TIG Post

Author: Persis

  • Employment Minister inaugurates 10-member Board for Cocoa pension scheme

    Ignatius Baffour- Awuah, the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, has charged the newly constituted Board of Trustees for Cocoa farmers Pension Scheme to use their experience to ensure a smooth running of the scheme.

    He said experience of the Board was key in managing the affairs of the Scheme to the benefit of the cocoa farmers across the country.

    The Minister said this on Wednesday when he inaugurated a 10-member Board of Trustees for the Scheme in Accra.

    The Scheme aimed at ensuring a decent pension for cocoa farmers, improving their welfare and making cocoa farming attractive to the younger generation for the sustainability of the cocoa sector.

    The COCOBOD Law 1984(PNDC Law 81) enjoins the Board of Directors of COCOBOD to implement a contributory insurance and welfare scheme that provides a decent pension for cocoa farmers.

    In furtherance to the provision of the Law, President Akufo-Addo in December 1, 2020 launched the Cocoa Farmers Pension Scheme in Kumasi as a demonstration of his commitment towards improving the welfare of Cocoa farmers in the country.

    Mr Awuah said the Scheme was a blessing because the cocoa farmers have served the country over the years to export the produce and earn foreign income.

    He said the Board was making history to honour the gallant cocoa farmers for their contributions to the development of the country.

    The Minister said research revealed that most workers spent major part of their salaries on their aged parents, adding that the scheme would afford the retirees to have some funds for their restful periods.

    A speech read on behalf of Joseph Boahen Aidoo, the Chief Executive Officer, COCOBOD expressed confidence that the Scheme would stimulate the youth to venture into cocoa farming for sustained growth.

    Mr Aidoo expressed readiness to speed up the registration of cocoa farmers onto the Scheme and appealed to the farmers to get their card ready for the registration.

    Mr Hayford Atta Krufi, the Chief Executive Officer of, National Pension Regulatory Authority, urged the Board to display good faith in every decision they take for the betterment of the Scheme.

    “Upgrade your knowledge and understanding of the Scheme to take better decisions that will benefit the farmers and the country as a whole,” he said.

    Alhaji Alhassan Bukari, the National Chief Farmer, commended government for the initiative and urged all cocoa farmers to support the Scheme towards its success.

    Source: GNA

  • Electricity a necessity, no longer a luxury – Akufo-Addo

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo Wednesday commissioned the Pokuase Bulk Supply Point (BSP) Substation to increase reliability of power supply to homes, businesses and industrial plants in the northern parts of Accra.

    With a total capacity of 580 Mega Volt Ampere (MVA), the 330 KVA Pokuase BSP, the fifth in Accra, is the largest and most technologically advanced substation in Ghana.

    It will improve power supply quality and reliability to the over 350,000 utility consumers in Pokuase, Nsawam, Achimota, Anyaa, Sowutuom, Kwabenya, Ashongman, Legon, Haatso, Agbogba, Adenta and Aburi communities.

    The facility will also reduce transmission and distribution losses, and improve the financial viabilities of the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDco) and the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).

    Construction of the USD64.7 million facility commenced in April 2019 and was completed in May 2021. It was funded by the United States of America through the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).

    At an inaugural ceremony, President Akufo-Addo said the BSP project not only gives the assurance of stable power supply, “but also reminds us of how far we have come from the days of widespread, power outages and the phenomenon of Doom.”

    The facility, he said, was a commitment to improving electricity supply in the country.

    The President noted that any country that aspired to industrialize with the overarching goal of guaranteeing a decent quality of life for its people must ensure that its citizens have access to stable efficient and affordable power supply.

    “Electricity is no longer a luxury. But rather a basic necessity, and we must commit ourselves to working hard and ensure that we achieve universal coverage in this country as soon as possible to spur economic growth,” he said.

    The substation, President Akufo-Addo pointed out, was strategically positioned to cater to the increasing load demand for electricity in the Northern parts of Accra.

    He told the gathering that government is carrying out several other initiatives and projects to meet the increasing power needs rising out of population growth and the Governments industrialisation agenda.

    He said government remained committed to ensuring safe, stable and affordable power supply in the country.

    The US Ambassador to Ghana, Madam Stephanie Sullivan, who joined the President at the ceremony, said the substation represents sustainable infrastructure investment by the United States with Ghana “that will benefit hundreds of thousands of Ghanaians now and into the future.”

    “It will help deliver more reliable power to people, places, and businesses of Accra that drive increased economic activity benefitting families, businesses, and communities,” she said.

    The Pokuase BSP is the first major construction project to be completed under the Ghana Power Compact with the MCC. The USD316 million Compact is helping the Government of Ghana improve the power sector.

    The Compact is also funding a BSP at Kasoa in the Central Region and two primary substations at Kanda and Legon in Accra. The Compact will end on June, 2022.

    Government implemented the Pokuase BSP project through the Millennium Development Authority.

    Source: GNA

  • NPRA to organise maiden National Pensions Awareness Week

    The National Pension Regulatory Authority (NPRA), under the auspices of the Ministries of Employment and Labour Relations and Ministry of Finance, is organising the first-ever National Pensions Awareness Week.

    This will be the country’s maiden Pension Awareness Week celebration and will be a week-long programme from Monday 25th to Friday 29th October 2021, under the theme, “Total Participation in Pensions to ensure Retirement Income Security”.

    The event will provide the platform to engage stakeholders on the development of pensions to invigorate a nationwide awareness on pensions.

    According to an official statement issued and copied the GNA in Accra, the Minister for Employment and Labour Relations, Mr Ignagious Bafour Awuah, will launch the weeklong activities at Koforidua on Thursday, October 20 at the Koforidua Jubilee Park.

    The NPRA, under the National Pensions Act, 2008 (Act 766), has been implementing the contributory Three-Tier Pension Scheme since January 2010.

    The Authority is the sole regulator of the pension industry in the Republic of Ghana. This is done through effective policy direction to secure retirement income for the retired and the aged in Ghana.

    As part of its mandate, the Authority has been actively engaged in education and sensitization on all pension-related matters in the country for the past ten years. The data available indicate that the pension coverage in the country is still low.

    The statement said despite the enormous efforts by the Authority to whip up the interest among the Ghanaian working populace, especially those in the informal sector, to register on pension schemes, the Authority believes there was more to be done to raise the awareness on pensions in the country.

    “It is estimated that about eighty-five percent (85%) of the working population in the country is found in the informal sector. The need for these workers to be on pension schemes has been a primary concern to the Authority.

    “This needs to be done to reduce poverty and other old age and retirement challenges ahead of the Ghanaian worker within the coming years.

    “The situation appears worrying primarily due to Ghana’s aging review. More and more older people find themselves in a difficult financial situation when they reach retirement age because of a lack of sufficient savings and as housing costs and medical expenses rise,” said.

    It said many people in the informal sector reaching retirement age did not have any of the pension schemes that some workers in the formal sector have and often have not put enough money into savings.

    The Authority has therefore embarked on a strategy to engage workers in the informal sector to whip their interest and also encourage them to understand and appreciate the urgent need to register for a pension scheme to ensure retirement income security for all Ghanaians, it added.

    Activities line up for celebration include sensitization of Cocoa farmers at Sunyanu; Informal Sector Forum at Kumasi, Prempeh Assembly Hall; Public Lecture at the University of Winneba; Visit to Traditional and Religious Leaders in Accra and Zonal Offices, and Market Activation at Ho in the Volta region; Commissioning of Team NPRA Office, and media activities across the country.

    Source: GNA

  • We must invest in youth to accelerate Africa’s economic growth – Akufo-Addo

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has urged African governments to invest in the youth towards accelerating socio-economic development of the continent following the ravages of the Covid-19 pandemic.

    He underscored the need for African governments to create a conducive environment to empower the youth and tackle the mass youth unemployment.

    He called for investment in human resource through the provision of diversified training in technical and vocational education.

    That, he said, would enable them to explore the various opportunities provided by respective African economies for self-development and alleviation of poverty.

    “Youth unemployment is a ticking time bomb, which threatens social peace and cohesion therefore Africa must pay maximum attention to job creation,” the President stressed.

    President Akufo-Addo made the remarks in a keynote address delivered on his behalf by Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia at the opening ceremony of the fourth edition of YouthConnekt Africa Summit in Accra on Wednesday.

    He said the African youth had the talents and capabilities to develop and would employ anything to improve their circumstances.

    The President entreated African governments to leverage on digital technology to improve the circumstances of their peoples as the world was in the era of fourth industrial revolution, where economies of countries thrive on technology.

    The YouthConnekt Africa Summit is an annual platform that connects youth from across Africa and beyond with policy influencers, political leaders, public/private and development sector institutions to engage, discuss, design and accelerate youth empowerment efforts at the continental level.

    It creates a platform to empower the youth to pursue entrepreneurship, innovation, network and trade among themselves towards the transformation of the African economies.

    The summit, first held in Kigali, Rwanda, in 2012, provides a platform for all partners involved in youth development and empowerment to synergise around policies, programmes and partnerships that connect the youth for continental transformation.

    This year’s event, the fourth edition, is hosted by the Government of Ghana through the Ministry of Youth and Sports and National Youth Authority, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) attracted over 2,000 participants across Africa and beyond.

    The event is being attended by youth groups, Ministers of Youth and Sports, Government officials, academia, development partners, private sector and civil society representatives, as well as innovators and incubator labs, to addressing the most pressing youth demands within the post Covid-19 pandemic period.

    “Africa Beyond Aid: Positioning the Youth for the Post Covid Economy and AfCFTA Opportunities” is the theme chosen for the three-day event and comes off at the Accra International Conference Centre.

    The summit will offer a combination of high-level plenaries, panel discussions, keynote speeches, small group workshops, presentations, project pitching, and exhibitions, as well as cultural events, off-site activities and learning visits.

    In his welcome address, Mr Mustapha Ussif, Ghana’s Youth and Sports Minister, said the youth were key agent of change and development therefore it was imperative to involve them in all development initiatives to accelerate economic growth.

    He underscored the need to support the youth and provide them with robust programmes to enable them to obtain employable skills and sustainable jobs.

    He believed that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) programme provide an opportunity for the youth to achieve their potentials and thus encouraged African youth to trade among themselves.

    Ms Oulie Keita, the Executive Director of YouthConnekt Africa Hub, on her part, said the summit provided the platform for the youth to share ideas and proffer home-grown solutions to African challenges.

    She said the YouthConnekt Africa initiative was launched in 2012 in Kigali, Rwanda, and currently operational in 24 African nations.

    It is aimed at increasing opportunities for the youth in terms of equipping them with entrepreneurial skills and expertise towards inclusive socio-economic development and achieving the aspirations of the Africa Youth Charter, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2063 Africa Union Agenda.

    Source: GNA

  • ‘Under Dampare, every foolishness has its limit’ – Manasseh pokes Shatta Wale

    Investigative journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni has reacted to the recent events surrounding controversial dancehall artiste, Shatta Wale.

    In a 25-line poem posted on Facebook yesterday, October 20, Manasseh reserved mention for two public figures whiles shying away from expressly mentioning Shatta Wale‘s name.

    His first line mentions Shatta’s rival, Sarkodie, referring to him as King but it is Inspector-General of Police, George Akuffo Dampare, who gets a double mention in the 21st and 22nd lines.

    The 21st line read: “But under Dampare, every foolishness has its limit”

    “Dampare is large and in charge!” he wrote in the 22nd line to buttress his point about the need to do what is right even with the trappings and lure of lawlessness.

    The Ghana Police Service on Wednesday stated at a press conference that Shatta Wale will be arraigned before a court today over allegations of causing false news to be published relative to a gun attack on him last Monday.

