In response to the recent tariff increment, the Ghana Hotels Association has indicated that it intends to file a petition with the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission(PURC).
On June 1, 2023, the PURC approved an upward adjustment in water and electricity tariffs.
The decision to increase the tariffs was based on various factors considered by the regulator, including the cost of electricity, rising expenses for raw water treatment chemicals, exchange rates, and inflation.
However, the tariff increment has faced strong opposition from multiple stakeholders, with the Association of Ghana Industries leading the charge. Concerns have been raised about the potential negative impact on local businesses.
Dr. Edward Ackah-Nyamike Jnr, the President of the Ghana Hotels Association, expressed the burden felt by their members due to the significant 160 percent increment.
In an interview with Citi News, he emphasized the urgent need to reverse this decision in order to alleviate the strain on indigenous businesses.
“We appreciate the situation we find ourselves in as a country and we do know the utility tariffs will be adjusted every quarter and we do know that these adjustments will certainly be upward all the time so we have no problem with those adjustments provided that it is communicated to us, so we prepare ourselves for it and know exactly how much it is going to affect our budget or our cost.”
“So when you say 8.3 percent and end up at 167 that is very scary and we want to pre-empt such actions in the future which is why we are petitioning. So we are having discussions with our executives and members,” he stated.
Individuals whose sim cards have been deactivated can submit an email or WhatsApp to the National Communication Authority(NCA) to get their sims reactivated, according to the NCA’s deputy director, Kwame Gyan.
He said this following comments by the Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, who explained that individuals with genuine concerns about Ghana Card application can contact the NCA with evidence of application to have their SIMs reactivated.
According to the report, the Deputy Director noted that individuals in the category as described by the minister can send an email via mailto:complaints@nca.org.gh to his outfit for a resolution.
He further added that the mobile network operators (MNOs) have provided a WhatsApp number communicated duly for customers to channel their complaints.
He also added that the NCA has eight offices across the country which will also be open to receive such complaints.
Background:
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunication, Dr Ken Ashigbey, explained that SIM card subscribers who have registered their SIM to mobile money will have a temporal opportunity to access their funds even as the unregistered SIM cards are blocked.
His explanation is on the back of concerns raised by some who have not been able to register their SIM cards before the deadline, May 31, 2023.
According to him, even the National Communication Authority (NCA) has been magnanimous to keep the 404# and 400# to allow subscribers who get their Ghana card within the period during which the window remains open register and be able to recover the monies in their wallet.
“For the 7.4 million subscribers who have about over 200 million cedis on their wallet when they are barred, they also will get the opportunity if they get their numbers back then the historical records of their transaction,” he said.
However, those who are unable to still register after the temporal window closes will have to contact the mobile money operator for their money.
“But if they don’t and the NCA decides to close the window anytime then what they would have to do is that they would have to go to their mobile money operators and there will be a procedure that will be put where they can get their money back but they will not be via mobile money. They will not be able to do mobile money transactions until they are able to regularise it,” he added.
A spiritualist and herbalist, Jibril Musah, is facing trial at the Nsuaem/Kyekyewere circuit court for allegedly defrauding a trader of GHȼ85,000 through false pretenses.
Musah, affectionately called Alhaji, is said to have defrauded 49-year-old Mary Oppong with whom he lives in the same community at Assin Ngyiresi, under the guise of retrieving a hidden family treasure for her.
He has been charged with defrauding by false pretence contrary to session 131 of the Criminal Code 1960 (Act29).
According to police prosecutor, Chief Inspector Gilbert Anyongo, Mary Oppong the complainant, sent her mother to Alhaji for treatment, whereupon he allegedly initiated the healing process.
In the course of the healing in November 2021, Alhaji is said to have claimed seeing in the spiritual realm that the late father of the complainant had hidden a treasure (gold) on a land at Assin Ochiso, and that it required the performance of certain rituals for retrieval.
Alhaji allegedly gave a mobile phone number claiming it is for the famed sea goddess “Maame Water” and subsequently made cash demands to enable him procure items needed for the rituals to uncover the hidden gold.
Mary Oppong in turn, is said to have informed her family members to make contributions to aid the process, instructing that family members who failed to contribute stood no chance of benefiting from the loot once it materialised. Contributions yielded GHȼ85,000.
Alhaji however, upon receiving the money, vanished without delivering the said gold treasure.
Mary Oppong who came under intense pressure from family members who contributed the money, then lodged a complaint with the police.
After several months of police investigation, Alhaji was arrested, charged and sent to the Nsuaem/Kyekyewere Circuit Courtfor trial.
The court presided over by Her Honour Dorinda Smith Arthur, remanded Alhaji into Police custody to reappear on July 13, 2023 after he pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Speaker Alban Bagbin has instructed all members of parliament (MPs) to desist from engaging in any other activity today apart from planting of trees.
The speaker gave the order to enforce the planting of 10 million trees seedlings directive by government to commemorate Green Ghana Day.
Drawing inspiration from successful tree-planting endeavours in other parts of the world, such as Dubai, where deserts have been transformed into lush forests, Alban Bagbin highlighted the need for a comprehensive approach to tree planting in Ghana.
He acknowledged that while the survival rate of planted seedlings needed improvement, it was crucial to persevere in the face of challenges.
Mr. Bagbin stressed the importance of taking action and not using concerns such as illegal mining, known asgalamsey, as a reason to abandon tree planting efforts.
He emphasized that refraining from planting trees would only exacerbate the situation. Instead, he encouraged members of Parliament to lead by example and engage their constituents in the tree planting exercise.
In light of his support for the cause, Mr. Bagbin announced that there would be no parliamentary sitting on Friday to allow members to participate in tree planting activities.He called for collective efforts in nurturing and growing trees to ensure their long-term survival and the positive impact on the environment.
“The tree planting you’ve seen in the Middle East, Dubai and the rest where they really bring trees and plant for a desert to be turned into forest. That is tree planting. What we do here is planting seedlings and we should talk about growing trees.
“We plant and go away and the survival rate is what we are talking about which we have to work on. But I believe that it’s better to do this than to say that because there is galamsey (illegal mining) we will not plant the trees, then we will worsen the situation,” Mr. Bagbin stated.
He continued: “So please I want to encourage members to continue and let’s grow the trees together and I will direct that honorable members to as usual proceed to lead their constituents in the exercise. So there will be no sitting on Friday.”
The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, in collaboration with the Forestry Commission also urged all Ghanaians and residents to actively participate in the national tree-planting exercise.
Today, Friday, June 9, 2023, marks the third edition of Green Ghana Day.The event forms a vital component of an ambitious afforestation and reforestation agenda aimed at restoring the country’s depleted forest cover.
Famous Ghanaian actorKofi Adjorlolo has discussed his adoration for the Ghanaian musician, King Promise and the profound influence his hit song “CCTV” had on him during an interview with McBrown on Onua Showtime.
Adjorlolo, who has an extensive background in music and radio hosting, revealed that he was immediately captivated by King Promise’s talent and unique style, which left him with goosebumps upon first hearing the track.
Recalling his first encounter with King Promise, Adjorlolo mentioned watching the music video for ‘CCTV,’ where the artist appeared on a train or a similar setting. It was during this moment that Adjorlolo recognized the emergence of new talent in the music scene.
“The first time he came out, he did a video where he was on a train or something, that’s ‘CCTV.’ I got goosebumps, and that’s when I knew there was another guy on the scene. Since then, I’ve been following him,” Adjorlolo shared.
Another aspect of King Promise’s brand that struck a chord with Adjorlolo is the artist’s bald haircut, which resembles his own. This shared physical feature further endeared King Promise to the veteran actor, creating a deeper connection and appreciation for his work.
“And the image that makes him unique, do you want to know? His bald haircut is just like mine. I love this guy so much, and I don’t have anything else to say,” Adjorlolo expressed, playfully removing his hat to show off his bald head, evoking laughter from the studio audience.
King Promise, known for his soulful voice and heartfelt lyrics, warmly received kind words from the Nollywood legend. Born as Gregory Promise Bortey Newman, the talented singer has swiftly established himself as one of Ghana’s most promising artists. His breakthrough hit, ‘CCTV,’ captured the attention of music lovers, including seasoned individuals like Kofi Adjorlolo, who recognized his undeniable talent and unique artistic expression.
Ghanaian female singer, Amaarae has today, June 9, 2023 released her highly awaited album “Fountain Baby.”
With critical acclaim from renowned publications such as NPR, The New Yorker, Billboard, and Elle, Amaarae’s unique fusion of genres, blending experimental pop with mainstream Afrobeats, positions her as one of the premier artists in the pop arena.
Amaarae’s latest album, ‘Fountain Baby’ is a testament to her towering talent and visionary approach to music. The collection of insatiable tracks explores powerful themes of female empowerment, the subversion of gender norms, and an enthralling exploration of female sexuality and artistic self-expression.
By infusing her West African heritage with a global perspective, Amaarae presents a body of work that defies genre and regional boundaries, firmly establishing herself as an essential architect in the future of music.
Building upon her massive success, Amaarae’s viral hit ‘Sad Girlz Luv Money’ featuring Kali Uchis has recently achieved platinum certification. The track has garnered over an astonishing 379 million global streams, reached notable chart positions on the Billboard Hot 100, and dominated TikTok as the #1 song for multiple weeks.
This extraordinary achievement highlights Amaarae’s undeniable impact in the music industry and solidifies her status as a trailblazer. As a testament to her rising fame, Amaarae has been invited to perform her new album for the beloved NPR Tiny Desk series, with the performance scheduled for release later in June. This prestigious opportunity showcases the widespread recognition of her talent and affirms her place among the music industry’s elite.
Speaking on the release of ‘Fountain Baby‘, Amaarae shares her thoughts:
“Fountain Baby’s exudes an unstoppable surge of sex appeal, abundant blessings, and undeniable swag. It serves as my vibrant declaration to the world that I am a truly blessed child of God”.
About Amaarae
A songwriter, singer, producer and engineer, Amaarae’s journey has been nothing short of extraordinary with massive accolades and acclaim already under her young belt. In 2020, Amaarae cemented her place as one of music’s most exciting new artists with her breakthrough album, The Angel You Don’t Know. With over 522 million streams to date, this genre expansive project saw her thrive outside of the Afro-pop parameters and re-define for herself what it means to create African music today.
It received large critical acclaim by The New York Times, NPR, Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, Billboard, The Guardian, Fader, i-D, Elle, Dazed, The FACE, Nylon, Highsnobiety, Paper Magazine and many more.
The quintessential album introduced Amaarae’s viral sensation, ‘Sad Girlz Luv Money,’ which received an electrifying remix from Colombian-American artist Kali Uchis and Ghanaian-American Moliy and has since been certified platinum. The track has amassed over 379 million global streams, broke onto the Billboard 100 chart, and hit the #1 song on TikTok for weeks. It solidified Amaarae as the first Afrobeats female artist to debut on the Billboard Hot 100 and do so independently.
A bona fide fashion world darling, she has graced front row seats the world over at London, Paris and Milan’s Fashion Weeks for Coperni, Jacquemus, Diesel, Dipetsa, Mowalola and many others. Additionally, in 2021 she made her big screen debut with the release of her sensational track ‘A Body, A Coffin’ from the ‘Wakanda Forever Prologue’ soundtrack.
Bronx-born and raised between Accra in Ghana, Atlanta, Georgia and Hackettstown, New Jersey, Amaarae’s cross-cultural experience has long been the driving force behind her deeply experimental ethos. Her unmatched approach and perspective catapulted her to the forefront of the exciting melting pot of exuberant creativity that is Nigeria’s Alté scene.
From selling mixtapes to her high school classmates, to throwing herself into learning the ins and outs of the production and engineering process and founding her own independent record label Golden Angel LLC – which originated in Ghana and is now US domiciled – Amaarae is a rare, authentic, and inspiring talent.
The Minority Caucus in Parliamenthas warned the government against using Green Ghana Day celebrations as platforms for corruption.
According to members of the caucus, such programmes in the past, have been used to siphon money from the state and the taxpayer.
Green Ghana Day is an initiative launched in March 2021 by President Akufo-Addothrough the Ministry of Lands and Mineral Resources aimed at planting trees across the country.
The maiden edition was held on June 11, 2021, where an estimated seven million tree seedlings were planted across the nation.
According to an account made by the president, 85% of trees planted during the maiden edition were successful.
In the second edition of the project, the president announced government’s plan to plant an additional 20 million trees in support of the Green Ghana Project in 2022.
But speaking in Parliament on June 9 to mark the third edition of Green Ghana Day, the Deputy Ranking Member on the Lands and Forestry Committee, Alhassan Suhuyini raised the concern that government has not been transparent in accounting for the monies that go into the project.
Mr Suhuyini said “The President in 2022, in his State of the Nation Address (SONA), revealed to this House that they had successfully planted 7 million trees, 2 million more than was initially planned to be planted. However, the Minister, weeks earlier, in an answer to a question in this same house, reported that only about 4.89 million trees were planted.
“Mr Speaker the question therefore is, how many trees indeed were planted and how much did we throw at the plantation of these trees?” he interrogated.
Furthermore, Mr. Suhuyini stated that parliament should ensure that this initiative does not become an institution that siphons taxpayer funds, as climate finance must be optimised for impact and effectiveness.
