TIG Post

Author: Persis

  • FULL LIST: Government officials donate GH₵637,000 to COVID Fund in April

    Over 81 government officials including President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia donated GH₵637,998.77 to the COVID-19 National Trust Fund for the month of April 2020.

    The list published in the June 23 edition of the Daily Graphic provided the total amount donated by the President, Vice President, Ministers of State, Chief of Staff, Two Deputy Chiefs of Staff, Secretary to the President, Secretary to the cabinet, Deputy Ministers, Presidential staffers and Presidential aides.

    The donation was in fulfilment of a pledge to donate 50% of their April, May and June Salaries to the COVID-19 National Trust Fund.

    On the list of donors include Chief of Staff, Madam Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, the Senior Minister, Mr Yaw Osafo-Marfo, the Secretary to the President, Nana Bediatuo Asante (Esq) and the two Deputy Chief of Staff, Francis Asenso-Boakye and Samuel Abdullai Jinapour.

    Also on the list are 23 Ministers (Non-MPs), 19 Deputy Ministers (Non-MPs) and 31 Presidential staffers.

    Background

    It will be recalled that in March 2020, President Akufo-Addo announced the establishment of the COVID-19 National Trust Fund to receive contributions and donations to assist those who will be greatly affected by the new coronavirus disease.

    The President also pledged his salary for the next three months April, May and June as his contribution to the fund.

    His charitable gesture was followed by similar pledges by Vice President Bawumia and some Presidential appointees.

    Trust Fund Board

    The Board of Trustees of the fund which receives contributions and donations from the public to assist in the welfare of the vulnerable is chaired by former Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo.

    The other members of the Board are Archbishop Justice Ofei Akrofi, Mr Jude Kofi Bucknor, Gifty Afenyi-Dadzie, Mrs Elsie Addo-Awadzie, Dr Ernest Ofori-Sarpong and Dr Tanko. Mr Collins Asare will act as Secretary to the Board.

    See the entire list below;

    Source: graphic.com.gh

  • State files new charges against NAM 1

    The State on Tuesday filed new charges against the Chief Executive Officer of Menzgold, Nana Appiah Mensah also known as NAM 1 at the Accra Circuit Court.

    Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Sylvester Asare told the Court that the State had filed a new charge sheet against the accused but his directives were that he should hold on to it and also the plea taking of the accused

    “We, therefore, plead with the court not to take his plea as there will be further instructions l need to adhere to going forward,” he said.

    The Court presided over by Ms Ellen Asamoah granted the request of the prosecution.

    NAM 1 is facing 63 counts of money laundering, stealing, taking deposits without authority with other family members now at large.

    His lawyers were not opposed to the new charge sheet but pleaded with the Court to expedite the process for their client.

    There was heavy security presence when NAM 1 appeared in Court.

    The Circuit Court on July 26, 2019 granted NAM 1 bail in the sum of GH¢1 billion with five sureties, three to be justified.

    He had pleaded not guilty to all initial 13 charges levelled against him by the State.

    He is also to report to the police every Wednesday at 1000 hours.

    He was initially charged with abetment of crime, defrauding by false pretence, carrying on a deposit-taking business without licence, sale of minerals without licence, unlawful deposit taking, and money laundering.

    It is alleged that the accused had taken various sums of money, totalling GH¢1.6 billion from customers.
    The court adjourned the trial to Monday, July 20.

    Source: GNA

  • The devil has made people think churches are distributing COVID-19 – Bishop Agyinasare

    Popular Ghanaian televangelist Bishop Charles Agyinasare has questioned the motivation behind Christians staying away from churches but carrying-on with other economic and political activities in blatant disregard for Coronavirus prevention measures.

    According to founder and general overseer of the Perez Chapel International, it is amazing how people can go about their normal activities without fear of contracting the virus until the issue of worshipping God in a church where social distancing is being observed comes up.

    “Is it not amazing to you that people are okay to go and vote in primaries? They are not afraid that they will get coronavirus. They are okay to go to the market and not afraid to get coronavirus,” Bishop Agyinasare said in a video shared on his verified Facebook Page.

    He continued: “They are okay to sit in trotro, they are okay to sit in a taxi and go everywhere. But when it comes to church it is like at the gate of the church we are distributing coronavirus. That is what the devil has made people to think.”

    He warned churches that had halted church services entirely that their churches would collapse by the time the Coronavirus is eradicated.

    He urged Christians to fight against COVID-19 restrictions that affect the church with prayers and fasting.

    Bishop Agyinasare found it curious that government officials who were Christians found it easier to reopen markets for normal operations rather than reopening churches.

    Watch the video below;

    Source: graphic.com.gh

  • Ensure all protocols are observed – GES tells heads of schools

    The Ghana Education Service is asking heads of senior high schools to ensure that students and staff strictly adhere to all the health and safety protocols outlined to curb the spread of the new coronavirus disease as schools open their gates to the final-year and second year Gold Track students.

    The Director-General of the GES, Prof Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa who stated  this, said guidelines as to how the heads should manage the schools had been shared with them and the GES expected that they follow them to the letter.

    Speaking in an interview on the readiness of management of the GES for the reopening of the schools, Prof Opoku-Amankwa said all the PPE had been dispatched to all schools and it was the expectation that all the schools would have received their share by the close of Monday.

    Under the guidelines, students must wear masks at all times, wash hands with soap under running water or rub hands with alcohol-based
    hand sanitizer before entering a school compound, always observe social distancing of at least one metre and avoid handshaking or body contact as well as register their details including phone numbers with school authorities.

    The guidelines also expect the heads of the schools to provide thermometer guns or thermal scanners for checking the temperature of staff and students at all entry points of schools and also ensure the mandatory wearing of masks by all at all times as well as provide hand washing facilities with running water and soap and/or FDA approved alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

    Prof Opoku-Amankwa said the guidelines also included the seating protocols in the classrooms and the dining halls as well as the arrangement of beds in the dormitories.

    He said the guidelines also required that the heads provided adequate waste management facilities and adequate toilet facilities for students, staff, and visitors as well as ensure regular cleaning and disinfection of toilet facilities.

    Prof Opoku-Amankwa said the heads were expected to follow all the guidelines and best practices to ensure that there was safety and security on their campuses and in the event of anything, “they should call us and give us the feedback immediately.”

    To the parents, the D-G also assured parents of the safety of their wards in the schools, adding that adequate measures had been put in place to ensure maximum security and protection of students while they were in the school.

    He told Graphic Online that all classes would be split, of no more than 25 students in a class and all day students in boarding schools would be in boarding, while day schools would have enhanced daily health protocols.

    Additionally, dining will be in batches in the boarding schools.

    “The heads are to make classroom seating arrangements such that students or chairs are at least one metre away from each other.

    “Boarding schools/SHS and TVET dining halls should be kept clean always and attendance to dining halls should be in batches to ensure social distancing, while the tables and benches at the dining halls should be disinfected after each batch”, Prof Opoku-Amankwa said.

    He said the heads were also asked to display the approved health promotion materials on COVID-19 at vantage points on the school compound to remind students to keep to social distancing protocols, wearing of the masks, regular hand washing, coughing, and sneezing etiquette.

    As part of the guidelines, Prof Opoku-Amankwa said heads were also to ensure that the school infirmaries are opened at all times and a full-time nurse should be stationed to provide first aid services.

    “Each boarding school is required to earmark a dormitory (male and female in a mixed school) as potential isolation centre should there be the need to isolate any student.

    “Each school is mapped to a particular health facility to which the school shall report any emergency”, he further added.

    Source: graphic.com.gh

  • Minority to haul Foreign Affairs Minister to Parliament over demolition of Nigerian High Commission property

    The minority leader of Parliament, Haruna Iddrisu has charged the Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Mike Oquaye to summon before Parliament the Foreign Affairs Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey to answer questions on the demolition of a property belonging to the Nigerian High Commission in Ghana.

    On Friday, news broke that bulldozers with protection from some alleged armed men reportedly demolished structures belonging to the Nigerian High Commission in Accra.

    There have been several pronouncements by Nigerian officials indicating their displeasure at the action and calling on the Government of Ghana to prosecute persons involved.

    The government of Ghana has since denied any involvement in the issue with the Foreign Affairs Ministry commencing investigations into the matter.

    Speaking on the floor of parliament on Tuesday, June 23 while commending President Akufo-Addo on foreign policy, Mr. Iddrisu said it is expedient for the Foreign Affairs Minister to appear before Parliament to answer questions on what he describes as an embarrassing development.

    ”We would be inviting the Foriegn Minister to provide an explanation to what happened to the Nigerian High Commission which may be giving us some diplomatic embarrassment,” he said.

