Medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) has pulled out from a restive territory in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
In a statement released on Tuesday, MSF said it had decided to end projects in Kimbi and Baraka in Fizi territory, due to several violent incidents against the organisation this year.
MSF staff withdrew from that part of South-Kivu Province in July.
“The predictability of further incidents and potential further serious harm to our staff has reached a threshold that we are no longer able to accept,†MSF operational manager, Ellen van der Velden, said in a statement.
“The ever-increasing activity from criminal and armed groups across eastern-DR Congo, has led to ongoing violence and attacks against civilians at a shocking scale, including targeted killings and horrific acts of violence, including sexual violence,” the statement added.
Nearly 70 armed groups signed a ceasefire agreement on 17 September in the city of Murhesa to end hostilities, but decades-long efforts to pacify the region have failed to yield results.
Police in Nigeria’s Ogun state have arrested two suspects at a so-called “baby factory” run by a woman who was released on bail.
The state police spokesperson Abimbola Oyeyemi said a girl who had been lured by the baby factory operator escaped and reported the matter to the police.
Officers raided the premise and rescued 10 girls with four of them already pregnant, according to TVC news.
Media reports did not reveal how old the girls were.
One of those arrested is the daughter of the woman running the facility who had been charged with human trafficking and released on bail.
The other suspect is a man who police suspect could be responsible for impregnating girls.
Stories of these so-called “baby factories” are not uncommon in Nigeria.
They are run for the purpose of getting girls pregnant and selling the babies.
A top official from the conflict-hit Ethiopian northern region of Tigray has surrendered, state media reports.
Keria Ibrahim is one of nine executive committee members of Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), whose forces have been fighting government troops for the past month.
Ms Keira served as speaker of the House of Federation, Ethiopia’s upper parliamentary chamber, before resigning in June after the planned August election was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
At the time she accused Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of running a “dictatorial regime” and violating the constitution.
In September TPLF went on and held its local elections, a move that angered the federal government.
Mr Abiy launched a military offensive in Tigray on 4 November accusing TPLF leaders of treason after its fighters attacked a federal government military base.
The month-long conflict has killed hundreds and displaced thousands of people.
Despite Mr Abiy announcing over the weekend that the military campaign was over and successful, fighting is reportedly still ongoing in parts of Tigray region.
It has been difficult to verify claims from the federal and Tigray regional government because communication is heavily hampered.
The Islamic State (IS) militant group has claimed it has kidnapped a Red Cross employee in Nigeria’s north-eastern Borno State on Tuesday.
In a brief statement on Wednesday, the group said the aid worker was taken at a fake checkpoint on the road linking the towns of Kareto and Gubio in Borno.
It gave no details about the purported abductee’s identity nor made a demand or threat.
So far, no mainstream media reports have been observed on this alleged incident. The Red Cross Society has also not commented.
IS had declared war on aid agencies in Africa in August and its leadership reiterated the message in October, accusing humanitarian workers of implementing anti-Islam agendas.
IS released its latest claim via its account on the messaging app RocketChat.
The alleged attack comes a day after another Islamist militant group, Boko Haram, claimed responsibility for an attack on 28 November that killed dozens of farmers in Borno.
The two jihadist groups are active in north-east Nigeria and the Lake Chad region.
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has announced the names of selected match officials for Matchday 4 of the ongoing 2020/2021 Premier League season.
The campaign that recently started is gradually taking shape and will see the fourth round of matches being played in the upcoming weekend.
Ahead of the matches, referees have been picked to take charge at the selected fixtures:
Check out the upcoming games and selected officials below
Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey will be unavailable for his club until the new year due to injury, footballghana.com can exclusively report.
The 27-year-old was taken out of Arsenal’s game against Aston Villa before the international break. It was initially thought that he will recover right after the break but has been absent since.
Footballghana.com understands that the injury was more serious than was initially thought and the former Atletico Madrid midfielder will be on the sidelines until the new year.
Before his injury, Partey had been a regular for the side and made a huge impact during the team’s 1-0 win over Manchester United in early November.
He joined Arsenal after his €50 million release clause was triggered in the summer transfer window.
The National Democratic Congress(NDC) Running Mate Prof. Jaane Naana Opoku Agyeman has advised residents of Asikuma Odoben Brakwa Constituency to take monies being shared by the ruling New Patriotic Party but vote against them massively in the December 7th General Election.
“As we are heading towards the December Elections, you will receive numerous gift from the NPP being it Flat Screen TV, Fridge, Gas Cylinder, but it is only for you to vote wisely in order for us to come out from the hardship NPP inflicted on us by the NPP government. We are going the poll next week Monday and I am entreating everybody to vote massively for the NDC party to come to power and put Ghana on the right track of development,†she said while addressing market women at Breman Ahwien.
Prof. Naana Opoku Agyeman made these pronouncements during her wrap up Campaign tour in the Central Region at Breman Ahwien in the Asikuma Odoben Brakwa Constituency.
Meanwhile, Ghana goes to the polls on December 7 to elect a President and 275 Parliamentarians to govern the country for the next four years.
The managing editor of the New Punch newspaper, Ebenezer Ato Sam, popularly known as Baby Ansaba is reported dead.
According to Daily Guide reports, he died around 11am today at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital after battling a short illness.
He died at age 57 and hails from Ajumako Beseadze in the Central Region.
Baby Ansaba was based at Kasoa in the Central Region at the time of his death.
The astute journalist trained at the Ghana Institute of Journalism and graduated in the year 1991.
Meanwhile, Ato Sam begun his career with the Daily Graphic, Free Press, Daily Guide and until his death was the Managing Editor of the New Punch newspaper.
The special voting process that started smoothly on Tuesday, December 1, 2020, at Bortianor-Ngleshie-Amanfro in the Greater Accra Region was almost disrupted due to a misunderstanding over food.
According to a Citi News report, confusion broke out at the main polling station for the special voting in the area when supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) clashed with suspected New Patriotic Party (NPP) members within the voting centre who had been distributing food to party agents.
The NDC supporters refused to allow the suspected NPP supporters to distribute the food over fears that may influence party agents and election officials who may also receive the food.
Parliamentary candidate of the NPP for the constituency, Sylvester Tetteh, told Citi News that the NDC supporters were agitated over a non-issue.
“We have breakfast, lunch, and snack for our agents. Because it is a special voting day, some executives were lending support to our agents there and some of them were also observing the process for the first time. So when you are taking breakfast to your people obviously you will not take for two or four people.
“Our agents are allowed to be fed at the premises. I have seen instances where you take a drink to the polling centre, an NDC agent will take it. It does not influence the vote,†Citi News quoted him in a report.
The NDC supporters, on the other hand, say the distribution of the food items could pose a major problem during the main elections on December 7, 2020.
NDC parliamentary candidate for the area, Alexander Ackuaku, urged the Electoral Commission to take steps to prevent a recurrence of the confusion.
“We need to stamp our authority. It should not be left in the hands of the opposition to be challenging some of these things. It is not the best. People should be bold enough and let people know that the peace of this nation is paramount enough. We should not entertain some of these things. It is not the best,†he stressed.
A total of 109,577 persons are expected to vote in the special voting exercise for media personnel, EC officials, and other groups of people who may not be able to cast their ballots on December 7.
The EC has said it expects a 100% turnout of voters during the special voting exercise.
The ongoing special voting exercise in Kumasi, capital of the Ashanti region, has been characterised by an episode of missing names in the register.
Security personnel, media personnel, officials of the Electoral Commission (EC) and other essential workers, who will be playing a key role on December 7 are taking part in the exercise.
In the Ashanti region, 17,000 people are expected to take part in the exercise which commenced at 7:00 am and will be closing at 5:00 pm.
Across the country, 109,577 people are supposed to be casting their ballot today ahead of the general elections in a week’s time.
The exercise is being held in 48 centers across the 47 constituencies in the region which has the second highest population in this year’s voter’s register.
Apart from the Subin constituency which has two centres, the remaining constituencies have a centre each.
If not for the reported cases of missing names on the register, the exercise has been generally peaceful as at the time this report was being filed.
At the Kwadaso Methodist school which housed the centre for Kwadaso constituency, a whopping 20 security officers who turned up to cast their votes could not locate their names on the list.
A similar incident was reported at the Patasi Police Training School in the Nhyieaso constituency.
At the Central Police Station in the Subin constituency, the story was not different as some officers names were missing from the electoral roll.
Though the officers whose names were missing expressed disappointment over the development, they did not create any unacceptable scene at the places they went.
Meanwhile, the affected people have been assured by EC officials in Kumasi that they would be able to exercise their franchise on the main election day.
However, the registrants who were lucky to have their names on the register exercised their civic responsibility in an atmosphere of peace and tranquillity in all the centres visited.
Importantly, at all the centres visited, the various covid-19 safety protocols were being observed strictly.
This included the washing of hands with soap under running water, usage of sanity, social distancing and the checking of temperature.
