on February 5, 2016, after battling kidney, liver problems and bladder failure.

    4. Nana Yaa Akyedie

    In October 2019, Ghanaian gospel musician Nana Yaa Akyedie died after losing a heroic battle against breast cancer, leaving behind three kids.

    5. Kofi Middleton Mends

    In 2016, Ghanaian veteran actor, Kofi Middleton Mends sadly passed away. He died at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra after battling a kidney disease.

    Remember to say a prayer for the loved ones these celebrities left behind. May God continue to console them.

    May their souls rest in perfect peace.

    Source: opera.com

  • Minister to revoke the license of PFJ fertilizer suppliers

    Dr. Hafiz Bin Salih, the Upper West Regional Minister, has warned fertilizer suppliers of the Planting for Food and Jobs fertilizer to stop smuggling the fertilizer or risk losing license and contracts with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.

    He said though the PFJ programme had come to ameliorate the plight of farmers in accessing the inputs to enhance their production, some recalcitrant suppliers and individuals still smuggled the fertilizers out of the country for their gains.

    Dr. Bin Salih, who gave the warning in Wa when he met the PFJ fertilizer suppliers noted that the act of smuggling the fertilizers was not only to deprive farmers of the inputs but also, criminal.

    He explained that the government introduced the PFJ programme in 2017, to help smallholder farmers tremendously and that they would not allow any individual or group of people to mar the success of the programme.

    He said the increment in military and police patrols at the various borders in the region had not deterred those unscrupulous people from engaging in the act of smuggling the fertilizer.

    Dr. Bin Salih urged the suppliers to report any person engaged in the act of smuggling the fertilizers and damaging their image to the appropriate authorities for the necessary action to be taken against them.

    The Regional Minister said the REGSEC had met and adopted some stringent measures to be taken to halt the smuggling of the inputs, hence, the need to discuss those measures with the suppliers before they were implemented.

    “We are bent on taking certain measures but I don’t want to implement anything without dialoguing with you”, he said.

    He said though the majority of the suppliers were doing genuine business and supporting the government in the implementation of the programme to help develop the agric sector, particularly in the Upper West Region, some few suppliers were trying to mar the programme.

    He noted that currently, 154 trucks load of the fertilizers were at the Sissala West District while 161 trucks load were also at the Sissala East Municipality.

    “We are going to take an inventory of the quantity that you have brought if you have sold them, you tell us whom you have sold the fertilizer to. Because we have indicated to you that whoever you are selling fertilizer to, you must take details and particulars of the person so that we can trace and verify”, Dr. Bin Salih said.

    Source: GNA

  • STCCI launches digital report on the state of businesses in Western Region

    The Sekondi-Takoradi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (STCCI) has appreciated the government for easing the restrictions imposed on individuals and businesses to enable them to bounce back and resuscitate the economic life of the business community.

    The Chamber in their first-quarter survey on the performance of businesses in the Western Region established that local demand for goods and services drastically halted due to social distancing protocol and the lockdown in these abnormal times of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Mr Benjamin Nii Kpani Addy, an Executive Member of the Chamber and lead in the Survey said, “We realized how businesses have been affected and in fact, reduction in local demand of commodities this time topped the usual hew and cry about availability and sources of financing”.

    The first quarter business survey was this time conducted digitally-not forgetting some associated challenges as many of the businesses were not digitally inclined.

    The Chamber with support from the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce and Sequa continued to organise such quarterly research on businesses to know their challenges, provide relevant data for planning and policy as well as ensure informed decision making.

    Nii Kpani Addy said the survey also allowed the chamber to better advocate on businesses and their need as well as serve as a reservoir of economic information on businesses in the Region.

    Of the businesses assessed, 32 percent were satisfied, while 58 percent described trading as bad in the quarter under review, meanwhile, 10 percent said business was good due to prudent management practices.

    There was a 20 percent decrease in employment levels accounting for some layoffs in the business sector.

    The survey discovered that 40 percent of businesses failed to plough back into their businesses while 13 percent dared to make that giant step of reinvesting in capacity extension, customer requirement, and product innovation.

    Nii Kpani Addy, while lauding the government for the stimulus package to resuscitate businesses called for measures to strictly enforce all the Protocols on the virus to ensure that life returned to normal.

