TIG Post

Author: Persis

  • Over 500 settlers along White Volta to be resettled

    The Public Relations Officer of the Volta River Authority (VRA), David Prah, has revealed that the authority is currently putting in place plans to enable it relocate settlers along the White Volta in the North East Region to protect them against floods and also the spillage of the Bagre Dam.

    He announced this after officials of the VRA donated relief items to victims of the Bagre Dam spillage and floods in the Northern Region on Thursday, September 17.

    Reports indicate that the spillage from the Bagre Dam coupled with torrential rains in northern Ghana has so far killed 11 people.

    Hundreds of farmlands have also been submerged, a situation that has adversely affected livelihoods while several homes have also been destroyed.

    Mr Prah told journalists that the Authority is currently assessing and valuing farm lands, buildings and other properties that have been affected by the floods.

    He explained that the move is also to completely move these people from the lowland settlement to high grounds as the construction of the Pwalugu Multipurpose Dam, which is to be completed in four years, begins.

    “As we are all aware the Pwalugu Multipurpose Dam Project is a three-key project. The first one is 60MW hydropower project and then the second one is also critical that is the 50MW solar facility and then the third one is the mega one which is the 2,400-hectare square irrigation facility. These three come together to form the Pwalugu Multipurpose dam project.

    “What we are doing is to look at the valuation of the properties in the demarcated areas. So all the lands, buildings, farms and other properties that are in the dam boundaries we are assessing them currently.

    “It is critical to help us prepare the RAP so this issue of flooding will be a thing of the past. Because we are going to take the people within the low-lying areas from there and we will settle, them to a different place. So they will not be affected, let alone be killed.”

    Source: 3 News

  • Cancel Agyapa Royalty deal – Tax Justice Coalition urges government

    The Tax Justice Coalition -Ghana is calling for the cancellation of the Agyapa Royalties Deal, which it claims to be an example of the neoliberal system.

    Speaking on behalf of the Group, the Acting National Coordinator, Mr. Bernard Anaba said, “…we demand that as a first step the Government of Ghana shows it commitment by cancelling the Agyapa deal which is an example of the neoliberal system which is known to have broken up state-owned enterprises, sold off public assets and promoted the dominance of a kind of market thinking that has helped to impoverish us over the years.”

    “It is imperative that the GoG gives primacy to the rights and survival of the people -not of profits and greed by a minority in society,” he added.

    The Group further called on government to alleviate the economic burdens of the poor and the vulnerable.

    It stated that government should repeal regressive consumption taxes such as value-added taxes and goods and services taxes that increase the burden on the poor and marginalized.

    Further to this, Mr. Anaba also requested the granting of tax credits to single-headed households, micro, small, and medium enterprises, low income earners, dependents, among others, aimed at reducing the tax burden on them

    “Grant tax credits to women for unpaid care work. There is no tax justice without fiscal and economic justice.

    “Implement fiscal spending policies that invest in quality public services for all and universal social protection systems. Carry out the necessary public investments and assistance to ensure food security and food sovereignty during and after the crisis and to provide public services that address and fulfil the rights and needs of women,” he said.

    Source: goldstreetbusiness.com

  • COCOBOD announces closure of 2020 light crop cocoa season

    The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has announced that the 2020 Cocoa light crop season would end at the close of business on Thursday, September 17.

    The statement, signed by Joseph Boahen Aidoo, the Chief Executive Officer of COCOBOD, said to assist the Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs) to obtain the final returns from upcountry stations, the Board has decided that returns on the declared purchases would be accepted up to 1600 hours on Thursday, September 24, 2020.

    Source: GNA

  • Ghanaian businesses need support to win under AfCFTA – AGI

    Business setbacks such as high cost of power, access to capital, among others, remain a concern for Ghanaian industries, and if the government wants to “win” with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), it needs to ensure businesses are supported to become competitive, the Accra Regional Chairman of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), Tsonam Cleanse Akpeloo, has said.

    Government has provided several interventions by way of stimulus packages under the Coronavirus Alleviation Programme. However, the AGI reckons more assistance needs to be provided to sustain businesses when the AfCFTA takes off.

    The Secretariat of AfCFTA has officially opened in Accra, a major milestone in the full implementation of the free trade agreement.

    Trading under the AfCFTA, which was originally planned for 1 July 2020 and delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, will now begin in January 2021, according to the African Union.

    Speaking in Accra at the launch of the upcoming 4th Trade and Finance conference, dubbed “The AfCFTA edition”, Mr. Akpeloo said: “We are very thankful for the government for having the secretariat here, and to be fair, government has also reduced the cost of power somehow; but we are asking for further reduction to be competitive across the continent. For us to win, we need to operationalise the many policies that we are talking about.”

    According to him, Ghana has competitive advantage in many economic sectors that should enable it succeed with the AfCFTA.

    “Clearly, if you take the salt industry, both the petrochemicals and domestic users need salt. Ghana and Senegal are one of the two biggest producers of salt on the continent. In areas like electricians, metal work and others, Ghana clearly has competitive advantage; but it is not enough to have competitive advantage. You need to have systemic programmes and policies that allow you to harmonise and become a leader in this space. We are saying industry needs to be supported greatly by government to take advantage of this.”

    The upcoming conference is in partnership with the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), and the mayor of Accra, Mohammed Adjei Sowah, is hopeful the city will be ready for activities that come with the implementation of the AfCFTA.

    “Accra remains the main trading and commercial centre of this country, and over the years we have been striving to make it the gateway to Africa. It is this sort of orientation that inspired the President to spearhead the location of AfCFTA in Accra, and we need to take full advantage of this,” he said.

    The Ghana International Trade and Finance conference takes place from October 27-28 this year. It is expected to focus on tariff reforms, physical connectivity, infrastructure, port harmonisation, a single continental digital platform, and a cyber-security platform.

    Source: Business 24

  • Arrested BECE supervisors aided in malpractice not leakage – WAEC clarifies

    Authorities at the West African Examination Council (WAEC) have disclosed that the circumstances that led to the arrest of some supervisors in the ongoing Basic Examination Certificate Examination (BECE) as an act of examination malpractice and not an examination leakage.

    There have been reports that the 2020 BECE is not credible because most of the questions have been leaked to candidates writing the exams.

    However, Head of Communications at WAEC, Agnes Tei Cudjoe, in an interview with Starr FM, revealed that the argument of leakages in the BECE does not merit since no authority of WAEC has been identified as giving out questions.

    According to her, the actions taken by the supervisors who were arrested are acts of examination malpractice, also known as external assistance. The supervisors, she said, take screenshots of the questions in the examination hall then go out and solve the questions for candidates.

    “This is not a leakage of questions. This is what we call helping students to gain external assistance because questions will be taken then answers will be brought to students for them to copy,” Agnes Teye Cudjoe told Starr FM.

    She added, “This is an examination malpractice and not an examination leakage. When a candidate brings in a phone into an examination hall it is an examination malpractice.”

    She noted that due to the strict protocols guarding examination questions, people have devised ways to get ahead of the examination council.

    However, she indicated that assisting candidates to cheat in exams does help students prove themselves.

    She said, “This is similar to examination malpractice because this does not allow the students to prove themselves. That is why when we release results, we can say that we have withheld candidate results because we can detect collusion in the scripts of candidates because sometimes when they are copying answers that are brought to them they copy with all errors.”

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Chiana Pio elected President of UE Regional House of Chiefs

    The Paramount Chief of the Chiana Traditional Area, Pe Dituudini Adiana Ayagitam III has been elected President of the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs.

    Pe Ayagitam takes over the affairs of the House for the next four years from the outgoing President, Naba Orlando Ayamga Awuni III, Paramount Chief of the Naaga traditional area.

    Pe Ayagitam obtained 19 votes out of the total number of 28 members of the house to beat two other contestants, Nab Azugsuk Azantilow, Paramount Chief of the Sandema traditional area who secured six votes and Pe Oscar Batabi Tiyiamu II, Paramount Chief of Kayoro who obtained three votes.

    The House also elected the paramount Chief of Mirigu, Naba Anonsona Anthony Abisa III as the Vice President. He obtained 18 votes to beat the contender, Naba Clifford Abagna Asobayire V of the Kologo traditional area who secured 10 votes.

    Per the rules of the house, the outgoing and elected Presidents are automatic representatives to the National House of Chiefs.

    Also, Navro Pio, Pe Dennis Aneakwoa Belinia Adda who represented the Kassena-Nankana zone for the election went unopposed as a representative to the National House of Chiefs.

    Two other Chiefs, Naba Kosom Yelzoya Asaga II, Paramount Chief of Nangodi from the BONABOTO area and Naba Asigri Abugrago Azoka II, Paramount Chief of Bawku from the Kusag area, were both elected as representatives to the National House of Chiefs.

    Speaking to the media shortly after the election, the newly elected President, Pe Ayagitam III thanked his colleagues for the confidence reposed in him.

    He pledged to work hand in hand with stakeholders to ensure that the building of the Regional House of Chiefs is renovated to befit the status of the paramount Chiefs.

    He also promised to “restore the relevance of the House of Chiefs in the region and the country at large”.

    “My ultimate aim is to make sure that we are consulted as stated in the constitution in every governmental appointment so that we will not have the problem of complaining that the government has left us out. In the past, it has not been done. This time onwards, we will make sure that we are accorded the necessary allotment or consulted when it comes to decision-taking in the region”, he said.