Polling agents of the various political parties, especially the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the main opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) were present at the centres to discharge their assigned duties.
Security was also tight in all the centres to ensure that the exercise went on smoothly without any hitch.
Parliamentary candidates of the various parties and their team were also seen moving round the centres to monitor the exercise.
Leadership of the major political parties were not left out, as they were also seen visiting the centres to observe the polls.
One interesting development which has gained attention in the metropolis is the display of the cast ballot by some officers on social media, particularly Facebook.
Some officers took a picture of the ballot paper after the cast and displayed them on Facebook.
Whilst, some captured a vote for President Akufo Addo, others showed a vote for ex-President Mahama.
The spectacle has already initiated a heated debate on social media between the NPP and NDC followers as to who is likely to win the special voting exercise.
Pictures above are some scenes from the voting centres in Kumasi, capital of the Ashanti region.
With 6 days to the general elections, the United Front Party (UFP) has thrown its weight behind the largest opposition party, National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the presidential race.
This comes after the party was disqualified by the electoral commission at the early stages and several attempts to make the court hear their case proved futile.
In a press release copied to GhanaWeb, the party urged its supporters to vote massively for the flagbearer of the NDC, John Dramani Mahama on December 7.
The release highlighted that “we have therefore called you here to declare support and endorse H.E John Dramani Mahama and the NDC in the upcoming presidential election. Our party arrived at this conclusion at a just ended National Executive Committee meeting. We are therefore calling on all our rank and file and all our party supporters to canvas for votes and also vote massively for H.E John Dramani Mahama in the presidential election.â€
The UFP explained that Akufo-Addo has in the past years mismanaged the economy hence, the need to be replaced by John Dramani Mahama to put the country back on track.
“The level of corruption, incompetence, state of insecurity, nepotism, family and friends and the height of deception by this Akufo-Addo sakawa government is sickening to say the least. We are therefore using this platform to plead with all Ghanaians to join the rescue mission and vote massively for H.E John Dramani Mahama, to put this country back to the path of progress and development,” the release added.
Experienced coach, Bashiru Hayford has started training with his new club Legon Cities ahead of their trip to Dawu on Sunday, December, 6.
Hayford, a two-time Premier League champion was appointed as the head coach of Legon Cities last week following a poor start to the season by the mega-rich club.
The Accra-based club sacked Bosnian gaffer Goran Barjakterevic after a 3-0 defeat to Accra Great Olympics on matchday two of the season.
The Royals will be hoping that the former Asante Kotoko coach transforms the club’s fortunes with a first win against Dreams FC on Sunday.
Bashiru Hayford met the entire team on Monday and has started training with his charges.
Rinu Oduala is 22 years old and outspoken – Nigeria’s government feels so threatened by her that her bank account has been frozen.
She was among tens of thousands of young Nigerians, including many women, who made history with the protests that swept the country in October against police brutality.
Ms Oduala was one of the first to take to the streets after a video went viral of a man allegedly being killed by the notorious Special Anti-Robbery Squad (Sars), sparking what became known as the EndSars demonstrations.
She set up camp outside the Lagos governor’s office on 7 October, demanding the police unit be disbanded.
As a media strategist, she knew how to rally people on social media to join her – organising blankets for people who ended up sleeping outside the state government buildings for 72 hours before police attacked them.
With her 172,000 Twitter followers, she is one of several women who have shaken the Nigerian establishment to its core over the last six weeks. Her EndSars activism saw her Twitter account get the blue verified badge.
What began as a protest against police brutality has become a conduit for young people – especially women – to vent their anger
Today she is part of a panel in Lagos sitting at a judicial inquiry into police abuse – one of the key demands of the protesters after the president disbanded the unit.
But she is concerned about her security and is one of 20 protest organisers to have their funds frozen by the central bank early in November.
“It’s disheartening that our good intention of ending police brutality would make us get tagged as terrorists,” she told the BBC.
The central bank says it sought a court order to block the accounts for 90 days in order to find out the source of their funds.
Ms Oduala says her lawyers are challenging the order.
‘This is just the beginning’
Another female EndSars activist – lawyer Modupe Odele – had her passport confiscated last month. She had offered legal aid to those arrested during the demonstrations.
And last week, the website of the Feminist Coalition – a group set up by around 10 women in July to fight for gender equality, which became active during the EndSars protests – was blocked inside Nigeria and it is not clear who was behind the move.
During the protests the non-governmental organisation raised $385,000 (£290,000) through crowdfunding and spent part of the money on legal services for those protesters who were arrested, to pay medical bills for those wounded, to provide private security at protest points and daily refreshments.
The group says the rest of the funds are to be used to provide support, including mental health counselling, for victims of police brutality and the families of those who died.
It also hopes to sponsor a memorial for those killed by the police.
“This is just the beginning of a youth awakening in Nigeria, of things that we can do to improve the state of the country,” Fakhrriyyah Hashim, a co-Founder of Feminist Coalition, told the BBC.
“We will continue to do this, especially in the lives of women,” she said.
Nigeria may be a very patriarchal society, but women have always been vocal in demanding change, most notably during the anti-colonial struggle.
So the organising power of the women on the EndSars frontlines should not surprise the authorities.
In 1929 the Aba women’s riots – also referred to as the “Women’s War” – were sparked by plans to tax southern market women. Over two months, thousands of women were involved in protests that saw colonial shops and banks attacked and courts burnt down. In the end the colonial administrators backed down.
Eighteen years later, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, mother of the famous Afrobeat star Fela Kuti, successfully mobilised thousands of women against more proposed taxes to be levied on small traders.
Dubbed the Lioness of Lisabi, she became a firm advocate for women’s suffrage and an important figure in the fight for independence.
The estimated 20,000 women who joined her Abeokuta Women’s Union were known for their persistence, never giving up until achieving their aim.
“The history of Nigeria has had a lot of women come out to fight and push for their rights. Those battles strong women before us fought have been downplayed,” said Ndi Kato, a gender activist who participated in the EndSars protests.
EndSars’ backbone
No-one knows this more than Aisha Yesufu, co-founder of the Bring Back Our Girls Movement, which has been working over the last six years to rescue the schoolgirls kidnapped in Chibok by Islamist Boko Haram militants.
She was among the EndSars protesters who were tear-gassed by police in the capital, Abuja.
But she didn’t run away from the fracas and her picture of defiance later became one of the symbols of the EndSars movement.
Ms Yesufu says it is not surprising that women became the backbone of the EndSars protests.
“Women have always been the ones who get things done. Any protest that led to change has always been women-led,” she told me.
“The EndSars protest went as far as it did because of the role women played. Especially the Feminist Coalition, those women were amazing. Their co-ordination was impressive.”
‘Unstoppable’
Ms Kato says it is not the end of road: “The fact that young people are re-strategising, going back to the drawing board and looking for several ways to get our voices to be heard does not mean that we have stopped protesting.”
Women have shown during EndSars how they can use both social media and offline strategies to get their voices heard – which Ms Yesufu says they should use to their advantage in the fight for gender equality.
“Women should look beyond feminism to femi-power. It’s time to put ourselves to places we need to be. We have to stop asking to be invited to the table, we should create the table,” she said.
“It’s time for any woman that feels like going into politics to do so without looking back. We should not doubt ourselves. Let’s take our place and be unapologetic about it.”
Ms Oduala agrees the fight will go on.
“The future for women looks bright because we all saw what we could do, so if women decide to do anything for themselves or their community they would be unstoppable.”
By Azeezat Olaoluwa Women’s Affairs Reporter, West Africa
Legislators in Mozambique’s parliament are urging the government to allocate more funds to tackle the HIV/Aids epidemic, in the week that marks World Aids day.
The budget allocated to combat the epidemic has been reducing year after year – the budget has decreased from $2.9m (£2.1m) in 2015 to about $1.6m in 2020.
Meanwhile, a report by the the parliamentary office to combat HIV records an increase in infections.
It says contributing factors include an increase in population mobility, the growing number of multiple marital partners and the proliferation of mining lorry drivers and gold miners are contributing for the increase in new infections.
The office says it has also recorded an increase in the number of sex workers.
They have warned that budget cuts will affect the fight against HIV.
The legislators say the epidemic has killed 50,000 people in the country over the past five years.
Mozambique has the fourth highest rate of HIV in the world, after South Africa, Nigeria and Russia.
According to official data, Mozambique has 2.2 million people living with HIV.
“The president of the republic assures the Algerian people about his health, that he is on the way to recovery and will be returning home in the coming days,” the statement said.
The Algerian president was flown to Germany for treatment in hospital on 28 October after he had tested positive for coronavirus.
There has very little that has been revealed to the public about his condition which fuelled speculation and concern among Algerians on social media about their “missing” president.
The last communication from his office was in mid November, when it said “the president had completed the Covid-19 treatment protocol” without indicating the date of his return home.
