TIG Post

Author: Chris Kodo

  • More people have visited my church after Tracy’s marriage prophecy – Prophet Amoateng

    After it was publicly made known that a man of God prophecied into the life of Tracy Ameyaw months before she walked down the aisle with her husband, Kennedy Osei, there has been an increase in the search of this man of God.

    Located on the Spintex road, just behind the Goil Filling station, a man seen in a blue suit worn over a white shirt is spotted on a big signboard by the roadside. The church is Power of Worship International, and he calls the place Testimony City.

    When the GhanaWeb team touched base at his church premises, not a lot of people were seen because the first service was over. A white marquee tent, the church auditorium, is seated on the big compound.

    Also on the compound is a story building which houses offices of the senior pastor and other officials of the church.

    The team was directed to the office of Prophet Daniel Amoateng, Founder and Leader of the Power of Worship International.

    In the one-on-one exclusive interview, he opened up to the team for the first time after the whole Kency 2020 conversation on social media began.

    Contrary to earlier reports that the prophecy was made two years ago, Prophet Amoateng says this was done on November 2, 2019.

    When asked if there has been an increase in the number of people trooping into his church to experience the power of God, he answered yes.

    “A couple of people have come to the church. But most of them that came, their friends had already told them about the church. So immediately the video came out, then they were like oh that your pastor, that your pastor…we have been here for only two years. But by the grace of God,…it keeps on growing,” Prophet Amoateng told GhanaWeb.

    Watch the interview below for more

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Women make a living picking through scrap metal

    Between Germiston and Benoni is an open metal dump where more than 20 women survive by collecting scrap metal. Daily they pick through heaps of metal waste dumped by companies on the East Rand, looking for copper, stainless steel, zinc and brass.

    There are no ablution facilities and the women have to use the bush to change into working clothes, to freshen up after the day’s scrap collecting, or to relieve themselves.

    For hours they sit at different spots on top of heaps of scrap. With their bare hands they dig through the scrap to gather whatever they can sell for cash at the nearest scrapyard. Some sit in groups of three or four, chatting while they work. Others prefer to sit alone.

    A typical day begins as early as 6:30am.

    Aida Mainda says, “Passersby often stare at our greasy clothes and faces when we work … But when I put on my makeup to go and shop in town, no one can even tell that I’ve earned the money fishing through a dirty scrap heap.”

    Mayamiko Gonan, from Malawi but now living in Boksburg, scrutinises each item of scrap, then sorts it into 20-litre plastic containers.

    “It’s amazing what valuable pieces one can find in this heap. Maybe one day l will even find gold,” she laughs.

    “Gone are the days when I used to worry about breaking my nails or my hands becoming rough. What’s the use when what matters is making money?” she says.

    Gonan did domestic work but couldn’t make ends meet. A friend showed her the dump six months ago and she has been going there since. On a good day she can make R150.

    Lina-Marie Shongo, from Mozambique and now staying in an informal settlement in Benoni, has been collecting scrap since September last year. She used to have a fruit and vegetable stand.

    “Collecting scrap has changed my life. As a fruit and veg vendor l never used to make much. But now I have gained respect from my family because l am able to put food on the table,” she says. “Here copper is like gold. Filling two or three buckets makes my day.”

    At first she could not tell the difference between metals, but the other women taught her.

    Joyce Morau is South African. She started as a scrap collector, picking through the dump site, but now she buys the load of scrap metal from trucks brought to the dump by firms she knows, and she employs nine women to sort through it for her.

    “People made fun of me when l started off as a scrap picker. They said I should look for something better to do, but now I am a business owner employing other people,” says the single mother of five.

    Morau pays her employees R80 to R100 a day and sells the scrap to big yards in Benoni.

    “Sometimes the dump runs dry and we wait for trucks to come with material. If more metal companies come and dump here it can make our lives easier. The government should support our project by providing us with toilets and fencing our area so that women working here can feel safe,” she says.

    Women working for Joyce Morau sort through a truck load of scrap metal which she has bought.

    GroundUp is being sued after we exposed dodgy Lottery deals involving millions of rands. Please help fund our defence. You can support us via Givengain, Snapscan, EFT, PayPal or PayFast.

    Source: allafrica.com

  • South Sudan govt rejects UN human rights criticism

    A senior South Sudanese official rejected criticism by the U.N. Human Rights Council that his country is a serious violator of human rights.

    Samuel Luate Lominsuk, director-general for Multilateral Affairs of South Sudan, praised the decisions and compromises made by his government, which he said enabled the formation of a national unity government.

    His government is negotiating peace with the South Sudan Opposition Alliance, he said, adding that peace talks with Sudan in the capital, Juba, are making progress.

    Lominsuk said efforts to improve the human rights situation in his country are moving ahead, which belies the U.N. council’s depiction of South Sudan as the worst country on Earth in terms of human rights violations.

    “My government would like to reiterate that South Sudan has deep-rooted traditions and norms, which compel us to respect one another in all aspects of life,” he said. “Consequently, anyone who commits a crime, touching a woman’s dignity, is severely punished.”

    A report published last week by the U.N. Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan describes what it calls the widespread and pervasive sexual and gender-based violence in the country.

    The report accuses both the government and opposition of deliberately starving the population as a tactic of war. The U.N. commission is scathing in its criticism of the government, which it says is riddled with corruption.

    The South Sudanese government did not respond to the report at the time of its release, and Lominsuk did not acknowledge the report or its findings during his address to the council.

    Instead, he stressed the positive developments and improvements in the human rights situation in his country. He also called on the council to remove South Sudan from Item Four, which looks into human rights abuses in specific countries deemed to be the worst violators.

    Countries that will come up for review under that item during the month-long session include North Korea, Myanmar, South Sudan, Iran, Burundi, Syria and Venezuela.

    Source: allafrica.com

  • Egypt buries autocrat Hosni Mubarak with military honours

    Egypt held a military funeral Wednesday for former president Hosni Mubarak, whose three decades of strong-arm rule ended in the Arab Spring protests of 2011.

    The government of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi declared three days of mourning for Mubarak, who died aged 91 in a Cairo military hospital on Tuesday after years spent in relative seclusion.

    “Mubarak in God’s hands,” read the front-page headline of state newspaper Al Ahram, with a black stripe cutting across a photograph of the veteran ruler often dubbed a modern-day “pharaoh”.

    LEGACY

    Generals and soldiers congregated at Cairo’s Mosheer Tantawi mosque, where cannons stood ready for a 21-gun salute to bid farewell to the former air force commander.

    A military helicopter transported his body to the mosque, where his sons Alaa and Gamal, recently acquitted of corruption charges, were among the mourners.

    The funeral focused not on Mubarak’s political legacy but his military life. The Soviet-trained fighter pilot with a life-long love for aviator sunglasses commanded Egypt’s air force during the 1973 war with Israel.

    As Mubarak went on to lead the North African country, he relied heavily on the armed forces and security services to ensure stability and security, while maintaining close ties with Western powers that delivered billions in military aid.

    The mass protests that eventually brought down Mubarak were an explosion of popular anger against his police state and the corruption and nepotism that to many marked his rule.

    Mubarak then spent years in detention for his role in the deaths of hundreds of protesters but was freed in 2017 after the convictions were overturned.

    In the post-Mubarak years, Egypt was torn by political turmoil — bloody unrest in the streets, the short-lived rule of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi, and his 2013 ouster by Sisi, another military man, who reimposed strict police powers.

    THOUSANDS MOURN

    Dozens of Mubarak supporters came Wednesday to mourn Mubarak, among them Samir Gaafar, 59, who was wearing a flowing galabeya tunic and holding a picture of the ex-president with a message denouncing the 2011 uprising.

    “I’m here today because the poor people in this country have become poorer after Mubarak,” he told AFP.

    Mubarak’s full-honours military funeral contrasted with the low-key burial of Morsi, the Muslim Brotherhood president.

    Morsi died last year after a heart attack in court and was buried quietly at night with no fanfare, as Egyptian media derided his single year in office.

    Mubarak’s mixed legacy is that of a strongman who employed emergency powers and rigged elections, and of a guarantor of stability who battled jihadists and kept peace with Israel.

    The former air force chief and vice president became head of state in 1981 after Islamist militants assassinated his predecessor Anwar Sadat during a military parade.

    Mubarak, who was sitting next to him, was wounded. He would survive several more attempts on his life, including in 1995 when militants sprayed his motorcade with bullets at a roadblock in Ethiopia.

    US FAVOUR

    Mubarak gained favour from key ally the United States by maintaining Egypt’s peace treaty with Israel and supporting the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

    But his own country, once the predominant political and cultural power in the Arab world, remained hobbled by graft and poverty.

    Mohamed Amin, a columnist for the biggest privately owned daily, Al Masry Youm, wrote that “you can agree or disagree with the departed president, but one thing is for sure: Mubarak never betrayed his country”.

    He compared Mubarak’s fate with those of other autocratic Arab rulers in Libya, Yemen, Iraq and Tunisia, writing that “his end was unlike Kadhafi, Ali Abdullah Saleh or Saddam Hussein. He didn’t seek asylum like Ben Ali.

    “He said he would live here and die here. He pushed on with his dignity and his arrogance.”

    Feature photo and caption: Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed al-Tayeb (2nd R) and Egypt’s Pope Tawadros II (3rd R) and Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Al-Maliki (4th R) stand among other Arab officials during the funeral ceremony of Egypt’s former president Hosni Mubarak at Cairo’s Mosheer Tantawy mosque on February 26, 2020. PHOTO | KHALED DESOUKI | AFP

    Source: AFP NEWS AGENCY

  • Deontay Wilder SACKS his trainer after he threw in the towel in knockout defeat to Tyson Fury

    Deontay Wilder will sack his trainer Mark Breland after being left angered that he had thrown the towel in in a knockout defeat to Tyson Fury.

    Wilder’s corner threw in the towel in the seventh round of the Las Vegas showpiece and it was viewed as a sensible call after the Alabama fighter had been dropped twice earlier in the fight.

    But Wilder, and head trainer Jay Deas, spoke after the defeat that they did not agree with the move and the heavyweight is now ready to shake-up his team as a consequence.

    Wilder has revealed he will activate his rematch clause option for a trilogy fight and he will go into that fight with a new trainer.

    Speaking to Yahoo, Wilder said: ‘I am upset with Mark for the simple fact that we’ve talked about this many times and it’s not emotional.

    ‘It is not an emotional thing, it’s a principle thing. We’ve talked about this situation many, many years before this even happened. I said as a warrior, as a champion, as a leader, as a ruler, I want to go out on my shield. If I’m talking about going in and killing a man, I respect the same way. I abide by the same principal of receiving.

    So I told my team to never, ever, no matter what it may look like, to never throw the towel in with me because I’m a special kind. I still had five rounds left. No matter what it looked like, I was still in the fight.’

    Breland is a Brooklyn-born Olympic gold medalist who finished his professional career with 35 wins and three losses on his record. His final fight before retirement came in a unanimous decision victory against Rick Haynes.

    Former US fighter Andre Ward was among those defending Breland’s call to end the fight early.

    He tweeted: ‘I respect Mark Breland. We need more trainers like him in the sport of boxing. I stand with you Coach.’

    Wilder produced a disappointing display as he was roundly beaten by Fury and he has since blamed the referee and his own ringwalk costume for his lacklustre display.

    The American wore a black and red armoured body suit with a matching mask and crown, weighing a total of 40lbs, as he made his way to the squared circle for his second bout with Fury at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on Saturday.

