TIG Post

Author: Chris Kodo

  • Coronavirus: Restrictive measures to be lifted soon Akufo-Addo

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo announced that his government is working on a comprehensive plan to soon lift the restrictions imposed to curtail the spread of coronavirus in Ghana.

    The President imposed a lockdown down on Greater Accra and Greater Kumasi and contiguous districts were lifted last week.

    However, a ban on public gathering has remained in force for more than one month.

    In his 8th address to the nation on the measure taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Sunday night, President Akufo Addo stated that the nation has made modest gains in the fight against the virus, which makes it necessary to ease the restriction.

    “I should be outlining shortly the path for bringing the restrictive measures systematically to an end and defining the basket of measures for the revival and growth of our national economy. We have to own our future.”

    Meanwhile, the President has extended the ban on public gatherings by two weeks.

     

    Source: Kasapa FM

  • Procedures For Wearing And Removing A Mask

    The health authority also gave a step by step tutorial on how to wear, remove and dispose of or clean a face mask.

    Clean your hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based sanitizer before putting on a mask.

    Ensure that your mask fully covers your mouth and nose with no gaps between your face and the mask.

    Avoid touching the mask after or when you have worn it.

    Remove face mask by passing a finger through the loop of the mask behind one ear and lifting it off, without touching the front of the mask.

    The MOH cautions against the use of masks for more than 12 hours at a time.

    Do not re-use single-use surgical masks more than twice or N95 masks more than three times.

    Replace the mask immediately it is damp or soiled.

    When using a re-usable mask, it must be put into soapy or bleach lathered water immediately it is removed.

    The reusable mask must be left in the water for five (5) minutes before washing.

    Rinse, dry and iron before reuse.

    All masks must be disposed into a closed bin or burnt in a safe place after which, the person should immediately wash hands with soap and water and where unavailable, apply alcohol-based sanitizer.

     

    Source: Ministry of Health 

  • Nii Lante Vanderpuye comes to the rescue of Liberty Oldies coach

    Member of Parliament for Odododiodio constituency, Nii Lante Vanderpuye has come to the rescue of Liberty Oldies Coach Adotey Allotey, who has been left devastated after his home and all of his belonging were destroyed in a fire last week.

    The Former Sports Minister paid a visit to Coach Adotey along with some friends and former teammates to sympathize and show their support.

    According to a report by Happyghana.com, Nii Lante Vanderpuye offered to put up a chamber and hall apartment for the Liberty Professionals oldies coach, making a pledge of 20 bags of cement to support the project.

    The report also states that Alex Ayeetey, a member of the Oldies team also pledged to support the project with 10 bags of cement.

    Nii Lante also made a passionate appeal to ex-players and the public to come to the aid of Coach Adotey Allotey.

    Source: footballmadeinghana.com

  • Opoku Nti wanted Emmanuel Dasoberi as Asante Kotoko’s permanent Administrative Manager

    Former Asante Kotoko chairman Opoku Nti came close to appointing FIFA-trained Emmanuel Dasoberi as permanent administrator for the club during his tenure, GHANASoccernet.com understands.

    The club legend, who was in charge of the club between 2013 and 2015, wanted to inject some professionalism in their administrative structures.

    But he was unsuccessful in his move to lure the graduate from the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg in Sports Administration and Major Events Management.

    Nti was accused of running school-boy management and criticized for his lack of technical know-how which cost him his job.

    “That’s very true. It was a long battle. He wanted Kotoko to have a well resourced Administration,” the now CAF Instructor and Stadium Inspector told GHANASoccernet.com

    “But you know that I wasn’t too certain and secondly two of my mentors did not allow it.

    “Opoku Nti pushed hard. He assured me that he was going to convince Manhyia to make my position a non-political one but I was still thinking about it before he left.”

    It is been established that the absent of a professionally-run Kotoko secretariat is the cause of the club’s mishaps.

    Background of Emmanuel Dasoberi

    He has been involved in Football for the last 10 years and rose to become GFA Deputy General Secretary in-charge of Administration.

    He was one time Team Manager of the Black Starlets (Frimpong Manso’s tenure)

    Dasoberi has been Secretary to the GFA Disciplinary Committee and Appeals Committee. He has been engaged in drafting the rules of the GFA.

    He studied Law at the prestigious University of London and proceeded with an LL.M.

    Also, he pursued an MBA at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology).

    Just recently, he was chosen amongst the few inspectors in Africa to conduct inspection of stadia for the FIFA World Cup, Qatar 2022.

    He was the first African to attend the FIFA Exchange programme and has conducted seminars and inspections in Africa.

    Source: Ghana Soccernet

  • Ghana marks World Malaria Day amidst Coronavirus pandemic

    The African Media and Malaria Research Network (AMMREN), a Pan-African media advocacy group of journalists and scientists working to rid the world of malaria, has urged stakeholders not to abandon the fight against the disease.

    The Network warns against diversion of funds set aside for activities such as prevention, diagnosis, treatment and control of the disease.

    “Doing so will have serious implications for the elimination of malaria or even lead to a resurgence of malaria cases, especially in the malaria-endemic countries in Africa,” Dr Charity Binka, Executive Secretary of AMMREN, said in a statement copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra.

    It was to mark the 2020 World Malaria Day, a global event to create awareness on the control and elimination of malaria and acknowledge the current challenge with the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The statement said the disease had brought in its wake a strain on national budgets and health systems including upheavals on the entire socio-economic lives of people and nations across the globe.

    “Not only are huge resources being channelled into the fight against the coronavirus disease but health workers are working under severe stress, health systems and medical supplies are overstretched, job losses are on the rise and businesses are shutting down due to the pandemic,” the statement said.

    “Worse of all, resources that should be going into handling other preventable diseases such as malaria are most likely being diverted to deal with the current pandemic”.

    It, however, noted that as the world marked the Day, global leaders should also take stock of the gains made on malaria control and the gaps to be filled to save the lives of many vulnerable populations, especially children from a preventable and treatable disease.

    The statement said the commemoration of the 2020 World Malaria Day, on the theme: “Zero Malaria Starts with Me,” called for concerted efforts to deal with the disease.

    It urged stakeholders such as traditional rulers, community and opinion leaders, churches and local civil society organisations to lend their support to the awareness creation efforts of governments.

    The statement urged citizens to continue to observe malaria prevention and control activities including the use of treated bed nets and testing before treatment.

    “This is also time for the strengthening of various mechanisms to make quality healthcare for the control of diseases such as malaria accessible and affordable,” it said.

    “With political will and commitment of all, the war against malaria will be won. COVID-19 cannot be an excuse to forget about malaria”.

     

    Source: GNA

  • Highway robber busted

    An armed robber who together with four others robbed travelers on the Kpando-Nkonya highway has been arrested by the Police less than 24 hours after the robbery incident.

    37-year-old Amadu Ibrahim was arrested at about 12:00noon last Friday, April 24, 2020, when he was trying to escape the jurisdiction with his share of the booty, including a cash amount of GH? 7,386.10, one iPhone 7 and one Infinix phone.

    A statement released by the Volta Regional Police Public Relations Officer (PRO), Cpl. Prince Dogbatse said the gang of five, including Amadu, robbed occupants of a Hyundai mini bus with registration number GT-6645-13 on the highway linking Nkonya Asakyiri and Kpando Agbenorxoe.

    They succeeded in making away with the belongings of their victims; including cash amounting to Ghc 21,250.00, assorted mobile phones and one Macbook laptop computer.

    The Kpando Division received a distress call at about 01:50 am and acted on it immediately, but the robbers fled the scene before their arrival.

    An official complaint was lodged later that day by the victims and investigation commenced into the incident whilst patrol within the area was intensified in pursuit of the robbers.

    At about 12:00 noon same day, one of the suspected robbers, Amadu Ibrahim was arrested at the Have Police Barrier when he was trying to escape from the jurisdiction with his share of the booty.

    Investigations suggest that the mobile phones retrieved from suspect Ibrahim were properties of two of the victims.

    The Police PRO said the suspect is assisting Police investigation so his accomplices can be apprehended.

    Meanwhile, he will be duly arraigned before court.

    Cpl Prince Dogbatse assured residents that the Volta Regional Police Commands’ commitment to fight crime and keep residents safe is resolute.

    He welcomed prompt information from the public on all security issues in their communities and urged all and sundry to comply with the law on Imposition of Restrictions and observe all safety protocols targeted at subduing the Covid-19 pandemic.

