On Thursday, a dispute over the cost of fruit juice in a bar in Maakro in the Suame Constituency has resulted in the death of a man.
The victim identified as Adam Nabil had a heated argument with the bar attendant regarding the exact price of “Don Simon” fruit juice.
The attendant is said to have called eight heavily armed men to attack and butcher Nabil.
According to a Daily Guide report, on February 10,2023, at 11am, Moses Ndandon, brother of Adam Nabil called on the station to inform them about the incident.
A police report on the incident said, “an argument ensued between the drinking spot attendant and his brother about the price of the said fruit juice.
“In the process, the drinking spot attendant went out and called some young men numbering 8, who attacked and injured his brother with cutlasses,” the police report added.
The report added that the victim sustained severe injuries on his neck after the attack as he had deep cuts and was rushed to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.
“Photograph of victim lying in hospital bed with plaster on his neck taken,” portions of the police report stated.
Meanwhile, efforts are being made to arrest the suspects.
At Sokoban Ampayoo, Atwima Kwanwoma District, in the Ashanti Region part a gas tanker has crashed and caught fire.
According to a report by the Daily Guide newspaper, the accident, which happened on Thursday, February 9, 2023, was as a result of one of the tyres of the speeding gas tanker bursting.
The report indicated that the tyre burst when the speeding tanker got to a sharp curve which led to the driver losing control of the vehicle and it crashing into a gutter.
It added that the tanker caught fire after crashing, but the driver and his conductor managed to escape with minor injuries and were taken to a health facility by residents of Sokoban Ampayoo.
The community members then fled the scene of the accident fearing a possible gas explosion and called for the help of the Ghana National Fire Service.
An eyewitness, Kofi Boateng, is reported to have said that but for the timely intervention of the personnel of the fire service, the tanker, which was fully loaded with gas, will have exploded.
“I must confess, the firefighters have done a yeoman’s job today and they deserve to be applauded and appreciated for their hard work,” he said.
Another eyewitness, Adwoa Konadu, also said “but for the timely intervention of the firemen, surely the blaze would have exploded and caused massive destruction.”
The report added that the accident caused traffic on the Ampayoo to Sokoban road as cars from both directions had to wait for hours for the fire to be doused.
A former presidential candidate and steadfast member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sylvester Mensah, finds it encouraging to see Sophia Akuffo, a former chief justice, picketing outside the Finance Ministry in support of pensioners and other private bondholders.
Mr Mensah in a Facebook said he deduces from the CJ’s statements that she understood the voluntary nature of opting onto the DDEP,
He, however, believes the former Chief Justice only sought to articulate some of the issues “in an effort to bring clarity to how we got here, and government’s inadequate share of the burden of domestic debt restructuring.”
“She also articulated the government’s arrogant posture and the vain threat of sinking together if bondholders refuse to participate.”
The former NHIA Boss expected the former Chief Justice to have gone further to say there is a lack of confidence in the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta, “whose poor management and self-interest in the reckless borrowing over the past 6 years have brought Ghana to the edge of a cliff.”
“How do we re-fuel our bus for the same bad and reckless driver, who has driven us into a ditch to drive us “safely” home? Change the driver, Mr. President!”
“We applaud former Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo for her discerning and distinguished voice in these deeply troubling times in Ghana. It is entirely predictable that NPP apologists and grassroots attack dogs would be unleashed to devour her, but to no effect: Ghanaians have been awoken from their slumber by the super incompetence of the worst government in Ghana’s post-independence history,” he added.
On February 12, Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia cut the first sod at Akweteyman, Accra, for the Liberty Assemblies of God Hospital.
The construction of the 50-bed community hospital, is in commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Liberty Assemblies of God Church.
Vice President Bawumia, who has provided financial support as well as 500 bags of cement to the church towards the start of construction, congratulated the congregation on its 50th anniversary and also expressed delight at joining them for the groundbreaking ceremony, which he described as “a manifestation of the goodness of God”.
“It is really a pleasure and a privilege to be here,” Dr. Bawumia said.
