TIG Post

Author: Persis

  • Six suspected armed robbers arrested in Accra and Central Region

    The Ghana Police Service says six alleged armed robbers have been arrested between the period of April 15 and April 17, 2022.

    According to the Police, the suspects were arrested through a targeted intelligence led-operations in connection with a series of robberies including carjacking in Accra and Central Regions.

    “The six suspects, Jibrila Musa alias Danturi, Hussain Sampa, Daniel Acquah, Anthony Sackey, Michael Ojo and Ade Banjor were arrested at various locations across the two regions.

    “Items retrieved so far from the suspects are one locally manufactured gun, one foreign pistol, a cache of ammunition, two iPhones and four wristwatches,” the Director, Public Affairs of the Ghana Police Service, Supt. Alexander Kwaku Obeng narrated in a press release seen by Starrfm.com.gh

    Supt Alexander Obeng further disclosed that the Police also retrieved one of the stolen vehicles during the operation.

    Attached is the full press release from the Ghana Police Service:

    Source: starrfm.com.gh

  • Marginalisation of Fulanis in Ghana, a national security threat Jatikay Centre

    Jatikay Centre for Human Security and Peace Building has bemoaned what it describes as the continuous attack on Fulani communities in Ghana and the inability of the security apparatus to address this violence.

    According to the centre, the inability of the police to take action against the perpetrators poses a major national security threat to the country.

    In a statement by its executive director, Adib Saani, the centre noted that Ghana Police Service have failed to take action after 9 Fulanis were killed at Zakoli, a suburb of Yendi, by a mod numbering about 100 people.

    “We are shocked by the inability of the Ghana Police Service to arrest a single suspect days after the incident. Not even a statement has been issued by the police in respect of the crime. Jatikay Centre has had the opportunity to interview some leaders of the Fulani Community in Ghana and they appear to be having a hectic job appealing to their fellows to remain calm.

    “When Fulanis stage revenge attacks, it could start a full-blown conflict. Already, many human insecurities have pushed a lot of young people in the area into uncertainty. Any trigger can cause these young people to explode into open belligerence as they already do not have much to live for,” the statement read.

    Fulani Killings 1 by The Independent Ghana on Scribd

    It added that this recent attack in Yendi forms part of ethnically-based violence Fulani communities have suffered for years in Ghana.

    “In Gushegu in 2014, 14 Fulanis were killed and their houses burned. In Gulumpe and Babato, 25 Fulanis were also killed. In 2019, in Baguruguinthe Northern Region, 68 homes belonging to Fulanis were destroyed. In 2021 alone, Fulanis in Chamba in the Nanumba North District were attacked and their cows, numbering about 500, were killed, among several other incidents,” the statement added.

    The centre, therefore, urged the government to take proactive steps to curb the violence and protect minorities groups in Ghana, including Fulanis.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • 30-year-old Ghanaian woman stabbed by brother to death in USA over household chores

    A 30-year-old Ghanaian woman, Karen Aphour, has been stabbed multiple times to death by her brother, 26-year-old Andy Aphour, over household chores, in Evanston, a community in Illinois, USA.

    According to the Evanston Police, Karen, who used to work at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Regional Integration in Ghana, was found in a residence with “several stab wounds” and was pronounced dead after she was transported to the St. Francis Hospital, abc7chicago.com reports.

    The police stated that Andy Aphour was arrested in the same residence after eyewitnesses informed them that he was the one who stabbed Karen.

    It said that Andy has admitted to stabbing Karen as they were having a verbal dispute over household chores which has been corroborated by statements of witnesses.

    It added that Andy was charged with murder on Sunday, April 17, 2022, after the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office and the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office approved the charges.

    The police also indicated that Andy will appear in court on May 2, 2022, and he has been given a US$300,000 bond with the special condition of surrendering his passport.

    Karen Aphour was a graduate of the University of Ghana and the Mfantsiman Girls Senior High.

    Some of her friends and former colleagues at the Ministry have taken to her social media page to mourn her sudden demise.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Stolen metal drain covers endanger road users

    Metal grids used to cover drains in some parts of Accra have been stolen, posing a danger to both motorists and pedestrians.

    The situation has become even more dangerous with the onset of the rains, as pedestrians walking along the streets in flood waters can easily fall into the drains.

    Areas where the cover grids have been removed are the Graphic Road, the Rev. Thomas Clegg Methodist School area at Kaneshie, along the Liberia Road, between the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and the Accra Technical University, Kaneshie Social Welfare, the Kaneshie Bus Stop, among others.

    Areas

    At some of the areas, especially Kaneshie Social Welfare, residents have taken it upon themselves to put long sticks and other visible items in the open drains to warn motorists and pedestrians of the danger ahead.

    Apart from the stolen metal grids, the Daily Graphic team also spotted a few rusty and faulty grids that posed further danger to pedestrians and motorists who used those routes.

    The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has described the situation as worrisome and disturbing and called for collective action on the part of Ghanaians to protect the grids from being vandalised.

    Residents

    Two residents around the Thomas Clegg Methodist area said the metal grids in the middle of the road had been stolen, thereby posing a threat to residents and vehicles that plied the area.

    The situation, they said, was worse during a downpour, as it became very difficult to see holes in the middle of the road when the place was flooded.

    “As you can see, the drains have marks all over them, as a result of drivers driving into them, sometimes at night due to poor visibility,” a trader at the area, who identified himself only as Adams, said.

    A fruits seller at Kaneshie Social Welfare, who mentioned his name as Isaac, added that he had to put long branches and sticks into the holes every day to signal motorists of danger.

    He said officials, whom he could not identify, had visited the spot to assure them that the drains would be covered but till date that had not been done.

    Around the Aponkye Spot on the Additrom Road at Adabraka, a food vendor, Auntie Maggie, said the metal grids were removed whenever the drains were covered.

    She said the open drain near her shop was dangerous to her customers and road users, especially at night and when it rained heavily.

    A trader at the Kaneshie Bus Stop, Ebi Wo Wo Fie, indicated that the grid.

    Source: graphic.com.gh

  • Cowpea production decreasing in Ghana due to pests – SARI

    Cowpea production rate and planted area have declined over the past 10 years in Ghana due to pest infestation, Dr Jerry Nboyine of CSIR-Savanna Agriculture Research Institute (SARI), has disclosed.

    According to him, pest infestation has discouraged many cowpea farmers from farming the crop in the country, noting that pest infestation has made cowpea farming highly unattractive and also highly costly, hence many cowpea farmers turning their focus on other crops.Dr Jerry Nboyine said this in an interview with Graphic Online on the sidelines of one-day sensitisation workshop organised by OFAB-Ghana chapter for some staff of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) in Accra on April 11, 2022.
    The purpose of the workshop was to bring clarity on Genetically Modified (GM) technology activities in Ghana and the status of work done on a GM product—Pod Borer Resistant (PBR) cowpea within CSIR in Ghana.Dr Nboyine, who is an expert in cowpea breeding said because of pests, when farmers planted cowpea, “they need to spend a lot to buy chemicals to spray” and that “even when farmers are able to afford the chemicals, labour to spray the chemicals all go against them.
    ”Speaking on the topic: “The story so far: processes of development and status of PBR cowpea in Ghana,” he noted that the cost of production for cowpea was much higher than many other crops due to pests and pointed that many cowpea farmers are now farming maize.He explained, for instance, that in some cowpea farming communities he visited in the Savelugu Municipality in the Northern region, almost half of the farmers have stopped cultivating cowpea.
    Dr Nboyine added that in some communities, the farmers have stopped cultivating cowpea entirely, describing the situation as worrying and needed to be addressed urgently.For him, the situation whereby cowpea farmers are leaving the sector to farm other crops would mean that government would have to spend more money to import more cowpea into the country.He said one of the ways to help address the pest infestation on cowpea was for farmers to adopt varieties that were resistant to pests.
    He explained that considering the fact that cowpea was highly susceptible to pest infestation, farmers could no longer continue to adopt conventional farming methods to control the pests.For Dr Nboyine, cowpea farmers can lose up to 90 percent of their crops to the pod borer (Maruca vitrata) pest and typically apply pesticides six or seven times within a planting season in an attempt to control the destructive insect.He said scientists have developed the pod borer-resistant (PBR) variety to help fight the maruca vitrata pest that destroys the crop at all stages of its development.He noted that with the PBR cowpea, the maruca pest can no longer attack the crop, stressing that the Bt Cowpea also helps to increase yields.
    Dr Nboyine said although farmers were eager to have the Bt cowpea, there were still regulatory challenges that needed to be addressed so that scientists can release the seeds to farmers for planting.He, however, expressed the hope that if all things go as planned, environmental release of the Bt cowpea seeds will take place in the next two years in the country.

    Source:  graphic.com.gh

  • Vice President Bawumia donates to victims of nomadic settlements raid in Yendi

    The Vice-President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has presented  GH¢60,000 to victims of last Thursday’s attack that resulted in the death of eight persons and injury of others at Zakoli community in the Yendi Municipality.

    The donation is to support the  families of the deceased persons and those who sustained various degrees of gunshot wounds.

    Families of each of the deceased  recieved GH¢5,000 to assist in the funeral rites whereas each of the injured persons  also received GH¢5,000 to support their medical bills and recovery.

    He  also toured the communities that were attacked to assess the extent of damage and to empathise with the victims.

    Presentation

    Presenting the cash to the Chief of the Community, Naa Abukari Andani for onward allocation to the victims, Dr Bawumia said the donation was an immediate intervention to mitigate the plight of the victims.

    He indicated that  the government would in the coming days  dispatch relief items  to support the people.

    Investigation

    Naa Andani thanked the Vice President for the gesture and called on the police to thoroughly investigate the matter and arrest the perpetrators.

    He asserted  that failure of this may result in reprisal attacks which could be devastating than what occurred.

    Incident 

    At least eight people were confirmed dead Wednesday, April 13, 2022, evening and five others sustained injuries after some unknown gunmen raided Zakoli and Konkon, nomadic settlements, in the Yendi area of the Northern Region.

    The incident  occurred Wednesday afternoon and resulted in the burning of many thatch-roofed houses and other properties.

    The gunmen are said to have stormed the communities on motorbikes and opened fire on the victims.

    They reportedly targeted only men, including male children.

    It is not clear what triggered the attacks on the two nomadic settlements.

    But Graphic Online  gathered that there was a robbery attack on the Yendi-Tatale road on Tuesday night which led to the death of a young man.

    Suspecting that the robbers were nomadic, the unknown gunmen attacked them in retaliation of the robbery attack.

    Calm has since returned to the areas as the police has beefed up security.

  • Imams told to lead crusade against drug trafficking, consumption in Zongo communities

    The Accra Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP), Naa Iddi Lansah Seidu has called on Imams, chiefs and opinion leaders in the Zongo communities to lead the fight against drug trafficking and consumption in Zongo communities.