     

    Source: Daily Guide Network

  • Anloga Junction: Stonebwoy sacks his new manager Weezy Report

    Entertainment pundit and events personality, Ricky Rick reports that Stonebwoy has parted ways with his new manager, Wisdom Edward Dzotsi known popularly Weezy.

    According to Ricky Rick who is a known face in the entertainment industry in Ghana, Mr. Logic has since taken over some of the managerial roles after the exit.

    This exit comes a few months after Stonebwoy parted ways with his longest serving Manager, Blakk Cedi for reasons best known to both of them.

    Stonebwoy released his forth studio album on Friday.

    The album which is christened “Anloga Junction” has some great features prominent amongst them is the one with Keri Hilson.

    Source: MyNewsGh.com

  • Bible now symbol of decoration, security under pillows – Reverend

    Reverend Ken Djotepe, acting Director of Programmes, Economic and Social Relations of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana on Sunday said that the Bible has become a symbol of decoration and security posts under pillows of Christians.

    He said it had also become a fashionable enterprise to own one without reading it.

    “We as Christians have failed to pray fervently and read religiously the Bible and have therefore fallen short of the grace and glory of God,” Rev. Djotepe said and called for change of hearts.

    He said this in a virtual sermon on the second Sunday after Easter under the theme, “Lord Stay With Us,” as the COVID-19 pandemic continued to keep Churches shut in order to obey the social distancing protocols.

    The Reverend Minister said one of the cardinal principles of a Christian was to remain prayerful with regular reading of the Bible but the situation was the reverse.

    Rev. Djotepe said failure to read to understand the scriptures made Christians susceptible to illogical and untruths being disseminated by charlatans, who preyed on them for lack of knowledge.

    “Owning a Bible does not make you a Christian,” he said.

    Rev. Djotepe said for the “Lord to stay with us,” Christians must know the word, God’s prophesies and how His salvation worked.

    He said the faithful would renege on their Christianity if they failed to partake in communion as a sign of his blood and body.

    Rev. Djotepe said partaking in communion reaffirmed the Christian faith in remembrance of Jesus Christ, as the Lord and Saviour.

    He indicated that communion was instituted as a re-unionised camaderie in ancient time and continued to be upheld today to build a community of righteousness and decency.

    Rev. Djotepe said Jesus Christ had energised Christians enough to remain relevant until his second coming, where a final banquet would be laid for abundant food and wine and no hunger and disease again.

    He urged Christians to exemplify the principles on which, Jesus Christ continued to operate and refrain from being hear-say believers.

     

    Source: GNA 

  • Clubs in Austria commence training as players wear face masks

    The Minister of Labour in Austria is considering a mask requirement for football to return to the country.

    This is expected to guarantee the safety of the players amid the coronavirus pandemic.

    Red Bull Salzburg returned to training this week with Ghana youth international Majeed Ashimeru spotted wearing a face mask.

    Samuel Tetteh also returned to training with his Austrian Bundesliga side LASK Linz.

    In Germany, the Bundesliga has been warned that playing games behind closed doors could pose a public health risk because fans will gather in front of stadiums.

    The authorities are looking for a way to resume the 2019-20 campaign despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

    Source: Ghana Soccernet

  • Government to make huge investments in healthcare infrastructure

    The President has announced plans by the government to invest heavily in healthcare infrastructure, across the country, to ensure that every Ghanaian has access to quality healthcare.

    President Nana Addo Dankwa, who announced this said, this year, it will begin the construction of 88 hospitals in the districts without hospitals.

    The beneficiary districts in Ashanti-10; Volta-nine; Central-nine; Eastern-eight; Greater Accra-seven and Upper East-seven.

    The rest are: Northern-five; Oti-five; Upper West-five; Bono-five; Western North-five; Western Region-four; Ahafo-three; Savannah-three; Bono East-three and North East-two.

    Each of the health facilities would be a quality and standard-design 100-bed capacity, with accommodation for medical doctors, nurses and other health workers, and expected to be completed within a year.

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo announced these in his eighth national broadcast on Sunday night to update citizens on the enhanced measures being implemented to curb the spread of COVID-19.

    The President said additionally, the Government would construct six new hospitals in the six new regions, and rehabilitate the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital in Sekondi.

    “We will beef up our existing laboratories and establish new ones across every region for testing.

    “We will also establish three infectious disease control centres for each of the three zones, that is, Coastal, Middle Belt and Northern”.

    President Akufo-Addo stated that the recent tragic outbreak of CSM, with 40 deaths, had reaffirmed the need for infectious disease control centres across the country.

    He explained: “The virus has exposed the unequal distribution of our health facilities. We have, over the years, focused our health facilities in Accra and other one or two big cities.

    “However, epidemics and pandemics when emerged, could spread to any part of the country.

    “It is my hope and expectation that this expanded and empowered public health system will be the most enduring legacy of the pandemic.

    “Universal health coverage in Ghana will, then, become real and meaningful, for every Ghanaian deserves good health and good Healthcare”.

    He encouraged Ghanaians to continue observing the safety and hygiene protocols, including covering the mouth when coughing and sneezing, frequently washing hands with soap under running water, using alcohol-based hand sanitizers and avoiding touching the mouth, nose and eyes with unclean hands.

    They should also wear face masks in public places as well as observe the two metre social distancing.

    The President underlined the importance of also investing in the preventive and promotive aspects of healthcare in addition to care for the sick.

    “Whilst maternal, new-born, adolescent health and nutrition remain our top priorities, we must pay increased attention to chronic, noncommunicable diseases such as heart diseases, diabetes and asthma, which have proved to be the common risk factors for the 11 deaths we have recorded from the virus,” he said.

    Ghana’s confirmed cases for COVID-19 stands at 1,550, with 155 recoveries and 11 deaths, as of Sunday, April 26, after the receipt of 100,622 after sample test results by the Ghana Health Service from the various testing centres.

    Source: GNA

  • Bernard Tekpetey determined to win CK Akonnor’s trust

    Striker Bernard Tekpetey wants to chart his way back into the Black Stars but admits he must first revive his struggling career at Fortuna Düsseldorf.

    The 22-year-old has been out of the national team since playing at the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon.

    This term, Tekpetey on loan at Düsseldorf, has been a shadow of a man who scored ten goals to help Paderborn help gain promotion to the Bundesliga in the 2018/19 season.

    He managed just nine appearances.

    Tekpetey agrees he must get his career up again to catch the eye of new Ghana coach CK Akonnor.

    ”I think the new coach is trying to scout players who are dedicated and trying to play more so I think it is a great opportunity for me to try and work hard. With my club side, I have to do what I do best to be able to earn his [CK Akonnor] call-up,” Tekpetey told Joy Sports.

    ”At the end of the day, I have to work hard because he is a new coach and everything is open so everyone can get the chance to play.

    ”I need to improve and showcase what I have for the coach to know that I am a good player so he can call me.”

    Source: Ghana Soccernet

  • Call us if your lights are off – ECG on ‘dumsor’ after rainstorm

    The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) says the recent power outages within its distribution network that hit some parts of the Greater Accra today, April 26, 2020 was a result of heavy rainstorms.

    According to a communique by the power distribution company, its engineers are working assiduously to rectify the faults and restore power supply to affected customers in due course.

    “Customers experiencing outages within their individual premises should kindly contact our call center on 0302611611, report to the nearest ECG office or reach us on our social media handle @ecgofficial,” the communique said.

    The ECG, however, says the inconvenience to its customers, is very much regretted.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • 7 arrested for allegedly stealing over ¢120k robbery money at Tema

    Seven persons have been arrested by the police in Tema for allegedly taking part in the stealing of 120,845 cedis robbed from a Lebanese businessman last Thursday.

    According to the police, the seven suspects were part of eyewitnesses who scrambled for the cash thrown onto the street by the armed robbers as they were pursued by the police.

     

    Three of them, Richard Attoh alias Amartey, 30; Qaadir Bancey, 31; and Awudu Mohammed alias Vuga, 36, have admitted to having taken part in the scrambling and pocketing a total of 2,500 cedis from the crime scene.

    They have been charged with stealing, the police said in a statement.

    The other four suspects are Sulemana Bancey, 62; Kwesi Hanson Smith, 66; Kabul Akuaku, 53 and David Nartey Daniels, 30.

    According to the police, intelligence gathering led to the arrest of the seven suspects.

    “Police is therefore urging members of the public who witnessed the incident to  provide information leading to the arrest and retrieval of all the money robbed from the victim,” the police appealed.

    How the incident happened

    Two robbers on Thursday April 23 trailed the Lebanese, Mashood Hamid, from the Tema Community 1 branch of Zenith Bank where he had gone to withdraw 123, 345 cedis at about 12:30 p.m.