    He pledged to work with government appointees and the Chieftaincy Ministry in combating conflicts, elevate some divisional Chiefs see to fill all vacant skins in the region.

    The outgoing Vice President of the House, Naba Baba Salifu Atamale Lemyaarum, thanked members of the house for the show of leadership exhibited during the elections.

    Naba Lemyaarum who described the election which was conducted by the Electoral Commission as “free and fair” asked the EC to replicate same in the coming general elections.

    Source: GNA

  • Bolga-Bawku highway to be partially open to traffic

    The Bolga-Bawku highway is expected to be partially opened to traffic from Thursday, September 17 after the Brazilian construction firm Queiroz Galvao said it is partially done with the reconstruction of the road.

    The 116 kilometer BolgaBawkuPulmakom was cut off, following the flooding and torrential rains in the area.

    Work began on Tuesday, September 15 with the contractors clearing and filling the damaged portions of the road with boulders, which are rock fragments with size greater than 256 millimetres in diameter.

    According to the Deputy Upper East Region Minister, Frank Fusaini Adongo, it is enough to give access to the stranded trucks from Thursday.

    “I have come to see that contractors are working and putting some measures so that those plying the road can ply if possible Thursday morning because it is very pathetic how the articulated trucks that are on their international trips parked over there, passengers from the Bawku side and even the ZebillaBolgatanga side also gets stranded.

    “This grader is leveling the surface and grading all pot holes hopefully by the close of the day we are hoping to get all articulators to Zebilla evacuated onto the other side of the road”.

    The Upper East Region Director of Highways, Philip Sawai, says the ongoing work is a stopgap measure.

    “What we are doing is just to reinstate the cut-off portion to ensure that the numerous articulators that are parked over there can cross. To do that, we cannot put any materials than boulders because we want even if it rains again the water can flow in between the boulder whiles the lorries can move on top”.

    He added: “So this is not a permanent solution. It is a temporary solution in response to the fact that we need to get the articulators to cross eventually a permanent solution will be found under this project where a bridge is to be constructed that will be capable enough of taking the huge volume of water”.

    The stranded drivers who on Tuesday welcomed the government intervention want a permanent solution to the problem.

    Source: 3 News

  • Observe coronavirus protocols in spite of drastic decline in active cases Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah

    Ghanaians must keep observing the protocols against the Coronavirus pandemic in spite of the downward trend in the active cases, Information Minister, Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah has urged.

    The number of active cases in Ghana has dropped to 524.

    Ghana has within the last seven months recorded a cumulative figure of 45,714 COVID-19 cases with 44,896 recoveries.

    Out of the number of active cases, five are in critical condition, three are on ventilators and 15 are in severe conditions.

    In a tweet on Thursday, September 17, Mr Oppong Nkrumah said: “The good news about our COVID-19 fight this far is we have seen a drastic decline in Active Cases. Now more than ever, we must stay on the course by continuing to observe the preventive etiquette.”

    Source: 3 News

  • Registered voters to pay 30 pesewas for verification check – EC

    The Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) has announced that all voters who cannot make it to various registration centres to partake in the exhibition of the voters’ register which commences tomorrow, September 18 can do so via this short code, 1422.

    All voters who will make use of this process would be charged 30 pesewas.

    “The Commission will deploy a mobile telephony system also known as the SMS to allow prospective voters to check their details using their mobile phones for a fee of 30 pesewas. Prospective voters may access this system by simply texting his or her voters ID card number to 1422 and immediately, his or her details will pop up. With this simple process a voter with the click of the button can obtain the following details; his or name, voters ID card number, age, gender, polling station code, polling station name, district and region”.

    The charge, the EC Chair, Jean Mensa explained was not to enrich the Commission but the charges go directly to the telecommunications network for their services rendered.

    However, if voters are fraught with challenges while accessing the shortcode, they would have to immediately go to their assigned polling stations for their problems to be looked at.

    The aim of the exhibition of the voters’ register is to give voters the opportunity to correct the wrong spelling of their names, take a new photograph if the one on the ID card was badly taken among others.

    It is also to give room for a voter to object the names of unqualified persons on the register.

    The exhibition exercise will take place every day including weekends from 7 am to 6 pm at all 33,367 centres across the country.

    She said this at the weekly ‘Let the citizens know’ press conference held in Accra Thursday.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Legalizing okada business is like making armed robbery ‘legal’ – Kabilla

    CPP Stalwart, James Kwabena Bomfeh has slammed the Presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama for promising to legalize the riding of motorcycles for commercial purposes.

    The NDC flagbearer has appealed to Ghanaians to elect him as President again during the December 7 polls and one of the things he intends to do should he come back to power is to ensure commercial motorbike riders, known in local parlance as ”okada” riders, will have their business legitimized.

    However, the law that bans okada business has been passed and it was enacted by the erstwhile Mahama administration.

    Discussing the issue on Peace FM’s ‘Kokrokoo’, James Kwabena Bomfeh, popularly called Kabila expressed shock that the former President would pass a law to ban okada business but today, for political expediency, makes a U-turn to promise legalization of a business he vehemently abhorred.

    Kabila kicked against the former President’s decision to legalize okada business explaining it is difficult to regulate the riders and also dangerous to ride a motorbike in the country.

    “Even as it has not been regularized, the Police are having a hard time applying the law.”

    He also likened Mr. Mahama’s quest to trying to say he will legalize prostitution or armed robbery when he makes a comeback to the Jubilee House, the seat of government.

    “You know that people feed from prostitution. You know some people feed from armed robbery. With some, there’s evidence to show that they alone don’t feed from armed robbery but also embark on charitable projects. Some people are living on illicit drug trade, Pablo Escobar . . . So, because people feed from that and people live on that, you’re going to regularize and legalize armed robbery? Can you?”, he stated.

    Source: Peace FM

  • Residents bemoan poor state of Komla Dumor road in Ketu South


    Residents of Avoeme and Afedido, all in the Ketu South Municipality of the Volta Region have expressed their disappointments over the bad state of their road.

    The 4.2-kilometer feeder road known as the “Komla Dumor Road”, serves as the only major road that leads to the palace of the Paramount Chief of the Aflao Traditional Council, Torgbi Fiti (IV), and neighbouring Republic of Togo.

    A visit to the road on Thursday, September 10, 2020, by Peter Atsu Ahianyo of GhanaWeb, revealed the unmotorable state of the road which has been abandoned for so many years by sitting governments.

    Recent rainfall in the area was what covered the evidence of dust that has always characterized the Komla Dumor Road and the potholes on the road.

    Speaking to GhanaWeb, the Aflao Zonal Council Chairman and Assemblyman for Teshi/Aveshi Electoral Area, Mr. Seth Afelia indicated that the road which has been there since time memorial has suffered neglect from the Municipal authorities despite several complaints.

    “…government upon government, I could remember the reign of the late former President Mills. He came here to commission certain projects and visited our chiefs and promised them that something was going to be done about the road. But since then, so government upon government we have been complaining…” he said.

    Mr. Afelia added that the condition of the road becomes more deteriorated whenever it rains.

    “It is not easy. Sometimes you could see the adjoining lagoons, the road passes through the lagoon so when it rains heavily the lagoons try to meet each other…”

    Another resident, Gadede Sewordor, who is the Akporkploe Electoral Area Unit Committee Chairman also told GhanaWeb that they hope that the road gets fixed; adding that to minimize the effect of the potholes on their cars, residents come together to fill the potholes with sand. “What we do ourselves at times is that we fetch sand from the farms and use it to fill the holes. That is what we have been doing for now,” he said.

    Reaction from Ketu South Municipal Engineer

    The Ketu South Municipal Engineer, Ing. Kingsley Oduro reacting to the concerns of the residents, told GhanaWeb, a feasibility study was done on the road by the 48th Engineers Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces in February 2020; emphasizing that progress would have been made if not for the emergence of COVID-19.

    Mr. Oduro explained that construction of the road is not the responsibility of the Assembly but rather the central government.

    “Construction of the road is capital intensive. Assemblies are normally not into the construction of roads. We just do the reshaping of the roads and sometimes, graveling of the road…” Mr. Oduro stated.



    The Municipal Engineer further stated that he cannot give assurance to residents that the road will see bitumen surfacing before the year, 2020 comes to an end.

    He however said, yearly maintenance of the road which will make the road somehow good and motorable will be done by the Assembly before the year ends.

    “…For the normal routine maintenance, that’s the reshaping, I can assure that every year that will be done for the people,” he said.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Our transport recapitalisation policy better and safer than legalising Okada -Bawumia

    Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has said that the governing New Patriotic Party’s proposal to introduce a flexible vehicle leasing scheme for commercial drivers is a safer and a better option than legalising Okada business in the country.

    The NPP’s 2020 Manifesto has pledged to introduce a new transport financing scheme dubbed Transport Sector Recapitalisation policy, which will assist commercial drivers to own brand new vehicles being assembled in Ghana through flexible lease terms.

    Throwing more light on the scheme and the controversial decision by former President John Dramani Mahama to legalise the commercial operation of motorbikes, Dr. Bawumia announced that instead of government legalising the risky operations of Okada, it is rather providing a better and safer option for Okada owners to upgrade to vehicle owners through the Transport Recapitalisation Programme.

    He spoke during a strategic partnership signing ceremony between VW and Black Ivy in Accra on Wednesday.