    While there had been some talk of a unification bout for Fury with Anthony Joshua, it appears the focus will now be a third installment of Wilder-Fury.

    ‘The rematch is definitely going to happen,’ Wilder added to The Athletic. ‘We’re going to get it on. I want to get right back to it.’

    Fury, as the winner of the second bout, would be entitled to a 60/40 percentage split of all the money on the line for the fight, plus the earnings from PPV and ticket sales.

    Source: Dailymail.co.uk

  • Guinea president ‘snubs West African leaders’

    Guinea’s President Alpha Condé has refused to meet a delegation of West African leaders as the country heads towards a referendum that could allow him run for a third term, reports Radio France Internationale (RFI).

    A delegation of heads of states from the regional bloc, the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas), was scheduled to visit Guinea on Friday, RFI reports quoting high-ranking sources.

    It was to be led by Niger President Mahamadou Issoufou and was to include Nigeria’s Muhammadu Buhari, Ghana’s Nana Akufo-Addo and Burkina Faso’s Roch Marc Christian Kaboré.

    Guinea has been plunged into political crisis over President Condé’s push for constitutional reforms through a referendum that will be held on 1 March. The opposition has said it will boycott the vote.

    Opponents see the process as a plot to enable the 81-year-old leader, who is nearing the end of the two terms allotted under the present constitution, to stay in power for up to another decade.

    Several protesters have died in various anti-government demonstrations in recent months.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Guinea President Conde hints at third term bid despite protests

    Guinea’s President Alpha Conde has suggested publicly for the first time that he could run for a third term if the constitution is changed, a move likely to fuel further unrest.

    Guineans vote on Sunday in parliamentary elections and a referendum on constitutional reforms that could allow the 81-year-old to stand again, and the prospect of him staying longer in office has already led to months of sometimes violent protests.

    Opponents see the process as a plot to enable Conde, who approaches the end of the two terms allotted under the present constitution, to stay in power for up to another decade. For Conde, who became Guinea’s first democratically elected leader in 2010, the changes will create a “modern constitution”.

    In an interview with Le Figaro newspaper that was published on Wednesday, Conde said the 2010 constitution was bad and needed modernising.

    “The Guinean people will ask this question: Is it the first time that a president changes the constitution to do a third or fourth term? Why would it be impossible in Guinea to do three mandates?” he asked.

    In some other African countries, leaders have used a constitution change as an excuse to reset their term limits.

    “It’s only Guinea that is criticised. Some countries can change constitution four or five times without being criticised,” Conde said, using Chadian President Idriss Deby as an example.

    Western and Chinese businesses are also keeping an eye on how events unfold.

    The West African nation is rich with natural resources including the world’s largest bauxite reserves, as well as in iron, gold, diamonds and oil.

    But investments have stalled due to political instability and a lack of infrastructure and most of its 13 million people live in poverty. According to the World Bank, per capita income in 2018 was just $830. Growth stood at around 10 percent in 2016-2017, falling to 5.8 percent in 2018.

    Conde’s first election victory in 2010 raised hopes for democratic progress in the former French colony after two years of military rule and nearly a quarter of a century under authoritarian President Lansana Conte, who died in 2008.

    But Conde’s critics have accused him of cracking down on dissent and violently repressing protests – charges he has denied. He asked his government last year to draft a new constitution that would permit him to run for office again.

    Conde has been “so disappointing”, said opposition leader Cellou Dalein Diallo, a former prime minister. He has created “a banana republic – a dictatorship in all but name”, Diallo said.

    An alliance of parties, unions and grassroots groups opposed to the referendum delivered a similarly brutal judgement. “He took himself for Mandela but decided to become Bokassa,” it said, referring to Jean-Bedel Bokassa, the former president of the Central African Republic who declared himself emperor.

    The Paris-based group of French-speaking countries, the Organisation Internationale de la Francophone, which had been due to monitor Sunday’s vote, has suspended its support of the ballot.

    It questioned the credibility of the vote due to 2.49 million “problematic” entries on the electoral register.

    It also called on Guinean authorities “to act quickly to avoid any further loss of human life and to stop any risk of escalation towards violence”.

    Conde said he was surprised by the organisation’s reaction and accused the opposition of calling for violence and hiring young people to throw stones.

    “We will do everything to keep the calm and ensure the population can vote,” Conde said.

    Source: News Agencies

  • Aduana signed me to help with their youth development – Paa Kwasi Fabin

    Newly appointed coach of Aduana Stars, Paa Kwasi Fabin says that he was basically signed by the team to attain a respectable position on the league without any specific targets.

    Aduana Stars on Tuesday announced the signing of experience coach Paa Kwasi Fabin as their new coach taking over from assistant coacPaa Kwasi Fabin hopes to win the league title with Aduana Starswho has been acting for the club the last 11 league games.

    According Paa Kwasi, the club brought him on board purposely to help nurture youth talent within the club and their catchment area as he has vast experience in handling youth teams right from his days at OKESS,the national U-17 team and even at Asante Kotoko.

    He, however, has not discounted the club’s chances of lifting the league title as his new side currently sit second on the league log just a point adrift leaders Ashgold.

    “It’s true I have signed with Aduana Stars, I signed for one season. They didn’t really give me a specific target but they asked me to help the team to get a respectable position. For youth development, that is the main reason why they brought me on board. Talking of the league title they have the potentials to win it”he said in an interview with FOX FM.

    Paa Kwasi Fabin will make his debut for the Ogya side on matchday 12 when they take on Dreams FC this weekend.

    Source: Ghanaguardian.com

  • Kagame reshuffles cabinet, overhauls Health and Education Ministries

    President Paul Kagame on Wednesday evening reshuffled the cabinet making major changes to key ministries notably Health and Education.

    Dr Daniel Ngamije was appointed Minister of Health, replacing Dr Diane Gashumba who resigned two weeks ago.

    Dr Daniel Ngamije previously worked for the World Health Organisation.

    Valentine Uwamariya was named Minister for Education, replacing Eugene Mutimura. Mutimura was appointed as the Head of Science and Technology Commission.

    Uwamariya was the Deputy Vice-Chancellor in Charge of Trainings, Institutional Development and Research at Rwanda Polytechnic and also a senior lecturer at University of Rwanda.

    In the same ministry, Gaspard Twagirayezu was appointed Minister of State in charge of Primary and Secondary Education. He replaced Isaac Munyakazi who also stepped down two weeks ago following corruption-related charges.

    Inès Mpambara who was previously serving as Director of Cabinet in the Office of the President was appointed Minister in charge of Cabinet Affairs.

    There were also changes at the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion where Minister Jeannette Bayisenge takes over from Solina Nyirahabimana.

    Nyirahabimana was moved to serve as Minister of State in Charge of Constitutional and Legal Affairs. She replaces Evode Uwizeyimana, who resigned after he physically assaulted a private security guard on duty.

    Marie-Solange Kayisire, who previously held the docket of Cabinet Affairs, was appointed Minister in Charge of Emergency Management.

    The changes also saw Lt. Col. Dr Tharcisse Mpunga join Cabinet as Minister of State in the Ministry of Health in charge of Primary Healthcare. He replaces Dr Patrick Ndimubanzi, who will henceforth serve as the Executive Secretary of the Human Resources for Health Secretariat.

    Another new entrant is Richard Tusabe, who was appointed Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning in Charge of the National Treasury.

    The reshuffle also saw the creation of Minister of State in the Ministry of Education in Charge of ICT and TVET Education with Claudette Irere assigned to the task.

    Irere was serving as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of ICT and Innovation, a position that was assigned to youthful Yves Iradukunda.

    Other major changes saw Régis Rugemanshuro appointed Director-General of Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB).

    Rugemanshuro is coming from the private sector where he worked as Chief Digital Officer for Bank of Kigali.

    The shake-up also saw Amandin Rugira appointed as Ambassador-designate of Rwanda to Zambia and Dieudonné Sebashongore as Ambassador-designate of Rwanda to Belgium.

    Monique Mukaruliza was previously representing Rwanda in Zambia while Rugira was the envoy to Belgium.

    Source: newtimes.co.rw

  • Man City appeal against European ban registered by Court of Arbitration for Sport

    Manchester City’s appeal against their two-year ban from European club competition has been registered by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas).

    The Premier League champions were also fined 30m euros (£25m) for “serious breaches” of Uefa’s financial regulations.

    City chief executive Ferran Soriano has said the breaches are “simply not true”.

    Cas says “it is not possible” to say when the matter will be resolved.

    Cas arbitration procedures involve an exchange of written submissions between the parties while a panel of arbitrators is convened to hear the appeal.

    The independent adjudicatory chamber of the Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) said it found City had broken the rules by “overstating its sponsorship revenue in its accounts and in the break-even information submitted to Uefa between 2012 and 2016”, adding that the club “failed to cooperate in the investigation”.

    At the time, City said they were “disappointed but not surprised” by the “prejudicial” decision and would appeal.

    Uefa launched an investigation after German newspaper Der Spiegel published leaked documents in November 2018 alleging City had inflated the value of a sponsorship deal, misleading European football’s governing body.

    Reports alleged City – who have always denied wrongdoing – deliberately misled Uefa so they could meet financial fair play rules requiring clubs to break even.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Dangote Fertilizer commences pre-testing of $2bn plant ahead of inauguration

    Dangote Fertiliser Limited has begun countdown to the inauguration of its $2 billion Granulated Urea Fertiliser complex located in the Dangote Free Zone.

    With a capacity of 3 million tonnes per annum, the plant has been classified as the biggest project in the entire fertilizer industry history in the World. Siapem of Italy is the Engineering, Procurement and Supervision (EP) Contractor for the project, while Tata Consulting Engineers, India, is the Project Management Consultants (PMC) for the project.

    At this time, several critical sections of the plant are going through various stages of pre-commissioning and test-run. Virtually all the sections of the plant such as Central Control Room, Ammonia and Urea Bulk Storage, Cooling Tower, Power Generator Plant, Granulation Plant, have all been completed and are going through pre-testing.

    Already, Dangote Feritiser has started receiving gas supply from the Nigerian Gas Company and Chevron Nigeria Limited under the Gas Sale and Purchase was Agreement to supply 70 million standard cubic feet per day (Scf/d) of natural gas to Dangote Fertiliser Limited.

    The project, which will create thousands of direct and indirect jobs in construction and related fields, will provide a major boost to the agricultural sector by significantly reducing the importation of fertilizer in Nigeria and ultimately removing the need for imports when plant is in full production.

    Group Executive Director, Strategy, Portfolio Development & Capital Projects, Dangote Industries Limited, Devakumar Edwin said Nigeria will be able to save $0.5billion from import substitution and provide $0.4 billion from exports of products from the fertilizer plant. “Thus, the supply of fertilizer from the plant, will be enough for the Nigerian market and neighboring countries,” he said.

    Edwin said: “I am happy that by the time our plant is fully commissioned, the country will become self-sufficient in fertilizer production and even have the capacity to export the products to other African countries. Right now, farmers are forced to utilize whatever fertilizer that is available as they have no choice, but we need to know that the fertilizer that will work in one State may not be suitable in another State, as they may not have the same soil type and composition. The same fertilizer you use for sorghum may not be the fertilizer you will use for sugar cane.”

    He stated that the Dangote fertilizer project, which is estimated to gulp $2billion is the largest granulated Urea fertilizer complex to emerge in the entire fertilizer industry history in the world, with its three million tonnes per annum capacity.