Additionally, he stressed that the ultimate way to ensure the aforementioned is for parliament to ensure that, “strategies are put in place to change finance and to ensure that finance that is meant for climate change and its mitigation and its adaptation are not misapplied and also give us [Ghanaians] less optimal value.”
Meanwhile, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor provided an update on the two previous Green Ghana editions to the House.
He claimed that the success rate of the planting done in 2021 amounted to an excess of 80%, whereas that of the planting done in 2022 was an excess of 70%.
The Minister also reiterated that Green Ghana Day is one of the efforts made by government to replenish Ghana’s depleted forest cover and support the world’s efforts to halt climate change.
In order to meet Ghana’s aim of planting 20 million trees through the Green Ghana project, the Chief of Staff has emphasized the significance of increased collaboration and broader stakeholder engagement.
Recognising the scale of the target, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare emphasised that concerted efforts and involvement from various stakeholders are essential for its successful implementation.
By involving key actors such as students, Corporate Ghana, traditional authorities, and religious bodies, Mrs Osei-Opare believes there will be some sort of shared responsibility which would foster a sense of ownership among all segments of society in Ghana towards achieving the 20 million target.
“This can only be achieved through a concerted effort and broader stakeholder involvement,” she said at the Green Ghana Day event at Achiaman Junior High School in the Ga West Municipal District Assembly.
Green Ghana Day
The Green Ghana Initiative was established in response to the loss of natural forest cover in Ghana.
According to Global Forest Watch, Ghana lost 101,000 hectares of natural forest in 2021, resulting in approximately 62.9 million metric tons of CO₂ emissions.
The initiative aims to address the environmental and health threats posed by deforestation.
“It is, therefore, more important, than ever, for us all to stand up boldly and engage in nationwide tree-planting exercises such as this. This would help reduce the serious health and environmental threats posed by deforestation to our citizens,” Mrs Osei-Opare said.
Meanwhile, President Akufo-Addo also exercised his commitment to this laudable initiative by planting a variety of trees at the Mensah Sarbah Hall at the University of Ghana.
The Municipal Chief Executive of Keta, Emmanuel Gemegah, has been accused by some youth in the area of abusing his authority in the sale of premix fuel.
The youth say that the MCE has shrouded the sale and distribution of the commodity in secrecy.
In a press statement issued on Wednesday, June 7, the youth group said that the MCE’s actions are affecting the fisherfolk, their families, and the entire municipality.
They called on President Akufo-Addoand the Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture to immediately investigate and take the necessary measures to curb the situation.
The Concerned Youth have also threatened to stage a mammoth protest if the appropriate authorities ignore their concerns.
The statement said: “It is obvious that in Ghana, fish and fisheries are integral parts of livelihood, culture, and heritage in all coastal-fishing communities, and this makes important contributions to the socio-economic development and well-being of the people, especially the people of Keta Municipal Assembly.”
“However, the sale of consignments to fisherfolk in the Keta Municipal Assembly (KeMA) of the Volta Region has been bedevilled with improprieties and lack of transparency and accountability, and abuse of power by various MCEs, and it is worst under the leadership of Hon. Emmanuel Gemegah.” MCE rejects allegations
Meanwhile, the MCE, in an interview, denied the allegations.
He said that the youth smuggle the product to neighbouring countries without giving it to the intended fisherfolk.
“It is not true,” he said. “I was not in town and I only returned to town yesterday. But they forwarded their press release to me.”
“What I can say is that, I have information that some premix fuel will be arriving this morning. I have only worked against them smuggling the premix fuel to neighbouring countries and hoarding same. That is my only crime.”
The Electricity Company of Ghana has issued a warning against planting trees under low voltage lines as a precaution to prevent future electricity supply disruptions as Ghanaians celebrate Green Ghana Day with tree-planting activities.
The Western Regional Manager of the ECG, Engineer Emmanuel Justice Ofori while leading staff of ECG to sensitize and plant trees at the All Saint Anglican School in Takoradi said the ECG is targeting to plant 5,000 trees in the region.
He added that the public must, however, be cautious not to plant trees under the Low Voltage lines as the grown trees may disrupt the power supply when it comes in contact with the lines.
“We are advising those planting trees that we should go about planting the trees but we should be careful not to plant them directly under the lines especially the LV lines (Low Voltage lines).”
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, in collaboration with the Forestry Commission, has urged all Ghanaians and residents to actively participate in the national tree-planting exercise.
The event forms a vital component of an ambitious afforestation and reforestation agenda aimed at restoring the country’s depleted forest cover.
During the inaugural edition, the target was set at planting five million trees. However, the enthusiasm and commitment of the participants surpassed expectations, resulting in the planting of over seven million trees.
Building on this success, last year’s Green Ghana Day witnessed an even greater achievement, with over 26 million trees planted, surpassing the intended goal of 20 million.
This year, the nation aspires to plant an additional 10 million seedlings throughout the country, while nurturing the over 30 million trees planted in 2021 and 2022.
In order to refute “doubting Thomases” who assert that contractors abandoned the project following the by-election, Minister of Roads and HighwaysKwasi Amoako-Attah said the government will complete ongoing road construction in the Kumawu constituency.
The Minister has therefore urged inhabitants of the area to disregard comments that the project has been abandoned.
Mr Amoako-Attah said this when he inspected the ongoing works in the constituency with some officials and engineers from the Ministry.
The Minister also stressed that the government is committed to giving a facelift to roads in the Assin North Constituency, despite public comments that the roads are being constructed because of the upcoming by-election.
“Any road work going on anywhere will continue for Ghanaiansto see, because they will be amazed. So those engaging in political propaganda, even though a lot of work has been done, have not seen anything yet. More are coming, and by 27th in the Assin North elections, by the grace of God, we are going to win it like we won the Kumawu seat,” he added.
Mr Amoako-Attah asked those making allegations to get their facts straight before they come out to say anything.
“Those saying we are now working on the roads should know and learn when those contracts were awarded. Some of the projects have even been completed. From next week we are going to start commissioning roads in Assin North, and if it takes one week to complete, they will let us know.”
“There are as many as 12 road projects currently going on, and contractors are on site, and a number of them have been completed,” he stated.
The member of parliament for Tamale South, Haruna Iddrisu, has lamented over some of the difficulties people are experiencing as a result of having their SIMS cards disabled.
The MP was reacting to the deactivation of SIM cards belonging to over 9 million Ghanaians who failed to commence or complete the re-registration exercise spanning almost two years.
Speaking in parliament on Thursday, June 8, 2023, the Tamale South MP opined that some individuals who have had their SIM cards deactivated are suffering from relationship crises because they are unable to communicate with their significant others and this may leave room for speculations.
“Those whose SIMs have so been blocked, some have suffered relationship problems. Some probably have lost their girlfriends, contact with their significant others. Even, some have been threatened with divorce; very possible. Because why have you not reached out to him or her; because your SIM has been blocked?
“With this excuse, she (Ursula Owusu-Ekuful) may be creating problems for many marriages with this SIM blocking as a social problem,” Haruna said.
Haruna Iddrisu also chided the Minister of Communication and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful for blocking the SIMs of some individuals when they don’t have Ghana Cards yet.
“We are saying that don’t just block SIMs when the fault or problem is not from the person who is holding the SIM,” he added.
Originally commencing on October 1, 2021, the SIM card re-registration campaign was scheduled to conclude on March 31, 2022.
But due to challenges faced in obtaining the Ghana Card, the NCA extended the registration deadline multiple times until May 31, 2023.
The National Identification Card, commonly referred to as the Ghana Card, serves as the sole document for undertaking the registration process.
The Minister of Communications and Digitalization, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has that all unregistered merchant SIMs will be blocked permanently at the end of June 2023.
According to the minister, almost 280,000 merchant SIMs have not been registered, offering fraudsters an opportunity to use them in perpetuating their activities.
“I have also been informed that almost 280,000 merchant SIMs have not been registered. A viral video doing the rounds on social media a few weeks ago indicated that some criminal networks have actually acquired merchant SIMs to facilitate fraudulent activities. Let me reiterate once again, that all unregistered merchant SIMs will be blocked permanently at the end of June 2023,” she stated.
Mrs. Owusu-Ekuful urged victims of illegal acts to notify the National Communications Authority (NCA) for action to be taken against the perpetrators.
She further advised subscribers who were unable to complete the second stage of the registration process to contact the NCA to have their SIMs registered.
“I will urge victims of illegal acts to notify theNational Communications Authority(NCA) and action will be taken to deter this process. I have also heard complaints that though they had registered their SIMs, those SIMs were blocked. My information is that several of these complaints are people who didn’t complete the second stage of the process as required. Such people should contact the NCA to have their SIMs registered and owners of the SIMs will get their numbers back after duly registration.
She added, “They must act timeously as the NCA will announce when this moratorium will end after which all unregistered SIMs will permanently be blocked from the networks. If your line has been blocked, and you still need it, please go and register. There may be however some whose SIMs are blocked inadvertently in full registration. Kindly notify the NCA and a full investigation will be conducted to be determined if this was really the case and why it happened”.
The Minister of Communications and Digitalisation announced that Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) are working with the Bank of Ghana to facilitate the retrieval of funds for individuals whose monies are locked up in mobile money accounts.
Numerous subscribers have voiced their concerns regarding the inability to access their funds on mobile money accounts after their SIM cards were deactivated for failing to re-register them.
The Minister assured subscribers that the MNOs and the Bank of Ghana are working together to resolve the issue as soon as possible.
President Akufo-Addohas emphasized the significance of enhancing the well-being and rehabilitation of prison inmates as a top priority for both his government and the Ghana Prison Service.
He said that the government and the Prison Service had put in place a number of measures to improve the conditions of prisoners, including improving healthcare, food security, education, and vocational training.
“The key stakeholders of the Prison Serviceare the inmates and in line with the mandate to ensure welfare, rehabilitation and reformation, this government and prison authority have put in place pragmatic interventions in healthcare, food security, education and service training to improve progressively their conditions,” he stated.
President Akufo-Addo was speaking at the graduation ceremony of intake 31 of the Prison Service, which consisted of 450 new prison officers, in Accra on Thursday.
He also said that the government was committed to improving the welfare of prison officers and urged the new officers to treat prisoners with respect as they discharged their duties.
“The Ghana Prison Service plays a vital role in the criminal justice system and security architecture of the country. As such, as prison officers, you will be called upon to serve in prison establishments all over the country. You must ensure utmost respect for the laws of the land and the lives of prisoners who are committed to your care,” he added.
President Akufo-Addo again asked the officers to be practical, innovative and ensure that they rose to the occasion when duty called.
A pediatrician at the Sunyani Regional Hospital (SRU), Dr. Bright Asiamah has urged against the use naphthalene balls also known as camphor due to the hazards it poses to the human health.
According to him, contact with the substance could cause jaundice in people with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiencies.
Most mothers put naphthalene balls in the clothing of newborn babies after washing but that was dangerous because it had been known to be another cause of neonatal jaundice among newborn babies, he observed.
Dr. Asiamah told the media in an interview after an education and sensitisation programme in Sunyani to create awareness of the neonatal jaundice for mothers and the public to help in its prevention.
He said neonatal jaundice had been identified to be one of the leading conditions of infant mortality in the country, adding that the disease affected the babies’ brain and could further cause child disabilities.
Dr. Asiamah therefore urged pregnant women to attend ante-natal clinics for sensitisation about the disease to know the causes, dangers and how it could be prevented to have healthy babies.
He said the challenges of the neonatal intensive care unit(NICU) of the SRU was decongestion, explaining that because of the non-availability of phototherapy machines in most of the hospitals in the region, more cases were being referred to the SRU regularly.
Consequently, the paediatrician said most mothers were always not happy seeing their babies “packed” in the few available phototherapy machines.
Dr. Asiamah appealed to corporate entities, charitable organisations and philanthropists to assist in purchasing more phototherapy machines for the treatment of the disease at the SRU to save the lives of babies.
One phototherapy machine cost GHS 58,000.00, he added.
Nana Akosua Akoma Dankari I, the Sompa Hemaa of the Sunyani Traditional Areaurged nurses to limit the use of mobile phones during working hours and focus mainly on patients, particularly babies and children in such emergency conditions.
She alleged most children and other patients lost their lives due to the negligence of some nurses who refused to give proper attention to them because those nurses valued what they did on their mobile phones more than the lives of patients.
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has called on the Supreme Court for clarification over its order for Parliament to removeJames Gyakye Quayson‘s name from its records as the former Member of Parliament for Assin North.
This comes after some Members of Parliament raised concerns about how to implement the order of the Supreme Court since the standing orders of the house do not provide a clear path on such a directive.
Reacting to the matter, the Speaker of Parliament, said all activities the ousted Assin North MP engaged in since January 2021 would hold until steps are taken on the way forward.
“What has just happened is strong evidence that there is a need for clarification. Don’t forget that the order is predicated on a number of declaratory rulings by the court, it was not given in isolation. There were four earlier declaratory judgements before the order came as the fifth. The other declaratory judgements said the election of the member was unconstitutional. As a result of that, it was null and void and of no effect.
“The order did not say the Speaker should expunge [his name]. It did not say any Member of Parliament or Clerk should expunge [the name], it says the institution called Parliament. So that institution must carry out the order. The only way the institution can carry out the order is for the institution to reason together. And that is only done in a sitting where the opportunity is given to members to think through it.
