TIG Post

Author: Phoebe Martekie Doku

  • There are six different signatures between Kusi Boateng and Adu Gyamfi – Ablakwa alleges

    There are six different signatures between Kusi Boateng and Adu Gyamfi – Ablakwa alleges

    Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has alleged that embattled secretary of the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral uses different signatures on documents available to him.

    This is in addition to earlier allegations that the Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng uses two distinct names (the other being Kwabena Adu Gyamfi) both with different dates of birth on official documents.

    Ablakwa has also provided evidence that shows that Kusi Boateng has used two different names in respect of his mother in filling forms and also has two different Tax Identification Numbers (TIN).

    Commenting on the issue of signatures during an interview on Accra-based Radio Gold (Januray 18), Ablakwa dismissed the reverend’s claim that his ‘revelations’ were part of a malicious agenda.

    What Ablakwa said:

    “Who has the audacity to talk about malicious agenda, and he even forgets that that is not the signature he uses when he is writing under Victor Kusi Boateng, he forgets.

    “There are so many things I haven’t put out yet. I have six signatures for him. I am waiting for him at CHRAJ (Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice),” he added before showing evidence to the host of two different signatures in respect of Kusi Boateng and Adu Gyamfi.

    “He even forgot… I have six signatures for him, he was confused. He forgets, he forgets all of that. He should deal with me and stop these empty threats about future court suits. He has forgotten the signatures he uses when he is Victor Kusi Boateng,” Ablakwa stressed.

    Ablakwa goes after Rev. Kusi Boateng and JNS Talent Center

    Ablakwa dragged Reverend Kusi Boateng to CHRAJ early last week after publishing, on social media, a series of allegations against the clergyman in respect of payments by the National Cathedral to JNS Talent Center, a company closely associated with Kusi Boateng.

    Among other allegations, the MP alleged irregular payments of some GHC2.6 million from the National Cathedral accounts to JNS, where Rev. Kusi Boateng is listed as a director with his other ‘official name ‘Kwabena Adu Gyamfi.’

    The Cathedral has formally rejected the allegations of irregular payment explaining that the accused only extended a loan to the board and was later paid a full refund without interest.

    SARA

    There are six different signatures between Kusi Boateng and Adu Gyamfi – Ablakwa alleges

    Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has alleged that the embattled secretary of the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral uses different signatures on documents available to him.

    This is in addition to earlier allegations that Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng uses two distinct names (the other being Kwabena Adu Gyamfi), both with different dates of birth on official documents.

    Ablakwa has also provided evidence that shows that Kusi Boateng has used two different names, in respect of his mother, in filling out forms and also has two different Tax Identification Numbers (TIN).

    Commenting on the issue of signatures during an interview on Accra-based Radio Gold (Januray 18), Ablakwa dismissed the reverend’s claim that his ‘revelations’ were part of a malicious agenda.

    What Ablakwa said:

    “Who has the audacity to talk about malicious agenda, and he even forgets that that is not the signature he uses when he is writing under Victor Kusi Boateng, he forgets.

    “There are so many things I haven’t put out yet. I have six signatures for him. I am waiting for him at CHRAJ (Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice),” he added before showing evidence to the host of two different signatures in respect of Kusi Boateng and Adu Gyamfi.

    “He even forgot… I have six signatures for him; he was confused. He forgets, he forgets all of that. He should deal with me and stop these empty threats about future court suits. He has forgotten the signatures he uses when he is Victor Kusi Boateng,” Ablakwa stressed.

    Ablakwa goes after Rev. Kusi Boateng and JNS Talent Center

    Ablakwa dragged Reverend Kusi Boateng to CHRAJ early last week after publishing on social media, a series of allegations against the clergyman in respect of payments by the National Cathedral to JNS Talent Center, a company closely associated with Kusi Boateng.

    Among other allegations, the MP alleged irregular payments of some GHC2.6 million from the National Cathedral accounts to JNS, where Rev. Kusi Boateng is listed as a director with his other ‘official name, ‘Kwabena Adu Gyamfi.’

    The Cathedral has formally rejected the allegations of irregular payment, explaining that the accused only extended a loan to the board and was later paid a full refund without interest.

  • Audit expenditure of National Cathedral project– Dr. Perbi to gov’t

    Audit expenditure of National Cathedral project
    – Dr. Perbi to gov’t

    Global CEO of the HuD Group, Dr. Yaw Perbi, is calling for an audit on the amount spent so far on the National Cathedral project.

    Since 2022, the National Cathedral project has been marred with a number of scandals. The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has
    been on a quest to uncover what he deems dishonesty at the National Cathedral Secretariat.

    He alleges that around GH2.6 million was given to a business controlled by Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng, a member of the cathedral’s board, without reasonable explanation.

    Amidst the allegations, Mr Perbi has suggested that government should halt ongoing works on the project in order to give a vivid update to Ghanaians, as well as clear the air.

    “If we decide to move forward after the audit, I suggest we give it time. If it is not Nana Akufo-Addo’s cathedral but Ghana’s, then let’s take our time to do it. We also need to be transparent. There is too much darkness surrounding the project. Let us also allow God’s people to build God’s church.”

    “Lastly, we must be as passionate about our software as we are about the hardware bearing in mind that God does not just require the building but is interested in our values, behaviours, attitudes, and systems,” he added.

    The National Cathedral project was launched by the Akufo-Addo-led administration in March 2017 as a concrete expression of the nation’s societal harmony, spirituality, and unity.

    The $360 million interdenominational cathedral will have a 5,000-seat auditorium, chapels, and a baptistery. Its completion has been scheduled for March 2024,
    but currently, construction works have been suspended due to lack of funds.

    Amid an economy deemed to be in crisis, some Ghanaians believe constructing a cathedral is not the optimal way to utilise the country’s scarce resources.

    Despite the criticisms against the President, he has pledged to complete the construction of the building.

  • DDE programme : Pensioners suspend plans to mass up today at Finance Ministry

    DDE programme : Pensioners suspend plans to mass up today at Finance Ministry

    Pensioners Bondholders Forum has rescinded its decision to picket at the Finance Ministry today, Monday, January, 23.

    Earlier, the forum announced its intentions to mass up at the Ministries after the government’s decision to include pension bondholders in its Domestic Debt Exchange Programme.

    Speaking to the media on January 13, 2023, the Convener of the Forum, Dr Adu A. Antwi, revealed that it had previously petitioned the government concerning the
    said issue, yet that has still not yielded the desired results.

    “We have also petitioned key stakeholders in the country, including the Speaker of Parliament, the Council of State, the National House of Chiefs, the Christian Council of Ghana, the Office of the Chief Imam, the National Peace Council, and the Catholic Bishops Conference, about our displeasure on the issue,” he added.


    The forum informed the police about its plans to gather at the Ministry of Finance. However, the pensioners indicated in a press release issued prior to the protest that it had already started the process of engagement with former Presidents John Agyekum Kufuor and John Dramani Mahama.

    This, it explained is “to seek their sympathy, support, and intervention for our cause.”

    It added that “As a result of these engagements, we have cancelled our intended convergence at the premises of the Ministry of Finance on Monday 23rd of January 2023, and informed the Police accordingly”.


    However, the forum was quick to add that should the engagements birth to no results, it will have no other option than to “take action should the need arise.”

    As part of Ghana’s Domestic Debt Exchange Programme launched last year, bondholders were encouraged to willingly exchange about GH¢137 billion in domestic notes and bonds of the Republic for a package of new bonds.

    In light of this, a series of four new bonds with maturities in 2027, 2029, 2032, and 2037 were to replace the old domestic bonds as of December 1, 2022.

    In 2023, this new series of bonds will have 0% coupons, followed by 5% coupons in 2024 and 10% coupons beginning in 2025, whereby, coupon payments will
    be made every six months.

  • Man reportedly kills son for being stubborn

    Man reportedly kills son for being stubborn

    A farmer in his late 40’s has allegedly shot his son after a quarrel.

    The son, whose name has been given as Ankoo, 25, according to 3news.com, died on the spot at the Ahuntumanu community.

    Confirming the incident, an Assembly member for the area Stephen Ackah stated that the suspect, identified as uncle Awortwe, confronted his son about his bad behavior, which included stealing valuable items from his house whenever he visited.

    However, during the last visit, he attempted to take his father’s hunting gun away, but his father got upset and shot him.

    “The information I have gathered is that the son who is now deceased has become a burden on his father due to his bad attitude. He lives in Kwesimintsim, and whenever he visits his father, he steals almost everything in the house and sells it.

    “His father has been complaining on several occasions, but he is not changing his bad attitude. So, it is alleged that he came to visit his father and exhibited a similar attitude; this time, he wanted to take his hunting gun away. His father got frustrated and shot him.” 3news.com quoted Stephen Ackah.

    Stephen Ackah added that the sound of the gunshot made members of the community rush to the scene, only to find his son dead in a pool of blood.

    “They heard gunshots and rushed to their house, but they only found the lifeless body of Ankoo in a pool of blood. He was already dead,” he added.

    Meanwhile, the Ahanta West District Police Command has apprehended uncle Awortwe and launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate incident.

    The lifeless body of the deceased has been deposited at the mortuary for autopsy.

  • Fire razes girls dormitory at Wa Sec Tech

    Fire razes girls dormitory at Wa Sec Tech

    A fire breakout destroying a piece of the main girls’ dormitory block at Wa Sec Tech has left over 200 students stranded.

    The inferno started at about 8:00 pm last night, destroying five rooms and the belongings of the girls in the one-story dormitory block.

    It took the intervention of personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service to bring the disaster under control, thereby preventing the fire from destroying the entire dormitory block.

    Assistant Divisional Fire Officer, Iddrisu Imran who led the team of firefighters to the scene disclosed that the immediate cause of the fire was not known but that his outfit had commenced investigations into the disaster that rendered the over 200 girls homeless.

    “The top floor of about five rooms was affected. The fire started burning before we were called. We are trying our best to quench the fire. There are no casualties, some of them were shocked and have been sent to the nearest health facility,” he stated.

  • Individual bondholders committee to complete work this week

    Individual bondholders committee to complete work this week

    By the end of this week, the joint technical committee that is addressing the issues raised by certain bondholders should have concluded its duty.

    The committee comprising representatives from the government and the bondholders have been meeting and exchanging ideas since Thursday, January 19, 2023.

    According to Citi News sources, the bondholders who held a town hall meeting on Sunday welcomed the idea of the committee only if it helps in exempting them from the programme.

    In an interview with Citi News, one of the lawyers for the bondholders, Martin Kpebu indicated that his clients are only in favour of a decision that excludes them from the debt exchange programme.

    “So for them, they are happy as long as the result will be that individual bondholders are exempted. So it’s not like they wholeheartedly embrace the committee. They gave a caveat that this committee is welcomed only if it results in the exemption of individual bondholders. That is the kind of reception it had. Let’s hope that the committee will finish up its work this week and present its report and that the Finance Minister will grant a 100% exemption of individual bondholders from the DDE. We will finish [our work] this week,” Martin Kpebu expressed.