    Police arrested him on Tuesday after he turned himself in, having been declared wanted earlier. He spent his second night in police custody.

    The IGP was celebrated on social media following Shatta Wale‘s arrest with most social media users calling for the musician to be dealt with according to the law.

    Many cited the recent treatment meted out to Reverend Isaac Owusu Bempah and that of the fake Takoradi pregnancy and kidnap case to buttress the need for the musician to not be treated any differently.

    Read Manasseh’s full post below:

    King Sark said No Pressure
    That advice should have been a treasure
    For life is not a race
    Everyone has their pace
    But some would resort to anything for fame
    Even if it would end in shame
    They use shortcuts to rise in the game
    But it takes more than noise to keep one’s name
    In their current state, they ought to be wistful
    But in their fleeting glory of yore, they are wishful
    In comparison with others’ success, they’re flattered
    But the consistency of others keeps them flustered
    So they’d do anything to rise
    Even if it’s as inferior as “tugyimi” rice
    Because trending is where their pride lies
    But now they’re cold like ice
    In their antics, however, they should not lose sight
    That things are no longer loose, but tight
    We aren’t saints, but we must strive to do right
    It’s true that lawlessness is in our remit
    It’s true that the powerful can even build without a permit
    But under Dampare, every foolishness has its limit
    Dampare is large and in charge!
    And we’ve got to know What Time It Is!
    Now, the beginning of wisdom is a declaration to thyself: “I Know My Level.”

    Brief about the Shatta Wale hoax

    On Monday evening, October 18, a viral post on social media had it that Shatta Wale had been shot at East Legon and was receiving emergency medical treatment at an unnamed hospital.

    Police issued a statement saying no shooting incident had been recorded nor have the artiste been found at any hospital per their checks.

    The following morning, Shatta Wale released a statement defending why he staged an attack citing police indifference after a prophecy was released in September about a gun attack on him.

    The Ghana Police Service on Tuesday evening announced the arrest of Shatta Wale after he turned himself in.

    According to a statement, the musician who had been declared wanted was subsequently arrested to assist with investigations into an October 18 viral post that he had been the victim of a gun attack.

    The statement read in part: “The Police have arrested Charles Nii Armah Mensah popularly known as Shatta Wale. After we publicly declared him and one other person wanted, the suspect, Shatta Wale, turned himself in today Tuesday 19th October, 2021, at 8.59pm.

    “He has been arrested to assist the Police in investigations for his alleged involvement in the creation and circulation of information intended to cause fear and panic.”

    Two photos accompanying the police information showed the musician in one frame bespectacled, in handcuffs and spotting a broad smile. The other photo shows a more sullen Shatta Wale.

    The police also reiterated its warning to members of the public: “to desist from publishing false information, capable of disturbing the peace of the country or risk being arrested and prosecuted.”

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Funny Face and Shatta Wale got it all wrong

    There is no doubt that Funny Face and Shatta Wale are good at their crafts. To constantly entertain their audiences over a decade is no mean achievement because some entertainers clutch at straws just to keep their careers afloat or drown due to the enormous pressure that comes with being an entertainer.

    However, these two entertainers almost always court trouble and public disaffection for themselves. I am tempted to believe that, they take delight in having all eyeballs on them by embroiling themselves in one controversy or the other.

    Just last week, Funny Face went on rampage in a video spewing invectives at some respectable persons in society in the persons of Bola Ray, Fadda Dickson and his own friend, Sheyi Adebayor without provocation. He further went ahead to threaten to kill his children’s mother and also commit suicide.

    I thought the psychiatric evaluation he received somewhere this year would have done the trick, but it seems he is suffering a relapse or he is doing all what he is doing on purpose.
    I am happy the police swiftly arrested him.

    Per his utterances, he is a threat to his children’s mother and to himself. He should not be allowed anywhere near them and if possible, sent back to the psychiatric hospital once more for thorough scrutiny. Also, the law should not treat him with kid gloves.

    This is not the time to abandon him. He needs all the attention and love in order to bounce back. He also needs to put his act together by exhibiting good behaviour that befits his status because most of his following are kids who take inspiration from him.

    Furthermore, Funny Face needs to render an unqualified apology to his children and their mother for his behaviour. It was uncalled for and must be condemned in no uncertain terms.

    As for Shatta Wale, the least said about him, the better. Publicity stunt is allowed in showbiz, but he exceeded his limits by creating fear and panic with his tactless and cheap stunt. Why would one fake that he has been shot and battling for his life, only to find out that he was hale and hearty?

    Shatta Wale has been given too much room to misbehave and this time around, he decided to take it a notch higher by sending the police on a wild goose chase.

    Once again, thumbs up to the police for arresting such a public nuisance. He should face the full rigors of the law to serve as a deterrent to others harbouring same intentions.

    His infantile vituperations anytime he disagrees with someone should be curtailed and never countenanced. It is not healthy for consumption. There are kids in the society who cherish and wish to be like him, so the earlier he puts a stop to such bad attitude, the better.

    We perfectly understand that as entertainers, they also have some difficult hurdles in their lives that they deal with, but that does not give them the boldness to misconduct themselves and put people’s lives at risk. They need to be a shinning example for others to emulate.

    I hope Funny Face and Shatta Wale have gleaned some lessons from what has happened and going forward, they would not repeat it. It is my prayer that, they will come out better and not broken.

    Columnist: Simon Aikins/ ghanaweb.com

  • Thieves steal transformer in Denu

    Several cases of robberies have been recorded in recent times. The latest to join the list is the stealing of a transformer in Denu in the Volta region.

    The 100kwA transformer, stolen by thieves has left parts of the people of Hatsukofe and Atsapui sleeping in darkness.

    This is because they have been cut off from their main electricity supply line.

    In photos shared by Revival 99.3 FM on Facebook, the electrical wires have been cut, the metallic parts have been unscrewed and left on the ground.

    It is however suspected that the act was carried out by scrap metal dealers who usually end up removing the copper wires used in transformers.

    The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and some network providers are usually the victims of such acts.

    Aside from the transformers, some thieves also steal fibre optic cables usually buried under the ground by network services providers.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • How a Technical Audit revealed Komenda sugar factory never completed a test run

    A Technical Audit report issued by the Ministry of Trade and Industry has revealed a number of circumstances that led to the non-functionality of the Komenda Sugar factory.

    The sugar-producing factory, established in 1964, has become defunct due to technical difficulties and setbacks. The birth of the factory was based on the premise of producing sugar locally to reduce importation but that has not yielded results since its recommissioning in 2016.

    The Audit Team made up of experts from academia, industry, and independent sugarcane consultants revealed that a test run on the facility was never completed before the Komenda Sugar Factory was re-commissioned in May 2016.

    This was due to the unavailability of sufficient sugarcane for the test run.

    The findings which was dated September 2017 and October 10, 2017, also showed the factory never produced any sugar after it was reconstructed.

    It further showed that it was not positioned to produce the required refined sulphurless white sugar due to the absence of 35 component parts/units, which were not fully installed before the test run including for melt clarification, vertical crystallizers, molasses weighing system, bagasse compressor and a dosing system.

    Meanwhile, excerpts of the executive summary of the technical audit report shared by Abdul Malik Kweku Baako on his Facebook timeline stated that the reconstruction of the factory which was to be completed in October 2016, was completed in March 2016 seven months earlier than the expected date of completion.

    The report stated, after the factory was completed in March 2016, “the testing of the sugar plant was carried out and sugar was produced successfully. However, full load production, for its installed capacity could not be carried out due to inadequate supplies of sugarcane (pg.2 completion report, May 2017) …”

    “The factory has only been test-run during its commissioning. The test run did not go through the entire process to produce sulphurless white sugar as stipulated in the contract as some systems were bypassed and others were not installed,” the report continued.

    “It took 17 days to crush the sugarcane to produce the raw sugar. This was due to a number of challenges the operators encountered during the test run. It has to be noted that, the sugar produced was not white refined sugar (at 50 ICUMSA) as required but semi-processed raw sugar having molasses (which is not edible),” it added.

    The Audit Report further stated, the total fenced area earmarked for the nursery development was 63.4 Ha (158 acres). The cropped area was 49.9 Ha and out of that, 0.5. Ha was saline. “The remaining land area is covered by the roads in the nursery. Some of the plants showed stunted growth and empty patches.”

    “There was a wide variation in the height of sugarcane on the same plot. The empty spaces were not filled thus reducing the expected plant population per hectare. However, other parts of the nursery showed strong and vigorous growth. It should be noted that none of the sugarcanes in the plots can be planted as cane this year since the planting date (May-June-July) is already past.”

    “About 97% (48.8 Ha) of the cropped area is composed of the B41227 variety which is prevalent in the Komenda area. Investigations show that no variety selection was conducted since a period of 7-8 months was given as the duration for the nursery operation which was not enough for proper crop selection,” the report stressed.

    During his ongoing tour of the Central Region, President Akufo-Addo revealed that a preliminary assessment conducted on the value of the factory showed it had been overvalued to the tune of some US$12 million.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Government not responsible for fuel price increment – Energy Ministry to NDC

    The Ministry of Energy has responded to claims made by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) that the increase in fuel prices in recent times is due to the callousness of the Akufo-Addo-led government.

    It would be recalled that on Monday, October 18, 2021, the NDC at a press conference accused the government of being insensitive to the plights of Ghanaians.

    They further called for the immediate reduction of fuel prices for Ghanaians to heave a sigh of relief amidst the economic hardship.

    Reacting to this in a press release sighted by GhanaWeb, the Ministry said, the ex-pump prices have not increased by 7%.

    It indicated that Total Energies is the only oil marketing company that has revised its prices to GH¢6.80pesewas per litre.

    The Energy Ministry noted that changes in prices at various pumps are not determined by the government rather, the changes of prices of petroleum products on the world market as well as the strength of the Cedi against the US Dollar are the key determinants.

    It said, “The price of petroleum products on the world market is something government has no control over and it is not government that dictates the prices of fuel at the pumps in Ghana as it did before July 2015. It is worthy to note that the price of petrol on the world market in December 2016 was about $504 per metric tonne. This has increased by about 55% to around $783 per metric tonne today. If prices on the world market today were at the levels they were in December 2016, the price of petrol for example would have been about GHS5.49 per litre.”

    “Contrary to the allegations levelled against the ruling government, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh led Energy Ministry says “Ex-pump prices have not increased by 7% as purported by the NDC. As of today Total Energies is the only OMC that has revised its price upwards from GH¢6.52 per litre to GH¢6.80 per litre; that is a 4.29% increase. Other OMCs are yet to announce their prices for the new window. We believe competition will even force this increase further down to a level below 3%,” part of the press statement read.

    “Since the implementation of the price deregulation policy in July 2015, the responsibility of setting ex-pump prices lies with the various Bulk Import, Distribution and Export Companies (BIDECs) and Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs). As a result, changes in prices at the pumps almost every two weeks are not dictated by government but are a direct response to changes in prices of petroleum products on the world market and the strength of the Ghana Cedi (GHS) against the US Dollar (USD), as well as the keen competition amongst the various players competing to sell their products to the motoring public,” it added.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Four new vehicle assembling plants to be commissioned in Ghana Trade Ministry

    The Ministry of Trade and Industry has revealed the government is expected to soon commission four new vehicle assembling plants.

    The move according to the deputy trade minister, Ama Dokua Asiamah-Adjei, will position Ghana as a car manufacturing hub in West Africa under the Home-Grown Automotive policy of the government.

    Speaking at the Ghana Economic Forum, the deputy trade minister said “our home-grown automotive policy is among the best on the continent. The evidence is this; we have two major vehicle assembling plants in Ghana by major brands and four more in the pipeline to be commissioned soon.”

