Eight criminals have escaped from police custody at the Nkwanta South Divisional Police Station in the Oti District.
Information gathered by Adom News suggests that, the incident occurred at about 10:30 pm on Tuesday when a female police officer on duty was about to lock the cells.
According to reports, the suspects forcibly pushed the gate on the officer and fled.
Police in Nkwanta South have confirmed the incident but have refused to give further details.
COP Nathan Kofi Boakye, one of the most well-liked and respected senior police officers in the nation, has formally resigned from Ghana police at the age of 60.
This retirement brings his over 30 years of service in the Ghana Police Service to an end.
Until his retirement, he was the head of the Ghana Police Service’s Legal and Prosecution Division.
According to a report by myjoyonline.com, the Inspector General of Police, COP Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, was in attendance during the ceremony to see him off.
Known popularly as Commander One, COP Kofi Boakye has been credited with some of the most high-profile crime-fighting efforts the country has ever seen.
For instance, in 2005, he led officers from the Accra Region Command to apprehend the notorious armed robber, Ataa Ayi, becoming one of his biggest cases ever.
He was also noted for his strong views on a number of issues, as well as other notable arrests.
A seventeen-member executive board has been established by the Ghana United Nations Association (GUNA), a civil society non-governmental organization, to help manage Association operations throughout the course of the next four years.
The new executive-body was elected at its 44th annual congress in an election which was supervised by officials from the La Dadekotopon Electoral Commission (EC).
This year’s congress was on the theme: Partnership for Development
The newly elected executive body encompasses a secretariat staff which includes; Ambassador Nathan Rudolf as Secretary-General, Selaasie Lhal Hiadzi (Director of Administration), Anthony Amankwah (Director of Programmes), Nasir Abdalla Kassim (Director of International Affairs) and Bishop John Kwaku Asante (Director of Protocol).
Also the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Association are Rev Chris Pardie (National President) Dr. Samuel Kodzo Senyoh, Vice President and Meriga Antaru (2nd Vice President).
The rest are Charles Nkrumah (National Organising Secretary), Mary Pokua Yankey (National Treasurer/Financial Secretary), Francis Ntijah (Secretary for Peace and Security), Razak Timbilla (Secretary for Governmental Affairs), and Reverend Fred Anyasor-Nartey (Secretary for Media and Publicity).
Others include, Ambassador Samuel Bamidele Temitope Ojo, (National President for Youth Affairs) and Albert Forson (Secretary for Research and Education).
Meanwhile, Monika Elizabeth Anderson, Judith Donkor, Vitus Azeem, Alhaji Faisal Youssif, Emmanuel Zonyrah and Alhaji Adams also took up the role of Board of Directors.
Addressing members of the Association, National President of GUNA, Reverend Chris Pardie, revealed that the Association in the coming days will step up its presence in second circle institutions, deepen bilateral relations with its international partners as well as take stance on salient national issues affecting Ghana in a non-partisan manner.
He expressed optimism that the new executive will work effectively and efficiently to ensure the full realization of its mission and vision.
He added that an action planned will also be well coordinated to ensure that the Association is well structured in all 16 various regions across the country.
About GUNA
Ghana United Nations Association, GUNA, is an ally association of the United Nations Organization which plays civil roles focusing extensively on helping to achieve improved and sustainable development within the ambit of the 17 MDGs.
As part of the formalization process, GUNA annuls the existing membership card by issuing a uniquely new membership card to members as well as instituting a more involving and comprehensive process of admitting fresh members.
According to some caterers of the School feeding Programme in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region they are likely yo lose their jobs should the New Patriotic Party (NPP) be ousted from power.
Dorothy Ofori-Sarpong, who provides meals for school children in basic schools in the region in an interview on the Citi Breakfast Show on Wednesday claimed that all caterers in the region are bonafide members of the NPP.
According to her, there is no way they will be retained if the National Democratic Congress (NDC) wins the 2024 elections.
She added that it is a known fact all current caterers must be members of the NPP.
Making a point for arrears owed them to be paid, Dorothy Ofori-Sarpong said caterers in the region have sacrificed for long, and it is time the government pays attention to their plight.
“We know that when the NDC wins power, we will all lose our jobs.,” Ofori-Sarpong told host Bernard Avle adding “All of us are members of the NPP”.
Dorothy also slammed the Ashanti Regional Minister for disrespecting them when they besieged his office to demand payments for their arrears.
She revealed that they have not been paid for three school terms and caterers have virtually run out of funds.
The caterers who are calling on the government to pay them their arrears and also increase the amount expressed their disappointment with the Regional Minister over how he received them.
Meanwhile, the Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah has justified his reason for reacting angrily to caterers under the government’s school feeding programme in the Ashanti Region when they presented a petition to him on Monday, April 3.
Speaking to the media however, Mr Simon Osei Mensah insists that the caterers did not follow due process and were protesting at the Regional Coordinating Council which compelled him to react the way he did.
“I was in a meeting yesterday when I heard some noise outside the office, and so I sent my special assistant to find out, and he came and told me it was caterers protesting outside. They did not even seek security clearance before demonstrating, so you can imagine what would have happened if the security personnel at the Regional Coordinating Council had reacted to them”.
“We must be truthful to ourselves in this country and stop pampering people because impunity is too much. Though I sympathise with the caterers, we should not allow people to break the law in their attempt to have their problems solved. We should solve our problems through legal means. You can’t just take the law into your hands and do what you want because I will not tolerate that.”
The current economic situation in the nation would have been worse under an NDC administration, according to Justin Frimpong Koduah, general secretary of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).
The country has seen a downturn since 2022 with the government embarking on a debt restructuring exercise, and it’s also seeking a $3 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Speaking on Face to Face on Citi TV with Umaru Sanda Amadu, Mr. Koduah stated that Ghanaians still have confidence in the government despite the economic challenges expressing hope that they will break the eight in the 2024 polls.
The NPP’s chief scribe indicated that even without the impact of COVID-19 coupled with the Russian-Ukraine war, the NDC wouldn’t have been able to manage the economy.
“Ghanaians still have confidence in this government despite the economic challenges, because they know that between the NDC and the NPP, NPP are better managers of the economy than the NDC. Ghanaians also appreciate the fact that had it not been NPP in power, and if it were the NDC, the situation would have been worse off than what we are experiencing now. I’m telling you if NDC were in government, the situation would have been worse off”.
He added, “Even without any COVID-19 or Russian-Ukraine war, they [NDC] wouldn’t have been able to manage the economy well. We saw what happened under H. E. President John Mahama’s tenure– four years of ‘Dumsor, the scrapping of the teacher/nursing trainee allowances, among others”.
Mr. Koduah called on Ghanaians to exercise restraint assuring that the country will come out of the challenges soon.
He said Ghana had been touted as the fastest-growing economy before COVID-19 struck.
“Ghana was touted as the fast-growing economy in the world until COVID-19. At the end of the day, we will come out of the challenges, unlike the NDC which told Ghanaians that children should stay home and not be allowed to go to school during COVID-19. When we discovered oil, they termed it as coconut oil ‘adwengu’. The same NDC told Ghanaians that free SHS is not possible. Can you tell us that they are better managers of the economy than NPP?” the NPP chief scribe stated.
Parliament on Friday, March 31, passed the Excise Duty Amendment Bill 2022, the Growth and Sustainability Levy Bill, 2022, the Ghana Revenue Authority Bill 2022 and the Income Tax Amendment Bill 2022.
The financial bills seek to raise about 4 billion Ghana Cedis annually as part of domestic revenue mobilisation.
The bills are also crucial to aid the government’s quest to facilitate the Board Approval for the $3 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) Programme staff-level agreement.
Many industry players have kicked against the passage of the new taxes arguing that it will kill businesses.
The Health Director at the Ahafo Ano South West District of the Ashanti Region, Dr. Rubben Bedzra, has attributed rise in teenage pregnancy in Ahafo Ano to high cost of sanitary pads.
According to him, some teenagers in the district got pregnant for chasing over a Gh¢20.00 money for sanitary pad.
According to him, most of the teenagers who reported to health facilities in the district after interrogations disclosed that, they succumbed to proposals from men in order to get money for sanitary pads during their Menstrual period.
Dr. Bedzra disclosed this on the Kumasi-based OTEC 102.9 FM’s morning show Nyansapo, on Tuesday, April 4, 2023 hosted by Captain Koda.
“While the causes of teenage pregnancies in the area are many, one of the problems which runs through almost all victims was poverty, most of the teenagers who confided in us said they were forced into bed after the men provided them with sanitary pads for a period of time,” he stated.
Teenage pregnancies
The Ghana Health Service disclosed that pregnancy among teenagers between 10 to 14 years was on the rise in the Ahafo Ano South West District of the Ashanti Region.
According to GHS, 18 percent of the total 460 teenage pregnancies recorded in the district for the year 2022 were between the 10 to 14-year age brackets.
The situation according to GES is destroying the future of many young girls in the area
Dr. Bedzra expressed concern over the alarming rate of teenage pregnancies in the district, calling on all stakeholders to join the fight against the menace.
He said, “I am encouraging all stakeholders in the district to see this development as a huge burden that needs urgent attention
“The lives of most of our young girls are being destroyed because of this very issue that is why I believe such workshops are very important “.
