TIG Post

Author: Phoebe Martekie Doku

  • Details of why Ghanaian YouTuber’s call to the Bar is on hold

    Elorm Ababio, a student who just completed the Ghana School of Law (GSL) will not be called to the Ghana Bar due to a petition filed against her by a “concerned citizen”.

    Known popularly on YouTube as Ama Governor, the complaint, according to a letter signed by Justice Cynthia Pamela A. Addo JA, Secretary, Ghana Legal Council (GLC), stated that Ama Governor is seen in widely circulated videos engaging in what it describes as “conduct unbecoming of an applicant to be called to the Bar”.

    The Complainant, the GLC Secretary indicated, also submitted a flash drive [pen drive] which contains selected video files and hyperlinks of Ama Governor to relevant website publications.

    Ama Governor’s conduct is said to violate Regulation 21(c) of the Legal Profession (Professional and Post-call Law Course) Regulations, 2018 L.I. 2355.

    The said Regulation states: “A student of the school qualifies to be called to the Bar, if that student has […] (c) satisfied the Council that the student is of good character.”

    The Council, Justice Cynthia Pamela A. Addo JA said had thus decided:

    “1. To constitute a three-member Committee to investigate the complaint and advise Council accordingly.

    “2. To suspend the decision to call you [Ama Governor] to the Bar pending the outcome of the investigation.

    “I have been directed by the Chairperson of the General Legal Council to inform you of this matter and to advise you to expect to be contacted by the Committee in due course.”

    “You will be given a fair hearing on the complaint before a decision is arrived at,” Justice Cynthia Pamela A. Addo JA’s letter dated November 3, concluded.

    The Ghana School of Law is set to call over 700 students to join the Ghana Bar Association on Friday, November 11, 2022, at the Accra International Conference Centre.

    As part of the criteria, prospective students who wish to join the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) are to lead an exemplary life by maintaining a good character.

    Meanwhile, since the news broke on Wednesday, an online petition has been launched to gather signatories in a quest to obtain ‘justice’ for the Ghanaian law student and YouTuber.

    The campaign was created by Pyrex House and is addressed to the Ghana Legal Council.

  • Ghana School of Law setting out to invade students privacy – Bawah Mogtari

    Joyce Bawah Mogtari, a private legal practitioner and spokesperson of former President John Dramani Mahama, has reacted to the Ghana School of Law’s request for school media handles of its students.

    The school mandated to train legal practitioners on Wednesday, November 9, 2020, directed students to submit their social media handles for monitoring to ensure that they maintain a character befitting the legal profession.

    Yaw Oppong, Director of the School, speaking during the swearing-in ceremony of the School of Law Students’ Representative Council (SRC) executives explained that the request for social media handles will help many students willing to be called to the bar to maintain a good character.

    “Everybody will have to provide their social media handles. We are going to look at it and you will be monitored in terms of conduct. We are required by law to make recommendations. We don’t want to stampede you.

    “You are going to reapply beyond the pass and submit yourselves for all legitimate checks,” he said.

    But Madam Bawah Mogtari believes the Ghana School of Law must come again on their latest request from students.

    She wrote on her Facebook timeline, “as lawyers, we are enjoined to protect the ideals of the Constitution and demonstrably so. Instructively, the first action before the Supreme Court for the enforcement of the 1992 constitution was initiated by lawyers (Kuenyehia & Others v. Archer & Others [1992-1993] 2 GLR 525).

    “It is therefore surprising that today, and in this age and time, the institution responsible for training lawyers in our beloved country is setting out to invade the privacy of its students by interfering with a right so sacrosanct under the Constitution.”

    Bawah Mogtari continued: “I do hope that the Ghana School of Law will reconsider this decision that so egregiously violates rights protected in our Constitution.

    “The Ghana Bar Association must as a matter of urgency stand up against this. Their silence many hours after the news broke in itself is problematic. The Association cannot continue to fail in its mandate to members of the Association and the public in general.

    “What we need is the reformation of legal education in Ghana to be equitable and accord all those willing and qualified to read law the opportunity to do so.

    “We certainly do not need a backward, draconian and repressive Ghana School of Law.”

    Meanwhile, the Ghana School of Law is set to call over 700 students to join the Ghana Bar Association on Friday, November 11, 2022, at the Accra International Conference Centre.

    As part of the criteria, prospective students who wish to join the Ghana Bar Association, GBA, are to lead an exemplary life by maintaining a good character.

     

  • Social media monitoring of law students an admonition, not directive – SRC

    The Students’ Representative Council (SRC) of the Ghana School of Law, GSL, has provided clarity on a demand by the Director of the School, for social media handles of law students.

    According to the SRC, the call by Mr. Yaw Oppong is only an admonition for students to live above reproach wherever they find themselves, including on social media, and does not constitute a directive.

    In a statement sighted by GhanaWeb, the SRC explained “the alleged statement by the Director of the Ghana School Law made[sic] at the swearing-in ceremony of the new SRC Executives was a reiteration of general caution to the student body to abide by the school’s code of conduct within and outside the school including social media platforms.”

    The statement further emphasised that while the school management seeks to ensure that majority of qualified students are called to the Bar each year by the admonition, “no such directive has been given to any student by the Management of the school.”

    Yaw Oppong, Director of the Ghana School of Law, speaking during the swearing-in ceremony of the School of Law SRC executives explained that the request for social media handles will help many students willing to be called to the bar to maintain a good character.

    “Everybody will have to provide their social media handles. We are going to look at it and you will be monitored in terms of conduct. We are required by law to make recommendations. We don’t want to stampede you.

    “You are going to reapply beyond the pass and submit yourselves for all legitimate checks,” he said.

    The request, which has since become topical, has been condemned in many circles, with some calling it an affront to the student’s constitutional right to free expression.

    Below is the statement by the SRC.

  • There’s no V8 for Samira Bawumia’s makeup kit – Sammy Gyamfi retracts, apologizes

    Communications Director of the main opposition National Democratic Congress(NDC), Sammy Gyamfi, has retracted and apologized for an allegation he levelled against Second Lady Samira Bawumia.

    He is on record to have said on Accra-based Neat FM on November 7, 2022, that Samira Bawumia had a whole V8 Landcruiser dedicated to carrying her makeup and a makeup artiste.

    The comments attracted a formal demand for retraction and apology directed at Neat FM, a subsidiary of Despite Media Group.

    According to a November 9, 2022 letter from the Second Lady’s lawyers, Sarkodie Baffuor Awuah and Associates, addressed to the Manager of Neat FM, the allegation made on the ‘Me Man Nti,’ programme was untrue.

    The letter stressed that Sammy Gyamfi was allowed to peddle the allegation and that the host’s failure to rein him in, had cast Mrs Bawumia “in the minds of right-thinking members of the society, as a person who is insensitive, wasteful and unreasonable.”

