TIG Post

Author: Phoebe Martekie Doku

  • Upper Manya Krobo records over 100 Buruli ulcer

    Upper Manya Krobo records over 100 Buruli ulcer

    According to the District Health Directorate, 40 instances of yaws and 110 Buruli ulcers have been reported in the Eastern region’s Upper Manya Krobo District between 2017 and 2022.

    Buruli ulcer Lymphatic Filariases, Onchocerciasis, trachoma, Leprosi, Yaws among others are Neglected Tropical diseases (NTDs) that prevail in impoverished communities in tropical areas.

    They are caused by pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi and toxin.

    NTDs affects more than one billion people worldwide with estimated 25 million people in Ghana at risk.

    Unfortunately, low level of awareness, poor sanitation and hygiene, and lack of access to safe water continue to increase vulnerability risk to NTDs across the country.

    Upper Manya Krobo District is one of such areas battling to curb some NTDs cases.

    Many of the patients with NTDs are dying in herbal and spiritual centers including prayer camps and shrines due to superstitious belief that the diseases are spiritual.

    A visit to Lord’s Miracles chapel International a Prayer camp in Asesewa community, observed an old man suffering from Buruli ulcer and Lymphatic Filariasis has been admitted for both herbal and spiritual treatment.

    However, his condition continue to deteriorate as the leg and penis rotting away.

    The owner of the prayer camp however said he has not prevented any of the sick people at the prayer camp from accessing medical care.

    Hagar Amankwah, Disease Control Officer for Upper Manya Krobo tells Starr News the high level of superstition among residents on NTDs is affecting effort to identify and treat cases.

    “Let me say about 90% claim it is spiritual not medical wise so they resort to the prayer camps for treatment so when we are able to get access to those places before we talk to that is not spiritual so let’s treat you. We have to talk to the managers of the camps for them to accept us because you know they also have to eat,” she said.

    A Chief in Asesewa community Nene Sipim Olesu says many families see Buruli Ulcer in particular as a shameful curse therefore patients’ with the condition are hidden by their families.

    Global targets for 2030 and milestones are set out to prevent, control, eliminate and eradicate a diverse set of 20 diseases and disease groups of NTDs.

    Meanwhile, an NGO, Ark Development Organization (ADO) in collaboration with Ghana Health Service with funding support from Anesvad Foundation have launched “Partnership for Elimination of Skin-NTDs” in some selected districts.

    Executive Director of Ark Development Organization (ADO) Emmanuel Kwarfo Mintah said the two year project which focuses on four Skin-NTDs: Buruli Ulcer, Leprosy, Yaws and Lymphatic Filiriasis will be implemented in Upper Manya Krobo, Suhum, Fanteakwa North and West Akim districts.

    “In Ghana, Neglected Tropical Diseases have been a major health challenge for years and continue to affect all aspects of our productive lives. As part of the mitigation, elimination and eradication plan, Ark Development Organization, in partnership with 4-H Ghana and Youth Aid Initiative with funding support from Anesvad Foundation and in collaboration with Ghana Health Service, District Assemblies, Traditional Leaders and other Stakeholders, come together to help reach #forgotten people in forgotten places under this project within the space of 24 months.”

    Emmanuel Kwarfo Mintah further explained that” the project is focused on improving prevention through community education, improving accessibility to healthcare services, improving community water and sanitation, and improving planning, management and monitoring of health systems to fight skin NTDs in an integrated manner. In this regard, we will be sensitizing the communities on skin NTDs to clear off myths and misconceptions and reduce stigmatization, support patients with skin NTDs to access appropriate and adequate medication and treatment, undertake training and capacity building of volunteers and beneficiaries, undertake case search and management, train unemployed skin-NTD patients with employable skills, facilitate dialogues on the provision of WASH facilities among others.”

    Upper Manya Krobo District Health Director Mrs Esther Dua Oyinka said the project will help address treatment challenges that confront the directorate.

    “For Leprosy we’ve not recorded any case since 2017 but for Buruli ulcer we recorded 110 cases from 2017 to 2022 and for Yaws we have recorded 40 cases. These are not all they are in their homes .They are in the communities. Some are attributing it to some spiritual something and people are suffering from conditions which can be effectively managed. These project will therefore help us identify more cases and address treatment challenges that we have,” Mrs. Esther Dua Oyinka said.

  • Outstanding coupons: Pensioner to picket should govt fail to fulfill its promise

    Outstanding coupons: Pensioner to picket should govt fail to fulfill its promise

    The pensioners bondholders have vowed to picket again should government fail to pay outstanding coupons by April 28, 2023 as promised by goverment.

    The forum in a statement signed by its Convener, Dr. Adu Anane Antwi expressed disappointment over the government’s inconsistency regarding assurances to pay all pensioners their outstanding coupons and principals of bond investments.

    The Convener of the Forum expressed the pain and financial hardships members have had to go through as a result of the delay and requested that the payments be made as demanded in the Forum’s letter of March 30, 2023, to the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.

    “We wish to state that we have granted the Ministry a one-week extension to the 21st of April 2023 deadline in our letter of 30th March 2023 for the payment of all outstanding coupons and principles, bringing the deadline now to 28th April 2023.”

    “We wish to state finally that if the payments of all outstanding coupons and principals are not made by April 28, 2023, we shall be left with no other option than to resume our picketing at the premises of the Ministry to further press home our demand for the payment of all coupons and principals in arrears, and an end to payment delays.”

    The Pensioners also commented on a press release from the Ministry of Finance dated April 14, 2023, that suggested that the leadership of Coalition of Individual Bondholders groups and the Pensioners Bondholders Forum agreed that the Joint Technical Committee constituted on January 18, 2023, reconvenes and agrees on a pathway, towards the settlement of the outstanding debt obligations by April 28, 2023.

    The Pensioners said no such agreement was reached.

  • Election 2024: I will start work immediately after my inauguration – ‘Hopeful’ Mahama says

    Election 2024: I will start work immediately after my inauguration – ‘Hopeful’ Mahama says

    Former president, John Dramani Mahama has made light-hearted remarks about how his first day in office would be if he is sworn in as President of Ghana.

    He asserts that he will hit the ground running because he is acquainted with the presidency having been the first occupant of the current location.

    “7th January 2017, I showed Akufo-Addo around the Flagstaff House, where he will sit, his vice president, cabinet office, his meeting and conference rooms, I am the one who showed him around.

    “So, I was asking a question, on 7th January 2025, who will show John Mahama around the Flagstaff House?” he asked party faithful at the St. Martins Secondary School in Nsawam.

    Mahama was there as party of his National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearership campaign which was in the region during the week.

    “I opened Flagstaff House and I am the first president to have worked from there, it is true it was built by president Kufuor but I was the first president to stay at Flagstaff House.

    “So, after my inauguration, I will drive straight to Flagstaff House and start work,” he said to cheers from the supporters.

    John Mahama campaign tour | Interacts with Nsawam Delegates || WoezorTV live https://t.co/VFlCLeRXe3
— John Dramani Mahama (@JDMahama) April 12, 2023
  • Construction of Ghana-Cote d’Ivoire borderline road commences

    Construction of Ghana-Cote d’Ivoire borderline road commences

    Construction of a 24-kilometer feeder road along international boundary pillars from Ntereso to Dollar Power in the Bole District on the border with Cote d’Ivoire in the Savannah Region, has begun.

    The road, which will be the first for the stretch, is to facilitate easy access and enable the Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire to reaffirm their international land boundaries.

    The work, to be undertaken by the 48 Engineers Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces at a cost of GH¢78 million, follows a case the Ghana Boundary Commission (GhBC) made to the Ministry of Roads and Highways for the road to be constructed which would serve as an important boundary between Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire.

    The construction is expected to deepen the security of the demarcation lines.
    Dollar Power

    The Dollar Power community, which shares boundary with an Ivorian community, Tagadi, is home to about 10,000 residents who are mostly engaged in illegal mining, but it is inaccessible by road, except by motorbikes and tricycles.

    Such activities, officials said, had led to the removal and tampering of some of the boundary pillars, including teak plantations used to mark the boundary line between the two countries.

    Ghana’s inability to deploy security presence in the area, the Daily Graphic gathered, has contributed to the influx of foreign nationals through that corridor from Burkina Faso, Guinea, Togo, Cote d’Ivoire, Mali and Niger who are said to be engaged in artisanal mining of the gold deposits in the area.

    At a sensitisation forum organised by the commission, in partnership with relevant stakeholders such as the Minerals and Forestry commissions as well as the Ghana Geological Survey Authority, the National Coordinator of the Ghana Boundary Commission, Major General Dr Emmanuel Kotia, stated that the 48 Engineers Regiment were mobilising to begin the feeder road project which would facilitate regular inspection of the international boundary line and also allow security agencies to undertake regular patrols within the area to protect the international borders..

    General Kotia pointed out that the assessment of the commission, so far, had shown grave infractions, including the degradation of an estimated 70 hectares of land, the adverse impact of illegal mining activities on the environment, general insecurity in the Dollar Power enclave due to the absence of security personnel and state actors.

    “The roads, therefore, will enhance development in the areas and open them for effective security and border management as well as facilitate our reaffirmation processes,” Gen. Kotia stated.

    While appealing to the residents of the communities along the line to cooperate with the commission and its Ivorian partners to go through the reaffirmation processes, Gen. Kotia also encouraged them to be cognisant of the remaining border pillars and ensure that their activities did not further affect them.
    Other agencies

    The Deputy Chief Executive Officer-in-charge of Small Scale and Industrial Minerals of the Minerals Commission, Samuel Tika, in his remarks, expressed worry about the haphazard manner in which the gold deposits in the area were being mined.

    The Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission, Nyadia Sulemana Nelson, for his part, also expressed worry about illegal logging taking place within the catchment area.

    That, he said, had affected the ecology of the Bui National Park.

    The commission, Mr Nelson said, would need to undertake re-zoning exercise that would allow for the identification of where the mining could take place and where it should not.

    The rezoning would create a buffer that could ward off the community from encroaching further to the core areas of the Bui National Park and the Bui Dam.
    Local authority

    The District Chief Executive for Bole, Alele Veronica Heming, for her part, said the Bui Dam was being polluted by the activities of the illegal miners and expressed the hope that National Security would step in to ward off activities of the miners.

    The Sindiwura, Mahama Awudu Abot, who has the traditional oversight over the area, said apart from the local watchdog community in place, residents had been at the mercy of alleged Ivorian rebels who previously controlled the area

    General Kotia (right) exchanging pleasantries with Sindiwura Mahama Awudu Abot, Chief of Dollar Power, while some community leaders and officials look on / DELLA RUSSEL OCLOO
    General Kotia addressing residents of the community / DELLA RUSSEL OCLOO
    DCE for Bole, Veronica Alele Heming / DELLA RUSSEL OCLOO

  • Potholes threatens safety of Adomi Bridge users

    Potholes threatens safety of Adomi Bridge users

    The Adomi Bridge at Atimpoku in the Asuogyaman District of the Eastern Region currently poses a threat to users after developing potholes

    Apart from this, there are cracks on some portions of the road which could damage the world renowned bridge if not worked on.

    This came to light when Onua News Team visited the Adomi Bridge.

    It was observed that the drivers who are joining the bridge from the Juapong stretch veer off into the the lane of oncoming vehicles as they try dodging the pothole and this could lead to head-on collision.

    Some of the drivers who ply the road acknowledged the danger that pothole poses to them.

    They explained that the pothole has been there for years but no one is attending to it.

    The Asuogyaman District Chief Executive, Samuel Kwame Agyekum, when contacted explained that even though the bridge is not under his jurisdiction, the Assembly has taken the matter up.

    He explained that the Adomi Bridge is under the Ghana Highway Authority but the Assembly has written to them to fix the pothole.

    Mr. Agyekum admitted that he has not heard anything from the Eastern Regional Highways and would therefore follow up to ensure the pothole is fixed.

  • Media and Communications Review Magazine launched

    Media and Communications Review Magazine launched

    Media and Communications Review Magazine has been launched in Ghana.

    Launched by a University Academic, Veteran Journalist and authority in media and communications, Prof. Kwame Karikari, the magazine is intended to inform the public about current trends and developments in the media and communication field.

    The launch of the magazine was on the theme: Realigning Journalism Education for Contemporary Development in Africa.