“I don’t want to assume powers that are not clearly spelt out in any law. So I did indicate and mentioned to some members of the Supreme Court that there is a need for clarification,” he added. Background
The Supreme Court in May 2023 ordered Parliament to remove James Gyakye Quayson’s name from its records as the Member of Parliament for Assin North.
Parliament then declared the seat vacant which paves the way for a by-election on June 27.
The Supreme Court ruled that Mr. Quayson was not qualified to contest the 2020 parliamentary elections in the Assin North Constituency at the time he filed his nomination forms on October 9, 2020.
The Court found that Mr. Quayson had not shown evidence of renouncing his Canadian citizenship, and that the Electoral Commission had granted him permission to contest the election without this evidence.
The Court further ruled that Mr. Quayson’s election as Member of Parliament for Assin North Constituency was unconstitutional.
The 7-member Court in a unanimous ruling stated that “the qualification of holding only Ghanaian citizenship must be present at the time of nomination, and not any date thereafter.”
The Court also held that “any person, who has obtained citizenship of another country other than Ghana, and who files for nomination with the Electoral Commission to contest for election as a Member of Parliament will not be qualified to contest for elections unless and until they show a record from the alternate State that they no longer hold the citizenship of that State as at the date of filing their nominations with the Electoral Commission.”
“Since Mr. Quayson had not received his certificate of renunciation as a Canadian citizen as of October 9, 2020, he was not qualified to be a Member of Parliament at the time he filed his nomination papers, at the time he stood for election, and at the time he was declared as elected Member of Parliament”.
“This court has to, therefore, reiterate its earlier conclusion that the qualification of holding only Ghanaian citizenship must be present at the time of nomination, and not any date thereafter – in this case by 9th October 2020”.
“Since the 1st defendant had not received his certificate of renunciation as a Canadian citizen as of 9th October 2020, then he was not qualified to be a Member of Parliament at the time that he filed his nomination papers, at the time he stood for elections, and at the time he was declared as elected Member of Parliament, because he owed allegiance to another country as at 9th October 2020, the date when he should have satisfied the qualification criteria”.
Ghanaian actress Akuapem Poloo has expressed her desires to have another child but wishes to marry before doing so.
According to her, she met her son’s father when she was young, and despite his promise to marry her before she got pregnant, plans changed.
Their relationship ended after she gave birth, leaving her a single mother.
Speaking to KMJ on Prime Morning on Friday, the actress stated that she has learned her lesson and will definitely not repeat her mistakes, especially now that she has matured and has stopped living a fake life on social media.
Akuapem Poloo is more than ready to have more children, but only after marrying a responsible, family-oriented man.
“Now that I am matured and of age, I want to add another one to my baby. Yes, I really want to give birth. I have asked Allah to help me get married first. I don’t want to repeat the same mistakes again because, by then, I was young and in my youth. Now I want to get married before I give birth, but I want that to happen either this year or next year,” she said.
The Ghanaian socialite stated that nowadays, dating is more difficult than marriage, which is why she has been dating her boyfriend for seven years.
According to her, dating for seven years was a smart option since it will allow her to study and understand her partner when she eventually marries.
“For the past seven years I have been dating, and I am still dating. The intention of not repeating the same mistakes is the reason I am dating this guy. Although I don’t regret giving birth, I regret not getting married to the man I gave birth with.”
“I love the seven years because we’ve known each other well and I know what he wants and what he doesn’t want. If I have been able to endure for seven years, I will have had experience before marriage. Nowadays, dating is even harder than marriage,” she said.
Actress Akuapem Poloo stated that many Ghanaian girls find themselves in toxic relationships because of how cheap they have made sex. She explained that, men woo girls with money only to leave them after sex.
She, however, advised Ghanaian girls to be careful of such men and strive for healthy relationships.
Captain Smart and his crew of the Onua Maakye show are said to have been involved in an attack at Obuasi, Ashanti region on Thursday, June 8.
A man believed to be a member of the Obuasi Municipal task force stormed the venue and attempted to disturb the work of the Onua team.
The thug physically prevented the technical team from mounting live gadgets claiming he was ordered from above to stop the event, TV3’s Ashanti Region correspondent William Evans Nkum reported.
Several Members of Parliament(MPS) have demanded the establishment of laws to control the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the country.
Artificial Intelligence tools refer to software applications that employ algorithms based on artificial intelligence to carry out specific tasks and address various challenges.
During discussions held on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday, some legislators emphasized the substantial benefits offered by AI technologies, however, also stressed the need for regulation to ensure they are used in a manner that aligns with appropriate objectives.
“If we do not act now the future will be bleak for the future of our country. Probably Mr. Speaker, we should consider establishing an artificial intelligence council,” MP for Tamale South,Haruna Iddrisu, said.
MP for Ofoase Ayirebi, Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah who doubles as the Information Minister added that “those who worked on AI are beginning to worry about the potential.”
“So it is opportune time for us to consider what kind of architecture, legal or regulatory to limit the most dangerous parts of AI,” he added.
Geoffrey Hinton, who is regarded as the godfather of AI after quitting Google expressed concerns over the growth of artificial intelligence in all sectors of an economy.
“I think that it’s conceivable that this kind of advanced intelligence could just take over from us,” the renowned British-Canadian computer scientist told As It Happens host Nil Köksal.
“It would mean the end of people,” he added.
AI tools find applications across numerous industries such as healthcare, finance, marketing, and education. They serve purposes like task automation, data analysis, and enhanced decision-making capabilities.
The fate of finance minister, Ken Ofori-Attawould be decided by the members of parliament (MPs) belonging to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) , according to Majority Leader in Parliament Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu.
The Member of Parliament for the Suame constituency was reacting to the #KenMustGo uprising being championed by several NPP MPs.
Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu during a media engagement, added that the condition given by President Akufo-Addo was to allow the finance minister to conclude the IMF negotiations, and that seems to have been successful and therefore, the party will have to take a stand if becomes necessary.
“KenMustGo uprising must be left with the caucus. The entire caucus will have to engage to see what can be done going forward.
“…we will meet the president if it becomes necessary. Sometimes it’s good to allow sleeping dogs lie.
“But you should also consider that having finished with our engagement with the IMF, the president said ‘let him conclude our engagement with IMF’. Have we finished our engagement with IMF? We will take it up when it becomes necessary,” the MP said.
In 2022, over 100 NPP MPs petitioned the president to sack finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta over the mismanagement of Ghana’s economy.
The president, however, pleaded to have Ken Ofori-Atta finish up impending IMF negotiations to secure a $3 billion bailout from the Fund.
TheFair Wages and Salaries Commission(FWSC) has been ordered by the National Labour Commission (NLC) to overturn a decision to block the allowances of certain GBC employees.
This follows weeks of protests and threats of industrial strike action by the workers.
According to Sam Nat Kevor, the Divisional Union Chairman of GBC, the affected allowances which include rent, housing, utility, vehicle maintenance and transportation, must be restored since inflation keeps rising and therefore the withdrawal of such allowances will worsen the cost of living.
However, the FWSC Boss, Ben Arthurinsists the initiative forms part of its nationwide payroll monitoring exercise with the Internal Audit Agency.
He explained that as part of the payroll monitoring exercise, it had been discovered that some staff of GBC are currently enjoying allowances that they are not entitled to.
Mr Arthur said the commission exists to ensure better working conditions for workers and will not compromise.
But during a hearing of a complaint tabled before it by the FWSC over the pending strike by the staff of GBC, the NLC described the FWSC’s directive as unlawful.
Subsequently, the Commission has given the FWSC a 14-day ultimatum to reverse its decision to strike out the allowances in question and restore all deductions made from the salaries of GBC staff.
Background
The FWSC began payroll auditing in April this year. Two weeks ago, the FWSC audited the payroll of the staff of GBC over some allowances which, it said, some staff did not deserve.
It, therefore, wrote to the CAGD to stop the payment of the allowances and allow the affected staff to refund the money. The GBC unionised staff cautioned against the directive, but the CAGD carried it through.
Recounting the genesis of what led to the deductions by the FWSC, the divisional union chairman said these allowances were negotiated as “per our collective agreement and senior management staff condition of service.”
He said the last negotiation by the Public Services Joint Standing Negotiation Committee (PSJNC) occurred on August 26, 2019, with the effective payment date being January 1, 2020.
He said, “The disposition of the CEO of the FWSC began with the negotiation for our category two and three non-core allowances which started smoothly in 2021 with the then CEO, Dr Edward Kwapong until Mr Arthur took over in the latter part of 2022.”
The posture of Mr Arthur, according to Mr Kevor, was clearly manifested in the number of times negotiations had to be adjourned.
Negotiations
Mr Kevor alleged that Mr Arthur deliberately delayed forwarding the outcome of the negotiations to the Ministry of Finance for onward transfer to the CAGD.
He said in spite of the intervention from the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Mr Arthur still delayed for four months until he finally forwarded the signed agreement to the Ministry of Finance.
Mr Kevor, who wore red headgear and was flanked by the Chairman of the Senior Management Union, Alhaji Abdul Razak Tahiru, and a member of the Local Trustee, Mr Abraham Osekre, said a meeting convened by the Minister of Information and the CEO of FWSC to seek a resolution to the impasse could not yield any result as Mr Arthur claimed that the collective agreement of GBC had expired and also the allowances had been revised under the Single Spine Salary Scheme.
He said in spite of efforts to prevent the deductions and to meet him, Mr Arthur went ahead and directed the CAGD to remove the allowances of GBC workers.
TheIntestate Succession Billwill be passed, according to the leadership of Parliament, before the House adjourns on August 3, 2023.
The leadership expressed regret that efforts by previous governments to pass the bill have been unsuccessful over the years.
The bill seeks to make changes to the current system, which would offer even greater protection to children when a parent dies without a will.
Speaking at a media briefing by the leadership of Parliament, the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, expressed optimism about the passage of the bill at the second meeting of the third session.
“It has been with this house for close to 10 years, since former President J.A. Kuffuor’s time. It came on two occasions, it came to be withdrawn. Eventually, it didn’t come before the elections. Late President J. A. Mills took over and indicated to bring the Bill back. It came to Parliament and got withdrawn for some considerations. Former President John Mahama’s attention was drawn to it, and he indicated that he will present it to Parliament, and it didn’t suffice. In President Akufo-Addo’s regime, it came once, and it went off the radar.
“Now a decision has been taken that the Interstate Secession Bill should come to parliament for consideration for some approval. There are major stumbling blocks, which relate to how to handle the property of a deceased person who transitions an intestate,” he said.
He added that they are working on a formula for how the property of a deceased person will be shared among their family.
“We are working on some formula whether 50% should go to the surviving spouse plus children of about 75%. And what will go to surviving parents, we are considering not higher than 10% or 5%. And also look at the affairs of some stray bullets and so all, so all these should be put in our basket for our consideration. There were some back and forward movements. It should be possible to pass the Intestate Secession law,” he stated.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC), according to Deputy National Secretary Mustapha Gbande, is committed to winning the upcoming Assin North by-election.
Speaking to the media on Monday, he stressed that it was crucial for the party to retain the seat.
According to him, losing the Assin North seat has the tendency to restructure Parliament thus “will loosen the natural checks and balances that have been placed on this government through a hung Parliament.”
For this reason, he believes the Assin North by-election to be a national interest-prone election and “we [NDC] are determined to defend the holding of the seat.”
Earlier, the Deputy National Secretary of the NDC indicated that plans are in place to ensure that they retain the seat.
Mustapha Gbande said preparations were already in place for campaigning and other activities in the constituency right after the Supreme Court order that led to the expunging of Mr James Gyakye Quayson’s name from parliament’s records.
“We in the NDC are prepared for this election. We began our preparation even as we were in Kumawu. We will do our review meetings and we will take over Assin North. We knew that we would go into a by-election and so the party has already put processes in place,” he said.
“There was a vigil held recently, and subsequently there are other activities that will start tomorrow to canvass and further reinforce our relationship with the constituents,” Mr Gbande added.
The Deputy General Secretary also noted that the party will not hold an internal election to elect a new candidate for the parliamentary race.
He stated that the party has decided to back Mr James Gyakye Quayson as the candidate to lead the party.
“He (Mr Quayson) is ready for the election. He has been to the constituency and you will see many more activities and his presence in the consistency. I am confident that he is going to win,” Mr Gbande said.
On their campaign, he added that “our focus is going to center on sensitising the people to understand that if you have a government that has not performed for six years, sharing GH¢100 and GH¢500 a day does not change destiny; and that clearly you are dealing with a group that is deceptive and does not follow the precedents of development and growth.”
The Assin North Constituency was created in 2012 when the Assin Central Constituency was split into two as Assin North and Assin Central. It was held by the NDC in 2012, taken by the NPP in 2016 and won by the NDC in 2020 again.
In the 2020 parliamentary election for instance, the votes margin between the NDC and the NPP was 3,305. This was in spite of the fact that Nana Akufo-Addo won the presidential.
A by-election in Assin North has become necessary after parliament wrote to the Electoral Commission declaring the seat vacant.
This followed the Supreme Court ruling that the Electoral Commission acted unconstitutionally in allowing Mr Quayson to contest the 2020 parliamentary elections without proof of him renouncing his Canadian Citizenship.
The apex court in their ruling ordered parliament to expunge James Gyakye Quayson from its records as a Member of Parliament.
The court in a unanimous decision ruled that Mr. Quayson was not qualified at the time of filing his nomination forms.
