TIG Post

Author: Chris Kodo

  • Deutsche Bank targets 200 billion euros of sustainable investment by 2025

    German lender Deutsche Bank (DBKGn.DE) plans to pump at least 200 billion euros ($216.8 billion) into so-called sustainable financing and investments by 2025, its first formal targets for doing so.

    The money will include loans provided by the bank, bonds placed on behalf of its clients and assets managed by its private bank. It does not include assets managed by its fund arm, DWS, it said in a statement late on Tuesday.

    The move is the latest by a leading global lender to showcase commitment to sustainable investing, as pressure builds on banks to support the globally agreed transition to a low-carbon and more environmentally friendly economy.

    Countries in Europe and elsewhere have also been looking at ensuring that sustainable investment is at the heart of economic recovery plans after the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Deutsche Bank said it would base its definition of sustainable activities on a planned European Union framework, known as the sustainable finance taxonomy or use its own “transparent criteria”.

    The bank said it would report annually on its progress and disclose more details on its definition of sustainable finance by the end of the second quarter of this year.

    “We are driven by a very strong conviction to help shape the global change to a sustainable, climate-neutral and social economy,” said Chief Executive Christian Sewing, calling the 200 billion euro target “ambitious” relative to those of its rivals.

    “However, we are starting from a good base because, as a globally active financing house, we can serve the growing demand of our clients for sustainable investment products by ourselves.”

    Source: reuters.com

  • Im not that low Kalybos denies sleeping with Funny Faces side chick

    Ghanaian comedian Kalybos has denied having any sexual relationship with the side chick of his colleague, Funny Face claiming he is not a low person.

    Funny Face last month alleged that Kalybos had expressed interest in sleeping with a girl he had once slept with.

    According to Funny Face, Kalybos begged him to help get the girl to warm his bed as well.

    “I am not that low of a person. As he said, to beg you to have something to do with your girlfriend. God should punish me [If I do]”, he said.

    “How? My girlfriend even laughs at me over the rumour that if I do then I am very cheap”, he added.

    Source: www.ghgossip

  • Burkina Faso probes death of 12 suspects in custody

    A local prosecutor in the east of Burkina Faso says an inquiry has been opened after 12 people detained on suspicion of terrorism were found dead in their police cells.

    They were reported to be among 25 suspects from the ethnic Fula community who were being held in the town of Fada N’Gourma.

    Burkina Faso’s security forces, as well as vigilante groups, have been accused of killing Fula civilians in revenge after jihadist violence.

    Human rights activists say a Fula teacher was found dead two weeks ago at a police station in the capital, Ouagadougou, and several Fula have recently disappeared.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Your greatest asset as a man is the woman that carried and birthed your children Nana Kwame Bediako

    Founder and CEO of Wonda World Estates and Petronia City Development Company Ltd, Nana Kwame Bediako popularly known as Cheddar gave his wife a mansion and a car.

    According to Cheddar, your greatest asset as a man is the woman that carried and gave birth to your Children.

    He said on Twitter that,

    “Your greatest asset is the woman that carried n birthed your seeds, your strongest back bone is the woman that gave birth to you, and your greatest world is the nation that stands in front you. FJC1

    Source: www.ghgossip

  • Coronavirus: New Zealand reopens with midnight barbers queues

    Thousands of businesses in New Zealand have reopened on Thursday as the country relaxes its coronavirus curbs, with some hairdressers seeing overnight queues round the block.

    Shops, cafes, and public parks are all open as the country moves into Level 2 of its restrictions, described as a “safer new normal”.

    New Zealand has reported no new cases of the virus in the past three days.

    Authorities say the chance of community transmission is now very low.

    People are allowed to start seeing their friends and families again, with a limit of 10 people.

    Professional sport is back on the menu – albeit with safety measures in place. And for those keen to let off steam after a long lockdown, gyms have reopened too.

    There have been reports of crowds at shopping centres in some parts of the country, but for some a quiet catch-up on the waterfront was the first thing on their minds.

    New Zealand has seen 1,497 confirmed cases of Covid-19 out of a population of around five million people, according to Johns Hopkins University figures. Twenty-one people have died, and fewer than 90 are still sick.

    The country had already eased some restrictions in late April, allowing takeaway food shops and some non-essential business to re-open.

    Though offices reopened on Thursday, people have been urged to continue working from home where possible, to help avoid a second wave of infections.

    To the relief of many parents, school pupils will be able to return from Monday.

    Bars are closed for now, but will be back in business from 21 May.

    Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has been widely praised for taking swift action early on in the global pandemic.

    “We’re going hard and we’re going early,” Ms Ardern told the public in mid-March. “We only have 102 cases, but so did Italy once.”

    Beaches, waterfronts and playgrounds were shut on 26 March, as were offices and schools. Bars and restaurants were also closed, including for takeaway and delivery.

    Imposing some of the world’s toughest restrictions on travel and activity helped stop cases arriving in New Zealand from overseas. But it also struck a heavy blow to the country’s tourism-dependent economy.

    Ms Ardern has described economic conditions as the worst since the Great Depression in the 1930s.

    As part of a budget on Thursday, the government announced a NZ$50 billion (£24bn; US$30) Covid-19 recovery fund to help cushion the country’s losses in the months to come.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Coronavirus Sanofi: France resists idea of US getting vaccine first

    It would be “unacceptable” for French drug giant Sanofi to give priority to the US market if it develops a Covid-19 vaccine, a French minister has warned.

    Deputy Finance Minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher was responding to comments by Sanofi CEO Paul Hudson, who said “the US government has the right to the largest pre-order because it’s invested in taking the risk”.

    Many labs worldwide are involved in research to find a Covid-19 vaccine.

    Vaccines usually take years to develop.

    “For us, it would be unacceptable for there to be privileged access to such and such a country for financial reasons,” Ms Pannier-Runacher told France’s Sud Radio.

    Earlier this month the EU chaired a global online summit to boost coronavirus research, and secured pledges of $8bn (£6.5bn) from some 40 countries and donors. The funding is aimed at developing a coronavirus vaccine and treatments for Covid-19.

    The UK co-hosted the summit but the US and Russia did not take part.

    On Thursday Sanofi’s chief in France, Olivier Bogillot, said “the goal is to have this vaccine available to the US as well as France and Europe at the same time”.

    Speaking on French news channel BFMTV, he said that would only be possible “if Europeans work as quickly as the Americans”, and added that the US government had pledged to spend “several hundreds of millions of euros”.

    Sanofi’s Covid-19 vaccine research is partly funded by the US Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (Barda).

    But Sanofi has received tens of millions of euros in tax credits from the French government in recent years to help its research.

    Last month Sanofi also teamed up with Britain’s GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) to work on a vaccine, though trials have not yet started.

    Sanofi’s head of vaccine research, John Shiver, says “we are using an existing technology that was designed for influenza, and we’re applying it to the new virus that causes Covid-19 disease”.

    Sanofi says GSK “will contribute its adjuvant technology, an ingredient added to enhance the immune response, reduce the amount of vaccine protein required per dose and improve the chances of delivering an effective vaccine that can be manufactured at scale”.

    The candidate vaccine is expected to enter clinical trials in the second half of 2020 and to be available by the second half of 2021.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Coronavirus antibody test a ‘positive development’

    A test to find out whether people have been infected with coronavirus in the past has been approved by health officials in England.

    Public Health England said the antibody test, developed by Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche, was a “very positive development”.

    The blood test looks for antibodies to see if a person has already had the virus and might now have some immunity.

    Until now, officials have said such tests are not reliable enough.

    The government previously spent a reported £16m buying antibody tests which later proved to be ineffective.

    Sources told the BBC the Roche test was the first one to offer serious potential.

    Antibodies are made by our immune system as it learns to fight an infection.

    Finding antibodies that attack the coronavirus show that person has been infected in the past, but they do not prove they are protected against it in the future.

    Experts at the government’s Porton Down facility evaluated the Roche test last week, Public Health England said.