    “The development of the policy is the premise on the fact that the automotive assembling and component manufacturing industry is universally recognised as a key strategic sector for stimulating multiply effects in terms of industrial transformation and as a powerful driver of employment, foreign investments, innovation and economic growth.”

    She continued, “One key theme that stands out of our auto policy in respect of homegrown characteristics is its focus on component manufacturing which is designed to ensure that a local supply chain and parts are manufactured for the auto industry.”

    The deputy minister reiterated the importance of the automotive sector as vital to economic development.

    “I have however been encouraged by a personal conviction that we have as a country with a common purpose to achieve the unimaginable feat and as a beacon of Africa lead development agenda for the continent”, Ama Dokua Asiamah-Adjei stressed.

    “Taking cognisance of the fact that all these policies are highly driven by investments, the Ministry [Trade and Industry] is currently coordinating business regulatory reforms programmes to improve the business environment for doing business in Ghana. The programme has been highly underpinned by an aggressive digitization drive. Two key components follow a direct digitization approach with emphasis on providing easy access to policy and process regulations,” she added.

    Meanwhile, a number of automobile giants have thus far established vehicle assembling plants in the country. They are Volkswagen and Toyota.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Heres how government plans to revive Komenda Sugar factory

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has hinted he expects the Komenda Sugar Factory to commence commercial production in the first quarter of 2022.

    The sugar-producing factory, established in 1964, has become defunct due to technical difficulties and setbacks. The birth of the factory was based on the premise of producing sugar locally to reduce importation but that has not yielded results since its recommissioning in 2016.

    During an interview on Eagle FM in the central region, as part of a working visit to the area, President Akufo-Addo revealed that Park Agrotech Ghana Limited had been selected as the preferred strategic investor for the Komenda Sugar Factory, adding that their recommendation has been approved by Cabinet.

    “However, negotiations between the Transaction Advisor (Price Water House) and the Strategic Investor have been unduly prolonged due to several demands made by the Strategic Investor, as well as the effects of the emergence of COVID-19 pandemic, which restricted consultations between the investor and the Transaction Advisor,” the presidency wrote on its website outlining revival plans for the factory.

    “With the delays in concluding negotiations between the Transaction Advisor and the Strategic Investor, the Ministry of Trade and Industry, after given the required notice, terminated the negotiations with the Strategic Investor on 1st September 2021 for their failure to fulfil the conditions precedent to the offer made to them,” it added.

    Meanwhile, President Akufo-Addo has said the services of the Technical Partner with expertise in the sugar industry has been engaged to manage the technical operations of the factory.

    As part of efforts to rope in local content personnel to revive the factory, traditional authorities in Komenda and the adjoining districts have been engaged to acquire large tracts of land for sugarcane plantations.

    Trade Ministry Technical Audit

    A Technical Audit report issued by the Ministry of Trade and Industry has revealed several circumstances that led to the non-functionality of the Komenda Sugar factory.

    The Audit Team made up of experts from academia, industry, and independent sugarcane consultants revealed that a test runs on the facility were never completed before the Komenda Sugar Factory was re-commissioned in May 2016.

    This was due to the unavailability of sufficient sugarcane for the test run.

    The findings, which was dated September 2017 and October 10, 2017, also showed the factory never produced any sugar after it was reconstructed.

    Excerpts of the executive summary of the technical audit report shared by Abdul Malik Kweku Baako on his Facebook timeline stated that the reconstruction of the factory which was to be completed in October 2016, was completed in March 2016 seven months earlier than the expected date of completion.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Henry Quartey tasks MMDCEs to stop revenue under-declaration

    The Greater Accra Regional Minister Henry Quartey has advised Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) in the capital to stop under-declaring their revenue.

    He said for the region to improve local governance, the MMDCEs must block all forms of inefficiencies at the various assemblies.

    The Minister charged the assemblies to put in measures to block all leakages to help the government mobilize resources for development.

    He said available records showed that the Greater Accra Region mobilized funds through Internally Generated Funds of over 123 million cedis in 2017, whereas in 2019, it accounted for 40.1% of the national IGFs but dropped from 155 million to 147 million cedis in 2020 representing 37.5%.

    ”Clearly, we have underperformed. One would have thought that Greater Accra, being the cosmopolitan region that sees the movement of people in and out daily, and perhaps the numbers increasing, our IGF increasing, but rather as we can see it has dropped from forty-something per cent to 37 percent,” he lamented.

    ”We have underperformed. Something is not right, and that something must be resolved,” he added.

    Source: rainbowradioonline.com

  • Government has no plans to address rising fuel prices IES expresses fears

    With fuel prices at the pump being on a steady rise since April this year, the Institute for Energy Security (IES) is worried that there may not be an immediate solution to it.

    Already, the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has accused the government of being insensitive in its management of the situation especially now that a litre of petrol and diesel sell at GH¢6.80, reports citinewsroom.com.

    “Permit me to state from the word go, that the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia-NPP government has shown itself to be callous and does not appear a give a hoot about the plight of Ghanaians. Otherwise, what can be the justification for the rampant and persistent increases in fuel prices we are witnessing in Ghana today?” Sammy Gyamfi, the National Communications Officer of the NDC had stated.

    Nana Amoasi VII is the Executive Director of the IES and he fears the knee-jerk approach by the government only goes to prove that it has no immediate solution to the constant rise in fuel prices.

    “If care is not taken, we will see this price surging on the market consistently. You will ask how the government will negotiate to solve the situation, but unfortunately, where the government sits today, it will be able to reduce these taxes by more than 10 percent and the approach the government has taken, we call it knee-jerk because it is not sustainable.

    “There are other things the government must do to ensure that fuel prices remain stable. You can take away all the taxes, but trust me because we have mechanisms that have broken down, we will still come to the same GH¢6.80 per litre in less than six months because we have become price takers”, he emphasized.

    And with this situation persisting, the government subsequently promised the removal of the Price Stabilization and Recovery Levies (PRSL) component of fuel prices for only two months, with the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) confirming that the approval has been given by the president.

    This is however yet to take effect at the pumps even as many Ghanaians continue to lament about the devastating effects of the rise in fuel prices on their lives.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • ASEPA files complaint against Shatta Wale

    The Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA) has filed a criminal complaint at the Police CID against Charles Nii Armah Mensah popularly known as Shatta Wale.

    The group filed a complaint against the musician for publishing false news.

    The complaint read “we write to officially lodge a complaint with the Criminal investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service against Mr. Charles Nii Armah AKA Shatta Wale (first respondent) and his agent one Nana Dope (his alias) also referred to as the second respondent for publishing or causing to be published a false news item that had the potential to cause fear and panic and also had the potential to breach public peace.”

    It added “that on Monday 18. October 2021 by about 7 pm, news started making rounds on social media and major traditional media platforms that some unknown gunmen had allegedly shot and injured the first respondent leaving him in a critical condition. The news report further reported that the first respondent was receiving medical attention at an undisclosed hospital hem in Accra.”

    Read the complaint below

    Source: rainbowradioonline.com

  • Tarkwa: Two bullion van attackers arrested

    The Tarkwa Police Divisional Command has arrested two persons in connection with the robbery incident that occurred at Ransbet Supermarket, yesterday Monday, October 18, October 18, 2021, in the Tarkwa Municipality.

    The suspects, Charles Enning and Dorcas Akosua Amankwah, both workers of Mon-Trans Limited are assisting in the investigation following suspicion of complicity in the crime.

    Preliminary investigations indicate that suspects, Charles Enning, a driver and Dorcas Akosua Amankwah, a teller of the company, went to Ransbet Supermarket for proceeds made over the weekend to be deposited at the bank but failed to pick up the Police Officer who was detailed to provide security for them.

    In the process of putting the money into the bullion van, the suspects were attacked by a masked armed man and bolted with the money on a standby motorbike.

    The Police are pursuing the two robbers to bring them to justice.

    Meanwhile, any information that would lead to their arrest should be channelled to the Police for immediate action.

    Source: 3news.com

  • Stop under-declaring revenue – Henry Quartey to new MMDCEs

    The Greater Accra Regional Minister Henry Quartey has advised Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) in the capital to stop under-declaring their revenue.

    He said for the region to improve local governance, the MMDCEs must block all forms of inefficiencies at the various assemblies.

    The Minister charged the assemblies to put in measures to block all leakages to help the government mobilize resources for development.

    He said available records showed that the Greater Accra Region mobilized funds through Internally Generated Funds of over 123 million cedis in 2017, whereas in 2019, it accounted for 40.1% of the national IGFs but dropped from 155 million to 147 million cedis in 2020 representing 37.5%.

    ”Clearly, we have underperformed. One would have thought that Greater Accra, being the cosmopolitan region that sees the movement of people in and out daily, and perhaps the numbers increasing, our IGF increasing, but rather as we can see it has dropped from forty-something per cent to 37 per cent,” he lamented.

    ”We have underperformed. Something is not right, and that something must be resolved,” he added.

    Source: rainbowradioonline.com

  • ‘Our manifesto captured Oti region for agro processing enclave’ – Mahama

    Former President John Dramani Mahama, the 2020 Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has revealed that the Party’s 2020 manifesto captured the Oti Region as suitable for an agro-processing enclave.

    He said the area, which was noted for rice production needed the support to enable them process the product in addition to animal rearing.

    Mr Mahama addressing the Oti Regional House of Chiefs and other sub- chiefs at Nkwanta during his “Thank you” tour to the Region, noted that the region’s location showed that if money was invested into it, it would yield enough revenue to ensure creation of jobs to prevent rural urban migration.

    Mr Mahama said a rice factory for the Region would save about 800 million dollars used for rice importing every year.

    He also noted that a poultry factory for Oti would also produce eggs and chicken for the entire country, thereby saving money used for importing eggs and chicken.

    Mr Mahama further stated that palm plantations in the Region would also save the country from the importation of about 437,000 metric tonnes of palm oil being imported from Malaysia.

    He noted that hardship under the NPP government including increment in fuel prices, prices of cement and roofing sheets were worst as compared to his administration.

    Mr Mahama noted that the Eastern Corridor was a major project under the NDC, which would have been completed since 2018, adding that contractors were on site during his administration.

    He noted that there was the need for roads to completed to be routinely maintained.

    Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, National Chairman of the Party, noted that the tour to the Region was to show appreciation to the Region for voting massively for the NDC especially in securing all the eight Parliamentary seats in the Oti Region.

    He said the Party did not discriminate in allocating development projects nationwide.

    The Party Chairman noted that the NDC as a Party made plans to build regional hospitals and public universities in all new regions, which would have been created if they had won power.

    He commended the chiefs and people of the Region for taking into consideration their long-term development and not influenced by monetary gains in the last general elections.

    Nana Kanawu Addo Chederi II, on behalf of the Chiefs, noted that Mr Mahama’s visit was a prelude to the “bigger votes” the people of the region in 2024, adding that Mr Mahama would garner 50,000 votes in 2024.

    He said the warm reception Mr Mahama received from the Region anytime he visited was due to his charisma, honesty, humility and openness.

    The Chief noted that the former President’s God fearing and respect for tenets of power saved the state from being plunged into chaos during the 2020 general elections.

    Nana Addo Chederi noted that Mr Mahama’s and his predecessor’s stance on LGBTQAI+ was well-known, unambiguous and admirable because the societal norms of the people they represented were taken into consideration.

    The former President also met religious leaders and Party stakeholders.
    Mr Mahama is accompanied by Professor Jane Naana Opoku Agyeman, Running Mate of the Party, National, Regional and Constituency Executives.