    According to him, drug trafficking and consumption was so high in Zongo communities in the region, explaining that the situation has been identified as the root cause of violence and insecurity in such communities.

    He said the usage of narcotics drugs by some of the youth from the Zongo communities emboldened them to engage in violence, describing them as “conflict mechants”.

    Conference

    DCOP Naa Seidu who is also a divisional chief of the Sing Traditional Area in the Kumbungu District of the Northern Region said this in an interview with Graphic Online on the sidelines of a conference on conflict prevention and management for chiefs, Imams, magajiyas (women leaders) and youth in Zongo communities in the Greater Accra Region at the National Mosque on Thursday, April 14, 2022.

    The conference was on the theme: “Peace and Security in Zongo communities- changing the narrative.” It was organised by the Zongo Development Fund (ZDF), which would be replicated across the country.

    Consumption of narcotics drug

    DCOP Naa Seidu attributed the use of the youth from the Zongo communities in the issues of land and chieftaincy disputes to the high consumption and trade in narcotics drugs in the Zongo communities.

    Arrest

    He said since he took over as the Police Chief of the Accra Region, he has been able to arrest 700 compressed parcels of Indian Hemp.

    He explained that in many instances, narcotic drugs arrested by the police are often meant to be sold in the Zongo communities, stressing that names on such parcels are always people living in Madina, Newtown and Mamobi.

    DCOP Naa Seidu noted that whenever the Command conducts swoops in the ghettos and slum areas, majority of those arrested were from the Zongos.

    For him, what emboldens the youth from the Zongos to involve themselves in deviant activities, including landguard were as a result of the consumption of the narcotic drugs.

    Solution

    He therefore called on community leaders, particularly the Imams and chiefs in the Zongo communities to educate and sensitise the youth to desist from the consumption of narcotic drugs and rather focus on their education.

    DCOP Naa Seidu who also identified himself as a Zongo person said “if we want to change the narrative about our Zongo communities then we must tackle the issue of drug trafficking and consumption within our communities”.

    He said in the previous past people from the Zongo communities were seen as honest and truthful but now “same cannot be said about us because in every five persons you will arrest, at least three out of them will be people from the Zongo communities.”

    He lauded the ZDF for initiating the training programme aimed at changing the narrative and to erase public perception of the Zongos as communities plagued by violence and insecurity.

    He called on the fund to sustained the initiative to help restore the Zongos to its past glory as communities of peaceful and law abiding people.

    Source: graphic.com.gh

     

  • Be ambassadors of road safety – Savannah Regional Coordinating Director urges youth

    The Savannah Regional Coordinating Director, Yaw Adu Asamoah has called on security personnel and the general, especially the youth to be good ambassadors of road safety and instill the spirit of discipline whenever they are plying the road.

    He made this call in an address to the public on the occasion of a health walk organized by the National Road Safety Authority, MTTD unit of the Ghana Police Service and the Savannah Regional Coordinating Council to sensitize the general public on road signs and road safety regulations.

    With participants drawn from the security services, heads of departments, the Christian council, Civil Society Organizations and the general public; Mr. Adu observed that the level of indiscipline among road users in the region was assuming an alarming dimension.

    According to him, the lessons in road safety have it that, the safety of the people was what matters the most and not the destination one is traveling to and how fast one gets there hence, the need to take some precautions when using the road.

    He expressed gratitude to the participants who took part in the Health and Road Safety Campaign walk and urged the security services and the general public to join forces with the National Road Safety Authority to achieve success in saving lives on the road.

    The Regional Planning Manager of the National Road Safety Authority, Eric Fodjour, who spoke on behalf of the Director-General of the National Road Safety Authority explained that the essence of the walk was to sensitize the general public on the need to adhere to road safety precautions when using the road especially, during the festive seasons.

    He commended the Savannah Regional Coordinating Council for collaborating to organize the walk, adding that, “for the whole of Ghana, this is the first time the security services is collaborating with the general public to fight the war against indiscipline on our roads”.

    Mr. Fodjour expressed delight in the massive turnout and thanked the participants for joining the fight against carnage on our roads, rather than always relying on the Road Safety Authority to wage the campaign.

    He reiterated the fact that issues of road safety are a shared and collective responsibility of all stakeholders and a win for all when the fight is successfully fought and conquered.

    He cautioned motorcycle riders and drivers in the region to always be in their helmets and seat belts when using the road.

    The Regional Planning Manager however disclosed that, in the year 2021, the number of deaths recorded in the first quarter as a result of road accidents in the region was 44, but has drastically reduced to 24 in the first quarter of 2022,a simple indication that if all shoulders are put together in the fight against indiscipline on our roads, the crush statistics will reduce drastically.

    Source: ghanaweb.com 

  • Easter travellers swamp Koforidua lorry stations

    Hundreds of travellers queued at several transport hubs in Koforidua, waiting anxiously for vehicles to their destinations for this year’s Easter celebration.

    Mr Kwabena Opoku, a driver at the Ho station, said the drivers were raking in on the season since the holidays coincided with senior high school form two students going for a break, which created an opportunity for them to make a lot of money.

    However, Mr Isaac Owiredu, a trader, told the Ghana News Agency that it was unfortunate that Easter Monday, the day after the Saviour’s resurrection, which should be joyfully celebrated, would be dull because the New Juaben Traditional Council, Koforidua, had imposed a noise-making ban from April 18 to May 18, 2022.

    He explained that it was in relation with the Traditional Area’s late Paramount Chief and Queen Mother’s final funeral ceremonies.

    Ms Janet Adjei, a passenger, stated that she was heading to Kwahu Obomen to celebrate the season due to the boredom of the festivities in Koforidua.

    Mr Courage Kpoor, a passenger heading to Ho, expressed the view that more people travelled to Ho during Easter than at Christmas since it appeared to be a favorable time to reunite with family.

    Easter is a time on the Christian calendar that commemorates the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ on the cross and His resurrection as a sacrifice to atone for the sins of mankind and reunite them with God.

    In Ghana, every year, Easter is marked with special church services and other religious observations, especially on Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday, as well as picnics on Easter Monday among other festivities.

    Source: GNA

  • Fire destroys 16-bedroom house at Sunyani-Baakoniaba as fire engine fails

    Fire has razed to the ground a 16-bedroom house and rendered 45 occupants homeless at Baakoniaba, a Sunyani suburb.

    The fire, which started around 1035 hours Wednesday, destroyed property and personal belongings running to millions of Ghana cedis.

    No casualty was reported and the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) said it was working to ascertain the cause.

    Linus Dapilah, a victim, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the fire started from a locked wooden kitchen which contained liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders attached to the house.

    Divisional Officer Grade III (DOIII) Ignatius N-Noekor, the Bono Regional Fire Operations Officer, who led the team, said the fire tender developed a pump failure when the team arrived.

    “We tried calling the Abesim and Nsoatre fire stations for assistance, but the fire had already burnt the entire house,” he stated.

    Source: GNA

  • Commercial drivers up in arms against Kwahu chiefs over escort charges

    Some commercial drivers in the Kwahu municipality of the Eastern Region are up in arms against chiefs in the Kawhu Traditional Council over their decision to charge for escort during the Easter festivities.

    As per the escort charges, drivers will be given dispatch services to navigate traffic gridlock during the Easter festivities in the Kwahu enclave.

    Per the initiative car owners who desire the service are to pay GHS 50 while corporate organizations are to pay GHS100.

    Mr Isaac Osei, a local reporter at Kwahu told the Ghana Yensom morning show on Accra FM, Thursday, April 14, 2022, that the initiative was an arrangement the chiefs in the Kwahu enclave had with a private company by the name Dotcom Events as part of the management of traffic during the festivities.

    According to him, drivers who purchase the stickers will be offered escort service when there is heavy traffic during festivities.

    The sticker when purchased is expected to last for three days and the proceeds will be shared among the Kwahu Traditional Council, the private company, and the various Municipal Assemblies in the Kwahu enclave.

    They are to share it by 20 percent each.

    The escort service has ruffled the feathers of commercial drivers in the Kwahu enclave.

    They are contesting that they have been driving in the area for all these years and if there is Easter around for them to cash in on the situation, the chiefs with the help of the company are offering escort services to drivers to beat the traffic for passengers not to patronize their services.

    An individual has, however, petitioned the Transport Minister to halt the process.

    Source:  ghanaweb.com 

  • 136 people died through road accidents between January and March 2022

    A total of 136 persons lost their lives through road accidents in the Eastern Region between January and March which formed the first quarter of 2022.

    These deaths were recorded from a total of 104 fatal accidents recorded in the Region.

    Disclosing this to stakeholders in a meeting organized by the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) in Koforidua, the Eastern Regional Commander of the Police MTTD, Chief Superintendent Stephen Ahiatafu, said the number of deaths exceeded that which was recorded within the same time in 2021.

    He said out of the 136 deaths, commercial vehicles killed 64, private cars killed 25, and motorcycles and tricycles killed 47 whereas all combined killed 36 pedestrians.

    Chief Superintendent Ahiatafu also juxtaposed that within the same period in 2021, 128 deaths were recorded on the road from a total of 97 fatal accidents.

    He explained that commercial vehicles killed 59, private vehicles slew 14 whiles motorcycles and tricycles killed 55, with all of them combined killing 24 pedestrians.

    Unhappy about the unpleasant report, the Eastern Regional MTTD Commander called on stakeholders, especially the driver unions, to put hands on deck to address the indiscipline and reckless driving on the road.

    He expressed worry that usually when the police arrest a reckless driver and begins processes to arraign them before the court, then, suddenly, there would be many phone calls from the powers that be to release them.

    That, the MTTD Commander said, is hampering the advocacy for road safety in the country.

    In mapping up strategies to tackle recklessness and reduce accidents on the road this Easter festive season, the stakeholders together agreed that enforcement agencies, like the police, should up their game and be on the road to crackdown on recalcitrant motorists.

    The stakeholders also suggested that Christ preachers who mostly preach on the streets and markets should make road safety education the core of their preaching.

    They expressed that enforcement agencies should ensure that all broken trucks should be towed off the roads to prevent collisions.

    The stakeholders also appealed that a rest stop should be constructed around Nkawkaw to serve tiring drivers who have driven over three or more hours to rest before continuing their journeys.

    “We are appealing to authorities to ensure that all faded road markings are deepened this Easter to make night driving quite smooth,” one of the stakeholders appealed.

    To the stakeholders, to ensure accident-free Easter, district assemblies should enforce bylaws that ban ‘floating’ drivers’ activities since records suggest that they are the leading cause of road accidents in the country.