    He pointed out that the fertilizer complex, which is sited on 500 hectares of land has the capacity to expand as it is only occupying a small fraction of the allotted portion.

    Edwin added: “The management of the complex are confident that the fertilizer business will deliver reasonable profit to the company and its shareholders as it is projected that population growth and the need for food production will jack up the consumption of Urea fertilizer beginning from 2020 when production of the production would have commenced in earnest.

    “The current consumption of Urea estimated at a dismal 700,000 tonnes per annum by Nigerian farmers is said to be due to very poor usage and is believed to be the cause of poor product yield, which threatens food security in the country.

    “By 2020, Nigerian population is projected to increase to about 207 million which would lead to increased food production. Estimates points out that around five million tonnes of fertilizers are required per year in Nigeria in the next five to seven years bifurcated into 3.5 million tonnes of Urea and 1.5 million tonnes of NPK while current production levels in Nigeria are at 1.6 million tonnes by 2019.”

    Source: africanews.com

  • Coronavirus cases surge to 400 in Italy

    The number of coronavirus cases in Italy has jumped to 400, amid international efforts to contain the spread of the deadly outbreak.

    The rise in Italy, the main focus of infection in Europe, represents a 25% surge in 24 hours.

    Several European countries announced new cases traced to Italy.

    Also on Wednesday, the World Health Organization said that for the first time the virus was spreading faster outside China, where it originated.

    Globally, more than 80,000 people in about 40 countries have been infected with the new coronavirus, which emerged in December. The vast majority remain in China.

    Covid-19, the respiratory disease caused by the virus, has killed more than 2,700 people so far.

    Map

    What is the situation in Italy?

    Late on Wednesday, authorities reported a total of 400 cases – a rise of 80 from Tuesday night.

    The worst-affected areas are in the industrial north of the country – Lombardy, the region around Milan, and Veneto near Venice. The outbreak has killed 12 people in the country so far.

    Government officials have sought to reassure the public, and insisted steps were being taken to prevent the spread of the disease.

    Central Milan, 26 February

    Milan’s famous nightlife has been badly affected by the outbreak

    Schools, universities and cinemas have been closed and several public events cancelled.

    Eleven towns at the centre of the outbreak – home to a total of 55,000 people – have been quarantined.

    There are fears that the outbreak may tip Italy into economic recession. The BBC’s Mark Lowen in Milan says fear is the reason for the city’s empty cafes and many hotel cancellations.

    EU Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides told reporters after meeting the Italian health minister in Rome: “This is a situation of concern, but we must not give in to panic.

    “There are still many unknowns about this virus and in particular its origin and how it spreads.”

    What about the rest of Europe and beyond?

    In the past two days, Austria, Croatia, Greece, Norway, Switzerland, Georgia and North Macedonia reported their first coronavirus cases. Many of them involved people who had been to Italy.

    A man holds a baby outside the AHEPA hospital, where the first confirmed coronavirus case is being treated, in Thessaloniki, Greece,

    Greece was among the countries to report its first coronavirus case

    More cases were also announced in Spain, France and Germany. Ireland postponed Six Nations rugby matches with Italy in Dublin that were to be held on 7 and 8 March.

    In the UK, where 13 cases have been reported, tests for coronavirus are being increased to include people displaying flu-like symptoms.

    Outside Europe, Algeria, Brazil and Pakistan also reported their first coronavirus infections. The Brazilian case marked the arrival of the virus in Latin America.

    In Iran – the main hotspot in the Middle East – a total of 19 deaths and 139 cases have been reported in the past week. The government said on Wednesday it had no plans to quarantine any cities and towns. despite fears of a regional epidemic.

    Iranian officials have asked people not to go to Qom, the centre of the outbreak, but have not shut a shrine in the city that attracts millions of Shia pilgrims each year.

    Also on Wednesday South Korea – the biggest cluster of infections outside China – reported a total of more than 1,200 infections and 12 deaths so far.

    Source: BBC

  • Kenya university’s rape memo sparks anger

    A top Kenyan university has apologised after blaming “reckless” female students for becoming victims of rape.

    The security memo, which was sent to all students on Tuesday, was “insensitive”, the University of Nairobi’s vice-chancellor admitted.

    A petition started in response to the memo questioned how women could be blamed for their own rape.

    Popular media personality, Adelle Onyango, posted on Instagram: “This is what victim shaming looks like.”

    The 31-year-old, who is a rape survivor, told her 374,000 followers that she was outraged that the university had had no condemnation for the rapists.

    “This is what normalisation of rape looks like. And we will not stand for it.”

    The memo, signed by the head of security, said the rising number of cases of robbery and rape of university students in the capital, Nairobi, occurred at certain spots close to campuses.

    “In all the three rape incidences reported last year, a clear case of recklessness on the part of our female students can be drawn,” it said.

    It gave an example of a drunk student who was gang-raped on her way back in the early hours of the morning.

    It also included tips about how to keep safe in social gatherings, suggesting students always go out with trusted friends, memorise important numbers in case they lost a phone and never leave their drinks unattended.

    Adelle Onyango

    Adelle Onyango said that if men just stopped raping, rape would stop

    Ms Onyango, who is raising funds to launch Safe 24/7 to offer free therapy and support to survivors of rape, said such advice given to women was part of the problem.

    “Right now, where we go, what time we will go there, who we will go with, how we will get there, what we will wear etc is governed by how safe we will be and that is NOT normal neither is it OK!

    “If men just stopped raping us, rape will stop.”

    The Change.org petition, so far signed by nearly 1,500 people, said: “Misogyny has been time and again endorsed by the powers in play in Kenya, and that has got to stop.”

    Stephen Kaima, the university’s vice-chancellor, said students were advised to call the security department whenever they faced “security challenges during day and night”.

    According to a Kenya National Bureau of Statistics study from 2014, 14% of Kenyan women have experienced sexual violence.

    Source: BBC

  • Maria Sharapova retires: Five-time Grand Slam champion ‘says goodbye’ to tennis at 32

    Five-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova is “saying goodbye” to tennis at the age of 32.

    In an article written for Vogue and Vanity Fair, Sharapova said her body “had become a distraction” after a struggle with shoulder injuries.

    The Russian won her first Grand Slam at Wimbledon in 2004 aged 17 and completed the career slam – all four major titles – by winning the French Open in 2012.

    In 2016, she served a 15-month ban after testing positive for meldonium.

    After returning from her ban in 2017, Sharapova struggled to recapture her best form and suffered from a number of injuries.

    She has dropped to 373 in the world, her lowest ranking since August 2002, and has lost in the first round of her past three Grand Slam tournaments.

    In announcing her retirement, she said: “I’m new to this, so please forgive me. Tennis – I’m saying goodbye.

    “Looking back now, I realize that tennis has been my mountain. My path has been filled with valleys and detours, but the views from its peak were incredible.

    “After 28 years and five Grand Slam titles, though, I’m ready to scale another mountain – to compete on a different type of terrain.

    “That relentless chase for victories, though? That won’t ever diminish. No matter what lies ahead, I will apply the same focus, the same work ethic, and all of the lessons I’ve learned along the way.

    “In the meantime, there are a few simple things I’m really looking forward to: A sense of stillness with my family. Lingering over a morning cup of coffee. Unexpected weekend getaways. Workouts of my choice (hello, dance class!)”

    Sharapova said her 6-1 6-1 first-round defeat by Serena Williams at last year’s US open was the “final signal”.

    “Behind closed doors, 30 minutes before taking the court, I had a procedure to numb my shoulder to get through the match,” she said,

    “Shoulder injuries are nothing new for me – over time my tendons have frayed like a string. I’ve had multiple surgeries – once in 2008, another procedure last year – and spent countless months in physical therapy.

    “Just stepping on to the court that day felt like a final victory, when of course it should have been merely the first step toward victory.”

    Sharapova did not play again in 2019 after that defeat at Flushing Meadows and has played just twice this year, including a straight sets loss to Croat Donna Vekic in the Australian Open first round.

    Source: bbc.com

  • ‘They removed my uterus and I had no idea for 11 years’

    A woman in South Africa has told the BBC how she was sterilised without her consent after she gave birth at the age of 17, and only learned about it 11 years later when she tried to have another child.

    Bongekile Msibi was among 48 women sterilised without consent at state hospitals, the Commission for Gender Equality found.

    Despite being a statutory body, the commission said its inquiry was hampered by the “disappearance” of patients’ files, and its investigators had received a “hostile reception” from hospital staff.

    The commission said its investigators visited 15 hospitals after civil rights groups brought the cases, some dating back to 2011, to its attention.

    South Africa’s health department has not yet given a detailed response to the report, but said its minister, Zweli Mkhize, had requested a meeting with the commission to discuss it.

    Ms Msibi recalled her ordeal to the BBC’s Clare Spencer:

    I woke up after giving birth, looked down and asked: “Why do I have a huge bandage on my stomach?”

    I did not mind. I had just given birth to my baby daughter. She was a big baby and I had been anaesthetised and gone through a Caesarean section.

    Getty Images

    How women are sterilised in SA

    • Hysterectomy:Removal of womb or part of it
    • Tubal ligation:Fallopian tubes blocked or sealed

    Source: South Africa’s Commission for Gender EqualityPresentational white space

    I left hospital five days after giving birth, with a healthy baby daughter and a huge scar across my stomach.

    I did not find out what had really happened for another 11 years.

    Things unravelled when I was trying to conceive again.

    I had been taking the contraceptive pill for that whole time since I had given birth and so it was not strange that I had not had my period.

    But I got engaged and wanted to have another baby so went to the doctor.

    He examined me, sat me down, gave me a glass of water and told me I had no uterus.

    ‘It is very cruel’

    I was devastated and confused. It did not make sense because I was already a mother.

    I worked out my uterus must have been removed and the only time it could have happened was after I had given birth.

    Bongekile MsibiPresentational white space

    It is very cruel what they did to me.

    I went to the press, then the health ministry and eventually ended up back at the hospital where I gave birth with the doctor who said he was there that day.

    He did not say sorry. He told me that he had sterilised me in order to save my life.

    I still do not know what he was trying to save me from. There are no records at the hospital.

    I am not the only one. An inquiry has found there are 47 others. Some were told it was because they had HIV, but I do not. I just don’t know why they did it.

    The doctor told me that I had signed a consent form. I had not. I was a minor at the time so would not have been able to.

    He then said my mother, who was with me at the birth, had signed the consent form. She said she did not.

    The news changed my life.

    In the end I split up with my fiancé. I had to let him go because he really wanted children and I could not give him that.

    When I met the doctor I was asked what I want.

    I want a baby so badly. When I saw a pregnant colleague this week I could not stand it.

    My daughter wants a sibling and when we go past street kids she suggests I bring one up as my own.

    I still have ovaries and so I think the hospital should pay for a surrogate.

    Pregnant woman

    South African law on sterilisation

    • Adultsentitled to it through safe methods
    • Proceduremust be clearly explained, including risks and consequences
    • Consentcan be withdrawn at anytime
    • Formsgiving go-ahead must be understood and signed
    • Separaterules must be followed for those “incapable” of consenting

    Source: South Africa’s Commission for Gender Equality

    I also want somebody to be held accountable.

    We cannot allow doctors to keep on doing this because our rights as women are being violated.

    Doctors need to know that they are under scrutiny, that we know what they get up to when we are lifeless.