  • Out of $605k in unaccounted monies, Paramount Chiefs received $45,000 – Auditor-General

    Out of $605k in unaccounted monies, Paramount Chiefs received $45,000 – Auditor-General

    A total of GH 605,962 was unaccounted for at the peak of the pandemic, according to the Auditor General‘s audit on Covid-19 expenditures.

    Breaking it down, the Audit Service noted that government contrary to the public financial management regulation distributed GH¢451,800.00 directly to the Paramount Chiefs of the Traditional Councils.

    This, according to the report, was to help Ghana’s fight against the pandemic.

    The report reveals that GH¢154,161.97 of the funds transferred was misapplied.

    “The Registrars of Ashanti and Central Regional Houses of Chiefs explained that the amounts were disbursed to the Paramount Chiefs upon directives from the Presidents of the Houses.

    “The Registrar, Brong Ahafo said he was not at post during the period, whilst the other five Registrars could not assign reasons for the lapse,” parts of the report read.

    It is in view of this, that the Auditor-General concluded that the unaccounted funds were misappropriated or misapplied.

    The Audit Service further recommended that the Chief Director should ensure the Registrars of the eight Houses of Chiefs recover the total amount of GH¢605,961.97 from Chiefs failing which the Chief Director should pay the amount into the Auditor General’s Recoveries account.”

  • Ken Agyapong defends 2019 campaign against ‘fake’ prophets at Owusu Bempah’s church

    Ken Agyapong defends 2019 campaign against ‘fake’ prophets at Owusu Bempah’s church

    On Sunday, January 22, 2023, a flagbearer hopeful of the New Patriotic Party(NPP), Kennedy Agyapong visited the Glorious Word Power Ministry International, a Christian denomination founded and led by Reverend Isaac Owusu Bempah.

    Kennedy Agyapong who was given the opportunity to share a sermon with the congregants built his preaching on the Bible’s position on how fake prophets will abound in the end times.

    The Assin Central lawmaker referenced a 2019 campaign he embarked against some Christians leaders he believed to be charlatans who were parading as prophets.

    Kennedy Agyapong said that some Christians misconstrued his crusade as one against the Christian faith explaining that he was doing what a good Christian ought to do which is expose people whose actions bring shame to the faith.

    He stated emphatically that he believes in the Bible and is a devout Christian but will not sit unconcerned for some persons to fleece people in the name of Christianity.

    “The topic I intend to teach is the same verse Reverend Owusu Bempah chose. In 2019, I started a crusade to expose pastors and prophets who are fake. Some of the affected persons were preaching that I was anti-Christ so when I went to certain churches, the pastors told me I was anti-Christ.

    “The topic by Reverend Owusu Bempah shows you what I was trying to do. My first verse is 1st Kings 19:24-40 and it talks about Elijah and the Prophets of Baal. We are in the end times and that is exactly what we are experiencing.

    “We have good prophets and bad ones. Just as the disciples asked Jesus to show them how to pray. We should ask Reverend Owusu Bempah how we can detect the good prophets. If he had lied, I would have exposed him but his topic aligns with mine. He has shown the difference between genuine prophets and bad ones,” he said.

    Kennedy Agyapong’s visit to the Glorious Word Power Ministry International follows a similar visit to the Parliament House Chapel weeks back.

    On December 31, 2022 Kennedy Agyapong visited the church owned by Prophet Amoako Atta who is on record to have prophesied that the Assin Central MP will one day run the affairs of this country.

    Kennedy Agyapong is the second high-profile member of the NPP to have visited Reverend Owusu Bempah’s church after Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia on December 25, 2022.

  • Fifi Kwetey pays a visit to Ketu South

    Fifi Kwetey pays a visit to Ketu South

    The general secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, has paid a visit to his home district to convey his gratitude to the local chiefs and populace.

    The NDC party executive was the immediate past Member of Parliament for the Ketu South constituency until 2020 when he stepped down, making way for the current legislator, Abla Dzifa Gomashie.

    In photos and videos shared online, Fifi Kwetey shared his excitement at returning home, adding that he felt really at home.

    “Over the weekend, I was in Ketu South. It was such a wonderful experience to return to the constituency where I grew up and once served as an MP. I sincerely appreciate the warm reception I received from the religious leaders, traditional authorities, party executives and the good people of the area,” he wrote on Facebook.

    The visit by the NDC General Secretary was done in the company of the sitting MP, Dzifa Gomashie; the Volta Regional Chairman, Mawutor Agbavitor; and other executives of the party.

    The team met with constituency executives and engaged in a number of activities geared towards rekindling the spirit of patriotism in their members.

    The team also visited some churches in the community.

    “I thanked the leadership of both churches for their support to the NDC and Ghana and appealed to them not to relent in their efforts to make the nation better, great and strong,” he added.

    Fifi Fiavi Kwetey and the team also paid homage to Togbui Fiti Adzonugagag Amenya V, the Paramount Chief of the Aflao Traditional Council; as well as Togbui Addo of the Klikor Traditional Area, and Tigbui Adamah of Some Traditional Area.

    “My tour ended with a visit to my hometown, Nogokpo, where I paid homage to the chief, Togbui Sabah,” he added.

    Fifi Kwetey was elected as General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) at their recent National Delegates Congress, where he beat competition from the likes of Elvis Afriyie Ankrah and Dr Peter Boamah Otokunor.

    The congress also saw the election of Johnson Asiedu Nketiah as the National Chairman of the party, beating the incumbent, Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo.

  • Banking sector is going to crash – Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah predicts doom as DDEP negotiations continue

    Banking sector is going to crash – Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah predicts doom as DDEP negotiations continue

    If the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP) is not handled properly, Dr. Mark Assibey-Yeboah, a former chairman of the Parliamentary Finance Committee, has predicted doom for the financial sector.

    The former Member of Parliament for New Juaben South does not see any light in the immediate future and is concerned that the finance sector could crash.

    Speaking in an interview with TV3, Dr. Mark Assibey-Yeboah explained that the current events are going to limit cash inflow to the banks.

    He also elucidated that the country’s external creditors may not be interested in giving the country needed loans going forward.

    He warned Ghanaians to expect lay-offs from banking institutions in the country and that could mark the beginning of the crisis.

    When he was quizzed by a TV3 reporter whether he believes the banking sector will crash, Dr. Mark Assibey-Yeboah responded with a definite ‘Yes’ and went ahead to provide reasons for his position.

    “Where we are now, this is not the time to massage issues. I don’t want to mention names but do you see the exposures of some banks? Some of them will collapse. Let’s say you are a bank and you are exposed to government bonds to the tune of GH¢2billion even at 20%, that is GH¢400million in interest payments for holdings. Do you know what that will mean to your balance sheet?

    “Very soon banks are going to lay people off. We haven’t even gotten to the external. Now, all projects for which we contracted loans, the IPCs are not doing anything so very soon you will see the Obestebi Interchange and all those construction works grinding to a halt because the external creditors are saying if you are going to suspend debt repayment then we are not going to advance any further loan,” he said.

    On how the situation can be addressed, Dr. Mark Assibey-Yeboah urged the government to take some responsibility and not impose everything on the citizens.

    According to him, certain flagship programs of government will have to be rationalized along with the need to cut down on expenditure.

    “I don’t know if we don’t appreciate the extent of the problem or we are hiding some information from somebody but where we are now there are no easy solutions out there. We have to look at revenue a bit more and close the loopholes. You can’t do all of this if you can’t do serious expenditure rationalization. We have to do expenditure rationalization,” he said.

    As part of conditionalities to achieve the IMF bailout, the government has recommended that all benefit due bondholders in 2023 not be paid.

    Per the arrangement, the payment of the benefits will resume in 2024 at the rate of 5%.

    This arrangement has been widely criticized with critics saying that the government is worsening the situation of already burdened Ghanaians.

  • Everyone expected Akufo-Addo to be a better president than Kufuor – Dr Kobby Mensah

    Everyone expected Akufo-Addo to be a better president than Kufuor – Dr Kobby Mensah

    Dr Kobby Mensah, a lecturer at the University of Ghana and a political communication expert, has ranked the Akufo-Addo-led administration as the worst in history.

    According to the lecturer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s legacy as president is disastrous.

    He likened Nana Addo’s government to that of former President John Agyekum Kufour, arguing that before Nana Addo was elected, Many Ghanaians believed that he would be a better leader than the latter.

    “Before Nana Addo came, I think within the NPP, most people to be honest with you a lot of people with all due respect, didn’t even think that president Kufour was better than Nana Addo. For a lot of people within the NPP,” he said.

    Speaking in an interview on Neat FM monitored by GhanaWeb, Dr Kobby Mensah added that due to Ghanaians’ high hopes for President Akufo-Addo, they held the opinion that Kufuor’s administration was paving the path for him to engage in a significant economic upturn.

    “It was as if president Kufuor was John the Baptist and Nana Addo was Jesus Christ. That he was coming to prepare the way for Nana Addo’s government. So, the majority of people in NPP were actually expecting Nana Addo’s presidency more than they expected Kufour’s presidency. And they did not give the due to president Kufour until Nana Addo came to power. So, the question is where is the legacy?

    He concluded by saying that Nana Addo’s administration is an abject failure and there is no way for future generations to compare its accomplishments to that of the previous presidents.

    “…in history or some years to come, we’re going to refer to president Kufour’s NPP and Nana Addo’s NPP. I don’t think you can actually compare the two. So, the cost again is that the legacy that Nana Addo is going to leave, I think that is going to be very disastrous.

  • The inspiring story of an autistic Ghanaian boy in America with hidden musical mastery

    The inspiring story of an autistic Ghanaian boy in America with hidden musical mastery

    Jude Kofie, an 11-year-old son of Ghanaian parents living in Aurora, Colorado, was with the family one day when his father started hearing an unusually good sound coming from their basement.

    Of course, there was an old keyboard in there, but Isaiah Kofie, the father, was certain nobody at home knew how to play it.

    But he got the shock of his life when, on walking in on his son, he saw him beautifully and masterfully displaying his musical prowess on the keyboard.

    To be sure his son was the one doing this magic on the keyboard when he had never learnt how to play, he got him a bigger one to see what else he could do.

    “And boy, could he do,” a CBS video report said.

    This all happened about a year and a half ago, the report added.

    And when CBS went to interview him, and then asked him what he thought about his sudden knowledge of music, Jude replied, “It’s a miracle.”

    “You think it’s a miracle?” CBS News asked him.

    “That’s what I prefer,” he responded.

    But his father was yet to get a far bigger shock of his life when one day, out of nowhere, and without any prompting, a huge piano was delivered to their house.