    The twin demands made were that Sammy Gyamfi is made to retract the allegations on the same show and an unqualified apology be rendered to the Second Lady by the host of the programme.

    Sammy Gyamfi, in a follow-up interview on Wednesday duly apologized for lying about the Second Lady.

    He confessed that his claims were untrue and that it was only fair that he retracted his comments and apologized.

    “The Second Lady’s convoy does not have one brand new Landcruiser that carries her makeup kit and artiste. There is no V8 that transports her makeup kit and artiste according to the office of the Second Lady so it’s only fair for me to retract. I am sorry,” Sammy Gyamfi stated.

    What did Sammy Gyamfi say?

    Sammy Gyamfi on the abovementioned date alleged that Samira Bawumia in these hard times transports her makeup artiste and makeup kit in a brand new Landcruiser.

    He questioned why the Second lady will be insensitive in these hard times to transport her makeup artiste and kit in a Landcruiser everywhere she goes.

    “…there is another person; Samira Bawumia, do you know her convoy includes a brand new Landcruiser carrying makeup; makeup artiste; it follows her everywhere. Who is paying for that, the taxpayer,” he alleged.

  • Ghana’s framework on energy transition outdoored

    Ghana’s framework on energy transition has been out doored by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

    This was done on the sidelines of the ongoing COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.

    While outdooring the document, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said that it has become imperative for Ghana to develop plans and strategies toward the creation of a net-zero energy sector, whilst aggressively pursuing the nation’s economic development.

    In preparing the framework, all existing policies and the programmes that are being implemented towards achieving Ghana’s Nationally Determined Contributions were considered.

    The transition will mitigate 200 million tons of carbon dioxide of greenhouse gas emissions, minimising energy-related indoor air pollution and associated diseases. It is estimated that forty-eight thousand, two hundred and eighteen (48,218) premature deaths will be avoided annually due to the improvement in air quality, resulting from the impact of the transition.

    The National Energy Transition Plan is the major component of a Climate Action Plan (CAP). They both seek to reduce energy usage through energy efficiency measures because that is the most cost-effective way of reducing carbon emissions.

    Read Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh’s Statement Below:

    On the sidelines of the ongoing COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo presented Ghana’s framework on energy transition at a High-Level Event organised by Bloomberg Philanthropies on Sustainable Energy for All.

    In December 2021, I inaugurated the National Energy Transition Committee and tasked them to engage all relevant and related stakeholders across the length and breadth of our country.

    My team and I were all delighted to witness the outdooring of the framework yesterday.

    With Ghana being a signatory to the Paris Agreement and other international conventions, which require the country to reduce her carbon dioxide emission levels, President Akufo-Addo indicated that it has become imperative for Ghana to develop plans and strategies toward the creation of a net-zero energy sector, whilst aggressively pursuing the nation’s economic development.

    In preparing this framework, all existing policies and the programmes that are being implemented towards achieving Ghana’s Nationally Determined Contributions were considered.

    The transition will mitigate 200 million tons of carbon dioxide of greenhouse gas emissions, minimising energy-related indoor air pollution and associated diseases. It is estimated that forty-eight thousand, two hundred and eighteen (48,218) premature deaths will be avoided annually due to the improvement in air quality, resulting from the impact of the transition.

    My ministry will continue to work hand-in-hand with other stakeholders to ensure that we are able to meet our energy transition targets and help improve the quality of life of Ghanaians.

  • Ghana committed to achieving universal electricity access by 2024 – Dr Opoku Prempeh

    Energy Minister Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh has said that Ghana is committed to mitigating and addressing the negative impact of climate change on the country and increase access to energy for socio-economic development.

    To achieve this, the National Energy Transition Framework has been developed after wide consultation with all stakeholders within the energy space.

    Dr Opoku Prempeh, who  made this known during the COP27 in Egypt November 8, 2022, added that Ghana is in pole position to achieve  universal electricity access by 2024, which is remarkable given that the Sustainable Development Goals ( SDGs) put the year to achieve this at 2030.

    “Ghana is a signatory to the Paris Agreement, and is committed to its nationally determined target to address the adverse impact of climate change and increase access to energy for socio-economic development. The energy sector is one of the high emitting sectors and therefore requires critical decisions if Ghana is to achieve net zero ambitions.

    Consequently, the National Energy Transition Framework has been developed [ in consultation with stakeholders]  for Ghana’s energy transition,” Dr Prempeh said.

    With respect to access to electricity, Dr Opoku Prempeh revealed that Ghana’s electricity access rate stands at an impressive 88.5% and a 100% is targeted to be achieved in 2024.

    “Ghana aims to achieve Universal Electricity Access by 2024 well ahead of the SDG target. Currently Ghana stands at 88.54 of electricity access rate,” he added.

    The Conference of Parties ( COP27) which discusses climate change issues is currently ongoing in Egypt. Ghana’s President is in attendance and has called on richer countries to redeem their pledges on cutting down harmful emissions and helping poor countries deal with climate change.

    Thanks for reading from MyNewsGH as a news publishing website from Ghana. You are free to share this story via the various social media platforms and follow us on; Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc.

  • Martin Kpebu is a full NDC member, the party sponsored his demo – Abronye alleges

    The Bono Regional Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwame Baffoe, a.k.a. Abronye DC, has alleged that renowned legal practitioner Martin Kpebu, who has been calling for President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to step down, is a member of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).

    Abronye DC alleged that Kpebu was given money by the NDC to organise his recent NanaMustGo (Kume Preko Reloaded) demonstration to get President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to step down for his poor management of Ghana’s economy.

    Speaking in a Neat FM interview monitored by GhanaWeb, Abronye added that Kpebu, who claims to be incorruptible, refused to give the other organisers of the demonstration their share of the funds given to them by the NDC.

    “The call for the president to step down is a call by the NDC. Because under the Constitution if the president steps down automatically the Speaker (of Parliament) becomes president for the next 3 months.

    “Martin Kpebu, who is known to be an NDC member, is the one championing this course. He is a full member of the NPP… He is doing this (call for Akufo-Addo to step down) for the NDC. He went for the budget for this demonstration from the NDC – they gave him everything. He should come and swear that it is not the NDC who gave him the money for the demonstration,” he said in Twi.

    “He even stole all the money given to him by the NDC. He refused to give the other organisers their share. You (Kpebu) are saying that people are corrupt, but you refuse to give the other organisers of the demonstrations what is due them,” he added.

     

  • Aisha Huang trial: Court calls first witness to the stands

    The first witness in the case involving Chinese national; Aisha Huang who has been arrested for allegedly engaging in illegal small-scale mining (galamsey), has made his appearance in court.