    “There’s been a recent discussion about Okada, this motorcycle transport. I think that in the context of what we are doing, we will rather encourage the Okada riders to come in and try to lease these vehicles so that they can run businesses,” Dr. Bawumia said, referring to the new VW cars which have been assembled in Ghana.

    “In the Transport Sector Recapitalisation project, what we are proposing is for government to come in the middle to provide support for our drivers; the taxis, trotros and buses to be able to essentially lease these new vehicles that are being made in Ghana.”

    The Vice President noted that after careful considerations by the government, it has decided not to legalise the Okada business in the larger interest of Ghanaians because it poses a major risk.

    He urged owners and riders of Okada to consider their safety, and rather see a bigger and safer option in the NPP’s transport recapitalisation policy, through which, he said, they can lease brand new vehicles with their National ID cards and digital address system.

    “They need to graduate from this risky and less safe Okada riding to a safer means of transportation.”

    “Their problem will be a lack of capital, but if you bring in new leasing policy and we have our national ID cards with our digital address system and so on, we can have a credit system working and give you an option, other than this risky business.”

    “Let’s give them opportunities to lease safer vehicles and pay over time. I think it is a better option than what the alternative thinks.”

    “We don’t want you to finish graduate school and then take a life in Okada riding. You can have a better option, and we will give you a better option.”

    Source: graphic.com.gh

  • EC introduces short code for voter verification

    The Electoral Commission (EC) has introduced a short message service (SMS) platform to enable registered voters access their registration details.

    The short code, 1422, will be activated on Friday, September 18, to Friday, September 25, 2020.

    To access registration details, voters would have to text their voter ID card number to the short code.

    The exhibition of the voters register would commence on Friday, September 18, to Friday, September 25.

    The exercise would also help the EC rid the register of unqualified persons ahead of the December 7 polls.

    The EC provisionally registered 16,963,306 people at the end of the biometric voters registration exercise which ended on August 9, this year.

    Source: graphic.com.gh

  • Lets train professional dispatch riders instead of legalise ‘okada’ – CVM

    The Concerned Voters Movement (CVM) has called for the training of more professional dispatch riders to work for companies, instead of legalising the use of motorbikes for commercial transport (okada).

    In an interview with the Ghanaian Times in Accra yesterday, the Founder and President of the pressure group, Razak Kojo Opoku, stressed the need for a deliberate policy to train more professional dispatch riders to work as permanent staff in the delivery and transport units of companies.

    He said for instance, the One District One Factory (1D1F) policy introduced by the current administration can employ these professional dispatch riders permanently in the transport units of the factories created under the policy.

    That, he added, would create several decent and sustainable jobs for many of the young men who are engaged in the risky okada business.

    He stressed the need for politicians to come out with better ideas to create sustainable jobs for the youth, instead of endorsing okada just to win votes.

    According to him, most of the okada riders who are undereducated were engaged in the business due to lack of sustainable jobs and urged the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to abandon its promise to legalise okada.

    “The youth of this country deserve better and decent jobs with well paid salaries than this okada business which only serves as a means to an end,” he said.

    While commending the government for committing resources to the establishment of the 1D1F, he said efforts could be made to train and employ more professional dispatch riders for the factories as means of eradicating okada.

    “Instead of the NDC to come out with an initiative that would create decent and well paid jobs for the youth, they are rather doing propaganda with okada riders. The question is, would the okada riders prefer to remain as okada riders forever? Absolutely not! They need much better jobs than that,” he said.

    He said most of the okada riders could take advantage of policies such as Planting for Food and Jobs, Rearing for Food and Jobs, 1D1F, NaBCo, among others.

    Source: Ghanaian Times

  • Not legalising Okada is in the larger interest of Ghanaians – Bawumia

    Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia says the government’s decision not to legalise the operation of motorcycles as commercial means of transport is in the larger interest of Ghanaians.

    Speaking the signing of a strategic partnership agreement between VW and Black Ivy in Accra on Wednesday, Dr Bawumia announced that government will not legalise the operation, popularly referred to as Okada.

    The Vice President’s announcement comes in the wake of former President Mahama’s decision to legalise the very business his erstwhile NDC government banned a few years ago.

    Explaining why it won’t be legalised, Dr Bawumia admitted it is a tough decision, but one which the government had to take in the larger interest of the people.

    “We will not legalise Okada business in Ghana,” Dr Bawumia announced.

    “It may be a tough decision, but it is in the interest of Ghanaians,” he added.

    The Vice President revealed that government has had consultations over the issue and it has decided to stick to not legalising it, and rather provide an alternative for Okada riders to own a better and safer transport through the NPP’s Transport Sector Capitalisation policy, which seeks to assist transport owners to lease made in Ghana vehicles on flexible terms.

    “We have had discussions but we will stick to our decision to provide a better alternative for Okada riders.”

    “In the Transport Sector Recapitalisation project, what we are proposing is for government to come in the middle to provide support for our drivers; the taxis, trotros and buses to be able to essentially lease these new vehicles that are being made in Ghana.”

    The Vice President acknowledged that the problem Okada riders may face is capital to acquire these made in Ghana vehicles, but he explained it is the very issue the NPP’s Transport Sector Recapitalisation will address, and Okada riders can upgrade their transport business with their National ID cards and Digital Address Systems.

    “Their (Okada riders) problem will be a lack of capital, but if you bring in new leasing policy and we have our national ID cards with our digital address system and so on, we can have a credit system working and give you an option, other than this risky business.”

    “Let’s give them opportunities to lease safer vehicles and pay over time. I think it is a better option than what the alternative thinks.”

    “We don’t want you to finish graduate school and then take a life in Okada riding. You can have a better option, and we will give you a better option.”

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • UG SRC president breaks silence on 2020/2021 academic fee increment

    The interim president of the University of Ghana Students Representative Council (UG-SRC), Kwame-Amo Ntow-Fianko, has responded to calls on the student body to fight against the increment of academic fees for the 2020/2021 academic year.

    Management of the University, on Monday, September 14, 2020, published on their website the schedule for fees for the 2020/2021 academic year.

    The academic fees for the 2020/2021 academic year saw a marginal increment of at least 12.30 percent from the 2019/2020 fee schedule.

    Since UniversNews reported the upward review of academic fees for the 2020/2021 academic year, students have asked the SRC to quickly engage the management of the university to consider their decision.

    According to these students, the timing is wrong as the finances of families have been heavily impacted by the outbreak of the coronavirus disease.

    Responding to these, Kwame-Amo Ntow-Fianko, on his personal Twitter page, said that the SRC would do everything with its means to address the matter.


    Parliamentary approval

    According to the Fees and Charges Act 983, any proposal to increase fees will first have to be approved by parliament. As it stands, it is unclear if the observed increment has been given the go-ahead by parliament.

    Prior to this, tuition fees were increased for the 2019/2020 academic year by 5 percent. This was later assented to by parliament.

    The University of Ghana is one of the few schools to have increased fees for the next academic year.

    Ghana Institute of Journalism, earlier this month increased fees by 5 percent for the 2020/2021 academic year.

    Source: universnewsroom.com

  • NPP under pressure because of NDCs manifesto – Political Analyst

    A political analyst and sustainable development practitioner, Michael Ebo is claiming that the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) is under pressure following the launch of the manifesto of the opposition NationalDemocratic Congress (NDC).

    Speaking on Eboboba, a political show on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm, he said although the government will not admit it, the NDC manifesto has brought them undue pressure.

    He told host Kwabena Agyapong the government is under pressure because the NDC has given Ghanaians some alternative, adding, whether it is credible or not, a lot of people will fall for it.

    He disclosed after the NDC manifesto launch, there was a small survey conducted by some intelligence units like the BNI and National Security and from what I have read, the Okada population will have an influence on the election.

    “So clearly, the government have to do something about that,” he added.

    He said it would be to the benefit of Ghanaians for us to have an issue bassed politics especially when political parties launch their policies and programmes before the election.

    Touching on the decision by the government to pay all depositors of the various collapsed financial institutions, he said the government had no plans to pay the customers their deposits this year but the promise by the NDC influenced their u-turn.

    “For the government to come back and say that now I have money to pay in cash, you should know that they are under pressure. And it is advice from a survey the security agencies have done. What the government have done; whether they admit or not, about 50% will be because of political expediency and not genuine thought.”

    The NPP he stated might lose some votes due to this sudden u-turn.

    Source: rainbowradioonline.com

  • Coronavirus: Governments interventions restore 2,849 jobs

    Mr Ignatius Baffour Awuah, the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations says government’s interventions in the easing of restrictions has restored 2,849 out of 11,657 job losses due to COVID-19, representing 24 per cent.

    Mr Awuah said the incidence of job losses was highest among micro-sized enterprises, representing 36 per cent and lowest in large scale establishments, which represented 23 per cent.

    In the economic sectors, the Minister said the highest incidence of job losses of 65 per cent was recorded in the other services like the recruitment agencies, media and laundry services, followed by construction of 49 per cent, hotels and restaurants 45 per cent and private sector education, 43 per cent.

    The shipping or the maritime sub-sector together with finance, agriculture, health, and social work suffered the least incidence of job losses of one per cent.

    The Minister who announced this on Wednesday during the meet-the-press series in Accra said the figures were results from a Pilot Labour Market Survey commissioned by the Ministry to assess the impact of COVID-19 on job losses and pay cuts.

    The survey covered 878 enterprises across the country and involved a total of 44,040 employees.

    The survey covered micro (1-4 employees), small (5-29 employees), medium (30-99 employees), and large (100 above employees) enterprises.