“Liberty Assemblies of God Church is 50 years this year and I was very privileged to be with you on that day when we celebrated the 50th Anniversary. And the theme was: ‘Declaring the goodness of God’.
“This (sod cutting) is a manifestation of that theme. We are here today because we are seeing the goodness of God.
“The church, to thank God for 50 years, has decided to construct a 50-bed hospital for the community of Akweteyman.”
Dr. Bawumia, having provided the Church his support, also reiterated his commitment towards the project.
“I am so happy and so honoured to be part of it and I want to assure Reverend that I will be keeping a close eye and participating in the construction of this beautiful edifice,” he said.
“We want to see the completion in two years by the grace of God so I am one of you as we are going through this project, and we will see, by the grace of God, to its completion.
“I just want to thank all of you, Reverend in particular for making me a part and an honorary member of Liberty, of which I’m very proud. May God bless this building and may God bless all the people who are going to be working.”
Church thanks Dr. Bawumia for support
The Church expressed gratitude to the Vice President for his kind gesture and commitment towards the execution of the project.
“First of all, we wish to thank you for honouring our invitation to attend our 50th Anniversary in this local church. We also appreciate the fact that you made a giant contribution into the project we intended to undertake,” said the Head Pastor.
“Mr. Vice President, thereafter, your 500 bags of cement was received and we are grateful again. At the last visit to your home when we made you aware the project was going to begin, you duly requested that you’ll love to be part of the sod cutting.
“I was personally elated to hear that and I am happy to know that you have a keen interest in the project we are undertaking. We appreciate this,” the Head Pastor added.
On Monday, February 13, members of the Pensioner Bondholders Forum protested again at the Finance Ministry in order to demand a complete exclusion of their investments from the Domestic Debt Exchange programme (DDEP).
The government has proposed a 15% coupon rate, but the retirees have stated that they will not accept any haircuts on their investments as their livelihoods depend on the proceeds from these investments.
The bondholders were on Friday joined by the former Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo who threatened to sue the government if their pension funds are included in the debt exchange programme.
The government extended the window for bondholders to complete tender processes as part of the controversial domestic debt exchange programme.
The deadline for signing up for the programme expired on Friday, February 10, 2023.
The inhabitants of Burkina Faso who fled to Ghana have reportedly returned, according to Tahiru Issahaku Ahmed, Chief Executive for the Bawku West Municipal Assembly in the Upper East Region.
More than 4,000 Burkinabes fled to Ghana to seek refuge following attacks by suspected terrorists and militants in the country.
They sought refuge in communities including Kperigu, Natinga and others in the Bawku West Municipality.
Updating Citi News on the development, the MCE said calm has been restored to Burkina Faso hence the decision of the immigrants to return.
“Those who came from Burkina Faso, now things are calm, and they are now going back. You know some people ran and came to Bawku West because of Jihadist activities in Burkana Faso, they came to Ghana, particularly my district. They are the people who have left, they are left with just a few. I had about 4,058 of them coming into my municipality, but now I have about 195 of them,” Tahiru Issahaku Ahmed said.
Refugees from neighbouring Burkina-Faso were forced out of the country because of the activities of violent extremists.
Activities of violent extremists in Burkina-Faso in recent times led to the death of several Burkinabes.
Those who fled later sought asylum in Sapelega in the Bawku West Municipality.
They occupied uncompleted structures in the municipality.
The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey, has provided explanations for his stunned silence.
Henry Quartey who has served as the regional minister for the capital of Ghana since 2021, launched the ‘Let’s Make Accra Work’ campaign with a view of helping to bring discipline and sanity to the region.
Mr. Quartey has through this campaign demolished a number of structures at unauthorised places and waterways, and cleared some major streets of hawkers among others. He also took on persons who had built on Ramsar sites.
He also introduced the operation clean your frontage to force people living in Accra to keep their environs clean.
Mr. Quartey also succeeded in relocating onion traders from Agbogbloshie to Adjen Kotoku Market in the Ga West Municipality.