    He also encouraged all types of businesses to be digitally active to take advantage of online trading and transaction.

    Source: GNA

  • Parliament passes Education Regulatory Bodies Bill

    Parliament has passed the Education Regulatory Bodies Bill, 2019 to effectively and efficiently regulate the education sector in the country.

    The Bill was passed after undergoing intensive amendments at the consideration stage when it was laid and read at the plenary by the Minister of Education, Mathew Opoku Prempeh on May 29, 2019.

    The Bill if assented to by the President, will restructure and merge the existing National Council for Tertiary Education and the National Accreditation Board into one institution to be known as the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission.

    It is also expected to merge the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training, the National Board for Professional and Technician Examinations and the National Vocational Training Institute into a new body, to be known as the National Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training.

    The Act also deals with the administrative and financial provisions in respect of the five regulatory bodies established under the Bill and provides for the National Teaching Council, the National Inspectorate Authority and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment respectively.

    The Education Regulatory Bodies Bill, 2019 was made up of 118 Clauses with two Schedules.

    The First Schedule is made up of Information Required for an Application for Accreditation while the Second Schedule is made up of Form of Accreditation Certificate.

    The Bill is amongst about 36 that were laid before Parliament in May 2020 when it reconvened.

     

    Meanwhile, there are two other Education related Bills receiving attention from Parliament.

    These are the controversial Pre-tertiary Education and the Public Universities Bills.

    Source: citinewsroom 

  • C/R: Pastor allegedly commits suicide at Ofaakor

    A 40-year-old pastor of Jesus Healing Prayer camp in Awutu Ofaakor in the Central Region has passed on.

    He allegedly died by suicide.

    The pastor known by his peers as Peter allegedly hunged himself on Wednesday evening.

    Although the reason behind the suicide is not yet known, sources say the pastor allegedly committed the act after his wife divorced him.

    Some church members who spoke to Citi News expressed shock at the development.

    “I heard a loud noise from the house of the pastor and I rushed into his house only to find him hanging on a sponge in his room,” one said.

    “This is the first time such a thing has happened in this area so we are surprised,” he added.

    Another church member told Citi News that the pastor moved to the area not too long ago.

    “The pastor was staying in Nigeria with one of my friends but later moved to Ghana and started his church and I also started attending the church since he was a good pastor. I am surprised to hear that he is dead,” another church member said.

    Asafoatse of Awutu Ofaakor Asafoatse Duah Quaye who spoke to Citi News believes the man of God committed suicide as a result of the challenges he was facing in his marriage.

    He noted that the chiefs and people of Awutu Ofaakor will perform some traditional rites to pacify the gods.

    “The man of God had challenges in his marriage and I am sure it was one of the reasons why he committed suicide but as traditional leaders, we will perform some rituals to pacify the gods before he is sent to the mortuary,” Asafoatse Duah Quaye said.

     

    Source: citinewsroom 

  • See photos of American celebrities who attended George Floyd’s memorial

    George Floyd’s memorial service held in Minneapolis were attended by American Superstars from the entertainment industry. Music heavyweights T.I, Ludacris, Tyrese Gibson, and famous Hollywood actor, Kevin Hart and many others were present to pay their respect to Floyd, an African-American who was brutally murdered by four white police officers of the Minneapolis Police Department.

    George joins the long list of black men and women who died as a result of police brutality against the black community. All four former police officers who were involved in the incident has been arrested and charged for his death. After a long week of violent protest across the 50 states in the United States and other parts of the world.

    A memorial service was held in his honour before the corpse of the demised will be finally laid to rest.

    Also in attendance was Martin Luther King III, who came along with his family, paid their last and final respect and also sympathized with the grieving family.

    The manner in which George died shocked the entire world, and we hope justice will be served. Let’s all join hands together and pray that his gentle soul rest in peace.

    Sourrce: opera.com

  • Do not pay any fee for stimulus package registration NBSSI

    Mrs Kosi Yankey Ayeh, the Executive Director of the National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI), said the application process for the COVID-19 Alleviation Programme (CAP) is free hence no one should pay any fee for it.

    The caution comes on the back of reports that some of the applicants were being charged between GH¢50 and GH¢150 to access the GH¢1 billion loan announced by the Government to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on businesses.

    Mrs Ayeh, who disclosed this in an interview with the media in Assin Fosu, cautioned the public to be wary of such fraudsters.

