Author: Phoebe Martekie Doku

Akwamufie directs destoolment of Sakyikrom hemaa
Nana Agyakwabia Akyeampomaa II, the Queen Mother of Sakyikrom, close to Nsawam, has been destooled by the Judicial Committee of the Akwamu Traditional Council in the Eastern Region due to severe misconduct and an attempt to install a new chief at Sakyikrom.

The Council also awarded an amount of GH¢20,000 against Nana Agyakwabia Akyeampomaa II.

The Council has given the queen makers of Sakyikrom 30 day from the day of its ruling to ensure the queen mother is destooled.

The Council, made up of Nana Kwaku Budu Akomeah V as the Chairman, and two members, Nana Kwasi Okona IV and Nana Ofori Kyekyire II, adjudicated the litigation between Nana Osae Anka IV and six others and Nana Agyakwabia Akyeampomaa II.

Nana Osae Anka IV, who is the Chief of Sakyikrom and six others, are the plaintiffs in the suit while Nana Agyakwabia Akyeampomaa II, who is until this ruling the queen mother of Sakyikrom, is the defendant.

Below is the full details of the judgment:

IN THE JUDICIAL COMMITTEE OF THE AKWAMU TRADITIONAL COUNCIL HELD ON THURSDAY 19^TH JANUARY, 2023, AT THE BOGYAWE PALACE, AKWAMUFIE BEFORE:

NANA KWAKU BUDU AKOMEAH V                          –              CHAIRMAN

NANA KWASI OKONA IV                                               –              MEMBER

NANA OFORI KYEKYIRE II                                             –              MEMBERS

IN ATTENDANCE, GILBERT LARBI SENIOR REGISTRAR/RECORDER

IN THE MATTER OF:-

NANA OSAE ANKA IV AND 6 OTHERS                                      –                              PLAINTIFFS

VERSUS

NANA AGYAKWABIA AKYEAMPOMAA II                               –                              DEFENDANT

JUDGMENT

On 19^th August, 2022, the plaintiffs, herein, filed a writ against the defendant, herein seeking the reliefs hereunder:
1. A declaration for an order of the judicial committee of the Akwamu Traditional Council endorsing the institution of the instant action for the disposition of the defendant, herein as the Sakyikrom Hema due to her uncustomary, unconstitutional, and improper behavior, conduct, and action of invoking a curse against the plaintiff herein the overall Abusuapayin of the Oyoko ruling Family and his generation.
2. A declaration that the defendant herein doesn’t qualify to continue occupy the Oyoko Royal Stool of Sakyikrom, since her behavior, conduct, and actions continue to defile the stool.
3. A declaration for an order of Judicial Committee declaring the defendant herein liable for disposition, its recommendation, and approval destoolment from her position as the Sakyikromhemaa.
4. A declaration for an order of the Committee compelling the defendant herein to pay the arbitration award and to perform the requisite customary rituals of invoking the curse at Sakyikrom and vacate the Oyoko Royal Ruling Stool of Sakyikrom
5. An order for a perpetual injunction restraining the defendant from holding herself out and putting up as the Ohemea of Sakyikrom
6. A declaration and order that defendant herein by herself, her agents, agencies, privies, and or whosoever from holding out the defendant as the Ohemea of Sakyikrom and also restraining them from holding up the defendant as Ohemea of Sakyikrom
7. A declaration by the Akwamu Traditional Council that, the entry made in National House Register of Chiefs, (if any) proclaimed the defendant herein as Sakyikrom Hemea should be expunged.
8. A punitive cost of three hundred thousand (GH¢3,000.00) against the defendant in favour of the plaintiff herein and the Royal Ruling Family, the chiefs and elders of Sakyikrom and the Akwamu Traditional Council to serve as deterrent to others from invoking curse at Sakyikrom”.
In a stamen of the plaintiff’s case, the plaintiff related the 1^st Plaintiff in the Chief of Sakyikrom, having been so nominated, elected, installed, and enstooled as the Chief of Sakyikrom in 2014. That, the 2^nd plaintiff herein is the Abusuapanyin of Aba Tawiah Royal Ruling House and the overall Abusuapanyin of Boafi Royal Ruling House and the overall Abusuapanyin of Oyoko Family of Sakyikrom.

That, the 3^rd plaintiff herein, is the Abusuapanyin of Boafi Royal Ruling House of Sakyikrom Stool of Sakyikrom. That the 4^th, 5^th, 6^th and the 7^th plaintiffs herein are family members of Oyoko Royal Ruling Stool who are directly affected by the suit herein.

The defendants herein is the female occupant of the Oyoko Royal Ruling stool as the Ohemea of Sakyikrom. That the dynasty of Oyoko Royal Ruling family Stool of Sakyikrom comprise the descendants of Aba Tawiah, Boafi, and Agyankwabea. That, the plaintiff herein, Abusuapanyin Kofi Owusu is the Abusuapanyin of Aba Tawiah and the overall Abusuapanyin of the Oyoko Royal Ruling Family. Abusuapanyin Amadi Yamoah, and Abusuapanyin Osaabo are the Abusuapanyin of the Agyakwabea and the Boafi House of the Royal House respectively. That there are the accredited elders and the principal traditional title holders of the Oyoko Royal Ruling Family of Sakyikrom customary and jointly installed Nana Osae ANka IV the 1^st plaintiff herein and Nana Agyankwabea III, the defendant herein occupy their respective position as the Ohene and Ohemea of Sakyikrom and further presented them to the Akwamu Traditional Council in accordance with the norms, traditions, and usages of Sakyikrom through the Kronti Division of the Akwamu Traditional Area.

That about two years ago, the chief of Sakyikrom, Nana Osae Anka IV requested permission and took leave to travel to the United Kingdom for medical treatment.

Notwithstanding his stay in the United Kingdom, he periodically remits the royal family for the performance of all required customary and traditional obligations and the stool.

That, in the absence of the chief, there were subsequent reports of some indiscipline and rampant invocation of curses (NNUABO) in the society, amongst the inhabitants of Sakyikrom, using the name of Obo Abenaa, Densu, and some dissident spirit to invoke the curses; which Nana Hemeam Agyakwabea Akyeampomaa III and the elders of Sakyikrom did not take it lightly.

That following the above reports, on Saturday, 5^th September, 2020 at the 7^th Dapaa ceremony held at Sakyikrom, Nana Agyakwabea Akeampomaa III, Ohemean of Sakyikrom, and the defendant herein and the elders of Sakyikrom placed a total ban on cursing (NNUABO) at Sakyikrom for being a Taboo which destroys a generation of people. That after the imposition of the ban on cursing at Sakyikrom, Nana Agyankwabea Akyeampomaa III, Sakyikrom Hemea, cautioned and insisted that whoever is held responsible for invoking a curse would severely be dealt with by Nananom and would be sanctioned to pay a punitive fine of seven (7) creates of eggs, Twenty (20) tubers of Yam, Three (3) Thousand Ghana Cedis (GH¢3000.00), seven (7) sheep, seven (7) bottles of Castle Bridge to invoke the curse to serve as a deterrent to the society.

That, somewhere along the line, there were circulating rumours alleging that some people are planning for an installation of another chief as Sakyikromhene; since he the 2^nd plaintiff had very good relationship with Nana Hemea, the defendant herein, he consulted her on the rumours which they both doubted. Surprisingly, the defendant herein indulged in the installation of one Percy as another chief of Sakyikrom to occupy the same stool ascended by Nana Osae Anka IV the 1^st plaintiff herein whom they had permitted for medical treatment in the United Kingdom.

That, it was in the processes of the said I installation performance, that the defendant herein, Nana Agyakwabea Akyeampomaa III, poured libation at Aburi in the alleged chief’s house and cursed the 2nd plaintiff herein and his generation with Obo Abenaa, Densu, etc; an act which was videoed and published in the New Crusading Guide of 25^th April, 2022.

That conduct of Nana Sakyikromhemea was reported to Nana Afrakoma, Akwamuhemea, however, Nana Opponwa, the Akwamu Krontiohemea under whose customary jurisdiction that Sakyikrom falls intervened for settlement of the case.

The case was heard, and at the final sitting Nana Agyakwabea Akyeampomaa III, the defendant herein, did not attend personally but delegated Abusuapanyin Osaebo of the Agyakwabea house to represent her. The elders of Akwamu who heard the case in their verdict requested that the Sakyikrom Hemea the defendant herein, should pay a fine of Five Hundred Ghana Cedis to pacify Abusuapanyin Kofi Owusu for the curse invoked against him and his generation.

That the Sakyikrom Hemea was further requested to pay the total cost of expenses incurred by Abusuapanyin Kofi Owusu for the determination of the case at the Akwamu and also ensure to perform the required customary rituals for the revocation of the curse following what pertains at Sakyikrom.

That, the defendant herein, after the payment of the pacification fee of Five Hundred Ghana cedis (GH¢5000.00) had refused to honour the orders given by the elders to perform and have their curse against the 2^nd plaintiff and his generation be revoked; whereas she, the defendant herein was the main administrator of imposition of the ban on cursing at Sakyikrom.

That, to their outmost surprise, Nana Agyakwabea Akyeampomaa III, Sakyikromhemea, the defendant herein had woefully refused to provide the fine for the performance of the required rituals by the elders of Sakyikrom to revoke the curse against them.

That, with the said conduct, behavior, and action of the defendant herein, the Ohemea of Sakyikrom who double as the mother of the Royal Family and the town of Sakyikrom, contravenes, defiles her reputation and her royal position as the Sakyikromhemea. And that he is therefore not customary qualified and properly fit to continue occupying and holding the said prominent and high position as the Sakyikromhemea.

In the statement of defence filed on 9^th September 2022, the defendant herein denies paragraph 1 of the statement of claim and further responded to paragraph 1 and says she has never made any uncustomary, unconstitutional remarks.

The defendant herein stated again that, she has not shown or misbehaved in any way or conduct herself in a manner that brought her position as a queen mother into disrepute.

The defendant herein according to her, knows the negative implication and the effect of a curse therefore never did that and will not do that as the plaintiffs are alleging. She again denied paragraph 2 and stated that she lived above reproach since she was enstooled as queen mother. Thus she has always conducted herself well.

She further denied paragraph 3 and stated that the statement is a false allegation. She denies and opposed paragraph 4 therefore does not owe or committed any such offence to perform pacification to reverse a curse. Again, she denied paragraphs 5 and 6 and stated that she has not done any wrong or crime for an injunction to be placed on her. She also opposed paragraph 7 and stated that she has comported herself very well, stands sacred, and is fit to carry on her functions as Ohemea.

She adduced further in her statement of defence that, the 1^st plaintiff is not the Chief of Sakyikrom; He is not qualified to be elected as a Chief because he does not fall within the matrilineal lineage. And that he was made to act for some time for a reason for a short period and he was not the substantive Chief. He has since been destooled and banned from acting in any chieftaincy activity. And that, at the time of filing the writ, he the 1^st plaintiff was not the substantive chief and therefore does not have the capacity to institute this suit against the defendant.

Again, the defendant claimed that the 1^st plaintiff has committed a serious and adulterous crime, i.e, sleeping with the wives of two people in Sakyikrom which he could not deny and has pacify their husbands and paid compensation to that effect and that the 1^st plaintiff has committed serious crimes that makes him unclean to call himself chief and that, 1^st plaintiff herein is not gazetted and is not officially known as chief.

The defendant again pointed out in her defence that, Sakyikrom has three (3 gates which are Ama Tawiah, Boafi, and Agyakwabea and the chieftaincy position or inheritance rotates among the three gates. And that, the 1^st plaintiff’s family is not due to head because he is from Ama Tawiah lineage and it is not their time to elect a chief and claimed the plaintiffs herein are claiming false and therefore the writ and the claims should be dismissed with punitive cost.

The Judicial Committee scheduled sitting for November, 2022, but when hearing notice were served the defendant instructed her lawyer to write to seek for adjournment due to the Odwira festival and her inability to show up or appear for the hearing. Another date was scheduled for 14^th December, 2022, 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, 6^th and 7^th plaintiffs herein were present while the 4^th and 5^th were absent due to medical reasons. The defendant on the other hand was absent but sent one Nana Ansah Aboah to represent her.

Before hearing, Rev William Kwame Adomako, Pastor of Presbyterian Church of Ghana Sakyikrom, and Rev Afi Aboagye Dacosta, Pastor of the Methodist Church Sakyikrom pleaded with the Committee that, they have spoken to the parties and have agreed to resolve the matter and that the committee should permit them to withdraw the case out of court.

The committee requested the defence to be in court in person and hear from her before they can grant the request. And that the one representing the defendant cannot act on her behalf because he holds no power of attorney and can challenge the committee in the future.

The hearing was then adjourned to 11^th January, 2023, for the committee to hear from the defendant herein before they can accept the request from the Pastors to settle the matter out of court.

During the hearing on 11^th January, 2023, the defendant herein did not show up but rather instructed her lawyer to write to the registrar that the matter had already been resolved by the Kronti Division of Akwamu and there is not issue to further adjudicate and that based on the peaceful settlement her client being the defendant herein will not avail herself to the Akwamu Traditional Council for any further sitting on this suit.

Based on the above the plaintiffs were asked whether the matter had been resolved as it was indicated by the defendant’s lawyer which they responded on the negative.

A cost of Five Thousand Ghana Cedis was awarded against the Defendant for not respecting the court and wasting the time of the court. The court further ordered the registrar to issue a hearing notice to the defendant through her lawyer for nest adjourned date thus 19^th January, 2023.