    Source: GNA

  • We arrested Shatta Wale after he turned himself in Police

    The Ghana Police Service on Tuesday evening announced the arrest of dancehall artiste Charles Nii Armah Mensah, popularly referred to as Shatta Wale after he turned himself in.

    According to a Police statement, the musician who had been declared wanted along with an aide was subsequently arrested to assist with investigations into an October 18 viral post that he had been the victim of a gun attack.

    The statement read in part: “The Police have arrested Charles Nii Armah Mensah popularly known as Shatta Wale. After we publicly declared him and one other person wanted, the suspect, Shatta Wale, turned himself in today Tuesday 19th October, 2021, at 8.59pm.

    “He has been arrested to assist the Police in investigations for his alleged involvement in the creation and circulation of information intended to cause fear and panic.”

    Two photos accompanying the police information showed the musician in one frame bespectacled, in handcuffs and spotting a broad smile. The other photo shows a more sullen Shatta Wale.

    The police also reiterated its warning to members of the public: “to desist from publishing false information, capable of disturbing the peace of the country or risk being arrested and prosecuted.”

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Mankarigu health workers return to post

    Health workers at Mankarigu Health Centre in the North Gonja District of the Savannah Region have returned to post after partially closing down the facility on Friday, October 15.

    Their decision to return to work follows a meeting between the North Gonja District Health Directorate and opinion leaders from the Mankarigu community.

    Information gathered by 3news.com indicates the health workers have since returned the 15 anti-snake venoms (ASVs) to the health committee of the Mankarigu Health Centre.

    The opinion leaders at the meeting rendered an unqualified apology on behalf of the youth to the workers and also assured them of their safety and security.

    The health workers were accused of selling some 15 ASVs which were supposed to be administered for free.

    On Friday, October 15, some youth group believed to be members of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) attacked the workers over the reports, claiming the ASVs were procured by the Member of Parliament for Daboya-Mankarigu Constituency, Alhaji Asei Seini, for his constituents for free.

    Source: 3news.com

  • GHS alarmed at increase in hypertension, diabetes cases in the Greater Accra Region

    The Ghana Health Service (GHS) is alarmed at the increased spate of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the country, calling on the populace to be more responsible with their lifestyle choices.

    Making a case in point of Accra Metropolis in the Greater Accra Region, Acting Programme Manager of the NCDs Control Programme (NCDCP), Dr Afua Commeh, said from 2019 till date, over 29,000 cases of hypertension had been recorded within the city.

    “For Diabetes, the metropolis in 2019 recorded 4,200 cases, in 2020, 4,385, and as of end of September this year, 3,330 have been reported which means we are likely to hit 4,000 by end of year and this is just one metropolitan so you can imagine the figures nationwide,” she said, in an interview with the Ghanaian Times at a dissemination meeting on a digital tool being developed by the GHS to address the surge.

    The “NCD Digital Tool” to be piloted in the Accra Metropolitan and Ga Central Districts from November this year, would allow for data collection and information sharing on NCDs to provide early treatment and promote healthy living among persons suffering a condition.

    The medium, targeting conditions including hypertension, diabetes, asthma and cancer, would also empower members of the public to make the right health choices to avoid contracting NCDs.

    Dr Commeh said the majority of persons contracting NCDs in recent times were young people between the ages of 18 and 45 with a gradual rise in the number of children being diagnosed on one condition or the other.

    “Some of the children are born with it and others are picking them up as they grow and this is alarming. We must take our lifestyles choices more seriously now than ever and the fact that these diseases are becoming normalised is of great worry.

    “The sooner we wake up and take action on them, the better. From the home to our schools, we must watch what we eat, do physical activities, avoid alcohol and tobacco and other lifestyles that increase the risk for NCDs.”

    The Programmes Manager said the neglect of NCDs over the years was “coming back to haunt us as a nation” judging from the many people who have died from COVID-19 due to underlying conditions like hypertension and diabetes.

    “It has become necessary in that as we are all going about and chasing after COVID-19, our chronic disease also seems to be chasing after us.

    Unfortunately for us, since the pandemic took off in 2020 till date, our death toll gets worst by the day and over 90 per cent of them are as a result of these chronic diseases,” she stated.

    Dr Commeh entreated stakeholders at the meeting to be ambassadors of healthy living in their respective communities urging Ghanaians as well to frequent the hospitals for regular check-ups to pick up diseases in time and promote longevity.

    The Health Promotion Officer of Accra Metro, Andrew Abbey, urged stakeholders to help in awareness creation on NCDs.

    Responding to poor reception and attitude of some health staff during check-ups, Mr Abbey, asked individuals to report any wrong attitude by any health worker to the heads of the various health institutions, to encourage the habit of regular check-ups, among Ghanaians.

    Source: ghanaiantimes.com.gh

  • Ensure LGBTQ+ bill is passed – Chiefs tells Akufo-Addo

    Acting President of the Efutuakwa Traditional Area, Nana Afransie IV, has called on Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to ensure the passage of the Proper Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021, also known as the anti-LGBT Bill.

    According to Nana Afransie IV, all chiefs in the region are against the LGBTQ+ acts hence the need for the bill to be passed.

    “God created man and woman, but some people want to change this, which is not acceptable by our culture. We urge you to ensure the passage of the anti-LGBTQI+ Bill because all chiefs in this region are against it. So do well to ensure the bill is passed,” He said

    Nana Afransie made this call when President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo paid a courtesy call on her at Assin Fosu as part of his tour in the Central Region on Monday, October 18, 2021.

    A team of 8 MPs led by Samuel Nartey George have jointly submitted a private bill to push for the criminalization of LGBTQI+ activities in the country.

    The Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021 was laid in the House on Monday, August 2, 2021, and read for the first time.

    Second Deputy Speaker, Andrew Asiamah Amoako, subsequently referred the Bill to the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Committee for consideration.

    He urged the public to submit memoranda on the bill.

    It is based on this, that a group of 18 renowned lawyers, academics and other professionals sent a memorandum to parliament for the bill to be thrashed, stating that it violates the fundamental human right guaranteed in the constitution.

    Some Ghanaians have, however, bashed them for their position against the bill but they have clarified that their call for the bill to be thrashed is based on the fact that it violates all the fundamental human rights in the constitution and not that they are in support of gayism and lesbianism.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • GHS holds sensitisation meetings with NCD stakeholders

    The Ghana Health Service (GHS), on Monday organised a stakeholder sensitization meeting in Accra to introduce a new digital platform for sharing information and receiving feedback on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs).

    The digital platform, which was developed and hosted by the Non-Communicable Disease Control Programme (NCDCP), forms part of the efforts by the GHS to employ technology to leverage on the health care delivery system, to make it more resilient to epidemics.

    Dr Efua Commeh, the Acting Programme Manager, Non-Communicable Diseases, GHS, in an address, said NCDs both nationally and globally, were among the top four chronic diseases with high morbidity and mortality rates, and they resulted from a combination of genetic, physiological, environmental and behavioural factors.

    She said NCDs included heart disease, hypertension, stroke, cancer, diabetes and chronic lung disease, they often tend to be of long duration, therefore screening was highly important to ensure early detection, prevention and treatment.

    Dr Commeh encouraged the public to adopt healthy lifestyles by eating healthy foods, ensuring regular exercising and adequate sleep, avoiding tobacco use, as well as the excessive intake of alcohol, while improving their health care-seeking behaviours through routine medical screening.

    Mr Isaac Tandoh, an NCDCP Officer, said the COVID-19 pandemic had shown the importance of connecting clients, patients and the user to service providers remotely, explaining that the NCD digital tool, was all about communication.

    He said among the benefits of the tool were the sharing of knowledge and information on all kinds of diseases and receiving feedbacks to questions on chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, cancers and asthma, and encouraged all stakeholders to subscribe to the Application to be able to access these benefits.

    Mr Gilbert Mawufemor Komla Ashong, a Consultant for the GHS, gave a demonstration on how the digital platform could be used either by subscribing through the NCDCP website via an internet application, which was available only on smartphones, laptops and computers, saying collaborations were on-going with the Telcos, for extension of access on all other mobile phones sets.

    He said the focus of the App. among other objectives was to connect with and develop a biodata on Persons Living with NCDs for constant engagement for a sustainable treatment regime, have a detailed repository of subscribers for NCD information and materials, ensure message development and broadcast on specific NCDs and collect feedback.

    He said the digital tool was still in its design stage and would be piloted within the Accra Metro and the Ga Central Districts before the final roll-out nationally and called for further impute from stakeholders for its perfection.

    Mr Ashong encouraged all stakeholders especially community volunteers to help expand education on the use of the new digital tool within their respective communities and urged the media to do same to help reduce the rate of NCDs in Ghana.

    Dr Esi Turkson Cofie, Director of Metropolitan Health Service, GHS, stated that apart from COVID-19, there were other diseases that affected the population that were not being taken seriously.

    He appealed to all stakeholders including traditional leaders to support and intensify education on NCDs and the use of the digital tool within their communities for enhanced service delivery.

    Source: GNA

  • Enough of the foul cry, work towards 2024 Mahama advised

    Editor of the Whatsup news portal, David Tamakloe has advised former President John Mahama to channel his energy into working towards the 2024 election rather than crying foul over the 2020 elections.

    According to the editor, it is good that the former President has identified what went wrong in the last election. However, it will be unreasonable to focus on the past without working for the future.

    Speaking in an interview with Sefa-Danquah on the Happy Morning Show, he stated: “This is the time for former President Mahama to get his party together and for them to open their eyes in the next election because without that they will cry all the time that the ballot papers have been added and nothing will be done about it.

    What they need to do is to get down there and prepare for 2024 so that nobody in their infantile imagination will think that they can just rule abysmally, deliver any kind of governance to the people and use the ballot box to retain power.”

    Former President John Mahama has accused the Electoral Commission of thumb-printing more than one million extra ballot papers in favour of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections.

    According to him, “over one million extra ballot papers were printed, which the EC claimed happened by mistake but on the day of the elections, some of the more than one million extra ballot papers had already been secretly thumb-printed in favour of the NPP.”

    However, EC boss Mrs. Jean Mensa in a High-Level Meeting of the Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Winneba, Central Region described the 2020 elections as historic for the transparency, credibility, cost-effectiveness, high turn-out and peaceful conduct that characterized it.

    Source: happyghana.com

  • Two suspects arrested for assault on Police over phone sale at Circle

    Two men, Evans Addo aged 42 and Godfred Akrofi, 32 years old, have been arrested by the Accra Regional Police Command for assaulting a Policeman at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle in Accra.

    Police Constable Nii Okay Sampa was gravely assaulted on Monday at about 1530 hours when he prevented the sale of a fake mobile phone to a victim.

    According to Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Juliana Obeng, Head of Public Affairs Unit, Greater Accra Regional Police Command, the Officer went to Circle to meet a friend.

    She said, upon his arrival, he saw a group of men harassing and searching a gentleman, therefore, Constable Sampa approached them intending to resolve the issue.

    DSP Obeng said the victim explained to the Policeman that he wanted to buy a phone for which he had bargained the price and reached an agreement with the seller.

    However, she said the seller engaged the victim in a heated argument over the settled price, but the issue was resolved by the Policeman after the victim explained what was happening to him.

    DSP Obeng said the seller asked the victim to give him the phone so that he could package it for him after he completed the payment.

    All this while, she said the Policeman observed and noticed that the seller was making attempts to change the phone for which they had agreed on.

    The Policeman prevented the seller from selling a fake phone to the victim and collected the original phone, fake phone and phone case from the seller who was about swapping the original phone for the fake phone, DSP Obeng said.