    Supt. Ransford Aborabora of the Ghana Immigration Service; the first witness, told the court that he was part of the enforcement team that first chanced on her illegal activities.

    The witness told the court that on May 6, 2017, he led a team to Obuasi, where they stormed a site where galamsey activities were ongoing.

    This was during the period that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo had placed a ban on the activities of small-scale mining in the country.

    Supt. Aborabora told the court that regardless of this, they had received intel to the effect that some people were flouting the directive and had been mining at the said site.

    He said that on reaching the location, they were able to arrest four Chinese nationals, one of whom was called Gao Gin.

    He also told the court that Gao told them that they were working for Aisha Huang and that their passports were even with her.

    The witness added that the team then took videos and pictures as evidence, which he tendered in to the court.

    The video, according to GhanaWeb’s reporter, George Ayisi, was played in court.

    The defence, in their cross-examination, stated that they did not have any direct evidence that Aisha was involved in galamsey or that she was in charge as alleged by the other Chinese national who was arrested.

    The prosecution then concluded its cross-examination for the day.

    The trial has been adjourned to November 14, 2022.

    However, the lawyer for Aisha Huang, Nkrabea Effah Dartey, appealed for bail for his client but it was again denied, on the same grounds that the accused is a foreigner with no social ties to Ghana.

    Background:

    Ms. Huang in 2017 was charged for undertaking small-scale mining operations contrary to Section 99 (1) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703).

    She was also charged with providing mine support services without valid registration with the Minerals Commission, contrary to Section 59 and 99 (2) of the Minerals and Mining Act; and also charged with illegal employment of foreign nationals (in breach of section 24 of the Immigration Act and regulation 18 of the Immigration Regulations).

    Her case was however discontinued and she was deported. Her deportation meant the state discontinued the trial against her.

    She however found her way back into the country leading to her recent arrest. An Accra Circuit court last week remanded Aisha Huang and three other Chinese nationals into custody to reappear on charges of illegal gold mining and trading.

    Her recent arrest is on the same issues of illegal mining.

     

  • Ralph Poku-Adusei renovates dilapidated Bekwai municipal ambulance service building

    Managing partner at Trent Legal Amansie Chambers and indigene of Bekwai, Ashanti Region, Ralph Poku Adusei, has upon the appeal of the Bekwai National Ambulance Service directorate, renovates the dilapidated office building of the service.

    Prior to the Ambulance Service appeal, Mr Poku-Adusei in October 2022, offered GHC50,000.00 to officials of the Kokofu Traditional Area to support two construction projects in the local district.

    In May 2021, he also donated food items to over 300 Zongo community households in the Bekwai as part of their Eid ul fitr celebration.

    The dilapidated office building of the Bekwai Ambulance Service

    Following these and other benevolent acts of lawyer Ralph Poku Adusei, Philip Adodoadjie, the Municipal Director of the National Ambulance Service in Bekwai, wrote to the British trained lawyer to extend his acts of kindness to his office.

    Renovation bid

    In his letter dated the 11 June 2022, Mr Adodoadjie appealed to Ralph Poku-Adusei to renovate the “office accommodation allocated to the National Ambulance Service at the old hospital” in Bekwai.

    “We would be grateful if the following renovations are done at the said facility; Partitioning of office, Construction of male and female toilet and bath, Construction of Ambulance parking bay, Creations of crew lockers, Office furniture and the provision of four student double bed (two for male, two for female), among others” the appeal letter of Adodoadjie noted.

    The current state of the Bekwai Ambulance Service office building after first phase of the renovation

    Privilege to help

    In an interview with journalists, on why he accepted the invitation to support the ambulance service in the Bekwai constituency, Mr Poku-Adusei, noted that “looking at the importance of ambulance services to the people of Bekwai, I deemed the bid made by the Municipal Director of the National Ambulance Service in Bekwai, an extremely important request”.

     

  • Atwima Kwanwoma MP presents modern medical equipment to Trabuom Health Centre

    Member of Parliament for Atwima Kwanwoma Constituency Kofi Amankwa-Manu, who also doubles as Deputy Minister of Defence, has presented a set of medical equipment valued at $60,000 to the Trabuom Health Center.

    The procurement of the medical equipment was funded by the Latter Day Charities through the MP’s initiative.

    This is the second social intervention project executed by the Member of Parliament this year.

    The first phase saw some deplorable schools turned into model ones in the Atwima Kwanwoma Constituency in the early part of this year.

    Needs assessment are the driven vehicles for the MP’s community support project.

    Trabuom Health Center is the latest community to receive support.

    The community has been handed over modern medical equipment like Nebulizer, Suction machine, Chemistry analyzer, Vaccine fridge, Maternity beds, Baby’s crib, Full Blood Count analyzer, Delivery sets, Urine centrifuge, etc, all worth the equivalent to over GH¢780,000.

    Experts say with the coming on board of these equipment, the Health Center is in a better position to undertake all necessary medical laboratory services including liver and kidney analysis.

    “The medical equipment will help us provide an enhanced medical care. The issue of the community members especially, pregnant women seeking maternal care outside Trabuom will be a thing of the past,” the District Medical Director, Comfort Suglo, said.

    The Deputy Defence Minister and MP for Atwima Kwanwoma, Kofi Amankwa-Manu, said “the medical equipment like these demand a befitting environment, hence my office, prior to the donation of the equipment, also renovated the laboratory block to a befitting status”.

    “It is my desire that the management of the facility will take good care of these equipment to the benefit of the country.”

    Gabriel Kojo, a representative from the Latter Day Charities under the Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, also stated: “Our vision is to support the needy, and the MP applied to our organisation for help. We have been working together for sometime now. All these you see were made available after we also came down to make an assessment after the Member of Parliament reached us for support.”

    In attendance were the District Chief Executive, Prince Karikari, and his Coordinating Director, Presiding Member, Nananom, Representatives of the Latter-Day Charities, some Assembly Members, my Constituency Executives and a host of ruling party faithfuls.

  • NLC orders teacher unions to call off strike

    The National Labour Commission (NLC) has ordered the three teacher unions to immediately call off their strike and continue negotiations with the government.

    The Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations referred the impasse between them and the striking unions to the NLC due to the refusal of the Teacher Unions to call off their strike.

    The Teacher Unions declared a sit-down strike on Friday, November 4, to protest the appointment of Dr Eric Nkansah as the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service.

    The unions said Dr Nkansah was a banker and not a professional teacher, hence their call for his removal.

    The Unions are the Ghana National Association of Teachers, the National Association of Graduate Teachers and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers Ghana.

    The strike has hampered academic work at pre-tertiary institutions.

    Education Minister Yaw Adutwum and Dr Eric Nkansah

    The Deputy Employment Minister, Dr Bright Wereko Brobby, speaking to the Media after the meeting, said the Unions did not follow the right channels before declaring the strike and have been ordered to resume work and properly engage the government for a resolution to their demands.