France is totally committed to helping Ghana and its neighbors battle terrorism in the area, according to Madam Chrysoula Zacharopoulou, the French Minister of State for Development, Francophonie, and International Partnership.
Speaking at a press conference held to climax her three-day visit to Ghana which is part of the Three Nations African Tour (Benin, Togo and Ghana), she said both Ghana and France have a common determination to promote peace and stability which is a key aspect of democracy in the sub-region.
“Just to speak about the regional situation, we share a common determination to promote peace, stability and democracy and of course dialogue in this region. France is fully committed to supporting Ghana and the neighbour countries in the fight against terrorism,” she said.
She went on to highlight the relationship between Ghana and France, describing it as an excellent relationship that needs to be strengthened even more.
“Ghana is a very important partner for France, we have excellent relations and it is a crucial time for your country and it was very important for me to be here and to re-assess the friendship, and my strong commitment” she added
Madam Chrysoula appreciated the efforts of the President Akufo-Addo and Ghanaians for her reception into the country
“I would like to thank President Akufo-Addo and all the Ghanaian people for the welcome. I would like to say that I was impressed by the activity and the vitality and innovation of your country and of course your people. And I saw that there is a profound desire to deepen our relationship with France” she stressed.
The minister’s visit to Ghana comes on the back of the visit of the US Veep, Kamala Harris to Ghana.
Professor Divine Ahadzie, the director of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology’s (KNUST) Centre for Settlement Studies, has predicted that if the government does not take specific action, the twin flood and fire disaster that occurred in 2015 near the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange, which claimed more than 125 lives in Accra, could happen again.
In the prediction of the Professor of Construction and Human Settlement, studies have revealed that within the next few years, if nothing concrete is done to stop the flooding in the vicinity of the accident, Ghana could experience a similar incident, if not worse.
He has thus proposed the design and construction of a Retention Basin for the Odaw-Korle catchment as the most pragmatic means of reducing the risk of the annual flooding in the area by 30 per cent to save five point-two million Dollars in financial cost.
Prof. Ahadzie made the recommendation in his Professorial inaugural address in Kumasi.
June 3 disaster likely to recur if measures are not put in place – Professor
Touching on building flood resilience communities in the country, Prof. Ahadzie disclosed that since 2021, about 13 out of the 16 administrative regions in the country have experienced flooding due to different factors.
He suggested the design and construction of a large retention basin in the Odaw-Korle catchment towards averting a possible recurrence of the 2015 flood-fire disaster at the Nkrumah interchange area.
“What is clear is that, our preparedness is not getting any better. And now Madam Chair, the June 3rd 2015 incident is equivalent to what we call a 10-year return period storm. Tje 10 years is approaching. What it means is that, the incident can happen anytime, it could be this year, it could be next year, it could be the following year. The question is, as a nation, have we done enough to mitigate the worse of the worse if the 3rd June incident is to happen again?”, the globally acclaimed Professor of Human settlement warned.
Prof. Ahadzie described Ghana’s housing system as elitisms favouring the well-to-do in the society requiring a national re-definition of the affordability. According to him, a recent survey has proven that individual tenants spend between 10 and 48 percent of their income on rent.
The 58-year old Professor of Construction and Human Settlement, aside from being the current Head of the Centre for Settlement Studies at the KNUST, has developed a Master of Philosophy, MPhil and a PhD programme in Disaster Prevention and Management being considered for introduction by the University very soon.
He became an Associate Professor in 2015 and attained a full professor status six years later.
His research, publications and innovations in the areas of human settlement, flooding, housing risk management have earned him national and global recognition and awards.
Some of the building inventions including a new and improved burglar proof with an escape route in times of fire outbreak in the home were showcased at the precinct of the venue of the inaugural lecture.
The Professorial inaugural lecture was graced by people from chieftaincy both from the Volta region and National House of Chiefs, the academia, local Assemblies, family and friends.
The lecture touched on issues such as housing, human settlement, flooding, resilient communities and impactful research.
Professor Ahadzie called for a review of the 1992 Constitution to re-define housing as a basic human right so as to compel governments to give attention to the sector. Also, Assembly members, chiefs and MPs must all get actively involved in the promotion and building flood resilient communities to protect life and property noting that, for now, no one is safe from ramifications of flooding since residents of both low and highlands are affected in diverse ways from the phenomenon.
Prof. Ahadzie called on academia to always focus on research that is is not just relevant but impactful on society such that, such works help solve the myriad of socio-economic challenges of humanity.
The Vice Chancellor of the KNUST, Prof. Rita Dickson, eulogized Professor Ahadzie for his immense contribution to both the university and larger society through his research, publications and innovations.
June 3 disaster likely to recur if measures are not put in place – Professor
One person dead and several others injured after unknown man opened fire at the Wa East District of the Upper West Region.
According to reports, the residents effected an arrest of an unknown man, who was armed, in the area. But suddenly other armed men emerged from the bushes and opened fire on the gathered residents.
The incident is said to have occurred on Sunday, April 2.
The victims were all taken to the Wa Regional Hospital, where the survivors are responding to treatment.
Member of Parliament for Wa East Constituency Godfred Seidu Jasaw confirmed the incident but said information is “sketchy”.
Speaking on Midday News on 3FM on Wednesday, April 5, Mr Seidu Jasaw said relative calm has returned to the area, according to the Assembly member he talked to.
He said the matter has been reported to the Upper West Regional Police Command, which is now handling the case.
A manhunt to arrest the gunmen has been launched.
“The police in Wa municipality were alerted and they got on to the scene but the activities had taken place and the assailants had left.
“At the moment, my information is that the case has been reported to the regional police CID.”
There are suspicions that the case may be as a result of simmering chieftaincy and land disputes.
The MP also said some residents suspect the assailants may be galamseyers who are trying to assert their control of the area.
There is a tense atmosphere at the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) Ashanti Regional Office as candidates for the party’s parliamentary nomination in the Asawase constituency for the 2024 elections take turns being vetted.
The incumbent Member of Parliament for Asawase, Muntaka Mubarak, and his contender, Masawudu Mubarick have successfully gone through the vetting process and were given their numbers on the yet-to-be-printed ballot for the primaries.
Supporters of both aspirants thronged the vetting centre amidst chants in a contest that is attracting a lot of attention in the region.
The incumbent, Muntaka Mubarak after the vetting told journalists the support he received from the party supporters during and after the vetting is a sign of an endorsement of his retention as the MP for the area.
“You don’t get people to continue to support you after two decades of being a Member of Parliament and for people to continue to support me after two decades, then it means there is something that I am doing right, and I only thank Allah for all that he has done for me and I know Allah is not yet done with me.”
Supporters of Masawudu Mubarick also chanted “we need change” when they entered the premises.
Masawudu Mubarick insists he is the right person to bring the change party supporters are yearning for in the Asawase Constituency.
A group of eight alleged cannabis traffickers have attacked two community police officers with a pestle in the Ashanti region, Juaben.
A video intercepted by GHone News, saw eight able men pounding on helpless police officers in uniform while other members of the group hit the victim with a huge pestle, sticks and stones while on the floor.
The victims were caught in the video with blood oozing from the victim’s mouth and nose and other parts of his body where he was hit with a stick.
The unfortunate incident according to the Assembly member of Asante Juaben Ransford Osei, happened on Wednesday April 5, 2023.
“Per my checks, police in the area had arrested a friend of those you saw in the video for dealing in some illicit drugs, the two community police officers were reported to have taken Gh¢1000 from the gang under the guise of given it to the commander for the swift release of their friend” Juaben Ransford Osei alleged.
“The group after waiting for some time without any affirmative results went to the police station and discovered that the two community Police officers did not give the money to their commanders for the release of their friend as promised they got agitated”. He explained.
“They went to the various homes of the officers and attacked them, the one you see striking them with a pestle is known in the area as Owuraku, 26, who lives in my Electoral Area, and the other one is called Exhibit, 33”.
Juaben Ransford Osei further confirmed, the two attacked Community Police officers have been hospitalized responding to treatment.
Meanwhile the Juaben Police Command has arrested six persons captured in the video attack; the two Community Police officers have been arrested to assist police investigation.
The Electoral Commission’s (EC) immediate resignation of Dr. Peter Appiahene and Hajia Salima Ahmed Tijani has been demanded by the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO).
Dr Appiahene and Ahmed Tijani were appointed by President Akufo-Addo to the board of the Electoral Commission in March 2023.
The appointment of the two has courted controversy over their political affiliation with the ruling NPP.
NDC Member of Parliament for Buem, Kofi Adams in an earlier interview with Citi News alleged that Dr Appiahene is an NPP activist who was a patron of the Tertiary Education Student Confederacy Network (TESCON) – a university wing of the NPP.
Addressing a press conference in Accra on Wednesday, a leading member of CODEO, Rev. Dr Fred Degbey called for Dr Appiahene and Hajia Salima Tijani to resign to protect the cross-party trust in the commission.
“We are painfully aware that voluntary and constitutionally grounded revocation of these unfortunate and democratically problematic EC appointments by the President is extremely unlikely. However, nothing stops the affected appointees, namely Dr Peter Appiahene and Hajia Salima Tijani from voluntarily and honourably resigning from the EC.