    Source: abcnewsgh.com

  • Banking sector clean up was cruel ASEPA

    The Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA) has described the banking sector clean up as a cruel exercise.

    According to the organisation, the exercise was also criminal because it was carried out in contravention to Act 930, other banking regulations and international banking standards.

    In 2018 a financial sector cleanup undertaken by the Bank of Ghana resulted in the revocation of the licenses of many financial institutions including banks and microfinance companies.

    The Executive Director of ASEPA, Mensah Thompson at a press conference in Accra on Tuesday stated that it will be the height of injustice if the persons behind the crimes committed during the financial sector clean are allowed to go scot-free.

    He said Ghanaians must join hands to ensure that perpetrators of the cruel and criminal revocation of Ghanaian banks licenses are ruthlessly dealt with according to the law.

    “About the government owing uniBank, the bank has also offered loans to contractors doing government contracts. These contractors are waiting for the government to pay them so that they can also go and service their loans at uniBank. Pay these contractors, the government says no. The government failed to pay its indebtedness to these contractors who were, in turn, owing these banks. After this, the Bank of Ghana sent Auditors to these banks and told them that the monies owed these banks must be written off. How cruel can you be, who regulates a sector like this? You do this and further reduce the financial situation of the banks and turn round to tell us that the banks are insolvent,” he said.

    Banks that were collapsed and officially ceased to be in existence after the financial Sector included Capital Bank and UT Bank who were taken over by GCB Bank in a purchase and assumption agreement.

    However, seven banks namely: The Royal Bank, Heritage Bank, Construction Bank, uniBank Sovereign Bank, The Beige Bank, and Premium Bank had their licenses revoked and placed under the Consolidated Bank of Ghana.

    Six Banks merged (3 mergers): First Atlantic Merchant Bank Limited and Energy Commercial Bank, OmniBank Ghana Limited and Bank Sahel Sahara Ghana and First National Bank and GHL Bank Limited reached merger agreements.

    Source: Kasapa FM

  • Car kills 43-year-old, injures 2 others in Wa

    A Chevrolet salon car with registration number UW 16-15 run into some residents of Kumbiehi, a suburb of Wa in the Wa Municipality of the Upper West Region, killing one person leaving two others injured.

    According to eyewitnesses, the car which reportedly was on high speed veered off the road running into a mobile money vendor and some people who were around.

    It also bumped into a Loujia motorbike that was moving towards the oncoming car, killing one, who was a passenger on the bike.

    The rider and others were rushed to the Wa Municipal hospital where they are receiving treatment.

    The eyewitnesses further indicated that the car crashed into an uncompleted building.

    The car also vandalised properties worth thousands of Ghana cedis.

    They alleged that the driver of the car was drunk and was beaten after the incident, but he is also receiving treatment at the hospital.

    The deceased, Abdulai Abudu, 43 years old, was a staff of the ambulance unit of the UWR.

    Meanwhile, the Upper West Regional Police Public Relations Officer, Inspector Gideon Boateng confirmed the case, but noted that the police have since commenced investigation into the matter.

    Source: Atinka Online

  • Why didn’t Adwoa Safo go unopposed? – Kwesi Pratt asks NPP leadership

    Kwesi Pratt Jnr, Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, has rebuked the leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for protecting some Members of Parliament (MPs) by ensuring they contested the party’s primaries unopposed.

    Sitting MPs in some constituencies were unanimously not contested by any person during the primaries that ended on Saturday, making them have an easy ride to be re-elected to represent the NPP in Parliament.

    Among the MPs that went unopposed were the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu for Suame constituency, Manhyia South MP and Education Minister, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, William Owuraku Aidoo for Afigya Kwabre South, Francis Manu Adabor, Ahafo Ano South East, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, Bosomtwe and MP for Afigya Kwabre East, Ms Mavis Nkansah Boadu who was the only female MP that went unopposed among others.

    But the seasoned journalist believes even if the party deems it suitable for some members to go unopposed, although he is against such decision, it should however cover all others.

    He thus wondered why the Dome-Kwabenya MP and Deputy Majoriy Leader, Adwoa Safo wasn’t protected by the NPP leadership if indeed it’s a sound judgement for some MPs to go unopposed.

    Lawyer Adwoa Safo won the primaries by polling 496 votes while her competitor who is the son of the Speaker of Parliament and Ghana’s High Commissioner to India, Lawyer Mike Ocquaye Jnr polled 488 votes.

    Speaking on Peace FM’s ‘Kokrokoo’ programme, Kwesi Pratt asked the NPP leadership “why didn’t they protect Adwoa Safo? Because Adwoa Safo is not an ordinary MP but also a Deputy Majority Leader who does her work effectively. So, while we were protecting, why didn’t anybody give Adwoa Safo any protection as well?”

    He, therefore, advised the NPP to give a fair opportunity for every eligible person within the party to contest the primaries.

    Source: Peace FM

  • NPP to use court to stop defeated aspirants from going independent

    The Eastern Regional Secretary of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Jeff Konadu, has said the governing party will go to court to stop any defeated aspirant in the just-ended parliamentary primaries from running as an independent candidate in the 7 December 2020 polls.

    During the internal polls held on Saturday, 20 June 2020, 40 incumbents lost their tickets.

    In the aftermath of the elections, there have been reports that some of the losers are planning to go solo.

    Speaking to the media after a press conference on Tuesday, 23 June, however, Mr Kondau said: “Anyone who picked forms to contest the primaries, which is a process from the opening of nomination, picking of forms to the day of the election and after the election, is expected to abide by the rules of the primaries”.

    “If along the line you were not successful during vetting or the election, and you disregarded the reconciliation processes to be embarked on by a team led by the Regional Chairman and Regional Council of elders, and still go ahead to contest as an independent candidate, it means you have breached the constitution of the party, for which we will immediately chase you out of the party,” he said.

    He added: “Secondly, because you signed to agree on the rules and regulations of the primaries, we will go to court to stop you from contesting as an independent candidate, and the police will go round to remove all your posters. We can even stop you physically from campaigning in the Constituency”.

    Source: Class FM

  • NPP Primaries:Tribal Oda Chiefs caused my defeat – William Quaittoo

    The defeated member of Parliament for the Oda constituency in the Eastern region, William Quaittoo, has blamed his defeat on Chiefs in his Constituency.

    The chairman for the education committee in Parliament lost his bid to return to parliament in the primaries of the ruling party over the weekend to Alexander Akwasi Acquah.

    Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Mr Quaittoo disclosed chiefs in his constituency have never hidden their dislike for him as a result of his tribe.

    “There are several factors that come into play when you are looking for a candidate to represent a group. One key factor is the tribal sentiments and it played in my area and I thought that candidates will rise above that.

    “I came from a very small area called Gyedem, only three polling stations and it is the only Abuakwa town within the constituency. Since 1992, nobody from the Kotoku land has been an MP before and they said now they want their own to represent them, they want a Kotoku person to be an MP.”

    “I know a number of Chiefs called some big men and said since 1992 we have not had our own son representing us and we want somebody to represent us…so they [Chiefs] won the seat.”

    Meanwhile, the minority in Parliament has charged investigative bodies to probe the opulence that characterized the NPP primaries.

    Source: Starr FM

  • Parents must assist children to observe safety protocols – GES

    The Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Professor Kwasi Opoku Amankwa has appealed to parents to assist their children to comply with the necessary protocols outlined by government as they return to school to ensure their safety is not compromised.

    According to him even though government had instituted a lot of measures to ensure the safety of all students, there was the need for parents to compliment these efforts.

    “There is no need for any parent to prevent his or her ward from going to school to prepare and write their final exams. Government has put in place all the necessary measures to safeguard the children and it will be appropriate for parents to compliment this gesture,” he emphasised.

    Speaking to the Ghanaian Times in a telephone conversation, Prof. Amankwa said even though no one could force any parent to send his or her ward to school, it was important that the parents placed the development of the children above all other consideration.

    He said government would not deliberately endanger the lives of the very student it had spent so much on, stressing that as a result, parents must do away with the fear factor and support them in safeguarding the welfare of the children.”

    Source: ghanaiantimes.com.gh

  • Think wisely, don’t ruin your party and Ghana – Kwesi Pratt to defeated aspirants

    Seasoned journalist, Kwesi Pratt Jnr has commiserated with defeated aspirants in the NPP primaries held on Saturday, June 20, 2020, but asked them to make the right choices as they progress.

    The primaries saw over 100,000 delegates casting their votes for 308 aspirants in various constituencies across the country.

    Some sitting Members of Parliament lost their positions to new aspirants while others also went unopposed.