    The teacher unions expressed their unhappiness and unwillingness to work with the new GES D-G and called on the government to rescind its decision.

     

  • October inflation was 40.4 % – GSS

    The Government Statistician Professor Samuel Anim has announced that inflation rate for October was 40.4 per cent.

    He said at a press conference in Accra on Wednesday November 8 that the rate was at the back of increase in food prices.

    Food inflation recorded the highest rate among all the components as against non food inflation according to the Ghana Statistical Service.

    The increase by food inflation indicates a jump of more than 3 percent from the previous rate of 37.2.

     

  • Fiscal and monetary indiscipline is fueling inflation, Cedi fall – Kwakye

    The Director of Research at the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) Dr John Kwakye has indicated that financial indiscipline is what is causing high inflation and also drop in the strength of the Cedi.

    He noted that as the Central Bank continues to monetize the deficit through direct advances to government and takeover of maturing Treasury Bills, it must ensure that it is not breaching the lending ceiling and fiduciary currency issue.

    “Fiscal and monetary indiscipline is fueling inflation and cedi depreciation. While we expect the Treasury and the Central Bank to collaborate positively, they are rather collaborating negatively as the former has been compelling the latter to monetize the deficit,” he tweeted.

    His comments come at a time Bolga Central MP Isaac Adongo has accused Governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG) of illegally giving an amount of  ¢70 billion to the government to finance matured debts.

    The Deputy Ranking Member on the Finance Committee has served notice to sue Dr Addison over the matter.

    Addressing a press conference in Parliament on Tuesday November 8, he said “Ask yourself why the same taxes that we imposed on petroleum products two years ago to deliver a liter of 4. 50 pesewas.

    “So essentially, now the problem is not even about the taxes, it is about the exchange rate. Who is supposed to manage the exchange rate? It is the Governor of the central bank Dr Addison.”

    He added “Another big problem we have now is inflation. The Bank of Ghana manages the inflationary target framework whiles the Ghana Statistical service reports actually but the man who is in charge of managing our inflation targeting framework and ensuring that inflation expectations are anchored, is the Governor of the Central Bank.

    “The inflationary targeting framework within the confines of the Bank of Ghana provided very strict rules on what we call fiscal governance over monetary policy, in other words  there are strict rules on the government of Ghana can borrow from the Bank of Ghana.

    “Those restricted rules are quite clearly stated that the BoG at any point in time should not have lent more than five percent of the previous revenue cumulatively. If you consider last year ‘s revenue then the government cannot even borrow five million Cedis from the BoG.

    “But by the end of the year 2021, Dr Addison has illegally lent to government ¢35billion, and by May this year he had added an additional ¢22billion when the Minister came at Mid year review. As we speak today, Dr Addison has been financing government and paying maturing debt obligations the domestic market that the government cannot find, we are currently looking at something in excess of 7billion of illegally borrowing by the Government of Ghana from the BoG.

    “If you have a corrupt government such as Akufo-Addo and Dr Bawumia and you pump 70billion to the economy that does not belong to the economy, they steal them and they  put them in their rooms under their beds.

    “Under the current circumstance, the best storage of money is Dollars and not Cedis. So Dr Addison’s 70 billion are now in the homes and beds of government functionaries, is what is chasing the Dollar.

    “How can Dr Addison still be the Governor of the Central bank? I call on Dr Addison as a matter of urgency, to exit BoG and give Ghana the chance to clear the mess. Today, I have instructed my lawyers to serve him notice  and to remind him again of a letter I served him, that if by the end of the third meeting of the second sitting of the 8th Parliament, he has not complied with his obligation to parliament for us to exercise our oversight role, I will sue him and I will proceed to court.”

     

     

  • I’m determined to move motion to vote out Ofori-Atta on Thursday – Minority Leader

    Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu has said he is determined to move the motion of vote of censure to get the Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta removed from Office, on Thursday November 10.

    He explained that the Minority will need the support of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament to achieve their desire to remove the Minister.

    The Tamale South lawmaker said any move by the NPP lawmakers to rescind their quest to get Mr Ofori-Atta removed will hurt Ghana’s democracy by weakening the oversight role of Parliament.

    Admittedly, he said, the National Democratic Congress Lawmakers do not have the required number, two thirds, to push their motion through hence, will need the support of the NPP MPs who earlier called for the sacking of Mr Ofori-Atta, to achieve that.

    “I’m determined to move the motion of censure,” he said while speaking at the political dialogue series organized by Media General on Wednesday November 8.

    He added “Admittedly, the Minority MPs, standing alone, may not achieve the two thirds number and so when the Majority said they will support us, it was comforting. If they chicken out, it will weaken Parliament, it will weaken oversight role of Parliament and the minister will run riot.”

    He added “Anywhere in the world, Mr Ofori-Atta should have been gone by now, taking full responsibility for what has happened.”

    The Speaker admitted the motion which was filed by Asawase Member of Parliament Muntaka Mubarak and dated October 24, 2022.

    The opposition lawmakers believe the Finance Minister has failed in managing the economy.

    In tweet, North Tongu Member of Parliament Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said ” In compliance with Article 82 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, the NDC Caucus in Parliament has successfully filed a motion for his immediate removal.

    Mr Haruna Iddrisu earlier said in Parliament after the Speaker’s ruling was challenged by Deputy Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin that “The Speaker has ruled, and we must show respect to the Speaker. If there are any disagreements with the ruling, they know what to do.

    “Ordinarily, any civilized democracy in the world, you don’t even need a motion for the Minister of Finance to go home.

    “He, upon self-appraisal of where he has led the country and economy to, in all conscience, will bow out and save the nation. So, we have brought a competent motion.”

     

  • I’m the necessary condition for an NDC victory in 2024 – Afriyie Ankrah to NDC delegates

    A former Director of Elections of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, has called on NDC delegates to vote for him to become the party’s next general secretary.

    Afriyie Ankrah, who made these remarks while filing his nomination for the position at the party’s headquarters in Accra on Wednesday (November 11), intimated that he is the only person among the other candidates who can ensure that the party is not robbed of its predestined victory in the December 2024 elections.

    He added that the party’s delegates know this fact, and his prayer is that they will make him the replacement for Johnson Asiedu Nketiah come December 17.

    “I love this party! I know you all do. If I thought for a split second that what I am doing would be tantamount to danger for this party, I would gladly excuse myself; however, I know, you know, and the delegates know that for this election of 2024, I am the best person for the job and it’s for that reason why I came to submit my form to contest the position of General Secretary to help organise the party for battle and victory in 2024.

    “I have always believed that when a man gets into his head to do something, and when he exclusively occupies himself in that pursuit, he must succeed, whatever the difficulties. We will win 2024 by all means, but first, I appeal to the best in you delegates to vote massively for me as your next General Secretary,” he said.