    The Quarterly Media and Communication Magazine will be amplifying candid opinions of seasoned journalists or their perspectives on how the next generation of journalists should be developed or trained to deliver newsworthy content accurately.

    The Guest Speaker for the occasion, Prof. Umaru Pate, who is also the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Kashere, Gombe in Nigeria, delivered a lecture on journalism education, pointing out some significant reforms in the redesigning of Journalism curriculum in contemporary Nigeria.

    The Director-General of Ghana Broadcasting Cooperation, Prof. Amin Alhassan, who doubles as the Chairman of the Editorial Advisory Board of the magazine, put emphasis on media regulation in Ghana.

    The Dean of Communication Studies at the Wisconsin University in Ghana, Prof. Kwame Karikari, who is also a former Director-General of GBC, is one of the brains behind the magazine.

  • NDC executives to be equipped ahead of 2024 campaign

    NDC executives to be equipped ahead of 2024 campaign

    The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Party School would be dispersed across the various regions to train and reorient branch and constituency executives on the principles and history of the party, according to former president John Dramani Mahama.

    Speaking at a campaign event in Suhum in the Eastern Region on Wednesday, Mr. Mahama who is expected to lead his party to the 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections said, “it is not enough to say you are an NDC executive. You must understand what the party stands for.”

    Mr. Mahama says because the NDC’s 2024 campaign will be anchored around the party’s branch executives across the country, it will require that they are not only resourced to carry out an effective campaign but also equipped with continuous training.

    “We will therefore send all branch and constituency executives to the Party school to learn about the party, our ideology, its origins, Jerry Rawlings and about the Revolution, and the party constitution.”

    According to Mr. Mahama, the plan is to decentralize the operations of the Party School into the regions, adding that the training will also focus on the functions of the executives, the NDC’s policies, campaigning, voter mobilization and canvassing among others.

    The former president is on a three-day campaign tour of the Eastern Region. The ‘Building the Ghana we want Together’ tour is visiting 31 out of the 33 constituencies of the region in this phase of the campaign.

    He has visited 7 other regions and is expected to receive an overwhelming endorsement from the party’s delegates to the May 13, 2023, presidential primaries.

  • Caritas Ghana tackles irregular migration

    Caritas Ghana tackles irregular migration

    The Support Services for Migrants and Refugees in Transit (SMART) program was started by Caritas Ghana, a charitable organization affiliated with the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, to deal with in-country irregular migration.

    With support from the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development at the Vatican, the project aims to improve the institutional capacity of Caritas Ghana to respond to the relief and emergency needs of migrants and refugees in Ghana.

    As part of its second strategic objective, the project would ensure that migrants, refugees and their families, and communities shift their perspective of success and failures related to migration.

    It further aims at offering altruistic assistance and the rehabilitation of returned migrants and refugees in Ghana particularly in nine out of the 16 regions of Ghana namely, Ahafo, Bono-East, Greater Accra, Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western and Oti.

    The project was designed to achieve an overall goal of providing “responsive humanitarian assistance and reintegration support for returned migrants and refugees in Ghana and curtail the menace of irregular migration from Ghana into the West through Social and Behavioural Change Communication activities in the communities by 2025.

    Motivated by strategic objective five of the Caritas Ghana’s Strategic Plan, the project framework seeks to “promote youth self-employment and empowerment and outcome 5.3 focusing on migration managed to eliminate or minimise its negative impact and optimise its positive impact.”

    The project framework will target 18,000 direct beneficiaries and over 145,000 indirect beneficiaries through different mediums and interventions by providing emergency relief services to returned migrants and refugees and reintegration support for them.

    Rev. Sr. Regina Ignatia Aflah, Project Coordinator, Human Rights and Justice, speaking at the launch of the project, said as part of the strategic objective of the project, a migrants and refugee call centre and an inter-sectoral coordinating mechanism would be established to protect the interest of migrants and refugees.

    She, therefore, called for stakeholder support to enable Caritas Ghana harvest as many outcomes as possible to secure the future of the country’s labour force which was under threat due 5o irregular migration.

    Mrs Clara K. Beeri Kasser-Tee, Member, Caritas Ghana Board, remarked that voluntary and forced migrants such as refugees had various needs but little access to have those needs met, including those by state entities for various reasons.

    She said there were instances of persons who tried to get into western countries through dangerous and irregular means with many of them losing their lives and others arriving at their intended destinations only to realise that “all that glitters is not gold”.

    Although there were different reasons for migration, Mrs Kasser-Tee noted that, one of the reasons was economic because people wanted better lives, and that particularly from the African continent to other western countries, there was the belief that once they got there, their economic needs would be met.

    She said: “In most cases, they arrive there, and realise that they were probably better off at home. Some after arriving there, do realise that they wanted to come back home but they look at how well their colleagues are doing back home and that makes them uncomfortable to come back.”

    Mrs Kasser-Tee, also a lawyer and lecturer in legal and the policy aspect of migration studies, emphasised that reintegration was a critical part in dealing with irregular migration menace and that “there are some willing to return, but their major obstacle is reintegration”.

    She further stated that there was the issue of involuntary migrants or forced migrants who leave their countries not by their own accord, but because of other militating issues in their regions.

    The Caritas Ghana Board Member said, there were a series of issues in migration to be tackled to ensure that people’s rights were respected and that they got the needed support to protect their rights and to be reintegrated back into their societies.

    Mr Mario Almeida, Representative, Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development (DPHD) – supporters of the project – speaking virtually from the Vatican, said the mission of the Dicastery, supported by the Holy Father and the church structures, was to promote integral human development, ensuring that no one was excluded.

    Therefore, Mr Mario, also the Africa Region Coordinator, Listening and Dialogue Section, added that “the approach of Dicastery is to listen, dialogue and reflect, and discern, propose and support effective responses aimed at integral human development.

  • Training manual for judges on RTI adopted

    Training manual for judges on RTI adopted

    The Right to Information (RTI) Training Manual has been endorsed by the country’s judges by the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, Africa Office in partnership with the Judicial Training Institute of Ghana.

    The manual provides a theoretical and practical understanding of the RTI Act in executing its mandatory duties.

    The manual has five models- the concept of Right to Information, the benefits of the Right to Information, the International and regional legal frameworks on the Right to Information, the principles underpinning the Right to Information and the obligations of public institutions in promoting the Right to Information regime.

    Justice Kwaku Tawiah Ackaah Boafo, Justice of the Court of Appeal, speaking at the validation of the manual, underscored the importance of the Judiciary in ensuring the smooth and effective implementation of the Right to Information Act.

    Parliament passed Ghana’s Right to Information Act, (Act 989) in March 2019  to provide a framework for the implementation of the Right.

    Justice Boafo said the manual would provide the Judiciary with an understanding of the Act and the key principles underpinning its implementation.

    The Court, he stressed, would be positioned through the manual to review decisions made by public institutions when requests were refused.

    He said the manual would equip judges to play their roles effectively and that the proper implementation of the Act would consolidate the country’s democratic governance.  

    He said the RTI had gained international recognition because it was a human rights initiative and a tool that empowered the citizenry to demand accountability from the government.

    Justice Boafo said the RTI legislation was not only unique to Ghana, but also across other countries, including Nigeria, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

    He said since the passage in 2019, the Ministry of Works and Housing and other agencies had adopted the Act and designed the same for implementation.

    He said even though there might be challenges in every legislation, there would be room for comparative learning for sustained development.

    Justice I. O. Tanko Amadu, Acting Director, Ghana Judicial Training Institute, said the judiciary had the duty to ensure that state machinery and policies did not infringe on fundamental rights, including those of marginalised groups.

    “A well-resourced and well-equipped, and informed judiciary is essential to curtailing failures by state actors in the discharge of their duties under the law,” he said.

    Mrs Ogonna Okaigwe, RTI Consultant, who took the judges through the manual, said the purpose was to provide a theoretical and practical understanding of the Act in executing their mandatory duties.

    She said the manual, among others, could be used for the training of judges and other institutions with the mandate to review decisions made on RTI applications.

    The Coalition on the Right to Information Ghana and participants said the manual would facilitate greater participation in decision-making and ensure access to information in the country.

  • Sanofi collaborates with Ghana to expand access to diabetes treatment

    Sanofi collaborates with Ghana to expand access to diabetes treatment

    To increase access to diabetes care throughout the country, Sanofi, an innovative global health company and the Ministry of Health (MOH) have signed a memorandum of cooperation.

    The three-year initiative under the Sanofi/Ministry of Health Affordable Access to Diabetes Care Programme will enable the country to purchase affordable high-quality Sanofi analogue insulin products.

    The partnership also provides for the deployment of diabetes management solutions in four diabetes centres in Ghana where 500 healthcare professionals will benefit from a targeted medical training programme.

    It will provide patient support initiatives and measures designed to help strengthen the country’s health system and make diabetes care more accessible to patients in remote areas through regional centres.

    Mr Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, the Minister of Health, speaking at the signing ceremony, said diabetes was a major public health challenge that required all to come on board.

    Multi-sectoral action, including partnerships between governments, healthcare providers, civil society organisations, and the private sector was encouraged, he stated.

    Globally, an estimated 422 million people live with diabetes, the majority of them in low-and middle-income countries, and 1.5 million deaths are directly attributed to diabetes each year.

    Studies conducted in Ghana estimate diabetes prevalence between 2.6 per cent to 9 per cent.

    The Ghana Health Service records an average of 200,000 cases of diabetes at health facilities annually.

    Mr Agyeman-Manu said the numbers could be much higher, considering the poor health-seeking behaviour of Ghanaians and the limited screening opportunity available in the country.

    He said with that trend, diabetes could become one of the leading causes of death by 2030.

    He said there was high financial burden on persons living with diabetes though the direct cost of care was covered by the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

    This is due to the chronic nature of the disease.

    “Indeed, the Sanofi/Ministry of Health Affordable Access to Diabetes Care Programme is a timely intervention necessary to enhance the management of diabetes in Ghana as persons diagnosed with the disease have a greater chance to equitable, comprehensive, affordable and quality care for better outcomes,” the Minister stated.

    Ms Olivier Charmeil, the Sanofi Executive Vice President of General Medicines, said Sanofi under the partnership would co-develop a digital solution to help physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and community healthcare workers to better support more than 5,000 people living with diabetes in Ghana.

    “Our ambition to deliver better care and improve the quality of life of those living with diabetes knows no borders.

    “We see this as a shared responsibility with healthcare systems, and we are committed to fully playing our part.

    “In this context, we are proud to work closely with the Ministry of Health in Ghana and look forward to taking the learnings from this alliance forward in other countries.

    ” More broadly, we continue to examine various healthcare access models to determine, which approaches best meet specific local needs and opportunities,” Ms Charmeil said.

    Dr Yacoba Atiase, Head of the Diabetes Centre, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital and Senior Lecturer at the University of Ghana, speaking on the diabetes disease burden and unmet need in Ghana, said the disease was increasing and must be looked at critically.

    She called for intensified public education on how to prevent diabetes, especially type 2 diabetes, and the need for early testing.

    Dr Atiase said that was important because, unlike the other predominant diabetes, type 2 diabetes could be prevented

  • NPP’s Gabriel Amoah resigns as Mfantseman 1st Vice-Chairman

    NPP’s Gabriel Amoah resigns as Mfantseman 1st Vice-Chairman

    The New Patriotic Party‘s (NPP) 1st Vice-Chairman for the Central Region’s Mfantseman Constituency, Gabriel Amoah, has stepped down.

    The 44-year-old entrepreneur told the Ghana News Agency he tendered in his resignation letter on Friday, March 31, and was received by Mr Evans Osei, the Constituency Secretary and copied to all appropriate quarters.

    Though he could not deny or confirm his widely speculated intention to contest the Parliamentary slot, he was optimistic about working hard with the constituency leadership to stretch the NPP’s political fortunes in the 2024 election.

    Having served the party with dedication and commitment across the ranks, Mr. Amoah said it behoved on him to go all out to mobilise the grassroots to make the constituency a stronghold of the NPP.

    Elated with his resignation, he said: “After a painstaking effort and a wide consultation and deliberations across the party, I have decided to resign to work assiduously to maintain the political gains of the party in the constituency.

    “I want to use this platform to remind all that energizing the base of the party is key and fundamental to the victory of the NPP in the 2024 elections.”

    To him, Mfantseman is the heartbeat of the NPP and political activism in Ghana hence, he was prepared to sacrifice his resources not only to save the party in the area but make the party more attractive.