Meanwhile, the Greater Accra Regional Minister has gone on the quiet in the last few months with rumours rife that he has given up on this ‘Let’s Make Accra Work’ campaign following the massive resistance he encountered from affected persons.
Speaking for the first time following his supposed self-imposed exile, the Greater Accra Regional Minister said he was charging his battery and will bounce back strong.
“Maybe I haven’t put much petrol in the car, this is 2023, some people said I have resigned, others also said I am slow, or I have gone to bed, but I am a battery, and I am charging,” he said.
The Minister made this known when he addressed the 8th Investiture Ceremony of the Advertising Association of Ghana over the weekend.
Mr. Quartey used the opportunity to call for concerted efforts to accelerate the passage of the advertising bill to mitigate the indiscriminate mounting of billboards.
“When you go outside of this jurisdiction, billboards are properly done, it’s a system, we have to walk the talk.”
“The problem is that I need a billboard because I have to campaign and my brother [Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah] also needs a billboard, so we are not able to tell the Goro people to back off. Very soon I am going to strike about this indiscipline about billboards, mark my words; we will do the job,” Mr. Quartey said.
There are 1,622,718 Ghanaians who are 15 years or older are cohabiting or living as married couples informally.
According to the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) 2021 Population and Housing Census report, about 8.2% of the country’s population 15 years and older live together as married couples, but in actual sense are not married.
Of the 1.62 million cohabiting, 46.2% are males while the remaining majority are females – 53.8%.
A disaggregation of the data at both urban and rural levels shows about 6.8% of Ghana’s urban population 15 years and above cohabitate while the rate is relatively higher at the rural level- 10.1%, which is significantly greater than the national average of 8.2 %.
At the regional level, Ashanti region topped with about 348,045 people cohabiting followed by the Greater Accra region with 294,795 while North East recorded the least – 9,239 which is about 37 times smaller than what was recorded in the Ashanti region.
The latest data from the 2021 Population and Housing Census (PHC) also revealed that 553,065 persons in Ghana have had their marriages dissolved while 405,090 have separated.
The Gbese community, which makes up the majority of theGa State, has been given paramountcy status.
This was announced when the Gbese Mantse, Dr Nii Ayi-Bonte II and five other chiefs whose stools have been elevated to paramountcy were officially introduced to the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs at its first general meeting of the year.
At the meeting held on Thursday, February 9, 2023, at the Guggisburg Memorial Hall, Dodowa, the Vice President of the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs, Dr Nii Odai Welenstsi II, speaking on behalf of the President, Nene Klagbordjor Animley V, said the newly introduced chiefs have been duly registered in the register of the National House of Chiefs.
He added that the six have effectively become members of the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs and will hence join the meetings of the house as well as perform duties on behalf of the house.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, the Director of Communications at the Palace of the Gbese Mantse, Theophilus Wilson Edzie, underscored the significance of Gbese Stool becoming a paramountcy while describing it as long overdue.
“Gbese Mantse who has a laudable land all over the region; 92 villages; the image of the capital and the strength of Ga has finally gone through the processes to become a paramount chief,” he stated.
According to him, the elevation of the Gbese Stool should make every native “very happy, very elated and confident that we have gotten what we naturally deserve. Therefore, we are united strongly and we going to develop together,” Mr. Edzie added.
Installed as Gbese Mantse in 2007, the 16-year reign of Dr Nii Ayi-Bonte II has brought great transformation to the Gbese land.
Under his leadership, the over two century-old Gbese Mantse Palace has been demolished and is being replaced with a new 3-storey Gbese Mantse Palace Complex.
His initiatives include a scholarship fund which is helping vulnerable persons of Gbese lineage to access education.
To his credit, Dr Nii Ayi-Bonte II has led several developmental projects for his people and has provided employment to dozens of his natives.
His position as Adonten of the Ga State bequeathed with the highest number of towns and villages under his authority makes the Gbese Mantse one of the prominent traditional leaders in Ghana’s capital region.
His jurisdiction covers the Central Business District of Accra which remains key to Ghana’s socio-economic growth.