    They found that if someone had been infected, it gave the correct result 100% of the time.

    Roche said if someone had not caught coronavirus then it gave the correct result more than 99.8% of the time.

    It means fewer than two in 1,000 healthy people would be incorrectly told they had previously caught the coronavirus.

    Health minister Edward Argar said the tests would mainly be used on those in the NHS and social care settings to begin with.

    He could not give an exact date for when the testing could start.

    Prof John Newton, national coordinator of the UK coronavirus testing programme, said: “This is a very positive development because such a highly specific antibody test is a very reliable marker of past infection.

    “This in turn may indicate some immunity to future infection, although the extent to which the presence of antibodies indicates immunity remains unclear.”

    Roche is understood to be in talks with the Department of Health and Social Care about possible use by the NHS in England, though other testing products are also being assessed.

    Health officials in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland make their own decisions, but are likely to follow suit if England does adopt it.

    The test already has approval from medical regulators in the EU and the United States.

    The main use of an antibody test is to find out how many people have been infected.

    The official figures are only a fraction of the total number – not everybody is getting tested and some people are being infected without developing symptoms.

    Antibody tests will help answer questions such as how far and how easily the virus has spread and, crucially, how deadly it really is.

    The second use – helping to lift lockdown – is highly controversial.

    The idea is if you have antibodies, then you can go back to work. This could be particularly helpful in hospitals and care homes full of vulnerable people, if you could guarantee the staff were immune.

    But having antibodies does not automatically mean you cannot get sick or harbour the virus and pass it on to others.

    World Health Organization scientists advise against using so called “immunity passports” because of the lack of evidence.

    The swab tests currently being carried out in the UK determine whether someone has the virus at the time of the test.

    These will remain the core part of the government’s test, track and trace strategy for containing the spread of the virus.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Coronavirus Sanofi: France resists idea of US getting vaccine first

    It would be “unacceptable” for French drug giant Sanofi to give priority to the US market if it develops a Covid-19 vaccine, a French minister has warned.

    Deputy Finance Minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher was responding to comments by Sanofi CEO Paul Hudson, who said “the US government has the right to the largest pre-order because it’s invested in taking the risk”.

    Many labs worldwide are involved in research to find a Covid-19 vaccine.

    Vaccines usually take years to develop.

    “For us, it would be unacceptable for there to be privileged access to such and such a country for financial reasons,” Ms Pannier-Runacher told France’s Sud Radio.

    Earlier this month the EU chaired a global online summit to boost coronavirus research, and secured pledges of $8bn (£6.5bn) from some 40 countries and donors. The funding is aimed at developing a coronavirus vaccine and treatments for Covid-19.

    The UK co-hosted the summit but the US and Russia did not take part.

    On Thursday Sanofi’s chief in France, Olivier Bogillot, said “the goal is to have this vaccine available to the US as well as France and Europe at the same time”.

    Speaking on French news channel BFMTV, he said that would only be possible “if Europeans work as quickly as the Americans”, and added that the US government had pledged to spend “several hundreds of millions of euros”.

    Sanofi’s Covid-19 vaccine research is partly funded by the US Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (Barda).

    But Sanofi has received tens of millions of euros in tax credits from the French government in recent years to help its research.

    Last month Sanofi also teamed up with Britain’s GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) to work on a vaccine, though trials have not yet started.

    Sanofi’s head of vaccine research, John Shiver, says “we are using an existing technology that was designed for influenza, and we’re applying it to the new virus that causes Covid-19 disease”.

    Sanofi says GSK “will contribute its adjuvant technology, an ingredient added to enhance the immune response, reduce the amount of vaccine protein required per dose and improve the chances of delivering an effective vaccine that can be manufactured at scale”.

    The candidate vaccine is expected to enter clinical trials in the second half of 2020 and to be available by the second half of 2021.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Antarctica: ‘Isolated within isolation’

    Antarctica is cut off from the rest of the world for months at a time – and there’s not been a single case of coronavirus. So why are research teams there following isolation rules to combat the virus, when it’s probably not even on the continent?

    “A case of Covid-19 here could be disastrous,” Pradeep Tomar, on the Indian base, told the BBC.

    “So we are taking lockdown measures, too. It feels like we are isolated within the isolation.”

    If there was an outbreak it would be devastating. There’s nowhere else to go, medical facilities are limited – and the likelihood of spreading it to others would be high.

    But most of the team members are still more fearful for people back home than for themselves.

    “I truly wish I could serve my country in this time of need,” Tomar said. “Nobody has ever witnessed something like the ongoing crisis. I hope to see the same world again when we go home.”

    Source: bbc.com

  • ‘Unusually high’ deaths in Nigeria raise queries

    The authorities in the north-eastern Nigerian state of Yobe say 471 people have died in the past five weeks, adding it is an unusually high number of deaths from health issues.

    It is not clear whether the deaths are linked to coronavirus

    Nigeria has so far confirmed nearly 5,000 cases of the virus, with 164 deaths.

    Yobe State Commissioner for Health Muhammad Lawan Gana told the BBC that an initial investigation found most deaths were of elderly people with pre-existing medical conditions such as hypertension and diabetes.

    But some had shown symptoms of coronavirus.

    He said the deaths occurred in just four areas of the state.

    There have been reports of hundreds of unexplained deaths across northern Nigeria in recent weeks – including in the populous state of Kano.

    The authorities are cautious to link them directly to the coronavirus pandemic, saying investigations are being carried out.

    Low testing rates across Nigeria are raising fears that many people might be carrying the virus undetected.

    Source: bbc.com

  • W/R: 36 persons stopped from crossing Ghana-Ivory Coast border illegally

    Thirty-six persons have been arrested for attempting to enter Ivory Coast through unapproved routes in the Western Region.

    These persons were arrested on May 12 and May 13 by immigration officers in the region.

    On May 12, a team of Immigration officers on patrol picked up 12 Burkinabes a Ghanaian and a baby, belonging to one of two Burkinabe women who were arrested, were intercepted and prevented from using one of the unapproved points at Nzemtenu near Appollenu in the Jomoro District.

    According to a release from the region, the Half Asini command of the Ghana Immigration Service cited cooperation from concerned community members as being instrumental in the May 12 arrests.

    “Investigations revealed that these suspects are unrelated and therefore had accidentally arrived at Nzentenu community almost at the same time; that explains their arrest at different locations within the community.”

    After their arrests, Port Health Officials took their samples for testing has quarantined them.

    The borders were closed in a bid to stop the spread of COVID-19 amid the ongoing pandemic.

    On these persons arrested, the Assistant Inspector Manford Akakpo, the Western Regional Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Immigration Service said: “The municipal security council met and decided they should be quarantined and their samples take after which their results will determine their fate. Currently, 13 people have been quarantined.”

    For the May 13 arrests, 11 Ivorian nationals were intercepted at Berlin, an unapproved entry point near the Newtown Border Post.

    They have since been escorted back to the Ivorian security to be returned, according to the service.

    On the same day, two Nigerians, one Ivorian, one Guinean, on Beninese and seven Burkinables were refused entry int Ghana at Appolenu.

    Arrest in Upper West

    In a related development, one other Burkinabe has been arrested in the Upper West Region after the arrest and repatriation of five Burkinabes on Tuesday.

    This latest arrest brings the number to 205 of foreign nationals arrested on the Ghana-Burkina Faso border in the Upper West Region.

    The Upper West Regional Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Immigration Service, Ibn Yussif Duranah said there were plans for arrests of persons attempting illegal border crossings.

    “So far about we have arrested the person and we were laying an ambush for another arrest.”

     

    Source: citinewsroom.com

  • Hearts of Oak players boycotted training ahead of 2017 FA Cup final – Former captain

    Former captain of Hearts of Oak, Thomas Abbey has revealed the reasons for their defeat to Asante Kotoko in the 2017 MTN FA Cup.

    Hearts were thumped 3-1 by their fierce rivals in Kumasi, despite a good run to the final which saw them labelled favourites for the Cup.