On the 19^th January, 2023, when the case was mentioned the defendant was not in court nor represented, the committee, therefore, viewed the days of her absence and the letter from the lawyer indicating her client will not avail herself to the Traditional Council to mean her refusal to appear before the Committee and therefore relied on L.I 198 Regulation 8 (4) which states that, “where a defendant fails to appear at the time of the trial the judicial committee may, if it think fit, proceed to hear the case and give it decision”.

The Committee therefore, decided to give the plaintiffs a hearing. Giving evidence through the 2^nd plaintiff Abusuapanyin Kofi Owusu indicated that they no problem with the defendant herein and that he was the opne who led her to be introduced to the Kronti Division of Akwamu and to the Akwamu Traditional Council, he tendered a picture of himself and the defendant buttressing his point, it was accepted for study by the Panel and was marked exhibit ‘A’. He then told the court that, they stand on their statement of the case they filed and that the court should stand on it in giving their ruling.

He again tendered a pen drive of a video supporting their claim of the defendant herein invoking the curse on the 2^nd plaintiff herein. It was accepted by the Panel for study and marked as exhibit ‘B’. He further tendered another document which is titled KRONTI RESOLUTION TO SAKYIKROM DISPUTE also indicating the defendant herein disrespect to her superiors as indicated in their statement of case. It was accepted by the Panel and same was marked as exhibit ‘C’.

Having listened to the evidence adduced, the committee was convinced that, the enstoolment of one Percy as Sakyikromhene by the defendant herein while the incumbent Chief the 1^st plaintiff herein, had not been destooled and having asked permission to seek medical attention in the united Kingdom was unconstitutional.

Even though the defendant herein sought of explanation that, 1^st plaintiff herein is not the substantive chief at the time of filing the writ and had not capacity to institute the suit against the defendant herein is questionable. According to the plaintiffs’ statement of the case, the 1^st plaintiff herein is the chief of Sakyikrom who sought permission to seek medical attention in the United Kingdom. The defendat in her defence as per her statement of defence did not indicate whether the 1^st plaintiff herein had been destooled, disposed of had abdicate the stool as Sakyikromhene. We are therefore of the opinion that, 1^st plaintiff herein still holds his position as the Chief of Sakyikrom.

The none registration in the National Register of Chiefs does not mean a chief properly enstooled is not a chief, but rather it is only statutory functions that a chief who is gazette cannot perform and that the assertion by the defendant herein that 1^st plaintiff is not gazetted and is not officially known as a chief is neither here nor there.

The invocation of curse by the defendant herein as charged by the plaintiffs was not proper. Per exhibit D tendered by the plaintiffs herein during cross-examination by the panel reveals a ban on curse on Sakyikrom land which defendant participated in drafting of that decree by the chief of Sakyikrom. One may ask why someone who participated in giving a decree may fall foul of it. Exhibit ‘B’ is a pen drive showing a video evidence of defendant herein invoking curses on 2^nd plaintiff herein. This act and actions of the defendant was improper and does not befit her status as a queenmother.

Again the committee also agree with plaintiffs that, defendant refusal to adhere to the directives by the Kronti Resolution and even indicating to them that she the defendant herein had nothing to do with the Kronti Stoll of Akwamu and that she had nothing to offer for the purification of Sakyikrom and the reversal of her curse of the 2^nd plaintiff herein confirms the conduct, behaviour, and actions of the defendant herein as not customary qualified and properly fit to continue occupying and holding the position of Sakyikromhemea.

We hereby by a unanimous decision enter judgment for the plaintiffs and order as follows:
1. That the defendant has no legal right to enstool a chief while the 1^st plaintiff had not been destooled as the Sakyikromhene and therefore the purported installation of Percy as the Sakyikromhene while the I incumbent chief had not bee destooled is illegal and same declared null and void
2. That the defendant herein should as a matter of urgency reverse the curse invoked on the 2^nd plaintiff herein within fourteen (14) days from the day of the judgment and adhere to the directives given by the Kronti of Akwamu during the resolution
3. That the conduct of the defendant herein was improper which has defiled her position as Sakyikromhemea and direct Kingmakers of Sakyikrom queen mother’s Stool toproceed with her destoolment within thirty (30) day from today
4. That the defendant herein and her supporters should hand over all possessions and occupation of the Palace to the 1^st plaintiff as well as other stool properties in their possession within thirty (30) days from today
5. A cost of twenty thousand Ghana cedis (GH¢20,000.00) is awarded to the plaintiffs
…SIGNED…

Nana Kwaku Budu Akomeah V

Chairman

…SIGNED…

Nana Kwasi Akona IV

Member

…SIGNED…

Nana Ofori Kyekyire II

Member

…SIGNED Gilbert Larbi Registrar/Recorder
February 10, 2023
Haruna Iddrisu rejects new seat in parliament

Former Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu claims he cannot accept the new seat in Parliament allotted to him since it belongs to Collins Dauda, his senior.

Since he was removed as leader, his seat in the House has been taken over by his successor, Dr Ato Forson.

Haruna Iddrisu was asked to take over the seat of the MP for Asutifi South, Collins Dauda, but he has refused.

Commenting on the report of the Foreign Affairs Committee on the ratification of the Niamey Convention, the former Minority Leader who had gone to sit at the Majority side of the House and on the seat of the 1st Deputy Speaker said, “Forgive me that I have to assume your chair.

“There was [an issue] of whether I should take over from Collins Dauda or not and I have told them that Collins Dauda is senior by age…he is senior even to this House. So I will not sit in his chair as somebody who is well trained from home.”

Haruna Iddrisu explained that he will take any other seat given to him. “So any other chair is acceptable to me, I am still the elected representative for Tamale South.”

Former Deputy Majority Leader James Klutse Avedzi has accepted the seat of his successor Armah Kofi Buah behind his former seat.

It is not clear yet where former Chief Whip Muntaka Mubarak will sit.

February 9, 2023
Some mothers beseech GHS for measles vaccines

In the Sagnerigu municipality, some mothers have beseeched the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to supply measles vaccines and other vaccines as part of the expanded immunization campaign.

According to the mothers, for over a month now, each time they visit the health centre for weighing, they are told there are no vaccines.

One of the mothers told Citi News “we are scared because of the measles outbreak in the region. All attempts to get our children vaccinated have failed. We really need the vaccines to be made available. The lives of our children are at risk.”

The Northern Region is currently facing a measles outbreak that started in October last year.

The Acting Northern Regional Director of Health, Braimah Baba Abubakari has however denied reports of vaccine shortage in the region.

Citi News checks at health facilities in Savelugu, Tamale, and Sagnerigu confirmed the non-availability of vaccines.

February 9, 2023
Akufo-Addo’s administration has spent current and future money – Suhuyini

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale Central, Alhassan Suhuyini, has stated that although he anticipated that President Akufo-Addo’s administration would fail, but he did not anticipate that things would turn out to be this awful.

In a Good Morning Ghana interview, on February 8, 2023, which was monitored by GhanaWeb, Suhuyini said that the Akufo-Addo government has mismanaged Ghana’s economy to a point where future generations of Ghanaians will have to pay for its mess.

“We are astonished by their outstanding recklessness. Yes, we expected them to be a disaster but we didn’t even anticipate that the disaster will be this looming and large.

“This government is going down in history as the most reckless, the most irresponsible government ever…. They have finished spending current money, they have finished spending future money by way of collateralising every revenue stream.

“And worst of all, they are shifting the responsibility of paying the debts onto future governments, simply irresponsible,” he said.

He added that the government seems to be unrepentant and has continued to take action that will worsen the current economic challenges in the country.

The MP made these remarks while reacting to a Bloomberg report that indicated that the Bank of Ghana printed GHC41.9 billion for the government in 2022. The central bank is yet to respond to the report by Bloomberg.

The Member of Parliament for Afigya Kwabre North and a member of the Parliamentary Select Committee of Finance, Collins Adomako-Mensah, who was also on the programme, said that the House did not approve the printing of the GHC41.9 billion by the central bank.

February 9, 2023
Nana Yaa Jantuah sobs over DDEP while on TV

The general secretary of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Nana Yaa Jantuah, was unable to contain her tears during a discussion concerning government‘s debt exchange scheme.

According to her, it was unfair to allow old men to picket at the Finance Ministry against the inclusion of pensioners in the debt exchange program while the Akufo-Addo-led government mismanaged the economy by enriching themselves.

Nana Yaa Jantuah who was speaking on TV3’s Big Issue show said the government does not care about the aged whom according to her, have been treated unfairly.

“So, does Ken Ofori-Atta not pity these old people? How can he do this? You (Ofori-Atta) don’t even care. You made these old people come to the ministry and picket. You don’t care, these are our elders. It was so sad and when I saw them (picketing), I said what is the meaning of this,” an emotional Yaa Jantuah said.

“You have mismanaged the economy, made yourself rich, made your people rich, made everybody rich within your space and you want to treat Ghanaians like this. And you sit down and you tell us that you want to break the eight as if we are fools. How can you treat us like this? How?”

Pensioner Bondholders Forum, a group for the protection of pensioners with investment in government bonds have been picketing at the premises of the Finance Ministry against the inclusion of its members from the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP).

According to the group, attempts to have their investment exempted from the programme have proved futile reason for their decision to picket at the Finance Ministry until their demands are met.

“On 10 January 2023, we submitted a petition to the Minister of Finance to exempt all pensioners holding Government Bonds from the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme on the same basis used for the exemption of Pension Funds from the programme, as the impact of the programme on pensioners who are bondholders will be very severe.

“We have as of today not been granted the exemption we requested. To further press home our request, we have notified the Police that about 50 of our members intend to converge at the premises of the Ministry of Finance on every working day from 10 am-11 am, beginning from Monday 6th February 2023 till our request is granted by the Minister.”

The deadline for the government’s Domestic Debt Exchange Programme has been extended to Friday, February 10, 2023.

February 9, 2023
Appointment of KT Hammond, others as compensation to their “blind” commitment to Akufo-Addo – Mornah

According to Bernard Mornah, a former national chairman of the People’s National Convention (PNC), President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo appointed NPP members who have remained devoted to him as ministers.

According to him, all the people who were appointed are people who have defended President Akufo-Addo and his appointees no matter how unpopular their actions were.

Mornah, who made these remarks in an XYZ TV interview, on Wednesday, said that the Trade and Industry minister-designate, Kobina Tahiru (KT) Hammond, once called Ghanaian youth, ‘coconut heads’ after the president was booed at a Global Citizens event in 2022.

“All these people who have been appointed, which of them have not defended the indefensible? KT Hammond insulted young people that they have coconut heads after Akufo-Addo was booed at a Global Citizen event.

“And when Ken Ofori-Atta was under the motion of censure, KT Hammond’s theatricals lead to Ofori-Atta being freed. That (his appointment) is the reward for ensuring that we continue to harbour thieves. So, KT Hammond has been rewarded for insulting young people.

“Stika (Dr Stephen Amoah) championed the passage of the E-Levy, he has now been rewarded. Bryan Acheampong sent people to beat and kill people at the Ayawaso West Wuogon and other places, he has been rewarded,” he said in Twi.

President Akufo-Addo, on February 7, 2023, appointed Kobina Tahiru Hammond (MP for Adansi Asokwa) as the minister-designate for Trade and Industry and Bryan Acheampong (MP for Abetifi) as the minister-designate for Food and Agriculture.

Other appointments the president made are Stephen Asamoah Boateng, for the Ministry of Chieftaincy; Mohammed Amin Adam, Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance and Osei Bonsu Amoah as Minister of State for Local Government.

Stephen Amoah, the Member of Parliament for Nhyiaeso, was also appointed a Deputy Minister-designate for Trade and Industry.

These new appointments by the president, which were announced by the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, come following the recent resignations of Alan Kyerematen as Minister of Trade; Afriyie Owusu Akoto as Minister of Food and Agriculture; Ebenezer Kojo Kum as Minister of Chieftaincy as well as the sacking of Charles Adu Boahen as Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance.

The appointment is, however, subject to parliamentary approval.

February 9, 2023
Farmer, trader, detained for kidnapping 37-yr-old mason

Three individuals have been remanded by the Circuit Court in Accra, which is presided over by His Honour Samuel Bright Acquah, for the alleged kidnapping of a 37-year-old mason at Ablekuma-Joma.

The three are – Kwabena Awere, 39, trader, Emmanuel Nyarko Boadi, 37, Mason and Nurudeen Adams, 33, farmer

While Awere and Boadi pleaded not guilty to two counts of robbery and kidnapping, Adams denied the charge of abetment.

Four others according to the prosecution are on the run and are being sought for while the case has been adjourned to February 13.

Brief facts

The Prosecutor ASP Maxwell Oppong, told the court that, the Complainant Roland Clottey is a Mason and lives at Ablekuma-Joma.

While the Accused persons Kwabena Awere, Emmanuel Nyarko Boadi, Nurudeen Adam and others now at large are Trader, Mason and farmers respectively.

The Prosecutor said they all live at Ablekuma-Joma and on July 27, 2021, the complainant sent his children to school at Joma CP with his unregistered 125 Royal motorbike.

ASP Oppong said, when the complainant was returning home, he decided to service his exhaust pipe at a nearby fitting shop.

He said when he was at the fitting shop, Awere, Boadi and four others now at large also went there with two vehicles and two motorbikes.

The Prosecutor told the court that Awere got down from his car and started beating the complainant and pointed him out to the rest that he tore a banner.

He said the rest also joined Awere and subjected the complainant to beatings and they later put him in Awere’s car and drove him together with his motorbike to Adams (third accused), their boss at his ranch at Joma.