    And then I want the doctor who did this to say he is sorry.

    The way this has been handled, you would think they had just removed a finger when actually this is my entire womanhood they have stolen.

    I can never get over that and the scar will always be a reminder.

    Source: BBC

  • Men with big balls are naturally born cheats Stephanie Benson

    Songstress Stephanie Benson has advised women to check the size of the balls of their spouses to know if they are cheats or otherwise

    According to her own way of ascertaining this, men who have bigger balls are not faithful and are prone to cheating in their relationship or marriages.

    However, men with small-sized balls do not cheat and are very faithful to their spouses to the end urging women to go for such persons instead.

    She mentioned that her husband has small balls hence he has been faithful throughout their marriage till now.

    Source: mynewsgh.com

  • Maria Sharapova retires: Five-time Grand Slam champion ‘says goodbye’ to tennis at 32

    Five-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova is “saying goodbye” to tennis at the age of 32.

    In an article written for Vogue and Vanity Fair, Sharapova said her body “had become a distraction” after a struggle with shoulder injuries.

    The Russian won her first Grand Slam at Wimbledon in 2004 aged 17 and completed the career slam – all four major titles – by winning the French Open in 2012.

    In 2016, she served a 15-month ban after testing positive for meldonium.

    After returning from her ban in 2017, Sharapova struggled to recapture her best form and suffered from a number of injuries.

    She has dropped to 373 in the world, her lowest ranking since August 2002, and has lost in the first round of her past three Grand Slam tournaments.

    In announcing her retirement, she said: “I’m new to this, so please forgive me. Tennis – I’m saying goodbye.

    “Looking back now, I realize that tennis has been my mountain. My path has been filled with valleys and detours, but the views from its peak were incredible.

    “After 28 years and five Grand Slam titles, though, I’m ready to scale another mountain – to compete on a different type of terrain.

    “That relentless chase for victories, though? That won’t ever diminish. No matter what lies ahead, I will apply the same focus, the same work ethic, and all of the lessons I’ve learned along the way.

    “In the meantime, there are a few simple things I’m really looking forward to: A sense of stillness with my family. Lingering over a morning cup of coffee. Unexpected weekend getaways. Workouts of my choice (hello, dance class!)”

    Sharapova said her 6-1 6-1 first-round defeat by Serena Williams at last year’s US Open was the “final signal”.

    “Behind closed doors, 30 minutes before taking the court, I had a procedure to numb my shoulder to get through the match,” she said,

    “Shoulder injuries are nothing new for me – over time my tendons have frayed like a string. I’ve had multiple surgeries – once in 2008, another procedure last year – and spent countless months in physical therapy.

    “Just stepping on to the court that day felt like a final victory, when of course it should have been merely the first step toward victory.”

    Sharapova did not play again in 2019 after that defeat at Flushing Meadows and has played just twice this year, including a straight sets loss to Croat Donna Vekic in the Australian Open first round, her last competitive appearance..

    A star is born at 17

    Sharapova shot to stardom in 2004 aged just 17 when victory over Serena Williams saw her become the third-youngest woman to win the Wimbledon singles title.

    She would go on to become one of the most high-profile names in women’s sport, winning 36 singles titles and earning more than $38m (£29m) in prize money.

    In 2005 she became the first Russian woman to become world number one, and won her second Grand Slam singles title at the US Open the following year.

    But 2007 saw the first of Sharapova’s struggles with injury, as she missed most of the clay court season with a shoulder problem.

    She would return to form and fitness to win the Australian Open at the start of 2008, but a second shoulder injury kept her off tour for the second half of the season, meaning she missed the US Open and Beijing Olympics.

    In 2012, Sharapova captured the French Open at Roland Garros to become the 10th woman to complete the career Grand Slam, before winning Olympic silver in London.

    Yet another shoulder injury saw her miss the second half of the 2013 season, although she returned the following year to win her second French Open, and fifth and final Grand Slam.

    Meldonium ban

    In March 2016, Sharapova told a news conference she had tested positive for meldonium at the Australian Open.

    Meldonium, a heart disease drug, became a banned substance on 1 January 2016.

    Sharapova said she had been taking the drug since 2006 for health problems and was unaware it had been added to the banned list, insisting she had “not tried to use a performance-enhancing substance”.

    She was banned for two years, later reduced to 15 months following an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

    She returned to tennis in April 2017, winning what would be her final career singles title at the Tianjin Open in October that year.

    Sharapova reached the quarter-finals at the 2018 French Open and the last 16 of the Australian Open at the start of 2019, but injuries and loss of form began to take its toll.

    ‘It was a pleasure to share the court with you’ – reaction Following Sharapova’s announcement, hercoach Riccardo Piatti tweeted: “It’s been an honour to have worked with such an amazing athlete and person. I’ll miss her on court and outside. I’m sorry we couldn’t work together for longer. But I know our paths will cross again and I can’t wait for it. In the meantime, good luck with everything.”

    Two-time Grand Slam champion Petra Kvitova said it had been “a pleasure” to share a court with Sharapova.

    The Czech added: “We always had great battles when we played and I have so much respect for your hard work and the way you always fight for everything. You have achieved a lot in your life and I know this is just the start.”

    Meanwhile, tennis legend Billie Jean King added: “From the day Maria Sharapova won her first Wimbledon title at age 17, she has been a great champion. A five-time major champion and a former world number one, her business success is just as impressive as her tennis achievements. Maria, the best is yet to come for you!”

    Reacting after his victory over Philipp Kohlschreiber at the Dubai Open on Wednesday, world number one men’s player Novak Djokovic asked the crowd to offer a round of applause for Sharapova.

    “She is a great fighter, as dedicated as someone can really be in our sport,” the Serbian 17-time Grand Slam champion said. “The will power and willingness to overcome the obstacle she had, with her injuries and surgeries and trying to fight to come back to the court and play at her desired level – it’s truly inspirational to see what a mind of a champion she has. At the end of a fantastic career she can be proud of herself.”

    Source: bbc.com

  • Mexico returns ‘smuggled ancient sculpture’ to Nigeria

    The Mexican government has returned an “ancient” bronze sculpture to Nigeria after it was seized by customs officials in the capital’s airport.

    The sculpture is believed to date back to the 6th Century from the south-western city of Ife, reports AFP news agency.

    An official from Mexico’s foreign ministry is quoted saying that the sculpture had been illegally exported.

    Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) tweeted a photo of the sculpture:

    Diego Prieto, the head of INAH, is quoted saying that experts had “determined that it was a piece of Yoruba origin”.

    Source: myjoyonline.com

  • Joe Biden drops claim he was arrested seeing Mandela

    Joe Biden was not arrested in South Africa while trying to see Nelson Mandela, his campaign has conceded.

    The US presidential contender had repeatedly said he was arrested during a trip there in the 1970s, when South Africa was under apartheid.

    But a deputy campaign manager told reporters Mr Biden had been referring to an episode where he was “separated” from black colleagues at an airport.

    Mr Biden is counting on black support to win South Carolina on Saturday.

    On Wednesday Mr Biden won the endorsement of Democratic Congressman James Clyburn, a black lawmaker who is considered key to winning the state’s black vote, which makes up more than 50% of Democratic voters there.

    Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders currently holds the most delegates for the Democrats’ presidential nomination, followed by former Indiana mayor Pete Buttigieg and Mr Biden.

    The former vice-president first made the arrest assertion at an event in South Carolina earlier this month, reminiscing about his personal history with Mandela, South Africa’s first black president who died in 2013.

    Biden: ‘Mandela thanked me’

    Mr Biden – at the time a senator for Delaware – said he had been visiting the country with a delegation of American officials and had planned to visit Mandela in prison.

    But during the trip, Mr Biden said he had “had the great honour of being arrested with our UN ambassador on the streets of Soweto” while trying to reach the civil rights leader on Robben Island. The town of Soweto is more than 760 miles (1,223km) from Robben Island.

    At a black history awards brunch in Las Vegas last week, he also said Mandela had thanked him for his efforts.

    “He threw his arms around me and said, ‘I want to say thank you,’” Mr Biden told onlookers. “I said, ‘What are you thanking me for, Mr President?’ He said: ‘You tried to see me. You got arrested trying to see me.’”

    Nelson Mandela
    Nelson Mandela was imprisoned on Robben Island for 27 years before becoming South Africa’s president

    Mr Biden’s account of what happened has been rebuffed by Andrew Young, the US ambassador to the UN at the time, who says he travelled with Mr Biden to South Africa.

    Local media have also failed to find any evidence of an arrest being made.

    Fact-checkers at the Washington Post called the claim “ridiculous” on Tuesday as they awarded it four Pinocchios.

    On Tuesday Mr Biden’s deputy campaign manager, Kate Bedingfield, told reporters Mr Biden had been referring to an incident when “he was separated from his party at Johannesburg airport”.

    When a journalist noted that being separated did not equate with an arrest, Ms Bedingfield repeated that it had been a “separation”.

    “They, he was not allowed to go through the same door that the – the rest of the party he was with,” said Ms Bedingfield. “Obviously, it was apartheid South Africa. There was a white door, there was a black door. He did not want to go through the white door and have the rest of the party go through the black door. He was separated.”


    Fat or fact? Joe Biden got involved in a heated exchange in Iowa

    The account echoes earlier comments made by Mr Biden, but a statement he made in 2013 gives a different account of his trip.

    “When I exited the plane I was directed to one side of the tarmac, while the African American congressmen travelling with me were sent to the other side,” said Mr Biden. “I refused to break off, and the officials finally relented.”

    He has faced scrutiny for his verbal gaffes and his long and sometimes controversial political career, including his vote in favour of the Iraq war.

    Republicans have been hammering away at him for his son’s lucrative board position with a Ukrainian natural gas firm when he was vice-president and in charge of American-Ukrainian relations. The issue was central to the Trump impeachment case.

    Source: BBC

  • Fan asks Efya to collaborate with Shatta Wale on a song, see her reply

    A fan has requested a collaboration between songstress Efya and dancehall guru Shatta Wale.

    The fan was not expecting a sudden response from Efya but had a positive response to his wish.

    A check by Celebritiesbuzz.com.gh shows that Efya and Shatta have never done any musical piece together.

    Also, our checks show that Efya has more collaborations with Sarkodie than with any other artiste in Ghana.

    Shatta Wale, after the release of his song Mansa Musa which he did with Jamaican superstar Vybz Kartel has been on the Twitter trends list all day.

    Efya has accepted subtly to work on a song with Shatta Wale which will be a great move if it should happen.

    Source: celebritiesbuzz.com.gh

     

  • Ghanaian Times: Sanctioning of MMDCEs; Lets walk the talk

    The Head of the Local Government Service (LGS) has announced that Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) and key decision makers at the assembly level whose assemblies underperformed on the 2019 District League Table are to be sanctioned.

    The sanction, he explained, would come in the form of delayed promotion of the key actors in the management of the districts.

    On the other hand, there would be reward packages for those who do well.

    Dr Nana Ato Arthur who was talking to the Ghanaian Times on the sideline of Performance Contract Agreement signing ceremony with the 16 Regional Ministers and Coordinating Directors explained that the essence of the performance contract is reward and sanctions, adding that, “those who do well we are going to reward them and those who do not, we would sanction them.”

    This is not the time the head of LGS has announced sanctioning non performing MMDCEs.

    Indeed, since the Performance Contract Agreement was instituted in 2018 as a tool to measure the effectiveness of the various MMDCEs in service delivery in the areas of health, education, sanitation, among others, several warnings have been issued to warn the decision makers at the assembly level.