    However, a first half hat-trick from Saddick Adams condemned and deflated any form of comeback from the Phobians.

    According to Abbey, players refused to train ahead of the finals in Tamale because the club failed to pay their salaries and bonuses for three months.

    “I can say that before the match, everything favoured Hearts. We were supposed to win but there were very serious problems in the team. We had not been paid for three months and winning bonuses from seven matches were also not paid,” he ttold Angel FM.

    “I can tell you that, before the final, we were not even training. We were protesting so we will go to the training grounds and only jog for twenty minutes and go back home.”

    “Most of the players had their contracts expired so we knew the match was the last opportunity to demand our pay. Not surprising that we lost in the first half. I can say it was what led to the defeat.”

    Source: Ghana Soccernet

  • COVID-19: Inject GHs18 bn into economy to mitigate losses TUC to government

    The Trades Union Congress (TUC) is asking the government to inject about GHS 18 billion into the various sectors of the economy to help mitigate the losses associated with the COVID19 pandemic.

    According to the TUC, research by its Labour Research and Policy Institute showed the devastating effects of the COVID-19 health crisis on jobs and livelihoods in both the formal and informal segments of the economy.

    Speaking to Citi News, Director of Labour Research and Policy Institute of the TUC, Dr. Kwabena Nyarko Otoo, said the government needs to do more to revive the economy and also manage the potential job losses.

    “One of the things we did was to estimate the loss of GDP that we are likely to experience because of COVID-19 and our estimation is based on the data provided by the Minister for Finance when he told Parliament that the 2020 GDP growth which was initially estimated at 6.6% will now be 1.5%.”

    “When we look at the numbers we are looking at an output loss of about GHs 18 billion and our proposal is for government to find the resources that will fully restore us in terms of the output loss so we are asking government to invest about GHs 18 billion into the economy between now and December.”

    Dr. Kwabena Nyarko Otoo added that the TUC recognises that the government finds itself in a difficult situation due to the impact of the COVID-19 on the economy.

    However, he said, the government can either print more money or borrow from the Ghana Heritage Fund (GHF) to support the economy at this moment.

    He added: “We went to borrow from the IMF with all the conditionality. If we were able to borrow from the IMF, it should be safer to ask government to borrow from the future. So that we replenish that fund when the COVID-19 storm is over.”

    Source: citinewroom.com

     

  • 8 arrested for illegal bunkering in Western Region

    The Ghana Maritime Authority in collaboration with the Marine Police and the Western Naval Command has arrested eight persons suspected to be engaged in illegal oil bunkering along the coast of the Western Region.

    They were arrested by a patrol team on Wednesday dawn while returning to their base after their daily routine.

    But the patrol team spotted a wooden boat in an unusual position, approached it and saw eight persons on board.

    Upon a search, they discovered that the specially made wooden boat had thousands of litters of oil referred to as “remaining on board” beneath it.

    They were then escorted to the Sekondi Naval Base, where the product and the wooden boat were confiscated with the eight suspects handed over to the police.

    Marine Police Commander ACP Seidu Iddi told 3news.com that all the eight suspects are Ghanaians and are believed to be residents of Sekondi-Takoradi.

    “The eight young men are being held in our office. We will immediately commence investigations and process them for court. At the same time, we are going to hand over the product to the appropriate state agency.”

    Since March this year, the Ghana Maritime Authority together with the Marine Police and the Western Police Command have been patrolling the coast of the Western and Central regions to clamp down on illegal activities including oil bunkering and Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.

    Western Region Director of the Ghana Maritime Authority Captain William Esson Thompson explained that since the operation began, they have made significant arrests.

    “We have made several arrests on many illegalities committed at sea since we combined forces for the patrols. But with specific reference to the oil bunkering, only last week we made an arrest. On top of my head, I can count more than six arrests.”

    He added: “These boats are used for smuggling; they are not registered in any form and so we cannot account for them. The product is definitely stolen from somewhere. So, the question is where was it stolen from and is it suitable for our local market? If it is not, it means it ends up at pump stations and in your car and my car and they start to malfunction. We are also worried about our environment as well because of the haste with which they are discharged both at sea and on land.”

    Illegal bunkering

    Some supply vessels that call at the Takoradi Port to supply petroleum products are suspected to be the trade-off point for the illegal oil bunkering.

    They normally sell off their remaining petroleum products referred to as “remaining on board” after they have supplied to the original customers.

    The petroleum products, mostly diesel, are pumped from the supply ships at the anchorage using specially made canoes designed for that purpose, with the inside lined with plastic to avoid contamination and leakage.

    The fuel is then transported to filling stations in the Takoradi metropolis and subsequently sold to the public.

    The Ghana Maritime Authority is working on a law that will give it the power to burn boats caught engaging in illegal oil bunkering.

  • Serve God in truth and all will be well with you Stonebwoy

    Ghanaian dancehall giant Stonebwoy says when one serves God in truth, everything works for him.

    The president of the BHIM Nation Stonebwoy is advising all who want things to work in their favour to consider worshipping God in truth.

    He stated in a post via his Snapchat handle that things will be clear for anybody who takes his or her maker seriously.

    “Things have never been this CLEAR!! Serve God in truth And All Shall BE Well This Life No Be Man Dey Rule o it be Jah,”  Stone posted.

    His comment might account for the reason why he is rising higher even though he started from nowhere.

    God has indeed played a phenomenal role in his life.

    See The Screenshot Below:

    Source: Celebritiesbuzz.com.gh

  • Harrison Afful talks about 2015 Eastern Conference Championship

    Ghana defender Harrison Afful took time to talk about the Eastern Conference Championship with Jordan Angeli.

    The defender recounts the game against New York Red Bulls, which the Ohio club won by two goals to nil.

    Afful played a crucial role as the Black and golds kept a clean sheet.

    Justin Meram scored an early goal before Kei Kamara sealed the victory with a tap in at the MIAFRE stadium.

    The 33-year old Afful was involved in the build up to the second goal.

    Watch video below as Harrison Afful talks through the game:

  • Transparency and accountability needed to run autonomous league – Kojo Addae-Mensah

    Chief Executive Officer of Databank Group, Kojo Addae Mensah beleives transparency and accountability will be key in Ghana Football Association’s (GFA) decision to make the topflight football autonomous.

    The Kurt Okraku led administration has announced that the Premier League will be run by an autonomous body.

    And according to the staunch Asante Kotoko supporter, the league can be made autonomous but will encounter the same problems if the principles are not well established and adhered to.

    “We cannot have an autonomous league where they will not be details of funds from sponsorship deals and other transactions,” he told Asempa FM.

    “Every detail of the league including cash components must be made available to the public or we defeat the purpose of making the league autonomous.

    “The EPL is successful today because of its transparency and accountability. Everyone knows the details of every contract.

    “It is the reason just funds from TV Rights can run the league without difficulties,” he added.

    He reiterated that if there will be a successful autonomous league in Ghana then much work must be done with regards to how it will be run.

    Togbe Afede XIV, Board Chairman of Accra Hearts of Oak Sporting Club, Mr John Ansah, Operations Manager of Cape Coast Mysterious Ebusua Dwarfs Football Club and Delali Senaye, the CEO of Inter Allies Football Club have been nominated to serve on the Autonomous Premier League Committee.

    Source: footballghana.com

  • Meet Shatta Wale’s ‘new girl’ who looks just like Ebony (Photos)

    Ghanaian dancehall sensation, Shatta Wale, is one of the controversial musicians in the country right now.

    Shatta Wale can boast of many fans across the country due to his massive dominance in Ghana’s entertainment industry.

    Due to that, he has been linked with dating ladies like Efia Odo, Kisa Gbekle, etc.

    Now, a lady has popped up online and it is believed she is the new ‘girl’ of Shatta Wale.

    The young lady is very popular on Instagram and her social media name is Choqolate – her real name is yet to be known.

    The lady has dreadlocks, is dark in complexion and she is very beautiful.