    ‘Moneycracy’

    Prior to the NPP primaries, reports were rife about some aspirants distributing money and items such as TV sets, bicycles among others to buy the votes of the delegates.

    At some constituency, it was alleged that the Parliamentary aspirants gave as much as $1,200 to each of his over 300 delegates but still lost the elections.

    A defeated aspirant named Eric Amankwa Blay who distributed 250 bicycles to the delegates, after losing the primaries, has gone back for all the bicycles.

    Make The Best Decision

    Addressing the issue on Peace FM’s ‘Kokrokoo’, Kwesi Pratt has advised the defeated aspirants to make the best decision as they move forward with their lives.

    Although he wouldn’t suggest what decision is appropriate for them to make, Kwesi Pratt however noted should the aspirants become selfish; they might do things which won’t augur well for the New Patriotic Party and the entire nation.

    “With the defeated ones, are they going to think about themselves or their party or their country? Should it be that they become selfish or think about themselves, it might not augur well for Ghana and their party,” he said.

    Source: Peace FM

  • Ultra-modern Business Advisory Centre inaugurated at West Gonja

    An ultra-modern office complex for the Business Advisory Resource Centre designed to offer entrepreneurial skills training to the youth in the area to be self-employed has been inaugurated at Damongo in the West Gonja Municipality.

    The building, which has 14 offices, was constructed with funding from the African Development Bank.

    Mr Saeed Muhazu Jibril, West Gonja Municipal Chief Executive, who spoke during the inauguration ceremony of the facility at Damongo, said it would aid the growth of local businesses and create jobs for the youth not only in the municipality but also the Savannah Region in general.

    Mr Muhazu Jibril said it would also promote economic activities towards job creation and reduce the rate of poverty in the municipality and beyond.

    Mr Alidu Ewura, West Gonja Municipal Director of the Business Advisory Centre of the Rural Enterprises Project (REP), expressed satisfaction about the project and gave assurance to take good care of the facility.

    Mr Samuel Opata, Consultant assigned to the project, said the Centre would provide all the necessary support to people who wanted to start new businesses and help improve on the few existing ones.

    Source: GNA

  • Be responsible in your activities – Justice Akrowia to small scale miners

    Justice Kofi Akrowia, the Supervising High Court Judge in Kumasi, has charged small scale miners to be responsible in their activities to help save the environment.

    He said small scale mining contributed significantly to national development and there was the need for industry players to ensure that their activities were properly done to protect the environment, and also sustain the future of the industry.

    Justice Akrowia made the call after swearing into office the new executive members of the Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners (GNASSM) at a ceremony in Kumasi.

    The new executive had Mr Philip Akwasi Akuffo as President, with Mr Sampson Kofi Wiredu, Vice President and Godwin Nickleson Armah, as General Secretary.

    Others were; Alhaji Baba Ahmed National Orgnaizer, Razak Abdul Alhassan Director of Communication, Janet Esi Kusi National Treasurer and Francis Opoku National Director of Finance.

    The rest were; Joseph Blankson Aidoo Techinical Director and Victoria Adobea Guerrieri, National Women Coordinator.

    Justice Akrowia urged the leadership of the Association to ensure that their members complied with the law guiding their operations and stay within it at all times.

    Mr Philip Akwasi Akuffo, the new President pledged to work to change the fortunes of the Association by working hard to stem out illegal mining activities in the country.

    He said the activities of illegal miners were tarnishing the image of small scale miners who were doing lawful and properly regulated activity and they would go all out to fish out such person for the law to deal with them.

    Mr Akuffo appealed to the government to help members acquire washing machines and excavators to carry out their work.

    Source: GNA

  • Two illegal miners remanded for stealing

    The Nkawie Circuit Court has remanded two illegal miners into police custody for stealing seven water pumping machines, valued at GH¢29,000.00, at Kenyase in the Ahafo Region.

    The pleas of Kwame Danso, 20 and Kwame Owusu, 30 were not taken and would reappear before the court presided by Mr Johnson Abbey on June 26, this year.

    Detective Chief Inspector Comfort Amankwaa, told the court that the complainant was a small scale miner at Kenyase.

    He said on May 09 this year, the complainant detected the theft of seven of his water pumping machines and decided to mount a search for them.

    The prosecution said on June 11, this year, the complainant saw the two accused with the machines and when he confronted them, they left the machines behind and fled.

    He said a report was made to the Kenyase Police who arrested the accused from their hideout at Hiakose, a village in the area.

    Chief Inspector Amankwaa said the accused admitted the offence in their cautioned statements and were charged and brought before the court.

    Source: GNA

  • GH¢8m s­cholarship fund for tertiary students

    The government has made available GH¢8 million to be awarded as bursaries to deserving students under the Local Tertiary Decentralisation Scholarship Scheme.

    The package is meant to support successful applicants to pursue tertiary education in the country leading to the award of a diploma up to a doctorate degree.

    The bursary, being issued through the Scholarship Secretariat, is to cater for the academic facility user fees of the beneficiaries in both public and private tertiary institutions in the country.

    However, beneficiaries have to renew their application by reapplying on a yearly basis in order to continue to benefit from the scheme.

    Interview

    This came to light at the interview session for a total of 528 applicants who applied for support under the scheme and chose Tamale as the venue for their interview.

    They were among a total of 1,200 applicants who were to be interviewed across the Northern Region and among the over 75,000 applicants who were successful in the aptitude test conducted nationwide.

    Interacting with the media in Tamale at the start of the interview session, the Registrar at the Scholarship Secretariat, Mr Kingsley Agyemang, said the exercise was to increase transparency and access to tertiary education in the country.

    “People do not have to travel to Accra to go through the interview as practised before. This is because a replica of same interview is happening simultaneously in all districts of Ghana,” he said.

    He added that the online process and the decentralisation of the scholarship programme ruled out political interference and thereby ensuring transparency.

    Application process

    Mr Agyemang said applicants applied through an online application system, and went through normal aptitude standard test with a pass mark of 50 per cent and above.

    Explaining the scoring process, Mr Agyemang said applicants were scored on four thematic areas of comprehension and motivation, aptitude test score, academic records and general affairs.

    He added that the number of students the Scholarship Secretariat was able to award before the scholarship fund became exhausted would mark the end of the students who would be benefiting from the scholarship programme for this year.

    Beneficiaries

    Samsia Mohammed, a level 300 midwifery student of the University for Development Studies, who went through the interview process, said she was able to express herself pertaining to the midwifery programme.

    She was confident that she would get the scholarship which she said would help her to complete her programme successfully.

    Abdulai Rahman, who is pursuing an undergraduate programme at the University of Cape Coast, said he could not complete his course because he could not pay his final year fees and expressed the hope to get the scholarship to enable him to complete the programme this year.

    Source: graphic.com.gh

  • Accra Technical University confirms first COVID-19 case

    The patient, a National Service Personnel with the academic department, is said to have tested positive for the disease on Sunday, June 21, after showing symptoms of fever, headache and runny nose.

    A press statement dated Tuesday, June 23 and signed by the Acting Director of Public Relations, said six colleagues who came into contact with the affected person have had their samples taken for testing.

    “The personnel reported to a medical facility in her neighbourhood after experiencing symptoms of fever, headache and runny nose. After Covid-19 tests were conducted, the result was communicated to the service personnel on Sunday, 21st June 2020.

    “The said person is currently in isolation at a medical facility and responding well to treatment. Six colleagues who came into contact with the confirmed Covid-19 patient, have been counselled, re-assured and their samples taken for laboratory testing,” the statement said.

    It added that the contacts have been asked to self-isolate while waiting for the results of their tests.

    “The University Medical team and the Safety and Health Committee are however in touch with the patient and contacts, to provide the needed medical and psychological support,” the statement added.

    The statement also noted that the offices of the affected department and its environs would be fumigated while contact tracing continues.

    “Members of the University Community are entreated to remain calm while adhering strictly to the published personal protection etiquettes,” the statement said.

    Tertiary institutions reopen

    Tertiary institutions across the country reopened to final year students on June 15 for academic work to begin and end on July 24.

    Prior to that, a disinfection exercise was carried out on all campuses under the sponsorship of the Ministry of Education in collaboration with Zoomlion Ghana Ltd.

    The Minister of Education, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, said it the disinfection exercise followed a directive passed down from the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, for all tertiary and second-cycle institutions to be fumigated and disinfected before the final-year students returned to prepare and complete their exit examinations.

    Ghana case count

    As at Tuesday, June 23, Ghana had confirmed 14,568 cases of the COVID-19 disease, with a death toll of 95.
    The total number of recoveries/discharged stood at 10,907.

    The current active case in Ghana now stands at 3,566.