    For Jude, it was ‘music to his eyes’ but his father, Isaiah, could only react in shock at the knowledge that it was “all for free.”

    “Who does that?” he said to the CBS reporter.

    But they found their secret ‘surpriser’ soon enough, in the person of Bill Magnusson, a piano tutor.

    Explaining why, Bill said he saw a local news story about Jude and then he heard him play.

    Having also learned that Jude’s parents has immigrated from Ghana and were raising four children, while still sending money back home to their family in Ghana, he felt a great compassion to help them.

    “What resources are left over to help this special little soul?” he asked.

    And so Bill did the unimaginable: he used his father’s inheritance of $15,000 to purchase a piano for Jude.

    “We’re family now,” he added.

    Isaiah Kofie is still living in shock, but even more, he understands how much it is to be grateful too.

    “Somebody to just love your son like that by making sure that his future is secured, we are super thankful,” he said.

  • Covid-19: We can’t validate ¢37.6m bill for free water – Auditor-General

    Covid-19: We can’t validate ¢37.6m bill for free water – Auditor-General

    The Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA) has been requested to take prompt action to review an anticipated unvalidated payment of GH14.7 million in Covid-19 spending.

    Government at the height of the coronavirus pandemic provided free water between April and December 2020.

    Some non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and private water providers were paid GH¢22,819,862.42 to settle the cost of water for 2020 and 2021.

    But the Auditor-General is raising questions about a GH¢37,609,791.71 bill provided as the cost of free water supplied by the NGOs and private water operators.

    The said payment leaves a balance of ¢14,789,929.29 left to settle the suppliers.

    This was revealed in the audit of Covid-19 transactions for the period March 2020 to June 2022.

    The Auditor General says its assessment of the situation revealed that “there were no actual water bills generated and submitted to the Agency by the NGOs and Private Individual Water providers to support their claims.”

    According to the report, the entities involved arrived at the amount by using “the maximum pumping capacities of the machines and the estimated population of the communities involved.”

    He does not find this as a feasible measuring modality for the water consumption within the said period and wants answers.

    Covid-19: We can't validate ¢37.6m bill for free water - Auditor-General

    It recommended that the outstanding amount of ¢14 million be paid based on actual bills and not estimated bills.

    In response, management justified the payments by explaining that some of the private water providers had water meters which they used to prepare their own water bills based on water consumption and that those bills were vetted by the District Assemblies and CWSA Regional Offices.

    The Community Water and Sanitation Agency claimed that the non-payment of the balance will impede the Agency’s relationship with the suppliers, hence hurting future activities when their services and possibly litigation.

    However, the A-G insists that “we did not see water bills submitted by the NGOs and other private
    water service providers to the headquarters and therefore could not confirm the information provided by management.”

  • Krobea Asante Technical and Vocational School shut down over violent demonstration

    Krobea Asante Technical and Vocational School shut down over violent demonstration

    The Krobea Asante Technical and Vocational School at Asokore in the Ashanti Region has been closed down.

    This is a directive of the Ghana TVET Service after some students went on a rampage on Sunday morning, protesting the poor results of their predecessors in their final examination.

    About 40 of them have been arrested for causing damage to school property.

    About four government vehicles, including a Mahindra and an Isuzu pickup trucks, a Nissan Patrol and a school bus were vandalised.

    A Toyota Vitz vehicle owned by the Senior House Mistress was also damaged.

    The students also turned over another salon car owned by a teacher.

    In a statement signed by the Ghana TVET Service Director-General, Mawusi Nudekor Awity, the closure was “upon the advice of the Sekyere East District Security Council and the Ashanti Regional Security Council.”

    Krobea Asante Technical and Vocational School shut down over violent demonstration

    Students have been directed to vacate the school premises with immediate effect.

    “The Security Services will be on hand to evacuate all the students to protect lives and properties. Parents are advised to take steps to pick up their wards from the school,” portions of the January 22 statement read.

    Krobea Asante Technical and Vocational School shut down over violent demonstration

  • Ghanaians will regret it if they don’t support National Cathedral project – Apostle Amoako Atta

    Ghanaians will regret it if they don’t support National Cathedral project – Apostle Amoako Atta

    Founder and General Overseer of the Lord’s Parliament Chapel International, Apostle Francis Amoako-Atta, has warned that Ghanaians will come to regret their inaction regarding President Akufo-Addo’s National Cathedral project.

    According to the Apostle, the president’s idea is a laudable one that will unleash heavenly favour and supernatural growth on the country.

    “The cathedral will be the center of religious tourism in Africa. If Ghanaians don’t support the project, foreign investors will take over the building and management of the holy building, and Ghanaians will have to pay to get in”, he said. This, he hinted, will make Ghanaians remorseful if they don’t support the project.

    Known in religious circles as the “Practical Strategic Preacher,” the Life Coach made the declaration on Friday in an interview with Speaker Nana Fianko, host of Atinka TV’s flagship current affairs show, “The Agenda.”

    He was proud of the judges who gave up their homes without a second thought so that the historical monument could be built. This action, he mentioned, has touched the Lord’s heart and would make him shine His face upon the nation’s judiciary. He added that the cathedral is well located for its purpose.

    Reacting to criticisms about the project, Apostle Amoako-Attah opined that the naysayers lack sufficient knowledge of how God works and are blind to the economic and spiritual significance of the project to the country, the sub-region, and Africa at large. He asked the President and the National Cathedral Secretariat to stay strong and focus on the job at hand for God and country.

    Nevertheless, Apostle Amoako-Attah bemoaned the slow pace of the building project.

    According to him, the fact that, the project is barely at the foundation three years after the fundraising is an eyesore and leaves a lot to be desired.

  • Baby found dead on refuse dump at Sefwi-Bekwai

    Baby found dead on refuse dump at Sefwi-Bekwai

    An unidentified baby girl believed to be about two weeks old has been found dead at sefwi-Bekwai in the Bibiani Anwhiaso Bekwai Municipality of the Western North Region.

    The deceased was found at a refuse dump in the early hours of Friday, January 20, 2023, wrapped in a cloth.

    Mr Kwaku Bawah, a staff of Zoomlion Ghana Limited and an eyewitness, confirmed the story to the Ghana News Agency, said he went to the refuse dump at dawn as has been his daily routine.

    “On arrival l saw a baby covered with a cloth but the legs were showing so l raised alarm and some neighbours came over only to realize the baby had already passed away.”

    He said they informed the Assembly Member of Anorku Electoral Area, Mr Akwasi Prince Tano, who reported the incident to the Sefwi-Bekwai District Police Command.

    Mr Tano said the police had collaborated with the Environmental Health Officers in the Municipality to bury the baby while investigations continued.

  • Sack Ofori-Atta to renew confidence in financial sector – NPP MP to Akufo-Addo

    Sack Ofori-Atta to renew confidence in financial sector – NPP MP to Akufo-Addo

    Member of Parliament (MP) for Bortianor-Ngleshie- Amanfro, Sylvester Tetteh, has stated the continuous stay of Ken Ofori-Atta as Finance Minister will undermine the financial sector.

    The lawmaker demanded that the president terminate the appointment of the finance minister to restore some confidence in the financial sector.

    He further argued that Ghanaians have already lost faith in the minister and therefore his involvement in the negotiations of the Domestic Debt Exchange and the IMF bailout raises serious doubts.

    In an interview with Okay FM, Sylvester Tetteh added that the 80 members of the majority caucus who have called for the resignation of the minister still stand by their statements and are waiting for the president to revoke the minister’s appointment.

    “We members of parliament, our call is that Ken Ofori-Atta must give way, and we’ve given our reasons why he must give way and the reasons are still tenable.

    “There are two things involved, is either the president will terminate his appointment because he gave him that position or he himself will resign because of how bad the economy is.

    “We’ve realized that the overall confidence in the financial architecture of this country is all about Ken Ofori-Atta. we’ve tried several times but still, he is at the post.

    “So, for us, the worse thing is that we will boycott his business in government… But our position hasn’t changed and Ken must go, we believe that it will inspire some confidence in the economy and the new leadership will bring new ideas.

    In November, some NPP parliamentarians demanded that Mr Ofori-Atta be sacked as Finance Minister.

    The MPs, numbering about 80, held a press conference to impress on the President to relieve his cousin of the responsibility of managing the national purse or risk losing their support for government business going forward.

    The minister was then referred to a committee of the parliament for a vote of censure. Contrarily, the vote of censure failed to remove the sector minister because the majority left the chamber during the voting and according to the constitution, the destiny of the minister must be decided by two-thirds of the house.

  • I have obtained Rev. Kusi Boateng’s GhanaCard, other documents – Ablakwa

    I have obtained Rev. Kusi Boateng’s GhanaCard, other documents – Ablakwa

    The Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu has indicated that he has obtained more documents of the secretary to the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral of Ghana, whom he has accused of operating under the pseudonym Kwabena Adu Gyamfi for criminal purposes.

    Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said that he has now obtained the National Identification Card (GhanaCard), different driver’s licenses plus other additional documents of Kusi Boateng.

    During an interview on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana, on Friday, when asked about the GhanaCard of Rev Kusi Boateng by broadcaster Randy Abbey, Ablakwa said, “I have secured that (the Ghana Card) too. I’m keeping that close to my chest. You know I told you about the structure.

    “I have the National ID (GhanaCard) and I have other driving licenses too, but I am keeping those close to my chest. You see this matter we are not even midway yet. It is a relay race, it is going to be very interesting,” he said.

    Ablakwa also said that the explanation by the National Cathedral Secretariat that the $2.6 million paid to Rev Kusi Boateng was a loan repayment was an afterthought.

    According to him, the Board of Trustees never discussed acquiring a loan facility, and at the time the loan was acquired, the Cathedral had about $6 million in its bank accounts.

  • Dormaa Traditional Council announces death of Abesim chief

    Dormaa Traditional Council announces death of Abesim chief

    The Abesim Township in the Sunyani Municipality was in a state of grief and sorrow when the Dormaa Traditional Council announced the death of Barima Kumi Acheaw II, the town’s chief on Saturday.

    According to the Council, Barima Acheaw II, also the Kyidomhene (chief in charge of crowd) of the Dormaa Traditional Areal, died on September 30, 2022, after short illness.

    He was 70 and reigned for 19 years and left behind a wife and six children.

        Scores of mourners clad in mourning cloth, red armbands, and black head gear could not hold back their tears, when Barima Atosi Ababio, the Sumankwaahene (chief in charge of health) broke the news of the death of the chief at the Abesim Palace.

    “As tradition demands, Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyemang Badu II, the Paramount Chief of the Dormaa Traditional Area, has asked me to inform you that Barima Acheaw II went for medical treatment, but he could not return and joined his ancestors,” he stated.

    The solemn gathering was greeted with grief and sorrow as the people wailed uncontrollably, amid the sporadic firing of musketries by some traditional warriors.