    At the TDC traffic light, they two robbers who rode on a motorbike ambushed him when the light turned red.

    They shot at the tyres of the vehicle to immobilize him before snatching the money, the police said.

    An alarmed was raised and a police patrol team within the area pursued them. The robbers were said to have engaged the police in a shootout which resulted killing the two robbers.

    One died on the spot and the other later at the Police headquarters.

    “The money scattered on the streets,” the Tema police said, noting people around then scrambled for the banknotes “leaving only 2,500.00 Ghana cedis salvaged by the complainant”.

    Police have described the gun used by the robbers as “powerful”.

    .

    Source:  3news.com

  • It feels better here in Germany – Bernard Tekpetey

    Fortuna Dussledorf striker Bernard Tekpetey has revealed that everything is better in Germany in regards to the virus and thanks God and the health service for that.

    The Black Meteors forward is currently observing the needed health measures at home as the battle against coronavirus continues.

    In an interview with Owuraku Ampofo on Joy News, the 22-year-old revealed that it was tough in the beginning but all is well now.

    “So far so good. We thank God for our lives and everything. In the beginning, it was not so easy with this COVID-19. We thank God that everything is working well now. We bless God for the health service and other personnel as well but I think now it feels better here.”

    Source: footballghana.com

  • COCOBOD lauds Cocoa farmers for massive pruning

    Samuel Ankamah, Manager at the Western South Cocoa Health and Extension Division (CHED) of Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), has congratulated Cocoa farmers in the Western South and Central Regions for the massive pruning of their Cocoa farms.

    According to him, pruning of Cocoa trees was one of the best cultural practices, which leads to bumper harvest of Cocoa.

    Mr.Ankamah made the commendation when he led officials of COCCOBOD in Accra to visit Cocoa farms to inspect pruning and educate farmers in the Western South and Central Regions.

    The national pruning exercise of Cocoa farms will officially end on May 1, 2020.

    Mr Ankamah encouraged Cocoa farmers to acknowledge the efforts of COCOBOD to streamline cultural practices in Cocoa farming.

    He observed that all the cooperative farmers in the said Regions, embarked upon weeding, spraying and pruning activities and urged them to always allow sanitation to be sustained on their farms.

    Mr Ankanah thanked the management of COCOBOD for supplying farmers with Cocoa spraying machines, standard pruners and slashers, which reduced the human labour involved in Cocoa production.

    The Western South Manager said COCOBOD had supplied farmers with fertilizers and chemicals after pruning as a boost to flower formation.

    He said the number of extension officers for last year was inadequate but the ratio had increased this year leading to pruning of larger portions of Cocoa farms.

    Dr Emmanuel Nii Tackie-Otoo, Executive Director, Cocoa Health and Extension Division at COCOBOD said the team was quite impressed at the turn of events on Cocoa farms compared to previous pruning activities.

    Deputy Chief Executive (DCE) in charge of Agronomy and Quality Control at COCOBOD, Dr Emmanuel Agyemang-Dwomoh said COCOBOD would continue to supply Cocoa farmers with standard pruning machines and other equipment as well as farm inputs to boost the morale of farmers towards increased productivity.

    He noted that mechanized pruning was helping the farmers to prune their farms within a short period and was happy that all the farms the team inspected had been pruned effectively and asked the farmers to keep up the spirit.

    Source: GNA

  • FC Nordsjaelland coach outlines training program for Kudus Mohammed after covid-19 break

    FC Nordsjaelland deputy coach Frank Hjortebjerg has provided a detailed training program for Ghana midfielder Kudus Mohammed and his teammates after resuming full session on Monday.

    The Wild Tigers resumed training on Monday after the Danish government lifted its lockdown necessitated by the coronavirus crisis.

    The training was in full compliance with the guidelines of the authorities and the Divisional Association as it was done in groups without any close contact in the exercises.

    “For example, if you start from an offensive player like Kudus [Mohammed]. He has been training to get down the field where a midfielder or defender hits him with a pass in the space where we would like to find him. Then there may be a lay-off or some combination with another player before practicing his run in the field in the field. And then of course, some finishing training comes from there. Many different types of kicks.”

    “So there are a lot of play patterns and templates where the players are in positions where there is naturally distance between each other. Then we avoid duels and contact. And it is a type of training that we can easily take with us when one day we are allowed to play in a more real battle picture. We also did not put all attackers in one group or all backs in one group. It is very mixed so there are different types in each group,” Hjortebjerg told the club’s website.

    Source: Ghana Soccernet

  • Coronavirus: Akufo-Addo advises market women to emulate attitudes of supermarkets

    President Nana Akufo-Addo has called on market women to follow the stringent measures put in place by supermarkets in the fight against the deadly novel coronavirus.

    According to him, the enforcement of social distancing, wearing of face masks, frequent handwashing with soap under running water and the use of alcohol-based sanitizers must be adhered by market women. They must also insist their clients do same.

    While lauding trotro drivers and other businesses during his eighth address to the nation, the president professed that “I am encouraged that so many of our trotros, taxis, and buses are operating with a minimal number of passengers, and our businesses and supermarkets are enforcing the need for social distancing, the use of hand sanitizers and the wearing of masks for all patrons and staff. I want to single out supermarkets such as Melcom, Palace and Shoprite, in particular, for the excellent discipline they are maintaining in their enterprises across the country, and call upon all other enterprises, especially our market women, to emulate them”.

    Meanwhile, he praised market women in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis for adhering to the social distancing directive.

    “I am fully aware of the sacrifices in reduced revenues that all businesses and enterprises are suffering. But, I believe we have no option but to sacrifice to defeat this virus. This is the time for sacrifice, so that we do not have to bear a greater cost in the future,” he stated.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Hearts of Oak deny signing Sulley Muntari

    Ghana Premier League side Hearts of Oak have rubbished media rumours about a purported acquisition of former AC Milan and Inter Milan midfielder Sulley Muntari.

    On Friday, local media claimed the 35-year-old has joined the Phobians on a two-year deal.

    He has been without a club since ending a short spell with Spanish second division fold Albacete last year.

    “Hearts of Oak wants to notify the general sporting public that we have not signed Ghana International Sulley Muntari as it’s being reported by the media,” Hearts announced on social media on Friday night.

    “Sulley is a great player and a friend of the club. We will continue to unveil the players we have signed.

    “Hearts of Oak is the Premier club in Ghana and will continue to set the standards, we, therefore, urge our supporters not to rely on information unless it comes from our official handles.”

    Muntari has also played for Udinese, Pescara in Italy, Spanish side Deportivo La Coruna, Ittihad in Saudi Arabia and Portsmouth in England where he won the FA Cup in 2008.

    The midfielder, who featured for Ghana at 2006, 2010 and 2014 World Cup tournaments, won the Champions League with Inter Milan in 2010.

    Hearts have already signed five players during the second transfer window.

    Former Al Hilal striker Abednego Tetteh, former captain Nuru Sulley, Nigerian forward Danjuma Kuti, Abdourahamane Mamane Lawali from Niger and Ivorian winger Eric Dizan Bi are the new faces in the camp of the Phobians.

    Hearts, the second most successful club in the history of the Premier League with 19 titles, sit ninth on the 2019-20 table, with the top-flight having been ground to a halt by the coronavirus pandemic.

    Source: goal.com

  • Playing against FC Porto was my best game – Ghanaian midfielder Joseph Amoah

    Ghana and Vitória Guimarães midfielder Joseph Amoah says playing against FC Porto was his best game ever.

    Amoah, answering a wide range of questions on video conference about the pandemic disclosed that beating the Portuguese giants with nine men was the best game he’s ever played in.

    Away since August: “I left for this season with a lot of ambitions, but then I was unfortunate to get injured. The recovery went smoothly, so now I feel very well and training with the team. I do everything, so I am prepared and ready to play again. I am mentally very strong and I only think about taking my place in the team again. I think everything will be the best when the team resumes training”.

    The gathering at home: “It is not being easy. Every day I train at home, I watch TV, I talk to my family through video calls … and I cook”.

    Worried about the family? “The pandemic has spread around the world, but we are calm. We have not left home.”

    What did it cost more: recovery or social withdrawal? “I just thought about going back while my recovery was taking place. Now that I’m fine I can’t play. I will have to wait for all this to pass. I really miss the competition. I really want to play and I have been helped a lot by the club. I believe that will happen soon”.

    Returning behind closed doors: “If there are no fans at the stadiums, it won’t be the same thing. But in the first place is everyone’s health. We will have to adapt to this situation”.