    The Minister said according to results of the survey, 17,685 out of 44,040, representing 40 per cent workers suffered pay cuts, adding that, pay cuts were highest among medium scale establishments with 46 per cent of workers affected with lowest among small scale enterprises of 38 per cent.

    He said over 50 per cent of workers in the construction and services sectors suffered pay cuts, and between 29-42 per cent of workers in manufacturing, entertainment and events, sports, hotels and restaurants as well as mining also suffered pay cuts.

    The survey showed that pay cuts were lowest in the finance sub sector of five per cent, followed by shipping or maritime 18.9 per cent.

    On establishments that adopted pay-cut strategies to keep workers on the payroll, the survey said 21 per cent reduced wages by 10 per cent or less involving 3,870 workers.

    The Minister said 37 per cent of establishments also reduced wages by 10-30 per cent and 29 per cent of them reduced wages by 30-50 per cent .

    The pay-cuts, according to the survey affected 11,833 workers, stressing that 1,982 workers from about 13 per cent of the establishments reduced workers’ earnings by more than 50 per cent.

    Source: GNA

  • New policy to allow trotro, taxi drivers swap old cars for new ones coming

    Government is proposing a National Transport Recapitalisation Project which, if implemented, will provide a lease-to-own option to all commercial drivers to exchange their old cars for newly assembled ones in Ghana.

    According to Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the issuance of national identity cards along with the implementation of the digital property address system, the mobile money interoperability and the universal QR Code will allow for the development of a credit system with credit reference agencies to make the proposal work.

    Dr Bawumia said this as the guest speaker at the joint launch of a strategic collaboration between Volkswagen and BlackIvy for the production of affordable homes and affordable cars for the Ghanaian people.

    Dr Bawumia further noted that for the automotive industry to be successful, there must be enough domestic demand for the vehicles produced.

    In this regard, he reiterated that the Akufo-Addo-led government will be able to provide better options to Okada riders to lease-to-own vehicles if they choose and, therefore, it would not legalise Okada operations.

    “Every life matters and we will continue to ensure that safe, affordable means of transportation and livelihood are provided for every Ghanaian,” Dr Bawumia said.

    Source: Class FM

  • Government to enhance job placements through Public Employment Centres

    Government in collaboration with its development partners has renovated and revamped eight Public Employment Centres (PECs) at strategic locations to provide active labour market services, job matching and career guidance to job seekers.

    Mr Ignatius Baffour-Awuah, the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, said the initiative would improve the capacity of the Labour Department and enhance efficiency.

    The Minister who said this at a media briefing in Accra on Wednesday disclosed that the centres could be located in Accra, Tema, Cape Coast, Takoradi, Tarkwa, Sunyani, Tamale and the Employment Information Branch (EIB) of the Labour Department (LD).

    He said apart from the routine active labour market functions of the PECs, the main purpose of the renovations and other capacity building interventions was to enable them and sections of the Labour Department collect and disseminate labour market information in a timely manner.

    “These, among others, are some of the efforts being made towards the full operationalisation of the Ghana Labour Market Information System (GLMIS)“.

    Mr Baffour-Awuah said for that reason, a Ghanaian-German Job Centre had been established in Accra by the Ministry in collaboration with the German International Development Corporation (GIZ).

    He said the purpose of the Centre was to enhance the provision of decent employment opportunities for job seekers, particularly, young persons who had the intention of migrating outside Ghana through unapproved routes.

    Since the inception of the Ghanaian-German Job Centre in 2017, a total of 65,277 persons had accessed its services, he stated.

    “Out of this number, 28,901 accessed labour market information/career guidance/coaching services, while 4,243 received start-up and business development services to enable them to establish their businesses“.

    The Minister noted that 2,527 were also posted to firms as interns, a total of 2,606 placed in available job vacancies and 614 returning migrants also received psychosocial and reintegration support.

    The Minister said in 2017, Government took initiatives to transform the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) to strategically position it for growth and sustainability.
    “This included investing in sustainable growth, promoting inclusive development, job creation and positioning YEA as a facilitator of jobs“.

    He said, as a result, YEA launched three new flagship programmes such as the YEA Job Centre, the Regional Flagships Programme and the Artisan Directory.

    The Minister said between 2017 and 2020, some 143,963 Ghanaians had been connected to various forms of employment through programmes and modules implemented by the Agency.

    In the coming months, YEA looked forward to rolling out programmes to include; “Work Abroad” as part of efforts to facilitate job creation for the youth, he said.

    “In the meantime, the Agency has received employment requests from Japan, Australia and the Cayman Islands and will continue to set up structures at the Regional and District levels to support the youth.

    The Agency is also planning to roll out other initiatives such as the Ekumfi Chalk Making Programme, which is expected to employ over 100 youth with disability as well as the Artisan Directory, which is expected to recruit 5,000 beneficiaries.”

    Mr Baffour-Awuah noted that the government had passed a Legislative Instrument (L.I) for domestic workers regulations to ensure full labour protection.

    The new regulation is a precursor to the lifting of the temporary ban on recruitment of domestic workers to the Gulf States and it is also to provide the basis for executing Bilateral Labour Agreements (BLAs) with destination countries.

    Source: GNA

  • Government establishes committee to implement Unemployment Insurance Scheme

    Government has established a tripartite technical committee to come out with modalities to implement the National Unemployment Insurance Scheme announced in the mid-year budget statement.

    Mr Ignatius Baffour-Awuah, the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, said the scheme, when operational, would focus on providing direct income support to workers who lost their jobs or suffered pay cuts in the event of a social or economic crisis.

    He said the scheme would offer opportunities for training, re-training, job search support, apprenticeship and internships to enable those who lost their jobs to re-adjust.

    The Minister, at a media briefing in Accra on Wednesday, said the total unemployment rate had reduced from 11.9 percent, per the Ghana Living Standard Survey Six (GLSS Six) to 8.4 percent (GLSS Seven).

    Mr Baffour-Awuah said further analysis of the metadata by the Ministry indicated that the unemployment rate reduced to 7.1 percent in 2019, with the rate being higher among females.

    In terms of regions, Greater Accra recorded the highest unemployment rate of 11.8 per cent followed by Ashanti 10.3 percent.

    He said the Volta Region recorded the lowest unemployment rate of 5.8 percent, and then Brong-Ahafo 6.0 per cent adding that; “the youth unemployment rate has also declined from 16.9 per cent to 12.6 percent.”

    Mr Baffour-Awuah said during the early stages of COVID-19, the Ministry observed that low wage earners and unskilled workers were the most vulnerable.

    “In order to curtail the spread of the virus at workplaces, the Ministry, in collaboration with the National Tripartite Committee, issued a 10-Point Communiqué on Workplace Safety.”

    “The purpose was to consolidate safety protocols of the World Health Organization and Ghana Health Service as well as enhance routine inspections by the Inspectorate Departments of the Ministry,” he said.

    The Minister said institutions visited were in the Manufacturing, Service, Retail and Recycling sub-sectors to ensure strict compliance with COVID-19 protocols and guidelines outlined by government.

    “I am happy to report that 80 percent of the establishments inspected were complying with the guidelines prescribed by Government. I wish to entreat all employers and workers to continue to adhere to the prescribed protocols to ensure safety at the workplace,” he said.

    Source: GNA

  • Okada, trotro, taxi drivers can swap old cars, bikes for new cars Bawumia

    The Akufo-Addo government is proposing a National Transport Recapitalisation Project which, if implemented, will provide a lease-to-own option to all commercial drivers, including Okada operators, to exchange their old vehicles or bikes for newly-assembled ones in Ghana.

    According to Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the issuance of national identity cards along with the implementation of the digital property address system, the mobile money interoperability and the universal QR Code, will all allow the development of a credit system with credit reference agencies to make the proposal work.

    Dr Bawumia said this as the Guest Speaker at the joint launch of a strategic collaboration between Volkswagen and BlackIvy for the production of affordable homes and affordable cars for the Ghanaian people.

    Dr Bawumia further noted that for the automotive industry to be successful, there must be enough domestic demand for the vehicles produced.

    To this end, he reiterated that the Akufo-Addo-led government will be able to provide better options to Okada riders to lease-to-own vehicles if they choose to, and, therefore, the government will not legalise Okada operations.

    “Every life matters and we will continue to ensure that safe, affordable means of transportation and livelihood are provided for every Ghanaian,” Dr Bawumia said.

    Source: Class FM

  • NPP intensifies campaign to retain Twifo Ati-Morkwah seat

    The newly elected parliamentary candidate of the governing NPP in the Twifo Ati-Morkwah constituency is vowing to retain the seat the party snatched from the opposition NDC for the first time in the 2016 parliamentary elections.

    The candidate and his team say they are working hard to ensure they widen the margin of votes in the 2020 parliamentary elections.

    The Twifo Ati-Morkwah constituency was created in 2012 out of the Lower Denkyira constituency with the opposition NDC winning that constituency from then until 2016 when the governing NPP snatched it from them through the incumbent MP Abraham Dwuma Odoom.

    But after just a term in office as MP, Mr. Odoom lost the primaries of his party to former Presiding Member of the Twifo Ati-Morkwah District Assembly Ebenezer Obeng Dwamena who is vowing to retain the seat and even increase the margin in the parliamentary elections.

