In order to improve their close cooperation in promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment in each of their individual countries, Ghana, Liberia, and Burundi have held bilateral meetings.
The meeting also discussed gender and violence issues across the African Continent.
It was held between the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Madam Hajia Lariba Abuduand her colleague Gender Ministers from Liberia and Burundi at the sidelines of the ongoing 67th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women(CSW) in New York.
Also, High-Level Panel discussions were held on issues and challenges of financing socio-economic development programmes for women and girls through the Geo-Extractive Sector in West Africa as part of the event.
Every year, representatives of Member States gather at United Nations Headquarters in New York to evaluate progress made concerning gender equality, identify challenges, set global standards and formulate concrete policies to promote gender equality and the advancement of women worldwide.
According to deputy minister for roads and highways, Stephen Pambiin Jalulah, the vice president, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, is the finest candidate to succeed President Akufo-Addo.
Speaking to the mediaon Sunday, March 12, the Pru West MP said he was confident that the Vice President would succeed the president ahead of the party’s presidential primaries.
Even though, the conversation on the programme centred on President Akufo-Addo’s claim that his administration has built more roads than any other government in Ghana’s 4th Republican history, the Deputy Minister could not hide his desire for Dr Bawumia to become NPP’s next flagbearer and Ghana’s next president.
He was arguing against claims by members of the opposition National Democratic Congress the Akufo-Addo administration dare not take credit for the Pokuase Interchange because an NDC-led government secured funding for the project. But the Deputy Minister insisted that actual works, including sod-cutting, started in the Akufo-led administration.
“The construction of the Pokuase Interchange was just a dream to them (NDC) because constantly, we don’t have enough and as a result we are constantly looking outside either to get the commercial facility or the grant to come and cause the development of the nation.
His argument was that whoever executes a project takes credit for it, not those who dreamt it.
“Now if you go to talk to the government and people of Japan that we need an interchange at this point please help us; and we are even doing one currently but I will not name the place- which will not materialise under the leadership of President Akufo-Addo but the next government which will be Insha Allah Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, but Nana Akufo-Addo cannot claim credit for what he is doing now for an interchange to be built in another city of the country.
“It is a dream which must happen because governance is a continuous process,” he said.
Already, several bigwigs in the party including the former Trades and Industry Minister, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, and the former Agriculture Minister, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto have declared their intentions to seek the party’s mandate to lead it as flagbearer for the 2024 election.
Even though, the Vice President has not officially declared his candidacy, party folks and political analysts say it is only a matter of time when he declares his interest.
It is his anticipated candidacy the Deputy Minister has thrown his weight behind.
Deadlock with date for primaries
The National Executive Committee and the National Council of the governing NPP, has a couple times failed to agree on a date for its presidential and parliamentary primaries.
A meeting on Thursday, February 2, which had in attendance the President, the Vice President, the Chief of Staff, some Members of Parliament and presidential hopefuls which was expected to officially set a date for the remaining two elections on the party’s calendar ended in a deadlock.
Already, blocs within the party are pushing for an early congress whilst others want the party to stick to its constitution of electing a flagbearer 12 months to a major election.
After a 30 percent raise in the Single Spine Salary Structurefor public sector employees, teachers and staff at the Ghana Education Service (GES) have seen a boost in their basic salary.
This increment took effect from January 1, 2023, and also includes a 15 percent market premium which the government has also agreed to for all teachers and other public sector workers.
The 30 percent is the biggest increment organised labour has secured out of negotiations with the government since 2010 when the government increased the base pay by 20 percent and again by the same margin in 2011.
Since the current administration came to power in 2017, the highest increment has been 12 percent, which was secured in 2017.
The latest increment means the lowest-paid teacher takes home a net salary of GH¢434.01 while the highest-paid teacher takes home a net salary of GH¢8,271.95.
Body of a 21-year-old woman’s that was washed away by floodwaters at Bremang in the Suame Municipality of the Ashanti Region last week has been retrieved and deposited at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital morgue.
Following Wednesday [March 8] evening’s rains, the deceased’s sandals reportedly got stuck and in her attempt to retrieve them, she was washed away by flood waters.
However, the landlord of the deceased, Nana Bonsu told Citi News a resident in Abuakwa Tabre in the Atwima Nwabiagya municipality on Sunday alerted the police of a lifeless body in a stream in his area, and it was subsequently taken to the morgue.
According to Nana Bonsu, the family of the deceased was called to identify the body, and they realized it was the 21-year-old who was washed away by flood waters.
The family is currently liaising with the police to conduct an autopsy, after which they will have access to the body and perform the necessary burial rites.
The Paediatric Society of Ghana has urged government to purchase more childhood vaccines as the first consignment is inadequate.
According to the Ghana Health Service (GHS), the first consignment of childhood vaccines, which included Oral polio, measles-rubella, and BCG vaccines, arrived over the weekend and will last for six weeks.
Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, Director-General of GHS, says by the time the consignment runs out, more would have arrived.
But President of thePaediatric Society of Ghana, Dr. John Adabie Appiah, tells Citi News that it will take about six months to vaccinate all children who missed their vaccination.
“We need to vaccinate a larger population and make sure that the population has herd immunity before we can relax and that will take not less than six months to get to that point so six weeks is woefully inadequate due to the vaccine shortage. There are over 800 cases of measles and this is terrible. The situation is going to get worse so more needs to be done. So, we hope that more vaccines will come in to cover the rest of the year.”
The Ghana Health Service has announced that vaccinations for children will begin today, Monday, March 13. 2023.
Following months of shortage, some childhood vaccines have arrived in the country.
Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye urged all parents to vaccinate their children during a media interview.
“By Monday morning, there will be vaccine available for those who need it. The doses that are available are enough for at least six weeks across the country. So, by Monday, we will start vaccinating all.”
The Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service (GHS) on Saturday, March 11, 2023, took delivery of the first consignment of Measles vaccines, BCG vaccines and Oral Polio Vaccines.
The Ministry of Information in a Facebook post said distribution to various regions and facilities is underway.
The Information Ministry assured that more vaccines are expected in the country in the coming weeks from multiple sources.
The Ghana Health Service has confirmed taking delivery of a consignment of childhood vaccines entreating caregivers to desist from rushing to hospitals for the vaccines.
The GHS said the Ministry of Health has made adequate provisions for the supply of vaccines that will last for the rest of the year and beyond.
The vaccines, according to GHS include BCG, OPV with accompanying devices such as needles, syringes and safety boxes.
There is chaos in Wa Municipality in the Upper West Region as a result of an alleged killing of a young man in his early 20s by the Police.
Abubakar Shaahid from Dondoli, a suburb in the municipality was reportedly shot and killed by the Police around 8:pm Wednesday, March 8, 2023, on suspicion of being part of a robbery gang terrorising residents.
His family members have however refuted the claims by the Police describing Shaahid as a good boy with no history of criminal act.
Calling for justice for their ward, they have vowed to implore all legitimate means to clear his name from the allegations by the Police anti-robbery taskforce.
According to the spokesperson of the family, Muhammed Tamim, the deceased was on his way to meet a family friend at Tanbileju between 7-8:pm last Wednesday night.
He said on his way there, the friend called to inform the deceased to return home since he had heard gunshots in the suburb. But by that time, according to Tamim, the deceased had already been shot and therefore informed the friend that he was shot by the Police.
Muhammed Tamim said that when they went to the police, the officers said they stopped the deceased on his motorbike but that he immidiately alighted from the motorbike and started running away.
According to him, the police labeled the deceased as a suspect from a robbery gang.
Abubakar Tamim narrated that: “Last night at about 7-8:pm, I had a call from a man at Tanbileju who we call Maalam Umar. He’s our family friend and Shaahid (the deceased) usually visited the man to help him with his work. The man is there (at Tanbileju) but has a room in town so the deceased usually ferries him to town (to pass the night). So he was as usual on his way to go and take the man when he was shot dead by the Police. So how do I get to know he was shot by the Police?”
“The man (Maalam Umar) called to tell me that the deceased was coming to take him but because he, Maalam Umar, was hearing gunshots in the area he called to tell the deceased not to come anymore due to the gunshots, only for the deceased to inform the Maalam that he had already been hit by a bullet. So I tried calling Shaahid, the deceased, but he couldn’t answer the call. So I called the Assembly Member of the area to make enquiries about the issue. He told me he saw some officers at a checkpoint around the area but they denied involvement in the operations but mentioned the anti-robbery taskforce and asked him to go to the CID office. According to their narration, the Police said that they stopped the deceased who was riding a motorbike but that after stopping, he abandoned the bike and started running away. But for me, I said how can you stop a person, he stops and then leaves his motorbike and starts running away? And then you shot his stomach. When somebody is running away from you, is it not his back that you can shoot, but not his stomach?”
According to the spokesperson, the familywants justice for their loved one to clear his name who they say had no criminality record at all as being purported by the Police.
The family wants independent investigations into the case to bring out the truth and allow the law to take its cause.
Attempts to get official response from the police have proven difficult as no officer was prepared to go on record even though they are aware of the case except pledging to journalists to release a statement which is yet to come to the fore over 72hours after the incident occurred.