    She said suddenly, a group of men, including suspects Evans Addo and Godfred Akrofi pounced on the officer and knocked him on the lips, resulting in a cut on his upper lips, beat him to bleed profusely and injured him gravely.

    DSP Juliana said they further cut open the pocket in which he kept the original phone, fake phone and phone case and took them away from him.

    The Policeman, during the attack, was rescued by the Patrol team who were on patrols in the area at the time, she said.

    DSP Obeng said the two suspects were arrested by the Patrol team and investigation into the matter had commenced. The suspects shall be arraigned before court.

    “The Accra Regional Police Command unreservedly condemns attacks on law enforcement officers. The command strongly warns that in no uncertain terms will such acts be countenanced,” she said.

    DSP Obeng said furthermore, the command would not hesitate to deal ruthlessly with any individual or group of persons found culpable of obstructing or attacking the Police in the performance of lawful duty.

    She encouraged members of the general public to channel their concerns through the Police Public Affairs Unit for the appropriate assistance.

    Source: GNA

  • NADMO is taking steps to minimize effects of floods – Mr Ayisi

    Mr. George Kwadwo Ayisi, Director of Communications, National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) Ghana, has said the Organisation is taking steps to help minimize the effects of floods on citizens.

    He said perennial flooding had been a problem in most areas in the capital, saying the organisation had identified such places and efforts were being made to curtail the situation, or minimize its effects in any eventualities.

    Mr Ayisi who disclosed this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, on Monday said some of the steps taken include collaborating with the Meteorological Department to provide daily reports on the weather patterns.

    “When we receive these daily reports, we relay them to our Regional and Districts officers who then relay same to people in their districts communities for them to prepare in case of any rains,” he said.

    He said NADMO had also identified some places dubbed ‘Safe Heavens’ including the Independence Square, Holy Spirit Cathedral among others in Accra, where people in flood prone areas could move to for safety during heavy downpours.

    Mr Ayisi said “community sensitization is also part of the measures we have put in place. People are engaged at the community level and enlightened about what they should do when the rain comes, and we are also partnering a number of Assemblies to do dredging in some areas”.

    He noted that somewhere last year, government constructed additional drains in some parts of Accra, to reduce the floods, and currently the Ministry of Works and Housing was engaged in dredging the odor drain as well as Kaneshie, Kwame Nkrumah Circle, and surrounding areas.

    The Director of Communications stressed that where flash flooding occured in people’s houses, the inconveniences were bound to happen, but NADMO only comes in to help when the lives and livelihoods of people were in danger.

    “In such situations, we ascertain the degree of the damage caused, and if there is the need to support with some relief items, we go ahead to do that,” he added.

    He cautioned the public about the current changes in weather pattern and urged them to heed to any information about rainfall.

    “Move away to safe places anytime the rains come, exercise patience and stay at home or a safe place when it’s about to rain. Do not drive or walk in flood waters and let us advise our children not to play in flood waters,” he added.

    Source: GNA

  • Human Trafficking: Government’s million cedis fund inadequate

    The International Justice Mission Ghana has revealed that the one million Ghana cedis allocated by government as human trafficking fund was inadequate.

    Mr Leonard Kobina Ackon, the Head of Advocacy and Partnerships at IJM Ghana, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview said the amount of money provided by the government to fuel the fight against human trafficking was woefully inadequate and must be looked at with critical care.

    He said the Anti Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) of the Ghana Police Service were faced with fundamental challenges which had rendered the Unit incapacitated to properly offer it service due to inadequate funds.

    Mr Ackon spoke to the GNA on the side-lines of a training workshop of the International Justice Mission (IJM) Young Journalists Followership Programme (YJFP), where journalists went through vigorous training to learn key concepts of advocating against human trafficking through comprehensive media reportage.

    He acknowledged the effort of government through the collaboration between AHTU and IJM Ghana for the past five years, which had gained results through identification of human trafficking cases on the Volta Lake.

    He said the collaboration had led to the rescue of victims and the arrest of perpetrators, which had the State Attorney getting a number of culprits prosecuted amongst others.

    He added that “Government is doing a lot but there is room for improvement”.

    Mr Ackon stressed that there were inadequate care homes to provide shelter for victims of human trafficking for both adults and children.

    He said the country had only one child-friendly shelter owned by the State, which provides housing accommodation for survivals of child trafficking and only one for female adults; “what happens to the male survivals of human trafficking and many other survivals who get rescued?”

    Mr Ackon said “Passionate people want to do something to fight the menace, but they are limited in regards to resources; “You go to some of these places and sometimes a vehicle to move into a community to help identify or help relieve a child out of exploitation is not available.

    “Sometimes even when there is a vehicle, how to fuel it to move to these danger zones to rescue children or people from exploitation is not available”.

    Mr Ackon said the human trafficking fund was the only source that provided care and support to survivors of human trafficking, hence the need for Government to increase the funding.

    He added that Ghanaians should be vigilant and inform the Ghana Police Service when confronted by agencies with juicy and lucrative offers outside the country since it could be a human trafficking syndicate.

    Mrs Jacqui Oyimer, Senior Associate, Community Relations, Advocacy and Partnerships at IJM Ghana, said the year-long programme offered media fellows the opportunity to increase their knowledge and build skills in advocating for the elimination of human trafficking in Ghana while expanding their networks and advancing their career.

    She added that the fight against human trafficking was a collective effort and applauded the media outlets for releasing unflinching support in fighting human trafficking in the country, by allowing their staff to embark on the Young Journalists Followership Program (YJFP).

    The ten journalists who were trained to champion this fight were: Philip Teye Kojo Agbove, Ghana News Agency-Tema; Senyalah Buayire Castro, Ghanaweb; Reuben Dwomoh, Nyce FM; Ellen Nana Adwoa Tenkoramaa Domena, Max24 Television; Alberta Adatorwovor, Victory FM; and Albert Kuzor, Asaase Radio.

    Others were Samuel Richie Ekow Boakye, Starr FM and GhOne Television; Paschaline Deladem Opeku, Volta Power; Judith Awortwi-Tandoh, Joy News/FM; and Elijah Manawuba Badim, Assase FM.

    Source: GNA

  • We are looking for reportedly ‘shot, missing’ Shatta Wale – Police

    The Ghana Police Service has begun a search for popular Ghanaian dancehall musician, Shatta Wale, following an alleged gunshot-attack.

    A statement released by the Ghana Police Service Monday said they had taken steps to ascertain the whereabouts of the multiple award-winning Reggae and Dancehall musician who was currently missing.

    “The attention of the Police has been drawn to the widely circulated news on the alleged gunshot-attack on one Charles Nii Armah Mensah, popularly known as Shatta Wale,” it said in a Facebook post.

    “On hearing the news, the Police have launched an investigation into the matter, including making contacts with some of his close friends and family members and all of them claim not to have knowledge of his whereabouts or the alleged incident.

    “A team has visited the house of Shatta Wale and he cannot be found there.

    “Over the last few hours, the Police have searched and continue to look for Shatta Wale at hospitals in Accra.

    “Whilst we continue our investigations, the Police is appealing to the public to provide any information concerning the whereabouts of Shatta Wale to the numbers 18555, 191 and 0302773906.”

    Born 17th October, 1984, Shatta is a producer, a reggae-dancehall musician and actor.

    He is best known for his biggest breakthrough hit song Dancehall King, which led to winning the Artiste of the Year at the 2014 edition of the Ghana Music Awards.

    Source: GNA

  • Okada usage must be restricted to certain roads

    Mr Gayheart Edem Mensah, a presidential aspirant of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), has urged the authorities to limit the use of Okada on certain major roads and restrict them to communities where their services are essential.

    “The Okada business has come to stay and we have to legalize their usage in some communities where their services are necessary…. because we cannot do away with them,” he said.

    Mr Mensah was speaking at the Tema Regional Office of the Ghana News Agency on the Motor Transport and Traffic Department (MTTD) accident prevention platform.

    The platform seeks to create awareness on safety regulations for road users, educate them on their responsibilities and sensitize drivers on the rules and regulations.

    “We need to identify areas such as the motorway, highways, ceremonial streets and some parts of the urban centers and restrict the operations of okada at these areas,” he said.

    Mr Mensah said the okada business provided some economic benefits for the country and could not be totally done away with.

    He noted that some tricycles on the highways also contributed to the carnage on the roads, which became a burden on the state.

    He urged journalist to advocate road safety issues in their various communities to educate the public on the need to contribute their quota to reduce accidents.

    Mr Francis Ameyibor, the Tema Regional Manager, GNA, said road safety was a shared responsibility and Ghanaians should prioritise their safety when using the roads.

    “No single individual can say that he or she does not use the road, we are all road users, either as a passenger, a driver or a pedestrian, a cyclist or motor rider,” he said.

    He urged Ghanaians to rise-up and help in the fight against road accidents, saying; “Let us all fight against the carnage on our roads. Let us stop road accidents and join forces to fight for safer roads”.

    Source: GNA

  • Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill: ‘A practice that threatens nature cannot be right’ – Okoe-Boye

    Former Deputy Health Minister, Dr. Bernard Okoe-Boye has thrown his support for the anti-gay bill stressing ”once a practice can threaten nature, that practice cannot be right.”

    Dr. Okoe Boye called on the nation’s leaders including the learned community constituting lawyer Akoto Ampaw, Professor Raymond Atuguba, Charles Wereko-Brobbey and others who are against the passage of the bill to rather join the crusade to prevent homosexuality in Ghana.

    Describing the lawyer Akoto Ampaw and his likes as ”academic principalities”, he stressed; ”What’s happening is not normal but a breaking point for Ghana as a country.

    “This is the time that we, as leaders, have to stand up and show not only our academic values and competence but our beliefs. You see, a leader is judged not only by what he can but what he believes in as well.”

    According to him, ”laws is a collection of the beliefs of a country, their history, their religion, their culture; all these come together to form the laws”, hence believing that the bill will help in stopping LGBTQ+ activities.

    He made these comments on Peace FM’s ”Kokrokoo” on Friday, October 15, 2021.

    Source: peacefmonline.com

    Source: peacefmonline.com

  • Governments must serve and deliver excellent citizen experience – Senyo Hosi

    Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors (CBOD), Senyo Hosi, says it is important to redefine leadership as a call to serve and to ensure a conducive environment for better citizen experience.

    He said this in an address to the audience at the Customer Experience Professionals (CXP) Ghana Conference in Accra.

    Mr Hosi explained that a reorientation of public servants towards better service delivery is key to fostering an enabling environment for economic growth and national development.

    “People will easily forget what you give them but will hardly forget how you make them feel, and that is important in our entire governance structure because through multiple means, we see the experience that other citizens and other nations have, so the expectations of government and the public service is going to get higher. The more citizens get frustrated, the only thing you get at some point is a revolt,” he said.

    This notwithstanding, the CBOD CEO emphasised the role of the ordinary Ghanaian, whom he said must first understand that the authority for governance emanates from the people.

    Mr. Hosi noted the need to develop, strengthen and change the perceptions and behaviour of Ghanaians towards citizen experience while government realigns itself with making the country a better place.

    He continued, “Everybody has a role to play in customer experience. We as citizens have a very unique relationship with the entire experience because we are shareholders of the entity called Ghana, and at the same time, are also customers to the people we appoint to actually serve us those with the mandate to administer public goods and services.”

    Source: thefinderonline.com

  • Heavy traffic to hit Accra as contractor requests 2 more days for repairs on major stretch

    Heavy traffic is expected to hit a major road stretch in the capital, Accra as the road contractor working on repair works between Boundary Road and Shiashie, has requested two more days to complete work.

    The Boundary road was closed to motorists on Friday midnight to enable repair works on a 500-meter road commencing from Shiashie.