    Considering the interesting history of parliamentary candidates of NPP in the Constituency, Mr. Amoah called on the supporters of the party to embark on a massive grassroots mobilization campaign to get more people on board.

    That, he said, was the surest way to ensure a resounding victory for the party in the 2024 elections.

    For the youth, he said: “As the youth of the NPP, we may have a tougher responsibility, but breaking the eight is a must-do for us. We must convince Ghanaians that changing a productive regime merely because it has lasted for eight years is not healthy for a country that seeks progress.

    “We must prove beyond any reasonable doubt to Ghanaians why the party must not go after its two-term regime cycle. Beyond singing the chorus of ‘Breaking the Eight’, we must critically engage our minds forthwith,” he added.

  • Show us you have the men – Mahama teases Akufo-Addo

    Show us you have the men – Mahama teases Akufo-Addo

    Former president John Dramani Mahama has poked President Akufo-Addo for failing to provide Ghanaians a stable economy despite claiming ‘we have the men’.

    According to him, the NPP lacks the credibility to be trusted to turn around the economy.

    During the 2012 and 2016 electoral campaigns, the then-presidential candidate Akufo-Addo that his team had the human resource to develop Ghana.

    But, speaking to delegates during his visit to Kpone Katamanso on Friday, Mr Mahama stated that the NDC has come to the conclusion that this is not the case.

    “In 2016, our colleagues, the NPP told a lot of lies about us. They labeled us as incompetent and they came with a lot of big and sweet promises to the people of Ghana and use that to persuade people that there will be a better government than we were.

    “And so the people of Ghana tried them by voting for them. They said they should try them, ‘try me and see’. And that was a mistake the people of Ghana made because we have come to realise that after all, we have the men, we have the men. They were station boys, they don’t know anything,’” Mr Mahama said.

    According to former President Mahama, the ministers who served during his administration performed better than the current administration.

    Mr Mahama commented on the power purchase agreement, noting that the NDC had been chastised by the NPP for signing too many power purchase agreements.

    As a result, he questioned why the government is adding to the power purchase agreement if there are so many.

    “Just last week, they signed another power purchase agreements were signed to many power purchase agreements. Why are you signing another one today?”

    He went on to say that the government promise of one district, one factory – one village, one dam was a hoax to sway Ghanaians’ votes. This, he explained, is because the factories are currently not operational.

    “Recently, I was watching a documentary on Joy and most of those factories are not even working,” he added.

    He also described as troubling the findings of a recent US State Department report on human rights violations in Ghana.

    “The US Human Rights Report has come out and it makes it very bad reading, human rights abuses, corruption, torture, so many things, discrimination, everything go and read that report.”

    According to him, when he assumes office, his government “will set up a governance Advisory Council. And that governance advisory council would include civil society organizations, religious leaders, chiefs, and ordinary grassroots people.

    And every year, that council will release a report on the state of human rights corruption and everything in Ghana.”

  • COCOBOD to provide huge pension opportunities for cocoa farmers

    COCOBOD to provide huge pension opportunities for cocoa farmers

    A pension scheme project being tested by the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has received positive feedback from cocoa farmers in Anomawobidi and Wassa Manso in the Western region’s Mpohor and Ahanta West Districts.

    Launched at New Edubiase in the Ashanti Region in August 2021, the scheme, when operational, would target about 800,000 registered cocoa farmers benefitting from a retirement plan to promote their lives.

    A separate engagement was held between the farmers and Mr Fiifi Boafo, the Head of Public Affairs, COCOBOD, at Anomawobidi and Wassa Manso, to discuss the modalities, processes of registration, and benefits for farmers under the Cocoa Management System.

    Some of the farmers, who spoke with the Ghana News Agency, said they were “really in love” with the initiative which would give them relief in their old age.

    They, however, wished that COCOBOD would institute prudent management systems that ensure the sustainability of the scheme no matter which government was in power.

    Mr Vincent Fynn, a cocoa farmer, pleaded that a school policy be activated along with the scheme, to enable the farmers to access scholarships for their children’s education.

    “We have many brilliant children here, but due to the lack of finances, many of them cannot climb higher on the educational ladder…we really need directions and assistance to end the cycle of poverty among rural farmers like me,” he said.

    Mr Benedict Ghansah, another farmer, complained about the poor road network, lack of potable water and electricity in the Anomawobidi community and stressed the need for COCOBOD to redeem their promise to help address the situation.

    Giving further details of the scheme, Mr Boafo said a five per cent contribution would be deducted from every bag of cocoa sold at the depot, after which the government and COCOBOD would add one per cent to support the scheme.

    “For example, if a bag of cocoa is GHS800, five percent will give you GHS40.00 and this is what is set aside for it to grow so that at old age you will benefit from a lump sum,” he explained.

    He said the fund was regulated and bound by law and no government could change it.

    He further indicated that the National Pensions Regulatory Authority (NPRA), had already developed the modalities with nine trustees in place to ensure the prudent management of the scheme.

    The goal was to provide life security for organised cocoa farmers during their retirement age, giving them a year-on-year withdrawal benefits to help meet some pressing needs.

    “Each contributor is also entitled to a lump sum and monthly benefits at the ripe age of the scheme, and we are using the cocoa registration card as a basis for membership, and you should be a cocoa farmer to benefit from the programme,” he said.

    Additionally, the cocoa card is what would be used for the distribution of farm inputs and called on farmers who had not yet registered, to do so on time.

    He said the tier 3 Pension Scheme was managed by Trustees to ensure transparency and good governance and encouraged the farmers to sustain the enthusiasm demonstrated for the successful roll out of the scheme.

  • It is terrible to shift IMF deal timelines – Prof Lord Mensah

    It is terrible to shift IMF deal timelines – Prof Lord Mensah

    An economist, Prof. Lord Mensah has said that shifting timelines to secure IMF deal is terrible.

    According to him, the market relies on management information, so when management information turns out to be uncertain, it does not help.

    “It’s a terrible one,” he said in an interview on Joy FM’S Top Story on Friday.

    He said that the Finance Minister and team do not appreciate the complexity of the situation [economic downturn or debt situation].

    According to him, the analysis of the situation in an article in Financial Times over the debt situation points out that Ghana won’t get a debt restructuring soon.

    He cited a case with Zambia.

    “Zambia is an African country. Zambia was in debt restructuring limbo for over two and half years before they even switched to default.”

    His comments come after President Akufo-Addo earlier disclosed that the IMF staff will present Ghana’s request for a loan programme to its executive board by the end of March.

    Also, the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta reiterated that government was hoping to secure an International Monetary Fund (IMF) Board approval by March 2023.

    “We are currently working to go to the IMF board in March 2023 and possibly secure the Board’s approval for Ghana’s Programme”, he disclosed on PM Express, Business Edition with host, George Wiafe.

    However, the March date elapsed and the country has not been able to get a deal.

    Meanwhile, addressing Eurobondholders at an Investors Presentation Forum on Thursday, Mr. Ofori-Atta said Ghana should expect an International Monetary Fund (IMF) Board approval for a programme by the close of May 2023.

    According to him, Ghana has made significant progress, hence the need for it to get approval as soon as possible.

    But reacting to this, Prof Mensah noted that although there may be verbal commitments from the creditors, it has not been documented for which it can be relied on to determine the timeline.

    He added that the country would not be able to secure an IMF bailout now until the first quarter ends.

  • We need more lands to expand military camp – Defence Minister to Yagbonwura

    We need more lands to expand military camp – Defence Minister to Yagbonwura

    The minister of defense, Dominic Nitiwul, has asked the Gonja Traditional Council to provide the 155th armored regiment in Damongo extra land so that it can expand its facilities.

    According to him, the presence of more military personnel will further enhance the peace and security in the area.

    Speaking at a short programme to commission a 30-unit accommodation for junior officers, the Minister of Defence reiterated the commitment of government towards the expansion of infrastructure at all garrisons across the country.

    “We know that adequate and appropriate military accommodation play an important function in the wellbeing and performance of the military personnel and government shall therefore continue to explore acceptable ways of mitigating accommodation challenges of all garrisons across the country.

    “I wish to use this opportunity to appeal to traditional authorities especially my father, the Yagbonwura, the regional minister and all stakeholders to ensure the allocation of more lands to the military for future development.”

    He believes the existence of the military in the Savannah Region will consolidate the peace of the region while opening up economic development.

    He applauded the Military High Command for their continuous cooperation with government to facilitate the enormous infrastructure springing up across all military camps.

    For his part, Commanding Officer at the 155 Armoured Regiment Lieutenant Col. Philimon Hoffman lauded the Chief of Defense and the army staff for seeing to the completion of the project.

    “It is worth noting that the beginning was not easy but with the fortitude of the Chief of the Army Staff and the High Command, today the camp is operational and the regiment is happy with the work done so far. But like Oliver Twist, we humbly ask for more projects.”

    The Minister later commissioned a 30-unit junior officers accommodation.

    He, together with his entourage, also paid a courtesy call on the Yagbonwura.

    The 155 Armoured Regiment in Damongo was established in 2021 as part of the expansion drive of the Ghana Armed Forces.

    The regiment initially deployed five officers and 26 soldiers but the strength has increased exponentially to some 484 soldiers.

  • Security operatives accused of brutality by Akwatialine wood sellers, residents

    Security operatives accused of brutality by Akwatialine wood sellers, residents

    At Akwatialine in the Ashanti Region, wood vendors, traders, and some locals have accused some security personnel of inflicting injuries on them in an effort to drive them out of the area.

    Scores of traders who have been operating at the wood market enclave at Akwatialine for years have been asked to leave the area to allow for redevelopment.

    The Akwatialine wood sellers association and other traders have described the move by authorities to evict them as unfair since they have not been given places to relocate to.

    During Citi News’ visit to the area on Friday morning April 14, there was a heavy security presence as some persons in the area accused the police of assaulting them which led to some people sustaining injuries.

    The Secretary of the Akwatialine Wood Sellers Association, Mohammed Umar speaking to Citi News on the development said, “They told me that anti-robbers and police beat them, and they later arrested some of them as well. You can’t just evict us without providing us with a new place. We will not resist if the government gives us a good place to trade”.

    The Municipal Chief Executive for Asokore Mampong, Kennedy Kankam however allayed fears of the wood sellers and the other traders, insisting that the people are not being necessarily evicted from the area.

    He says the redevelopment is being done in phases and no trader would be asked to move away but would still be allowed to operate within the area while construction works go on in the other parts of the area.

    He says he is so far not aware of the alleged assault on some persons, which he described as unfortunate.

    “They are just misunderstanding me, we are not evicting anybody, we are just rearranging the place so that we will start the project, and we will be shifting them through phases. We don’t want to finish the market, and it will turn into a white elephant. Let’s all abide by the rules and regulations. I will not allow anyone to move to a place where they cannot continue with their business”.

    “It’s quite unfortunate I have not gotten the briefings of the assault from my security capos. If excesses happened I will talk to my security agencies, and we know how to go about it”.

  • Randy Abbey screams ‘Awurade Yesu’ in reaction to MP sutured in ‘toilet’ news

    Randy Abbey screams ‘Awurade Yesu’ in reaction to MP sutured in ‘toilet’ news

    Host of Good Morning Ghana, Randy Abbey, was forced to invoke the name of Jesus Christ in reaction to how a Member of Parliament (MP) for Nanton was sutured in Parliament’s toilet room.

    The Nanton MP, Mohammed Hardi Tufeiru was involved in an accident while rushing to Parliament but he opted to go to the House first before seeking medical attention.

    The Majority Chief Whip and MP for Tolon, who was the first to see him in his bloodied state when he arrived in Parliament narrated how he got him first aid before an ambulance took him to the hospital.

    “He was rushing and I was waiting so when he came, I had to just rush him into the washroom and I had to call the doctors and the nurses to come and attend to him.

    “Because our colleagues were opposed to that revenue bill, and we need it is part of our budget and we need it for our IMF so I had to do something,” Habib stated.

    He said at the washroom, he went to the clinic to fetch doctors, some of who were colleague MPs. “Adomako Kissi, Ayew Afriyie they came and the nurses and we had to do the stitches in the washroom.”

    Randy responded: “Wow, you stitched the MP I the bathroom of Parliament?”

