TheInternational Monetary Fund(IMF) has stated that Ghana’s economy is gradually recovering following the approval of the Fund-Supported program on May 17, 2023.
This was captured in a statement issued by the IMF after its Staff Mission led by Stephane Roudet, visited Ghana from June 8 to June 15, 2023.
The visit, according to the IMF, was part of its regulator engagements with Ghanaian authorities and other stakeholders.
Its Mission Chief, Stephane Roudet, in a statement noted that “the Ghanaian economy is showing signs of stabilisation, with softening inflation, an increase in international reserves, and a less volatile exchange rate.”
Mr Roudet noted that during their visit, the discussions focused on recent macroeconomic developments against a complex global economic backdrop.
The IMF was however quick to add that “timely restructuring agreements with creditors are essential to secure the expected benefits of theFund-supported programme.”
Issues discussed during the visit
The IMF statement also added that discussions focused on recent economic developments and implementation of the Fund-supported programme approved on May 17, 2023.
It also stated that “the Fund took stock of the authorities’ progress in meeting key commitments under the Fund-supported programme.”
The IMF maintained that these discussions were done in the context of the first first review of the Extended Credit Facility arrangement, which is expected to be undertaken in the Autumn that is November 1 2023.
It added that in discussing progress on the debt restructuring operations “we reiterated that timely restructuring agreements with creditors are essential to secure the expected benefits of the Fund-supported programme.”
Who did the IMF engage?
The IMF staff held meetings with President Akufo Addo, Vice President Dr Bawumia, Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, and the Bank of Ghana Governor Dr Ernest Addison and their teams
The rest are representatives from various government agencies, the Parliament’s Finance Committee, the private sector, and civil society.
The Staff thanked the Ghanaian authorities and other stakeholders for their constructive engagement and support during this mission.
The Head of Public Affairs at COCOBOD, Stephen Fiifi Boafo has warned cocoa farmers who practice illegal mining (galamsey) should desist from the act as it jeopardizes their future pension funds.
According to him, illegal miners are robbing farmers of their lifetime earnings, as well as a legacies that could bequeath to their generations. He said though perpetrators of illegal mining activities make juicy promises to cocoa farmers, luring them to give away their cocoa farms, these innocent farmers have ended up being in an impoverished situation with nothing to depend on upon retirement.
The Head of Public Affairs therefore appealed to cocoa farmers to resist any attempt by illegal miners to convince them to sell off their lands which eventually deprives them of their lifetime investments.
Mr. Boafo made the observation while addressing a ceremony organised by management of Goldfields Ghana Limited at Damang to hand over agro-inputs to some beneficiary cocoa farmers in their catchment communities.
Mr. Boafo reminded farmers about the several measures government, in collaboration with Ghana Cocoa Board and theNational Pension Regulatory Authority (NPRA) is implementing to better the lives of cocoa farmers, especially in retirement.
“The introduction of the Cocoa Farmers Pension Scheme is meant to secure your future and provide you with a decent means of livelihood when you retire. As with other pension schemes, your monthly earnings will depend on your contributions which means that if you sell off your cocoa farms for mining activities, you are denying yourself and future generations the opportunity to earn decent livelihoods”, he added.
He noted that apart from the introduction of the Pension Scheme, COCOBOD is also implementing several interventions such as cocoa mass spraying, cocoa rehabilitation, pruning, hand pollination and highly subsidized fertilisers to support farmers.
These, according to him, come at huge cost to Government, hence the need to safeguard the future of the cocoa industry by eradicating illegal mining. Mr. Fiifi Boafo therefore expressed joy at the gesture extended to cocoa farmers by Goldfields Ghana Limited under their Cocoa Farmers Foundation Support Programme, adding that it is worth emulating by other mining companies.
He noted that over the years both mining and cocoa production had co-existed peacefully until the upsurge of activities of illegal mining.
Mr. Fiifi Boafo was of the view that the example of Goldfields Ghana Limited is an attestation that responsible mining can go a long way to help improve our ecosystem and support other environmental activities, including farming. “Let me take this opportunity to commend the management of Goldfields Ghana Limited for this kind gesture to our cocoa farmers. It is my hope that our beneficiary farmers will respond same by meticulously applying these inputs on their farms in order to obtain yields”
In all, about 240 beneficiary farmers received agro inputs under the Gold Fields Ghana Farmers Foundation Support Programme.
The Speaker of Parliament,Alban Bagbin, has advised constituents who frequently change their Members of Parliament (MPs), to desist from the act.
He said that to be able to sustain development, an MP must have stayed long in parliament to mature and network to be able to bring about development.
”Those of you who change your MPs like shirts that’s your problem because to be able to get the development you have to be there for some time, you have to mature, you have to network, you must be known.
“So if I’m now a speaker do I need a minister to come and give me development? He has to come because he needs favour from me. I don’t need to call him. If you are a first-time MP and you call, they do not even know you,”he said.
The Speaker said this when he paid a courtesy call on the overlord of theGonja Traditional area as part of activities marking the 30th celebration of Parliament.
He was talking about Ghana’s democracy in the last 30 years.He stated that, despite being an advocate for MPs staying in parliament for a long time, he was referring to MPs who are performing, and the need for them to be allowed to stay for a long time to mature.
The Speaker Parliament said Ghana has practiced democracy for the past 30 years without any interruption, something he said has never happened in the country’s history.
In celebrating the achievement, he said there was the need for an evaluation to find out where the country got it right and wrong.
Majority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh has stated that Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia will emerge victorious in theNew Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential race leading up to the 2024 general elections.
He stated that politics is defined by times and seasons therefore this is the time for Dr Bawumia to lead the NPP as flagbearer and subsequently lead the country as president.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday, June 14, the Nsawam Adaogyiri lawmaker said about 119 of the Majority Members of Parliament support Dr Bawumia to be flagbearer.
“As at the last count we were doing over 119 MPs, some have whispered into my ears, some have shown it openly, and that is how it looks. I am praying that it gets better.”
He added “This is not Alan’s time, this isDr Bawumia’s time. Politics is season and time, if you are not careful you will get it wrong. Look at the US, President Biden himself, look at all the processes he went through but today he is the president. People say Alan was closer in the last primaries we held so reasonably he will take over but the dynamism of leadership and politics should let them know that the narrative has changed.
“It is Dr Bawumia’s time, nobody can change it except God. We respect all the people who are seeking to lead our party. The fact of the matter is, I have been on the grounds, I have been to all the regions, if the primaries is conducted today Dr Bawumia will win, Alan cannot beat Bawumia.
“I am not a novice in this game, I have done grassroots mobilization all up to his time, if a win is coming I can see it and I can feel it. Even in the special delegates conference Dr Bawumia will not win with less than 70 percent of the special delegates’ conference. We have done our work and we are still working.”
Meanwhile Dr Bawumia has said he would file his nomination forms on Friday, June 16 to enable him to contest in the presidential race of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
In a tweet, he said “Dear Friends, God willing tomorrow, Friday 16 June, I shall file my nomination forms and contest the @NPP_GH Presidential Primary. It is possible.”
He picked up the forms on Tuesday, May 30.
The forms were picked on his behalf by former Vice Chairman of the NPP, Fred Oware and former National Organiser Sammy Awuku.
The NPP opened nominations for its flagbearer elections on Friday, May 26.
The nominations will close on Saturday, June 24, according to a press release issued on Thursday, May 25.
“Consequently, an Aspiring Presidential Candidate shall obtain the Nomination Forms after payment of a non-refundable nomination fee of Fifty Thousand Ghana Cedis (GH¢50, 000.00) only, through a Banker’s Draft,” the statement said.
A member of theNational Democratic Congress‘ (NDC) communication team, Margaret Ansei, has criticized the ruling New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) initiative, stating that it has failed to produce any tangible results or make a significant impact on the country’s economy.
The NDC communicator expressed that there is no evidence of the mass food production the PFJ initiative is supposed to churn out in our markets.
Margaret Ansei also added that due to the lack of more production of goods or food, the money of many Ghanaians is chasing only a few goods in the markets, hence the extreme drop in quantities of goods that used to be bought and served with and at certain values.
Margaret Ansei was speaking on a TV3 Newday panel on June 15, 2023.
“Planting for Food and Jobs, yes, the slogan is there. It has the name but the effect; Nana are you feeling it?” she asked one of the panellists.
“At a point, the minister [former agric minister, Owusu Akoto Afriyie] led an initiative where the goods were being sold at the ministry. I don’t know how it ended because that couldn’t have solved the problem.
“If there is more production; the simple Economics that we were in maybe secondary school or university; demand and supply… If there is excess demand and the supply is limited, what happens? If plenty money is chasing few goods, what happens?” she quizzed.
She also added, “The economy is in my pocket asDr. Bawumia said and the tomato that I used to buy at 5 cedis, now if I want to buy tomatoes 10 cedis, they will count three pieces and put them in my hand.
“So, for the Planting for Food and Jobs, I think it’s one of their slogans but nothing for me.”
The Planting for Food and Jobs programme is a flagship agricultural campaign of the Akufo-Addo administration, with five implementation modules.
The first module of the PFJ (Crops), which was launched in 2017, aims to promote food security and immediate availability of selected food crops on the market and also provide jobs.
The other modules under the programme are Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD); Greenhouse Technology Villages (3 Villages); Rearing for Food and Jobs (RFJ) and Agricultural Mechanization Services (AMSECs).
Planting for foods and jobs is just a slogan by the NPP, the initiative has had no impact - Margaret Ansei#TV3NewDay pic.twitter.com/2sicuTj5BZ
— #TV3GH (@tv3_ghana) June 15, 2023
The Accra High Court has rejected the “submission of no case” filed by En Huang, also known as Aisha Huang, the alleged Chinese illegal mining kingpin, in a illegal mining (galamsey) case.
In a ruling today, the court, presided over by Justice Lydia Osei Marfo, held that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against Aisha Huang, reports Graphic Online’s Emmanuel Ebo Hawkson.
Consequently, the court directed the accused person to open her defence to answer to the charges leveled against her.
Not guilty
En Huang, a Chinese national has been accused of being in the thick of affairs of galamsey, especially in the Ashanti Region.
She was deported from Ghana in 2018, after the A-G decided to discontinue her trial in which she was accused of engaging in small-scale mining without licence.
However, she was said to have sneaked back into Ghana to allegedly engage in the same activities for which she was deported.
The Attorney-General (A-G), Godfred Yeboah Dame, then decided to prosecute her for the alleged crimes before her deportation and new ones committed since her entry back into the country.
It is the case of the prosecution that Aisha had an illegal mining concession at Bepotenten in the Amansie West District in the Ashanti Region and also operated a mining support services company.