    Describing the late chief as development-oriented, Nana Kyei Nketiah, the chief of the Adonten royal family of Abesim, later told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that Barima Acheaw II played an instrumental role in the development of the Abesim Township and the Dormaa Traditional Area.

        Nana Nketiah said the late chief reigned 19 years between 2003 and 2022.

        Key among Barima Acheaw II’s achievements, he said, included the construction of the Abesim Police station, the Ghana National Fire Service command, Abesim Health Clinic and a maternity block, as well as the Abesim Senior High School and a market.

    Nana Nketiah said with the consultation of Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Badu II, the Abesim Divisional Council had set up a committee to oversee the successful organisation of the final funeral rites of the late chief slated for March 23 to March 27, 2023.

    “The best way we can appreciate the immeasurable contribution of our chief towards the development of the area is to endeavour to give him a befitting burial, as he joins his ancestors and we are determined to do so because Barima Acheaw II has really paid his dues,” he stated.

  • ‘How can I go up without fighting the demons in the air?’ – Rev. Kusi Boateng on National Cathedral ‘troubles’

    ‘How can I go up without fighting the demons in the air?’ – Rev. Kusi Boateng on National Cathedral ‘troubles’

    The secretary to the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral of Ghana, Rev Kusi Boateng, has posited that the current scrutiny he is facing due to corruption allegations with his role in the construction of the National Cathedral, is part of the trials he must go through.

    He said that the challenges he is going through are necessary for him to be successful.

    Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng, therefore, urged his church members not to be worried about what people are saying about him because he will be vindicated at the end of the day.

    “How can I go up without fighting the demons in the air? And so, stop all these fights and all these arguments. The question is that, is your father okay? I’m 100 percent okay.

    “The question is that, is your father happy? I’m super happy. The question is that, is your father going to go through this? I promise you that I will go through this honourably.

    “So, every one of you should be relaxed, be happy, and don’t waste your time fighting on Facebook,” he told members of his church, Power Chapel International, on Sunday, January 22, 2023.

    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.

  • Northern Region: Man found dead on Bimbilla-Kpaturi road

    Northern Region: Man found dead on Bimbilla-Kpaturi road

    The body of an unidentified man believed to be in his thirties was found on the Bimbilla-Kpaturi Road on Sunday morning. The body was seen lying beside his motorbike.

    The cause of death is not yet known.

    Meanwhile, farmers on the road say there was a robbery attack last night hence they believe the man in question was part of the victims who tried to flee for their lives but run out of luck.

    A farmer, Fusheini Alhassan told Citi News “I was going to farm, and we saw him lying down. Because of this, I am going back home. In the Dagbani tradition, when you see things like this on your war to the farm, you can not work”.

    Police from the Bimbilla came to convey the body for autopsy.

    An initial inspection of the body by the police showed that the person may have been murdered elsewhere, and the body was dumped at the scene because there were cuts on the arms and legs with no blood stains where the body was lying.

    The police officers deployed to the scene declined to give any remarks.

  • Ofori-Atta completely forgot to include Volta Region in its 2020 budget – Okudzeto Ablakwa

    Ofori-Atta completely forgot to include Volta Region in its 2020 budget – Okudzeto Ablakwa

    The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has recalled a moment he describes as a “never-before-time” in parliament when the government completely forgot an entire budget for a region in its yearly budget.

    He explained that this was in November of 2019 when the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, came to present the 2020 Budget Statement and Economic Policy to the House.

    Recalling this on Friday, January 20, 2023, edition of Good Morning Ghana on Metro TV, the MP said that it took his scrutiny of the statement to be able to identify the major omission.

    “You remember when the Year of Roads budget was presented? I quickly went through the budget and discovered that the Volta Region had been left out – November 2019, for the 2020 Year of roads,- and then we drew attention,” he said.

    Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa went on to say that the minister, in order to express gratitude to the Minority, had to return to parliament the next day just to present a budget for the Volta Region.

    He added that the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, was also grateful to them because he knew that their discovery had saved them from an unintended consequence.

    “So, the next day – it was the first time it had happened in the history of Ghana’s parliament, the finance minister came back to the House and presented a budget, listing projects for the Volta Region, and even commended us for discovering that; that it was an oversight; it was a major slip, and if we hadn’t discovered it, and 2020 had come, and Voltarians found out later on, the consequences would have been dire,” he added.

  • NASCO Feeding minds commissions’ ultra-modern ICT Centre for UG

    NASCO Feeding minds commissions’ ultra-modern ICT Centre for UG

    The NASCO Feeding Minds organization in partnership with some alumni of the University of Ghana have commissioned an ultra-modern ICT learning centre on the campus of the premier university to aid students in their research and other academic activities.

    The commission exercise which was themed; commissioning of the J.R. A Ayee ICT Centre and the K.Boafo-Arthur E-learning Centre was fully sponsored by NASCO Feeding Minds under the leadership of Seidu Nuhu Barnasco.

    Seidu Nuhu Barnasco, the Co-Founder and CEO of NASCO Feeding Minds spoke during the commissioning exercise and said that the organization in partnership with some old students of the university decided to support the educational facility with a renovated ICT lab.

    “For the past ten years, NASCO feeding minds has established sixteen computer centres, so coming to the university of Ghana, it’s refreshing for us because it grants us an opportunity to contribute to the university’s vision of becoming a world-class university and also promotes the digitization agenda of the university.

    “For us, is also another leverage for us to augment government efforts in providing good quality education to our graduates.
    “Especially, now that the current government is promoting the digitalization of the economy, we think that it is important to train the necessary human resources needed that will fit into this government policy and agenda. So, we donated 40 desktop computers and 15 laptops to the department,” he said.

    He continued by saying that as part of the government’s digitization agenda, they also wanted to contribute their fair share by supporting the university with an ICT laboratory.

    The program was graced by the Pro Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Gordon Awandare, Head of the political science department Dr Seidu Alidu among
    others.

  • Residents react to test run of Kumasi International Airport

    Residents react to test run of Kumasi International Airport

    The freshly built Kumasi International Airport‘s runway is currently undergoing a test run for standardization purposes.

    The exercise comes ahead of the facility’s full operations of scheduled and chartered flights later this year. The Ashanti Region is expected to leverage the new airport to attract more tourists, ease international air travel for persons in the northern sector of the country, create jobs and boost the local and national economy.

    The Ashanti Region is expected to leverage the new airport to attract more tourists, ease international air travel for persons in the northern sector of the country, create jobs and boost the local and national economy.

  • Kwabena Marfo fumes at ‘heartless, insensitive’ Ofori-Atta for including pensioners in DDEP

    Kwabena Marfo, a broadcast journalist with Despite Media group has censured Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta over the decision to include pensioners in the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP).

    Kwabena Marfo says the move by the finance ministry smacks of heartlessness and insensitivity on the part of finance minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.

    He wonders if Ken Ofori-Atta exhorted his mind to the plight of the pensioners and the possible effect of the move on them before rolling out the programme.

    “He is heartless and insensitive to the plight of the people. Only someone who doesn’t care and has concern for people will do what Ken Ofori-Atta is doing. Most of the people you see holding the bible are hypocrites.

    “If you want to sin and go scott free, just take up the Bible. These are some of the reasons people don’t go to church. If Ken Ofori-Atta was in my church, I wouldn’t step there. I won’t even attend his church. I have never seen a heartless human being like that. How do you go after the monies of pensioners. These little monies from the pensioners and you want to touch it.

    “Has he thought about the people who could die as a result? Has he thought about the people who will not able to afford medications? How can you take the country ransom and behave like we are slaves. We shall see in 2024,” he fumed.

    The decision to include pensioners in the DDEP has courted controversy with concerns over how the over-60-year-olds will survive.

    Peter Kojo Nyansepe, a 77-year-old sick retiree is dreading the program as he believes it could drive him to his grave.

    He told Joy News that he will picket at a branch of the GCB to retrieve his monies.

    “I gave the money to the Ghana Commercial Bank so they’ll give me the money before I come. I’m going to stay there.

    “If they say the money is not there, I’m going to stay there. I’m going to stay there until they carry me wherever they want to carry me because I cannot walk myself so they’ll carry me.

    “Wherever they want to carry me they have to carry me and go. That’s the only thing I can do. I cannot fight them also”, he said.

    Meanwhile the Pensioner Bondholder Forum called off its earlier threat to picket at premise of Ministry of Finance last week.

    The decision follows invitations for extensive talks with the ministry over the DDEP.

  • It’s better we sell the country and share the money – Kumchacha bemoans economic hardship

    It’s better we sell the country and share the money – Kumchacha bemoans economic hardship

    Founder and Leader of Heaven’s Gate Ministries, Prophet Nicholas Osei popularly known as Kumchacha has lamented the impact of economic hardship on Ghanaians and is advocating for the sale of the nation to its former colonial masters.

    Speaking in an interview on Onua FM monitored by GhanaWeb, the man of God asserted that Ghanaians are suffering as a result of the NPP-led government’s poor leadership.

    He continued by saying that in his perspective, it would be preferable for the country to be run by colonial overlords rather than having black folks mismanage the nation.

    “Masa things are hard, and how the system has become, if possible, let’s sell the country and share the proceedings. Since we gain our independence. If the whites were still ruling us, I’m sure by now we would have developed.

    “Looking at South Africa and how the whites have developed their country, is so sad. How can a country that gain independence more than 60 years ago still keep borrowing? Just look, we have cocoa, oil, timber, gold, diamond and everything but still, we’re struggling. Which country is this,” he fumed.

    Meanwhile, Ken Ofori-Atta, Ghana’s finance minister rendered an apology to Ghanaians for economic difficulties on November 18, 2022, when he appeared before the Parliamentary ad hoc Committee hearing the Motion of Censure against him.

    He acknowledged that the economy is facing difficulties and the people of Ghana are enduring hardships.

    He said he sees and feels the terrible impact of the challenges and would continue to work hard to resolve them to help mitigate the hardships for the citizens.

    “Today, I acknowledge our economy is facing difficulties and the people of Ghana are enduring hardships.

    “As the person, President Akufo-Addo has put in charge of the economy, I feel the pain personally, professionally, and in my soul. I see and feel the terrible impact of the rising prices of goods and services on the lives and livelihoods of ordinary Ghanaians,” he told the Committee.

    He added that he has taken note of the plight of businesses in the country as they struggle to stay in business.

    “I feel the stress of running a business. But, it is the strength and perseverance of the Ghanaian people that inspire me and my colleagues in government every morning, to press on,” Ofori-Atta said.

    The minister added that “is what gives me the strength to press on to find solutions and relief for Ghanaians to the myriad of problems that our country and the rest of the world are facing, especially, since March 2020.”

