TIG Post

Author: Chris Kodo

  • Akufo-Addo saved economy by lifting lockdown – Allotey Jacobs

    Allotey Jacobs, former Central Regional Chairman of the largest opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), has backed President Nana Akufo-Addo’s decision to lift restrictions on movements in the country.

    President Akufo-Addo enforced a partial lockdown on Ghanaians following the outbreak of Coronavirus and also introduced restrictions on public gatherings resulting in the closure of schools and all religious gatherings.

    The President’s lockdown directives were in line with his goals to ensure the Coronavirus pandemic is well managed and to safeguard Ghanaians.

    The President found it prudent to lift the lockdown which lasted for three weeks to give the citizenry freedom of movement and also provide relief to traders in the country but his decision was met with agitations from some Ghanaians and particularly the leadership and members of the opposition National Democratic Congress.

    According to the National Democratic Congress, the lifting of restrictions on movement was premature looking at the rise in the case count of COVID-19 in the country.

    Addressing the issue on Peace FM’s flagship programme ‘Kokrokoo’, Allotey Jacobs believes the President took the right decision by lifting the lockdown.

    In his candid opinion, “if the President had not lifted the ban, Ghana’s economy would grind to a halt. I believe so too, very seriously”.

    Ghana has since recorded 1,671 COVID-19 cases from over 100,000 samples tested and 188 recoveries with 16 deaths.

    Though the numbers seem overwhelming, the positivity rate of the virus infection is below 2 percent and this is seen as one of the lowest worldwide.

     

    Source:  Peace FM

  • 88 new hospitals nothing but a ‘broken fake promise’ – Sammy Gyamfi

    NDC Communications Officer, Sammy Gyamfi says President Nana Akufo-Addo’s pledge to construct 88 district and 6 Regional hospitals in the country is nothing but a “fake promise”.

    President Nana Akufo-Addo, delivering his 8th update on the COVID-19 pandemic, identified some deficiencies in the health sector and as a result assured Ghanaians that his administration will set up ninety-four hospitals in a year.

    “We will, this year, begin constructing eighty-eight (88) hospitals in the districts without hospitals. It will mean ten (10) in Ashanti, nine (9) in Volta, nine (9) in Central, eight (8) in Eastern, seven (7) in Greater Accra, seven (7) in Upper East, five (5) in Northern, five (5) in Oti, five (5) in Upper West, five (5) in Bono, four (4) in Western North, four (4) in Western, three (3) in Ahafo, three (3) in Savannah, two (2) in Bono East, and two (2) in North East Regions”.

    “Each of them will be a quality, standard-design, one hundred bed hospital, with accommodation for doctors, nurses and other health workers, and the intention is to complete them within a year. We have also put in place plans for the construction of six (6) new regional hospitals in the six (6) new regions, and the rehabilitation of the EffiaNkwanta Hospital, in Sekondi, which is the regional hospital of the Western Region”.

    “We are going to beef up our existing laboratories and establish new ones across every region for testing. We will establish three (3) infectious disease control centres for each of the zones of our country, i.e. Coastal, Middle Belt and Northern, with the overall objective of setting up a Ghana Centre for Disease Control,” he stated.

    But Sammy Gyamfi believes the President is throwing dust in the eyes of Ghanaians.

    Speaking in a panel discussion on Peace FM’s ‘Kokrokoo’, Sammy Gyamfi urged Ghanaians to treat the President’s pledge with the contempt it deserves claiming “Akufo-Addo is the only President in the history of Ghana who hasn’t established a single hospital in the nation.”

     

     

  • Anytime I remember what I have been through in life, I cry my heart out Too Much

    In his recent interview with Zion Felix, Too Much of Junka Town fame revealed some disturbing moments of his life.

    During the interview, Too Much revealed how he went to Holland through stowaway and got deported back and how his family rejected him at a certain point in his life.

    As the interview went on, he asked the host to ask different questions because anytime he talks about what he has been through, his heart really bleeds.

    He also disclosed that the two kids in his skits are his real kids stating that he has three kids.

    Watch the interview below;

    Source: www.ghgossip.com

  • British Airways to cut up to 12,000 jobs as air travel collapses

    British Airways is set to cut up to 12,000 jobs from its 42,000-strong workforce due to a collapse in business because of the coronavirus pandemic.

    The airline’s parent company, IAG, said it needed to impose a “restructuring and redundancy programme” until demand for air travel returns to 2019 levels.

    The pilots’ union Balpa said it was “devastated” at the news and vowed to fight “every single” job cut.

    IAG also owns Spanish airline Iberia and Ireland’s Aer Lingus.

    In a statement, IAG said: “The proposals remain subject to consultation, but it is likely that they will affect most of British Airways’ employees and may result in the redundancy of up to 12,000 of them.”

    The company said it will take several years for air travel to return to pre-virus levels, a warning that has been echoed by airlines across the world.

    Alongside IAG’s statement, BA chief executive Alex Cruz wrote in a letter to staff: “In the last few weeks, the outlook for the aviation industry has worsened further and we must take action now. We are a strong, well-managed business that has faced into, and overcome, many crises in our hundred-year history.

    “We must overcome this crisis ourselves, too. There is no government bailout standing by for BA and we cannot expect the taxpayer to offset salaries indefinitely… We will see some airlines go out of business.”

    About 4,500 pilots and 16,000 cabin crew work for BA, which has already put almost 23,000 staff on furlough.

    Balpa’s general secretary Brian Strutton said: “This has come as a bolt out of the blue from an airline that said it was wealthy enough to weather the Covid storm and declined any government support.

    “Balpa does not accept that a case has been made for these job losses and we will be fighting to save every single one.”

    Global impact

    Also on Tuesday, IAG revealed the impact of the virus outbreak on group revenues. In the first three months of 2020 revenues fell 13% to €4.6bn (£4bn). Worse is to come warned Stephen Gunning, IAG’s chief financial officer.

    Airlines across the world have warned they face a fight for survival.

    In the UK, EasyJet has laid off its 4,000 UK-based cabin crew for two months. And Sir Richard Branson has appealed to the government to help bail out his Virgin Atlantic airline with a loan thought to be up to £500m.

    Elsewhere, Qantas has put 20,000 staff on leave, while Air Canada has done the same for about 15,200 employees. Norwegian Air has said it could run out of cash by mid-May. At American Airlines, about 4,800 pilots have agreed to take short-term leave on reduced pay and more than 700 are taking early retirement.

    We know the aviation industry is in the throes of an unprecedented crisis. But the announcement from IAG is chilling nonetheless – and not only because of the number of jobs at stake. That’s because the company is saying explicitly that it expects the recovery in the industry to be a very slow one, with passenger demand not reaching 2019 levels for “several years”.

    The airline can survive on its financial reserves for the moment – and take advantage of the government’s job retention scheme to furlough employees for a short period. Government support of this kind is very short term. With a quick recovery it might be enough to save a large number of jobs.

    Yet the prospect of that happening is deeply uncertain. It’s not clear when countries will remove travel restrictions, under what conditions people will be able to fly – or even if they’ll want to.

    IAG has now made it clear it’s expecting the industry to look very different in future to what was the norm until just a few weeks ago, and is taking action accordingly. But unions will disagree, and the company may find itself accused of over-reacting – or even of taking advantage of the crisis in order to reduce its cost base.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Coronavirus ‘will hasten the decline of cash,’ experts say

    Coronavirus will hasten the decline in the use of cash as people make a long-term switch to digital payments, experts say.

    The lockdown has led to a 60% fall in the number of withdrawals from cash machines, although people are taking out bigger sums.

    Payment card use has risen with online shopping, particularly for groceries.

    Experts say the long-term future of cash could be at risk, before the UK is ready to cope with the change.

    This could leave behind an estimated 20% of the population who rely on cash, they say.

    About 11 million cash withdrawals are still being made each week, with £1bn taken out, according to Link, which oversees the UK’s cash machine network.

    Yet, with many shops as well as bars, cafes and restaurants closed, there is less demand for regular cash withdrawals. People are going out less, but potentially hoarding more cash.

    The average ATM withdrawal has risen from £65 last year, to £82 now.

    Cash use falling

    Following a survey of consumers, Link suggested that 75% of people were using less cash, and 54% of those asked said they were avoiding cash.

    There were reports early in the coronavirus outbreak about the spread of the virus on banknotes and coins. However, the Bank of England and World Health Organization have stressed that the risk is no greater than on any other items, and repeated the advice on regular hand washing.

    Some 76% of people asked in the survey said they expected to use cash less and move instead to other forms of payment, or online shopping more in the next six months.

    Natalie Ceeney, who authored a major report on access to cash, said that an estimated 30% of UK residents liked having cash as an option but, as a result of lockdown, may now be comfortable using other methods of payment. She described this as a “sticky habit”, which they could stay with in the future.

    With 50% of the population already operating predominantly cashless, that left only 20% who relied on notes and coins, many of whom were vulnerable.

    Their demand risked being insufficient for the providers of cash infrastructure, such as delivery and ATM services, to be profitable enough to survive. “The cash infrastructure could collapse before we are ready,” she said.

    But Martin Smith, from cash in transit company Pivotal, said: “It will be hard to judge the true impact of Covid-19 until businesses have reopened. The pandemic has certainly has not changed many of the key reasons why people use cash, including convenience and lack of access to bank accounts.”

    Will this be seen in future years as the crisis which finally ended our love affair with cash? Many shoppers are suspicious of handling it, worried about anything another person might have touched.

    Traders who used to wince if you showed them your plastic are happily bringing out their card readers from the back of the stall. These findings do also show that in uncertain times some cling to their notes and coins even more tightly.

    And they may be struggling to get hold of cash because they can’t leave their homes. But right now there seems little doubt the virus is speeding up the switch to electronic payments.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Boeing to reduce workforce by 10% as coronavirus batters airline industry

    Boeing announced sweeping cost-cutting measures Wednesday as it reported a first-quarter loss of $641 million after suffering a damaging hit to the airline business from the coronavirus pandemic.

    The aerospace giant plans to reduce its workforce by 10 percent through voluntary and involuntary layoffs, Chief Executive David Calhoun said in a message to employees that accompanied an earnings release.

    Boeing also will slash production of its main commercial planes, including the 787 and 777.

    “The aviation industry will take years to return to the levels of traffic we saw just a few months ago,” Calhoun said. “We have to prepare for that.”

    Calhoun said the job cuts would be deeper — more than 15 percent — in the commercial airplane and services divisions, as compared with defense and space systems, where business has been more stable.

    The company had 160,000 employees prior to the announcement, putting the downsizing at about 16,000 jobs.

    The quarterly loss of $641 million compared to profits of $2.1 billion in the same three-month period a year ago. Revenues fell 26.2 percent to $16.9 billion.

    And total debt at the end of the quarter had swelled to $38.9 billion, up from $27.3 billion at the end of December.

    Calhoun said the belt-tightening was needed to maintain adequate liquidity at a time when revenues are depressed, adding that the company is “exploring potential government funding options” in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis.

    Shares rallied following the announcements, including Boeing’s statement that it “will be able to obtain sufficient liquidity to fund its operations.”