    To make do his promise of retaining the seat, Mr. Dwamena has intensified his campaigns ahead of the elections slated for December 2020 and one of the campaign activities was a car wash campaign organized in partnership with the Loyal Ladies a group within the party over the weekend at Twifo Praso. The parliamentary candidate reiterated his resolve to make the constituency a stronghold of the governing NPP.

    On what he brings on board Mr. Dwamena said, “our focus is to get victory and that is because we want to come in to continue what my predecessor started. We will ensure the youth are engaged in meaningful employment and also ensure infrastructure becomes a key part of our work.”

    Leader of the Loyal Ladies group Nana Adoma Afranie told starrfm.com.gh that they will work to ensure a resounding victory for the party in the December polls.

    She said, “We the Loyal Ladies are not going to relax. We are going to ensure that we win this elections hands down.”

    Source: Starr FM

  • BECE invigilators urged to be professional

    Madam Amina Achiaa, Ejisu Municipal Director of Education, has asked invigilators in the ongoing Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) to do their work professionally.

    They should create a good atmosphere for the candidates to write their examination peacefully.

    Madam Achiaa made the call during a tour of some examination centres in the Ejisu Municipality.

    A total of 3,666, made up 1,767 males and 1,899 girls are writing the examination in fifteen centres in the area.

    Mad Achiaa advised the candidates to be focused and desist from any immoral act that could create problems for them during and after the examination.

    She commended the supervisors for ensuring that both the candidates and the invigilators were obeying the COVID-19 protocols at all the centres.

    Source: GNA

  • You’ve no moral right to complain about ‘high’ filing fees – Kabila tells political parties

    Former acting General Secretary of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), James Kwabena Bomfeh Jnr., popularly known as Kabila has asked political parties to cease criticizing the Electoral Commission (EC) over the increment in filing fees.

    The EC opened online nominations for Presidential and Parliamentary Candidates for the December 7, 2020 elections.

    According to the Commission, this year’s filing fee for presidential aspirants would be GH¢100,000, while that for parliamentary candidates would remain unchanged at GH¢10,000

    The decision by the EC has however incurred the wrath of some political parties.

    Contributing to a panel discussion on Peace FM’s morning show ‘Kokrokoo’, Kabila who thinks the parties have no moral right to complain, recalled how he and other members of the CPP complained before the filing fee was reduced to GHC40, 000 for him to contest the General Secretary position in the CPP.

    “Personally I don’t think the fee is high . . . how much did we charge in our internal contests? You (CPP) collected 100,000 internally and you are crying against the Electoral Commission? What moral right have you got to do that,” he queried.

    Source: Peace FM

  • Death toll in twin road crashes now 23

    The death toll in two separate crashes in Ghana has risen to 23 in the last 24 hours.

    Officials said that three more persons have now been confirmed dead after a truck crashed into two passenger buses on Tuesday — bringing the toll to 17.

    Twenty-one others who got injured in the accident which happened at Kyekyewere on the Accra-Kumasi highway, are also receiving treatment at separate hospitals at Suhum, Nsawam, and Koforidua in the Eastern Region.

    Authorities say six passengers also died on the spot after the cars they were travelling in were involved in a head-on collision at Gomoa Adam near Gomoa Anteadze on the Kasoa-Cape Coast highway in the Central Region.

    The accident involved two passenger cars, a Ford Transit with Registration number GS 6031- 20 and a Toyota Hiace with Registration Number GR 5059-20.

    According to media reports, 14 people were involved in the accident, with five people dying on the spot.

    Seven persons who were in critical condition were immediately transported to the Apam Catholic Hospital for treatment. One person died in the hospital.

    Two others have been treated and discharged, officials said.

    Road accidents are a regular occurrence in Ghana, where the poor state of the motorways has been a source of social tension.

    Such carnages normally occur on Trans-West African highways according to the Motor Transport Traffic Department (MTTD).

    “Obviously when you begin to see trends like that…and as a country, we have the policy to dualize [the roads], and we have not been able to them”, said Director of Planning at the MTTD, Supt Alexander Obeng.

    Source: Daily Mail

  • GJA to hold elections on November 13

    The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has scheduled Friday, November 13, 2020 for its general elections to elect new national and regional executives.

    The GJA held its last elections on Friday, September 29, 2017, where the new executives were inaugurated into office on Friday, November 17, 2017.
    The three-year tenure of the current national and regional executives, therefore, expires on Tuesday, November 17, 2020.

    A statement from the GJA signed by its General Secretary, Mr Kofi Yeboah, and copied to the Ghana News Agency, said the new national and regional executives who would be elected into office would steer the affairs of the Association for the next three years.

    At the national level, it said, nominations would be opened for the positions of President, Vice President, General Secretary, National Organising Secretary, Treasurer and Public Affairs Officer.

    At the regional level, elections would be held in all the 16 regions and nominations would be opened for the positions of Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer.

    Meanwhile, a three-member Elections Committee chaired by Mr Osei Kwadwo, a private legal practitioner and lecturer at the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ), had been appointed to conduct and supervise the elections.

    The other members are Madam Doris Kuwornu, the Vice President of the Ghana Association of Writers (GAW) and Mr Peter Agbeko, the Head of Public Relations of the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA).

    The statement said a three-member Election Dispute Adjudication Committee (EDAC) had been appointed with Madam Marian Kyei, a private legal practitioner and media consultant as the Chairperson.

    The other members are Mr Tanko Zakaria, a private legal practitioner and lecturer at the GIJ, and Madam Sylvia Annoh, the acting Director of Public Affairs of the Electoral Commission.

    In line with the elections, September 30, 2020 has been set as the cut-off date for members in good standing who would be eligible to vote.

    Source: GNA

  • VRA and NEDCo support Upper East flood victims

    The Volta River Authority (VRA) and the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) have presented assorted food items worth about GH¢350,000 to the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to support flood victims in the Upper East Region.

    Recent torrential rains in the Region submerged many farms and bridges, and cut off link roads to some communities, especially in the Bawku and Kassena-Nankana Municipalities and the Bawku West District.

    The food items, including 650 bags of rice, 210 bags of sugar, 260 cartons of milk and 210 cartons of cooking oil, were presented to Madam Tangoba Abayage, the Upper East Regional Minister.

    Mr Osman Ayuba, the Managing Director (MD) of NEDCo, who presented the items on behalf of the Chief Executive Officer of VRA, noted that the spillage of the Bagre Dam and the heavy rains had affected residents, especially those who lived near the river bodies.

    He said VRA and NEDCO were concerned about the welfare of the affected people and look forward to the construction of the Pwalugu Multi-Purpose Dam.

    “So we have come to make our humble donation to the Regional Minister to be given to NADMO for onward distribution to the affected people,” Mr Ayuba said.

    Receiving the items, Madam Abayage thanked the officials of VRA and NEDCo for the donation to the Region and gave the assurance that the items would be given to the affected people.

    “Apart from those who have been affected by the floods from rivers, we also have people who are affected by the torrential rains, so they have their houses collapsed.”

    She, therefore, called on the NADMO officials not to concentrate their attention on distribution of the items to only affected persons near the river banks, but also extend the distribution to communities where people had suffered losses.

    She said the Region lost four people to the floods and emphasized the need for the construction of the Pwalugu Multi-Purpose dam to conserve the water which destroys lives and properties annually.

    “We are wasting water and it is costing us lives and property, this is the most important reason I think the construction of this dam is needed,” the Minister, who is also the Parliamentary Aspirant for the Navrongo Central Constituency said.

    Mr Jerry Asamani, the Upper East Regional Director of NADMO, expressed gratitude to the leadership of the VRA and NEDCo for the support to the flood victims in the Region.

    He said NADMO would ensure proper distribution of the items.

    Source: GNA

  • Assembly Member appeals for a tractor for farmers

    Mr Yussiff Zimbe Badia, the Assembly Member for the Sigri Electoral Area in the Wa West District, has appealed to the government and Non-governmental Organisations to help provide farmers with a tractor for ploughing purposes.

    He said through the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) programme, there was an abundance of farm inputs such as fertilizer for the farmers, but that farmers could not derive the maximum benefit of the programme due to the lack of timely access to ploughing services.

    Mr Badia made the appeal in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Dorimon on the sidelines of a fertilizer distribution fair organised by the Co-operative Development Foundation Canada (CDF-Canada) for beneficiaries of its Access Project.

    “If the government could help us with a tractor, it would have been good”.

    The Assembly Member also appealed to the government to provide the Electoral Area with a dam under the One-Village-One-Dam project to enable their livestock to have access to drinking water.

    On her part, Madam Tagaasori Dampuori, a farmer at Maase explained that women in the community could not engage in meaningful farming due to their difficulty in accessing tractor services.

    “You look for the tractor and will not get, the time you will farm it is already late and you will get a poor harvest, so we really need a tractor to plough on time to enjoy good harvest”, she explained.

    Mr Joseph Dary, a farmer at Nyose, also told the GNA that though the Wa West District Assembly had a mechanisation centre for farmers in the district, the tractors were not enough.

    “The time the tractor will move from one community to your community, the ploughing period will have passed, Mr Dary noted.

    Source: GNA

  • Government to enhance job placements through PECs

    Government in collaboration with its development partners has renovated and revamped eight Public Employment Centres (PECs) at strategic locations to provide active labour market services, job matching and career guidance to job seekers.

    Mr Ignatius Baffour-Awuah, the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, said the initiative would improve the capacity of the Labour Department and enhance efficiency.