    “The NBSSI is not charging anyone to register and we are not going around telling people to pay any fee to register with us but what some unscrupulous persons are doing is taking advantage of the situation to make money, which is fraudulent,” she said.

    Mrs Ayeh advised persons interested in applying to decline working with people who came around the markets posing as staff of the NBSSI or members of any association working for the Board.

    Beneficiaries include businesses providing services in demand during the pandemic and which have the potential to grow and positively impact communities affected by COVID-19, as well as those focusing on digitisation to support Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSMEs).

    The maximum amount a business could receive would be determined after assessment by the Committee.

    “We are looking at kick-starting the schemes as early as this month. We just want to put in place structures to ensure that only deserving SMEs benefit from the support,” she said.

    To ensure fairness and transparency, Mrs Ayeh said the Board had launched a portal that received applications for the utilisation of the soft loan scheme for MSMEs affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, with application forms available online on www.nbssi.gov.gh.

    Businesses could also call the CAP Business Centre on 0302 477 777, or visit the nearest NBSSI Business Advisory Centre for assistance with their applications.

    The Board has received more than 5,000 applications with more than 1000 people making inquiries on how to access the facility.

    Government earlier announced a sum of GH¢600 million, which had been made available for businesses negatively impacted by the pandemic, but the amount was later increased to GH¢1 billion.

    Out of the GH¢1.2 billion earmarked for the programme, GH¢600 million will be disbursed as soft loans to MSMEs with up to a one-year moratorium and a two-year repayment period. The interest is pegged at three per cent.

    Additionally, selected participating banks will provide negotiated counterpart funding to the tune of GH¢400 million, summing up to GH¢1 billion for disbursement under this Business Support Scheme, with the entire scheme set to attract some 180,000 beneficiaries across the country.

     

    Source: GNA

  • NPP MP aspirant donates equipment to Mpohor SHS and police

    Mpohor NPP parliamentary aspirant and CEO of John Sanie Foundation, John Sanie, has presented a projector system and projector screen to the Mpohor Senior High School and the district’s police.

    The Headmistress of MPOSEC, Alberta Krofi Quayson, who received the donation, praised the gesture and recounted other donations made to the school by Mr.John Sanie.

    She recalled how instrumental Mr. John Sanie was in the construction of Nana Kwapong Aboah Dormitory in MPOSEC and referred to another donation of four hundred (400) pieces of mathematical sets to newly admitted students.

    She also lauded Mr. Sanie’s contribution toward the organization of vacation classes for final year students across the district.

    “The NPP Mp aspirant, John Sanie, has been a friend to the school all these years, and had supported the school in diverse ways,” she added.

    A Multipurpose Printer was also presented to the Mpohor District Police Station.

    In his appreciatory remarks, the Mpohor District Police Commander said that it was a piece of equipment they needed to facilitate their work in the district.

    He thanked John Sanie for the kind gesture.

    John Sanie explained that education is the key to national development, and entreated all stakeholders to support the educational sector, especially within the Mpohor District.

    In the area of Security, John Sanie said it was about time that individuals and organizations offered logistical support to the Ghana Police Service so as to enable them discharge their core mandate of protecting citizens and law enforcement.

     

    Source: Joseph Amoo, Contributer

  • George Floyd’s burial: See the moment his body arrived (photos)

    Here is the moment the body of George Floyd, the African-American, who was murdered by a police officer and other 3 accomplices, arrived at his memorial service in Minneapolis.

    Minneapolis Police Chief, Medaria Arradondo and Sgt. Dave O’Connor can be seen in a video kneeling as George Floyd’s hearse arrived.

    That was a mark of their respect to the black man who died in the process of police brutality.

    The memorial took place at North Central University campus, located about two miles from where Floyd lost his life.

    Floyd’s family was joined by dozens of guests, including civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson, Democratic Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar, Martin Luther King III and actor Kevin Hart.

    Mourners wore masks and bumped elbows, rather than hugging or shaking hands.

    Reverend Jesse Jackson entered the memorial ground and prayed for several moments over Floyd’s golden casket as others followed his lead.

    Honestly, this is a painful moment for Floyd’s family and I pray God gives them the fortitude to bear this loss.

    Watch the video Here

    Rest In Peace Floyd.

    Source: opera.com