Gbese Mantse who is the President of the Gbese Traditional Council, together with Gbese Jaaseitse and the Elders of Gbese promised to promote peace, help the youth, reward persons who have worked hard and have sacrificed for the good of Gbese and finally expressed appreciation to the people of Gbese who came
On Thursday, February 16, 2023, Minister of Finance Ken Ofori-Atta is expected to address the legislature and discuss the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP).
The Deputy Majority Leader, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, made this known on Friday, February 10, 2023, when he presented the Business Statement for the coming week to the House.
This comes after the Speaker of Parliament,Alban Bagbin’s ruling, following calls by MPs to summon the finance minister to furnish the House with details of the programme.
The MPs, earlier this week, argued that it is unacceptable for parliament and the general public not to have been furnished with the full details of the DDEP, a situation they say continues to fuel anxiety about the exercise.
MP for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, had earlier noted that the government is acting contrary to what the finance minister had promised in the 2023 budget, announcing the details of the debt exchange programme before its implementation.
The failure, he said, has led to some challenges in its implementation, including the recent picketing by affected pensioners and individual bond holders at the ministry.
“Ghanaians are genuinely concerned about their life savings and investments, and this House is yet to be briefed. We have not debated this programme and yet the Ministry of Finance is going ahead to implement this debt exchange programme which they say is a condition for the ongoing IMF engagements.
“The Minister of Finance must appear before us and we must debate and agree exactly what should be the nature of this Domestic Debt Exchange Programme, who should be exempted and the implications – what are the full ramifications on the Ghanaian economy and on the affected citizens who are currently living in anguish, in pain and great anxiety,” he said.
For the second week of the legislative session, which ends on Friday, February 17, the minority has threatened to vote against the business statement.
On Friday, February 10, 2023, after the Deputy Majority leader, Alexander Afenyo Markin read the business statement for next week, the minority leader, Caissel Ato Forson, raised concerns that the agenda that was discussed did not include Public Elections (Registration of Voters) Regulations, 2023.
“… Mr Speaker at the meeting, I have a copy of the draft of the agenda we discussed. But to my surprise, I have seen an introduction of the C1 which was never discussed at the business committee meeting. But the deputy majority leader who did not attend business committee meeting stood here and made a pronouncement that this was agreed upon. Mr Speaker I am deeply disappointed in the Clerks for allowing this to be smuggled into a business statement. This can never be allowed.
“Mr Speaker if that is the way this administration of the house, Mr Speaker this side of the house is ready for them,” Ato Forson said.
The Public Elections (registration of Voters) Regulations, 2023 was captioned in page 4 (iii)(e) of presentation of papers.
The Deputy Minority Chief Whip, Ahmed Banda, who described the business statement as a smuggled report said the house will not entertain it in the chamber.
Mr. Banda added that the Deputy Majority Chief Whip in parliament, Frank Annor Dompreh, had indicated they would smuggle the CI in the business statement and he truly did.
He added that the was a directive that the EC chairperson should appear before the house and brief them on the CI which includes the rationale behind the CI.
Ahmed Banda said the EC chairperson did not appear before the house and yet the issue has still been brought into the business statement.
In response, Alexander Afenyo-Markin said that the report should not be rejected if the minority merely disagrees but that it should be put on hold.
“Sometimes when your brother disagrees with you and you believe in a solution, you could grant us a temporal leave. Today is Friday. I will want to yield to the views expressed that we place the issue of the CI on ice for now. In other words, it won’t be part of the report,” Afenyo-Markin added.
The Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei Owusu in his ruling said the majority did not deny that the CI was not part of the business arranged for the week.
“So, what has not been agreed should be excluded and if you discuss and you agree. The leader can make another statement on what was agreed. So, lets exclude what was not part of the business arrange of the week and proceed with what has been arranged for the week,” Joe Wise said.
Engage leadership of Parliament or forget new C.I – Speaker to EC
In October 2022, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin vowed to stop the laying of a new constitutional instrument (CI) if the Electoral Commission fails to seek audience with the leadership of parliament.