It further held that the EC allowing him to contest when he had not shown evidence of renunciation of his citizenship of Canada is unconstitutional.
It further declared that his election was unconstitutional, null and void and of no effect. His swearing-in was equally declared to be unconstitutional.
In a related development, the National Organiser of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has said the opposition NDC will not retain the Assin North seat with sympathy votes.
Henry Nana Boakye explained that the dynamics in the area is beyond voting for a personality who was ousted from Parliament for engaging in illegality.
The incoming Chief Justice, Gertrude Torkonoo, has been urged by Minority Chief Whip, Kwame Agbodza, to make sure that court judgments are upheld during her term.
“Let the rulings of the courts make sense for the ordinary citizen. Let the rulings of the court be enforceable,” he urged.
He also called on Gertrude Torkonoo to leave a better legacy than her predecessor Kwesi Anin-Yeboah in terms of justice delivery.
The Adaklu MP accused Anin Yeboah of presiding over a Supreme Court that made some bad judgments citing the Court’s decisions on the use of birth certificates and the recent Gyakye Quayson case.
According to him, the former Chief Justice should be made aware that the miscarriage of justice during his tenure as Chief Justice “lies on his chest.”
“Under the reign of the outgoing Chief Justice, the level of miscarriage of justice reached a crescendo and must never be repeated,” he said.
But the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei-Owusu fired back at the Minority Chief Whip saying he was on a bad trajectory.
According to him, a judge’s decision must be criticised using laws and facts rather than their personality.
“Judges know that as humans they can err, and judges always welcome criticisms of their judgement. But when we are critiquing a judgement, it is expected that we critique with law, facts, and alternative arguments.
“We should move or shy away from just criticising because we agree or disagree, otherwise we dig room for people to attack the individual judges rather than the judgement,” he advised.
He, therefore, encouraged members to research and bring out alternative judgements to challenge the judgements when they disagree.
The new chief justice is yet to be sworn into office after Parliament approved her nomination on Wednesday, June 7, 2023.
The former chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), Prof Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, was detained for his involvement in the committee’s work.
On May 16, per reports, Professor Frimpong was informed of his arrest during interrogation with officers at the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).
The arrest centres on alleged ¢320 million spent by the Committee but yet to be accounted for.
IMCIM was established government to clamp down on illegal small mining also known as galamsey which was causing havoc to the country’s water resources and lands.
JoyNews sources say he is to account for drones and other equipment bought to be used for the fight against galamsey.
He is on a ¢5 million bail.
Last month, the OSP invitedProf Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng over alleged corruption in the activities of the defunct IMCIM.
The renowned surgeon was invited as “a person necessary for investigations” into the allegations and was expected to assist the Office investigate the claims.
In January 2021, President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo dissolved the Committee on Illegal Mining which
The President’s decision was to move the fight against illegal mining from the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation to the Lands and Natural Resources Ministry.
If you’ve been engaging in ongoing text conversations with a girl you’re interested in, you may be seeking ways to increase the romanticconnection between you.
Texting her about saucy subjects is a great way to build suspense and get her excited for when you two meet again. In this article, we’ve listed some messages you can use to build sexual tension and leave a girl wanting more, even when you’re not together in person.
“You have such a beautiful smile.”
Start out slowly by telling her something you like about her. If you’re still feeling things out, stick to things about her personality or her facial features. If there’s already been a bit of sexual tension between you two, you might try complimenting her body or her physical features. Flattery goes a long way, and hearing something nice might just get her thinking about you in a different way. Try something like:
“I like how smart (spontaneous, adventurous, intelligent…) you are!”
“I loved your outfit yesterday.”
“That pic you posted of you in a bikini looks amazing.”
2. “I had a dream about you last night.”
Build up a little mystery with this text. Tell her that you had a dream about her, but don’t reveal what, exactly, she was doing. Even if you didn’t have a dream about her, you can still send this message to pretend like you did. Try teasing her with messages like:[2]
“I had a crazy dream about you last night! You will not believe what you were doing.”
“You tired from running through my mind all night? I had a super long dream about you!”
3. “Wanna cuddle?”
This is a bit more innocent, but it can lead to steamier messages. If you two haven’t quite crossed the intimacy threshold (maybe you aren’t quite sure she’s that into you yet), tell her how chilly you are and that you wish she was there to cuddle. If she’s into it, she might ask something like, “Oh, just cuddling?”[3]
You might also say something like, “Wish you were here to warm me up.”
Or, “I’m gonna go to sleep. I wish we were cuddling right now.”
4. “I can’t wait for our date tomorrow.”
Tell her how excited you are for your next date or hang. This will get her thinking about when she sees you next, and she might even start thinking about what she wants to do with you. You can get specific if you’d like, or you can be a little vague by saying:[4]
“Can’t wait to see your pretty face on Friday.”
“I’m so excited to spend the weekend with you. We’re gonna be worn out by the end of it.”
5. “I can’t stop thinking about you.”
Maybe even mention that thoughts of her have been distracting you. If you’ve already been intimate together, you could even mention a specific scenario that keeps running through your mind. These kinds of messages will probably get her excited, and she might even tell you what she can’t stop thinking about, too. Try something like:[5]
“Couldn’t sleep because I kept thinking about you last night.”
“Can’t stop thinking about our last date. I had so much fun with you.”
“I’m about to get in the shower.”
6. Get her thinking about you in the nude with this simple message. If you have to pause your conversation for a few minutes, let her know that you’re off to take a hot, steamy shower, but you won’t be long. If she likes you, she might reply with an even saucier message, which is your cue to take it to the next level. You might also try something like:[6]
“I’ll be right back, I’m about to get naked (and take a shower).”
“I won’t be gone long! Just gonna go think about you in the shower real quick.”
7. “Hey, you up?”
Send her this one late at night to see what she’s doing. People tend to get a little more intimate with others after the sun goes down, so it can be a good time to send her a message. Asking her if she’s awake lets her know that you want to talk, even though you should probably both be sleeping right now. You could also say something like:[7]
“Hey cutie, you awake?”
“You dreamin’ about me yet?”
8. “What are you wearing?”
Her answer might just start a spicy conversation. If it’s late at night or you know she’s in bed, send her a message asking what she has on right now. If she sends you a message back describing it, it probably means she’s into you (especially if it’s something sexy, like lingerie). You might also try:[8]
“Wearing anything sexy right now?”
“What are you wearing under your dress?”
9. “I wish you were here right now.”
You might even talk about what you’d do to her if she was here right now. This is a good message to use after you’ve already teased her a little bit or talked about your next date. You can describe (in detail, if you’d like) how badly you wish she was here right now, and what you’d be willing to do to get her here. Say something like:[9]
“Oh, what I’d do if you were here with me…”
“Really wish you were with me right now. I can’tstop thinking about you.”
10. Now it’s her turn to send you a sexy message. If she likes how the conversation is going, send her a question asking what she wishes she could do to you right now. When she answers, you can respond with positive reinforcement, telling her how much you wish you were doing that right now. You could also try:[10]
“Anything you wish you could do to me right now?”
“How would you feel if I kissed you?”
11. Sprinkle in a few flirtatious emojis.
The right emojis can get her brain spinning and hear heart racing. You don’t need to add an emoji to every message (that can be a little much), but 1 or 2 sprinkled throughout your conversation can really amp up your message. If you send something risque, don’t be afraid to throw in a winky face or a devil face to make your intentions clear.[11]
For instance, you might say, “What would you do if I was there right now?”
After serving a four-year prison sentence for stabbing a friend, Sam Safo, a popular Ghanaian musician and socialite known as Showboy, is set to be deported from US to Ghana.
Showboy who announced his release from prison today, June, 7, on Instagram yesterday said he wanted to be in Ghana.
“Follow my new snap chat-Ahantan. I wish I was in Ghana lol. Anyways, I’m getting released tomorrow 06/07,2023 … my last night in prison!(sic)”.
Showboy was sentenced to serve six years in prison in March 2019 for stabbing Junior US, a US based Ghanaian musician during a tussle.
Junior US survived the stabbing but was later killed in a robbery attack in 2021.
At the time of Junior’s death, many people accused Showboy’s “men” for carrying out the crime but that was disputed when the real culprits were later apprehended by the US Police.
Showboy had a good relationship with Criss Waddle
Even though Showboy was in detention, he was quite active on social media giving details of his life and events leading to his incarceration.
In one of his posts last year, he accused Criss Waddle, founder of AMG Record label, which he is said to be co-founder for setting him up.
“5yrs ago Criss Waddle sent junior us to my house (apartment) … they set me up..my life hasnt been the same since then. July 3,2016 . I never forget this day. U can read the statement and see the lies they told police, came to court and denied everything and said they scared of me,”
“Told court am a Gunsta .. prosecutor told me I got a Huge Ego and said I call the shot .. I was profiled .. if not Criss Waddle sending Junior to me to come pay me money he Criss Waddle owed ..all this never was going to happen .. Junior us was never my friend. That was Criss Waddle friend that hated on me out of jealousy .. I was set up by Criss Waddle and his friends. .thats the facts … still ain’t got no visit from Criss Waddle till today. .. haven’t seen him in 5yrs(sic),” he wrote at the time.
Perhaps, Showboy gave a hint of his deportation in April this year in a Facebook post.
This is what he said, “Dem want deport me ..a make sad rough. .. a taya for life … if a come Ghana too Boyz want beat me especially criss waddle and shatta wale in friends lol …. make a sign for deportation or sit for another 1yr or 2 for immigration detention to fight for ma stay and still be on 9yrs probation. .. or to just sign for the deportation n come face death or happineass in Ghana …… lol am stressed, I can’t think far ..
Sometimes I think God don’t like me”.
till today. .. haven’t seen him in 5yrs “
“Being doing time for almost 2 and half years now … still depressed ..still suffering mentally … I am not innocent ,I was attacked first and I defended myself by stabbing. .I dont have control off ma adrenaline ..I did whatever to survive at the moment. .THEY SET ME UP ..TOOK MY FREEDOM FROM ME …. U ASK WHY AM MENTALLY UNSTABLE..THIS IS .. I DONT HAVE NO FRIEND ,NOBODY TO TRUST … JUST FAKE LOVE ALL AROUND ME (sic)”.
The Upper East Regional Coordinating Council has expanded the existing one-month ban on the movement of cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, donkeys, and related products to cover the entire region.
This decision was made in response to an anthrax outbreak that has affected certain parts of the region.
Similarly, the ban on the slaughtering, sale, and consumption of meat and meat products derived from the aforementioned animals has been enforced throughout the entire region.
To combat the outbreak, the vaccination of animals against anthrax has also been expanded to cover the entire region. The Upper East Regional Coordinating Council has stated that this vaccination service will be provided free of charge.
The action follows the outbreak of anthrax in Binduri, Bawku West, Talensi, and BolgatangaMunicipality.
As of Friday, 2nd June 2023, 7 cattle and 23 sheep and goats were confirmed dead in the Bansi and Sapeliga communities.
As of June 5, 2023, 13 suspected human anthrax cases, including one death, have been reported from Bansi Community.
Eleven (11) human samples have been sent to the Pong-Tamale Veterinary Laboratory and are awaiting laboratory results.
TheSuame interchange project in the Ashanti region is scheduled to commence in August, according to the Ashanti Regional Director for the Urban Roads Department, Francis Gabrah.
According to him although physical works on the project have not yet started, the project campsite is nearing completion, and that work could even begin before August.
Mr. Gabrah said this when the Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah, on Tuesday led some officials to visit the project campsite.
“This is a design-and-build contract, where the contractor is responsible for both the design and construction of the project. We started the design in February, and it is expected to be completed by August. However, we are almost finished. We have submitted the preliminary design, and we are even likely to start physical works by July,” he added.
Project Manager at Rango Construction,Mohammed Omar Fazzani, assured that work will commence on the project as soon as the designs are ready.
He stated that they are ahead of schedule and that they have received comments on the preliminary design submitted. He is positive that they will complete the 36-month project as planned.
Meanwhile, residents of the Ashanti Region have raised concerns about delays in the start of work on the Suame interchange project.
This has compelled the leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the region to appeal for the necessary processes to be expedited so that work can commence on the project.
Justice Gertrude Torkornoo has officially been approved by parliament as Ghana’s Chief Justice.
The decision came after the Appointments Committee of Parliament unanimously endorsed her candidacy following her vetting on May 26, 2023.
President Akufo-Addonominated Justice Torkornoo in April 2023 to succeed Justice Kwasi Anin-Yeboah, who retired from the position on May 24.
During the debate on the committee’s report before her confirmation by the house, Governs Kwame Aybodza, the Minority Chief Whip, urged Justice Torkornoo to surpass the performance of her predecessor, Justice Kwasi Anin-Yeboah, as he left behind a legacy of miscarriages of justice.
The Minority had initially suspended its consensus approval of the Chief Justice nominee, pending the full judgment of the Supreme Court on the dual citizenship case involving James Gyakye Quayson, the former Member of Parliament for Assin North.
Addressing the media on Tuesday, June 6, the Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga said although the minority caucus disagrees with the ruling of the apex court, it will not withhold its approval of the Chief Justice nominee.
“Thankfully, the reasoning in the James Gyakye Quaysoncase has been delivered by the Supreme Court earlier than 7th June. This has afforded us the opportunity to review the reasoning. The nominee for the post of Chief Justice (Justice Gertrude Araba Essaba Torkornoo) told the whole world that she is a textualist in her preferred approach to interpreting the Constitution of Ghana 1992.”