    Source:  ghanaweb.com 

  • Police officer in gun battle with suspected robbers at gas station; one shot

    A Police inspector on night guard duty at Akuapem Larteh junction in Akropong has been hailed for overpowering three armed robbers in a shootout Wednesday night.

    Inspector Albert Kuntu Blankson who was on night duty at Yokwa gas filling station at Larteh-junction came under attack by three suspected armed robbers at about 1:00 am in an attempt to rob the gas filling station.

    One of the armed robbers fired at the police officer but he managed to take cover, assumed a shooting position, and returned fire.

    One of the robbers was shot forcing the others to escape.

    The police officer called for reinforcement and the Divisional Crime Officer, DSP John Agyuah in charge of four personnel proceeded to the scene of the crime.

    On arrival, the team met Inspector Albert Kuntu Blankson standing at the gate of the filling station and pointed out the suspect lying 10 meters away from the filling station.

    Inspection of his body showed a wound on his right upper part of the waist. He was briefly interrogated where he mentioned his name as Ernest Antwi, 28, from Asante-Mampong. He also revealed the identity of his accomplices as Maxwell and Kwame.

    The police team combed the area but could not find the accomplices.

    The injured robber was rushed to the Tetteh Quarshie Memorial Hospital.

    Starr News has gathered that the suspects arrived at Asenema- Akuapem on Sunday aboard a DV black private car for surveillance before embarking on the robbery operation at Lartey junction.

    The Public Relations Officer of the Eastern Regional Police Command DSP Ebenezer Tetteh confirmed the accident to Starr News.

    He said the police team that visited the scene saw pellet holes on the wall while two live cartridges were retrieved.

    DSP Tetteh appealed to residents in the area to help police with credible information to help arrest the suspects who are at large.

    Source: starrfm.com.gh

  • One-way ticket to Rwanda for some UK asylum seekers

    Some asylum seekers who cross the Channel to the UK will be given a one-way ticket to Rwanda under new government plans.

    The pilot scheme will focus on single men arriving on boats or lorries.

    Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the £120m scheme would “save countless lives” from human trafficking.

    Refugee organisations have criticised the plan as cruel. They questioned its cost and impact and raised concerns about Rwanda’s human rights record.

    Mr Johnson said action was needed to stop “vile people smugglers” turning the ocean into a “watery graveyard”, with the plan designed to break their business model.

    “Our compassion may be infinite but our capacity to help people is not,” he said. “We can’t ask the British taxpayer to write a blank cheque to cover the costs of anyone who might want to come and live here.”

    Those who succeed in making it to the UK “will be taken not to hotels at vast public expense”, the prime minister said, and instead would be housed in detention centres.

    Speaking in Kent, he said the new plan would “over time prove a very considerable deterrent”.

    Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer described the scheme as “unworkable” and “extortionate”, claiming it was an attempt to distract from Mr Johnson’s “partygate” fine.

    Last year, 28,526 people are known to have crossedin small boats, up from 8,404 in 2020. About 600 people made the crossing on Wednesday – the figure could reach 1,000 a day in coming weeks, Mr Johnson said.

    The number of people who can be relocated will be “unlimited”, said Mr Johnson.

    Rwanda will have the “capacity to resettle tens of thousands of people in the years ahead”, including those who have arrived “illegally” since the start of the year, he said.

    Migrants arrive in Dover on Thursday after being rescued while crossing the English Channel Migrants arriving in Dover after being rescued crossing the Channel

    “We cannot sustain a parallel illegal system,” said the prime minister. “Our compassion may be infinite, but our capacity to help people is not.”

    Home Secretary Priti Patel, who travelled to Rwandan capital Kigali to sign the deal, said it was a “global first and it will change the way we collectively tackle illegal migration”.

    She said the “vast majority” of those arriving in the UK “illegally” would be considered for relocation to Rwanda.

    Recent research by Ipsos Morisuggested 60% of the public were dissatisfied with the government’s migration policy – more than half of which cited Channel crossings.

    Line graph showing numbers of people crossing the English Channel between 2019 and 2022

    BBC home editor Mark Easton, reporting from Rwanda, said ministers would face legal hurdles and substantial costs to launch the scheme.

    Precise details of the plan are yet to be confirmed – but he said the trial would be restricted to mostly single men.

    Under the proposal, Rwanda would take responsibility for the people who made the more than 4,000-mile journey, put them through an asylum process, and at the end of that process, if they were successful, they would have long-term accommodation in Rwanda.

    The BBC has seen accommodation the asylum seekers would be housed in, thought to have enough space for about 100 people at a time and to process up to 500 a year.

    Inside a reception centre in Rwanda
    Journalists were given a tour of a typical government refugee facility in Rwanda

    The Rwandan government said migrants would be “entitled to full protection under Rwandan law, equal access to employment, and enrolment in healthcare and social care services”.

    The UK Home Office believes existing asylum law will be enough to implement the plan, but questions remain about the legality of the scheme.

    Mr Johnson said the plan was “fully compliant” with international law, but acknowledged he expected it to be subject to challenge in the courts and from a “formidable army of politically-motivated lawyers”.

     ‘Something’s got to give’

     

    • “What’s crueller – that or being drowned? If it saves one life, surely it’s got to be better than what’s happening with these migrants now” – Lorraine, Dartington
    • “How are we treating these humans? Are we suddenly saying those coming from Ukraine, their lives are better value than those coming from certain other countries? I think it’s abhorrent” – Hamid, Bicester
    • “I feel it’s a real shame. We seem to have eroded this idea of fairness in our nation. We seem to no longer want to be the nation that wants to help other people. It seems a shame we’ve lost those values in our country” – Chris, Devon
    • “Let’s forget about the optics and actually look at the reality. People smugglers will keep trying to find different ways until we break it. That’s the cruel part here… I applaud the government for having some backbone” – Martin, Bedford
    line

    British Red Cross executive director Zoe Abrams said the humanitarian network was “profoundly concerned” about the scheme and that “the financial and human cost will be considerable”.

    Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, said the charity was “appalled by the government’s cruel and nasty decision”, which it said would “do little” to deter people from coming to the UK.

    Miranda Butler, a barrister who specialises in immigration law, said there were “serious questions” about the risks faced by migrants under this “expedited process”.

    The Lib Dems said the government was “slamming the door” in the face of refugees, while the SNP’s Ian Blackford described the plan as “absolutely chilling”.

    Map showing the distance from the UK to Rwanda

    Questions have been raised over the human rights record of the Rwandan government and its president, Paul Kagame.

    Last year, the UK government expressed concernat the United Nations over “continued restrictions to civil and political rights and media freedom” in Rwanda.

    But Mr Johnson described Rwanda as being one of the safest countries in the world.

    Other countries – including Ascension Island and Gibraltar – had also been considered.

    The prime minister also announced:

    • Asylum seekers who are resettled in the UK will be spread more evenly across local authorities
    • Plans to hand operational control of the Channel to the Royal Navy
    • £50m in funding for new equipment and specialist personnel for Channel operations
    • A new government facility to house migrants, described as a reception centre, in Linton-on-Ouse, North Yorkshire
    • A maximum sentence of life imprisonment for people smugglers

    The government’s Nationality and Borders Bill is making its way through Parliament, but time is running out to pass it into law after a series of defeats in the House of Lords.

    MPs are currently on a break, but when they return, they are due to review a series of amendments, including one about powers to offshore asylum claims.

  • Durban floods: South Africa floods kill more than 300

    The death toll in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal has reached more than 300, after devastating floods wreaked havoc in the area.

    A state of disaster has been declared in the area, after some areas saw months worth of rain fall in one day.

    Officials have called it “one of the worst weather storms in the history of our country”.

    Mudslides have trapped people under buildings, with more floods expected.

    There are reports that the rescue effort is being hampered by poor visibility as a helicopter continues to bring people back to safety.

    On Tuesday the BBC witnessed one such search operation for a 10-year-old girl who was part of a family of four swept away on a flooded bridge.

    Community volunteers waded into the muddy river, taking turns to hack away at the branches using machetes and removing debris and rubbish that had washed downstream.

    Jomba Phiri, who lives in the region’s main city, Durban, said his house had been swept away in the floods.

    “I don’t know where we’re going to sleep now,” he told Reuters news agency.

    Parts of the crucial N3 highway which connects Durban to South Africa’s economic heartland of Gauteng province have been blocked.

    President Cyril Ramaphosa has visited the area and pledged to help.

    “Even though your hearts are in pain, we’re here for you,” the Reuters news agency quotes him as saying.

    He also described the disaster as a “force of nature”, which some have disagreed with. They blame poor drainage and badly built houses in low-lying areas for the high death toll.

    The KwaZulu-Natal province says it needs more funds to fix the extensive damage
    There are still several people missing, trapped under debris and rubble

    Durban Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda denied that poor drainage was to blame, saying the scale of the flood was unexpected.

    Scenes of destruction are still evident throughout the area. Some of the roads to the port of Durban, one of the busiest in Africa, are impassable after the swollen river washed mud and debris onto the roads.

    Operations at the port have now been suspended. A shipping container warehouse near a busy highway was severely flooded, and hundreds of containers were washed away.

    In an industrial area called the Bluff, which forms part of the port, the BBC witnessed cars overturned on the road, or crushed by debris. Companies are using water pumps to drain the water from their premises.

    There is also a hunt for crocodiles that were washed away during the floods, although most have since been found.

    Crocodile Creek Farm, about 40km (25 miles) north of Durban in Tongaat, says 12 crocodiles were swept away after torrential rain hit the area.

    Ron Naidoo, a community pastor in the town of Tongaat, told the BBC he had been kept awake through the night by the rising floodwaters and had seen police drag a car out of the river with a body inside.

    “It was traumatic because it is the first time that we have seen the river rise so high here,” he continued.

    There are mounds of debris strewn across affected areas

    The KwaZulu-Natal provincial government estimates that billions of rand worth of damage has been caused to properties and infrastructure, describing the heavy rains as unleashing “untold havoc” in a statement on Facebook.

    Electricity and water treatment plants have been “flooded out”, the Durban mayor told the BBC.

    Communications have also been disrupted with two major networks reporting that more than 900 of their cell phone towers are down.

    Declaring the flood-stricken area a disaster zone will “enable the province to apply for emergency funding” from the National Treasury and assist with necessary reconstruction work, authorities say.

    There are also reports of looting in Durban, which the local government has condemned: “We will not allow what is a tragic development in our province to be taken advantage of,” it said.

    The government is calling on people to stay safe by avoiding flooded roads and bridges and to evacuate to higher ground if they live in low-lying areas.

    The stormy weather comes as scientists warned that climate change is fuelling heavier rainfall than usual in southern Africa.

    At the start of the year, the region was hit by three cyclones and two tropical storms in six weeks, which primarily affected Madagascar, Mozambique and Malawi and inflicted widescale damage with 230 reported deaths according to the World Weather Attribution (WWA).