“This will be in the supreme interest of our country’s continued democratic progress, election peace and credibility and indeed overall national interest.”
The appointments were in line with Article 43 (1 and 2) of the 1992 constitution which states that “there shall be an Electoral Commission which shall consist of a Chairman, two Deputy Chairmen, and four other members.”
The Electoral Commission is one of the governance institutions provided under the 1992 constitution.
It was established by the Electoral Commission Act (Act 451) of 1992 and set up purposely to manage the conduct of all public elections and Referenda, to handle all matters directly related to the conduct of elections in the country.
Until further notice, Kikpandewura Kanyiti I, the Paramount Chief of Kikpande in the Kpembe Traditional Area of the East Gonja Municipality of the Savannah Region, is not allowed to exercise his office as chief of Kikpande.
The decision was taken by the Gonja traditional council at an emergency meeting on April 4 at the Jakpa’s Palace in Damongo with some 18 paramount chiefs and sub-chiefs in attendance.
The Mujipewura, Abdul-Rahman Bore was killed on disputed land on March 30, by unknown assailants.
The decision was contained in a letter signed by two chiefs who sat in the meeting and sighted by Citi News.
In the letter, the traditional council also prohibited the Kikpandewura from performing any function that relates to the customs and traditions of the Gonja kingdom.
It also directed the Kpembewura Banbange Ndefoso IV, Paramount Chief of Kpembe Traditional Area to be the caretaker chief of the Kikpande Traditional Area until further notice.
“This decision has become necessary following the alleged involvement of the Kikpandewura Kanyiti I in the murder of Mujipewura Abdul-Rahaman Bore. Any official dealings with Kikpandewura Kanyiti I from the date of this letter is null and void,” the traditional council added in the letter.
The Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga has called for a probe into the events that led to the death of an immigration officer at Bawku in the Upper East region.
He described the act as most reprehensible advising that it should not be repeated.
The three immigration officers were from Bawku to Missiga when their vehicle was shot at by unknown gunmen, resulting in the death of 42-year-old Philip Motey.
The two other officers, Eric Ayibiya, 30, and Laurence Afri, 42, were shot multiple times and are being treated at the Bawku Presbyterian hospital.
The incident occurred on Monday, April 3, 2023. No arrest has been made yet
Mahama Ayariga in a statement said, “I condemn in very strong terms the shooting, injuring and killing of some members of the security agencies in Bawku on Monday 3rd April 2023. This is most reprehensible and should not be repeated again. An investigation into the matter must be conducted, and the perpetrators brought to book”.
The MP in his statement narrated that the immigration personnel were in their private car to town to buy food when the incident happened.
“On 3rd April 2023 at about 2000hrs, Three (3) immigration officers; Asst. Inspt. Philip Motey station at Missiga, Asst. Inspt. Lawrence Afari station at Kulungugu and Asst. Inspt. Eric Ayidiya of Pulimakom border post were shot by unknown gunmen in front of Bawku Police station. They were in their private car to town to buy food when the incident happened,” he stated.
He expressed his condolences to the family of the deceased security personnel extending his prayers to the wounded personnel.
Mahama Ayariga urged government to be proactive in ensuring that peace prevails in Bawku.
“Let me on behalf of the people of Bawku express our sincere condolences to the families of the deceased security personnel and extend our prayers to the wounded. I urge government to be proactive in advancing a lasting peace process in Bawku,” the lawmaker urged.
There is tension in the Sunyani West Constituency after reports that the two candidates in the opposition National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) have been disqualified impending parliamentary primary elections.
Ernest Ayesu, a mining engineer with Newmont Ghana Limited was purportedly disqualified on Tuesday, April 4, 2023, after facing the vetting committee on Monday evening.
Mr Ayesu was lifted shoulder-high after what many described as an incredible performance.
But after the jubilation by his supporters, the vetting committee on Tuesday afternoon indicated that Mr Ayesu is unfit to contest in the primaries.
According to the committee, Mr Ayesu has not lived in the Sunyani West Constituency for the required number of years and therefore cannot participate in the party’s upcoming primaries as specified by the party’s constitution.
In a related development, another contender, Evelyn Akantoa was also deemed unqualified for the contest, following concerns about her membership in the constituency in addition to other allegations of falsified documents.
Her supporters have vowed to employ all means possible to ensure that she gets back into the race.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the vetting committee and deputy national general secretary of the NDC, Mustapha Foyoo Gbande, says neither Ayesu nor Evelyn Akantoa has been disqualified.
Speaking in an interview with myjoyonline.com on the back of the tensions in the constituency, he explained that there is no substantive decision on the two.
According to him, the candidates have temporarily been placed on hold awaiting a final determination of the issues surrounding their candidature.
Mr Gbande said the outstanding issues which came up in the course of the vetting will be addressed by the close of day, Tuesday.
As part of its 33rd Independence Day celebrations, the Namibian High Commission in Ghana has presented a high-performance ventilator to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital‘s Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU).
The GH¢300,000 equipment is one of the machines needed to take care of critically ill children and it is considered a very vital part of the PICU.
It takes over the work of breathing for children who may not be able to breathe on their own.
The PICU of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital has ventilators, but these are the conventional ones. So when it comes to very young children (neonates), there are some challenges with its use. These high-performance ventilators, however, have a port for both older children, of up to 17 years old, and neonates, thus children who are less than a month old.
The High Commissioner of Namibia to Ghana, Selma Ashipala Musavyi, who donated the item called on African countries to invest more in public health facilities because that would go a long way to contribute to productivity and also help them to perform much better. She said the High Commission decided to donate to the hospital because it would have a multiplying effect in terms of those who would benefit from it.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr Opoku Ware Ampomah, expressed gratitude for the donation, pointing out that it was significant because the hospital would be 100 years old this year, and the donation was one of the ways the hospital could be supported to provide the best of care to people.
He appealed to corporate citizens and other embassies in the country to support them.
Touching on the significance of the equipment, the Head of the PICU of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr Frank Owusu Sekyere, said sometimes, ill children could not breathe on their own, and it was during those moments that they needed a ventilator to take over the work of breathing.
“So, you can have a child with very bad pneumonia and the whole lung is solid.
Without something to take over the work of breathing, they may die.
The ventilator, therefore, takes over the work of breathing, which the child cannot do on his/her own.”
He said although they needed more than one piece of equipment, the initiative by the High Commission was a good start.
The donation took place on Monday 20 March 2023, a day before Namibia’s Independence Day which is marked on March 21 every year to commemorate the day the nation became a sovereign state.
All sixteen of the Sefwi Bekwai Senior High School students who were taken to the Green Shield Hospital in Bekwai after suffering injuries during a storm on March 29, 2023, have been released.
15 girls and a boy sustained various degrees of injuries as the school’s canteen structure collapsed on them while taking their supper under it.
According to Dr. Kwame Afriyie, Medical Director of Green Shield Hospital where the students were rushed to for treatment, ten of the students were discharged the next day as their injuries were just minor ones.
However, the remaining six who were in critical condition were detained in the hospital until Friday 31st March 2023 when they were also discharged.
The Paramount Chief for Sefwi Bekwai Traditional Council Oyeadeyie Basape Kwadwo Armah III says his outfit has taken steps to foot the bills for the innocent students.
“Looking at how the roofing came off, we thank God that there weren’t any fatalities because it had the potential to cause some fatalities. When we visited them, the majority of the students sustained minor injuries. The traditional council has decided to foot some of the bills.”
Stephen Ntim, the national chairman of the NPP, claims that the government is making every effort to revive the faltering national economy.
The National Chairman said though the emergence of COVID-19 and the Russian-Ukraine war adversely affected the economy, the NPP government will not relent in finding solutions to fulfil its promise to Ghanaians.
Mr. Ntim reiterated that the government will work hard to win back the trust of the people.
He made this known at a media briefing in Accra.
On the issue of over borrowing, Mr. Ntim said the government has been wrongly accused by NDC to misinform and mis-characterize the government’s good track record.
The NPP National Chairman also said he needed to call to reduce its size by reducing Ministers of State from 126 to 86 and 30 percent cutting of salaries government affords.
The shooting, injury, and death of certain security agency personnel in Bawku on Monday, April 3, 2023, has been condemned by Bawku Central Member of Parliament Mahama Ayariga.
He described the action as “most reprehensible and should not be repeated. An investigation into the matter must be conducted and the perpetrators brought to book.
“Let me on behalf of the people of Bawku express our sincere condolences to the families of the deceased security personnel and extend our prayers to the wounded.”
He further urgned the government to be proactive in advancing a lasting peace process in Bawku.
One officer of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) was shot dead by unknown assailants in conflict-prone Bawku in the Upper East Region.
Two other officers are fighting for their lives at the Bawku Presbyterian Hospital, where they were rushed after the incident.
The three were attacked Monday night on their way to Missiga station, 3news.com gathers.
It’s unclear what the motive of the attackers were but their action is said to be related to the protracted ethnic conflict in the area.
Civilians have been terrorised by gunmen who have been at the center of Kusasi-Mamprusi conflict.