    Potential US government aid

    Boeing has previously called for $60 billion in government support for the US aerospace industry. The federal CARES Act stimulus package included $17 billion aimed at the company.

    Calhoun said the company would weigh potential support from the US Treasury against private sources, noting that credit markets have improved since the CARES Act was passed and as the Fed moves to inject cash into the system.

    “We’re going to evaluate all these options,” Calhoun said Wednesday in an interview with CNBC.

    “We need liquidity.”

    Executives also said the company hopes to maintain its investment-grade credit rating.

    Late Wednesday, S&P again downgraded the company’s credit ratings one notch, citing a bigger cash outflow than previously expected.

    However, Boeing, which was also downgraded in December and March, is still investment grade under the S&P rubric.

    Factors in the first-quarter loss included “abnormal production costs” connected to the temporary suspension of Washington state manufacturing operations due to COVID-19 and the suspension of production of the 737 MAX, which has been grounded worldwide for more than a year following two deadly crashes.

    Boeing said the pandemic has hit demand for new planes and services, with airlines delaying purchases of jets, slowing delivery schedules and deferring elective maintenance.

    The company this year will cut production of the 787 to 10 a month from 14, and gradually reduce that to seven a month by 2022. It also will trim output of the 777 and lower its targets for the 737 MAX.

    “We have done a tremendous job of increasing our production rates and services offerings in recent years,” Calhoun said.

    “But the sharp reduction in our demand for our products and services over the next several years simply won’t support the higher levels of output.”

    Job cuts

    Regarding the job cuts, the company notified 70,000 workers they were eligible for voluntary departures.

    Calhoun said involuntary departures are “likely,” but the outcome will depend on how many workers step forward within the next few weeks.

    “We are hoping to get a reasonably large number out of that for no other reasons than to minimize the number of involuntary” job cuts, Calhoun said.

    Calhoun told CNBC the company has made progress with regulators on the MAX, but that “there is still a mountain of documents that have to be completed.”

    The jet has been grounded since March 2019 following two crashes that killed 346 people.

    On a conference call with analysts, Calhoun said the company expects to resume MAX deliveries in the third quarter. Boeing currently has some 450 MAX planes in storage.

    Calhoun said MAX customers have varied in their preference for delivery, with some seeking to push back and others wanting the plane as soon as possible.

    The CEO expects the coronavirus crisis to prompt more airlines to retire older planes and seek newer models that, like the MAX, are more fuel-efficient.

    Boeing’s share price jumped 5.9 percent to close at $139.

    Source: france24.com

  • France enters recession as GDP falls by record 5.8% in first quarter

    France’s gross domestic product contracted 5.8 percent in the first quarter and is officially in a recession, mainly because of the coronavirus lockdown imposed since mid-March, the national statistics agency said Thursday.

    The drop is the biggest since quarterly GDP evaluations began in 1949, exceeding the third quarter 1.6 percent drop in 2009 and the 5.3 percent contraction in the second quarter of 1968, the agency said.

    Following the 0.1 percent French GDP fall in the last quarter of 2019, the result confirms that France is in a recession.

    The drop in activity “is mainly linked to the stop in non-essential activities as part of the lockdown imposed from mid-March”, the agency said.

    The evaluation falls in line with that of France’s central bank, which in early April estimated a contraction of around six percent in the first quarter.

    Source: france24.com

  • US ‘hasn’t seen’ North Korean leader Kim Jong-un recently, Mike Pompeo

    US officials “haven’t seen” North Korean leader Kim Jong-un recently and are watching reports about his health “closely”, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said.

    He also expressed concern that the hermit state could be hit either by the coronavirus outbreak or a famine.

    Mr Kim, 36, last appeared in state media on 12 April, triggering speculation that he was seriously ill.

    But officials in South Korea later said such reports were not true.

    There have also been suggestions that North Korea’s “supreme leader” may be staying at the sea resort of Wonsan to protect himself from possible exposure to coronavirus.

    The secretive state shut its borders in late January due to the pandemic.

    What did Mike Pompeo say?

    Asked on Wednesday by Fox News to comment on the recent reports on Mr Kim’s health, Mr Pompeo said: “We haven’t seen him. We don’t have any information to report today, we’re watching it closely.

    “There is a real risk that there will be a famine, a food shortage, inside of North Korea too,” he added.

    “We’re watching each of those things closely, as they have a real impact on our mission set, which to ultimately denuclearise North Korea,” the secretary of state said.

    In the 1990s, a devastating famine is believed to have killed hundreds of thousands of North Koreans.

    On Monday, President Donald Trump said he had a “very good idea” about Mr Kim’s condition, but added that “I can’t talk about it”.

    “I just wish him well,” he added.

    Mr Trump has met Mr Kim three times since 2018 – but the denuclearisation talks have stalled in recent months.

    When did speculation start?

    Kim Jong-un recently failed to appear for the celebration of his grandfather’s birthday on 15 April. This is one of the biggest events of the year, marking the birth of the nation’s founder.

    Kim Jong-un has never missed this event – and it seemed very unlikely that he would simply choose not to turn up.

    Inevitably, his absence prompted speculation and rumour, none of which is easy to substantiate.

    Kim Jong-un last appeared in state media on 12 April “inspecting a pursuit assault plane group” in a handout that is undated. As ever, the images portrayed him as relaxed and at ease.

    He chaired a key political meeting the day before, from state media despatches. But he has not been seen since.

    The claim about Mr Kim Jong-un’s ill health first surfaced in a report for a website run by North Korean defectors earlier this month.

    An anonymous source told the Daily NK that they understood he had been struggling with cardiovascular problems since last August “but it worsened after repeated visits to Mount Paektu”.

    This led to a chain of reporting by international media on a single-sourced story.

    News agencies then began to run with that claim, and it was all they had until some reports emerged that intelligence agencies in South Korea and the US were monitoring the claim.

    But then came a more sensational headline in US media that the North Korean leader was in a critical condition after heart surgery.

    However, a statement from the South Korean government, and sources at Chinese intelligence – speaking to the Reuters news agency – said this was not true.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Lilwin toys with Ghanaians; goes live to talk about COVID-19 & Despite Media

    Ghanaian comic actor Kwadwo Nkansah professionally known as Lilwin has deceived Ghanaians to come watch his live video on his social media pages just to advertise for Despite Media and his private pages instead of addressing the issue at hand.

    Many Ghanaians trooped to watch the live stream of the comedian for the much anticipated response meant for his colleague Funny face who has been attacking him and two others; Kalybos and Bismark the joke. But unfortunately, Lilwin came on live video to educate the public on COVID-19 and also to advertise for Despite Media.

    In about thirty minutes live video on his official pages, Lilwin was seen educating people on COVID-19 and some preventive measures to keep people safe from getting infected.

    He was also seen advertise some products from Despite Media. He advertised products like Neat fufu flour, special drinks, This way chocolate drink and special ice water. He was also seen promoting his pages and called out to people to subscribe to his pages.

    Most fans who came to watch his live video expressed their disappointments in him as they thought he would address the pending issue between himself and Funny face.

    While some called him names like greedy and a coward, others also thought it was right he avoided the attack from funny face.

     

    View this post on Instagram

     

    #funny #officiallilwin #funnyfaces #comedy #kumawood

    A post shared by The BBC Ghana (@officialbbcghana) on


    Source: www.ghgossip

  • Rishi Kapoor: Bollywood’s romantic hero dies at 67

    Veteran Bollywood actor Rishi Kapoor, famed for his romantic roles, has died of cancer aged 67.

    He was part of the Kapoor acting dynasty which has long dominated Bollywood, the Hindi film industry.

    The actor made a huge splash in 1973 with his first lead role in Bobby – a teenage love story.

    He played the romantic lead in dozens of films for over two decades, after which he made a successful transition to character roles.

    Rishi Kapoor debuted as a child actor in 1970 in his father Raj Kapoor’s film, Mera Naam Joker.

    Several of his films in the 1980s and 90s – Khel Khel Mein, Karz and Chandni – became massive box-office hits.

    He had a second coming in this decade, doing character roles and interesting cameos in small films.

    The actor’s death comes a day after the passing away of Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan.

    Kapoor was diagnosed with cancer in 2018 and returned to India last September after a year-long treatment in New York.

    He was taken to hospital on Wednesday morning after he complained of breathing difficulties, his brother Randhir Kapoor told Press Trust of India.

    Tributes have been pouring in for Kapoor from his fellow Bollywood actors and politicians.

    Amitabh Bachchan who worked in several hit films with Kapoor tweeted: “He’s GONE .. ! Rishi Kapoor .. gone .. just passed away .. I am destroyed !”

    Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi also tweeted about his death: “This is a terrible week for Indian cinema, with the passing of another legend, actor Rishi Kapoor. A wonderful actor, with a huge fan following across generations, he will be greatly missed.”

    Kapoor himself, was also prolific on Twitter, frequently commenting on controversial issues and sometimes getting into heated exchanges with people on the social media platform.

    His last tweet was an appeal to people not to attack medical staff at the frontlines of the fight against the coronavirus saying, “we have to win this war together”.

    Source: bbc.com

  • 88 Hospitals: Akufo-Addo scoring cheap political points – Alex Segbefia

    Former Minister for Health, Alex Segbefia says President Akufo-Addo’s recent hospital pledge has opened a political door which is unfortunate. President Akufo-Addo in his 8th COVID-19 address to the nation promised to build some 88 hospitals within a year to boost Ghana’s health sector.

    The National Democratic Congress (NDC) member says he has followed all the addresses given by the President on COVID-19 but the recent pledge to build some 88 hospitals was to score political points.

    “I think that up until the point where the President entered into politics with his presentation he was encouraging Ghanaians and trying to unite as people, putting out strategies and measures adopted by the government but it took a different turn when he delved into politics and talked about health infrastructure, I think it was a deviation from how he delivered his speeches, he opened a political door which should not have been opened.”

    On Monday Ranking Member on Health Committee Kwabena Mintah Akandoh also accused the President Akufo-Addo of using COVID-19 pandemic to do a general campaign for the upcoming 2020 elections.

    President Akufo-Addo in his 8th national address to the nation on measure his government is taking to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic said 88 district and 6 regional hospitals would be constructed within a year.

    Ever since the President made this promise, there has been divided opinions as some believe it is in the right direction and can be achieved, others also say this will not be possible as the government has not been able to do much in terms of infrastructure in the health sector.

    : 

     

    Source: Prime News Ghana

  • Ghana International Book Fair postponed to next year

    The Planning Committee for the Ghana International Book Fair (GIBF) has postponed the 18th edition of the fair from the initial date of August 2730, 2020 to August 2629, 2021 due to the global pandemic.

    The Committee said it considered the current circumstances regarding the pandemic and its devastating effects on life, health and the economy of all sectors.

    A statement signed by Mr Asare Konadu Yamoah, the Chairman of the Ghana International Book Fair, said the decision was made after a meeting held on Monday April 27.

    The statement said human health was a priority and that upon critical assessment of the situation, the outbreak of the disease would have adverse effects on the success of the book fair should it be held on the original date.