    Afriyie Ankrah is expected to face stiff competition from the ex-Deputy Minister of Finance and former Propaganda Secretary of the NDC, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey and the current Deputy General Secretary of the NDC, Dr. Peter Boamah Otokunor.

    Over 63 percent of participants in a poll conducted by GhanaWeb in October 2022 said that the current Director of Elections of the NDC should be the replacement of the outgoing General Secretary of the party, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah.

  • Kwaebiberem: Low cocoa proceeds pushing us to offer farmlands for galamsey – Farmers

    Farmers in the Kwaebiberem Municipality in the Eastern Region have attributed the low monetary returns from their farms as the reason they exchange their farmlands for illegal mining also known as galamsey.

    The farmers, who are mostly cocoa farmers, want the producer price of cocoa increased to cushion them taking into consideration the current economic mishaps.

    Already, cocoa farms in Kwaebiberem have been left with large pits by illegal small-scale miners.

    But these farmers say the government’s investment in the sector will help end the menace.

    “If the government wants the cocoa sector to thrive, it has to increase the price at which cocoa is sold. Some farmers hand over their lands to illegal miners because they are offered good sums of money. Transportation alone takes so much of our proceeds. How do we survive and cater for our children’s education? Something must be done, otherwise we will import cocoa other than export”, one of them lamented.

    The youth in the area are said to be engaged in illegal acts because most of the town’s cocoa farmlands have been sold by family members for illegal mining (galamsey) use.

    A visit by Citi News to the area revealed cocoa farms have been left with large pits by illegal small-scale miners.

    Residents said unknown persons came from outside the community to prospect and eventually destroy the land with their illegal mining activities.

    Some of the pits in the area had been left for up to eight years.

    Despite the government’s rhetoric in the fight against illegal mining, illegal miners were still at work in this particular district.

    A resident who spoke to Citi News noted that the situation has become dire.

    “This is the most dangerous aspect. People have their cocoa farms, they sell them and after taking the money, that’s all. Some invest the money in other businesses, but that is not favourable for everyone.”

  • Bissa Sukuma Ashanti 2022 launched in Kumasi as members call for peace in Bawku

    Members of the Ashanti Regional Council of Bissa chiefs and the Bissa Development Association (BDA) together with the National Council have launched Bissa Sukuma Ashanti 2022 in Kumasi.

    Sukuma’, which means gathering or togetherness in the Bissa language, will be the largest gathering of the Bissa Chiefs and the Bissa people in the Ashanti Region. It will also be represented by government and political leaders as well as other tribal leaders, the general public, and other Bissa people across Ghana.

    Alhaji Shaibu Musah Gutare, National President of the Bissa Development Association, speaking to the gathering during the launch said, that Sunday’s program precedes the main event which is scheduled for December 18, 2022, at Jubilee Park.

    The Bissa Sukuma among other events, which largely used to be witnessed in Bawku necessitated an extension into the other regions after the Bawku area had been characterized by the Kusaase – Mamprusi conflict.

    According to the Bissas (Buzanga people) in the Ashanti region, they have for a long time not had the opportunity to showcase their culture and traditions, and this had been the moment they were waiting for.

    The national president speaking on the theme, “Maintaining Our Cultural Identity: The True Path to Unity’, said, the good news was that all the various groups had come to the conclusion that they all pursue one common goal which is promoting Bissa development through Bissa culture and traditions.

    “Development could indeed be achieved through the two popular adages in our great Bissa language that says “Wokakoman Nyisi Girls and Zekula N’Pangna’ hence must be vigorously pursued and applied,” he said.

    He added that the reconnection of the Bissa chiefs and people in the Ashanti region as one big family was to also seek the development of the Bissa communities.

    Touching on how to achieve such goals, he said, there was a need for unity to reign amongst the people so that the dream could be realized with ease. He also pleaded with the people of Bawku to as matter of urgency maintain peace at the expense of the current conflict we are witnessing in the area.

    He further revealed that the Bissa Development Association (BDA) has drawn six(6) strategic goals to help its development agenda. He mentioned that the goals included; Financial upliftment, Renovation of BDA zonal and Regional structures, Provision of Educational support for the Bissa communities, Selling of Bissa Culture through singing and dancing, etc, Improving wealth creation of the Bissa people, and lastly, Raising the political consciousness of the Bissa people where he indicated that the people were going to be made to understand that belonging to different political parties do not make one your enemy.

     

     

  • ‘The NDC is the calvary to save this country one more time’ – Elvis Ankrah

    A former Director of Elections of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, has presented the party to Ghanaians as the calvary that will save the country from its current economic woes.

    The aspirant for the position of the General Secretary of the party stated that the challenges people are going through currently would not come to an end through any special help from above.

    Rather, he said, the NDC is the right party to bring the needed relief to Ghanaians as they have been hoping for.

    Speaking during the presentation of his nomination forms at the party headquarters in Accra, Elvia Afriyie Ankrah explained that the struggles for democracy could not just be allowed to be wasted by non-performing leaders.

    “The sacrifices of the 1980s were endured by all primarily because farmers from Yeji to Dodi Papase, where I was born, fishermen and women from Elmina to Denu, market women from Makola to Kumasi, all knew then that if they could endure it one more time, they will be able to build a democracy, an economy and an enabling environment that will allow the fourth republic to thrive and last for the benefit of all.

    “However, that fourth republic is under attack by a clueless bunch of people led by a man who could only be described as the greatest mistake of our democracy and the worst experiment of the fourth republic. As catastrophic as that is, the real nightmare is that we still must endure it till 2024 before help comes,” he said.

    He, however, stated that the return of the NDC to power would restore the needed confidence that Ghanaians hope to have in the country.

    He added that together with his party members, the NDC would restore hope to Ghanaians.

    “However, there’s no special help coming from above, ladies and gentlemen; there’s no calvary coming with the sunset or the roaring seas. We, the National Democratic Congress, are the calvary. You and I are the only ones who can save this country one more time. And you, the delegates, are the ones upon whose shoulder rest the sole responsibility to restore hope and give Ghanaians the much-needed assurance of a better tomorrow,” he said.

    Elvis Afriyie Ankrah will face competition from Dr. Peter Boamah Otokunor, the current Deputy General Secretary of the NDC, and Fifi Kwetey, a former Member of Parliament for Ketu South and Deputy Minister of Finance for the slot of the party’s General Secretary.

     

  • Col. Damoah sues Special Prosecutor over Labianca report

    A former Commissioner of Customs Division at the Ghana Revenue Authority, Colonel Kwadwo Damoah and a former Deputy Commissioner of the Division, Joseph Adu Kyei, have sued the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) over the Labianca report.