    That is what happened, then I brought an ambulance, informed the Speaker and then he now has to say that we can now take him but we had to call the Minority Whip to come into the ambulance to identify that he was actually the one. So that they will know that he is there, before we can be able to move.

    “Awurade Yesu!” Randy added.

  • I fixed ‘dumsor’ though I did not create it – Mahama

    I fixed ‘dumsor’ though I did not create it – Mahama

    John Dramani Mahama, a former president, claimed that the energy challenge (dumsor) was something he inherited.

    However, he said, he took responsibility for the problem and solved it before leaving office in 2016.

    Mr Mahama indicated that the dumsor was a generation problem therefore his government invested in power generation as part of the solution.

    Speaking to delegates of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Friday, April 14, Mr Mahama who is seeking to be elected flagbearer of the NDC said “In 2016, I wouldn’t say Ghana was a paradise but our situation was far better than it is today.

    “In 2016 our colleagues the NPP told a lot of lies about us, they labelled us as incompetent and they came with a lot of big and sweet promises to the people of Ghana and used that to persuade the people that they will be a better government than we were.

    “And so the people of Ghana tried them by voting for them, they said they should try them and that was the mistake the people of Ghana made because we have come to realise that after all the ‘we have the men. we have the men’ it was station boys, they don’t know anything.”

    He added, “If you take our ministers who were running this country in 2016 and compare them with their ministers who are running Ghana today pound for pound, our ministers were far better than any of them.”

    He further indicated that “We solved many difficult challenges, dumsor was not created by us, it was lack of generation capacity over the years, and so when we came into office we were confronted with it, we did not run away, we did not shift the blame to somebody.

    “I could have said Presidents Rawlings and Kuffuor and President Mills did not add new generation but what we did was, we took responsibility, I went to Parliament and said yes you elected us to take responsibility, we take responsibility and we shall fix it.

    “Truly, by the time we left in 2016, we had fixed dumsor, we had fixed the generational challenges Indeed, they accused us of putting in too much generation than we needed.”

  • Contrary to popular belief, northerners are not violent – Kennedy Agyapong

    Contrary to popular belief, northerners are not violent – Kennedy Agyapong

    Kennedy Agyapong, a member of parliament for Assin Central district in the Central region has spoken out against the notion that people from the north are violent.

    Kennedy Agyapong who claims to have family ties to that part if the country stated that northerners are simply quick to defend themselves and their rights when they are being cheated or taken advantage of. Hence, the stereotype that they are violent is untrue.

    In a video shared by Oman Channel on April 7, 2023, and sighted by GhanaWeb, the NPP flagbearer hopeful while speaking to members of the party in the Ayawaso East Constituency of the Greater Accra region, explained that because bortherners are quick to defend themselves, they are often labeled as violent. However, he stressed that this is not an accurate characterization of the people from the northern region of Ghana.

    “…and the truth is, for my household, I celebrate both Salah and Christmas, in fact, my grandmother was a Muslim before she married. So, she was ‘Asante kremo’ but all my grandfathers are Muslims, I have Seidu, Abass, Siaka, and Yakubu, and all of these people are in my family who are Muslims.

    “They settled more at Ajumako Anyan Asiam, whereby one of them married a Muslim there, so, all my family people are full of Muslims, except a few of us whose grandparents married Christians.

    “You don’t know where I got my braveness from, my father used to teach at Wa, so I was always fighting and there was a certain day when I went to beat a certain lady. So, my mother was crying lamenting about what a man gave her during her pregnancy to mix with her meals and eat.

    “So, I asked her about what she was lamenting about? and she replied that a certain man used to give her some powder to mix with her porridge and drink so that her son will become strong after delivery.

    He added “So, for me, I am a ‘Wawula’ person, I come from Wa, and that is where the braveness comes from. That is why whenever I see the Northerners, I become happy because we all have the same character, we all hate nonsense … if you want to cheat us and we don’t give room for such things then you conclude we are not good.

    “Do you understand? I know you don’t like cheating, so when it happens then you just say your mind, then they will conclude that they are violent people. So, I should sit down for you to cheat on me and go scot-free, no, is not possible. So, for me, I am one of you,” he said.

    The race for the NPP flagbearership slot has top party members including Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia; former trade and industry minister, Alan Kyerematen; former food and agric minister, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto; former NPP General Secretary, Kwabena Agyapong among others.

    November 4, 2023, has been slated as the date for the NPP presidential primaries to elect a flagbearer for the general elections in 2024.

  • Finance Ministry to pay outstanding coupons April 28

    Finance Ministry to pay outstanding coupons April 28

    The Finance Ministry has revealed it will pay off any outstanding coupon debt by April 28, 2023.

    This is contained in a press release issued by the Finance Ministry on April 14, 2023.

    According to the statement, this decision was reached after an engagement with the leadership of the Coalition of Individual Bondholders Groups on the timelines of payment of outstanding domestic debt obligations.

    “The meeting chaired by the Hon. Deputy Minister, Hon. Abena Osei-Asare, MP agreed that the Joint Technical Committee constituted on 18th January, 2023 reconvenes and agrees on a pathway, towards the settlement of the outstanding debt obligations, by 28th April, 2023,” portions of the statement indicated.
    This comes after the Coalition of Individual Bondholders Groups on April 11, petitioned President Akufo-Addo on the non-payment of old bonds that were not part of the recent domestic debt exchange programme.

    The groups made up of the Ghana Individual Bondholders Forum (IBF), and the Individual Bond Holders Association of Ghana (IBHAG) regretted that the Finance Ministry has consistently defaulted in paying the bonds after they matured.

    “We are saddened to have to resort to petition you for a resolution to the continuous non-payment of old bonds due. Your Excellency, you have been categorical in your assurances of payment to individuals who opted to trust your government and invest in its bonds,” a statement signed by the Convener of IBF Senyo Hosi, and Convener of IBHAG Dr. Joel Djangma said.

    They stated that the continuous delay or disregard for the payments is creating undue distress for fellow Ghanaians.

    “Our members depend on these funds to meet pertinent needs like medication, children’s education and the general welfare of their families and include pensioners whose sustenance, health, dignity of independence and honour of responsibility in taking care of their young wards and families are contingent on these savings”.

    “We do recognise the fiscal challenges Government faces and for which reason we have expressed willingness to cooperate over a mutually viable payment schedule and structure”, it added.

    Meanwhile, the Ministry of Finance thanked the Coalition of Individual Bondholders Groups and the Pensioner Bondholders Forum for their forbearance during the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP) and subsequent administrative processes.

  • Alleged approval of Keche’s wife sparks chaos in Amenfi Central

    Alleged approval of Keche’s wife sparks chaos in Amenfi Central

    The alleged approval of popular musician, Keche Andrew’s wife is causing chaos in the Amenfi Central constituency.

    The National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary primaries in the Amenfi Central district are expected to grant Joana Cudjoe, the wife of well-known musician Keche Andrew, permission to run.

    However, she has been disqualified by the Regional Vetting Committee over allegations of forgery.

    This was after the Committee established that, the aspirant’s name was not in the 2008, 2012, 2016 or 2020 voters register of the Electoral Commission in Bantama constituency after testifying before the vetting Committee that she started voting there in 2008.

    Joana Cudjoe is one of five other seeking to challenge incumbent MP, Peter Kwakye-Ackah in the Amenfi Central primaries.

    Also, the Committee noted that, Ms. Cudjoe only registered in 2020 in Amenfi Central which is far below the four-year mandatory period for aspirants wishing to contest as MP.

    But a report by the vetting committee chaired by NDC Director of Communications, Kakra Essuman said the matter has been referred to Accra for further deliberation and advice.

    Information available to us indicates that, Joana Cudjoe in spite of the allegations against her will be cleared to contest in the primaries.

    Below is the report of the vetting committee

  • NPP, NDC are bunch of thieves – Kyiri Abosom

    NPP, NDC are bunch of thieves – Kyiri Abosom

    Both the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) are a bunch of thieves, according to Reverend Christian Kwabena Andrews, the founder of the Ghana Union Movement.

    He has cautioned the Ghanaian youth not to blindly follow them to give them the urge to continuously milk the state.

    Osofo Kyiri Abosom, as he is also known, and Founder and General Overseer of Life Assembly Worship Centre, speaking with Onua TV’s Akua Sarpomaa Wednesday, April 12, 2023, said the NPP and NDC are same wine from the same source, making one not better than the other.

    The third force in the 2020 presidential polls opined that, the recent rants from the opposition NDC is nothing Ghanaians should build any hopes on, since they will come and do worse of what the NPP are doing, should they be given the opportunity to rule again.

    “The NDC and NPP are two sides of the same coin. All the noise of the NDC is nothing because when they come, they’ll do the same things. What I will tell the Ghanaian youth is that, if we don’t get civilised and blindly follow the orators of the English Language… they’re thieves and they will continue to milk this country,” he maintained.

    Meanwhile, the man of God says President Akufo-Addo and his brother the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, should begin investigating themselves over the loans taken on behalf of the state.

    The man of God is suspecting the numerous bonds government has been raising on the international market are diverted elsewhere without getting to the country.

    “I think Nana Akufo-Addo and Ken Ofori-Atta should begin to investigate themselves. With me I think the loans we take don’t get to Ghana. When they take the money they divert it and print currencies here to run the economy because this does not make sense,” he lamented.

  • Mahama refutes claim of attacking Asantes in campaign speech

    Mahama refutes claim of attacking Asantes in campaign speech

    Former President, John Dramani Mahama has refuted claims of attacking Asantes during his campaign at Eastern Region.

    It was reported in some media circles that the former President made some disparaging comments about the people in the Ashanti Region.

    Mr. Mahama is alleged to have advised residents in the Eastern Region not to learn from their counterparts in the Ashanti Region who are emotionally attached to the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) and do not think before voting for the elephant-symbol party.

    But rubbishing this claim in a statement on April 14, the spokesperson for Mr. Mahama, Joyce Bawah Mogtari asserted, “The said publication, which has been sourced to UTV, an Accra-based television station is false. President Mahama has not made any such statement, either on his campaign rounds or to UTV”.

    Madam Bawah Mogtari underscored that the former President is focused on his campaign.

    “Mr. Mahama remains focused on his ‘Building the Ghana we want Together’ campaign and will not be distracted by such dirty propaganda,” she noted.

    Read below the full statement by Madam Joyce Bawah Mogtari

    DISCLAIMER

    The attention of the John Mahama Campaign has been drawn to a fake quote attributed to the former President purportedly attacking Ashantis.

    The said publication, which has been sourced to UTV, an Accra based television station is false.

    President Mahama has not made any such statement, either on his campaign rounds or to UTV.

    We believe this is yet another disinformation campaign to cause disaffection for Mr. John Mahama, and demand a retraction and apology from UTV.

    Mr. Mahama remains focused on his ‘Building the Ghana we want Together’ campaign and will not be distracted by such dirty propaganda.

    Joyce Bawah Mogtari
    Spokesperson
    April 14, 2023

  • Your allegiance is not to political parties but the state – Mahama tells security agencies

    Your allegiance is not to political parties but the state – Mahama tells security agencies

    A former president, John Dramani Mahama, has urged the Ghana Police Service and other security organizations to always act impartially and without prejudice in the performance of their duty.

    Mr. Mahama addressing branch and constituency executives of both Lower West Akyem and Upper West Akyem constituencies at Asamankese to climax his 3-day tour of the Eastern region indicated that the loyalty of security agencies is to the state and not political parties.

    He suggested to the security agencies not to support any political party when chaos erupts.

    “Security agencies, your loyalty is to the state and not to a political party. You don’t have to support only one political party when chaos erupts. You need to be neutral,” he said.

  • Health Ministry directs staff not to use elevator on Tuesdays and Thursdays

    Health Ministry directs staff not to use elevator on Tuesdays and Thursdays

    The Ministry of Health has instructed its employees not to use the company’s elevator on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

    The Ministry directed its staff not to access the lift on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

    The directive, the Ministry explained amongst others was necessitated by the government’s debt restructuring and huge amount of money used in maintaining the elevators.

    In a memorandum to the staff sighted by citinewsroom.com, the management said, “As you are aware, the country is going through some Economic Restructuring. This situation has impacted on Government’s financial releases to all Public Sector Institutions. Management has also noticed the huge amount of funds expended on maintaining the Ministry’s facilities including the elevators”.

    The Health Ministry entreated its staff to support the initiative by complying with the directive.