However, very reliable sources in the service who spoke to GhanaWeb on condition of anonymity confirmed the young man was indeed gunned down by their officers but insisted he was an armed robber.
The body of the deceased has since been buried after it was released to the family on Friday, March 10.
Six people have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the murder of a young soldier atAshaiman Taifa on March 4, 2023, according to a statement by the Ghana Police Service.
The police are, however, on the hunt for the iPhone of the deceased which according to the statement was the reason he was fatally stabbed by the first two assailants who attacked him early dawn of March 4.
The statement said: “After almost a week of painstaking intelligence-led operations, on 9th March 2023, the police arrested suspects Safianu Musah alias Dayorgu and Ibrahim Abdul Rakib at their hideouts in Ashaiman.
The other suspects are, Samuel Tetteh alias Wiper and Abubakar Sadick alias Birdman, arrested at their hideouts on 10th March, 2023. Whiles Yussif Mohammed and Abdul Gafaru Abdul Karim were arrested on 11th and 12th March 2023 respectively.
The missing iPhone
In addressing the issue of the deceased’s missing phone, the police said: “Investigations also revealed that suspects Samuel Tetteh and Abubakar Sadick sold the phone which they had robbed from the deceased to suspect Ibrahim Abdul Rakib who later sold it to suspect Safianu Musah.
“Suspect Safianu Musah is being evasive as to the whereabouts of the phone and claims to have sold it to suspect Yussif Mohammed and later to suspect Abdul Gafaru Abdul Karim.
“Both suspects have been arrested and are assisting in the investigation to recover the phone.
Retired Colonel Festus Aboagye, a security expert, has revealed that the commotion surrounding Western Togoland’s invasion of the country was fraud.
Homeland Study Group wanted the Volta, Oti, and parts of the Upper East Regionto be made an autonomous country to be known as Western Togoland.
Some members of the separatist group were accused of causing mayhem in the Volta, arrested and later charged with treason felony, conspiracy to commit crime amongst others.
Speaking on the Big Issue on Citi TV with Selorm Adonoo, the Retired Colonel, rubbished reports that some terrorists attempted to invade Ghana.
“This hoax about Western Togoland, terrorists invading Ghana was a ploy. In the process, the Ghana Armed Forces were deployed and casualties occurred. People were arrested, and we saw them in the media. As of now, can any journalist tell us where those arrested persons are? What has been the outcome of that event?” he asked.
Background
The group made a number of attempts to push its agenda. In 2020, the group blocked some major roads that connect Volta Region to Ghana’s capital city, Accra.
Members of the separatist group even declared independence for the imaginary Western Togoland country on May 9, 2019.
In October 2020, the government of Ghana arraigned 78 of the alleged separatists suspected to be behind the violent attacks in the Volta Region.
They were charged, variously, with; treason felony, conspiracy to commit crime, namely, treason felony, conspiracy to commit crime, namely, participating in a campaign of prohibited organization namely Western Togoland, conspiracy to commit crime, namely, causing unlawful damage.
The activities of the group sparked some other incidents in the region including a raid by some secessionists on the Aveyime and Mepe police stations which led to the release of cell inmates and the theft of 10 assault rifles.
Police officers were also injured in the ensuing confrontations, whilst two persons were killed.
Security personnel also said they foiled a plan by the group to burn down the Ho Central Market and other key installations.
The Homeland Study Group Foundation, however, denied any involvement in the violent incidents.
Former Food and Agriculture Minister Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto has stated that he has been quietly campaigning after retirement.
He claims to have toured the entire country in order to rally New Patriotic Party (NPP) delegates ahead of the party’s primaries.
Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto has announced his intention to lead the NPP in the 2024 election.
He told journalists that he is waiting for the party to officially announce a date for the primaries before launching his campaign.
“I have been running around the country now for six years. Every year except 2020 that COVIDprevented me, I had been going around the country as the Minister for Agriculture because I have been waiting for the party to come out with a date for the primaries, and then I will draw up my programme accordingly. It doesn’t mean, my supporters are asleep. They are very active in all the 16 regions.”
Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto officially resigned to focus on his Presidential ambition as he wants to lead the New Patriotic Party (NPP) into the 2024 general elections.
He served as a Member of Parliament for the Kwadaso Constituency in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region for two terms.
In Parliament, he held the position of Deputy Ranking Member and subsequently the substantive Ranking Member for the Committee on Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs until 2017 when he was appointed the Minister for Food and Agriculture.
In November 2022, in the midst of economic challenges and rising food prices, Dr Afriyie Akoto implemented the controversial Planting for Food and Jobs policy at the premises of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to sell cheaper foods to Ghanaians.
Today, Monday, March 13, 2023, the suspects arrested in relation to the murder ofImoro Sherrif, a 22-year-old military trainee will appear before court.
Safianu Musah alias Dayorgu, Ibrahim Abdul, and Samuel Tetteh alias Wiper are among the suspects.
Others are Abubakar Sadick alias Birdman, Yussif Mohammed and Gafaru Abdul Karim who were all arrested after almost a week of painstaking intelligence-led operations by the police.
The police, as part of their investigations, revealed that the soldier was stabbed in the arm and died after a struggle with the individuals who had attempted to rob him of some valuables.
According to the police, Imoro Sherrif, the deceased officer, resisted when his assailants wanted to make away with his phone and backpack causing one of them to pull a knife to stab him.
The robbers took his phone and fled, leaving the deceased with the knife stuck in his arm.
Further investigations showed that the primary suspects sold the phone to someone who later sold it to a different person who is now being evasive about the location of the phone by claiming to have resold it to someone else who also claims to have sold it to another person.
The police are working with all of these suspects who have been detained to recover the phone.
“We would like to assure the public, especially the family of the deceased, that all the suspects are in police custody and will be put before court on Monday, 13th March 2023, to face justice”, police said in a press statement.
“Investigations further revealed that on 3rd March 2023, the deceased had visited a female friend at Ashaiman Newtown at about 10:30pm and left the place in the middle of the night at about 01:30am on the 4th of March 2023”, the police statement read in parts.
Pathologists after an autopsy have determined the main cause of death as exsanguination and laceration of major vessels in the left arm, which is consistent with having been stabbed.
A backpack and a knife with blood stains were among the items the Crime Scene Team recovered.
One Samsung tablet, one apple laptop, one military uniform with the name tag “Imoro,” eight additional pieces of clothes, a Ghana card, and a Health Insurance card with the name Imoro Sherrif were all discovered by police inside the backpack.
The member of parliament for Builsa South, Dr. Clement Abas Apaak, has demanded an inquiry into some claims made by Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, a former minister of environment, science, technology, and innovation, that some NPP top officials are involved in galamsey.
He asserts that these accusations cannot and must not be disregarded, particularly given that they are from a former member of the NPP government.
“We demand an investigation into allegations by Prof. Boateng, a former NPP Minister, then head of the anti-galamsey fight, that “People in the NPP, people in gov’t and people at Jubilee House are engaged in galamsey”. Galamsey is a crime and those involved must be punished,” Clement Apaak tweeted.
Prof Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, a former Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, who also chaired the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM),in an interview revealed that elements within both the governing New Patriotic Party and the Akufo-Addogovernment, conspired in a grand scheme to hound him out of office to pave the way for their free participation in illegal mining (galamsey).
Prof Frimpong-Boateng said that the missing excavator story was trumped up against him by his own party and other government officials involved in galamsey, just to get him out.
It is based on this that Clement Apaak has called for an investigation into the matter.
“Ghanaians expect the requisite state agencies/institutions (OSP, BIN, CID) to show loyalty to Ghana by initiating investigations into the allegations made by Prof. Boateng. By his stature and previous position in this NPP gov’t, these allegations cannot and must not be ignored.
“CSOs, organised labour, the clergy and all well-meaning Ghanaians must canvas for an investigation into these allegations that elements in the Presidency, gov’t and NPP are engaged in galamsey, and consequently, the pollution of our rivers and destruction of our environment,” he added.
We DEMAND an investigation into allegations by Prof. Boateng, a former NPP Minister, then head of the anti-galamsey fight, that “People in the NPP, people in gov’t and people at Jubilee House are engaged in galamsey”. Galamsey is a crime and those involved must be punished. pic.twitter.com/LqW93NmZQf— Dr. Clement Abas Apaak (@DrApaak) March 12, 2023
A lecturer in political science at the University of Ghana, Ransford Gyampo, has pledged not to let theNational Identification Authority(NIA) top hierarchy destabilize the country.
The NIA in a statement called the bluff of the political science lecturer after it criticised its works.
In a counter statement, Professor Gyampo warned, “you guys can tickle yourselves and laugh just in the quest to protect your jobs. But some of us won’t allow you to plunge Ghana into chaos and flee the country with your Diplomatic or Serviced Passports”.
He added, “I never thought I was this big or important to deserve such an attention from a whole institution that is supposed to be busy focusing on registering people it has been deficient in registering, culminating in long queues, payment of money, and near stampedes at the NIA headquarters”.
He charged NIA’s top officials to work in the interest of the country.
“Professors must analyse things from a holistic viewpoint. There are two sides to every coin and as we seek to build Ghana, our efforts must be aimed at protecting the national interest and not to tout one’s supposed achievements that are highly contentious,” Professor Gyampo advised.