The authorities in Mauritania say they have uncovered more than 30 illegal migration networks and repatriated around 4,000 people to various West African countries.
Interior Minister Mohamed Salem Ould Merzoug told local media that there had been an increase in the number of people trying to reach Spain’s Canary Islands – an alternative route to the Mediterranean Sea where some migrants have been deterred by stricter controls and instability in Libya.
The UN has called for greater efforts to disrupt people-smuggling rings, after more than 140 people died off the coast of Senegal in October – the deadliest shipwreck of the year.
Highly rated Ghanaian referee Daniel Nii Laryea has been selected for the 2020 Total African Nations Championship (CHAN), in Cameroon.
The 33-year-old is the only Ghanaian referee who made the cut for the competition.
He is expected to depart Accra on Friday, January 8 2021 for a refresher course prior to the tournament on January 11, 2021. The referees and their Assistants will undergo physical, theoretical and technical test during the course to get themselves ready for the competition.
The 2020 CHAN tournament will be held in Cameroon from Saturday, January 16 to Sunday, February 7, 2021.
The biennial tournament reserved for home-based players should have seen its sixth edition held in April of this year, but was rescheduled due to the Corona virus pandemic.
Cameroon will use the CHAN to prepare for the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which was postponed due to the pandemic.
Ghana international, Nicholas Opoku has emphasized that he has no regrets about joining Amiens SC on loan this season.
The defender spent the second half of the 2019/2021 football season on loan with the French club from Italian Serie A outfit Udinese.
Prior to the closure of the summer transfer window, Nicholas Opoku who had returned to Italy at the end of the last campaign earned a move back to Amiens for a second successive loan stint.
Opening up on the transfer, the young centre-back says he made the right decision and has no regrets.
“It was a very good choice for me. I was here last year, it was going very well, I was very well received by the club, they gave me a chance to play and it’s a pleasure to be back this season. It’s a good step in my career,†Nicholas Opoku told Romain PECHON in an interview.
This season, Nicholas Opoku has played in 11 matches for Amiens SC and has one assist to his name.
The President of the Sports Writers Association of Ghana, Kwabena Yeboah has appealed to the Minister of Youth and Sports Isaac Kwame Asiamah to use his high office to prevail on the President of Ghana Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo provide the Association with a decent means of Transportation.
Delivering his speech at the 45th MTN-SWAG awards at the Swiss -Spirit Alisa Hotel, Mr Kwabena Yeboah said having blazed the trail of Sportswriting in Ghana Over a half-century, mobility has been a major debility to executing their mandate, and believes only a more decent means of transportation can help alleviate this plight.
“My lordship, permit me to state an age-long debility and prostration of the Ghana Sports Writers Association of Ghana. The absence of a reliable vehicle to ease the transportation of members for events and programs”. The SWAG president addressed members at the event.
“On this special occasion, may I urge my very good friend the Hon. Minister for youth and sports Hon Isaac Kwame Asiamah to use his very good office to prevail to our sports-loving President to consent to our humble request”.
The Sports Writers Association of Ghana was formed in 1968 having existed through all Governments of Ghana while providing meaningful sports content, and aiding the development of Sports in Ghana.
SWAG is noted for highlighting, and joining forces with various state institutions to churn the course of Sports development, and has seen some of its members right to the high office of Ministers of State.
The SWAG awards, a scheme that celebrates the achievement of Sports memb and Women in Ghana is the longest existing awards in Ghana running for 45 years.
The Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) has held a five-day Induction Course for Directors and Analysts of National Centres for the coordination of Early Warning and Response Mechanism in ECOWAS member states.
The workshop, organised in partnership with ECOWAS and the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP), sought to support the capacity of African Regional Institutions such as the AU and their relevant structures to effectively perform their mandates in ensuring peace and security in Africa.
In all, 45 participants from ECOWAS member states were expected to take part in the course to facilitate early detection, monitoring, and analyse conflict indicators through open data sources.
Air Commodore George Kweku Arko-Dadzie, the Deputy Commandant, KAIPTC, speaking at the opening ceremony, said this had become necessary as the changing security challenges that confronted Africa today were symptomatic of the transformation that had taken place over the past six decades.
“Despite the existence of regional security mechanisms and increasing roles of Regional Training Centres of Excellence such as the KAIPTC in building capacity and research, West Africa is still faced with security challenges,†he stated.
He noted there was a change in narratives from terrorism to violent extremism and their preventive counter measures.
Air Commodore Arko-Dazie said violent extremism in West Africa had taken deep roots in the Lake Chad basin and the Sahel region as extremist groups emerged out of local grievances.
He said the fight against these would continue as frontline personnel and peacekeepers adhere to necessary legislative conventions and precautionary measures.
He said the need for a functional and dynamic national early warning and early response mechanism remained critical in the region.
“Without adequate capacity in conflict analysis and early response, we will not reach far in our quest for sustainable peace and stable democratic governance.â€
“It is my fervent hope that this induction course will provide the needed skills to enable participants to deliver their tasks of ensuring conflict prevention and transformation in their respective countries,†the Deputy Commandant stated.
Ms Finda E.M Koroma, the Vice President of the ECOWAS Commission in charge of early warnings system, noted that despite the operationalization of the ECOWAS early warning and response system and the collective security framework, individual member states were faced with various challenges that derailed development, peace, and security.
She said the goal of ECOWAS was to deploy the NCCRM to all 15 member states within a reasonable timeframe while mobilizing resources to improve and sustain their performance.
Ms Koroma said a proactive approach to conflict prevention was the surest way to deal with the persistent challenges that threaten peace and security in member countries.
“Our early warning mechanism and the envisaged gains must not be seen as merely an ECOWAS Commission affairâ€.
“Rather, it must be seen as a regional commitment and a collective effort by our member states to maintain sustainable peace and security in the region,†she noted.
She said to achieve these, there must be a strong political commitment by our member states and the people in our region must identify themselves with this commitment.
“Going forward our goal is to put in place an Early Warning System, with credible tools and cadres, as well as reliable products that could be shared with relevant government agencies in the region, especially national security agencies, dealing with various aspects of human security challenges and state security,†she stated.
The Vice President in expressing her gratitude to the organizers of the induction course pledged their continuous collaboration with the African Union, European Union, GIZ, and other partners to achieve the desired results.
Dr Chukwuemeka B. Eze, the Executive Director of WANEP, bemoaned the spectre of election-related violence, growing inequalities, violent extremism, piracy, unsafe migration, and persistent ethno-national conflicts that countries in the ECOWAS region continue to face.
He said now more than ever, National Centres for Coordination Response Mechanism in member countries were crucial and critical to find solutions to all challenges that threaten peace.
The Ghetto Youth Association of Ghana has pledged to partner the Ghana Police Service to flush out criminals who hide in the slums (ghettos) to perpetrate crimes.
According to the Association, because of such persons, the police constantly conduct swoops in the slums, arresting law-abiding people in the process, a situation they said was worrying therefore their resolve to partner the Police to identify such criminals.
Mr Abdul Rahman Suleman, Leader of the Community One Ghetto, addressing a press conference in Tema, said they decided to form the Association to be the eyes and ears of the Police.
Mr Suleman also added that it was their aim to also ensure a peaceful election by engaging and sensitizing its members against being used to perpetrate violent acts and electoral fraud before, during and after the December 7 elections.
Mr Paul Appiah, Secretary to the Association, said successive governments had not given enough attention to the development of the slums and its inhabitants, stating that they had rather become ostracized and stigmatized.
Mr Appiah added that over the years, slum dwellers had been tagged as notorious and therefore an easy target for arrest by the police whenever there were wrongdoings in society.
He said, “we have had prominent men and women, career and professionals such as lawyers, doctors, accountants, lecturers, politicians, PhD holders, etc all growing up from these ghettos or hoods.”
Mr Prince Obeng, Greater Accra Regional Organizer, New Patriotic Party, who graced the programme, assured the Association that the issues raised by them would be addressed to enable them to become partners of development.
He agreed that there were lots of talents in the ghettos which he said when harnessed well, would help the country to have more influential persons from those areas such as Shatta Wale, and Stonebwoy.
Mr Obeng disclosed that a Ghetto Youth Forum would be organized to help discuss and address the issues of Tema slums in detail.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has no female parliamentary candidate, contesting the 2020 polls in the Bono East Region.
In all the party has 11 candidates vying for the various parliamentary seats and already has five out of the 11 parliamentary seats in the region.
The contestants are Mr Martin Kwaku Adjei-Mensah Korsah, 42, the Deputy Minister for Regional Reorganisation and Development is contesting for the Techiman South constituency seat. He is a native of Techiman and holds Masters of Arts in Politics and International Relations, Nottingham University, United Kingdom (UK).
The NPP incumbent MP for the constituency, Mr Henry Yeboah Yiadom Boachie stepped down for the Deputy Minister during the NPP parliamentary primaries.