    “We have, therefore, taken the difficult decision to wait no further but act now to enable both indigenous and international exhibitors and visitors as well as the general public to rethink their plans,” it said.

    The statement said when the disease is fully contained and all restrictions on social gatherings are lifted by the government, the Committee intends to organise a National Book Exhibition in Accra and two other satellite regional book fairs in Kumasi and Koforidua within the last quarter of the year.

    This, the Committee believes, would give Ghanaians the opportunity to buy new textbooks for KG to Primary 6, SHS textbooks and supplementary readers for all levels.

    The statement said the date for these regional book fairs would be announced later.

    It urged Government and all the global institutions that are leading efforts to stem the pandemic to continue their vigorous programmes to save lives and ensure that the basic economic conditions were not eroded
    It also urged all to follow the laid down protocols announced by government to ensure that all citizens stayed healthy and safe.

    The Ghana International Book Fair is an annual event organised to celebrate the rich Ghanaian culture through books.

    The main goal behind organising the Book Fair is to bring together all book industry players (both local and international) including publishers, editors, authors/ writers, designers, illustrators, printers, librarians, booksellers, students, teachers and a host of allied organisations, to showcase innovations that have occurred in the publishing industry, to share ideas, foster strong links, explore business opportunities and enhance the visibility and recognition of players in the book industry.

    The fair aims at exposing readers to a wide array of books and other educational materials, thus creating literacy awareness and inculcating into the general public especially children and young adults reading and writing habits through impactful reading programmes held annually.

    Source: GNA

  • Coronavirus: Trump says China wants him to lose re-election

    US President Donald Trump has said China “will do anything they can” to make him lose his re-election bid, stepping up his criticism of Beijing amid the coronavirus pandemic.

    In a White House interview with Reuters news agency, he said Beijing faced a “lot” of possible consequence from the US for the outbreak.

    He said China should have let the world know about the contagion much sooner.

    Mr Trump himself is often accused of not doing enough to tackle the crisis.

    The coronavirus has ravaged a formerly humming US economy that had been the president’s main selling point for his re-election campaign in November.

    Mr Trump, who has waged a trade war with China, offered no specifics about how he might act against Beijing.

    He told Reuters: “There are many things I can do. We’re looking for what happened.”

    Mr Trump added: “China will do anything they can to have me lose this race.”

    The Republican president said he believes Beijing wants his likely Democratic challenger Joe Biden to win in November’s election.

    Mr Trump also said he is sceptical of data indicating Mr Biden would win.

    “I don’t believe the polls,” the president said. “I believe the people of this country are smart. And I don’t think that they will put a man in who’s incompetent.”

    US media reported earlier in the day that Mr Trump had erupted at political advisers last Friday evening about internal polling that showed him losing in critical states.

    His aides have doubts about whether Mr Trump will win crucial battlegrounds such as Florida, Wisconsin and Arizona, while some of his re-election team have all but given up hope of success in Michigan, according to the Associated Press news agency.

    “I’m not losing to Joe Biden,” Mr Trump reportedly said, inserting an expletive, during a conference call with campaign officials.

    The US president also reportedly snapped at his campaign manager, Brad Parscale, who had called in from Florida.

    He cursed at Mr Parscale and at one point mentioned suing him, according to CNN and the Washington Post, though it is unclear how serious was his threat of legal action.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Selling Arthur would be a mistake – Barcelona urged

    Former Barcelona technical director Robert Fernandez says it would be a “mistake’ for Arthur to leave the club amid links to Juventus.

    Fernandez was responsible for bringing Arthur to the club in 2018 as Barcelona signed the Brazilian midfielder from Gremio.

    The 23-year-old has made 67 appearances for Barcelona so far, but Goal can confirm that Juventus are keen on signing Arthur, and would be willing to explore a swap deal with the Catalan club.

    Arthur has insisted that he wants to stay with the club amid interest from the Serie A champions, despite being “flattered” by the prospect of an offer.

    And Fernandez, who was also responsible for the signing of Philippe Coutinho from Liverpool, says it would be a mistake for the midfielder to leave.

    “I don’t think Arthur is leaving. We are going through a particular moment where a lot of news is not checked well enough,” Fernandez told Goal .

    “I sincerely think it would be a mistake if he is sold because he is a young player. When we signed him we paid a large amount due to his qualities, age and projection. We thought he was going to have big growth at Barca and now I think he deserves a better status.

    “His first season was good but, after that, he hasn’t been driven towards favourable situations. In addition, he suffered some small injuries which probably made it harder to have continuity in the starting line-up but we are still speaking about a player with huge individual skill, with Barcelona DNA even if he didn’t grow in La Masia.

    “He is a player who has everything to become an important player.”

    Arthur made 44 appearances last campaign, helping Barcelona claim La Liga in his first season in Spain.

    This season, though, Arthur has been limited to just 23 appearances, although he has added four goals to his tally after failing to score in his first season with Barca.

    Fernandez says that the midfielder is in need of more continuity and more games if he is to find the comfort needed to be at his best.

    Arthur Melo Barcelona

    “He must find the coach able to bring out the football he has inside,” he said.

    “He did great with Valverde in his first season, the coach found the ideal role for him next to Busquets but he hasn’t had continuity in this season. The first season is used to be the adaptation one and he did great. He played very well at a high level and we were all delighted with him.

    “I can’t understand discussing a player who not long ago made you happy. I think when something was working and is now not at his best, it is important to keep the same perception and style.

    “If he played well in the first season, why didn’t he reach that level in the second one? I’ve seen he doesn’t finish the games and this is a big mistake, it brings you to an uncomfortable situation. You can think about a player that he is not in a good physical rhythm but to increase it, you must make him suffer and to play 90 minutes.

    “I hope he gets brought in more in the next season and he can become the important player he must be because he has an extraordinary quality and pure FCB DNA.”

    When playing at a club like Barcelona, rumours will always be something you have to deal with as the club are often linked with big transfer moves.

    And, with rumours surrounding Arthur continuing to swirl, Fernandez hopes that the midfielder looks to Ivan Rakitic as an example on how to deal with exit reports.

    “I hope it doesn’t affect Arthur. The people around him should help him to remember the important things in life, as Rakitic did last season,” he said.

    “Ivan is a player with a great personality and is used to playing in very difficult situations but nobody likes to read in the newspapers the club is thinking of selling you. It is not easy at all for a player in such a situation and such an experience.

    “Players must be protected so it would be good if these things could be quickly denied because it is not good for them. It can only make the player angry and to lower his concentration and performances.”

    Source: goal.com

  • Ghana records 403 new cases of Coronavirus, tally now 2074

    The number of COVID-19 cases in Ghana has increased to 2,074.

    This means that 403 new cases have been recorded in the country.

    The Ghana Health Service (GHS) announced the new figures on Thursday morning.

    One more person has also succumbed to the virus, according to the Ghana Health Service. This pegs the death toll at 17. The number of recoveries has also increased from 188 to 212.

    Out of the 2074 cases, 62% are males while 38% are females. 12% have history of travel with the remaining 88% having no clear history of travel.

    Regional breakdown

    Count of Cases per Region

    (Case Count from Highest to Lowest)

  • Hollywood to allegedly sign actor Too Much of Junka Town for their upcoming movie

    A report sighted by GHBase.com on oneminutegh reports on how Ghanaian comic and aggressive actor of Junka Town fame, Too Much has been signed by Hollywood for a new seasonal movie.

    The move came as a result of a tip from some producers who advised the English side to sign the Ghanaian Fante Actor.

    Information indicates that the veteran actor is to play the role of a Mexican mafia and a drug god. He is expected to fight the last battle with the “jack”.

    As at the moment, the managers of the actor are yet to sit up with Hollywood to check on other things before the sign up can be completed.

    Source: ghbase.com

  • After all my hardwork, movie producers still pay me peanuts Adwoa Smart laments

    Veteran Ghanaian actress, Belinda Naa Ode Oku, Popularly known as Adwoa Smart has bitterly lamented on how movie producers pay her peanuts after shooting a movie.

    According to the diminutive actress, during an interview on Bryt TV,  her time in the movie industry demands that she gets paid huge sums of money for every role she played but that was not the case.

    Adwoa Smart further lamented that, the new producers in the industry are stingy when it comes to paying actors their wages.

    “These new film producers do not treat me with respect….People just wake up one day and claim to be producers……They pay other actors huge sums of money and pay me a peanut. Do you think I deserve this?” she quizzed.

    Adwoa Smart became a TV sensation when she was casted on the local series “Efiewura” which was aired at TV3.

    Source: ghbase.com

  • Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds announce birth of son

    Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his fiancee Carrie Symonds have announced the birth of a son.

    A spokeswoman for the PM and his partner said both mother and baby are “doing very well”.

    It is understood Mr Johnson, who has just recovered from coronavirus, was present throughout the birth, at an NHS hospital in London.

    But he has now returned to work in Downing Street, No 10 said, where he is leading the response to the pandemic.

    He is expected to take a “short period” of paternity leave at some point later this year, Downing Street said.

    The couple have received messages of congratulation from across the political spectrum, and Mr Johnson’s father Stanley said he was “absolutely delighted” and “thrilled” by the birth of his grandson.

    Downing Street declined to say whether the baby was born prematurely, and did not provide details of the weight, timing, nature or location of the birth.

    “The PM and Ms Symonds would like to thank the fantastic NHS maternity team,” Downing Street said.

    The Queen has sent a private message of good wishes to the couple to congratulate them on the birth of their son, Buckingham Palace said.

    The PM’s weekly audience with the the Queen is due to take place later by telephone.

    ‘Worrying week’ Mr Johnson, 55, and Ms Symonds, 32, announced in March that they were expecting a baby in “early summer”, and that they had become engaged at the end of last year.

    They are the first unmarried couple to move into Downing Street together.

    The baby is Ms Symonds’ first child, while Mr Johnson is known to have fathered five.

    The family are planning to continue living in the flat above Number 11 Downing Street and it’s understood their dog, Dilyn, will also be remaining in residence.

    Mr Johnson returned to work on Monday, after a battle with coronavirus which saw him spend three nights in intensive care. Ms Symonds also suffered symptoms of the disease.

    Ms Symonds said on social media that she had spent a “worrying” week in bed with the symptoms of the virus while the PM was self-isolating with the the disease.

    ‘Wonderful news’ She later sent Mr Johnson baby scans and daily messages while he was in hospital, to keep his morale up.

    Australian prime minister Scott Morrison and Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe were among the first international leaders to offer their congratulations.

    Mr Johnson’s Conservative colleagues have also been congratulating the couple on social media, with Health Secretary Matt Hancock saying: “So thrilled for Boris and Carrie. Wonderful to have a moment of unalloyed joy!”

    Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer also offered his congratulations on the “wonderful news”.

    Whatever their political differences, he said at Prime Minister’s Questions, “as human beings I think we all recognise the anxiety that the prime minister and Carrie must have gone through in these past few weeks – unimaginable anxiety.

    “I really hope that this brings them incredible relief and joy.”

    Sir Keir’s spokesman said the Labour leader had held “constructive talks” about the coronavirus crisis with the prime minister, by telephone, on Wednesday afternoon.