    Resident Engineer, Ben Sackey who spoke to Citi News explained why they requested two more days to complete the work.

    “Initially we anticipated that by tomorrow (Monday, October 18) we will open traffic but due to a few challenges we witnessed on the side, this will take us a day or two before we complete it.

    “Our intention was to finish the work and then open it to traffic, but we have the second thought of doing the continuous work to the asphalt level before we open it to the public so that we do not come back.”

    The Ministry of Roads and Highways announced the blockage of the boundary road from the Tetteh Quarshie interchange to the public from 15th to 17th October 2021.

    A statement from the Roads Ministry acting through the Department of Urban Roads stated, “There will be an interruption to traffic flow within Shaishie and its environs from midnight of Friday, 15th through to midnight of Sunday, 17th October 2021, to enable the contractor to undertake repair works [on parts of the road].”

    Over the weekend, there was massive traffic from the 37 Military hospital road towards Madina and also from the N1 road at Dzorwulu towards the Tetteh Quarshie roundabout.

    The Ministry urged motorists to follow diversion signs to allow smooth flow of traffic while apologizing to the public.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Hearts of Oak beef up preparations for Wydad AC clash on Sunday

    Hearts of Oak on Thursday beefed up their preparations for their CAF Champions League match against Wydad AC.

    The Phobians will face the Moroccans this weekend in a playoff encounter for a place in the CAF elite inter-club competition’s group round.

    The first of two scheduled games between Hearts of Oak and Wydad AC will take place at the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday, October 17, 2021.

    Goalkeeper Richard Attah, who was with the Black Stars for the 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifiers against Zimbabwe, has rejoined with his teammates ahead of the crucial games.

    Source: footballghana.com

  • NLA announces licensing of Private Lotto Operators

    The Management of the National Lottery Authority (NLA) has announced the completion of the Pre-Qualification phase for licensing of all operators of private lotto (OPL) for the 2021/2022 licensing year.

    In a press statement copied to Kingdom FM, NLA said it wishes to encourage OPLs to take steps to regularize their operations.

    “Effective 1st November 2021, NLA, in collaboration with the security services, will clamp down on all unlicensed lottery operators to sanitize the lotto industry.”

    Read Full Statement Below

    LICENSING OF OPERATORS OF PRIVATE LOTTO FOR 2021/2022

    The National Lottery Authority (NLA) wishes to announce the completion of the Pre-Qualification phase for licensing of all operators of private lotto (OPL) for the 2021/2022 licensing year.

    Subsequently, all OPls who submitted their duly completed Pre-Qualification Forms to NLA are hereby requested to contact the Operations Office at the NLA Head Office, Fortune House First floor, Accra for Licensing Application Forms and Payment Terms.

    The deadline for submission of duly completed Licensing Application Forms and for making payments is October 29, 2021. Licensing of OPLs for the 2021/2022 licensing year will commence on November 1, 2021.

    NLA would like to encourage OPLs to take steps to regularize their operations.

    Effective 1st November 2021, NLA, in collaboration with the security services, will clamp down on all unlicensed lottery operators to sanitize the lotto industry.

    Source: kingdomfmonline.com

  • Lawyer to challenge LGBTQ+ bill at Supreme Court

    A private legal practitioner, George Bernard Shaw, has sworn to challenge the anti-LGBTQ+ before parliament at the Supreme Court.

    According to him, the bill before parliament breaches the fundamental human rights guaranteed in the constitution.

    He adds that people are confusing morality with the law, this he says should not happen in a democratic dispensation.

    Speaking on Citi TV’s Eye Witness News, he said, “the bill is against basic human rights because Ghana has subscribed to a lot of international conventions and treaties that prohibit discrimination. People are confusing morality with law. If you identify as a homosexual, you are likely or liable to be imprisoned and for me who is a human rights activist, I can be jailed for promoting, propagating, and advancing or even explaining why. Like what I am doing now when the bill is passed, I can be jailed and this should not happen in a democratic dispensation.”

    The issue of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Intersex Rights (LGBTQ+) act and rights has become a subject for discussion in the country for weeks now.

    Social media has been riddled with discussions on the subject, topping trends.

    The conversation on the rights of persons of the LGBTQ+ community in Ghana resurfaced, mainly after news broke of the opening of a new office for persons of this sexual orientation in Accra.

    While some 8 Members of Parliament have presented a bill before parliament to criminalize the act of LGBTQ+, a group of 18 renowned lawyers and other professionals have also sent a memorandum to parliament for the bill to be thrashed.

    According to them, the bill violates the fundamental human rights guaranteed in the constitution.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Allotey Jacobs fumes over LGBTQ+ right conversation

    Social commentator, Bernard Allotey Jacobs has expressed fury over the LGBTQ+ community fighting for the legalization of their activities in Ghana.

    There is currently anti-LGBTQ+ bill proposed by Ningo-Prampram MP, Sam George, before Parliament to outlaw homosexual activities and ensure any person who publicly identifies himself or herself as a member of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ+) faces a jail sentence or fine.

    But an elite group has stood against the passage of the bill arguing it is a violation of fundamental human rights, hence incurring the wrath of many Ghanaians.

    Their position has been interpreted by some Ghanaians as either they promoting homosexual practices or are members of the LGBTQ+ community.

    Contributing to a panel discussion on Peace FM’s ”Kokrokoo”, Bernard Allotey Jacobs, being against gay activities, likened them to animals.

    ”You are an animal If you are gay”, he fumed.

    To him, the push for legalization or acceptance of homosexual practices in Ghana is an agenda by the Western superpowers but strongly believed their agenda won’t materialize in Ghana.

    ”The whole thing is targeted on Africans, more on Africans. You can’t go and do that in Thailand. You can’t go and do that in Indonesia. Why Africa? Why? The birthplace of civilization! What has happened to us?”, he expressed his disgust.

    Source: peacefmonline.com

  • Employees who repeat mistakes at workplace may be mentally unstable Psychologist

    The National President of Ghana Psychological Association (GPA), Dr. Collins Badu Agyemang, has linked constant errors by employees at the workplace to mental health challenges.

    He revealed in an interview that a number of employees are going through a lot of work-related stress however, they are unable to voice out their grievances to get the needed mental help.

    “There are a number of employees from our practice who make mistakes, they get it wrong [but] they keep repeating it. It may not be as a result of non-performance but simply because there may be spillover effects. They are finding it difficult to manage their work with their life or their life with their work…”, he said in a Joy News monitored by Angelonline.com.gh.

    In August 2021, the GPA revealed that personnel in the security services and media professionals are victims of poor mental health due to the nature of their work and abysmal working conditions.

    According to Dr. Badu Agyemang, the inability of workers to find solutions to life-changing challenges confronting them can result in substance abuse and subsequently impact negatively on their work.

    “They [employees] are finding it difficult to deal with home-related violence, they are finding it difficult to manage life-related challenges that they are confronted with… Some begin to use drugs, they will be drinking, smoking [and] hanging out with their colleagues at work till 4:00am on Saturday”, he said.

    While emphasizing that these are signs that many employees are going through difficult times and they need help, he questioned the preparedness of Human Resource directors to adequately support workers.

    Dr. Agyemang outlined a number of occupational stresses including work-related conflicts, bullying at the workplace, workplace harassment, all of which he believes make employees depressed.

    The Mental Health Foundation, based in UK, has indicated that mental health problems are “the leading cause of sickness absence. A staggering 70 million work days are lost each year due to mental health problems in the UK, costing employers approximately £2.4 billion per year”.

    The GPA president has therefore challenged the Ministry of Employment to address the mental health of employees.

    Again, he urged HR managers and organizations to be taught to prioritize mental health and optimize support for wellbeing and psychological health of employees just as is done for biological health.

    Source: angelonline.com.gh

    Source: angelonline.com.gh

  • Ghana Card almost ready for 2024 voting exercise NIA

    The National Identification Authority (NIA) has said plans are underway to integrate the Voter Identification Card into the Ghana Card to enable bearers of the latter vote with it in 2024 General Elections.

    Speaking to Kofi Adoma Nwanwani on the Anopa Bↄfoↄ morning show on Tuesday, October 13, 2021, spokesperson for the Authority, Abdul Ganiwu disclosed that the only restraining problem in getting holders of Ghana Card to vote is the polling station number.

    “Between now and 2024 is a long period to engage the Electoral Commission (EC) so that they can generate that information [polling station numbers] for Ghana Card users. So, when you are 18 years and above, you can tell the EC where you want to vote and it will be done,” he said.

    The NIA estimates that 85% of Ghanaians aged 15 years and above have been registered for the NIA card.

    Mr. Ganiwu noted that the system is designed to automatically detect and update information of persons who are below the voting age to enable them exercise their rights.

    The Ghana Card is expected to replace all identity cards in use for accessing services across the country.

    Currently, it has been integrated into the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) system to help bearers transact business under the scheme.

    Telecommunication companies have also been directed to register all sim card users with it, without which their numbers would be blocked.

    Source: angelonline.com.gh

  • Parents must pay attention to red flags – Psychologists

    Parents must watch out for red flags in managing children’s behaviour, Dr Mrs Sandra Thompson-Assan, a researcher and a counselling psychologist of Tema International School, has stated.

    Speaking at the Grace Presbyterian Church Tema Community Eleven, as part of education week celebration, Dr. Mrs. Thompson-Assan said, red flags have to do with things parents needed to be worried about.

    “Again, red flags are certain emotions that children would usually show to us at home and it also has to do with dangers that children are going through,” she said.

    She said children usually do not show their inside out to parents even though they go through a lot as they aged, but some of these things they go through could be detected by non-verbal signs.

    Dr. Thompson-Assan indicated that, when a child was unable to manage emotions, poor impulse control, failure to respond to discipline, sexualise behaviour among others, then it should be a course for worry.

    She noted that, some children were scared to share with parents what they went through for fear of being beaten, insulted, yelled at and screamed at, which inflicted more pain on them.

    Mrs Thompson-Assan urged parents to engage in communication, open up and have that listening ears and to validate the children’s experiences.

    She indicated that the behaviour of today’s children was hidden in their laptops, computers, iPad among others, parents should not allow their children to be on these gadgets for more than thirty minutes without intermittent checks on them.

    She noted that there were a lot of suicidal platforms on the internet these days and children were practicing, so parents should be on guard.

    Dr Thompson-Assan said sometimes some of the behaviours they put up, could also have medical underlings, because every part of the brain corresponds to some of the behaviours they put up.

    She encouraged parents to visit the hospital when a child behaves anyhow, for the doctor to ascertain whether it was a medical condition or would need a psychological checkup.

    “Be careful who you entrust your child with when you go to work, being it your gardener, driver, nannies, or even family relations, because they have ways of exposing the children to unhealthy behaviours,” she said.

    Source: gna.org.gh

  • Is it not time to open our land borders? – Gabby asks

    Since Ghana recorded its first case of coronavirus, land borders were closed and to date, the situation remains the same.

    There have been several calls and agitations from traders, border town neighbours and some members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) on the government to as a matter of urgency reopen the land borders.

    The latest to join in the call is the cousin of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

    Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko wondered if the time is not ripe for the governing New Patriotic Party to reopen the land borders and beaches.

    In his view, the land borders should be reopened but Ghanaians and other key stakeholders need to be cautious.

    In a tweet sighted by GhanaWeb, he said life still goes on despite the outbreak of coronavirus.

    Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko said, “Is it not time to reopen our land borders and beaches, but without letting our guard down? If COVID-19 is now the norm then life must go on but with care.”

    Meanwhile, Ghana continues to receive vaccines from some countries to aid the fight against the pandemic.