    “Consequently, Management and all staff members are encouraged to support this initiative by complying with the directive. Counting on your usual cooperation,” the Ministry added in the memorandum signed by its Director, General Administration, Frank Raji.

  • Mahama to campaign in Oti region on April 16

    Mahama to campaign in Oti region on April 16

    A former president and flagbearer candidate for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, will visit the Oti Region beginning on April 16 to meet with party members, officials, activists, and supporters.

    During the visit, the flagbearer hopeful would engage with Branch, Constituency and Regional executives to enlighten them on his vision and plans for the nation.

    A statement copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) urged the nine constituencies’ chairmen to strictly adhere to the agreed programme schedule to ensure a successful event.

    It said the leadership of the region, led by Mr Kwadwo Gyapong, had already engaged with the constituency chairmen to deliberate on the visit.

    It said Mr Mahama would interact with some economic and social groups in Guan, Buem, Biakoye, Krachi East and Krachi West constituency on day one.

    He is also expected to engage Krachi Nchumuru, Nkwanta North, Nkwanta South, and Akan constituency executives.

  • Empowering women, my top priority – Manso Adubia MP

    Empowering women, my top priority – Manso Adubia MP

    The deputy minister of food and agriculture, Mr. Yaw Frimpong Addo, has urged for concerted efforts to empower women and help them achieve economic independence.

    He said it was important to enhance women’s skills in business management to facilitate their self-employability to contribute meaningfully to national development.

    Mr Frimpong Addo, also the Member of Parliament for Manso Adubia, made the call at the reorganisation and inuaguration of the Manso-Dadease Women’s Wing of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

    He said women formed the larger percentage of the population in the constituency and it was important to build their capacity to support the household income, education and healthcare of their families.

    Ongoing road rehabilitation projects in the area would help open it up to create conducive environment for investment and employment generation, he said, and urged the women to grasp the opportunity to improve on their lot.

    Mr Addo called on them to rally behind the NPP and support the Government to continue with the social interventions to benefit most Ghanaians.

    Madam Ruth Osei, Manso-Adubia Constituency Women’s Organizer, said the reorganisation of the wings was to strengthen the party at the community levels and equip the women with skills to propagate the good works of the NPP to help it “Break the Eight.”

    Mr Kofi Acheampong, Constituency Chairman, said women played critical roles in party organisation and it was important to equip them with information and communication skills to sell the good works and gain more votes for the party in the 2024 elections.

  • UNFPA donates equipment to KNUST’s midwifery laboratory

    UNFPA donates equipment to KNUST’s midwifery laboratory

    The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology‘s (KNUST) Nursing Department of Midwifery has received equipment and training materials for midwifery from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

    The items worth $30,000, is part of the Funds’ efforts at contributing to the effective and efficient training of midwifes to acquire the needed skills that will help reduce maternal deaths in the country.

    Among the items were dilation curettage instruments, tenaculum uterine forceps, delivery trolley, uterine sound, suction machines, adult, and baby weighing scales, birth stimulators, digital thermometers, cervical cerclage models, sims viginal speculum, uterine dilators, and stainless-steel dressing drums. 

  Others were surgical scissors, examination screens, sphygmomanometer, green army forceps, penguin newborn suctions, mobile examination lamps, hot water bottles and drip stands. 

 Dr Emmily Naphambo, Deputy UNFPA Country Representative, speaking to the media after handing over the items, said the organization had been working with the KNUST for more than 10 years in the discharge of quality education. 

  The UNFPA supported the school together with the government and other stakeholders to come up with the first curriculum for the degree programme in midwifery.  

  Since then, the collaboration has grown stronger and instituted the donation of equipment including a skills laboratory and training faculty staff in delivering best practical and theoretical knowledge to students. 

  “This donation comes in the context of UNFPA’s support. 

   Midwifery has been our core pillar; we are making sure we contribute meaningfully to eliminating maternal deaths. 

  Ghana is making strides, there are still alarming levels of maternal deaths of about 320 deaths per 100,000, that is still too much, and we must support the advancement of midwifery studies”, she explained.

    Hospital Equipment

     This donation, she said would go a long way as the KNUST was training staff and skilled personnel to be attending to pregnant women.  

“Though the support is for the school, the beneficiaries of the materials provided will go far beyond and contribute to the well-being of women in Ghana, to the health sector and also development goals for the country.” 

  Dr Naphambo pledged that the UN agency that specialized in reproductive health would continue to give the needed support to institutions to help reduce maternal mortality. 

  Dr Daniel Norris Bekoe, the University Relations Officer, KNUST, who received the items, said they would supplement the skills and training of the students for Ghana and sub-Saharan region and commended the UNFPA for the assistance. 

  He said the working relationship that existed between the University and the UNFPA would continue, adding that, the two institutions were working on curriculum development for Master’s and Doctor of Philosophy Programmes in midwifery. 

 Dr. Bekoe urged other donors to resource the KNUST to acquire state-of-the-art skills laboratories for the training of health personnel.  

  These skills laboratories, according to him, must essentially be stocked with equipment to help hands-on training before students go out to various health facilities for attachments.
  • Navrongo SHS gets two mechanised boreholes from GRIDCo

    Navrongo SHS gets two mechanised boreholes from GRIDCo

    Two mechanized boreholes have been donated to the Navrongo Senior High School (NAVASCO) in the Kassena-Nankana Municipality of the Upper East Region by the Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo), Operator of the National Transmission supply, to improve the school’s water supply.

    This came as a relief to staff and students in the school from their daily struggle for potable water.

    The construction of the facilities which was started late 2022 under the GRIDCo’s Education Support Initiative and valued at GH₵100,000.00 have reservoir tanks with taps connected to the dormitories of the students and other major areas.

    At a handing over ceremony at Navrongo, Ms. Dzifa Bampoh, Manager, Corporate Communications, GRIDCo, said the support was part of one of the core values of the company in supporting stakeholders in its operational areas.

    “It is also in line with GRIDCo’s Sustainable Corporate Social Responsibility and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals particularly goal six, to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all,” she said.

    Ms. Bampoh said access to water was critical in fighting critical infections and diseases, especially as the country was recovering from COVID-19, which puts emphasis on the need to practice good hygiene and washing protocols.

    She said due to increasing challenges of climate change, water was becoming scarce especially in Northern Ghana and advised the management and students at the school to ensure maintenance of the facilities.

    Ms. Mercy Babachuweh, the Headmistress of the school, expressed gratitude to GRIDCo for the intervention and said the support came at the right time.

    She said before the intervention, the school had only two mechanised boreholes and four manual ones which were serving 2,034 students and 78 staff staying on campus, adding that this situation was putting lots of pressure on the boreholes leading to constant breakdown and increasing financial loss to the school.

    She said this also affects contact hours as many students have to move out of the campus in search of water.

    “And so, the provision of these two mechanised boreholes to the school is very timely. They are serving six dormitory blocks, that is, one borehole to three dormitory blocks. Students now spend less time searching for water. This will ultimately result in more contact hours for teaching and learning, hence, academic excellence, good personal hygiene and a disciplined student body,” she said.

    The Headmistress, however, appealed for more support to renovate and expand the school’s dining hall which has limited space and is in a dilapidated state with the roof leaking anytime it rains.
    GRIDCo mechanised boreholes Navrongo SHS

    Ms. Alice Ellen Abeere-Inga, the Kassena-Nankana Municipal Director of the Ghana Education Service, expressed optimism that the facilities would improve sanitation practices especially good hygiene among girls during their menstrual periods and advised the management and students to ensure that the facilities last to serve the purpose for which they were provided.

    Mr Simon Anyoka Nyaaba, the Senior Prefect of the school said due to difficulty in getting water on campus, some students took advantage of the situation to move out of the school to engage in unproductive ventures.

    He said the academic work would improve as a result of the support from GRIDCo and thanked them for the kind gesture.

  • Licensure examination to begin soon – Deputy Director for TVET

    Licensure examination to begin soon – Deputy Director for TVET

    All teachers employed by the Service will start taking the Ghana Teacher Licensure Examination (GTLE), according to Mr. David Prah, the Deputy Director General of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Service Ghana.

    Mr Prah, speaking at the National Teaching Council’s Research Dissemination event on the rollout of GTLE, said the examination was essential to note the characteristics of a good teacher  “Teacher Licensure Examination is critical to teacher professionalism, and a good teacher is expected to exhibit certain professional characteristics, and so these characteristics are put in the Teacher Licensure Examination,” he said. 

    Mr Christian Addai-Poku, Registrar of the National Teaching Council (NTC), said the teacher reforms put in place had made the country “more competitive”.  ”Ghana was selected by the UK government as one of the four countries in Africa whose teachers are exempt from Qualified Teachers Status (QTS) assessment should they apply to teach in the United Kingdom,” he said. He said the examination was a professional one to assess the people venturing into the occupation without living it out in the training institutions. 

    Mr Addai-Poku said seven editions of the GTLE had been written, and that the Council saw the need to conduct a study that would help understand the issues surrounding the policies and influence further reforms.

    The research was done on four editions: 2018, twice in 2019; and once in 2021. The research was on, “An Evaluation of the Ghana Teacher Licensure Examination, Quality and Trend Analysis of the Ghana Teacher Licensure Examinations, and Teacher Professionalism and Professional Practice in Ghana”. Section 59 of the Education Regulatory Bodies Act, 2020 (Act 1023) mandates the National Teaching Council to regulate teaching in Ghana.

    Also, in-service teachers, on the other hand, are required to undergo continuous professional development to improve their skills and to accrue the needed points to renew their license upon expiry.  

    The GTLE was introduced in 2018 with the aim of ensuring that prospective teachers after graduating from the teacher education institutions were filtered through the license exams.

  • More than 1,900 Liberians receive residency licenses – GIS

    More than 1,900 Liberians receive residency licenses – GIS

    A total of 1,939 Liberian refugees have been integrated into the country through the granting of Residence Permits and other support programmes, the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has said.

    The GIS in 2022, received and helped a total of 2,847 migrants, constituting 1,905 males and 942 females to be reintegrated into various communities in Ghana.

    Mr Kwame Asuah Takyi, Comptroller-General of Immigration, speaking at the launch of the Caritas Ghana initiative, Support Service for Migrants and Refugees in Transit (SMART) for Inclusive Development Project in Accra, said the Service had helped returned migrants and refugees and collaborated with relevant stakeholders for their reception, registration, hosting, and integration in the country.

    The “SMART for Inclusive Development” Project is an initiative by Caritas Ghana, a charity organisation of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, with support from the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development at the Vatican.

    It aims at offering altruistic assistance and the rehabilitation of returned migrants and refugees in Ghana in nine out of the 16 regions.

    The regions are Ahafo, Bono-East, Greater Accra, Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western and Oti.

    The project was designed to achieve an overall goal of providing “responsive humanitarian assistance and reintegration support for returned migrants and refugees in Ghana and curtail the menace of irregular migration from Ghana into the West through Social and Behavioural Change Communication activities in the communities by 2025.”

    The Comptroller-General of Immigration said the assistance to migrants had contributed considerably to the fight against irregular migration and the promotion of safe, orderly and legal migration.

    Mr Takyi, whose speech was read on his behalf by Assistant Commissioner of Immigration (ACI), Isaac Ghansah, said the Ghana Immigration Service through the Migration management Bureau had embarked on regular education and sensitisation programmes to create awareness on the dangers of irregular migration and avenues for safe and legal migration.

    He said, in addition to creating awareness, the Service had investigated and prosecuted several document fraud, human trafficking and other related cases to serve as a deterrent to miscreants.

    Mr Takyi, whose speech was read on his behalf by Assistant Commissioner of Immigration (ACI), Isaac Ghansah, said the Ghana Immigration Service through the Migration management Bureau had embarked on regular education and sensitisation programmes to create awareness of the dangers of irregular migration and avenues for safe and legal migration.

    For instance, he said in March 2023, the Anti-Human Smuggling and Trafficking in Person Unit successfully prosecuted a human trafficking case gaining conviction of a 15-year prison term for the trafficker.

    In the first quarter of 2023 alone, he noted that some 33 persons had been convicted for various offences, including attempts to obtain Ghana passports by false declaration and other documents resulting in impersonation.

    He said issues of migration was an essential constituent of globalisation and development and integral part of humanity and that in view of the critical role it played, there was the need to ensure that it was safe, orderly, regular, and responsible as prescribed in the Sustainable Development Goal.