The deceased officer has been identified as Philip Motey while the injured are Eric Ayibiya, 30, and Laurence Afri, 42.
Military presence have been beefed up in the town as the gunmen are chased.
The general public has been advised by the Cybersecurity Authority to use caution and due vigilance when engaging in online activities.
“Easter is a major Christian festival that celebrates the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Malicious actors are likely to take advantage of the season to perpetrate online fraud or scams.”
The Cybersecurity Authority in a statement said “Malicious actors create fake online shops or impersonate existing businesses on social media pages, offering heavily discounted goods. Victims are enticed to send money for these deals but never receive the items.”
“Malicious actors trick unsuspecting victims into sharing their mobile money wallet PIN. The scammers then proceed to make unauthorised payments or transfers from the victim’s wallet. Malicious actors impersonate workers of a legitimate courier service and lure unsuspecting victims to believe they have a package that needs to be delivered for a certain fee. No delivery is made after the victims make the payment.”
Recommendations
Be cautious of unsolicited emails or messages offering exciting or “too good to be true” deals connected to the Easter celebration.
Do not share your personal information such as your credit/debit card information or bank account details with anyone, especially if you do not know them well.
Use only reputable online marketplaces or retailers when purchasing items or gifts. Look for reviews and customer feedback and always insist on payment AFTER delivery. Do not pay any delivery fees for goods you did not order.
The CSA has a 24-hour Cybersecurity/Cybercrime Incident Reporting Points of Contact (PoC) for reporting cybercrimes and for seeking guidance and assistance on online activities. Call or Text-292, WhatsApp-050 160 3111 or Email -report@csa.qov.gh.
On Wednesday, April 5, 2023, the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) and the Ghana Police Service will begin a coordinated operation to remove all abandoned automobiles from the nation’s highways.
According to the authority, the abandonment of vehicles on roads is an offense under Clause 21 of the Road Traffic Act, 2004 (Act 683) of the 1992 Constitution.
In a release sighted by GhanaWeb, the NRSA added that owners or caretakers of vehicles abandoned on roads will be liable to a “summary conviction to a fine of not more than two hundred and fifty penalty units or to a term of imprisonment of not less than twelve months or to both”.
“The Authority announces for the notice of all owners of motor vehicles or trailers that with effect from 5th April 2023, the Authority, will liaise with the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service, to compulsorily remove or cause the removal of any broken-down motor vehicle or trailer left on a roadway or in a circumstance that poses danger, or that is likely to cause an accident or injury to any other person using the road, to a safer location and surcharge the owner or person in charge of the motor vehicle or trailer with the cost of removal and storage for immediate payment prior to release of the motor vehicle or trailer to the owner or person in charge in accordance with Regulation 102 (1) and(l0) of the Road Traffic Regulations, 2012 (L.I. 2180),” parts of the release read.
The authority, therefore, urged the public to take the needed steps to remove their abandoned vehicles from the road to avoid losing them or being fined.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC), which is in opposition to the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), has been advised to be accurate in its evaluations of Ghana’s economic predicament.
The NPP is of the view that notwithstanding its excellent handling of the Ghanaian economy, the NDC has grown accustomed to concealing the government’s economic gains using dishonest tactics, a practice it wants the NDC to put an end to.
The NPP National Chairman, Stephen Ntim in an address on Tuesday said, the NDC’s hunger for power cannot be satisfied by lies.
“The NDC must desist from the habit and strategy of deceit in its quest for power. Such methods are often short-term but have long-term ramifications for democracy, public confidence, and, not least, the global perception and embrace of our dear country, Ghana”, he said.
The NPP adds that the NDC’s ploy will not persuade the government to abandon its efforts to better its economic record.
“Let me end by passing this piece of advice through you to the NDC. As a political party, the NDC has a sacred responsibility, to be honest, and upfront with Ghanaians in all things”, he further added.
Stephen Ntim thus urged party members to assist in spreading the NPP’s goodwill.
“I call on the rank and file of the NPP to arise and mobilise behind our government to defeat the onslaught of the NDC propaganda. This means that all of us in the NPP, from polling stations upward, must become canvassers and communicators to help disabuse the minds of our fellow Ghanaians from the misinformation that the NDC is feeding the nation.”
Despite undertaking the historic Debt Exchange Programme and seeking a bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the NPP has hailed the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia administration for diligently managing Ghana’s economy.
Stephen Ntim, echoed claims that the current crippling economic crisis is due to the impact of Covid-19 and the effects of the Russia-Ukraine War and not the incompetence of the economic management team as propagated by the opposition National Democratic Congress.
“The plain truth is that this government has managed the economy diligently and well. The hardships we are experiencing in Ghana are being experienced everywhere because of the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine War. Workers in some of the world’s biggest economies are demanding salary increases due to historic global inflation.”
Claims that the Akufo-Addo-led administration disregarded requests to shrink its size have been disputed by Stephen Ntim, national chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
According to him, Akufo-Addo has been listening to Ghanaians about how to manage expenditures while maintaining a dynamic team of ministers and appointees to deliver its mandate.
Speaking at a press conference, he said, “Therefore, it is not true that the government has ignored calls to reduce its size. Instead, the government has been listening to Ghanaians, establishing a more robust control mechanism to manage expenditure while maintaining a dynamic team of ministers and appointees to deliver on its mandate.”
He also dismissed claims that the government has appointed people to needless positions, adding that the NDC government employed more presidential staffers.
“The NDC has been promoting the view that this government has appointed people to needless positions and is paying them for doing nothing. It must be stated on record that many of the workers at the Presidency are public sector employees. Today, out of the 995 workers at the Presidency, 658 (66%) are public sector employees.
“The NDC government had more presidential staffers than this administration. While we have 44 presidential staffers and 1 Minister of State at the Presidency, the Mahama-NDC Administration had 61 presidential staffers, 6 Ministers of State, and the 3 “wise men,” he added.
On April 1, 2023, Ghanaians who use ride-hailing applications will have to pay more due to the introduction of the Digital Transport Fee (DTF).
According to a directive from the Driver Vehicle and Licensing Authority (DVLA), the fee has been pegged at GH¢1 per trip.
One of the ride-hailing companies, Uber, in an e-mail to its customer noted that a new fee will be applied and it will be set at GH¢1 per trip.
In addition to this, a booking fee of GH¢2 will also be applied for every trip ordered via the ride-hailing companies.
The DTF will be displayed as a separate line item on your receipt for transparency.
Last year, as part of measures put in place by the government to ensure that the country’s tax net is broadened, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) announced that it was targeting the e-commerce, e-sports, and gaming sector.
According to the Chief Revenue Officer at the Investigative Unit of the GRA, Clement Amankwah-Bonsu, the revenue arm of the government is poised to leverage the e-commerce, sports, and gaming sector to generate revenue for the country.
Speaking at the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition dialogue on Tuesday, May 31, 2022, he stated categorically that it’s about time that people who trade on various digital platforms are taxed.
“We can say now there is e-commerce and gaming all over and so the GRA can tap or leverage on e-commerce and gaming and rake in more revenue for the country. So, we need to up our game here and ensure that all those activities that go on on the various digital platforms are also taxed,” Amankwah-Bonsu said.
However, in 2019, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) announced plans to rope in Uber drivers to pay taxes to the state.
Although the Solution Developer at the GRA; Patrick Frimpong Danso noted that the module to use was still under preparation, the authority has announced it wanted the payment of Vehicle Income Tax (VIT), Personal Income Tax, and e-tax stamp via mobile phones in order to widen the tax net.
With the Uber driver’s tax payment plan, Mr. Danso stated operators of the service; Uber Ghana will retain a percentage of the earnings of the driver to honour his or her tax obligation.
The move also became necessary because other commercial drivers like taxi and ‘trotro’ drivers point out that while they are compelled to pay tax, their Uber counterparts work and earn money yet do not have tax obligations.
Alfred Kojo Thompson, a senior communications member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has raised concern over the rising number of candidates filing nominations to serve in Parliament.
Inferring from the mad rush of some aspirants to grab a spot at the various constituencies in the Greater Accra Region on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Thompson said that it has become evident that individual interest is prioritized ahead of the national interest and has become a problem challenging the current Parliament.
“It’s becoming a problem with Parliament these days where we all…everybody is complaining and so we need to get people there who will really look at the national interest and not the individual or party interest.”
In a no holds barred conversation with Kwasi Afriyie on Good Morning Ghana on Metro TV on Tuesday, 4th April 2023, the NPP Senior Communicationist questioned the processes involved in conducting such vettings.
“Greater Accra, they have 111 people chasing 31 seats, then central region 56 chasing 23 seats. So you see that they are poised for the fact that let’s go there. I’m wondering whether really speaking when we do the vetting we really do it well to make sure that we get the right people or get a square pegs in a square holes”
He alluded also that nominations are seeing an increase of this kind because competent and worthy people of these positions are rejected for known faces and suggested that this has become the norm where these popular people drive the party to victory.
“Yeah, or we just bring people in to just go and fill the seats for us because we are popular, we can win.”
He tasked Members of Parliament to be mindful of the reason they are instituted in Parliament and work accordingly to put forward the country’s interest.