Read Professor Gyampo’s full statement
Dear NIA, I saw a very formal statement of response from your outfit to my banter with Prof Attafuah on Newsfile two weeks ago. I never thought I was this big or important to deserve such an attention from a whole institution that is supposed to be busy focusing on registering people it has been deficient in registering, culminating in long queues, payment of money, and near stampedes at the NIA headquarters.
NIA, your responses are shrouded in half-truths and this is what is referred to as propaganda. You guys can tickle yourselves and laugh just in the quest to protect your jobs. But some of us won’t allow you to plunge Ghana into chaos and flee the country with your Diplomatic or Serviced Passports.
Kindly engage the leaders of the opposition parties again and do not live in the past. The comments of Jerry Rawlings and co, were given in the past and no one has qualms with the relevance of Ghana Card. Indeed, long before Prof Ken Attafuah got his appointment, some of us had argued for the need for all identity cards to be synchronized into one card. So, it’s not a big deal if other eminent statesmen and women applauded the move to have Ghana card.
What is contentious, however, is the disagreement on the use of the Ghana Card as the sole source document for voter registration and the fact that the NIA has hugely imponderable challenges that it’s top officials share only in the private. We need the Ghana Card but let’s hasten slowly. There is no point for this inordinate haste which creates unnecessary feeling of suspicion that has the tendency to lead to implosion, given how the use of Ghana card alone, as the source document for voter registration, could impact hugely on the electoral fortunes of political parties.
Rather than citing what a dead founder of a political party said in support of the Ghana Card, let the NIA listen to the voices of the living about the dangers of intransigence and unwillingness to build consensus on the use of the Card as the sole document for voter registration. Let the NIA and Prof Attafuah not use eloquence and big English to be dismissive of challenges that stares at us in the face. Prof Attafuah was in parliament and he saw the reaction of the minority group. Using one side of the argument of Dominic Ayine on radio to support the counter view that, the NIA doesn’t have trust deficit, is quite disingenuous. Professors must analyze things from a holistic view point. There are two sides to every coin and as we seek to build Ghana, our efforts must be aimed at protecting the national interest and not to tout one’s supposed achievements that are highly contentious.
Yaw Gyampo A31, Prabiw PAV Ansah Street Saltpond & Suro Nipa House Kubease Larteh-Akuapim
Veteran journalist, Kwesi Pratt Jr. has criticized the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) for deploying soldiers to Ashaiman to attack locals in retaliation for the murder ofImoro Sherrif, a 22-year-old military trainee.
The young soldier was stabbed to death and left in the community by some unknown assailants.
Reason(s) for the murder of the soldier is sketchy, however there are reports that he may have been killed over a woman.
Following the murder, a group of soldiers were conveyed to the Ashaiman community and residents caught were subjected to severe beatings.
Addressing the issue during Peace FM’s ‘Kokrokoo’ morning show, Kwesi Pratt sought to find out if there is any concrete evidence pointing the young soldier’s death to attacks by residents at Ashaiman, hence questioning the logic in the military besieging the community and whipping them.
“Do we know who killed the soldier? How then do we boldly say it is the people of Ashaiman who killed him? Does seeing a soldier dead in Ashaiman mean the Ashaiman residents killed him?”, he queried.
He argued that “nobody knows who killed the young man”, so “we can’t assert that what or those who killed him are from Ashaiman“.
To him, “investigations into suspected murder, it is Police duties, not military duties”.
He also added that the security personnel, in this case the Military, are supposed to be friends of civilians, not tormentors.
“I’ve heard people saying we should fear the soldiers . . .we are to love those who protect us, not fear them.”
Editor-in-chief of the New Crusading Guide newspaper,Kweku Baako, has been instructed the military to uphold the principle of discipline that guides their activities.
The veteran journalist cautioned the military to exercise control and discretion in all of their activities in response to a radio discussion on the March 7 raid that ended in soldiers brutalizing some Ashaiman locals.
Baako was reacting specifically to a comment by New Patriotic Party (NPP) national organizer, Henry Nana Boakye, who in his submission refused to cleary condemn the actions of the military.
“Nana B is entitled to his inability or unwillingness to blame the modus operandi of the military at Ashaiman. I, however, wish to advice Nana B to tell the military to adhere to the regime of discipline required of the Armed Forces as an institution.
“A lot more is expected of the institution of the armed forces than the residents of Ashaiman in terms of discipline,” Baako texted in into the show.
Police have announced the arrest of six persons in connection with the death of young soldier Sherrif Imoro, which incident triggered the military swoop.
An outspoken member of parliament for Assin Central and candidate for the party’s presidential nomination, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, has criticized the Electoral Commission (EC) for choosing to adopt the Ghana Card as the only form of identification for registration in the general elections of 2024.
The new Constitutional Instrument (CI) seeks to see the elimination of the guarantor system for all first-time registrants to the country’s electoral register.
But the MP in a media interview on a local radio station, Sompa FM, in Kumasi, indicated that the new CI laid in Parliament by the Electoral Commission is “bogus”.
He maintains that it makes no sense that the Ghana Cardwould suddenly be raised above the Ghana Passport in determining the identity of citizens.
‘’I am against it. Ghana has people taking bogus decisions. We have a whole Ghana passport, but you (EC) claim that to register to vote you can’t use it to register as a voter. What makes me know that I am a Ghanaian? It is my passport”, he said.
His comments come as a surprise as members of the NPP side in Parliament had constantly supported the EC in its move for the Ghana card to be used as the only source of identification for the voters register.
But as it stands, the NDC Members of Parliament are being whipped to be in the house at all cost to kick against the proposed CI.
Former president,John Dramani Mahama has stated that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) will not compromise in its effort to gain power during the general elections of 2024.
On his campaign visit for the party’s flagbearership contest, he informed party supporters in the Tain and Banda constituency in theBono East Region that the NDC will prioritize the polling places in its effort to ensure its mandate after the vote.
Mahama, who is seeking a fourth straight shot at the presidency, use two controversial phrases in Ghana’s political phraseology to drive home the seriousness the NDC will deploy in 2024.
“I have no doubt that NDC will win the 2024 elections. So, the vote will be a do or die affair and we will be matching them boot to boot at the polling station.
“When the time comes, we will take names of polling station agents and I plead that we need educated persons who can do at least arithmetic, so, that you can decipher what we really got and to ensure the biometric details match the number of papers in a ballots box.
“It is not about who is older in the party. We need a knowledgeable person who can be trained to undertake the task. You can bring your wards who are educated to be trained for the purpose,” he stressed.
Mahama, who will come up against four other competitors said the NDC planned to have its own collated results by midnight of December 7.
“With that, when voting ends at 5 pm, we will be able to declare our victory by midnight. We would have our results. We won’t sleep on the evening of 7th December till we have assured ourselves of victory,” he added to massive applause.
TheGhana Cedi has been branded a junk currency by a professor of applied economics at the John Hopkins University in the United States.
According to a tweet he posted on March 11, 2023, he has classified it as one of the currencies in his collection of rogue currencies.
According to Hanke, a serial critic of the government and its management of the Ghanaian economy, the cedi’s woes should be blamed on Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s incompetence and eceonomic mismanagement.
“In #Ghana, the #cedi is junk. By my measure, the cedi has depreciated ~49.77% against the USD since Jan. 1, 2022. Thanks to Pres. Akufo-Addo’s incompetence & economic mismanagement, the cedi has been entered into my rogue’s gallery of JUNK currencies,” his tweet read.
As of last Friday, March 10, 2023, the Interbank forex rates from the Bank of Ghana showed that the Ghana Cedi was trading against the dollar at a buying price of 11.0082 and a selling price of 11.0192.
At a forex bureau in Accra, the dollar is being bought at a rate of 12.20 and sold at a rate of 12.80.
Government run to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 2022 at a time the economy was in a downward spiral.
The government only recently secured a Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP), which according to experts is a major conditionality of the lender in granting Board approval for a US$3 billion bailout.
The programme was meant to ensure the streamlining Ghana’s unsustainable debt. Government announced an 85% participation rate.
Ghana is hoping to get the first tranche of the bailout by March this year in order to among others rein in inflation and arrest the galloping depreciation of the cedi.
Talks are currently underway with Ghana’s external creditors in a bid to restructure loans in order to get IMF Board approval in March 2023.
Son of Aisha Huang, Huang Lei, has been deported from Ghana after being found guilty by the Accra High Court.
On September 2, 2022, the felon was taken into custody after eight packs of Eley shotgun cartridges, containing about two 250 pieces of ammunition were seized from him.
He was before the court charged with one count of remaining in Ghana after the expiration of his passport and one count of possessing 250 rounds of ammunition without authority.
He had pleaded not guilty before the court presided over by Justice Lydia Osei Marfo, but later changed his plea to guilty before a relieving judge, Justice Comfort Tasiame, as result of the substantive judge being on her annual leave.
Huang Lei, was subsequently convicted on his own plea of guilty and was sentenced to a fine of GH¢10,800.
The court ordered the Ghana Immigration Service to deport the convict, and he has since been deported to his home country of China.
Meanwhile, two of his accomplices who are standing trial for similar offences are before the court, which has set a date to conduct case management which paves way for the trial.