    Rev. Fr. Charles Boampong Sarfo, Assistant Secretary General, National Catholic Secretariat, said to ensure that activities and project structures continued to work beyond the funding window, Caritas Ghana would ensure a community-driven approach to the project implementation.

    That, he said, would require the adoption of local structures and partners to carry out direct implementation whilst Caritas Ghana played a facilitating role, adding that the local government structures would be directly engaged to enable them to learn from the process and begin to include the project intervention in their annual operational plan.

    The Project action, Fr. Sarfo said, would include improving the institutional capacity of Caritas Ghana to respond to the relief and emergency needs of migrants and refugees in Ghana, shifting the perspectives of migrants, refugees and their families, and community on successes and failures related to migration.

    Rev. Sr. Regina Ignatia Aflah, Project Coordinator, Human Rights and Justice, called for the support of all stakeholders to enable Caritas Ghana harvest as many outcomes as possible to secure the future of the country’s labour force, which was under threat due to the menace of irregular migration.

  • Why Ghana was selected for malaria vaccine introduction

    Why Ghana was selected for malaria vaccine introduction

    According to Dr. Delese Darko, the FDA’s Chief Executive Officer, Ghana was selected by the manufacturers of the malaria vaccine because the country has a Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) that is a Maturity Level 3 National Regulatory Authority for the regulation of pharmaceuticals and vaccines.

    She further stated that the FDA had extensive competencies in evaluating the quality of clinical and non-clinical parts of a product.

    “We are also a regional centre of regulatory excellence with clinical trial oversights,” she said at a press conference in Accra on Thursday, April 13.

    Ghana became the first country in the world on Thursday, April 13 to approve a new malaria vaccine from Oxford University.

    The FDA Boss said “On March 28 this year, the FDA granted approval to R21 malaria vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India which was submitted through the local agent, DEK Pharmaceuticals Ghana.

    “The approval was granted following extensive series of reviews and peer reviews of the clinical, non-clinical, and quality parts of the vaccine development procedure.

    “The vaccine has been approved for use for the immunization of children between five months to thirty-six months.

    “It is a colourless to mild turbid solution for injection, and it is supposed to be stored in a refrigerator and has a shelf life of twenty-four months. Our evaluation indicated that the vaccine has the potential to reduce infant mortality caused by malaria in Africa.”

    “Ghana was chosen because the FDA is a level three maturity national regulatory authority for medicines and vaccines and regulatory oversights and has extensive competencies in evaluating the quality of clinical and non-clinical parts of a product. We are also a regional centre of regulatory excellence with clinical trial oversights.”

  • Senior UCC staff begin indefinite strike

    Senior UCC staff begin indefinite strike

    The University of Cape Coast‘s senior personnel have started an indefinite strike because their agreed allowances, conditions of employment, and promotions are taking too long to be implemented.

    The local chapter of the Senior Staff Association of the Universities of Ghana at the University of Cape Coast says its members are not happy over delays on the part of management of the University to resolve certain pertinent issues regarding its members.

    According to the group, issues and grievances such as negotiated allowances, issues of condition of service for its members have not been implemented, promotion of its members and the inclusion within the Senior Staff rank have been tabled before management since last year but have not seen the light of day hence the action.

    Some members of the group who had red bands on their wrists and hands insisted that they will not work until their grievances are met.

    “We are not going to resume work until they fix the situation,” they said.

    The Association is also worried that the issues its members are fighting for have been negotiated and approved by other universities, but the situation is different at the University of Cape Coast.

  • Ahafo Region: 1,309 new mental cases reported in 2022

    Ahafo Region: 1,309 new mental cases reported in 2022

    There is no psychiatrist in the Bono, Bono East, or Ahafo regions to help the residents of those areas receive effective and efficient mental health care.

    The situation, the Ahafo Regional Minister, George Yaw Boakye, said, was a reflection of the poor access to mental health care in the country, with a treatment gap of about 72 per cent.

    In a speech read on his behalf at the opening of the World Health Organisation Director-General’s Special Initiative for Mental Health (DG-SIMH) inception meeting in Goaso in the Ahafo Region last Wednesday, Mr Boakye expressed worry over the fact that locally and globally, mental health issues had been neglected and allowed to be suppressed by stigma and discrimination for a very long time, although mental disorders were responsible for about 30 per cent of the world disability burden.

    Supporting his concern with some data, the regional minister said relative to the WHO benchmark of one psychiatrist:100,000 population, Ghana’s psychiatrist:population ratio was 0.058 per 100,000 and 0.065 psychologist per 100,000 population.

    Dr Bernard Ziem (inset), acting Ahafo Regional Health Director, delivering his address

    WHO Special Initiative for Mental Health

    The WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, in 2021 set up the DG-SIMH to support the transformation of systems and scale-up of mental health services.

    The goal of the initiative is to increase treatment coverage for mental health conditions by ensuring access to mental health care for about 100 million people in five years.

    Mental health cases

    Giving a situational report on mental healthcare delivery in the region, the Ahafo Regional Mental Health Coordinator, James Gariba, disclosed that the health directorate recorded 1,309 new mental health cases in six different mental health conditions in 2022, compared to 1,538 in 2021.

    Some of the conditions recorded included epilepsy, which is said to be common among young people between 20 and 29; schizophrenia, mental disorder due to alcohol use, mental disorder due to psychoactive use, depression and mental disorders not specified, such as bedwetting.

    At the end of 2022, the directorate also recorded 3,175 re-attendance; that is, patients who visited health facilities each day to access treatment, as against 3,980 in 2021.

    Mr Gariba said while the directorate was committed to helping deliver efficient mental health care, it was saddled with challenges that impeded its efficiency.

    He mentioned weak structural capacity for district mental health focal persons, insufficient supply of programmed psychotropic drugs, inadequate funding for mental health activities and inadequate capacity building for workers as some of the challenges facing the mental health sector.

    The acting Regional Health Director, Dr Bernard Ziem, said even though mental health was crucial in the healthcare system, governments and other institutions worldwide had given less attention to the sector.

    For her part, the Country Programme Officer of the WHO, Dr Joana Ansong, said mental health continued to be a priority for the WHO, with the vision that all people achieve the highest standard of mental health and well-being.

    She said the region was one of the focus regions for the initiative, explaining that the meeting was to have stakeholders participate and subsequently develop a regional work plan which was well aligned to the national four-year plan.

  • Join the Etor craze: Discover the health benefits of this Ghanaian staple

    Join the Etor craze: Discover the health benefits of this Ghanaian staple

    Food is unquestionably one of the most important parts of culture as it represents a way of life.

    It goes beyond just how something tastes or is consumed; it also considers what the meal means and how it affects those who consume it.


    Eliminate Etor from many celebrations, and you’ll notice that there is a vacuum or a missing component.

    The Akan and Ga people refer to this dish as “etor” or “otor,” which is made from palm oil and other ingredients combined with mashed plantains or yams.


    Both children and adults love this highly healthy dinner.


    It is served with groundnuts, hard-boiled eggs, and occasionally pear or avocado.

    It is crushed in a native bowl known to the Asante and Ga peoples as an ayewa or Asanka, accordingly.


    They are very important in Ghanaian traditional ceremonies such naming ceremonies, wedding ceremonies, festivals, and puberty rites.


    Many Ghanaian communities regard etor/otor as a sacred dish.

    For instance, etor/otor is offered to the gods in Ghana at several festivals as a form of gratitude and pacification.

    Etor is also administered to brides on their wedding day because it is thought that it discourages frequent bathroom visits.

    Ingredients for etor Preparations
    o 4 fingers of plantain: 2 unripe. 2 medium ripe
    o Salted fish (momone)
    o 5 tablespoon palm oil
    o 2 large onions (one chopped and one thinly sliced)
    o 4 pieces of pepper
    o 4 eggs o Avocado
    o Groundnut paste
    o Roasted groundnut method
    o Put plantains on fire and add pepper and eggs
    o Cook for about 30 mins
    o Grind boiled pepper with chopped onions and add salted fish
    o Set aside and start mashing plantain in an asanka with palm oil
    o Add ground pepper to mashed plantain
    o Add groundnut paste/peanut butter to the mashed plantain
    o Add salt to taste
    o Garnish with eggs, avocado, and roasted groundnut

    Hard-boiled eggs, groundnuts, and avocado are typically served with otor/etor in an asanka.


    You can go above and beyond by adding some smoked fish, salted fish, and some palm oil that has been sautéed with onions (momone).


    Although it can be consumed on a plate, every fan of etor will tell you that they prefer it in an asanka or ayewa.

    Among the Ga communities, yam-based etor is more common, but plantain-based etor is more common in Asante groups.

    Etor provides a lot of nutritional advantages, for instance, the plantains or yams used in making it are sources of carbohydrates, the body’s primary fuel.

    Carbohydrates contain fiber, which helps with digestion, makes you feel full after eating, and lowers blood cholesterol levels.

    On your list of Ghanaian meals to try, etor is undoubtedly the ideal cultural and nutritious dish.

  • Hate speech has never been used to win elections – – Dr. Asah-Asante

    Hate speech has never been used to win elections – – Dr. Asah-Asante

    Political science lecturer Dr. Kwame Asah- Asante argues that history has demonstrated that voters are more receptive to communications that speak to their hearts and brains than to overtly inciting ones.

    ‘’No one has won an election, using hate speech,’’ he asserts.

    While contributing to a discussion on Joy News on Hate Speech, Dr. Asah-Asante said that in Ghana, everything points to the fact that the conduits of hate speech have not entirely been helpful to the political process.

    He said it is important to institute safeguards that would protect or punish persons who fall foul in a bid to serve as a deterrent to others.

    As a way to protect Ghana’s democracy, Dr. Asah-Asante suggested that the media boycott the activities of political actors who consistently use inciteful language or hate speech while communicating with the electorate.

  • Anthony Akoto Osei to be buried April 15

    Anthony Akoto Osei to be buried April 15

    On Saturday, April 15, Dr. Anthony Akoto Osei, a former MP for Old Tafo and minister for monitoring and evaluation, will be laid to rest.

    According to the family of the late former MP, his burial service will take place at the Holy Spirit Cathedral in Accra.

    Dr Osei died on Monday, March 20, 2023, at the University of Ghana Medical Centre in Accra.

    He had previously served as a presidential advisor and as minister of monitoring and evaluation at the Office of the President.

    Dr Osei was survived by his three children, Anthony Akoto Osei Jnr, Albert Kwame Osei and Ashley Angela Morny.

    Following the burial, a Thanksgiving Mass will be held at Christ the King Catholic Church in Cantonments on Sunday, April 16.

  • Get to work and stop attending boring seminars – Henry Quartey tells MMDAs

    Get to work and stop attending boring seminars – Henry Quartey tells MMDAs

    Henry Quartey, the Greater Accra Regional Minister, has instructed the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, or MMDAs, to abandon the customary workshops and seminars in favor of adopting real steps to guarantee sanitary urban growth.

    He said it is regrettable that workshops come out with great recommendations which just end up on paper, while the real problems of sanitation, congestion and illegal encroachments continue to tear cities apart.

    Mr. Quartey was speaking at the Accra City Study Uptake Workshop organized by the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralization and Rural Development.

    The Greater Accra Regional Minister urged MMDAs and other stakeholders to make their policies and recommendations work consistently.

  • UNFPA pledges to aid Ghana in eliminating maternal death by 2030

    UNFPA pledges to aid Ghana in eliminating maternal death by 2030

    The United Nations Population Fund, or UNFPA, has assured Ghana that it will continue to provide aid until the country’s efforts to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity are successful.

    In this regard, the Fund and its partners will continue with the provision of the relevant support including technical and logistics in quality human resource training and maternal healthcare to ensure safe child birth in Ghana.
    From Left: Vice Chancellor of the KNUST, Professor Mrs. Rita Dickson in a warm embrace with Dr. Emily Naphambo, Deputy Country Director of the UNFPA

    The Deputy Country Director of the UNFPA, Dr. Emily Naphambo, gave the assurance in Kumasi in an interview with Radio Ghana on the sidelines of a presentation of assorted training equipment to the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.

    UNFPA is one of the specialized agencies of the United Nations and is concerned and working towards responsible reproductive health in member nations with a target to achieve Zero maternal deaths by 2030.

    The training equipment donated to the KNUST forms part of the strategies being deployed by the Agency towards attainment of this goal.