    Key workers There was speculation that Mr Johnson would take part in his first Prime Minister’s Questions since recovering from coronavirus on Wednesday.

    But his place was taken Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who has been deputising for him.

    Mr Raab said: “I’m sure the whole House will want to join with me in sending congratulations and our very best wishes to them.”

    He also paid tribute to the key workers who have lost their lives fighting coronavirus and wished a happy 100th birthday to Captain Tom Moore who has raised over £29m for the NHS.

    The four children from Mr Johnson’s second marriage, to barrister Marina Wheeler, are in their 20s. He was reported to have reached a divorce settlement with Ms Wheeler in February.

    The new arrival is the third baby born to a serving prime minister in recent history.

    Cameron’s congratulations Tony Blair’s wife Cherie gave birth to son Leo in May 2000, three years after her husband’s first election victory, and David Cameron and wife Samantha welcomed daughter Florence in 2010.

    Mr Cameron tweeted his “heartfelt congratulations” to Mr Johnson and Ms Symonds, adding: “Sam and I are thrilled for you both! Sorry we didn’t leave the cot – but the climbing frame should still be in the garden!”

    Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: “Some good news – sending congratulations to Carrie and the PM. And wishing health and happiness to the wee one.”

    Arlene Foster, the First Minister of Northern Ireland, congratulated the couple, adding: “More sleepless nights ahead!”

    Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle congratulated Mr Johnson and Ms Symonds “on behalf of everyone in the House of Commons,” adding: “Such happy news amid so much uncertainty – 2020 is certainly a year they will never forget.”

    The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, tweeted his congratulations and prayers for the couple “as they welcome their son into the world”.

    Source: reuters.com

  • Tupac Shakur: Kentucky governor apologises over benefits error

    The governor of Kentucky has apologised to a man named Tupac Shakur, after he filed for unemployment and was wrongly labelled a prankster.

    Alas for fans of the popular US rapper, whose 1996 death sparked years of conspiracy theories, it appears the applicant wasn’t him – but a man who changed his name by deed poll.

    On Monday, Governor Andy Beshear said dubious claims were slowing the benefits process.

    “Can’t be doing that,” he told media.

    “We had somebody apply for unemployment for Tupac Shakur here in Kentucky,” Mr Beshear said.

    “And that person may have thought they were being funny, they probably did. Except for the fact that because of them, we had to go through so many other claims.”

    The criticism came as a shock to Tupac Malik Shakur, 46, who reportedly lives in Lexington, Kentucky, and had worked as a cook before the coronavirus pandemic closed down restaurants.

    Mr Shakur, who goes by Malik, filed for unemployment on 13 March and has since waited in vain for his cheque.

    “I’ve been struggling for the last month trying to figure out how to pay the bills,” he told the Lexington Herald-Leader.

    “I’m hurt, I’m really embarrassed and I’m shocked,” he added.

    Tupac-loving US public servant gets axed Mr Shakur said he had legally changed his name in about 1998, two years after the rapper, also known as 2Pac, was shot dead.

    When Governor Beshear learned of the error, he telephoned Mr Shakur to apologise.

    The cook said he appreciated the gesture, observing: “I understand, he’s dealing with a lot. Mistakes happen.”

    In a press conference on Tuesday, Mr Beshear promised the unemployment claim would now be addressed.

    “I told him how it happened, but I owned it,” he said. “It’s my fault. He was gracious. I said I’m sorry if I embarrassed him or caused him any attention he didn’t want, and he was very kind. He ended the call, ‘God bless.’”

    Almost 24% of the workforce in Kentucky has reportedly filed for unemployment, as coronavirus restrictions batter many employment sectors.

    The state was among those hit by anti-lockdown protests this month, as demonstrators demanded an end to stay-at-home measures.

    Figures released on Wednesday show the US economy suffered its most severe contraction in more than a decade in the first quarter of the year, as the country locked down to slow the spread of Covid-19.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Oscars change streaming rules amid battle for future of cinemas

    The body behind the Oscars has changed its rules so films that debut on streaming or video on demand services are eligible for next year’s awards.

    The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ current rules say films can only enter if they have been shown in a Los Angeles cinema for at least a week.

    But with cinemas shut during the coronavirus crisis, organisers said a “temporary” exception was necessary.

    Many film releases have been delayed, with others going straight to digital.

    “The Academy firmly believes there is no greater way to experience the magic of movies than to see them in a theatre,” said Academy president David Rubin and chief executive Dawn Hudson.

    “Nonetheless, the historically tragic Covid-19 pandemic necessitates this temporary exception to our awards eligibility rules.”

    The Academy said the exemption would end when cinemas reopen.

    In recent years, the Oscars have admitted films made by streaming services like Netflix and Amazon – but only if they have also had a cinema release.

    What the pandemic will mean for the Oscars?

    The way the Oscars were going to celebrate the films of 2020 was always going to be different. Now we know a little more about how that’s going to work. But the uncertainty about how cinemas will operate will still play a part in the mix of movies that will be competing.

    In some cases, the studios are choosing to simply delay the release of Academy Award hopefuls until next year in order to stand a better chance of turning a profit when the cinemas are more likely to be operating normally. For example, the big screen adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Broadway musical In The Heights has moved from June this year to June 2021.

    And while others are currently aiming at a release this year – like Christopher Nolan’s mind-bending drama Tenet and Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story – that could still change in the coming months. Especially if, when cinemas do reopen widely, there are large scale restrictions on audience sizes for a significant period.

    At the same time, smaller budget independent movies might find that adjusting their plans from a theatrical release to a digital one before the end of the year works better financially for them than a long delay. The streaming giants like Netflix are likely to be the least affected.

    So the 2021 Oscars could see a different balance of fewer studio movies and more independent films, with the streamers continuing to make strong advances. But the uncertainty about the rest of the year, and the possibility of the Academy Awards making further changes such as amending the eligibility period, means that right now no one can be sure exactly what the next Oscars will look like.

    The rule change comes amid an escalating row about how films are released.

    Universal Pictures recently launched Trolls World Tour online and brought forward the on-demand release date of some other titles.

    The movie studio has since suggested this policy will continue after cinemas reopen, prompting one major chain to say it would ban its films in its cinemas.

    Such a boycott would have an impact on such future Universal releases as Fast & Furious 9 and James Bond film No Time to Die.

    They are both among the blockbusters that have had their scheduled releases put back as a result of the pandemic.

    Before the current upheaval, studios waited 90 days after a cinema opening to release their films digitally.

    Universal has arguably led the way in changing this model by recently bringing forward the VOD releases of such titles as Emma, The Hunt and The Invisible Man.

    Recent UK releases like Military Wives and Misbehaviour have also been released digitally much earlier than would have normally been the case.

    Meanwhile, as well as changing its rules to accommodate streamed films, the Academy has also decided to merge its two sound awards into a single category.

    From 2021, there will be a single award for best sound instead of separate awards for sound mixing and sound editing.

    The 93rd Academy Awards will be held in Los Angeles on 28 February 2021.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Could more be done to avoid care home deaths?

    The Mirror’s Dan Bloom asks whether deaths in care homes may have been avoided if more rigorous testing and screening had been carried out and residents who were discharged from hospital had been routinely tested before 16 April.

    Mr Raab says the government will learn lessons from this unique and unprecedented public health crisis, including for care homes.

    He says the objective has been to monitor and manage the “ebb and flow” of the transmission of the virus in care homes.

    Prof Doyle says it is an interesting question. She suggests a high mortality rate in care homes was to be expected given that over-75s were particularly vulnerable to high doses of the virus.

    However, she says a future review of the handling of the crisis will look at the “structure of care homes”.

    Source: bbc.com

  • India coronavirus: The man giving dignified burial to Covid-19 victims

    For three decades, Abdul Malabari has been an undertaker for unclaimed bodies. But he never thought he would have to bury people whose families wanted to say goodbye but couldn’t because of Covid-19. BBC Gujarati’s Shaili Bhatt reports.

    “My work has no fixed timings,” says the 51-year-old undertaker. “As soon as we get a call, we proceed with the kit.”

    Every time someone dies of coronavirus in Surat – in India’s western state of Gujarat – officials call Mr Malabari. So far the city has recorded 19 deaths, and 244 active cases. There are 3,548 in Gujarat.

    “In such difficult times, Abdul bhai [brother] has been of great help,” says Ashish Naik, Surat’s deputy commissioner.

    Mr Malabari says this is his job, and so he agreed to do it, despite the risk. His team now eat and sleep at the office of their charities, to protect their families from infection.

    It is not the first time Mr Malabari has gone above and beyond for people he does not know. It was his compassion for a stranger three decades ago – when a different disease was snaking its way through the population – which led to his work today.

    The stranger’s name was Sakina, and she was suffering from HIV. Her husband and son had brought her to hospital, but then disappeared. Efforts to track them down after her death proved fruitless.

    And so, she had been lying in the morgue for a month. Local officials were desperate, and put an appeal out for a Muslim volunteer who would take on her burial.

    Mr Malabari, then just 21, was touched by the advert and decided to help. He contacted the only organisation in Surat that was burying unclaimed bodies, but they told him the man who did the job was travelling so they would have to wait for him to return.

     

    Source: bbc.com

  • After two years on remand, two men regain freedom

    Two men accused of robbing three residents at Akporman in the Ga East District of the Greater Accra region in 2018 have been acquitted and discharged by the Accra Circuit Court.

    Samuel Plange, alias Tugah and Issah Alhassan spent two years on remand but were set free Wednesday after the court ruled that the prosecution failed to establish prima facie against them.

    The court, presided over by Ms Afia Owusuaa Appiah, held that the prosecution was unable to establish that it was actually the two accused persons who committed the robbery.

    No case
    During the trial, the prosecution called the investigator as the only witness to prove its case. This was due to the fact that the complainants who claim the accused persons robbed them failed to testify because they had moved out of the country.

    After the prosecution had closed its case, counsel for the accused persons, Mr Andrew Vortia, filed a submission of no case against the prosecution.

    He argued that the testimony of the investigator was riddled with inconsistencies and also the prosecution failed to present any evidence linking his clients to the robbery.

    In its ruling, the court upheld the submission of no case filed by counsel.

    “Prosecution failed to fulfill the fundamental ingredient of ascertaining the identity of the accused as those who committed the robbery.

    “No prima facie case has been established against the accused persons. They are therefore, acquitted and discharged per Section 173 of the Criminal and other Offences (Procedure Act), 1960 (Act 30).”

    Section 173 of Act 30 stipulates that “Where at the close of the evidence in support of the charge, it appears to the Court that a case is not made out against the accused sufficiently to require the accused to make a defence, the Court shall, as to that particular charge, acquit the accused.”

    Advice
    After acquitting the two accused persons, the presiding judge advised them to be careful with the sort of friends they mingled with.

    According to her, failure of the material witnesses to testify made it difficult for the prosecution to prove its case, and, therefore, they should be careful in life and never do anything that would make them suspects of a crime.

    “You have your years ahead of you, utilize it well. Just be very careful with your associations,” she said.

    Jubilations
    Family members of the Plange and Alhassan broke into wild jubilation when their beloved were set free by the court.