    The Minister who said this at a media briefing in Accra on Wednesday disclosed that the centres could be located in Accra, Tema, Cape Coast, Takoradi, Tarkwa, Sunyani, Tamale and the Employment Information Branch (EIB) of the Labour Department (LD).

    He said apart from the routine active labour market functions of the PECs, the main purpose of the renovations and other capacity building interventions was to enable them and sections of the Labour Department collect and disseminate labour market information in a timely manner.

    “These, among others, are some of the efforts being made towards the full operationalisation of the Ghana Labour Market Information System (GLMIS)“.

    Mr Baffour-Awuah said for that reason, a Ghanaian-German Job Centre had been established in Accra by the Ministry in collaboration with the German International Development Corporation (GIZ).

    He said the purpose of the Centre was to enhance the provision of decent employment opportunities for job seekers, particularly, young persons who had the intention of migrating outside Ghana through unapproved routes.

    Since the inception of the Ghanaian-German Job Centre in 2017, a total of 65,277 persons had accessed its services, he stated.

    “Out of this number, 28,901 accessed labour market information/career guidance/coaching services, while 4,243 received start-up and business development services to enable them to establish their businesses“.

    The Minister noted that 2,527 were also posted to firms as interns, a total of 2,606 placed in available job vacancies and 614 returning migrants also received psychosocial and reintegration support.

    The Minister said in 2017, Government took initiatives to transform the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) to strategically position it for growth and sustainability.

    “This included investing in sustainable growth, promoting inclusive development, job creation and positioning YEA as a facilitator of jobs“.

    He said, as a result, YEA launched three new flagship programmes such as the YEA Job Centre, the Regional Flagships Programme and the Artisan Directory.

    The Minister said between 2017 and 2020, some 143,963 Ghanaians had been connected to various forms of employment through programmes and modules implemented by the Agency.

    In the coming months, YEA looked forward to rolling out programmes to include; “Work Abroad” as part of efforts to facilitate job creation for the youth, he said.

    “In the meantime, the Agency has received employment requests from Japan, Australia and the Cayman Islands and will continue to set up structures at the Regional and District levels to support the youth.

    The Agency is also planning to roll out other initiatives such as the Ekumfi Chalk Making Programme, which is expected to employ over 100 youth with disability as well as the Artisan Directory, which is expected to recruit 5,000 beneficiaries.”

    Mr Baffour-Awuah noted that the government had passed a Legislative Instrument (L.I) for domestic workers regulations to ensure full labour protection.

    The new regulation is a precursor to the lifting of the temporary ban on recruitment of domestic workers to the Gulf States and it is also to provide the basis for executing Bilateral Labour Agreements (BLAs) with destination countries.

    Source: GNA

  • Private schools welcome Mahamas promise on Free SHS inclusion?

    The Conference of Heads of Private Second-Cycle Schools (CHOPSS) has welcomed the promise by former President John Mahama to include private schools in the Free SHS policy if he wins power.

    According to CHOPSS, the move will increase options for students when choosing which secondary school to attend.

    The opposition NDC has promised to expand coverage of the Free SHS policy if they win the December polls. Private schools are currently not covered by the policy leading to several complaints from private school owners.

    In a statement signed by its General Secretary Joseph Dzamesi Wednesday, CHOPSS said: “We believe that this is the only way the problem of access to secondary education, which gave rise to the double-track system of education can be solved. We believe that a public-private partnership of this nature is a win-win for the Ghanaian government, Ghanaian children, and Ghanaian educational entrepreneurs. This policy will protect many of the 335 private senior high schools in Ghana and protect over 10,000 jobs in the private secondary educational sector.

    “It will give more options to Ghanaian children as they can choose to attend a private school near them or a public school. Finally, it will reduce the pressure on government in its attempt to build additional infrastructure in public schools”.

    It added: “We posit that just as government partners with private health institutions to ensure that a patient can visit either a public or a private health facility when sick and, through the NHIS, the bill is paid, the same way the government should allow the Free SHS grant to follow the student if that student opts to attend a private or public SHS. We reject the suggestion that all mainstream private high schools or all private schools that do not charge fees in dollars are substandard schools.

    “We have private schools that have better facilities than public schools and that have over the years outperformed public schools. We also reject the attempt to suggest that it is unconstitutional for government to partner with private schools to provide educational access to Ghanaian children. We believe that there are common grounds that are absolutely constitutional that can be reached to allow for partnerships with Private Senior High Schools”.

    Source: Starr FM

  • UTAG denies power struggle in COLTEK and CAGRIC

    Teachers in the Kumasi and Asante Mampong campuses of the University of Education Winneba (UEW) say they expect the President to appoint the Vice-Chancellor of the newly created University for Skills and Entrepreneurial Development from among qualified professors on the two campuses.

    According to them, there was no power struggle among the professors and lecturers in respect of the appointment of a Vice Chancellor for the Akenten Appiah-Minkah University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (AA-USTED) as was being portrayed in a section of the media.

    The Teachers stated these at a press conference organized by the College of Technology Education in Kumasi (COLTEK) and the College of Agricultural Education Asante Mampong (CAGRIC) chapters of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) in Kumasi.

    Dr. Stephen Baffour Adjei, Chairman of UTAG-COLTEK, who spoke on behalf of the teachers at the conference, said “there is no slightest evidence of factionalism, power struggle, or administrative conflict whatsoever, by any stretch of the imagination, among the hardworking professors and lecturers of COLTEK and CAGRIC.

    Professors, Senior Lecturers, Lecturers, staff and students of the two campuses have enjoyed a very cordial and collegial relationship spanning decades, and continue to do so on an even higher level under the able leadership of Professor Frederick Kwaku Sarfo and Professor James Kagya-Agyeman,” he stated.

    Dr Adjei pointed out that, one of the important considerations for governments all over the world to decide to grant a campus of a University an autonomy status, was that, the campus already had very good leadership, administrative and governance structure that it was using to expand the University in terms of infrastructure and programmes, as well as its unique contribution to national development.

    He said the two campuses that had now been converted into full-fledged autonomous University had existing and properly functioning leadership and administrative structures that were manned by qualified, competent and experienced full professors who had toiled and laboured to bring the campuses to a status that was now ready and worthy to be granted autonomy.

    Dr Adjei explained that appointing a Vice-Chancellor from the tried and tested existing academic and leadership structures of COLTEK and CAGRIC would consolidate the significant gains made in Technical, Vocational Education and Training (TVET) education over the years and ensure that there was absolute peace and harmony on all the campuses of the university,

    Again, appointing a Vice-Chancellor and other key positions from among the deserving staff of COLTEK and CAGRIC would serve as a motivation to the hardworking academic and non-academic staff to work even harder because of the assurance of meritocracy that such an appointment would bring.

    Dr Adjei called on all academic and non-academic staff of COLTEK and CAGRIC to harness their intellectual and professional resources to contribute to the transformation of TVET education and the industrialization agenda of the government of Ghana.

    Source: GNA

  • Government building 98 new courts, judges bungalows Akufo-Add

    President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said his government is constructing ninety-eight (98) courts and bungalows for Judges in all sixteen (16) regions of the country through the Administrator of the District Assembly Common Fund.

    This is to prevent citizens from travelling long distance for court hearings due to the inadequate courtrooms available in the country.

    Citing an example to back his claim, he said “There is no Court between Adjabeng and Amasaman in the Greater Accra Region, neither is there a Court between Adum in Kumasi and Asante Bekwai or Obuasi in the Ashanti Region. Indeed, it has been barely nine (9) months since I commissioned the three-storey Court Complex at Frafraha, in Adenta, Accra, and I am reliably informed that there are already some three thousand cases pending there”.

    Swearing into office 16 new Justices of the High Court at a ceremony at the Jubilee House Wednesday, September 16, 2020, President Akufo-Addo admonished all 16 Justices to work fervently without fear or favour on any political, religious or ethnic group.

    “When a citizen falls foul of the law, that citizen, high or low, must be dealt with accordingly, and the law enforcement agencies, including you, our new judges, must ensure this is done. That is the true meaning of the concept of equality before the law,” he said.

    The Justices of the High Court sworn in by the President are Her Honour Eva Bannerman-Williams, His Honour Emmanuel Bart-Plange Brew, His Honour Yaw Owoahene Acheampong, His Honour Samuel Boakye-Yiadom, His Honour Abdul Yusif Asibey, Mrs Elfreda Amy Dankyi, Mr Samuel Faraday Johnson, Ms Sheila Minta, Her Honour Audrey Kocuvie-Tay, Nana Yaw Gyamfi Frimpong, Mr Ernest Yao Gaewu, Mr Solomon Oppong-Twumasi, Mr Charles Bentum, Mr Joseph Adu-Owusu Agyeman, Mr William Osei-Kuffour, and Mr Douglas Seidu.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • 6 killed in Accra-Cape Coast highway accident

    Six (6) persons have been confirmed dead in an accident that occurred on the Cape Coast-Accra highway on Tuesday, September 15, 2020.

    The gory accident involved a Toyota Hiace commercial vehicle with the registration number GR 5059-20 and a Ford Transit bus with GS 6031-20 as its registration number.

    According to a Daily Graphic report, three passengers died on the spot while the other three were declared dead at the St Luke Catholic Hospital at Apam.

    The Apam District Police Commander, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Moses Osakonor narrating the incident to Daily Graphic blamed the driver of the Ford Transit for wrongful overtaking at the Gomoa Adam junction road.

    The unlawful act, he stressed, caused the head-on collision on the highway.