This is the first time Mr Michael Sarkodie Baffoe, 50, a banker, and a native of Kintampo, and the current Kintampo North Municipal Chief Executive is contesting the Kintampo North constituency seat. He holds a Master of Science (MSc), University of Ghana Business School (UGBS).
Mr Alexander Gyan, 40, is a teacher by profession, and the Kintampo South District Chief Executive. He is a native of Ampoma and holds first Degree from the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) and he is contesting the Kintampo South constituency seat for the first time.
Major (rtd) Derrick Oduro, 62, and incumbent MP is contesting the Nkoranza North constituency seat. He is a native of Dromankese and he holds a Master degree from the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC). He is also contesting the seat for the third time.
In the Nkoranza South constituency, Mr Charles Konadu-Yiadom, 52, a banker, and a native of Bredi number one and incumbent MP is contesting the Nkoranza South constituency seat for the second time. He also holds Master of Arts in Democracy and Governance, University of Cape Coast.
Mr Kofi Amoakohene, 51, is the incumbent MP for Atebubu-Amantin constituency, and the Bono East Regional Minister and he is contesting the seat for the second time after he snatched it from the NDC in Election 2016. He is a native of Atebubu and holds Masters of Arts in Conflicts, Peace and Security, KAIPTC.
For Mr Stephen Jalulah, 45, and the Pru West District Chief Executive, this is his first time appearing on the ballot for the Pru West parliamentary seat. He hails from Saboba and holds MSc, Lulea University of Technology, Sweden.
Mr Joseph Kwaku, 44, holds first degree from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). He is the parliamentary candidate for Pru East constituency and this is his first appearance. He is native of Yeji.
Mr Joseph Kumah, 36, is a businessman and the parliamentary candidate for the Sene West constituency. He contested and lost the seat in election 2016. He is a native Kwame- Danso and he holds Masters of Arts, University of Sunderland, UK.
For the first time Mr Nicholas Bitagan Luchoun, 45, and a native of Saboba is contesting the Sene East constituency seat. He is a businessman and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Procurement.
Mr Martin Oti-Gyarko, 40, the Deputy Bono East Regional Minister is the incumbent MP for Techiman North constituency. He is a teacher and he hails from Aworowa. He also holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Central University College.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has called for high alertness indicating that there is a possibility of a surge in COVID-19 cases as families prepare for the festive season.
Dr Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO regional director for Africa, said Africa has been experiencing a rise in cases since October.
“We are now nearing the time of year when people travel to spend their holidays together. These end-of-year get togethers are a key part of African life, but they can increase the risk of Covid-19 transmission. Greater mobility and large gatherings can lead to new clusters of cases in parts of Africa that might previously have been spared,†Dr Moeti said.
According to WHO, a rise in new cases in most of the affected African countries is coming from workplaces and family gatherings as people are letting their guard down among colleagues and loved ones.
Dr Moeti said the upcoming holiday season may exacerbate this situation.
WHO has advised the population to meet outdoors where possible, avoid mass gatherings, continue physical distancing, practice frequent handwashing, wearing facemasks, particularly around older people and those with diabetes or hypertension. Mr Emmanuel Ainebyoona, the Ministry of Health spokesperson, said plans are underway on how they will prevent the surge in cases ahead of the festive season.
The Christmas season is always known as a period of festivity or as some refer to as the best time of the year. However, the celebration will be unusual this year because of COVID-19.
As people travel to the village for the celebrations, it could pose a danger in contracting the virus if guidelines are not followed. When it comes to attending church service or mass, churches will be expected to adhere to Covid-19 rules on gatherings to avoid infections.
Chairperson of Electoral CommissionJean Mensa has charged the media to report truthful facts and figures of outcomes of the 2020 polls to minimise unnecessary political tensions.
According to Ms Mensa, her office will frequently engage citizens in a transparent manner via the media to enable citizens to observe and monitor the electoral process to reduce political tensions and anxiety.
Speaking at a workshop on election reporting organised by the election management body in collaboration with the Ghana Journalists Association in Accra on Tuesday, 24 November 2020, Ms Mensa said: “The media should scale up the rate at which it reports fairly and allow adequate space for the EC to air its views on emerging issues”.
“All we need is for the media to provide fair and objective coverage, present facts and figures to citizens, be truthful and fair in your reportage. Let us choose the path of peace because the world is watching Ghana,” she said.
Ms Mensa also expressed the EC’s commitment to ensure transparency and accountability in the conduct of the electoral process.
“We’re training persons with disabilities, journalists across the country, let the citizens know press briefings, provision of gender statistics of voters and prompt response to emerging issues. These show our transparency and our drive to demonstrate commitment,” she stated.
The EC boss also expressed confidence that the designed IT system for conducting the 2020 election is robust.
According to her, political parties are involved in the monitoring of the printing process to clear any doubt in the minds of the 12 contending parties.
She also revealed that the EC has not been able to register Ghanaians living abroad due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Ghana’s Apex Court ordered the EC to implement the Representation of People’s Amendment Law after private citizens dragged the electoral management body to the Supreme Court over the matter. But, according to Ms Mensa, registration of Ghanaians outside the shores of Ghana can be done in future but not for the 2020 polls.
For his part, the President of the Ghana Journalist Association (GJA) Affail Monney charged the media to scale up accurate reportage and eschew fake news in the build-up to 2020 polls.
Of the total debt stock, domestic debt was GH¢135.3 billion, 35.1% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), of which the financial sector bailout accounts for 4 per cent of GDP, while external debt was GH¢138.5 billion (35.9% of GDP), Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr Ernest Addison has said.
The government spend over GH¢21 billion of the taxpayers money to clean up the financial sector.
Dr Addison said the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) press conference in Accra on Monday November 23 that budget implementation through September 2020 was broadly in line with the revised mid-year Budget estimates following the introduction of fiscal measures to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
Provisional data for the first three quarters of 2020, showed an overall budget deficit of 9.0 percent of GDP against the target of 8.9 percent of GDP. The primary balance also recorded a deficit of 4.1 percent of GDP, marginally above the target of 4.0 percent of GDP. Over the review period, total revenue and grants amounted to GH¢36.3 billion (9.4% of GDP) compared with the target of GH¢35.7 billion (9.3% of GDP).
Total expenditures and arrears clearance amounted to GH¢70.9 billion (18.4% of GDP), marginally above the target of GH¢70.0 billion (18.2% of GDP). The deficit was financed mainly from domestic sources.
“These developments impacted the stock of public debt which was 71 percent of GDP (GH¢273.8 billion) at the end of September 2020 compared with 62.4 percent of GDP (GH¢218.2 billion) at the end of December 2019. Of the total debtstock, domestic debt was GH¢135.3 billion (35.1% of GDP), of which the financial sector bailout accounts for 4.0 percent of GDP, while external debt was GH¢138.5 billion (35.9% of GDP),†he said.
He added “Money supply showed significant expansion in the first ten months of 2020, reflecting the complementary monetary policy and fiscal stimulus measures taken to support efforts to minimize the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. M2+ grew by 30.0 percent, year-on-year compared with 16.3 percent in the corresponding period of 2019.
“The increase in total liquidity was mainly driven by the net domestic assets of the central bank and the commercial banks. Net domestic assets increased sharply by 36.1 percent year-on-year in October 2020, compared with 17.1 percent in the same period of last year, while net foreign assets moderated by 6.0 percent from 13.4 percent over the same comparative period. In terms of components, the growth in M2+ reflected mainly in currency outside banks and demand deposits.
“Net outstanding claims on the private sector, which also captures repayments to the banking sector, show some moderation since the beginning of the year. With respect to new advances, the data shows that cumulatively from the beginning of the year, new loans to support economic activity stands at GH¢27.4 billion compared with GH¢21.3 billion for the same period of last year.â€
Meanwhile, the MPC has kept the policy rate at 14.5 per cent.
Deputy Minister of Information, Pius Enam Hadzide, has called on the leadership, members and supporters of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) to stop attacking the personality of Martin Amidu.
Mr. Martin Amidu has resigned from his position as Special Prosecutor.
His resignation is premised on a number of factors such as he and his Deputy not paid since they assumed office two years ago, interferences from the President in his (Amidu) work and operational challenges.
Mr. Amidu cited the aforementioned reasons among others as the basis for his decision.
The President denied interfering in Mr. Amidu’s work resulting in his resignation.
He also refuted not paying him and his Deputy as well as the operational challenges cited by Mr. Amidu.
Setting the record straight, the President disclosed that the office of the Special Prosecutor was well supported and resourced that currently, its account holds over 60 million cedis which Mr. Amidu refused to utilize.
The President’s report contained several other points to disprove the claims by Martin Amidu.
Addressing Mr. Amidu’s resignation, some NPP leaders and members have been lashing out at him (Amidu) in attempts to tell the public the truth.
According to Pius Enam Hadzide, the attempts by his party folks to bastardize Martin Amidu must stop with immediate effect.