His counterpart, Huang Haihua, has also been charged with one count of possessing a forged document – a fake residence permit, while Shi Yang, who was initially standing trial with his mother and stepfather has now been charged with one count of possessing a forged residence permit and four counts of possessing ammunition without authority.
He has been charged for being in the possession of 114 rounds of ammunition – 83 live rounds of 9mm ammunition, three live rounds of 8mm ammunition and another 22 live rounds of BB ammunition without authority.
Lucy Ekeleba Blay, counsel for the two, told the court yesterday that she had filed another application for bail on behalf of the accused, who had been remanded into prison custody.
The court, however, said it will not be able to hear the application yesterday and subsequently adjourned the case to March 22, 2023, for the application to be moved.
Political analyst Michael Ebo Amoah has said that the New Patrotic Party (NPP) must elect Vice president, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as its flagbearer for the 2024 general elections.
According to him, Dr Bawumia is the right candidate since he possesses much experience and strategies in making Ghana a better place.
Mr. Ebo Amoah was speaking on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm about whether the description of Dr. Bawumia as E-Bawumia when he delivered his state of the nation address was an endorsement.
”From where I sit, it would be politically suicidal for the NPP to change Bawumia and bring another person. Just as former President John Dramani Mahama is the most marketed candidate for the NDC, Bawumia is the most marketed candidate for the NPP.
He indicated that the factors would go against the NPP if Dr. Bawumia is not elected as the presidentialcandidate.
“However, in the end, it is up to the delegates to make the final decision. From where I am, the delegates will vote for him. This is not based on any scientific research, but the delegates will choose Dr. Bawumia as the presidential candidate.”
Hey there! Are you ready to embark on a journey of flavor and culture? Let’s explore one of Ghana‘s most loved delicacies, Kenkey!
This mouth-watering dish is a staple in Ghanaian cuisine and is particularly beloved by the Ga Adangbe ethnic group.
Imagine a ball of cornmeal, perfectly complemented with spicy chili pepper and a flavorful black sauce called “shito”.
Kenkey is usually served with fish, eggs, shrimp, or any other soup or stew of your choice.
It is not only delicious but also a significant source of nourishment for many Ghanaians.
Kenkey with pepper,onions and fishes
So, how is this delicious dish made? First, the maize grains are soaked in water for three days to soften and ferment them. Next, the maize grains are cleaned, crushed into flour, and worked into dough. Half of the fermented dough is cooked before being combined with the uncooked half to create a perfect blend of texture and taste.
The dough is then wrapped tightly in maize husks and cooked in water for one to three hours, depending on the size and thickness of the dough. Once it is ready, you are in for a treat!
Did you know that the water used to boil Kenkey can be used to make a nutritious beverage called “otinshi nu”? Additionally, you can also make a sweet dessert known as ice Kenkey by blending Kenkey with water, sugar, powdered milk, and ice.
Kenkey is not only a delicious dish but also a healthy one! It is rich in protein, vitamins, and fiber, which help prevent constipation and aid in digestion.
It is also a good source of Vitamin C and B6, which boost your immunity and help repair and grow tissues. Furthermore, Kenkey provides energy and lowers cholesterol levels.
The Ministry of Educationhas announced the implementation of a one-year pre-engineering program for students with non-science backgrounds in universities.
The one-year program is for non-science students who want to study engineering at the tertiary level.
The sector minister, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, made this declaration on March 9, 2023, during an unscheduled school visit to Osu Presby Senior High School in the Greater Accra Region.
As part of the visit, the minister inspected most of the classrooms while lessons were ongoing and he shared lessons from his life experiences and that of other great personalities like Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first president and Barrack Obama, the former United States of America president, and many others.
He further encouraged the students to study hard and excel regardless of their various backgrounds.
In addition, he pledged to furnish some classrooms with paints and louvre blades to make it a convenient learning environment for students and also provide textbooks for efficient learning.
11 medical professionals have expressed interest in running for Parliamentary seats on theNational Democratic Congress (NDC) ticket in the impending 2024 general elections.
The 11 doctors, who work in some of the largest hospitals nationwide are eager to join the Legislature and contribute to the narrative of the nation’s progress.
They are:
Dr. Thomas Winsum Anabah, a former Administrator of the Greater Accra Regional Hospital for Garu Constituency in the Upper East Region;
Dr. Grace Ayensu -Danquah, for Essikado-Ketan Constituency in the Western Region
Dr Senanu Kwesi Djokoto for Keta Constituency in the Volta Region
Dr Madison Adanusa for Gomoa Central Constituency in the Central Region
, for Ho Central Constituency in the Volta Region
and Dr. Titus Beyuo for Lambussie Constituency in the Upper West Region
Others are Dr Abubakari Bawah Abdulai for Karaga Constituency in the Northern Region
Dr Prince Arhin, for Mfantseman C.onstituency in the Central Region
Dr. Roland Taylor, Essikado-Ketan Constituency in the Western Region
Dr. Winfred Korletey Baah for Lower Manya Krobo Constituency in the Eastern Region
and Dr. Kassim Abdallah for Sene West Constituency in the Bono East Region.
Dr. Sodzi Sodzi-Tetteh, Vice President of Global Health, took to his Facebook wall to write the following words for his colleagues vying for the NDC’s ticket:
“So exciting to see many social democrats in the medical profession step up and out to contest the upcoming NDC primaries.
“A major boost for the fortunes of the National Democratic Congress and wonderful prospects for the country’s Parliament eventually.
“The Ghana we want will need all hands on deck!
“Knowing many of these colleagues personally, I am excited for the NDC!
“Wishing you well in the primaries, guys! It is time indeed!”
To lead various specific topics brought before it, the parliament has established 29committees.
Due to the quantity and complexity of parliamentary activity, theHouse formed these committees to guarantee that adequate time is provided for an effective study of the issues before the House.
Each of these committees has a Chairman, a vice, and a ranking member.
In this piece, we bring to you a compilation of all the chairs of these committees in parliament:
According to Abraham Amaliba, head of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) legal team,President Akufo-Addois no more traveling in fancy private jet due to lack of funds.
He alleged that the President was able to fly in luxurious private jet due to Covid funds made available by the World Bank to assist nations in managing the economic difficulties they were experiencing in the course of the pandemic.
According to the legal practitioner, the use of Covid funds to finance the President’s travels is one piece of evidence of the mismanagement of the funds by Ghana.
Mr Amaliba was speaking on TV3‘s New Day during a discussion on President Akufo-Addo’s reply in his sessional address to Parliament on Wednesday, March 8 to assertions that government has misused Covid funds.
According to the NDC representative on the show on Friday, March 10, theCovid funds were what the president “used to finance his lifestyle”.
Asked by host Berla Mundi if the decision by the President was not as a result of incessant calls, especially by the Ranking Member on the Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, for accountability, Mr Amaliba retorted: “Did we start crying today?”
For him, he believes government no longer has enough to continue to rent the “luxurious” private jets for the President’s international travels.
Mr Amaliba added that President Akufo-Addo should rather thank his stars that he is still the President of Ghana because other countries have chased out their leaders from office for the same “infractions”.
Salaries of soldiers and police officers have been tripled to raise their standard of living, according to the Ministry of Defence.
As part of the discussion on the president’s State of the Nation Address (SONA), the Minister of Defense,Dominic Nitiwul, stated that the government had throughout the years made sufficient investments in the nation’s security system.
“Mr Speaker, for the Armed Forces in particular, the salaries of the armed forces have been more than tripled. It is the same thing with the police service and the same thing with the other security services because a hungry soldier is an angry soldier. That is why it is important that our security services are well taken care of.”
First Deputy Speaker of Parliament Joseph Osei-Owusu has meantime encouraged Ghanaians to abstain from voting in any future hung parliaments.
The Bekwai MP believes the situation has made the current legislature less efficient as compared to the seventh Parliament.
He wants Ghanaians to vote massively for either the NPP or NDC in the 2024 general elections to give one political party an overwhelming majority in the House.
“It is affecting governance generally. I am saying that next time Ghanaians should vote more. If they want the NPP to be the Majority, they should give them more votes. If you want NDC to be the majority give them more votes. This one is affecting governance very badly.
“The seventh Parliament, probably because of the numbers, passed the highest number of laws since 1993, we passed over 100 laws. This Parliament is our third year, but I doubt we have passed even 10 laws. The level of cooperation that I saw is no longer there.”
As we commemorate Ghana’s 66th Independence Anniversary, let us delve into the origins of the name Ghana.
The name “Ghana” has deep historical roots that date back to the powerful Gana Empire that once existed in West Africa. The term “Ghana” was the title given to the kings who ruled the empire, which spanned across present-dayMauritania and Mali.
Muslim historians and researchers who studied the empire have documented that it reached its pinnacle around the year 300 before it experienced a rapid decline and eventually disappeared by the year 1100.
The Sonike residents called the empire “Wagadou,” and its capital was situated in Koumbi Saleh on the edge of the Sahara Desert.
The Kingdom of Wagadou
The Portuguese were the first Europeans to discover Ghana, formerly known as the Gold Coast.
They gave it the name “La Mina,” meaning mine, due to its significant gold deposits and as a trading post. Although the name was not legally accepted and widely used until 1471, it eventually became the name used by the European powers.