    Ignoring social distancing protocols, they hugged lawyer Vortia and the two discharged persons when they came out of the courtroom.

     

    Source: Graphic.com.gh 

  • Household Registry begins emergency data collection

    The Ghana National Household Registry (GNHR) has commenced an emergency data collection on poor and vulnerable persons in the Greater Accra Region.

    Dr Prosper Laari, the GHHR National Coordinator, stated at a press briefing in Accra that the exercise was part of measures by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection to update its data on the poor and vulnerable in Accra.

    Dr Laari indicated that the current pandemic had rendered many people vulnerable.

    That, he noted, called for the need to upgrade data on the vulnerable groups to reflect the present status of the target beneficiaries for social protection programmes in the country.

    “An updated data will help government to adequately and rapidly plan and budget towards the social welfare services to provide for vulnerable groups during emergency situations and beyond,” he said.

    Dr Laari said GNHR would adopt the census approach with enumerators who would visit various households and use a well-structured data intake questionnaire to collect socio-economic data on members.

    He explained that the Registry would afterwards categorise the households and individuals into poor and non-poor, after which social interventions could use their own eligibility criteria to determine the beneficiaries to include in their programmes.

    Dr Laari further explained that the Gender Ministry would continue to provide the field staff with the needed Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) and regularly brief them on the need to observe social distancing protocols so as not to put themselves and the respondents at risk of contracting the COVID-19.

    The GNHR data collection exercise is being sponsored by the World Bank and Department of International Development, United Kingdom.

    Since its establishment, the GNHR has successfully completed data collection in the Upper West and Upper East regions, which were among the poorest regions in the country.

    Dr Laari said the two regions presently had comprehensive data on the poor and vulnerable, which could be used to identify beneficiaries for social protection interventions, and to provide relief services during an emergency like the current COVID-19 pandemic.

    He said similar exercises would be carried out in the Northern, North East, Savannah, Central and Volta regions by the end of December 2020.

    The National Household Registry is a Unit under the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection with the mandate to compile a register of the poor and vulnerable for social protection programmes.

     

    Source: GNA  

  • Coronavirus: FDA cautions against use of substandard face masks

    Mr Abu Sumaila, Western Regional Head of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has cautioned the public against the use of substandard face masks as a means to stem the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    He contended that though it was better to be in a mask than to have nothing on at all, people may contaminate themselves when they use substandard masks coupled with incorrect use of the face mask, which carried a high risk of infection.

    He further cautioned that homemade masks with strings to be tied behind the neck or head were not encouraged, while adult masks must not be worn by children (child-appropriate length masks must be worn by children).

    He noted that since the Minister of Health directed the use of mandatory masks or face coverings when going out, whether sick or not or attending to a sick person, and in all public places where it may be difficult to maintain social distancing, substandard masks had flooded the markets.

    Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in his office, Mr. Sumaila hinted that soon his outfit would clamp down on those producing the fake ones and urged those who sought to produce it to contact his office for registration and approval before production.

    He pointed out that all homemade masks must meet the minimum standards of safety as prescribed by the Ministry of Health and approved by the FDA and must be made with a wax print cloths or calico inlaid with fabric stiffens in between them.

    According to him, though the standard ones may be sold at a higher fee, it was better to spend more on what would secure their safety than to spend less and only to be at risk.

    He therefore urged the public to check if they have FDA registration numbers on them and whether they were triple-layered and inner covered with side loops to be worn as hooks to the ear before they buy.

    Mr. Sumaila mentioned that the FDA in the Region had started a sensitization exercise to educate the public on the proper use of the face masks and the right type to buy for use.

    Source: GNA

  • Coronavirus: My son’s asthmatic killer doesn’t deserve to die in jail

    A woman in Argentina has written to authorities to support the release of her son’s killer from prison during the coronavirus pandemic, recognizing that his asthma puts him at risk.

    Silvia Ontivero had earlier contacted magistrates in February, urging the killer’s parole request be rejected.

    However, she said the current crisis had made her think again.

    “I have had rage. I have had hate. But I have never wished him dead,” she wrote in an open letter.

    On Tuesday, Argentina’s President Alberto Fernández endorsed a plan to protect prisoners by moving them to house arrest where possible.

    There have been riots in prisons across the country in recent weeks, amid fears that the virus could spread quickly within the overcrowded and poorly sanitised spaces.

    The president’s decision has caused controversy, with some fearing justice is being undone, while others insist the releases should be more widespread.

    Image copyrightGETTY IMAGES Image caption Prisoners rioted at Villa Devoto prison in Buenos Aires this week after its first Covid-19 case was diagnosed Silvia Ontivero’s son, Alejo Hunau, was murdered in the Andean city of Mendoza in 2004.

    Diego Arduino was sentenced to 16 years for the crime.

    In a hearing on Tuesday, Judge Mariana Gardey said Arduino was one of 400 prisoners in the Mendoza region considered at risk because of underlying health conditions.

    In an open letter released to the local press, Mrs Ontivero said she had thought long and hard, and come to support the idea of house arrest.

    “We are talking about something different now. A pandemic. There is overcrowding in prisons and I can imagine the fear that people inside are feeling,” she wrote.

    She also told the TN news site that keeping him in prison would be a death sentence, which was something she had always been against.

    Mrs Ontivero was a political prisoner for seven years during the country’s military dictatorship, which lasted from 1976 until 1983.

    She has previously said her incarceration gave her time to reflect and she wanted to be sure Arduino had enough time to do the same, and make himself a better man, which is why she had opposed an early release.

    Her son was a journalist and adviser to the government of Mendoza

    He was killed in his apartment, having been struck by a wine bottle.

    On Monday, a riot broke out at a prison in the Peruvian capital, Lima, leaving nine people dead. Prison authorities said it was an attempt by the inmates to “facilitate a mass breakout” after two prisoners died of Covid-19.

    UN Human Rights High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet, the former president of Chile, has called sanitary conditions in Latin American prisons “deplorable” and called for releases of less dangerous inmates.

    Chile and Colombia have released thousands of prisoners because of the pandemic. Last week, Mexico’s Senate approved a measure to take similar steps.

    El Salvador, however, has taken a hardline approach, insisting convicted gangsters are taking advantage of the pandemic.

    On Wednesday, there was further controversy in Argentina, after Carlos Capdevila, a doctor convicted of crimes against humanity, was among those to be granted house arrest.

    A judge said the 70-year-old prisoner, who worked at the notorious Esma detention centre during the dictatorship, was at risk from Covid-19 because of “high blood pressure, prostate cancer and motor difficulties”.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Coronavirus: National Tripartite Committee issues 10-point guidelines for workplaces

    The National Tripartite Committee comprising the representatives of Government, Employers and Organised Labour on Tuesday issued a 10-point guidelines for workplace safety as part of efforts to contain the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in the country.

    A joint communique signed by Mr Ignatius Baffour-Awuah, the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations; Mr Daniel Acheampong, President, Ghana Employers Association (GEA) and Dr Anthony Yaw Baah, General Secretary, Ghana Trades Union Congress (TUC), said the guidelines were reached during the National Tripartite Committee meeting held on April 21st, which was chaired by the Minister.

    The communique, which was presented at a press conference by Mr Baffour-Awuah, recommended that all employers should provide Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) and related facilities for the safety and health of workers, in compliance with the World Health Organisation (WHO) safety protocols and the Ministry of Health (MoH) guidelines.

    It urged employers to constitute Safety Committees to deal with all issues related to COVID-19 at workplaces.

    It recommended that employers should appoint Focal Persons to facilitate education of workers on the COVID-19; adding that such Focal Persons would also have the responsibility of liaising with health professionals in the event of an outbreak of the virus at the workplace. It appealed to employers to create an enabling environment for social distancing at workplaces and encourage their staff who could work from home to do so.

    The communique said Unions should collaborate with employers to ensure that workers comply with and observe strictly the WHO and the MoH enhanced hygiene and safety protocols; including wearing of facemasks. It encouraged Local Unions to educate workers on the shared responsibility of promoting personal safety to avoid spread of the COVID-19 at the workplace by wearing facemasks and ensuring personal and workplace hygiene at all times.

    It said employers and unions should collaborate and cooperate with the enterprise level through social dialogue to deal with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the sustainability of their respective enterprises.

    The Communique said the Labour Depart (LD) and the Department of Factories Inspectorate (DFI) should monitor compliance with the WHO and MoH COVID-19 safety protocols and guidelines in their workplace inspections.

    It noted that Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) COVID-19 Committees should intensify public education in their respective communities and ensure strict compliance with WHO protocols, Government and MoH guidelines on the COVID-19 pandemic. It also recommended that the Government policy on wearing of facemask at all public places must be strictly enforced by the relevant authorities.

    Mr Baffour-Awuah on behalf of the National Tripartite Committee lauded the frontline workers in the fight against COVID-19, especially those within the health fraternity and security services, who had contributed so much in making Ghana proud.

    He said in the event that should anything happen in the country that would require that another section of the population would have to also give off their best to society, the would take a cue from them (health workers and security forces).

    On his part Mr Acheampong expressed his gratitude to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for the bold and pragmatic decisions he had so far taken in the management of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    “It is indeed, gratifying to note that these decisions that the President had taken have all being on the basis of science and data.”

    He said it was the GEA’s confident expectation that all categories of employers would continue to be supported in one way or the other to enable them continue to offer sustainable employment to the theming workers of this country.

    Dr Baah said the focus of the guidelines was to prevent the spread of the virus at the workplace.

    “What happens at the workplace is extremely important because workers when they closed, they go back to their homes. So, if somebody should get the virus at the workplace automatically the family at home is also affected. So, the idea is to make sure that all workplaces are safe.”

    He appealed to workers to stay safe, support themselves and work with their employers and make sure that they sail through this crisis.

    Source: GNA

  • 53 uncompleted health facilities resurface after government denied abandoning Mahama projects

    Since the announcement by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to construct 94 districts and regional hospitals, about 53 abandoned, uncompleted health projects have surfaced in public discussions.

    The projects – mostly started during the erstwhile NDC administration, have been left unattended to by the Akufo-Addo administration, says the Coalition of NGOs in Health.

    Dr Gabriel Bernaku, the chairman of the Coalition told Joy FM that the latest figure forms part of their data collected by their various regional representatives as of April 29, 2020.

    “My regional representatives are able to give me at least 53 health facilities either completed and not commissioned or abandoned halfway,” he stated.

    Dr. Bernaku stated: “Many of these projects are normally between 60% [and] 100% complete and these are from 2017 to date.”

    He added: “We are mindful of two critical issues: …we have to continue and upgrade what has existed to allow communities to use them and then we add on,” he said.

    The Chairman of the Coalition of NGOs in Health suggested that President Akufo-Addo should redirect his attention to the uncompleted projects while effective plans are rolled out regarding the president’s current decision to build new district and regional hospitals.

    “The Coalition of NGOs in Health is not against government adding the 88 health facilities to the existing ones. We have been very clear from day-one since 2017 that government should add, as stipulated in their manifesto, so if they want to do more, so be it,” Dr Bernaku stressed.