He stated it is okay for one to pass his or her judgements but unacceptable for any person to denigrate Mr. Amidu’s reputation or pass disparaging remarks about him.
“Stop bastardizing Mr. Martin Amidu. It’s unnecessary to attack his person,” he warned during Peace FM’s ‘Kokrokoo’.
The Electoral Commission (EC) in adherence to the World Health Organisation and Ghana Health Service preventive measures has designed “Strict Election Day COVID-19 Protocols Observation,†guidelines for all who enter the Polling Station.
Mr Kwame Amoah, EC Greater Accra Regional Director told the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Accra on Monday that the EC had put in place COVID-19 pandemic safety measures and called on all to strictly follow the due process at the Polling Stations to protect each other from contracting the disease.
He said all persons entering any polling station or queuing must strictly wear face mask; “Thermometer gun will be used to check the temperature of prospective voters and anyone whose temperature is detected to be high above 37.8 Degree Celsius will be directed to available health personnel at the polling station or nearest public health facilityâ€.
Mr Amoah who was speaking to the GNA on the EC Election 2020 Guide to Voter manual explained that veronica bucket with liquid soap, paper tissue and other receptacles for people to wash their hands before joining the queue would be provided at strategic locations.
He said the Presiding Officer and the security will ensure that minimum distance of one meter between applicants in the queue are observed strictly at the polling station; “we need the public cooperation and preparedness to follow due processâ€.
The EC Director said the finger print scanners would be frequently cleaned before and after capturing finger print of voters with either alcohol-based wipes, disinfectant wipes or ammonia-based glass cleaner wipes.
Mr Amoah assured the voters, that the commission would provide hand sanitizers for applicants to sanitize their hands when leaving the polling station.
He said, “the EC has put in place measures to ensure that no one is endangered at the Polling Station, we must all work together for our safety, let us protect each other, COVID-19 is still around, so let is adhere to the safety protocolsâ€.
The two parliamentary candidates for the Ayawaso East Constituency in the Greater Accra region failed to show up for a town hall meeting in Nima.
They are Mr Naser Toure Mahama, Member of Parliament for Ayawaso East and Mr Peter Mireku, parliamentary candidate for the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Mr Andrews Naabeh, a member of the St Kizito Catholic Church of the Archdiocesan Justice and Peace Commission (JPC), host of the town hall meeting, told the Ghana News Agency that, it was unfortunate that the parliamentary candidates could not participate in the meeting because he sent the invitation letters to them earlier and made the necessary follow ups.
“I sent the letters as early as November 3, 2020, to their offices and on a weekly basis, I go there not less than three times”, he said.
Mr Naabeh said he called Mr Mahama, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentary candidate, and he promised to honour the invitation but was nowhere to be seen.
On the NPP parliamentary candidate, Mr Naabeh said the candidate assured him on Saturday, November 21, 2020, of his presence but upon his follow ups on Sunday morning prior to the event, the candidate said he had to attend to an equally important issue but would make it.
However, the NPP candidate came to the programme after the end of the event, when all the participants had left.
The meeting, organized by the Catholic Archdiocese of Accra, under the Archdiocesan JPC was to promote community participation in local governance and development.
It was on the theme: “The Role of Parliament, Local Authorities and Citizens’ Participation in Community Development”.
The objective of the programme was to engage members of the public within the communities, local authorities and Parliamentary candidates to educate and discuss the theme.
Very Reverend Father Nicholas Larsey, the Parish Priest, St Kizito Catholic Church, who was to deliver the keynote address on the theme, expressed displeasure about the absence of the Parliamentary candidates.
He said as part his keynote address, he was to find out from the candidates how they intended to educate the community in ensuring peace during, before and after the elections, but could not read the speech because of their absence.
Rev Fr Larsey advised the participants, which were mainly members of the Church to be ambassadors of peace and avoid any untoward situation that would mar the December polls.
A speech read on behalf of Hajia Salma Mohammed Sani Adams-Kuta, Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Ayawaso East Municipal Assembly, commended President Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo-Addo for granting the constituency a Municipality status, which had resulted in the increment of developmental projects.
She said the Assembly was complementing the effort of the government to ensure the successful implementation of the free Senior High School policy and the ongoing rehabilitation projects in the community.
Some of the participants urged political candidates vying for positions to only promise what they can deliver to build the confidence of the citizenry.
Other dignitaries present were Mr Thomas Abobi Mensah, Chairman for the event, Mr William Adjei, member of the Justice and Peace Committee of St Kizito Catholic Church, and Mr Abu Awuvami, Presiding Member, Ayawaso East Municipal Assembly, who read the speech on behalf of the MCE, Mr Olabode Williams, the NDC Constituency Chairman, Ayawaso East.
The Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council has called on all stakeholders, like the National Road Safety Commission and the Ghana Police Service to do all they can to make the roads safe to travel on while enforcing the laws on Road Traffic Regulations as election draw close.
The council gave the advice while commiserating with the families of some supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) who died in an accident while on their way to a campaign rally over the weekend at Frante in the Ejura-Sekyedumase Municipality in the Ashanti Region.
The accident claimed six lives with 50 injured, 15 of whom are in critical condition.
While wishing the NDC God Strength and the injured speedy recovery, the council also appealed to drivers and passengers alike to be proactive in enforcing safety measures.
“Drivers should not drive when drunk or tired and passengers should help to identify any such deficiencies and risks that could endanger their lives by taking the necessary action,†the council said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the flagbearer of the NDC John Mahama says the party will cater for the medical bills of the injured.
Mr. Kennedy Atiibo Ayatah, the acting Ahafo Regional Executive Secretary of the National Peace Council (NPC), has called on the youth in ‘hotspots communities’ not to devalue themselves and allow political parties to use them as tools to cause political violence before, during and after Election 2020.
He reminded the youth that vigilantism and related activities had been outlawed in the country, saying any youth who allowed politicians to use him or her for such political violent activities would face the consequences.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on the sidelines of a dialogue session held at Goaso, Mr. Ayatah advised the youth to instead, serve as peace ambassadors and guard against behaviours that could trigger political violence and disturb the prevailing peace of the nation.
The NPC in collaboration with Ashesi University, with support from Commonwealth, organised the two-day meeting, which was attended by 35 youth groups in the Region.
They were selected from political “hotspot communities” including Sankore, Kwapong, Kukuom, Nkasiem, Dadiesoba, Acherensua, and Hwidiem.
As a new region, Mr. Ayatah noted peace was required to give Ahafo strong footings to facilitate rapid socio-economic development saying “if the search for peace is not achieved, all other efforts will not lead to anything”.
“So, peace is a central development requirement and human development indicator, that should not be undermined at all,” he added.
Mr. Ayatah indicated that the youth who were the future leaders of the country had been actively involved in political activities since 1960 with accompanying conflicts that often threatened the peace architecture of the nation.
Their youthful exuberance and eagerness to participate in decision-making activities that affected them, make them prone to being manipulated by older people and some politicians to their advantage to cause mayhem in the country.
Despite all these, Mr. Ayatah expressed regret that the focus on conflict prevention in the country had been mainly on equipping traditional, religious, and community leaders and professional bodies in promoting non-violence to the neglect of youth associations who had become vulnerable to violent vigilante activities.
He, therefore, called on the leadership of the various political parties to be sincere to the people they sought to govern saying, “if you use violence to acquire political power, it would not bring any development to the people”.
Mr. Ayatah reminded the youth that they were rather going to suffer the consequences of any post-election violence, hence the need for them to be mindful and appreciate the country’s prevailing peace.
Dr. Enyonam C. Kudonoo, a Senior Lecturer, Ashesi University, and a facilitator told the youth they had potentials in them and so they should not engage in political violence that would ruin their future.
A man believed to be a supporter of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has died after he was reportedly shot accidentally by a friend.
The incident as reported by CitiNews occurred on Sunday, November 22, 2020, at a rally organized by the NDC.
The unfortunate incident happened when the supporters were dismantling canopies and chairs used for the rally.
ASP Thomas Tulasi, the Police commander of Gushegu narrated that one of the supporters was toying with the gun when it accidentally fired.
He said that investigations are ongoing to unravel the full details of the incident.
“One person was holding a pistol, and he was fidgeting with it, and then he fired it and killed the brother. We are now investigating the matter to know the actual cause of the incident and the one who actually fired the gunshot. They belong to the same party and this happened after the rally when they were dismantling the canopyâ€, he said.
Supporters of the two leading parties clashed last week which left six persons in critical condition.
One person who was picked up in connection with the skirmishes in Karaga on Monday has been granted bail.
Neither of the two parties took the blame for the incident as they both blamed each other for the occurrence.
The Concerned Lotto Agents Association of Ghana (CLAAG), has called on the government to regulate properly the operations of the lotto industry with a view to promoting employment and at the same time sourcing revenue for the badly needed development of the state of Ghana.