    See photos below:

     

    View this post on Instagram

     

    Photos of Shatta Wale’s ‘new girl’ who looks just like Ebony pop up. #dailycelebritiesnews

    A post shared by Dailycelebritiesnews.org (@dailycelebritiesnewsdotorg) on

    Aside from her beauty, she has got a nice shape that can melt the heart of any man and she looks just like the late Ebony Reigns.

    However, checks done by YEN.com.gh indicate that Choqolate is an upcoming dancehall musician.

    Choqolate’s breathtaking photos have been causing confusion on social media.

    Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported a video story of Shatta Wale and Choqolate in a love-dovey position.

    In the video, Shatta Wale and Choqolate were seen jamming to Daddy Lumba’s love song in his car.

    Shatta Wale heaped praises on Daddy Lumba for his lyrical prowess as the video showed.

    Shatta Wale said he and Choqolate were on their way to buy icecream.

    Source: Yen

  • Asante Kotoko owner Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to fund US$ 30m stadium project – Report

    Reports in Kumasi say Manhyia Palace has secured a US$ 30 million fund to build a stadium for giants Asante Kotoko.

    Kwame Aboagye Mensah, Personal Assistant to the Chief of Staff, is quoted by Kumasi-based Oyerepa FM.

    ”Manhyia has plans to see infrastructural development at Asante Kotoko not only stadium but all-round facelift infrastructure wise,” Mensah said.

    Club owner and Life Patron Otumfuo Osei Tutu II is determined to improve infrastructure

    According to the plan, the club’s Adako Jachie training complex will be upgraded into an ultra-modern stadium with redesigned pitches.

    The facility will include a VIP stand, media stand, electronic scoreboard, and gym Center.

    If the project is completed, Kotoko will move from the Baba Yara Stadium which has been the home ground of all their titles.

    Source: Ghana Soccernet

  • Well take a decision on the Premier League soon Kurt Okraku

    The President of the Ghana Football Association, Kurt Okraku, has revealed that he is engaging the Bundesliga, Czech league and the Danish super league to gather ideas on the best way forward for the Ghana Premier League.

    “Personally I have been engaging the Bundesliga directly; I have taken custody of their protocol guidelines, I have engaged managers of the premier league in Czech Republic and I have also engaged the managers of the Danish super league and I have handed all these documents to the medical committee, they are the experts, they will look at it and with their enormous ways of experience, I am sure they will put together a document for us to consider. I assure you that we will consider all options available to make a good decision,” He stated

    Ghana football has been put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic. This will be the second time in two years the local league has been halted after the Anas Expose in 2018 led to the discontinuation of the league.

    There have been diverse opinions on what should be the fate of the league as some quarters are calling for cancellation while others believe the league can still continue despite the existence of the virus.

    But according to Mr Okraku, his outfit is considering all possible scenarios to make a better decision on the league

    “I am working closely with the medical committee, headed by the very experienced Dr Baba, Dr Percy and Dr. Kofi Abbro. The medical team is taking into considerations all scenarios possible to truncate, cancel or continue the league and then advise us on the decision to take and once we get the advice we will communicate to the Sports ministry.”

    Source: Starr FM

  • Gospel musician Ernest Opoku seeks feature with Sarkodie

    Ghana’s music industry is gradually seeing a fusion of secular and gospel arts as more and more gospel artistes seek features with their colleagues who perform in the other genre of music.

    There have been instances like gospel singer Lady Prempeh having a collaboration with Ghanaian highlife musician Kuami Eugene and a recent one being the legendary Yaw Sarpong featuring rapper Sarkodie.

    Gospel musician, Ernest Opoku who already has a single out with music duo Keche, is also eyeing Sarkodie and in an interview with host Abeiku Aggrey Santana on Okay FM, disclosed he expects the multi-talented award rapper to hop on his next song.

    Video below-

     

     

    Source: Peacefmonline.com

  • Coronavirus: Tunisia relaxes curfew hours

    Tunisia has reduced its nightly curfew hours for a second time.

    A 12-hour curfew that was introduced a little under a month ago to help combat coronavirus has been reduced to six hours.

    The country has not recorded any new cases of the disease for th ree days.

    Health officials say half of those who have been recorded as having the infection have recovered and only a few people remain in hospital.

    Some restrictions still remain: large public events are banned, a permit is required for travel between regions and shopping malls, bars and restaurants remain closed.

    Source: bbc.com

  • “You have a G-Wagon and you are squatting” Mike Ezuruonye shades colleague on IG

    Nollywood finest actor, Mike Ezuruonye has shaded his colleague in his latest instagram post after he learnt of the fake life the person has been living all these years.

    Mike seemed to be gutted by what he probably heard or saw as he was seen in the video expressing mix feelings over the situation at hand.

    According to the actor, he cannot fathom the idea of pretending to be living lavish when you know you are just an ordinary person.

    The captioned to his post tells the magnitude of lies the person must have told him all year long, owning a G-Wagon, and probably a mansion, among other things only to find out the person in question is a squatter and needs some relief urgently to survive.

    He advised the person to stop living a fake life because it is very expensive.

    Watch video below:

    Source: www.ghgossip

  • South Africa to cautiously ease coronavirus lockdown

    South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has said in the coming days the lockdown imposed because of the coronavirus pandemic will be eased slightly, with more businesses and shops allowed to operate and fewer restrictions on exercise.

    The country has been the worst hit in Africa with about 12,000 confirmed cases and 219 deaths.

    In a live broadcast on Wednesday, Mr Ramaphosa admitted his government had made mistakes but said the country was in uncharted territory.

    He said had it not been for the almost eight-week lockdown, at least 80,000 people could have contracted the virus.

    Urging caution, he said if the restrictions were lifted too abruptly there would be a risk of a rapid and unmanageable surge in infections.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Wisconsin high court overturns state’s stay-at-home orders

    Wisconsin’s Supreme Court overturned the state’s stay-at-home orders on Wednesday, as regions across the US grapple with the increasingly partisan decision of whether or not to reopen amid the coronavirus pandemic.

    Americans across the country have staged anti-lockdown demonstrations and President Donald Trump has pressed for rapid steps to rekindle the devastated US economy before his tough re-election battle in November.

    But public health experts, including the president’s top medical advisor Anthony Fauci, have warned that loosening restrictions on public gatherings too early could trigger fresh COVID-19 outbreaks.

    The Midwestern state’s high court sided with lawmakers from Trump’s Republican Party, who had challenged an extension of the quarantine imposed by Democratic Governor Tony Evers’s administration.

    Evers warned on Twitter that the decision risked undoing “all the work we have done and all the sacrifices Wisconsinites have made over these past few months.”

    “It’s a mess,” he later told CNN. “I mean, I can’t put it any other way.”

    While the state is not one of the hardest hit, it has still recorded more than 10,900 cases and more than 400 deaths.

    The legal challenge was filed against Wisconsin Department of Health Services chief Andrea Palm and other officials, who had extended stay-at-home orders to May 26 even as the state relaxed some restrictions on business.

    The state’s Republican House Speaker Robin Vos and Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald said the ruling allowed “people to once again gather with their loved ones or visit their places of worship without the fear of violating a state order.”

    Asked whether relaxing shutdown orders was a partisan issue, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told FOX News Wednesday: “I hope it’s not political, that would be terrible. I hope that all these governors care about the American workers, care about American jobs.”

    Source: france24.com

  • Burkina Faso prosecutor launches probe after 12 ‘terrorism’ suspects die in detention

    A Burkina Faso prosecutor has launched an investigation after 12 people died during the same night in detention cells, hours after they were arrested for suspected terrorism-related offences in a town in the east of the country.

    The case comes weeks after advocacy group Human Rights Watch said it believed Burkina Faso security forces summarily executed 31 unarmed detainees during operations against Islamist militants.

    The prosecutor, Judicael Kadeba, said in a statement late on Wednesday the incident took place the town of Fada N’Gourma, around 220km (137 miles) east of the capital Ouagadougou.