“We have to start working on a nationalistic level rather than party level…you go there on behalf of a party but the first and most important thing is to make sure that you are working for the nation because whatever you go and do there will affect the growth of the nation.”
He, however, urged that parties have to collectively work to see national interest propagated rather than its party.
Sammi Awuku, the director general of the National Lottery Authority (NLA), has stated that undercover operations to find people engaging in unlawful lottery activity will begin soon with the help of the National Security.
According to the NLA boss, the global loss of revenue by the World Lottery Association, is indication that there is the need for Ghana to also tighten its belt and ensure that it does not also continue to face losses.
With the support of the state agencies in charge of security, Sammi Awuku said that they are hopeful of turning the situation of revenue generated by the NLA around.
“We continue to dialogue with our stakeholders and partners. We do not charge 35%. Anybody charging 35% commission is illegal, and I think that is what has fed into the public in the illegal space.
“Last year alone, the World Lottery Association estimates that the global body lost $1.3 trillion through illegal lottery activities. And, we are hoping that this year, the story will be different, and that is why’ve been very serious about engaging the state security agencies.
“And in the coming weeks, the National Security and the National Signals Bureau will be operating undercover, to make sure that we arrest all persons who are engaged in illegal lottery,” he explained.
National Security to go undercover to arrest illegal lottery operators – Sammi Awuku
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Nanton, Mohammed Hardi Tufeiru, has revealed how he got engaged in an accident before appearing in Parliament.
According to the MP, he left Parliament to see his daughter, who was admitted to the International Maritime Hospital, because he could no longer get in touch with his wife, who was at the hospital.
At the hospital, he received calls from the leadership of the Majority Caucus, where he was told that he was needed in the House because the Minority Caucus was asking for a headcount for the approval of the taxes the government was introducing.
Hardi Tufeiru, who made these remarks in an interview on Citi FM on Monday, monitored by GhanaWeb, added that the accident happened because he was driving at top speed to get to the House in time.
“I was calling, trying to reach (my wife), but I couldn’t get her on phone. But by then, we were also on suspension in Parliament, so I did some calculations to take 45 minutes to go (and see my daughter) and come back to continue with parliamentary work.
“So, upon reaching the hospital, I started receiving calls that the minority had challenged the voice vote and that we needed to take the second option, which was headcount, and that I was needed in the chamber,” he narrated.
The MP, who is also the deputy minister for food and agriculture, said that he was almost at Parliament when the accident occurred because he was driving at top speed and lost control of his vehicle.
Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has met the University of Cape Coast (UCC) medical school graduate, Nathaniel Codjoe, who swept 16 out of 22 honors during the university’s commencement ceremony held on March 30, 2023.
In a Facebook post shared on Monday, April 3, 2023, Dr. Bawumia disclosed that he met Nathaniel Cudjoe with his family to commend him for the feat he achieved.
He added that he was not surprised that Cudjoe was the best in his class after his interaction with him.
“Meet Nathaniel Codjoe, who graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in medicine and surgery and swept 16 out of 22 awards at the just ended 2nd session of the 55th Congregation of the University of Cape Coast.
“Interacting with him and his parents today at my office in the Jubilee House, I was not surprised he garnered such awards. He is such a brilliant chap. I wish him all the best in his future endeavours.
“Congratulations Nathaniel. Reach for your dreams. It is possible,” parts of the post read.
Nathaniel Codjoe was the toast of the audience at the University of Cape Coast’s graduation ceremony on Thursday, March 30, 2023, emerging as the best student in his class.
He certainly earned the plaudits that came his way after sweeping 16 out of 22 available awards.
GhanaWeb checks show that Dr. Codjoe is an old student of St. Peter’s Secondary School, Nkwatia-Kwahu.
What UCC wrote about Dr. Codjoe’s feat:
Nathaniel Cudjoe, the freshly-graduated medical doctor from the School of Medical Sciences, picked 16 awards (out of 22) at the second session of the 55th Congregation Ceremony held for graduates from the College of Health and Allied Sciences.
Nathaniel Codjoe was adjudged the:
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) needs to concentrate on restoring its majority advantage in Parliament, according to Sammi Awuku, Director General of Ghana’s National Lottery Authority.
Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Tuesday, April 4, the former National Organiser of the NPP said he anticipates a battle for several parliamentary seats in the 2024 elections.
He, however, added that the NPP will beat the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) through various strategies that will be deployed by the NPP.
“I think that the NPP must focus on regaining our lost seats because there will be a battle for Parliament. But I think we [NPP] will beat the NDC through strategy.”
Mr Awuku also hinted at the possibility of contesting for the Akropong parliamentary seat on the ticket of the NPP.
According to him, several Chiefs and Opinion Leaders in the area are convincing him to contest for the Akropong seat.
The NPP controlled 169 parliamentary seats after the 2016 polls while the NDC had 106.
However, after the 2020 polls, the NPP lost its strong grip on Parliament reducing its seats to 137 while the NDC also had 137 seats and one independent candidate.
Ghana has lost its status as an agricultural nation to service, according to Godfred Bokpin, a professor at the University of Ghana Business School.
Even with the service status, he said, it is only based on retail and wholesale thereby relying heavily on importation.
Once the country imports heavily, it creates jobs for others countries and creates unemployment domestically, he added.
Speaking at the 3Business Economic Sustainability Summit held in Accra on Tuesday April 4, Prof Bokpin said “Ghana, from independence, was known for agriculture but today Ghana is not known for agriculture. Ghana is known for service but the question is, is Ghana really a service-based economy?
“The answer is no. Typically, if you look at the economic transformation when a country begins from agriculture and suddenly service is leading it tells you that that economy is matured so it has gone through that process but in the case of Ghana we started off agriculture being the leading contributor to the GDP and then we skipped industry, that is what the data is telling us and then we jumped straight to service.
“That service sector is actually not quality service, it is the sector that is driven by retail and wholesale, largely import. Once your service sector is leading particularly in the area of retail and wholesale, once your industry isn’t doing well then it means the bulk of what is happening is going to be important, typically once you import, you are important unemployment.”
Former Finance Minister, Seth Terkper, has reiterated his advice to the government not to engage in what appears to be another “fiscal offset” in the 2023 budget, similar to what occurred in the government’s 2017 budget.
In this context Mr. Terkper has called on the government to disclose its plan for dealing with a large GHS 77bn pipeline of arrears and contracts in the 2021 Budget Performance Report. He noted that a similar plan was used to deal with the “single spine” wage arrears in 2020.
He has argued that, given that the budget overruns are at the core of most debt challenges, transparency and accountability in government finances are crucial for securing an IMF programme. Moreover, they are also needed for sustainable economic growth and development.
Mr. Terkper has argued that the treatment of the banking and energy sector bailout costs as memoranda items, rather than adding them to the country’s deficit and public debt stock, creates a false impression of fiscal consolidation.
The former minister has pointed out that this practice by Government resulted in the rapid financial market rating downgrades of the country’s sovereign bonds and eventual debt default, with the deficit revised upwards to 7% and 7.2% for 2018 and 2019 respectively, when the IMF and ratings agencies adjusted Ghana’s fiscal deficit and public debt figures.
Mr. Terkper recalled that in 2017, the incoming Akufo-Addo administration accused the John Mahama administration of overlooking arrears of about GHS 7bn. However, only about GHS 2bn was carried forward to the 2017 fiscal year after an apparent offset of GHS 5bn against total expenditures. At the time, Mr. Terkper opposed the move in various articles and interviews.
In a similar move, Mr. Terkper notes that the 2023 budget shows another apparent offset of GHS 22bn that also appears to reduce the deficit from about GHS 60bn to approximately GHS 38bn. As with the 2.3% reduction in the budget or fiscal deficit in 2017, the repetition of the fiscal move results in a “paper” reduction by 3.7% of GDP.
The former minister has warned that this practice by government creates a false impression of fiscal prudence, which is unsustainable in the long term. He has argued that such moves lead to a lack of transparency and accountability in government finances, which can lead to financial instability and economic turmoil.
Mr. Terkper’s concerns reflect a broader need for transparency and accountability in government finances in Ghana. The government must address these concerns to build trust with its citizens, investors, and international partners. Failure to do so could lead to further economic instability and harm the country’s long-term economic prospects.
A Police officer with the Ashanti South Police Command has met his untimely death after falling in an open pit at Asanko Gold Ghana Ltd operational jurisdiction at Amansie District in the Ashanti region.
The unfortunate incident according to close sources among the management of the large scale mining firm occurred on Monday 3rd April 2023 evening.
The officer, according to a police source, was among a team of police personnel deployed to undertake an unexplained police security operation within the Asanko Gold Ghana Ltd mining firm area but unfortunately fell into a deep pit covered with stagnant water.
Management of the Manso based Asanko mining firm in collaboration with the Ashanti regional police command are expected to issue detailed information on the demise of the police officer on duty.
The Ashanti Region’s national school feeding program caterers have stopped providing their services due to unpaid arrears.
The caterers say the government has ignored several appeals to pay their arrears. They are also pushing for an increase in the feeding grant from GHC0.97 to GHC3 per child.