ASP Oppong said Adams then ordered Awere (First Accused) and Boadi (Second Accused) and their accomplices to take his Itel and Tecno mobile phones from him

He said they subjected him to “severe beatings and made him carry a log on his shoulders for strenuous exercise and videoed him, while going through the ordeal.”

Ranson demands

The Prosecutor said the Accused persons and their accomplices tied the complainant up against an electric pole and demanded a ransom amount of GHc2,000.00 before he could gain his freedom.

He said the complainant’s brothers who are witnesses in this case heard of the incident and went there to rescue him, but were also attacked in the process by the accused persons and their accomplices and seized their motorbikes.

The prosecutor said later, “Moses together with Teiko went to pay GHc1,000.00 before the complainant was released and he reported the matter to the Police with a video footage where Boadi was captured.

Nurudeen, the third accused was arrested and granted bail, but later jumped bail while Awere and Boadi were arrested at their hideout.

“The accused persons were charged with offences and put before court. Efforts are underway to trace and arrest the other accomplices. Case still under investigation,” he told the court.

February 9, 2023
Gas tanker catches fire at Kumasi

At Sokoban Ampayoo in the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, a gas tanker driver and his conductor has been hospitalized after their vehicle flipped over and caught fire.

Firefighters struggled for hours before dousing the flame. They managed to prevent the fire from spreading to other areas.

The Public Relations officer of the Ghana National Fire Service in the Ashanti region, DO3 Peter Addai who spoke to Citi News on the incident said, “At 10:35 am this morning, we had a distress call reporting a fire at Sokoban Ampayoo. So we quickly responded and when we got to the scene, a gas tanker was lying on its side and was on fire. We had to mobilize three more tenders to join the one on the ground making four in number to manage the situation”.

February 9, 2023
Actor Fred Nuamah to run for the Ayawaso West Wuogon seat

Popular actor and film producer Fred Nuamah has declared his candidacy for the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency seat in the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

During the 2020 general elections, celebrated actor, John Dumelo contested for the seat on the ticket of the NDC but failed to secure the needed votes thus losing out to Lydia Seyram Alhassan of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP).

It is currently unclear if Mr. Dumelo is eyeing the seat again.

Fred Nuamah, who is also a film director is best known for his role in the movie ‘The Game’.

He is the founder and CEO of Ghana Movie Awards & Ghana TV series awards, an annual award show that recognises excellence in the Ghanaian film industry.

February 9, 2023
Extension of contract to GRA boss causing conflict – Gyampo to Akufo-Addo

A lecturer in political science at the University of Ghana, Professor Ransford Gyampo, has written to President Akufo-Addo to express his displeasure over what he claims are unauthorized contract extensions for influential members of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), including the Commissioner General of GRA, Rev. Dr. Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah.

Professor Gyampo in the letter to the President claimed that the illegal contract extension was creating tension at GRA and does not augur well for its proper functioning.

Professor Gyampo added that the contract extension was contrary to a great policy to suspend the granting of post-retirement contracts to people working in some state agencies where expertise isn’t scarce, as part of expenditure rationalization measures.

Prof. Gyampo stated that the policy had been used against Mr Kofi Nti, a former GRA Commissioner General who was appointed on a 4-year contract but was made to leave office halfway through his contract because he had reached the retirement age of 60 before the expiration of his contract.

“Even though the illegitimate contract extension of Amishaddai expired in 2021, he was made to remain at post without any official contract or official cover for another one (1) whole year ending the last year 2022.

“I am reliably informed that the board chairman of the GRA with support from Ken Ofori Attah is unilaterally and without recourse to his board members, seeking two more years of a post-retirement contract extension for the next Amishaddai. This has created deep-seated tension and anger among board members of the GRA in a manner that would not auger well for revenue generation and collection,” he revealed.

Below is the full letter to the President

A Letter to the President on Some Inconsistencies and Illegitimate Attempts at Contract Extension at the GRA

Your Excellency,
1. Your Government initiated a great policy to suspend the granting of post-retirement contracts to people working in some state agencies where labor and expertise aren’t scarce, as part of expenditure rationalization measures. In accordance with this many requests for post-retirement contracts have been turned down.

2. Kofi Nti, a former GRA Commissioner General who was appointed on a 4-year contract was made to leave office halfway through his contract after serving only two and half years because he reached the retirement age of 60 before the expiration of his contract. He was not given a contract extension.

3. Amishaddai Amoah took over from Kofi Nti and together with Col. Damoah and Juliana Essiam who worked in the same area of revenue generation, they all attained 60 years 2 years ago.

4. Col. Damoah was made to leave office because, among other controversial legal tussles, he had also attained the retirement age of 60 years. But Amishaddai was given a one-year contract extension upon attaining 60 years.

5. Even though the illegitimate contract extension of Amishaddai expired in 2021, he was made to remain at post without any official contract or official cover for another one (1) whole year ending last year 2022. I am reliably informed that, the board chairman of the GRA with support from Ken Ofori Attah is unilaterally and without recourse to his board members, seeking two more years of a post-retirement contract extension for the next Amishaddai. This has created deep-seated tension and anger among board members of the GRA in a manner that would not auger well for revenue generation and collection.

6. Mr President, what you seek in this current times of economic crisis, is better supervision of revenue generation and collection activities. You need not violate your own policy and unnecessarily discriminate against others by denying post-retirement contract to others and approving same for Amishaddai. More importantly, you must try and give opportunities to others to see how they embrace the challenge of revenue generation and collection to help your government navigate the whole country out of the current economic doldrums.

7. I write as a Citizen concerned about respect for rules, fairness, equity, and the need for us to give opportunities to others who can probably perform better in helping us raise the needed resources internally for development.

I thank you and look forward yo your action on this.

Yaw Gyampo
A31, Prabiw
PAV Ansah Street
Saltpond

February 9, 2023
Hassan Ayariga criticizes Nitiwul for ignoring soldiers deployed to Bawku

A member of parliament for Bawku Central, Hassan Ayariga, criticized the defense minister for what he claimed was the latter’s failure to pay visits to the military who had been stationed in Bawku.

According to Mahama Ayariga, the security personnel raised concerns over the absence of Dominic Nitiwul in the area since they were deployed to help deal with the crisis, and he (Mahama Ayariga) reached out to the minister to share their complaints.

Ayariga’s comments follow an earlier statement he read on the floor of the house. He, among other things, called on parliament to look into military brutalities and the operational style for settling the crisis in Bawku.

Reacting to this, Dominic Nitiwul suggested that Mr. Ayariga wouldn’t have read such a statement if he had met him to have discussions about the situation and with the military command.

Mahama Ayriga in response said the Minister’s statement was personal and that he (Mahama Ayariga) had earlier told him that he was out of the country and informed the minister that he was unavailable for a proposed meeting the minister had suggested in recent times.

For Mr. Ayariga, Dominc Nitiwul’s comments were not justified considering the Bawku crisis had been ongoing for over a year and such a meeting could have been held earlier if he indeed wanted a quick solution.

He said; “…when was the first time he went to Bawku, it is on record, more than a year until the soldiers were complaining that you the defence minister and Interior minister have never visited them and I brought the complain to you. Now you sit here and tell me that the soldiers and the police were complaining that you were never visiting them. You brought them to come (Bawku) they are being exposed to death and you their commander never stepped foot there to see them, please let’s not talk personally here. I have sat down quietly and listened not because I do not have responses.

Mahama Ayariga who is concerned about the constant military brutality on both sides in the conflict, a recent one which led to the killing of 6 people last week, tasked the minister to go to Bawku and get hands on information on the matter.

“Mr speaker where they killed the people. I am pleading with you, go there, go and see with your naked eyes,” he added.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Dominic Nitiwul has said that the current conflict in Bawku should not be blamed on the chieftaincy dispute because it is a criminal matter.

According to the minister, the issue is a criminal act committed by criminals that must be dealt with harshly.

In response to Mr. Mahama Ayariga’s statement on the floor of Parliament on the issues confronting Bawku, Mr. Nitiwul stated that the ministry’s position is to allow the Ghana Armed Forces to deal with them as pure criminals.

February 9, 2023
Why beg China after messing up the economy – Mornah

Former Chairperson of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP), Bernard Mornah, has accused President Akufo-Addo for demeaning the reputation of the Ghanaian presidency.

According to him, President Akufo-Addo has now resorted to begging world leaders to help Ghana with the county’s huge debts.

Speaking in an XYZ TV interview, on Wednesday, February 8, 2023, which was monitored by GhanaWeb, Mornah alleged that President Akufo-Addo recently begged the foreign minister of Germany to plead with the Chinese government to give Ghana more time to repay its debts.

“It is so sickening that when you have messed up the economy to this extent, the president will again decide to debase the Office of the President.

“When the finance minister of Germany came to Ghana for a visit, our president told him to go and beg China so that they will forgive some of Ghana’s debts. This is what the president told the finance minister of Germany.

“He did not even call the Chancellor of Germany who is his counterpart… when you (Akufo-Addo) were going for the loan did you call the German foreign minister? When you were telling us that you were doing bauxite for infrastructure did you go to tell the Germans,” he said in Twi.

The former CPP chairperson said that rather than the government engaging the Chinese directly on its debts, the president is “going round calling subordinate ministers to go and talk on his behalf”.

“You (Akufo-Addo) are reducing the presidency,” he reiterated.

February 9, 2023
Health, Safety and Occupational Bill to be passed into law – Wireko-Brobby

The National Occupational Safety and Health bill will be passed during the 8th Parliament, according to Deputy Minister of Employment and Labor Relations, Bright Wireko-Brobby.

The bill which has not seen the light of day for more than thirty (30) years is aimed at improving the working environment and conditions to maintain the working capacity of employees, prevent occupational accidents and diseases as well as eliminate other hazards from work.

Speaking to Citi News on the sidelines of this year’s Institution of Organizational Safety and Health West Africa Conference, Bright Wireko-Brobby said the Ministry is currently seeking inputs from stakeholders before the passage of the bill.

He assured however that together with the sector minister, Ignatius Baffour Awuah, they will lead the charge in getting the bill passed before 2025.

“One key objective of the Ministry is occupational safety and health. As part of that you can find that in Act 651, we have a whole department in charge of occupational safety and health…the Department for Factories Inspectorate (DFI).”

“It is difficult to give timelines because you don’t control timelines, so you can’t really tell….but like I’m saying in the life of this Parliament we want to pass it. This Parliament will lapse somewhere 2025. Before that time, this bill should be passed.”

February 9, 2023
MPs executing their duties now victims of state harassment – Ablakwa laments

The Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, who is a subject to an odd court order, and faces the threat of going to prison has bemoaned the fact that he is now the target of state-sponsored harassment for nothing more than performing his oversight duties as a member of parliament.

He noted that a country where Parliamentarians become victims for performing their oversight work is doomed to be in a dark abyss

Mr. Ablakwa, who has been key in exposing alleged corruption in the construction of the National Cathedral and serializing exposés of alleged corruption, fraud, double identity, self-dealing, and conflict of interest involving the Secretary to the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral Secretariat, Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng, has said that there are currently “fascist machinations to use the judiciary and other state institutions to silence and intimidate me.”

He thanked his party for the support so far as he exposes alleged wrongdoing regarding the controversial construction of the National Cathedral.

“I am eternally indebted to the good people of Ghana, my dearest family, former President H.E. John Mahama, the NDC executive led by Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, the NDC Council of Elders chaired by Alhaji Mahama Iddrisu, Prof. Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang, my beloved North Tongu constituents, the rank and file of NDC comrades across the country, Civil Society Organisations, activists, genuine pastors, the credible media, my dedicated staff, gallant and dependable colleagues in the NDC Caucus in Parliament led by Dr. Cassiel Ato Baah Forson.

“A country where parliamentarians carrying out their constitutional oversight mandate become victims of state-sponsored harassment, strange court injunctions, and judicial threats of imprisonment even as double-identity charlatans are protected and pampered is definitely a nation in the dark abyss,” he asserted.

He stressed that he is unafraid and will continue to execute his mandate as an MP.

“Let the cowardly forces of tyranny be told that I am not one to be frightened with imprisonment.

“I am ever ready to be a political prisoner of conscience than be coerced and compromised into a behind-the-scenes deal with the corrosive enemies of the Republic,” he stated.

Mr. Ablakwa has been injuncted by the court from revealing further information about Rev. Kusi Boateng. It is also alleged that national security operatives have been trailing him.

February 9, 2023
Turkey Earthquake: All Ghanaian students in the area are safe – Ambassador

The Ambassador of Ghana to Turkey, Francisca Ashietey-Odunton, has stated that all of the Ghanaian students who reside in Turkey, where the earthquake happened are safe.

“They are sleeping in open tents, that is what they have been advised to do,” she told Alfred Ocansey on the Ghana Tonight show on TV3 Wednesday, February 8

She added, “they will be evacuated from the disaster area to Ankara and Istanbul.”

.”Thankfully, the Ghanaian community, a number of them have agreed to host them in the meantime. All 18 students have been accounted for, and they are okay,” she stressed.

Regarding Christian Atsu’s status, Madam Ashietey-Oduntun said The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Turkey announced that Atsu was found alive and sent to a medical facility for medical attention.

She however said the challenge is that she does don’t know which particular facility the Ghanaian footballer has been admitted to for medical attention.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Turkey told me that Atsu has been found, rescued and has been sent to a medical facility for medical attention and that they will update me

“they are working fervently to find which medical facilities they have been sent to

“The challenge is finding out which facility Astsu has been sent to. I am still waiting for the Ministry to tell me,” she told Alfred Ocansey on the Ghana Tonight show on TVE

“They keep assuring me that he was found alive, he was taken to a medical facility for attention. As when I get any update I will let you know,” she added.