    V. Guimarães midfielder: “It is always difficult to enter that sector. That is why I work hard, I have always been like that. It will not be easy, but I will try to regain my space”.

    Games he retained from this season: “Our game against Arsenal, in England, was very good … among many others. For the championship, we did well in all home games, but also against FC Porto [at Dragão] That was the best. Although the team was reduced to nine players, it created many opportunities “.

    Favourite midfield position: “I feel better in position 8. I like to build a game”.

    Source: footballghana.com

  • Flowking Stone is a better rapper than I am – Okyeame Kwame

    Rap Docta, Okyeame Kwame has touted the rap prowess of his brother, Flowking Stone, by naming him as his favorite rapper in Ghana.

    Okyeame Kwame in a Q&A with his fans on his Instagram page, answered a question from one of them who wanted to know who his favorite rapper was.

    In response to the question, Okyeame Kwame nominated his brother and said he didn’t do that because he was his blood but because Flowking was better than him.

    He said Flowking Stone was the most complete rapper especially with his lyrics and his flow.

    “My favourite rappers in Ghana are @realflowkingstone (Flowkingstone) not because he is my bro but because he is better than me. He is the most complete rapper in Ghana, lyrics and flow. Favorite in America is @bustarhymes.”

    Flowking Stone is undoubtedly one of the best rappers in the country and he is known for such hits as ‘Go Low’, ‘Fire Bon Dem’, ‘Blow my mind’, ‘Bumper’, among others and has collaborated with music giants such as Sarkodie, Shatta Wale, etc.

    His latest songs, Quarantine flow and Survive was released to help educate people on the deadly coronavirus as the world struggle to deal with the deadly disease.

    Read Okyeame Kwame’s response below:

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Ibrahimovic gave me balls I dreamed of at Milan – Boateng

    Kevin-Prince Boateng has hailed the influence of Zlatan Ibrahimovic at Milan, claiming the Swede gave him the “balls he dreamed of.”

    Ibrahimovic is at Milan for the second time after shining during the 2010-2011 Serie A-winning season alongside Boateng. Both men were summer recruits that year, and had a hand in a combined 31 top-flight goals.

    Boateng has advised Milan to keep hold of Ibra who is on a short-term contract.

    “Milan must keep him [Ibrahimovic], he knows how to make a difference,” the 33-year-old Ghana international told Sky Sports Italia. “It was easy for me to play with him, I understood it immediately. He asks a lot of his teammates, but he gave me a lot of space, he gave me balls that I dreamed of.

    “He was the perfect companion. He criticised everyone if he didn’t get the ball well or if you were wrong in front of the goal, but in doing so he was teaching.”

    Boateng himself, who is now at Besiktas, on loan from Fiorentina, had a second Milan spell between January and June 2016. He says he was convinced to return by long-time club president and former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

    “Berlusconi convinced me at the exact moment he called my number,” the Berlin-born forward said. “The day after me and my agent went to him to Arcore, he asked me: ‘My son, why don’t you come back?’; I replied: “Right away” . He didn’t give a damn about the holidays.”

    AC Milan have experienced a dry patch since their Serie A triumph nine years ago, changing managers regularly with consistently inconsistent results. Boateng, however, sees former Schalke boss Ralf Rangnick as an ideal coach for the Rossoneri.

    “He [Rangnick] can help a lot, he looks at football and beyond,” Boateng said. “He is a very intelligent person who evaluates many details. What he has built proves it. He knows how to talk to the players and this is his key.”

    AC Milan are currently seventh in Serie A, 12 points away from the top four, and three points adrift of the final Europa League qualification spot.

    Source: goal.com

  • FDA lists 10 approved face masks

    The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) on Sunday listed 10 registered and approved face masks and shield for public use to help contain the Covid-19 pandemic.

    They are Heritage Face Mask, Joeritz Face shield, Lily of the Valley Face Mask, Notill Face Mask, Otech Biotech Face Mask, Pacific Face Mask, Sixteen 47 Face Shield, Sixteen 47 Face Mask, Studio AK Face Mask, and Swift Face Mask (Re-Usable).

    The FDA has urged the public to go by the recommended three-layered face masks to effectively help in curbing the spread of the global pandemic.

    In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Mr Joseph Yaw-Bernie Bernnie, the FDA Head of Medical Devices, said most of the locally produced facemasks posed health risks to citizens rather than protecting them.

    He said most of the local ones were either single or double-layered cloth and sewn with treated materials, which in itself may pose danger to the user.

    The FDA, therefore, appealed to the public to desist from using un-recommended face masks, stressing that in an attempt to contain the spread of the disease, many were producing it locally, the efficacy of which could not be ascertained.

    Mr. Bernie said face masks generally must be able to filter out particles and still be easy to breathe through.

    He said in the absence of propylene, which is the common material used for medical-grade face masks, 100 per cent cotton or cotton blends possessed good material characteristics for homemade face masks.

    He said recent studies and evaluations undertaken by the FDA on viable materials for face masks production established that Calico-Stiff (Hard/Medium)-Calico (three layers) combination was ideal for a reusable homemade COVID-19 face mask.

    Mr Bernnie said there must be no chemicals in the materials used for producing masks as they may have health implications.

    He said the FDA was carrying out market surveillance to rescue the system, educating both producers and users to stop producing and using face masks there were not recommended.

    He said face masks were for protecting the wearer from others or vice versa but wearing those not recommended would rather expose the wearer to danger because of the false sense of security.

     

    Source: GNA 

  • Fiorentina yet to see the real me – Kevin-Prince Boateng

    Kevin-Prince Boateng is upset with how his stint at Fiorentina has gone, asserting the club never saw his real self.

    The 33-year old Ghanaian joined from Sassuolo in the summer and featured 14 times in the Serie A, scoring only one goal.

    Just six of those 14 outings were starts and he completed 90 minutes once. He was subsequently shipped to Besiktas on loan where he has played more than half of the total number of minutes at Fiorentina in just six games, scoring two goals.

    “I really came to Fiorentina with great desire. It was the right place, with hot fans,” Boateng told Sky Sports Italia.

    “Then I took the 10 [jersey] and I always had the pressure to score a goal or an extra assist.

    “I’m not happy with how it went. In fact, I’m still a little angry because we haven’t seen the real Boateng.

    Boateng went on to open up about the difficulties he had working with Vicenzo Montella who was Fiorentina boss upon his arrival. The former Tottenham Hotspur player also talked about his respect for Sassuolo boss Roberto De Zerbi, but has no intentions of returning there.

    “We [Boateng and Montella] didn’t understand each other,” he continued.

    “An idea then he changed and for example, he no longer wanted the centre forward to meet the ball.”

    “De Zerbi brought me back the desire to play football and have fun. He is one of the strongest coaches I have ever had.

    “Going back to Sassuolo? He doesn’t want me anymore, I have already left twice [for Barcelona and Fiorentina].”

    Source: goal.com

  • South Africa Airways liquidation postponed

    The “immediate threat” of the liquidation of South African Airways (SAA) has been averted, the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) announced on Saturday evening.

    Employees of SAA have also been granted an extension of the deadline by which they have to sign a section 189 termination of employment agreement proposed by the state-owned airline’s business rescue practitioners (BRPs). The new deadline is now 1 May.

    According to the department, Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan convened a high-level meeting on Saturday with representatives of the business rescue practitioners of SAA, as well as the various unions and non-unionised staff.

    Mashudu Raphetha, president of the National Transport Movement (NTM) said in an update to his members after the meeting that Gordhan reiterated that SAA is bloated and that job losses were inevitable, but that it is upon the entire leadership of SAA to mitigate and minimise job losses.

    “It is NTM’s conviction and view that all parties should work together to save the airline instead of political grandstanding,” said Raphetha, adding that they were informed that the aim is still to publish the “much anticipated” business rescue plan at the end of May.

    According to Raphetha, the BRPs are set to meet with Gordhan “to consider the gravity and risk of further extensions of the much required funding for the restructuring process of SAA”.

    According to the DPE, an agreement in principle was reached at the meeting to establish what it calls “a groundbreaking leadership compact…aimed at building new, fundamentally different cooperative relationships based on a spirit of strategic partnerships”.

    “The leadership recognise the enormity of the challenge but are unequivocally committed to saving SAA and shining the torch to a new world post Covid-19 in which SAA is a key catalyst for investment and job creation,” states the DPE.

    “The vision (for SAA) agreed by the parties is ‘a national asset which is internationally competitive, viable, sustainable and profitable’.”