    But we are yet to see a single MMDCE or key actors in the management of the districts being called out for underperforming.

    We all know and see the performance of many MMDCEs in the various communities which call for some attention yet no one is punished.

    When one takes a look at many communities across the country, particularly at the district level where sanitation, bad roads, poor drainage and environmental degradation are major problems, one cannot but wonder why MMDCEs in such areas are not being sanctioned.

    Perhaps, this is the reason why the District League Table has been instituted and we are hopeful that sanctions would be applied this time to ensure that MMDCEs live up to expectation.

    We expect that the MMDCEs render quality and accountable service to the people and when they do that there would be no need for any sanctions.

    But if they continue to render poor service and not meet the target, we cannot but support the LGS to deal with them.

    Our advice to the MMDCEs is that they have been tasked because they have been found to be competent and must therefore work hard to transform their communities and the entire country for the benefit of the people.

     

    Source: Ghanaian Times

  • Vintage Lyon shock Juventus in first leg

    Lucas Tousart’s first-half goal saw a superb Lyon stun Juventus 1-0 in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.

    Tousart turned in Houssem Aouar’s cross 14 minutes before the break with Juve momentarily reduced to 10 men while Matthijs De Ligt was treated for a head injury, but the victory was no less than Rudi Garcia’s side deserved.

    Their first win over Juventus in their history was underpinned by a textbook defensive performance, which denied the Serie A club a single shot on target across 90 minutes.

    It was the hosts who enjoyed the better of the chances for most of the game, with Karl Toko-Ekambi rattling the bar from a corner before Tousart’s opener. Juventus substitute Gonzalo Higuain shot wide from close-range with time running out to ensure Lyon travel to Turin on March 13 enjoying a valuable first-leg lead.

    Starting on the front foot, Cristiano Ronaldo almost found Juan Cuadrado at the far post inside four minutes, but that hardly provided an insight into how the half would pan out.

    Just as they had at this stage 12 months ago against Barcelona, Lyon looked to be compact without the ball and spring on the break. When one such attack led to their first corner of the game, Toko-Ekambi left the crossbar shaking after meeting Aouar’s excellent corner at the near post.

    Ten minutes later, with De Ligt forced off by a cut to the head, an improvised backline was breached when Aouar beat Cuadrado down the left before crossing. With the visitors unsure who was marking who, Tousart ghosted in. His top-corner effort was untidy but it beat Wojciech Szczesny.

    Back to their full line-up, Juventus nearly crumbled before the break. A lazy pass back to Leonardo Bonucci was picked off by Toko-Ekambi, who went for power from a tight angle and fired over the crossbar, while the same man was again off target from 25 yards minutes later.

    There was always an expectation Juventus would improve – especially with Ronaldo entering the game on the back of scoring in 11 Serie A games in succession – but little changed after half-time, in a second period which lacked goalmouth action but was a display of raw determination from Garcia’s superbly organised hosts.

    It took until the 68th minute for a chance of note to drop either way, and it was one Juventus badly needed to take. Paulo Dybala arrived late to sweep Rodrigo Betancur’s cross goalwards, but missed the near post by a matter of inches.

    With eight to go, it was a similar story for substitute Higuain. Receiving a perfect pass inside from Dybala, he struggled to get the ball out of his feet and clumsily fired wide from eight yards.

    In added time, the visitors had a shout for a penalty when Dybala went to ground with Bruno Guimaraes grabbing a handful of his shirt, but referee Jesus Manzano waved away his protests – and with it, Juventus’ hopes of a first-leg comeback.

    Source: skysports.com

  • Fishing sector declining under Akufo-Addo – Fishermen and Canoe owners

    Chief Fisherman in Elmina, Ofarnyi John Quayson has revealed that the fishing sector has declined under the Akufo-Addo led government.

    This he revealed is due to over 500 canoes which have been grounded resulting to a total of 10,512 losses of direct jobs in the sector.

    Ofarnyi John Quayson said, “The fishing work has seen a steady decline since the assumption of office of President Akufo-Addo. As we speak, a total of 584 canoes across the country (per our count) have been grounded and their teams disbanded. The breakdown is as follow. Volta Region 76, Greater Accra 152, Central Region 244, Western Region 112” “The situation has resulted in a total of 10,512 losses of direct jobs.

    This is aside the uncountable numbers of fishmongers, fish carriers, canoe secretaries, canoe guards and other auxiliary workers who have also lost their jobs. This certainly gives cause for concern. Doesn’t it?” he questioned

    The Canoe Owners and Fishermen Association also accused government of failing to provide enough outboard motors to them aside it sudden price surge from GHC 6000 under the Mahama led administration to GHC 17,000 under the current government.

    “The government’s inability to bring in enough numbers of outboard motors has led to the fleecing of fishermen who seek after these motors. Outboard motors which used to sell at GH¢4,900 and GH¢6,000 respectively under the Mills and Mahama administrations are now suddenly selling at a whopping GH¢17,000 and GH¢17,500 under this Akufo-Addo government. This is certainly not what we the fishermen asked for. We therefore find the continuous promises and claims by the president of his government having achieved a robust fishing industry not only laughable but disingenuous, and we hereby appeal to him to up his game and walk his talk.”

    They therefore appealed to Akufo-Addo to pay attention to the fishing sector and to also fix the problems causing the collapse of the sector or he will be voted out come December 2020.

    “…We therefore find the continuous promises and claims by the president of his government having achieved a robust fishing industry not only laughable but disingenuous, and we hereby appeal to him to up his game and walk his talk. The Akufo Addo government can continue to take us the fishermen of Ghana for granted at their own peril. Their deafness to our worsening plight and intransigence to our continuous pleas and appeals to pay attention to our work and fix the problems causing our otherwise booming business to collapse since they assumed office, can only lead to their humiliating rejection from us at the 2020 polls. Let those who have ears, listen,” he said

     

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • First Lady applauds Gold Fields for CSRs

    First Lady Mrs Rebecca Naa Okaikor Akufo-Addo has applauded Gold Fields Ghana Limited for impacting the lives of residents of its host communities through its corporate social responsibility activities.

    Mrs Akufo-Addo gave the praise when she joined officials of Gold Fields West Africa, government officials and traditional elders of Prestea Huni Valley and Tarkwa Nsuem in the Western Region to open the new Huni Valley Health Centre.

    The centre, which serves the people in the Prestea-Huni Valley and Tarkwa Nsuaem municipalities, was renovated and refurbished with modern medical equipment by the Gold Fields Ghana Foundation, as part of its corporate social responsibilities.

    In a brief address, Mrs Akufo-Addo expressed delight that Gold Fields had shown interest in the health sector, especially in helping women and children.

    She said The Rebecca Foundation, which she chairs, has impacted many lives across the country through projects such as the construction of the Mother and Baby Unit at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi, the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and many others.

    Mrs Akufo-Addo said she was optimistic that The Rebecca Foundation and Gold Fields could partner to address key issues of health, education and economic empowerment of women.

    She urged other corporate bodies to emulate Gold Fields Ghana by identifying some needs of their host communities and helping in them.

     

    Source: classfmonline.com

  • Manchester City stun Real with late Bernabeu comeback

    A Gabriel Jesus header and cool penalty from Kevin De Bruyne sealed a thrilling 2-1 comeback win for Manchester City at Real Madrid, who had captain Sergio Ramos sent off in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.

    Isco had put the hosts ahead at the Bernabeu on 60 minutes but Pep Guardiola was rewarded for his surprise selections and set-up when Jesus nodded in De Bruyne’s cross (78) and the Belgian ended City’s penalty woes by converting his spot-kick seven minutes from time.

    Real Madrid’s misery was compounded moments later when Ramos was shown a straight red card for chopping down Jesus on the edge of the box as the City striker looked set to make it three and it’s advantage City ahead of the second leg at the Etihad on Tuesday, March 17.

    There was bad news for City in the first half, though, when key defender Aymeric Laporte limped off with an injury, having only just returned to the first-team fold after a long-term knee problem, but that was the only disappointment on what was a historic night for Guardiola and his side.

    Jesus had plenty of defensive work to do in the opening stages as Dani Carvajal got forward, but he was still a threat at the other end of the pitch as City created the first clear cut opportunity of the game after 20 minutes. De Bruyne played Jesus in behind the Real defence and the Brazilian cut inside onto his right foot before unleashing a shot that was pushed away by Thibaut Courtois.

    For the most part, Guardiola’s tactics were nullifying Real, but they were given a huge scare just before the half-hour mark.

    Ferland Mendy’s cross was powerfully headed towards the bottom corner by Karim Benzema and Ederson produced a superb save to push the ball out to the edge of the six-yard box. Vinicius Junior appeared well placed to latch onto the rebound, but the 19-year-old slipped as he attempted to tap the ball home from close range.

    Despite the setback, it was the visitors who came close to an opener before the break as Courtois made a mess of a De Bruyne corner in first-half stoppage time before a combination of Ramos, Casemiro and Federico Valverde cleared Jesus’ shot off the line.

    Source: skysports.com

  • Joey B drops photos of his dad to celebrate him on his 64th birthday

    Ghanaian hip hop recording artist, Darryl Paa Kwesi Bannerman-Martin, known under the stage name Joey B earlier today shared photos of his dad.

    He shared these photos in a bid to unveil and celebrate his dad who turns 64 today.

    He shared the photo with the caption: my dad is 64 today haha love him a lot.

    Honestly, his dad looks younger than someone at 64.

    His fans have joined him in celebrating his dad. Join us as we celebrate this man for blessing us with Joey B.

    Source: celebritiesbuzz.com.gh

  • Ghana Ambulance Service records 40 calls so far in Western Region

    The Western Region Dispatch Center of the Ghana Ambulance Service has, so far, recorded 40 calls since the arrival of the constituency ambulances.

    Out of the number, five of them were prank calls.

    According to the Regional Administrator of the Ghana Ambulance Service, Frank Manu, majority of the emergency calls came from the district hospitals.

    “In actual sense because of the five prank calls, we have been able to effectively respond to 35 cases. They included inter-hospital transfers which are in the majority, domestic and Road Traffic Accidents,” Mr Manu explained.

    “Three are Road Traffic Accidents and about five from domestic. The inter-hospital transfers are cases at the hospitals, which have been referred to another high level of care. The domestic calls are calls from individual homes and the Road Traffic Accidents are calls from road accident scenes.”

    He stated that a good number of the calls came from the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis.

    “The latest was a Road Traffic Accident call which came from Daboase. The people are patronizing the service and as and when they call, we quickly respond.”

    Mr. Frank Manu observed that regrettably, some drivers fail to give them way even when the siren is blaring.

    “Sometimes the driver will have to keep blaring the siren for a while before vehicles in front of it will give way. We hear that according to some of the drivers, they think that even when there is no patient we put on the siren. It is never the case. We only put on the siren when there is a patient in the ambulance and we are very strict on that.”

    He, therefore, pleaded with the various transport unions to speak to their members to immediately give way to the ambulance when they hear the siren, stressing that “it could be your relative that is in the ambulance unbeknownst to you, and any unnecessary delay may cause a problem”.

    When asked whether the public are required to pay for the service, Mr. Manu said the payment may depend on the particular service being offered.