Turkey’s disaster management agency said the country’s death toll passed 12,000 early Thursday.

The Turkish news agency Andalou reported that 12,391 people were killed and 62,914 others were injured

February 9, 2023
Northern Region receives vaccines for measles immunization

The Northern Region has received measles vaccines to vaccinate children living within the area.

According to the directorate, 15 suspected cases have been recorded for 2023 by the Ghana Health Service in that region alone.

As such, the directorate is advising parents to get their children immunized against measles.

Despite the fact that there have been no deaths, the Regional Health Director, Dr. Braimah Baba Abubakari, believes there are enough vaccines to fight the disease and that parents should play a role in combating it.

Speaking to Citi News, Dr. Braimah urged all parents to avail their children for routine vaccination against measles.

“As part of the routine immunization, there are about 13 different vaccines we are giving to the children depending on the age.“

Earlier there were reports of a shortage of measles vaccines in the region after the cases were detected in four districts including, Karaga, Sagnerigu, Tamale and Gushegu.

There were severe cases where children had to be put on oxygen in some health facilities.

General vaccine supply to the Northern Region has been erratic since the middle of 2022.

Checks in the region prior to the latest arrival of vaccines showed that, out of the 13 vaccines for routine immunization, only two, that is Tetanus and Tuberculosis were the only ones in stock.

A release issued by the Regional Health Directorate and addressed to all District Health Directors and sighted by Citi News confirmed cases of measles.

“Given the current season, which presents one of the greatest risks for the transmission of measles, Districts Health Directorates and Facilities (both public and private) are urged to intensify surveillance on measles and other diseases of epidemic potential for prompt action should they occur.

In 2022, the central hospital in Tamale had its Paediatric unit closed down due to an outbreak of measles.

February 9, 2023
Bawku clash is fuel by criminal activities, not chieftaincy – Nitiwul

The dispute in Bawku, according to defense minister Dominic Nitiwul, revolves more around criminality than chieftaincy.

He said he has asked the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) to deal with the situation.

Speaking in Parliament on “What is happening today is not about chieftaincy. It is criminality. Those operating are criminals.

“I have asked members of the armed forces to deal with such persons as pure criminals.

“The government has done what it can on its part to ensure that Bawku is peaceful. We have moved Bawku from 50 to 400 soldiers, so we are sending another 500 military task force to Bawku alone next week.”

Last week, the Upper East Regional Security Council (REGSEC) war residents of Bawku not to engage in an exchange of fire with the Military.

The REGSEC held an emergency on Thursday, February 2 2023 to review the security situation in Bawku.

Following the meeting, a statement released said “REGSEC calls on the people of Bawku to remain calm as it works to bring lasting peace in Bawku .

“REGSEC asked factions to desist from any attempt to engage the Miluray in combat since that will be catastrophic on the part of civilians.”

The military in Bawku was accused of killing some residents.

It was alleged by some individuals in Bawku that soldiers deployed on Operation Gongong to restore calm in the area are killing innocent Kusasi youth and women in their homes and communities.

It was also alleged that military personnel have seized Zoogin, a Kusasi community.

But the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) refuted these allegations.

“GAF wishes to categorically state that these allegations are false and unfounded,” a statement said.

It further explained that information received from the National Investigations Bureau by the Operation Gongong Team of GAF early this week indicated that passengers on board a yellow KIA Grand Bird Bus with Registration Number AS 3672-21 travelling from Accra to Missiga were attacked by unknown gunmen around Kpawelga on the Bawku Highways.

The gunmen fired through the tyre and engine compartment of the vehicle. The bus is currently packed at Assylum Down, Bawku Divisional Police Station for the investigation to be conducted.

Also one KIA Rhino truck with registration number AS 7093-17 was hit and the driver of the truck, Alhassan Abdella aged 40, from the Gonja tribe sustained a gunshot wound on the left foot. He is currently receiving treatment at the Bawku Presbyterian Hospital.

Again, it added, on Wednesday 1 February 2023, gunshots were heard around South Natinga in Bawku. A Patrol Team rushed to the general area of the shooting where a suspect, Abdul Malik Haruna, aged 35 from the Mamprusi tribe was arrested. He has since been handed over to the Bawku Police for further investigation.

“It must be also placed on record that based on a tip off by the Bawku Police on the hideout of the suspects alleged to be involved in the firing incident at Bawku, troops conducted cordon and search operations together with Bawku Police at Pateleme General Area.

“Three suspects, Fatau Alhassan Binda, aged 42, Abubakar Iddrisu, aged 44 and Alhassan Mustapha Binda, aged 33, all from the Dagomba tribe were arrested in a house at Pateleme. They were handed over to the Bawku Police for further investigations,” the statement said.

February 9, 2023
Avoid drug Abuse – Psychiatrist

Dr Sylvester Amoako; Senior House Officer, Department of Psychiatry at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital has implored students to avoid substances like alcohol, marijuana or cocaine.

These medications, according to him, have adverse long-term impacts on the user.

At the Presbyterian Boys Senior High School, Legon, the workshops that are a part of the activities for the first edition of an award program to recognize and honor meritorious pre tertiary students got started.

Drug abusecan lead to addiction, health problems, financial hardship, and legal trouble. It can also cause strained relationships with family and friends.
Drugs can have a negative impact on your physical and mental health. Drug use can lead to an increased risk of addiction, liver damage, heart disease, and stroke. It can also lead to depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues. Drug use can also cause financial hardship. Drug users may find themselves
spending more money on drugs than they can afford, leading to financial problems.

Finally, drug use can lead to legal trouble. Drug use is illegal in Ghana, and those caught using drugs can face fines, jail time, or other penalties.
In short, drug abuse can lead to serious health, financial, and legal problems. It’s important that you understand the risks and make responsible choices when it comes to drugs.

He used the occasion to encourage those who were already addicted to drugs to seek early treatment since drug addiction can be reversed through different types of rehabilitative procedures.

The CEO Pierian Spring, Mr Michael Chris Tetteh organizers of the Ghana Under Tertiary awards also used the occasion to encourage the students to prioritize their education above any other thing including the short pleasures of life. He revealed that in as much as education is a right to every individual, to some, it’s a privilege to be in school.

“Education is something that everyone has the right to, regardless of their socio-economic background. It provides a platform for success and a chance to reach your goals. It’s the only thing that provides an equal chance of a future to the son of a poor man and the son of a rich man. However, sometimes education can be a privilege. If you have the opportunity to be in school, do not let
impediments such as drugs truncate the privilege you have. Drugs can have a detrimental effect on your future and your life” he stated.

Miss Hilda Rosenthal, the MC of the event encouraged the students to live an exemplary life to be able to receive recognition from awards schemes such as the Ghana Under Tertiary Awards.

Ghana under Tertiary Awards is the biggest award scheme to mobilize over 150,000 in senior high schools both private and public and over 80,000 in both junior high school and basic schools for award and mentorship. This scheme is in recognition of their work and effort as part of their contribution to the development of Ghana and Africa as a whole. The initiative is to Award students whose lives have transformed their communities through their contribution in the area of their work even though they are students.

The award scheme provides a platform to celebrate students with great achievements, an innovative and dynamic framework for the exchange of ideas in development knowledge, connecting institutions and students, equipping students with the skills of picking up leadership roles, inspiring and empowering
students to affect the economic development and bring social change. This is the first edition of the award scheme headlined by Pierian Spring. The event is also supported by the Ghana Chamber of Content Producers.

February 8, 2023
Protect your lives Tema Motorway is dangerous – Expert to drivers

A civil engineer, Ing. Abdulai Mahama, has urged motorists on the Accra-Tema Motorway to exercise additional caution to safeguard their own lives as they wait for the government to repair the damaged road.

According to him, the building materials needed to fix the road are very costly and government will need a huge amount of money.

He also says that some buildings will have to be collapsed and owners compensated if the road will be expanded.

This he said, might take a while for government to be ready financially so until then, drivers will be better advised to drive with minimum speed and be watchful of the potholes to prevent accidents and loss of lives.

“Let’s just give one advice to everybody, the Motorway has lost its designed speed, the Motorway is gone, now it is only proper that we apply our common sense, a lot of people that are using the Motorway are not first time users. But it’s so strange that they are doing over 120km/h, 140km/h on the motorway, we should be doing something about 60km/h maximum; and when you are behind a car, science tells us that within 100km/h, the minimum distance between you and the other car in front of you should be about 80m when you’re doing over 100km/h”, he advised.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show, Ing. Mahama also said that most of the streetlights on the road are not functioning, which makes it difficult for drivers to see in the evening when it gets entirely dark.

This, he explained, is the cause of most of the accidents on the road at night. He urged the government to, in the interim, provide solar lights along the entire stretch of the road which can go a long way to help drivers locate potholes and even see pedestrians to aid safe driving.

February 8, 2023
Armed robbers attack gold dealer at Juaboso

A group of armed robbers have attacked and stolen GH500,000 from a gold buyer in Sehwi Juaboso,Western North Region.

The armed robbers are reported to have attacked the victim whose name was only given as Stephen from the Jay Gold Buying Company around 8:00 pm on Tuesday, February 7. 2023.

According to citinewsroom.com, an eyewitness said the robbery happened at the time the shop was done with the day’s work and its workers were preparing to leave.

“The eyewitness said the robbers fired several warning shots and ordered one of the gold dealers who had the money in his car to hand over his car keys to them.

“Hesitating to comply, one of the armed men broke open the door glass with the button of his pump-action gun, took the money and bolted,” citinewsroom.com added.

The police at Sehwi Juaboso is yet to make any arrest in relation to the incident.

February 8, 2023
Enchi election: 14 arrested for violence

14 persons have been detained, in connection with minor disturbances during the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP ) rerun election at Enchi in the Western North Region, this is , according to the Ghana Police Service.

According to the police, the suspects were arrested on Wednesday, February 8, 2023, because they threatened to mar the elections with violence.

In a statement shared on its Facebook page, the police added that all the arrested persons are in its custody and will soon be put before the court.

“The Police have today, 8th February 2023 arrested 14 persons for threatening to disturb the re-run of some positions in the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Constituency Executive Elections at Enchi in the Western North Region,” parts of the statement read.

It added that the suspects “were arrested when they invaded the house of one of the candidates in the election to threaten her and also intimidate others prior to the elections.”

The police stated that the suspects arrested include Kwabena Analdini, Kwasi Fobi, Isaac Oppong, Stephen Kwofie, Isaac Mensah, Kwame Amofah, Acheampong Ernest and Prosper Hato.

The others are Hadi Koder, Aryittey Tettey, Kwasi Mintah, Dominic Akapo, Odoom Botwe and Emmanuel Arhin Owusu.

February 8, 2023
Of your identities, which one will be stolen? – Minority to Kusi Boateng

The Secretary to the Board of the National Cathedral of Ghana, Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng, also known as Kwabena Adu Gyami, has been criticized the Minority Caucus of Parliament for his legal activities against North Tongu Member of Parliament, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.

In a statement issued by the Minority Leader, Cassiel Ato Forson, on Wednesday, the minority caucus said that the legal actions against Ablakwa over his latest exposé on the National Cathedral of Ghana are just attempts to derail his oversight duties as an MP.

It added that Rev Kusi Boateng’s claim that the MP’s exposé exposes him to identity theft does not hold because he, himself, has different identities.

“The instant preposterous and cowardly legal action against our respected colleague, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa by President Akufo-Addo’s appointee to the Board of Trustees of the scandal-ridden National Cathedral of Ghana who now claims to be called Kwabena Adu Gyamfi even though all public records including incorporation documents show that he was duly appointed as Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng is nothing but a desperate effort to stifle parliamentary scrutiny and pervert the course of justice.

“In any case, the claim by the applicant that the continuous publication of his personal information violates his privacy raises legitimate, legal and logical questions about which of his dual identities with his different names, different dates of birth, different TINS, different mothers and different national IDs actually refer to him,” parts of the statement read.

The statement by the Minority Caucus comes after Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa was cited for contempt of court by Rev Kusi Boateng for his handling of a restraining order document issued by a court in Accra.

The MP was captured in a viral video throwing out a restraining order document from the secretary to the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral of Ghana, Rev Victor Kusi Boateng, who is also known as Kwabena Adu Gyamfi.

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa was forced to kick out the document after the bailiff tried to force the document into his car on the compound of Metro TV after the Good Morning Ghana show.

The motion for contempt, which was filed by Rev Kusi Boateng, indicated that the reasons Ablakwa gave for rejecting the document were not tangible.

According to the court document, which was sighted by GhanaWeb, the MP said that he could not be served the document because he was on his way to Parliament but the House was on recess as at the time the order was being served.

About restraining order against Ablakwa

The secretary to the board of Trustees of the National Cathedral of Ghana, Rev Victor Kusi Boateng, who is also known as Kwabena Adu Gyamfi, has secured an order of interim injunction against the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.

The order restrains Okudzeto Ablakwa from publicly sharing any document belonging to Kwabena Adu Gyamfi for the next 10 days.

The MP who disclosed this in a tweet shared on Friday, February 3, 2023, said that he was served the order after his appearance on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana programme on the same day.

“One Kwabena Adu Gyamfi also claiming to have an alias as Victor Kusi Boateng has secured a 10-day restraining order seeking to stop me from further publications on the Conflict of Interest & Double Identity Scandal,” parts of the MP’s tweet read.

The MP shared a picture of the order he was served which read: “IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the 1″ Respondent, SAMUEL OKUDZETO ABLAKWA is restrained from making further public disclosures of private documents, correspondence, communication and property belonging to the Applicant (Adu Gyamfi).”

“IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that this interim order will lapse after Ten (10) days,” it added.