    It will be better if we sell the nation and share the money among ourselves. – Prophet Kumchacha on Efie Ne Fie with the 3 Wisemen#OnuaNews #OnuaFM pic.twitter.com/T5ofTYGNIG— Onua FM (@onua951fm) January 20, 2023

  • This is how much govt has paid Databank for bond advisory services since 2017

    This is how much govt has paid Databank for bond advisory services since 2017

    Databank, a company partly owned by the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta has reportedly bagged GH₵159million from government for its Transaction Advisory services on government bond issuance since 2017.

    The claim is being made by the Member of Parliament for South Dayi, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor who said his calculations were based on a document supplied to the committee that probed the Vote of Censure motion against Ken Ofori-Atta last month.

    In a tabular representation of the figures, Dafeamekpor alleged that government paid GH ₵85 million to Databank in 2021. The lowest figure was 2019 where GH₵11.83million was paid to Databank.

    The document, posted on social media, was captioned: “This is how much Ken Ofori Atta and his company have made from the borrowings he’s made so far for this Govt….very staggering amount of money in fees. How much taxes has he paid on these huge fees earned from the borrowings?”

    One of the grounds for the censure motion against Ken Ofori-Atta was claim of conflict of interest over the involvement of Databank in Government of Ghana’s Capital Market transactions.

    His counsel at the time, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko defended that the Commission of Human Right and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) and not Parliament was clothed with the power to investigate issues of conflict of interest.

    After rounds of legal banter between Gabby Otchere-Darko and Dr Dominic Ayine who was the co-chair of the committee, conflict of interest was struck out as one of the grounds for the investigations.

    One of Ofori-Atta’s deputies, John Ampontuah Kumah asked critics of the Finance Minister to seek interpretation at the Supreme Court over the matter.

    “Those who are so pained by the current situation should go to court, the Supreme Court or the High Court. So that we can all be guided because, as far as I am concerned, these two public officers have acted within the law. Even at their vetting, they’ve disclosed this; every information has been put out there. All of a sudden, it is turning out to be another unheard of situation,” he said.

  • Re-engage IMF; renegotiate terms – Theo Acheampong to gov’t

    Re-engage IMF; renegotiate terms – Theo Acheampong to gov’t

    Economist and Political Risk Analyst, Dr. Theo Acheampong is urging government to review its target of reaching a 55% Debt-to-GDP ratio by 2028.

    He views the target as too ambitious adding that it imposes undue pressure on government, forcing it to further burden some categories of bondholders.

    Dr. Acheampong believes that if the 55% Debt-to-GDP target is further pushed to 2032, there will be enough room for negotiations.

    Speaking on Citi FM/TV‘s news analysis programme, The Big Issue, Dr. Achempong said “if we want to exclude the individual bondholders from the whole exercise as well as the pension fund and others, we need to relook the 55% Debt-to-GDP ratio target for 2028. We need to go back to the drawing board even in terms of the whole fiscal arrangements and renegotiate with the IMF”.

    “The 55% target can be pushed further to say 2032, this will allow for more negotiations. The terms of the programme are too onerous, it imposes an undue burden on different categories of bondholders, and will have a ripple effect of further slowing down the economy.”

    In the government’s quest to address the country’s economic woes, the government launched the debt exchange programme to invite holders of bonds to voluntarily exchange approximately GH¢137 billion domestic notes and bonds of the Republic including ESLA and Daakye for a package of new bonds.

    It is currently unclear how many institutions and individuals have signed onto the programme.

    The domestic debt exchange program since its announcement has faced huge opposition from labour groups that managed to get pension funds exempted. Several groups made up of individual bondholders have also rejected the programme by the government.

    The individuals have threatened to sue the government if not excluded insisting the programme will negatively impact them.

    Meanwhile, the deadline for signing up has been further postponed to Tuesday, January 31, 2023.

  • Meek Mill took advantage of Ghana’s weak security system – Kumchacha

    Meek Mill took advantage of Ghana’s weak security system – Kumchacha

    Founder and Leader of Heaven’s Gate Ministries, Prophet Nicholas Osei popularly known as Kumchacha has stated that American rapper Meek Mill who shot a music video at the Jubilee House of Ghana took advantage of the country’s weak security system.

    Making his submission in an interview with Onua FM monitored by GhanaWeb, the man of God claimed that Meek Mill would not have been able to film the music video in the Jubilee house if the nation’s security apparatus had been in full effect.

    “Do you know that the system is weak? if the system is not weak how can a guy from America go and sing at the Jubilee House? That guy shouldn’t even be blamed. I learnt people were blaming him but he shouldn’t be blamed. Because when he came to Ghana, he realized the weak security system and took advantage of it. So, Meek Mill came to Ghana and did this, how?” he questioned.

    Meek Mill who performed at the Afrochella event in Accra, was later spotted with the President at the Jubilee House together with Akufo-Addo’s daughter who is the Chief Executive Officer of the Creative Arts Council.

    Ghanaians expressed outrage after the American rapper released a video of a song he shot at the Jubilee House.

    The video saw portions of the Presidency, from the frontage, through the main corridors, in the main conference hall, and behind the presidential lectern causing Ghanaians to fume, describing the art as a denigration of the seat.

    He later deleted the video and subsequently apologised saying he never meant to insult Ghanaians.

  • Ex-GFA Chairman, Alhaji Jawula dies aged 74

    Ex-GFA Chairman, Alhaji Jawula dies aged 74

    Former Ghana Football Association (GFA) Chairman, Alhaji MND Jawula, has died at the age of 74.

    The veteran Ghanaian football administrator died in Nashville, United States.

    He was the leader of Ghana’s football governing body from 1997 to 2001.

    Before his rise to the top of Ghana football administration, Alhaji Jawula was chairman of the 1995 Black Starlets team that won the World Cup in Ecuador.

    He last served as Chairman of the seven-member Ghana Premier League Management Committee from 2019.

    Alhaji Jawula was also a board member of Real Tamale United and a CAF Interclub Committee Member.

    Aside football, he was the Lepowura of the Kujolobite Gate of Lepo-Kpempe in the Northern Region.

  • No true man of God will support National Cathedral – Osofo Kyiri Abosom to Board of Trustees

    No true man of God will support National Cathedral – Osofo Kyiri Abosom to Board of Trustees

    Founder and Leader of Ghana Union Movement (GUM) Rev Christian Kwabena Andrews popularly known as Osofo Kyiri Abosom, has lambasted the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral project for reasons known to him as lack of priority.

    According to the Founder and General Overseer of the Life Assembly Worship Centre, no true man of God will support the national cathedral project because president Akufo-Addo is building the cathedral with state funds which is a completely misplaced priority.

    “The truth is, we the pastors living in the country and calling for the construction of the national cathedral. Those who are board members and are calling for the cathedral are not true men of God. If they are true men of God, they will not support this thing. Tell the public for me. President Akufo-Addo is he a pastor? has he been called by God, for him to come and build a church for God? If you want to build a church go and buy your own land,” he angrily said.

    He furthered that, the president is spending limited resources on the cathedral, which is unacceptable even in the eyes of God, in whose name the cathedral is being erected.

    “If the President can hear the voice of God, he would know that people are hungry and are not about the cathedral, Does Nana Addo hear the voice of the Lord? He doesn’t, if he does, he wouldn’t be carrying his chair around,” he added.

    Meanwhile, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, a Member of Parliament for North Tongu who has been a staunch advocate against the construction of the National Cathedral, on grounds that the timing, location and process are wrong has made some allegations Reverend Kusi Boateng.

    In his latest set of allegations, Okudzeto Ablakwa sought to establish that Reverend Kusi Boateng was actively operating with two different identities.

    “As I revealed on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana programme a while ago; when Paul Adom Otchere claimed on his show last night that Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng AKA Kwabena Adu Gyamfi was advised to use his mother’s name following the demise of his father; what Paul didn’t want Ghanaians to discover is the fact that in addition to the double dates of birth and double TINs; Rev. Kusi Boateng also mystifyingly claims to have two biological mothers.

    “On the 13th of August, 2013 when he filled his Taxpayer Registration Form at the GRA under the name Victor Kusi Boateng with a date of birth of September 7, 1971; he declared that his mother’s maiden last name is Ataah, and her first name is Agnes.

    “He was subsequently given a Taxpayer Identification Number for his Victor Kusi Boateng name as P0002502682.

    “Curiously, on the 24th of March, 2016 he returned to the GRA, this time with the name Kwabena Adu Gyamfi and date of birth of December 30, 1969. He strangely declared a different biological mother with a maiden last name of Gyamfua and a first name of Yaa.

    “This is how he secured another TIN — P000627241X.

    “Interestingly, he declared on the forms that he is not a registered taxpayer even though he was and already had a TIN.

    “Therefore, from unimpeachable official records, Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng miraculously has two biological mothers — Yaa Gyamfua and Agnes Ataah. (See copies attached)”, he posted on social media.

  • Bawumia can’t be blamed for Ghana’s economic meltdown – Adomako Baafi

    Bawumia can’t be blamed for Ghana’s economic meltdown – Adomako Baafi

    Yaw Adomako Baafi, a former Communications Director for the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), has refuted suggestions that vice president Mahamudu Bawumia is responsible for the meltdown of Ghana’s economy because he is the head of the country’s Economic Management Team (EMT).

    According to him, the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is solely responsible for the performance of Ghana’s economy and the EMT is only an advisory body.

    Speaking in an Okay FM interview monitored by GhanaWeb, Adomako Baafi added that arguments that Bawumia cannot be the flagbearer of the NPP because of the performance of the economy are flawed because other members of the EMT are also contesting to be the party’s candidate for the 2024 presidential elections.

    “The economic management team is just an advisory body; they don’t implement anything. And even if it is so, Alan Kyerematen was part of the Economic Management Team, the agriculture minister (Dr Afriyie Akoto) was also part of the Economic Management Team.

    “All the people who are contesting for the flagbearership position of the NPP were part of the EMT. The work of the EMT is a team work so Bawumia cannot blamed if things are not going well,” he said in the Twi dialect.

    The former NPP communication director also refuted suggestions that Bawumia cannot be the flagbearer of the NPP, because he is new to the party.

    He said that the number of years one has served in a party should not matter in the selection of a presidential candidate and that the most important factor that is to be considered is competence.

    He added that Bawumia has proven that he can led Ghana by the way he assisted President Akufo-Addo in developing the country.

  • US-based Ghanaian retiree stabbed at Winneba

    US-based Ghanaian retiree stabbed at Winneba

    A Ghanaian based in the United States of America has been stabbed at Winneba in the Effutu Municipality of the Central Region.

    Charles Kwesi Amissah who lived and worked in the US and has returned home after retirement narrowly escaped death when he was attacked by two unknown assailants on Friday, January 20, 2023.

    The victim is in critical condition and receiving treatment at the Winneba Special and Trauma Hospital.

    Information gathered by Kasapa News’ Yaw Boagyan indicates that two young men entered his compound at Low-cost, a suburb of Winneba, and one pointed a gun at him only to realize after a careful look that the gun was a toy one.