“Our reason is simple. During COVID-19, we cooked but the government didn’t make full payment,” a caterer who wants to remain anonymous told Asaase News. “We have been complaining since [then] but to no avail. Currently, we’ve cooked for students for three terms, and they have still not made full payment.”
Another caterer said “it’s been days of struggle. Some of our colleagues are dying. They are being chased by the banks and we can’t feed the young children with such a meagre amount. This is unfair.”
One other caterer said “we miss Otiko Afisa. When she was there, she could pay for 40 days and communicate with us that she will pay the remaining 10 or 15 days, so, everybody will know that school feeding is owing us 15 days.
“But since Cynthia Morrison and the others took over, no one has been giving us any update. They only pay the number of days they want to pay. Period.”
An unhappy minister
The caterers began the protest at the Regional School Feeding Secretariat. They marched to the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council to present a petition to the regional minister, Simon Osei-Mensah.
However, the minister turned his back on the protesters because he was not happy with the caterers’ response to his call for calm. There was a verbal exchange between Osei-Mensah and the caterers. This disrupted activities at the Regional Coordinating Council.
“If your child comes to you with chants in demand for a favour, will you be happy? You only brought a petition, why don’t you go ahead,” Osei-Mensah told the caterers who got enraged by his comment.
“Frustrated as we are, we came [to the RCC] to seek the minister’s intervention but that did not happen. We are unhappy with the minister’s conduct. He could have, at least, heard us. This is very weird, to say the least,” one of the caterers said angrily,
A delegation led by the regional minister’s personal assistant, Gloria Temmah Gambrah, later received the petition on the minister’s behalf.
The caterers expect that arrears for the third term of the previous academic year will be paid before they resume work. They have threatened to throw away meals cooked by colleagues who may go contrary to their decision.
The strike by the aggrieved caterers comes a day before basic schools resume academic work. There are fears that this development can affect teaching and learning.
Less than a week after resigning from the presidential contest, Ernest Kobeah, a former flagbearer candidate for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), has pledged his support for former president John Dramani Mahama.
The businessman on Monday officially met Mahama to discuss a wide range of issues centering on the NDC and the upcoming primaries.
Sharing the news on Facebook on Monday (3 April), Mahama commended Kobeah for the kind gesture.
“Thank you, Ernest Kobeah for your magnanimity in offering me your support to lead our great party, the NDC, to the 2024 elections,” the former leader wrote.
“Your decision to step down from the contest, even after paying in full the filing fees pegged for the contest is exemplary. May the NDC get better and stronger,” Mahama added in his Facebook post.
Almost a thousand people of Suncity, a Gomoa Buduburam suburb, were forcibly evicted from their homes last Thursday by a litigant, according to Solomon Darko Quarm, the district chief executive for Gomoa East, the action is an act of insurrection against the area.
He lamented over the refusal by the litigant to engage the Assembly before embarking on the exercise.
Over 1,000 residents of Suncity were on March 30, 2023, left stranded following their eviction by a litigant of a land dispute.
The residents lament that they were given no adequate time to relocate from the area. The residents were evicted from their houses by the litigant identified as SNBB under the supervision of a police task force.
Personal belongings of the affected persons were thrown out of their rooms and entrances were locked with fresh padlocks provided by the litigant.
The litigant who claims ownership of the land has won a court case against property owners of the area. According to the litigant, the court has given him the right to demolish all the houses to be able to recover his land.
According to Citi News sources the private landowner who is a litigant in a land dispute, had secured a court ruling against traditional authorities of the area who sold the land to the residents about some 25 years ago.
There was also an indication that some of the residents had made payments to the owner of the land as renegotiations were ongoing to repurchase the land from him until this untimely demolition.
But barely five days after the incident, the District Chief Executive for the area, Solomon Darko Quarm, described the incident as an insurgency attack in modern-day Ghana since the laid down procedures were not used by the litigant and the police in evicting persons who occupy these buildings.
The DCE also cautioned against the police allowing themselves to be induced and used for what he described as a debt collection exercise.
He said the Assembly shall not countenance any such exercise supported by the police in future and wants the IGP to delve into the matter.
Some residents and property owners of the area also spoke to Citi News imploring the central government to intervene.
They said the exercise caused damage to their electronic gadgets and other personal belongings.
“We were at home and then suddenly these individuals entered my room and started taking out my belongings. They initially asked that I pay for the land. They say we should pay some amount of money which I have started paying, and then this move came in. We thank the DCE for intervening for us, and we believe this will champion the good course of the government. Had it not been the DCE some of us would have slept outside, and we thank him for that bold move,” they said.
Every year, tobacco use kills more than 6,700 Ghanaians, with 66 percent of these deaths occurring prematurely in people under the age of 70, according to a report from the Ministry of Health, the Food and Drug Authority (FDA), the World Health Organization (WHO), the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) Secretariat, WHO, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
These statistics denote many more Ghanaians are not able to quit tobacco or smoking, in general, irrespective of the rehabilitation and restrictive laws eschewing people from smoking.
It is on this score that the Executive Director of the Institute for Liberty and Policy Innovation, (ILAPI), Mr. Peter Bismark Kwofie has called on stakeholders in the health sector and policymakers to consciously develop an educative medium-long term gradual approach to reducing tobacco use rather than a short-term radical approach of denying consumers the right to make choices.
“ILAPI as a free enterprise organization that emphasizes freedom and individual liberty, profess other important and evidence-based alternatives to reduce the harm caused by tobacco and subsequently leading to quitting smoking.
Tobacco use is one of the leading causes of preventable deaths globally. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), tobacco use kills approximately eight (8) million people annually, with more than even (7) million of these deaths occurring in low and middle-income countries (LMICs).
In addition, it causes lung cancer, tobacco use increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and other chronic illnesses.
Experts say the most effective way to prevent tobacco-related deaths is to quit smoking completely, however, addictive smokers are reluctant and unable to quit.
This according to Mr. Bismark Kwofie calls for harm reduction strategies which is crucial as an effective public health solution.
He noted that absolutely quitting the habit of smoking has been quite unsustainable, repressive, and draconian.
Over the past decades, smoke cessation has been promulgated as the best approach to helping combustible smokers to quit. The addictive nature of the nicotine in cigarettes has made quitting smoking a prolonged and difficult process and that, many more smokers are unable to quit.
It is estimated that $115 billion is needed to be invested to help in smoking cessation from 2020–2030. In 2019, the economic cost of tobacco use in Ghana amounted to approximately GH668 million, equivalent to 0.2 percent of the country’s GDP.
The Executive Director of ILAPI is of the view that health workers, social workers, other relevant stakeholders, and policymakers should consider other alternatives which will be less costly and harmful measures to address the consumer choice addiction rate of tobacco.
“In this context, it is crucial to explore the potential benefits and drawbacks of Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) and weigh them against the well-established harmfulness of tobacco use to develop effective strategies for reducing tobacco consumption in Ghana.” He reiterated.
The Executive Director of ILAPI stressed that THR as a public solution recognizes the harm caused by combustible cigarettes and aims to minimize the health impacts of cigarette smoking by encouraging those adult smokers who would otherwise continue to smoke to switch completely to scientifically substantiated, reduced-risk alternatives ought to be explored in our contemporary society.
Mr. Kwofie thinks that there could be a geo-cultural diversification of solutions to tobacco control but cautioned that the state should conduct and adopt empirically proven techniques as an alternative to reduce harm and death caused by Tobacco whilst not curtailing consumer choice.
“The inhumane and unscientific “Quit or Die” policy should not be reinforced. Instead of putting vapers and consumers at risk, this is a very good opportunity to raise awareness about THR in general, and encourage smokers who cannot quit smoking to adopt it.” He said.
There has been a school of thought of increasing taxes on tobacco products and banning THR products are the best initiatives to prevent people from smoking. But according to the Executive Director of ILAPI, anytime taxes (excise and consumption taxes) on products are high, the rich could buy and the middle-income and poor would engage in smuggling adding to the cost of fighting illicit transactions on tobacco.
“High taxes on tobacco products as means of cessation is not public health,” he retorted.
A constitutional revision regarding the President’s authority to designate ministers of state has been demanded by Professor Baffuor Agyeman-Duah, the Chief Executive Officer of the John Kufuor Foundation.
According to him, the constitution gives too much power to the executive which makes it difficult for the other arms of government to perform their duties effectively.
This, he said, has translated into the appointment of party loyalists to the helm of affairs.
He said increasingly, presidential appointments have become a means to create jobs for party members, friends and family, which is at the root of recent controversies over the number of ministers, Supreme Court judges, directors, and CEOs and their deputies of State.
Professor Aygeman-Duah who was making a contribution to discussions during the fourth edition of Joy – Change Speakers Series, on Joy FM’s Newsfile programme, explained that the 1992 constitution vests so much power in the executive that the other two arms of government seem subdued.
He said the excess power of the executive has weakened the legislature in holding them in check.
“The Constitution gives almost limitless discretionary and appointing powers to the president and the power to appoint goes way beyond senior civil servants and heads of state agencies to district assembly members, even appointments to institutions classified by the constitution as independent are to be made by the president who is partisan yet we expect these bodies to be neutral.