Background

The latest corruption exposé on the National Cathedral by the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, suggested impropriety on the part of the secretary to the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral of Ghana, Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng.

On January 16, 2023, the MP made some allegations against Rev. Kusi Boateng, who is the secretary to the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral of Ghana.

In an earlier revelation about the National Cathedral, Okudzeto Ablakwa said a whopping GH¢2.6 million was dished out to a company named JNS Talent Centre Limited.

Further investigations into the alleged payment led to the discovery of one Kwabena Adu Gyamfi as a director of JNS Talent Centre.

Having confirmed the identities of two out of three directors of the centre, Ablakwa dug deeper in a bid to discover the identity of the third director, Kwabena Adu Gyamfi.

According to his findings, citing a number of statutory documents, Kwabena Adu Gyamfi was the same as Reverend Kusi Boateng, who has allegedly been operating under the pseudonym Kwabena Adu Gyamfi.

February 8, 2023
Christian Atsu ‘plunged from ninth floor’ as building collapsed in earthquake

When a terrible 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Turkey and Syria, Christian Atsu, according to his agent, fell from the ninth floor of his apartment building.

Atsu was rescued from beneath rubble on Tuesday when a rescue team heard his voice on one recovery mission.

Now his agent has explained how 20 minutes after returning home from a poker night with team-mates, Atsu was sent plunging to the ground from the ninth floor.

‘The last I heard from him was at midnight on Sunday. Christian and his team-mates were playing poker until 3:30am at a friend’s apartment,’ Atsu’s agent, Nana Sechere, told the Mirror.

‘The journey back to his apartment was around half an hour. He returned at 4am and the earthquake started around 20 minutes later. I didn’t know anything until I received a call from a club official at 5am asking if I’d heard from Christian. He told me Christian’s building had been completely destroyed and that they couldn’t get hold of him.’

February 8, 2023
Establish an ad hoc committee to investigate alleged military attack on Bawku residents – Agalga

The minority party in parliament wants an ad hoc committee to be established to look into the recent killings of inhabitants of Bawku in the Upper East Region.

Speaking on the floor of Parliament, the Ranking Member of the Defence and Interior Committee James Agalga stressed that setting up an ad-hoc committee will help investigate the incident as well as make recommendations to forestall future occurrences.

“Given the nature of the allegation levelled against our armed forces, I believe that an ad-hoc committee with the core members of the defence and interior committee playing a lead role will suffice…to delve into the matter and come out with recommendations to ensure that such brutalities do not happen again,” he said.

Bawku Central MP, Mahama Ayariga, has petitioned the Commission of Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) in connection with the recent killing of some civilians in the Upper East Region town allegedly by personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces.

In his petition, Mr Ayariga said: “In my capacity as the Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, I, hereby lodge a complaint on behalf of some residents of Bawku under regulation 2(2)(a) and (b) of C.I. 67 pertaining to several acts of violation of the human rights of some residents of Bawku by members of the Ghana Armed Forces.”

“Among the rights violated included the sacred right to life of 10 citizens of Bawku who were shot to death by members of the armed forces engaged in Operation Gongong in Bawku on Tuesday 31st January and Wednesday 1st February 2023. Children’s rights. Women’s rights and property rights were violated,” he noted.

He continued: “The military does not deny shooting and killing these residents of Bawku. A statement issued by the military authorities on 2nd February 2023 admitting responsibility for the killings is attached.”

He is demanding “compensation of GH¢500,000.00 for each and every one of those whose lives were taken, to be paid to their immediate families as punitive damage.”

Further, he wants GAF to be retrained from “further acts of brutalities in Bawku in the exercise of their responsibilities to maintain peace in Bawku and adequate compensation to those who have suffered physical harm.”

February 8, 2023
Surprising court granted an injunction to a man with questionable identities – Ato Forson

The minority leader, Cassiel Ato Forson, has questioned why a judge would grant an injunction sought by Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng, the National Cathedral of Ghana’s secretary against Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the member of parliament for North Tongu.

Ato Forson said that the court’s decision to grant Rev. Kusi Boateng the injunction is likely illegal because the pastor has two dubious identities.

In a statement issued on February 8, 2023, the minority leader said that the court recently ruled on a case involving Rev. Kusi Boateng, but the National Identification Authority has stated that it has Kwabena Adu Gyamfi in its database and not Victor Kusi Boateng.

“To grant an interim injunction preventing further publication on a matter of enormous public interest and to a man of dubious double identity is a palpable constitutional affront.

“It is also most shocking that the court will grant an exparte injunction in a matter of this nature and particularly when incontrovertible court records show that the man who now claims to be Kwabena Adu Gyamfi with an alias as Victor Kusi Boateng only recently obtained judgment from the same judiciary as Victor Kusi Boateng,” parts of the statement read.

“The NDC Caucus in Parliament also condemns in the strongest terms the crude disregard for the appropriate procedure of how Members of Parliament are to be served with court documents through the Right Honourable Speaker of Parliament. Multiple Speakers of Parliament across the political divide have emphasized this in many constitutionally sound rulings,” it added.

Background:

The secretary to the board of trustees of the National Cathedral of Ghana, Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng, who is also known as Kwabena Adu Gyamfi, has secured an order of interim injunction against the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.

The order restrains Okudzeto Ablakwa from publicly sharing any document belonging to Kwabena Adu Gyamfi for the next 10 days.

The MP who disclosed this in a tweet shared on Friday, February 3, 2023, said that he was served the order after his appearance on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana programme on the same day.

Read the full statement below:

7th February, 2023.

Press Statement.

NDC CAUCUS IN PARLIAMENT CONDEMNS JUDICIAL ABUSE AND DESPICABLE EFFORTS TO GAG MPs AND STAMPEDE PARLIAMENTARY OVERSIGHT

The NDC Caucus in Parliament strongly condemns the naked and shameful abuse of the judiciary by certain undemocratic elements seeking to gag NDC Members of Parliament and prevent us from carrying out our constitutional mandate of oversight.

The instant preposterous and cowardly legal action against our respected colleague, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa by President Akufo-Addo’s appointee to the Board of Trustees of the scandal-ridden National Cathedral of Ghana who now claims to be called Kwabena Adu Gyamfi even though all public records including incorporation documents show that he was duly appointed as Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng is nothing but a desperate effort to stifle parliamentary scrutiny and pervert the course of justice.

To grant an interim injunction preventing further publication on a matter of enormous public interest and to a man of dubious double identity is a palpable constitutional affront.

In any case, the claim by the applicant that the continuous publication of his personal information violates his privacy raises legitimate, legal and logical questions about which of his dual identities with his different names, different dates of birth, different TINS, different mothers and different national IDs actually refer to him.

It is also most shocking that the court will grant an exparte injunction in a matter of this nature and particularly when incontrovertible court records show that the man who now claims to be Kwabena Adu Gyamfi with an alias as Victor Kusi Boateng only recently obtained judgment from the same judiciary as Victor Kusi Boateng.

The NDC Caucus in Parliament also condemns in the strongest terms the crude disregard for the appropriate procedure of how Members of Parliament are to be served with court documents through the Right Honourable Speaker of Parliament. Multiple Speakers of Parliament across the political divide have emphasized this in many constitutionally sound rulings.

Ambushing an MP with a secret video recording on the premises of a television station after an interview by people ironically claiming to be apostles of the protection of privacy as happened to our distinguished colleague, Hon. Okudzeto Ablakwa on the precincts of Metro TV on the 3rd of February, 2023 can only be the orchestration of a frustrated and lawless cabal.

It is a real travesty that under the current government, offenders are shielded and emboldened while diligent and patriotic Members of Parliament fulfilling their constitutional mandate are vilified, witchhunted and threatened with imprisonment.

The NDC Caucus in Parliament wishes to express full confidence in the impressive, courageous and patriotic parliamentary oversight qualities with which our respected colleague, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has pursued this national cathedral conflict of interest and dual identity scandal.

Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa can count on our unflinching solidarity, especially during the pendency of that unmeritorious, vexatious and ridiculous Kwabena Adu Gyamfi—Victor Kusi Boateng case.

The Minority Group in Parliament hereby serves notice that we shall not be intimidated or cowed by judicial abuse, tyranny and fascist tactics.

We are determined to boldly pursue all aspects of this scandal-plagued National Cathedral project and the related matters of conflict of interest, dual identity, diversions, procurement breaches and blatant corruption without let or hindrance during this 3rd Session of the 8th Parliament.

We shall be disappointing God and our dear countrymen and women if we fail in this noble mission.

May God help us.

Signed,

Hon. Cassiel Ato Baah Forson

[Leader, Minority Group in Parliament]

February 8, 2023
Ghana’s economy requires every cedi to survive – Minority leader

The minority leader in parliament, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has expressed worry about the excessive number of tax exemptions.

According to him, the finance committee has been very adamant in approving tax exemptions as the country needs every cedi to save the economy.

“Let me pay tribute to Kweku Kwarteng. The two of us converged on this very tax policy of tax exemptions. We believe that tax exemptions are becoming too much, and particularly in times like this when the country needs every cedi to save our economy, you cannot continue granting tax exemptions. And so you would notice that the finance committee has been very adamant in approving tax exemptions.

“We worked with the ministry and we led it to get the Tax Exemptions Bill passed, so we have a Tax Exemption Regime in place as a country for the first time,” he said.

Speaking to journalists with regards to a question on the too many tax exemptions approved by parliament, the minority leader said it is time for parliament to put a break on tax exemptions and raise enough revenue to support the country.

“I believe that the time has come for us to put breaks on those tax exemptions and raise enough revenue to support the country. We need every revenue to move the country forward.

“There is still a lot more we have to do. We believe that the time has come for us to put breaks on those tax exemptions and raise enough revenue to support the country. We need every revenue to move the country forward. I can’t say that that is comfortable enough. So we will have to continuously identify the gaps we have in the in the tax exemption regime and improve it going forward,” Dr Ato Forson added.

February 8, 2023
Agradaa fined for sharing naked photos of prophet

Once again, founder of the Heaven Way Champion International Ministry, Patricia Asiedua, also known as Nana Agradaa, has been charged and arraigned for circulating naked images of a Prophet.

Nana Agradaa, who has been known to the law in recent times, was charged for non-consensual sharing of intimate images contrary to Sections 67(1) of the Cybersecurity Act, (Act 1038).

She has pleaded not guilty to the charge before Circuit Court 10 presided over by Her Honour Mrs Evelyn Asamoah on Wednesday, February 8, 2023.

Four others – Enock Owusu Kissi, 33, Charles Omane alias One Gig, 39, Emmanuel Kofi Gyasi, 47, and one Andy currently at large were also charged for Abetment of crime namely; non-consensual sharing of an intimate image.

Kissi (2nd Accused) and Omane (3rd Accused) who were present in court pleaded not guilty while Emmanuel Kofi Gyasi (4th Accused) was absent. The fifth Accused said to be Andy (5th Accused) is at large.

They have all been granted bail in the sum of GHc100,000.00 with three sureties each. They are expected to reappear on March 8, 2023.

Brief facts

The brief facts of the case as presented to the court by the Prosecutor, ASP Emmanuel Haligah, were that the Complainant, Emmanuel Appiah Fomum, is a Prophet and resides at Teshie, Accra.

He said the 1st Accused Patricia Asiedua is a lady Pastor residing at Weija and the 2nd accused Enoch Owusu Kissi is a media Practitioner residing at Weija.

The Prosecutor told the court also that the 3rd accused Charles Omane alias One Gig is a businessman residing at Nungua and 4th accused Emmanuel Kofi Gyasi is a Television (TV) Presenter residing at Nungua while the 5th accused person Andy is at large.

ASP Haligah said, sometime in 2020 the 1st accused Patricia Asieduwaa who was the owner of a TV station called ‘Thunder TV’ hosted a programme on her TV station and intentionally showed the naked pictures of the complainant on live TV.

The prosecutor said, Nana Agradaa made mockery of him with all the other accused persons who were panelist on the said programme encouraging her on the course.

He said the said programme was also streamed live on Youtube and Facebook where a witness, in this case, saw it and informed the complainant about it.

The Prosecutor told the court that the 1st accused also intentionally distributed intimate images of the complainant to a witness in this case via WhatsApp.

He said the complainant reported the matter to the Police for assistance and during the investigation, all the accused persons with the exception of the 5th accused who is at large were arrested for investigation.

He said the Police retrieved the intimate images of the complainant which were shared or distributed by 1st accused Patricia Asieduwaa.

ASP Haligah said in the course of the investigation, the programme on which the intimate images were shown was retrieved by Police and played back to all the accused persons who identified themselves in the video of the programme hosted by 1st accused.

He said after investigation the accused persons were charged with the offences and arraigned.

February 8, 2023
COVID-19 expenditure to be probed in parliament February 15

According to the opposition leader in the legislature, the house’s investigation into COVID-19 expenditure is scheduled to begin on February 15, 2023.

According to Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, the COVID-19 probe will be made public.

This was revealed by Minority Leader, Cassiel Ato Forson when the leadership from both sides of the house met the press today, Wednesday, 8 February 2023, to outline some activities of the first meeting of the third session of parliament which began on Tuesday, 7 February 2023.

In March 2022, the minority had been pushing for a probe into COVID-19 expenditure.

It follows the viral circulation of an audiotape on social media in which a voice believed to be that of the Northern Regional Vice-Chairperson of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Ms Felicia Tetteh, is heard talking about how COVID funds were disbursed to the leadership of the party and some candidates.

The then Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu told journalists at a press conference on Tuesday, 31 May 2022 that their persistent calls for a probe have been vindicated by the leaked audiotape.