    He, therefore, took the risk to fight him when he demanded for his car key, but in the process, the other thief joined the attack and stabbed him with a knife rendering him helpless.

    He attempted to prevent them from driving his V6 Toyota car away by standing behind it but the robbers reversed with speed knocking him down under the car.

    The robbers however failed to drive off because of a heap of bricks on the compound, forcing them to run away leaving the car when he shouted for help.

    Some neighbours heard his shouts and rushed to his aid and took him to the hospital.

    The case has been reported to the Winneba Police station for an investigation.

  • Ghana is not prospering because the vulnerable have been sidelined – Center for Employment of Persons with Disabilities

    Ghana is not prospering because the vulnerable have been sidelined – Center for Employment of Persons with Disabilities

    Executive President of the Center for Employment of Persons with Disability (CEPWD), Mr. Alexander Tetteh has admonished that Ghana is not getting the development it should have because the country has not been treating the vulnerable people well.

    He expressed worry over how persons with; the aged, disabilities, orphans, widows, and the likes are not treated well in the country that is endowed with all the natural resources needed for social and economic growth of its citizens.

    Mr. Tetteh condemned how about 500 persons with disabilities who lost their livelihood as toll collectors after the cessation of toll collections on the roads have been neglected by the ministry of roads and highways despite the promise to reassign them to other sectors of the ministry.

    Leader of the former toll collectors, Rashad Mohammed Rahmat also revealed that one of their female colleagues committed suicide because she was saddled with debts and couldn’t bear the shame and pressure.

    The Executive President of the Center for Employment of Persons with Disabilities has also described the construction of the national cathedral as a misplaced priority by the government of Ghana.

    “Obedience is better than sacrifice. You have disabled people, down-trodden people who are suffering, who don’t have food to eat and the money to use to buy food for them. You say you are buying brick and mortar, and breaking grounds to build a national cathedral for whom to come and worship in it?” Mr. Tetteh questioned

    According to him, it is more godly for the churches to come to the side of the vulnerable because if the churches can come together to contribute money to build a cathedral, then they should come together and help establish livelihood for the vulnerable in the society.

    “Even those who are coming to worship, if they don’t eat, how do they go to worship? Can’t we worship God in our homes? Won’t God listen? God no longer lives in houses built with human hands. God lives in us. If I am able to live well and pray to God, he will listen and bless this nation  but if I am here and I am hungry and I  am wailing, don’t you think he will bring curses to our nation?” he lamented

    Mr. Tetteh told Helen Appiah Ampofo on the 3FM Sunrise Morning Show that he is afraid things are going to get tougher this year and especially difficult for persons with disabilities living in Ghana.

    “The year is going to be very difficult for everybody, especially persons with disabilities. We are going to face it seriously. It means the kind of life we are having now which is difficult is going to be more difficult and it looks very scary and I don’t know what strategies that government has for the marginalized. Even the common fund for persons with disabilities is not well managed” he feared.

  • All the ‘doom’ prophecies made by prophets about IGP Dampare

    All the ‘doom’ prophecies made by prophets about IGP Dampare

    As far as is widely known now, it is clear that the Inspector General of Police of Ghana, COP Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, holds a view that the current style of popular prophets in this country should be regularised.

    This is a point he reiterated when he appeared before the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament on Thursday, January 19, 2023.

    Among the number of things he said in reaffirming his stance on why there is a new directive that prophets in the country operate cautiously or risk courting the force of the police service, the IGP said that even for him, he finds it interesting that until he got into office, no one had ever prophesied about him before.

    “Honourable chair, before I became IGP, nobody prophesied about me. Now I’m IGP and everybody is prophesying about me. I have no problem with it because I’m a public figure, but why should it be such that you find something or God has revealed something to you and you want to share it with me, then you’ve to make it a showmanship? And tell the whole country that I’m about to die, which I’m not afraid of,” he said.

    Besides, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare added, many of prophecies by some of these faith-filled pastors create a lot of needless fear and panic in the country.

    Again, the police chief reiterated he is not afraid to die.

    But who and who have prophesied about the IGP, and what have those prophesies been?

    GhanaWeb puts together the list for its readers below:

    At the start of 2023, one of the prophecies that were broadcast about the IGP, COP Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, came from the founder and leader of Prophetic Hill Chapel, Nigel Gaisie.

    In his prophecy, the outspoken preacher said that he saw that IGP Dampare’s boots had been taken from him, implying that there was an imminent sacking of the police chief.

    “The Lord took my spirit to the Republic of Y3mpe Nokore, and I saw that there was a change in IGP. In the realms of the spirit, I saw the IGP and his boots were taken off.

    “I dreamt, I saw and it’ll come to pass if they don’t pray about it,” he said.

    IGP will be poisoned:

    In 2021, a London-based pastor only named as Rev. Evans, prophesied that he saw the death of the IGP.

    Explaining further in a video that was shared online, he said that in what he saw, Dr George Akuffo Dampare was poisoned at a dinner party during Christmas.

    “Mr. Dampare, we will still have to prophesy. There are some prophecies we need to come out and say it even though there are false prophets. We know what you are doing is good but we can’t keep quiet. Ghana IGP, I have seen that you went to some Christmas dinner. After eating, you found yourself in the midst of Sir John,” he said.

  • Nat’l Cathderal is ‘a national fish pond’ – Sam Pee Yalley

    Nat’l Cathderal is ‘a national fish pond’ – Sam Pee Yalley

    President of Pro-Forum and former Ghana Ambassador to India Sam Pee Yalley has described the controversial National Cathedral project as an avenue for the government to embezzle state funds.

    He likened the project to a fish pond stocked with fortunes.

    “Even in the name of God, they have found an avenue to steal state funds,” Mr Yalley said in an interview monitored by 3news.com.

    “This is not a Cathedral, it is a national fish pond.”

    Former Ambassador Sam Pee Yalley also touched on the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme currently being tabled by government to address the country’s heavy debt.

    To him, “Ghana has gone under 7 years of fraudulent governance”.

    He accused the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, and the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, of destroying all the legacies John Dramani Mahama built whiles in power.

    “Before Ofori-Atta took up the position as Finance Minister, Mahama had done huge investment. But, immediately, he assumed office he began mismanaging things,” he said.

    He described the Programme as fraudulent.

    “Nobody trusts the government anymore. Many programmes this government has embarked has turned out to be fraud.”

  • AMA to intensify measures to rid pedestrian walkways of traders

    AMA to intensify measures to rid pedestrian walkways of traders

    The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has hinted of plans to intensify the decongestion exercise to clear pedestrian walkways off traders by next week.

    According to the Assembly, this strict measure is being enforced in order to reduce filth as well as increase mobility within the metropolis.

    Speaking to Citi News, the Head of AMA’s Public Affairs Department, Gilbert Nii Ankrah explained that, his outfit has “already deployed information vans in town to announce its new measures.”

    He stressed that, traders who refuse to adhere to the directive will be prosecuted.

  • Lands Ministry to beef up galamsey surveillance with 3 Diamond DA-42 aircraft

    Lands Ministry to beef up galamsey surveillance with 3 Diamond DA-42 aircraft

    The Lands and Natural Resources Ministry as part of its renewed effort to fight the destructive illegal mining and formalise the small-scale mining sector will in the next six months introduce three high-speed Diamond DA-42 aircraft for surveillance.

    A Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resource, George Mireku Duker who is the Chairman of the recently established Joint Committee during an inspection of the aircraft at the Takoradi Airforce Base said this would be in collaboration with the Ghana Airforce and the Ghana Chamber of Mines who are expected to pay for the retrofitting of the aircraft at a cost of €700,000 before they are deployed.

    “These are specialised aircraft for surveillance and recognisance, and we believe our regularisation effort could help in getting things done, especially getting the galamsey menace controlled. That is why my government is collaborating with private partners like the Chamber of Mines. They have come together on this one, and we anticipate that they will take up the cost and use it to monitor their activities and also help in checking the galamsey”, he said.

    George Mireku Duker, after inspecting the aircraft said the sustainability of the government’s current flagship policy of gold for oil policy would heavily depend on a formalised small-scale mining sector, hence the Lands Ministry will keep up the fight till the sector is formalised.

    “As I speak, government has embarked upon a gold for oil policy and if we are going to be vigorous about that journey, then we must have a regularized industry… I believe the President is so determined in fighting the galamsey canker on ours and fortunately for us, due to the collaboration the Ministry has with the Chamber of Mines, we have come together to restore these special aircraft to assist in fighting the galamsey,” he added.

    He also explained what informed government to take the cost-effective route of undertaking repair works instead of purchasing new equipment which will serve the same purpose.

    “This is an effort we are making to clamp down on recalcitrant persons who are still determined to destroy our industry. We want to streamline and regulate activities in the mining sector… We believe that it is cost-effective compared to procuring drones and other equipment. Though drones may have their efficiencies, this could be in the air for hours without being noticed and collect evidence that can be used in a court of law“, he noted.

    The Diamond DA-42 aircraft were procured and delivered in 2011 to the Ghana Airforce originally for offshore surveillance but has over the period developed faults with the communication and surveillance software.

    George Mireku Duker mentioned that the work on the aircraft is expected to last six months.

    “The servicing works on the aircraft will see the replacement of crashes, hard drives, outdated software and engines among others”, he assured.

    A briefing on the state of the Diamond aircraft were led by W02 Hoggar Charles, an Aircraft Technician of the Ghana Airforce.

  • Mensah Sarbah hall students sue UG over new residential policy

    Mensah Sarbah hall students sue UG over new residential policy

    Some students of the Mensah Sarbah hall of the University of Ghana have sued the management of the school for denying them access to their halls.

    The students believe this is an infringement on their fundamental human rights to education, freedom from unlawful discrimination and fair administrative justice guaranteed under the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana.

    They want the court to enforce these rights.

    Students of the University of Ghana (UG), have been left stranded on campus following the university’s new residential policy.

    On Monday, January 16, 2023, some affected students of Commonwealth hall numbering about 40 were turned away by security personnel of the school from accessing their hall.

  • Ablakwa tarnishing reputation of the innocent with his drama – Miracles Aboagye

    Ablakwa tarnishing reputation of the innocent with his drama – Miracles Aboagye

    Presidential Staffer Dennis Miracles Aboagye has accused North Tongu Member of Parliament Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa of harming the reputation of innocent people before availing himself to the facts of a matter.

    He says the opposition lawmaker engages in drama and theatrics when issues come up only to realise later that he did not have the facts.

    Whenever Mr Ablakwa’s falsehoods are exposed by the facts, he quickly changes his claims, Mr Miracles Aboagye said on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday, January 21qhil3 contributing to a topic on the National Cathedral project.

    “I am worried that a Member of Parliament will embark on this dangerous activity. Investigate and find out facts before coming out and calling names,” he said.

    On Tuesday, January 17, Secretary to the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral, Rev Kusi Boateng rejected the allegations made against him by Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.