    He said 25 people were arrested during the night of May 11 – 12 by Burkina Faso security and defence forces for suspected terrorism in a village in the Fada N’Gourma area.

    “Unfortunately 12 of them died during the same night in cells where they were being held,” Kadeba said.

    Burkina Faso has been battling armed Islamist insurgents, some with ties to al Qaeda and Islamic State, since 2017.

    The militants have strengthened their foothold in the northeast and eastern parts of the country around the tri-border region with Niger and Mali, known as the Liptako-Gourma region.

    HRW said in April the militants have killed more than 300 civilians in Burkina Faso, while the government has killed several hundred men for their alleged support of the groups.

    Burkinabe officials have promised to investigate similar allegations in the past, but rights group say the government has not done enough to hold perpetrators accountable.

    Source: france24.com

  • Burundi orders WHO official to leave country

    Burundi has expelled the World Health Organization (WHO) representative in the country and three other health experts.

    An unsigned letter from the foreign affairs ministry declares the WHO representative Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo and three others as “persona non grata” and gives them 48 hours to leave the country.

    The others are Prof Tarzy Daniel, Dr Ruhana Mirindi Bisimwa and Dr Jean Pierre Murunda.

    Burundi Foreign Affairs Minister Ezechiel Nibigira did not deny or confirm the letter in a phone interview, but a source at the ministry confirmed its authenticity to the BBC.

    The ministry has not given reasons for the expulsion of the officials.

    Burundi government is facing criticism for organising elections amid the coronavirus pandemic.

    Campaign rallies by candidates for the presidency are taking place across the nation ahead of the 20 May election and no measures to contain the virus are being observed – sparking fears of its imminent spread.

    In a press briefing on Wednesday, the International Crisis Group said the Burundi government is working in denial, questioning the number of coronavirus cases the country has announced.

    The country has reported 15 cases so far including one death.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Rapper AY Poyoo proves he is the GOAT by chewing leaves

    Rapper, AY Poyoo claimed he is the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) and he has backed his claims by feeding like a goat as he was posted chewing plantain leaves.

    AY Poyoo is garnering lots of attention after he put out funny music videos on his Instagram page.

    Source: www.ghgossip

  • We are going to kill him! – Messi’s cousin reveals Barca star’s brutal introduction to football

    Lionel Messi’s cousin Maxi Biancucchi has explained how the Barcelona star found a way to cope with being smaller than oppposition players from a young age.

    The Argentine has become a legend for club and country over the past 15 years, winning a record six Ballon d’Or awards in the process.

    The 32-year-old has never let his height stop him on the pitch, with his cousin revealing that, even as a child, Messi never shied away from a challenge.

    “In the neighbourhood he played with us, we were bigger than him, and they told us: ‘Crazy, get him out because we are going to kill him.’ They wanted to hit him, but he put up with it,” Biancucchi told Ataque Futbolero via Ole.

    “When he was eight or nine, I would get up early on Saturdays to watch him play and he’d do impressive things. I could not believe it.”

    Having joined Newell’s Old Boys as a child before moving to Barcelona in 2001, many Argentines hold out hope Messi may finish his playing career at the club.

    While Biancucchi is keen to see his cousin play for Newell’s, he conceded a return is unlikely due to security issues in the region.

    “Leo has a lot of love for Argentina, people never understand that,” Biancucchi said.

    “If it were not for insecurity, I have no doubt that he would play in Argentina, that is the only thing that can affect him when it comes to him returning.

    “It is my dream to be able to see Leo at Newell’s, but I see it as complicated. It is difficult, imagine that Messi plays a Classico, the kids have to go to school…the city is hell.”

    Messi admitted last year he does dream of returning to Newell’s but stressed his family comes first.

    “I have the dream of being able to play for Newell’s in Argentina, but I don’t know if it’s really going to happen because I have a family that is ahead of my desire,” Messi told TyC Sports.

    “It’s a dream I’ve had since I was little, but I have a family, I have three children, I live in a place that has given me everything and where I am calm and can give my children a spectacular future.

    “We think much more about that than my desire of playing football in Argentina. I will try to convince the family, because today we have to convince the children too.”

    Source: goal.com

  • Coronavirus: Children affected by rare inflammatory reaction

    Scores of UK and US children have been affected by a rare inflammatory disease linked to coronavirus.

    A number of children have also been diagnosed with the disease – which can cause symptoms similar to toxic shock syndrome – elsewhere in Europe.

    Up to 100 UK children have been affected. Some have needed intensive care while others recovered quickly.

    In April, NHS doctors were told to look out for a rare but dangerous reaction in children.

    This was prompted by eight children becoming ill in London, including a 14-year-old who died.

    Doctors said all eight children had similar symptoms when they were admitted to Evelina London Children’s Hospital, including a high fever, rash, red eyes, swelling and general pain.

    Most of the children had no major lung or breathing problems, although seven were put on a ventilator to help improve heart and circulation issues.

    Doctors are describing it as a “new phenomenon” similar to Kawasaki disease shock syndrome – a rare condition that mainly affects children under the age of five. Symptoms include a rash, swollen glands in the neck and dry and cracked lips.

    But this new syndrome is also affecting older children up to the age of 16, with a minority experiencing serious complications.

    Coronavirus: ‘My son had symptoms of rare syndrome’

    Dr Liz Whittaker, clinical lecturer in paediatric infectious diseases and immunology, at Imperial College London, said the fact that the syndrome was occurring in the middle of a pandemic, suggests the two are linked.

    “You’ve got the Covid-19 peak, and then three or four weeks later we’re seeing a peak in this new phenomenon which makes us think that it’s a post-infectious phenomenon,” she said.

    This means it is likely to be something related to the build-up of antibodies after infection.

    ‘Exceptionally rare’

    Prof Russell Viner, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said the majority of children who have had the condition have responded to treatment and are getting better and starting to go home.

    The syndrome is “exceptionally rare”, he said.

    “This shouldn’t stop parents letting their children exit lockdown,” Prof Viner added.

    He said understanding more about the inflammatory disease “might explain why some children become very ill with Covid-19, while the majority are unaffected or asymptomatic”.

    Children are thought to make up just 1-2% of all cases of coronavirus infection, accounting for less than 500 admissions to hospital.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Coronavirus: Trump says Dr Fauci’s warning ‘not acceptable’

    US President Donald Trump has said a sobering warning by his top infectious diseases expert about lifting pandemic restrictions too soon was unacceptable.

    He accused Dr Anthony Fauci of wanting “to play all sides of the equation” in his testimony to lawmakers on Tuesday.

    The president said he was especially dissatisfied with Dr Fauci’s caution around reopening schools too quickly.

    COVID-19 has infected nearly 1.4 million people in the US and killed 84,000, while ravaging the economy.

    What did the US president say?

    Speaking on Wednesday at the White House, Mr Trump took issue with Dr Fauci’s comments to a Senate hearing a day earlier about the risks to children of reopening and his assessment that a vaccine was unlikely before classes could begin this autumn.

    “Look, he wants to play all sides of the equation,” Mr Trump said of his top coronavirus expert’s concerns.

    “I was surprised by his answer actually, because, you know, it’s just to me – it’s not an acceptable answer, especially when it comes to schools,” the president told reporters.

    He said “the only thing that would be acceptable” is giving older teachers and professors a few more weeks before they return.

    “Because this is a disease that attacks age, and it attacks health,” the president said.

    “But with the young children, I mean, and students, it’s really – just take a look at the statistics. It’s pretty amazing,” Mr Trump added.

    The Republican president is keen to get Americans back to work and has praised governors who are moving to do so while criticising others for not acting aggressively enough.

    The country is split over Mr Trump’s focus on protecting livelihoods, critics accuse him of gambling with lives to serve his own political interests ahead of November’s re-election bid.

    The president’s latest comments come amid reports of some young children being severely affected by an inflammatory syndrome that could be linked to the virus.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Kofi Kinaata in court over character defamation

    Ghanaian Rapper and songwriter Kofi Kinaata is currently in court over character defamation.