The association noted that successive governments have not given due recognition to the industry as a source of employment and have neglected to regulate the operations of the industry to sustain the provision of jobs and as a regular source of employment.
In a press statement, the Lotto Agents denied claims that the lotto industry had provided jobs to more than two million Ghanaians especially in the informal sector.
They also raised other concerns confronting lotto agents, calling on the government to address them as soon as possible.
Below is a statement:
Good morning Ladies and Gentlemen of the press. It is an understatement to say that the lotto industry had provided jobs to more than two million Ghanaians especially in the informal sector.
Unfortunately the successive governments have not given due recognition to the industry as a source of employment and have neglected to regulate the operations of the industry to sustain the provision of jobs and as a regular source of employment.
The decision to cut off private participation in lotto industry was therefore not a step in the right direction.
The Atta Mills regime however decided to bring back the private participation through the creation of the VAG act in 2012.
The current administration through the Director General of National Lottories invited about 32 Private Lotto operations (firms, companies) to register and be lincensed to be able to operate.
Huge sums of money were paid by the thirty-two companies but about only seven got lincenses to operate, we hope that the rest will get their lincense in due course.
Those who did not apply for lincenses at all and who have no lincenses are now operating and paying huge commission to the Lotto writes because their operation is a black market sort of operation without any regulation.
We call on the government to regulate properly the operations of the Lotto industry with a view to promoting employment and at the same time sourcing revenue for the badly needed development of the state of Ghana.
The NLA at the moment is a player and a referee at the same time. NLA is a regulator and yet not independent as they themselves compete with lotto operations and that is a source of gargantuan confusion and chaos. We need an independent regulator who is not a competitor.
We are therefore calling on all our members to remain calm and give their support to the government so that this unfinished business will continue after the coming elections.
Naba R. S. M. Sayeed Musah Abubakari Sadik, Chief of Gambigo in the Bolgatanga East Constituency, has enskinned Mr John Dramani Mahama, Presidential Candidate, National Democratic Congress (NDC), as Naba Amalitinga I (King of Development).
The enskinment was in recognition of the numerous development projects that Mr Mahama brought to the traditional area during his first term of office as President.
Naba Sayeed Musah Abubakari Sadik conferred the honour on Mr Mahama at durbar of the chiefs and people of Gambigo and surrounding communities in the Bolgatanga East Constituency.
The Chief noted that during Mr Mahama’s tenure, the traditional area had its fair share of the national cake, such as the Senior High School (SHS) E-block complex, which was now serving nearby communities such as Zuarungu and Bolgatanga Central.
The Chief mentioned rural electrification projects, roads and bridges construction projects as some of the achievements of the NDC Government in the area.
He also lauded Mr Mahama for appointing Dr Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, the Member of Parliament of the area to serve as Deputy Minister of Justice and Attorney-General during his first term.
Naba Sayeed Musah Abubakari Sadik appealed to Mr Mahama that should he be given the mandate by Ghanaians on December 7 to adding boarding facilities to the Gambigo Community Day SHS.
He also asked for the fixing of some roads and bridges, which were abandoned since the Mahama administration left office.
The Chief wished both Mr Mahama and Mr Ayine well in the December 7 polls.
Mr Mahama thanked the Chief and Elders of Gambigo for the honour done him and the NDC and gave the assurance that the Chief that his next administration would add boarding facilities to the Gambigo SHS for boys and girls respectively.
This, he said would enable school children who come from communities that were a bit far to be able have a place to stay and learn in order for them to make their full potential.
He noted that their roads and bridges would be fixed by his next administration.
“I am happy to see this beautiful school building standing here, I think it is a mark of some of the good works that we left, not only in the education sector, but in the health sector, in water, provision of electricity, good quality roads across the lengths and breaths of this country.”
He said quality education was one of the most important ingredients needed in creating the human resource that any country needed.
“And it is important for us to continue to provide the infrastructure so that all our children can have access to good quality education,” he said.
Mr Mahama said: “We introduced the free SHS programme in 2015, that is when inaugurated it, I declared the free SHS begun in 2015. And the video is there where I announced the beginning of free SHS.
“By the time we were leaving office in 2016, we had all the day students on free SHS and we had added 146,000 boarding students to the free SHS programme. “That is the fact. And so if some comes to tell you that when NDC comes it will cancel the free SHS that person is obviously telling a big lie because we cannot cancel what we have started.”
He said if the current Government had used their method of implementing free SHS, they would not have ended with the double-track system and the next NDC administration would maintain the free SHS programme and improve upon it.
Mr Mahama reiterated that his next administration would eliminate the double-track system within one year and appealed to Ghanaians to vote the NDC back to power to continue its good works.
Mr Ayine thanked Mr Mahama for providing the Gambigo Community with an E-block.
“I brought you here tonight to thank you profusely for the E-block that you gave to the chiefs and people of Gambigo,” he said.
“Your Government gave us this beautiful edifice, which is serving to enhance the educational needs of the communities in the Bolgatanga East Constituency.”
Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has commissioned the Tolon District Hospital as part of my three-day tour of the Northern Region.
The 60-Bed Ultra-Modern Hospital for the Tolon District is one of the six medical facilities which begun three years ago.
The other facilities are the 80 Bed Hospital at Somanya in the Eastern Region; 80 Bed District Hospital at Buipe in the Savannah Region; 60 Bed Hospital at Wheta in the Volta Region; 60 Bed Hospital at Sawla in the Savannah Region and a 30 Bed Polyclinic at Bamboi in the Savannah Region.
The Tolon hospital has several departments including the Outpatient and Emergency Department, Inpatient Wards for males, female and paediatrics, Obstetrics & Gynecology (Maternity and Child Health), Surgery including an Intensive Care Unit, Physiotherapy, Pharmacy Diagnostic Services including X-ray, Laboratory, and ultrasound, and a Mortuary.
Commissioning the facility, the Vice President said the interventions made by the government in the health sector have been timely, particularly on the back of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We would have succumbed to the devastating effect of the outbreak of the Corona Virus pandemic but for skilful management of the pandemic by the Ghana Health Service and the health workers,†he added.
The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has applauded the first batch of beneficiaries of the Free Senior High School policy for their excellent showing in the 2020 West African Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
According to President Akufo-Addo, “I am reliably informed that the WASSCE results of Aburi Girls Senior High School, and, indeed, of all 2020 SHS graduates, was extremely impressive. Those who claimed that the policy was not achievable must be very ashamed now. I will shelve that conversation for now so we deal with it another day.
The President continued, “However, I wish to congratulate all the students for their brilliant performance in WASSCE examinations,” President Akufo-Addo said.
President Akufo-Addo made this known on Monday, 23rd November 2020, when he addressed party faithful and traditional rulers at Aburi, on day 2 of his 2-day tour of the Eastern Region.
Indeed, the 2020 results of the WASSCE candidates is the only year in the past six (6) years that more than fifty percent (50%) of candidates who sat the examination obtained A1-C6 in all core subjects.
Further analysis of the 2020 results revealed that performances in Mathematics and English Language were the highest, recording 65.71 and 57.34 per cent, respectively. Social Studies and Integrated Science recorded 64.31 and 52.53 per cent, respectively, the checks further indicated.
The data also shows that about 60% of the 342,500 candidates who wrote the WASSCE, representing over 200,000, scored between A1 and C6 in their best six subjects, including English and Mathematics, which qualifies them for tertiary education.
The Christian Council of Ghana has proposed and declared week-long nondenominational fasting and prayer for peace for the nation before, during, and after the 2020 General Election.
The exercise is scheduled to take place from Wednesday, November 25 to Sunday, November 29, 2020, in churches across the country under the theme: “Seek Peace and Pursue It†taken from the Bible verse, (1Peter 3:11).
A statement signed by Reverend Dr. Cyril G. K. Fayose, General Secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana, and copied to the Ghana News Agency, explained that all Christians were expected to gather at the Perez Dome, Dzorwulu, for a peace rally.
Christians in the other regions were also entreated to gather at a church auditorium in their respective regions to do the same.
The statement said the day would be used to proclaim peace for the nation, while flagbearers are called upon to affirm their commitment to peaceful elections.
Ghana has struck a carbon offsetting agreement with Ghana and Switzerland in what the two nations say is the second deal of its kind under the Paris agreement.
Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, and the Swiss Ambassador to Ghana, Philip Stalder, signed the agreement during a video conference.
The agreement allows Switzerland to cut down its CO2 emissions partly abroad through climate protection projects in the African country.
This move comes after Switzerland and Peru signed the ‘world first’ carbon offset deal under the Paris Agreement in October 2020.
Under the Paris Agreement, Switzerland has committed itself to halve its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to 1990 levels.
The Swiss-Ghana agreement will begin next year to enable the implementation of climate protection projects such as the installation of several hundred thousand decentralized solar systems as part of the “Ghana National Clean Energy Program”.