    Mr Ablakwa had presented what he described as “unimpeachable” and “incontrovertible” evidence against him.

    According to the opposition lawmaker, Rev Kusi Boateng is the third “mystery” director of JNS Talent Cantre Limited, a firm he had earlier accused of receiving GH¢2.6 million illegal cash transfer from the Secretariat.

    Unimpeachable and incontrovertible evidence confirms that Mr. Kwabena Adu Gyamfi is the famous Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng who still serves on the National Cathedral Board as an Executive Council Member/Director,” he said.

    For the avoidance of doubt, he added, there is no distinct Kwabena Adu Gyamfi. Kwabena Adu Gyamfi is a criminal creation of Rev. Victor Kusi-Boateng.

    The two are therefore one and the same, he said.

    “Rev. Victor Kusi-Boateng AKA Kwabena Adu Gyamfi thought he had outwitted every Ghanaian, particularly our authorities whom he dribbled for many years; but the day of reckoning is finally here.”

    Mr Ablakwa has further petitioned the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice ( CHRAJ) to look into the matter.

    But responding to him in a statement, Rev Kusi Boateng said he looks forward to CHRAJ’s probe.

    “I wish to assure the public that the statement made by Mr Ablakwa are a twisted narration of events to pursue a malicious political agenda. There has never been any criminal intent nor any crime committed in my dealings with the government of Ghana or National Cathedral,” he said.

  • Rev Kusi Boateng has predicted all election results correctly since 1992 – Paul Adom Otchere

    Rev Kusi Boateng has predicted all election results correctly since 1992 – Paul Adom Otchere

    Host of Good Evening Ghana, Paul Adom Otchere, has asserted that Reverend Kusi Boateng, a member of the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral has predicted all presidential election results correctly since 1992.

    Marking his submission on his Good Evening Ghana show on January 20, 2023, the Board Chair of the Ghana Airport Company Limited revealed that, Rev Kusi Boateng foretold President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo about his defeats in the general elections of 2008 and 2012 as well as his eventual victories in the 2016 and 2021 elections.

    “Now here is a man Rev Kusi Boateng, I will tell you the story. Who has predicted correctly as they tell us every election since 1992? In 1992 he predicted that JJ Rawlings will win the election and he won …in 2000 he predicted that the NPP will come to power through JA Kuffour and that happened, and in 2004 it happened. 2008 is the interesting one.

    “So, in 2008 Rev Kusi Boateng. You can understand his history because of his father. Eeerm ‘the buckler’ I would like to call it with the soldiers, he doesn’t really like political parties coming out of the PNDC. So, NDC is not something that he is thinking about because he will say or as some people say ‘they killed my father’.

    “But in 2008 he is reported to have met President Akufo-Addo in Kumasi and had told him, sir, this election you are going to lose narrowly but I can see God telling me that you will be president of Ghana.

    “But in this election, you’re not going to be successful, you’re going to lose narrowly… So, as soon as that happened, the people who heard him said wow this guy said it, this prophet said it.
    So, in 2012 let’s go back to him again.”

    He added “In 2012 Rev Kusi Boateng then engaged with Akufo-Addo’s people again, and he told them that I’m very sorry to say, this time again you will not win but I see you going to court, and you will win the court case, but it doesn’t make you the president.

    “…then in 2016 Rev Kusi Boateng predicted a landslide victory for Akufo-Addo and it happened. So, from that time, he became friends with the people.

    Paul Adom Otchere furthered that Rev Kusi Boateng has also foretold that the NPP would win the general elections of 2024, but the election will be marred by violence.

    Meanwhile, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, a Member of Parliament for North Tongu who has been a staunch advocate against the construction of the National Cathedral, on grounds that the timing, location and process are wrong has made some allegations against Reverend Kusi Boateng.

    In his latest set of allegations, Okudzeto Ablakwa sought to establish that Reverend Kusi Boateng was actively operating with two different identities.

    “As I revealed on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana programme a while ago; when Paul Adom Otchere claimed on his show last night that Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng AKA Kwabena Adu Gyamfi was advised to use his mother’s name following the demise of his father; what Paul didn’t want Ghanaians to discover is the fact that in addition to the double dates of birth and double TINs; Rev. Kusi Boateng also mystifyingly claims to have two biological mothers.

    “On the 13th of August, 2013 when he filled his Taxpayer Registration Form at the GRA under the name Victor Kusi Boateng with a date of birth of September 7, 1971; he declared that his mother’s maiden last name is Ataah, and her first name is Agnes.

    “He was subsequently given a Taxpayer Identification Number for his Victor Kusi Boateng name as P0002502682.

    “Curiously, on the 24th of March, 2016 he returned to the GRA, this time with the name Kwabena Adu Gyamfi and date of birth of December 30, 1969. He strangely declared a different biological mother with a maiden last name of Gyamfua and a first name of Yaa.

    “This is how he secured another TIN — P000627241X.

    “Interestingly, he declared on the forms that he is not a registered taxpayer even though he was and already had a TIN.

    “Therefore, from unimpeachable official records, Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng miraculously has two biological mothers — Yaa Gyamfua and Agnes Ataah. (See copies attached)”, he posted on social media.

  • NSS posts 15,517 trained teachers to undertake national service nationwide

    NSS posts 15,517 trained teachers to undertake national service nationwide

    The Management of the National Service Scheme (NSS) has released postings for 15,517 trained teachers.

    The trained teachers were enrolled to undertake their mandatory national service for the 2023/2024 service year.

    In a statement signed by the NSS Executive Director, Osei Assibey Antwi, it said, “The Management of the National Service Scheme (NSS) has today, 20th January 2023, released postings of a total of FIFTEEN THOUSAND, FIVE HUNDRED AND SEVENTEEN (15,517) trained teachers who enrolled to undertake their mandatory national service for the 2023/2024 service year”.

    The statement further directed the trained teachers to check their placements via its website.

    “All eligible trained teachers are required to log onto the Scheme’s website at https://www.nss.gov.gh to check their placements and proceed to print their appointment letters for endorsement by respective user agencies. Regional validation and registration for prospective service personnel will begin on 20th January 2023 and end on 28th February 2023 at all NSS regional centres across the country,” the statement indicated.

    The statement admonished service personnel deployed to accept their postings.

    The statement advised, “All service personnel deployed are hereby entreated to accept their postings as part of their civic responsibilities and contributions towards national development. The Management extends best wishes to you all”.

    However, the statement further instructed prospective service personnel to begin their national service on February 6, 2023.

    “The Management further directs all prospective service personnel to begin their national service on 6th February 2022, after completing the registration process,” the statement said.

  • Is the Cathedral for Akufo-Addo’s father? – Sam Pyne quizzes

    Is the Cathedral for Akufo-Addo’s father? – Sam Pyne quizzes

    Samuel Pyne, the mayor of Kumasi was unable to hold his anger following persistent heckling from a former General Secretary of the People’s National Convention during a panel discussion on Asempa FM.

    Sam Pyne was making a case for the National Cathedral and criticizing Okudzeto Ablakwa’s “campaign” against Reverend Kusi Boateng, a member of the Board of Trustees of the cathedral project.

    He first sought to dismiss claims of double identity against Reverend Kusi Boateng, as alleged by Ablakwa, by using himself as an example.

    “My baptism card has Samuel Kwabena Sakyi. My O’ level certificate has Samuel Pyne. My A level has Samuel Cobbinah Pyne. They wrote the Kwabena like how Fantes does theirs. I never used my A-level for training college. I used my A-level,” he said.

    He then moved on to justify why it is appropriate for the government to build a cathedral for the country.

    He rebuffed the notion that the cathedral is a promise of the president to his God and therefore should not be built with state funds.

    “I support the Cathedral 300%. I have contributed to the project because I know God and what God has done for me. The NDC started desecrating that project from the first day. They’ve not seen anything good with it. They argue that the cathedral is the president’s personal wish so he should fund it, why don’t they say same about Free SHS”, he said.

    Atik Mohammed, the former PNC scribe, also a panelist then interjected: “the Free SHS is for the public so he can use the public money.”

    Sam Pyne fired back “is the cathedral for his father or when he is leaving office he will go with it.”.

    Despite repeated calls by the host of the show for Atik Mohammed to desist from heckling, Sam Pyne, Atik continued with Sam Pyne occasionally lamenting about how it was affecting his presentation.

    Meanwhile, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has said that the National Cathedral could cost the country $1billion.

    He is concerned particularly by the amount of public funds dedicated to the project despite earlier government communication that it will be funded by the Christian community.

    “My analysis is that this project is more than a billion dollars, it is more than a billion dollars by the time we are done paying for the recklessness of president Akufo-Addo,” he said in an interview on Accra-based Radio Gold (January 18).

  • Ghanaian nurses in Ireland pour onto the street to experience snow for first time

    Ghanaian nurses in Ireland pour onto the street to experience snow for first time

    Having a taste of anything for the first time can come with its own beauty, but these Ghanaian nurses showcased their awe at seeing and feeling snow for the first time in a more enthralling way.

    At the first opportunity, when these nurses, who work for Kingsbridge Private Hospital in Belfast, Northern Ireland, had the chance, they made their way to the streets, allowing the wintry flakes to fall on their faces.

    According to the Belfast Telegraph, the moment the nurses – two women and one man – enjoyed this historic moment, was captured in photographs.

    The photos have since delighted a lot of people on social media, the report added.

    “Adwoa Aninkore, Richmond Koomson and Freda Dowaah had watched from inside the hospital as snow fell while they worked their rounds earlier in the day.

    “During an evening break, they were delighted to see another shower and didn’t hesitate to dash outside,” the report stated.

    Unable to hide her excitement, Adwoa, who was celebrating her 26th birthday on the same day, told the news portal that it made her feel like a baby.

    “I felt like a child. Inside, I had that childlike feeling of joy.

    “I was excited because I have only seen snow on the TV, and it was really, really nice to see it and feel it for real. I just wanted to soak the moment in.

    “Where I live in Ghana, we have a rainy season and a dry season and here you have rain and a lot of cold and wind. You can get up in the morning and it is dry, and then in the afternoon it is raining. The weather here is a lot,” she is reported to have said.

    The nurses are among 20 medical staff from across Africa who responded to an international recruitment campaign launched by Kingsbridge in 2021.

  • 8 sex trafficked girls rescued

    8 sex trafficked girls rescued

    Eight girls trafficked to Ghana to be sex workers have been rescued, with seven of them repatriated to Nigeria by the Ghana Police Service and the Cape Coast office of the Social Welfare Department.

    The young girls, aged between 15 and 22, were trafficked into the country under the pretext of securing them white collar jobs to enable them to improve their standard of living.

    Two of the girls were rescued at Diaso, the Upper Denkyira West District capital, three at Mankessim in the Mfantseman Municipality, and three at Assin Awisen in the Assin South Municipality of the Central Region.