She has pleaded not guilty to undertaking a mining operation without a licence, facilitating the participation of persons engaged in a mining operation, the illegal employment of foreigners and entering Ghana while prohibited from re-entry.
TheElectoral Commission (EC) has announced that the District Level Election (DLE) for this year will be held on October 3, 2023.
It, however, said the date for the DLE was subject to change depending on the approval of the proposed new Constitutional Instrument (C.I) by Parliament.
The Deputy Chairman of the EC in-charge of Operations, Samuel Tettey, made this known at a forum on the 2023 DLE in Accra yesterday.
Forum
The forum, on the theme “2023 District Level Election:
Aimed at educating stakeholders about the DLE, it also discussed ways to improve voter turnout which has been at an all-time low over the years.
The DLE is to elect assembly and Unit Committee members.
Speaking at the forum, Mr Tettey said the new C.I. which was seeking to make the Ghana Card the sole document for identification for registration was yet to be laid before Parliament.
He said when approved, the new C.I would regulate continuous voter registration in the country.
“If this new C.I. goes through, the commission will undertake the continuous voter registration exercise at the district level,” he said.
Aside from that, he said some internal activities of the commission such as recruitment of staff, logistics and other election administration processes might also be a subject for the change of the date set by the commission for the DLE.
He said unlike the presidential and parliamentary elections, candidates for the DLE were not expected to pay a deposit or filing fee.
He stated that the EC would provide details of electoral processes through a series of public and voter education programmes on the DLE.
Mr. Tettey therefore called on all stakeholders to assist the EC by playing their roles to ensure the delivery of a free, fair and transparent election.
Turnout
A Local Governance Expert, Dr Eric Oduro Osae, called for the politicisation of the DLE to improve the voter turnout of the election.
He said section six of the Local Governance Act 2016(Act 936) as amended by Act 940, provided that DLE should be held every four years with an interval between the DLE and the Presidential and Parliamentary elections being at least six months apart.
He indicated that since 1988, Ghana has had eight successive local level elections to engender greater citizens’ participation in the process.
He said despite the constitutional guarantee of the right to vote, there had been gross apathy among the citizenry in local governance elections leading to low turnout.
“Turnout for DLE have been declining from 59.3 per cent in 1988/89 to 33.6 per cent in 2019 as against a national turnout of 2020 general election of about 78.89 per cent
“Apart from the 59.3 per cent turnout during the PNDC military rule we have never hit the 50 per cent turnout mark since we entered constitutional rule under civilian elected governments from 1993,” he said.
To improve voter turnout for this year’s DLE, Dr Osae recommended, among others, making the DLE election day a holiday or an add on to an existing one, amend article 55(3) and allow political parties to sponsor candidates, intensify sensitisation among citizens about the DLE and develop strategies to improve women and youth participation.
The Minister of Local Government and Rural development, Dan Botwe, in a speech read on his behalf, said the ministry would be working with the media to ensure adequate publicity on the DLE, adding that a National Media Brief would be held in Accra to kick-start the awareness creation.
He expressed the ministry’s commitment to deepen decentralisation and collaboration with stakeholders for a successful election.
The Deputy Executive Director of CLGA, Gillian Naadu Tetteh, for her part, called for an increase in the participation of women in and PWDs by supporting them to contest in the election.
The vice president, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, is leading the former Trade and Industry Minister, Alan Kwadwo Kyeremanten, and MP for Assin Central, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong in the race to lead the NPP in 2024, according to a recent survey conducted by Global InfoAnalytics.
Dr Bawumia leads with 34.8% of the votes, followed by Kyeremanten with 27.9% and Kennedy Agyapong, 12.5%.
The rest of the candidates attracted less than 1% of the votes, while 8.9% declined to reveal who they intend to vote for and 15.10% were undecided.
However, in a run-off, the poll finds Alan Kyeremanten leading Dr Mahamudu Bawumia 38% to 37% of the votes. 16% of the delegates were undecided and 9% declined to disclose who they would vote for in the event of a run-off.
In what could be a difficult situation for the vice president, the poll finds 72% ofdelegates who voted for Kennedy Agyapong in the first round, opting to vote for Mr Kyeremanten compared to 12% who opted for Dr Bawumia.
Further, 55% of other delegates who backed other presidential aspirants in the first round intend to vote for Mr Kyeremanten compared to 25% who intend to vote for Dr Bawumia.
On the question of whether the country is headed in the right or wrong direction, 70% of the delegates believe the country is headed in the right direction while 24% believe it is headed in the wrong direction and 6% have no opinion.
With regard to the president’s job approval, the poll finds 77% of delegates approving of the performance of the president compared to 17% who disapprove of his performance, 6% did not have an opinion.
President Akufo-Addohas presented letters of commission to six new envoys, instructing them to promote investments for Ghana’s economic recovery agenda.
The six, all career diplomats, include the immediate past Director of State Protocol, Mr Samuel Yao Kumah, High Commissioner to Australia, Ms Doris Adzo Denyo Brese, Ambassador to the Czech Republic, and Mr Mohammed Habib Iddris, Ambassador to Kuwait.
The others were Mr Kingsford Amoako, Ambassador to Liberia, Mr Mark Michael Entsie, Ambassador to Libya and Mr Alex Wiredu Adu, Ambassador to Niger.
At a ceremony at the Jubilee House, Accra, President Akufo-Addo, after administering the Oaths of Allegiance, Secrecy, and the official oath, congratulated the envoys on their well-deserved appointments.
With their over two decades of experience in the foreign service, he said he was confident that they would make Ghana proud.
The President told the envoys that their appointments had come at a particularly important moment, where all countries, including Ghana, are working to return themselves to a state of normalcy, following the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, whose effects were worsened by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
He said the two events had brought to the fore the need for nations to strengthen and deepen alliances and cooperation because “no country can afford to go it alone…we either succeed together or perish together.”
“And this is where your work as High Commissioner and ambassadors would be needed most,” he stressed.
President Akufo-Addo saidGhana had begun the process of reviving its economy with the three-billion-dollar facility secured from the International Monetary Fund, to repair the country’s public finances that had taken a severe hit in very recent times.
“Whilst we continue to work on the medium to long-term structural changes that are the heart of our goal of creating a Ghana Beyond Aid, I am confident that with determination, hard work, unity and the proverbial Ghanaian sense of enterprise, we would succeed, we would make it and indeed, this too shall pass.
The President told the envoys that his administration’s unprecedented flagship initiative, the GH¢100 billion post-COVID-19 Ghana CARES Obaatanpa Programme geared to stabilise, revitalise and transform Ghana’s economy, must be the pivot around which they engaged the rest of the world.
They should, therefore, familiarise themselves with the objectives of the Programme, because they represented “our surest way out of the pandemic and would thrust Ghana back onto the path of progress and prosperity.”
“Each one of you must help and contribute to the success of the programme by facilitating amongst other things, as much foreign investment into the country as you can,” he implored.
President Akufo-Addo asked them to work with their host governments and multilateral stakeholders in the fight against armed conflicts, terrorism and violent extremism, the threats of climate change, and the illicit flow of funds from Africa.
He urged them to always promote the image of Ghana, whose reputation amongst the comity of nations continued to be high.
“You represent a country that as a result of the commendable conduct of the Ghanaian people, is regarded as one of the most stable on the African continent. It is a functioning democracy, governed by the rule of law, and respect for individual liberties, human rights, and the principles of democratic accountability.
“We are regarded as a beacon of democracy in Africa, you are the most visible symbol of our country out there. In all your actions, you must jealously guard our country’s image… I am confident this is a charge you would keep,” he said.
High Commissioner Kumah on behalf of his colleagues thanked the President for the opportunity to serve the country and for the confidence reposed in them.
“President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo has found it worthy and pleasing to appoint us as High Commissioner and Ambassadors. We are, therefore, deeply grateful to him for the appointment to serve this great nation.
“We pledge to do the utmost that merits the trust and confidence that the President of the Republic has reposed in us. In so doing, we will be guided by our core mandate to promote and protect the interest of Ghana and her nationals abroad to the best of our abilities so help us God,” he pledged.
The United States Army Southern European Task Force Africa has expressed its admiration for the ongoing Medical Readiness Training Exercise (MEDREX) being conducted at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra.
The three-week exchange programme between the US and Ghana Armies is an opportunity for medical personnel from the two countries to showcase and share advance medical procedures, new ideas and knowledge and best practices in healthcare delivery.
It also creates the opportunity for US army medical staff to work with other military and civilian establishments in Ghana and other African countries.
US Major-General Todd Wasmund, Head, United States Army Southern European Task Force Africa, after touring some wards and units of the 37 military hospitals, said he was impressed with how the facility was utilising limited resources and logistics to provide care for patients.
“I am thoroughly impressed by what I have seen today at the hospital. A five-hundred bed teaching hospital making the most of the resources available and giving confidence to the patients, caring for patients and helping them to heal and doing that with the spirit of selflessness and giving. It is so refreshing to see,” he said.
He thanked the US Army Medical Team for its participation in the programme, which formed part of the larger exercise – African Lion 2023.
Commander James Aggrey-Orleans, Ghana Navy, and the point-of-contact for the MEDREX, said the programme had enhanced the capacity of participating medics to work in difficult environments with limited resources as well as learn more advanced practices in the medical field.
The month-long MEDREX programme (May 13 to June 18, 2023) is the US Africa Command’s largest annual joint exercise involving Ghana, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia, with about 8,000 personnel drawn from 20 nations.
It is a platform for military health specialists from the U.S. Army and their African Partners to exchange medical practices, procedures and techniques that build and strengthen treatment capabilities, resulting in lasting relationships among them.
TheGhana Armed Forces(GAF) has conducted a religious induction ceremony at the Garrison Methodist-Presbyterian Church, Burma Camp, Accra, for the newly appointed Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Frederick Asare Kwasi Bekoe.
This follows his appointment as the Chief of the Air Staff of the Ghana Air Force by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on January 26, 2023.
Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), Vice Admiral Seth Amoama, at the induction, commended the inductee on his elevation, saying, throughout his career, he had demonstrated decisive, strong, and impactful leadership with courage and a high sense of loyalty.
“He is a man of great honour and has inspired many with his outstanding love for this profession.”
“Air Vice Marshal Bekoe takes great pride in taking care of his Airmen, he is thus a leader whom others look up to,” he added.
The CDS implored members of the Force to give their new Chief of Air Staff the expected support.
Air Vice Marshal Bekoe said his vision was to, together with his members, build a resilient and thriving Air Force to the safeguard peace and security of Ghana and the Subregion.
He stressed his commitment to building the capacities of his men and women, as well as facilitate the effective retooling of the Force to enhance their operations.
