Thunderstorms are expected early this morning over the eastern portions of the country.
Later in the morning into the afternoon, the western portions are also expected to experience same.
Early morning mist or fog patches are predicted over parts of coastal, mountainous and forest areas of southern Ghana.
The maximum expected temperature in Accra is tropical 33°C, while the minimum temperature will be 25°C.
Below is the full weather forecast for the day:
A list of wanted individuals has been released by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).
The list, containing the details of three men, was shared on Twitter.
The three men are Ezekiel Mensah Otoo, Nicholas Gyekye, and Derrick Obeng, a.k.a Chilling.
According to the EOCO, Ezekiel is wanted for the alleged offence of stealing and involvement in SIM swap fraud.
In the case of Nicholas, the EOCO did not state what crime he is alleged to have committed but only urged the public to provide it “with information on the said Nicholas Gyekye” through a phone number.
Derrick is being sought after by the EOCO for the alleged offences of stealing, defrauding by false pretence and money laundering.
See the photos and further details about the men below:
President Akufo-Addo has paid a visit to Ghanaian troops operating on peacekeeping duty in Guinea-Bissau in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).
The president was accompanied by the President of Guinea-Bissau, Umaro Mokhtar Sissoco Embalo. President Akufo-Addo visited the Ghana Company (GHANCOY 1), which is part of the ECOWAS Stabilisation Support Mission in Guinea-Bissau (ESSMGB).
The visit took place on Monday, May 15, 2023, as part of President Akufo-Addo’s official two-day state visit to Guinea-Bissau, following an invitation from President Embalo.
The primary purpose of the visit was for the Commander-in-Chief to meet with the ESSMGB-GHANCOY 1 and personally assess the well-being of the troops and their effectiveness in carrying out their mission since their deployment to the operational area in June 2022.
During the visit, several activities were conducted, including a guard of honour, a parade display by GHANCOY 1, and the mounting of a special Presidential Quarter Guard in honor of President Akufo-Addo.
The President also toured the camp, interacted with Ghanaian troops, and commissioned a project undertaken by GHANCOY.
Welcoming the Presidents, Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col) David Korsah, the Combat Team Commander of ESSMGB GHANCOY 1, expressed his gratitude on behalf of the entire Ghanaian Contingent. Lt Col. Korsah described the visit as historic and memorable for three reasons.
Firstly, he highlighted that the visit demonstrated President Akufo-Addo’s unwavering commitment to constitutional democracy in Africa, as evidenced by his track record.
Secondly, he added that it showcased the President’s confidence in the GAF hierarchy and personnel.
Lastly, he maintained that it marked the first time in approximately 28 years that a Ghanaian President has visited GAF troops engaged in an external operation.
Lt Col. Korsah assured President Akufo-Addo that he and his troops would continue to proudly represent Ghana, enhance the country’s image, and serve as worthy ambassadors.
President Akufo-Addo, on the other hand, commended the contingent for their discipline and professionalism, assuring them of his full support. At the conclusion of his speech, the President made a donation to the contingent.
The president also commissioned a newly constructed accommodation and office building named after the Chief of Defence Staff Seth Amoama “AMOAMA BLOCK” in honor of the Vice Admiral, who played a crucial role in securing funds for the project.
Notable attendees at the visit included Professor Hamidou Boly, Special Representative of the President of the ECOWAS Commission (SRPC), Brigadier General AM Grema, ESSMGB Force Commander, and Colonel ATM Kore, Deputy Force Commander.
The visit underscored President Akufo-Addo’s support for the troops and his dedication to maintaining peace and stability in the region.
The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) has defended the 18.36 percent increase in electricity and natural gas tariffs.
According to the Commission, the decision was taken after its Quarterly Tariff Review meeting for the second quarter of the year 2023.
The PURC blamed the depreciation of the cedi, inflation, electricity generation mix, and the weighted average cost of natural gas as the factors that influenced the latest increment.
Director of Research and Cooperate Affairs at PURC, Dr. Eric Obutey in an interview with Citi News said the Commission was forced to increase the electricity tariff.
“We did only 75 percent of the exchange rate. This means there was a 25 percent under-recovery that we needed to recover. So if you add all this to it, the projected exchange rate that we use currently which is 12.70, all these factors combined led to an adjustment of the tariff and upward review.”
Meanwhile, a Member of the Energy and Mines Committee of Parliament, Dr. Rashid Pelpuo has blamed the government for the incessant electricity tariff increment.
According to Dr. Pelpuo, the government’s inability to effectively manage the country’s economy has compelled PURC to continuously increase utility tariffs.
“You cannot blame the people who do the increases because they want to make sure they continue to produce, that is why, I don’t want to blame the PURC but the inability of the government to maintain a good economic leverage that will give the Ghanaian the capability of paying off without these troubles we are going through.”
An investigation into a violent attack on students and teachers at New Juaben Senior High School in Koforidua is currently being carried out by the Eastern Regional Police Command.
The attack is believed to have been carried out by suspected students of the Koforidua Senior High Technical School (SECTECH).
The incident, which took place on Sunday evening, resulted in injuries to four students from New Juaben and the school’s chaplain.
The school’s management and alumni have strongly condemned the attack.
According to reports, approximately 30 students from Koforidua SECTECH, who share a wall with New Juaben Senior High School, invaded the premises and attacked students.
The police were called to the scene and managed to drive the attackers away.
However, later that night, after the police had left, hundreds of SECTECH students allegedly returned and began pelting stones. The motive behind the attack remains unclear at this time.
During the incident, SECTECH students allegedly vandalized a school bus, damaged the windshield of the headmaster’s Toyota Corolla, ransacked the school’s sick bay, and caused damage to the roofs of three teachers’ bungalows.
They also reportedly destroyed two poly tanks that served the boys’ dormitory and teachers’ bungalow.
The four injured students from New Juaben and the school’s chaplain have received medical treatment and have been discharged from the hospital.
Upon visiting the scene, Citi News observed numerous stones and other objects scattered around.
Mark Ofori Frimpong, the headmaster of New Juaben Senior High School, confirmed that four students have been arrested in connection with the incident.
He also mentioned that the headmaster of Koforidua SECTECH has requested the cost of all the damaged items.
This recent attack is not an isolated incident, as expressed by alumni of New Juaben Senior High School, who are deeply concerned about the safety of the students.
Eugene Oware Koranteng, President of the 1992 alumni association, believes it is crucial for alumni from both schools to intervene and take preventive measures to avoid such incidents in the future.
Efforts to reach the management of Koforidua SECTECH for comment were unsuccessful.
The Alliance for Reproductive Health Rights (ARHR), a non-governmental organization, has emphasized the need for the government to abolish levies on sanitary items.
“The high cost of sanitary products is adding to the discomfort and pains associated with menstrual cycle, which is having a serious toll on hygiene and education of some adolescents,” it said.
Speaking to the media after a two-day training for Adolescent Health Champions in Ho, appealed to the government to support local producers of sanitary products to reduce the cost.
She said sanitary pads were not available in some communities and especially in the rural areas, and asked the government to help the local manufacturers to produce more to make it available and affordable.
Ms Gyawu said adolescents have a lot of potentials that must be developed, hence society must provide them with the enabling environment and proper guidance to explore these potentials.
She appealed to parents to continue to offer the needed physical, emotional and spiritual support to their children to enhance their overall well-being.
The training was to build the capacity of the Adolescent Health Champions on Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (ASRHR) to effectively continue their work as peer educators.
A total of 20 out-of-school adolescents from the South Dayi District of the Volta Region benefited from the training, supported by the United Nations Population Fund.
Madam Albertina Alipui, the Acting Programme and Administration Manager, Volta Educational Renaissance Foundation (VEReF), said it was important to educate adolescents on reproductive health rights and Sexual and Gender-Based Violence to protect them.
The programme has empowered most of the adolescents to demand their sexual rights and report those who abused them to the appropriate authorities.
Some of the beneficiaries thanked the organisers for the empowerment on their sexual rights and pledged to carry out their duties as peer educators in their various communities to achieve the desired results.
A 32 year-old woman, Salomey Amuzu Tuglo, has been enthroned and outdoored as the Queenmother of the Weta Traditional Area.
The new Paramount Queenmother goes by the name Mamaga Ablewor Ashiakpor IV.
Her installation follows the demise of Mamaga Ablewor Ashiakpor III.
After the necessary rites and purifications the newly installed Queenmother was on Sunday, May 14, 2023 outdoored by the Chiefs and people of Weta at a public event held at the forecourt of the Weta Area Council hall.
Taking an oath during the ceremony, Mamaga Ablewor Ashiakpor IV pledged to protect and respect the tradition, values and the history of the people of the Weta Traditional Area while stating her readiness to give the needed support towards the development of the area.
She indicated her that issues of women empowerment and girl child education are dear to her heart and would pursue same throughout her stay on thrown.
Torgbuiga Akpo Ashiakpor IV in his address warned that he and his chiefs would not fathom any attempt by individuals whose major preoccupation is to distort tradition and cause instability within the traditional area.
He said, “I am putting this on record and I want you all to carry this message across town, that today, we have installed Mamaga Ablewor Ashiakpor IV and that is the end. We would not allow anyone to go hide anywhere and claim to be installing a parallel Queenmother for the traditional area.”
“You as mothers, today is mother’s day and this is my gift to you. If you ever allow any of your daughters to be installed somewhere as a Queenmother for the traditional area in an attempt to distort tradition and to cause disturbance, that will be a generational curse for you,” he cautioned.
The Weta Traditional Area in the coming days will also perform the funeral and burial rites for the late Mamaga Ablewor Ashiakpor III.
The Minister of State at the Finance Ministry, Dr Mohammed Amin Adam, has announced that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will publish full details of Ghana’s Economic Recovery programme submitted to the Fund for a bailout request.
He added that the IMF will also outline the necessary conditions associated with the programme, as well as the IMF Staff report on Ghana.
Dr Adam confirmed this to Joy Business in a yet to be aired interview on PM Express Business Edition with host George Wiafe this Thursday May 19, 2023.
Dr Adam stated that government has given its consent to the IMF to release the document after the Fund approves Ghana’s programme.
“Government is committed to transparency in everything that it does when it comes to the IMF programme and Ghanaians are going to get every detail as expected”, he said.
Dr Adam explained that the decision is part of government’s quest to ensure transparency after some Civil Society Organisations and observers demanded for a full disclosure of Ghana’s programme request.
Ghana Programme
The IMF Board is expected to sit on May 18, 2023 to consider Ghana’s programme request.
The Board is expected to review the IMF Staff report on Ghana’s request to approve and advance about $3 billion over the three year period.
This will happen after some conditions are met by the Government of Ghana.
The Board is likely to undertake the exercise after Ghana meets all the pre-conditions.
Fiscal Discipline under Ghana programme
Dr. Adam has assured that government will not compromises on fuscal discipline.
“The Request for an IMF programme is a cabinet decision and every government institution, ministries and agencies must fall in line with it when it comes to being discipline with our fiscal situation” he stressed.
He stated that government is committed to checking the budget deficit.