This program is expected to strengthen the expansion of renewable energies and energy-efficient technologies.
President Simonetta Sommaruga witnessed the signing ceremony via video conference from Bern.
Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI), Prof. Kwabena Frimpong Boateng was also present at the ceremony in Accra.
Clear rules for the protection of the environment and human rights
The agreement obliges both parties to use a method that prevents double counting of achieved emission reductions.
It also defines a clear framework for the international transfer of CO2 reductions and their recognition by Ghana and Switzerland.
The treaty establishes criteria to ensure that climate projects do not harm the environment, ensure sustainable development, and respect human rights.
According to the agreement, there must be no evidence of a violation of human rights or national legislation.
In this case, the transfer of emission reductions from the project in question would be immediately suspended.
These criteria are continuously reviewed over the duration of climate projects.
Security analyst, Adam Bonaa, has asked the Ghana Police Service to take absolute control of the entire security arrangements in the country ahead of the December polls.
According to him, this would prevent duplicity in roles of the service men and possible confusion on the election day.
Addressing the media during an Institute of Security, Safety and Policy Research (ISSPR) press conference on election security, he said; “We entreat the Ghana Police Service headed by the IGP to take full responsibility over the coordination of all other state and allied security agencies charged with the provision of security before, during and after the election…â€
Adding that; “the election security taskforce should be solely led by the Ghana Police Service, to create a congenial atmosphere on the 7th of December.â€
Adam Bonaa further advised that members of the Ghana Armed Forces must not be deployed on the election day, unless under urgent circumstances through an Executive Instrument.
He also emphasized that none of the military men should be seen loitering around the collation centre or any other polling station in the country as they could heighten insecurity in the country.
“Members of the Ghana Armed Forces that is the military should not be seen anywhere close to polling and collation centres before, during and after election unless otherwise required by the president through an Executive Instrument,†Adam Bonaa recommended.
Kwame Agbodza, Member of Parliament for Adaklu Constituency, has called on the clergy to use the pulpit to preach peace.
“We need peace, nothing but peace before, during and after the elections which the clergy should use the pulpit to preach,” he said.
Mr. Agbodza made the call at a peace programme organised by the Ho Diocese of the Catholic Church at Adaklu Ahunda in the Adaklu district aimed at forging peace among political actors in the constituency.
Mr Agbodza said he would work closely with all stakeholders to guard the peace being enjoyed in the district.
He called on supporters of the various political parties to refrain from acts that could undermine peace.
Mr Agbodza urged the electorate not to be lured by the promises by the New Patriotic Party, but critically examine the track record of the National Democratic Congress and give them their mandate.
The MP reiterated his unwavering resolve to continue working hard to bring the needed development to the Constituency. GNA.
Members of the Landlords Association of Hweriso in the Ejisu Municipality of the Ashanti Region have pleaded with the government and Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to take out a portion of land housing property belonging to members of the association that has been allocated to the Ghana Free Zones Authority.
The landlords, numbering over 500, are facing eviction and demolition of their structures located on the Boankra Inland Port Project land belonging to the Ghana Free Zones Authority.
Speaking at a press conference held in Kumasi on Monday, 23 November 2020, the association noted that over 500 of its members have completed their houses.
Secretary to the Association, Emmanuel Owusu, explained that the landlords “acquired our lands from the stool lands from 2018 to 2020 and that the total landlords in this area numbers up to 1,000.
“As of today, the 23 of November 2020, about 500 of us have fully completed all our buildings and are actually living here with the rest at various levels of completion.
“In 2012, we heard in the grapevine that the land had been acquired and had been allocated to the Free Zones Authority, something we had to follow up because it was very worrying,†he said.
He continued: “We followed up to the Ejisu Lands Authority and they confirmed to us that this land has not been allocated to the Free Zones Authorityâ€.
“We further followed up to the main office at Adum, where they also confirmed same for us that the lands had not been allocated to the Free Zones. So, we came back and then continued with our development but years down the line in 2016, we heard an announcement that was broadcast by the Omanhene of Ejisu.â€
According to the association, the Omanhene of Ejisu indicated in his broadcast that every “form of development on this land should cease because the land had then been allocated to the Free Zones Authority. And a follow-up to the Ejisu Authority confirmed same.â€
The association continued that although they have written a petition to the Manhyia Palace over the matter, they are yet to receive a response from the seat of the Asante monarch.
However, “the letter to the Free Zones was replied and the reply indicated that this land had been allocated to the Free Zones Authority and as such, a lease has been done on this land or on this stretch of land to the Free Zones Authority.â€
The landlords pleaded with the government and the Free Zones Authority to “remove and take out this stretch of land, which includes over 500 houses†from their project.
They further pleaded “with Manhyia to take out this stretch of lands forms the lands that had been allocated to the Free Zones.â€
The association added: “We do not have any ulterior motive at the end but we know that they can take it out of the portion, but if they do not, then it means they just want to render us hopeless.â€
An IT security consultant Prince Kpasra has flawed a decision taken by the Electoral Commission to make public, some details of electorates as captured in the voters register via a google drive document.
He argues that considering the use of sophisticated technology by fraudsters in recent times and the existence of Data Protection Laws, the EC could have managed the information more responsibly.
In an interaction on Citi FM, Mr. Kpasra said the EC could have, in the first instance, restricted access to the data it published on its website some days ago.
“The first thing is that they should have put it on their website and restricted access, but they put it on a public cloud, which is Google, and allowed anybody who wanted to download the information to download it,†he said.
Mr Kpasra expressed fears that some unscrupulous could use the data which has now been taken down by the EC to impersonate and defraud unsuspecting Ghanaians.
“There could be identity fraud where fraudster can use your ID number to register a SIM card…having all the information will make it easier for fraudsters to steal your identity for opening bank accounts and hacking social media,†he said.
The Electoral Commission published on its website the full names, age, polling station codes, gender amongst others of electorates. All details which were loaded on a google drive document was subsequently downloaded and shared amongst the citizenry.
The motive of the EC to allow some transparency in its operations as regards the December 7 polls was rather heavily castigated.
Political parties and Electoral Commission officials in Koforidua have chanced upon some ballot papers with duplicate serial numbers while sorting out electoral materials.
These errors, according to them, were detected in both presidential and parliamentary ballot papers for Akuapem South Constituency in the Eastern Region on Sunday, November 22, 2020.
“For the ballot papers in the presidential booklets, we noticed that instead of 142 pieces of the booklets, we had 141 booklets which means there is a shortage by one. On the other hand, 50 of the booklets had duplicate serial numbers on the ballot papers. With the Parliamentary, there was a shortage of one booklet with two duplicate booklets with same serial numbers on ballot papers,†Prince Etornam the Akuapem South Constituency Secretary of the NDC told Starr News.
Reacting to the issue, Director of elections for the NDC in Eastern Region Baba Jamal Konney said the party will ensure that the duplicate ballot papers are kept in Police custody to avoid been tempered with.
“We are done with sorting, all the Constituency booklets have been kept at the Police armory at the Police Headquarters in Koforidua. Every political party has put its seal on the bags, on November 30th we will come and pick the special voting booklets and conduct the Special Voting then afterward we come for the main booklets and check whether the seals and everything is okay. Including all the errors we detected,†he stated.
The Eastern Regional Secretary of the New Patriotic Party, (NPP) Jeff Konadu on the other hand failed to comment on the development though approached twice.
The sorting exercise was monitored by BNI, Police and Election Observers from the European Union (EU).
Bankroller of King Faisal Football Club (FC), Alhaji Karim Grusah, has predicted victory for President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in the upcoming presidential election.
He said the president has fulfilled his campaign promises and should be retained.
Alhaji Grusah said he believes in the UP tradition and the policies of NPP hence his support.
Describing himself as an NPP man, Alhaji Grusah said the NPP has implemented policies that have transformed the lives of Ghanaians.
“Vote for the NPP. The party has performed well. The president has fulfilled his promises. He deserves a second term,†he stated.
The country is set to go to the polls come December 7, 2020.
Over 20, 000 smallholder farmers have been supported to cultivate about 38, 000 hectares of maize and soya, Mr Felix Ngmenkaara Darimaani, the National Programme Coordinator of the Savannah Zone Agricultural Productivity Improvement Project (SAPIP) has said.
He said under the COVID-19 response strategy of the programme, 15,000 farmers were also supported to cultivate 12, 000 hectares of rice, adding that out of the number, 3,600 hectares was in the Builsa South District of the Upper East Region.
Addressing farmers, off-takers, processors, policymakers and implementers at a market access workshop at Fumbisi the Builsa South District capital, Mr Darimaani said with COVID-19, importation of rice would be a challenge.
“Therefore, the government has developed strategies to develop rice production for which we have the potential. Processing facilities are being procured by the project to add value to rice produced.â€
He said value chain infrastructure played a key role in Agriculture and therefore the need for such intervention.