Below is the full profile of Justice Torkornoo
Full name: JUSTICE GERTRUDE ARABA ESAABA SACKEY TORKORNOO
Supreme Court, Judicial Service of Ghana
Date of Birth – 11th September 1962.
Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo (Mrs ) joined the Judicial Service in 2004 as one of the first Justices of the Commercial Division of the High Court. She has been active in the core reform agenda and activities of the Judiciary and the Judicial Service of Ghana (JSG) since 2005.
The organs through which these reforms have been implemented have included the specialized divisions of the High Court, the Judicial Training Institute, administrative committees set up to ensure the implementation of the automation and digitalization of court work and administration of JSG, the streamlining of alternative dispute settlement mechanisms in justice delivery, and communication channels between the Judiciary and its stakeholders.
Leadership Profile
The leadership roles Justice Sackey Torkornoo has played in ensuring the achievement of judicial reforms include being vice chair of the E-Justice Oversight and Implementation Committee (E-Justice OC) from its inception in 2019 and chair of the E-Justice OC since August 2021.
She has served as a member of the faculty and Governing Board of the Judicial Training Institute, vice chair of the Internship and Clerkship Committee of the Judiciary since 2012, Supervising Judge of the Commercial Division of the High Court since 2013, member and chair of the E-Judgment Committee since 2010, member and chair of the Publications and Editorial Committee of the Association of Magistrates and Judges of Ghana since 2006, and member and chair of various ad-hoc committees needed for the smooth administration of the work of JSG.
Justice Sackey Torkornoo has served as a judicial leader in the development and oversight of several reform projects of the Judiciary involving the European Union, USAID, DFID, and collaborations with other African countries. She has also been a member of the Law Reform Commission since 2016.
E-JUSTICE Oversight and Implementation Committee
The leadership requirements of this Committee include liaising with all external stakeholders in the provision and sustainability of the infrastructure of the E-Justice, setting up and overseeing the activities of all staff, Judges and committees involved in managing the infrastructure, ensuring cultural change from the use of manual systems to operating in the virtual realm and planning for the progressive achievement of electronic justice delivery nationwide.
Currently, her work as chair of E-Justice includes ensuring the streamlining into efficiency, the use of the Ghana Case Tracking system commenced as part of the Security Governance Initiative implemented by the Judicial Service of Ghana, Ghana Police Service, Economic and Organised Crimes Office, Ghana Prisons Service, National Signals Bureau, and Ministry of Justice and Office of the Attorney General. This work is being supervised by the Ministry of Communications and Digitalization.
The E-Justice Oversight Committee has also conducted a close examination of the High Court Civil Procedure Rules CI 47, the District Court Civil Procedure Rules CI 59, and the Criminal and Other Offences Act Act 29 to ensure that all rules that govern judicial proceedings allow for easy implementation of E-Justice. The outcomes of that work will be presented to both the Rules of Court Committee for statutory reforms, and to the Ministry of Communications and Digitalization for incorporation into the scope of works for the next phase of E-Justice deployment.
Supervision of the Commercial Division of High Court
As Supervising Judge of commercial courts since 2013, Justice Sackey Torkornoo has set the agenda for and chaired the meetings and programs of the Users Committee of the Commercial Courts. She has quietly ensured the sustenance of a keen culture of efficiency in the commercial division of the High Court nationwide through leadership initiatives such as ‘brown bag learning sessions’ for Judges of the court, consistent meetings with staff and leadership of the court, engagements with external service operators such as process servers, valuers, auctioneers and the Users Committee of the court and presentation of policy briefs to Chief Justices on needed reforms in commercial justice delivery as well as the administrative needs of the court.
Justice Sackey Torkornoo presided over the implementation of the Business Environment Engineering Project (BEEP) funded by the Department for International Development (DFID) of the United Kingdom.
Her leadership directions in that project ignited and provided the Ministry of Trade and Industry with guidance on the introduction of Users Committees into other institutions that participated in the BEEP project. The BEEP project further influenced the active development of the Business Environment Reforms being streamlined into national institutions by the MOTI.
She serves as chair of the Technical Working Group on ‘Enforcing Contracts’ set up to steer change in the business law environment. Outcomes of the work of the BEEP project within the Judiciary included the design of necessary reforms in the monitoring and evaluation of data collection currently being implemented by the Judiciary, the design of necessary reforms in the post-judgment and execution part of justice delivery, and reforms in streamlining of ADR in commercial justice delivery in Circuit and High Courts that led to the passage of High Court (Civil Procedure) Amendment Rules 2020, CI 133.
Judicial Training
As part of the faculty of the Judicial Training Institute since 2005 and a board member of the JTI since 2018, Justice Sackey Torkornoo has actively participated in initiatives to enhance the learning of Judges through awareness of distinctions between judicial skills, the social context of judicial work and core black letter law. This work has included being a trainer of trainers, the development of a curriculum for teaching Judicial Ethics, a manual for training in Judicial Ethics, and the lacing of applications of ethical principles into the daily routines of Judges. Through being a constant trainer in Judicial Ethics, she has worked to motivate Judges to aspire to excellence through the development of research and writing skills, case and courtroom management, as well as the application of judicial ethics in their work and private lives.
Learning Resources
After assuming the chair of the Editorial Committee for the Association of Magistrates and Judges of Ghana in 2009, Justice Sackey Torkornoo led the publication of an annual magazine for Judges, ensuring that issues pertinent to the development of competence in the judicial career and the discharge of the Judiciary’s constitutional mandate were brought to the fore in this magazine. She has also chaired the E-Judgment Committee responsible for developing electronic research resources for Judges since 2012 and has achieved the current creation of an e-judgment research resource with key-word search-ability properties for Judges.
In her work as vice chair of the Internship and Clerkship Program, Justice Sackey Torkornoo has actively participated in the smooth administration of the internship and clerkship program run jointly with law faculties, law firms, the Judiciary, the Ghana Bar Association and the Ghana School of Law since 2012.
Awards
In 2010, Justice Sackey Torkornoo became the first awardee of a scholarship by the International Association of Women Judges, after a global selection process. She undertook and excelled in an LLM in Intellectual Property, International Law and Internet Law at the Golden Gate University, San Francisco where her thesis on reforming Ghana’s Copyright Law relating to Folklore and Art was published as the lead article in the University’s Annual Survey on Comparative and International Law.
In 2015, she was awarded the Women of Excellence Award in Judicial Integrity under the auspices of Ministry for Gender, Child and Social Protection.
In 2016, she was made a Fellow of the Ghana Institute of Construction.
While not compromising on the quality of her courtroom work and judgment writing, Justice Sackey Torkornoo has become noted for excellence in administrative leadership, continuing study, teaching, writing, and the judicial ethics of competence, diligence and integrity. She has served under and worked closely with four Chief Justices namely Chief Justice George Kingsley Acquah (decd), Chief Justice Georgina Theodora Wood (Rtd), Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo (Rtd) and Chief Justice Anin Yeboah.
She was promoted to the Court of Appeal in October 2012 and to the Supreme Court in December 2019.
CURRICULUM VITAE
JUDICIAL WORK
Dec 2019 – date: Justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana, with responsibility for constitutional cases, final appeals over chieftaincy cases, supervisory jurisdiction over superior courts, final appellate jurisdiction in the judicial hierarchy, and presidential election petitions. Panel member in the 2021 presidential election petition.
OCT 2012 – APRIL 2019: Justice of Court of Appeal, Ghana with responsibility for hearing and determining appeals from High Courts. Sat on the court of appeal panels in Kumasi (Oct 2015- July 2017), and Tamale (Oct 2017 to December 2019).
Averaging two judgments a month, she assisted with and wrote more than 180 well-researched appellate judgments on substantive law, legal philosophies, rules of procedure & equity, delivered with a focus on doing substantial justice and avoiding miscarriage of justice.
MAY 2004 – OCT 2012: Justice of High Court, Ghana and Judge / Neutral with responsibility for court-assisted mediation & negotiation in pre-trial settlement conferences.
During the period, she wrote more than 150 well-researched judgments delivered after the adjudication of commercial disputes; and more than 350 disputes were resolved and un-appealable decisions were recorded after mediated settlements.
ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUPPORT WORK IN JUDICIARY
Chair, E-Justice Committee – Leading the planning of automation of all levels of courts, procurement and incorporation of the use of electronic resources and software in the work of Judicial Service
Supervising Judge – With oversight responsibility for the smooth running of Commercial Divisions of High Courts since 2013.
Chair, ‘Enforcing Contracts’ Subgroup of the Business Regulatory Reform Program – A program for designing and implementing interventions to ensure efficient enforcement of contracts with funds from the World Bank and executed under the auspices of the Ministry for Trade and Industry.
Chair, The Business Environment Enablement Program – Multimillion pound sterling project for reforming commercial justice delivery implemented by the Judiciary with funds from DFID, United Kingdom between 2015 and 2020.
Chair, E-Judgment Committee – Planning and implementation of electronic library resources for the Judiciary and Judicial Officers since 2015.
Vice-Chair – Internship and Clerkship Program for the Judiciary.
Faculty Member – Judicial Training Institute – facilitating learning in Judicial Ethics, Judgment Writing, Case Management, Courtroom Communication, and Commercial Law.
Member – Governing Board of Judicial Training Institute – Responsible for planning and monitoring training programs and learning resources for the Judiciary and Judicial Service staff.
Member, Editorial Committee of Association of Magistrates & Judges of Ghana – Responsible for leading the publication of Journals, Newsletters & Magazines for the Judicial Service and the Judiciary.
Member – Committee responsible for the development of the Judicial Charter and other written resources for the Judiciary.
Chaired interview panels for the engagement of senior officers of the Judicial Service.
Chaired various committees for procurement of equipment and construction services for the Judicial Service.
PRE-JUDICIARY WORK EXPERIENCE
1997-2004 Managing Partner, Sozo Law Consult – Law Firm providing consultancy services for business ventures, project planning and supervision, advocacy in litigation, arbitration and negotiations;
Chief Executive of SLC Law Forum – A Publishing, Training & Research Support Service for Business Law (subsidiary of Sozo Law Consult). Organized several training programs in Commercial Law topics and legal skills such as negotiation of project contracts for the business community. Undertook consultancy services for the Business Law Division of the Ministry of Justice. Led the publication of A Handbook on Business Law, and the annual publication of Legislative Watch;
1994-1996 – Director, Fugar & Co, Accra Responsible for assisting with the management of the law firm and its project initiatives while continuing to work as solicitor and barrister
1987-1994 – Associate, Fugar & Co, Accra
Working as Solicitor engaged in the negotiation & drafting of commercial agreements, project documentation; company secretarial services; Barrister assisting with or leading litigation in all levels of courts
During this period, she also worked as:
External Solicitor for City of Tema – Giving legal advice on Administrative Law issues for the Tema Municipal Assembly; commencing and defending legal actions against TMA; leading the negotiation of development projects for the municipality.
Facilitator in Construction Law and Project Management Training Programs for the Ministry of Roads & Highways, Ghana Institute of Engineers, Ghana Institution of Architects, Ghana Institute of Construction.
Awards:
1989 – Received award from the International Bar Association for the top essay in a global essay competition on international law considerations in project contracts organized to assist with increasing knowledge of lawyers in construction and project contracts. The prize included cash and working in the Construction Law Department of Nabarro Nathanson, a top 20 law firm in London, UK
Academic Research, Articles, Publications
‘The Doctrine of Sovereignty in International relations v. The doctrine of Sanctity of Contracts – The case of renegotiating the Ghana Valco Agreement’.
International Business Lawyer Dec 1989
‘Human Rights, Indigenous Rights, Minority Rights, Looking at the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples through the lens of tribal groups in Ghana’.
Research Paper on International Human Rights submitted as part of an LLM Requirement; Golden Gate University 2011.
‘Nuremberg, Congo, and Libya, Has Might Remained Right Or Right has become Might; A Look at the International Commitment to peaceful resolution of Conflicts.
Research Paper on Peaceful Settlement of Disputes Between Nations submitted as part of an LLM Requirement; Golden Gate University 2011.