“We should not’s forget that the IMF programme comes with some clear benchmarks that should be before the country could get the other disbursements from the board”
Government’s expectations
Mr. Adam added that government is hopeful of securing the programme on time to bring back confidence in the economy.
“We are also hopeful that the Rating Agencies will in the coming months respond accordingly to developments in the economy and do something about Ghana’s credit ratings”.
“We will also be working closely with the Bank of Ghana to help stabilize the Cedi” Dr Adam added.
Government must come clear on the current on-going load shedding for Ghanaians, according to minority in parliament.
According to the Minority, they have observed with serious concern, the recent persistent power outages also known as ‘dumsor’ being witnessed across the country, particularly during peak hours.
“This appears to be worsening with many parts of the country experiencing long hours of darkness without prior notice to consumers.
“While most Ghanaians have been witnessing intermittent power outages, others have been experiencing low currents and occasional high voltage leading to damages of their electrical gadgets and equipment in some cases,” the Ranking Member on Mines and Energy Committee, John Abdulai Jinapor stated in press release .
He continued: “It is a well known fact especially, amongst energy sector players that the current outages the country is experiencing is due to gas shortages coupled with serious challenges with the procurement of alternative fuels due the precarious financial state of the Energy sector SOEs.
“Most of the Energy sector SOEs have continued to witness worsening financial positions since the assumption of office of President Akufo-Addo and Dr Bawumia, despite their administration receiving over 20 billion cedis in ESLA revenues and about 40 billion cedis in petroleum revenues.
He stated that more disturbing is the deliberate decision by Government communicators and Energy Sector SOEs to keep mute whilst the ordinary Ghanaian is made to experience this avoidable state of load shedding.
“We therefore call on Government and responsible government agencies to come clean on the current state of power outages as a matter of urgency and provide a schedule if need be to enable the ordinary consumer and industry to plan and avoid damages of their electrical equipment.”
Member of Parliament (MP) for Ho West, Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah, has expressed intent to surpass Speaker Alban Bagbin’s longevity record.
According to him, he is very young hence the reason he would want to serve eight terms in parliament to break Bagbin’s record.
Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah is one of the incumbent MPs who retained his seat in Saturday’s primary election.
Speaking in an interview, he said “Look at me. I am a young person. I started … very young. My predecessor [Francis Aggrey Agbotse, MP from 1997 to 2009] started when he was 52 years. I am only 54 years now, so I still have three terms more to go.”
“I want to break Bagbin’s record. He did seven terms. I would want to do, at least, eight terms,” Asaaseradion.com quoted Emmanuel Bedrah.
Emmanuel Bedzrah joined parliament in 2009 and has since be retained, he served on parliament’s Works and Housing Committee, House committee and is currently serving on the Government Assurance Committee.
An Accra High Court has directed investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas to appear before the chamber without a mask in his criminal charges against former President of the Ghana Football Association, Kwesi Nyantakyi.
Anas, who has been extremely reluctant to appear in court without his mask, will now have to remove his mask before he can testify in Chambers.
This comes after the Supreme Court quashed an earlier ruling by a lower court giving permission for Anas to testify in camera.
The journalist, whose investigation led to Nyantakyi resigning from several football posts, claimed his life would be in danger if he testifies in court.
The order of the High Court 2, Criminal Division granted permission to Anas Aremeyaw Anas to testify on camera in the case against Kwesi Nyantakyi.
In June 2018, the former member of Fifa’s executive council was filmed taking $65,000 in cash from an undercover reporter in a film captured by journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas which was aired by BBC Africa’s investigations unit, Africa Eye.
Nyantakyi was pictured placing the “shopping money” into a black plastic bag from an undercover reporter pretending to be a businessman keen to invest in Ghanaian football.
He later agreed to what he believed to be a sponsorship deal for the Ghana FA, which he had presided over since 2005. The bogus deal, invented by the reporters, would have enabled millions of dollars in commission to be paid to a company controlled by him.
This cost him his positions as FIFA Council Member and 1st Vice President of CAF.
Bad breath, also known as halitosis, can be embarrassing and unpleasant for you and those around you. It can affect your confidence, your social life, and your oral health.
But don’t worry, bad breath is not a permanent condition. There are many ways to prevent and treat it, and to keep your breath fresh and clean.
What causes bad breath?
Bad breath can have many causes, such as:
How to prevent bad breath?
The best way to prevent bad breath is to practice good oral hygiene. Here are some tips to follow:
How to treat bad breath?
If you have persistent or severe bad breath that does not improve with good oral hygiene, you may need to see a dentist or a doctor to find out the underlying cause and get proper treatment. Some possible treatments are:
Bad breath is not something you have to live with. By following these tips and tricks, you can prevent and treat bad breath and enjoy a fresh smile every day.
Disclaimer:
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical or dental advice. The information in this article is based on data from this link [https://rb.gy/o32pc] and may not be accurate, complete, or up-to-date.
The article does not endorse any products, services, or treatments mentioned by Mayo Clinic. Readers should consult a dentist or a doctor before making any decisions or taking any actions related to their oral health or general health.
The Independent Ghana will not be liable for any damages or losses that may arise from the use or misuse of the information in this article.
Chinedu Ani Emmanuel, known as Nedu, an actor and media figure, has urged women to be wary of males who insist on no sex before marriage.
He gave the warning on the recent episode of The Honest Bunch audiovisual podcast co-hosted by him.
The controversial OAP said some ladies have opened up to him about their husbands’ abysmal sexual performances which they were unaware of until marriage.
He said, often, when a man insists on no sex before marriage, there could be something fishy.
He said, “If oga is telling you no sex before marriage, find out if he likes it from the other side. One woman don talk for my radio show say, ‘Oga Nedu, I dey cheat on my husband. Not once, not twice. Oga Nedu if na you, you go comot.’
“I said why? She said him prick no dey gree rise. I supported her. Men, I’m sorry. This guy just marry her and he was saying no sex before marriage. Na so the girl enter inside.”
The election of James Gyakye Quayson as Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin North in the Central Region has been declared unconstituitional by the Supreme Court.
In a unanimous decision Wednesday morning (May 17, 2023), a seven-member panel of the Supreme Court ordered Parliament to expunge the name of Mr Quayson as MP, reports Graphic Online’s Emmanuel Ebo Hawkson from the court.
The Supreme Court in April 2022 ordered the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for Assin North, James Gyakye Quayson, to stop holding himself as an MP until the determination of a suit challenging the constitutionality of his election.
In a 5-2 majority decision on April 13, 2022, the apex court ordered Mr Quayson to abstain from any Parliamentary business and also refrain from engaging in activities pertaining to an MP.
Reasons
In its ruling, the Supreme Court was of the considered view that the High Court in Cape Coast has declared the election of Mr Quayson as null and void, and therefore allowing him to continue as an MP while the constitutional issue was yet to be determined “will be an indictment of the administration of justice.”
“There can be no justification for ignoring the submissions on the continued disregard of the orders of the High Court which have not been suspended or overturned,” the court held.
Also, the court held that the whole country would suffer greater hardship if Mr Quayson was allowed to continue to serve as an MP and the court determines that his election violated the 1992 Constitution.
“This court will be failing in its exclusive mandate and duty to the Ghanaian people to uphold and defend the Constitution if it does not suspend, mitigate or abate an alleged constitutionality illegality if the applicant were to succeed in the end of this suit,” the court held.
The majority decision was authored by Justice Kulendi.
In the dissenting opinions, Justice Dordzie and Amegatcher were of the view that the Supreme Court was not the right forum for the applicant, and that all he needed to do was to enforce the judgment of the High Court.
Plaintiff’s case
In July 2021, Mr Ankomah-Nimfah won a judgment at the Cape Coast High Court nullifying Mr Quayson’s election on the basis that the MP held Canadian citizenship at the time he filed to contest the seat.
He then went to Supreme Court in January, this year for interpretation of Article 94 (2) (a), the same constitutional provision the High Court used to nullify Mr Quayson’s election.
His basis for going to the apex court was that despite the judgment by the High Court, Mr Quayson still continued to parade himself as an MP.
Mr Ankomah-Nimfah is seeking a declaration from the Supreme Court that upon a true and proper interpretation of Article 94(2)(a) of the 1992 Constitution, at the time the EC opened nominations for people to file to contest the Assin North parliamentary seat, Mr Quayson held a Canadian citizenship and therefore was not eligible to contest.
He further wants the court to declare that the EC breached Article 94(2)(a) of the 1992 Constitution when it allowed Mr Quayson to contest the parliamentary election in Assin North when he owed allegiance to another country.
Again, he is urging the Supreme Court to declare the entire process that led to Mr Quayson’s election as MP for Assin North as unconstitutional and, therefore, null and void.
Principal of Ghana International School (GIS), Mary Ashun is among the top 10 finalist for the Africa Education Medal 2023.
Founded last year by T4 Education and HP in collaboration with Microsoft, the Africa Education Medal is Africa’s most prestigious education accolade.
The Africa Education Medal was established to recognise the tireless work of those who are transforming education across the continent – to celebrate the stories of those who have lit the spark of change so others will be inspired to take up the torch. It is given to an outstanding individual who has demonstrated impact, leadership, and advocacy in the field of education.
Mary Ashun is Principal of Ghana International School (GIS), an independent not-for-profit school that provides an internationally diverse experience which instils mutual understanding, promotes holistic development, and teaches life skills to produce responsible global citizens.
Projects she has championed through GIS include support for students from under-equipped schools, teacher training and resource capacity building in remote villages, collaborative international educator visits as well as fostering student efforts to be innovative in the Arts and Sciences.
Dr. Ashun advocates for all children, especially the marginalised in education. In March 2021, she learned about a young man who sat entrance exams and gained admission to the most prestigious public boarding school in Ghana. On checking in to his dormitory he was denied entry because he had dreadlocks. Dr. Ashun wrote a paper titled “The Issue of the Other When it Comes to Admissions” and published it on Ghanaweb. The ensuing heated national discourse on whether a Rastafarian student could be denied his place in a public boarding school put her opinion and that of others of like minds at the centre of a national debate. While the issue raged on in the court of law, a group of committed GIS parents worked with her and a scholarship was arranged for him. She admitted the student in question to GIS, making a statement of inclusion and acceptance. In advocating for his right to an education
irrespective of his religion, she showed her students the power of their voices and the need to live out the school motto of ‘Understanding Of Each Other’.
Prior to joining GIS, Dr. Ashun was a school principal in Canada and also taught Sciences and Maths from K – 12 and lectured at Redeemer University (Ontario) in the Faculty of Education, teaching and supervising pre-service and in-service teachers.
Dr. Ashun created a teacher conference called TIME (Teachers, Inspiring, Motivating & Empowering). At these conferences, researcher teachers are able to share their action research, master teachers share strategies that work well in different kinds of classrooms, and administrator teachers share insights relating to parent engagement, supporting teacher growth and self-care for educators. Each year, a fifth of the spaces are reserved for educators from underserved regions.
As Chair of the Mastercard Foundation Young Africa Works Advisory Board, Dr. Ashun has been a panellist on EdTech Mondays, a programme that showcases technological innovation in schools. This is streamed online and is a key component of Mastercard Foundation’s drive to make learning relevant and accessible across Africa.