    The Deputy Country Representative of the UNFPA, Dr. Emily Naphambo, who led the delegation of the United Nations agency, handed over the equipment to the Vice Chancellor of the KNUST, Professor Mrs. Rita Dickson.

    Dr. Naphambo explained that, untill Ghana’s unimpressive maternal deaths record, which currently stands at 320 deaths per 100 thousand live births, gets better, the UNFPA, with the support of its partners like Canada, will not relent in assisting the country in anyway possible.
    Dr. Emily Naphambo, Deputy Country Director of the UNFPA

    Asked by how long her agency was ready to support Ghana, Dr. Naphambo quickly responded amidst giggling “as long as long as women continue to die, we’re here as UNFPA. UNFPA is a UN specializes in reproductive health and maternal deaths. As long as women are dying, we’re here, we’re nit going anywhere. Our agenda is to ensure Zero maternal deaths in 2030.”

    The Director of Nursing and Midwifery at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Bannor, who witnessed the presentation, said the Ministry has identified capacity training as the most important need for quality maternal care in the country hence his appeal to local and external organizations to offer support in the development of relevant curricular for postgraduate programmes for nurses and midwives in the country.

    The Deputy Registrar in charge of University Relations at the KNUST, Dr. Daniel Norris Bekoe, in thanking UNFPA for the generous assistance, described the gesture as timely for hands-on training of the would-be nurses and midwives during their practical learning sessions at school.

    The equipment donated by the UNFPA, valued at 30 thousand Ghana Cedis, included cardiotoscopy machine, multipurpose manual obstetrics bed, MVA kits, Urine dilators, sets of Dilation and Curettage, assorted Thermometers, cervical dilation and, effacement, birth stimulators among others key logistics.

    The items are meant for the Midwifery Skills Laboratory of the Department of Nursing if the College of Health Sciences of the KNUST.

    The presentation forms part of the standing partnership between the KNUST and the UNFPA since 2011 which has also seen the UNFPA assist the KNUST to establish establish the Nursing and Midwifery School and still together, developing curricular for postgraduate courses in the two professional fields.

  • Despite the hardships facing Ghana, government is still paying salaries – Ahiagbah

    Despite the hardships facing Ghana, government is still paying salaries – Ahiagbah

    According to Richard Ahiagbah, the director of communications for the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), the effects of Covid-19 and the Russia-Ukraine war on the world economy are visible.

    He told Ghanaians not to be deceived by the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to think otherwise.

    Despite the effect of these two exogenous factors, he said, the government of Ghana continues to pay salaries and provide essential public services.

    “Ghanaians, we are going through difficulties, but we continue to pay salaries and provide essential public services.

    “The impact of Covid-19 and Russia-Ukraine war on the global economy is real. Let’s not be deceived by NDC to think otherwise,” he tweeted.

    Ghanaians, we are going through difficulties, but we continue to pay salaries and provide essential public services. The impact of Covid-19 and Russia-Ukraine war on the global economy is real. Let's not be deceived by NDC to think otherwise. #CitiCBS #CitiNewsroom #JoyNews… pic.twitter.com/1krde4mSex

— Richard Ahiagbah (@RAahiagbah) April 13, 2023

    The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Kristalina Georgieva has also repeated her comment that Ghana’s economy has been negatively impacted by the Russia-Ukraine war.

    She described Ghana as an innocent bystander that has been hit by the Covid pandemic and the war.

    Speaking at the ongoing IMF/World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington, she said “we have been in constant contact with authorities in Ghana, we have worked very hard and very swiftly to have the programme, $3bn support programme, for Ghana in place.

    “We have been urging Ghana’s creditors to act swiftly. My appreciation also for the proactive role of the Minister of Finance of Ghana in reaching out to the creditors. We are expecting that next week there will be discussions among creditors.”

    She further indicated that the Fund has asked Ghana’s creditors to act swiftly to ensure that the deal that the country is seeking with the Fund is approved.

    “I can tell you that I use every opportunity myself to urge them to act swiftly. Let us remember that Ghana for a long time has done really well to tap markets to finance its growth paths.

    “It has been like all innocent bystanders hit by Covid, hit by the war in Ukraine. it caused complicated domestically, the ability to Finance the budget. So a country that has a long track record of sound macroeconomic management.”

  • R21 malaria vaccine receives approval from FDA

    R21 malaria vaccine receives approval from FDA

    The R21 malaria vaccine has been given FDA approval for use in immunizing infants between the ages of 5 and 36 months against malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum.

    The vaccine, according to the regulator, is a clear, colourless to mildly turbid solution for injection, which is stored between 2 and 8 °C (refrigerator) and has a shelflife of 24 months.

    The Chief Executive Officer of the FDA, Dr. Delese Darko told journalists in Accra on Thursday, April 13 that “On March 28 this year, the FDA granted approval to R21 malaria vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India which was submitted through the local agent, DEK Pharmaceuticals Ghana.

    “The approval was granted following extensive series of reviews and peer reviews of the clinical, non-clinical, and quality parts of the vaccine development procedure.

    “The vaccine has been approved for use for the immunization of children between five months to thirty-six months. It is a colourless to mild turbid solution for injection, and it is supposed to be stored in a refrigerator and has a shelf life of twenty-four months. Our evaluation indicated that the vaccine has the potential to reduce infant mortality caused by malaria in Africa.”

    She added “Ghana was chosen because the FDA is a level three maturity national regulatory authority for medicines and vaccines and regulatory oversights and has extensive competencies in evaluating the quality of clinical and non-clinical parts of a product. We are also a regional centre of regulatory excellence with clinical trial oversights.”

  • Boundary Commission requests collaboration to draw border lines between Ghana and Cote D’Ivoire

    Boundary Commission requests collaboration to draw border lines between Ghana and Cote D’Ivoire

    Concerns concerning the removal of international boundary pillars along the Ghana-Cote D’Ivoire borders have been expressed by the Ghana Boundary Commission.

    Major General Emmanuel Kotia, the National Coordinator for the Ghana Boundary Commission has raised concerns over the removal of international boundary pillars along the Ghana-Cote D’Ivoire borders, including the teak plantation planted by both countries.

    The illegal mining activities in the area were the major cause of these removals, according to him.

    To address this issue, the Ghanaian Boundary Commission has collaborated with the Minerals Commission, Forestry Commission, and Geological Survey Authority to investigate and devise a plan of action.

    Major General Kotia added that there have been talks with their Ivorian counterparts to jointly inspect and reaffirm the international boundary line and construct boundary pillars.

    In May this year, the Ghanaian Boundary Commission and its Ivorian counterpart will meet to discuss the framework of how to undertake the project, which will involve seeking funds as the construction of international boundary pillars will serve both countries.

    He disclosed that his outfit has facilitated the construction of a feeder road along the international boundary line to Dollar Power to aid regular inspections of the international boundary line and aid the security agencies and other agencies in their activities.

    The Deputy CEO of the Minerals Commission, Mr. Samuel Tika noted that illegal mining activities were affecting the livelihoods of people in the area, and the commission was ready to engage them on how to regularize their activities, emphasizing the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel A. Jinapor’s call for responsible mining.

    Mr. Sulemana Nyadia, the Forestry Commission’s Deputy CEO, who represented the Deputy Minister responsible for Lands and Forestry, Benito Owusu-Bio stated that the activities of the miners were affecting the Mole National Park, and the agency would take action to address the issue.

    The Dollar Power enclave was being actively mined illegally and had attracted a large number of people, including foreigners, to that part of the park. The Ghana Geological Survey Authority was urged to conduct detailed investigations to determine the extent of mineralisation and delineate zones in the areas to be blocked out for community mining.

    The Dollar Power Community, located in the northern part of Ghana, also called on the government to provide them with essential security and water supply.

    Speaking on behalf of the Chief, Mr. Mahammah Tayiru noted that the community has been in existence for a long time but lost its inhabitants through the invasion of the warlord, Samoro.

    Since then, the land was left untended and was later occupied by Ivorian farmers and herdsmen.

    The community was rejuvenated in 2013 by Mohammed Seidu, popularly known as Dollar Power, and his team after discovering that Ivorians were illegally mining gold on the land.

    The miners would move from Tagadi, a town in Cote D’Ivoire, and mine on the lands of Sindi before returning to reside at Tagadi. Dollar Power and his team stopped the rebels at Cote D’Ivoire from coming to mine on the land, though it was not an easy feat since they made a fortune from it. Ultimately, they succeeded in driving the rebels out of the land.

    He disclosed that as a result of their efforts, the illegal miners now refer to the area as Dollar Power Community. However, the community faces significant security challenges, as they have no security presence from the government despite being at the boundary line.

    He made a rallying cry that the community is appealing to the government to provide police posts, immigration, military, and other relevant security presence to protect them from the invasion of armed groups.

    He highlighted water as also a significant challenge in the community, with the only source being a dugout borehole by Chairman Mohammed Dollar Power.

    However, he was quick to add that it was destroyed and vandalized by Ivorian soldiers stationed at the border.

    On behalf of the Chief, he indicated that the community has been forced to seek water from their counterparts in Cote D’Ivoire, sometimes with little success due to misunderstandings.

    Mr. Tayiru in his remarks appealed on behalf of the community, urging the government to enroll them in the government flagship programs, including the community mining scheme, to curb the galamsey menace and improve their living conditions as law-abiding citizens.

    He emphasized that they are Ghanaians and deserve fundamental rights such as security and access to clean water.

  • Airport City 2 project to be funded by Airports Company

    Airport City 2 project to be funded by Airports Company

    In order to boost profitability, The Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) has initiated new business development plans to diversify revenue streams into non-aeronautical sectors.

    The company maintained that its new project, christened the “Airport City 2” project, would feature largely in the airport operator’s efforts to enhance its non-aeronautical revenue base in the coming years.

    Addressing the eighth Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the company in Accra yesterday, the Managing Director (MD) of the GACL, Pamela Djamson-Tettey, explained that the approach would produce tangible results and transform the revenue generating capacity of the company.

    It would also drive the vision to make the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) a true hub and leader in the airport business in West Africa, she added.
    Airport city two

    The project covers a designated project site of about 272 acres located around the KIA.

    It will occupy the portion of land to the right along the airport bypass road from the Airport Shell Roundabout (south) to the Spintex Road, opposite the Action Chapel (north), and bordered on the west by the Polo Grounds and east by Terminal 2.

    The plan is to develop the site into a high-end mixed-use commercial, residential, lifestyle and entertainment precinct that dovetails into the general landside infrastructure expansion programme.

    Infrastructure work within the enclave would be pegged at standards comparable to internationally well-known real estate development projects, the company explained.
    These include water, power, roads, drains and ICT backbone.
    Recovery process

    Ms Djamson-Tettey commended the GACL staff for their resilience and exemplary workmanship throughout the business recovery process following the overwhelming and unparalleled effect of COVID-19. The GACL posted a loss of about GH¢252 million for the year ending December 31, 2021.

    She said that position was an improved performance compared to the loss of GH¢435.5 million in 2020, explaining that the underlying factor was a significant increase in financial cost for the loan facility secured for the construction of the KIA Terminal 3.
    Global passenger traffic

    The Board Chairman of the GACL, Paul Adom Otchere, stated that in Ghana, air traffic movements in 2021 exceeded that of 2020 by 50.4 per cent after the government eased travel restrictions and reopened the country’s borders for flight operations in 2021.

    Air traffic movements for both international and domestic schedules showed strong growth, with international growth at 53.9 per cent and domestic growth at 46.1 per cent.
    Financial challenges

    A Deputy Minister of Transport, Hassan Tampuli, commended the board and management of the GACL for steering the company out of the financial challenges brought about by the pandemic.

    Mr Tampuli said the Ministry of Transport had made several interventions, including the review of the domestic airport passenger service charge to ease the financial burden on the GACL.

    He said the infrastructure developments being undertaken at the regional airports were enough justification to pursue the review and would relieve the KIA of the burden of subsidising the regional airports.

  • Housing units for 155 Armoured Regiment in Damongo commissioned by Defense Minister

    Housing units for 155 Armoured Regiment in Damongo commissioned by Defense Minister

    Dominic Nitiwul, the Minister of Defense, commissioned housing facilities in Damongo for 155 Armoured Regiment’s junior officers on Wednesday, April 12, 2023.

    The commissioning of the officers’ accommodation comes some five months after an accommodation facility was commissioned for 180 young soldiers at the Regiment which is barely two years old.