    Source: graphic.com.gh

  • COVID-19 kills 10 more; death toll hits 95

    Ten more people have died from the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, bringing the death toll to 95.

    The Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, provided the latest statistics.

    According to him, a total of 414 new cases were also reported from 25 districts and three regions across the country.

    “We have, so far, following the review, recorded 95 deaths. Currently, we have 24 severe cases across the country and six cases are critical and five persons are currently on ventilators. We have a total of 414 new cases reported from 25 districts across the country and three regions. Which is that about 13 regions did not record any new case yesterday,” Dr Kuma-Aboagye said at a press briefing on Tuesday, June 23, 2020.

    The Greater Accra Region topped the list of new cases with 332 COVID-19 infections from nine different districts.

    Ashanti Region came second with 55 cases recorded in 12 districts and the Eastern Region placed third with 27 cases in three districts.

    13 regions did not record new cases.

    Source: theghanareport.com

  • 11 grabbed over Nima Police Station burglary

    The Nima Divisional Police Command has arrested 11 suspects in relation to the recent burglary of one of the general offices at the command.

    Some unidentified persons allegedly broke into the Orderly Room at the police command on Thursday, June 18, 2020, and made away with a 32-inch television set and a computer monitor.

    The break-in, which was suspected to have taken place at dawn, was detected at about 6 a.m. when some officers of the command reported for work.

    The suspected thieves removed an air-conditioner fitted into one of the windows to the office and passed through the space to gain access to the office.

    Screening 

    The Nima Divisional Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Abraham Acquaye, told the Daily Graphic that the division started investigations immediately after the break in was detected.

    Based on intelligence and investigations, he said 11 persons who were suspected to have taken part in the break-in or were in a position to provide information that would help the police arrest the main culprits had been arrested.

    The suspects, he said, were being screened thoroughly as part of investigations to identify their individual involvement or otherwise in the incident.

    Source: graphic.com.gh

  • I have forgiven Ibrah but… – Kennedy Agyapong

    Assin Central MP, Kennedy Agyapong says he has forgiven Ibrahim Dauda (popularly known as Ibrah One) for his foul-mouthed outbursts on social media but insists the socialite will still answer for some fraudulent business transactions.

    Mr Agyapong said he had seen medical reports which indicate that Ibrah is not mentally stable, so he would forgive him for insulting President Akufo-Addo on social media. However, he says Ibrah will face the law for any criminal acts that he has allegedly perpetrated.

    “We can forgive him for on his sickness, but what we cannot forgive him is his criminal activities,… You can’t tell me that he is bipolar so he can be duping people,” Mr Agyapong said on Net2 TV’s The Seat on Monday.

    “That (behaviour), It will not wash and as a government, we have to do something about it”.

    He said causes of cyber scams in Ghana was increasing at an alarming rate because of the activities of some Ghanaians and other West African nationals.

    Mr Agyapong said ever since he started talking about exposing Ibrah for cybercrime and fraud, he had been approached by three individuals who came to plead with him not to expose them.

    Shedding light on the modus-operandi of cybercriminals in Ghana, Mr Agyapong advised the Governor of the Bank of Ghana to scrutinize all applications for offshore accounts.

    He said the “fraudboys” scam people through such accounts and because the face difficulties repatriating the cash use such funds to purchase vehicles which they sell on the cheap in Ghana.

    Source: graphic.com.gh

  • Active COVID-19 cases in Ghana now 3,566, with 10,907 recoveries, 95 deaths

    Ghana has recorded 414 new COVID-19 cases, making the total case count 14,568.

    The number of deaths has also increased by 10, pushing the death toll to 95.

    The Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, who made this known on Tuesday, June 23, at a press briefing in Accra on Tuesday said 434 persons have also been discharged per the new discharge protocol.

    This brings the total number of recoveries/discharged to 10,907.

    “We have so far following the review recorded 95 deaths. Currently, we have 24 severe cases across the country and six cases are critical and five persons are currently on ventilators,” he said.

    “We have a total of 414 new cases reported from 25 districts across the country and three regions. Which is that about 13 regions did not record any new case yesterday,” he added.

    The current active case in Ghana now stands at 3,566.

    Source: graphic.com.gh

  • BOST: Former MD, George Okley reportedly dead

    George Okley, a former Managing Director of the Bulk Oil Storage and Transport company (BOST) is dead.

    Mr Okley is said to have died at the 37 military hospital after suffering a short illness.

    He is survived by a wife and four children.

    George Okley was appointed Managing Director of BOST in 2017 after then MD, Alfred Obeng was removed from office by President Akufo-Addo.

    Source: abcnewsgh.com

  • Police retrieve body floating on Volta Lake near Adomi Bridge

    An unknown dead body found floating on Volta Lake has been retrieved by Police at Atimpoku in the Asuogyaman District of the Eastern Region .

    The Assembly member for Atimpoku Electoral Area Amotia George told Kasapa News the unknown body was found floating on the lake 30 meters away from the Adomi Bridge Sunday morning.

    He informed police about the incident.

    Police proceeded to the scene of crime and found a male adult about 32 years of old dressed in white and green Lacoste floating on the lake and a pair of blue jeans shorts found about 110 meters away from the Volta lake suspected to be the victims shorts.

    According to the Deputy Eastern Regional Police Command, Sargeant Francis Gomado, the body of the deceased was removed from the lake and carefully inspected but there were no marks of assault to suspect any foul play.

    He said identity of the deceased is unknown hence announcements were made on local information centers within and radio station media to assist Police trace the relatives of the deceased.

    The body of the deceased has been deposited at the Police Hospital mortuary for preservation, identification and autopsy.

    Source: Kasapa FM

  • Akufo-Addo congratulates NPP on successful primaries

    President Nana Akufo-Addo has congratulated the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) for holding a successful parliamentary primaries.

    “I congratulate the one hundred and sixty-eight (168) parliamentary candidates of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), who were elected in the exciting, competitive primaries of Saturday, 20th June, 2020, in constituencies where the party has sitting Members of Parliament,” the President said in a statement.

    He commended all party executives, delegates and aspirants for the peaceful, credible, efficient and successful manner in which the elections were held, albeit, regrettably, with some breaches of the Covid-19 protocols in some constituencies.

    He added that the enthusiasm and camaraderie generated amongst party members are a clear indication of the collective commitment of the rank and file of the party to retain power in the December 2020 polls.

    Source: dailyguidenework.com

  • NCA defends Telcos over privacy breaches

    National Communications Authority (NCA) says no mobile network operator or telecommunication company has breached any personal data or privacy of customers in compliance with the requirements of law.

    A statement issued by the NCA said the attention of the Authority had been drawn to some misleading media reportage regarding the breach of privacy of consumer information.

    The NCA said in March, 2020, it requested passive mobile positioning data logs from mobile network operators for undertaking historical and current analysis of persons potentially infected with COVID-19 for contact tracing purposes in accordance with the establishment of Emergency Communications Systems Instrument, 2020 (E.I. 63).

    It noted that the Instrument required network operators or service providers to cooperate with the NCA Common Platform to provide information to state agencies in the case of an emergency including a public health emergency.

    “All MNOs (All Mobile Network Operators) i.e. AirtelTigo, Glo, MTN and Vodafone, complied with the request for information, which was subsequently processed and forwarded to the Ghana Health Service for contact tracing purposes,” the statement said.

    “There was no objection by any Party in respect of COVID-19 contact tracing data request until an application for injunction order was filed.”

    The NCA was established by an Act of Parliament, Act 524, in December 1996, but has been repealed and replaced by the NCA Act, 2008 (Act 769).

    The Authority is the statutory body mandated to license and regulate electronic communication activities and services in the country.

    Source: dailyguidenework.com

  • Baby, three others die in fatal accident

    Four persons including a baby have perished in a fatal accident on the Akwadum stretch of Koforidua to Suhum Road.

    The accident occurred Sunday evening about 7:30 pm after a DAF Tanker Truck overtaking another Vehicle crashed with a Taxi Cab.

    The DAF Tanker Truck with registration number GW 3739-17 was from Koforidua towards Akwadum but on reaching a section of the road call Borla-Junction wrongfully overtook a Cargo truck ahead and collided with a Matiz Chevrolet Taxi cab with registration number GR6090-18 which was onboard with three passengers and a year and a half old baby.

    A male adult of about 30-year-old and the baby died on the spot while the other seriously injured passengers including the mother of the baby were rushed to the Eastern Regional Hospital in Koforidua but one of the victims identified as Christiana Awuah, 36, was pronounced dead on arrival.

    Another female victim age around 30-years-old also died while on admission. It is not clear which of the two deceased females was the mother of the baby.