In 1867, the British took control and established the British Gold Coast colony. After years of fighting for independence, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and Dr. J.B. Danquah successfully transformed Ghana from the Gold Coast to Ghana after the country gained its freedom in 1957.
Dr. Kwame Nkrumah (L) and Dr. J.B. Danquah (R)
It is widely believed that the name Ghana was chosen because several of the Gold Coast’s ethnic groups could trace their roots back to those who lived in the Gana Empire.
However, some people dispute this assertion and believe that G.H.A.N.A stands for “God Has Appointed Nkrumah Already” or “for Africa.”
In his speech officially launching the name Ghana, Dr. Nkrumah stated, “We take pride in the name Ghana, not out of romanticism, but as an inspiration for the future.” This illustrates the significance of the name Ghana as it represents the country’s rich cultural heritage and symbolizes a bright future for the people.
The big six
Today, Ghana is known for its diverse cultural history, kente, delicious cuisine, warm hospitality, pioneering citizens, and vast natural resources, including gold, cocoa, diamonds, timber, and more. The country is home to six significant ethnic groups that coexist peacefully, highlighting Ghana’s cultural diversity and inclusivity.
Ghana has a rich history that is deeply rooted in the country’s past. It symbolizes the country’s heritage, resilience, and future aspirations. As we celebrate Ghana’s 66th Independence Anniversary, let us take pride in our country’s name and strive towards building a better future for all Ghanaians.
A British actor, Idris Elba who recently visited Ghana has described his trip to theManhyia Castle as intriguing.
When filming his documentary on gold, the actor claimed on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert that he was shocked to receive an invitation to see Asantehene, who is a major fan of his.
He was invited to join Otumfuo Osei Tutu II at the first Akwasidae of the year 2023 – a first for him.
Idris Elba said “so I showed up in my jeans. They were like, no, ‘you got to wear this kente cloth’. It was a really fascinating day. I mean, it was beautiful and the tradition was rich.”
He noted that he was nervous when meeting the Otumfuo Osei Tutu II for the first time especially since he was not familiar with how to keep the Kente cloth stable.
Idris Elba told Stephen Colbert that “so when you meet the king, typically what you have to drop the kente cloth shoulder down a little bit and then shake the King’s hand. It’s part of the tradition like a symbol of respect.”
.@idriselba shares his experience meeting the Ashanti king on his trip to Ghana. #Colbert pic.twitter.com/6l8xrAGRZm— The Late Show (@colbertlateshow) March 9, 2023
“This is the first time I’m wearing it and underneath, you just got your shorts on. And my thing kept unravelling. I was like, ‘oh, man, I’m going to meet the king, and it’s going to fall off me and be standing there in my boxers’.”
The Luther actor said he was glad to not have had any mishap occur adding “I did my thing gently. It was actually a really beautiful time. I don’t mean to make fun of it. It was very beautiful.”
Idris Elba was at Manhyia Palace on Sunday to pay homage to Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and Asantehemaa Nana Konadu Yiadom III during the Akwasidea in February.
He led his movie production crew to take shots of the events for his shoot.
The Deputy Majority Leader and Member of Parliament for Effutu,Alexander Afenyo Markin, has said that the Akufo-Addo-led administration has been very upfront with Ghanaians about its promises.
He stated that President Akufo-Addo made the promise of a free SHS to Ghanaiansduring his campaign in 2016 and he has kept his word.
This massive capital-intensive intervention will help to build the future of many Ghanaians who might not have had the chance to attend or complete senior high school.
The Deputy Majority Leader further mentioned the reduction of utility tariffs especially on electricity which the then Mahama-led government failed to do same for Ghanaians.
Mr Afenyo Markin further spoke about the numerous taxes which were abolished by the NPP government in 2017, 2018 and 2019 so as not to burden Ghanaians until the advent of Covid-19.
He noted that despite the Covid-19 setback and the recent economic hardship occasioned by the Russia-Ukraine war, President Akufo-Addo is still keeping to his promises on most of his social interventions.
Mr Afenyo Markin made these comments today in Parliament when he moved the motion for the commencement of debate on President Akufo-Addo’s presentation on the State of the Nation Address.
A pressure organization, OccupyGhana, has written to the Lands Commission requesting information on abandoned state lands.
After OccupyGhana brought the Lands Commission before the Right to Information Commission (RIC) after its application to obtain information on returned state lands was denied, the RIC ordered the Lands Commission to provide OccupyGhana with information on “returned” State lands.
But OccupyGhana in a statement said, the Lands Commission is yet to comply with the directives of the RIC.
It has thus reminded the Lands Commission to provide the information in accordance with the RIC’s orders.
“Today marks eight days since the Right to Information Commission (RTIC) delivered the ruling that ordered you to release the information to us within 14 days. In our 2 March 2023 letter, we also brought the ruling to your attention, and inquired when we may receive the information. We have not heard from you on these requests. We will send you daily reminders until you deliver the information to us”, OccupyGhana stressed in its statement.
The RIC also slapped an ‘administrative fine’ of GH¢100,000 on the Lands Commission for earlier denying OccupyGhana the request.
OccupyGhana rejected the move by the Lands Commission to return Achimota Forest lands to the alleged owners, questioning its legality and constitutionality.
The RIC in its ruling on March 1, 2023, amongst others ordered the Executive Secretary of the Lands Commission to provide information on all public lands which government’s ownership has been relinquished but this yet to be done.
“And if the 14 days expire without you giving us the information, we will take all steps available to us under the law to ensure that you comply with the RTIC’s orders”, Occupy Ghana continued.
Find full statement below
Our Ref: OG/2023/013
9 March 2023 The Ag Executive Secretary Lands Commission Accra
Attention: James E K Dadson
Dear Sir:
RE: REQUEST FOR INFORMATION CONCERNING RELEASED OR RELINQUISHED LANDS
This is to follow up on our letter to you dated 2 March 2023 (our ref: OG/2023/011) on the above matter.
Today marks eight days since the Right to Information Commission (RTIC) delivered the ruling that ordered you to release the information to us within 14 days. In our 2 March 2023 letter, we also brought the ruling to your attention, and inquired when we may receive the information. We asked that if the information was in hardcopy, you let us know the total cost of it so that we may pay for and collect it. We also asked that if it is in softcopy, you let us know when, and to whom, we may submit a hard drive on which you will install the information.
We have not heard from you on these requests. We will send you daily reminders until you deliver the information to us. And if the 14 days expire without you giving us the information, we will take all steps available to us under the law to ensure that you comply with the RTIC’s orders.
Yours in the service of God and Country
OccupyGhana
cc. The Chairman Lands Commission Accra
The Executive Secretary Right to Information Commission Accra
According to Prof. Samuel Kobina Annim, the government statistician, the Volta Region has the most net migration.
This was the difference between people moving into the region and people moving out of the region, according on data from the 2021 Population and Housing Census.
Sharing this via his Twitter handle, Prof. Samuel Annim indicated that in the Greater Accra Region, over 1.1 million people had moved to the region.
That figure, he explained, is more than five times the number in the Ashanti Region.
“Greater Accra gained over 1.1 million persons through net migration, over five times higher than Ashanti, the region with the second highest net migration. Ten regions had negative net migration, with Volta recording the highest net loss of almost half a million persons,” he wrote.
The Accra High Court’s Financial and Economic Crime Division 2 has sentenced Dr. Mustapha Ahmed, the former minister of youth and sports, to seven days in jail for contempt of court.
A perpetual injunction prohibiting the former minister, who was the defendant, from trespassing on property was given by the court in a judgment on June 12, 2019, but he disobeyed the ruling.
The court also fined him GH¢12,000 or in default serve 30 days in prison.
If paid, the court presided over by Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe, ordered that GH¢5,000 out of the fine should be paid to Kofi Ammoah Kwafo, the man, who initiated the contempt application against Dr Ahmed, the Chief of Defence Staff and the Director-General of Logistics of theGhana Armed Forces(GAF).
The contempt motion originated from a land litigation case, six years ago, in which Dr Ahmed, a former Member of Parliament for Ayawaso North, sold land to Mr Kwafo, in the year 2000, and repossessed it with the excuse of having made a mistake.
In the contempt application, the applicant, Mr Kwafo, attached the Chief of Defence Staff and the Director-General of Logistics because personnel of the GAF, occupying a property built on the land in dispute resisted execution of the judgement of the court.
Justice Asare-Botwe, who is a Court of Appeal judge, sitting with additional responsibility as a High Court judge, noted in her judgement that both Chief of Defence Staff and the Director-General of Logistics were not personally served with copies of the court land litigation judgement of 2019.
In his affidavit in support and written address, Mr Kwafo stated that the respondents conducted themselves in a manner as to bring the administration of justice into disrepute by defying the authority of the court.
For instance, the applicant argued that the first respondent, purportedly disposed of the property to the GAF, in 2017, which document was executed in 2018 and the application for registration, therefore, having been made in 2021 when the judgement of the court was already handed down.
Mr Kwafo said that the officers of the GAF were in contempt of court when they resisted the execution of the judgement of the court.
Mr Kwafo was represented by Mr Kwaku Osei Asare as counsel.