    On 9 March the BRPs started the section 189 process with employees on restructuring the company. About a week ago the BRPs offered all SAA employees (excluding Mango and SAA Technical staff, subsidiaries which are not in business rescue) severance packages at the end of April.

    Up to and including April, the BRPs have paid all employees their full salaries. They have, however, indicated that, since the DPE has declined any further funding, there will not be enough money to continue beyond the end of the month.

    This comes after government has repeatedly bailed out the airline over the years, often at the very last minute.

    “The agreement seeks to provide the employees with the opportunity of concluding a mutually agreed separation of employment,” the Department of Public Enterprises (PDE) states in the document, dated Saturday.

    Fin24 reported on Friday that the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa and the SA Cabin Crew Association, which together form a majority of union representation at the embattled state-owned airline, are considering a court application to have the BRPs removed.

    The SAA Pilots’ Association (SAAPA) also indicated that it would consider such a step.

    NTM has already rejected the current proposal of the BRPs, “because it suggests the payment of severance packages are subject to the sale of certain assets and approval by creditors”.

    The South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) also indicated earlier on Friday that it “rejects with contempt” the BRPs’ proposal. It regards the proposal as an “attempt to blackmail workers”.

    Saftu claims the aim is “to collapse SAA in order to open the way for its privatisation”.

    A week ago the DPE rejected a request for further funding of about R10 billion from the BRPs in order to complete the business rescue process.

    SAAPA is of the view that the entire section 189 process has been just “a box-ticking excercise from the beginning”. SAAPA claims labour has not been consulted to their satisfaction nor had informnation requested been provided, such as the business plans the BRPs referred to along the way.

    Source: fin24.com

  • Invasion of Fall Armyworm resurfaces in Ghana Agric Ministry

    The Ministry of Food and Agriculture has announced the resurgence of Fall Armyworm (FAW) infestation in the country.

    A statement from the Ministry said its surveillance reports indicate pockets of FAW infestation on maize planted in low land and irrigated fields in some districts in the Ahafo, Ashanti, Bono, Bono East, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra and Western regions.

    It has therefore charged farmers to report early signs of armyworm invasions on their farms for the necessary remedies to be taken early.

    “Farmers are being informed to monitor their fields frequently just after seed emergence for early detection of signs and symptoms of FAW infestation and implement the necessary management options at the vulnerable stages of the larvae Farmers and general public are to report FAW infestations to the nearest Department of Agriculture Office, Agricultural Extension Agents or Plant Protection and Regulatory Services Directorate Head Office,” a statement from the Ministry noted.

    Meanwhile, the Ministry has expressed worry saying the Fall Armyworm is now an “endemic pest in Ghana and will continue to pose a serious threat to food security and livelihood of thousands of smallholder maize farmers.”

    In the last year or two, several attempts have been made to fight the fall armyworms invasion, but it appears a permanent solution is almost impossible.

    In 2018, fall armyworms invaded over 300 farms in 20 communities in the Garu and Tempane Districts of the Upper East Region.

    The development which wreaked havoc on maize farms also affected rice, groundnuts and sorghum farms as well.

    Ghana is estimated to have lost about US$64 million through the fall armyworm infestation in the same year.

    The pests, detected in the country some three years ago, have since attacked more than 50,000 hectares of farms, nationwide.

    However, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture has ruled out the possibility of permanently tackling the invasion of fall armyworms on farms in the country.

    Genetically-modified maize could help fight armyworm Experts

    Research Scientists attached to the Biotechnology Research Programme (BRP) of the Crop Research Institute (CRI), have advocated the development and use of genetically-modified (GM) maize to deal with the devastating effects of the fall armyworm infestation in Ghanaian farmlands.

    Professor Mrs. Marian Quain, Leader of the BRP, said studies had shown that genetically-modified maize with in-built disease-resistant genes had the potential to withstand the harmful effects of the pests adding that the conventional agricultural system had become fraught with different challenges.

    This is due to the changing climatic conditions, overpopulation, excessive use of pesticides and insecticides, as well as urbanization which had resulted in the destruction of farmlands.

    She said it was appropriate that the nation facilitated the processes for the acceptance of GM-related technology in plant breeding and crop production to enhance food security given the emerging threats to agricultural productivity.

     

    Source: citinewsroom 

  • I’ll file contempt action in court against the EC for defying the injunction – Sam George

    MP for Ningo Prampram, Sam George is considering a contempt action against the Electoral Commission (EC) over their alleged City Escape Hotel workshop.

    The EC is alleged to have held its training workshop despite a court injunction on their activities.

    Sam George on Friday secured an injunction, restraining the Electoral Commission from holding the workshop in his constituency.

    The ex-parte injunction, granted by the Tema High Court took effect Friday.

    “It is hereby ordered that the respondent and all persons claiming through the respondent (EC) refrain from holding the workshop or conference scheduled to take place at the Escape Hotel Prampram from the 24th of April, 2020,” Justice of the High Court, Eugene Nyante Nyadu ruled.

    But the EC allegedly went ahead with their workshop.

    Sam George in reaction stormed the venue with other members of the NDC. The heavy security presence did not allow them to have access to the hotel premises.

    He accused the President of endorsing the actions of the EC.

    “The Electoral Commission and I say this without equivocation is doing what they are doing because they have the approval and support of the Jubilee House. President Akufo-Addo is endorsing the illegality and irresponsibility of the EC…”

    According to him, he is in talks with his lawyers to consider a contempt action against the EC.

    “That is an option available to us, I am having that conversation with my lawyers…”

     

    Source: Prime News Ghana

  • Coronavirus: Government makes strides in PPE production and supply for health workers

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has enabled significant domestic production and supply of protective equipment (PPEs) to health workers as they wage war on COVID-19.

    According to him, these PPEs are for the protection of health workers who are sacrificing and showing a high sense of patriotism in their contribution to the fight against the novel Coronavirus.

    He stated during his eighth address to the nation on Sunday [April 9, 2020] that, “Government has enabled domestic production and supply of protective equipment to our health workers to increase significantly they have received, in recent days, 905,031 nose masks, 31,630 medical scrubs, 31,472 gowns, 46,870 headcovers, and 83,500 N-95 face masks.”

    Akufo-Addo also called for the continuous protection of health workers by all Ghanaians by observing social distancing and hygienic measures. He also requested for prayers for the health workers.

    “The health workers, who are working day and night to care for the stricken, must continually be in our prayers. Their efforts will be in vain if we, at home, do not support them,” he said.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Todays newspapers front pages

     

     

  • Environmental Health to close shopping mall in Ho over coronavirus

    The Volta Regional Environmental Health Office has said it would close down “Lizz Dee” shopping mall in Ho for allegedly refusing to comply with preventive measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease.

    Management of the facility was said to have driven away a team from the Office led by Mrs Sybil Boison, Regional Environmental Health Officer, to inspect the mall and sensitize staff and management on the disease.

    Mr Peter Pariki Regional Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) Focal Person who was also on the tour told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the mall had refused to adopt the nationwide COVID-19 preventive regulations, making its environment a high-risk area.

    He said the facility had no notices on the pandemic, no markings to guide social distancing, and had customers sharing multiple use napkins at its handwash station.

    Mr Pariki said the team arrived at about 0800 hours for the exercise but was asked to leave, halfway into the meeting by a man said to be the owner of the Mall.

    The CLTS Focal Person said they were told their presence was affecting business activities.

    Mr Pariki said the office had earlier in the week been met with similar resistance, and was told that management of the Mall was yet to permit access to the facility, and later agreed on the Saturday date, which again was foiled.

    He told GNA that management of the facility would be sanctioned, and hinted of closing the Mall down until proper adjustments were made.

    When the GNA contacted the Mall, a Supervisor, who gave his name only as Elorm, said it was not true that the team from the Regional Environmental Office was turned away.

    The Regional Environmental Health Officer and her team earlier visited some other retail outlets including Melcom and Stadium Gate Shopping Mall, insisting on the constant disinfection of surfaces and shared spaces.

    The Regional Environmental Health Officer told the GNA that her office would work to ensure that the compliance checklist was followed to the latter.

    Source: GNA

  • Parliament calls on parents to protect children against coronavirus

    The Upper West Regional Children’s Parliament has called on parents to protect children from the deadly COVID-19 disease by ensuring that they stayed at home.

    It urged the parents to encourage their children to observe the COVID-19 precautionary measures to help control its spread.

    Madam Zakia Ibrahim, the Speaker of the Children’s Parliament, made the call in a statement issued and copied to the Ghana News Agency on the COVID-19 pandemic in Wa.