    He noted that the Police Service, together with some Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) personnel rushed to the scene to rescue the trapped passengers for them to seek medical care.

    The two drivers, together with sixteen passengers sustained injuries and are also receiving treatment at the St Luke Catholic Hospital.

    Meanwhile, the bodies of the deceased have been deposited at the same medical centre for autopsy.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Ghana water repairs its biggest pipeline

    The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) is repairing portions of its biggest transmission pipeline to be completed within a week.

    The GWCL is spending four million Ghana Cedis to replace 120 metres length of the 42-inch diameter damaged transmission pipe-line that transmit water from Kpong to Eastern part of the Greater Accra Region.

    Residents in affected areas in the eastern part of Accra were asked by the GWCL to store water ahead of the works.

    Mr Charles A. Brobbey, Regional Chief Manager, ATMA Production Region of the GWCL, revealed this to the media when officials of the company inspected the ongoing works.

    Mr Brobbey said the about 50 years old pipe-line had been giving way, resulting in the causing in the loss of huge volumes of water daily which had drained it financially and supply to customers.

    He added that the entire 43 kilometre stretch transmission pipe-lines from Kpong to Tema would be done in pieces as and when funds were available, explaining that the current portion being changed was the worst affected area.

    He indicated that they were using coated steel pipe-line to replace the old lines to ensure that it withstood the corrosive and aggressive nature of the soil.

    Mr Brobbey cautioned people against building on the transmission line saying “it is like a pipe, if you build on it and there is a problem it your building can come down”.

    He said his outfit would to pull down structures to make way for repairs.

    Stanley Martey, GWCL Communications Manager, said all needed logistics and personnel were put in place before the commencement of work therefore it was their hope to complete the work within four days devoid of any unforeseen circumstances such as the rains.

    Mr Martey said they would immediately start production after completion of work adding that it would however take some time for the water to run through the transmission lines for water to reach clients.

    The Ghana News Agency observed that work was earnestly being done by engineers who were seen welding the pipe-lines together.

    Source: GNA

  • President inducts eight judges to the High Court

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Wednesday swore into office, eight judges of the High Court at the Jubilee House, Accra.

    They were: Justice Eva Bannerman-Williams, Justice Emmanuel Bart-Plange Brew, Justice Yaw Owoahene Acheampong, Justice Samuel Boakye-Yiadom, Justice Abdul Yusif Asibey, Mrs Elfreda Amy Dankyi, Mr Samuel Faraday Johnson and Ms. Sheila Minta.

    The President congratulated them on their well-deserved appointment, and enforced the need for them to demonstrate honesty, integrity, and sound knowledge of the law to gain the confidence the people.

    He reminded them that the high court was the focal point for justice delivery in the country, adding “much of judicial work begins and ends there.”

    “It is therefore critical for the growth of the nation that the High Court commands the respect of the people by the quality of its judgements as well as the comportment of its judges,” he stated.

    President Akufo-Addo admonished the judges to avoid proffering judgements on the basis of decisions from lower courts and to employ the time honoured common law tradition of precedence as the foundation for the coherent development of the law.

    “You must be learned, know your case law, and ensure your decisions and judgements are properly motivated,” he said.

    The Presidemt reinforced the fact that the dispensation of justice required that the application of the laws of the land must occur without fear or favour, affection or ill will, and without recourse to political, ethnic or religious affiliations.

    “When a citizen falls foul of the law, that citizen, high or low, must be dealt with accordingly, and the law enforcement agencies including you our new judges must ensure this is done…that is the true meaning of the concept of equality before the law”

    President Akufo-Addo encouraged the judges to leverage technology to expedite the conduct of cases that came before them and in the management of the Courts.

    “The transparent and efficient delivery of justice builds confidence in citizens, businesses and the investor community,” he said.

    The President said government had taken note of the inadequacy of court rooms across the country, which was hampering the administration of justice.

    To that effect, government, through the Administrator of the District Aseemblies Common Fund, is constructing 98 courts and bungalows for judges in all 16 regions of the country, he said.

    Source: GNA

  • ECs 100K filing fees just peanuts – Akua Donkor

    The founder and leader of the Ghana Freedom Party (GFP), Akua Donkor says she is ready to pay for the presidential filing fee to contest in the election.

    The unlettered candidate told Nyankonton Mu Nsem on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm that, the amount is not outrageous.

    The farmer says the resources that she used in establishing her party cannot be compared to the GHc100,000 charged by the Electoral Commission (EC).

    According to her, persons who have questioned where she would get the resources from are not serious and are jokers.

    In her view, those who have lamented and described the figure as outrageous are entitled top their her opinions.

    Madam Donkor said the EC must be commended for the figure because the presidential race is not for jokers.

    To those who cannot get the figure she stated are not serious, adding her political party is not a minor party as some have described it.

    She admonished Ghanaians to vote for the Ghana Freedom Party because she has the best policies to transform Ghana.

    Presidential candidates who have expressed interest in contesting the national election will be required to pay a GH¢100,000 for nominations forms.

    Parliamentary candidates on the other hand will pay GH¢10,000. Both forms are to be accessed on the Electoral Commission website.

    The Commission at a press conference on Monday stated that the candidates after purchasing their forms are required to submit them from October 5 to 9 between 9-1pm and 2-5pm each day.

    Source: rainbowradioonline.com

  • Create database for convicted criminals Security analyst urges Ghana Police Service

    Security analyst, Vladimir Antwi Danso, has called on the Ghana Police Service to intensify their methodology for prevention, arrest, and prosecution of criminals.

    Mr. Danso mentioned that the laws governing the possession of arms is not being enforced thus the increase in the proliferation of illicit firearms in the country.

    He, however, opined that the Ghana Police Service (GPS) needs to develop and adopt a database for convicted criminals in order to make criminal investigations faster and convenient.

    The Security Analyst made these comments on the back of recent reports of murder and theft cases such as the hijacking of a bullion van consisting of money meant for distribution to banks around Kumasi and the murder of the University of Ghana law school professor at his mansion.

    “But for us in the field, it is a one-stop-shop for criminal investigation because with the law lecturer for example, if we get a small fingerprint in the area and subject it to the database, we will get the person within 3 or 4 minutes,” He said

    Furthermore, Mr. Danso expressed his worry over the increasing cases of crime in Ghana following these occurring incidence.

    According to him, frequent security lapses in the country could be attributed to indiscipline, lack of resources, and personnel in the police service in the country.

    “But it is a very worrisome situation. And I have countless occasions spoken about indiscipline in our society. I have spoken also about the fact that we are not very security conscious and so when something is even going on we are unable to observe and call the police etc. The very fact that we are not security conscious, the very fact that we are is so much indiscipline in our society creates a security siege for the country. And again, we have a police force which is less than what we should normally have. There are training and resource, so we are now getting to the situation where very soon it is like we will become a country of heinous crimes like South Africa, the US, and so we need to be worried.” he added.

    Source: universnewsroom.com

  • Coronavirus: Ghana’s active cases drop from 628 to 564

    64 more persons in Ghana have recovered from Coronavirus as the Active Cases which initially stood at 628 now stand at 564.

    Out of the 564 cases, 5 are critical, 3 are on ventilators while 15 are severe.

    This was contained in Ghana Health Service’s (GHS’s) latest update, Wednesday.

    The update also shows that 54 new cases have been confirmed, bringing the cumulative case count to 45,655. The death toll remains 294.

    In all, 44,797 persons have recovered from the virus.

    Below is the Cumulative Cases per Region:

    Greater Accra Region – 23,117

    Ashanti Region – 10,933

    Western Region – 2,963

    Eastern Region – 2,394

    Central Region – 1,904

    Bono East Region – 781

    Volta Region – 668

    Western North Region – 638

    Northern Region – 528

    Ahafo Region – 524

    Bono Region – 511

    Upper East Region – 285

    Oti Region – 238

    Upper West Region – 90

    Savannah Region – 62

    North East Region – 19

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Lamine Diack found guilty of corruption and jailed

    Lamine Diack, the disgraced former head of athletics’ world governing body, has been sentenced to four years in prison, two of them suspended, after being found guilty of corruption, BBC Sport reports

    The Senegalese, 87, faced corruption and money-laundering charges linked to the Russian doping scandal.

    Diack was convicted of accepting bribes from athletes suspected of doping to cover up test results and letting them continue competing.

    He was also given a maximum fine of 500,000 euros (£456,928).

    Diack has been under house arrest in Paris since November 2015.

    Source: bbc.com

  • 2020 Polls: Peter Amewu promises One family, One opportunity

    Energy Minister, John Peter Amewu, has pledged a better livelihood for his constituents if voted into Parliament come December 7.

    Mr Amewu told Joy News that he will roll out an initiative dubbed “One Family, One Opportunity” to give residents of the Hohoe constituency equal access to various life transforming programmes.

    According to him, constituents should expect job opportunities, educational scholarships, apprenticeship among others when re-elected.

    “Politics is about development and I am giving you a promise that I would touch individual lives positively if voted into power. And we shall continue the 1 family 1 opportunity agenda if voted into power.

    “This would be a great opportunity for my people to be economically stable, have some go to any school of their choices to the highest [level] and many more,” he said.

    Mr Amewu believes that the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo-led administration accomplishments in the Hohoe constituency merits the New Patriotic Party(NPP) another term in office.

    Residents who were excited about the promise lauded Mr Amewu for his contribution to the region.