The commission announced the new C.I which seeks to make the Ghana Card the only proof of nationality for its impending limited registration exercise which will soon be presented to parliament.
The move has attracted stiff opposition from the NDC and some civil society groups.
According to a statement from the Nash County Sheriff’s Office, authorities in North Carolina have charged a 72-year-old grandmother for beating her 8-year-old granddaughter to death.
Authorities said the fatal incident happened on Tuesday, adding that the Sheriff’s Office was informed about a juvenile who had been taken to Nash UNC Healthcare’s emergency room with severe injuries. Officials also said the minor was pronounced dead upon arrival.
“Based on the investigation, it was determined that the 8-year-old juvenile was beaten so severe by the grandmother that she died from the injuries,” the Sheriff’s Office said in the statement. “The child had severe injuries throughout her entire body and head.”
The suspect, identified as Patricia Ricks, has since been charged with one count of first-degree murder and one count of felonychild abuse with serious injury. Authorities said the victim was one of six children that were staying with Ricks at her residence. She was also their legal guardian. In a news conference, Sheriff Keoth Stone said the other children have since been taken into state custody.
“The Grandmother was transported to the Sheriff’s Office, where she made no statement,” authorities said. Ricks is being held without bond at the Nash County Detention Center.
The representative for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, believes that Ken Ofori-Atta, the finance minister, can restore Ghana’s economy.
According to the MP calls by some of his colleagues in parliament for the president to dismiss the finance minister will rather stagnate the efforts of government to restore the economy.
Speaking in an interview on Badwam on Adom tv, Annoh-Dompreh noted that the finance minister should be allowed to work as he revives the Ghana economy.
“I think we are making progress. The times dictate that we should be at peace with each other. Before I say anything it means I have spoken to people. Now it appears things are getting better so we have to keep things running,” the Majority Chief Whip said.
His statement comes on the back of a call by the Member of Parliament for Asante Akim North, Andy Appiah-Kubi for president Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to honour his promise to fire Ken Ofori-Atta.
Ofori-Atta was untouched in a recent ministerial shakeup that saw Akufo-Addo nominate seven persons for ministerial and deputy positions in his government.
Annoh-Dompreh also called on the NPP in parliament to unite in breaking the 8 in the 2024 election by allowing the finance minister to retain his office.
“We are ready to break the 8 but we need unity among ourselves, “he said.
The majority chief Whip who has openly declared his support for the Vice President believes the majority in parliament should look at the larger picture of the 2024 general election, though he respects the views of those calling for the removal of the finance minister.
The assertions of Annoh-Dompreh have been shared by some members of the majority who are confident the finance minister should be allowed the fix the economy rather than replace him.
A lecturer at the University of Cape Coast (UCC), specifically, the Department of Mathematics has been awarded a $30,000 Google research grant to carry out Artificial Intelligence research (AI) research.
The award was granted to Dr Stephen Moore, who is also a co-founder of Ghana Natural Language Processing (Ghana NLP), to accelerate research in natural language processing (NLP) in low-resource languages in Ghana and Africa.
Natural Language Processing is a branch of Artificial Intelligence (AI) that is focused on how computers can process languages as humans do.
Since 2020, Dr Moore and his colleagues at Ghana NLP have been developing tools for both text and speech translation of low-resource languages including Twi, Dagbani, Ewe, Ga, Guruni, Igbo, etc.
At the re-opening of Google’s new office in Accra, Ghana, in 2022, Dr Moore presented the state of the art of NLP development in Ghana and the opportunities the country will gain by training and developing young people for the future.
He presented the first Ghanaian Language translator; Khaya, that has been launched by Ghana NLP together with Algorine (a partner company of Ghana NLP).
The app uses state-of-the-art language models from NLP with the ambition to create a unified translator for several languages in Africa.
Google gave the gift in recognition of Ghana NLP’s efforts towards both development of such important tools and the training of volunteers at Ghana NLP.