    “I wish to admonish our parents to ensure the safety of all children. Assist and insist your child is protected against the virus. The first and foremost thing to do in fighting the virus is to stay at home. The virus has no legs, hence, cannot move and spread if we do not move”, she said.

    She also encouraged the children to regularly wash their hands with soap under clean running water and use alcohol-based hand sanitizers when necessary to help protect themselves from contracting the virus.

    She said as schools had been closed down due to the COVID-19, children would like to take that opportunity to roam about, which she said was dangerous to their health in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Madam Ibrahim expressed the hope that all parents should take interest in the welfare of their children and encourage them to make use of the academic programmes on television stations and to also learn on their own while at home.

    She also appealed to parents to protect their children from the Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM) which had claimed several lives in the Upper West Region.
    The Pollie Kids, a Wa based youth-led group, inaugurated the Upper West Regional Children’s Parliament on March 7, 2020 to help develop the intellectual and leadership skills of the children in the region.

    Source:

  • Three arrested for attempted robbery at Amasaman

    The Amasaman Police Command has arrested three persons for attempted street robbery at Peace Village, a suburb of Amasaman on Friday, April 24, 2020.

    According to the Police, the suspects Munkaila Mahmud 19, Abbas Haruna, 22 and Eric Agyei, 28, trailed their victim while she was walking home from work and attempted snatching her handbag containing valuables.

    The victim raised alarm which attracted scores of neighbours including the Police who came to her rescue.

    The suspects were overpowered and arrested by the Police.

    In a similar development, the Police in Anyaa arrested one suspect, Nasiru Mohammed on the same day, for attempting to steal from his victims, together with his accomplice now at large.

    A police internal communication revealed that the suspects met their victims at Nii Borttey near Anyaa market and demanded money from them.

    All four suspects are in police custody assisting in investigations.

    Kaneshie police arrest two suspected robbers at Awudome estate

    In similar developments, two persons have been arrested for allegedly attacking a lady with a knife at Awudome, a suburb of Accra. According to a police statement, the robbers attacked her during the early hours of Saturday, April 25, 2020.

    Kpando: Police arrest suspect in highway robbery

    Also, Police in Kpando arrested a man suspected to be part of a gang of five robbers who robbed motorists on the Nkonya Asakyiri to Kpando Agbenorxoe highway on Friday.

     

    Source: citinewsroom 

  • Tema robbery: 7 charged with stealing after scrambling for stolen money

    The Tema Regional CID has arrested seven (7) persons for their involvement in the scrambling of the stolen cash in the Tema robbery incident.

    The witnesses, according to police report made away with a total sum of GhC120,845.00 when an amount of GHC123,345.00 belonging to a robbery victim was thrown away by one of the robbers who was being pursued by Police.

    The 7 have been charged with stealing, a statement by the Tema Police disclosed.

    Three of the suspects, Richard Attoh alias Amartey aged 30, Qaadir Bancey aged 31 and Awudu Mohammed alias Vuga aged 36 admitted taking part in the scrambling and pocketing a total of GHC2,500.00 from the crime scene.

    The remaining suspects are Sulemana Bancey aged 62, Kwesi Hanson Smith aged 66, Kabul Alcuaku aged 53 and David Nartey Daniels aged 30.

    It would be recalled that on April, 23, 2020, two robbers were killed in a gun battle in Tema after they attacked a businessman who had gone to the bank to withdraw money.

    In the midst of the battle, eyewitnesses scrambled for the banknotes which were flying around, according to a police statement.

    In the end, the businessmen only managed to retrieve just GHC2500 out of the 123,345 he had withdrawn from the bank.

    Police intel led to the arrest of the 7.

    Meanwhile, the police has urged the public who witnessed the incident to provide information leading to the arrest and retrieval of all the money robbed from the victim.

    Source: GNA

  • Seven arrested for scrambling for stolen money in Tema

    The Ghana Police Service has arrested seven persons for taking part in the scrambling of various sums of money amounting to GHS120,845 from a crime scene at Tema recently.

    Two robbers were gunned down by the police last Thursday after stealing an amount of GHS123,345 from a Lebanese and his Ghanaian partner at Tema.

    The two robbers trailed the victims who had gone to cash the said amount from the Tema Community One branch of the Zenith Bank and managed to snatch the money.

    The police in a press statement issued on Sunday, April 26, 2020, said: “seven persons were arrested for taking part in scrambling for various sums of money amounting to GHS120,845 when an amount of GHS123,345 belonging to a robbery victim was thrown away by one of the robbers who was being pursued by the police.”

    The arrested persons have been charged with stealing.

    The statement further disclosed that “three of the persons have admitted taking part in the said action. They are Richard Attoh alias Amartey aged 30, Qaadir Bancey aged 31, and Awudu Mohammed alias Vuga also aged 36.”

    The three pocketed GHS2,500 from the scrambling according to the police.

    The statement also disclosed: “the remaining suspects are Sulemana Bancey aged 62, Kwesi Hanson Smith aged 66, Kabul Akuaku aged 53 and David Nartey Daniels aged 30.”

    The police also urged the general public who witnessed the incident to assist them with information to arrest and retrieve the monies robbed from the victim.

    Read the full statement from the police below

     

     

     

    Source: citinewsroom 

  • James Town: Mother and son die after being electrocuted during Sundays downpour

    A mother and son residing at Timber Market, a suburb of James Town in Accra were killed after they were electrocuted in their room during a downpour on Sunday.

    The Police have identified the deceased persons as Augustina Adoku (22 years), the mother, and her three-year-old son, Sampson Adjei Owuraku.

    On the spot investigation by the officers showed that, during the downpour, the wooden structure which served as the living room for the deceased persons got flooded and interrupted electricity power to the structure which got the two electrocuted.

    Further inspection of the scene revealed that their personal belongings including clothing have been partly burnt.

    “On April 26, 2020, at about 10: 30 am, police received information that two people were electrocuted in their room at Timber Market, a suburb of Jamestown, Accra. Police proceeded to the scene in a wooden structure at Timber Market. The bodies were inspected and no visible marks of assault were found on them”, the police said in a statement.

    Meanwhile, the bodies have been conveyed and deposited at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital morgue for preservation and autopsy.

    There were thunderstorms and rains in the coastal belt and middle parts in the country from morning to late afternoon on Sunday, April 26, 2020.

    This was after a warning from the Ghana Meteorological Agency.

    The storm was accompanied by moderate to strong winds with general cloudiness.

    Places that were affected by the thunderstorms and rain included Aflao, Akatsi, Ho, Kpetoe, Juapong, Dzodze, Somanya, Ada, Prampram, Tema, Aburi, Madina, Accra, Kasoa, Winneba, Nsawam and Suhum.

    The rest were Koforidua, Begoro, Nkawkaw, Kpong, Kade , Swedru, Cape Coast, Saltpond, Takoradi and Axim.

     

    Source: citinewsroom 

  • Booty exposes robber for arrest

    Amadu Ibrahim, 37, one of the five suspected armed robbers, who allegedly robbed passengers on the highway linking Nkonya-Asakyiri and Kpando Agbenorxoe has been arrested by Police at the Have Barrier with some of the booty from the operation.

    Ibrahim was arrested while attempting to escape with his share of the booty including one iPhone 7, an Infinix phone and an amount of GH¢ 7,386.10 at about 1200 hours on April 24, this year.

    Mr Prince Dogbatse, Volta Regional Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Police Service in a release copied to the Ghana News Agency said the Kpando Divisional Police Command acting upon intelligence arrested the suspect after the robbery gang robbed motorists travelling on Hyundai Mini bus with registration number GT 6645 – 13, earlier that day.

    He said the group got away with cash totaling GH¢ 21, 250, 00, different brands of mobile phones and one MacBook laptop computer as Police patrol swift response to a distress call failed to yield the necessary results.

    Mr Dogbatse indicated, further investigations revealed that the mobile phones retrieved from the suspect belonged to two of the victims that were robbed.

    He said Ibrahim was assisting Police investigation and would be arraigned before court, while his accomplices pursued.

    The Regional Police PRO reiterated the commitment of the Regional Police Command to fight all forms of crime during the COVID-19 pandemic and encouraged all persons to comply with the law on Imposition of Restrictions and promote social distancing and personal hygiene at all times.

    “And where necessary, stay at home and help stop the spread of COVID-19,” he added.

    Source: GNA

  • Media houses receive COVID-19 flayers and posters for public education

    The Greater Accra Regional Information Office of the Ministry of Information has distributed flyers and posters to some media houses to help sensitise their clients on the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Among them were Homebase TV, TV3, and the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC).