    The court is however demanding an apology from event promoter and artist manager identified as Sleeky for making defamatory statements about the artist. Kofi Kinaata demanding a public apology and clearance from the promoter before May 22, 2020 or meet him in court.

    Sleeky who has been served a writ of summons signed by the lawyers of Kofi Kinaata and his team Bosomtwi Sam and Associates has further acknowledged receipt. According to him he is ready to respond accordingly.

    Kofi Kinaata is demanding a public apology from the promoter for some defamatory statements he made on Facebook.

    The summons has been received by Sleeky says….

    “Take notice and notice is nearby given to you that, should you fail to comply by this notice by the time hearin set, we shall not hesitate but promptly sue you in court for the necessary remedies,”

    Below is a copy of the summons.

    Source: www.ghgossip

  • Coronavirus may never go away, World Health Organization warns

    The Coronavirus “may never go away”, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned.

    Speaking at a briefing on Wednesday, WHO emergencies director Dr Mike Ryan warned against trying to predict when the virus would disappear.

    He added that even if a vaccine is found, controlling the virus will require a “massive effort”.

    Almost 300,000 people worldwide are reported to have died with coronavirus, and more than 4.3m cases recorded.

    “It is important to put this on the table: this virus may become just another endemic virus in our communities, and this virus may never go away,” Dr Ryan told the virtual press conference from Geneva.

    “HIV has not gone away – but we have come to terms with the virus.”

    Dr Ryan then said he doesn’t believe “anyone can predict when this disease will disappear”.

    There are currently more than 100 potential vaccines in development – but Dr Ryan noted there are other illnesses, such as measles, that still haven’t been eliminated despite there being vaccines for them.

    WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stressed it was still possible to control the virus, with effort.

    “The trajectory is in our hands, and it’s everybody’s business, and we should all contribute to stop this pandemic,” he said.

    WHO epidemiologist Maria van Kerkhove also told the briefing: “We need to get into the mindset that it is going to take some time to come out of this pandemic.”

    Source: bbc.com

  • Somalia’s coronavirus khat bans leaves chewers in a stew

    Flights carrying the mild stimulant khat have been banned from entering Somalia, leaving chewers of the leaves in a stew, write the BBC’s Mary Harper and Bella Hassan.

    In normal times, around midday, when the bunches of fresh leaves arrive in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, by plane from Kenya, men disappear from view, lounging in khat kiosks or chewing at home.

    The leaf, also known as miraa, acts as a stimulant, sending users into a frenzy of excited chatter. Business deals are made and broken, tired fighters are kept awake.

    In March, the government of Somalia banned international flights, including khat planes, as part of its efforts to contain coronavirus.

    When it imposed a lockdown, it forbade people from gathering together to chew their beloved leaves as this would break social distancing rules. Officials warned that because khat is picked by hand it could help spread COVID-19.

    But the stimulant is still finding its way into the country.

    Some comes in by road from Ethiopia. Some is transported by boat from Kenya, where many khat growers and traders say they have lost their livelihoods. The situation is especially grave in central Meru county, the heartland of khat farming in Kenya.

    Crafty dealers

    The chairman of the Nyambene Miraa Traders’ Association, Kimathi Munjuri, said members of his organisation exported about $250,000 (£200,000) worth of khat a day to the Somali capital, Mogadishu.

    About half-a-million farmers cultivate the stimulant in the Horn of Africa; many will be hit hard by the ban.

    Although most khat sellers in Somalia have nothing to trade, a few crafty dealers have hit a goldmine.

    “Before Covid-19, we got fresh leaves from Kenya,” says a woman who sells khat in Mogadishu. “Now we get it illegally from the port city of Kismayo, and because it is so limited, we can push up the price. I used to sell one kilo of leaves for about $20 to $25. Now I sell it for $120. This ban has been very good for us.”

    Source: bbc.com

  • ‘I was shunned over coronavirus fears’ – Kenyan nurse

    A Kenyan nurse found herself being shunned and harassed after she prepared a patient for a Covid-19 test while she was on a nightshift.

    Eunice Mwabili says the case was handled professionally – she wore personal protective equipment while dealing with the man, who was placed in an isolation room at the hospital.

    By the next morning, her friends and neighbours in the capital, Nairobi, had begun to avoid her, fearing she had become infected with Coronavirus.

    It is unclear who leaked the information that she had organised to have the patient tested – but both her name and number were leaked on social media.

    The patient ended up being negative, but that news never filtered out – the damage was done.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Minister extols Uncle Ebo Whyte for impacting his life

    Information Minister Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah has lauded the renowned Ghanaian playwright, James Ebo Whyte, for impacting his life.

    In a tweet, the Information Minister said: “James Ebo Whyte has been a voice in my life for over a decade.

    “He whips me, encourages me, challenges me and pushes me.

    “Uncle James thanks for the call tonight.

    “You have done more than you could ever imagine”.

    James Ebo Whyte, who was born on 20th July, 1954, is a playwright, author and motivational speaker.

    The author is the lead writer at Roverman Production and has written more than 42 plays for stage performance.

    Some of his works include ‘The Perfect Couple: The Case of the Happily Married’ and ‘The Deal: The Case of the Professional Lady’.

    Source: GNA

  • Coronavirus: Rejecting isolation centres only puts yourself, families & community at risk – Dr Dacosta Aboagye cautions

    The Chairman of the National Risk Communications and Social Mobilization Committee for COVID-19, Dr. DaCosta Aboagye, has pleaded with Ghanaians to welcome the setting up of isolation centres in their communities as part of measures to help in the fight against Covid-19.

    This, according to him, will protect, not only persons suspected to have contracted the disease, but every other person living within the community and accordingly reduce the risk of spread.

    Speaking to the media on Tuesday, 12th May 2020 after a press briefing , Dr DaCosta Aboagye said the National Risk Communication and Social Mobilisation team is working closely with relevant stakeholders including the Ministry of Information, the regional and districts health directorates, MMDAs, some NGOs, the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE), and many others to intensify public education and community engagements on Covid -19 across the country.

    Dr DaCosta Aboagye, who doubles as the Director of Health Promotion at the Ghana Health Service, noted that “the focus of this renewed education campaign shall be on the aspects of the public education involving stigma and the many benefits of having isolation centres in communities”.

    Commenting on the incidence in Obuasi and some parts of the country where some residents in communities earmarked for the setting up of isolation centres are protesting against the proposal, Dr. DaCosta did not mince words in condemning such actions, and said, if persuasion fails, the authorities may be left with no option but to deploy security personnel to ensure compliance in furtherance of the national interest.

    Indeed, he confirmed that in the specific case of Obuasi, the epicenter of Covid-19 in the Ashanti Region, security personnel have already been deployed to that part of town following reports that some residents were protesting against plans to establish an isolation centre in their community.

    This notwithstanding, the Health Promotions expert, Dr Aboagye, disclosed that his outfit is working with the District Chief Executive (DCE) of Obuasi East, Ms Faustina Amissah , the Police, Regional and District Health directorates to support the people of Obuasi to come to terms with the new normal and accordingly accept the isolation centre.

    Finally, Dr DaCosta pleaded with traditional leaders, heads of faith- based organisations and celebrities in the country to join the Covid -19 stigma education, education on the benefits of isolation centre as well as the campaign on other preventive etiquette.

    Source: Peace FM

  • Ghana repatriates 122 ECOWAS nationals over virus restrictions

    A total of 122 ECOWAS nationals were arrested in the Upper West Region in April this year, officials of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has said.

    The foreigners, according to the GIS, have since been repatriated. They were intercepted at various border posts, especially at Babile in the Lawra Municipality.

    Ghana has tightened border restrictions after the country recorded the deadly Coronavirus in March. The border closure has been extended to the end of May following a surge of the virus.

    Public Affairs Director of the Upper West Region sect of the Ghana Immigration Service told Dailymailgh.com that security has been beefed up across border towns to ward off such migrants.