Her work with the African Leadership Academy and the Anzisha Fellowship also allows her to mentor the next generation of African entrepreneur educators. Through the programme she has mentored educators from Algeria, Uganda, Zimbabwe, South Sudan, Egypt, Senegal, Nigeria, and Congo, sharing her experiences with them as they transform education in refugee communities or innovate with micro-schools in North Africa.
Mayank Dhingra, Senior Education Business Leader, Southern Europe, Middle East and Africa, at HP said:
“My warmest congratulations to Mary Ashun on being named a Top 10 finalist for the Africa Education Medal 2023. Her tireless work to improve education stands as an inspiration to us all and I hope many others will follow in her footsteps to become leaders in the field.
“HP has a bold goal to accelerate digital equity for 150 million people globally by 2030. Only by joining forces and aligning with NGOs, government, educators and businesses can we truly improve the education environment. The Africa Education Medal brings together all those who are changing the face of African education, whose vital work deserves to be celebrated.”
Vikas Pota, Founder and CEO of T4 Education, said:
“Africa’s teachers and school leaders, and its leaders of governments, NGOs and businesses, all play a crucial part in unlocking the continent’s potential through quality education. African education stands at a crossroads in the wake of the pandemic, but if leaders from across the continent in every field can work together then they can build the lasting change needed.
“I congratulate Mary Ashun on her achievements in leading Ghana International School and I hope her success serves as a rallying cry for changemakers to come forward and make a difference.”
The Top 10 finalists for the Africa Education Medal are:
Mary Ashun, Principal of Ghana International School, Ghana
Laura Kakon, Chief Growth & Strategy Officer of Honoris United Universities, Morocco
Rogers Kamugisha, Country Director of Educate!, Rwanda
Grace Matlhape, CEO of SmartStart, South Africa
Mary Metcalfe, former policymaker and CEO of Programme to Improve Learning Outcomes (PILO), South Africa
Martha Muhwezi, Executive Director of FAWE, Uganda
Jean-Claude Nkulikiyimfura, Executive Director of Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village, Rwanda
Simi Nwogugu, CEO of JA Africa, Nigeria
Sara Ruto, Former Chief Administrative Secretary of Kenya’s Ministry of Education and former CEO of PAL Network, Kenya
Snehar Shah, CEO of Moringa School, KenyaNominations for the Africa Education Medal opened in February 2023 for individuals working to improve pre-kindergarten, K-12, vocational and university education who are either educators, school administrators, civil society leaders, public servants, government officials, political leaders, technologists, or innovators.
The winner of the Africa Education Medal will be announced in July. Finalists will be assessed by a Jury comprising prominent individuals based on rigorous criteria.
ABOUT T4 EDUCATION:
We believe every child everywhere deserves a good education. We are building the world’s largest community of teachers and schools to achieve this. Together. Our digital media platform provides opportunities for educators to network, collaborate, share good practices, and support each other’s efforts to improve learning and school culture. We work to amplify teachers’ voices because the world we want to see will only be built by listening to those at the heart of education.
Our global community of over 200,000 teachers and our digital media platform provides an engine for organisations to run education prizes that cut through in both the international media and the public consciousness.
Effective June 1, 2023, electricity tariff will be increased by 18.36% for all customer groups, according to the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC).
The decision was taken after a review for the second quarter of 2023.
PURC in a statement explained that the decision was taken to balance the prevention of extended power outages and their adverse implications on jobs and livelihoods while minimizing the impact of rate increases on consumers.
The Quarterly Tariff Review Mechanism seeks to track and incorporate changes in key factors used in determining natural gas and electricity tariffs.
Justification
The PURC blamed the Ghana Cedis/US Dollar exchange rate, inflation, electricity generation mix, and the weighted average cost of natural gas (WACOG) as the factors that influenced the latest increment.
“This review has become necessary to maintain the real value of the cost of supply of the utility services and to ensure that the utility companies do not under or over-recover costs.
“While under-recovery has negative implications for the ability of the companies to supply service to consumers, and has the potential of causing outages of electricity, over-recovery unnecessarily overburdens consumers of electricity.
Attached is the full statement by the PURC:
One of Ghana’s top priorities is reaching an agreement with its external creditors, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has expressed optimism that progress will be made in restructuring the country’s external debt, particularly with the Paris Club.
Following Ghana’s return to the IMF on July 1, 2022, due to its struggling economy, the government reached a staff-level agreement with the fund in December 2022 as part of the bailout process.
This agreement opens the door for Ghana to secure a $3 billion Extended Credit Facility (ECF) in May 2023 to strengthen its balance of payments.
During a press conference, Julie Kozack, Director of Communications at the IMF, stated, “We have seen strong progress toward creditors delivering on these financing assurances, and we’re hopeful that they can be delivered very rapidly.”
She emphasized that obtaining financing assurances from official bilateral creditors is crucial for presenting the program to the Executive Board.
In December 2022, Ghana and the IMF reached a three-year program agreement worth approximately $3 billion.
Ghana has already successfully completed a Domestic Debt Exchange program with the involvement of key stakeholders such as the Ghana Bankers Association, the Ghana Insurers Association, and the Chamber of Corporate Trustees.
The IMF loan program aims to support the post-COVID-19 recovery of developing countries.
However, the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) has cautioned that Ghana’s approval from the IMF board may experience delays due to ongoing negotiations for external debt restructuring involving multiple stakeholders.
The EIU also predicts that Ghana will reach restructuring agreements on its public external debt between 2023 and 2024, involving both official and private creditors.
These agreements are expected to involve write-offs, maturity extensions, and interest rate reductions.
Meanwhile, economist Prof. John Gatsi has expressed doubts that Ghana’s first loan tranche of US$600 million from the IMF will be approved by Wednesday, May 17, as announced by the government.
In a remarkable display of medical expertise, a multidisciplinary team comprising surgeons, anaesthesiologists, paediatricians, and nurses, led by Dr Dominic Konadu-Yeboah, Senior Specialist in Trauma and Orthopaedics, carried out a six-hour procedure to address a challenging congenital limb abnormality known as polymelia in a five-month-old infant.
The procedure took place at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) after the hospital was contacted four hours following the baby’s caesarean section delivery at a district hospital.
The infant suffered from multiple health conditions, including polymelia, anorectal malformation, genital fistula, eye vision impairment, and improper location of the right kidney.
Polymelia is a rare limb deformity characterized by the presence of extra or supernumerary limbs attached to a portion of the body.
It affects approximately 6 out of every 10,000 live newborns. Although occurrences mainly involve the lower limbs, there have been a few recorded cases. The condition is believed to result from the inadequate separation of identical twins in the womb during fetal development. When the additional limbs are attached to the pelvis, it is referred to as pyromelia.
Dr. Konadu-Yeboah highlighted that the parents were extensively informed about the baby’s condition before the surgery, praising the team’s extraordinary achievement. Additionally, a group of professionals provided psychological counselling to the family, addressing the surgery, its outcomes, and potential side effects.
The complex surgical repair procedure took place on February 20, 2023, following five months of intensive preparations and pre-operative investigations, including Computer Tomography (CT), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), echo, and ultrasound scans to identify any associated abnormalities.
Dr. Konadu-Yeboah stated, “The immediate and intermediate postoperative periods have been managed without any complications, and the baby is steadily recovering as expected. Further minor procedures and surgical interventions will be conducted to completely restore normal functioning to the baby.”
Previously, infants with similar conditions were either abandoned or left to perish, according to Dr. Konadu-Yeboah.
However, he emphasized that immediate specialized interventions offer these infants a chance to live normal lives, given the present medical knowledge available at KATH and in the nation.
The baby’s parents expressed their satisfaction with the results thus far, praising the surgical team and all the staff members involved in their child’s successful operation.
Members of the multidisciplinary team included trauma and orthopaedic surgeons Dr. Obiageli Joan Ofungwu, Johnny Sobotie, Kwasi Twumasi-Baah Jr., and Samuel Twene Boadi, alongside pediatric surgeons, anesthesiologists, pediatricians, nurses, and other specialists. Notable contributors to the team included Drs. Boateng Nimako, Prof. Paul Poku Sampene Ossei, Drs. Ebenezer Akomea-Agyin, Anthony Davor, George Osei Prempeh, Sophia Ankrah, Yaw Asiedu Basoah, Gabriel Asante, Abigail Opoku, and Yaw Asiedu Basoah.
Other esteemed members of the KATH faculty, who played crucial roles, were Drs. Michael Amoah, Lynda Akalazu Ogechi, Zulfawu Ibrahim, Helena Okrah, and Seth Agyemang.
Prof. Otchere Addai-Mensah, the hospital’s CEO, praised Dr. Konadu-Yeboah and the entire team for their successful execution of such a complex surgery. He highlighted that this accomplishment showcases the power of teamwork and urged all clinical director.
Source: The Independent Ghana
Member of Parliament (MP) for Sagnarigu, Alhaji A.B.A. Fuseini, has denied reports that his supporters fanned him following his defeat in the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) primaries.
He clarified that he was nowhere near the polling center when the results were announced, dismissing the claim as a mere fabrication.
According to him, he had already left the center with his team to find some food before the results were counted. It was during their time at a restaurant that they received news of his defeat.
Asserting his contentment with the outcome, he dismissed the notion of being in a hysterical state and asserted that such claims were purely imaginary.
During an interview, he addressed the issue, stating, “I want to respond to the statement suggesting that I was in a hysterical state upon the declaration and required assistance from numerous people fanning me. I want to make it clear that no such incident occurred. When the results were announced, I was far away from the scene. My team and I had stepped outside to eat as I had not eaten all day. It was during this time that I discovered the results, and I wasn’t even in close proximity for supporters to fan me since the results had turned against me.
“…I believe it is a product of someone’s imagination. I want to emphasize that I was satisfied with the verdict, and that’s what unfolded during the voting. I urge for this false claim to be debunked as it holds no truth,” he added.
Gunmen in Nigeria have launched an assault on a convoy of US personnel, resulting in the tragic deaths of four individuals, including two members of the US consulate and two police officers.
During the attack, three additional individuals were abducted before the assailants set their vehicle ablaze.
The incident occurred in the southeastern region of Anambra state. Authorities have promptly initiated a rescue and recovery operation to address the situation.
It is important to note that no US citizens were present in the targeted convoy, and further information regarding the purpose of the convoy’s presence in the state has not been disclosed.
A Nigerian state police spokesperson expressed regret that the convoy entered the state “without recourse to the police in the area or any security agency”.
The US said its mission in Nigeria was working with Nigerian security services to investigate the incident.
“The security of our personnel is always paramount, and we take extensive precautions when organising trips to the field,” the US State Department said.
Violence in the south-east of the country is just one of the many issues facing president-elect Bola Tinubu, who takes the helm of Africa’s most populous nation later this month.
The Member of Parliament for Asawase, Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak has blamed the defeat of 17 National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MPs) on the leadership reshuffle done by the party in parliament.