    However, a 22-year-old lady among them was later freed by the Department when the caretaker of the Social Welfare Shelter reported that she was causing problems at the home.

    Mr Alexander Ofosu Yeboah, the Unit Head in-charge of the Children Residential Home of the Department, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said human trafficking cases were mostly high during vacations.

    The rescued girls were repatriated through the International Organisation for Migration after identifying their families in Nigeria.

    He said the perpetrators deceived the victims, who were secondary school girls, of providing basic needs and giving them jobs that could change their lives and make them comfortable.

    According to Mr Yeboah, the rescue mission was possible based on intelligence gathered by the police and the victims reporting the incident to them after realising they had been deceived.

    The Department provided shelter for them throughout their stay in the country until they were identified and sent back to their country.

    The perpetrators, all Nigerians, are on the run except one female who was arrested and sentenced to five years imprisonment in hard labour, Mr Yeboah said.

    The menace was rife in mining, farming, and fishing areas of the region where many trafficked girls were sent to engage in sexual activities for their masters, he said.

    Mr Yeboah said human trafficking was the inhuman practice that negatively affected the future of its victims and needed collective efforts to reduce to its barest minimum.

    Laws governing human trafficking must be strictly enforced to scare perpetrators from involving in the act, he noted.

    On challenges confronting the Department, Mr Yeboah said, sadly perpetrators of trafficking were mostly freed or released due to the 48- hour clause in police cells.

    He said since most of the perpetrators were foreigners, granting bail was not guaranteed because they had no relative or family member in the country to stand in for them.

    He, therefore, appealed to the Government to either extend the 48 hours period for trafficking perpetrators or enact a law to process them for court right after arrest.

  • New revelation about Kusi Boateng shows he has two mothers – Okudzeto reveals

    New revelation about Kusi Boateng shows he has two mothers – Okudzeto reveals

    Member of Parliament for North Tongu has made another shocking revelation with regards to Reverend Kusi Boateng, secretary of the Board of Trustees.

    Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said he has discovered that Rev. Kusi Boateng has two biological mothers – Yaa Gyamfua and Agnes Ataah

    According to him, he discovered that aside from the double dates of birth and double TIN numbers, Rev. Kusi Boateng also used two different names to represent his mother’s identity in his Taxpayer Registration Form.

    On the 13th of August, 2013 when he filled his Taxpayer Registration Form at the GRA under the name Victor Kusi Boateng with September 7, 1971 as the date of birth, he declared that his mother’s maiden last name is Ataah, and her first name is Agnes.

    “… Last night, Paul Adom Otchere in Rev Kusi Boateng’s defence told the country for the first time that the reason why Rev Kusi Boateng had to, at some point, drop Kusi Boateng and was using Kwabena Adu Gyamfi is that, during the Rawlings coup, his father was killed as part of the military excesses. Paul revealed that Rev Kusi was then told to take his mother’s name. So, Adu Gyamfi is his maternal name. When he was going for his , told GRA that his mother’s last name is Gyamfua and her first name is Yaa. So that aligns with what Paul Adom Otchere said on Good Evening Ghana.

    “So, I decided to go for what he told GRA when he was Victor Kusi Boateng and I think GRA didn’t know they are dealing with the same person. So as Victor Kusi Boateng, he told GRA in his own handwriting on the 20th of August 2013 that his mother’s maiden last name is Ataah and her first name is Agnes.

    “I’m revealing it for the first time that he only doesn’t have two names, two dates of birth, he also has two mothers,” he said on Good Morning Ghana.

    The National Cathedral has been one of the topical issues this week following some shocking revelations made by The North Tongu MP.

    On Monday, January 16 the lawmaker accused the Secretary of the National Cathedral Board of Trustees, Rev. Victor Kusi-Boateng, of a conflict of interest and possession of multiple identities.

    According to him, Rev. Victor Kusi-Boateng appears to be using questionable means to divert funds from the National Cathedral project.

    He has since petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to investigate the matter.

    In his petition, Mr Ablakwa accused Rev. Kusi-Boateng of receiving GH¢2.6 million from the National Cathedral Board, alleging that he was the same person as Kwabena Adu Gyamfi.

    He also claimed that Rev. Kusi-Boateng used multiple passports and identification cards with different names and dates of birth.

  • What are you waiting for, deal with me now! – Ablakwa responds to Rev. Kusi Boateng

    What are you waiting for, deal with me now! – Ablakwa responds to Rev. Kusi Boateng

    Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has responded to a threat to sue him for deliberate defamation.

    The threat was contained in a January 16 press statement issued by Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng, secretary to the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral, who has been at the center of a series of allegations made by the MP.

    Speaking on Accra-based Radio Gold (January 18, 2023), the MP dared the clergyman to deal with him and stop issuing threats if he really believes he is innocent of the allegations he (Ablakwa) has made so far.

    “How does he think parliamentary oversight works? We are doing our work and nobody will intimidate us,” the MP submitted adding that he expected the man of God to deny using two official names, different dates of births, two tax numbers, professions, addresses and that he “is not having dual personality.”

    Ablakwa said he expected the statement to state categorically that he was lying about his allegations and not for the reverend to hide behind an enquiry by the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ).

    “…deal with the specific issues. Than this business of trying to hide under CHRAJ, that after CHRAJ I will deal with the MP, what are you waiting for? Deal with me now.

    “He should deal with me now, I didn’t know he is such a coward, what is he waiting for, deal with me now! Damn coward. He rather is issuing threats because he knows he will not be arrested,” Ablakwa stressed.

    Among other allegations, Ablakwa has published ‘irregular’ payments from the National Cathedral accounts to a company closely associated with the clergyman. He also alleges that Rev. Kusi Boateng uses Kwabena Adu Gyamfi on some other official documents.

    The Trustees of the Cathedral has formally rejected the allegations of irregular payment explaining that the accused only extended a loan to the board and was later paid a full refund without interest.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • I’m not afraid to die – Dampare

    I’m not afraid to die – Dampare

    The Inspector General of Police Dr George Akuffo Dampare has said he is not scared of death.

    The only thing he says he is afraid of is birth and not death.

    Answering questions on the directive against the publication of doom prophecies while appearing before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament on Thursday, January 19, he said “Why should it be such that you found something, God has revealed something to you and you want to share it with me, you have to make it showmanship and tell the whole country that I am about to die, which of course I am not afraid of.

    “The only thing I am afraid of is birth because if you don’t want to die you shouldn’t allow yourself to be birthed, so once I have been born, I am going to die.

    “As for death, the only thing I can do is to become a friend of it so that it can treat me with some leniency.

    “So, the point is that you go and make such an announcement to the whole world, and I have a wife, I have children, I have a parent who is alive and I have family members.  So every day when I live in my house and I always get up around 3AM, but today, I slept up to 5 AM, my wife will be thinking that I am dead. This is something she is going to live with for the rest of her life. Why is it that God himself did not tell us when we are going to die, it means a lot.”

    He further justified the directive regarding the communication of negative prophecies.

    He insisted that nobody has the right to cause fear and panic through prophecies.

    Dr Dampare told the PAC that “Even then, if you have a prophecy about somebody dying, you have a way to communicate it in our typical Ghanaian environment even in proverbs for the person to decipher but you don’t put fear and panic in the person, the person’s immediate family, and the person’s extended family and the whole country.

    “Honourable Chair, you were elected to be Members of Parliament by our votes therefore, you have been empowered by the Constitution and other laws to make certain pronouncements, which is acceptable. But those who are prophets, who elected them over my life to just get out there and make pronouncements about me when I am not a member of your family, I am not your church member and probably the person might not even believe in God.

    “We [Police] are deep-seated Christians that we don’t  joke with Godliness but we will also not allow anybody to use God to create a mess and  confusion because God is not a God of confusion and God is not a God of disorderliness.”

    The Police cautioned Prophets over the way and manner they communicate prophecies.

    “As the year 2022 draws to a close, we wish to once again entreat the general public, especially faith-based groups to ensure continuous compliance with the law as it relates to the communication of prophecies,” the police said in a statement on Tuesday, December 27, 2022.

    “Let us continue to remember that whereas we have the right to practice our faith in religion, freedom of worship and speech, this right must not be exercised in violation of the rights of others and the public interest,” it added.

    The warning that was first given 2021 forced some prophets to adopt different styles in communicating prophecies.

    Source: 3news.com

  • Small scale, illegal miners could clash over flashout threat – Bonaa warns

    Small scale, illegal miners could clash over flashout threat – Bonaa warns

    A security analyst, Adam Bonaa has advised the government to take steps in addressing the concerns of the Small Scale Miners Association.

    This comes on the back of the two weeks ultimatum given to the government by the Small Scale Miners Association to flush out illegal miners operating in the forest reserves in the country.

    According to the miners, they will flash out the illegal miners from the forest if the government fails to do so after the ultimatum.

    Commenting on the matter on Starr News, Mr. Bonaa indicated that the laws of the country justify the actions the Small Scale Miners want to take.

    “I think we should take it very seriously. We should treat it as a country very seriously. But I think that they are within the law if they decide to flash out illegal small-scale miners and foreigners and by extension Chinese nationals who are depleting our forest cover and destroying our water bodies.

    “The law mandates them if you look at section 12 of the criminal code, the 12.1(B) talks about a private person may arrest without a warrant a person who commits an offence in his presence. The D talks about an offence of injury to public property and water bodies, forest reserve all these names I have mentioned we will refer to as public property,” Mr. Bonaa stated.

    He continued: “And so, I think the two weeks ultimatum they have given if the government or whoever is responsible for it refuses to act, I don’t think they will be breaching any law if they enter into these areas and arrest all these suspected foreign nationals or suspected illegal small-scale miners and hand them over to the police within a reasonable time. That is what the law says and they wouldn’t be breaching any law. The only thing is that the state should not wait for that to happen because the spillover we might not be able to deal with it.”

    According to the security analyst, the state has been careless in dealing with illegal small-scale miners and the Chinese or foreign nationals who he alleged are destroying the water bodies and forest cover.

    Mr. Bonaa, therefore, advised the State to act fast in dealing with the situation since the consequences and spill-over could be dire and may not be easily handled by the security agencies.

    “So, as far as I am concerned the State should for once take up that mantle and ensure that they don’t look on while the private citizens decide to invoke section 12 of the criminal code. We shouldn’t sit and say go ahead and arrest these people because they are committing an offence that involves injury to public property. Like you referred to, most of these guys are armed, with sophisticated weapons like AK47s, some of them have pump action guns, side arms and the list is unending.

    “I wouldn’t be able to tell what format the arrest is going to be. Are they concerned small-scale miners also going to be armed going there? Then you are likely to have an all-out war because then they are going to go in for probably a shootout. Probably, if that happens then the state is going to come back to its senses and perform its national duty by ensuring that our water bodies are not destroyed.”