    These latest revelations about abandoned health projects, also contradict the position by the health minister, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, when he told the press on Tuesday that the Akufo-Addo-led administration has “taken time and resources to complete” projects bequeathed to them.

     

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

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  • We’ll speak out when Nana Addo errs and eulogize him when he performs – Allotey Jacobs

    Former NDC Central Regional Chairman, Allotey Jacobs has commended President Nana Akufo-Addo for exercising the right leadership in fighting COVID-19 pandemic.

    Allotey Jacobs labeled the President as a ”matured leader” and was delighted that he has brought his maturity to bear during these trying times.

    Coronavirus (COVID-19) has become the bane of the world with nations worldwide finding ways to safeguard their citizenry from the virulent viral disease.

    The pandemic has driven leaders across the globe to take tough decisions though inconveniencing their citizens and woefully impacting economies but for a greater cause, such decisions had to be made irrespective.

    Of course, President Nana Akufo-Addo has not been spared from making difficult decisions either as he enforced a partial lockdown and restrictions on public gatherings, resulting in the closure of schools, churches and other relevant public activities that inject life into the spines of Ghanaians.

    It is however not out of place to say the happiness of many Ghanaians has been sapped, but once again, for the good of the nation and the health of all citizens, the President’s decisions have been found necessary to comply with.

    Ghana has since recorded 1671 cases of COVID-19 with 188 recoveries and 16 deaths, however, the infection rate is still one of the lowest in the world and this is primarily due to the government’s interventions in curtailing the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

    Contributing to a panel discussion on Peace FM’s ”Kokrokoo” on Wednesday, Allotey Jacobs told host Kwami Sefa Kayi that assessing world statistics on the impact of COVID-19; ”Ghana is doing very well.

    As a matter of fact, our State institutions confronting this pandemic; they’re doing very well, very [very] well ably supported by government because it is the government of the day. You can’t run away from that fact.

    Any measures that it will put in place, State institutions are following that procedure or that measures and it is in the right order…we’ve gone far”.

    He appreciated efforts by President Akufo-Addo to protect Ghanaians, stressing ”we are in a political age of maturity. So, we should look at Ghana first when issues are raised…We had the age of a visionary leader and we’re having an age of a matured leader.

    To sum up, all this is to move Ghana forward. When you explain yourself, it appears the young ones who have come up, I don’t know the force pushing them but they will not listen to wisdom or reasoning…This country has to move forward.

    So, we will speak out if someone does something good. I’m not a Spokesperson for President Nana Akufo-Addo but when he is doing right, I will commend him for it. When it is wrong, I will say it”.

    Source: Peace FM

  • 1-year-old boy drowns in a well

    A one-and-a-half-year-old boy who was playing with his siblings at Atasamanso, a suburb of Kumasi in the Ashanti Region, has drowned in a well.

    The mother of the victim, Serwaa Abrafi, said her child was rescued after half-an-hour of the incident and rushed to the Atasamanso hospital but was confirmed dead on arrival by medics.

    The incident occurred on Tuesday evening when the victim accidentally slipped and fell into the partially covered well when he attempted to mount it.

    The body of the deceased was later taken to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital for preservation and autopsy.

    Source: Class FM

  • COVID-19: Ashanti REGSEC to deal with persons aiding movement of foreigners

    The Ashanti Regional Security Council (REGSEC) has threatened to deal ruthlessly with persons facilitating the movement of foreigners into the Region without recourse to security protocols and checks.

    A statement signed by Simon Osei Mensah, the Ashanti Regional Minister, said: “anybody who is caught transporting foreigners into the Region in such large groups would be dealt with in accordance with the laws of the country”.

    It said considering the health and security implications this phenomenon posed to the Region, the REGSEC would go all out to ensure that all the preventive protocols and restrictive measures outlined by the government were implemented.

    The statement said a total of 221 foreigners who illegally migrated to the Region had been arrested and were currently in the custody of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS).

    It warned landlords who harboured such people to be careful since the country had its laws on immigration.

    It stressed the need for all to join hands in preventing the spread of COVID-19 and asked that all health and social distancing protocols ought to be observed strictly.

    “All groupings put together for playing cards, draught and football activities are indefinitely suspended and declared illegal under the present circumstances,” it noted.

    The statement reminded the public to wear face masks regularly in areas such as markets, hospitals, shops, restaurants, banks, workplaces and onboard commercial vehicles.

    Source: GNA

  • 20 Burkinabés arrested after entering Ghana illegally

    The Ghana Immigration Service has confirmed the arrest of 20 Burkina Faso nationals at the Babile inland post near Lawra in the Upper West Region.

    They were onboard an O.A branded bus with registration number AS 699- 09 from their home country en route to Sampa, Techiman and Kumasi on Tuesday, April 28, 2020, GIS officials told Dailymailgh.com.

    The ECOWAS nationals were, however, intercepted at about 19:00hrs by personnel at the Babile checkpoint, according to the Public Affairs Director of the Upper West Regional Immigration Service, ICO Ibn Yussif Duranah Abdul-Mumin.

    “Their migration into Ghana is an economic-related issue. They entered into the country through unapproved routes”, the Public Affairs Director explained.

    The suspects comprise 18 males and two females aged between 15 and 28 years. Officials say they will be detained for further action.

    The command, however, warned that it will deal ruthlessly with any Ghanaian aiding foreigners into the country.

    COVID-19: 221 foreign nationals arrested in Ashanti Region

    The Immigration Service appears to be making strides as Ghana tightens security at its territories in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic.

    The Ashanti Regional Security Council, for instance, has also confirmed the arrest of some 221 foreigners who have entered the country without proper documentation.

    It warned landlords who harboured such people to be careful since the country had its laws on immigration.

    Outlining measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Regional Minister Simon Osei-Mensah asked that all health and social distancing protocols ought to be observed strictly.

    “All groupings put together for playing cards, draught and football activities are indefinitely suspended and declared illegal under the present circumstances,” the Minister noted in a statement.

    The statement reminded the public to wear face masks regularly in areas such as markets, hospitals, shops, restaurants, banks, workplaces and onboard commercial vehicles.

    Source: Daily Guide Network

  • NYA calls for fast-tracking of work on Resource Centre

    Ms Francisca Oteng-Mensah, Board Chair of the National Youth Authority (NYA) has directed Wilkado Construction Limited, contractor working on the Ho Youth Resource Centre to speed up with work on the project.

    She said, she was not happy with the pace of work on the project and charged the construction firm to double efforts to complete the first phase of the project by June this year.

    He also instructed the contractors to also start working on the grass at the playing arena by next week.

    Mrs Oteng-Mensah, who said this when a team from the headquarters of NYA visited the project site to familiarise with the progress of work, said the timeline for completion of the Resource Centre before the end of 2020 still hold and asked the Contractor to speed up.

    The Centre, when completed would consist of recreational and skills training facilities including ICT halls, sports field for football and other sporting events on its multi-purpose platforms.

    It would have an eight-lane tartan tracks and seating capacity of 5,000.

    The Board Chair said, “We cannot disappoint the youth of this nation considering the enormous skills development potentials and talents that can be harnessed and nurtured when the facility is completed. So we want it done on time.”

    Mr Sylvester Matthew Tetteh, Chief Executive Officer of NYA said the Authority had fulfilled its side of the bargain and would not take excuses that would further delay the project, with the first phase costing GH¢ 12.3 million.

    He said some regions had already delivered and awaiting the next phase.

    Mr Theophilus Anaman Mensah, Director of Technical Projects of NYA said the next phase of the project would entail fixing of seats, building of fence walls, perimeter and construction of floodlights.

    He said the projects were being undertaken in 10 regions of the country with the newly created six regions coming on board later.

    Togbe Gbeworza I, Chief Executive Officer of the construction firm said they would work day and night to meet the deadline.

    Source: GNA

  • Community banishes 17-year-old boy for stealing

    A 17-year-old boy has been banished from the Tutukpene community in the Nkwanta South Municipality of the Oti Region for stealing.

    Mr Prosper Amoah, father of the boy, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that his son, a primary six pupil of the Tutukpene Municipal Assembly Basic School, was on Friday, April 24, allegedly caught breaking into a room, and was ousted by the community leaders, forbidding him from returning to the area.

    He said his son was taken to a nearby stream by the Chief and elders where he was ceremoniously banished – forced to cross the stream and had since not been seen.

    Mr Amoah said the Chief had barred everyone from trailing him.

    “They threatened to banish us also if we tried to follow him. I am very worried about the whereabouts of my son”, Mrs Afua Amoah, mother of the boy cried, appealing to relevant authorities to come to their aid.

    Nana Poku Antoh III, Paramount Chief of Tutukpene, debunked the incident when contacted by the GNA, saying “nothing of the sort occurred in my area.”

    Mr Innocent Komla Agbolosu, Head the Social Welfare Department in the Municipality said the purported banishment was unlawful, and promised to ensure that the incident was properly addressed.

     

    Source: GNA

  • Coronavirus: 221 foreigners arrested in Ashanti Region REGSEC

    The Ashanti Regional Security Council (REGSEC) has threatened to deal ruthlessly with persons facilitating the movement of foreigners into the Region without recourse to security protocols and checks.

    A statement signed by Simon Osei Mensah, the Ashanti Regional Minister, said: “anybody who is caught transporting foreigners into the Region in such large groups would be dealt with in accordance with the laws of the country”.

    It said considering the health and security implications this phenomenon posed to the Region, the REGSEC would go all out to ensure that all the preventive protocols and restrictive measures outlined by the government were implemented.

    The statement said a total of 221 foreigners who illegally migrated to the Region had been arrested and were currently in the custody of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS).

    It warned landlords who harboured such people to be careful since the country had its laws on immigration.

    It stressed the need for all to join hands in preventing the spread of COVID-19 and asked that all health and social distancing protocols ought to be observed strictly.

    “All groupings put together for playing cards, draught and football activities are indefinitely suspended and declared illegal under the present circumstances,” it noted.

    The statement reminded the public to wear face masks regularly in areas such as markets, hospitals, shops, restaurants, banks, workplaces and onboard commercial vehicles.

     

    Source: GNA

  • Sunyani MCE inaugurates Mask Ambassadors

    Madam Justina Owusu-Banahene, the Sunyani Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) on Wednesday inaugurated the “Mask Ambassadors”, a group that advocates the wearing of nose masks to stem the spread of the COVID-19 disease in the Municipality.

    So far, the country has recorded 1,671 confirmed cases of the COVID-19 with 16 deaths and 188 recoveries.

    The eight-member group, comprising mostly journalists and two health officials, would work to scale-up public education on the use of nose masks as well as help to control societal stigmatization associated with COVID-19.

    At a short ceremony in Sunyani, Mad. Owusu-Banahene commended the “Mask Ambassadors” for the initiative, and said the advocacy was a call to duty, which required commitment to achieve results.

    She said the Municipal COVID-19 response team was working hard to ensure that the residents in the Municipality adhered to the social and physical distancing protocols, handwashing with soap under running water as well as complying with government directives on the COVID-19.