    On September 14, 2021, Ghana received 98,400 doses of COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccines donated by the government of Norway through the COVAX facility.

    Early this month, Ghana took delivery of more than 1.3 million Pfizer vaccines from the US government. The Pfizer vaccine came with 222,000 vials.

    The delivery brings the total of United States donated vaccines to more than 2.5 million doses.

    Read Gabby’s tweet below.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Kwesi Dawood saga: NDC quashes suspension of officer accused of incest

    The National Democratic Congress, NDC, on Wednesday (October 13) quashed a decision by a regional branch to suspend an embattled officer facing charges of incest.

    Kwesi Dawood, the Central Regional Communications Officer was suspended by the regional executives after reports emerged that he had had sexual relations with his 15-year-old daughter.

    But a letter signed by Johnson Asiedu Nketia, the NDC General Secretary said the Functional Executive Committee, FEC, at a meeting on Wednesday (October 13, 2021) had overturned the decision stating among others that it was prejudicial and violated his rights as a criminally accused person.

    “The Functional Executive Committee of the party, at its meeting held today, 13th October 2021 took the view that the suspension of Mr. Kwesi Dawood is not only prejudicial to the matter pending in Court, but that same violates the rights of a criminally accused person to a fair trial, the rules of natural justice and Article 46(1)(a)(c)(d) of the NDC Constitution.”

    “…Only the Functional Executive Committee at the national level of the party has the power to suspend an office holder of the party at the regional level. Consequently, FEC has quashed the purported suspension of the Central Regional Communication Officer, Mr. Kwesi Dawood by the Central Regional Executive Committee of the party, as same is wrongful and without regard for due process,” the statement explained.

    Allegations of incest against Kwesi Dawood

    Kwesi Dawood is battling with the law after his 15-year-old daughter made allegations of defilement against him.

    He is reported to have subjected the girl to sexual intercourse which is termed as incest.

    He was declared wanted by the police in the Central Regional capital of Cape Coast but he turned himself and was processed for court on Wednesday, October 13, 2021.

    He has since been granted bail to the tune of GH¢30,000 by the Cape Coast Circuit Court.

    Read the full statement by NDC FEC below:

    FEC QUASHES SUSPENSION OF CENTRAL REGIONAL COMMUNICATION OFFICER OF THE NDC, MR. KWESI DAWOOD.

    The Functional Executive Committee (FEC) of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has taken note of reports in the media that the Central Regional Communication Officer, Mr. Kwesi Dawood has been suspended by the Central Regional Executive Committee of the party over some allegations that are pending before a Court of Competent Jurisdiction.

    Our attention has also been drawn to media interviews granted by the Central Regional Secretary of the party, Mr. Kojo Quansah in which he confirmed the said decision by the Central Regional Executive Committee.

    The Functional Executive Committee of the party at its meeting held today, 13th October, 2021 took the view that the suspension of Mr. Kwesi Dawood is not only prejudicial to the matter pending in Court, but that same violates the rights of a criminally accused person to a fair trial, the rules of natural justice and Article 46(1)(a)(c)(d) of the NDC Constitution which provides as follows;

    Article 46: SPECIAL COMPLAINTS COMMITTEE

    (1) A Special Complaints Committee comprising three (3) members shall be established at various levels of the party structure to perform the following functions:

    (a) Receive complaints at various levels related to acts or omissions by PARTY OFFICE HOLDERS that constitute a breach of chapter eight on the Code of Conduct and the Disciplinary Code.

    (c) The Special Complaints Committee shall investigate the matter complained of and make appropriate recommendations to the NEXT LEVEL and

    (d) THE LEADERSHIP OF THE NEXT LEVEL shall deal with the report on the complaints as appropriate.

    It is evident from the foregoing, that only the Functional Executive Committee at the national level of the party has the power to suspend an office holder of the party at the regional level.

    Consequently, FEC has quashed the purported suspension of Central Regional Communication Officer, Mr. Kwesi Dawood by the Central Regional Executive Committee of the party, as same is wrongful and without regard for due process.

    As a law abiding party, we do not and will not condone crime of any form. Neither will we judge an accused person unheard nor presume him guilty until proven innocent. Thus, the Functional Executive Committee will abide by the decision of the Court hearing the matter on the guilt or innocence of the accused person, before we decide on whether or not he should be subjected to disciplinary proceedings of the party.

    The leadership of the party will be meeting with the Central Regional Executive Committee in the coming days to resolve all outstanding issues. We urge all officials and members of the Party in the Central Region, particularly members of the Communication Team to stay focused and work hard with a united sense of purpose towards the Victory 2024 Agenda of the party.

    Signed,
    Johnson Asiedu Nketiah
    General Secretary

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • 44 villages in Drobo State support the Anti-LGBTQI+ Bill, warns MP not to vote against it

    Forty-four villages of Drobo State, led by the paramount chief, Okokyeredom Sakyi Ako II, have supported the passage of the anti-LGBTQI+ bill.

    According to the villages, the activities of the LGBTQI+ community are alien to the cultural values of Ghanaians.

    Addressing the media at Drobo after the deliberations, Okokyeredom Sakyi Ako II, said they are fully in support of the bill.

    This was after the villages met this quarter to deliberate on the matter.
    The deliberations involved the chiefs, assembly members, youth leaders, and identifiable groups in Drobo to express their opinions.

    “We cannot allow our culture to be derailed by this. It is purely alien to us. It is not in our culture. Our religious beliefs as Christians, Muslims, or traditional religion, it is not in us to practice such acts”, he said.

    He described the acts of gays and lesbians as an abomination and unacceptable in their communities.

    According to him, the villages have by a unanimous decision consent to the bill, which would curtail the activities of the LGBTQ+ community.

    The chiefs and people of Drobo have also issued a strong warning to their Member of Parliament (Jaman South constituency), Williams Okofo Darteh not to vote against the bill.

    “We have warned our parliamentarian that he is to carry on with what we have sent him to do. This is what Droboman wants him to do. If he goes to do the contrary, then he has lost faith in us, and we will also lose faith in him, and come the next elections, we would decide on this”, the chief stated.

    He also indicated that they have a way of dealing with persons who engage in such activities.

    To him, activities of LGBTQI+ “are against the earth, God, and our ancestors”, and has, therefore, “informed all the chiefs to bring to our notice of any such acts so that the right rituals would be performed to cleanse the land, the ancestry, God, and the offender”.

    Okokyeredom Sakyi Ako II, who is also the Vice President of the Bono Regional house of chiefs said traditional councils are expected to make their pronouncement on the bill.

    Source: rainbowradioonline.com

  • NDCs Kwesi Dawood reports himself to police for investigation over incest allegations

    The Cape Coast police are interrogating Kwesi Dawood, the recently suspended Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress, over the allegations of incest levelled against him by his teenage daughter.

    According to a Daily Guide report, Dawood reported himself to the police in the company of two lawyers, and three other persons, where he underwent a long interrogation.

    It continued that the victim and her mother, Mavis Ayite, were also said to have been at the police station upon an invitation, and also as part of the investigating process into the case.

    Earlier, GhanaWeb reported on how Kwesi Dawood had allegedly been sleeping with his daughter since 2019 when she was only 15-years-old and going on to impregnate her.

    Following that, it was reported that the NDC executive forced her to have an abortion, from which she is said to have bled for about a week thereafter.

    “He then allegedly got his friend to administer an injection to terminate the pregnancy last year, and according to the victim, she bled for more than two weeks.

    “It has been haunting me. He made me go for an abortion. He started having sex with me in 2019. The last time he had sex with me was in June 2021. He was NADMO Coordinator and is the current NDC Regional Communications Officer. He did not look after me,” Daily Guide had earlier reported of the girl saying.

    The paper also reported that the girl claimed that her father had beaten her up when he found out that she had reported the incestuous act to her mother, following which the case was reported to the Swedru police.

    “My mother was not happy for me to leave and go and stay with him. He promised to send me abroad to further my education and warned that if I reveal the act to anybody, he was going to end the plans to send me out for my education,” she is reported to have added.

    Later, a communication from the NDC stated that the party had suspended the suspect, pending investigations before its Disciplinary Committee.

    Kwesi Dawood on his part had vehemently denied any such claims, blaming it as being a scheme being pushed by people within the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP).

    He also said that the girl (the victim) in question is not his daughter but only a TESCON member at the University of Education, Winneba.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • How 9 Ghanaians en route to US were rescued in abandoned container in Guatemala

    Police in Guatemala over the weekend confirmed that nine Ghanaians were part of 126 illegal migrants abandoned in a shipping container by suspected human traffickers at the side of a road.

    An October 9 post on their Twitter handle said police acted after a complaint about an abandoned trailer with persons screaming from inside one of its containers reached their offices.

    “Shouts and blows were heard coming from the container, inside it were 126 undocumented people. 109 from Haiti, 11 from Nepal and 9 from Ghana, humanitarian assistance was provided and then they were transferred to the shelters of the Guatemalan Migration Institute,” a translation of their follow-up tweet read.

    Police said they suspected that the group had been abandoned by human smugglers at the 114-kilometer route that leads from Cocales to Nueva Concepción, located in the east of the southern American nation.

    They were loaded in a header C-193BVB, hooked to the TC007CBH van, police added saying that they believed that the group were being moved through Guatemala to Mexico en route to the United States.

    A spokeswoman for the country’s migration body said they believed that the migrants had entered Guatemala from Honduras and will subsequently be returned to authorities in the neighbouring country.

    The BBC quoted a police spokesperson as saying: “We heard cries and knocks coming from inside the container. We opened the doors and found inside 126 undocumented people.”

    A wave of air travels to southern America was recently reported across Muslim-dominated communities in parts of Accra, especially Nima.

    Most of the people who were traveling to Brazil according to reports were aiming to make an onward journey by road from Brazil to the United States.

    It is not the first time that Africans, in general, have been reported to have attempted to go through southern America with an eye on entering the US via its southern borders.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Use radio to propagate socioeconomic development – Oppong-Nkrumah

    The Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah, has called on owners of media establishments to use their outlets, particularly radio, to educate and sensitise the public on the need to support the government in its development efforts.

    He noted that such programmes would accelerate the socio-economic development of communities to improve livelihoods.

    According to him, radio was a powerful tool in helping to promote socio-economic growth and development opportunities in every community which must not be misplaced to the detriment of its catchment area.

    Mr Nkrumah, who is the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ofoase-Ayirebi Constituency in the Eastern Region, on Saturday joined his colleague, Della Sowah, the MP for Kpando Constituency in the Volta Region to unveil a new radio station, Akpini Radio for the people of Kpando, and its surrounding communities.

    The station is expected to serve Kpando, Sovie, Gbefi and Kudzra among other communities to educate and sensitise the communities on the development agenda of the leadership, traditional authorities and other stakeholders of the constituency.

    He encouraged the owner of the station and his workforce to endeavour to be professional and development-oriented in their programmes so as to accelerate the progress and growth of the area.

    Mr Nkrumah admonished them not to allow the investment to go waste but initiate programmes that would attract investment.

    “The media is a powerful tool for accelerated socio-economic development if we use it positively, I will entreat the owner of the station to use radio as a tool to transform society,” he stressed.

    On her part, Madam Sowah assured her constituents the new radio station would serve the interest of all so as to improve livelihoods and transform the area.

    “It has been the desire of the people of Kpando to also have a radio station to propagate the investment potential of the area. This is an important day in our lives for opening Akpini Radio to present the municipality with correct information on trending issues, impart knowledge, skills, avoid peddling falsehood and fake news but be the voice of the people,” she averred.