    “Within our operational duty or function, we are responsible to fish out people who enter the country without documents. In April, for instance, we rounded up 122 foreigners and all of them were screened and have since been repatriated”, said ICO Ibn Yussif Duranah Abdul-Mumin Seidu, the Public Affairs Director of the Upper West Immigration Service.

    Meanwhile, five persons believed to be Burkina Faso nationals had been arrested by the service at the time of filing this report.

    They were picked up on Wednesday, May 12 while using an unapproved route near their native country, Burkina Faso.

    The all-male ECOWAS nationals whose ages ranged between 15 and 34 were intercepted on two motorbikes with Burkina Faso registration numbers.

    “Our investigations revealed that they were destined for Kumasi and Techiman for farming and trading activities,” said the Public Affairs Director in an interview with Dailymailgh.com.

    They have since been screened by the Port health personnel and have been handed over Burkina Faso authorities on the other side of the border at about 1630hrs local time.

    Source: Daily Mail

  • Closure of churches has prevented our prayers from being answered – Odeefour Koduah

    The founder and the leader of Healing God Maranatha Prayer Ministry, Odeefour Jeremiah Koduah has opined that the closure of churches and mosques in the country has also shut the doors to heaven preventing prayers from being heard by God.

    The man of God speaking in an interview on Nyankonton Mu Nsem on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm said although it may sound risky physically to lift the ban on churches and mosques, it is more dangerous spiritually.

    He claims the decision to ban religious activities created a space between God and his children and “until we lift the ban, the situation we are trying to resolve will remain the same”.

    Odeefour Koduah appealed to President Akufo-Addo to lift the ban, allow Christians and Muslims to pray to God and seek his face in the face of the coronavirus outbreak.

    He indicated “we have used our physical energies in solving the outbreak and it was time we turn to God for help”.

    He has also advised Ghanaians not to politicise the outbreak but work collectively, pray and seek the face of God to deliver the country from the virus.

    Source: rainbowradioonline.com

  • Ban on public gatherings: It’s too early for churches to open – Dr. Boadi Nyamekye

    General Overseer of The Maker’s House Chapel (TMHCI), Dr. Michael Boadi Nyamekye, has commended President Nana Akufo-Addo for not yielding to pressures by his colleague Pastors who are calling on him to revoke restrictions on religious activities, so Christians can go back to their various churches.

    The President, addressing the nation in his ninth update on COVID-19, extended the ban on public gatherings till 31st May, 2020 which means churches also remain closed till the end of the month.

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo‘s announcement has been met with mixed feelings from religious leaders as some men of God in the country have vehemently spoken against the decision.

    Some of the Pastors have taken it a step further by threatening the President saying if he doesn’t allow churches to operate after the extension period, God will visit his wrath upon the nation.

    One of the religious leaders leading the crusade against the President is the Founder of Life Assembly Worship Centre and Presidential candidate for the Ghana Union Movement (GUM), Rev. Christian Kwabena Andrews, popularly known as Osofo Kyiri Abosom.

    According to Osofo Kyiri Abosom, the rage of God is kindled against the nation because of the closure of churches and if the ban is not lifted, something worse than the Coronavirus pandemic will befall the entire nation in the coming weeks.

    But speaking to Presenter and news anchor Akosua Ago Aboagye on Okay FM’s ‘Abrabo Pa’ programme, Dr. Boadi Nyamekye threw his weight behind the President saying ”the truth is we have to think about lives. If it is only the Word of God we want to tell them, we can reach them on the TV, radio and internet. And we should pray that the people stay alive because it is when people are alive that they will come to church. But if they get infected by the disease, there is nothing that we can do”.

    Dr. Boadi Nyamekye further had a word of advice for those advocating the opening of churches saying “we need people to be alive to be in church. So, we have to make sure whatever we can do as a people to make sure they’re alive and Christian leaders to make sure they’re alive and healthy, we do that. I agree with the President. They should wait patiently for things to tone down”.

    The TMHCI General Overseer disclosed that even when President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo lifts the ban on public gatherings, his church will continue to be closed till there is every indication that the disease can be cured.

    “Even when they lift the restriction for us to go to church, I still will not conduct church services. I am not yet ready to hold church now at all. No way! Even if they allow churches to open, I have already told my church leadership that I won’t do church services and so the members should stay home and watch the sermons on Facebook, YouTube and Television. I will allow our members to come to church when a vaccine or medicine is discovered because I wouldn’t want you to come to receive life and go home with death,” he said.

    Source: Peace FM

  • Coronavirus: God will save us if we adhere to preventive measures – Pastor

    Reverend Dominic Owusu, Head Pastor of Calvary Temple Assemblies of God Church at Bantama in the Kumasi Metropolis, has said it is only God who can save Ghana from the deadly coronavirus.

    He however, said it was important for the public to strictly adhere to all measures and protocols that have been announced by the government to prevent the further spreading of the virus, which was now threatening the lives of citizens in the country.

    Delivering a Sunday sermon on a virtual church service in Kumasi, Rev. Owusu pointed out that, God was ready to save the lives of His people.

    “We have unwavering belief in the Almighty God that He has what it takes to save us and the world from this affliction,” he stated

    Rev. Owusu said if citizens obeyed all the preventive protocols outline by the government, the country would come out victorious.

    “As the government continues to take bold steps to curb the spread, and citizens are encouraged to strictly observe these preventive measures to protect us from contracting and further spreading the virus, I wish to urge our religious leaders as well as faith based organizations to continue to pray for our dear nation Ghana and the world,” he said.

    He urged the citizens to regularly wash their hands under running water, ensure social distancing, use alcohol based hand sanitizers as well as wear nose mask when going out.

    Source: GNA

  • Prof Ransford Gyampo: NCA case Verdict isnt witch-hunting

    The law on Causing Financial Loss to the State, according to those who initiated it, was never meant to be used against offenders. This is because it could retard initiative and render people overly cautious in not taking a financial risk, regardless of how pious their intentions may be.

    However, in the NCA case, it is quite instructive to say that this cannot be described as political witch-hunting. The Court ruling suggest, to my mind that, this was a pure case of collusion to milk the State.

    But because those convicted have through their lawyers indicated their intentions to appeal against the judgement, one ought to be circumspect in order not to prejudice the appeal processes. It is therefore not necessary for me to make protracted comments on the main issue.

    Regardless of the outcome of the appeal process, however, there are a few lessons to be learnt:

    First, politicians do not control the pace at which the axis of justice must run. Politicizing the fight against corruption by making not-properly though through promises in an electioneering campaign, without taking cognizance of the fact that building evidence to support a case takes time, may be unhelpful as it creates huge public expectations and heaps pressure on the government to expedite a process that it cannot control.

    This makes government seem deficient in fighting corruption. It is that simple. If you promised to fight corruption and succeed in getting a conviction for only one case in almost four years, people will have legitimate reasons to feel the battle against the canker has been lost by your regime. But this may genuinely not be the case, as no government can fast track court processes.

    Secondly, the law on causing financial loss to the state, though passed by the regime of the National Democratic Congress, has been used against NDC appointees more. This should send a signal to current appointees of the New Patriotic Party that there may be no merciful Atta Mills in a future NDC government. In other words, current appointees must ensure they stay out of deals that could give them trouble, as a future NDC regime may likely be ruthless in using the law against them.

    Thirdly, the current regime must appreciate the truism that the real test of fighting political corruption is in prosecuting its own appointees, should they breach the law. It is to be recalled that Kufuor scratched the surface of this, by dealing with Mallam Issa, his own Minister for Youth and Sports. John Mahama started the processes that led to the jailing of Abuga Pele and others.

    If the appointees of the current regime are all truly corrupt-free, so be it and we must then applaud the President for putting together such a supporting team of political saints. But if they are involved in matters of corruption as some are alleging, then it is in their own interest that they are dealt with now, under the tenure of the NPP, than to be left in the hands of any future political regime that may likely be more retaliatory and ruthless.