He commended all former Chiefs of the Air Staff, saying, he would be building on the solid foundation they laid.
Air Vice Marshal Bekoe urged the Government to keep retooling the Force to enhance its operations and support to its sister forces.
The event was graced by dignitaries, including Ministers of State,Members of Parliament, officials from the Presidency, traditional and religious leaders.
Prior to his appointment, Air Vice Marshal Frederick Asare Kwasi Bekoe was the Air Officer Special Duties at the Jubilee House and was responsible to the Chief of Staff at the Presidency on all matters relating to the Presidential aircraft.
Before then, he was the Base Commander of Air Force Base, Accra, from January 2016 to January 2019.
Air Vice Marshal Bekoe was born on Sunday, May 28, 1967 at Akim Oda in the Eastern Region of Ghana but hailed from Tutu-Akwapim.
He had his basic education at Hecta International School at Akim Oda and later proceeded to St. John’s Grammar Secondary School, Accra.In 1985 he obtained the West Africa Examination Council Certificate (0 Level) and continued to Accra Academy where he obtained GCE Advanced Level Certificate (A Level) in 1987.
He enlisted into the Ghana Military Academy, Teshie on November 11, 1988 as a Flight Cadet after completing the Standard Military Course at Teshie, he continued to the Fiying Training School in Takoradi for Ground School in preparation for flying training.
Air Vice Marshal Bekoe has served the Ghana Air Force in various capacities, giving him a sound knowledge of Air Force matters both at the Staff and Operational levels.
He is married to Mrs Rosette Okyere Bekoe and they are blessed with two daughters Frederica and Flora aged 25 and 22, respectively.
Ghanaians have been encouraged to support the Electric Vehicle (EV) policy by the deputy minister of transportation, Frederick Obeng Adom.
Ghana has begun a campaign on energy transition to achieve universal energy access and chart a path to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions to meet the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 13.
The ministry of transport recently launched the EV Policy to help reduce emission of greenhouse gases.
Speaking at a consultative meeting on the EV Policy in Ho on Wednesday 14 June, Adom said the use of fossil fuels continues to damage the environment and human health hence the need to prioritise energy transition, especially the use of electric cars.
According to the driver and vehicle licencing authority, there were about 3.2 million registered vehicles in the country in 2022.
The minister said out of the registered vehicles, “…72 percent are powered by petrol engines, 27 percent by diesel engines and less than one percent by liquefied petroleum gas and other energy sources.”
Adom also stated that, “The high dependency on fossil fuels, combined with other factors such as traffic congestion, has resulted in the transport sector becoming a net emitter of greenhouse gases.
“Emissions from vehicles are not only bad for our planet but they are also bad for our health. Air pollution has been partly blamed for cases of asthma, bronchitis and premature death,” hence the need for Ghana to begin to use electric cars.
The deputy director of renewable energy at theMinistry of Energy, Doris Duodu, said there is enough electricity to power the electric vehicles.
She said Ghana’s current installed electricity capacity is over 5,400 megawatts. The country consumes about 2,700 megawatts only, thus, there is excess power for the realisation of EV Policy.
Duodu also reiterated that the use of EV will contribute significantly to solving the negative impact of climate change. She called on Ghanaians to embrace the policy and blaze the trail for other African countries to follow.
Stakeholders from the public and private sectors in the Volta Region participated in the workshop. The participants discussed the objectives, strategies, values, principles and barriers of the policy with emphasis on how it can be implemented successfully.
Effective Monday, June 19, the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) program will begin distributing cash awards around the country on behalf of the government through the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection.
A press release, signed by the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, stated that the grants have been increased by 100% in response to the escalating global socio-economic crisis.
The release outlined the new grant amounts: households with one eligible member will now receive GH₵128, up from GH₵64; households with two eligible members will receive GHS 152 instead of GH₵76; households with three eligible members will receive GH₵176, up from GH₵88; and households with four or more eligible members will now receive GH₵212, compared to the previous GH₵106. These adjustments apply to the 83rd and 84th cycles of the social protection programme, which aims to alleviate poverty by providing bi-monthly cash grants to the most vulnerable households in Ghana. The programme also seeks to improve human capital development and enhance consumption patterns among beneficiaries.
The Minister, Hajia Lariba Zuweira Abudu, highlighted the worsening impact of the global economic crisis on the lives and livelihoods of the poor and vulnerable. The release emphasized the government’s commitment to addressing these challenges and mitigating their effects on the vulnerable population. “As a responsible government, we are taking the necessary steps to resolve the current challenges and as well reduce the effects of the shocks on the poor and vulnerable,” stated the release.
The government has allocated GH₵109,031,160.00 for the 83rd and 84th cycles, enabling the payment of cash grants to approximately 350,000 households. These households encompass over 1.5 million individuals who are beneficiaries of the LEAP Programme.
The amount received by each household depends on the number of eligible individuals within the household, including orphans and vulnerable children, elderly individuals without support, persons with severe disabilities, and extremely poor pregnant women and mothers with infants under one year.
The Ministry urged all stakeholders involved in theLEAPpayment process, including the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development, the LEAP Community Focal Persons, the Payment Service Provider (the Ghana Inter-bank Payment and Settlement Systems), and the Participating Financial Institutions, to ensure the successful distribution of the grants.
The Ministry expressed gratitude to the LEAP Programme’s supporters, including The World Bank, UNICEF, and the World Food Programme, for their valuable assistance.
Former Deputy Minister of Power, John Jinapor, has denied allegations that the Mahama administration’s power purchase agreements resulted in a $320 million debt to the country.
The Chairman of the Mines and Energy Committee of Parliament, Samuel Atta Kyea, at a press briefing on Wednesday, June 14, accused the NDC of signing 43 take-or-pay power purchase agreements, resulting in the current government being obligated to pay over $320 million in 2018 for unused power charges.
Refuting these claims in an interview with the media, John Jinapor said the NPP is partly to blame for the losses accrued in the energy sector.
“ECG losses alone have increased from 23 percent to 31 percent so when the Minister of Finance pays for those losses, it is not excess capacity. It is power delivered. There is a power reserve margin of 20 percent and it is statutory and this government came and decided that it shouldn’t be part of the tariff structure and it is a political decision.”
The Yapei-Kusawgulegislator blamed the massive leakages, forex losses, exchange differentials and other factors other than what Mr. Atta Kyea is alleging for the ballooning energy debt.
“The problem is a result of forex losses, exchange rate differentials, and the unnecessary political interference which is leading to this payment and it cannot be attributed to former president Mahama. Immediately these PPAs expire, they quickly renew them and not from the five years that we did but for fifteen years. We will not allow these double standards to go because the facts speak for themselves.”
On claims by Mr. Atta Akyea that the Mahama government entered 43 take-or-pay power purchase agreements, resulting in the current government being obliged to pay over $320 million in 2018 for unused power charges, Mr Jinapor said the allegation is untrue.
“Some of the agreements he has said were not signed by Mahama, so he has to give further information on the 43. This is a simple analogy. You said the man signed 43 agreements, provide the 43,” he added.
TheMinistry of Roads and Highways has urged citizens to remain patient as it diligently works to repair roads affected by heavy rainfall.
The Ministry said significant volumes of work are being done to expand the nation’s road network and undertake routine and periodic maintenance on existing ones.
This is in response to concerns raised by the public on potholes that have emerged as a result of heavy rains.
The Ministry of Roads and Highways in a statement issued on Wednesday, June 14, explained that maintenance works are currently ongoing at Teshie Tsui Bleoo Road and Fertilizer Road.
“The attention of the Ministry of Roads and Highways (MRH) has been drawn to concerns being raised by the public and some sections of the media regarding potholes which have emerged on some roads in the country as a result of recent heavy rains.
“The Ministry wishes to state that generally significant volumes of work are being done to expand the nation’s road network and undertake routine and periodic maintenance on existing ones. The rainy season always causes some deterioration to some old roads which are then quickly attended to through the Ministry’s emergency maintenance programme. The Ministry wishes to assure the public that measures are being put in place to address critical sections of roads which have gone bad throughout the country upon the onset of rains,” the Ministry of Roads and Highways noted in its statement.
An Accra Human Rights Court has issued an interim injunction order restraining the Office of the Special Prosecutor or its agents from carrying out the purported arrest warrant they obtained.
This comes after an application by Charles Bissue’s lawyers in relation to the arrest of their client by the Special Prosecutor.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor on Tuesday, June 13, declared Charles Bissue, the former Secretary to the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), wanted.
This declaration follows Mr. Bissue’s failure to respond to an invitation from the Special Prosecutor to appear and answer questions regarding the ongoing investigation into suspected corruption within the dissolved IMCIM.
The Court has also stopped the Special Prosecutorfrom applying for further arrest warrant pending the determination of the substantive matter and also publishing notices purporting the applicant to be wanted pending the determination of the substantive matter.
The order lasts for 10 days while the case has been adjourned to 22nd June 2023.
Mr. Bissue recently filed a writ at the High Court in Accra in an attempt to prevent the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) from prosecuting him.
This legal action was in response to the ongoing investigation led by the Special Prosecutor into alleged corruption involving Prof. Kwabena Frimpong Boateng, the Chairman of the IMCIM.
The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has revealed that he has sent an invitation to the conflicting parties involved in the Bawku conflict, in order to facilitate a lasting resolution to the dispute.
The protracted conflict has resulted in the loss of many lives and property in Bawku and nearby communities.
Speaking at the Manhyia Palace during a courtesy call paid on him by the Chieftaincy Minister, Stephen Asamoah Boateng, the Asantehene expressed optimism about helping to resolve the recurring conflict in the area.
“I have so far started engaging all the feuding factions in relation to the Bawku conflict. I have also been listening to all the parties as part of the process to get the matter resolved. I’ve also been speaking to key stakeholders involved, and they have furnished me with the necessary documentation.
“So once we keep interrogating all parties involved, we will be able to bring finality to the issue. I’ve asked all of them to approach this issue with the highest form of honesty to help us resolve the issue and that they should stop using weapons. I’ll invite you [Chieftaincy Minister] during the next meeting with them.”
On his part, the Minister for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Stephen Asamoah Boateng commended the Asantehene’s intervention.
“As a government, we are happy that Otumfuo has taken over the conflict in Bawku and the president has given the green light and I have also been supportive. Some of the meetings he calls, we leave it to him because he has the wisdom and the knowledge and understanding and capacity to bring the warring faction together.”
Ghanaian medical students studying inUkrainemust present proof of active enrollment to the Scholarship Secretariat in order to receive payment for their fees, according to the head of international relations for the scholarship secretariat, Richard Gyamfi.
Some students say they are facing the threat of being expelled as the government has failed to pay their fees since 2021.