    “Our core mandate is road accidents, child and industrial emergencies. But when it comes to the inter-hospital transfers where the patient is already paying for his or her service at the hospital and it becomes necessary for him or her to be transferred to a higher level, we appeal and I must stress we appeal to the relatives to assist us with fuel. With real emergencies especially child emergencies just last week we transferred a day old baby from Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital to Korle Bu and we took nothing from the family.”

     

    Source: 3news.com

  • Ramos equals Champions League red card record with Man City dismissal

    Sergio Ramos claimed his share of a rather unwanted record on Wednesday as he saw red during Manchester City’s stunning Champions League comeback.

    The Real Madrid captain was largely untested for much of the first hour at Santiago Bernabeu as Pep Guardiola’s men took on an unusually cautious approach to the last 16 tie.

    With no recognised centre-forward on the pitch and Gabriel Jesus utilised on the left wing, Ramos was allowed to indulge his attacking instincts, surging into the box shortly after Isco had put the hosts ahead 1-0 and blazing a decent chance over the bar.

    When the tables were turned, however, the Spain legend looked shell-shocked, with dimunitive Jesus towering over him to win a header and equalise for Pep’s charges with 77 minutes played.

    Barely five minutes had passed before City completed their comeback, Kevin De Bruyne slotting home from the spot to end the club’s recent penalty woes and put the visitors 2-1 up.

    And Madrid’s misery was compounded when Ramos chopped down Jesus with the Brazilian was clear on goal, leaving referee Daniele Orsato no choice but to show the red card.

    That expulsion took the star up to four in his long Champions League career, a tally that many observers might be forgiven for thinking is on the low side given his notoriously on the limit, antagonistic style of play.

    Nevertheless, he now shares in a competition record, with only two other players in history earning as many early baths in Europe.

    Source: Goal.com

  • Sunyani Traditional Council denies ordering beating of residents not in funeral attire

    The Sunyani Traditional Council has denied ordering men to beat residents in its vicinity who were flouting customs during the funeral rites of the queen mother of the area.

    The council faced some criticism after a social media video showed men, described as palace executioners, beating residents who were not in funeral colours for the mourning of Nana Yaa Nyamaa Poduo II.

    A video also showed a couple of officers of the Motor Transport and Traffic Department (MTTD) also beating a resident.

    A representative of the Sunyanihene, Kofi Adom Manu, admitted on Eyewitness News that “certain things went wrong but not [to the extent] of what you have been seeing.”

    “The Omanhene and the Abrafour are educated people and have been taught how to maintain order and how to do things. From the onset, we experienced a lot of miscreants,” he added.

    Meanwhile, the Bono Regional Police Command has stated that calm has returned to the area.

    In an interview with Citi News, the Bono Regional Police Crime Officer, Chief Superintendent Nana Kwaku Dua, said a consensus has been reached with the traditional authorities to ensure their men are kept in check

    “Calm has returned to the area. There is nothing to complain about. Police have mounted a very strong operation and wee have also met the traditional authority. Those who were carrying out such actions will not be allowed to do that,” he said.

    In an earlier statement, the Regional Police Command also noted that it had ordered an immediate inquiry into the incident.

     

    Source: citinewsroom 

  • Kobina Ansah talks about timelines in new play ‘Emergency Wedding’

    “Finish university at 23. Get a decent job at 25. Get married at 26. Have children at 27.”

    The above is a perfect illustration of the timelines many give themselves at a certain stage in their lives. Even though these self-made deadlines sometimes are met, one puts undue pressure on themselves when they are not, especially when it comes to marriage.

    The theme of Kobina Ansah’s new play is not only thought-provoking but also very timely man’s deadline is not God’s deadline. He adds, “Man has his timelines but God has the clock.”

    The ‘The Mirror’ columnist is known for his captivating style of capturing life lessons in his plays and Emergency Wedding promises to be another mind-blowing piece of art. Some of his previous plays include The Boy Called A Girl, I Want To Sue God and Tribeless among others.

    Happening on Saturday, 25th and Sunday, 26th April, 2020 at National Theatre, the first show of Emergency Wedding is at 3pm and second show, 7pm. Tickets are going for 40 GHS (before 8th March) and 60 GHS (after 8th March).

    To buy tickets, dial *725#. Till number 10523627.

    Source: Scribe News

  • Okyeame Kwame gives Ambolley 72 hours to withdraw defamatory statement

    Lawyers for Okyeame Kwame, has given a 72-hour ultimatum to veteran musician Gyedu Blay Ambolley to withdraw a ‘defamatory statement’ he made against the rapper or face them in court.

    In a letter sighted by Ghanaweb, which was shared on Okyeame Kwame’s Instagram page, the lawyers referred to a statement Ambolley made on 3FM during an interview with MzGee.

    Gyedu Blay Ambolley claimed that former president of the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA), Bice Osei Kuffour (Obour), gave huge sums of money to a tune of Ghc50,000 to his close friends, one of which is Okyeame Kwame.

    According to Okyeame Kwame’s lawyers, these allegations are false. They mentioned that their client’s reputation has therefore been tainted in the eyes of well-meaning Ghanaians.

    The statement adds that Okyeame Kwame has built a reputation for himself over twenty years, which has won him international awards and admiration, and an allegation that seeks to ruin that reputation would not be tolerated.

    Read the letter below:

    Background

    Veteran musician Gyedu-Blay Ambolley alleged that former President of the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) shared the GH¢2 million that was given to the union by the government to some selected musicians in an interview on 3FM with MzGee.

    Mr Ambolley, who says he has evidence to back his claim, said the former President of MUSIGA gave the money to selected musicians claiming it was a loan.

    Asked who these musicians were, the veteran musician mentioned Okyeame Kwame, Bessa Simons, Ben Brako and TiC as some of the beneficiaries.

    He further alleged that they never paid the money back.

    Watch the video of Mr Ambolley making the allegations below:

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • National Theatre builds the capacity of artists

    The National Theatre of Ghana, as part of efforts at helping to build the capacity of artists and arts organizations has organized a five-day playwright workshop in Accra.

    It involved practical training in theatrical reading, acting, directing and playwriting and brought together play writers, art educators and art critics.

    The workshop was held under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture and supported by Government of Ghana and the World Bank.

    The core activity was centered on a theatrical reading of the latest work in progress by Professor Femi Osofisan, titled “Not All Canoe Sail Back Home”.

    A statement issued by Mrs. Amy Appiah Frimpong, the Executive Director of the National Theatre, said the goal was to build the capacity of the artists to assist improve their skills and deepen their understanding of the African and African American works of art.

    The intensive educational programme, the first of its kind in Ghana, provided the opportunity for Playwrights to “understand and appreciate the process of telling our stories”, it added.

    The participants, the statement said, learnt the benefits of collaborating, developing, improving and promoting quality production that would be embraced by their audience and inspire the younger-generation.

    The workshop was made possible through the combined efforts of the National Theatre and the Camargo Foundation.

    Source: GNA

  • I have written to GETFund – Deputy Agric Minister replies Auditor-General

    Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Kennedy Osei Nyarko has responded to the letter of the Auditor-General, Daniel Domelevo directing him to send all his concerns to GETFund.

    Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosiisen, Kennedy Osei Nyarko said they have equally written to GETFund for information on his inclusion in the list of undeserving scholarship beneficiaries.

    According to him, the response from the Auditor-General and GETFund will inform their decision to head to court for the issue to be settled.

    He said the court will provide the platform for all to provide evidence to their statements.

    Kennedy Osei Nyarko also questions the auditor’s inability to probe the information provided to them by GETFund to confirm whether or not the documents given them are correct.

    Auditor-General response

    The Auditor-General, Daniel Domelevo, has asked the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Kennedy Osei Nyarko to head to GETFund with any concerns he has regarding the audit report.

    According to the Auditor-General, his outfit is not responsible for the list of beneficiaries of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) captured in its performance audit report.

    Mr. Domelevo instead urged Mr. Nyarko to take up any grievances he has with GETFund.

    The Akim Swedru legislator on Monday threatened to sue the Auditor-General if his name was not retracted from the list of beneficiaries of the GETFund scholarship.

    He claimed he never benefitted from a GETFund scholarship to study abroad.

    But Mr. Domelevo noted in a letter to the legislator that “every information or name that is contained in the performance audit report on GETFund came from GETFund, the audited entity.”

     

    Source: primenewsghana.com

  • Free ‘galamsey’ drivers now or we match you ‘boot for boot’ Drivers to Akufo-Addo

    Members of the National Concerned Drivers Association have reiterated their call the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to order the release of their fellow drivers who were just hired to drive trucks at Galamsey site while according to them, the big names behind galamsey have gone unpunished.

    The drivers say their colleagues were never involved in any illegal mining activity, neither did they own any of the excavators used at the site.

    The drivers say their search has revealed that 32 of their colleagues who drove excavators were arrested by the operation vanguard and are currently in police custody.

    The drivers in a statement have threatened that if their colleagues are not released before 6 March 2020, “then we have no option than to match the President boot for boot in Kumasi no matter the number of Delta Force, [nothing] will deter us, we say all die be die.”

    The group said they are ready to put their lives on the line to fight for the freedom of ordinary drivers in the country.

    They have also called on the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to put the blame on the corridors of the President should any blood spills in Kumasi during the 6 March Independence celebrations.

     

    Source: classfmonline.com

  • Tema beach gets premix fuel taskforce

    As part of measures to ensure equitable distribution of premix fuel at the Tema canoe beach, a 13-member taskforce has been inaugurated by the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA).

    The taskforce as part of its terms of reference is to ensure that premix fuel is not hoarded by operators of the 10 landing sites at the Tema canoe beach as well as ensure that profit from the sale the fuel will be used for community developmental projects.

    The formation and inauguration of the taskforce is fallout of some investigations done by the TMA and the National Premix Fuel Committee on complaints received from fisher folks on the handling of the fuel at the 10 landing beaches.

    Nii Lante Bannerman, Chairman of the National Premix Fuel Committee, inaugurating the taskforce, said Tema topped in the number of complaints his outfit received on the premix fuel distribution.

    Nii Bannerman indicated that even though the approved price of premix per drum was GH¢482.00, it turned out that those in charge allegedly hoarded and sold to the fishermen at a price of GH¢1,200.00.

    He said “we realized that people are creating artificial shortage by hoarding the product depriving the fishermen of their allocation and selling at exorbitant prices to them”.

    He urged the taskforce which had a three-month tenure to ensure that 53 per cent of the profits accrued from the sale of the premix fuel from the various landing beaches were well accounted for and used for community projects chosen by the executives.

    He cautioned the taskforce members against indulging in corrupt activities and conniving with operators to hoard the fuel but should rather be vigilant.

    Source: GNA

  • DJ Switch gets massive endorsement from DJ Khaled

    After she was spotted with American actress and author Octavia Spencer in Hollywood, DJ Switch has earned a massive endorsement from DJ Khaled.

    The renowned American DJ on Wednesday evening posted a picture of the 12-year-old Ghanaian DJ who was clad in an orange t-shirt and an African print skirt with a headset around her neck on his Instagram page.

    He urged the female youngster to “keep winning” while hailing her for proving her mettle.

    “Bless up! DJ Switch. Keep winning. Bless up Ghana. Young world; the world is yours,” caption of the post read.

    DJ Switch has earned many accolades after emerging as the winner of TV3 Talented Kidz 8.

    In February last year, she performed for African Heads at the African Union (AU) headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

    Her performance was on the sidelines of the 32nd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the AU.