    They are seeking the court to dismiss the investigative report by the Special Prosecutor into the activities of Labianca Company Limited, a frozen foods company.

    Col. Damoah was removed as the Commissioner of the Customs Division in the wake of the Labianca saga.

    Earlier, when the Labianca report was released, he accused the OSP of targeting his person in an attempt to bring him down. In his view, the report is hollow and actuated by malice.

    The OSP also called for wider investigations into the Customs Division of the GRA and demanded for a copy of Integrity plans to prevent corruption.

    The suit by the former Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner has been filed at the High Court in Accra.

    Col. Damoah was indicted in corruption-related acts involving Labianca.

    A Council of State member, Eunice Jacqueline Buah Asomah-Hinneh, who owns Labianca Company and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority was accused of using her position to get a favourable decision from the Customs Division of the GRA, leading to a reduction in her company’s tax liabilities.

    A Deputy Commissioner of Customs in charge of Operations, Joseph Adu Kyei, was cited for issuing unlawful customs advance rulings to Labianca, according to the Special Prosecutor’s report.

    This led to the reduction of the values of intended imports between a range of 5 percent and 10 percent
    below the benchmark values.

    The ruling was said to have been approved by Col. Damoah.

    Though Col. Damoah distanced himself from the wrongdoing, the Special Prosecutor found that he gave his “tacit approval”.

     

  • Economic crisis: Venture into organic farming – Amb. Krull to Ghanaian farmers

    The German Ambassador to Ghana H.E Daniel Krull has advised the government to encourage farmers to venture into full-scale organic farming to help them become more resilient to the economic crisis.

    According to him, organic farming will not only improve the livelihoods of farmers and their families but will also have an enormous positive impact on the country’s trade balance as the government will stop the importation of fertilizers, pesticides and also reduce the importation of food.

    Speaking at the Maiden Ecoland Organic Farmers Day Celebration held in Bunso, H.E Daniel Krull indicated that only organic farming guarantees greater fertility of the land and will help farmers and their families become more resilient to the economic crisis.

    The Overlord of Akyem Abuakwa State Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin who indicated that Ghana has a future in organic farming said it can only be achieved if Ghanaians respect nature and end the destruction of the environment through illegal mining popularly known as galamsey.

    “Organic farming will work only if we put up the right attitude. The right attitude is respecting the rule of law and the rule of nature. We have a future to build ourselves to a middle class in organic farming, so let’s all join and make this work. We have to plant our own food and eat our food and plant it in surplus so we can send some somewhere and get the needed foreign exchange.”

    The President of Ecoland International Rudolf Buhler whose company has taken a giant step in the cultivation of organic ginger in Bunso addressing the gathering indicated that organic agriculture is the only sustainable climate and environmentally friendly way of land use and food production.

     

  • Elvis Ankrah submits nomination forms to contest NDC General Secretary slot

    Elvis Afriyie Ankrah has submitted his nomination forms to contest the position of general secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Ghana’s largest opposition party.

    The former Director of Elections of the party presented the forms on Wednesday, November 9, 2022, at the party headquarters in Accra.

    Presenting the forms, Elvis Ankrah stated that the pending national delegates congress of the NDC is its most critical election ever because it holds the hopes of many Ghanaians.

    “But I can tell you right now that this delegate congress is the most critical elections in the history of our dear country. If we get it right as a party the whole country will get it right and if we get it wrong the country will sink.

    “Take a moment and carefully think about the ramifications of putting the wrong people in the right offices. It’s akin to going fishing with a sharp shovel. This party is the last frontier of hope for the many hopeless people across this country and this election is the most hopeful thing that the people of this country are looking forward to this year,” he said.

    He added that the outcome of the elections will largely determine the future of the party.

    “How we move forward as a party and a country is predicated largely on the outcome of this election,” he said.

    Elvis Afriyie Ankrah is facing competition from Dr. Peter Boamah Otokunor, the current Deputy General Secretary of the NDC; and Fifi Kwetey, a former Member of Parliament for Ketu South and Deputy Minister of Finance.

    The NDC will hold its national delegates congress in December 2022.

     

     

  • Lawyer Kpebu, Maurice Ampaw fight dirty over demands for Akufo-Addo to resign

    Private legal practitioners Martin Kpebu and Maurice Ampaw have clashed over the former’s demand for President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to step done for his poor management of Ghana’s economy.

    The clash comes after Maurice Ampaw berated Martin Kpebu for his call for the president’s removal and suggested something might be psychologically wrong with Martin Kpebu.

    “In fact, Kpebu needs psychiatric treatment. I’m being frank because a lawyer wants us to enter into a constitutional crisis. Because the Kpebu that I know is a very good lawyer, a brilliant lawyer. But now that he has ventured into politics, it looks as if he has become a different lawyer.

    “Now, he is not putting on legal spectacles; he is putting on political spectacles and look at what Kpebu is professing. A whole lawyer is saying that a government must be forced to leave power to hand over power to the opposition.

    “… and he buttresses this with Article 41. Tell him that if he has forgotten the Constitution, he should read Article 41 – the duties of the citizens. Where in that provision is it written that the citizen has the right to force the president to resign,” he said in Twi.

    Reacting to this in an interview on Neat FM, which GhanaWeb monitored, Martin Kpebu said that Ampaw suggesting that he does not understand the law does not make sense because his records show that he is a better lawyer than him (Ampaw).

    “… Maurice Ampaw himself knows that I am a better lawyer than him. He can’t talk about me in this manner. Maurice is someone who has not practised law as I have, and so he can not speak about me like this in public.

    “Ask him the number of cases he has done in court. Ask him who his clients are… as a lawyer, how many cases he has worked on. Where is your chamber?” he said in Twi.

    Ampaw, who was also on the show, then clapped back at Kpebu, saying he was a more experienced lawyer than him.

    “Tell Martin Kpebu that I am his senior. When I was studying law, he was in JHS (Junior High School). When I started winning civil cases, he (Kpebu) was not a lawyer yet. He should bring the court cases he has won for us to compare.

    “Does he know my background? He is not my colleague when it comes to legal practice,” he said.

    Lawyer Ampaw added that Kpebu’s attempt to get the president to step down is a treasonable offence which he should be punished for.

  • Minority calls for a probe into Kelvin Taylor’s allegation that gov’t is training mercenaries for 2024 election

    The minority caucus of Parliament has called for an independent investigation into allegations that the government is training mercenaries at the seat of government, the Flagstaff House.

    According to the minority, allegations by broadcaster Kelvin Taylor indicating that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government intends to use these mercenaries to influence the 2024 elections are very serious and should be investigated.

    James Agalga, the Ranking Member on the Defence and Interior Committee who made these remarks in Parliament on November 8, 2022, also called on the international community to intervene.