But speaking to the media, Mr Gyamfi said the students have been notified to send proof for payment.
“We have asked the students to provide documents that can provide proof that they are students and still in education because when we compiled the list of beneficiaries, one of their own came to tell us that most of the names on the list are not in school. Some decided to go to Germany while others went to Hungary, so we said instead of making a blanket payment, they should prove to us that they are still in school because the scholarships are renewed yearly.”
The students however insist that the needed information has been submitted but ignored by the Secretariat.
A spokesperson for the aggrieved students said many of their letters to both the Secretariat and the Ghanaian Embassy have gone without any response.
“I have personally sent an email to him [Head ofInternational Relations for the Scholarship Secretariat] and he replied and told me that I should never send an email to him again because he is not responsible for the students.
“I pleaded with him and told him that my situation is critical and it is true that it is not all the 25 of us that are still studying in Ukraine but those that are in a critical situation and they asked that we provide evidence that we were still studying in Ukraine, we did that but those that they have paid are only people who are politically linked.
The Ghana Scholarship Secretariat’s head of diaspora relations, Richard A. Gyamfi, has stated that the Secretariat cannot be held liable for the failure to pay on time the stipends and tuition fees owed to Ghanaian medical students enrolled at Ukrainian universities.
He said the Secretariat is helpless if the Ministry of Finance fails to release funds for the students on time.
Some Ghanaian medical students studying in Ukraine are facing the threat of expulsion due to a lack of payment from the government for their monthly stipends and tuition spanning over months.
One of the students, Seth Ofori Nyazu in an interview with the media, said all efforts to get their allowances have proved futile.
“The government has not paid our tuition fees, after several meetings, this tuition fees we are crying for help to cover the 2021/2022 academic year. 2020/2021, we were not paid in full, and the secretariat is not responding to our calls, messages and emails,” he lamented.
Responding to this on the Eyewitness News, Mr. Gyamfi, stated that it’s not deliberate that government hasn’t paid the tuition fees.
“It’s not deliberate that the secretariat is unable to pay the tuition of the students. Releasing funds to the embassy was affected by the war. We had 13 beneficiary students who are under the scholarship secretariat. We understand, and we know that we are owing the students, in terms of stipends and tuition. And that is not the fault of the secretariat, because it’s just a vehicle. The Ministry [of Finance] releases funds to us, and we disburse to the students,” he pointed out.
He said some of the students are out of school, yet they are demanding tuition fees, hence they have been asked to provide evidence of documents proving that they are still in school.
“After the war, when we had a meeting with the students, almost all of them were displaced. Unfortunately, we had no money then, it’s only last week we received some funds. And we have been able to pay 3 students who are still studying in Ukraine. We have 13 students on our list. We have asked the students to provide documents to prove to us that they are still in education, because when we compiled their documents, one of their own told us that, most of the students are not in school.
“So we decided that instead of making a blanket payment which will come with repercussions, prove to us that you are in school. If we are satisfied that you are in school, the scholarship award will be renewed,” Mr. Gyamfi said.
Vice President,Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, according to former Central Regional Minister Kwamena Duncan, is the ideal candidate to serve as Ghana’s president.
The Speaker said it will be the first time in the history of the Fourth Republic that both major parties in Ghana will have candidates hailing from the northern region of the country.
Bagbin made this projection during a courtesy call on the Overlord of Gonja, Yagbonwura Bii-Kunutu Jewu Soale, at his residence in Damongo.
Addressing the Overlord and his subjects, the Speaker emphasized that it is now the time for development in the northern region and urged the people to prepare themselves accordingly.
“This is the time that the two main parties in Ghana are both deciding that the flagbearers will be our sons from the North. What I plead with all of you is for us to accept our differences and see how we can come together to prepare to receive the development that is coming our way.”
“So the legacy projects we will do so be prepared to receive them when we bring them, multiply them and make sure that generations unborn will benefit from that,” he stated.
Bagbin also reiterated his opposition to the practice of LGBTQI+ in Ghana, reaffirming the unanimous stance of Ghana’s Parliament against it.
As the presiding officer of the Ghanaian Parliament, Bagbin firmly declared that LGBTQI+ activities will never be sanctioned in the country.
“Once I preside over the parliament of Ghana, this LGBTQI will never be sanctioned in Ghana,” he added.
Real Madrid midfielder, Toni Kroos, has suggested that former teammate Eden Hazard, who was earning £400,000-per-week at the LaLiga club collapsed his career at the Bernabeu.
Los Blancos signed Hazard for £88 million fromChelsea in 2019.
However, his four-year spell in Spain ended last week, after Madrid terminated his contract.
Hazard is now reportedly considering retirement at 32, having already called time on his international career after Belgium’s 2022 World Cup campaign.
Kroos, who has racked up three LaLiga titles and fourChampions League trophies during his nine-year spell at Real Madrid, appeared to reference the Belgian flop while firing a warning to Jude Bellingham after his stunning six-year move to the Bernabeu was confirmed on Wednesday.
“We had another player who came for a lot of money and basically let his career die,” Kroos said on his podcast Einfach mal Luppen.
“It was a lot of money, I think everyone would say that wasn’t a good transfer. But let’s be positive.”
Hazard scored only seven goals in 76 appearances for Real Madrid.
The lifeless bodies of a 35-year-old mother and her 13-year-old son were discovered in a locked room atBuduburam, a Liberian refugee camp situated along the Accra-Cape Coast Highway.
The deceased mother, identified by her neighbours as Momi, had been residing in a single room with her son until their untimely demise.
Momi, reportedly a hairstylist and of Liberian origin, leaves behind a shocked community mourning her tragic loss.
According to a neighbour who spoke to the media, thevictims were last seen on the evening of Sunday, June 11, 2023, as they prepared to attend a birthday party they had been invited to.
It was reported that the following morning, onlookers witnessed the pair standing in front of their home, brushing their teeth together – an ordinary moment before an unthinkable tragedy unfolded.
— The Independent Ghana (@independent_gh) June 14, 2023
Shockingly, this would be the last sighting of Momi and her son. Concern began to mount when a strong, unpleasant odour permeated the neighbourhood, accompanied by a congregation of large flies near the window of their dwelling.
Driven by curiosity, several neighbours decided to investigate the source of the pungent smell. Following the trail of flies, they were compelled to forcibly open Momi’s window, revealing a heart-wrenching scene.
The lifeless bodies of Momi and her son lay motionless, while flies ominously circled their remains.
As of this report, the police are yet to transport the bodies to the mortuary. Meanwhile, law enforcement authorities have initiated an investigation to uncover the circumstances surrounding this tragic incident that has shocked the Buduburam community.
The entire neighbourhood is gripped by sadness and awaits answers as the police work diligently to shed light on this devastating event.
The Overlord of the Gonja Kingdom, Yabognwura BII Kunto Jewu Soale, has fervently appealed to the members of parliament to resist any attempt to accept the LGBTQcommunity in Ghana.
According to the king, the issue of LGBTQ pending before the Parliament of Ghana is an abomination and alien to the cultural practices and norms of Ghana.
“Our ancestors will never forgive us should we sit aloof and allow such a decision to be taken by the law makers to affirm LGBTQ,” he stressed.
“I am certain that, Ghana’s 8th Parliament of the Fourth Republic will unanimously disapprove the LGBTQ+ bill.”
The king made these remarks when the Speaker of Parliament paid a courtesy call on him at his private residence in Damongo as part of Parliament’s 30th anniversary celebrations.
Responding to the Yagbonwura’s call, Speaker Alban Sumana Bagbin stated emphatically his stand on the LGBTQ bill.
“I have said it and will say it again that I will rather perish than to see the LGBTQ+ bill approved under my watch though I don’t have a voting right.
“I administer the affairs of the House and I can assure you and the good people ofGhana that the LGBTQ+ bill will never be sanctioned to be in Ghana.”
The Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, 2021, popularly referred to as the anti-LGBTQI+ bill is currently under review by the Parliamentary Select Committee on Constitutional, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs.
The bill seeks to provide for human sexual rights and Ghanaian family values while seeking to prohibit the activities of gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgender, and queers in Ghana.
According to the bill, a person found guilty could face up to 10 years imprisonment if the bill is passed into law.
Social media has reacted to a viral video regarding a Ghanaian man who is currently residing in theUnited Arab Emirates (UAE) after he spoke candidly about the poor conditions he is currently experiencing.
The middle-aged Ghanaian man who spoke about his plight in Dubai admitted that things are tough for him and his other Ghanaian colleagues living in the country. Photo of homeless man and Dubai Man says he doesn’t want to return to Ghana despite being homeless
Photo credit: @Fraser Hall poco_bw/Getty Images Source: Getty Images
He revealed that he is homeless in Dubai and sleeps behind a flowerpot at the bus station along with some of his Ghanaian friends.
Quizzed whether he would love to return home, the young man surprisingly responded with a no.
His reason was that, the standard of living in Ghana had not improved, hence would prefer to stay on.
"Things are not better in Ghana, so for me to return and be disgraced, I would prefer to stay here," he said with confidence.
At the time of writing the report, the video had gathered over 2000 likes and 100 comments. Watch the video below: Ghanaians stunned at the comments of the homeless man
Netizens who reacted to the statement urged the man and others like him who have that mindset to reconsider their stance and return home.
Paul gee indicated:
Masa, u guys should come home. I have been there before but I came home and it's better for me now
GHANANIIBA indicated:
Even USA koraa some people are stranded, masa
deborahaduboatema stated:
Let's keep the faith, we will surely make it before returning back home. lnshalla
Faisal Mohammed952 replied:
How did u end up there? look for good company bro...
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that another young man in Saudi Arabia has revealed that he will gladly return to Ghana to continue with his former job if he is offered a good salary.
Paul Agbubilla, a university graduate and teacher by profession, in an interview with SVTV Africa said his decision to travel was premised on the hardships he was facing in Ghana.
Paul said his salary was inadequate, coupled with the fact that he owed a lot of people and needed money to settle his debt.
A talented young boy has expressed his joy after being recognized as one of the standout performers by a Spanish scout at the Justify Your Inclusion event organized by renowned Kumawood actor Yaw Dabo.
In a viral video, Terry Baah Emmanuel, a resident of Aboabo in the Ashanti Region, is reported to have been the first person to be selected by the Spanish scout, Xavi Hildago for his exceptional footballing skills.
Young boy delights after impressing Spanish football scout Photo credit:@ samuel_dabo/Instagram @One Ghana TV/YouTube Source: TikTok
The 15-year-old expressed delight that his hard work and skill had been acknowledged. Quizzed on whether he is excited over the prospect of playing in Europe, the young kid responded in the affirmative.
He said playing in Europe had always been his lifelong dream, adding that he is happy to be on the path to achieving that.