    ****

    Dr. Ransford Gyampo is a Research Fellow at the Governance Unit of the Institute of Economic Affairs. His research interest lies in the area of Governance, Democracy, Human Rights and Development.

    Disclaimer : “Opinions expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author(s) and do not in any way reflect those of backend.theindependentghana.com. Our outfit will hereby not be liable for any inaccuracies contained in this article.”

     

  • AY Poyoo: Meet Ghanaian underground rapper who has become a star in 2 weeks

    AY Poyoo, an underground rapper who calls himself the Face of Ghana Rap has shot to fame within just two weeks of working hard to appear in the limelight.

    The rapper who doubles as a comedian released a number of music videos portraying a rural setting in Ghana with rib-cracking lines that were loved by many.

    As his videos started to gain traction online, the rapper was invited to popular media houses including Adom TV and GHOne TV, which have added to his fame.

    See moment at Adom TV below:

    On the morning of May 13, 2020, AY Poyoo became one of the top trends on Ghana’s Twitter as thousands of people mentioned him on the social media platform.

    Also, in a news report sighted by YEN.com.gh on myjoyonline.com, AY Poyoo says he has already started receiving sponsorship and endorsements from different people. Speaking about how he was able to rise so quickly, the new rapper indicates that his management has been tremendous in that regard by capitalizing on anything that would catch the attention of many people.

     

    Source: yen.com.gh 

  • Two siblings in critical condition after fire guts house in Akyem Oda

    Two siblings are struggling for their lives after fire gutted a house at Akim Oda in the Birim Central Municipality of the Eastern Region.

    The two were caught up in the fire outbreak that gutted four rooms in a compound house around 7:00 pm.

    The victims both adults have been referred from Oda Government Hospital Eastern Regional Hospital in Koforidua.

    According to the Birim Central Director of the National Disaster Management Organization, NADMO, David Okyere household properties in the four rooms were completely burnt.

    He said three adult males and five female occupants of the affected rooms, as well as a child, have been displaced by the incident

    The cause of the fire has not been established.

     

    Source: Kasapa FM

     

  • Ten persons on police remand test positive for coronavirus

    Ten persons on remand at the Ashaiman police station in the Greater Accra region have tested positive for Covid-19.

    Commander in charge of the station who confirmed this to TV3 said they only got to know after a random test was conducted by health officials two weeks ago.

    54 samples were taken with ten proving positive. They have been isolated, he said.

    The police officers are yet to go into self-isolation as they also await the results of their tests.

    Currently, Ghana’s coronavirus case count now 5,127.

    This was announced by the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Patrick Aboagye at a media briefing on Tuesday, May 12, 2020.

    The Greater Accra region has recorded 89 new cases whilst the Ashanti region has 307 new cases. The Central region has also recorded 27 new cases with the Western and Volta regions recording 3 and 1 new cases respectively.

    According to Dr. Aboagye, majority of the new cases were recorded from workplaces.

     

    Source: 3 News

  • New Register: Leave EC to do its work – Agyapa Mercer tells Mahama

    Andrew Agyapa Mercer has urged former President John Dramani Mahama and his NDC members to desist from dictating to the Electoral Commission(EC) because it will never under any circumstance work with their advice.

    Speaking on UTV’s ‘Adekye Nsroma’ newspaper discussion programme, he specifically in reference to former President Mahama stated: “leave the EC to perform it’s mandatory duties per the rules of law binding it, just like you told us during your days in office, no amount of words or advice from you will change their decision taken towards the 2020 general elections.”

    According to him the EC is a mandatory body and as such knows what is best for their office.

    “So whether it will compile a new voters register, validation or limited registration to clean the existing voters register to be fit for the 2020 elections, it is not the task of the NDC to decide . . . they should keep their perfect decisions for better policies towards the 2020 elections,” Agyapa Mercer stated.

     

    Source: Peace FM

  • Charge VAT on power you supply ECG GRA orders power-producing companies

    The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), has directed all electricity and power-producing companies to apply the GETFund Levy of 2.5%, NHIL 2.5% and VAT rate of 12.5% on the value of the energy they supply the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).

    According to the GRA, it has sighted a notice dated March 13, 2001, which waives VAT on electricity supplied to the ECG.

    The GRA said the agreement is contrary to the Value Added Tax, 2013 (Act 870) which does not list supply of energy and capacity charge as one of the items that should be zero-rated.

    “It has come to our notice that some electricity producing and power supplying companies do charge VAT, GETfund and NHL, at zero rate to the Electricity Company of Ghana Limited contrary to the Value Added Tax Act, 2013 (Act 870).”

    “We wish to state that Section 36 of the Act which provides for zero rating of supply refers to the Second Schedule of the Act. However, the Second Schedule of the Act did not list supply of energy and capacity charge as one of the items that should be zero rated,” GRA said in a statement signed by its Acting Commissioner-General, Ammishadai Owusu-Amoah.

    The standard VAT rate is 12.5 percent calculated on the value of the taxable supply of goods or services or the value of an import.

    However, the zero-rated items include goods and services sold by companies who are free from the Goods and Services Tax.

    “We hereby direct that all electricity and power producing companies are required to apply the GETFund levy of 2.5% and NHIL 2.5% after that VAT is a standard rate of 12.5% on the value of the supplies, the GRA statement directed.

     

    Source: citinewsroom 

  • Nurse nabbed for hosting baby girls naming ceremony

    The Police in the Northern Region have arrested a 30-year-old nurse working with the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) for organising an outdooring and a naming ceremony of his one week old daughter at Kukuo, a suburb of Tamale.

    The suspect, Muniru Mohammed was arrested at 11am on Wednesday, May 13, 2020 for failing to comply with restrictions imposed on public gatherings to help curb the spread of Covid-19.

    Muniru has since been cautioned, charged and released on bail and would be put before court on Thursday, May 14, 2020.

    Source: Graphic.com.gh 

  • Couple spread Covid-19 in Obuasi market leading to its shutdown

    The Director-General of the Ghana Health Service has revealed that a couple has been key in the spread of Covid-19 to some other in people at Obuasi in the Ashanti region.

    According to Dr Patrick Aboagye, the pair who work as traders were unknowingly carrying the virus while going about their usual activities in the central market.

    “This was the case of a couple who were positive and had been working with people for the past two weeks with seventeen of their immediate contacts being positive and that has led to the spread in the market,” he said.

    In view of the development, the market has been shut for disinfection and fumigation while a team of over 40 health officials have been tasked to find contacts.

    The two are receiving treatment and so are all other affected individuals.

    The Ashanti region has been reported to have 307 new cases of Coronavirus out of which 272 are from Obuasi alone.

    “This tells us that some of the dynamics of the large groupings, the central markets and the lorry parks are very congested places so any case there can lead to a  quick flare up,” Dr Aboagye noted.

    Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr Patrick Aboagye listed hotspot areas in the country.

    The Director-General stated that Obuasi is the virus hotpot in the Region as a lot of the cases recorded stem from the area.

    Other cases were recorded in Asonkore, Wawase, Kumasi Metro, Oforikrom and Nkawie with a number of miners testing positive as well.

    Out of these numbers, 45 of them have been put in isolation while the rest have been isolating at home.

    As of Tuesday, May 12, 2020, Ghana has a Covid-19 case count of 5,127 from the previous 4,700 announced two days earlier.

    Currently, there are 4, 611 active cases, which are people who are still alive and receiving management.

    Meanwhile, there are 494 recoveries, 4, 6060 others responding to treatment and 5 critically ill patients

     

    Source: myjoyonline 

     

  • Wizkid explodes with joy as his first son turns 9 years today

    Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun a.k.a Wizkid exploded on twitter today, celebrating his first son, Boluwatife Balogun who turns 9 years old today.

    Wizkid could not contain the joy of watching a child grow as he took to his social media handle to wish his son, his first love a big beautiful birthday.

    He tweeted:

    My first love is 9! Wow! Boluwatife mi ❤

    Source: www.ghgossip.com