    Mad. Owusu-Banahene indicated the media played a vital role in the fight against the COVID-19, and welcomed the idea of the campaigners, saying: “You have placed huge responsibility on yourselves as media practitioners and the Municipal Assembly will also support you to achieve your aspirations”.

    She expressed the hope that corporate bodies, opinion leaders and entrepreneurs would support the campaign to help combat the spread of the disease in the Municipality and beyond.

    Mr. Dennis Peprah, the lead advocate of the “Mask Ambassadors” underlined the need for the media to think outside the box, go beyond their normal work of news reporting to be able to contribute significantly to prevent the spread of the virus.

    Though the campaign, he explained was a voluntary call to duty, the campaigners would require support from local manufacturers and business entities, corporate institutions, philanthropic individuals and organisations to supply the vulnerable and high-risk population with the nose masks.

    Mr. Peprah called on the media to use their airwaves and various media platforms to help sharpen the narratives and address the stigma against the COVID-19 to control its spread.

    “The media, especially local radio stations must sieve and avoid reports that have the tendency to stigmatize carriers of the virus”, he added.

    Source: GNA

  • Nsawam Prison Clinic desperately needs gun thermometers

    DSP Adamu Abdul Latif, Public Relations Officer of the Nsawam Prisons, has called on benevolent organisations and individuals to assist the Nsawam Prison Clinic with gun thermometers to help detect and prevent the spread of COVID-19.

    He said the Clinic was in dire need of the thermal infrared thermometers as it would help to detect, isolate and prevent possible cases of COVID-19.

    DSP Latif made the call when the BESSTEL Foundation and Ghana-UK Mental Health Alliance donated some equipment, including gun thermometres, to the Prison Clinic.

    He said due to confinement, inmates could not practise social distancing adding that the overcrowding had further heightened the risk level at the facility.

    He said the lack of the gadget was hampering efforts by the Clinic to detect symptoms of the virus and ensure the safety of officers and inmates.

    DSP Latif said the prison population now is more than the capacity of the facility.

    “This prison was built to house somewhere around 800 inmates but as it stands today we have about 3,500 inmates in custody, which makes this issue of social distancing very difficult to achieve behind the prison walls.”

    DSP Latif, however, said Management was doing all it could to protect the inmates from the infection.

    “One of the ways we are doing that is to screen whoever that comes into contact with the prison. And it is in this direction that we are in desperate need of the thermal guns.”

    As the virus was transmitted by close contact with infected persons, facilities like the Prison remained a high-risk location for the infection, he said.

    Source: GNA

  • Dont neglect non-communicable diseases – Wiafe Addai

    Dr Beatrice Wiafe Addai, Chairperson of the Ghana Non-Communicable Diseases Alliance, has asked health workers, not to over concentrate on the COVID-19 pandemic at the expense of non-communicable diseases.

    She said people with underlying health conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, stroke, kidney problems and others, have been identified to be more vulnerable to the virus.

    “It is important, therefore, to see people with these conditions as high risk and provide urgent assistant.”

    Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Kumasi, Dr Wiafe Addai said report from the Ghana Health Service indicated that, all the people who have died of the disease, were those with these underlying health conditions.

    “There is, therefore, the need for health workers to show keen interest in patients who visited their facilities with these conditions and provide them with the needed treatment and care to help improve their immune system”, she stated.

    Dr Wiafe Addai, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of Breast Care International (BCI), pointed out that the increasing spate of non-communicable disease infections in the country, especially among young people, was worrying.

    She said it was important for the government to focus more attention on the preventive measures to help reduce the rate of infections while encouraging health workers to see such diseases as an important health concern and show greater commitment in their treatment and management.

    Dr Wiafe Addai, commended the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for recognizing that non-communicable diseases had a greater impact on the fatalities caused by the pandemic in the country.

    She urged the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service to lead an initiative to create a sustained awareness campaign on non-communicable diseases and the havoc it was causing in society.

    This, according to her, would make people change their lifestyles and attitudes as well as their eating habits to control infections.

    Source: GNA

  • Household Registry begins emergency data collection

    The Ghana National Household Registry (GNHR) has commenced an emergency data collection on poor and vulnerable persons in the Greater Accra Region.

    Dr Prosper Laari, the GHHR National Coordinator, stated at a press briefing in Accra that the exercise was part of measures by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection to update its data on the poor and vulnerable in Accra.

    Dr Laari indicated that the current pandemic had rendered many people vulnerable.

    That, he noted, called for the need to upgrade data on the vulnerable groups to reflect the present status of the target beneficiaries for social protection programmes in the country.

    “An updated data will help government to adequately and rapidly plan and budget towards the social welfare services to provide for vulnerable groups during emergency situations and beyond,” he said.

    Dr Laari said GNHR would adopt the census approach with enumerators who would visit various households and use a well-structured data intake questionnaire to collect socio-economic data on members.

    He explained that the Registry would afterwards categorise the households and individuals into poor and non-poor, after which social interventions could use their own eligibility criteria to determine the beneficiaries to include in their programmes.

    Dr Laari further explained that the Gender Ministry would continue to provide the field staff with needed Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and regularly brief them on the need to observe social distancing protocols so as not to put themselves and the respondents at risk of contracting the COVID-19.

    The GNHR data collection exercise is being sponsored by the World Bank and Department of International Development, United Kingdom.

    Since its establishment, the GNHR has successfully completed data collection in the Upper West and Upper East regions, which were among the poorest regions in the country.

    Dr Laari said the two regions presently had comprehensive data on the poor and vulnerable, which could be used to identify beneficiaries for social protection interventions, and to provide relief services during an emergency like the current COVID-19 pandemic.

    He said similar exercises would be carried out in the Northern, North East, Savannah, Central and Volta regions by the end of December 2020.

    The National Household Registry is a Unit under the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection with the mandate to compile a register of the poor and vulnerable for social protection programmes.

    Source: GNA

  • Coronavirus: Stay home directive saves lives of pupils

    A rainstorm at the weekend rendered about 100 people homeless in three communities in the Ayensuano District of the Eastern Region, completely destroying classes 1, 2, and 3 structures of the Otoase D/A Primary School.

    Mr Andrews Asante, Government Appointee to the Ayensuano District Assembly, said but for the COVID-19 Stay Home Directive, the School would have been in session and the pupils and their teachers would not have been spared as the storm occurred during class hours.

    The storm ripped off 30 houses in communities namely; Owusukrom, Otuase and Ayibontey, but no casualty was recorded, Mr Asante said in an interview with the Ghana News Agency.

    He appealed to the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to support the victims, who were now staying with friends and relatives.

    Mr Lawrence Mottey, the Assembly Member of Marfokrom Electoral Area, also told the GNA that five houses were ripped off at Marfokrom and Awereso all in the District and appealed to NADMO for assistance.

     

    Source: GNA

  • You are quick to quote bible scriptures when I am half naked but hate supporting artists to grow- Efia Odo blasts fans

    From all indications, Efia Odo will never stop fighting her fans as long as they keep pestering her and questioning her every move.

    Well in a recent post on her Instagram page, Efia Odo has lashed out at those who support beefs but are quick to preach “The Gospel” to her when she posts a semi-nude photo of herself on Social media.

    According to the actress cum entrepreneur, the energy used to criticize and shame artists should be the same energy used support these artists.

    She further reiterated that if Ghanaians supported supported artists as they should, they would have received international recognition by now.

    See her full post below for more;

    Source: ghbase.com

  • 4 QNET agents arrested in suspected employment scam that has left 29 foreigners stranded

    Police at Abuakwa in Kumasi have arrested four people said to be linked to network marketing company, QNET, over suspected scam to which 29 West African nationals have fallen victim.

    The West African nationals were allegedly lured into Ghana under the pretext of securing them jobs in a mining firm for which they were charged $750 each.

    They later discovered they have been recruited to undertake network marketing, something they objected to.

    Efforts to retrieve their monies have been unsuccessful, compelling them to live on the benevolence of people for survival.

    The foreigners, both males and females, include Gambians, Malians and Sierra Leoneans, insist they have been swindled.

    QNET agents I Myjoyonline.com
    Two of the suspects arrested on Friday

    They, however, arrived in Ghana, in February only to learn the deal was rather for network marketing.

    Mohammed Bonga, 29; a Gambian-born Sierra Leonean and Tsiedie, 26, arrived in Ghana on February 25, thinking they have landed their dream job.

    But it turned out to be a fiasco after the supposed agents collected $750 each from them.

    Police at Abuakwa are investigating the matter after initially arresting one person last Thursday.

    Subsequently, three others, including two agents of QNET were picked up on Friday.

    Abuakwa District Commander, Chief Superintendent Yaw Obeng Asubonteng, who confirmed the story say his outfit has launched investigations into the matter.

     

    Source: myjoyonline 

  • ‘Our children can’t go to school after coronavirus; we need a bridge’ – Residents

    The Chiefs and people of Enyiwa-Enhu in the Ahanta West District of the Western Region have appealed to government and public-spirited philanthropic organizations to construct a bridge and or a canoe to facilitate their easy movement to and from the community.

    Enyiwa-Enhu is located at the banks of an estuary. Their only means of transportation is by a canoe but the people do not have any to facilitate their movement.

    The only canoe currently on the lagoon is for an individual, who is also on the verge of selling it to make money for his livelihood.

    The village folks are, therefore, so tensed by this development.

    They explained to GhanaWeb’s Western Regional Correspondent that, in the absence of a canoe or bridge, children cannot go to school after this COVID-19 season, trade will also be affected as they will be cut off from the surrounding communities.

    They further elaborated how scary it is when the sea overflows its banks and the effort they have made to authorities yet, no result has been achieved.

    The appeal was made when Artiste Nero-X together with Aroma Foundation, an NGO focusing on Women and Children well-being embarked on free distribution of handwashing items to the people over the weekend.

    The Executive Director of Aroma Universal Foundation, Monica Dede Odonkor who spoke to our Western Regional Correspondent Daniel Kaku, explained why they took the initiative by emphasizing on the fact that, in this COVID-19 season as a lot of people are donating to those in the cities and towns, Aroma Universal Foundation is concentrating on those in the deprived areas.

    The first batch of their donation was on 30th March, 2020 where handwashing items such as Veronica buckets, sanitizers, liquid soaps, tissues among others were giving to some farming communities which include Sekere Krobo, Didiso, Sekere Himan, among others, all in the Wassa East District of the Western Region.

    The second phase of the donation targeted the fishing communities, she said. Hence, hand washing items was giving to Ajoa, Enyiwa-Enhu, Ponponi, Funkoe among others.

    The Presiding Member for Ahanta-West, Mr. Andrews Ntiful was thankful to the NGO for their kind gesture.

     

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Manchester United to introduce safe standing next season

    Manchester United will introduce a section of safe standing next season after getting approval from Trafford Council.

    The aim is to have the section, which will be 1,500 seats in J-stand in the North East quadrant, in place for the start of the next season, whenever that may be.

    The club have been working with safety advisory organisations and fan groups to introduce the rail seating in a hope it will enhance fan safety in a part of the stadium where there is persistent standing.

    United conducted a feasibility study and a formal proposal was put to the local Safety Advisory Group in December 2019 and has now been given approval from Trafford Council. It is understood if the trial is successful the club will look at potentially installing the rail seating in other areas of the stadium to promote safe standing.