    Madam Sowah expressed appreciation to Mr Nkrumah and Abla Dzifa Gomashie, MP for Ketu South in the Volta Region, for taking time off their busy schedules to grace the occasion.

    Source: ghanaiantimes.com.gh

  • Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill to provide psychological support to victims, accused persons

    • The bill will also protect victims and accused persons from been harassed or abused

    • Persons who identify as LGBTQ+ will be provided with psychological support per provisions in the bill

    The anti-LGBTQI+ Bill which has been put before parliament for consideration has made provisions for the support of persons who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and (LGBTTQ+),

    Portions of the Bill dubbed, “The promotion of Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Value” has components of social support systems which its propagators indicate will help persons within the LGBTQ+ community understand their sexuality.

    This, per the bill, includes psychological support.

    “As sponsors of the Bill, we also recognize that groups of vulnerable persons in the LGBTTQQIAAP+ discussion ought to receive support to address underlying biological, social and economic issues that make them prone to the rapacious activities of persons involved in LGBTTQQIAAP+ activities. Social support systems must be established to help the vulnerable persons understand their sexuality and to access psychological or physiological support where necessary.” The bill stated.

    Sponsors of the anti-LGBTQ Bill also indicate that members of the community will not be harassed or abused for their sexual activities under the Bill before parliament.

    Among the provisions made for victims;

    (1) A person who is a victim of a sexual activity prohibited under this Act shall not be penalised for the involvement of the person in the sexual activity.

    (2) The Court may order a person convicted of an offence under this Act to, in addition to the sentence imposed, pay compensation to the victim of the offence for any physical or psychological harm caused to the victim.

    (3) The Court, in determining the amount of compensation to be paid by the convicted person, shall take into consideration
    (a) the extent of harm suffered by the victim;
    (b) the degree of force used on the victim; and
    (c) medical and other expenses incurred by the victim as a result of the offence.

    (4) At any stage of investigation or trial of an offence under this Act, the law enforcement officer, prosecutor, judicial officer, medical practitioner or any other person involved in the investigation or trial shall respect the right to privacy of the accused or complainant.

    (5) Where the complaint relates to a child, proceedings shall be held in camera.

    (6) The Court may, in addition to an order made under this Act, order the victim of an offence under this Act to undergo therapy provided by an approved service provider where the Court determines that the victim is traumatised by the sexual activity. The bill specifies.

    Background

    There have been a lot of reactions from some citizens with regards to the LGBTQ+ bill before parliament that seeks to criminalise the LGBTQ+ acts.

    The bill is being spearheaded by the Member of Parliament of the Ningo Prampram, Sam Nartey George and 7 other MPs.

    However, a group of 18 renowned lawyers and professionals have sent a memorandum to parliament for the bill to be withdrawn as they claim it violates the fundamental human rights guaranteed in the constitution.

    These opposing views have generated a lot of discussion on both local and international platforms.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Avian flu hits two farms in Nsawam

    Two farms in Nsawam in the Eastern Region have recorded cases of avian influenza.

    Confirming this to 3news.com over the weekend, the Eastern Regional Health Director, Dr. Winfred Ofosu, said the two farms have since been destroyed.

    He further explained that surveillance has been mounted on farms in the municipality to avoid further spread.

    Also known as bird flu, the disease hit about four regions in July with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture issuing a ban on the movement of poultry and poultry products.

    Source: 3news.com

  • MDF to fund community projects soon – Deputy Lands minister

    The Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Mr George Mireku Duker, has assured mining communities of the immediate release of the Mineral Development Fund (MDF), to expedite the completion of ongoing projects in the various mining areas.

    He said his outfit had engaged the Finance Ministry to discuss the timely release of funds to the MDF Board and not through the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) for onward disbursements which are often delayed.

    “I wish to state that the MDF Board from September 2020 has since been receiving its 20 percent funds due them. The Ministry will frequently expedite the immediate release of funds for its community developmental projects,” he said.

    Mr Duke made this remarked on Friday, in Accra, at the opening ceremony of a two-day multi-stakeholder workshop on the Mining Community Development Scheme (MCDS).

    It was organized by the West Africa Governance and Economic Sustainability in Extractive Area Project (WAGES) in collaboration with the MDF Board and the Ghana Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative.

    The purpose of the workshop among other things was to strengthen the coordination between the Local Management Committee (LMC) of MDF and stakeholders, to create an enabling environment of knowledge sharing that will equip the LMC.

    Mr Duker said the reason for the fair by-partisan composition of the LMC was to ensure the inclusion of relevant stakeholders in mining communities, to champion the needed socio-economic development of their people.

    He said members of the LMC included, a chairperson appointed by the Board of MDF in consultation with the District Assembly and traditional authorities of the mining community, the appointment of the District Chief Executive of the mining area,and a member from the traditional rulers of the mining community, among others.

    “In furtherance to the operationalization of the LMC to ensure transparency and compliance in disbursement, the Managers of the MDF in August 2020 developed guidelines for the disbursement and management of the MCDS.

    “This was to among others ensure relevant stakeholders abide by all applicable compliance in fund management and ensure disbursement from the funds are used in providing the needed socio-economic benefits and developments of the mining communities,” he said.

    The Chairman of the MDF Governing Board, Mr Kwaku Addo Sakyi-Addo, assured the stakeholders of tapping into the knowledge of the previous board to complete all ongoing projects.

    He said the MDF Act mandates the Board to establish MDCS at the local level with the aim of improving the living standard of people in mining areas.

    Source: ghanaiantimes.com.gh

  • LGBTQI+ brouhaha: National interest must come first Educationist

    Educationist, Mr. Daniel Fenyi, has called on Ghanaians to take into consideration national interest when having discussions on the Anti LGBTQI+ bill before Parliament.

    The follows the submission of a counter-proposal of the bill to parliament by a group of 18 Ghanaian academics citing that it would infringe on the fundamental human rights of persons who engage in LGBTQI+ activities.

    Speaking to UniversNews, Mr. Daniel Fenyi stated that academics must be guided by the culture, values, and beliefs systems of the country and desist from misleading the public on such sensitive national issues.

    “In recent times, the issue of LGBTQI+ has been dominating the public space with persons for and against the passage of the Anti-LGBTQI+ draft bill before Parliament. We must all be guided by the values and time-tested traditions that have held us together as a country and given us a unique national identity and as such we must let the overall interest of the country supersede all other competing interests in this situation. Persons in academia must not be seen to be misinforming or misleading the public on such sensitive issues when it is common knowledge that rights of this nature are non-existent in our laws”.

    “These academics must note that they wield huge influence in the country and have millions of youth looking up to them as role models and as such their behaviours and actions on the issue is likely to leave doubts in the mind of the public about the authenticity of their acquired knowledge and as such they must be aware of the consequences of endorsing such acts”.

    Also, Mr. Fenyi indicated that the Comprehensive Sexual Education Programme which was introduced in the school curriculum must be reintroduced to establish a unique national character on such issues.

    “I believe that in light of the conversations on the subject matter, it is important and necessary to bring the Comprehensive Sexuality Education document back into our school Curriculum to teach and properly educate our students on the appropriate ways of approaching human sexual rights and how the law speaks on such activities between both sexes and their relations with one another”.

    Subsequently, Mr. Fenyi added that the reintroduction of the Comprehensive Sexuality Education model must be silent on LGBTQI+ and only create room for discussions in schools when the issue of further information and clarification on the subject matter arises.

    “The CSE model in its reintroduction must be designed to be silent on LGBTQI+ and its related activities in the Curriculum but in cases of further explanation on the subject matter in schools by students, there can be a mechanism for the teacher or instructor to throw light on it to give proper understanding to all stakeholders.

    “The outlawing of the act must not accrue rights to any individual to attack those involved in it but it would be left to the security agencies to deal with the offenders,” Fenyi noted.

    Source: universenewsroom.com

  • ECG to pay 6% of surcharge fees to informants who report illegal connections

    The Electricity of Ghana (ECG) has announced that persons who report others engaged in illegal connections will receive 6percent total sum % of the surcharged fee.

    The power supply energy further assured informants of their security as their identities will be hidden on a confidentiality basis.

    The announcement, made on Daily Graphic newspaper warned people engaged in power theft, stating that, the act is tantamount to the criminal offence.

    ECG noted that it has the authority to prosecute persons engaged in such illegal acts within ECG network by an executive instrument (EI) 38 of the Appointment of Public Prosecution Instrument (2010).

    It said, “Customers and the general public are therefore being cautioned to do the right thing and stop illegal connections since it amounts to a criminal offence and has dire consequences on the finances of the company, quality and reliable electricity supply and on the socio-economic development of the country.”

    “The general public are encouraged to report any act of illegal connection to the nearest ECG office or call the taskforce via telephone number 0551444011 for an informant reward of 6% of the surcharged amount upon confirmation of the crime. The identities of informants remain strictly confidential,” it added.

    Meanwhile, Ghanaians have been advised to inspect the ID cards of ECG members when they visit their premises to inspect their metres.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Having sex with a beast, tree, or pig not about rights Church of Pentecost backs anti-LGBTQ+ Bill

    The Chairman of the Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, has presented a document to Parliament, containing the signatures of 15,000 of its members in support of the anti-LGBTQ+ bill currently before the House.

    According to him, this is only a fraction of its members who support the move by the legislative body to make it an illegal practice for persons who support the gay community to continue to push their agendas to be regularized.

    Speaking to GhanaWeb at Parliament House in Accra after they presented to the parliamentarians, Apostle Eric said they can even present as much as 2 million signatures should they be allowed time.

    “The Church of Pentecost is over 3.1 million, and about 10.38% of the Ghanaian population and we have brought in 15,000 signatures. I believe that this is significant enough, if they give us time, we can even bring 2 million just to make a statement that this bill, we support it 100%,” he said.

    The COP is supported by the Methodist Church of Ghana, the Apostolic Church of Ghana, the Gaco Ministry, the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council, the Ghana Clergy Council, the Christian Council of Ghana, the Assemblies of God, and the Islamic Council of Ghana.

    Apostle Eric Nyamekye said that in addition, they are supporting the Members of Parliament fronting this bill with prayers, hopeful that they will provide the right arguments to support the bill’s passage into law.

    He also explained that they hope that by this, they can root out this behaviour that is alien to God and his original intent for creation.

    “So, we are praying for the parliamentarians to make good arguments. They should know that there is a creation; this is a sovereign state – that the whole world is a sovereign state with a ruler and the one who created us reserves the right to tell us how to behave. If we leave the right to behaviour in the hands of the creation then soon, every lifestyle will be shielded by law till we have some anarchy state: lawlessness in this nation.

    “Now, if you want to have sex with a beast, they say it’s okay. If you want to have sex with a pig, they say it’s okay. If I want to marry my daughter, it’s okay. If I want to have sex with a tree, it’s okay. I mean so where are we going? The issue is not about rights; the issue is about morality – what is right and what is wrong,” he said.

    A number of lawmakers in Ghana’s Parliament are pushing for the criminalization of LGBTQ+ acts.

    A section of Ghanaian liberals on social media have however been debating whether a bill proposal to criminalize LGBTQ+ acts is apt.

    Though homosexual acts in Ghana are punishable by imprisonment and considered to be against the socio-cultural and religious norms and teachings, the latest move would be one that will definitely not be welcomed by some liberals.

    Leading the pack in terms of social media activism for the anti-LGBTQ+ bill is Ningo-Prapram MP, Samuel Nartey George, who has not shied away from his stance to ensure the bill is passed by parliament.

    The other MPs on the list are Bedzrah Emma Kwasi, Helen Adjoa Ntoso, John Ntim Fordjour, Alhassan Suhuyini, Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, Dafeamekpor Etse Rockson Nelson and Della Sowah.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com