‘Fitting Square Pegs in Round Holes – The Vexed Question Of Harmonizing International Legal Regulation Of Traditional Cultural Expressions in Intellectual Property Law’
Research Paper presented at Fulbright Symposium on International Law Developments, Golden Gate University, San Francisco, 2011
Creating Capital from Culture, Rethinking the Provisions on Expressions of Folklore in Ghana’s Copyright Law
Volume XV111, Spring 2012; Annual Survey of International & Comparative Law, Golden Gate University School of Law
Considerations (Non-Considerations) of International Law in Domestic Decisions of the Superior Courts In Ghana
Judicial Journal, 2014
‘The Case for Prioritization of Commercial Justice Reforms in Africa: Lessons from Ghana’ –
Paper delivered at Conference on Administration of Commercial Justice in Africa – Arusha, TANZANIA, September 2007
‘A review of Remedies in Intellectual Property Cases under Civil Procedure Rules 2004 CI 47’ –
Presented at Conference on ‘Reviewing the Scope of Intellectual Property laws in Ghana’ – WIPO/Judicial Service of Ghana, June 2008
Judicial Ethics Training Manual (Chief Editor), 2009
‘Can we thrive in a virtual world’
Presented at ‘2022 Bench/Bar/Faculty Lectures in Ghana April 2022
Several articles on the tension between interest rates and debt sustainability, other commercial law subjects, judicial ethics and leadership published in the Judicial Journal (now The Bench) between 2009 and 2022
EDUCATION
2010-11 – LLM, Intellectual Property Law – Golden Gate University San Francisco, USA
2001 – P.G.Dip, International Law & Organizations for Development, Institute of Social Studies (now part of Erasmus University), The Hague, Netherlands
1986 – Professional Certificate in Law, Ghana School of Law
1984 – BA- Law & Sociology, University of Ghana
1980 – GCE A Level, Achimota School, Accra
1978 – GCE O Level, Wesley Girls’ High School, Cape Coast
Other Trainings and Presentations
2022 Technology and the Courts – Singapore
2022 Navigating Presidential Petitions, the Law and Remedies. (Seminar organized in preparation for the 2022 Kenyan elections) Mombasa, Kenya
2018 Ghana’s Strategic Plan In Combatting Pharmaceutical Crimes – West Africa Regional Training Center of US Embassy, Accra
2017 Trends in Intellectual Property Litigation – WIPO, Geneva
Commercial Justice and Legal Ethics – Law Society of Zimbabwe
2016 Managing Electoral Petitions -Judicial Training Institute, Ghana
2010 Auditing Systems of Justice Delivery – Malawi
2008 a. Diplomatic Immunity
Judicial Case Management – Judicial Training Institute, Ghana
2007 a. Judicial Ethics
Labor Law Access to Justice – Judicial Training Institute, Ghana
2007 Facilitating Judicial Education–National Judicial Inst, Canada in collaboration with Commonwealth Judicial Education Institute, Ottawa, Canada
Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights -Global Intellectual Property Academy, Virginia, USA
2006 a. Mining Law – Environmental Protection Agency
Electoral Laws – Judicial Training Institute
2005 a. Finance and Accounting for Judges – Judicial Training Institute
2005 b. Fighting Counterfeit Medicines in Sub-Saharan Africa South Africa, Johannesburg, South Africa
Mediation and Arbitration, International Law Institute Washington
2004 a. Legal Integration in West & Central Africa – The OHADA module, Dakar, Senegal
Development of Commercial Courts- RIPA International, UK
2003 Program for Advanced Leadership, Haggai Institute, Hawaii
2000 Legal Issues in Structuring Public Private Partnership Projects – Institute of Public Private Partnerships, Washington, DC
1998 Alternative Dispute Resolution’; University of Ghana, LECIA
1997 ADR & Conflict Management; University of Ghana, LECIA
1995 International Construction Contracts; The Study Group, Oxford, UK
OTHER INTERESTS
Writing Poetry, Plays and Fiction, Evangelism
Books and Plays
Gertrude Torkornoo (Ed.) ‘Business in Ghana – A handbook on laws and regulations’ 1st Edition – 2000; 2nd Edition – 2003 (Published by SLC Law Forum)
Gertrude Torkornoo (Ed) ‘Legislative Watch’ (A research tool on the laws amended, reviewed and newly passed in Ghana) – From 1997 (Updated annually until 2002; now being developed as an electronic resource) (Published by SLC Law Forum)
Gertrude Torkornoo 2010, ‘The Child and the Rainbow’ – Anthology of Poetry printed by Combert Impressions
Gertrude Torkornoo 2010, ‘The Wise Still Hear the Birds’ – Anthology of Poetry printed by Combert Impressions
Plays – Blood & Roses (2016); The Richest King (2017); A Day For Rain (2018) (Written for Radio)
Memberships
2018 – present: Member, Governing Council, Central University 2016 – present: Member, Law Reform Commission of Ghana 2016 – present: Fellow, Ghana Institute of Construction 2010 – present: Member, International Association of Women Judges 2007 – present: Fellow, Commonwealth Judicial Educators Institute, Canada 2005 – present: Faculty member, Haggai Institute for Advanced Leadership, Singapore/Thailand and Hawaii, USA 2004 – present: Member, Association of Magistrates and Judges of Ghana 1992 – present: Executive Board Member, Aglow Fellowship International, Tema 1991 – Council Member, Theovision International
Justice Gertrude Sackey Torkornoo is married to Mr. Francis Torkornoo, a Pharmacist, and has four daughters and three grandchildren.
Nogokpo is and will remain the spiritual gateway to the country and no one can contest this, according to the Fiator of Nogokpo, Torgbui Agbodzalu Amuzu.
He noted that aside being the spiritual gateway to the country, the people of Nogokpo are very peaceful and very accommodating and generally a peaceful town devoid of crimes.
“Nogokpo remains the gateway to Ghana and no one can challenge that,” he said.
Agbodzalu Amuzu made this comment on the back of the Nogokpo and Archbishop Charles Agyinasare standoff.
He noted that the unfortunate comments by the Archbishop and other Christian and religious leaders are worrying and there’s the urgent need for the Archbishop to do the right thing and do it fast .
Torgui Agbodzalu Amuzu, who lamented about the misconceptions about the name Nogokpo, said Christians and those interested should avail themselves for clarifications and explanations about Nogokpo as a town and the shrine.
He noted that the Archbishop really offended and disrespected the people of Nogokpo and the entire region and must be humble enough to show remorse.
Torgbui Amuzu lamented about what exactly Christian leaders teach and impact on their congregants, especially the younger ones.
“I really don’t know what exactly these Christian leaders are teaching their members, especially the younger generation, and the religious studies in schools what exactly are school children learning?”
He noted that a lot has happened recently amidst the controversies that showed that a lot has to be done to remedy the situation, and all they want is for the Archbishop to do the needful.
Agbodzalu Amuzu said with regards to the one-week fasting and prayer and the unfortunate comments by some supporters of the Archbishop it is not necessary because no one at Nogokpo threatened theArchbishop in anyway.
“Who are they declaring the one week fasting and prayers for and the unfortunate comments by Nana Agradaa and some supporters of the Archbishop, what exactly do they want?” Agbodzalu Amuzu asked.
He said it is obvious that Christians are ready to fight and they the traditional leaders and the people of Nogokpo are tired of the disrespect.
The city of Bakhmut in easternUkraine is once again at the center of conflicting claims and counter-claims.
The city has been at the heart of fierce fighting for many months – experiencing the longest and bloodiest battle of the Russian invasion so far.
Military analysts have suggested the city is of little strategic value – but control of the former mining hub has become important symbolically both for Kyiv and Moscow.
There is little of Bakhmut still standing – after heavy shelling devastated the city’s buildings and drove out its residents – but the Russianmercenary group Wagner claimed to have captured what remained of it late last month.
In recent weeks, some have suggested Kyiv’s forces have been attempting to encircle Bakhmut and trap Russian units. Military activity in the area has stepped up significantly over the last few days.
Ukrainian offensives near Bakhmut unsuccessful – Russia
As has been typical of the battle for Bakhmut so far, both sides have claimed victory in offensives around the devastated city in eastern Ukraine.
While the Ukrainians say they’ve made advances of up to 1.1km (0.7 miles) in the direction of the city, Russia says it has defeated its enemy’s attacks near the city.
The defence ministry says Ukrainian forces mounted a series of “unsuccessful offensives” in the area – which has seen some of the deadliest fighting of the war.
The BBC has not been able to independently verify either side’s claims.
What are Russian media organisations saying?
The Kakhovka dam disaster was front-page news in most Russian media this morning, except for Rossiyskaya Gazeta – the official newspaper of the Kremlin – which relegated the story to page three in favour of a story about rubbish.
The paper sticks to the Russian government’s line that Ukraine is responsible for blowing up the dam.
Our Russia editor, Steve Rosenberg, has taken a look at how Russian media have covered the story.
The United States’ Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak has expressed his anticipation to engage in discussions with President Joe Biden regarding the notable investment package in green industries.
On the plane to Washington DC, Mr Sunak said “subsidy races” were not a solution to hitting climate goals.
Some British ministers have criticised Mr Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) as harmful to world trade.
The law includes $370bn (£297bn) to boost green technology in the US.
In a drive to cut carbon emissions, billions in tax credits and subsidies has been allocated to speed up the production of solar panels and wind turbines, and encourage the up-take of electric cars.
The European Union has described the law as anti-competitive, while earlier this year, Energy Secretary Grant Shapps said the package was “dangerous because it could slip into protectionism”.
It is expected to be one subject of discussion when Mr Sunak meets Mr Biden for the fourth time this year, for talks at the White House on Thursday, following meetings with business leaders and senior politicians.
The prime minister’s spokesman suggested Mr Sunak would also talk about boosting green tech, the war in Ukraine, and the regulation of artificial intelligence.
Tensions over the global implications of Mr Biden’s economic package have been building ahead of the visit, Mr Sunak’s first official trip to Washington DC as prime minister.
The UK government has said it had no plans to emulate the scale of the US plans, prompting accusations from Labour that the UK could fall behind in a global race to attract future industries.
During his flight to Washington, reporters asked Mr Sunak if there was anything Mr Biden could do to ease the economic impacts of his package on the UK.
“It’s something that he [President Biden] and I have discussed in the past and you’d expect us to continue discussing it,” Mr Sunak said.
When asked whether Mr Sunak accepted President Biden’s argument that a resilient economy sometimes required a protectionist approach to key sectors, the prime minister referenced a joint statement issued by the G7 at the end of its latest summit in Japan.
The statement, he said, “makes it very clear that G7 countries don’t believe in protectionism as the answer to this challenge and also don’t believe in in subsidy races that are zero sum”.
There have been reports his trip could see the two sides unveil a critical minerals pact that would allow British carmakers that export electric vehicles to theUSto benefit from some of the tax credits offered to American firms.
The US signed such a deal with Japan earlier this year, and has entered into talks with the EU.
However, one area where progress has stalled is over a wider UK-US free trade deal, where President Biden has put talks on ice, leaving the UK to deepen trade ties through less comprehensive mini-deals with around 20 states.
AI regulation
Another area where Mr Sunak hopes to hold discussions is the regulation of artificial intelligence (AI), where Mr Sunak is seeking to carve out a role for the UK as a global player.
The prime minister is hosting a global summit on AI regulation in the autumn, and has reportedly expressed an interest in the UK hosting any new international regulator for the emerging technology.
However, the extent to which the UK will be able to shape new global rules outside the EU is unclear, with the UK now shut out of key gatherings between European and American regulators such as theTech and Trade Council (TTC).
The two leaders will also discuss the war in Ukraine, which is expected to enter a decisive period soon, with signs a long-awaited counter-offensive from Ukrainian forces may have begun.
It comes after Ukraine blamed Russia for the collapse of the Kakhovka dam in Russian-held Ukraine, prompting the evacuation of thousands of people. Moscow has denied destroying the dam, instead blaming Ukrainian shelling.
Speaking to reporters on the plane to the US, Mr Sunak said it was “too soon” to make a “definitive judgement” on whether Russia was behind the attack.
But he said if Russia were found to be responsible, it would “demonstrate the new lows that we will have seen from Russian aggression.
A recent opinion poll published by the European Parliament on Tuesday, suggests that there has been a notable increase in interest regarding the European elections in recent years.
The survey comes one year ahead of the next European Parliament elections, which are to be held on June 6-9, 2024, when the current five-year term ends.
Some 56% of respondents were interested in the elections and two thirds were likely to vote if the elections were held next week, the survey said.
Both figures are up compared with a similar poll carried out ahead of the previous elections in 2019. Final election turnout in 2019 was at 50.7%.
The higher interest is probably linked to the increased visibility of the EU in recent years due to multiple crises including theCovid-19 pandemic and Russia’s war on Ukraine, European Parliament spokesman Jaume Duch Guillot said.
A recent scandal in which former and sitting lawmakers were charged with corruption and money laundering did not impact the poll’s results, Duch Guillot said.
But 60% of respondents said they were not satisfied with the bloc’s fight against corruption, including 22% who were “not at all satisfied.”
More respondents approved of the EU’s support for Ukraine, with an average of 76% across the bloc. Approval rates however differed between member states.
Survey results were based on interviews with over 26,000 people aged 15 or older from the bloc’s 27 member states.
The European Parliament has fewer powers compared to national ones, as the European Parliament cannot propose laws.
The Kakhovka dam disaster is front-page news in most Russian media this morning, except for Rossiyskaya Gazeta – the official newspaper of the Kremlin – which has relegated the news to page three in favour of a story about rubbish.
The paper sticks to the Russian government’s line that Ukraine is responsible for blowing up the dam.
Our Russia editor, Steve Rosenberg, has taken a look at how Russian media are covering the dam’s collapse.
As our diplomatic correspondent Paul Adams wrote earlier, the breach of the Kakhovka dam came just a day after Ukraine’s long-anticipated counter offensive appeared to get under way. And the country’s deputy defence minister has given a fresh update on troop movements today.
Forces have advanced from 200 to 1,100 metres in “various sections of the Bakhmut direction”, Hanna Maliar writes on the Telegram messaging app. She says her forces have switched from being on the defensive to the offensive in the area.
Maliar issued a similar update yesterday, without confirming whether the long-anticipated counter-offensive had officially begun.
We can’t independently verify the situation on the battlefield. There’s there’s been intense fighting in Bakhmut in recent months – and both Kyiv and Moscow have claimed to be in control of the city.