He thanked Yaw Dabo for providing the platform where football talents could be unearthed and nurtured to become football stars.
At the time of writing this report, the video had gathered over 24,000 likes and 300 comments.
Watch the video below:
Ghanaians applaud Emmanuel on being selected
Social media users who reacted to the video heaped praises on the young kid for standing out during the football justify.
KofiCybork reacted:
Charlie we beg hid their faces from their village people oo
Awww I am happy for him.. my student he is a very good player
KojoEA re
Remember the name Terry Baah Emmanuel
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Xavi Hildago appeared in a funny skit with Dr Likee and Samuel Yaw Dabo.
The football, scout who was in Ghana to aid the players in the Dabo Soccer Academy to find clubs in Europe, showed off his acting skills in the new comedy skit. In the comedy skit, Xavi seemed lost while looking for Yaw Dabo.
Social media has reacted to a video showing Ghanaian actor and comedian Don Little, also known as Stephen Atanga driving from Kasoa to Labone for an interview.
In a video shared by the radio presenter on his official Instagram account, he stated that he was surprised when he realised Don Little had driven for two-hour drive with massive traffic, all by himself.
"I have seen you driving, but I only thought it was for a movie until you came here for the interview. I am surprised to know you drove all the way from Kasoa to Labone by yourself," Nana Romeo told Don Little.
Some Ghanaians reacted positively to the video, praising the entertaining actor while others mocked him, making jokes about his height.
Nana, you no go feel born don little oo. He bi your akyireba p333
Yaw Dabo speaks big grammar as he promotes his soccer academy in Spain
Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh reported earlier that in an interview with Spanish media outlet Marca, actor Yaw Dabo pitched his soccer academy, Dabo Soccer Academy as he spoke persuasively and with assurance.
After praising Real Madrid in an earlier street chat with Marca, the amiable Ghanaian actor gained notoriety.
Dabowas invited to the Spanish media outlet’s offices for a lengthy interview after they were captivated by his remarks.
The sixth accused in the ongoing coup plotters case, Warrant Officer II, Esther Saan, has had her bail revoked and has been remanded into custody by the High Court in Accra.
This follows checks by the Court that revealed that claims by the accused that she was on admission at the Police Hospital, a reason for her absence from court on June 6, were untrue.
The Court on June 13 instructed the registrar of the General Jurisdiction to verify a medical certificate produced by the lawyers of the accused as proof of her admission.
The court noted that the certificate did not state whether she was on admission, a situation that prompted the demand for verification of the certificate.
In a report to the court on Wednesday, the registrar of the General Jurisdiction of the High Court indicated that his checks at the hospital revealed that the accused visited the hospital on June 6 at about 2 pm at the time the eye clinic had closed and was referred to the emergency department.
Lawyer for the Warrant Officer II did not raise any issues with the report of the registrar. The court noted that since the report did not confirm that she was indeed on admission, the representation was untrue and against her bail conditions.
The court which believed that by her actions, she will not make herself available for trial rescinded her bail conditions. She has been remanded into custody until further notice.
TheBono East Regional Chairmanof the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Ibrahim Baba Bukari,Ibrahim Baba Bukari, has sustained injuries in a motorcycle accident while campaigning for the upcoming June 27 by-election.
His condition is currently critical and requires immediate medical attention.
The incident occurred in Assin Bereku, located in theAssin North District of the Central Region.
On Monday, June 11, a speeding vehicle collided with the motorcycle that Chairman Bukari was riding, resulting in severe injuries.
Due to the critical condition, he has been airlifted from St. Francis Xavier Hospital to Accra for further medical treatment.
The NPP constituency secretary for Assin North, Stephen Asamoah, expressed concerns about possible foul play in the accident.
According to Asamoah, Chairman Bukari was en route to campaign in Assin Akomfede when the incident took place. He explained that while riding his bike, he was struck by a black salon car, and the occupants of the vehicle fled the scene, leaving him unattended.
The party officials suspect that the accident may have been a deliberate act targeting the Bono East Regional chairman, who has been actively engaged in campaigning for several weeks.
“Our brother, the Bono East Regional chairman has been with us for several weeks campaigning. But you know the way the towns are scattered you need a motorbike to move. He decided to go to Assin Akomfede to campaign but unfortunately, some men in a black salon car hit and left him unattended,” he stated.
The founder of the renowned Winneba Youth Choir, Dr. George Mensah Essilfie, has expressed grave concern about the dwindling interest in Ghanaian folk music, calling it a dangerous situation that could result in the extinction of this unique genre.
Due to the government’s failure to pay their monthly stipends, students in Ukraine face the prospect of expulsion.
According to the renowned composer, the decline in the popularity of folk music in recent years can be attributed to the impact of globalization, urbanization, and religious activities, which have influenced the perspectives of indigenous people towards traditional music. In light of this, he has urgently called for action to reverse this trend.
In an interview with an Accra-based media house, Dr. Essilfie stressed the importance of increased attention and initiatives from various stakeholders, including musicologists, historians, and music enthusiasts.
He urged them to actively engage in capturing, digitizing, and archiving traditional music and historical sounds to preserve and protect the genre.
“It is astonishing how frequently foreign tunes dominate our airwaves. Our artistic landscape has been inundated with these songs, leaving little room for our own compositions. Taking deliberate steps to safeguard our indigenous music will help us preserve it in the face of these challenges and ensure that future generations can cherish the magnificent legacy of African folk music,” emphasized Dr. Essilfie.
He further highlighted the misconceptions surrounding traditional music, stating, “Some people wrongly perceive our traditional music as evil and choose not to associate with it. However, traditional folk songs are not evil; they embody elements of our societal existence and impart great wisdom. If we fail to exercise caution, there will come a time when we will have little to say about our traditional music, eradicating what defines us as a people.”
Dr. Essilfie’s passionate plea serves as a wake-up call to protect and promote Ghanaian folk music, which holds profound cultural significance. By taking proactive measures to preserve and revive this musical heritage, it is hoped that the vibrancy and essence of Ghanaian traditional music will be safeguarded for generations to come.
Some Ghanaian students inUkrainewho are already traumatised by the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war seem doubly burdened as they simultaneously find themselves grappling with financial hardships due to unpaid allowances.
In a heartfelt plea to the Ghanaian government, these students expressed deep concern over the unusual delay in the release of their scholarship funds by the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat.
The students find themselves at risk of being withdrawn from their studies and potentially expelled from their educational institutions due to multiple notices received.
Seth Ofori Nyanzu, a final year student atDonetsk National Medical Universityin Ukraine, voiced his grievances and called upon the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat to intervene.
Nyanzu shared his personal experience, stating, “I’m a final year student in Ukraine and I happen to be a beneficiary of the Scholarship Secretariat in the year 2019/2020 when I was in my third year.
At that time, I had already been put on the expulsion list, and due to the fact that I did not pay my tuition fee, the school at that time – Donetsk National Medical University, had put me on the expulsion list. During that period, the Scholarship Secretariat had engaged us and had promised that they were going to offer some scholarships to needy students.
Fortunately, I was connected and I got that opportunity to benefit from the secretariat. That year, though the money came very late – that was when we entered 2020, but we were paid in full for 2019/2020, so I didn’t have any issues,” he said.
However, the situation worsened when the Russia-Ukraine war began. Nyanzu explained,
“The one for the 2020/2021 academic year also came but during that time, we didn’t receive the money until we got to the end of the academic year in 2021. They told us they were going to give us the stipend and the book allowances so we waited until that academic year was over and we entered into the 2021/2022 academic year. That was in my 5th year.
“We waited the whole of 2022 but the money didn’t come until we entered into 2022 and they promised they were going to pay. By then, we had had a series of meetings with the secretariat, with our coordinator, even with the scholarship administrator himself. There was even a time he was travelling and at the airport, he promised us that they were going to pay and that already, the money had been sent to the Ghana embassy in Berne and that they were going to pay us within that week that he was speaking with us. That was in January, and unfortunately in February, the war came,” he said.
Additionally, Nyanzu emphasized that due to financial constraints, he and many other disadvantaged students were unable to afford returning to Ghana.
“So, when the war came, there were issues with people moving from places to another, and about two weeks after the war, all lectures resumed normally in Ukraine but online, and for them, they were expecting us to pay our fees because they were offering us lectures. We communicated this to the Scholarship Secretariat, but through it all, after the several, countless meetings with promises after another, then there was an issue of they did not know whether to pay us or not, and that they did not know if we were attending the lectures and the fact that some had returned home and so there was no need for them to pay us.
“They then requested for evidence from us to show that we were still in school and we gave all the necessary documents and evidence, to the extent that we gave them the expulsion lists from the schools. In fact, we tried every other means but the secretariat, led by Hon Kingsley and Hon Joseph Djaba, who’s responsible for the Schengen countries and that of Ukraine, and they added another coordinator, Mr. Richard Gyamfi, several emails have been sent.”
He said while some of his colleagues have received approval for payment, those without political links have been left hanging.
“Sometimes, they have even told us not to text them again and that we should talk to the secretariat. Even those responsible to us are not ready to answer question, they are not willing to talk to us. Unfortunately for us, we only heard that some people among us have been given approval for payment, but for some of us without any strong political links, or someone to make a good case for us, we are left hanging.
“For me, for instance, I am a final year student and I’m just about to write my final exams and graduate, but because I’ve not paid my fees, my school wants to expel me to prevent me from writing my final exams, and for that matter, I may have to repeat one more year. For some of us, we couldn’t come back to Ghana to finish our studies because we only had one more year to complete, and the conditions for people to come to Ghana was that they were not going to admit anybody beyond third year or fourth year,” he added.
In an interview with the media, Nyanzu expressed hope that the Scholarship Secretariat would urgently provide assistance to enable them to complete their education. He pleaded, “…We are pleading through your medium, please the Scholarship Secretariat should pay, at least, some of us that we are depending on this for our survival. The money that is needed if our fees so that we can just graduate in peace because I can’t spend six, seven years in school and because of a year or two – and for two years now, the Scholarship Secretariat has not paid us students from Ukraine anything… and to some extent, we are even being threatened that we shouldn’t go to the media, but yet nothing has been done,” he said.
TheUniversity of Ghanahas received fifty (50) laptops from Stanbic Bank Ghana as part of efforts to develop, promote, and deliver better Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education in the country.
This is in line with the bank’s commitment to help Ghana harness the opportunities of the fourth industrial revolution by partnering and creating relevant, episodic initiatives aimed at equipping the next generation of workers with the necessary competencies.
Chief Executive of Stanbic Bank, Kwamina Asomaningwho presented the laptops on behalf of the bank noted that the bank’s purpose, brand
promise, and the digitization & innovation pillars of their strategy, make STEM (for girls) a natural fit and an area meriting special focus and investment.