Counsel for Dr Ahmed, Mr Christopher A. Fynn, in his written submission, stated that his client cannot be found to be in contempt since no evidence had been canvassed to show that he had fallen in breach of any order, direction or judgement of the court to merit such action.
He denied having backdated the assignment of the sub-matter to the GAF or any other allegation of fraud and stated that, this was a ploy to enforce the judgement handed down by the court by a means other than what was prescribed by the rules of court.
The former minister stated that the applicant was deploying an incompetent process in bringing the application to incite the court against him and the other respondents.
The Chief of Defence Staff and the Director of Logistics told the court that there was no evidence of a writ of possession having been properly obtained and served them as they had not been parties to the suit.
It was their case that posting the judgement on the property and writing to the GAF was not a proper procedure for notifying them of the judgement.
Amnesty International Ghana, has advised the military to allow the Ghana Police Service conduct investigations into the murder of one of its members.
The young soldier, Imoro Sherrif, was stabbed in the neck on Saturday, March 4 when he went to the area to visit his parents.
His death provoked aMilitary High Command-backed sanction of a coordinated operation in the area on Tuesday, March 7, leading to the arrest of 184 persons.
Many complained of abuses by the soldiers on Tuesday and have called for punitive sanctions against the soldiers.
“We would like to respectfully remind the President of Ghana who is the Commander in Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces, the Minister of Interior, the leadership of the Ghana Armed Forces and other authorities involved in law enforcement in Ghana, that under their international human rights obligations, they must promptly, independently, thoroughly, and effectively investigate this unfortunate incident,” Amnesty International Ghana said in a press release on Thursday, March 9.
“Amnesty International Ghana is calling for an independent investigation, as matter of urgency, to ensure that the military personnel involved in carrying out human rights abuses against the people of Ashaiman are held accountable and that adequate compensation be given to these victims,” it added.
The international organisation backed the Member of Parliament of Ashaiman Constituency Ernest Norgbey’s call for restraint and calm among residents as justice is sought for all victims.
Already, pressure group #FixTheCountry Movement is deploying volunteers to the area to offer legal services to all who fell victim to the brutalities on Tuesday.
Amnesty International Ghana has condemned the military’s actions inAshaiman in Accra on Tuesday.
The group is calling for an independent investigation, as matter of urgency, to ensure that the military personnel involved in carrying out human rights abuses against the people of Ashaiman are held accountable and that adequate compensation be given to these victims.
The human rights advocacy group claims that during his state of the nation address, the President had a chance to address the issue but failed to do so.
“We would like to respectfully remind the President of Ghana who is the Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces, the Minister of Interior, the leadership of the Ghana Armed Forces and other authorities involved in law enforcement in Ghana, that under their international human rights obligations, they must promptly, independently, thoroughly, and effectively investigate this unfortunate incident,” it further added.
This comes on the back of the invasion of Ashaiman by some soldiers after the killing of a young military officer.
The soldiers brutalized several residents in the hope of finding the killers of their colleague.
Below is the full statement
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL GHANA CONDEMNS MILITARY BRUTALITY IN ASHAIMAN
Amnesty International Ghana has taken notice of a video recording making rounds on social media and other news outlets of alleged military brutality in Ashaiman following the alleged stabbing and killing of a young soldier Imoro Sherrif, on Saturday, March 4, 2023.
According to media reports, a mandate was issued by the Military High Command to deploy military personnel into Ashaiman to search for the culprits of the crime, this unfortunately led to innocent civilians facing brutality from the military personnel. A series of human rights abuses involving but not limited to flogging, restricting free movement of residents and breaking into people’s homes were meted out on persons of Ashaiman Constituency. To this effect, innocent people have been hurt both physically and psychologically due to this inhumane incident.
This in no way reflects the mandate of the military which clearly states that “The Armed Forces shall be equipped and maintained to perform their role of defence of Ghana as well as such other functions for the development of Ghana as the President may determine”- 1992 Constitution of Ghana in Article 210 clause (3).
The Ghana Armed Forces regulations, Armed Forces Act, 1962 Act 105 places obligations on military officers as defenders of the nations. It obliges them not to interfere with rights of others more than to the extent unavoidable to pursue the legitimate aim they are following.
Amnesty International Ghana is against all forms of violence and human rights abuses and condemns the violence meted out by the Military on civilians. The Military is to take a step back and allow the Ghana Police Service to conduct thorough investigations into the unfortunate killing of the soldier.
We would like to respectfully remind the President of Ghana who is the Commander in Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces, the Minister of Interior, the leadership of the Ghana Armed Forces and other authorities involved in law enforcement in Ghana, that under their international human rights obligations, they must promptly, independently, thoroughly, and effectively investigate this unfortunate incident.
Amnesty International Ghana is calling for an independent investigation, as matter of urgency, to ensure that the military personnel involved in carrying out human rights abuses against the people of Ashaiman are held accountable and that adequate compensation be given to these victims.
We want to reiterate what the MP of Ashaiman said to the people of Ashaiman that all parties should exercise restraint and remain calm, while we seek justice.
Amnesty International is a non-political, not-for-profit human rights organization working for the promotion and protection of fundamental human rights as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other human rights standards. It is a global movement of over 10 million people in more than 160 countries.
John Dramani Mahama is set to commence a tour of the Bono East Region today, Friday, March 10, 2023.
To directly campaign and engage with National Democratic Congress branch and constituency executives, the former president Mahama would visit all eleven of the area’s electoral districts within two days (NDC).
Confirming his decision to contest the NDC presidential primaries at the University of Health and Allied Sciences(UHAS), Ho, Mr. Mahama noted among others that he is coming before the party’s delegates “in all humility, and in response to calls from my party and the generality of the people of Ghana, to offer myself, to serve this country and its people that I love so dearly.”
According to Mahama, in the quest to lead the NDC to the 2024 polls, he is in no doubt about the enormity of the task ahead, “owing to the level of damage done to our country by this government.”
From the Bono East Region, the John Mahama Campaign will continue to the Bono and Ahafo’s regions.
Mr. Mahama is being accompanied on the tour by the Convener of the John Mahama Campaign, Professor Joshua Alabi, former Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, Campaign Spokesperson, Joyce Mogtari, former NDC appointees, former MPs, former Ambassadors, Regional, Constituency and Branch Executives of the party.
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu, has criticizedPresident Akufo-Addofor not addressing the murder of a soldier in Ashaiman during his State of the Nation Address (SONA).
Tuesday saw a military raid on Ashaiman locals after a soldier was killed.
In a debate on President Akufo-Addo’s State of the Nation Address, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said the President should have commiserated with the families of the deceased officer and the innocent people brutalized by the military.
“As Commander in Chief of the GAF, he should have first of all commiserated with the family and the GAF over the loss of the solider. But the President did not say a word. He didn’t think that he should condemn the brutality and assure that there will be a committee to probe the killing and the high-handedness meted out to the residents, and he is the Commander in Chief of the GAF?”
President Akufo-Addo is under increasing pressure to address the military abuses in Ashaiman.
Many anticipate that the President will make a public statement on the subject as Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces.
Amnesty International, a non-governmental and human rights advocacy group claims that during his state of the nation address, the President had a chance to address the issue but failed to do so.
Former President John Dramani Mahama has advised the military to refrain from meting out extra-judicial justice to them adding that there are many people who live and work in Ashaiman who are innocent of this heinous crime.
He further advised the military to exercise restraint and allow due process to work.
For him, the government must step in to address the situation between Ashaiman residents and GAF while pushing for compensation for all persons affected.
The committee’s ranking member, James Agalga, has defended the decision by the Defence and Interior Committee of Parliament, the Defence Minister, and the Military High Command to visit Ashaiman on Thursday, March 16.
Some members of the public have questioned the timing, arguing that these institutions ought to contactAshaimanlocals right away to question them and get their firsthand accounts of what transpired.
According to James Agalga, who spoke to Citi News, the timeframe is to allow ongoing investigations to come to a reasonable conclusion.
“The Committee took the decision not to visit the scene at the time the Police and the GAF are in the community over the alleged killing and brutalities. The place is currently a crime scene, and some investigations are ongoing. If the committee is to proceed there, we stand to compromise the outcome, so we all agreed that we will wait till Thursday because by then, preliminary investigations would have been concluded.”
Some soldiers were reported to have beaten some residents of Ashaiman on Tuesday after a soldier was killed in the area.
Specifically, the military personnel invaded Ashaiman-Taifa and Tulaku on the dawn of March 7 in an attempt to arrest persons suspected of murdering a young military officer, Trooper Imoro Sherrif and ended up brutalizing people in the area and also arrested 184 persons, 150 of whom have been released as of March 9.
“We will visit the deceased soldier’s family and also the victims who were brutalized”, James Agalga said.
Speaking to journalists in Parliament, the Chairman of the Defence and Interior Committee, Ken Agyepong extended the condolence of the Committee to the family of the murdered soldier and also to the innocent people that were caught in the actions of the military.
“We met…in a closed-door meeting with the Ministry of Defence and the Military High Command, and we have agreed that we will visit Ashaiman on Thursday [March 16] to dialogue with the people as well as the Military High Command and in the meantime, we pleaded with the Member of Parliament for Ashaiman to stay calm, and we sympathize with him and the family of the victim and also to those innocent people that were caught up.”