Deaths reported as fighting continues across Ukraine
Let’s look more broadly at the situation across Ukraine now. Officials have given reports of fresh Russian attacks, with some deaths reported.
At least one person was killed and another injured in a shelling attack on Kherson, while the southern city deals with flooding and evacuations, according to the regional governor.
And a separate attack, using drones, has killed two civilians and wounded one other in the Sumy region in the north-east, according to Andriy Yermak, the head of the president’s office.
The court is now looking at a newspaper article from September 2007, reporting details of Prince Harry and his then girlfriend Chelsy Davy’s apparently troubled relationship.
“Prince Harry’s romance with Chelsy Davy is in crisis after a string of bitter bust-ups,” The People’s article exclaimed.
“Stunning Chelsy, 21, is said to be ‘furious and deeply upset’ with Harry after THREE monumental rows.” The People CrownCopyright: Crown
In his written witness statement, the prince says: “I really cannot understand how the defendant’s journalists obtained such specific details for this article, however given what I know about [the reporter] Dean Rousewell’s activities, I find it very suspicious.
“I certainly wasn’t discussing our relationship in these kind of details with anyone inside the Palace.
“Given the hours I was working at the time, it’s likely Chelsy and I did exchange voicemails even more often than normal, so I now believe that thisinformationmust have come from the hacking of our voicemails.”
The chairman of the Ayawaso-West-Wuogon constituency, Bismark Aborbi-Ayitey, has been suspended by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) for inappropriate conduct.
Mr. Aborbi-Ayitey has been suspended from the party for a period of six months. The decision was made by the Greater Accra NDC, citing a violation of Article 48(8) and 49(c) of the Party’s Constitution as amended at the 9th Congress.
According to the Greater Regional Secretary of the NDC, Theophilus Tetteh Chaie, Mr. Aborbi-Ayitey’s suspension was a result of his engagement with the media on internal party matters.
This action is considered a breach of party protocols. As per the party’s disciplinary procedures outlined in article 48(1), Mr. Aborbi-Ayitey has been referred to the Regional Disciplinary Committee for further investigation.
The suspension implies that Mr.Aborbi-Ayitey will be barred from participating in party activities and holding any official position within the NDC for the duration of the six-month period.
In order to create an example for future generations,Nogokpo‘s spokesperson, Nufialagah Mawufemor Kobla Nornyigbey, claims that the community has chosen to deal with the founder and head of the Perez Chapel International, Bishop Charles Agyinasare, over his remarks about a “demonic headquarters.”
According to him, there have been previous instances where Ewes as an ethnic group have been taken for granted; through utterances from various persons including some other men of God.
Speaking on Joynews’ Pulse on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, Mr. Nornyigbey said; “We the Ewes are peaceful people, we are loving people, we are caring people; our yes is our yes! For years, we the Ewes have been disrespected in so many ways. Sometime ago, another man of God came to say in the Volta Region it is like ‘Xorse viede, 3gbo viede”, (to wit, a little faith, a little fetish), it’s like when they hear things about the Volta Region, they don’t take their time to do the necessary enquiries. People have disrespected us for a long time, we are trying to be peaceful.
“Agyinasare’s issue, we are not taking that one lightly because for me, from our angle, he has insulted the whole Ewe land, all Voltarians, then narrow it to Nogokpo to declare it as the demonic headquarters.
“It’s not about me trying to play a tribal card but that is the reality on the ground, we are being disrespected and it is time to say enough is enough. He also noted that the issue escalated after Agyinasare issued what he said was an apology following his initial comments that started the controversy.
Although the Bishop said his family is from the Volta Region and that his comments were not meant to denigrate the community or people, Mr. Nornyigbey said he believes the former’s comments were defensive rather than apologetic.
“The first week the first video was in circulation, there was a lot of tension among the youth who wanted to act and that is when the elders came to meet and came out with a press release, that we should let go of the issue, the elders are handling the issue.
“The letter was sent to the youth and they were told to be patient and exercise restraint and see how the elders will handle the issue.
“It helped calm nerves,” he added.
The spokesperson of Nogokpo, therefore, noted that Bishop Charles Agyinasare must adhere to their 14-day ultimatum to make peace.
“Every land has a Supreme Deity and what makes Nogokpo Nogokpo is the thunder deity so if you describe such a sacred and holy and peaceful place as a demonic headquarters, you have disrespected the energy as well and the people and the land and that is what our brothers and sisters do not understand. The Supreme energy of the land does not encourage such negative energy to be around, so that he will help us to cleanse the town,” he noted.
Presidential staffer, George Atsu Egbenunya, has publicly endorsed former Trade and Industry Minister, Alan John Kwadwo Kyerematen as Ghana’s nextpresident.
With a resolute voice, Mr. Egbenunya urged members of the party to rally behind Kyerematen in its bid to break the eight-year power rotational cycle.
In a statement on Tuesday, Mr. Egbenunya emphasised his deep-rooted connection to the party as the son of the late R. K. Egbenunya, a founding member of the party from Hohoe Bla.
Drawing upon his extensive experience within the party, including serving as a deputy regional youth organiser in the Volta Region, constituency organiser for two terms, youth organiser for one term, and an elected assembly member for the Bla electoral area, Mr. Egbenunya highlighted the importance of Kyerematen’s leadership in guiding the party towards victory.
“After being in politics for 25 years, you know it isAlan Kyerematenwho can lead the party to break the eight,” stated Mr. Egbenunya.
Citing his understanding of the inner workings of the party, he stressed the urgent need for unity and endorsement of Kyerematen to secure success in the upcoming elections.
Alan Kyerematen, renowned for his experience in the field of trade, industry, and investment, has been widely regarded as a formidable contender to lead the party.
Mr. Egbenunya praised Kyerematen’s leadership qualities, strategic vision, and proven track record, which he believes make him the ideal candidate to navigate the complexities of the economy and pave the way for sustainable development.
As the race to break the eight-year cycle intensifies, endorsement from the likes of George Atsu Egbenunya may bolster Kyerematen’s campaign and attract further support especially in the Volta region where the only cabinet minister from that part of the country, John Peter Amewu was also recently seen campaigning for the former Trade Minister.
Endorsement of the main candidates underscore the growing momentum behind them and sets the stage for a spirited political contest within the party.
As the nation watches closely, it remains to be seen how this declaration of support will impact the dynamics of the party and the broader political landscape.
The Danish Ambassador to Ghana has emphasized Denmark’s commitment to Ghana, stating its focus on providing innovative solutions and expertise to the country as a long-time partner.
Mr Tom Nørring said the future relationship between Denmark and Ghana, built on solid partnerships and ownership, must be the sustainable way forward.
“It’s important for me to say clearly that Denmark has not left Ghana, we have not closed down for business. On the contrary, we are an important donor to the EU as well as the UN agencies such as UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF and others,” the Ambassador said.
Mr Nørring, speaking at a reception at his residence to mark the 174th anniversary of Denmark’s Constitution, said Danish Non-Governmental Organisations(NGOs) were currently implementing projects of approximately 15 million USD in Ghana to help the most vulnerable.
The reception had the Diplomatic Corps, Danish Community in Ghana, Ministers of State, Chief Executives of State Enterprises, Ambassadors and their staff, and the media in attendance.
Denmark, officially the Kingdom of Denmark, celebrates Constitution Day every year on June 5 and the signing of the Danish constitution of 1849.
On Constitution Day, Danes celebrate the fundamental pillars of democracy: Rule of law and human rights, including freedom of speech and indeed personal freedom.
Ghana and Denmark have profound ties, with shared history that traces back to 1660 when Danish companies engaged in trade with the Gold Coast.
Formal diplomatic relations between the two nations were established in the wake of Ghana’s independence, with Denmark opening its embassy in Accra in 1961, followed by Ghana reciprocating the gesture in 1966.
The Ambassador said, at the Danish embassy, it had reoriented its engagements with Ghana to technical cooperation within water, meteorology, the maritime sector and statistics with a strong focus on business and investments.
He said, Danish companies were keen on exploring future partnerships with public and private actors in Ghana in areas such as water supply and waste management, agriculture and food, the maritime and infrastructure sectors and, as a new area, tech, and digitalisation, which were in line with the priorities of the Government of Ghana.
Mr Nørring said, “We look forward to continue working with Ghana and our EU partners to make sure that the framework conditions are continuously developed to provide the predictability needed to untap the full potential of the private sector and an increasingly more equitable society creating opportunities for all.”
Apart from strengthening our economic and commercial relationship with Ghana over the past few years, Mr Nørring said, Denmark had been working on establishing a more targeted political and strategic partnership between the two countries.
Such partnership, he noted, would focus on promoting green, sustainable and inclusive economic growth, promoting peace and stability in Ghana and West Africa and promoting democratic governance and human rights.
The Ambassador said, recognising the threat of spill-over from the conflicts in the Sahel, the Embassy was exploring how Denmark could support Ghana both with military capacity building and with civilian conflict prevention in the north of the country to avoid violent extremism.
MrFrancis Asenso-Boakye, Minister, Works and Housing, who represented the Government, commended the efforts of Denmark in undertaking Strategic Sector Cooperation programmes, which had yielded significant benefits for Ghana.
Those programmes, he reiterated, had focused on crucial areas such as water supply and wastewater management in Tema, the enhancement of Ghana’s maritime sector, and the utilisation of administrative data to improve decision-making in the production of official statistics in Ghana.
Additionally, Mr Asenso-Boakyi said, the Ghana Statistical Service’s collaboration with Statistics Denmark had resulted in the establishment of stronger statistical frameworks, enabling Ghana to gain valuable insights to drive evidence-based policy decisions.
In pursuit of a well-functioning and sustainable water provision system, he noted that the Tema Metropolitan Assembly had forged a partnership with the esteemed municipality of Aarhus with a dedication to achieving a shared vision.
Key to that partnership is the establishment of a robust and reliable system that ensures sufficient high-quality water for residents and businesses in Tema, while concurrently addressing environmental concerns related to wastewater management.
The Works and Housing Minister said, “These remarkable initiatives reflect the depth of our cooperation and the shared desire to create positive change for our respective nations. They exemplify the essence of our partnership, rooted in mutual understanding, respect, and a common goal of progress.”
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs say several polls have shown that the Judiciary is not in good shape and according to them, if this is not addressed urgently, it will greatly affect the country’s growing democracy.
As a result, they have urged Justice Gertrude Torkornoo to take the matter up immediately she is approved and sworn into office.
“The image of the judiciary is not in a good shape. Several opinion polls show that. We hope that Justice Gertrude, as a lady chief justice, will restore the dignity of the judiciary,” they said in a statement.
They have also expressed their approval of her as the next Chief Justice.
This is despite their strong disagreement with the Supreme Court’s recent judgment annulling the election of James Gyakye Quayson in Assin North.
Justice Torkornoo, who was part of the 7-member panel that decided the case, faced scrutiny from the Minority when she appeared before the Appointments Committee on May 26.
The Minority had initially insisted that no decision would be made on her nomination until the full reasoning of the judgment in the case was released.
Speaking on behalf of the Minority, Deputy Ranking Member of the Appointments Committee of Parliament and The Chief Whip on behalf, Governs Kwame Agbodza, MP, explained that despite their differences with Justice Torkornoo, they believe she possesses the qualifications necessary to serve as Chief Justice.
During a press conference on Tuesday, June 6, the NDC represented on the Appointments Committee said they had “reached a unanimous decision to approve the Chief Justice nominee.”
The National Peace Council has begun mediating peace talks between Nogokpo Traditional Authorities and Archbishop Charles Agyinasareof Perez Chapel International.
This follows an impasse between the Nogokpo people and the Perez Chapel leader.
The church and Archbishop Charles Agyinasare have been criticised by a section of the public following one of the sermons of the church in which the founder said Nogokpo was the “demonic headquarters” of the Volta Region.
Indigenes of Nogokpo have called out the Archbishop to apologise over his comments which the Archbishop has done in his Sunday, May 28, 2023, service.
Even though Archbishop Agyinasare has rendered an apology over his comments, saying he did not in any way mean to denigrate the people of Nogokpo and the Volta Region as a whole, the Nogokpo traditional authorities have given the Archbishop a 14-day ultimatum to appear before them.
The Nogokpo traditional authorities issued the ultimatum on Friday, June 2, 2023.
But the Peace Council in a statement on today, Tuesday, June 6, 2023, signed by its Chairman, Rev. Dr. Ernest Adu-Gyamfi, said “The National Peace Council has noted with concern the current impasse between Archbishop Charles Agyinasare, the founder of Perez Chapel International and Nogokpo Traditional Authorities.”
It added, “Recognizing the fact that the impasse if not quickly addressed may have consequences on peaceful coexistence and religious tolerance in the country, the National Peace Council, in pursuit of its mandate to facilitate conflict prevention, appeals to the Nogokpo Traditional Authorities and Perez Chapel International to remain calm and not give in to provocations as efforts are being undertaken to address the situation.”
ThePeace Council also called on all those who have been affected in any way by the stalemate to exercise restraint and circumspection in their comments and pronouncements on the matter.
Similarly, the National Peace Council also urged the media and all those who make statements on the matter to exercise maximum restraint in their narratives to protect the peace, stability, and the integrity of our beloved country.