According to Muntaka, the defeat of 17 MPs in the just-ended NDC primaries is a result of the reshuffling of party leadership. He expressed concerns about the impact this loss of experience regarding the new candidates will have on the minority caucus in the upcoming parliamentary sessions.
“Now in 2023, the NPP is struggling to find its feet. They are struggling to stay above waters, and then you go and lose 17 MPs. Who do you blame? It will be very unfair if you blame the current [Minority] leadership because the primaries were announced before the coup that happened in Parliament, [and that was] very unstrategic.”
“You can do any scientific research, and it would point to you that the timing of that coup was absolutely wrong. It didn’t give the new leadership the opportunity to settle and strategize to save many more MPs,” citinewsroom.com quoted him as saying in an interview.
Muntaka added that it would be unfair to hold the current minority leadership responsible because the timing of the party primaries was announced before the unexpected changes took place in parliament.
He maintained that the timing of the parliamentary reshuffling was ill-advised, as it did not allow the new leadership enough time to settle and strategize effectively to secure more seats.
The NDC held its primaries on Saturday, May 13, 2023, which resulted in significant losses for several incumbent Members of Parliament.
Approximately 17 incumbents lost their seats to newcomers.
As part of ECG’s corporate social responsibility, the management of the Krobo District branch of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has restored some of the roads in the Somanya township in the Yilo Krobo Municipality of the Eastern Region in partnership with the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).
The workers of ECG, the GAF and the Yilo Krobo Municipal Assembly, led by the municipal chief executive (MCE), Eric Tetteh, and the acting Krobo District Manager of ECG, Christopher Apawu, worked on the roads at Djaba through Akweteman, both in the Somanya township.
They filled the portholes that were creating major problems for road users.
The Tema Region ECG Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mary Sakyiwa Mensah, who spoke to the media on behalf of the company after the work, stressed the need for roads to be maintained periodically to be more motorable, due to their usefulness to society in general, adding, “without good roads, we all suffer the consequences”.
She said the issue that came up last year between the company and the customers in the Krobo area had been resolved and there was, therefore, a cordial relationship existing between the company and its Krobo customers as the prepaid meters were installed for the customers.
She explained that currently, arrangements were being made for customers who did not get the prepaid meters to be served.
She was grateful to all the players, including the Energy Minister, the Energy Ministry, the Ghana Armed Forces, traditional authorities from both Yilo and Manya Krobo, the religious leaders, the ECG Management from the national, the region and the Krobo District, as well as the media, for various the roles they played to bring the issue to an end during the crisis.
The MCE of Yilo Krobo, Eric Tetteh, who fully participated in the event, was full of excitement for seeing the military and the ECG workers, as well as some of the assembly workers, working together on the road.
He explained that during the power crisis in the Krobo area, the citizens saw the military as people who were in to beat and brutalise them, adding: “Today, the same military persons are helping to fix our road, which is the source of my excitement”.
He lauded the ECG for sponsoring the activity which face-lifted the road in the area and added colour to the May Day event in the municipality.
Mr Tetteh said the power that ECG supplied to the customers anywhere in Ghana was bought from energy producers and he, therefore, advised the customers to ensure they paid for the power they consumed for the company to be in good business.
The MCE, however, pleaded with ECG to reduce the cost of extra meters that it was supplying to the customers in the area for them to afford the payment.
Following the death of Member of Parliament (MP) for Kumawu, Philip Basoah, residents of the area will vote in a by-election on May 23, 2023, to choose a new representative.
While everything now seems set for the election, a development in the names of two out of the four candidates who have been approved by the Electoral Commission to contest in the election has got political watchers now paying closer attention to the contest.
Prior to the announcement of the notice of poll by the EC, the contest had already generated interest as the elected candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Ernest Yaw Anim, was expected to face stiff competition in the bid of his party to retain the seat.
His closest contenders include a former member of the party in the constituency, Kwaku Duah, who chose to run independently against the deceased MP in the 2020 election.
Mr. Duah came second in the 2020 contest with a total valid vote of 11,698, representing 39.96% of the total votes, as against Mr. Basoah who won the race with 14,960 valid votes, representing 51.11% of the total votes.
Aside from having to contend with Kwaku Duah, who has also decided to contest again in the upcoming election, the NPP also has to worry about the candidate of the opposition National Democratic Congress, Kwasi Amankwah, who some believe may be able to take advantage of the situation and grab a win, even though the Kumawu Constituency is traditionally an NPP seat.
However, in what some people believe to be a move sponsored by the ruling NPP, another candidate also bearing the name Kwaku Duah has joined the contest as an independent candidate.
Relatively unknown to the electorate until the declaration of his intent to contest in the election, some critics believe the young independent candidate, who hails from Bodomase, is being sponsored by the NPP in a clever strategy to derail the prospects of the leading independent candidate.
Per the rules of the EC, independent candidates, when it comes to their appearance on the ballot paper, only have the advantage of “first come, first serve” after the position of candidates representing registered political parties is determined.
Thus, come May 23, the two Kwaku Duahs will appear in consecutive order at the bottom of the ballot paper.
Strikingly, the new Kwaku Duah chose a dove as his symbol on the ballot paper, just like the senior Kwaku Duah.
Other candidates in the race for the Kumawu by-election are candidates of the Convention People’s Party and the Liberal People’s Party, bringing the total number of contenders to six.
The Executive Director of the National Secretariat, Professor Paul Opoku-Mensah has stated that government needs 120 million dollars to complete the National Cathedral project.
Construction work on the National Cathedral has reportedly stalled for some months.
Foundation works on the multi-million dollar project have been completed and workers have been asked to leave site.
The reason for this development, according to the Executive Director of the National Secretariat is due to lack of funds.
In an exclusive interview on Adom FM’s morning show, Dwaso Nsem Tuesday, he stated that they have suspended the project to raise adequate resources to continue.
He indicated that the workers had been sent home until there is enough money to continue with work.
Professor Opoku-Mensah revealed that the pre-engineered steel and other materials for the project need to be imported but there is no money.
He noted that once they get the $120 million, the National Cathedral will be completed for commissioning in 2024.
Prof. Opoku-Mensah said given that the Cathedral Project is of historical significance to the consolidation of Christianity and also has economic value to the state, it is important for it to be pursued vigorously.
The GIHOC distilleries management has rejected attempts to remove Managing Director Maxwell Kofi Jumah.
The management maintains that its MD is managing the company efficiently.
The workers on Tuesday, May 16 staged a protest demanding the payment of salary arrears and accused the MD of mismanagement.
The workers also allege that their Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) contributions and Provident fund have been in arrears for almost a year now.
According to the workers, the fortunes of GIHOC distilleries have taken a turn for the worse under the leadership of Mr. Jumah who has been the MD of the company for six years now.
Clad in red armbands, the workers vented out their frustrations to Citi News and called on the government to immediately relieve Mr Jumah of his duties.
But the Management of the company says the allegations are untrue. Nana Kwesi Adubofour Sales Manager at GIHOC said claims of mismanagement are completely untrue adding that just 30 aggrieved workers out of over 500 workers protested.
“We have 565 workers here and if 30 of them protest against the MD then I don’t know why they are doing that, and I don’t know what they meant by mismanagement. The salary arrears are not three months, we are yet to pay last month which we will pay by next week and this month will be paid by the end of this month.”
A 21-year-old mentally challenged man, Tafari Abednego Thompson has allegedly killed his 59-year-old biological mother, Madam Mwassa Tafari.
The tragic incident happened on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 14, at Obosomase-Akuapem in the Eastern Region.
The suspect, believed to be mentally unstable, fled into the nearby bush immediately after committing the heinous crime.
Upon discovering the lifeless body of Madam Tafari, the local youth quickly organized a search party, knowing that the suspect was the only person living with the deceased.
Led by one David Yeboah, the youth combed the surrounding bush, determined to apprehend the suspect.
Eventually, they found Thompson at the boundary between Obosomase and Dodowa. Shockingly, the young man had used a metal object to inflict multiple wounds on his mother, disfiguring her face in the process.
Tunyejah Tafari Thompson, the elder brother of the suspect, disclosed that his brother had been displaying unusual behavior for the past year, causing significant troubles within the family.
Authorities have taken custody of Madam Mwassa Tafari’s body, depositing it at the Police Hospital mortuary. The police have initiated their investigation into the incident.
Two individuals have allegedly been lynched for stealing mobile phone.
The incident is said to have occurred at Beaho in the Ahanta West Municipality, Western Region, on Sunday.
The victim of the theft noticed his phone was missing. Upon confrontation, the suspects attempted to flee the scene.
However, two of the suspects were quickly apprehended by the irate youth and they were subjected to hours-long torture.
The Assembly member of the Beaho electoral area, Kenneth Obeng, who confirmed the news said they were pelted with stones and bricks to death.
The third suspect was subsequently nabbed and one of his hands was amputated.
He, however, managed to flee with his bloody hand and is still at large.
Eyewitnesses who spoke to Adom News disclosed that the area is a crime prone area, hence there is no mercy for any criminal who is caught.
Former Jamaican electoral commissioner, Paul Christopher Burke has stated that legalising cannabis in Ghana will bring huge benefits to the country.
According to him cannabis should be endorsed due to its immense therapeutic value.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday May 16, 2023 “the ignorance and superstition that surround cannabis must be killed. More focus should be placed on putting its science to the test.”
“The same way that liquor and alcohol can disorientate, so can cannabis. However, quite clearly that is only when taken-in to certain extents … medically, the positive effects is overwhelming.
“And for countries like Canada, where it has been legalised, there has not been any case which can be pointed that can back any argument against legalisation of cannabis,” Burke said.
Watch the full interview in the attached video clip below:
Destruction
Meanwhile, the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) has destroyed 50,000 kilogrammes (50 tonnes) of marijuana, worth GHC50 million, at the Bundase Military Camp in the Greater Accra Region.
The two-day destruction exercise, according to the commission, is in line with its mandate to “seize, investigate, and prosecute perpetrators, as well as destroy seized narcotic drugs” after following all legal procedures.
The commission is mandated to destroy seized narcotic drugs after conducting all necessary investigations.
A statement issued by NACOC said “the seizures mainly were made between 2021 and 2023 in the Volta Region and Eastern Region, where suspects escaped arrest while their trucks, vans, and cars were impounded at the commission’s headquarters in Accra.”
The statement said NACOC under normal circumstances “would have used an insinuator to destroy the cannabis, but due to the huge nature of the drugs,” the commission decided to resort to open-air destruction.
The commission further cautioned the general public, particularly drivers, who allow themselves to be used as couriers by smugglers, with or without their knowledge, that their vehicles used in the act will be seized.
On Saturday 13 May, a 15-year-old girl, Evelyn Agyenim Boateng lost her life been pronounced dead after a lightning struck.
The deceased was a student of Odumase Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Primary and JHS in the Sunyani West municipality.
Tenants say the sad incident occurred around 4.30pm when the deceased was preparing a meal for her family. The body has been deposited at a mortuary for preservation and autopsy, eyewitnesses said.
On a visit to the deceased’s family house, her father, Kwadwo Owusu Aduomi, could not control his tears as he narrated the story to the Ghana News Agency.