    Ms Shalomina Awuku-Bekoe, the Greater Accra Regional Information Officer, said the move was to empower the organisations with information on the COVID-19 to enable them to educate their clients.

    She took the staff of the media houses through the symptoms of the virus, precautionary measures and management protocols and urged them to adhere to them to avoid contracting the disease.

    “Everyone has a part to play in the fight against the novel coronavirus pandemic as government alone cannot win the war if we sit back uncooperative,” she said.

    Ms Awuku-Bekoe said the Regional Directorate had deployed information vans with trained commentators to carry out education on the disease.

    She urged the media to display the posters and flyers at vantage points for their clients and other potential beneficiaries to read and that the Office would continue to distribute more to enhance sensitisation.

    Source: GNA

  • Woman, child electrocuted during Sunday downpour

    A 22-year-old Augustina Adoku and her son, Sampson Adjei Owuraku, 3, were on Sunday, April 26, electrocuted at James Town in Accra during the morning rains.

    Their bodies were found in their room, a wooden structure at Timber Market, a suburb of Jamestown in Accra after it got flooded.

    Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Effia Tenge, Head of Public Affairs Unit of the Accra Regional Police Command told the media in a briefing.

    She explained that on Sunday, at about 1030 hours, Police had information that the two had been electrocuted and personnel found them dead on reaching the scene.

    “On the spot investigation revealed that during the downpour in the morning, the wooden structure, which serves as living room for deceased persons got flooded, disturbing electricity power to the structure and that resulted in the electrocution of the two occupants.”

    She said when their bodies were inspected, there were no visible marks of assault found on them.

    DSP Tenge said further inspection of the scene revealed personal belongings, including clothing, which were partly burnt.

    Their bodies have been deposited at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital morgue for preservation and autopsy, she added.

    Source: GNA

  • Bawumia joins COVID-19 youth campaign to curb spread

    Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has joined the COVID-19 Youth Campaign, initiated by the National Youth Authority (NYA), to sensitise the youth to observe the hygiene and safety protocols towards curbing the spread of the pandemic.

    In a video message posted on his Twitter page, Dr Bawumia entreated the youth to adhere strictly to the hygiene and safety protocols such as frequently washing their hands with soap under running water, use of alcohol-based sanitizers, observing two-metre social distancing, and avoiding handshakes.

    He made reference to the mode of transmission of the virus such as human-to-human, which could be done through droplets from an infected person.

    “The young people should not have false sense of security that they are almost immortal, and the virus cannot attack them,” he said.

    “The virus is an equal opportunity attacker, it attacks everybody whether old or young, rich or poor.”

    Making reference to the demographic spread of the virus in Ghana, the Vice President said the majority of the people affected were those below 44 years and, thus, advised the youth to exercise caution to avoid contracting the pathogen, adding; “Ghana needs you for the future”.

    Ghana’s confirmed case count is now 1,550 with 155 recoveries and 11 deaths as of Sunday, April 26.

    Source: GNA

  • Ghana marks World Malaria Day amidst COVID-19 pandemic

    The African Media and Malaria Research Network (AMMREN), a Pan-African media advocacy group of journalists and scientists working to rid the world of malaria, has urged stakeholders not to abandon the fight against the disease.

    The Network warns against diversion of funds set aside for activities such as prevention, diagnosis, treatment and control of the disease.

    “Doing so will have serious implications for the elimination of malaria or even lead to a resurgence of malaria cases, especially in the malaria-endemic countries in Africa,” Dr Charity Binka, Executive Secretary of AMMREN, said in a statement copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra.

    It was to mark the 2020 World Malaria Day, a global event to create awareness on the control and elimination of malaria and acknowledge the current challenge with the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The statement said the disease had brought in its wake a strain on national budgets and health systems including upheavals on the entire socio-economic lives of people and nations across the globe.

    “Not only are huge resources being channelled into the fight against the coronavirus disease but health workers are working under severe stress, health systems and medical supplies are overstretched, job losses are on the rise and businesses are shutting down due to the pandemic,” the statement said.

    “Worse of all, resources that should be going into handling other preventable diseases such as malaria are most likely being diverted to deal with the current pandemic”.

    It, however, noted that as the world marked the Day, global leaders should also take stock of the gains made on malaria control and the gaps to be filled to save the lives of many vulnerable populations, especially children from a preventable and treatable disease.

    The statement said the commemoration of the 2020 World Malaria Day, on the theme: “Zero Malaria Starts with Me,” called for concerted efforts to deal with the disease.

    It urged stakeholders such as traditional rulers, community and opinion leaders, churches and local civil society organisations to lend their support to the awareness creation efforts of governments.

    The statement urged citizens to continue to observe malaria prevention and control activities including the use of treated bed nets and testing before treatment.

    “This is also time for the strengthening of various mechanisms to make quality healthcare for the control of diseases such as malaria accessible and affordable,” it said.

    “With political will and commitment of all, the war against malaria will be won. COVID-19 cannot be an excuse to forget about malaria”.

    Source: GNA

  • FDA lists 10 approved face masks

    The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) on Sunday listed 10 registered and approved face masks and shield for public use to help contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

    They are Heritage Face Mask, Joeritz Face shield, Lily of the Valley Face Mask, Notill Face Mask, Otech Biotech Face Mask, Pacific Face Mask, Sixteen 47 Face Shield, Sixteen 47 Face Mask, Studio AK Face Mask, and Swift Face Mask (Re-Usable).

    The FDA has urged the public to go by the recommended three-layered face masks to effectively help in curbing the spread of the global pandemic.

    In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Mr Joseph Yaw-Bernie Bernnie, the FDA Head of Medical Devices, said most of the locally produced facemasks posed health risks to citizens rather than protecting them.

    He said most of the local ones were either single or double layered cloth and sewn with treated materials, which in itself may pose danger to the user.

    The FDA, therefore, appealed to the public to desist from using un-recommended face masks, stressing that in an attempt to contain the spread of the disease, many were producing it locally, the efficacy of which could not be ascertained.

    Mr Bernie said face masks generally must be able to filter out particles and still be easy to breathe through.

    He said in the absence of propylene, which is the common material used for medical-grade face masks, 100 per cent cotton or cotton blends possessed good material characteristics for homemade face masks.

    He said recent studies and evaluations undertaken by the FDA on viable materials for face masks production established that Calico-Stiff (Hard/Medium)-Calico (three layers) combination was ideal for a reusable homemade COVID-19 face mask.

    Mr Bernnie said there must be no chemicals in the materials used for producing masks as they may have health implications.

    He said the FDA was carrying out market surveillance to rescue the system, educating both producers and users to stop producing and using face masks there were not recommended.

    He said face masks were for protecting the wearer from others or vice versa but wearing those not recommended would rather expose the wearer to danger because of the false sense of security.

    Find below the approved FDA face masks.

    Source: GNA

  • UHAS laboratory begins COVID-19 testing

    The University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) laboratory in Ho is to begin testing for COVID-19 from tomorrow, Monday, April 27, 2020.

    This is to expand the country’s testing capacity to contain the spread of the Coronavirus disease.

    Dr. Senanu Kwasi Dzokoto, Deputy Volta Regional Director of Health in charge of Public Health who confirmed this to the Ghana News Agency said, “This new addition will further strengthen the enhanced surveillance and contact tracing, which is in full operation.”

    He asked all District Rapid Response Teams in the Volta and Oti Regions to “purposefully utilise” the services of the laboratory to improve the ability to detect, isolate and manage all COVID-19 cases.

    Dr. Dzokoto said all samples could be sent to the UHAS laboratory located at the main Sokode campus of the University and asked that “all existing guidelines for sample packaging and transportation should strictly be applied.”

    He commended all staff of the Health Service and other stakeholders for the dedication and resilience and called for more support to contain the pandemic.

    The Volta region has ten confirmed cases of COVID-19 with the national case count at 1550, eleven deaths and 155 recoveries as at Sunday, April 26, 2020.

    Source: GNA

  • Well-developed plant medicine alternative cure for COVID-19 – KNII

    A well-developed plant medicine sector in Africa could be a viable alternative in finding a cure for COVID-19.

    This cure could serve not only the African continent, but the entire global community in a period, when there is a tough struggle worldwide to find a cure for the pandemic.

    Dr. Benjamin Anyagre, Executive Director of the Kwame Nkrumah Ideological Institute (KNII), told the Ghana News Agency in an interview, that plant medicine had proved efficient in the past, “so we should not narrow our minds to orthodox medicine alone.”