    Prior to this, she had been invited by the Bill Gates Foundation to perform at an event in New York which was graced by high profile dignitaries including French President Emmanuel Macron, Naomi Campbell and other globally influential personalities.

    She also got featured on BBC and had a shout out from Jay Z.

    Early this year, DJ Switch was named among the top 100 child prodigies in the world at the Global Child Prodigy Awards 2020 in India.

    DJ Switch, known in her private life as Erica Armah Bra-Bulu Tandoh was recognised for her outstanding contribution and achievement as a disc jockey.

    The award came barely two months after she was crowned the Best DJ in Ghana.

    As part of her prize, she will be featured in a book about the best child prodigies in the world.

    The awardees will also get the honour to meet Eminent leaders and get global exposure. Also, they will be part of other significant international events as speakers or influencers.

    The 100 Global Child Prodigy Award is a platform to celebrate a kids talent and power in different categories such as dancing, music, arts, writing, acting, modelling, science, innovation and sports.

    In what seemed to be a surprise birthday present in December last year, Talented Royal School announced a scholarship package for DJ Switch.

    “From next term, till she writes BECE in 2021, she’s on scholarship,” Edward Afful, director of the school said.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • 2019 Best farmer receives cash prize

    The Agricultural Development Bank Limited (ADB) on Tuesday handed over to Mr Charles Gyamfi, 2019 National Best Farmer a cash prize of GH¢536,000.00 at a short ceremony in Accra.

    Mr Gyamfi emerged the 2019 National Best Farmer at the award ceremony held at Ho, Volta Region last year.

    Dr John Kofi Mensah, ADB Managing Director, presenting the award, said the change in the prize award from a house to cash was at the instance of major stakeholders to enable award winners expand their farms and employ more persons in their catchment areas.

    He said ADB would provide the award winner with a dedicated Relationship Officer to assist in ensuring proper use of the money since his outlined projects were critical to the expansion of his business.

    Dr Mensah said ADB would continue to partner government especially the Ministry to implement programmes and projects aimed at modernizing agriculture and improving the standard of living of farmers and fisher folks.

    He encouraged farmers and fishermen to visit any of their 82 branches nationwide and engage their staff for further insights on their agricultural packages.

    Mr Gyamfi, 2019 National Best Farmer, commended the bank and government for the award saying part of his award money would be used to expand his existing farm by purchasing productive inputs and another part would be used to acquire and install irrigation facilities.

    He said he would construct a warehouse to store his farm produce, improve access roads to his farm and construct additional farm houses for the new 30 permanent staff to be employed.

    He appealed to the bank to reduce their interest rates to farmers and give them long term loans.

    Dr Afriyie Owusu Akoto, Minister for Food and Agriculture, commended the award winner who has allocated his cash prize for a list of projects that would bring prosperity to his business to the extent of ensuring climate change by setting part of the money aside for irrigation.

    “It really reinforces me in my decision to change the way the awards were presented adding that one may have a house whether you need it or not, whiles your business may be suffering and may need crucial investment in certain sections to strengthen the business for the future,” he said.

    Dr Owusu Akoto said in its current format the award would not only benefit Mr Gyamfi and his family, but the entire society.

    He commended ADB for the support to the Ministry over the years adding that farmers should continue to benefit from its affairs.

    In the coming years, Dr Owusu Akoto said, financing of agriculture should not focus only on cocoa license buying agents but rather to farmers and processers that are directly involved in the activity of agriculture.

    Source: GNA

  • Adongo exposes NPP over plots to sell CBG to Fidelity bank

    The member of parliament for Bolgatanga Central Honourable Isaac Adongo has revealed a damning shady moves being cooked by the NPP Government to sell the Consolidated Bank to the Fidelity Bank.

    He has fingered the Fidelity Bank as one of the partners of the NPP administration being used to carry out a “gimmick” orchestrated to defraud Ghanaians of billlions of Cedis.

    The CBG is just a year-old but according to Hon. Adongo there is a grand machination by the Akufo Addo administration to hand over the Bank to the Fidelity Bank.

    The ranking member of Parliaments finance committee revealed on Tuesday that the consolidated Bank, which was born out of the closure of five indigenous banks, is on its way into the hands of fidelity Bank, in a sweetheart deal cooked by the finance ministry.

    At a forum in Accra organised by the policy Think Tank, Coalition For Restoration, HonAdongo enumerated some fishy transactions the Bank has involved itself in and warned the NDC will let them to account for all its dealings with the Akufo Addo administration.

    “Another thing the Fidelity Bank is doing is that Am aware they have been offered the opportunity to by the CBG bank,” he said. “The Bank whose owners are in court seeking redress to take back their property, you are conniving with Government to take over their asset. “You do it at your own risk because the wheels of justice grind but slowly, but the Justice of the state can change at any time in favour of the press.”

    The consolidated Bank came into being in 2018 following the closure of the Sovereign Bank, Royal Bank, The Beige Bank, Construction Bank and Unibank.

    In his presentation at the Kama Conference Centre on Tuesday, the chartered accountant reiterated his claim that the closure of the five banks to establish the consolidated Bank was a move backed by fraudulent intent.

    He warned that the Fidelity Bank will be made to account for every fishy deal it enters with the Government of Ghana when the NDC comes to power.

    “I want to serve caution to Fidelity Bank that when you choose to deal with Goverment finances you must be prepared to account,” he said.

    “As we speak today livelihoods have blocked, jobs have been lost and the least that Nana Akufo Addo and Ken Ofori Atta can do is to spare us this gimmick of relying on Fidelity Bank to do anythging that is wrong with the Banking sector because at the appropriate time the wheel of justice win.”

    The NDC had on many occasions criticised the Government’s move to close those financial institutions, who needed a little support to from government to survive.

    But the Bank of Ghana disagreed, saying those banks were beyond rehabilitation.

    Source: ghanaguardian.com

  • NACOB grabs 51-year-old man over possession of cocaine

    Fifty-one-year-old Oppong Kwaku Owusu, is facing prosecution after he allegedly expelled 100 pellets of some powdery substance suspected to be cocaine.

    This follows his apprehension by officials of the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB)on Tuesday, February 18, at the Kotoka International Airport.

    A statement issued by NACOB, and copied to the Ghana News Agency, in Accra, said three parcels of powdery substances suspected to be cocaine were also found concealed in his carryon luggage.

    Owusu was remanded into prison custody when he appeared before the Court on Thursday, February 20, and ordered to reappear on Monday, March 2.

    Explaining the circumstances leading to his arrest, the NACOB statement said Owusu was identified as at the departure hall of KIA on suspicion of having ingested some foreign substance.

    The happened on Tuesday, February 18, at about 1940 hours,
    the statement, signed by Mr Francis Opoku Amoah, the Head, Communications Media Relations & Protocol Unit, said.

    “His carry-on luggage was searched in his presence and three parcels of powdery substances suspected to be cocaine, a narcotic drug were found concealed in it”.

    Upon interrogation, he denied knowledge and ownership of the substance in the bag, but claimed ownership of the clothing in it, and confessed to having ingested similar substance, the statement said.

    “Owusu was put under observation and as of 1200 hours of February 19, 2020, he had expelled 100 pellets of the powdery substance suspected to be cocaine”.

    “In his investigative cautioned statement, the suspect stated that, he was contracted by one Alhaji, a Ghanaian resident in Amsterdam to acquire and transport some drugs for a fee of €1500.00”.

    However, he declined to give full details of all his contacts, the statement said.

    It gave the assurance that the exhibits – the three parcels and 100 pellets of whitish powdery substances – would be forwarded to the Ghana Standards Authority for analytical examination and report.

    Owusu, the statement said, carried a Ghanaian passport with the Number G2563315, issued in Accra on August 22, 2019, which was expected to expire on August 21, 2029.

    Additionally, he possessed the Kingdom of The Netherlands passport with the number NYDK14RP7, issued on December 15, 2015 and expected to expire on December 15, 2025.

    The Narcotics Control Board, the statement said, would continue to collaborate and partner with other stakeholders and international partners to make Ghana, and in particular the Kotoka International Airport, unattractive for drug traffickers.

     

    Source: myjoyonline 

  • Ethiopian Airlines join coronavirus relief efforts

    The Management of Ethiopian Airlines has transported around 1,000 tonnages of shipments of medical kits – facemasks, nose masks and protection suits to China to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

    A statement issued in Accra by the Airline and copied to the Ghana News Agency said it was in line with its Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives.

    It said Ethiopian Airlines shipped the medical kits with 10-chartered flights from different cities around the world including Liege, São Paulo, Durban, Accra, Diass, Khartoum, Dar es Salaam, to three Chinese cities, namely Guangzhou, Shanghai and Chongqing.

    The statement said the airline will contribute its share to contain the spread of COVID-19, and added that “Ethiopian Airlines plans to transport additional medical kits to China deploying five more chartered flights,” it added.

    Source: GNA

  • Speaker’s comment unfortunate – Dean of Parliamentary Press Corps

    Dean of Parliamentary Press Corps, Nana Agyeman has described as unfortunate the comment of the Speaker Mike Oquaye threatening to label journalists as unwanted guests.

    Speaking to Citi FM, Nana Agyeman said he thought the issue was solved yesterday after he spoke with the majority side of the House but just to hear the issue on the floor and the Speaker’s directive.

    Explaining further, he said they did not abandon proceedings on the floor totally because after some few minutes after their engagement they came back to the press gallery.

    Nana Agyeman was not happy about the directive indicating that they normally receive a memo from the Public Affairs Director to cover courtesy calls while proceedings are ongoing.

    He said they hope to find a solution to the directive at their meeting with the Public Affairs Director tomorrow.

    Speaker’s decision not to gag journalists

    Public Affairs Director of Parliament, Kate Addo said the decision of Speaker is not to gag journalists in their work in the House.

    Kate Addo said that the main issue is to find common grounds on how journalists are to operate in Parliament.

    Summons

    Speaker of Parliament, Mike Oquaye on Wednesday summoned the Dean of Parliamentary Press Corps and the Director of Public Affairs of Parliament over the conduct of journalists at yesterday’s sitting.

    This follows a complaint from the majority leaders Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu to the effect that journalists abandoned proceedings of the house to give audience to the MP for Ellembelle Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah who had concerns about the energy sector aspect of the State of the Nation Address.

    Speaking on the floor of the House the Speaker indicated that he will not hesitate to declare journalists as strangers to parliament if due coverage is not given to the proceeding of the House.

    “It is forbidden if they have any doubt to abandoned the permission given them to cover proceeding in this honourable House and go outside the chamber itself and do some other work……. and I want to let the media know if that which was reported to have happened should happen anymore I will……on the fact that you are here as a guest……any, such act will make you unwelcomed guest…”

     

    Source: primenewsghana.com

  • NLA urges LMCs to remain calm

    The National Lottery Authority (NLA) has appealed to members of the Association of Lotto Marketing Companies to remain calm and exercise patience as the Authority Board takes steps and actions to address the illegal operation of *959# Mobile Game.

    Mr Kofi Osei-Ameyaw, The Director-General of NLA has made several efforts including; writing letters to the National Communications Authority (NCA), Keed Ghana Limited and the Telcos to shut down the shortcode of *959# operating 5/90 lotto illegally.

    A statement signed by the Public Relations Unit of the NLA said, Management of NLA and the National Leadership of Association of Lotto Marketing Companies have set up a Joint Working Committee to deal with the illegal short code of *959# operating the 5/90 lotto by MTN, Vodafone, AirtelTigo and Keed Ghana Limited.