    “(There are allegations of) recruitment and training of mercenaries by government operatives based at the Jubilee House to cause chaos and mayhem in the country and blame the political position.

    “Due to the seriousness of the allegations made and coupled with the involvement of government-sponsored armed tugs in the disruption of the Ayawaso West Wagon Constituency bye-elections, we demand an urgent independent probe into the allegation made,” he said.

    James Agalga also alleged that the government is creating a security apparatus loyal to the NPP and not the state by recruiting its party members in various positions.

    Meanwhile, Defence Minister Dominic Nitiwul has dismissed the call for a probe by the minority caucus in Parliament concerning the alleged training of mercenaries at the Jubilee House as part of the government’s plans towards the 2024 elections.

    Nitiwul described the allegations, first published by US-based social commentator Kevin Taylor, as “rubbish”, stressing that the government had no such plans whatsoever.

    He told journalists in Parliament on November 8, just after a press conference by the minority, that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was committed to handing over to a duly elected president in 2025.

    “Let me state to you that this president will hand over to the duly elected president of Ghana on January 7 2025. The duly elected president will be chosen by the people of Ghana.

    “Nobody will interfere in the choice of the people of Ghana. Not from the military, not from the police, not from any politician,” Nitiwul stressed.

  • Parliament hails work of journalists in nation building

    Members of Parliament (MPs) on Wednesday took turns to hail the role of journalists in nation building.

    Mr Akwasi Konadu, the MP for Manhyia North, who presented a statement on the floor of the House to mark “International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists”, entreated the House to help in any way possible to ensure that media practitioners go about their duties without fear or favour.

    This, he said, could be achieved by ensuring the safety and security of media practitioners and giving them all the necessary support to do their jobs.

    He urged the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) not to relent in its pursuit of justice for all journalists who had suffered any form of injustice in their line of duties.

    He also appealed to the Police to ensure that the killers of Mr Ahmed Hussein-Suale, an investigative journalist and Mr Samuel Kwanena Ennin, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the GJA, were brought to book.

    “Parliament, we also want to assure all media practitioners that we stand shoulder to shoulder with them,” Mr Konadu said.

    The United Nations General Assembly in 2013 set aside November 2, as the “International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists” to condemn attacks and violence against journalists.

    Contributing to the presentation, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, Majority Leader, said the National Media Commission that was charged to regulate the conduct of media practitioners captured under Article 167 of the 1992 Constitution was to promote and ensure the freedom and independence of the media for mass communication or information.

    To take all appropriate measures to ensure the establishment and maintenance of the highest journalistic standards in the mass media, including the investigation, mediation and settlement of complaints made against or by the press or other mass media and to insulate the state-owned media from governmental control.

    “Mr, Speaker, the Media Commission, regardless of their intention, they are toothless in trying to call media practitioners who to astray to order,” Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said.

    “Mr Speaker, we need the media, but the media should not otherwise assume positions that are abhorrent to our society.”

    Mr Haruna Iddrisu, Minority Leader, said the Day provided journalists an opportunity to evaluate their own performance and to their contributions to Ghana’s functional democracy.

    He lauded the contributions of journalists in their collective efforts for Ghana to attain the targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

    “But Mr Speaker, as reported by the UN Secretary General, some 70 journalists have been killed this year in the course of their work and in the course of their duty of contributing to a more enlightening world,” Mr Iddrisu stated.

    He said they were demanding Justice for the killing of Ahmed Husein-Suale and urged nvestigative or prosecutorial body handing the matter to discharge the responsibility with some credibility to give assurance to practicing journalists that they would not just wither away their lives in their services without support or compensation for their family.

    “It is important that we celebrate and commend the Ghana Journalists Association and to urge them, what we need is the commitment of Government to continue to respect those freedoms,” he said.

    He said Ghana still needed a new broadcasting law to regulate broadcasting generally.

    Mr Samuel Atta Akyea, the MP for Abuakwa South, in his submission, said, as a legal practitioner, he had had to represent some people in the courts of law, who were defamed by certain media publications.

    He noted that when someone’s hard won reputation was defamed through the publication of the journalist, it was difficult repairing, especially when it was carried on the internet.

    “In trying to fly your story to make some money, be careful of the reputation of others, because money cannot buy the reputation of someone,” Mr Atta Akyea said.

    Dr Abdul-Rashid Hassan Pelpuo, MP for Wa Central, urged Ghanaians to hold journalists in high esteem and not to look at them with disrespect.

    He said Ghana was seen as an oasis of peace in the subregion, and that Ghanaians should ensure to handle journalists with pride; saying that journalists would be comfortable in doing their jobs, and that Ghana could be a source of inspiration for other nations.

  • Appointment of new GES boss: Proper processes and procedure was not followed – Apaak

    Deputy Ranking Member on Parliament’s Education Committee, Dr Clement Apaak, has stated that the government failed to adhere to due process in appointing Dr Eric Nkansah as the new Director General of the Ghana Education Service.

    According to Mr Apaak, the government, among other things, failed to engage in proper consultations, including factoring in the input of the GES Council before the appointment.

    “The Council has a say even if the president has the power to appoint, and that is why the process requires that before the minister makes a recommendation to the president, that should have happened before the recommendation. And that is where the problem is; when we try to circumvent and ignore laid-down processes and procedures, this is what happens.

    “I believe that if the processes had been followed, a sense would have come that this appointment that the president was intending to make would not receive popular support from major stakeholders or if they had that sense, they would have done some background work to try and prepare the grounds,” he said during an interview with Okay FM monitored by GhanaWeb.

    His comment is on the back of the strike action declared by pre-tertiary teacher unions following the appointment of Dr Eric Nkansah by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

    The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT), in a collective decision, announced the strike action last week.

    At a press conference last week, the unions rejected the appointment of Dr Eric Nkansah, who has a banking background, as the new GES boss.

    Addressing a press conference in Accra on Thursday, October 20, the president of NAGRAT, Mr Angel Carbonou, said teachers were hoping that a person with a background in education would be appointed to bring his or her expertise to bear.

    “What annoyed and surprised all of us was that a new Director General has been appointed to the Ghana Education Service.

    “The authority to appoint Director General of GES is the president of the land. Unfortunately, contrary to what the teacher unions indicated that we would want a Director General who is a professional teacher who has passed through the mill, who can bring his knowledge, skills and influence to bear on the activities of teachers and non-teachers in the GES.

    “Contrary to that, the gentleman who was appointed yesterday is not a teacher; he is a banking officer who was a special assistant in the office of the minister and has been appointed as the DG of the GES. We are not happy with this development; it is as if we don’t have professionals and well-educated people who have gone through the mill in education in this country to run education,” he stated.