    The driver Samuel Asiedu, 22, is, however, responding to treatment.

    The Deputy Public Relations Officer of the Eastern Regional Police Command Sargeant Francis Gomado told Starr News, bodies of the deceased persons have been deposited at the morgue of the same Hospital for preservation and identification while the suspect driver in Charge of the DAF Tanker Stephen Obeng is in Police Custody assisting in the investigation.

    Source: Starr FM

     

  • NDC lists why Mahama must be President again

    The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has listed a number of promises it intends to fulfill if its candidate, Mr John Dramani Mahama, is elected President again in the December election.

    According to the main opposition party, the 2020 general elections is a referendum on the performance of President Akufo-Addo, who, in their view, “has failed woefully to deliver on his numerous campaign promises to Ghanaians, having fulfilled only 14% of the 631 promises in the 2016 manifesto of the NPP.”

    Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Monday, 22 June 2020, Mr Sammy Gyamfi, National Communication Officer of the NDC, noted that the comfort and transformation Ghanaians were promised by President Akufo-Addo and the NPP have become a pipe dream.

    “Today, cost of living is so high and unbearable for the vast majority of Ghanaians due to the bad governance of President Akufo-Addo,” he stated.

    He noted that former President Mahama, if elected President again, shall do the following:

    1. Pay all customers of the collapsed financial institutions whose monies are locked-up in full and restore indigenous Ghanaian participation in the financial sector.

    2. Reduce the size of government by at least forty (40) ministers to reduce government expenditure and channel those resources into the productive sectors of the economy for the benefit of Ghanaians.

    3. Provide free Technical and Vocational Education (TVET) from the second cycle to Tertiary level to build the human resource base of the nation for industrial development, entrepreneurship and job creation.

    4. Institute a National Apprenticeship Program in line with his vision of rapid industrialization and job creation for the country.

    5. Scrap the 50% increment in the Communication Service Tax to reduce the cost of telephoning and data. This will reduce the cost of living and the cost of doing business in the country.

    6. Construct a regional hospital for each of the six (6) newly-created regions and the Western Region to improve access to quality and efficient health care delivery.

    7. Provide districts without hospitals with fully-equipped modern health facilities.

    8. Take healthcare to the doorsteps of the people by building a first of its kind “Onipa Nua” Hospital Ship and deploy it to provide medical services to the inaccessible riverine and fishing communities on the inland Volta water ways.

    Additionally, the next Mahama government will rehabilitate the “Onuador” mobile vans that have been abandoned by the Akufo-Addo government and procure more, to provide medical outreach services in underserved and hard to reach areas in all the 16 regions of the country.

    9. Construct two (2) new international-standard Infectious Diseases Centers and two (2) additional international research centers.

    10. Abolish the dreaded double-track system of secondary education through an emergency and massive infrastructure drive. This will ensure a conducive environment and one-track qualitative learning experience for SHS students.

    11. Establish University Campuses in each of the six (6) newly-created regions.

    12. Abolish the mandatory national service and obnoxious licensure exams for teacher trainees and restore the automatic employment of teacher trainee graduates. Let me state unequivocally that no teacher trainee graduate will be denied posting or employment under the next Mahama government.

    Additionally, the promotion and welfare of teachers will be prioritised by the next Mahama government.

    13. Restore the automatic employment of Nursing Trainee graduates. Again let me state unequivocally, that no nursing trainee graduate will be denied posting or employment under the next Mahama government.

    14. Restore the distribution of free cocoa fertilizer and chemicals to cocoa farmers to boost cocoa yield and improve the welfare of cocoa farmers.

    15. Complete the Eastern Corridor roads, dualise the Aflao, Cape Coast and Kumasi roads among others.

    16. Complete all abandoned or uncompleted hospital and health projects, educational projects, road projects and other infrastructural projects in the country.

    17. Punish corruption and end the practice of nepotism.

    18. Train, remunerate and empower assembly members to be responsible for the local level registration of births and deaths in their electoral areas, to improve the national population register.

    Mr Gyamfi added that the NDC will be outdooring its manifesto for the 2020 general elections in August but even before that, the flag bearer and leader of the NDC will, in the coming days, announce some “big-ticket policies which are central to his transformational vision for this country.”

    “This will include a major and comprehensive job creation policy he intends to undertake, to create millions of permanent and dignifying jobs for the teeming unemployed youth when he assumes the reins of power in 2021,” he added.

    Source: Class FM

  • NPP Primaries: Those who disregarded court injunction should be disqualified – Prof. Gyampo

    Renowned Political Science Lecturer at the University of Ghana, Professor Ransford Gyampo, has said that unscrupulous party officials and aspirants who disregarded the court injunctions but went ahead with the elections should be sanctioned outright.

    Prof Gyampo suggested that those involved should be disqualified adding that fresh primaries election should be held.

    Executives of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Asante Akim North constituency of the Ashanti Region Saturday defied a pending injunction application to hold parliamentary primaries in the area with claims that neither did the EC or Police served them with the application prior to the elections.

    There was an injunction at the constituency after some 145 delegates of the party claimed their names have been “unlawfully” and “fraudulently” missing from the register a day to the election.

    Reacting to this development, Professor Ransford Gyampo such lawlessness should not be encouraged by any party in country.

    “There were two reported instances where some unscrupulous party officials and aspirants, decided to act lawlessly in disregarding court injunctions and going ahead to organized unsupervised elections. This should never be countenanced by any party of law. Those culpable of this offense, should face a sanction of outright disqualification and fresh primary elections should be held for only law abiding candidates,” he said in an interview with GhanaWeb.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • We are deeply sorry – Minister on demolition of Nigerian High Commission property

    The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchway, has said the government of Ghana feels deeply sorry about the demolition of a structure at the Nigerian High Commissioner’s residence by some yet to be identified persons demolished a structure.

    Visiting the scene Monday morning, the minister who was in the company of her deputy and other staff of her ministry said the government of Ghana will ensure proper investigations are carried into the matter.

    She mentioned that the findings will be made public.

    “We will do all we can to look into the matter and make suggestions. The government has taken hold of this matter and will ensure that the right thing is done… We say sorry, we are very sorry that this has happened,” she said.

    Following Madam Ayorkor Botchway’s visit, the National Security Minister, Albert Kan-Dapaah, and the Inspector General of Police (IGP), James Oppong Boanuh also visited the residence to acquaint themselves with the situation.

    Speaking to the media, the IGP said the issue has been assigned to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) with the commissioner of the CID leading the probe. He assured that the matter will be resolved based on the outcome of the investigations.

    “As far as I know, the CID is investigating and whatever comes out we will let the authorities know,” he said.

    Prior to the arrival of the ministers and the IGP at the residence, some Nigerians living in Ghana had gathered on the road leading to the residence protesting what they described as a growing level of injustice and unfair treatment being meted to Nigerians living in Ghana.

    According to the angry Nigerians, most of who are traders at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle, the silence of the government of Ghana on the matter of some shops owned by Nigerians being locked up by the Ghana Union of Traders (GUTA) over 8-months now is what has grown into the attack on their Embassy.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • It will be unfair, disrespectful for me to comment on current process at EC – Charlotte Osei

    The immediate past chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Mrs. Charlotte Osei has declined to comment on the current happenings at the EC.

    Mrs. Osei who was removed from office on grounds of misconduct said it would not be proper for her to comment on activities at the EC since she was a former commissioner.

    According to her, it would be an interference for former chairs to comment on the work being conducted by the EC.

    She was speaking in an interview with KSM last Friday.

    Mrs. Osei told the host the only thing she owes this country is her silence when it comes to activities of the EC.

    “As a former Chair, it would be unfair to publicly comment on whatever is happening at the commission now. Respect must be given to the current commissioners to do their work without the interference of commentaries from former chair”s.

    “And so, to any question you have on the current process, I would say that all I owe to my country, and to the commission, would be my silence and my prayers. And would have to leave it at that.”

    Mrs Charlotte Osei and her two deputies, Amadu Sulley and Georgina Opoku Amankwaa were removed from office in 2018 for misconduct.

    Mrs Charlotte Osei, breached procurement laws in the award of several contracts, prior to the 2016 elections.

    Excerpts of the 54-page report which warranted her removal said: “In November 2017, the Honourable Chief Justice of Ghana established a prima facie case on some of the allegations made against the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission as contained in the petition submitted to His Excellency, the President of the Republic.”

    “In all, the Chief Justice made prima facie case against the Chairperson on six of the allegations contained in the said petition.”

    For all the six allegations, the committee found Mrs Osei culpable and said her explanation that she was not aware that she needed to go through procurement for some of the contracts because the monies involved were from donor partners, was untenable.