He said, “Africa is our home and has been for over 160 years. Today, our commitment to her people and her prosperity is stronger than ever.
As a member of the Standard Bank Group, Stanbic Bank Ghana is committed to adding value to key development levers, one of which is education.”
That is why we continue to partner with like-minded institutions to support needy students who have gifted learning capacity and provide them with basic support tools.
Every student deserves access to digital resources in order to succeed and thrive in the 4th industrial revolution, and this is one of the things we can do as a Bank to impact their journeys and generations”.
He said Stanbic Bank was passionate about
equitable access to STEM education and had over the years contributed positively towards closing the STEM gender gap to foster sustained inclusion and equality for generations to come.
“We have partnered many academic institutions and FinTechs to deliver a number of STEM related projects which have so far given beneficiaries access to about 300 mentors and advisors across 48 disciplines and technical areas, access to structured training programs and curriculum, internship opportunities with Stanbic Bank, and other partners.
This 1S1L is a very laudable initiative that strongly aligns with our vision as a bank, specifically when it comes to finding ways to make dreams possible. I encourage other corporate organizations to emulate our steps and support this worthy cause.”
Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, expressed gratitude to the Stanbic team for their support.
She said, “We are very grateful to Stanbic Bank for
positively responding to our call for support once again. As a university, it is our mandate to ensure that students get quality, inclusive, and equitable education.
Digital skills are critical skills graduates need in today’s world to maximize their potential, make them employable and succeed in the world of work.
The vision is to equip every student with digital skills irrespective of their discipline and financial background. My team and I have witnessed Stanbic Bank’s genuine concern for the development of Ghana as their subsidiary, Stanbic Investment Management System were with us when we launched this project and have not relented in their support. So far, we have received a total of 75 laptops from Stanbic under this 1S1L initiative. We are grateful and look forward to more strategic partnerships with Stanbic Bank,” she added
Stanbic donated (40) laptops in support of the Vice Chancellors’ One Student One Laptop (1S1L) initiative and Ten (10) laptops to the Department of Communication Studies. The 1S1L initiative, which
forms part of the Vice Chancellor’s strategic vision of enhancing the University of Ghana students’ experience through digitalization, seeks to make it possible for every student at the university to be able to access online resources, irrespective of their socio-economic backgrounds. About 6,000 students are expected to benefit from this initiative.
Stanbic Bank has over the years supported several initiatives aimed at enhancing STEM education in Ghana.
Last year, the bank collaborated with the Women in STEM Ghana (WiSTEM) to train, equip and inspire 200 girls from 23 senior high schools to learn and develop their skills and knowledge in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Many other educational institutions have benefited from the bank’s STEM focused interventions, including KNUST, Takoradi Technical University, Sunyani School of Professional Studies, Blessed Holy Child Academy etc.
TheNew Patriotic Party‘s (NPP) flagbearer candidate, Alan Kyerematen has proposed the Great Transformational Plan (GTP) as a new path for accelerated growth that will position the nation and end the cycle of IMF bailouts.
Speaking in a presentation to key private sector players on June 13, Mr Kyerematen expressed the value of deliberate Government policy driving desired outcomes in the private sector. He said “Government has the power through policy to turn the economy around in the preferred direction”.
The GTP proposed by Mr Kyerematen aims to foster a more self-reliant and resilient economy, propelling Ghana from a state of stability and growth to one of transformation.
He stressed the need for a comprehensive plan to guide the nation beyond the transitional Post-COVID Economic Recovery Programme (P-CERP) currently underway with IMF support.
According to Kyerematen, the recent IMF bailout served as a lesson that Ghana’s economy remains fragile, vulnerable, and prone to external and domestic shocks. He attributed this vulnerability to the country’s heavy reliance on commodity exports with limited value addition. Additionally, he highlighted that the projected 5.1% GDP growth for the Ghanaian economy in 2023 hinges on anticipated increases in global commodity prices.
The success of the GTP, as outlined by Kyerematen, will rely on robust macroeconomic fundamentals. These include maintaining a stable currency, managing inflation rates, ensuring sustainable debt levels, optimizing revenue generation, exercising prudent expenditure control to achieve fiscal balance, fostering low competitive interest rates, and building strong external reserves supported by ample liquidity to fortify the financial sector.
Private sector captains who attend the business meeting with Alan Kyerematen include the respective Presidents of the Private Enterprise Federation, Nana Osei Bonsu, the Association of Ghana Industry (AGI),Dr. Ayim Darke, the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Clement Amoako, the Association of Small Scale Industries, Alhaji Mumin Saeed and the Vice President of GUTA, Mr. Clement Boateng. Ms. Nura Salifu, President of the Association of Garment and Apparel Manufacturers of Ghana and Mr. Jeff Oppong Preprah, the president of the Automobile Assemblies Association of Ghana.
To preserve the sanctity of theElectoral Commission (EC), the commission has issued a cautionary message to political parties, urging them to refrain from undermining its integrity.
He said this highlighting how essential the EC is to political parties in the organisation of internal and nationwide elections.
The Director of Electoral Services at the EC, Dr. Siribour Quaicoe, issued this warning to political parties speaking in an interview on Accra-based Joy FM’s 6 am news on Tuesday, June 13, 2023.
He called on the political parties to desist from impugning the integrity of the EC and rather help build consensus in the country’s electoral processes.
Dr. Quaicoe was reacting to the main oppositionNational Democratic Congress‘s (NDC) claims that the EC was working to favour the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the upcoming by-election scheduled for Assin North Constituency in the Central Region on June 27, 2023.
He said this has always been the mode of operation of the political parties especially when in opposition.
He gave the assurance that the EC is made up of people with integrity who will not soil their integrity by favouring a particular political party in an election.
In a related development, the National Communication Officer for the opposition NDC, Sammy Gyamfi, accused the ruling NPP and the EC of plotting to insert the name of an unqualified candidate into the voters’ register for the Assin North constituency.
In a statement, the NDC’s Communication Officer claimed that the ruling party, in collaboration with the EC, plans to transfer and insert Charles Opoku’s name into the voters’ register, even though he is not a registered voter in the Assin North constituency.
He emphasised that the nomination form for the Assin North by-election requires candidates to be registered voters in that constituency.
Regulation 22 of the Public Elections Regulations 2020 (C.I 127) stipulates that voter transfers can only be made for ordinary citizens at least 42 days before a public election.
Gyamfi indicated that the Assin North by-election is less than 42 days away, and no Returning Officer has been appointed yet, so any transfer of voters to the constituency would be unlawful and vehemently opposed by the NDC.
“We are closely monitoring this situation and shall take every legitimate step to ensure that this illegal plot is not carried out by the Electoral Commission and their collaborators in the NPP,” Gyamfi stressed.
The former Secretary of the defunct Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining, Charles Bissue has expressed disappointment over the Office of the Special Prosecutor(OSP) publishing his photo as if he were a fugitive.
He explained that he’s in the country and not on the run.
“I am within the jurisdiction, it is unfortunate that my photos have gone out as though I were a fugitive but that is not the case. So everyone should calm down. I will go so that the truth is revealed,” he said.
Mr. Bissue’s comments come after the Special Prosecutor on Tuesday declared him a wanted person.
This comes days after the Office of the Special Prosecutor secured an order from the court to arrest him.
This order was secured after Mr Bissue failed to honour an invitation by the Special Prosecutor last month.
Despite the order, the former Presidential staffer’s lawyer had insisted that his client will not turn himself in.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Mr Bissue said will avail himself for the Special Prosecutor to furnish him with the information he wanted. According to him, he has nothing to hide.
He noted that going to meet the Special Prosecutor or any agency he’ll be invited for questioning “is an opportunity to redeem my image more.”
Mr Bissue said he knows and understands the law, adding that “I have been to the Special Prosecutor twice during Martin Amidu’s tenure, I went to NIB twice and CID and provided whichever question was asked.”
When asked why it has taken him long to respond to the OSP’s invite for him to be declared wanted, he said that he was not in Accra at the time of the invite, and therefore responded to honour the invite the following week.
He added that he wrote to the OSP saying he had an emergency to attend to, but the Special Prosecutor insisted he shows up the same day, adding that it was during that same time he issued the arrest warrant.
The donation was in response to an appeal made by the Accra Academy Old Boys Association (AAOBA).
At a brief ceremony to present the desks to the school last Friday, the General Manager of Corporate Communications and External Affairs of BOST, Marlick Adjei, said the donation was part of the organisation’s corporate social responsibility towards the community.
“BOST, a company responsible for importing storing and distributing petroleum products to meet the demands of the nation, is committed to contributing towards the future of the country, especially in the education sector as it is the objective of the organisation to uproot poverty in the country,” he said.
Mr Adjei said investing in the human resource base of the country would help improve the lives of citizens.
He expressed the hope that the items would go a long way to enhance the academic work of students and help to generate the next batch of leaders in the country.
The President of the Accra Academy Old Boys Association (AAOBA), Kofi Amoa-Awuah, commended BOST for responding to the request and expressed the hope that it would help close the infrastructure gap in the school.
He added that the association was working to reach to other AAOBA members to support their alma matter.
Mr Amoa-Awuah, therefore, urged the headmaster and management of the school to ensure that all items donated were well maintained in order to encourage others, especially the alumni’s to emulate such gesture.
Yaw Antwi-Dadzie (right), Corporate Social Responsibility Manager, BOST, and other staff of BOST planting trees at the premises of the APD Depot of BOST in Tema. Pictures: EDNA SALVO-KOTEY
Appreciation, more support
The Headmaster for Accra Academy, Emmanuel Ofoe Fiemawhle, who received the items, expressed gratitude to the management and representatives of BOST and also to AAOBA for the gesture.
He added that the initiative constituted some of the basic needs of the school.
Mr Fiemawhle said the school needed support for more beds, desks, classrooms as well as the extension of the dinner hall and, therefore, appealed to other well-meaning organisations to support in that regard.
“The dining hall is small to contain all the students.
It can take about 1,000 students, but we have over 3,000 students who are boarders, so they are forced to have their meals in batches,” the headmaster pointed out.
Tree planting
Prior to the donation, BOST planted 100 tree seedlings as part of the national tree planting exercise, the Green Ghana Day.
The seedlings were to provide shade and aesthetic beauty for the company’s Tema depot.
The Manager of Corporate Social Responsibility, Government Relations and Protocol of BOST, Yaw Antwi-Dadzie, said the exercise was to contribute to environmental sustainability issues.
“We are aware of the benefits that planting of trees will bring to our organisation that was why we engaged in this project to save our climate and our world.
We are much concerned about the environment,” he said.