Notwithstanding a recent decrease in the rate from 1.5% to 1%, the Tax Justice Coalition(TJC) has urged the government to quickly abolish Electronic Transfer Levy (E-Levy).
The coalition said the levy has now become a “nuisance” tax.
The reduction came into effect after the levy failed to meet the set revenue target in the heat of the economic crisis caused by the global pandemic and Putin’s war in Ukraine.
Players in the telco space have also been raising concerns over the low-running and ineffective mobile money service.
The Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta first announced the decision to reduce the levy from 1.5% to 1% on Thursday (24 November 2022) during the 2023 Budget Statement presentation in Parliament.
Addressing a news conference in Accra on Thursday (9 March) on the theme: “An analysis of the 2023 annual budget and economic policy” in Accra, the chairperson of TJC, Vitus Azeem, said E-Levy is now defeating the government’s cashless agenda.
“TJC Ghana particularly calls on the government not to implement the 15% VAT increase and totally scrap the E-Levy and focus more seriously on implementing the more progressive taxation of income, wealth and property,” he said.
“TJC Ghana also recommends that the social intervention continue as proposed,” Azeem added.
Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyemang-Manu, has disclosed that funds totaling $6.4 million had been given to UNICEF for the procurement of three essential infant immunizations.
The Health Minister stated that several crucial shipping and procurement operations are part of the causes for the supply delay when he testified before Parliament on Thursday, March 9, to address concerns about the shortages.
Taking a question on the amount paid for the vaccines from the Member of Parliament for the Okaikoi North constituency, Theresa Awuni, the Minister disclosed that “we have made payments of about $6.4 million of the Cedi equivalent to UNICEF who supplies us the vaccines.”
He further disclosed that a large chunk of the funds for the vaccines was disbursed by the National Health Insurance Authority in tranches.
“I have a template on how these monies were released; the NHIA transferred GH¢25 million in June 2022. We also had another GH¢10.5 million in October, we had GH¢13.1 in November and the last tranche was around GH¢23 million in December. All of these totalled GH¢71.8 million, and we budgeted this amount on the basis of GH¢6 to the dollar, but we are all aware that the Cedi was not trading at that amount, so we had shortfalls in the dollar equivalence and that is what caused the delays.”
Ghana has been hit with acute childhood vaccine shortages since October 2022 which has left thousands of babies across the country unvaccinated.
The Minister failed to give a definite timeline for the supply of the vaccines.
Father of late Trooper Sheriff Imoro has said he is immensely pained by his son’s demise as he expected to be buried by Imoro and not the other way round.
During his son’s burial, Imoro Awudu, said he will not seek vengeance but leaves the unfortunate incident in the hands of God.
“I had also said that I should die first for my children to bury me but now this has happened. I leave everything in the hands of God, God will cater for us,” he said.
The mother Afia Kyeraa, also said she has lost everything following the death of her son
She also told TV3 during the burial that “it is not easy for me, I can’t help, he was all that I got, he was supposed to take care of his siblings but he is gone
“I don’t do any work apart from selling tomatoes so he was my hope. He promised to take care of his siblings.”
Imoro Sherrif’s remains was transported from the 37 Military Hospital mortuary to the Burma Camp cemetery in Accra for burial.
He was laid to rest on Thursday, March 9.
A number of soldiers were at the cemetery to witness the burial of their 21-year-old late colleague.
Imoro Sherrif was gruesomely murdered on Saturday, March 4.
He was found in a pool of blood near the Amania Hotel in Ashaiman and suspected to have been stabbed to death.
The Military High Command on Tuesday sanctioned an intelligence-led operation to fish out the perpetrators of the crime.
In the course of the operation, several civilians reported of brutalities meted out to them.
Soldiers stormed Ashaiman in armoured vehicles
But at the end, 184 persons were picked up and handed over to the Ghana Police Service through the Military Police.
A warehouse structure at KardoIf Junction inTesano, close to the Caza Maza restaurant, has been destroyed by fire.
According to reports, the fire damaged several medicinal supplies intended to control the spread ofCOVID-19.
Although the exact cause of the fire is still unknown, eyewitness accounts indicate that it started at 1pm, accompanied by an explosion.
They added that, the fire started when two trees fell on an electricity distribution line close to the building.
Firefighters and the police are currently at the scene to douse the fire and maintain security respectively.
An eyewitness told Citi News “I do not know the actual cause of the fire. We immediately called on the Fire Service, we had to wait for a while before they came. When they came, some of us were complaining over the delay, and one of them asked us if we are the ones to teach them their job.”
“But all in all, it is great the fire has finally been put out and no one was harmed.”
Meanwhile, ADO2 Alex King Nartey with the Public Relations Department of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) indicated they initially had a challenge locating the venue however, they were able to get to the scene on time.
A pressure organization, Ashaiman Lives Matter, has urgedPresident Akufo-Addo to swiftly form a committee to look into the brutality certain soldiers committed against Ashaiman residents.
The group is also demanding compensation forvictims assaulted by the soldiers.
The invasion followed the death of a young soldier who was stabbed to death by some unknown assailants in the community.
“We are currently in a constant state of fear for our dear lives because the soldiers told the residents that it is a Month’s Operation and they have instructions from above to put the fear of God in them to avenge the murder of the fallen soldier.
“Ladies and Gentlemen of the press we the people of Ashaiman condemn the beastly acts of the Ghana Armed Forces and we also call for President of the Republic of Ghana His Excellency Nana Akufo-Addo Danquah, the Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces to do same and render an unqualified apology to the Good People of Ashaiman for the criminal acts of his troops.”
The group also called on the media, civil society, the Ghana Bar Association, and the clergy among others to condemn the violence and criminal acts of the soldiers.
The member of parliament for Kpone Katamanso, Joseph Akuerteh Tettey, has alleged that some residents in Ashaiman were coerced by some military commanders into eating cow excrement and drunk wastewater from a slaughterhouse.
The MP claims that the incident was an extension of military brutality against Ashaiman residents in the community.
In an interview with Citi News‘ Nii Ayikwei, the lawmaker demanded an apology and psychological support for the affected persons.
“These military officers dragged and compelled some of the workers at Tulaku to go and drink the waste water of the slaughter House. If you know that place very well, you will be appalled by some of these activities… They were also forced to take the faeces of the cattle and that has affected them psychologically.”
The MP added that even though he is yet to receive documented evidence from the victims, the behaviour of the soldiers has traumatised his constituents.
Meanwhile, a pressure group – Ashaiman Lives Matter – has called on President Akufo-Addo to immediately set up a committee to probe brutalities meted out to residents of Ashaiman by some soldiers.
The group made up of former MP, Alfred Agbesi and current MP Ernest Norgbey in a statement condemned the invasion of Ashaiman by some soldiers who brutalised and arrested over 150 people.
The group is also demanding compensation for victims assaulted by the soldiers.
The invasion followed the death of a young soldier who was stabbed to death by some unknown assailants in the community.
“We are currently in a constant state of fear for our dear lives because the soldiers told the residents that it is a Month’s Operation and they have instructions from above to put the fear of God in them to avenge the murder of the fallen soldier.
“Ladies and Gentlemen of the press we the people of Ashaiman condemn the beastly acts of the Ghana Armed Forces, and we also call for President of the Republic of Ghana His Excellency Nana Akufo-Addo Danquah, the Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces to do same and render an unqualified apology to the Good People of Ashaiman for the criminal acts of his troops.”
The group also called on the media, civil society, the Ghana Bar Association, and the clergy among others to condemn the violence and criminal acts of the soldiers.
The managing editor of Insight Newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jr., has expressed his views on the military’s actions on Tuesday in Ashaiman.
Speaking to the media on March 8, he questioned the severity of the military’s presence and the penalty meted out to the residents of Ashaiman.
Pratt argued that if every member of the public sector responded to the death of one of its members in the same manner as the military, Ghana would not be a somber nation.
He added, “So if doctors are killed, should they put down their tools and take their syringes to the community and inject poison? What kind of lawless society are we building? This statement is in bad taste.”
He pointed out that the military’s duties exclude investigations pertaining to murder cases; therefore, the government should bring the perpetrators to book instead.
Pratt also noted that the press statement from the security agency justifying its actions is baseless. He asked, “When did the military begin to investigate murder? Is that the remit of the military?”
On Saturday, March 4, 2023, some unknown individuals killed 21-year-old soldier Trooper Sherif Imoro in Asahaiman.
Following this, there was a heavy military presence in the area, and videos circulating on social media showed some military men brutalizing some residents.
In a press statement dated Tuesday, March 7, 2023, the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) said the operation was to apprehend some criminals and not to avenge.
The security agency maintained that the military operation was sanctioned by the Military High Command.
A list of government’s completed road projects between January 2017 and December 2022 has been released by theMinistry of Roads and Highways.
This follows the president’s claim while delivering the State of the Nation Address (SONA) in Parliament on Wednesday, March 8 that his administration had built more roads than any other in the history of Ghana’s 4th Republic.
President Akufo-Addo indicated that the majority of monies borrowed had gone into the construction of roads.
The Roads Ministry named Pokuase Interchange, Tema Motorway Interchange Ph.1, Suhum Interchange, among others as some of the road projects completed by the Nana Akufo-Addo administration.