“I received a distress call that my daughter was unwell, but when I rushed to the hospital, I saw her body lying prostrate at the mortuary with multiple bruises around the breast area,” Aduomi said.
The police are also investigating the case.
Three individuals have been killed in a tragic accident which involved a tricycle and a truck at Adukrom-Akuapem in the Okere District, Eastern region.
The crash occurred on the 16th of May 2023 at about 7:am near the waterworks junction area.
According to an eyewitness, the tricycle locally known as “Aboboya” was loaded with concrete land demarcation pillars descending from Adukrom towards Aseseeso but reportedly failed brake and collided with a Kia truck with registration number GE 7984 coming from the opposite direction.
The two persons aboard the tricycle died instantly but the rider died upon arrival at the Tetteh Quarshie Memorial Hospital where eight other victims were rushed to for emergency care.
Assemblymember for Adukrom- Methodist electoral area Hon Ebenezer Obiri Asare, explained that a total of twelve(12) victims were involved.
Five were in the tricycle while seven were in the Kia truck.
He said fire Service personnel, police and civilians worked together to retrieve the bodies and manage the accident situation.
“We were following the tricycle but when it reached Adukrom water works it crashed into the driver’s side of the Kia. The tricycle was descending with speed it seems there was a brake failure. So two of the five persons on the tricycle died instantly while the other three were rushed to hospital. We are told the rider popularly known as Enkase also couldn’t survive.”
The Progressive People’s Party (PPP) has said that it will win the 2024 general election.
According to the National Chairman of the party, Nana Ofori Owusu, the only credible alternative political party, it was working on the ground to ensure that the electorates gave the party the mandate to form the next government in 2025.
In an interview with the media, Nana Owusu has, therefore, assured that the party would soon come out with dates for the election of its officers from the constituencies through region to national.
Activities
Subsequent to that, he said the election of parliamentary and presidential candidates would be conducted before the 2024 general election.
Currently, the PPP National Chairman said, the registration of all members in the party is near completion.
“We, therefore, urge the general public interested in change in the country’s governance to join the PPP by registering through our digital platforms such as WhatsApp number – 0503517348 or visit any of our offices nearby for registration,” he said.
He described the party’s membership drive as impressive and expressed the hope that many more would register to become party members.
Policies
Nana Owusu said the party has the best alternative policies and solutions to resolve the current economic challenges faced by the country and for the general well-being of the citizenry.
He, therefore, appealed to Ghanaians to look no further than to the PPP to break the dominance of the two main political parties, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and National Democratic Congress (NDC), that have had the opportunity to govern this country but have not been able to maximise the natural resources of the country for the benefit of the citizenry.
Nana Owusu urged Ghanaians to vote for the PPP, which is the only alternative to breathe some life into the economy for the benefit of all Ghanaians, and not a privileged few.
“It is our duty as citizens to work towards electing the best leaders to steer the affairs of this country into development.
It is also our collective responsibility to stand to the challenges in order to achieve our goal of winning the 2024 elections as an alternative political party,” the PPP National Chairman stated.
Director of Communications for the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Richard Ahiagbah, has stated that the newly-elected flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, will not keep his pledges if elected president in 2024.
According to him, Mr Mahama’s victory speech delivered after the NDC’s presidential and parliamentary primaries, was unconvincing and an attempt to whitewash his under-performance during his tenure in government.
“Everything the former president said yesterday [Monday] cannot be trusted. Nobody will be able to hang their hat on it. Because if you measure his performance in the past and what he’s saying, you ask the simple question, why didn’t he do these things the first time?” Ahiagbah stated while speaking journalists on Tuesday.
Mr Mahama on Monday, May 15, officially addressed party members and the nation at large, outlining some of the plans and policies he intends to implement if he wins the 2024 election.
Among other things, the former president promised to speed up investigations into the killing of late journalist, Ahmed Suale to ensure that justice is served.
But Mr. Ahiagbah says based on the history of previous killings that were not fully dealt with under Mahama, he cannot be trusted on this promise.
“Under him [John Mahama] J. B Dankwa died. Samuel Ennin died under him. Now suddenly he’s able to investigate the death of Ahmed Suale. What happened to Ennin? What about J.B. Danquah’s death? Why was it not investigated if it was that simple to just investigate that in a broad stroke?” Mr Ahiagbah quizzed.
It is unclear if Mr. Ahiagbah’s mention of Samuel Ennin was in reference to the late Ashanti Regional Chairman of the Ghana Journalists Association, who was killed in 2007 under the administration of former President John Agyekum Kufuor. Meanwhile.
Mr Mahama also promised to reinstate the licenses of some of the banks that were ‘unjustly’ revoked by the NPP government.
But Mr. Ahiagbah does not think the former President can keep this promise either.
Speaking on the same show, the special aide to former president John Mahama, Joyce Bawah Mogtari advised that the NPP communicator be disregarded.
She said the NPP is only on an endless mission to taint Mr Mahama’s reputation.
“We live in a government that has failed entirely to deliver on any promise they ever made to the good people of Ghana. He [Richard Ahiagbah literally speaks from the left and right of his mouth, and I think all he thinks about is how to make President Mahama look and sound unconvincing,” she said.
Madam Mogtari stressed that the NDC was much better at running the country since they fulfilled most promises made to Ghanaians.
“We are actually where we are, and we have so many Ghanaians, young and old, who are listening and paying rapt attention, who are actually watching and waiting to see just what Mr Mahama has to offer tells you one thing; that Mr Mahama has proven himself resilient enough.
“Mr Mahama has had occasion to indicate that he didn’t say that everything was perfect under his watch. But, go back and search the Corruption Perception Index. We were doing much better. Go and check the press freedom. We were doing much better.
“Check the Ghana Integrity Initiative report. We were doing much better. In terms of even your media freedom, we were doing much better. In terms of tolerance, taking responsibility, leadership, and equity we were doing much better,” she noted.
Meanwhile, a Political Marketing Strategist, Dr. Tutu Boahene says the results of the just-ended NDC primaries indicated that John Dramani has improved his support base.
“When you check the statistics, not just the percentage, which is the 98.9%, but the various constituencies and the numbers that were coming, he [John Mahama], has actually gathered a lot of support in some of these areas. In fact, for you to get an absolute figure of about 2,880 from Ashiaman, that is very powerful.
“And even though we know that Ashiaman is a strong area for the NDC, it tells you that the delegates went for him. And if the voting pattern in these areas is anything to go by in terms of the representation on the ground, then obviously we would expect that it is going to be a straight win probably for the NDC come 2024,” he said.
Staff at GIHOC Distilleries Limited in Accra are requesting that the Managing Director, Maxwell Kofi Jumah, be immediately sacked for poor performance.
The workers who embarked on a protest at the premises of the company amidst heavy police presence on Tuesday, May 16 insist that their salaries have been in arrears for the past three months.
They also allege that their Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) contributions and Provident fund have been in arrears for almost a year now.
According to the workers, the fortunes of GIHOC distilleries have taken a turn for the worse under the leadership of Mr. Jumah who has been the MD of the company for six years now.
Clad in red armbands, the workers vented out their frustrations to Citi Business News and called on the government to immediately relieve him of his duties.
“The workers cannot produce raw materials, neither is the company able to pay workers, provident fund, and SSNIT for almost a year. Earnings and salaries hardly come, As I speak to you about three months’ salaries haven’t come. There are several other concerns, goods are sold and monies don’t go to the company’s account,” a worker told Citi Business News.
A five-year Water Energy Food Programme (WEFP) programme to solve the country’s rice seed deficit has been launched by the Korea Partnership for Innovation of Agriculture (KOPIA) and Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
Under the project, 100 hectares of farmlands would be mechanised and supported with irrigation to produce 1200 tons of quality rice seeds annually which would be distributed to 12,000 farmers across the country for free.
At the launch of the project yesterday, the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Ghana, Lim Jung -Taek indicated that in preparation for the smooth take off of the project, a rice seed warehouse had been inaugurated at Dawhenya to help operations.
“We expect that the new warehouse with a storage capacity of 78,000 bags of rice seeds would make a big difference by storing the good quality rice seeds for farmers,” he said.
The event brought together representatives from the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI) and rice production enthusiasts from Kenya ,Senegal ,The Gambia, Guinea, Cameroun and Uganda.
Mr Jung–Taek indicated that six high-yield rice varieties and been developed for the project and it would be complemented with effective agricultural mechanisation to yield the results.
“We have developed six high-yield rice varieties for the project and as you are all aware, high-yield rice varieties and agricultural mechanisation are crucial steps in boosting rice production and achieving greater self-sufficiency in Ghana,” the Ambassador noted.
The Minister of Food and Agriculture ,Bryan Acheampong, who was a special guest at the event, expressed his excitement about the project and gave a firm assurance of Ghana’s support for the project.
The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey, said given the importance of the seed industry, it was important to prioritise seed certification globally to ensure that farmers accessed only high quality, genetically pure seeds ,free from diseases and adaptable to the local environment.
“The uninterrupted distribution of quality seed is crucial to ensure that farmers have access to them through all seasons,” he said, further emphasising that the seed industry played an important role in food security, poverty reduction and economic development.
Mr Quartey expressed concern about challenges the rice value chain faced due to lack of quality seed certification and distribution in Africa.
“This could be attributed to lack of investment in research and development, owing to the fact that many African countries have limited resources to invest in Agriculture research, making us rely on external sources for new seed varieties “, he stated .
The minister thus called for investment in the local research institutions by both government and the private sector, to develop new seed varieties that are adaptable to local conditions.
Political Communications Lecturer at UniMAC-GIJ, Dr. Paul Ezuah, has asked flagbearer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Mahama to go gently with the promises he’s making ahead of 2024 general elections.
The former President in his victory speech on Monday reiterated a litany of promises he says he wants Ghanaians to hold him to if they vote him to become President in 2025.
Mr Mahama among others, promised to run the leanest but most efficient government under the fourth republic by appointing not more than 60 ministers and deputy ministers. Work to abolish the payment of Ex-gratia and cut out waste and ostentation in Government.
He also promised to give anti-corruption state institutions unfettered space to operate – The days of the Clearing agent must come to an end on January 07, 2025.
Speaking to Starr News, Dr. Paul Ezuah said even though this is to be expected in political seasons, John Mahama should hasten slowly given a recent history of unfulfilled promises.
“Looking at how he spoke about the whole thing, it is good. But let us be mindful that we are in Ghana where we have in the past had promises being made everywhere and very little is fulfilled. So for me, I will advise that he’ll hasten slowly as far as promises are concerned because we have the benefit of hindsight and we also know what has happened before even in the NDC and NPP.”
“The electorate in Ghana do not really fancy promises, they want the work to be done for them to see that the right thing is being done. So, on one hand, I will say that it’s good but he should tone down a bit on the promises because if he doesn’t fulfill it, it will be counter-productive as far as the 2024 election is concerned,” Dr. Paul Ezuah added.
Former President, John Dramani Mahama has stated that former finance minister Dr Kwabena Duffuor, has congratulated him on his victory in the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) just ended presidential primaries.