    Mr. Nitiwul said the government will continue to explore acceptable ways of mitigating the accommodation challenges of the military.

    “Adequate and appropriate accommodation for military personnel plays an important role in the function and performance of military personnel and government shall therefore continue to exploit acceptable ways in mitigating the accommodation challenges of all personnel.”

    The 6 units 5 facility to accommodate young officers of the regiment was commissioned by the Minister for Defense, Dominic Nitiwul in the company of the Chief of Defense Staff and Chief of Army Staff on Wednesday 12th April 2023.

    The 155 Armoured Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces was established in 2020 in Damongo as part of the army’s drive to boost the country’s security in a period of contemporary security threats.

    The unit since its establishment has helped in maintaining peace in the Savannah enclave as well as improving on socio-economic activities of the Damongo township.

    The unit which was established with less than 100 soldiers now has nearly 500.

    Mr. Nitiwul in his address also commended the Regiment for supporting the civil authority in the area in maintaining law and order.

  • Bailout package to reach Ghana soon – IMF boss

    Bailout package to reach Ghana soon – IMF boss

    Kristalina Georgieva, the IMF’s managing director, is confident that the fund’s Executive Board would quickly give Ghana’s bailout request its final clearance.

    Ms Georgieva said at the ongoing World Bank/IMF Spring Meetings in Washington D.C. that her optimism stemmed from the swelling goodwill that the country was getting from the international community, including its creditors.

    Graphic Online’s Maxwell Akalaare Adombila who is covering the World Bank/IMF Spring Meetings in Washington D.C., USA reports Ms Georgieva told journalists Thursday that her outfit was pushing the bilateral creditors to quickly provide the financial assurance needed for the board to approve the deal.

    Ghana secured a staff-level agreement (SLA) for the $3 billion request in December but efforts to move pass the final lap have dragged as bilateral creditors haggle over the terms of the debt restructuring exercise.

    Sources had told Graphic Online at the Spring Meetings that a deal in May was closer as China softened its stance on the need for multilaterals to share debt losses.

    The IMF MD, when asked about when Ghanaians should expect a deal, said: “We have been urging Ghana’s creditors to act swiftly.”

    “To tell you the truth, I am optimistic that we are going to move swiftly and so stay positive,” she said.

    Ghana needs a deal to stabilise the cedi further, contain inflationary pressures and tap into the international capital market for loans to fund development. It would be the country’s 17th bailout programme after joining the IMF in September 1957.

  • Majority of voters say Ghana is moving in a wrong direction – Survey

    Majority of voters say Ghana is moving in a wrong direction – Survey

    According to the results of a recent nationwide poll conducted in April 2023 by Global InfoAnalytics, 71% of respondents believe Akufo-Addo is leading Ghana in the wrong direction.

    The poll said 65 percent of voters disapprove of his performance, up from 59 percent in January, while 29 percent approve of his performance, down from 32 percent.

    While 58 percent of NPP supporters approve of the president’s performance, 38 percent disapprove.

    For supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) engaged, the poll uncovered that 11 percent approved his job performance whilst 86 percent disapproved his performance.

    Meanwhile, 15 percent of floating voters approved of President Akufo-Addo’s performance compared to 77 percent who disapproved of his performance.

    “71 percent of voters believed Ghana is headed in the wrong direction, unchanged from January 2023 poll. 19 percent believed it is headed in the right direction and a further 10 percent did not have opinion,” parts of the survey by Global InfoAnalytics revealed.

    For the NPP primaries, the poll shows Hon. Kennedy Ohene Agyapong (KOA) surging among general voters but not enough to overtake Hon Alan Kwadwo Kyeremanten (AKK) and H.E. Mahamudu Bawumia (DMB) in the race to lead the NPP into the 2024 elections.

    While for the NDC polls, John Dramani Mahama has a big gap over other flagbearer aspirants.

  • Presidential aspirants warned of using propaganda against Kennedy Agyapong

    Presidential aspirants warned of using propaganda against Kennedy Agyapong

    The New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer hopeful, Kennedy Agyapong’s campaign team has urged other candidates and their teams to run their campaigns in accordance with the party’s code of conduct.

    According to the team, it is important that the codes outlined by the party are duly followed so as not to create unbridgeable divisions in the party.

    The word of caution from Kennedy Agyapong’s team comes in the wake of attacks on the Assin Central MP over the sincerity of his promise to set up a scholarship fund with his salary in the event that he is elected president of Ghana.

    Critics questioned the genuineness of the promise on the premise that Kennedy Agyapong is allegedly drawing bonuses as board chair of Ghana Gas.

    The Ken 2024 team deems that rhetoric as a propaganda scheme from competitors to soil the image of Kennedy Agyapong.

    The team insisted Kennedy Agyapong has consistently shown himself to be a man of his word and will not abandon the promise if he the elections.

    Read the full statement below

    Our attention has been drawn to some vile propaganda against our candidate Ken Ohene Agyapong on some social media platforms. The propaganda believed to have been churned out by some faceless individuals from the camp of our opponents is for all intent and purposes meant to discredit our candidate.

    In a subtle jab, these faceless individuals through their propaganda materials sought to question the sincerity of Ken Ohene Agyapong’s promise to use his salary as President to establish a scholarship scheme to support the needy but brilliant students. They reason that, by accepting his allowances as Board Chairman of Ghana Gas as well as remuneration from his legitimate business gains, he cannot be trusted to keep his promise.

    We wish to state unequivocally that not only are the assertions stated above infantile, but they also demonstrate profound nervousness within the competing camps that Ken Agyapong’s listening tour to hear directly from the people is generating excitement unparalleled by their feeble efforts to emulate same.

    Ken Ohene Agyapong has demonstrated throughout his political life that he is not someone who dabbles in deceit for political gains. Not only is he seen by many as one of the few credible voices in our political space today, but he is also seen as someone who honors his pledges of support, especially to those less fortunate. Unlike, some of his opponents, Ken Agyapong can boast of massive support for the party both at the top echelons and at the grassroots.

    There is no gainsaying that the growing popularity of Ken’s campaign at the grassroots is causing considerable nervousness among his competitor. The infantile attacks notwithstanding. Ken Agyapong is still committed to a civil and sane internal campaign and would not resort to any form of abrasive tactics to destroy anyone in our party. But he will respond to falsehoods and misinformation.

    We wish to caution that all aspirants and their hirelings or assigns must stay within the party’s code ‘which mandates all to ensure a decorous campaign to make reconciliation after the elections easy for all. Let us remember the real opponent we face out there is the NDC and not ourselves.

  • NPA to control bitumen supply chain to improve effectiveness and quality

    NPA to control bitumen supply chain to improve effectiveness and quality

    The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has announced that it is designing a framework to control the storage, process, importation, and marketing of bitumen in the country.

    The framework, which will have inputs from the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), the Ghana Highways Authority (GHA), and the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), is to streamline the bitumen supply chain and ensure compliance with quality standards specifications.

    The NPA Chief Executive, Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, and Management members of the Authority made this known on Wednesday, April 12, during an inspection tour of a bitumen storage and production plant at Tema jointly owned by Goil Good Energy and Societe’ Multinationale de Bitimumes (SMB) of Cote d’Ivoire.

    The facility with 7,500 metric tonnes installed capacity takes delivery of bitumen from Cote d’Ivoire.

    One component of the facility produces polymer-modified bitumen and bitumen emulsions, which are combinations of bitumen and some chemicals.

    Operations started in September 2022, and arrangements are underway for the official commissioning of the plant, possibly by President Akufo-Addo and his Ivorian counterpart Mr. Alassane Ouattara this year.

    Per the law establishing the NPA, it has the mandate to regulate all petroleum products, including bitumen, which is mainly used for road construction.

    Dr. Abdul-Hamid affirmed the commitment of the NPA to streamline the bitumen supply chain to ensure compliance with industry standards.

    Giving details of the NPA’s actions, the Head of Planning of NPA, Mr. Dominic Aboagye indicated that the NPA constituted a committee a couple of years ago to look at the entire bitumen supply chain to see how to streamline the sector.

    Consequently, he said, the Authority engaged players in the bitumen value chain to understand their operations, and it turned out that much of the supply was from Cote d’Ivoire.

    With that information, a team from the NPA led by Dr. Abdul-Hamid visited Cote d’Ivoire in 2021 to study the operations of Societe’ Multinationale de Bitimumes (SMB), the main exporter of bitumen to Ghana.

    Mr. Aboagye said the NPA committee had been developing the framework, and indicated that the Authority would engage the GHA, the GSA, the Customs Division of GRA, and players in the bitumen supply chain to finalize the framework to regulate the sector.

    He said all players in the bitumen supply chain would be licensed by the NPA to streamline their operations.

    In their presentations, the Group CEO of Goil Company Limited, Mr. Kwame Osei Prempeh said the plant had been selling the bitumen, polymer-modified bitumen, and bitumen emulsions on demand for road construction.

    He welcomed the move by the NPA to regulate the bitumen supply value chain as it would ensure the supply of quality products in the country.

    The NPA team that participated in the tour included the Director of Economic Regulation and Planning, Mrs. Alpha Welbeck, and the Director of Policy Coordination, Dr. Sheila Addo, the Head of Quality, Control, Mr. Ubeidalah Kutia Saeed, and the Executive Assistant to the CE, Mr. Faisal Ibrahim Cisse.

  • Dangerous new mosquito breed invades Ghana – GHS confirms

    Dangerous new mosquito breed invades Ghana – GHS confirms

    A new kind of mosquito that is more harmful than anopheles has invaded Ghana, according to the Ghana Health Service (GHS).

    The new breed known as Anopheles Stephensi, is also a malaria-transmitting mosquito, very invasive, spreads faster, and can adopt to a myriad of climate conditions according to the World Health Organization.

    GHS has established its presence in Tuba and Dansoman, and has warned residents to protect themselves.

    The Anopheles Stephensi first invaded Africa in 2019, the countries include Ethiopia Sudan, Somalia, and Nigeria and unfortunately confirmed in Ghana just this March.

    This breed produces both Plasmodium Falciparum (the deadliest species of plasmodium which causes malaria) and P Vivax Malaria parasites.

    Also, a recent mathematical modeling study by the World Health Organization showed the spread of An. stephensi and the implication for malaria transmission and control in Africa.

    One study projected that An. stephensi could put an additional 126 million people in Africa at risk of malaria if the mosquito vector were to spread unchecked.

    The statement also reveals that this breed is resistant to multiple insecticides which makes control very difficult. It is not known yet what really can kill it.

    The GHS has set up a taskforce, to implement a number of measures including the removal of water collection points in and around homes and communities to minimize the breeding sites

    Avoiding mosquito bites by using insecticide-treated mosquito nets is also a measure that has been advised to boost prevention.

    Meanwhile, Ghana is the first African country to approve a new malaria vaccine from Oxford University as part of efforts to combat the disease.

    MOSQUIRIX from British drug maker GSK, was last year endorsed by the World Health Organization.

  • No fatalities recorded in Ahafo South Mine lab fire incident – Newmont

    No fatalities recorded in Ahafo South Mine lab fire incident – Newmont

    Management of Newmount Africa has revealed that no fatalities have been recorded in the Ahafo South Mine lab fire incident which occurred on Sunday, 9 April 2023.

    “We are relieved that the incident did not result in any injury or fatality to the workforce who remain our most important resource. Everyone is safe and back to work,” Alex Annin, General Manager, Ahafo Mine said in a statement issued by the miner bearing the signature of Mr Samuel Osei, Manager, Communications & External.

    “The regulatory authorities have visited the incident scene and have commenced Investigations. We await the results to understand the cause of the fire and determine the next steps. Safety remains our topmost priority and we look forward to applying the lessons learned from the investigations to avoid a repeat incident,” Mr Annin added.

    Newmont Africa is Ghana’s leading gold producer and operates two gold mines: the Ahafo Mine in the Ahafo region, and the Akyem Mine in the Eastern region.

    It is in the process of establishing a third mine, which is currently at the Project Stage – the Ahafo North Project.

    The company is a subsidiary of Newmont Corporation, the world’s leading gold business.

    Commercial production at Ahafo and Akyem began in 2006 and 2013, respectively, and currently has about 6,700 employees, directly and indirectly across its operations.

    Newmont is actively involved in exploration activities across the African continent, and globally.