“We want to inform the public that the Volta Regional Peace Council has begun the process to engage the parties for amicable redress,” Peace Council’s Chairman stated, adding “The Council concludes by respectfully reminding Ghanaians of how far we have come as one nation, living together as one people for many years.”
Below is the Peace Council’s statement
Press release on recent issues regarding Nogokpo Traditional Authorities
The National Peace Council has noted with concern the current impasse between Archbishop Charles Agyinasare, the founder of Perez Chapel International and Nogokpo Traditional Authorities. The attention of the Council has also been drawn to statements that have been made by some religious personalities in the country regarding the same issue.
Recognizing the fact that the impasse if not quickly addressed may have consequences on peaceful coexistence and religious tolerance in the country, the National Peace Council, in pursuit of its mandate to facilitate conflict prevention, appeals to the Nogokpo Traditional Authorities and Perez Chapel International to remain calm and not give in to provocations as efforts are being undertaken to address the situation.
The Council calls on all those who have been affected in any way by the stalemate to exercise restraint and circumspection in their comments and pronouncements on the matter. The Council further urges the media and all those who make statements on the matter to exercise maximum restraint in their narratives to protect the peace, stability, and the integrity of our beloved country.
We want to inform the public that the Volta Regional Peace Council has begun the process to engage the parties for amicable redress.
The Council concludes by respectfully reminding Ghanaians of how far we have come as one nation, living together as one people for many years.
Minister for Works and Housing, Hon. Francis Asenso-Boakye, has emphasized Ghana’s commitment to sustainable development, improved living standards, and resilience despite global challenges.
He made this commitment at an event to commemorate the National Day Reception of the Kingdom of Denmark on June 5, 2023, where he delivered a statement on behalf of the government of Ghana. He highlighted the importance of nurturing partnerships, building on past achievements, and exploring new avenues of cooperation.
Mr. Francis Asenso-Boakye emphasized the long-standing historical ties between Ghana and Denmark, which date back to 1660 when Danish merchants engaged in trade with the Gold Coast. He highlighted the significance of the Osu Christianborg Castle in Accra as a symbol of the enduring relations between the two nations.
“Formal diplomatic relations were established between Ghana and Denmark following Ghana’s independence, with Denmark opening its embassy in Accra in 1961, reciprocated by Ghana in 1966. Over the years, the bilateral cooperation has flourished, marked by high-level visits and exchanges. Notable visits include Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II’s three-day visit in 2017 and the official visit of Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in 2021, commemorating 60 years of diplomatic relations,” he stated.
The Minister praised Denmark’s Strategic Sector Cooperation programmes, which have yielded significant benefits for both nations. Successful initiatives highlighted include cooperation in water supply and wastewater management in the municipality of Tema, enhancement of Ghana’s maritime sector, and the utilization of administrative data for official statistics production.
Danish Ambassador to Ghana, Tom Nørring in his statement revealed that the Kingdom of Denmark has partnered with the government of Ghana in various sectors over the years. “Partnerships with the Ghana Maritime Authority and Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority have contributed to strengthening Ghana’s maritime sector and driving growth and development in this crucial domain”, he asserted.
Hon. Asenso-Boakye reiterated these remarkable initiatives demonstrate the depth of cooperation and the shared desire to create positive change for both nations. He commended the partnership between Ghana and Denmark, which is based on mutual understanding, respect, and a common goal of progress.
The celebration of Denmark’s National Dayhighlighted the enduring friendship between Ghana and Denmark and showcased the successful collaboration in various sectors. It marked the celebration of the 174th anniversary of Denmark’s Constitution Day. The event was attended by government officials, traditional leaders, members of the diplomatic corps, and the business community.
The speaker of parliament, Alban Bagbin’s SIM card has been deactivated despite registration, according to Sam George, MP for Ningo-Prampram.
Over 8 million unregistered SIM cards were deactivated by the various telecommunication firms after the May 31 deadline announced by the government for the registration exercise.
Although the Minister of Communications, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful has been scheduled to appear before Parliament on Thursday, June 8, 2023, to apprise the legislators on the exercise, Sam George stressed the need for the Minister to appear on time to address concerns raised regarding the process.
“Over 8 million SIM cards have been disconnected including the [that of the] Speaker of Parliament. His official SIM card has been disconnected even though it was registered in the name of the Parliament of Ghana. My SIM card was [also] disconnected.
“We are insisting that the National Identification Authority provides us with theGhana Card, so we can register our SIM cards. It is important that the Minister appears before us to answer questions, if possible, even today because people’s livelihoods have been affected and people’s mobile monies have been stacked due to the disconnection.”
Ernest Yaw Annimhas officially sworn in as Kumawu MP by Speaker of Parliament on Tuesday, June 6, 2023.
This followed the Electoral Commission’s certification of Anim as the elected MP for Kumawu, with 15,264 votes in a by-election conducted on May 23, 2023.
Anim took over as MP for Kumawu following the death of the former MP, Philip Basoah.
He took the oath of allegiance, administered by the Speaker.
“Congratulations, Honourable Member. You are now duly sworn in as the Member of Parliament for the Kumawu constituency,” the Speaker said.
The elected MP thanked the Speaker.
In the by-election on May 23, 2023, Anim polled 15,264 votes to defeat the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, Kwasi Amankwaa, and two independent candidates, both namedKwaku Duah.
The NDC’s Kwasi Amankwaa received 3,723 votes, while Kwaku Duah (1) received 2,478 votes, and the other Kwaku Duah received 62 votes.
TheTamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) has recently inaugurated a new CT scan and children’s theatre, enhancing its capacity to provide specialized surgical operations and care specifically for children.
Initiated by the International Child Cleft Foundation, Smile Foundation and KidsOR, the paediatric theatre has been furnished with cutting-edge equipment tailored towards meeting the surgical needs of children.
The facility is expected to improve child healthcare delivery at the hospital which serves as a major referral centre in northern Ghana.
On the other hand, the CT scan is expected to complement the existing one which has been breaking down frequently due to the pressure on it.
The frequent breakdown of the old machine over the years compelled patients to travel to as far as Techiman in the Bono East Region for scan services.
The new machine procured by the Ministry of Health has been installed at the Accident and Emergency Unit to offer emergency services to patients.
Inauguration
Inaugurating the facilities, the acting Chief Executive Officer of the TTH, Dr Atiku Adam, expressed gratitude to Smile Train and KidsOR for their collaborative efforts that led to the building of the children’s theatre.
He said the hospital conducted about 328 surgeries among children alone in its shared surgical theatre in 2022 and added that the number could have been more, if the hospital had a dedicated theatre for children.
He pledged his outfit’s commitment to put the facilities to good use, to enable them to serve their intended purposes.
For his part, the Northern Regional Minister, Shani Alhassan Shaibu, reiterated the government’s commitment to improve healthcare delivery in the country.
That, he said, would go a long way to contribute towards achieving universal health coverage by 2030.
The government has introduced a GH¢12 million enterprise support program specifically tailored for individuals with disabilities (PWDs) in the country.
The PWD Enterprise Support Programme seeks to offer technical assistance and grant funding initiatives exclusively to 150 enterprises owned by PWDs.
The proposed special window is expected to promote the welfare of the enterprises owned by PWDs through business and financial management training and grant funding.
It is targeting PWD enterprises in agriculture/agro-processing, construction, education, food and beverages, health care or pharmaceuticals, textiles and garments, manufacturing, information technology, tourism and hospitality.
An application portal will be opened from June 6 this year until the end of next month to enable businesses to seek the opportunity to benefit from the financial support to be implemented by the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA) and funded by the World Bank under the Ghana Economic Transformation Project (GETP).
Support for businesses
Launching the programme in Accra yesterday, a Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Stephen Amoah, said the government was committed to supporting all businesses in the country to ensure inclusive growth.
He said supporting PWDs in Ghana was essential for upholding quality inclusivity and fostering economic empowerment.
“It is important to note that interventions and programmes of such nature align with the government’s goals of providing training, capacity developing, funding, access to market and technology to enable them to scale up their businesses and transition into the next stage of growth, thereby improving their ability to increase sales and exports,” he said.
He said the government in 2021 transformed the National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI) into a bigger firm called GEA to efficiently manage micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the country.
He said in line with that, a national MSMEs policy was designed to stimulate the growth of the sector to produce quality products and services capable of competing locally and internationally.
The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Lariba Zuweira Abudu, noted that despite the progress made in recent years, PWDs still faced significant challenges in society.
She said PWDs often struggled to access basic social amenities that most people took for granted and were frequently excluded from social, cultural and economic activities.
However, she said it was important to recognise that PWDs were an integral part of the community and had much to contribute to the economic development of this great nation.
“PWDs possess unique skills, talents and perspectives that can enrich our society and help us to build a more inclusive and equitable society and future.
“As a nation, we must work together to ensure that persons with disabilities have equal access to opportunities and resources,” he said.
He said that included providing accessible infrastructure, promoting inclusive education and creating employment opportunities that were tailored to their needs.
Govt not oblivious
The Chief Executive Officer of GEA, Kosi Yankey-Ayeh, stated that the government was not oblivious of the various challenges faced by PWD-owned enterprises.
He said it was also determined to sustain efforts at creating a more enabling business environment that promoted growth among local businesses, including those owned by PWDs.
“Here at GEA, we observed a trend where PWD firms have been underrepresented in the various technical assistance and grant programmes because the qualifying criteria seemed rather too high to effectively compete with non-PWD enterprises.
“Under the first phase of the COVID-19 Response Grant Programme implemented in 2021, only three PWD enterprises were eligible for support out of over 370 firms supported with grants,” she noted.
She added that the support for businesses owned by PWDs in the country was a positive development that would help promote a more inclusive and diverse society.
Driver of economic growth
The Country Director of the World Bank, Pierre Frank Laporte, noted that the bank believed that MSMEs were a key driver of economic growth in the country, contributing to job creation and socio-economic inclusion.
He said it was important to support enterprises led by PWDs and ensure they could grow and provide opportunities for more people.
Commendation
The Executive Director of the Ghana Blind Union, Peter Obeng-Asamoa, commended the government, GEA and support agencies for the introduction of the PWD Enterprise Support Programme.
“We have been waiting for this kind of initiative for a long time to support us to grow our businesses,” the executive director said.
CEO of Zeepay, Andrew Takyi-Appiah, has advocated for a nationalistic approach to support for Ghanaian start-ups.
Mr. Takyi-Appiah opined that the various financial institutions in the country should be willing to give loans to local enterprises to boost their businesses, which will also have a positive impact on the Ghanaian economy.
Contributing to a panel discussion on the Citi Business Festival Forum moderated by the Head of News at Citi TV/Citi FM, Vivian Kai Lokko, dubbed ‘Reimagining the Digital Economy’, the Chief Executive Officer of Zeepay observed that most people struggle to acquire the necessary capital to start their businesses.
He further suggested thatbanksshould open their doors for start-ups to access loans and push their businesses forward.
“It will be good if we have a nationalistic pride that, for the first time, we are also going to lift the local companies up and give them those opportunities and teach them the efficiency to reach their goals. I also think that one of the enabling conversations is the fact that we desperately need to redefine start-ups,” Mr. Takyi-Appiah posited further.
“Our part of the world is such that you cannot even get a bank loan, let alone get private equity to support you. But if we start to redefine the start-up conversation, maybe even banks will start to look at start-ups differently and provide them with hand-holding support, so that they will have the resources to support the infrastructure,” he added.
He also charged local enterprises to ensure that they deliver quality services, which will attract more customers to their businesses.
“We need to start looking at aspects like fulfillment because we cannot have a digital economy without fulfillment. Fulfillment is the reason why you buy on Amazon and receive your goods. The backend is the infrastructure, which includes human beings and logistics that bring it to your doorstep. It would be great if local entities also understand the local economy and come up with fulfillment platforms,” the Zeepay CEO admonished.
CEO of TechGulf, Franklin Asare, has highlighted the need for strong digital regulatory framework in Ghana to support digital economy.
Speaking at the first Citi Business Festival Forum on Citi TV, under the theme ‘Reimagining the Digital Economy,’ Asare, who formerly served as the Country Director for Oracle Corporation, highlighted the need for regulatory measures and funding to encourage active participation of Ghanaians in the digital economy, particularly supporting startups.
He stressed the significance of enforcing data sovereignty and data privacy rules to enable Ghanaians to store their data on local platforms.
Mr Asare expressed his belief that the digital entrepreneurs emerging from Africa, particularly Ghana, have the capacity to lead the way and excel in the digital space. However, they require the necessary skills and support to unleash their potential.
“Data sovereignty and data privacy rules need to be enforced to allow Ghanaians to save on the local platforms because most of us have phones here, but the data is residing outside. If we are to play and play seriously, some of these things using regulation, using funding support need to be brought into the country to help us.
“I believe that Africa’s greatest Talents for Start-ups are right here inGhana, when it comes to Independence, Ghana was the first country to become independent in Africa in the digital area and the digital entrepreneurs coming out of Africa will be the first and the finest they just need the skills to enable them.
“We really have some good startups in this country and they just need support. If you need 5000 or 50, 000 dollars to support your business, you have to give them everything including your grandmother’s name, the banks need to change, and we need venture capital, to be able to help us. I found out that some of the Startups just need mentoring.”
The Citi Business Festival 2023 is powered by Citi TV and Citi FM in partnership with Absa and is proudly sponsored by MTN MOMO, MTN Business, and Zeepay with support from GIRSAL.