The Tamale South MP said it “makes our call for an investigation of the highly anomalous COVID expenditures to be probed.”

He said the expenditure must be “probed by parliament or by the Auditor-General, or, President Akufo-Addo, [if he] has any respect for the tenets and values of accountability and transparency, [must] authorise a public enquiry into how the over GHS19 billion was disbursed and utilised.”

“We now understand how a motion to probe COVID by an institution, which should be the most fundamental institution and guardian of the public purse, Parliament, will dismiss the motion even at birth, by actors of the New Patriotic Party political administration.”

February 8, 2023
VRA, NEDCo strike over removal of MD

In order to demand the dismissal of the Managing Director (MD), Osmani Aludiba Ayuba, the staff groups of the Volta River Authority (VRA) and the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) have announced their resignation from their positions.

Effective today, Wednesday, 8 February 2023, the staff groups have withdrawn their services except for emergency and power vending activities.

According to a statement by the Staff Groups Leadership of VRA/NEDCo, signed by their representative, Mr William Asari, the staff will not go out to attend to any fault/issue except emergencies, although they will report to the office and carry out office assignments.

The emergencies include “broken conductors, broken poles, transformers on fire, pole burning etc.”

However, in such emergency cases, “staff will just isolate the fault and return to the office,” the statement noted.

The Staff Groups Leadership of the VRA and NEDCo recently announced a series of actions to drive home their demand for the removal of the MD.

According to the groups, despite being appointed as Managing Director to help turn around the finances of NEDCo, after three-and-a-half years in office, Mr Ayuba, “has failed to help turn around the finances of NEDCo” and hence can no longer continue to hold that office.

In an update on the resolution passed by the staff in all the five operational areas of NEDCo at an emergency meeting, the groups cited the “worsening financial performance of NEDCo, lack of a clear strategy for NEDCo, high cost of projects that have not yielded desired results, management inaction leading to revenue loss, exorbitant sole source procurement of Point-Of-Sale devices (POS) and worsening distribution losses,” as reasons for demanding the MD’s removal from office.

The groups revealed that they had given the Managing Director on or before Monday, 31 January 2023, to “voluntarily resign or be removed from office by the NEDCo Board of Directors.”

February 8, 2023
Lauren London griefs over death of Love Nipsey Hussle

Lauren London has received praise for her work in the Netflix comedy You People, but there is one person whose opinion she would have liked to hear: her late boyfriend Nipsey Hussle.
On Monday’s episode of the PEOPLE Every Day podcast, London, 38, opened up about her latest role, and how she’s “still a work in progress” these days, nearly four years after the death of her love Nipsey Hussle.
London says that while she has been focusing on trying to find peace and celebrate her parenting and career triumphs, including the “success of having a job and meeting people and people showing me love,” she still experiences “the feeling of there’s one person you wished was here to watch the movie with you.”
“I also don’t want to give a misconception that I’m at peace and I’m walking around on a cloud,” London told PEOPLE Every Day host Janine Rubenstein. “I have to wake up with the intention of this every day because there are days I don’t want to, and I’m like angry about it. And that’s what healing is. It is up and down, side to side, all over the place. You know what I mean? And with each new level, there’s something else.”
“And I wish he was here, so it’s really a choice,” London continued. “And so I’m making a choice every day, but I don’t wanna give off this perception that, you know, ‘Oh, everything’s all flowers…’ But I think if you make the choice and that you’re intentional with how you would like to show up in life, it could be more gentle than harsh.”
London shared some of her happier moments with Rubenstein as well, including sweet anecdotes about her children and funny stories from the set of You People, which also stars Eddie Murphy, Nia Long, and Jonah Hill. You People, written by Hill, 38, and Black-ish‘s Kenya Barris, tells the story of Hill and London’s relationship as they try to navigate the awkward waters of meeting each other’s families.
The film also stars Sam Jay, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, David Duchovny, Elliott Gould, Travis Bennett, Molly Gordon, Rhea Perlman and others.

As London explained, she and Hill share a special friendship, and even bond over “anxiety and work and grief.”
“He’s a real genuine person and I think I would consider myself a really genuine person,” she said. “And I think when you have a mutual respect for each other and you’re both mature and grown and you really want to do good work, it created like a friendship. And outside of that, we are both from Los Angeles — we actually have a lot more in common than you would think.”
London also spoke on one of her favorite days on set, when she filmed a scene with Long, Murphy, Hill, Louis-Dreyfus and Duchovny, all “in the same room” together.
“It was just fun and it was really, you know, like a masterclass watching Eddie and Julia and David and Nia and even Jonah,” she said. “I say Jonah’s an improv master and so was Eddie and you know, all of them. So it was just a lot of laughter, you know, Eddie and Julia talking about their SNL days. I’m asking Mia about Boyz n the Hood because I grew up watching that stuff. And she’s an LA girl and, yeah, it’s just, those are my favorite days.”
You People is currently available to stream on Netflix.

February 8, 2023
Criticize politicians for causing Bawku crisis – Vladimir Antwi-Danso

Dean of the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Professor Vladimir Antwi-Danso, has blamed politicians for inciting Bawku dispute despite the grave consequences for peace and order.

Professor Antwi-Danso claims that due to the political character of the problem, the war has been ongoing for more than 100 years with decreasing chances of achieving a lasting resolution.

He pointed out that the matter remains difficult to resolve because the two feuding factions are politically aligned, which makes it very challenging for the security authorities to restore calm in the region.

According to him, the conflict now poses a severe security threat to the nation since one of the fighting factions could call on terrorists to aid them in their cause, which situation could result in a catastrophe for national security.

“It is because of politics that’s why we cannot fight the Bawku conflict. It is just politics…the Bawku conflict has been in existence for over 100 years old, so if every government was to implement peace resolution measures since then, we could have resolved the matter.

“But as times go on, the conflict becomes severe day in and day out. Whether you like it or not, the Kusasis are NDC and the Mamprusis are also NPP. Why should we experience this? This is the political angle, when there’s a crime there’s a crime.

“I’m most worried about the security threat that this conflict is posing to the country because if we don’t take care, a group can invite terrorists to support them in the fight and that will be a national disaster,” he said.

In an interview with Accra-based Peace FM, the academician made a suggestion that it is now time for the media and all Ghanaians to use a name-and-shame approach to expose the perpetrators of the dispute and aid in reestablishing peace in the area and the entire country.

Background:

It may be recalled that personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces who were deployed to Bawku to maintain law and order were accused by some residents of allegedly killing at least 10 unarmed civilians from Kusasi in their homes and communities.

Meanwhile, according to a publication by the BBC published on February 2, 2023, Mahama Ayariga was reported to have accused the military of being behind the deaths and called for an immediate investigation.

Mahama Ayariga went a step further to petition the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to investigate the killings of 10 citizens and also demanded GH¢500,000 compensation for each deceased person.

On the other hand, the Ghana Armed Forces in a press statement signed by the Director of Public Relations, Naval Captain Michael Addo Larbie, described the allegations as “false” and “untrue.”

February 8, 2023
University of Ghana transforms plastic waste into fuel

The University of Ghana has begun converting plastic waste into three different types of fuel at the Institute of Applied Science and Technology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences.

It is producing petrol, diesel, and gas from plastic waste.

This is done by reprocessing them into high-value fuels and chemicals for households or small running engines.

Professor David Dodoo-Arhin, the Director of the Institute, told the Ghana News Agency on the sidelines of a five-day workshop on Monday.

The reactor yields three litres of fuel when fed with three kilograms of waste plastic depending on the conditions the waste was subjected to.

“The fuel is up to standard and is usable. We have been cooking with gas and our cars are running the petrol and diesel,” he said

The model, he said, included all the people in the value chain, especially the collectors, and could be a good avenue for job creation for many people.

Prof. Doodo said the project was under the plastics-to-fuel initiative, which started in 2018 with initial funding support from the University of Ghana BANGA Africa seed grant programme.

He said it was followed by two-year funding in 2021, through the University of Ghana Research Fund “multidisciplinary category” and in 2022, another two-year co-funding by the French Embassy’s “FSPI NYANSAPO programme.

Prof. Doodo said the initiative was in line with the Ghana National Plastic Action Partnership to support the public and private sector transition to a plastic circular economy thereby, ensuring sustainable plastic management.

Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, in a statement delivered on her behalf, said the plastic waste menace continued to pose challenges to the environmental and socioeconomic well-being of the country.

She said there was a need for sustainable waste management systems to help stem the debilitating consequences of plastic waste nationwide.

The workshop was organised in collaboration with the 20th Anniversary team of the School of Engineering Sciences and the 75th Anniversary of the University of Ghana.

It was funded by the French Embassy and on the theme: “Strengthening research and innovation capacities in sustainable energy production”.

Mr. Jules Armand Aniambossou, the French Ambassador to Ghana, said ensuring access to higher education and research were high priorities of his country and reiterated the country’s commitment to the project.

He said it was the aim of the French Government to increase the collaboration between the educational institutions of the two countries

through new partnerships, exchanges, joint curricula, double diplomas, joint research programmes, and joint research facilities.

“All these activities and programmes should focus on the priorities of our partner countries and aim at contributing to their development through the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals,” he said.

February 8, 2023
NACOC burns cannabis worth GH₵50m

The highest amount of cannabis ever confiscated since 2021, weighing about 50 tons and having a market worth of GHC 50 million, was destroyed by the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC).

The seized cannabis was mainly intercepted from the Eastern and Volta regions through intelligence gathering efforts by operatives.

Speaking to Citi News, the Public Affairs Director of NACOC, Francis Opoku Amoah said efforts are being made to curb the illicit trade and the use of the prohibited substance until such a time when the country is ready to legalize it.

He mentioned that five people are currently standing trial for engaging in the trade of cannabis.

“For now, per our laws, it is illegal and I am also sure that you are aware and know that our new laws Act 10(19) Section 43 was going to make sure we get people license to cultivate hemp but as we speak now, the Supreme Court has put a break on it so we are waiting for the review and we will see if we can get people to cultivate it.”

February 8, 2023
Akufo-Addo inducts 20 new High Court justices

President Akufo-Addo has sworn in 20 new High Court justices.

The 16 judges from the Circuit Court were all promoted to the third highest court of the bench following recommendations by the Judicial Council.

The newly sworn-in Justices are; Kwame Polley, William Appiah Twumasi, Baah Forson Agyapong, Marian Affoh, Nana Brew, Abena Amponsah Buansi, Ellen Lordina Serwaa Mireku, Priscilla Dapaah Mireku, Alexander Oworae,Joyce Boahen, Edward Twum and Gwendolyn Millicent Owusu.

The rest are Rosemary Baah Tosu, Frederick Kwabena Twumasi, Adelaide Abui Keddey, Harry Acheampong- Opoku, Kenneth Edem Kudjordjie, John-Mark Nuku Alifo, Kwesi Adjenim-Boateng, George Aikins Ampiah- Bonney and Marie-Louise Simmons.

President Nana Akufo-Addo while swearing them in said his government will continue to invest in infrastructure for the judiciary in order to ensure justice delivery is improved.

According to the President, the government is currently putting up 16 bungalows across the country to accommodate High Court judges in the various regions.

President Nana Akufo-Addo urged the judges to ensure that they deliver justice without fear or favour.

He said the government is committed to improving infrastructure to ensure that the judiciary is able to work properly.

For his part, Justice Kwame Polley on behalf of his colleagues thanked the President and pledged to work according to the provisions of the laws of Ghana.

February 8, 2023
‘Is weed okro?’ – Perpetual Didier asks police after late brother’s autopsy report

Perpetual Didier, a gospel singer, has disparaged the findings of the post-mortem examination and subsequent statements made by the Ghana Police Service, which claimed that her brother’s death was due to asphyxiation and obstruction of the airway by a foreign body.

The police, in a statement issued on Tuesday, February 7, 2023, and signed by Grace Ansah-Akrofi, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Director, Public Affairs, had said due process was followed in the conduct of the post-mortem.

“On 7th February 2023, a post-mortem examination was conducted on the deceased’s body in the presence of Alfred Boafo, father of the accused, Dr Rosana Polinicio Segborwortso Pathologist of GA East Municipal hospital representing the accused, Mr Francis Xavier Sosu lawyer for the deceased, Louis Melabah Edeafor, uncle of the deceased, Isaac Anim Anno, father of the deceased and Anna Cobbina sister of the deceased.

“The pathologist gave the verbal cause of death as Asphyxiation and Obstruction of the airway by a foreign body. He also retrieved from the throat of the deceased, eight (8) zipped bags containing dry leaves suspected to be narcotic drugs tied in a piece of black polythene.

“The retrieved, suspected narcotic substances tested positive for cannabis when submitted for forensic examination, in the presence of all the interested parties,” the statement read.

However, in her interview with JoyNews, Wednesday, February 8, 2023, Perpetual, clad in all-black attire, vehemently rejected the report and accused the police of attempting to conceal the truth and distort the narrative.

“If they’re saying they’ve done investigations, and that he swallowed weed which is wrapped in rubber and they found eight folded weed inside, I want to ask Ghanaians, is weed okro? Can someone swallow weed with ease? Have they given us a footage of the time he swallowed the weed?” a visibly incensed Perpetual retorted.

According to the musician, attempts to get a medical doctor to represent them during the post-mortem, ended up being an exercise in futility as the police hurriedly facilitated the process before the scheduled time.

“When we went to the morgue together with two MPs, they wanted to start the autopsy and I told them that we need a medical doctor so they should give us a chance to find one which of course we got one who is out of Accra. He gave us his colleague who begged us to tell the police to allow him to come today [Wednesday]…” she recounted.