“So apart from the so-called independent body, the constitution places no limits on numbers and levels to be appointed. This loophole and the discretion to create ministries and agencies at will enables self -aggrandising presidents to indulge in creating and dishing out positions with or without justification and unmindful of the burden on the taxpayer,” he said on Saturday.
He stressed the need for a constitutional amendment.
“The foregoing cases of constitutional lapses are among the reason why strong voices have emerged including mine for reviewing the 1992 Constitution,” he added.
At Kronum-Abuohia in the Suame Municipality of the Ashanti Region, a lifeless body of a girl has been discovered dead.
The deceased, yet to be identified, was found in a drain at an area known as Adonko factory on Monday, April 3, 2023.
Speaking to OTEC News Jacob Agyenim Boateng, the Assembly Member for Kyerease-Abuohia Electoral Area, Elvis Nyantakyi said they suspect the body to have been there for at least three days.
“When I arrived the scene, I saw the body was decaying proven it has been therefore more than two days”.
“I suspect the little girl was dragged by the heavy rains the previous days killing her in the process”, he told the host.
Elvis Nyantakyi said Personnel from the Ghana Police Service arrived on the scene and transported the body to the Okomfo Anokye Teaching Hospital Morgue.
He called on the public particularly those living around Atimatim, Kronum Cementmu, Bronkum Newsite and other adjoining communities who had their daughter missing to visit the hospital for verification.
Kedani Akiti, a 26-year-old man, has been beaten to death in Walewale, part of the West Mamprusi Municipality in the North East Region, by unidentified locals.
The incident which happened on Saturday night (1st April 2023) left the deceased with blood smeared on his body with heavy objects surrounding him.
His motorbike, with registration number GR-313-21, was also burnt to ashes.
It is said that the deceased and his friend (who escaped) attempted to rob a female fire service person of her mobile phone and a motorbike but could not succeed after the lady screamed for help from the residents.
The two suspected armed men were chased and overpowered by the unknown residents who killed the young man (Kedani Akiti) at the Walewale Presbyterian cluster of schools after the other person had escaped the scene unidentified.
The body remains were taken by the police who subsequently called on the family members in Kukua for identification and burial.
The body remains of Kedani Akiti were buried yesterday (2nd April 2023) in his hometown in Kukua, a suburb of Walewale in the North East Region.
The municipal police command has declined to comment on the matter.
Adib Saani, a security expert, has questioned the Ghana Police Service’s narrative of what happened in the viral video that showed several police officers being ridiculed by some alleged illegal miners at Axim in the Western region.
In the video the miners were heard accusing the police of extortion.
However, in a statement said at least four people have been arrested for their suspected involvement in the attack on police personnel at Axim adding that the allegation of extortion is also being investigated.
The police further added that efforts are underway to arrest the remaining suspects.
Speaking on Star Midday News with Naa Dedei Tetteh on Monday April 3, 2023, Mr. Saani requested that a holistic investigation be carried out into the incident.
“Whether the perpetrators know each other or not but from my observation I can see there is some degree of familiarity and it appears as though they also know each other and have been doing business together. But what type of business I wouldn’t be able to tell.
“That is why it is critical that we don’t constrict the investigation but we investigate the police as well to ascertain exactly what they were doing there and whether it was officially sanctioned and whether indeed they were given money or not,” Adib Saani stated.
Meanwhile, a section of the public are also calling for an independent investigation rather than the police investigating the issue.
Inadequate engineering and upkeep, particularly on the Accra-Tema Motorway, can result in the deterioration of road surfaces, including the wearing away of bitumen, according to Carlos Ahenkorah, the MP for Tema West.
Bitumen is a common material used in road construction and is known for its durability and resistance to water and other environmental factors.
Asaase Radio has commenced a public interest campaign series that will spotlight the importance of maintaining critical infrastructure and citizens’ power in bringing about change. The campaign promises to bring critical attention to an issue that affects the lives of many Ghanaians, starting with the Accra-Tema Motorway.
Speaking to Asaase News, Ahenkorah said maintaining roads in Ghana should be the priority of officials.
“It can still be affected by heavy traffic, weather, and other factors,” the lawmaker said. “To prevent the wearing away of bitumen, proper engineering and maintenance practices are essential.”
He proposed creating a maintenance budget to sustain the temporary bituminous patches on the motorway.
Watch excerpts of the interview conducted by Asaase 99.5 Accra’s Caleb Ahinakwah:
About campaign
The Accra-Tema Motorway is an essential artery for Ghana’s economy, linking the largest port in the country with the capital city.
However, years of neglect and lack of maintenance have left the N1 in a state of disrepair, leading to accidents and traffic congestion.
In line with #SeeSomethingSaySomething and the government’s efforts to urge all Ghanaians to be active “citizens, not spectators”, the #SafeMotorway4All campaign will identify key challenges to the smooth working of the N1 and push for action to address these.
Don’t forget to join the campaign by sharing your experiences, appeals and solutions on social media with the hashtags #SafeMotorway4all.
Police and several National Democratic Congress (NDC) supporters massed up in front of the Tamale High Court over a bench warrant that was issued for the arrest of the Savelugu Member of Parliament.
The bench warrant on Yakubu Iddrisu was issued on Friday, March 31, 2023 by Presiding Judge Justice Richard Kogyapwah.
The MP has been charged with two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm.
But appearing in court on Monday, April 3, Yakubu Iddrisu was accompanied by scores of supporters as well as some MPs and regional NDC executives.
On December 9, 2020, state prosecutors said they found an AK-47 rifle and 60 rounds of ammunition in an office which is said to belong to the MP.
This was rejected by the NDC, stating emphatically that its offices are open, with the Savelugu not being an exception and the weapons might have been planted there deliberately.
This was, however, taken to court.
Since the case began, the MP has not been in court.
This is said to have concerned the judge.
The Chief State Attorney, therefore, appealed for a warrant for the MP’s arrest, a plea which was granted last Friday.
In order to lessen traffic accidents, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) has recommended that drivers rigorously abide by traffic laws.
The National Coordinator for Compliance and Enforcement of the DVLA, Richard Kwesi Eyiah, said the failure on the part of drivers to observe safety regulations on the road accounted for most of the accidents on the road.
At a sensitisation activity in Kasoa at the Liberia Camp taxi and bus terminal, Mr Eyiah called on members of the public to be ambassadors of road safety to check the spate of road crashes and their attendant injuries and deaths.
The programme formed part of the DVLA’s effort to take road safety education to stakeholders at the grassroots level to improve adherence to traffic regulations.
Topics discussed included the maintenance of vehicles and drivers’ health and safety.
Roadworthy
Mr Eyiah advised the drivers to renew their roadworthy certificates at least one month before they expired.
“The drivers are now aware that they do not have to wait until their roadworthy has expired before renewing it, and we are very excited about educating them.
It is very important that car brakes are effective on the road, tyres should not wear out, and you should have good lighting system,” he stressed.
He cautioned that it was dangerous to drive without a licence, and urged all drivers to desist from driving with expired license and advised them to renew their licenses at least every two years and get a replacement every six years to avoid getting involved with the police.
Mr Eyiah also advised against the use of tinted glasses in commercial vehicles.
Concerns
Mr Eyiah observed that the drivers’ major concerns were bad roads, the absence of streetlights, faded road markings, and the absence of road signs.
“These are vital information, and if our drivers have knowledge about these, then we have good drivers on the road,” he said.
He gave the assurance that the authorities would take the concerns of the drivers into consideration in designing policies and actions to improve road safety.
A taxi driver, Evans Donkoh, suggested that the DVLA should help to contain those problems for the betterment of these drivers and the country as a whole.
He appealed that the DVLA helped drivers to get acquire and renew their licences smoothly and without outrageous prices.
“I was charged an outrageous amount of money to get my drivers licence. This has discouraged most drivers from getting licences.
Now that we have been educated, we know the right channels to go through to get things done right, and we are grateful,” he said.
According to reports, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, the Member of Parliament for Assin Central and candidate for the NPP’s flagbearer position, plans to resign from his position as board chair of Ghana Gas Company Limited.
The MP is set to tender his resignation letter to President Akufo-Addo, it is clear that the MP would take the decision to enable him properly focus on his presidential ambition.
Hon. Agyapong has indicated that his presidential ambitions are genuine and he is not ready to rescind his decision on leading the NPP in 2024.
He has stated unequivocally that he intends to run in the upcoming NPP presidential primaries.
According to him, “I will go and pick up forms when NPP opens nominations for presidential aspirants”.
Kennedy Agyapong is gradually gaining the support of many NPP members and many Ghanaians, especially the youth.
Background
In July 2021, President Akufo-Addo appointed the Assin Central lawmaker as the new Board Chairman of the Ghana Gas Company Limited.
Other members of the nine-member board are Mr. Ben K.D Asante, the Managing Director of the Company; Mr. John Darko, Mrs. Adelaide Mary Benneh; Awulae Amihere Kpanyinli; Mr Abraham Ossei Aidooh; Madam Delphine Dogbegah; Nana Owusu Ansah Ababio, and Mr. Stephen Sumani Nayina.
The members of the board are expected to provide direction and leadership in the day-to-day running of the nation’s only gas transmission utility.