    “The initiative is a good one and workable and we only hope that Amewu wins so he can fulfil those promises made to us,” a resident commented.

    Meanwhile, Mr Amewu has funded the training of some 50 drivers on a 4-day intensive course by National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI) defensive driving department with subsequent batches preparing to go for the training as well.

    The aim of the training is to give drivers the opportunity to have permanent jobs in both the private and public sectors as well and help them own their own cars through the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC) upon completion.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Coronavirus: 16 cases detected at KIA so far

    Sixteen COVID-19 positive cases have been detected at the Kotoka International Airport out of the total of 6,976 tests which have been carried out at the facility since it’s reopening on 1 September 2020.

    Information Minister Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah disclosed this at a news conference in Accra on Wednesday, 16 September 2020.

    He noted that although 54 new cases of COVID-19 have been recorded, Ghana’s active case counts stand at 564.

    He, therefore, urged the general public to continue to keep up with the safety protocols instituted by the Ghana Health Service to keep them safe from the virus.

    On the issue of the new cases confirmed at the KIA, the minister revealed that six persons have been admitted at the hospital while other cases are being treated at home.

    So far, a total of 45,655 cases have been confirmed nationwide.

    Regional breakdown:

    Greater Accra Region 23,117

    Ashanti Region 10,933

    Western Region 2,963

    Eastern Region 2,394

    Central Region 1,904

    Bono East Region 781

    Volta Region 668

    Western North Region 638

    Northern Region 528

    Ahafo Region 524

    Bono Region 511

    Upper East Region 285

    Oti Region 238

    Upper West Region 90

    Savannah Region 62

    North East Region 19


    Source: Class FM

  • Abusuakorpe community appeals for a CHPS compound

    The Chiefs and people of Abusuakorpe community in the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality have appealed to the government to provide a Community Health Planning Services (CHPS) compound in the area to ensure quality healthcare delivery.

    Making the appeal at a social auditing forum organised by the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), under the Accountability, Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption programme (ARAP), Togbe Abuse, Chief of the community indicated that, the absence of the facility was affecting them badly.

    According to him, the people in the community accessed healthcare in other communities several kilometres away and was more difficult in the nights and during emergencies when transportation to and from the community was a major challenge.

    The Chief indicated that the community through the support of a Non-Governmental Organization had been able to acquire a piece of land and some building materials and appealed to the government to come to their aid to materialize their dream.

    Togbe Abuse also appealed to the Municipal Assembly to beef up security in the community since land disputes was rampant in the municipality.

    Jemima Konadu Mensah, Lower Manya Krobo Municipal Director of the NCCE, explained that the social auditing forum was to promote community ownership of developmental projects and policies, increase awareness of the operations of the local government and empower the citizens to demand accountability from duty bearers.

    She advised the chiefs and opinion leaders to show interest in the development of the community by engaging stakeholders on their rights and responsibilities to ensure a holistic approach to the developmental agenda in the area.

    James Awumey, Municipal Director, Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) observed that child neglect cases in the municipality were on the rise and appealed to the Traditional Authorities to amend the “Laapomi” custom, which allows the mother to leave the marriage taking along the children with her when the father neglects his fatherly responsibilities.

    He explained that the Laapomi tradition had made some men irresponsible deepening the vulnerability of women with regards to providing for the needs of children.

    Police Chief Inspector Mathias Dagba, Municipal police Commander, on his part appealed to the members of the community to assist the police in combating crime by voluntarily providing information and reporting crimes to improve upon security.

    Simon Tetteh, the Municipal Chief Executive said construction of several developmental projects were ongoing and assured the community of providing them with the CHPS compound very soon.

    Source: GNA

  • Covid-19: Uganda launches plasma study

    Scientists from Uganda’s Makerere University and the national army have launched a study to find out whether plasma from recovered coronavirus patients has an effect on those having the virus.

    This is the country’s first Covid-19 convalescent plasma study.

    Plasma is the clear, straw-coloured liquid portion of blood that remains after red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets and other cellular components of blood are removed.

    Convalescent plasma is that taken from individuals who have recovered from an infection, and may contain antibodies against that particular disease.

    The team has collected the first 162 units of plasma from donors.

    The units collected had to be tested for infections, including Covid-19, HIV, Syphilis and Hepatitis, and can only qualify to be used if they are disease-free.

    The researchers say that there is emerging evidence to support the use of convalescent plasma for the treatment of Covid-19, especially among severe cases.

    They add that there is an urgent need to determine the efficacy of convalescent plasma.

    There is currently no cure or vaccine for Covid-19.

    Uganda has reported more than 5,000 cases of the virus and 58 deaths.

    Source: bbc.com

  • UN condemns Nigeria for imprisoning ‘blasphemous’ 13-year-old

    The UN children’s agency Unicef has “expressed deep concern” over the imprisonment and treatment of a 13-year-old boy convicted for blasphemy.

    In August, Omar Farouq was sentenced to 10 years in prison with menial labour by a Sharia court in the northern state of Kano.

    The sentencing “is wrong… it also negates all core underlying principles of child rights and child justice that Nigeria – and by implication, Kano State – has signed on to,” said Peter Hawkins, Unicef representative in Nigeria.

    The sentence is in contravention of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which Nigeria ratified in 1991, Unicef said in a statement.

    Unicef called on the Nigerian federal and state authorities to urgently review the case with a view to reversing the sentence.

    Several states in northern Nigeria introduced Sharia after the country returned to civilian rule in 1999.

    The Sharia courts only try Muslims but if a case involves a Muslim and a non-Muslim, the non-Muslim will be given the option of choosing where he/she wants the case to be tried.

    The Sharia court can only hear the case if the non-Muslim gives written consent.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Glimmer of hope for Kenya’s economic growth

    A leading ratings agency says the Kenyan economy will grow by one percent in 2020, revising down an earlier forecast.

    Moody’s had predicted six percent growth in East Africa’s largest economy before the arrival of coronavirus.

    The tourism sector has been hit particularly hard by the pandemic, and may not fully recover for another three years.

    However Moody’s say there will be a strong bounce back in 2021, with growth returning to about five percent.

    It warned, however, of a growing fiscal deficit because of falling tax revenues and foresaw a tightening of government spending.

    The IMF has forecast that economies across the African continent will shrink by one-point-five percent in 2020.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Nigerian politicians face UK visa bans over polls chaos

    The UK has threatened to issue visa bans on Nigerian politicians linked to electoral violence ahead of governorship elections in two states later this month.

    It has also warned of their potential prosecution under international law and restricting their access to their UK assets.

    The elections in the southern states of Edo and Ondo are scheduled for 19 September and 10 October respectively.

    The UK High Commission said it would send observers to the elections.

    Foreign observers have previously accused Nigerian politicians of using violence and intimidation in elections.

    The British High Commissioner, Catriona Laing, has met with leaders of the two main parties and urged for a peaceful electoral process.

    On Monday, the US imposed visa restrictions on unnamed individuals in Nigeria for “undermining democratic principles” ahead of the upcoming polls.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Severed head at Uganda’s parliament linked to missing child

    Police in Uganda say the severed head a child – carried by a man who had attempted to gain access to parliament on Monday – belongs to a headless body found in Masaka, south-west of the capital, Kampala.

    The man who carried the gruesome package, 22-year-old Joseph Nuwashaba, is being held by the country’s Criminal Investigations Department (CID).

    A family in Masaka had reported their child missing and police want carry out a genetic test to establish whether the victim was their child.

    The family told local media that they had employed Mr Nuwashaba as a farm hand. He is scheduled for a mental examination.

    Mr Nuwashaba told police officers after his arrest that he had intended to deliver the severed head to parliamentary speaker Rebecca Kadaga.

    The speaker has not commented on the incident.

    She told MPs on Tuesday that she was waiting for the outcome of police investigations.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Kenyan police officers ‘told to buy their own uniforms’

    A section of police officers in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, have been buying their own uniforms from civilian tailors to comply with an alleged order to wear new-look uniforms despite lack of supplies, local media report.

    The police officers were reportedly told to wear the new uniforms starting on Monday. Some officers who reported to work in the old uniform were turned back, the Daily Nation and Standard newspapers report.

    The National Police Service and the interior ministry have not responded to the reports.

    Police officers interviewed told reporters that they had not been issued with the new-look uniforms, but were directed to civilian tailors who charge up to 5,000 Kenyan shillings ($50; £40) for a pair, according to the Daily Nation newspaper.

    Some officers have opted to stay at home following the new directive because they lack funds to purchase the uniforms.

    The new persian blue uniforms were launched in 2018 as part of police reforms:

    Source: bbc.com

  • From salon to sewer worker in coronavirus Kenya

    To help some of the hundreds of thousands of Kenyans who have lost their jobs because of the coronavirus pandemic, the government is paying some of them to brave open sewers to clean up their neighbourhoods.

    Dressed in neon vests, masks and gumboots, they stand ankle-deep in a stinking, grey stream which runs between the corrugated iron shacks of Kibera, the largest informal settlement in the capital, Nairobi.

    They scoop plastic bottles, broken shoes, dirty nappies and human faeces from the open sewer, using their metal spades and rakes.

    “It’s disgusting work,” says 33-year-old Abdul Aziz, who is worried that he might get a water-borne disease like cholera because of the insanitary working conditions.

    “However, this is better than staying at home, while being hungry and jobless,” the father of two children, who lost his job as a private driver at the beginning of the crisis, said.

    Source: bbc.com