    He said the most important thing, was to come up with scientific proof of potency of these traditional medicines.

    Dr. Anyagre noted that whilst a number of pandemics had struck the world in the past such as the Spanish flu of 1918, they did not wipe out the African population, which means, the continent had an indigenous medical response then.

    “The efficacy of plant medicine, had our grandparents, using certain plants to cure diagnosed patients, with positive outcomes of good health and long life,” he said.

    Dr. Anyagre appealed to government and the private sector in Ghana to support the Mampong Center for Plant Medicine, and also encourage such initiatives throughout the country.

    He said there was the need to establish Afrocentric Plant Medical Research Centers all over Africa, towards improving health care, the quality of life in Africa and the world at large.

    “Plant medicine in Africa need to be rejuvenated through scientific research,” Dr. Anyagre noted.

    Source: GNA

  • Wearing of facemasks made mandatory nationwide

    The Minister of Health by the Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851) has directed the wearing of face masks by all and sundry to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

    Section 170(1) of the Act clothes the Minister with powers to order an individual to take a preventive measure in respect of public health matters.

    In pursuant to this, the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, issued a statement on Saturday, April 25 directing the wearing of face masks “in all public places where it may be difficult to maintain social distancing”.

    “The general public is encouraged to wear mask or face covering when going out whether sick or not or attending to a sick person,” the statement urged.

    “Incorrect use of the face mask carries a high risk of infection.”

    Citizens have been advised to clean hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based sanitizer before putting on a mask.

    They must ensure that the mask fully covers the mouth and nose with no gaps between the face and the mask.

    “Avoid touching the mask after you have worn it,” it directed.

    In removing the mask, the finger must be used by passing it through the loop behind one ear as a touch of the front of the mask is prohibited.

    Special kinds of masks have been recommended.

    “Homemade masks with strings to be tied behind the neck or head are not encouraged,” Dr Kuma-Aboagye stated.

    JAVA or WAX cloths sown with triple-layered and stringed with side loops should be worn as hooks to the ear.

    Calico inlaid with fabric stiffens and inner covered with side loops should are also recommended to be worn.

    Those required to wear the masks are food vendors and sellers at markets, commercial vehicle drivers and attendants, commuters on public transports, persons in public and commercial centres, facilities and buildings including but not limited to offices, bars, workshops, restaurants, sports arenas and spas, saloons, shopping malls, churches, clinics and hospitals and all other facilities accessible to the public whether privately or publicly owned.

    Source: 3 News

  • Akufo-Addo extends ban on public gatherings by two weeks

    President Nana Akufo-Addo has extended the ban on public gatherings including religious activities and funerals by an additional two weeks.

    He made this known during his eighth televised address to the nation on the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in the country on Sunday, April 26, 2020.

    The extension comes into full force on Monday, April 27, 2020, at 1:00 am.

    -More soon-

  • Sarkodie publicly rejects an Azonto song feature from Stay Jay here is why

    Ghanaian rapper, Michael Owusu Addo, popularly known as Sarkodie, has turned down a request for him to work with Stay Jay on an Azonto song.

    He showed disinterest in the feature after sound engineer, Mix Master Garzy prompted him about a new song he is cooking with Stay Jay.

    Garzy mentioned Sarkodie in a tweet: “I think I have something with @STAYJAYGH few days ago. Should I drop it? @Sarkodie me nfa hooki wow o anaa for #Bringbackazonto.”

    But following the heated discussions about reviving Azonto and Gasmilla claiming to be the originator, Sarkodie replied, “Killer y3 se mengyae oo nti wode3 bo me jazz bi nfanwh3 me how far.”

    Gasmilla felt disrespected because the Sarkcess Music boss did not contact him before his decision was made public.

    He also argued Azonto was not dead for it to be revived.

  • Food vendors, traders and commercial bus drivers directed to wear face masks always

    The Health Ministry has directed food vendors, market traders and commercial bus drivers to wear face masks at all times.

    Commuters on public transport, persons in commercial centres, facilities and buildings but “not limited to offices, bars, workshops, restaurants, sports arenas, spas, salons, shopping malls, churches, clinics, hospitals and all facilities accessible to the public whether private or public” are also to wear face masks at all times.

    The directives were contained in a statement signed by the Health Minister, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu and copied to JoyNews.

    President Akufo-Addo has announced compulsory wearing of face masks from April 20, 2020, as the government intensifies the fight against deadly novel coronavirus.

    The President in his seventh address to the nation encouraged the wearing of face masks to prevent the spread of the virus.

     

    Source: myjoyonline 

  • Kpando: Police arrest suspect in highway robbery

    Police in Kpando have arrested a man suspected to be part of a gang of five robbers who robbed motorists on the Nkonya Asakyiri to Kpando Agbenorxoe highway on Friday.

    The robbers made away with GHS21,250, mobile phones and one laptop computer, according to police.

    The Kpando Divisional Police acted on intelligence to arrest the suspect, Amadu Ibrahim, aged 37.

    The gang robbed motorists travelling on a Hyundai minibus on the highway linking Nkonya Asakyiri and Kpando Agbenorxoe.

    The police first got the distress call on Friday at about 1:50 pm and moved to the scene of the crime.

    “An official complaint was later lodged by the victims and investigation commenced into the incident whilst patrol within the area was intensified in pursuit of the robbers,” the police said.

    “About 12:00 hours same day, the suspect was arrested at the Have Police Barrier while attempting to escape from the jurisdiction with some of the booty including one iPhone 7 and one Infinix phone and cash amount of GHȻ 7,386.10,” the police added.

    Further investigation revealed that the mobile phones retrieved from the suspect are properties of two of the victims who were robbed in the minibus.

    The suspect is currently assisting Police investigation and will be duly arraigned “while the accomplices are [being] pursued.”

     

    Source: citinewsroom 

  • Kwaku Smoke replies Strongmans stern warning; this time he goes totally dirty

    Budding rapper, Kwaku Smoke has reacted to the warning served on him by Strong Empire boss, Strongman.

    Taking to the same Twitter platform Strongman used to deliver his warning, Kwaku Smoke stated that he did not mean any harm with his earlier tweet that reads: “I know the feeling highest but am happy you be one focused person you do what you want do for others regardless if Enoe be so like strongman e song sef unoe go tweet again..U follow Gh people aa somebody Dey die sef u go lef am make e die..we the young ones Dey appreciate u“

    He then added that the decision by Strongman to add an emoji that depicts anger at the end of his tweet directed at him is something he does not appreciate in any way and directed him to go and remove it.

    It did not end there, Kwaku Smoke went further to drag Strongmans brand into the gutters and described his about to be released 10 AM album as one that is best suited for the farm and not any serious music market.

    These are indeed some serious jabs I am certain Strongman will not let slide. Well, stick with zionfelix.net because we will surely give an update once we get it.

    Source: zionfelix

  • Do not use homemade face masks with strings Health Minister

    The Health Minister has advised against the use of homemade face masks with strings and tied behind the neck or head.

    In a statement copied to JoyNews, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu recommended the use of face masks made from JAVA or Wax cloths sown triple-layered and with side loops to be worn as hooks to the ear.

    “Calico inlade with fabric stiffeners and inner covered with side loops to be worn as hooks to the ear.”

    But “homemade masks with strings to be tied behind the neck or head are not encouraged.”

    The Health Minister added that adult masks must not be worn by children, “child appropriate length masks must be worn by children.”

    President Akufo-Addo has announced compulsory wearing of face masks from April 20, 2020, as the government intensifies the fight against deadly novel coronavirus.

    The President in his seventh address to the nation encouraged the wearing of face masks to prevent the spread of the virus.

     

    Source: myjoyonline 

  • Gasmilla lands Sarkodie a huge blow in latest video watch

    After Sarkodie decided to start an agenda to supposedly bring back Azonto music and dance about four days ago, Gasmilla, the self-acclaimed King of Azonto has been on another crusade to claim his throne.

    In a various interview he has granted, Gasmilla maintains that he continued to push the Azonto genre when Sarkodie and others left it to pursue hip-hop.

    In an interview he granted Abeiku Santana recently monitored by zionfelix.net, he asked stated that the likes of Sarkodie are leaving in a dreamland if they feel they are bringing back Azonto music/dance when in actual fact it is doing great in many European countries because of the efforts he has been putting in.

    Gasmilla also went ahead and landed Sarkodie a huge blow by suggesting that he is an opportunist who wants to ride on this #BringBackAzonto agenda to stay relevant just as he has been riding on young artiste to survive in the music scene.

    Watch the video below

    SOURCE: zionfelix