The late Sheriff Imoro‘s father has addressed the rumors surrounding his son’s death.
Speaking to the media, Awudu Imoro expressed displeasure with the news that his son was the target of a spiteful boyfriend who was upset that Sheriff had snatched his lover.
Giving a narration of what he has been told happened, Awudu Imoro said his son was caught up in vehicular traffic hence the car he picked took a different route and alighted at the Ashaiman court, where he was reportedly attacked.
The man added that the reports he is getting are that his son was attacked by more than one person, and even during that, he shouted for help, but no one came to his rescue because the residents mistook him for a thief.
“My son struggled with his attackers and during that time he was shouting for help to the extent that someone called the Assembly man only to be told that he should be ignored because he suspects he might be a thief”
He also urged the public to disregard the rumours that his son’s death had anything to do with a love relationship and appealed to some media houses to be circumspect in their reportage.
A member of parliament for Old Tafo, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, has praised President Akufo- Addo’s 2023 State of the Nation Address (SONA) as one of the greatest since he took office in 2017.
He saidAkufo-Addo deserves praise for being quite open about the economy’s current plight.
Speaking in an interview with Ghana’s Nimatu Yakubu Atouyese, he said, “I must say that since 2017, this is one of the best state of the nation addresses I have ever heard from President Nana Addo. Akufo-Addo did not just come to the house to come and fulfil Article 67 of the 1992 constitution; he came to indeed let us know the health of this nation. He gave us a trajectory of where we came from as a nation from 2017 to date, and you remember that before 2020, Ghana was seen as one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, not in Africa.
“…Akufo-Addo was very candid with Ghanian people, he was very clear about what is happening, and he did not mince words with whatever is happening and gave the true state of the nation address.”
President Akufo-Addo appeared before Parliament to give the State of the Nation Address in accordance with Article 67 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.
SONA is a constitutional obligation and yearly tradition where the Commander-In-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces reports on the status of the country, unveils the government’s agenda for the coming year and proposes to Parliament certain legislative measures.
Article 67 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana obliges Members of Parliament (MPs), the Speaker of Parliament and the Judiciary to receive the President’s SONA.
The Minority inParliamentfinds it regrettable that President Akufo-Addo has denied allegations that the government deliberately misappropriated monies allocated for the nation’s fight against COVID-19.
According to the Auditor General’s 2020 report on the government’s COVID-19 expenses, just 25% (GH5.5 million) of the US$ 2.5 billion mobilized for the battle against the pandemic was spent on health.
According to violations cited in the audit report by the Auditor General, the Information Ministry improperly compensated its employees GH¢151,500 for COVID-19 insurance while failing to deliver $81 million worth of government-paid vaccines.
The state among other things is said to have spent US$607,419.02 out of US$4,049,460.12 for the acquisition of 26 ambulances, but the vehicles were never delivered.
According to the report, the remainder of the monies was spent on government programmes such as Free SHS, LEAP among others.
But President Akufo-Addo presenting the State of Nation Address on March 8, 2023, noted that the COVID funds were not misused.
“The economic consequences of the pandemic have been devastating. It is precisely because the economic fallout from the pandemic was so widespread and long-lasting that it is important to show clearly that the COVID funds were not misused. It is critical that we do not lose the confidence of the people that a crisis that they were led to believe we were all in together was abused for personal gain,” the President said.
Reacting to the matter, Minority Chief Whip, Kwame Governs Agbodza said the President’s comment on the issue came to them as a surprise.
“I’m somehow extremely disappointed in the President who sought once again to even clear members of his government who are suspected of doing wrong things in the COVID-19 expenditure.
“It doesn’t lie in the mouth of the President to decide to become an auditor of his own government by pretending that nothing went wrong with the COVID expenditure. Mr. President you are not an auditor, leave that to the professionals to do,” Minority Chief Whip said.
Over 150 of the 184 people who were detained by the military in a raid in Ashaiman on March 7, 2023, according to Ernest Nogbey, the member of parliament for Ashaiman, have been freed.
The MP noted that the other 30 are still being held in military custody after witnessing the released individuals.
Following the assassination of a military officer, Trooper Sherriff Imoro, who was allegedly stabbed in the town on Saturday, March 4, 2023, military personnel brutalized citizensin Ashaiman on Tuesday, March 7, 2023.
Ernest Nogbey in an interview with Citi News said they will push till all arrested residents are freed.
“Out of the 184 [detained by the military], 150 have been released. As we speak, we have about 34 yet to be released by the military, and they state that they are just screening them”.
“So by close of today [March 9] we will know whatever outcome may come from the screening. I just met with the 150 including their families and calmed the situation down and assured them that we are going to take charge of the situation and also provide some leadership for them so none of them should take the law into their hands,” the Ashaiman MP said.
The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) in a statement justified the brutalities adding that the raid was not to avenge the death of the soldier but to fish out perpetrators of heinous crimes.
GAF announced that its high command sanctioned the swoop.
The Ranking member of the parliamentary health committee, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has expressed disappointment in President Akufo-Addo for failing to provide precise timetables for the purchase of children vaccines.
Notwithstanding reports by the National Health Insurance Authority that more than GH70 million had been authorized for the purchase of the vaccines, certain regions of the country have been affected by a lack of vaccines in recent months.
President Akufo-Addo in his State of the Nation Address on March 8, 2023, said steps have been taken to ensure the vaccines are procured and supplied as a matter of emergency.
“In accordance with our desire not to become part of this global trend, Government has taken steps to ensure that stocks of these vaccines are procured and supplied, as a matter of emergency. The Ghana Health Service has developed an elaborate programme to catch up on children who have missed their vaccinations immediately stocks arrive.
“I want to encourage all parents and caregivers to ensure that eligible children are vaccinated, once this programme begins. No child should be denied access to vaccination. Mercifully, so far, not a single child has died as a result of the outbreak,” the President said.
But speaking to journalists, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh said the government is denying children access to good health care with the shortage of vaccines in the country.
“What is the meaning of emergency? What is the meaning of soon? They should be telling us the timelines. In the first place, we shouldn’t have gotten here. It looks like the President doesn’t appreciate the essence of urgency. For me, I’m simply uncomfortable and disappointed”.
“He had the opportunity to vaccinate his children and grandchildren. Children are born today and every minute, and they have no opportunity to be vaccinated. You are denying the people the right to good healthcare which is against the constitution of the land. In some jurisdictions, this is a crime for Christ’s sake, and I’m getting emotional about it,” the MP laments.
However, the former Member of Parliament for Mpraeso, who currently serves as the Eastern Regional Minister, Seth Acheampong disagrees.
“He [President] said that no child will be left out without a vaccination, that is a promise and that is what we have to follow through. By the end of the vaccination period, if a child is left unvaccinated, then we know that he lied to us, but this is so early to say so,” the former MP said.
Trooper Sherrif Imoro’s mother, Afia Akyaa, has described how she learned about the death of her son.
Speaking to the media, she said that it all began when Sherrif’s colleague came to their house to inquire about his whereabouts after learning that he had left 37.
Madam Akyaa said according to the friend, her late son was wearing his military trousers when he left 37. “He was wearing a uniform below and a shirt with his other dresses in his military bag,” she said dispelling the claim that he may have gone elsewhere instead of coming home.
“He doesn’t go anywhere else except coming to my place only even though we have relatives in Accra including his grandmother,” she stressed.
She said after unsuccessfully trying to reach him having felt uneasy about the development, “I got a call fromBurma Campwith the caller asking of my location but I offered rather to go to Burma Camp, they rejected that offer and said they were coming.
“So, I continued with my washing till one of his uncles came here and I informed him of what was going on, he also said he wanted to have a discussion with me.
“Just then one of my brothers came from a corner and slumped after mentioning Sherrif. So, I asked, is Sherrif dead for which reason you have slumped?”
In the minutes that followed, she recounted: “people started trooping in and looking on their phones, so I snatched one of the phones and I saw Sherrif in uniform and another dead person on the side, when I looked at the deceased, I knew it was Sherrif. I shouted that my son had died.
“I called the military hierarchy and informed them of what I got to know but they dispelled the news and said they were on their way, I hadn’t confirmed the death but I was profusely weeping.
“So, when they came, they confirmed the death and it was really harrowing for me,” she added.
— Joy 99.7 FM (@Joy997FM) March 8, 2023
The March 7 military swoop
Dozens of military officers stormed Ashaiman in the operation that saw some soldiers entering the town in trucks, with an armoured car plus a helicopter hovering over the town.
The exercise is said to be in response to the gruesome murder of a young soldier, Trooper Sherrif Imoro, by some unidentified persons on Saturday, March 4, 2023.
Videos of the invasion shared across social media show various forms of assault being meted on residents by the rampaging officers who subjected some of the residents to severe beatings.
In a statement released in the early hours of March 8, the Ghana Armed Forces admitted authorizing the swoop which led to the arrest of 184 persons, as well as the seizure of suspected illegal drugs.
In the said statement, they also acknowledged excesses may have resulted in the swoop but failed to apologize for or commit to conduct a probe on same.
#Colbert pic.twitter.com/6l8xrAGRZm— The Late Show (@colbertlateshow) March 9, 2023