    “The findings we have made on the allegations made against Mrs. Charlotte Osei, the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, clearly gives a catalogue of breaches she inflicted on the Public Procurement Act. In all the procurement activities which we had to investigate, the findings have been that Mrs. Charlotte Osei failed to comply with the Public Procurement Act.

    “The procurement activities include the engagement of Sory@Law and Associates for the Commission, the award of several contracts to STL, the two contracts for the partitioning and consultancy service of the new office block, the three contracts awarded for the construction of pre-fabricated district offices of the Commission and consultancy services thereof; the two contracts awarded to Dreamoval Ltd, and finally the two contracts awarded to Quazar Limited from South Africa. Evidence before the committee showed that all these contracts were awarded by Mrs. Charlotte Osei contrary to the Public Procurement Act” the report noted.

    “On this point we disagree with Mrs. Charlotte Osei because we are convinced that procurement forms an important part of the core business of the Electoral Commission. Indeed, without procuring relevant goods and services, the Electoral Commission will find it difficult, if not impossible, to independently conduct free and fair elections in the country. In fact, procurement is so important to the Electoral Commission, that was why no less a person than the Chairperson is made the head of entity of the Commission,” the report read in part.

    Source: rainbowradioonline.com

  • Coronavirus: We will protect returning students Akufo-Addo

    The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has assured that the health status of all students returning to school from tomorrow will be prioritised.

    According to the President, instructors, teachers and all those required to play various roles with the return of students to schools have been provided with the necessary PPE to protect the safety of the students.

    However, the President urged parents to endeavor to support their wards with face masks as they return to school.

    Additionally, Akufo-Addo announced a historic move to shoulder the entire cost of the fee for the West Africa Secondary School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) for all final year candidates of Senior High Schools about to take the exams.

    The cost of this sponsorship amounts to GH¢75.4m and will cover over 300,000 candidates, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said in his latest address to the nation Sunday.

    Source: B&FT Online

  • President Akufo-Addo has built 135 factories in 3 years – Hopeson Adorye

    2020 general election is just around the corner and politicians are heavily campaigning in a bid to convince a majority of the population to vote for their respective parties.

    The two leading political parties in Ghana, New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC), are still debating on whose manifesto is the best, development projects and other issues related to politics.

    Hopeson Adorye an aspiring NPP member of parliament for Kpong katamanso,  has reacted to the NDC’s analysis of his party’s manifesto.

    In an interview on the matter, Mr. Adorye highlighted key developmental projects done under the current NPP administration the past three and a half years.

    He said the NDC has nothing to tell Ghanaians and their frustration is forcing them to make certain unnecessary moves but that will not change their fate.He added that the NPP government has built about a hundred and thirty- five factories in collaboration with private investors and out of these, 50 of those factories have begun operations.

    He named places where such factories could be located including his own constituency, the Kpone Katamanso constituency and Tema.

    Source: operanewsapp.com

  • Chaos at Nsawam Adoagyiri as candidate chase delegates for GHC 1000.00 refund

    It is reported that, Lawyer David Adu Tutu’s campaign team, have, after declaration of election results, resorted to going after  some delegates for an amount of GhC 1000. 00 given to them as alleged vote buying fees.

    According to eye witness reports, delegates at Bank road, Adoagyiri Zongo, Akraman, Otukojo and other areas were physically attacked to provide the (GHC 1, 000) ‘bribe’ which was initially given to them, to vote for their candidate.

    Some of the delegates were shocked and very disappointed about the development, condemning all persons involved.

    It is expected that David Adu Tutu would be able to control his team to avoid further harassment of innocent delegates.

    Source: operanewsapp.com

  • Theodore Roosevelt statue to be removed by New York museum

    A bronze statue of former US President Theodore Roosevelt is to be removed amid an ongoing backlash against symbols of racial bias and imperialism.

    The statue outside the American Museum of Natural History in New York shows Roosevelt on horseback flanked by a Native American man and an African man.

    A great-grandson of the president agreed with the removal, saying it did not reflect Roosevelt’s legacy.

    But President Donald Trump tweeted: “Ridiculous, don’t do it!”

    There has been a heated debate in the United States over the appropriateness of certain statues and commemorations since the death in police custody of African American George Floyd.

    Symbols linked to the US Confederacy, which supported slavery, have been particularly targeted in the US.

    Monuments to Christopher Columbus, the 15th Century explorer whose voyages on behalf of Spain opened the way for the European colonisation of the Americas, have also been criticised in the US as symbols of imperialism.

    But the anti-statue campaign, arising from the Black Lives Matter movement, has spread globally, with monuments targeted in a number of countries.

    What’s behind the museum’s decision?

    The statue has stood outside the museum’s Central Park West entrance since 1940.

    Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Sunday: “The museum has asked to remove the Theodore Roosevelt statue because it explicitly depicts black and indigenous people as subjugated and racially inferior.”

    He said he backed the decision, adding it was “the right time to remove this problematic statue”.

    Protesters across America have toppled statues associated with slavery

    The museum’s president, Ellen Futter, said the world had become focused on “statues as powerful and hurtful symbols of systemic racism”.

    She said the decision was based on the composition of the statue and not on Roosevelt, whom the museum would continue to honour.

    A great-grandson of the former president, Theodore Roosevelt IV, told the New York Times: “The composition of the equestrian statue does not reflect Theodore Roosevelt’s legacy. It is time to move the statue and move forward.”

    Activists opposed to symbols of colonial expansion and racial discrimination have wanted the statue removed for many years.

    President Trump did not agree, tweeting his opposition early on Monday:

    At a rally last week, the president condemned “the unhinged left-wing mob trying to vandalise our history, desecrate our monuments”.

    It has not yet been announced what will happen to the statue.

    Who was Theodore Roosevelt?

    The Republican was one of the more flamboyant and commemorated of the country’s presidents, serving two terms from 1901 to 1909, and is often ranked in the top five in terms of achievement.

    But there is no doubt his legacy is complex – a man who won widespread praise for proposals that led towards a welfare state, while also having a deeply troubling advocacy of eugenics.

    “Teddy”, as he is known, is one of the four faces on the famous Mount Rushmore monument, where he joins Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson and George Washington.

    Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt and Lincoln at Mt Rushmore in South Dakota
    Roosevelt wedges his moustache in between Jefferson and Lincoln

    The legacies of Jefferson and Washington, both slave owners, have been heavily questioned in the recent anti-racism campaign, and even Lincoln’s position on slavery is regarded as complicated.

    Roosevelt was a lifelong and prodigious hunter, but also strongly acknowledged the need for conservation and indeed came to symbolise the birth of the movement.

    He was also a big believer in expanding US power abroad, with strong interventionist policies.

    With memorable quotes like “‘speak softly and carry a big stick”, it was perhaps not surprising that he took a leading role in the movie Night at the Museum, in the hands of Robin Williams.

    What do we do with the UK’s symbols of slavery?

     Source: bbc.com

  • Coronavirus: South Korea confirms second wave of infections

    Health officials in South Korea believe the country is going through a second wave of coronavirus, despite recording relatively low numbers.

    The country had been a success story in dealing with Covid-19, but now expects the pandemic to continue for months.

    Head of the Korea Centers for Disease Control (KCDC), Jung Eun-kyeong, said the first wave lasted up until April.

    Yet since May, clusters of new cases have grown, including outbreaks at nightclubs in the capital, Seoul.

    Between those periods, daily confirmed cases had fallen from nearly a thousand to zero infections recorded for three days in a row.

    Officials on Monday said that over the last 24 hours, 17 new infections had been recorded, from different clusters in large offices and warehouses.

    Dr Jeong said the recent resurgence had led her to conclude that the country was in the grip of a second wave of the virus, and that she expected it to continue.

    Until now, the KCDC had said that South Korea’s first wave had never really ended.

    But Dr Jeong said it was now clear that a holiday weekend in early May marked the beginning of a new wave of infections focused in the greater Seoul area, which had previously seen only a few cases.

    Earlier on Monday, the city of Daejeon, south of the capital, announced it would ban gatherings in public spaces such as museums and libraries after a number of small virus clusters were discovered.

    The mayor of Seoul also warned that the capital may have to return to strict social distancing, should cases top 30 on average over the next three days and the bed occupancy rate of the city’s hospitals exceeds 70%.

    South Korea has managed to avoid locking down the country and has instead relied on voluntary social distancing measures alongside an aggressive track, trace and test strategy to combat the virus.