    There have been incidents of looting in Durban

    Source: bbc.com 

  • One Village One Dam:Government is on course to deliver 560 dams – Monitoring and Evaluation secretariat

    According to the Monitoring and Evaluation Secretariat, the government is on course to deliver its projected 560 small earth dams across the 5 Northern Regions of the country.

    On assuming office in 2017, the Akufo-Addo led government set out its plan to construct the dams under the “One Village One Dam Initiative” as part of the Infrastructure for Poverty Eradication Programme (IPEP).

    The initiative focuses on rural and deprived communities, covering 56 districts in the 5 Northern Regions with each district set to have 10 dams.

    Five years after commencement of the project, the Monitoring and Evaluation Secretariat in collaboration with Special Development Initiatives and Northern Development Authority, embarked on a special Rapid Evaluation exercise to assess the status of the 1V1D projects in the beneficiary communities.

    According to a statement by the National Coordinator of the Secretariat, Honourable Gifty Ohene-Konadu after the evaluation exercise, 478 dam have been constructed.

    360 of them them are currently active and serve as “multipurpose water storage providing water all year round for livestock, farming and domestic activities.”

    According to the Coordinator, 118 dams are yet to be completed where stone pitching and embankment walls are yet to be done.


    The National Coordinator also indicated further that the siting for the remaining 82 dams have become a challenge epecially those earmarked for bigger towns and Tamale city.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • ECG losing billions of cedis to power theft, unpaid bills Energy Minister

    The Electricity Company of Ghana loses nearly GHS3.2 billion due to illegal connections, and non-payment of bills, among others, according to the Energy Minister, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh.

    Speaking to the press on Wednesday, Dr. Prempeh said the ECG losses were from “our inability to pay, unwillingness to pay or power theft.”

    He assured that the National Revenue Protection Taskforce was “out in full swing” to remedy this challenge with revenue.

    “The National Revenue Protection Taskforce is going out because the amount of energy ECG is putting in the system, it is not getting the commensurate amount of money back to ensure that it becomes commercially viable.”

    “So if ECG loses 400 million dollars, averagely…which company can be viable if you continue to lose the amount of money that the ECG losses,” Dr. Prempeh quizzed.

    He stressed that “every Ghanaian must be responsible and pay for the energy he or she consumes, or else you will be visited by the Revenue Protection Taskforce.”

    The Electricity Company of Ghana recently indicated its readiness to go after about 30 private and public institutions that owe it GHS 120 million.

    Some of these institutions owe as much as about GHS 45 million and have not shown any commitment despite receiving disconnection notices from ECG, according to Citi News sources.

    The institutions include the Ghana Airport, University of Ghana, Accra International Conference Center (AICC), Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) and  Parliament.

    Source: citinewsroom.com

  • NRSA beefs up public education, enforcement to reduce road crashes

    The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has stepped up the Stay Alive campaign ahead of the Easter festivities, with a call on all road users to strictly adhere to road traffic regulations during the festive season.

    As part of the campaign, the authority has rallied other stakeholders, including the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service and the COVID-19 Trust Fund to ramp up public education, sensitisation and enforcement of the road traffic regulations with the view to reverse the high road crashes associated with Easter.

    With the Easter festivities starting this week, the NRSA has also announced an emergency code number,194, for members of the public to send texts, videos and pictures of bad driver behaviour on the road to the Road Safety Information Centre for prompt action to be taken.

    The acting Director-General of the NRSA, David Osafo Adonteng, who disclosed this to the Daily Graphic yesterday, said the initiative was part of measures that were being rolled out to ensure the safety of road users during the Easter season.

    Consolidating gains

    He said the move was meant to consolidate the gains that had been made in reducing figures of road crashes for the first quarter of the year.

    Mr Adonteng explained that 734 people perished in road crashes in the first quarter of the year as against 771 for the same period last year.

    He observed that the reduction in the figures came by dint of hard work by the NRSA in collaboration with other stakeholders, especially through the Stay Alive campaign.

    “These two figures show that there is a reduction in the number of deaths within the same period last year, and this is something good for all of us. However, it is not good enough. We want to consolidate the gains and reduce the numbers to the minimum level possible,” he stressed.

    Focus areas

    Mr Adonteng said a trend analysis of road crashes and deaths showed that more accidents and fatalities occurred during Easter every year because of the busy nature of roads during that period.

    As a consequence, he said, more police officers and NRSA staff would be deployed to notable highways and roads that had high human traffic during Easter.

    He identified the Accra-Kumasi road, Kwahu road and roads leading to the Volta Region as the main areas of focus as far as road crashes during Easter were concerned.

    “For the past two years, Easter festivities have been affected by COVID-19 so we anticipate that with the restrictions lifted this year, many people will troop to Kwahu, the Volta Region and other notable places.

    “Also, churches will be having programmes such as conventions and picnics, which will require people to travel to other places. We want to ensure that the increased use of the road does not lead to many crashes and deaths,” he said.

    Source: graphic.com.gh 

  • Somalia’s newly elected MPs set to be sworn in

    Some of Somalia’s newly elected members of parliament are set to be sworn in on Thursday in the capital, Mogadishu, following parliamentary elections that took months.

    They will be sworn in at a venue inside the main airport area – one of the highly guarded areas in the capital – as security remains a key concern.

    The 11th parliament comprises two main houses – the upper house with 54 members and the people’s house with 275.

    Their main task will be to elect a president who will be expected to lead the Horn of Africa nation for the next four years.

    The swearing-in also marks a crucial step for the election process, dogged by conflict and political infighting between key stakeholders, leading to the elections being postponed several times.

    The current President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, whose first term ended in February last year, continued to stay in power to avoid a political vacuum.

    It took the intervention of Somalia’s partners for the process to be hastened. The US imposed visa restrictions on some key players accused of sabotaging the election process.

    Somalia has had no stability for over 30 years since the former military leader Siad Barre was toppled in 1991, followed by a bloody civil war.

    However, a lot has changed in the last two decades as the country embarks on recovery.

    Source: bbc.com  

  • Marine fishing: Closed season starts in July to August, 2022

    The Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development in collaboration with the Fisheries Commission has announced that it will observe the 2022 closed season from July to August, this year.

    The term “closed season” also known as “biological rest period”, refers to the stopping of fishing activities during the spawning period of the stocks.

    Closed seasons are observed as a way of reducing fishing pressure on stocks when they are most productive in terms of allowing the fish a chance to lay their eggs to replace the lost population due to fishing and other natural causes.

    Globally, closed seasons are considered as one of the key fisheries management procedures to help protect fish stocks and also increase their population.

    A statement signed and issued by the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Mrs Mavis Hawa Koomson on April 12, 2022, announced July 1 to July 31, 2021 as the closed season period for artisanal and semi-industrial fishers while industrial fishers are to observe the closed season from July 1 to August 31, 2022.

    The Minister said the observance of the closed season was in accordance with Section 84 of the Fisheries Act, 2002 (Act 625).

    “It must be indicated that the period of the 2022 closed season was agreed on based on scientific evidence and stakeholder consensus,” she noted.

    She indicated that during the closed season period, the Ministry will not supply premix fuel to any landing beach, saying “Within the one month closure, there will be no premix fuel allocation to the Coastal Landing Beach Committees.”

    Source: graphic.com.gh 

  • Ghana winger Christopher Antwi-Adjei hands Bochum injury boost after returning to training

    Ghana winger Christopher Antwi-Adjei has returned to training after missing the game between VfL Bochum and Bayer Leverkusen due to injury.

    The Black Stars forward suffered muscular problems and has missed the games against Hoffenheim and Bayer Leverkusen.

    But returned to training on Tuesday, where he took part in a full exercise and joined his teammates for gym work.

    His return is a huge boost for VfL Bochum as they prepare for the game against Freiburg on Saturday, April 16, 2022.

    Christopher Antwi-Adjei has been an integral member of the Bundesliga returnees as they battle to sustain their status in the German topflight.

    The 28-year-old has made 24 appearances and scored a goal for the club. His only goal of the season came against Bayern Munich.

    He joined Bochum from Paderborn at the start of the season.

    The German-born was a member of the Black Stars team that secured qualification to the World Cup in Qatar.

    Source: ghanasoccernet.com

  • Inflation hits highest since August 2009

    Inflation for the month of March has been pegged at 19.4%, the highest rate recorded since August 2009.

    The rise in inflation will mean that interest rates will continue surging resulting in the rise of the cost of credit.

    The Ghana Statistical Service stated that foodstuffs such as Oil and Fats (28.2%), Water (27.1%), Cereal Products (25.0%), Vegetables (23.8%), Fish and Other Seafood (23.7%), Fruits and Nuts (22.1%), Soft Drinks (20.5%) and Live Animals and Meat (20.2%) recorded inflation rate, higher than the national average.

    Transport which includes fuel recorded the highest inflation rate of 27.6%, followed by Housing which was 21.4%.

    The figures showed that food inflation recorded a rate of 22.4% in March 2022, away from the 17.4% recorded in February 2022.

    However, the non-food inflation rate was 17.0% in March 2021, from the 14.5% rate in February 2022.

    Also, between February 2022 and March 2022, month-on-month inflation was 4.0%.

    Food inflation exceeded non-food inflation by 0.8 percentage points on a month-on-month basis.

    Local inflation also shot up to 20% in March 2022, as against 17.3% of imported goods or inflation.

    The Bono Ahafo region recorded the highest rate of inflation of 23.3%.

    Upper East region recorded the lowest rate of inflation of 12.5%.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Support us with soft loans to expand our businesses – Fishmongers to government

    Fishmongers in Central Region have appealed to the Government through the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture, to provide them with some soft loan facility to expand their businesses.

    According to the women, most of them were often left out of various interventions from government to other professionals leaving them with no option other than to go for private loans from banks.

    They made the appeal when Mrs Justina Marigold Assan, the Central Regional Minister, engaged Chief Fishermen in the region to deliberate on challenges confronting them and find ways to improve their livelihoods.

    “Government should give us some loans to invest in our work; we sell other things during the lean season; therefore, we are capable of repaying any loan given us.” Maame Araba Ntaa, a leader of the fishmongers said.

    She noted that the recent economic crises in the country , had resulted in high cost of fishing inputs, thereby having negative impact on their lives and that of their families.

    Nana Kwame Yah Ababio, Secretary to the Ghana National Canoe and Fishermen Council (GNCFC), Central Region, commended the President for the timely intervention including the ongoing sea defense, construction of fishing harbours, break waters, supply of outboard motors among others, all I am its quest to improve the fishing industry.

    He appealed to the Government to intervene in the distribution of premix fuel which was currently riddled by middlemen, hiking prices of the commodity.

    On the closed season, Nana Obrenu Dabum III, Chairman of the GNCFC, called on Government to put in place alternative livelihood programs to assist fishermen during the closed season for the betterment of all.