He also said Mr Kojo Bonsu has also done the same thing.
Mr Mahama tweeted “Both Dr. Kwabena Duffour and Kojo Bonsu have called to congratulate me for my 98.9% victory in Saturday’s presidential primaries. The contest is over. Cooperation is what we need to build #TheGhanaWeWant.”
Both Dr. Kwabena Duffour and Kojo Bonsu have called to congratulate me for my 98.9% victory in Saturday’s presidential primaries.
The contest is over. Cooperation is what we need to build #TheGhanaWeWant. pic.twitter.com/hHdBojfca6
— John Dramani Mahama (@JDMahama) May 16, 2023
Mr Mahama polled 297,603 representing 98.9% of the total valid votes emerging as the flagbearer-elect of the NDC while his contender Kojo Bonsu managed to 3,181 representing 1.1% of the total votes.
Mr Kojo Bonsu congratulated him even before the official declaration by the Electoral Commission (EC).
“I have placed a call to H.E John Dramani Mahama to congratulate him for the landslide victory. Just as I have indicated throughout my campaign, regardless of the outcome of this election, I will continue to serve the NDC party, thank you” he tweeted.
Dr Kwabena Duffuor withdrew from the race on Friday, May 12 after stating that “My concerns that the party is not ready to conduct free and fair election is evident for all to see. Taking part in such would be akin to knowingly drinking from a poisoned calabash.
“After consulting with my support base nationwide, I have been left with no choice but to withdraw from the Presidential election as I cannot contest in an election which is blatantly fraught with irregularities regardless of all my efforts to draw attention to same.”
The leadership of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Ashanti Region has said that it will meet with the defeated Parliamentary aspirant for Ejura-Sekyedumase who was captured in a viral video showering cash during the party’s parliamentary and presidential primaries.
Even before the invitation from the party, the former aspirant, Juliana Kinang -Wassan had been summoned to appear before the office of the Special Prosecutor to answer some questions.
Citi News has learned that the meeting by the party’s leadership with the former aspirant will seek to point out what the constitution of the party says about her conduct.
Madam Kinang-Wassan was seen in a widely circulated video raining cash on delegates, party supporters, and bystanders upon arrival at the voting centre at Ejura on Saturday.
Her conduct caused a major stir at the voting centre with voters abandoning voting booths to grab a note from the MP aspirant.
The notes ranged from as low as 5 Ghana cedis to as high as GH¢100 notes.
Her conduct has been severely condemned by a section of the public with some calling on her to be sanctioned by the party.
An eight-year-old baby boy has given up the ghost after drinking a contaminated palm wine.
The incident occurred at Awutu Bantama in the Awutu Senya West District of the Central Region.
The boy known as Agya Kwao died after drinking the substance from the farm of a palm wine tapper who allegedly poisoned the substance after he suspected that some persons have been stealing from him.
Auntie of the deceased, Mercy Acquah says she saw the boy screaming for help and was rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead a few hours later.
“I was home when I had a call to come and see my nephew. I got there, and I saw him drunk and unconscious. We rushed him to the hospital, and it was detected that he had taken poison. We tried forcing him to vomit the poison, but it didn’t work. He died a few hours later. The police came for the sample and detected it was poisonous.”
The suspect has been arrested by the Awutu Bereku Police Command assisting with investigation.
A disqualified National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer aspirant, Kojo Bonsu, has urged party members to work together in order to support the mission to save Ghana from the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
The former Kumasi Mayor who failed in his bid to become the flagbearer of the opposition NDC said former President John Mahama’s landslide victory is a clear warning to the ruling government that the NDC together with millions of disappointed floating voters shall cause change at the polls in December 2024.
Mr Bonsu also called on Dr. Kwabena Duffour who withdrew from the flagbearership contest to consider the great value he adds and to join forces with the party to wrestle power from the nation-wrecking NPP.
“Now that our elections are over, first, I wish to congratulate H.E John Dramani Mahama for emerging victorious at the end of the day. His landslide victory is a resounding and clear warning the ruling government that the NDC together with millions of disappointed floating voters shall cause change at the polls in December 2024
“I also call on my senior comrade. Dr. Kwabena Duffour to consider the great value he adds and join forces with the party for us all to wrestle power from the nation-wrecking NPP.
“Regardless of the circumstances surrounding the electioneering process and the outcome of the election itself, we must now all join the rescue mission of liberating our mother Ghana from the modern-day imperialism and colonialism practiced in a benevolent democracy under this NPP government.
“What is ahead of us is far bigger than any spilled milk. We cannot afford to lose any single effort going into the 2024 general elections and we must be relentless in our united pursuit of victory. Together, we shall be invincible.”
She said inhaling mosquito coil smoke and other materials burned to either kill or repel insects could cause lung disease.
She made the remarks while discussing malaria at the weekly “Your Health! Our Collective Responsibility,” a Ghana News Agency Tema Regional Office initiative aimed at promoting health-related communication and providing a platform for health information dissemination to influence personal health choices through improved health literacy.
The Ghana News Agency’s Tema Regional Office established the public health advocacy platform “Your Health! Our Collective Responsibility” to investigate the elements of four health communication approaches: informing, instructing, persuading, and promoting.Dr. Mrs. Hanson advised lighting the coil, leaving it in the room for at least 30 minutes, and turning it off before going to bed.
She urged the public to consider sleeping under treated mosquito nets rather than in a room full of coil smoke to avoid contracting other ailments while fighting malaria.
The IMaH Medical Doctor stated that mosquito breeding areas should be cleaned, and that insecticides and repellents should be utilised as some methods to prevent mosquito bites.
She stated that while Ghana was doing well in the fight against malaria, the public must still do their share to help the country achieve a zero-malaria rate.According to Dr. Mrs. Hanson, the Tema West Municipality has reached the malaria pre-elimination stage, which indicates that less than five percent of Out Patient Department cases are seen in the municipality.
She also stated that the nationwide prevalence of malaria has fallen from 38 percent in 2012 to 98 percent in 2022.According to Mr. Francis Ameyibor, Regional Manager of Ghana News Agency Tema, “Your Health! Our Collective Responsibility” is part of a collaborative effort to establish a means of disseminating health information to influence individual health decisions by increasing health literacy.
According to Mr. Ameyibor, the health of parents should be a priority for children, as should the health of employees and employers, as well as the public and health professionals.
The weekly health debate platform, according to Mr. Ameyibor, will also be used as a useful channel of communication for health specialists to educate the public about healthy behaviours and other general health concerns.
Note: This essay includes discussions of self-harm and suicidal ideation.
My daughter, who is now a 28-year-old therapist leading a happy and productive life, almost didn’t make it to adulthood due to mental illness.
Faith was 9 years old the first time she threatened to hurt herself with a knife. It was the spring of 2004 and my husband and I were watching “The Sopranos” when Faith came downstairs after bedtime, grabbed a paring knife from the kitchen counter and stood between the paused TV and us. Tony Soprano was frozen on the screen behind her, a forkful of pasta halfway to his mouth. He looked as dumbfounded as I felt.
“I’m a terrible person,” Faith said as she squeezed the handle of the knife.
My whole body tensed.
Her teacher had called that afternoon to tell me that Faith and her friends played a mean trick on the new girl in their third grade class.
“You’re not a terrible person,” I said. “You did something that wasn’t kind or respectful, and it’s normal to feel bad about that. But you’re not a terrible person.”
She scratched the point of the blade across her palm ― not hard enough to do anything, but still.
“Faithy, why don’t you put down that knife,” my husband said.
“I like it,” she said.
“Give me the knife.” I held out my hand but did not get off the sofa. Faith was small, but strong and unpredictable.
She looked at me with eyes that were both fierce and desperate. She didn’t move. She was just a little girl. She wore tie-dyed pajamas with chicks on them. Her long brown hair was damp from the shower. Her chest rose up and down as she breathed, and I found myself matching her, breath for breath.’
Faith, age 14 in 2009, at a program in Hawaii called Pacific Quest. “Though located in paradise, it was anything but,” the author writes. “Here she is washing her clothes on a washboard.”
Courtesy of Brenda Ferber
“Faithy,” I said, softening my tone. “Do you want to maybe see a therapist?”
Her shoulders relaxed and she nodded. She took three steps toward us, handed me the knife, and fell into our arms.
Over the next eight years ― hampered by questions like “Is this just a phase?” “Are we helicoptering?” and “Can we afford this?” ― we took Faith to social workers, psychologists and psychiatrists. She tried medications that didn’t help. She spent five days in an adolescent behavior wing of our local hospital, where she became aware of the problems caused by her aggressive communication. She attended a wilderness therapy program in Hawaii for two months and learned to nurture herself like her seedlings in the nursery there. She went to a therapeutic boarding school in Montana for three weeks. That place was such a disaster, the only thing Faith learned was that if she shouted loudly and clearly enough, we would always come to her rescue.
All along, even while Faith was sending out nude photos of her teenage body, harming herself to dull her emotional pain and fighting the urge to die, she excelled at school, sports and friendships. Her smile lit the room. Her enthusiasm and energy were contagious. She charmed every kid, adult and animal she met.
My husband and I were confused, stressed, often overwhelmed. We knew that the very traits that were making childhood and adolescence so difficult for our daughter — her intensity, sensitivity and passion — would someday make her an extraordinary adult. There’d be no stopping Faith… if we could get her to adulthood alive.
“Use your powers for good,” we told Faith again and again.
Faith, age 17 in 2011. “Depression doesn’t always look sad,” the author writes. “Only a few months after this photo was taken, Faith was telling the author she wanted to end her life.”
Faith, age 17 in 2011. “Depression doesn’t always look sad,” the author writes. “Only a few months after this photo was taken, Faith was telling the author she wanted to end her life.”
Courtesy of Brenda Ferber
One day in 2012, when Faith was 17, she squeezed in next to me on the sofa in our living room. I was reading a book, our dog nestled at my feet. My daughter looked more depleted than ever. She’d recently been kicked out of her elite boarding school, considered too promiscuous and emotionally fragile to be part of their community. She was back at our local public school with kids who didn’t understand her and a softball team that didn’t want her. She’d blown the last semester, getting all D’s and a sympathy A from her math teacher.
The reality of her situation had set in, and she was depressed in a way I hadn’t seen before. There was no mania or anger fueling her depression, just a weary hopelessness, a soul-sucking resignation.
“Things will get better,” I said.
“No. Don’t say that. They won’t.”
For years, I’d been telling Faith this, reminding her she was strong and resilient. For years, I’d listened and comforted and sometimes yelled and screamed. All along, I had tried to shape my daughter into the person I thought she could be. The person I wanted her to be. The person I wished she could be. That person was not “mentally ill,” but rather a tough teen who would grow out of her issues with the right help. And yet, here we were. Clearly, my optimism and hope for my child, combined with the stigma and fear of mental illness, had kept me from accepting the truth for far too long.
Faith stroked our pup’s silky fur. She kept her head down and said, “You’re going to be OK, though. When I die. You’ll get over it.”
I took a breath. “Faith. I won’t.”
“Mom. Kids die all the time. If I had cancer and died, you’d get over it. You’d move on.”