    A total of 280 people have died since the country reported its first case on 20 January. Overall, more than 12,000 infections have been recorded and it is thought that currently there remain 1,277 active cases in the country.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Intercepted documents reveal Nigerian High Commission reportedly paid for demolished land 20-years ago

    ABC News has intercepted documents which suggest that a piece of land housing the Nigerian High Commissioner and purported to belong to the Osu Stool had been fully paid for by the High Commission in December 2000.

    On Friday, June 19, 2020, armed men stormed the residence of the Nigerian High Commissioner at West Ridge in Accra with bulldozers and destroyed some structures on the property.

    Though the Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the act and opened investigations into it, the Osu Traditional Council insisted that the land on which the said building stood belonged to the Osu stool, accusing the Nigerian High Commission of trespassing.

    The statement signed by the head of the Osu Traditional Area, Nii Okwei Kinka Dowuona VI, further alleged that the High Commission “to date does not hold in its possession any documentation on the parcel of land.”

    But documents in possession of your authoritative ABC News proves otherwise.

    Receipts and letters available to ABC News reveal that the high commission paid a sum of Fifty Million Cedis (GHC 50,000,000) in settlement of development charges, Eight Million Cedis (GHC 8,000,000) for ground rent settlement and Three Hundred and Thirty Million Cedis (GHC 330,000,000) for the replacement of 2 bungalows demolished on the site.

    The receipts signed by the Lands Commission also shows that payments of the above-mentioned amounts were made to the Standard Chartered bank.

    Below are the documents intercepted by ABC News:

    :

    Source: abcnewsgh.com

  • Nigerian doctors call off nationwide strike

    Nigerian doctors have ended a nationwide strike that was called to protest against low pay and inadequate protective equipment.

    The National Association of Resident Doctors (Nard), which represents some 40% of Nigeria’s doctors, said it called off the strike to give the government time to act on its demands.

    The week-long strike ends on Monday morning, according to a statement quoted by local media. It had not affected medics treating coronavirus patients.

    The association said some hospitals had since been supplied with protective gear and the government had promised to provide more.

    It said the government had also promised to address their demand for better welfare for resident doctors.

    The association said resident doctors who had been disengaged at Jos University Teaching Hospital had been reinstated and the chief medical director directed to pay their withheld salaries.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Ramaphosa warns of ‘difficult decisions ahead’

    South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has warned of “difficult decisions and difficult days” ahead in dealing with the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

    He also said there are “no quick-fixes” to recovery even as the government gradually reopens the economy following three months of restrictions.

    The president, in a statement, said the finance minister will this week table a revised budget in parliament which would prioritise some programmes and scale back on others.

    Businesses have been retrenching staff because of heavy losses while others are closing permanently. President Ramaphosa acknowledged the challenge of balancing safety measures and saving businesses from collapse.

    “We would urge that the difficult decisions to be taken are taken with care and with due regard to balancing the sustainability of companies and the livelihoods of workers. It is important that whatever is done is underpinned by ensuring a just transition to all concerned,” he said.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Application deadline for GHC600m stimulus package extended by 6 days NBSSI

    The National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI) has extended the application deadline for the GHC600m stimulus package meant to support businesses due to the external shocks of COVID-19 by six days.

    The application which was supposed to have ended on Saturday, June 20 has now been moved to June 26.

    According to the Executive Director of NBSSI, Kosi Yankey-Aryeh, the decision was taken in consultation with the Coronavirus Alleviation Programme (CAP) Business Support Steering Committee to give businesses facing challenges more time to submit their applications.

    Speaking in an interview monitored by ABC News, Mrs. Yankey-Aryeh said the 6-day grace period would help rectify complaints and errors of applicants with wrong credentials recorded on the portal.

    Morevoer, the extension will provide eligible businesses the chance to acquire the Tax Identification Number (TIN) to complete their applications and allow for mop-up of paper applications from communities and rural areas with no internet for processing into the digitised system.

    To ensure the six-day extension is well utilised, she said the NBSSI has intensified collaboration with the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to facilitate TIN acquisition for applicants.

    “We are currently analysing the data to get a better understanding of the challenges,” Mrs Yankey-Aryeh said.

    More than 450,000 applicants; representing micro, small and medium enterprises, as of June 18 had registered on the programme of which 337,000 had successfully completed their applications.

    The NBSSI Executive Director indicated that applicants who registered via the USSD Code on the various mobile networks represent 58.8 percent while the remaining 41.2 percent registered directly on the portal. Also, 66 percent of those registered are females while the males represent 34 percent.

    She further revealed that they detected over 5,200 fraud alerts such as multiple applications with same mobile money or bank details.

    Source: abcnewsgh.com

  • “Shocked” Minority demands public inquiry into demolition of Nigeria High Commission property

    The minority in Parliament is demanding a public inquiry into the demolition of a property allegedly belonging to the Nigeria High Commission in Ghana.

    According to the Minority, the act is one with the potential to mar the existing diplomatic relations between Ghana and Nigeria hence the need to investigate how such an action could occur.

    Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa in a statement Monday morning said it is neccesary “to unravel the facts of the matter and bring the perpetrators to book”.

    He continued, “the Government of Ghana must not underestimate the implications of this reckless act of unprovoked aggression not only for Ghana-Nigeria relations but also the negative reverberations in larger diplomatic quarters.”

    Source: abcnewsgh.com

  • Rawlings @ 73 Presents PPEs, relief items to less privileged

    Former President Jerry John Rawlings turns 73 on Monday, June 22, 2020 and the birthday celebrant decided to share the milestone with the less privileged in the society.

    On Friday a team delegated by the former President made donations of PPEs and other relief items to the Pantang Hospital, Mawuvio Outreach Orphanage at Ayikuma and the Accra Mental Hospital at Asylum Down, all in Accra.

    Packages of provisions were also distributed to vendors and other less privileged persons along the Fiesta Royale Traffic Lights, and the Kawukudi Junction on the same day.

    Source: graphic.com.gh

  • 146 coronavirus patients recover in Central Region

    One hundred and forty-six persons who tested positive for COVID-19 in the Central Region have fully recovered.

    Dr Akosua Owusu-Sarpong, the Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), briefing stakeholders on the status of the disease in the Region, said 9,570 of the 11,754 specimen sent to the various testing centres came out negative.

    Results for the remaining were yet to be ready, she told the meeting, attended by metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives, heads of senior and basic schools, regional and district health directors, the police and heads of department and agencies.

    It was to establish a clear cut operational instructions for the re-opening of basic and senior high schools.

    Dr Owusu-Sarpong said the patients were being treatment at designated health facilities including the Cape Coast Metropolitan Hospital, Trauma Specialist Hospital at Winneba, and the Ajumako Hospital.

    The rest are the Dunkwa-On-Offin Hospital, Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, and Pentecost Convention Centre. Others are also being treated at home.

    The Cape Coast Metropolis has the highest number of confirmed cases of 169, followed by KEEA – 104, Mfantseman 74, and Awutu Senya East – 67.

    The Assin North has eight, Gomoa East six, Ajumako – 22, Agona West – six, Gomoa West-22, Ekumfi-five, Agona East – six, Twifo Atimokwa-11, Upper Denkyira East-27, AOB – four, Assin Fosu – 33, Assin South – four and Gomoa Central – two.

    Dr Owusu-Sarpong said the Directorate continued to receive personal protective equipment from the Government and other benevolent organisations and individuals, which they distribute to the various health facilities.

    She said the GHS would continue to engage the various stakeholders in ensuring that the safety protocols were adhered to through radio discussions and community information centres among other mediums.

    Dr Owusu-Sarpong said the GHS had begun engagement with District Directors of Education and schools on the measures to be instituted before re-opening.

    She said all senior high schools had been linked to specific health institutions with nurses to monitor their activities for quick intervention if the need arose.

    She called for enhanced routine surveillance in the schools to swiftly handle any suspected case.

    She noted that many people did not wear nose masks when in public and cautioned that the only way to prevent getting infected was to adhere strictly to the protocols.

    Source: Peace FM

  • Ghana card issuance extended to Tuesday, June 23

    The National Identification Authority (NIA) has announced the extension of the Ghana card issuance exercise across the country.

    It was first scheduled to end on Thursday, 18 June 2020 but has been extended to Tuesday, 23 June 2020.

    In a statement issued by the Authority on Friday, 19 June 2020 and signed by its Head of Corporate Affairs, Francis Palmdeti, the NIA stated: “The card issuance exercise in the Eastern, Upper East and Upper West Regions will continue at registration centres during the mop-up exercise.”

    The Authority added: “Applicants who are yet to collect their Ghana cards are entreated to do so during this extended period.”

    The National Identification Authority (NIA) had earlier said it will resume its registration in the Eastern Region from 18 27 June 2020.