The Ghana National Gas Company was established in July 2011 as a limited liability company with the responsibility to build, own and operate natural gas infrastructure required to ensure the role of a transmission utility.
Unknown assailants have shot and killed the leader of a notorious gang that is accused of intimidating unlicensed miners in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality in the Western Region.
Assembly member of Benso Electoral area Justin Afful confirmed this to the host of Connect FM’s Omanbapa morning show Nhyiraba Paa Kwesi Simpson on Monday morning.
According to him, the deceased, Agye Nyame Sulemana, A.K.A Sulley, was returning with his gang from their usual ‘operation’ when he was shot together with other members of the cartel.
The Assemblyman explains that the modus operandi of this group is that they move from one galamsey site to the other armed with pistols, knives, cudgel, and other weapons robbing illegal miners of their gold and money.
“He has a gang and they have been terrorizing residents in my electoral area. They mostly block roads and rob innocent people of their valuables. They come with guns, knives, and other ammunition. They came for one of such operations last Thursday evening and were returning with their booty when a bullet from an unknown location hit some of the members,” the Assembly member indicated.
Reports indicate the gang leader, whose gunshot wounds were severe, was rushed to the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Other gang members with minor injuries were also sent for treatment.
The Assembly member further explained that a tip-off to the Ghana Police led to the arrest of the two other members of the gang who were also receiving treatment at the facility.
They are currently in the custody of the Tarkwa Police Command.
According to the Assembly member, the gang mostly targets miners.
“Whenever the miners in my area are on break, these armed robbers will come around with their ammunition, threaten them and take all their gold and money. Anyone who refuses to comply would then be attacked. We still don’t know the person who shot them,” he indicated.
The wife of Agye Nyame Sulemana has since refuted reports that her husband is an armed robber.
According to Maame Rejoice, she has still not set eyes on the body of her late husband though she has heard of reports of his death.
Most Reverend Joseph Osei-Bonsu, the Catholic Bishop of Konongo-Mampong, has criticized President Akufo-Addo for his contradictory comments on LGBTQI+ matters.
He rebuked the President in an open letter.
Most. Rev. Osei-Bonsu chronicled the president’s comments starting with his 2017 Aljazeera interview where he indicated that the President said there was no “sufficiently strong coalition” to cause a change in Ghana’s laws regarding LGBTQI issues.
He said the president should have pointed out to the journalist that “homosexuality indeed remains a criminal offence in Ghana, making reference to Section 104 of the Ghanaian Criminal Code of 1960 which criminalises consensual same-sex sexual acts between persons of the same gender.”
Most. Rev. Osei-Bonsu also scolded the president for his recent comments on the topic during the visit of the American Vice President, Kamala Harris.
Kamala Harris pressed on Ghana to respect the rights of homosexuals to which President Akufo-Addo said his government has intervened and modified the “Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values 2021” bill.
Most. Rev. Osei-Bonsu wrote that the president must be able to point out to those pushing for the recognition of gay rights that “the rights of homosexuals as persons do not include the right of a man to marry a man or of a woman to marry a woman. We need to stress that LGBTQ+ activities are not part of what is described as fundamental human rights and cannot be included in the list of human rights.”
In line with the passage of three significant revenue legislation by Parliament on Friday, March 31, traders who deal in alcoholic beverages and related products in Kumasi are forecasting declining sales and the failure of enterprises in the upcoming months.
The Excise duty amendment bill which is part of these tax bills will impose 20 percent on sweetened beverages and other products.
Wholesalers and retailers who are already lamenting hikes in the prices of these products say the passage of the tax bills will push many out of business.
A wholesaler who deals in beverage drinks and mineral water, Janet Akomeah told Citi News the only option to try and save their businesses is to pass the cost onto the customers.
“A lot of the customers complain about the price increases and some will come in and be saying that we are increasing the prices anyhow, but it is not our fault because the prices have also changed from our suppliers, and so we also need to adjust our prices to make some profit. We need more funds to be able to restock our shops and the only thing we can do now is to manage.
“There are wholesalers who may be having old stock and be selling at a relatively lesser price but if you go and take new stock and increase the price accordingly, the customers will complain that you have increased your price while others are selling at a lesser price, but it is not our fault and if things don’t change, a time will soon come that we will have to stop the business.”
The Ashanti Business Owners Association also shared in the plight of the traders and insisted the tax laws will affect livelihoods.
The Executive Secretary of the Ashanti Business Owners Association, Charles Appiah Kubi said it is disappointing that Parliament went ahead and passed the bills at the expense of the suffering Ghanaian business.
The driver of the vehicle that Mohamed Hardi Tuferu, the member of parliament for Nanton, struck on Friday night, has given details of what happened.
The man, who gave his name as Kwabena told Bernard Avle on the Citi Breakfast Show on Monday that the incident occurred at 9:00pm on Ghana Institute of Journalism road, from the Absa clubhouse.
“I work in Accra. I had closed from work and was on my way home. I normally use the GIJ route towards the Flagstaff house. Around 9:00 pm that faithful evening, I was on my way home as usual. When I got to the Absa clubhouse junction which is a T-junction. The MP was coming from the SDA church [side], and I was making a left turn to join the Independence Avenue road. Before I realised, the MP’s car ran into mine. He hit my passenger side. Witnesses can testify that the MP was speeding.”
“I was a bit unconscious for a while. I struggled before I was able to come out. Within a few minutes, I heard voices, that was how I regained consciousness. By the time I was up, I was told he had been rushed out of the scene. A police officer, who said he was from Parliament later came and gave me the MP’s number and said I could call. After that, a couple took me to the hospital.”
Kwabena further described the severity of the accident.
“My car is beyond repair. The impact was great. I do not know what he was speeding for. I believe it is God that saved me. If not that I managed to open my door, I would have been trapped in the car.”
The Member of Parliament for Nanton was involved in an accident ahead of a crucial vote on the government’s revenue bills currently being considered by Parliament.
The MP who is a member of the Majority Caucus was however sent to Parliament via an ambulance to report to the leadership of the House and later sent to the hospital.
The Majority Chief Whip, Habib Iddrisu, has disclosed that the Member of Parliament for Nanton, Mohammed Hardi Tuferu’s, wounds were cleaned and stitched up in Parliament’s restroom.
Mohammed Tuferu was involved in an accident ahead of a crucial vote on the government’s revenue bills on Friday.
His car reportedly somersaulted several times before landing upside down.
The MP is reported to have suffered a deep cut on his forehead but was still taken to Parliament to vote before he was taken to hospital for further treatment.
Some Ghanaians have described the decision to rush the MP to Parliament after a near-fatal accident as reckless and insensitive but speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Monday, April 3, Mr Iddrisu said safety precautions were taken before the MP was sent to Parliament to participate in proceedings.
“The time we were taking the voice vote, he had come to Parliament and I put him in the washroom, we didn’t put him in the Chamber, we put him in the washroom and brought the nurses from Parliament and a doctor to attend to him. The Majority Leader came, and the nurses from Parliament came to attend to him in the washroom”.
“He had minor bruises on his face, so they cleaned it up and even stitched it up. So he was stitched in Parliament in the washroom.”
Mr Iddrisu also dismissed claims that several other majority MPs were absent from Parliament.
According to him, no MP was outside the country and nothing untoward was done to pass the government’s new tax bills.
The Landscape Management Board, a governance structure made up of all significant stakeholders in Akontombra, Bodi, Wiawso, and Bibiani Anhwiaso Bekwai, has been established by Rainforest Alliance under the Landscapes and Environmental Agility across the Nation (LEAN) Project.
The landscape management approach was first developed by Rainforest Alliance to help landscape level management in conservation projects.
It is therefore a community-led process that is designed to empower marginalized forest-based communities and allow them to better assess the value of protecting forest resources.
The approach is designed to serve as the main decision-making body in managing, monitoring, and controlling forest access in production areas as well as surrounding forest reserves.
With support from Rainforest Alliance, the landscape management platform works with stakeholders to coordinate, align, and reduce conflicts among their respective activities, policies, and investments all in the name of protecting landscapes and the remaining forests across Ghana.
All activities of the project are hinged on the LMB and it’s the vehicle upon which the project is being implemented.
The Rainforest Alliance launched the LEAN Project at the Sui landscape, a project working to address some major barriers in three priority landscapes in Ghana – the High Forest Zone, Transition and Savannah landscapes.
The Landscapes and Environmental Agility across the Nation (LEAN) Project is a four-year project ending in 2024 and funded by the European Union.
The Project aims to directly support national efforts to conserve biodiversity, improve the livelihoods of small-scale farmers, build climate resilience, and reduce emissions from land-use changes across the various zones
In the high forest zone where the Rainforest Alliance is implementing the project, there are 3 LMBs formed and operational within the western North region of Ghana.
The Bibiani Anhwiaso Bekwai (BAB) LMB consisting of 30 communities, the Sefwi Wiawso LMB consisting of 41 communities and the Akontombra/Bodi LMB consisting of 35 communities.
The LMB therefore gets the opportunity to be part of decision-making on the project and they have the platform to engage government stakeholders and private partners.
The board is also consulted in any government decisions that bothers on natural resources within the corridors of the landscape.