    Managing director Richard Arnold said: “It should be stated, up front, that our overwhelming priority is to keep our people safe from the Covid-19 pandemic. It may seem strange to talk about stadium plans at this time, but football and our fans will return when it is safe, and our preparations for that must continue in the background.

    “This announcement is the latest step in what has been a long journey with our fans. We have listened to their feedback, in particular, the representations made by Manchester United Supporters’ Trust [MUST], and worked with Trafford Council to develop and approve this proposal.

    “Our belief is that the introduction of barrier seats will enhance spectator safety in areas of the stadium where as with other clubs we have seen examples of persistent standing. It also allows us to future-proof the stadium in the event of any changes to the current all-seater stadium policy.

    “If the trial is successful, we may consider further implementation of barrier seating in other parts of the stadium.

    “We will now move on to develop the installation, compliance and licensing plan for the trial, with a view to having the new seats installed for when we can welcome our supporters back to Old Trafford.”

    MUST, who have worked with the club on trying to get rail seating installed, said: “We are delighted that the slub has been given the green light to proceed with a barrier seating trial at Old Trafford. This area works for the club logistically and it was also preferable due to being an area where fans now stand and therefore barrier seats should enhance safety.”

    Fan groups across all clubs have been lobbying Government officials to change the law on standing at football and to bring in rail seating to increase safety for supporters who stand for the entire game.

    Wolves became the first Premier League side to trial rail seating in January 2019 and Tottenham included 7,500 seats – 5,000 in the home end and 2,500 in the away – which could be turned into a safe standing section at their new stadium, which opened in April 2019.

    Source: goal.com

  • Selling Arthur would be a mistake – Barcelona urged

    Former Barcelona technical director Robert Fernandez says it would be a “mistake’ for Arthur to leave the club amid links to Juventus.

    Fernandez was responsible for bringing Arthur to the club in 2018 as Barcelona signed the Brazilian midfielder from Gremio.

    The 23-year-old has made 67 appearances for Barcelona so far, but Goal can confirm that Juventus are keen on signing Arthur, and would be willing to explore a swap deal with the Catalan club.

    Arthur has insisted that he wants to stay with the club amid interest from the Serie A champions, despite being “flattered” by the prospect of an offer.

    And Fernandez, who was also responsible for the signing of Philippe Coutinho from Liverpool, says it would be a mistake for the midfielder to leave.

    “I don’t think Arthur is leaving. We are going through a particular moment where a lot of news is not checked well enough,” Fernandez told Goal .

    “I sincerely think it would be a mistake if he is sold because he is a young player. When we signed him we paid a large amount due to his qualities, age and projection. We thought he was going to have big growth at Barca and now I think he deserves a better status.

    “His first season was good but, after that, he hasn’t been driven towards favourable situations. In addition, he suffered some small injuries which probably made it harder to have continuity in the starting line-up but we are still speaking about a player with huge individual skill, with Barcelona DNA even if he didn’t grow in La Masia.

    “He is a player who has everything to become an important player.”

    Arthur made 44 appearances last campaign, helping Barcelona claim La Liga in his first season in Spain.

    This season, though, Arthur has been limited to just 23 appearances, although he has added four goals to his tally after failing to score in his first season with Barca.

    Fernandez says that the midfielder is in need of more continuity and more games if he is to find the comfort needed to be at his best.

    Arthur Melo Barcelona

    “He must find the coach able to bring out the football he has inside,” he said.

    “He did great with Valverde in his first season, the coach found the ideal role for him next to Busquets but he hasn’t had continuity in this season. The first season is used to be the adaptation one and he did great. He played very well at a high level and we were all delighted with him.

    “I can’t understand discussing a player who not long ago made you happy. I think when something was working and is now not at his best, it is important to keep the same perception and style.

    “If he played well in the first season, why didn’t he reach that level in the second one? I’ve seen he doesn’t finish the games and this is a big mistake, it brings you to an uncomfortable situation. You can think about a player that he is not in a good physical rhythm but to increase it, you must make him suffer and to play 90 minutes.

    “I hope he gets brought in more in the next season and he can become the important player he must be because he has an extraordinary quality and pure FCB DNA.”

    When playing at a club like Barcelona, rumours will always be something you have to deal with as the club are often linked with big transfer moves.

    And, with rumours surrounding Arthur continuing to swirl, Fernandez hopes that the midfielder looks to Ivan Rakitic as an example on how to deal with exit reports.

    “I hope it doesn’t affect Arthur. The people around him should help him to remember the important things in life, as Rakitic did last season,” he said.

    “Ivan is a player with a great personality and is used to playing in very difficult situations but nobody likes to read in the newspapers the club is thinking of selling you. It is not easy at all for a player in such a situation and such an experience.

    “Players must be protected so it would be good if these things could be quickly denied because it is not good for them. It can only make the player angry and to lower his concentration and performances.”

    Source: goal.com

  • Coronavirus: US economy shrinks at fastest rate since 2008

    The US economy suffered its most severe contraction in more than a decade in the first quarter of the year, as the country introduced lockdowns to slow the spread of coronavirus.

    The world’s largest economy sank at an annual rate of 4.8%, according to official figures released on Wednesday.

    It marked the first contraction since 2014, ending a record expansion.

    But the figures do not reflect the full crisis, since many of the restrictions were not put in place until March.

    Sine then, more than 26 million people in the US have filed for unemployment, and the US has seen historic declines in business activity and consumer confidence. Forecasters expect growth to contract 30% or more in the three months to June.

    “This is off the rails, unprecedented,” said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics. “The economy has just been flattened.”

    The contraction in the US economy is part of a global slowdown as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

    In China, where restrictions were in place for much of the quarter, the economy shrank by 6.8% – its first quarterly contraction since record-keeping began in 1992.

    And on Wednesday, Germany said its economy could shrink by a record 6.3% this year.

    “We will experience the worst recession in the history of the federal republic” founded in 1949, Economy Minister Peter Altmaier said.

    Consumer hit

    Before the coronavirus knocked the global economy off course, the US economy was expected to grow about 2% this year.

    But by mid April, more than 95% of the country was was in some form of lockdown. Although some states have started to remove the orders, they remain in place in many others, including major economic engines such as New York and California.

    Many companies have warned of significant hits related to the pandemic as they share quarterly results with investors.

    On Tuesday, General Electric said its revenues had fallen 8% in the first quarter, while Boeing – already in crisis after fatal crashes of its 737 Max plane – reported a 48% revenue fall, and said it planned to reduce output and cut jobs.

    “The Covid-19 pandemic is affecting every aspect of our business, including airline customer demand, production continuity and supply chain stability,” chief executive Dave Calhoun said.

    The Commerce Department said consumer spending – which accounts for about two thirds of the US economy – dropped 7.6% in the first three months of the year.

    Spending on food services and accommodation plummeted more than 70%, while clothing and footwear purchases were down more than 40%.

    Health spending also plunged – despite the virus – as concerns about infection prompted doctors to postpone routine treatments and other medical care.

    The economic pain in the US is expected to be even more severe in the April-June period, but economists say even the estimate for the first quarter is likely to be revised lower, as the government receives more data.

    “It’s very difficult to gauge the depth of the decline,” Mr Zandi said. “We won’t really know the extent of the economic damage for years.”

    The US has responded to the economic crisis with more than $3tn in new spending.

    The central bank has also mounted a significant intervention. Policymakers there are expected to speak about those efforts on Wednesday.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Every stakeholder must benefit from FIFAs money Kojo Yankah

    Former Western Region FA Chairman, Kojo Yankah has called on the leadership of Ghana Football Association to share the FIFA Convid-19 fund among stakeholders.

    FIFA is set to pay each member association $500,000 to cover administrative and operational costs.

    Spokesperson of the association Henry Asante Twum during the week stated emphatically that, the money from FIFA is for the FA and not clubs.

    This have generated a lot of argument in the country as to whether clubs will benefit from the money or not.

    But the former Executive council member of the FA has called on the domestic football governing body to share the money across board.

    “I will suggest to the Ghana FA to share the money across board. Clubs, GFA itself and other stakeholders must get some because the $500,000 can do a lot of things”

    “The coronavirus has affected everyone so I will urge the football association to assist stakeholders when the money comes” he told Happy FM.

    Source: footballghana.com

  • Mario Balotelli names Lionel Messi as he snubs Cristiano Ronaldo in his all-time XI

    Former Inter Milan and AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli has named Lionel Messi, as he left out Cristiano Ronaldo from his all-time XI.

    Balotelli announced this list in an interview with fellow Puma ambassador and Arsenal legend Thierry Henry to discuss a few of his interests including his favourite coaches, food and also players.

    Most of the players he selected were his former teammates at Inter Milan, Man City and AC Milan but players like Lionel Messi, Luis Ronaldo of Brazil, Stephen Gerrard whom he has never played with in the same club also had a place in his team

    Full list below

    Julio Cesar

    Douglas Maicon

    Maxwell

    Fabio Cannavaro

    Alessandro Nesta

    Andrea Pirlo

    Yahya Toure

    Stephen Gerrard

    Antonio Cassano

    Lionel Messi

    Mario Balotelli who has had spells at Inter Milan, AC Milan, Manchester City, Liverpool, etc is currently back home where he plays for Brescia in the Serie A

    Source: pulse.com.gh

  • Compensate Ayawaso traders over market closures Unit Committee members demand

    The coalition of Ayawaso East Unit Committee Members has petitioned the Ayawaso East Municipal Assembly to pay compensation to traders in the area following consistent closure of markets over COVID-19.

    According to the Unit Committee Members, their attention has been drawn to the fact that the assembly closed the Nima Market on April 24, 2020, which was the 3rd consecutive time since the emergence of the Covid-19 in the country.

    The convenor for the committee, Naziru Iddriss said: “it is important to state that the consistent posture of the assembly on the closures of the market is unfortunate and unjustifiable considering the fact that the municipality had the opportunity to implement social distancing protocols before reopening it for business when it was closed for the disinfection.

    “Although we cannot discount the effect of the pandemic on the inhabitant of the municipality, it is imperative to state that the assembly has not been proactive in minimising the impact of the market closures hence closing it for the 3rd time before talking about social distancing measures”.

    He said it is imperative to state that most of these traders have invested their hard-earned livelihood while some have acquired loans for their businesses and in some cases “they invested in perishable goods considering the fact of the month of Ramadan sales.”

    “As stakeholders of the municipality we are by this letter requesting for the following; an expedite action to reopen the market latest by Tuesday, April 28, 2020, with social distancing protocols, institute measures for continues Covid-19 outreach education in the market, compensate the market traders for any loss or damages which may arise to them in mitigating impact of the market closures, especially those dealing in perishable goods and suspend payment of market tolls for all traders within reasonable period of time,” he stated.

    The convenor said the committee needs briefing with the assembly in respect to the Covid-19 action plans of the assembly and how one can also contribute to complement the effort of the assembly in the fight against the novel coronavirus considering the fact that the municipality is named as one of the hotspots in the country.

     

    Source: Starr FM