The Director-General of the Ghana Education Service(GES), Dr. Eric Nkansah, has emphasized the need for a revised teaching approach due to the rapidly changing world.
That, he said, was to equip learners with the 21st-century skills needed to transform communities and the country as a whole.
Dr Nkansah explained that the Ghana Education Service (GES) was implementing the Standards Based Curriculum (SBC) for kindergarten, primary one and primary six pupils, as well as replacing the Objective Based Curriculum (OBC).
The Director-General made this known in his address at the 15th annual congregation of the Kibi Presbyterian College of Education at Kyebi in the Abuakwa South Municipality in the Eastern Region last Saturday.
The event was the theme, “Total recovery of Ghana’s economy hinges on education:
The role of the 21st-Century teacher”, during which 360 students passed out.
Out of the number, 17 had First Class, 181 Second Class Upper, 143 Second Class Lower and 19 passes. 21st-century skills
Dr Nkansah said the Ministry of Education was also implementing the Common Core Programme (CCP) curriculum at the Junior High School (JHS) level to equip learners with knowledge, abilities and attitudes with 21st century skills and competencies needed for further studies, field work and lifelong learning.
According to him, the government in 2012, therefore, launched the pre-tertiary teacher professional development and management policy to foster the development of world-class teachers to contribute to student’s learning and achievement.
Teaching approaches
That policy, the Director-General stated, provided the framework for development standards, core values and ethics for the teaching profession which also sought to develop teachers ability to adopt reflective teaching approaches to enhance the quality of lessons delivery in kindergarten, primary, JHS and second cycle institutions. College’s history
Giving a historical background of the college, the Principal, Rev. Dr Charles Fosu-Ayarkwah said the college was founded in 1963 with only six tutors and eight students under the management of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana.
He said currently, the educational institution, which was accredited by the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) of the Ministry of Education as a degree research institution affiliated to the University of Cape Coast, had a student population of 1,954. Negative attitudes
The Okyenhene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin, who also addressed the graduates, said it was unfortunate that negative attitudes of Ghanaians were serving as draw back to Ghana’s development.
He said it was ,therefore, necessary to adopt positive attitudes in all their undertakings rather than negative attitudes.
According to the Okyenhene, the college had made significant strides since it’s inception. 64-acres of land
He said the establishment of the college was made possible by the allocation of a 64-acres of land to the PCG by the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council.
TheOkyenhenesaid with the assistance from the government, a number of facilities were provided to cater for the students and tutors.
He said over the last six years, the college had witnessed unprecedented infrastructure development with the construction of several edifices to serve the needs of the college.
According to the Okyenhene, that was in line with the government’s initiative to transform teacher training colleges to universities.
A group of aggrieved youth inNkrankwanta, in the Dormaa West District of the Bono Region, have attacked officers of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) who were stationed in the area to prevent illegal activities at the Nkrankwanta-Ivory Coast border.
The attackers were said to have arrested some officers, who were on duty and also succeeded in vandalising the duty post, including some of the station’s operational logistics.
The agitators, yet to be identified, destroyed items such as computers, airconditioners, chairs and tables, a refrigerator, book shelves and documents, among others.
Cause of attack
It is alleged that one of the officers, stationed at the post, last Sunday knocked down a female resident with a patrol motorbike, killing her on the spot.
In reaction to the incident, the youth attacked the two officers who were on the motorbike and later stormed the station to beat other officers up and arrested some of them in their homes.
However, some of the officers managed to escape to safety and made calls to their colleagues and other opinion leaders from the community to come to their aid.
It is unclear the number of the officers who were at post during the time of the incident and the safety of the officers, including those who were arrested.
Commander visits
The Daily Graphic gathered from the Bono Regional GIS Command yesterday that the Regional Commander had led a delegation to the area to assess the extent of injuries, damages and intervene to restore calm.
“It is true, we had a report from the station, but right now, I can’t grant any further information without authorisation from the Regional Commander”, the source explained.
It said the Regional Commander had gone to the scene to ascertain the fact and situation on the ground.
Residents of five communities in theNkwanta South Municipality of the Oti Region have voiced their intention to boycott any upcoming elections in the area should the road connecting Nkwanta to these communities is not repaired.
The communities are Keri, Odomi, Gekrong, Pawa and Kue.Some drivers and motor riders who ply the road told the Ghana News Agency that they had decided to park their vehicles to prevent wasting money unnecessarily on maintenance and servicing.
The Assembly member for the Keri South Electoral area, Mr Jonas Gbedenyo said he had written to the authorities about the poor road network, but nothing was done about it.He said farmers in the five communities were unable to bring their farm produce to the Municipal capital for sale.
“Last year somewhere in September, the bridge connectingKeriand Gekrong was damaged to the extent that all the visitors who came home to mark the annual yam festival in Keri could not return to their destinations on schedule.
“The people, however, took it upon themselves to fill that portion with stones and some gravel to make it possible for motorbikes to carry the visitors back to their destinations.
“This year due to the start of the rains, the road is moving from bad to worse,” he said.Mr Gbedenyo stated that if nothing was done about the road in the next one month, no car or motorcycle would be able to use the road and that could be disastrous for the inhabitants of these communities.
The Ministry of Trade and Industry has disclosed that 48 and not 60 companies have been granted a total disbursement of 14 million Ghana Cedis under the One District One Factory (1D1F) Initiative, facilitated by theGhana Exim Bank.
The objective of the 1D1F program is to support the private sector in establishing at least one manufacturing enterprise in each of the 261 districts across the country.
Earlier, in March 2022, the Ministry had communicated to Parliament that 60 companies had been provided assistance under the policy.
However, during a parliamentary session, the Minister of Trade and Industry, K.T Hammond, acknowledged the previous miscommunication and issued an apology.
“Mr Speaker, the ministry had in March 2022 inadvertently stated to this House that 60 1D1F companies had been supported by the Ghana Exim Bank. Mr Speaker, a further appreciation of the facts and analysis of the various companies and figures showed that it was not 60 but 48 companies and the ministry renders an unqualified apology to the House.”
Through the ongoing implementation of the1D1F program, the government aims to stimulate industrialization, boost local production, and enhance the overall economic landscape of the country.
The Mpohor District Police Commandhas arrested a man in his early 30s for killing his wife after she threatened to file for divorce.
The incident happened at Wiredukrom, a community near Wassa Manso in the Mpohor District of the Western Region.
The suspect, whose name has been given as Atta Sani, is said to have committed the crime shortly after a misunderstanding with his wife.
A family member who narrated the incident to Connect FM’s Omanbapa morning show team indicated that the deceased, Maame Ama, 25, had left her matrimonial home after she made complaints that her husband has been abusing her.
Kwaku Adams adds that she had been living with another person in the same community for some days now after her husband subjected her to another abuse.
“My sister was tired of the marriage because there have been problems lately where the man fights her on every little issue. She has informed us of her intention to leave the marriage and we have been working towards it. She has since left her matrimonial home and was enjoying her peace of mind in the house of another woman in the same community. Her husband went for her in the guise of discussing an important issue with her and committed the crime,” he indicated.
He adds that his late sister innocently followed the suspect to his house in thecompanyof their two-year-old child.
“She followed him with their two-year-old son to their room thinking they were going to discuss something important but he ended up butchering her to death. Neighbours say they heard the two quarreling in the room only for them to later realize that he has butchered her. He left the two-year-old child beside the lifeless body of the mother and bolted,” he added.
The body of the deceased has since been deposited at the morgue whilst the suspect is currently assisting the police in investigations.
The two have three children with the eldest being eight years whilst the youngest is two years.
In an effort to stop deforestation and address climate change, President Akufo-Addo launched the annual Green Ghana Day project in 2021.
With nationwide support, the initiative aims to restore Ghana’s lost forest cover and contribute to global efforts in mitigating climate change.
As part of this ambitious afforestation programme, Compassion International Ghana (CIGH) and its partners joined forces in 2022, distributing over 18,000 seedlings for planting on Green Ghana Day. Now, a year later, CIGH has taken the opportunity to reflect on the impact of these seedlings and unveiled a comprehensive monitoring tool, revealing the survival of 8,030 trees out of the 16,670 seedlings planted.
In a distinguished gathering at theAfienya District Policedurbar, attended by prominent community stakeholders such as Nene Tetteh Afutu III, Chief of Afienya; Chief Superintendent Emmanuel Nana Ofori, District Police Commander of Afienya; Reverend Raymond Afutu Nartey of Immanuel Methodist, Afienya; and Chief Imam of Afienya, Imam Amadu Rufai Alhassan, the National Director of Compassion International Ghana, Kobina Yeboah Okyere, emphasized the importance of effectively monitoring tree planting exercises undertaken on Green Ghana Day.
He urged that such monitoring becomes an integral part of the initiative to ensure the achievement of its afforestation goals. Furthermore, He disclosed Compassion Ghana’s mission to plant a tree for each participant enrolled in their programme, which currently stands at over 97,000 individuals.
District Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Emmanuel Nana Ofori, commended Compassion International Ghana and its church partners for their initiative in monitoring the planted trees. He encouraged the adoption of this mechanism to ensure accountability in future tree-planting exercises. The dignitaries present at the durbar, after delivering their remarks, actively participated by planting additional seedlings and monitoring those sown a year ago at the same venue.
Compassion International Ghana is a Christ-centered organization dedicated to transformative child advocacy and holistic child development, encompassing physical, cognitive, socio-emotional, and spiritual aspects. Their focus lies particularly on ‘releasing children from poverty in Jesus’ name’.
Through their church partners and global sponsors, Compassion Ghana aims to break the cycle of hardship by equipping children with the skills and resources necessary to improve their social standing and benefit their communities.
Operating as part of the global brand Compassion International, headquartered in Colorado Springs, United States, Compassion Ghana stands committed to their mission of creating lasting positive change in the lives of Ghanaian children.
As the Green Ghana Day initiative continues to gain momentum, the call for comprehensive monitoring of tree-planting exercises echoes through the words of the National Director of Compassion International Ghana. With the survival of 8,030 trees as evidence of progress, it is clear that effective monitoring should become the norm to ensure the initiative’s success in enhancing afforestation coverage and combating climate change.
The Assembly, Ayensuano district has indicated that it is determined to pursue legal action against parents who subject their kids to the menace of child labor as a result of its vehement opposition to it in the area.
Children engaged in hard labour is prevalent in rural areas especially in the farming communities.
According to the United Nations, more than 160 million children, some as young as five, are engaged in child labour across the world.
TheInternational Labour Organisation (ILO) data further shows that more than one in every four children, aged between five and 17, were engaged in labour that was considered detrimental to their health and development in least developed countries.
In Ghana, there is an average of 21 per cent of children, aged five to 17 years, involved in child labour, with 14 per cent classified as engaged in hazardous forms of labour.