Mr Darimaani said the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) programme was part of the SAPIP and the Savannah Investment Programme (SIP), implemented by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA).
The projects are funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the overall goal of the programme was to reduce the importation of animal protein, enhance the competition of the poultry industry, improve small ruminants breeds and contribute to improved food and nutrition security.
Mr Sylvan Dauda Danaa, the Builsa South District Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) said with the support of SAPIP, MoFA in the District had acquired over 50 aggregators.
“So you will realise that this year, we have produced more than last year in terms of land space, but you are not hearing much about the hustle we got last year, because a lot of the aggregators have come.â€
He said there were buyers for their produce at the Valleys adding “We are looking for sustainable marketing to link the farmers in the value chain.â€
Mr Danaa said with the support of SAPIP and SIP, MoFA would create a data base to ensure synergy between farmers, aggregators, processors and marketers.
Mr Richard Akuka, a farmer at the Fumbisi rice valleys said through SAPIP, farmers received seeds and fertilizers which supported them to increase their production.
He said even though the market for their produce had also improved with most buyers from the Southern part of the country, they could not buy all the rice, “We need processing millers like Avanash and others to also come and buy.â€
Ghana’s debts reached an all-time high in September this year on the back of increased borrowing to make up for shortfalls in revenues and fund rising expenditures.
Data from the Bank of Ghana (BoG) showed that the public debt stock stood at GH¢273.8 billion in September this year, the highest since the bank started releasing data on how much the country owes.
The September this year stock was equivalent to 71 percent of total economic output, measured by gross domestic product (GDP), according to the data released by the central bank ahead of a press conference Monday.
The debt stock was GH¢201.9 billion (59.8% of GDP) in September last year but rose by 35.6 percent to GH¢273.8 billion this September.
It also showed that GH¢71.9 billion was added to the debt stock within the 12-month period.
The data further showed that the share of the debt into external and domestic debt were almost at par, with the foreign component slightly above those procured locally.
The foreign component was GH¢138.5 billion, equivalent to 35.9 percent of GDP while the domestic share was GH¢135.3 billion, representing 35.1 percent of GDP.
Although a norm for countries, the weight of Ghana’s debt relative to its revenues has been worrisome, with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group consistently ranking the country as a high-risk debt distress country since 2015.
Abdul Malik Kweku Baako says the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) got the needed support from the presidency to enable the Special Prosecutor Martin Amidu execute his mandate.
According to him, some documents he has cited proves that the Akufo-Addo administration played a very significant role in assisting Martin Amidu with the needed logistics as well.
“My scrutiny of some official documents and records point to the fact that there was no lack of commitment from the executive.
“In this case, the presidency collaborated with the Office of the Special Prosecutor and the Special Prosecutor himself to deliver an efficient office in terms of accommodation, logistics…,†he observed.
The Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide newspaper said on Newsfile on Saturday, November 21 that there was abundant evidence of communication and exchanges between the OSP and the presidency, “especially [from] the office of the chief of staff who appears to be the point person the Special Prosecutor was dealing with oftentimes.â€
“So, both sides apparently had a certain commitment to deliver on the office,†Baako concluded.
Martin Amidu in his letter of resignation stated that he was denied key logistics and accommodation that would have enabled him to perform his functions appropriately.
But Baako disagrees, indicating that “with reference to page 7 of the parliamentary report on the office of the Special Prosecutor for 2020, the Special Prosecutor informed a committee that the plan to move the offices to an appropriate office accommodation in 2019 could not materialise due to the fact that the building [which] was finally secured with the help of his excellency the president had certain structural defects which [needed] to be remedied by the original contractor before it could be repurposed as offices for the OSPâ€.
“Given that the 2019 budget of the OSP was prepared on the assumption that the new office facility would be made available among others to accommodate 249 [staff] which were to be recruited in the year and the establishment of a tender entity committee to make the necessary procurement [the] accommodation situation significantly hampered the implementation of planned programmes and activities of the OSP in the year under review,†Baako read from the parliamentary report.
Kweku Baako further observed that some correspondence and communication from both sides gave the indication that they were still in pursuit of a decent and suitable Office of the Special Prosecutor.
“I am not sure it is a substitute for the kind of office the Special Prosecutor envisages for his safety and because the executive also agreed that it was a [temporary] facility, both sides were cooperating or collaborating to look for an effective one,†he noted.
Martin Amidu on Monday November 16, 2020, resigned from his position as the Special Prosecutor.
In a resignation letter to the President, Martin Amidu said: “The one condition upon which I accepted to be nominated as the Special Prosecutor when you invited me to your Office on 10th January 2018 was your firm promise to me that you will respect and ensure same by your Government for my independence and freedom of action as the Special Prosecutor.”
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has asked Ghanaians to give him another term if the work he has done so far is not disappointing.
The President was addressing a rally at Anyinam in the Atiwa East Constituency in the Eastern Region as part of his two-day tour of the Eastern Region.
He noted that since Ghana started under the fourth republic, the people of the Nkawkaw Constituency and Atiwa West Constituency have been loyal to the New Patriotic Party(NPP) and therefore used the opportunity to thank them for their unwavering support since 1992.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo used the opportunity to call on them to vote massively for him in the impending election.
“Since we started voting in Ghana under the fourth republican constitution, Nkawkaw and the Kwahu state have stayed with the NPP and I am here to say a big thank for your loyalty,†the President said.
“I wish to further submit to you that if my work over the last four years has been pleasing to you and I have not disappointed you, then I plead with you to vote massively for me to continue all the good works I have started,†he added further.
Deputy Chief of Staff, Francis Asenso-Boakye, has said the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) needs four more years to protect the life-changing programmes and policies of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
He said another term in office for President Akufo-Addo will result in Ghana consolidating the gains made so far with the local economy.
Asenso-Boakye said these on Sunday, November 22 when he led a team of NPP members to some churches to preach the messages of the party ahead of the December 7 elections.
“We continued the engagement with the church with visits to Ohwim Catholic Church, Ohwim Assemblies of God Church, Ohwim Pentecost Church, and Bronikrom Presbyterian Church,†he said.
He added: “The message is simple; we need another Four more years; not only to do more for Ghanaians but also to nurture and protect the life-changing programmes and policies implemented by the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. #FourMoreToDoMoreForYour #AsensoBoakye4Bantama #VoteNumber1.â€
Ghana Union Hamburg in collaboration with Speech Force Organisation and Partners have held Migration Stakeholders’ Conference 2020 to address challenges of irregular migration in Accra.
The conference brought together stakeholders to discuss collaborative measures to bridging migration information gaps, unifying effects, in developing and leveraging existing programmes to aid in the reintegration of returnees.
The event was on the theme:” Collaborating to promote safe Migration and Reintegration.”
Mr Felix Amoako Boampong, Project Lead at Ghana Union Hamburg, said the conference was also to discuss measures to mitigate stigmatisation of return migrants.
He said the conference would create a formidable platform for these stakeholders to have conversations on using their respective backgrounds to promote safe migration.
Mr Amoako said the conference was the crowning event for the Project Myth of a Better Life in Europe (MOBILE) that has been creating awareness on the dangers of Irregular Migration across Europe through bridging the gap in information.
He said the project exposes Ghanaians to the reality of living in Europe and bridging the knowledge gap in migration information.
“The project comprises three key programmes including migration seminars, religious leaders conference and the migration stakeholders conference,” he added.
He said the project has organised 16 seminars with 116 young people participating.
He said project has Speech Forces Organization, as implementors in Ghana with support from the Centre for International Migration and Development.
Mr Amoako advised Ghanaians, who have the desire to travel to seek adequate and reliable information to enable them to migrant legally to Europe.
Mrs Akosua Assa Manu, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of National Youth Authority, said government believes in investing in the young people for national development.
She said government through the Authority has some programmes that supports young people like the economic and entrepreneurial, governance and Leadership and infrastructure among others.
She said the Authority has also facilitated various educational programmes that engage young people like the international youth programme and had a collaboration with the UNDP on a project dubbed “Youth Connect Ghana.”
Mrs Asaa Manu said government was committed in nurturing the skills and potentials in young people for nation-building.
Madam Paye Sandra Adoma, the Partnerships and Business Development Manager at Speech Forces Organisation said “we create a platform for intellectual discourse which improves creative and critical thinking skills for young people.”
She said this they do through the organising of debate competitions, public speaking and debate, coaching as well as aiding schools in setting up debate societies and clubs.
“We promote active citizenship through open discourse on challenging issues which more often than not influences actions of today, appreciation of the past and perspectives on what the future holds,” she added.
Madam Adoma said they recognize the role of the next generation in shaping society, as such they tailor these programmes to engage as many young people as possible.
She said her outfit was happy to have worked on this migration project with the Ghana Union Hamburg and Centre for International Migration, adding that for them it was not just any project but rather it was about empowering the next generation of leaders and shaping the narrative of the larger society on what life means in Europe.