    He said the month of July, chosen for the closed season was not the best and must be deliberated upon with real fishers to agree on a better date.

    Reacting, Mrs Assan assured the fishermen that Government’s unflinching support towards improving livelihoods to enhance development in the country was unequalled .

    She noted that the Region was the largest in fishing activities with longest coastal belts therefore needed assistance for smooth delivery of their activities.

    The Minister called on persons involved in illegal fishing to halt their activities and advised the youth in the Region to desist from insulting the elderly when giving platforms on televisions, radio, social media among others.

    Source: GNA

  • It’s a crime for agents to charge more than 5% of tenants’ rent – Rent Control

    The Rent Control Department has noted that it is an offence for rental agents to charge more than 5% of the total amount of money accommodation seekers pay to their landlords as rent.

    According to the Ashanti Regional Manager of the Rent Control Department, Asare Osei Pensan, there’s nothing wrong with people who pose as property agents because the law recognizes them.

    He however said these agents are to act professionally as required by law.

    Speaking on Joy FM’s Luv In The Morning show, Mr Pensan stated that, “It is an offence for a broker to charge a certain amount as proceeds for a service rendered. It is an offence to charge more than 5% of an annual recoverable rent. This means the law recognizes agencies or agents. There is nothing wrong when someone acts as an agent. But an agent has to act professionally as the law demands.”

    “I have had a similar encounter which shocked me. Someone rented a place priced at ¢15,000. The agent was taking ¢1,500 from the tenant. The landlord was not even aware. The landlord mentioned that he did not give out any property to the agent. It was a wonder they got to know those premises were being rented out,” he added.

    Mr Pensan entreated Ghanaians looking for accommodation to visit the Rent Control Department for help.

    He indicated that the department will assess the property and give out the rental price.

    The Ashanti Regional Manager of the Rent Control Department advised landlords to desist from advertising their properties for rent.

    He said landlords need to first secure an assessment certificate from the Rent Control Department before putting up their properties on display.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Meet the justices who ruled on Assin North MPs case

    The Supreme Court, in a 5-2 majority decision, ruled that the Assin North MP, James Gyakye Quayson, is not the Member of Parliament for Assin North.

    This comes after a citizen of Assin Bereku, by name of Michael Ankomah Nimfah, on January 27, 2022, filed an interlocutory injunction against the MP from performing his parliamentary duties after a high court judgment annulled his election due to the issue of dual citizenship on July 28, 2021.

    The embattled Member of Parliament had appealed against the High Court judgment but was struck out for failing to file written submissions within the mandatory period.

    Although the panel was constituted of seven (7) justices, only two of them voted against the ruling.

    Here is a list of all the judges who presided over the case:

    Chaired by Justices Jones Dotse, the other justices on the panel were Agnes Dordzie, Nene Amegatcher, Prof Ashie Kotey, Mariama Owusu, Gertrude Torkonoo, Clemence Honyenuga, Prof Henrietta Mensah Bonsu and Emmanuel Y. Kulendi.

    The two judges who voted in the minority on the case were Justices Dordzie and Nene Amegatcher.

    Meanwhile, the Attorney General, Godfred Dame, has said that the Assin North Member of Parliament James Gyakye Quayson must face the law like the former Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Adamu Dramani Sakande.

    The counsel for the state, Godfred Dame, speaking to journalists after the ruling, made reference to the case of former Bawku Central MP, Adamu Sakande who was served a jail sentence for forgery among other charges.

    “I think that there ought to be even application of the law, there ought to be an equal application of the law, the same fate that befell Adamu Sakande who was not qualified at the time that nominations were opened and we all know what happened to him,” he said.

    In July 2021, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Adamu Dramani Sakande, was convicted by an Accra High Court after he was found guilty of perjury and forgery.

    This was after he failed to denounce his UK citizenship before contesting for the Bawku Seat.

    Relating it to the case of James Gyakye Quayson, the Attorney General, Godfred Dame, said there ought to be even application of the law.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Assin North MP must face law like Adamu Sakande – Godfred Dame

    The Attorney General, Godfred Dame, has said that the Assin North Member of Parliament James Gyakye Quayson must face the law like the former Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Adamu Dramani Sakande.

    This comes after the Supreme Court in a majority 5-2 decision, ruled that Assin North MP James Gyakye Quayson can no longer perform Parliamentary duties.

    The counsel for the state, Godfred Dame speaking to journalists after the ruling made reference to the case of former Bawku Central MP, Adamu Sakande who was served a jail sentence for forgery among other charges.

    “I think that there ought to be even application of the law, there ought to be an equal application of the law, the same fate that befell Adamu Sakande who was not qualified at the time that nominations were opened and we all know what happened to him,” he said.

    In July 2021, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Adamu Dramani Sakande was convicted by an Accra High Court after he was found guilty perjury and forgery. This was after he failed to denounce UK Citizenship before contesting for the Bawku Seat.

    Relating it to the case of James Gyakye Quayson, the Attorney General, Godfred Dame said there ought to be even application of the law.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Food prices, transport fares push inflation to 19.4%; highest since August 2009

    Rising cost of food prices pushed inflation rate in the month of March 2022 to 19.4%, the highest since August 2009, the Ghana Statistical Service has revealed.

    Foodstuffs such as Oil and Fats (28.2%), Water (27.1%), Cereal Products (25.0%), Vegetables (23.8%), Fish and Other Seafood (23.7%), Fruits and Nuts (22.1%), Soft Drinks (20.5%) and Live Animals and Meat (20.2%) recorded inflation rate, higher than the national average.

    According to the figures, food inflation recorded a rate of 22.4% in March 2022, compared to 17.4% in February 2022.

    Non-food inflation however recorded a rate of 17.0% in March 2021, from 14.5% recorded in February 2022.

    Transport including fuel recorded the highest inflation rate of 27.6%, followed by Housing with an inflation rate of 21.4%.

    Month-on-month inflation between February 2022 and March 2022 was 4.0%. However, on a month-on-month basis, food inflation exceeded non-food inflation by 0.8 percentage points.

    Also, local inflation shot up to 20% in March 2022, as against 17.3% of imported goods or inflation.

    The rising inflation means interest rates will continue to surge, whilst cost of credit will also go up.

    Bono Ahafo region records highest regional inflation of 23.3%

    For the first time in a while, the Bono Ahafo region recorded the highest rate of inflation of 23.3% in the country.

    Upper East region recorded the lowest rate of inflation of 12.5%.

    Globally, inflation rate has been surging because of the Russian/Ukraine war which has impacted negatively on cereals and grains as well as supply of fertilizer.

    The rate of inflation in USA and UK currently stands at 8.5% and 7% in March 2022.

    Source: myjoyonline.com

  • Ghanas Health Minister decries rising cases of non-communicable diseases

    The Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, has expressed concern over the rising number of Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) related deaths in the country.

    According to him, Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) such as hypertension, diabetes, cancers among others are killing more people compared to malaria and HIV/AIDS.

    He was speaking in an interview on the sidelines of the International Strategic Dialogue on Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs)on April 12, 2022, in Accra.

    Ghana’s Health Minister decries rising cases of Non-Communicable Diseases
    First Lady Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo who has been working towards the fight against child cancers, noted with concern the high number of non-communicable diseases among children. She has therefore stressed the need for the training of more health workers in handling of NCDs.

    The Presidential Advisor on Health, Dr. Anthony Nsiah Asare noted that many people are dying of NCDs. He called on world leaders to work restlessly to reverse the trend.

    Dr. Nsiah Asare outlined some efforts being made by the government of Ghana and launched the Global Non-communicable Diseases (NCD) Compact 2020-2030 which aims to save by 2030, the lives of 50 million people from dying prematurely.

    Other world leaders who joined the dialogue virtually and in person stated their resolve to help reduce non-communicable diseases (NCD) in their respective countries, as it is estimated that some 41 million people die of NCDs each year.

    Source: gbcghanonline.com

  • Energy Minister, Matthew Opoku Prempeh addresses power crisis

    The Energy Minister, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh is addressing the nation on the recent incidence of power outages in parts of the country.

    Some citizens have raised questions as to whether “dumsor is back” following the intermittent power supply.

    The Minister in his press briefing at the Information Ministry will address this question among others.

     

    Source: MyJoyOnline.com

  • CJ directive: Must Manasseh and Prof. Azar ‘comment on every matter in Ghana?’ – NPP lawyer

    Lawyer Gary Nimako, a member of the New Patriotic Party’s legal team has defended a recent directive by the Chief Justice, that cases of senior lawyers be heard before that of their juniors, citing an age-old practice.

    Nimako made his views public via a Facebook post in which he chastised two people who have harshly critiqued the directive – i.e. Manasseh Azure Awuni and Prof. Stephen Asare, alias Kwaku Azar.

    He lamented why it is that the two personalities always wanted to have a bite on ‘every matter in Ghana,’ before mounting his defence of the directive stating that it was to make junior lawyers better at practice.

    “Sometimes I wonder whether it is important for Prof Azar (Professor Kwaku Asare) and Mr Manesseh Azure Awuni, to comment on every matter in Ghana.

    “A little silence will save them some credibility. Every Practitioner in the Courts of Ghana knows that a lot of learning is undertaken in the Courtroom every day.

    “It is not for nothing that some Lawyers decide to stay in the Courtroom to listen to advocacy when certain Lawyers are on their feet in court, even though they are unconnected to the case.

    “So please, allow the Practitioners to learn in the Courtroom. There Is nothing wrong in the directive issued by the Honourable Chief Justice” Marfo’s post concluded.

    Chief Justice, Kwesi Anin Yeboah in a recent circular directed judges to call cases of senior lawyers first.

    He explained that the age-long practice is to afford junior lawyers the opportunity to learn from the senior lawyers.

    Below is the circular:

    To all trial court judges:

    Observing age-old traditions of the BAR in calling cases in court

    The Legal Profession, as we know, is steeped in traditions and ceremonies.

    One of the traditions observed is the practice of calling cases of persons whose names are on the roll of Lawyers, in order of seniority of enrolment, notwithstanding the notion of equality at the Bar.

    This practice, among other benefits, affords the young Lawyer the opportunity to learn from Seniors to whom they would not ordinarily be exposed to; thus, enriching the whole legal training experience beyond what is taught in Chambers and other places of work.

    It has recently been drawn to my attention, that some Trial Court Judges are not observing this practice in court.

    Whilst the right to call a case out of turn is not absolute and is exercisable subject to the convenience of the court, for the reasons mentioned above, I would request all Trial Court Judges to strictly adhere to this age-old tradition and resort to inviting applications from Seniors first.

    I hope I can count on your cooperation.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Sulley Ali Muntari sued for €97,320 – Report

     Ghanaian midfielder and player of Accra Hearts of Oak, Sulley Ali Muntari, has been sued by a businessman, Rodrigo Renato Gianno, at the High Court.