“No. You don’t understand. I’d never get over it. And besides, you don’t have cancer. If you had cancer, I’d try every single thing to cure you. Western medicine. Eastern medicine. Everything in between.”
She met my eyes. “But then, if you tried it all and I was still sick, you’d let me die, right?”
The author enjoying a snuggle on the sofa with Faith and their pup at home in Deerfield, Illinois. “This photo is from 2012, a few months after Faith’s energy healing,” the author writes.
The author enjoying a snuggle on the sofa with Faith and their pup at home in Deerfield, Illinois. “This photo is from 2012, a few months after Faith’s energy healing,” the author writes.
Courtesy of Brenda Ferber
She was right, I would. But this wasn’t cancer. Or was it? What was the difference, really? This depression was killing her, surely as a malignant tumor.
I thought back to one afternoon when Faith was six weeks old, and I was putting her down for a nap. She was crying uncontrollably, and I was a sleep-deprived new mom. Faith wasn’t wet or hungry, hot or cold. She was simply inconsolable. I stood there, rocking her in my arms, back and forth, back and forth, willing her to stop crying and go to sleep. Please, I prayed, I needed this nap.
She didn’t let up. My movements became bigger and stronger, swinging her really. And then, all of a sudden, I thought about whipping her to the floor. If I threw Faith to the ground, the crying would stop, right?
Right.
I didn’t throw her to the ground. Instead, I held her tighter as I fell into the rocking chair and sobbed. She snuggled into me, and the two of us cried together, connected in our misery.
That traumatic moment still haunted me. I was terrified by the power I had to hurt my child, frightened by how her strong emotions could provoke such desperation in me. But perhaps I was missing the point. I hadn’t hurt Faith when she was an infant. In fact, I’d done exactly what she needed: I cried with her. She had these big emotions that might not have made sense, but I was there with her. I held her until they passed. And I kept holding her.
I looked at my daughter snuggled next to me on the sofa, devoid of expression, beaten down to a shadow of herself. Maybe, all the years of trying to shape Faith into a person who didn’t struggle under the grip of mental illness had been a mistake. Maybe, telling a person that things will get better is not always what they need to hear. Maybe, what I should have been doing was what I’d done when Faith was six weeks old: be there with her in her pain.
Fear had prevented me from doing that ― fear of losing Faith to madness, to suicide. But I finally understood my fear was not stopping that from happening. All it did was keep me from empathizing when my daughter desperately needed it. I had to find courage. I had to validate what Faith was experiencing, even if that meant embracing the possibility of losing her.
So I did.
The author and Faith at a family wedding in 2021.
Courtesy of Brenda Ferber
I said, “OK, I hear you. If we try everything else, and you still feel this bad, you can end your life.”
Faith took a deep breath. With those words, she was no longer alone. I had metaphorically fallen into the rocking chair and cried with her. She knew I would hold her for as long as it took.
I don’t normally tell people about that conversation, because it’s so easily misunderstood. It sounds horrific ― something a mother should never and would never say. I would have done anything to save Faith’s life. I didn’t want her to die by suicide. And yet, those are the words that tumbled out of my mouth.
One of my close friends told me it wasn’t horrific at all ― it was a radical act of love. That’s how I like to think about it. Because what those words conveyed to Faith was that I understood the depth of her pain. That what she was feeling was real. That I was right there, by her side. That we would try everything under the sun to help her.
Suicide is horrifying. We don’t know how to talk about it, so we often shy away from the topic altogether. Or we tell our loved one not to think that way. What does that do, other than invalidate them in their loneliest, most hopeless moment? The truth is, withholding my permission would not have stopped Faith from dying by suicide if that’s what she were determined to do. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, someone dies by suicide every 11 minutes. I have to believe most of those people had loved ones who were urging them to hold on a bit longer, telling them things would get better.
If I could redo that conversation with Faith when she was 17, I’d say: I hear you. You’ve been in pain for years, and you deserve relief. I’m grateful for your courage to let me know what you’re feeling. I’m in awe of your resilience, and I see how exhausted you are, even though you’re so strong. I’d ask her if she had a plan. I’d ask her if she had what she needed to carry out the plan. I’d ask her if she had a time frame for when it would happen. I’d ask every scary question in a calm, nonjudgmental way, and I’d keep on listening and validating and loving.
Courtesy of Brenda Ferber
We like to think we have control over how our kids turn out. But our kids are who they are. We can model our values for them. But the job of parenting isn’t to shape our kids into the happy and competent adults we want them to be. It’s to discover who they are. To love and accept them fully, even if that means accepting their mental illness ― not as a phase, but as another aspect of their life. By discovering, accepting and loving, we give our kids the ability to shape themselves into happy and competent adults.
What happened after this conversation in 2012? My daughter felt heard and understood. She tried Western medicine. Eastern medicine. Everything in between. Energy healing and a new medication did the trick. Something shifted. Faith found a way to go on. She’s 28 now and she manages her mental health every day. She has her master’s degree in social work, and she works as a therapist. Things did get better for Faith ― not because I said they would, but because Faith made it so. And let me be clear, she still has a mental illness. But for now, it’s under control.
As for me, I became a crisis counselor for Crisis Text Line. I give strangers all over the world the empathy and validation they need to get through their darkest moments. My daughter taught me how.
At my mother’s funeral, I discovered that she was a cult leader. Without telling me, she’d started her own religion, a mashup of Judaism, Jesus and herself.
Those who believed in her called her “Momma.” She and her husband conducted services in a triple-wide mobile home on their property.
She told her followers who to marry and what jobs to pursue. She gave them new names. She was their Solomon in Southern drag.
As I entered the triple-wide’s room of worship, I detected a few double takes from the followers. The air became electric around me.
People twisted in their folding chairs to behold a version of my mother’s face and halo of white, fluffy hair. It felt like I could seize control in the moment as my mother’s reincarnation.
I ignored their stares, walked down the middle aisle and perched on a hard chair in the front row. My husband sat by my side and squeezed my hand. I felt the laser gaze of her followers on my back.
On the dais lay tallises, white strips of cloth adorned with blue Stars of David. A painting of Jesus stood on top of one of the Jewish prayer shawls.
My mother’s husband, whom the true believers called “Daddy,” loomed from an enormous carved chair on the stage in the front of the room.
He cleared his throat, and the congregants sang what he deemed my mother’s favorite song. It was a peppy little ditty with a chorus praising Jesus.
After the ceremony, while my husband headed to the coffee urn, the followers buzzed around me.
One, a pretty middle-aged woman, told me my mother was so proud of the businesswoman I’d become.
Another waited her turn to talk to me. When it was just the two of us, she grabbed my hands and leaned in. I could smell the too-sweet scent of her hair.
“You really hurt your mother,” she said. I tried to pull my hands from hers but she only grasped tighter. “And I curse you. Every year on her death, on Mother’s Day, I will go to her grave and curse you.” I scanned the room looking for my husband. I caught his eye, and he swam against the crowd to my side.
Before dropping my hands, she said, “Every bad thing that happens to you is because of those curses.” Then she disappeared out the triple-wide’s door.
I stood there in shock. My husband ushered me outside and into our rental car. A couple of weeks later, my brother called me about the will.
It began with “I have two natural born children, neither of whom are my inheritors.” Then she left my brother a little chunk of change.
Before becoming a cult leader, my mother was a model with long, shapely legs. She drew people into her web with a red, lipsticked smile — close enough to be caught by her charm, but not close enough to see under the spackle.
I had an overbite and won awards: spelling bees, science fairs, even tallest student. (In third grade, I convinced the beanstalk in front of me that I was taller and took her place at the front of the line.) But none of these accolades would draw my mother’s attention away from her mirror.
I did know how to get her negative attention, though. Once, when I was a teenager, we stood screaming at each other in her bathroom.
“You are a child of the devil,” she hissed, her syrupy Southern accent stripped away. “I’ll never love you as much as your brother.”
I pushed her, too angry to reply. She lost her balance and slammed into the bathtub. The shame I felt overwhelmed me. We never talked about it.
At 40, I’d had enough and told my mother not to contact me. After 16 years without hearing her voice, my brother called. She was deep in dementia. And dying. Would I talk to her one last time? I thought about who I wanted to be. I didn’t want to be someone who couldn’t forgive.
Her husband answered.
“Hi,” he said. “Let me get your mom.”
The phone changed hands. “Yeeess?” she said. Her voice was spidery, but it was still her voice. The lump in my throat grew at the sound of it.
“Ma.” I heard her breathing. “I want to wish you a good journey to wherever it is you are going. And to tell you what I appreciated about you being my mother.”
“Yeeess.”
I wasn’t sure she understood what I was saying. I read her my thank-you list, the paper trembling in my hands. Thanks for the hand-drawn cartoons she hid under the PB&J sandwich in my lunchbox when I was a kid. For being able to talk to strangers, as I learned by watching her in the grocery line at the Piggly Wiggly. And for teaching me how to read and my love of reading, which has saved me over and over throughout my life. When I finished, we both just breathed.
“I love you, Ma,” I said.
Suddenly the air stilled. It was as if my mother was emerging from underwater.
“I love you,” she said.
My mother died the next day. On Mother’s Day.
Years before her death, before I cut off contact with her, our phone chats had the power to send me to the orange velour couch I’d dragged with me to the other coast after college. It was my adult blankie.
“I’ve met the most beautiful maaan,” she said during one of those calls. She drew out the vowels as if she were gliding down a spiral staircase.
This was news to me. She had left my father less than six months earlier.
My mother’s honeyed accent, whispery in my ear, grated on me. She’d grown up in New Jersey in an Orthodox Jewish home. Her transformation into a Southern belle started when I was a child and we moved to Georgia. First, it was the accent. Then, it was changing her hair color from Northeast black to bombshell blond. The one constant was her ability to shape-shift — especially around men.
The thick falsetto of her voice coated me over the airwaves. I felt my gut tighten. “He really is the most handsome maaan. He’s tall. He’s good with his hands.” She made a throaty sound full of desire. I wasn’t her girlfriend. Why was she talking to me this way?
I hung up. The calls kept coming every few days about her magical mystery man.
Later, I found out the identity of the handsome man — not through her, but through my brother. My brother had stood waiting for her on the porch of our family home to help her move out. When our mother finally drove up, my brother was surprised to see her business partner behind the wheel.
Our father appeared on the porch and barred the front door. He pointed a damning finger at the business partner.
“You can come in,” he called to my mother, “but not him. He’s not welcome here.”
Eventually my mother did the big reveal: She’d married the business partner — who was to become Daddy to her followers, but never to me.
I watched my wedding ring sparkle as I drummed my fingers on the arm of the couch. By this time, I’d married, and moved as far away from her as I could while still being in the same country (excluding Hawaii). Our contact was a phone call every few weeks.
“I saw the most beautiful maaan,” she began. I sighed. Wasn’t she happily remarried?
“He came down through my bedroom ceiling.”
Wait, what? I wondered when my husband would be home so I could grab the tether of his sanity.
“What are you talking about, Ma?” I stroked the orange velour on the couch first in one direction, then the next.