    At the same time, its card distribution exercise started on Wednesday, 10 June 2020 at 5,635 registration centres across the country.

    “The exercise will enable approximately 3,934,073 Ghanaians who could not receive their cards during the mass registration exercise to do so”, the NIA said in a statement.

    “The cards are being issued to Ghanaians at the same centres where they registered during the mass registration exercise.

    “Nearly 800,000 Ghanaians have received the Ghana card since the exercise began last Wednesday, 10 June 2020,” it noted.

    The NIA said: “All persons who registered but have not received their Ghana cards are requested to go to the registration centre where they registered to pick up their card”.

    “To receive the card, a Ghanaian must present the registration application form, the printout or receipt given at the time of registration, or provide other relevant information to be cross-checked against his/her photograph and personal details contained in a registration centre album.”

    By the end of the exercise, the NIA said more than eleven million Ghanaians will possess the Ghana card.

    “Out of that number, a total of 10,295,578 Ghanaians will be aged 18 years and over,” the statement added.

    Source: Class FM

  • 211 Ghanaians return from Lebanon, one reportedly dead

    Some 211 stranded Ghanaians have returned home from Lebanon. However, one arrived dead.

    These people were stranded in Lebanon due to the outbreak of the coronavirus.

    They arrived on Friday at the Kotoka International Airport.

    The victim is said to have passed on in Lebanon.

    The evacuees are going through routine checks and will later be transported to an isolation centre to be quarantined for two weeks.

    So far 1,080 Ghanaians have been assisted by the Ghanaian Government to return.

    About 224 returned from UK on Wednesday, June 17.

    Source: Daily Guide Network

  • Ghanas coronavirus death toll hits 70, case count now 13,203

    Four more Coronavirus patients have been confirmed dead, according to new updates released by the Ghana Health Service.

    This moves the number of recorded deaths from 66 to 70 while the case count hovers around 13,203 as 274 new persons have tested positive.

    Per the new updates by the GHS, the number of recovered patients has also seen an increase as 80 more infected persons have been declared free moving the numbers to 4,548 from 4468.

    This means the number of active cases now stands at 8,585, a sharp rise from the previously recorded 8395.

    With regards to the regional breakdown, Greater Accra Region continues to maintain its lead with Ashanti Region following next.

    Another significant change is that Ahafo Region which previously had only one case now has eight.

    Regional Breakdown;

    Greater Accra Region – 7,681

    Ashanti Region – 2,498

    Western Region – 1,053

    Central Region – 782

    Eastern Region – 301

    Volta Region – 296

    Upper East Region – 241

    Oti Region – 105

    Western North Region – 82

    Northern Region – 61

    Savannah Region – 37

    Upper West Region – 32

    Bono East Region – 23

    Ahafo Region – 8

    North East Region – 2

    Bono Region – 1

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Peace FM’s Nana Agyei Sikapa passes on

    Seasoned News Caster, Mr. Daniel Adjei Peprah, popularly known as Nana Agyei Sikapa of Peace Fm has unfortunately kick the bucket.

    He died after a short illness at the Ridge hospital.

    The seasoned newscaster joined the Despite Media from the Garden city radio in Kumasi in 2003.

    Aside his news-casting role, Nana Agyei hosted varieties of radio programmes like wubu b3 a me nso me teb3, wugyidie ne s3n on Peace 104.3 Fm every Sundays, exactly 8 pm.

    Until unfortunate his demise, the proverbial gem also hosted a cultural program called “Tete” where he sought to educate the public about the rich Ghanaian culture which appeared lost in the wake of social media.

    Nana Adjei was also into both TV and Radio commercials. In fact, he was the first broadcaster who prepares dirges in the form of an announcement.

    Biography

    Born at Atwima Nerebehi in Ahafo Domeabra, some 55 years ago, Sikapa attended Nerebehi R/C and progressed to Nyinahin L/A Primary. After his elementary school, he went to Nyinahin L/A Middle, which he successfully passed the Middle School Leavers Certificate Extermination and got admission to the Atebubu Training College in 1987-1991 where he completed a four year certificate programme in Education.

    As a professional teacher, he taught both in Atwima Agogo and Abuakwa R/C Primary School for several years.

    However, due to his rich cultural exploits and love for poems, he started with YENA Krokron through which he had an invitation to be on Garden City Radio in Kumasi as a guest, where he got privileged to host varieties of shows with the biggest at the time, being the morning show host which he excelled to the toast of his listeners.

    From there, one could say the heavens poured on him divine favours.

    In 2003, the famous and affluent Dr. Osei Kwame Despite invited Nana Adjei Sikapa to work with his numerous skilled and talented newscasters. He really established himself by his famous appellation style of radio presentation which was unique.

    Source: Peace FM

  • New E.I sets 10-year jail term for people who don’t wear face mask

    One could face a jail term of four to ten years if the person fails to wear a face mas, a new Executive Instrument (E.I 164) signed by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has disclosed.

    The person could also a fine of GH¢12,000 to GH¢60,000, or both.

    The E.I which was signed on June 15, 2020 forms part of measures to curb the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID -19).

    It was also gazetted on the same day and shall be in force for three months and shall apply to everywhere in the country.

    It is now mandatory for people to “wear face masks, face shields or any other face covering that covers his or her nose and mouth completely when the person is in public or leaving or returning to his place of abode.”

    Section 6 of Act 1012 states that “a person who fails to comply with the restrictions imposed under the Executive Instrument issued under subsection 1 of Section 2 commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of not less than 1,000 penalty unit (Gh¢12,000) and not more than 5,000 penalty units (Gh¢ 60,000) or to a term of imprisonment not less than four years and not more than 10 years or to both.”

    Section 4 (1) of the E.I. 164 states that the police have the authority to make random checks to “ensure enforcement compliance”

    According to Section 4(2) of E.I 164, any person who fails to comply with the mandatory wearing of nose masks shall be punished in accordance with Section 6 of Act 1012.

    Source: rainbowradioonline.com

  • Pray for Health Minister to recover speedily Dr DaCosta

    Dr. Dacosta Aboagye, Chairman of the Risk Communication and Social Mobilisation Committee for Ghana’s COVID-19 Response team, has advised critics who have accused the Health Minister of deceit to rather pray for him to recover speedily.

    The Health Minister Mr Kwaku Agyeman Manu courted controversy when news broke that he had been infected with COVID-19, which he reportedly denied.

    The President in his 11th update to the nation, however, confirmed the report and wished him speedy recovery.

    The Health Minister according to critics should have known better than to play hide and seek with his status.

    Dr. Dacosta Aboagye in an interview with the Ghana News Agency said Ghanaians should pray for him to recover quickly, instead of faulting him of deceit.

    COVID-19, he said, was no respecter of persons.

    Ghana’s total confirmed cases of COVID-19 are 12,929, with 4,468 recoveries and 66 deaths.

    Source: GNA

  • Daniel Duncan-Williams apologises to father Archbishop Duncan Williams

    Daniel Duncan-Williams has taken to Twitter to apologize to his father Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams for his behaviour that sparked a lot of conversation about the Man of God.

    Daniel Duncan-Williams, the son of Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams a few weeks ago reportedly relapsed when he took to social media to share nudes of himself.

    After a few days, Daniel was sectioned and was reportedly receiving healthcare.

    The apology posted on Twitter shows Daniel being remorseful for his actions. He apologized to his father for falsely accusing him. He later called his dad the best father anyone could wish for.

    The Apology reads, “Dear daddy @ArchbishopNick i would to Humbly apologize for the false accusations… You are the best father anyone could ever wish for. Thank you for loving me even through all the trials and tribulations.”

    Check out the post below;

    Source: kuulpeeps.com

  • 224 stranded Ghanaians return from Britain

    Some 224 stranded Ghanaians have returned from the United Kingdom.

    They arrived on Wednesday night, June 17, through a special travel arrangement.

    The Government of Ghana has been assisting stranded Ghanaians to return home due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.

    Upon arrival at the Kotoka International Airport Terminal 3, the 224 Ghanaians were checked in by the Ghana Immigration Service personnel and health officers.

    A second batch of Ghanaians are expected to return from the UK this coming Sunday.

    The returnees are expected to bear the full cost of their 14-day mandatory quarantine.

    As such, they are expected to be quarantined at the Airport View Hotel, Alisa Hotel and Marriot Hotel.

    The cost of staying at the Airport View Hotel is GHS500 a night, Alisa Hotel going for GHS600 a night and Marriot Hotel going for GHS600 a night.

    Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchway, had earlier this week briefed the media that so far Government had evacuated 856 stranded Ghanaians back to Ghana.

    Source: Daily Guide Network