    The statement said, the Joint Working Committee of the NLA and the Association would consider suing the Telcos and Keed Ghana Limited if they fail to shut down the shortcode *959# as soon as possible.

    It said the NLA had not issued License to Keed Ghana Limited to operate 5/90 Lotto Game online and via shortcode *959#.

    The statement cautioned the staking public that the NLA 5/90 Mobile Game via Mobile USSD *959# and on online Platform was not duly licensed by the Authority as at now.

    It said when licensed, the Authority would officially launch and communicate same to the staking public but for now *959# Mobile/Online Game is operating illegally at the detriment of our Lotto Marketing Companies who are the backbone and sales force of the Authority.

    The statement further said that the illegal operations of *959# Mobile/Online Game was, directly and indirectly, destroying the sales of the Lotto Marketing Companies and subsequently affecting the revenue generation of the NLA.

    It said the “NLA would like to appeal to the Telcos and Keed Ghana Limited to shut down the USSD *959# currently illegally operating Lottery until a license is duly acquired under Act 722.”

    The statement said that Keed Ghana Limited and the Tekcos had a patriotic duty to the State to protect the core business of the NLA and our Lotto Marketing Companies by shutting down the illegal USSD *959# with immediate effect.

    It said, accordingly, the staking public is cautioned to discontinue patronising *959# Lotto Game on the Telcos and Keed Online Platform.

    Source: GNA

  • ‘Liars’ NPP more focused than NDC – Solomon Nkansah

    A Former National Communications Officer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Solomon Nkansah claims the only advantage the ruling NPP has over the largest opposition NDC is them appearing focused.

    According to him the only advantage he sees the NPP has over the NDC is that “they appear focused . . . if you look at their government they don’t contradict themselves, even if they are lying the consistency gives them some face . . . it makes the NPP appear somehow organized”.

    He said this is a propaganda tool the ruling party strongly has and using very well.

    He addmitted on Neat FM’s ‘Ghana Montie’ programme that the NDC used to be very strong in that position in the past than now.

    However, he said even with the current Social Media era, you need to have a strong strategy and serious coordinators who can somehow manage sizeable NDC players on the various platforms, otherwise that consistency and coordination will not even be attractive.

    He spoke to host of the show Kwesi Aboagye in a panel discussion.

     

    Source: peacefmonline.com

  • Concentrate on Airbus scandal and leave A-G alone NPP MP fires Amidu

    Collins Owusu Amankwah, Member of Parliament (MP) for Manhyia North Constituency has advised Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu to stop poking his nose into affairs of the Auditor-General, Daniel Yaw Domelovo.

    Martin Amidu has asked politicians to stop intimidating the Auditor-General, Daniel Domelevo over his audit reports and allow him to do his work.

    “Ghanaians have given you a job, concentrate on it,” he said.

    Speaking to this on UTV’s late news, Tuesday, Collins Owusu Amankwah asked the Special Prosecutor to concentrate on the ‘Airbus scandal and not Domelovo’.

     

    Source: peacefmonline.com

  • Todays newspapers front pages

    Thursday, February 27, 2020Thursday, February 27, 2020Thursday, February 27, 2020Thursday, February 27, 2020Thursday, February 27, 2020Thursday, February 27, 2020Thursday, February 27, 2020Thursday, February 27, 2020Thursday, February 27, 2020Thursday, February 27, 2020new papersThursday, February 27, 2020

    Source: backend.theindependentghana.com 

  • Were engaging Italian Mission on coronavirus outbreak Foreign Ministry assures

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it has engaged countries that have recently been affected by the deadly coronavirus.

    One of such recently affected areas is Milan in Italy where some Ghanaian students who have been affected by the lockdown, have since expressed frustration.

    Some other affected areas in Italy include Veneto and Lombardy where Milan is located.

    Even though the situation in Milan has not escalated into what is being experienced by students in China, the Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister, Charles Owiredu has told Citi News, that the Ministry has already engaged the embassy in Italy to monitor the situation.

    “We spoke to our mission in Rome to see how they can engage the student community in Milan and the surrounding areas. My understanding is that immediately they are going to do that. But if you look at how the virus is spreading, it is not only in Milan. So we have alerted all our missions to start having engagements so that if anything happens, the authorities will be able to identify them to offer them support. So we will expect our mission in Rome to do the same.”

    One of the Ghanaian students spoke to Citi News and noted that all public activity in her area had come to a halt.

    “As far as lectures [are concerned], schools are now trying to start online classes,” she said.

    In her case, authorities have urged residents to plan with the lockdown in mind.

    “We are supposed to be on lockdown until March 1. Prior to that, we were advised to go shopping and stock up on groceries to last the period of the lockdown,” she said.

    Coronavirus outside china

    Italy is one of three global hot-spots outside China alongside Iran and South Korea.

    In Iran, less than 100 people have officially been infected but it is feared that the numbers are more alarming.

    More than 1,000 people have been infected in South Korea with 10 deaths.

    The novel coronavirus has been declared a global health emergency.

    But the World Health Organization has warned that countries should prepare for a possible pandemic.

    The death toll from the novel coronavirus is now more than 2,700 worldwide, with the majority being in mainland China.

    There have been more than 80,000 global cases.

    Source: citinewsroom 

  • GMA abandons intended strike before stated deadline

    The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has cancelled its intended industrial action, after holding talks with the government.

    The health workers had given government up to February 29, 2020, to implement an already signed agreement on their conditions of service.

    But the doctors and dentists have rescinded their decision after discussions between all parties.

    The Association had earlier served notice that doctors in the country will embark on a strike if the government failed to immediately implement their signed Conditions of Service.

    An internal memo sighted by Citi News directed all members to withdraw their services in all facilities if the government fails to meet their demands by January 29, 2020.

    “The Association has accordingly given the government up to Saturday, 29th February 2020 to ensure full implementation (including payment of all occasioned arrears) of the CoS document at both the National and facility levels. If any default on the part of Government occurs Vis-à-vis the stated deadline, there shall be immediate withdrawal of all services by members in all facilities,” the memo warned.

    The National Executive Committee of the Medical Association said it also observed that during the validation of February salaries, there was the absence of fuel allowance on the payslips of members; and urged members to put all discrepancies on notice for rectification.

    The Association further vowed that the intended strike action by its members will only be called off if the government and the Health Ministry play their part in meeting their demands before the given deadline.

     

    Source: citinewsroom 

  • We havent received our monies despite Receivers promise Customers of S&L

    The Coalition of Affected Savings and Loans Customers (CASLOC) says none of the over three million members of the group has retrieved their locked up cash.

    The Receiver of the collapsed savings and Loans and microfinance indicated on February 25, 2020 that about 1,300 depositors will receive messages to reclaim their monies.

    However in an interview with Citi News, Spokesperson for the CASLOC, Iddrisu Mubarak says none of the members had received a message.

    “CASLOC alone holds more than three million customers. And out of that, we have divided them under regions and every region has its head. So every morning, the regional head goes down, to check on platforms, telegrams and places to find out whether any of them have been paid or has received a text message or something.

    “None of them has received a text message, call or e-mail. None of our members has received anything. We were all telling our customers to exercise patience. We told them it is a process and sometimes might take a longer period so they should all exercise patience so we can give the government ample time,” he aid.

    Customers to be paid on Feb 24

    The Receiver, Eric Nana Nipa had earlier confirmed to Citi News that the customers of the collapsed microfinance, savings and loans and finance houses will from Monday, February 24, begin to access their full locked-up funds.

    This came after President Akufo-Addo, while delivering the 2020 State of the Nation Address in Parliament last week said the affected customers will begin receiving their locked up cash from the said date.

     

     

    Customers to be paid by March

    However, in a new development, the Receiver has assured that all affected depositors will receive their locked up investments by end of March this year after payment processes started on Monday.

    In an interview with Citi Business News, spokesperson for the receiver, Philomena Kuzoe, said since February 24, about 800 people have been notified to retrieve their locked up cash amounting to GH¢200 million from Consolidated Bank Ghana (CBG).

    “So yesterday [Monday], we paid the social institutions made up of the churches, hospitals, schools, welfare associations who have their claims with these defunct microfinance and savings and loans institutions. We are expecting to finish by the end of March,” she said.

     

    Source: citinewsroom 

  • Kennedy Agyapongs days as MP numbered after 20-years in parliament

    Some supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) yesterday, held a massive demonstration against the Assin Central Member of Parliament (MP), insisting he must relinquish the seat to a new person after 20 years in office.

    Marching in the streets of Assin Fosu in the Central region, the protesters were emphatic, Kennedy Agyapong has not brought any development to the area, therefore, any machinations by some party executives on the vetting committee to disqualify persons challenging him, will not be countenanced.

    They carried placards with inscriptions such as “20 years is enough”, “Fix Our Bypass Assinman is Bigger than Ken”, “Yabre wo Ken”, “We want jobs”, “Assin Central is not for one person”, “Assin deserve better”, “Allow vetting committee to do their work”, “Enough of your insult in Asssinman” among others.

    The demonstration was organized by the Concerned Assin Central NPP Polling Station Executives, the NPP Youth of Assin Central, NPP Assin Central Community and Sympathizers of NPP in Assin Central.

    A copy of a petition issued by them, called for fairness in the processes leading to the election of a Parliamentary candidate for the NPP in the 2020 election and kicked against an attempt by Ken Agyapong, to influence the process by having one Eric Baidoo, disqualified from the contest, ahead of the April contest.

    The protesters in their petition, want the NPP to “hold an open and transparent vetting for the general public to be present. We are currently not aware of any by-laws that dictate any private and closed-door vetting”.

    They questioned “…what authority does Hon. Kennedy Agyapong stands on, for which he can influence the disqualification of another aspirant, Mr Eric Baidoo, when he is not part of the vetting committee, but he himself is a candidate”.

    The petition warned, “that the leadership should not use the vetting process as a tool to interfere and get in the way of any primary elections in the Constituency and allow the Constituency to choose its leaders”.

    They demanded, “Assin Central should be allowed to hold primary elections come April 25, failure of which will mean the unopposed candidate will not be the choice of the people and therefore we will advise ourselves accordingly come general elections at the end of the year”.

    The NPP supporters warned, “if the party is bent on retaining the seat, then the will of the people should prevail, not the will of a few people in leadership, who have nothing to do with Assin Central”.

    The explained that “We do not oppose Hon. Kennedy Agyapong contesting the parliamentary seat, however, we strongly oppose and condemn any actions by anyone interfering with the outcome of our transparent, free and fair elections and any imposing Hon. Kennedy on us will find us loosing the seat at general elections. This is not an empty threat”.

    They hoped their “grievance will be addressed with immediate effect, in order to restore the unity and purpose of the party to ensure triumph at the general elections”.

  • Concentrate on Airbus scandal and leave A-G alone NPP MP fires Amidu

    Collins Owusu Amankwah, Member of Parliament (MP) for Manhyia North Constituency has advised Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu to stop poking his nose into affairs of the Auditor-General, Daniel Yaw Domelovo.

    Martin Amidu has asked politicians to stop intimidating the Auditor-General, Daniel Domelevo over his audit reports and allow him to do his work.

    “Ghanaians have given you a job, concentrate on it,” he said.

    Speaking to this on UTV’s late news, Tuesday, Collins Owusu Amankwah asked the Special Prosecutor to concentrate on the ‘Airbus scandal and not Domelovo’.

    Source: peacefmonline.com