She also noted that the police later went ahead without the said medical doctor to represent the family.

“Because they didn’t wait for our doctor to come inside the room. I will not accept; my family too says they will not accept whatever they are telling us,” she explained, reiterating her initial comment that the police at the West Hills Mall contributed to the death of her brother, amid serious accusations.

“The police did not include how he was brutalized in their statement; that means they have swept away everything. They’re indicating that it is only the weed that caused his death. It could be that when they took the body to the police morgue, somebody planted the weed inside his throat so that our lawyer [who was with them during the autopsy process] will say he saw weed. They should provide how he was swallowing it,” said Perpetual.

Background

Gospel musician, Perpetual Didier alleged in a viral video that her brother was killed by some police officers.

According to her, the incident happened at the West Hills Mall in Accra on January 30, 2022.

The musician explained that her brother, was brutally assaulted by the uniformed policemen, leading to his untimely death.

“Someone should tag the IGP. I need justice for my brother. Tell him that this is a crime one of his men has done to my family by killing my brother. We are all Ghanaians with equal rights and freedom. Why will you use your position to take someone’s life?” she said in her Facebook Live video, amidst tears.

How the incident came about

In her narration, her brother (the deceased) had gone to the West Hills Mall to withdraw money in order to purchase some items intended to be sent to his sister in Germany.

She added that, from what an eyewitness told her, the police demanded that her brother hand over his bag to be searched, but he refused.

This then led to the police officer getting agitated and then hitting and pushing him to the ground.

Perpetual added that her brother fell to the ground and hit his head on the floor, breaking his neck in the process.

He is said to have lost consciousness, at which time the police officer tased the motionless man on the floor.

It is believed that this worsened the state the young man was already in, leading to his death.

February 8, 2023
Reward ethical conduct and discipline dishonest public officials – CDS Africa to govt

The Centre for Democracy and Socio-economic Development (CDS), a nonpartisan research tank that views democracy as a foundational principle for growth, has argued that fighting corruption should be a key component of government’s framework.

To mitigate corruption, CDS said, deterrence is of great essence.

Such a measure would send a strong message to potential wrongdoers about the latent consequences of their misbehaviour and inaction, it added.

In order to fight corruption, CDS Africa suggested to the government that “There is the need for Government to establish a system that rewards appropriate behavior and penalizes corrupt behavior in the public sector.

“All citizens must understand they have a role to play in the fight against corruption. Citizens and public sector workers must immediately report any suspicions of bribery or corruption to mandated agencies and institutions,” a report released by Dr. Frank Bannor and Dr. Abena Boateng, Senior Research & Policy Analyst and Director of Research for CDS Africa respectively, said.

CDS Africa was reacting to the 2022 Corruption Perception Index (CPI) which shows a dire situation as most countries in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), including Ghana failed to make progress in reducing corruption.

The top performers in the region are Seychelles (70), followed by Cabo Verde (60), Botswana (60) and Rwanda (51), whereas Burundi (17), Equatorial Guinea (17), South Sudan (13) and Somalia (12) have the lowest scores, according to the 2022 CPI released today by Transparency International (TI).

In terms of trends, the 2022 CPI reveals that from 2012 to 2022, 25 countries significantly improved their scores.

The SSA region recorded the highest percentage of countries (28% – 7 out of 25); Angola, Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Kenya, Senegal, Seychelles and Tanzania experiencing significant improvements in their scores. Conversely, 31 countries significantly declined in their scores since 2012. SSA represents 10% (3 out of the 31 countries – Lesotho, Liberia and Mali) of countries with significant declines in their scores.

Ghana with a score of 43, ranked 8 th out of 49 countries in SSA which were included in the index, alongside Benin (43), Senegal (43) and South Africa (43).

Ghana for the 3rd consecutive year, scores 43 out of a possible clean score of 100 and ranks 72 out of 180 countries and territories included in the . This score, reflects a lack of progress in the country’s fight against corruption.

CDS Africa notes that corruption poses great risk to Ghana’s economic development. Economic inequality is made worse by corruption, according to empirical evidence. A one-unit rise in corruption causes a 0.15 to 1.5 percent decline in GDP per capita. Petty corruption, in particular, has an impact on citizens’ perceptions of corruption in a country because it interferes with their daily lives and undermines public trust in democratic processes, government legitimacy, and state institutions.

CDS Africa recognises that, until 2012 the CPI was computed between 0 to 10. A lower value of 0 indicated a high level of corruption while a higher score value indicated a lower level of corruption. However, the story wasn’t any different with this methodology as Ghana’s best score was 4.1 which was recorded in 2010 (see Figure 2 in the attachment).

Similarly, CDS Africa observes that Ghana isn’t doing any better even with a change in the CPI methodology from 2012 till date where countries are now ranked based on a score of 0 to 100. With reference to this approach, a country is deemed very clean as its score increases on the CPI and, highly corrupt with a lower score. Data available from 2012 to 2022 shows that Ghana’s highest score was recorded in 2014, where the country obtained 48 out of 100.

February 8, 2023
New website created for King Charles and Queen Camilla’s coronation

A new website for the upcoming coronation of the King and Queen Consort was unveiled on Monday by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport.

The launch date was a poignant choice — Feb. 6 is the Accession Day of the late Queen Elizabeth II and marks three months until the coronation of her eldest son on May 6.

A scroll around the new site, titled “Coronation of His Majesty The King & Her Majesty The Queen Consort,” features details on the upcoming ceremony at Westminster Abbey and the festive events planned for the three-day bank holiday weekend. Getty

In another fun update, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport also released a “Coronation Celebration Playlist” on Spotify. The two-hour mix is eclectic, starting with “Come Together” by The Beatles and mostly features British groups and artists. The 27-song playlist includes Coldplay, David Bowie, Ed Sheeran, Ellie Goulding, George Ezra, Harry Styles, Queen, Jeff Beck, Rod Stewart, Sam Ryder, the Spice Girls, The Kinks, The Who and Tom Jones. In a fitting touch, the mix closes with “King” by Years & Years.

Buckingham Palace announced in October 202 that the coronation of King Charles, 74, and Queen Camilla, 75, would be held on the first Saturday in May. The royal couple will be crowned in a religious ritual by the Archbishop of Canterbury at Westminster Abbey and will step out with other members of the royal family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace following the service.

The following day, people across the U.K. are encouraged to get together with neighbors for Coronation Big Lunch parties. Originally conceived by the Eden Project, the event is intended to “boost community spirit, reduce loneliness and support charities and good causes.”

That evening, the Coronation Concert will be broadcast live from Windsor Castle. Though the performer lineup has yet to be announced, the palace has previously said the concert will welcome “global music icons and contemporary stars” supported by a world-class orchestra and dancers.

Free pairs of tickets will be made available to the public via national ballot, and the concert will also be attended by volunteers from some of the King and Queen Consort’s charity affiliations. Synchronized with the show, “Lighting up the Nation” will see iconic locations across the U.K. illuminated with projections, lasers and drone displays. King Charles and Queen Camilla. Andrew Milligan/Getty

The celebrations wrap with a bang on Monday, May 8, which Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has declared a bank holiday. U.K. citizens are invited to participate in the Big Help Out, a volunteering initiative, and give their time to good causes.

February 8, 2023
Trevor Noah jokes about Prince Harry

The much-discussed book by Prince Harry was also a subject at the 65th Grammy Awards.

Trevor Noah cracked a joke about a revealing passage in the Duke of Sussex’s memoir, Spare, while hosting the Grammys on Sunday night at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. As Noah introduced James Corden, he pointed to the excerpt from the book where Prince Harry revealed that he got frostbite during a philanthropic trip to the North Pole in 2011.

“James Corden is a 12-time Emmy winner and the host of The Late Late Show,” Noah began. “He’s also living proof that a man can move from London to L.A. and not tell everyone about his frostbitten penis.”

As seen in a clip shared on Twitter by The Telegraph reporter Jamie Johnson, the quip elicited a laugh from Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck, who were seated nearby. Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images; Karwai Tang/WireImage

Noah was a guest on the final episode of Meghan Markle’s Spotify podcast, Archetypes, which aired in November.

Prince Harry shared more than ever before in Spare, released worldwide on Jan. 10. In one personal story, the Duke of Sussex, 38, wrote that he returned home to London with frostbite in the sensitive spot after joining a group of veterans fundraising for Walking With the Wounded. The ex-servicemen set out to become the first amputees to reach the North Pole unsupported, and Harry, who completed two tours of Afghanistan during his decade in the British Army, joined the expedition. Kevin Mazur/Getty

The trek was unpredictably delayed a few days due to bad weather, forcing Prince Harry to leave early in order to attend Prince William’s April 2011 wedding to Kate Middleton. When Harry got back to the U.K., he learned the extent of his frostbite.

“Upon arriving home I’d been horrified to discover that my nether regions were frostnipped as well, and while the ears and cheeks were already healing, the todger wasn’t,” he wrote in Spare. “It was becoming more of an issue day by day.” David Cheskin/WPA Pool/Getty Images

Only time would heal the injury, though Harry first attempted a home remedy. Confiding in a friend about the painful problem, Harry said she suggested he try applying Elizabeth Arden cream — which Princess Diana used.

“I found a tube, and the minute I opened it the smell transported me through time. I felt as if my mother was right in the room,” Prince Harry wrote. ” ‘Weird’ doesn’t really do the feeling justice.”

Prince Harry and Meghan recently were among the star-studded guests to witness Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi’s surprise vow renewal. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex attended a gathering last week thought to be a 50th birthday party for de Rossi — however, the celebration turned into a vow renewal ceremony for DeGeneres and de Rossi officiated by Kris Jenner. In a video shared to The Ellen Degeneres Show‘s YouTube channel, Prince Harry and Meghan are seen among the group watching the romantic moment unfold.

Other famous faces at the event included Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Aniston, Carol Burnett, Courteney Cox, Melissa Etheridge, Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom.

February 8, 2023
We won’t support bad governance – Ato Forson

The new-elected Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has indicated that the Minority group in parliament will no longer succumb to the Akufo-Addo-led government’s poor leadership.

In his maiden speech to Parliament as a Minority Leader, Dr. Ato Forson said the minority will offer fair and unbiased, balanced, consultative, and principled leadership to ensure the Akufo-Addo and Alhaji Bawumia’s government account in a manner that helps deliver public goods.

“To you my colleagues in the Minority Caucus, we pledge to offer fair and unbiased, balanced, consultative, and principled leadership in our journey to broaden the frontiers of Parliamentary oversight and hold the Akufo-Addo & Alhaji Bawumia government to account in a manner that helps deliver public goods,” he said.

He thanked the party and colleagues for allowing him to serve, and also commended Haruna Iddrisu for his distinguished public service since 2017.

“In January 7, 2009, I took the first step in this very chamber towards becoming a representative for the people of Ajumako Enyan Essiam and contributing my quota to Ghana’s Parliamentary Democracy. Fourteen years on, from a fresh legislator, I have the unique honour of being entrusted with the leadership of the Minority Caucus in the 8th Parliament of the 4th Republic.

“I wish to convey our profound gratitude to my party, the great National Democratic Congress, and our colleagues on the Minority side for this opportunity to serve at an even higher level and help shape the trajectory of this Parliament. I want to express on behalf of my colleagues, our profound appreciation and thanks to the immediate past Minority Leader and my senior brother, the Hon Haruna Iddrisu, for his many years of distinguished public service and his sterling leadership of the Caucus since 2017,” he said.

February 8, 2023
Gyampo describes Akufo-Addo’s reshuffling of ministers as crude

A political scientist at the University of Ghana, Professor Ransford Gyampo, has stated that filling vacant positions in the government does not necessarily constitute a reorganization.

He described an insistence on not reshuffling in in the face of credible public opinion as snobbish and crude.

Prof Gyampo’s comments comes after President Akufo-Addo submission of some nominees as Ministers-designate to Parliament for vetting and approval so that he can appoint to them to their positions.

But after rumours of a pending reshuffle, the announcement of the names does not indicate a major reassignment of Ministers to key positions. Many had expected a shakeup of some sort in the Government. But the President does not seem to have seen the need to ‘shake up’ his Government.

“Filling vacant spaces in government is not coterminous with reshuffle. The intransigence about calls for reshuffle is snobbish. Refusing to pander to credible public opinion is no achievement. It is democratically crude,” Prof asserted.

Trade Minister Alan Kyeremanten and Agriculture Minister Owusu Afriyie Akoto resigned to pursue their presidential ambitions while Deputy Finance Minister Charles
Adu Boahen was relieved of his position in the wake of a bribery scandal. All of them have been replaced.

Review names and designations submitted to Parliament below for its action, according to the Parliament of Ghana.

Hon Kobina Tahiru Hammond – Minister for Trade and Industry

Hon Bryan Acheampong – Minister for Food and Agriculture

Hon Stephen Asamoah Boateng – Minister for Chieftancy and Religious Affairs

Hon Mohammed Anim Adam – Minister of State in the Finance ministry

Hon Osei Bonsu Amoah – Minister of State, Local Government

Hon Herbert Krapah – Deputy Minister for Energy

Hon Dr Stephen Amoah – Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry

February 7, 2023
Turkey-based Samuel Tetteh speaks on earthquake tragedy

With the exception of Christian Atsu, who has been rescued from the rubble, Black Stars striker Samuel Tetteh has assured Ghanaians of his and the other Ghanaian players’ safety in Turkey.

The world was thrown into a state of mourning on Monday, February 6, 2023, after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit south-central Turkey.

Ghanaians were worried about the well-being of players who ply tried trade in Turkey after it was reported that Christian Atsu was trapped under the rubble but Samuel Tetteh has shared that he was not hurt.