The District Chief Executive (DCE) of Ayensuano in the Eastern Region, Josephine Awuku Ansah Inkoom, has established that the Assembly is bent on eradicating the menace by apprehending and prosecuting parents who engage children less than 18 years in hard labour.
The DCE, who was speaking at the World International Day Against Child Labour in Ntowkrom near Kraboa Coatal, cautioned parents against the act.
She revealed that child labour is rife in the area hence the Assembly’s move to establish a court to deal with the situation.
“Child labour is common in Ayensuano; you go to the market and you see children under 18 selling on behalf of their parents.
“Sometimes you visit schools and find that the classrooms are virtually empty because the children had gone to the farm with the patents,” she restarted.
DCE Ansah Inkoom expounded that the situation is a threat and the Assembly is ready to crack the whip on parents found culpable.
Deputy Employment and Labour Relations Minister Bright Wereko Brobbey likewise retreated to parents to desist from engaging underaged children in hard labour as it is against the law.
He underscored the need for parents to prioritize child education instead of abusing the rights of their children.
Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has advocated for the adoption of tactical measures to strengthen democratic government and hasten national progress.
He expressed concern over the global decline in democratic governance and warned that Ghana’s situation could worsen if proactive steps are not taken to preserve it.
The Speaker made these remarks at a press soiree held in Tamale, the capital of the Northern Region. The event was organized as part of the activities commemorating 30 years of uninterrupted parliamentary democracy in Ghana.
Alban Bagbin emphasized the critical role of the media in governance and called on practitioners to serve as partners in the country’s progress.
“There is a decline in democratic governance around the world, but ours has reached a point where we must take action. If we want to develop, we must all take action. So we are here to use you not as tools, but as partners in development.”
“Whatever we do, if it is not the media that gives it meaning, then we have done nothing. You convey it to the people we want to reach, and you explain it better to the people. So, you are the linguists for the people to understand us better. It is not just a mantra that you are the fourth arm of government. It is a reality because without the media, there will be no government.”
The speaker also weighed in on the ongoing debate on the use of artificial intelligence. He described the tool as a double-edged sword that is valuable in the fast-changing technological world, noting that there is a proposal in parliament regarding the need to regulate its use.
He stated that the house will deliberate and seek broader input from experts and the public before it is passed into law.
Nigerian chef, Hilda Baci, a few years ago developed a burning ambition to become the world’s longest-cooking record holder.
She set out to cook for 100 hours non-stop, hoping to beat the previous record of 87 hours 45 minutes by Lata Tondon (India) in 2019.
Hilda Baci, who officially goes by the name Hilda Effiong Bassey, seemed to have achieved her goal, according to the Guinness World Record on its website. However, she was in for a rude shock.
After reviewing all the footage, we're delighted to announce that Hilda Baci is the new record holder for the longest cooking marathon (individual) 💫
Watch the video to find out the official time we've awarded Hilda and read the full explanation below 👇 pic.twitter.com/bf352ndxWO
The Guinness World Record announced today that Hilda Baci “has officially broken the record for the longest cooking marathon (individual), with a time of 93 hours 11 minutes.”
That means about seven hours of her cooking were chopped off and according to the Guinness World Record, this is because “she mistakenly took extra minutes for one of her rest breaks early on in the attempt.”
Hilda Baci smiling while stirring food
Despite this setback, Hilda Baci has still been awarded the record for world’s longest cooking marathon.
Hilda Baci awarded record for world’s longest cooking marathon
The 26-year-old Nigerian chefstarted on Thursday 11 May and finished on Monday 15 May, cooking over 100 pots of food during her four-day kitchen stint.
Hilda had to follow several rules during her record-breaking cook-a-thon:
She had to prepare or cook at least two items at any time and she was allowed to have a sous-chef to help her with prep work, washing up, and cleaning the kitchen area, but she had to do all the cooking herself.
One of the most important rules of food-related record attempts is that all items must be eaten after cooking.
To this end, Hilda invited anyone from the Nigerian public to come and enjoy her freshly made meals. All leftover food was given to the Festus Fajemilo Foundation.
A report by the Ghana Statistical Service(GSS), indicates that a total of 419,254 children between the ages of 5 to 17 years were involved in economic activities in Ghana in 2021.
This data highlights the extent of child labor and the need for further measures to protect the rights and well-being of these children.
The children were captured during the 2021 Population and Housing Census (PHC).
The GSS explained that 76,439 children aged 5 to 9 years were engaged in economic activity, 153,189 aged 10 to 14 years were engaged in economic activities, and 189,626 children aged 15 to 17 years were involved in such activities.
Children aged 5 to 17 years worked an average of 29.2 hours in the seven days preceding Census Night.
Children aged 15 to 17 years worked an average of 35.2 hours, while children aged 10 to 14 years worked an average of 26.5 hours (about 5 hours per weekday). Children aged 5 to 9 years worked an average of 19.8 hours (about 4 hours per weekday).
The GSS also found that children engaged as paid apprentices worked the highest number of hours, on average 48.4 hours.
This was almost twice the number of hours worked by contributing family workers, who worked an average of 25.0 hours. Children in the service sector worked an average of 36.8 hours, while those in the agricultural sector worked an average of 25.6 hours.
The GSS also found that 153,773 children aged 5 to 17 years engaged in economic activity had never attended school. Of this number, 37,963 children were aged 5 to 9 years.
In all, 94,748 children aged 5 to 17 years engaged in economic activity were also attending school during the census.
In the ongoing debate concerning the legalization of LGBTQ+ activities in Ghana, Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has expressed strong opposition, stating that he would rather face death than support such the move.
He explained that being Catholic, he would rather sit on the fence than be a part of the agenda to legalize the activities of the minority group.
“For you all to participate in it, count me out of Ghana because I will prefer to join my maker than to live. That is me I am a Catholic and I will not do anything that will end the world because God says the world is eternal until he comes back, we cannot do that to end the world,” a report by dailyguidenetwork.com quoted him.
The report added that Alban Bagbin made the comments during a press soirée in Tamale as part of Parliament of Ghana’s 30th anniversary celebration, on the theme: “Thirty(30) years of ParliamentaryDemocracy Under the Fourth Republic; The Journey thus far.”
Parliament is currently considering a Private Member’s Bill titled the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, 2021, popularly referred to as the Anti-LGBTQI+ Bill.
The bill is spearheaded by the Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Sam Nartey George.
The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly(KMA) has announced the postponement of the restriction on tricycle riders operating within the central business district (CBD).
The initial implementation date of June 15, 2023, has been deferred, and a new date is yet to be announced.
The KMA served notice that it would restrict tricycle riders from operating within the CBD to help control congestion in the central business district.
In an interview with the media, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of KMA, Henrietta Afia Konadu Aboagye, said the deferment was necessary due to the ongoing sensitization activities about the directive.
“The directive is not a ban, but a restriction on their movement in the CBD. So we met with their executives on May 9 to let them know that the move was to reduce congestion in the CBD. They asked for some time to speak with their members.”
“We realized that the education took a bit longer, so the directive, which was scheduled to take effect on the 15th, cannot take effect. We are still in the process of sensitization,” she said.
Meanwhile, the KMA PRO said that the assembly’s transport department and the MTTD would enforce the directive by being present at various checkpoints.
“The recalcitrant ones who will force their way into the CBD will have their vehicles impounded and taken to the Central Police Station or the assembly’s towing site, where they will be fined,” she added.
The Ministry of Roads and Highwayshas announced a traffic interruption at the southern approach of the Flowerpot roundabout starting from today, June 13, until October 31, 2023.
This period of interruption is to enable the construction of the flyover on the motorway to progress.The Urban Roads Department in a statement noted that routes such as the East and West bound of Spintex Road, Burma Camp Road from Giffard Road, and East and Westbound of Martey Tsuru Road will be affected.
Speaking to the media, the resident engineer on the motorway flyover project, Arnold Adu called on motorists to adhere to traffic management and diversion signs that will be at designated sections of the project.
“While work is going on from theFlowerpot Roundabout toward the Mahama Roundabout, certain rules have been put in place and some routes have been blocked, so we will plead with motorists to look out for directions and also be patient during the period.”Below is the full statement from the Department.
Ghanaian politician and businessman, Kojo Bonsu, has revealed that he is considering to shutdown his businesses as a result of the country’s economic woes.
According to him, Ghana’s current economic climate is the most challenging he has witnessed in his lifetime.
“My businesses are struggling. I just had a meeting and I’m even going to close down,” he said.
Kojo Bonsu also urged the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia-led administration to desist from constantly blaming COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine War for Ghana’s impoverished state.
He said that he believes that the country’s economy was already in ruins before the aforementioned misfortunes struck.
“The most challenging? Yes. If you talk about Ukraine and COVID, before COVID, we had a lot of business problems. So, I wouldn’t see why government always talks about COVID and the Russia-Ukraine War.
“It’s the way they’ve handled things. They haven’t put their mouth where it fits. They haven’t cut their coat according to their size. Unnecessary expenditure has brought Ghana into this situation. They waste money, so, definitely, the citizens of this country may have problems,” he added.
A former member of parliament (MP) for the Manso Nkwanta seat, Joseph Albert Qualm, has filed a defamation lawsuit against the former head of theInter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng.
Mr. Qualm among other reliefs is seeking GH¢2.5 million in damages from the former Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation as well as a restraining order preventing Prof. Frimpong-Boateng from making further commentary on the bombshell galamsey report he authored.
Prof. Frimpong-Boateng in the report leaked to the public domain alleged, among other things that, the former MP had used his position as a board member on the Minerals Commission to acquire dozens of mining concessions.
Professor Fimpong-Boateng also alleged in the report that Mr. Qualms would usually end “up selling these concessions to private individuals, including party members for two hundred thousand Cedis per concession. This infuriated the party in the constituency so during the 2020 primaries to select a candidate the electorate voted against Hon. Quarm, the sitting MP, who was more resourced than other candidates. Although there were allegations that he “camped” delegates and attempted to bribe them, he lost to a lesser known individual who did not have any financial muscle.”
Mr. Qualm is praying thecourt to declare “that the Defendant’s averments in his report which alleged underhand sales of mining concessions to the Plaintiff is capable of a defamatory meaning and are actually defamatory of the Plaintiff.”
He is also seeking an “injunction restraining the Defendant his servants, or agents or otherwise, from further publishing or causing to be published any portion of the Defendant’s report so long as they relate to the allegations made against the Plaintiff; and to further restrain the publication or repetition of the said or similar words defamatory of the Plaintiff through media interviews and other such by the Defendant.
A number of persons mentioned in the report have all taken legal action against the former IMCIM chairman.