Ghana NLP is a social enterprise seeking to make NLP accessible to Ghanaians through training, workshops and seminars. It is the first of such awards Google has granted to any Ghanaian researcher.
The recently-retired Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana, Sophia Akuffo, has urged the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, to revise his plans and come up with a strategy that will exclude bondholders.
“The Minister of Finance had better go back to the drawing board and come back with a better proposal, otherwise nobody is going to… I am encouraging people not to agree to sign up for anything, and if need be, we can all go to court,” she said.
Sophia Akuffo said this when she joined pensioners who are picketing at the finance minister’s office against his decision to include the investment of pensioners in the government’s Domestic Debt Exchange Programme.
The pensioners have vehemently rejected the move, stating that they do not want their monies included in the programmebecause they survive on the returns on such investments.
The former Chief Justice, who clarified that she was not affected by DDEP, said she was there in solidarity with her fellow retirees.
She stressed that these retirees have served the nation well and do not deserve the treatment they are being given.
“These are all people who have worked. They have worked very hard. They could have left the country when others were going, but they stayed and worked for the nation. And we’ve had our ups and downs and everything… We have been through times when all your savings have become nonsense due to some government policy… quite a number of people here today when they retired, they put everything in government bonds,” she added.
Ghana is seeking an IMF bailout of $3 billion, but the Fund wants to be sure that the government’s debts are sustainable, hence the voluntary Domestic Debt Exchange Programme to deal with its domestic debts.
It has also come up with some measures, including the country joining the Paris Club to deal with its international debts – to have the foreign debts delayed or forgiven.
With the DDEP, the government is seeking to restructure approximately GH¢137.3 billion of the domestic debts it accrued through bonds it issued, including the E.S.L.A. Plc and Daakye Trust Plc, and per the requirement of the IMF, 80 percent of the country’s total debts must be subject to this debt exchange programme.
Two vehicles have resulted in a gory accident on Lapaz road, today, Friday February 10, opposite the Goil Filling Station in Accra between Lapaz and Flatop.
The gory accident involved a Toyota Vitz and a Hyundai Getz.
A video captured by an eyewitness and shared with GhanaWeb showed a completely hammered Hyundai Getz that had somersaulted and was in the middle of the road.
The Toyota Vitz, on the other hand, had less severe damage, with only its bonnet and sides bent.
Some onlookers could be seen turning the somersaulted Hyundai Getz and moving it out of the way since it had caused traffic.
The witness, who spoke to GhanaWeb, said that three people were in the Hyundai Getz, and they sustained various degrees of injuries.
Two other people were also in the Toyota Vitz, but none of them was seriously injured.
The Ghana Police Service has yet to comment on the accident.
Hon. Isaac Yaw Opoku, Member of Parliament for Offinso South Constituency and Chair of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament, who supervised the review of GIFEC’s statement of operations and financial position, praised the organization for its strong operational and financial position.
GIFEC is an Implementing Agency of the Ministry of Communications and Digitalization in charge of programs to close the Digital Divide.
He observed that GIFEC posted an impressive 7.2% increase in the surplus of income over expenditure, compared to the previous year, significantly improving its liquidity, as a result.
He concluded that GIFEC’s “financial position is very good. Non-current assets increased by 14.5%, and current assets by 20.1%. Their liquidity position is very strong and (has) even improved over the previous year. In fact, they did well and need to be commended.”
In the progress of the Ghana Rural Telephony and Digital Inclusion Project (GRT&DIP), GIFEC’s flagship project, Mr. Prince Ofosu Sefah, Administrator (CEO) of GIFEC commented on its unprecedented nature, began in late 2020.
He mentioned that 473 out of the 1,008 (50% of the planned 2,016 Rural Mobile Sites being deployed by the Project) have completed and are active and delivering voice and data services to citizens.
He assured the Committee that plans are far advanced and efforts are being expedited to resolve all technical difficulties being encountered, to ensure that the remaining Sites are all built and activated this year.
He concluded that equipment for the construction of the remaining 50% of the 2,016 Sites is actually in the country, awaiting funding for deployment, which is expected in the near future.