    According to the plaintiff, the footballer owes him an amount of €97,320, which amount he has refused to pay.

    He, therefore, is asking the court to compel the footballer to pay up all his money.

    Rodrigo Renato Gianno according to a myjoyonline reportage sighted by GhanaWeb explained, the former Black Stars player contracted him to book and pay for various airline tickets and various hotel rooms for himself, his family and friends between 2015 and 2017.

    After doing the work for Muntari, he refused to pay him [businessman] the cost incurred which is the stated amount.

    “Gianno says cheques issued by the footballer to pay the said amounts were all dishonoured by the banks,” the report indicated.

    Rodrigo Renato Gianno noted in his writ that, Sulley Ali Muntari when he was contacted, acknowledged the debt and promised the businessman that he will pay.

    The businessman observed that, after suing the footballer at the Court of Milan in 2019 and getting a judgement in his favour, his money has not been paid by Muntari.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Supreme Court stops Assin North MP from performing parliamentary duties

    The Supreme Court has, in a majority 5-2 decision, ruled that Assin North MP James Gyakye Quayson can no longer perform Parliamentary duties.

    This is until the determination of the substantive case filed against him at the Supreme Court.

    A Cape Coast High Court in July 2021 nullified the election of Mr Quayson after it found he owed allegiance to Canada at the time of filing his nomination forms to contest the polls.

    Michael Ankomah Nimfah, a resident of the constituency who filed this election petition, in January 2022 initiated another action at the Supreme Court.

    He urged the Court to give effect to the Cape Coast High Court Judgement and prevent a further breach of the constitution by restraining the MP.

    “If he continues to be in Parliament, he will still be in breach of the constitution. The people of Assin North have been saddled with an unqualified person for far too long.“

    Lawyer for Mr Nimfah Frank Davies told the Supreme Court on Tuesday, March 5, 2022.

    Attorney General Godfred Yeboah took a similar position on the matter. He insisted there cannot be any debate that the continuous stay of the legislator in Parliament is a persisting breach of the constitution that cannot be allowed to fester.

    “On account for the uncontroverted facts of this case. It clearly indicates that the Court is faced with the patent case of unconstitutionality each passing day,” Mr Dame said.

    Lawyers for the MP led by Tsatsu Tsikata disagreed.

    He questioned the basis of the application pointing out that it was procedurally improper. He insisted the rules of the Supreme Court does not provide for such an injunction application.

    He argued that a party wanting this remedy ought to instead make a request to the Supreme Court for the Court to decide what steps the party ought to take.

    “The motion purports to be brought under the High Court rules. This is not the High Court. And the Supreme Court rules under rule 5 make provisions for where no express provisions are made for certain rules the Court shall prescribe such practice. A request ought to be made,” Mr Tsikata said.

    The Court adjourned proceedings to April 13, 2022, to deliver its ruling. The Court on Wednesday, April 13, said the Mp should no longer hold himself as Mp or present himself in Parliament.

    The minority view was held by Justices Dordzie and Nene Amegatcher.

    The case was heard by Justices Jones Dotse, Agnes Dordzie, Nene Amegatcher, Prof Ashie Kotey, Mariama Owusu, Gertrude Torkonoo, Clemence Honyenuga, Prof Henrietta Mensah Bonsu and Emmanuel Y. Kulendi.

    Source:  .myjoyonline.com

  • Complainants in land disputes advised to seek justice in court

    The Akuapim South Police Command has advised complainants involved in land disputes to seek justice in court since the Police do not handle civil matters.

    “The Police do not deal with these civil cases, so, complainants are directed to send their cases to court to be settled,” DSP Isaac Quaye, Akuapim South Police Commander told the Ghana News Agency in an interview.

    The civil cases involved parties in dispute over the ownership of a property, custody of a child, family misunderstandings or divorce.

    He also asked residents who registered their lands between the 1990s and the early 2020s to do it again using the new Global Positioning System (GPS) to ensure ownership authenticity.

    “Those who registered under the previous system in the 1990s and early 20s should look through their registration with the GPS to prevent having multiple ownership of lands,” he said.

    DSP Quaye stated that the paucity of property for sale in the national capital, Accra, has prompted most individuals to acquire land in the Greater Accra region’s neighboring areas, such as the Eastern and Central regions.

    This, he observed, has resulted in the acquisition of land twice or even three times by different persons, resulting in a lot of misunderstanding about land ownership in the Akuapim South Municipality.

    Accusations of threats of life reported to Police officers, according to DSP Quaye, are frequently accompanied by land dispute issues, motivating complainants to file their cases in court.

    Ms Akosua Oye, a resident of Akuapim South Municipality who is in her late 70s, said her land, totaling more than 10 acres, was transferred to a family by “bogus” persons claiming to the landowners.

    “I was reported to the police for threat of life,” she said. “However, those who reported me were found to have no case, and I was directed to the court to file my case.”

    According to her, the majority of fictitious property owners pose as chiefs and landowners and sell lands to unsuspecting members of the public looking to acquire land.

    She, therefore, advised buyers to register their lands via the new land registration system.

    Source: GNA

  • School Placement: 93.4% placed, 61.84% enrolled in all SHS and TVET

    A total of 518,717 students out of the 555,353 who qualified for placement have successfully been placed into various Senior High and Technical, Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutes as of last Friday.

    The number of placed students represents 93.4 per cent of those who qualified for placement. Of the number who qualified, 320,773 have enrolled on various SHS and TVET schools placed representing 61.84 per cent of the schools they were placed in.

    The Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, who announced this at a press briefing in Accra, lauded the various stakeholders and urged them to continue working hard to ensure that all qualified candidates were enrolled.

    On TVET specific, as of Friday evening, 51,267 students had been placed in only TVET schools of which 25,941 had also enrolled.

    The Education Minister lamented why parents and students refused to follow laid down processes that had been communicated to all stakeholders before the commencement of the placement exercise.

    He cited for instance that parents whose children were not placed in any school were asked to do self-placement, but these parents rather stormed the resolution centres meant for those who have been placed but had challenges with boarding or day status due to their location, change of courses among others, leading to a seaming congestion.

    “I am surprised some parents waited till schools reopened before they started rushing to do either self-placement or rushing to the resolution centres across the country which were virtually empty during the first week of the placement exercise.” Dr Adutwum said.

    He stated that reports received from all regions across the country indicated that the first week of their operations at the resolution centres saw only a few people.

    The Coordinator of the Free SHS Secretariat, Mr William Darkwah, on his part, said the secretariat was now poised to embark on an enrolment drive to ensure that all placed students were enrolled.

    He called on various stakeholders in communities to complement the Government’s effort by assisting local brilliant but needy students to acquire basic items to enrol.

    Mr Darkwah urged Municipal, Metropolitan and District Assemblies to take a keen interest in the education of people in their areas.

    Source: GNA

  • Judges are not robots, my review application is not an exercise in futility Justice Abdulai

    Lawyer Justice Abdulai has stated that filing for a review to challenge the illegality of the passage of the 2022 budget is not a useless exercise.

    In a Joy News interview monitored by GhanaWeb, Justice Abdulai said that he believes that the Supreme Court Justices are reasonable people and are likely to change their minds if his arguments are right.

    Asked whether his review application was an exercise in futility, Abdulai said, “that I cannot agree. That is prejudicing this whole application and pre-judging the outcome of it. I think that part is not healthy for the Supreme Court.

    “I think we should expect the supreme court to be able to change their mind. We should accord them that level of respect that they are capable of changing their mind when a reasoned argument is made before them. They have that ability. They are not robots they are human beings and these are very intelligent lawyers who have become Supreme Court Judges and so if you make a strong case before them, I have every faith that they will listen to it and made give you a positive answer,” he added.

    He indicated that the reasons for his review are sound and the justices of the supreme court will listen to him and give a fair judgment.

    He also refuted suggestions that his review application will be affected by a suit filed by members of the minority caucus in Parliament for the court to annul the passage of the E-Levy, citing the ruling of the Supreme court on his case on the need for a quorum for decision making in the house.

    “Their case is grounded on the existing law, i.e., the Justice Abdulai versus the Attorney-General and it has not been heard yet. As a matter of fact, my review could affect theirs… in this particular case Haruna Iddrisu versus the Attorney-General rather rely on the Justice Abdulai versus the Attorney-General,” he explained.

    The Supreme Court in March 2022 ruled that a Deputy Speaker of Parliament can vote while presiding over sitting in the house, contrary to the standing orders of parliament.

    According to the highest court of the land, the proper interpretation of Articles 103 and 104 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana shows that Deputy Speakers do not lose their right to take part in decision-making while sitting in the stead of the Speaker.

    The court which was presided over by Justice Jones Dotse also ruled that the passing of the budget on November 30, 2021 in which Joseph Osei-Owusu, the First Deputy Speaker counted himself as part of the quorum, was valid.

    Also, the court struck out order 109 (3) of the Standing Orders of Parliament which prevented a deputy Speaker presiding from voting, as unconstitutional.

    Justice Abdulai in his review is maintaining that Deputy speakers can not vote while presiding over the house.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • We will account for E-levy Akufo-Addo

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has reiterated the commitment of the government to ensure transparency and judicious use of revenue mobilized through the implementation of the electronic transaction levy Act to engender confidence among taxpayers.

    According to the President, “government agenda to introduce the electronic levy bill, is now electronic transfer levy Act 2022 “Act 1075″ is a strategic decision to boost our revenue mobilization drive in order to grow our economy by ourselves to improve social, economic and infrastructural development in the republic of Ghana. The controversies which emanated from the inception of the electronic levy bill was a healthy one for our democracy as a nation”.

    President Akufo-Addo, therefore, assured that “the government is committed to ensuring the Judicious administration and implementation and the same time reporting of all revenues collected under the newly introduced electronic levy Act to impose a confidence in the government”.

    This was contained in a speech read on behalf of the President by the Eastern Regional Minister Seth Kwame Acheampong during the 60th-anniversary celebration of Rev. Friederich Monninger Memorial Presbyterian Church in Akosombo under the theme “Jesus Christ the light of the world”,

    He assured the congregants that the “government remains resolute and alive to serve all well-meaning Ghanaians despite the global economic challenges. We are focused on sustaining and growing the economy to make it an enviable one hence the need to continue to invest in the future the benefit for the generations unborn.”

    President Akufo-Addo said the Free Senior High, Vocational, and Technical Education policy is the special purpose vehicle to churn out the needed human capital for accelerated development.

    “I am very optimistic the legacy to ensure every school-going child of this country attains a minimum of secondary education has overly been achieved the data is available to show. The free senior high school and the free technical vocational and education training are the best vehicles we have devised to take us to the realization of our goal of an educated and skilled workforce,” he explained.