Apparently, the man floated down and hovered over her in bed. His long, wavy brown hair blew in an invisible wind. His white robe, cinched at the waist, revealed a trim figure. He gave her a look of pure love that warmed her in all the right places.
“It was Jesus,” she said a bit primly, as if I should have known.
I had a million questions. The biggest one being, how does a Jewish Southern belle from New Jersey meet Jesus in her bedroom? I never asked her that question. I did ask her: If Hitler had accepted Jesus on his deathbed, would he go to heaven?
The voice undulating over the phone said, “Yeeess.” My gut tightened.
“And if a righteous rabbi doesn’t accept Jesus, he’s going to hell?” I was now speaking to her from the kitchen, pacing, grasping the phone so hard it could break.
My mother answered in the affirmative. I had no idea then that she would start collecting true believers who gave her the adoration she sought in the mirror and couldn’t find in me.
Mother’s Day is almost here. I think of her follower, the woman who cursed me, kneeling at Ma’s grave with a dozen roses cradled in her arms. She stands up, muttering vile words. Will I hear them in my dreams?
My heart hurts imagining what my mother must have said about me to fuel the curse.
In Judaism, when you visit the dead, you leave a rock on top of the headstone. Rock upon rock. Roses fade, but rocks can endure through time — portable, visible signs that the person was loved.
I now know my love for my mother is like a rock that can be infinitely broken — even with a hammer from beyond the grave — but that will never entirely disappear.
And with that never-ending love, I realize her follower doesn’t need to curse me on Mother’s Day. The true curse is that there will always be a jagged sliver of love for my mother wedged into my heart, like a ghost who never leaves. Like a rock on a headstone.
Source: Bliss Goldstein via huffpost.com
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama, has indicated that if he is elected the next president of Ghana he will ensure that ministers and other appointees are exempted from ex-gratia.
The former president during his acceptance speech after his election as the flagbearer of the NDC, said he will not repeat the mistakes of the NPP government.
He said he will not bloat his government size.
Speaking at the University for Development Studies (UDS) in Tamale, Mr. Mahama said he will appoint less than 60 ministers in his next government to protect the public purse.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, our nation is still at the crossroads with crippling debt, and an inefficient and wasteful government. We cannot continue this pathway. It is a betrayal of the people, as a leader, to keep doing things the same way when the results leave them poorer”.
“I am committed to operating an effective government with not more than sixty (60) ministers. These Ministers together with other appointees of the government will not be entitled to ex-gratia payments after their tenure, as they will commit to that undertaking even before the necessary constitutional amendments, including a review of the controversial Article 71.”
Mr. Mahama in March 2023, during his campaign launch at the Cedi auditorium at the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) in Ho in the Volta Region first disclosed his decision to assemble not more than sixty ministers and deputies should he win the 2024 presidential elections.
The Rotational Nurses and Midwives Association has asked the government to pay allowances due them or face their wrath.
The group says the failure of the government to pay their allowances is causing severe hardship for its members.
According to the group, the hardship has led to the demise of one of its members Paul Dodzi.
The deceased Rotational Nurse is reported to have allegedly taken his own life at Asankragua in the Western Region because of hardship.
According to the association, its members are yet to receive their allowances since they began serving in July 2022, after being posted by the National Service Secretariat (NSS) in June 2022.
In a statement, the group called on the government to immediately pay the rotational nurses their due allowances or face their wrath.
A financial analyst, Joe Jackson has opined that former President, John Dramani Mahama would face a difficult task in restoring the licenses of banks that, in his opinion, were unjustifiably collapsed during the Bank of Ghana (BoG) clean-up opeation.
Speaking to the media on Monday, May 15, he “It is going to be a tough one”.
However, he welcomed the promise by Mr Mahama to encourage more local participation in Ghana’s financial sector.
Mr Jackson said Ghana really needs more of the indigenous people to have active participation in the sector.
“There is something else that should excite a little about what he said. Some of us have in time past worried about the concentration of foreign ownership in our financial sector.
“Unfortunately, the closure of [some of the local banks] meant that the concentration of foreign ownership became higher because our local institutions have had issues with governance.
“[John Mahama] says they will be encouraged, that is a good one and I pray it happens because we definitely do need Ghanaians in the final institutions, we definitely need financial institutions that are sympathetic to the Ghanaian course but which will hold themselves to the highest standards of behaviour especially in governance,” he said while reacting to a promise by the newly-elected flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress to restore the license of the banks that unjustifiably collapsed.
Delivering his formal acceptance speech at the University of Development Studies (UDS) on Monday, May 15 after his victory as flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Saturday, May 13 he said “we shall promote robust, local participation in our banking and financial, telecommunication, tourism, mining and agric and manufacturing sectors to grow our economy and create sustainable employment for our youths.
“We will restore indigenous Ghanaian investments in the finance and banking sector and we will create a tier banking system that will serve various segments of the market.
“We will give the opportunity to experience banking hands who were laid off needlessly to secure their careers once more and move away from the menial jobs that they were compelled to take.
“As far as practicable the banking licenses that were unjustly canceled by this government will be restored.”
Some local banks collapsed when the central bank revised the minimum paid-up capital for existing banks and new entrants from GHS120 million to GHS400 million.
According to the regulator, this was to test the viability of the banks.
The banks that were unable to meet this new requirement were either merged or collapsed.
Some nine local banks, 23 savings & loans companies, 347 microfinance institutions, 39 finance houses and 53 fund management companies closed down during the exercise.
UniBank, The Sovereign Bank, The Beige Bank, Premium Bank, The Royal Bank, Heritage Bank, Construction Bank, UT Bank, Capital Bank all collapsed. Some analysts and observers criticized the BoG and the Finance Ministry over the collapse of the banks because in their views, these banks could have been saved to continue employing Ghanaians.
On Sunday, May 14, 2023, President Akufo-Addo accompanied a Ghanaian delegation on a State Visit to the Republic of Guinea-Bissau.
The visit is to honor an invitation from its President, His Excellency, Umaru Sissoco Embalo, Chairperson of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.
Also, the visit will help deepen the already strong relations that exist between the two countries, as well as explore other areas of co-operation to their mutual benefit.
Whilst in Guinea-Bissau, the President will hold bilateral talks with President Embalo; he will receive the Amilcar Cabral Medal, the highest national honour of Guinea-Bissau; deliver a lecture at the Law Faculty of the University of Amilcar Cabral; and interact with the contingent of Ghanaian soldiers stationed in Bissau, who are part of the ECOWAS Stabilisation Support Mission.
The President was accompanied by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchway, and officials from the Presidency and Foreign Ministry.
The President will return to Ghana on Tuesday, 16th May 2018, and in his absence, the Vice President, Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, shall, in accordance with Article 60(8) of the Constitution, act in his stead.
Rescue efforts are ongoing to recover the bodies of 17 individuals who have been trapped after the collapse of a mining pit at Korle Teye Takorso in the Birim North District of the Eastern Region.
The victims are said to be constructors who were working on the pit.
According to reports, out of 9 persons who were rescued from the debris moments after the collapse, 7 have been confirmed dead leaving 2 alive.
It is unclear what caused the collapse of the pit, but some community members suggest the heavy rainfall recorded in most parts of the country on Monday [May 15] is a contributing factor.
According to reports, the rescue operation is currently being led by the locals and other miners in the area who chased out journalists who went to the scene to cover the unfortunate incident.
The retrieved bodies have since been deposited at the morgue after a local ambulance was called in by the miners.
On Monday, May 15, 2023, the office of the United States Attorney announced that Ghanaian social media influencer, Mona Faiz Montrage, also known as Hajia4Reall, is officially the subject of a six-count prosecution in a Manhattan Federal Court.
The socialite was extradited from the United Kingdom to the US for allegedly swindling older, single American men and women in a romance scam to the tune of over US$2 million.
According to the statement, Mona4Reall appeared in court on Monday, May 15, 2023, for her alleged involvement in a series of schemes that targeted vulnerable people who lived alone.
The New York Post news portal stated that the socialite pleaded not guilty to the charges, and is set to be released in the coming days on a $500,000 bond with GPS tracking via an ankle monitor.
Her lawyer, Adam Cortez, confirmed to The Post that Mona received money from several others who were swindled by scammers in her network, and that she is charged with wire fraud, money laundering, receipt of stolen money, and conspiracy.
If convicted on the top charge, Montrage could face up to 20 years in prison.
According to court documents, she was involved with a group of con artists from West Africa from at least 2013 through 2019.
The scammers would trick victims into transferring money to them under false pretences, such as to help move gold to the US from overseas, to resolve bogus FBI investigations, and payments to help fake US Army officers in Afghanistan.
Manhattan US Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement shared by the New York Post said, “Thanks to the efforts of our law enforcement partners, Montrage was arrested abroad and has been brought to the United States to face justice. These scams can be both financially and emotionally devastating for vulnerable victims.”
Cortez said his client can only travel in certain parts of New York and New Jersey pending her case.
Read the full indictmet document as shared by the Department of Justice”
Former President John Dramani Mahama has slammed President Akufo-Addo for failing to combat corruption throughout his six-year tenure in office.
Mr Mahama told supporters of his party on Monday, May 15 that President Akufo-Addo has failed in his fight against corruption.
For him, the 5th President of the Fourth Republic no longer makes ‘corruption’ his pep topic in his public utterances.
“[This is] because corruption has defeated him hands down.”
Mr Mahama was speaking at the University of Development Studies (UDS) in Tamale, Northern Region a day after he was overwhelmingly re-elected Presidential Candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The former President polled a whopping 98.9 percent to beat Kojo Bonsu and Dr Kwabena Duffuor, who withdrew his candidature a day before the polls.
Mr Mahama said his fight against corruption will see him look further into the Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng report on the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM) if elected in 2024.
He said the report of the respected heart surgeon has opened a can of worms.
The potential four-time Presidential Candidate of the NDC suspects the current government will sweep the report under the carpet as Mr Akufo-Addo usually does.
He called him a “clearing agent”.
“We shall pursue this matter further and make sure justice is done,” he stressed on the IMCIM report penned on Friday, March 19, 2021.
Retired police chief, COP Nathan Kofi Boakye, has been sworn in as a notary public of the Supreme Court of Ghana.
Until his retirement on April 5, 2023, COP Kofi Boakye was Director-General in charge of legal and prosecution of the Ghana Police Service.
He was sworn in as a notary public together with about 90 other influential persons who are lawyers in private practice with at least 10 years of working experience with integrity.
A notary public is a person authorized by the State to, among other things, administer oaths, certify documents, attest to the authenticity of signatures and perform official acts in commercial matters, such as protecting negotiable instruments.
The popular COP Kofi Boakye was noted for his strong views on corruption and crime in Ghana while serving in office. He made several controversial arrests of public figures including musicians and politicians.
On his retirement, the Judicial Service of Ghana praised him for his dedicated and impactful service to the service through his work as a member of the Judicial Council.
Other influential persons who were sworn in by Chief Justice Anim Yeboah as notary’s public are Gabby Asare Otchere Darko of the New Patriotic Party, Prof. Kenneth Attefuah of the National Identification Authority and others.