The GRT&DIP forms part of GIFEC’s flagship Rural Telephony Programme, which is funded by the Government of Ghana (GoG), through a strategic agreement with Huawei and China National Technical Import & Export Corporation (CNTIC), funded by the China EXIM Bank to establish 2,016 Rural Telephony Sites in as many communities across the country, envisioned to provide mobile network coverage to about 3.4 million more citizens.
GIFEC supervises the implementation of this Project, working with Technical Partners, on behalf of the Government of Ghana, represented by the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation (MoCD). This unprecedented Project has been spearheaded by the Honourable Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, who also chairs the Board of Trustees of GIFEC, position she has held since 2017.
The immediate-past Chief Justice of Ghana, Sophia Akuffo, has stated that she is able free to share her genuine thoughts without restriction since she no longer occupies a government position.
Speaking with the media at the forefront of the Ministry of Finance in Accra, Madam Akuffo voiced her displeasure against government’s Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP) as she stood with the many pensioners who picketed at the Finance Ministry.
“Let me see you doing something serious because we’ve seen these sorts of things for a very long time. I’m over 70 now, and I’m no longer a government employee. My mouth has been ungagged and I’m talking and I’m saying what I feel and it is important that, the elderly in this nation…”
“There are quite a number of people here today, who retired last year, last two years. When they retired, they put everything into government bonds and now all of a sudden, you virtually want to, at gunpoint, force them to agree with you that the repayment of their investment or yields of their investments should be as you dictate it. Why?
“Why are we in the mess we are in, nobody has fully explained it to us, yes debts, we took debts, what was it used for? Where is the accountability? You are not telling us about how you are going to make things better but just ‘help me and I’ll help you’ no, you help yourself first.
The immediate-past Chief Justice of Ghana, who was appointed by the sitting president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, explained that she is there with the pensioners out of solidarity.
She stated that while she is not going to be affected by the government’s DDEP, she finds it wicked for the government to sacrifice the profits of retirees – people who have sacrificed for Ghana, just so that it is able to solve its own problems in managing the economy.
“This is just by God’s grace that I’m not included and it’s very heart-breaking to see people of, particularly, this age group – some are a bit older than me, some are somewhat a bit younger than me, but these are all people who have worked, worked very hard. They could have left the country when others were leaving, they left, they stayed, they worked for the nation and we’ve had our ups and downs and everything but bit by bit.
“A lot of us are from the generation where you were encouraged to save for tomorrow. We’ve been through times when all your savings become nonsense because of some government policy. Then over the years, bit by bit, people have become more confident in the economy, in investments and all that,” she added.
She stressed that it is unlawful for the government to be pushing this agenda, including profits of pensioners who have invested in bonds.
“I find this wicked; I find it disrespectful; I find it unlawful; I find it totally wrong. Period. Because you don’t solve your problems by sacrificing your aged. That’s the last thing you should do especially when we don’t have any services that are specially geared at the comfort and the relief of the aged,” she added.
Sophia Akuffo, the first person to be appointed by President Akufo-Addo as Ghana’s Chief Justice, has expressed her displeasure with the leader for attempting to address his financial issues by manipulating the weak.
She said that it is wickedness for the government to sacrifice the profits of people who have worked their entire lives serving the country, just so that it can solve its own problems of fixing the economy.
Speaking at the forefront of the Ministry of Finance in Accra, where some pensioners have been picketing since Monday, February 6, 2023, she said the last thing the Akufo-Addo government should have been done was to think of touch pension funds.
“I find this wicked; I find it disrespectful; I find it unlawful; I find it totally wrong. Period. Because you don’t solve your problems by sacrificing your aged. That’s the last thing you should do especially when we don’t have any services that are specially geared at the comfort and the relief of the aged,” she said.
The immediate-past Chief Justice of Ghana joined her fellow retirees at the Ministry of Finance on Friday, February 10, 2023, to picket over the government’s intention to involve the bonds of pensioners in its Domestic Debt Exchange Programme.