    He added that “considering our current dispensation of technological advancement, every school-going child will continue to be given the requisite education to be equipped to run a modern and digitalize economy, and also the pursue to achieve Ghana beyond aid is very promising especially when the government is poised to become self-reliant to win itself from over-reliance of foreign taste”.

    Asuogyaman MP

    The Member of Parliament for the Asuogyaman Constituency, Thomas Ampem Nyarko, haven been honoured with a citation for his immense contribution to the growth and development of the Rev. Monninger Memorial Presbyterian Church lauded congregation for their feat in Christianity. He, however, urged the church to pay attention to unemployment among the youth to roll out interventions to address the menace.

    “The church must also pay a little attention to helping to solve unemployment among the youth in the church; if the church can complement government and state institutions’ efforts in this regard, I believe that it will go a long way to reduce the current unemployment situation bedevilling the country” he added.

    Meanwhile, Rev. Oware Raynox Ankamah, who is the district minister and also the minister in charge of Rev. Friederich Monninger Memorial Presbyterian Church, urged Christians to portray the values of Jesus Christ in all their endeavour.

    Source: starrfm.com.gh

  • Adhere to the age-long tradition of calling senior lawyers first Chief Justice

    In order to offer junior lawyers an opportunity to learn from their seniors in court, the Chief Justice, Kwasi Anin Yeboah, has tasked trial court judges to adhere to the age-old tradition of calling cases of senior lawyers first.

    He explained that this practice will enrich the legal experience beyond what is taught in chambers and other places of work.

    His directive comes after his attention was drawn to fact that trial court judges have not been observing this practice in court.

    This was contained in a circular sighted by myjoyonline.com.

    See the details here:

    To all trial court judges:

    Observing age-old traditions of the BAR in calling cases in court

    The Legal Profession, as we know, is steeped in traditions and ceremonies.

    One of the traditions observed is the practice of calling cases of persons whose names are on the roll of Lawyers, in order of seniority of enrolment, notwithstanding the notion of equality at the Bar.

    This practice, among other benefits, affords the young Lawyer the opportunity to learn from Seniors to whom they would not ordinarily be exposed to; thus, enriching the whole legal training experience beyond what is taught in Chambers and other places of work.

    It has recently been drawn to my attention, that some Trial Court Judges are not observing this practice in court.

    Whilst the right to call a case out of turn is not absolute and is exercisable subject to the convenience of the court, for the reasons mentioned above, I would request all Trial Court Judges to strictly adhere to this age-old tradition and resort to inviting applications from Seniors first.

    I hope I can count on your cooperation.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Driver stabs KMA security guard to death over parking space

    A commercial driver and his mate are in the grips of the Kumasi Police over the death of a security guard.

    Thomas Amakye Yankey popularly known as Congo Soldier is said to have been stabbed three times with a knife during an altercation with the said driver.

    As confirmed by the Public Relations Officer of the assembly, the altercation between the deceased and the driver had “to do with a misunderstanding they had about where to load and where not to load”.

    The two, after engaging in a heated confrontation, were separated. However, the driver said to have been unsatisfied with the situation, allegedly went for a knife and stabbed the victim in the neck, chest, and rib area.

    The 50-year-old victim was said to have been rushed to the Anwiam Clinic at the Kumasi Kejetia Market and later referred to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital where he was subsequently pronounced dead.

    The driver and his mate having been arrested by the police over the incident have since been transferred to the Kumasi Central Police Station to assist with investigations.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • 3 boys drown in a pit at Tuba in the Greater Accra Region

    Three young boys have died after they accidentally fell into a pit full of water created by sand winners at Akwasa Hills near Tuba in the Ga South Municipality of the Greater Accra Region.

    The incident occurred when the trio of Elisha Adu, aged 12, Samuel Adjei Mensah, aged 9, who are siblings, and Isaac Amoah 8 years while riding their bicycles unfortunately fell into the pit.

    All the 3 bodies have been retrieved by the Weija Divisional Police Command and conveyed to the Police Hospital in Accra.

    According to residents, there have been several complaints to Ga South Municipal Assembly to ensure the pit is covered but the assembly has failed to act on the issue.

    Chief of the community, Nii Akadja, said several calls on the authority to have the sand-winning activity in the area stopped have yielded no response.

    He consequently urged the assembly to immediately ensure the pit is covered to ensure there are no more such avoidable deaths.

    Source: kasapafmonline.com

  • Samuel Osei Kuffour banned by GFA

    The Disciplinary Committee of the Ghana Football Association has handed Bechem United defender, Samuel Osei Kuffour, a two-match ban for stamping on Asante Kotoko striker, Franck Etouga.

    The GFA announced the decision of the Disciplinary Committee on Monday, April 11, 2022, after the hearing, along with the accompanying sanctions.

    The player as part of the sanction has been fined GH₵1,000.

    Osei Kuffour stamped Etouga at the blind side of the referee during Bechem’s matchday 19 home game against Kotoko.

    The DC has as a result charged Kuffour with a breach of Article 34(6)(d) of the GFA Premier League Regulations, 2019.

    Below is the statement by the FA

    “According to the charge sheet, Samuel Osei Kuffour intentionally kicked Frank Thierry Etouga Mbella in an off-ball situation, an action which in the opinion on the association is an improper behavior and likely to bring the game into disrepute.”

    “Samuel Osei Kuffour is found Guilty
    of the charge by the Committee. The
    Committee, therefore, hereby makes
    the following decisions:

    1. A fine of GHc1,000 is hereby
    imposed on Samuel Osei Kuffour
    in accordance with Article 6.1(c)
    of the GFA Disciplinary Code

    2. That Samuel Osei Kuffour is
    hereby handed a two-match ban
    in accordance with Article 12(b)
    of the GFA Disciplinary Code.

    3. Samuel Osei Kuffour is warned
    that any future misconduct shall
    receive a more severe
    punishment.”
    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Reckless driving is increasing the disability population

    Mr. Ebenzer Akwaku a member of the Ghana Federation of Disability (GFD) in the Ada-East District, has lamented the rate at which reckless driving is increasing their membership in the district.

    Speaking at at a town hall meeting organized by the Ada East District Assembly, he said about 100 new members were recorded last year mainly through road crashes.

    Mr Akwaku mentioned that most of the crashes involved motorcycles which was a cause of worry and needed to be addressed immediately.

    “We have noticed that, in Big Ada, can record about 50 road crashes in a week and only a few could survive while others become disabled to increase our membership,” he stated

    He called on the Ada East District Assembly to address the rate at which motorcycle riders thoughtlessly rode motorcycles on the roades and pleaded with the residents to be careful while using the road.

    Ms Sarah Dukgbakie Pobee, District Chief Executive (DCE) of Ada East said collective efforts were needed in dealing with the issues of road crashes saying that parents must play their roles while the Assembly was working to regulate the activities of motorcycle riders in the district.

    Source: GNA

  • Abesim murder case adjourned to April 28

    A Kaneshie District court adjourned the case of Richard Appiah, a footballer, accused of killing and storing body parts of two children in a refrigerator, to April 28.

    The Court presided over by Justice Ama Adomako Kwakye made the determination for lack of time and because the hearing was missed by the prosecuting officer on the last adjourned date, February 23, 2022.

    However, a report delivered to the Court by Police Chief Inspector Anane, to Justice Ama Adomako Kwakye suggested that the second accused person, whose name had been withheld for security reasons, be released by the Court.

    The report also suggested to the Court that the prime suspect, Richard Appiah, be charged with manslaughter following the progress of investigations.

    Justice Ama Adomako Kwakye said the Attorney in charge of the case should come to court on the next adjourned date to present an update and for the case to make progress.

    On the other hand, Richard Appiah, the accused, made a plea to the court that as a footballer, the court should grant him the opportunity to train.

    Justice Ama Adomako Kwakye asked the suspect to get a lawyer to file an appeal at the Appeals Court for his plea to be given a hearing.

    The Court has since released the second accused person as suggested by the report.

    Source: GNA

  • Man remanded over unlawful possession of firearms

    A Tamale High Court, presided over by Justice Richard Kogyapwa, last Friday remanded in police custody a 34-year-old man for unlawful possession of fire arms.

    The plea of the accused, Mohammed Issah alias “waters”, was not taken and he is to reappear on April 25.

    Prosecuting, the Northern Regional Chief State Attorney, Salia Abdul-Quddus, prayed the court to remand the accused in police custody to enable him to assist with further investigations.

    However, counsel for the accused, Ibrahim Yussif, prayed for bail but the bail application was dismissed by the court.

    Facts

    The facts, as presented before the court, are that on Thursday, April 8, this year the suspect was arrested at a snap check point at Pigu on the Tamale-Bolgatanga Highway during a routine police intelligence operations.

    He was believed to have smuggled the arms from Togo through Cinkasse and on his way to the regional capital, Tamale.

    The police conducted a search in the vehicle and retrieved six 9mm Calibre Bruni pistols which were concealed in a package he covered with a smock.

    Police also retrieved one dagger in his possession.

    Commendation

    Meanwhile, the Police Administration, in a statement, commended the Northern Regional Police Command, especially the team that was involved in this operation, for their diligence.

    While assuring the public of its resolve to ensure a safe and secure environment for all, the police have urged the public to continue to assist them with leads to enable them to fight crimes.

    Source:  graphic.com.gh 

  • NSS opens window of registration for defaulters, private candidates

    The National Service Scheme has provided a window of opportunity for Ghanaians who completed tertiary educations years ago but could not undertake their national service to do so in the 2022/2023 service year.

    In a statement issued on Sunday, April 10, 2022, the NSS announced that it will from Monday, April 11 to Thursday, June 30, 2022 register applicants who wish to do their service.

    The NSS, in the statement announced that applicants are to submit letters to the regional offices of the scheme, requesting for their PIN code or a reactivation of their PIN codes.

    “Eligible Ghanaians who missed the opportunity to do their national service in previous years and now wish to enrol for the 2022/2023 service year need to register with the Scheme… Eligible applicants include previous applicants who started but were not able to complete the service, private applicants who are qualified and wish to apply and Ghanaian nationals who have studied abroad,” a statement from the NSS said.

    On document needed for the registration process, the NSS said ““All applications must include a letter requesting a PIN code or reactivation of PIN code, certified true copy of School Certificate or Transcript, evidence of Deferment Letter (if applicable), an Attestation/Introductory Letter from the institution attended, a copy of Ghana Card and a copy of Student ID with original copy for checks and for foreign students, a proof of study abroad,” it added.

    The National Service Act, (Act 426) of 1980 makes it mandatory for Ghanaians aged 18 and above to undergo a one-year service.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Haruna Iddrisu lists the number of funds used as security for loans by Akufo-Addo

    Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, has raised concerns about the government’s continued lack of respect for Article 252 of the 1992 constitution.