“I’m safe and I haven’t been hurt by what is going on in the country. We felt the earthquake here but it was not devastating like it happened in the other cities even though some of the buildings here collapsed.”

“I tried to contact all the other Ghana players in Turkey that I know and apart from Atsu whose situation was serious, they were all safe and sound.”

“The country is in a sad mood because of this tragedy and I’m hoping that they break the league. I have contacted my family, friends, and everyone around me that I’m fine and I have not been hurt. We have also heard that Atsu has been found and that is good news,” Samuel Tetteh told Happy FM monitored by GhanaWeb Sports.

Meanwhile, Black Stars player Christian Atsu has been rescued from the trap in the earthquake-ravaged city of Hayat.

“Christian Atsu has been pulled from the wreckage alive!” journalist Yağız Sabuncuoğlu, who broke news of his trapping, tweeted early Tuesday, February 7, 2023.

February 7, 2023
Ato Forson receives an “emotional” hug from Muntaka

After their first meeting in parliament, Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak, the immediate-past Minority Chief Whip, welcomed the the new leader of the Minority Caucus of Parliament, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson with an “emotional” hug.

Muntaka Mubarak, the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Asawase, told Ato Forson (MP for Ajumako Enyan Esiam), not to be in a hurry to take his new role as the minority leader.

He even rejected claims by Cassiel Ato Forson suggesting that he (Ato Forson) had a fruitful conversation with the former Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu.

“I can tell you that the meeting was not fruitful. He mentioned some measures that they had to take, but that was not done. I can tell you that he was irritated at the meeting,” Muntaka said during a press conference on Thursday.

But on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday, February 7, 2022, when Ato Forson was expected to assume his role as minority leader, the two National Democratic Congress (NDC) stalwarts appear to have put aside their differences.

GhanaWeb’s team in Parliament captured the moment where Ato Forson and Muntaka met on the floor of Parliament, before the former was announced by the Speaker of Parliament as the Minority Leader.

The two men could be seen will hugging and shaking each other’s hands and Muntaka appears to be congratulating Ato Forson.

February 7, 2023
Snr. nurse commits suicide after girlfriend threatened to breakup

A Senior Registered Nurse working at the Kpasera CHPS Compound in the Mpaha Health Zone of the Central Gonja District of the Savannah Region, Atinga Aniyiri David, has taken his life after girlfriend threatens breakup.

Information gathered by 3news.com revealed that the deceased had a misunderstanding with his girlfriend, who threatened to leave him.

Unable to live with the threats, according to reports, the nurse decided to commit suicide.

He was seen by some residents hanging on a tree with a rope tied to his neck behind the facility.

The Assembly member for the area, Japo Mohammed, was contacted and he informed police in Mpaha about the incident.

The deceased worked at the Mpaha Health Center before being transferred to Kpasera CHPS Compound two years ago.

The incharge of the facility and one other staff were not at post when the incident happened.

As at the time of filing this report, the body was being transported to the Damongo Government Hospital for autopsy and preservation.

February 7, 2023
The Lord will watch over you – Bagbin to Haruna Iddrisu

Speaker of the House, Alban Bagbin has expressed appreciation to the outgoing Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, and his team.

While welcoming lawmakers back to the House, Mr. Bagbin wished the outgoing minority leadership well in their endeavours.

“The former members of the [Minority] leadership led by Haruna Iddrisu must be applauded because their record of performance is visible for all to see, and I hope the new leadership will learn from their fountain of wisdom, trove of wealth and experience.”

“What I can say to the former leadership is, the Lord is your shepherd, you shall not want and when one door closes, another one opens and I tell you for sure that the opened doors are better and higher than the closed doors. Look at the open doors and not the closed doors and with this, I welcome all of you once more”.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) changed its leadership in Parliament on January 24, 2023.

Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson replaced Haruna Iddrisu as Minority Leader.

Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, MP for Ellembelle also replaced Ketu North MP, James Klutse Avedzi as the Deputy Minority Leader while Kwame Agbodza took over from Asawase MP Muntaka Mubarak as the Minority Chief Whip.

Ahmed Ibrahim and Comfort Doyoe-Ghansah were the only two members of the Haruna-led administration that maintained their positions as First and Second Deputy Whips respectively.

February 7, 2023
One dead after clash between herdsmen and locals in Afram Plains

At Maame Krobo, in the Kwahu Afram Plains South District of the Eastern Region, a clash between farmers and nomadic herdsmen has claimed one life.

Chairman of the Eastern Regional Security Council (REGSEC) Seth Acheampong confirmed the death after visiting the troubled area.

The conflict resurged over the weekend between farmers at Maame Krobo and nomadic herdsmen.

The farmers and residents allege the herdsmen shot one person at his home in the township.

In a reprisal attack, the inhabitants chased the herdsmen out of the community.

But the situation is still volatile as the nomadic herdsmen are suspected to be hiding in the bushes and forest areas, putting fear in the farmers who cannot visit their farms.

Wife of the deceased Rebecca Agbovi demands justice and support for her four children who she says must return to school.

“My children need to return to school, who would support me do that? Their father has been killed. Government must support me, else I will knock on the doors of the District Chief Executive everyday.”

A sub-chief at Maame Krobo, Enoch Teye Soda, demanded that the perpetrators must be dealt with.

“The man was shot in his room. They shot through his window, he only had cloth wrapped around him. This is frightening, we can’t allow this to happen. Those who did this must be dealt with. My farmers cannot even go to their farms again.”

Security presence is still heavy in the area.

Mr Acheampong, who is also the Eastern Region Minister, visited Maame Krobo and assured of public safety to enable normalcy to return to the area.

“It is our mandate to provide public safety for the community. So we are going to work at it. You can never predict that an accident would occur. Nobody thought that this would occur, but it has happened. Once it has happened, the most important thing for us is to demonstrate enough rapid response and I am very happy that the security services and the DISEC ( District Security Council) have rapidly responded to the situation at hand. We are very confident that going forward, we would restore normalcy to the community.”

He added: “Very disturbing matter for the district and those of us in the region. This is a matter that is recurring. We seek to work at it to ensure it does not recur. Unfortunately as humans we cannot allow some of these things not to occur again. For us managing public safety, our first responsibility is to ensure that there is stability, peace and people are going about their daily chores undisturbed.

“Our primary call was to restore stability and peace to the community, fortunately public safety is assured, we have enough men on ground patrolling and offering necessary protection to the community members so that they have assurance that government is behind them.”

Successive government intervention of Operation Cow leg and the provision of ranches has not yielded result in putting an end to the conflict between farmers and nomadic herdsmen in the food basket district.

The conflict results from destruction of farm crops by the herdsmen to feed cattles and reprisal attack on cattles and nomadic herdsmen, who usually are not owners of the cattles.

February 7, 2023
Police Inspector detained for improper conduct

Inspector Kennedy Martey Ampofo, who is assigned to the Sampa District Command in the Bono Region, has been interdicted by the Police Administration for professional misconduct.

A statement issued and signed by DSP Patrick Okai Kodjoe, the Acting Bono Regional Head of the Police Public Affairs Unit, said Inspector Ampofo allegedly handcuffed one Frank Kofi Adu and failed to take him through due process.

“The Police Inspector has been referred to the Police Professional Standards Bureau (PPSB) to allow for a thorough investigation into the matter”, the statement, copied to the Ghana News Agency on Tuesday, said.

February 7, 2023
Haruna Iddrisu makes first appearance in parliament after NDC reshuffle

The immediate-past Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu has been spotted in Parliament exchanging pleasantries with other legislators.

This is his first time appearing in Parliament as a former Minority leader following the NDC executive’s decision to reshuffle the Minority leadership.

On Tuesday, January, 24, the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) executives announced the change in leadership in a letter to the Speaker of Parliament.

MP for Ajumako-Enyan-Esiam, Cassiel Ato Forson, was appointed Minority Leader and MP for Adaklu Constituency, Kwame Governs Agbodza, the Deputy Minority Chief Whip.

According to the National Chairman the NDC Johnson Asiedu Nketiah the decision to reshuffle was taken two years ago.

He explained that, the out gone leaders had delivered their assignment perfectly, therefore it was time for the new leaders to take their turn.

“The leadership that we have just changed, they’ve done their part. We needed them at the time we chose them, we felt that they possess the skill set that could meet the challenges as at that time and they discharged their work creditably.

“Now, we are facing new set of emerging challenges and so it is only reasonable to go for a new set of leadership that possesses the skill set that will be able to discharge the responsibilities that have emerged because of the changing times,” he said when addressing party faithfuls in London.

However, the decision by the party met a lot controversies, as about 70 NDC MPs protested and demanded that it be reversed.

On February 6, the Council of Elders convened a crucial meeting with the Minority Caucus and the National Executive Committee (NEC), but former Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu was noticably absent.

It is believed this his absence is an indication of his opposition to the change in leadership.

Meanwhile, Mr Haruna Iddrisu is yet to break his silence over losing his position to Dr Cassiel Ato Forson.

February 7, 2023
Christian Atsu rescue was “huge and miraculous” – Local manager for Christian Atsu

Manager for Christian Atsu, Abdul Hayye Yartey, has characterized his recovery from the Turkey earthquake rubble as “huge and miraculous”.

The Ghana winger was trapped in the debris of the devastating disaster that hit Turkey on Monday dawn for 26 hours.

Yartey is relieved of the 31-year-old’s recovery alive after the building housing his apartment in Hatay collapsed, with 1000s across the globe fearing for his life. However, news broke on Tuesday of the Hatayspor attacker’s rescue.

Reacting to the development, Yartey expressed his relief and elation: “This is huge and miraculous. To be under the debris for about 24 hours and come out safe is great news. We are all happy here and we pray he didn’t suffer major injuries,” he told the Ghana News Agency.

“Yesterday, when I got in touch with his orphanage, the director told me the kids were crying and praying for his safety. Atsu helps people he comes across everywhere, and for me, there is much blessing in giving,” Yartey added.

The sporting world and wellwishers, who took to social media to express their support and prayers, are also relieved of the news of the former Chelsea, Porto, and Newcastle United star’s rescue.

Christian Atsu signed a one-year deal with Turkish Super Lig side, Hatayspor, and only scored his first goal on Sunday against Kasimpasa.

February 7, 2023
20-year-old man kills Italian-based Ghanaian woman

The Ghana Police Service is looking into the alleged murder of a Ghanaian woman based in Italy who returned to Ghana for holidays.

The woman, known only as Maa Akos, was allegedly killed by one of her neighbours at Sepe Buokrom, near Kumasi, a report by myjoyonline.com has said.

According to the report, Maa Akos sustained stab wounds from her 20-year-old neighbour, identified as Baafi.

Baafi is also said to have often visited the deceased.

According to the account of an eyewitness, Baafi was seen fleeing the scene of the crime after he had jumped out of a window in Maa Akos’ apartment.

The report added that the suspect might have used the window as access to the victim, who was in her late fifties, seeing that she lived alone on the second floor of the building.

The report also stated that some residents explained that Baafi attempted to break into the apartment some weeks ago.

That issue was however resolved, they added.

However, on the day of the crime, an eyewitness said his attention was drawn to the scene after he heard a noise suggestive of a tussle.

The noise, coming from Maa Akos’ apartment, further alarmed other residents.

Hamidu Issah, one of the residents, said “I had to call other tenants to help me break into the room. We could still hear them struggle. One tenant peeped through the window and saw blood, so we had to intensify efforts to break into the room. We entered to find a pool of blood, but the body wasn’t there. We later found it in the bathroom.

“One of the tenants saw the suspect jump out of the window. He saw blood in his palms and raised alarm.”

Some other neighbours subsequently got Baafi after tracing him.

“He pulled out a gun, threatening others. With the gun he escaped, but some people were able to arrest him and drag him back,” Hamidu added.

“Investigations are still ongoing,” the report added.

February 7, 2023
African governments’ failures have made extremists seem logical – Prof Kwesi Aning

The director of the faculty of academic affairs and research at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping and training Centre (KAIPTC), Prof. Kwesi Aning, has asserted that African politicians have failed the continent on a number of occasions and continue to do so.

He said that because of the failed promises and actions of leaders on the continent, there is a growing disconnect between what they intend to do, and what actually happens on the grounds.

“I’m going to be very frank, because more often than not in these conversations, people are way too polite. There is a disconnect between the political and economic elite and what they say and how they behave, and the [sic] of people who are uneducated and unemployed,” he said.

Prof Kwesi Aning further said that the situation is such that nothing on the continent means anything anymore to most Africans.

This, he added, has come about because of the failed promises of leaders, which have emboldened extremists to act with impunity.

“The state in Africa means absolutely nothing to the people of this continent. Our leaders have failed and they continue to fail. In their search for power, they lie – they tell stories and make promises that they know they cannot fulfil, and that disconnect creates an anger, frustration that then allows the narratives of those who want to destroy the state; the extremists, to sound rational and to give hope.

“Because those who have appropriated the leaders of this state, have failed to deliver. People are desperate and anybody who will give them hope, like a sinking or a drowning person, they’ll hang onto it. So, we need a new narrative; a narrative that gives hope predicated on trust, on self-respect, and honesty,” he said.

Prof Kwesi Aning made this known while speaking at the West African Security Roundtable – Insiders and Outsiders: Meeting the African Security Challenge in the 2020s, which was hosted by President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria, President Ernest Bai Koroma of Sierra Leone, and Dr. Greg Mills, Head of the Brenthurst Foundation.

The event, which was in partnership with the KAIPTC, forms part of a series across the region: Accra, Abidjan, Dakar, Niamey, and Abeokuta.

February 7, 2023