Sophia Akuffo, the recently-retired Chief Justice of Ghana, has joined the pensioners picketing in Accra at the Ministry of Finance.
The pensioners have been picketing at the premises of the ministry since Monday, February 6, 2023, over the government’s plan to involve their bonds in the Domestic Debt Exchange programme.
Captured in a front-seat position at the premises of the Ministry of Finance, the former Chief Justice has in hand a wooden placard.
Her placard read: “We use our bond yields to pay our: rents, medical bills, electricity, water bills.”
A lecturer on governance at Central University, Dr. Benjamin Otchere-Ankrah, has expressed his concern for impending instability at the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
This follows the appointments of Kobina Tahiru Hammond and Stephen Amoah by President Akufo-Addo as Minister of Trade and Industry and Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, respectively.
The appointments of the two became necessary after Alan Kyerematen, the former minister, tendered in his resignation in January 2023 so that he could focus on his presidential ambitions.
But reacting to the news of the appointment of the two while speaking on Peace FM and monitored by GhanaWeb, Dr. Benjamin Otchere-Ankrah said that knowing Stephen Amoah, the Member of Parliament for Nhyiaeso, the way he does, someone needs to speak with him.
He said that with the two personalities heading the Ministry of Trade and Industry, if care is not taken, it might result in a very chaotic situation at the ministry.
“When you take a look at the trade ministry, Sticker is my friend. He is hot; he does not lose arguments. He can go on with you for even three months without stopping. And then KT Hammond is also hot and now the two of them have been sent to one ministry.
“I plead that if the elders will speak with the two of them, it will help, otherwise, I see fire ahead.
Stressing that he is not one to wish such people doom, Dr. Otchere-Ankrah said that it is necessary that there is a balance between the personalities and energies of the people asked to be at the helm of organisations, even more so politically.
“I am not a prophet of doom, but there should be a balance of hot and cold so that must be looked at,” he stressed.
Among the new appointments made by President Nana Akufo-Addo to his government are Bryan Acheampong as Minister of Food and Agriculture; Stephen Asamoah Boateng as Minister of Chieftaincy and Religious Studies; Mohammed Amin Adam, Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance; and Osei Bonsu Amoah as Minister of State for Local Government.
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 19TH 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 19th August, 2022, the plaintiffs, herein, filed a writ against the defendant, herein seeking the reliefs hereunder:
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.
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.
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.
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
An order for a perpetual injunction restraining the defendant from holding herself out and putting up as the Ohemea of Sakyikrom
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
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.
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 1st Plaintiff in the Chief of Sakyikrom, having been so nominated, elected, installed, and enstooled as the Chief of Sakyikrom in 2014. That, the 2nd 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 3rd plaintiff herein, is the Abusuapanyin of Boafi Royal Ruling House of Sakyikrom Stool of Sakyikrom. That the 4th, 5th, 6th and the 7th 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 1st 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, 5th September, 2020 at the 7th 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 2nd 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 1st 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 25th 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 2nd 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 9th 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 1st 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 1st 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 1st 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 1st plaintiff has committed serious crimes that makes him unclean to call himself chief and that, 1st 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 1st 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 14th December, 2022, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 6th and 7th plaintiffs herein were present while the 4th and 5th 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 11th 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 11th 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 19th January, 2023.
On the 19th 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 2nd 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 2nd 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 1st 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, 1st 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 1st 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 1st plaintiff herein had been destooled, disposed of had abdicate the stool as Sakyikromhene. We are therefore of the opinion that, 1st 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 1st 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 2nd 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 2nd 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:
That the defendant has no legal right to enstool a chief while the 1st 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
That the defendant herein should as a matter of urgency reverse the curse invoked on the 2nd 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
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
That the defendant herein and her supporters should hand over all possessions and occupation of the Palace to the 1st plaintiff as well as other stool properties in their possession within thirty (30) days from today
A cost of twenty thousand Ghana cedis (GH¢20,000.00) is awarded to the plaintiffs
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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”.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.’
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.”