    He claimed that the government has mortgaged and borrowed against statutory funds and constitutional funds.

    According to him, the move by the government to set aside one billion Ghana cedis out of the 3 billion Ghana Cedis allocated to the District Assembly Common Fund is unconstitutional and illegal.

    He said he shudders to think what type of economy the National Democratic Congress (NDC) will inherit when they come to power in 2025.

    Giving his closing statement after the State of the Nation Address by Akufo-Addo, he said, “It is important that Ghanaians appreciate that, in respect to the statutory funds, District Common Funds, these governments are simply not respecting the provision of Article 252 of the 1992 constitution. Only yesterday (April 4) we were told the Minister of Finance has written a letter to set aside one billion of the 3 billion allocated to the District Assembly Common Fund.”

    He went on to name some funds that have been mortgaged and borrowed against, by the Akufo-Addo led government.

    “Mr. Speaker, I say without fear of contradiction that, that move by the finance minister is unconstitutional and illegal. Mr. Speaker, I worry for the future of Ghana particularly ESLA has been mortgaged, borrowed against, GETFund has been mortgaged, borrowed against, District Assembly Common Fund has been mortgaged, borrowed against. What type of economy are we going to inherit when we come to power in 2025,” he said.

    He added that Ken Ofori-Atta has no power to set aside revenue of the District Common Fund, as it violates the provision of Article 252 in the 1992 constitution.

    “He (Ken Ofori-Atta) has no such power to vary what Article 252 imposes that 5 percent of total revenue be set aside for the District Common Fund. Mr. Speaker same attitude but he can do so for Statutory Fund using the power of Cabinet but not for the constitutional fund mentioned under Article 255 of the constitution,” he added.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

     

  • All you need to know about the late Hajia Ramatu Mahama

    Hajia Ramatu Mahama was born on 15th October 1951 to a Minister for Trade and Industry and first black chairman of COCOBOD in the first republic and a long-standing political stalwart in Ghana through to the third republic, the late Imoro Egala.

    Hajia Ramatu was an educationist in Tamale and her love and care for her pupils earned her the coveted title “MMA Ramatu”.

    During the tenure of the late Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama of blessed memory where she was the Second Lady for two consecutive terms, her house was the home of many young people due to her commitment to the development, well-being and welfare of the teeming young people in the community.

    Together with the late Vice president, Hajia Ramatu had four children, namely; Farouk Aliu Mahama (who is MP for Yendi and Board Chair of Ghana Integrated Iron and Steel Development Corporation), Salma Mahama, Fayad Mahama and Halim Mahama, all of whom are flourishing in their various fields of endeavours.

    Source: mynewsgh.com

  • Bawumia outlines policies helping alleviate the suffering of Ghanaians

    Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has outlined some policies that the Nana Akufo-Addo’s government, has rolled out to alleviate the suffering of Ghanaians after the world was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Acknowledging the hardships and sufferings of Ghanaians during a TESCON event organised in the Central Region on Thursday, April 7, 2021, the Vice President stated that the increase in fuel prices and a general increase in the cost of goods are difficult realities brought about partly by the pandemic.

    “The economy is what we feel in our pockets. I acknowledge that we are going through difficult times, this is the reality. Our economy is experiencing rising prices of fuel and virtually all commodities. Prices are on the rise.

    “Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic changed the economic circumstances of virtually every country in the world. Today, our economy is witnessing rising prices of fuel and virtually all commodities like bread, rice, sugar, sachet water, cement, iron rods and so on. From Malata market to Abofu market, to Techiman market, to Takoradi market, circle to Kpando and everywhere across the country, prices are on the rise…these are the stark realities that confront us today,” Dr. Bawumia said.

    He added that, while in opposition, the NPP promised to alleviate the suffering of Ghanaians.

    He noted that the record shows that the NPP government under the leadership of Nana Akufo Addo is a government that is predisposed and committed to reducing the suffering of Ghanaians.

    Over the last five years, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia said, the government has implemented measures to alleviate or mitigate the suffering of Ghanaians.

    He listed some of the measures as follows:

    1. We have paid the bills of some $1 billion annually in excess capacity charges) to keep the lights on and “dumsor” away.

    2. Reduced electricity tariffs cumulatively by 10.9% compared to a cumulative increase of 264% under the previous government.

    3. Provided free water for households for a year during COVID-19.

    4. Provided free electricity for lifeline users and a 50%reduction for other users for a year. The electricity tariffs over the last five years have seen the lowest increase for any five year period over the last thirty years!

    5. We Doubled the Capitation Grant (From GH¢4.5 to GH¢10) for basic schools.

    6. Created jobs and stopped the freeze on recruitment in the public sector. Hundreds of thousands of people have been recruited.

    7. Unlike the private sector which laid off thousands of workers and reduced salaries., there were no layoffs of public sector workers during COVID. An additional 58,000 nurses recruited on a permanent basis.

    8. Increased the share of the DACF to persons with disabilities by 50%.

    9. Exempted Kayayei from market tolls.

    10. Expanded the LEAP by 150,000 beneficiaries.

    11. Expanded School Feeding from 1.6 million children to 2.1 million children, and also increased the amount spent on each child by 25 percent.

    12. Restored Teacher Training Allowances.

    13. Restored Nursing Training Allowances.

    14. Established the Nation Builders Corps (NABCO) of 100,000 graduates to build the job skills of our graduates to be absorbed into the workforce.

    “These are programs we have continued with notwithstanding the current challenges which has resulted in sometimes delays in payments,” Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia stressed.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Buried human skull, cat head exhumed from church alter at Kasoa

    A mysterious discovery beneath the pulpit of a church at Kasoa has left residents in shock.

    The incident is said to have been confirmed by the General Overseer of Christ Charismatic Convention, Pastor Billy Sunday, in whose church the discovery was made.

    In an interview with Takoradi based Connect FM, a vision occurred to him about the mysterious items after he lost almost all his church members.

    He noted that he rented the chapel from a landlord after a previous church had vacated the premises.

    “A few months ago, I arrived at Kasoa and rented the property from a landlord who told me the place was initially being occupied by another pastor. Ever since I rented the place, all my church members vanished at once and I could not understand what the situation was, so I started praying about it,” he narrated.

    Through the vision, Pastor Sunday said he decided to dismantle a concrete pulpit that had been constructed by the church that occupied the building initially.

    “The old pastor had already constructed a concrete pulpit so we decided to dismantle it. As we were digging, we saw the skull of a child and the head of a cat. We prayed and exhumed the skull,” he mentioned.

    Shocked by the discovery, the general overseer linked the buried skulls to the drastic dwindle in his membership adding that the items have since been burnt after a prayer was said over them.

    “These are spiritual matters, the skull and cat head were evil, more so, there was life in them so we could not wait but to burn them. But I have informed the police about the issue and investigations have begun,” he added.

    Pastor Sunday said a case has been filed with the police on the matter and that the police are currently looking for the pastor of the old church to apprehend him.

    According to Pastor Sunday, the discovery speaks to an act of occultism done under the guise of Christianity.

    He thus admonished persons practising occultism under the guise of operating churches to desist from hiding behind the Bible to perpetrate such acts.

    “There are so many pastors in Ghana who are into occultism and it is not helping the work of God. We must come together as a country and expose all of them,” he concluded.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Bawumia, Alan others visit Aliu Mahama’s residence to mourn Hajia Ramatu

    The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, on the morning of Friday, April 8, 2022, visited the Cantonments residence of the late former Vice President of Ghana, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, over the passing of his spouse, Hajia Ramatu Mahama.

    The former Second Lady of Ghana died at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital on Thursday, April 7, 2022, after having been on admission at the hospital for some days.

    The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, was one of several government officials who visited the late Hajia Ramatu in her final days at the Korle Bu Hospital.

    Following her passing, around mid-morning, the Vice President visited the residence of the late Alhaji Aliu Mahama where the family and friends of the deceased had gathered ahead of her burial rites in accordance with Islamic customs.

    In addition to Dr. Bawumia’s visit, other political figures and government officials have also thronged the family residence to commiserate with the Aliu Mahama family.

    The Minister of Trade and Industry, Alan Kyerematen, and the General Secretary of the ruling New Patriotic Party, John Boadu, are part of the officials who were also at the Aliu Mahama family residence when GhanaWeb visited on Friday morning.

    However, the family is yet to officially announce the funeral and burial arrangements for the late former Second Lady.

    The late Hajia Ramatu Mahama was Ghana’s Second Lady between 2001 and 2008 when her late husband served as vice president in the two-term government of the former president, John Agyekum Kufuor.

    She died at the age of 70 and would have turned 71 in October this year.

    A son of the late couple, Farouk Aliu Mahama, is the current Member of Parliament for the Yendi constituency.

    Meanwhile, the family has opened a book of condolence in her honour.





    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Ghana abstains from vote to suspend Russia from the UN Human Rights Council

    Ghana abstained from a vote that would have seen the suspension of Vladimir Putin’s Russia from the U.N. Human Rights Council.

    The United Nations (UN) General Assembly voted on Thursday, April 7, to suspend Russia from the U.N. Human Rights Council over reports of “gross and systematic violations and abuses of human rights” in Ukraine.

    The resolution which took place on Thursday, April 7, 2022, received a two-thirds majority of members voting, minus abstentions, in the 193-member Assembly, with 93 nations voting in favour and 24 against.

    Fifty-eight abstained from the process.

    Russia, China, Cuba, North Korea, Iran, Syria, and Vietnam, were among those who voted against.

    Those abstaining, included India, Brazil, South Africa, Mexico, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, Iraq, Pakistan, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Cambodia.

    The meeting marked the resumption of a special emergency session on the war in Ukraine and followed reports of violations committed by Russian forces.

    Following the outcome of the resolution, Moscow, according to a Reuters news report sighted by GhanaWeb, has announced it was quitting the body.

    Speaking after the vote, Russia’s deputy U.N. Ambassador Gennady Kuzmin described the move as an “illegitimate and politically motivated step” and then announced that Russia had decided to quit the Human Rights Council altogether.

    “You do not submit your resignation after you are fired,” Ukraine’s U.N. Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya told reporters.

    Russia was in its second year of a three-year term. Under the resolution on Thursday, the General Assembly could have later agreed to end the suspension. But that cannot happen because Russia has quit the council, just as the United States did in 2018 over what it called chronic bias against Israel and a lack of reform.

    The General Assembly text on Thursday expresses “grave concern at the ongoing human rights and humanitarian crisis in Ukraine,” particularly at reports of rights abuses by Russia.

    Russia says it is carrying out a “special military operation” that aims to destroy Ukraine’s military infrastructure and denies attacking civilians. Ukraine and allies say Moscow invaded without provocation.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com