     

  • Why should you be afraid if you told the truth? – Effah Dartey to Anas

    Private legal practitioner, Nkrabea Effah Dartey, has questioned the insistence of investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw to testify with his identity hidden in the criminal trial of former GFA President, Kwasi Nyantakyi.

    The Supreme Court on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, quashed a High Court ruling which granted the journalist the right to testify with a mask in the case of the Republic v Kwasi Nyantakyi & Another.

    Reacting to the court’s ruling in an interview with Okay FM, Mr Effah Dartey questioned why the journalist wants to testify with his identity hidden saying, “If you know what you are doing and what you are saying is the truth why should you be afraid?”

    “Me Nkrabea Effah Dartey, if you look me in the eyes and call me an ex-convict I won’t be happy but that is the truth. I was convicted in June 1981. I was convicted and sentenced for planning a coup, to stage a coup and become a head of state. But if you as a journalist claim Kwasi Nyantakyi has taken a bribe you should come out openly and tell us,” he added.

    Cromwell Gray LLP, lawyers for the celebrated investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, has urged the public to disregard what it describes as a false reportage within a section of the media that the Supreme Court of Ghana presided over by Baffoe-Bonnie, JSC, has ordered the journalist to testify without a mask.

    According to a seven-point release available to GhanaWeb, the lawyers indicated that the Supreme Court in its ruling on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, did not make such an order. They also noted that their client is not being compelled by the apex to appear in court without his mask.

    Background:

    Mr Nyantakyi and a former Chairman of Northern Regional Football Association (RFA), Abubakar Alhassan, were charged with conspiracy to commit crime in a football scandal following Tiger Eye PI expose.
    Mr Nyantakyi is facing additional charges of corruption by a public officer and fraud by an agent.

    They have, however, denied the charges and have been admitted to bail in the sum of Gh¢1m with three sureties each; one of the sureties is to be justified.

  • ‘We will monitor your social media handles in terms of conduct’ – Law students told

    The Director of the Ghana School of Law, Yaw Oppong, has directed that all social media handles of students at the school be monitored for characters befitting their profession.

    This was after he directed that the students of the school submit their social media handles for monitoring, a report by myjoyonline.com said.

    Yaw Oppong explained that this will help the students use their social media handles to promote ethical characters befitting of the profession they are entering.

    “Everybody will have to provide their social media handles. We are going to look at it and you will be monitored in terms of conduct. We are required by law to make recommendations. We don’t want to stampede you.

    “You are going to reapply beyond the pass and submit yourselves for all legitimate checks,” he said.

    The Ghana School of Law director made these comments at the swearing-in ceremony of executives of the School of Law Students’ Representative Council (SRC), the report added.

    Yaw Oppong urged the students to live upright lifestyles befitting their status as legal practitioners so that the General Legal Council will not be in a position to bring their characters into question one day.

    “Once we are doing our best to ensure that as many of you as possible who want to help yourselves go beyond the stage you are, and we are succeeding, it will not compromise your good character.

    “It’s of no use if you are qualified to go to second year, and you are told that you cannot go because of bad character,” he added.

    The Ghana School of Law was established in 1958 by Ghana’s first president, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, to become a centre of excellence in Africa and the world at large for professional legal training and research.

  • Adwoa Safo discussing her position with leadership before she resumes duties – Aide

    An aide to the Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya, Sarah Adwoa Safo, Nana Dubin Kwapong, has said that the MP is currently having discussions with the leadership of the majority caucus before she will resume her parliamentary duties.

    Speaking in a Neat FM monitored by GhanaWeb, Dubin Kwapong intimated that the MP is discussing issues surrounding the majority caucus’ push for her to be removed from the House.

    He added that as soon as Adwoa Safo knows her stance, she will start attending to her parliamentary duties.

    “Adwoa Safo has not gone to Parliament since her return. As we all know, there are some issues that have to be resolved regarding whether she will continue as a Member of Parliament or she will be removed.

    “So, in the meantime, she is engaging with the leadership of Parliament so that she will know her stance before she resumes her duties,” he said in Twi.

    Dubin Kwapong further stated that Adwoa Safo has no issues with her colleague MPs who want her removed.

    “If you know honourable, she is not someone who takes things too personal; she has taken everything that happened in good strides. She is now discussing what exactly happened with the leadership, and I am hopeful that something useful will come out of this,” he added.

    Meanwhile, the MP for Tamale Central, Alhassan Sayibu Suhuyini, has said that it was curious that Adwoa Safo’s much-awaited return is coinciding with a vote of censure motion the minority caucus was due to move against Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.

    According to him, the latest development is akin to the last time she was in Parliament, that is, to help with the passage of the 2022 Budget statement of the government.

    “You know there is an important vote coming up?” Suhuyini asked New Day host Berla Mundi before adding: “The finance minister’s vote of censure, she has showed up. When did she last show up last minute? On the budget.

    “They knew where she was; they could bring her, they just didn’t want to,” he submitted.

  • Lawyer for Kwesi Nyantakyi speaks on Supreme Court ruling on Anas testifying

    Thaddeus Sory, Lead counsel for former President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kwesi Nyantakyi, has stated that his side is only ensuring due processes are followed in the ongoing criminal trial of his client.

    According to the private legal practitioner, the decision to seek a Supreme Court ruling to quash an order of the High Court granting investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas the right to testify against his client with his identity hidden is to ensure due process is followed.

    “We are not bent; that is a constitutional provision. If you check, it says every trial should be in public. It is statutory; it is a constitutional right to have your trial in public. So if you want to go contrary to that, it should be a compelling reason. So it is not as wanting somebody or not wanting somebody to testify in camera.

    “Basically, that is what it is (following due process), so that is what the constitution says that every proceeding should be in public and that if you want to testify or have a proceeding in camera, there are laid down processes and procedures that you go through. So if he comes today and says that he wants to testify in camera, yes, you should come properly; bring an application, support it with an affidavit,” he told GhanaWeb iLawyer for Kwasi Nyantakyi speaks on Supreme Court ruling on Anas testifying
    n an exclusive interview.

    The Supreme Court on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, quashed a High Court ruling which granted the journalist the right to testify with a mask in the Republic v Kwesi Nyantakyi & Another case.

    Meanwhile, Cromwell Gray LLP, lawyers for the celebrated investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, has urged the public to disregard what it describes as a false reportage within a section of the media that the Supreme Court of Ghana presided over by Baffoe-Bonnie, JSC, has ordered the journalist to testify without a mask.

    According to a seven-point release available to GhanaWeb, the lawyers indicated that the Supreme Court in its ruling on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, did not make such an order. They also noted that their client is not being compelled by the apex court to appear in court without his mask.

    Mr Nyantakyi and a former Chairman of the Northern Regional Football Association (RFA), Abubakar Alhassan, were charged with conspiracy to commit crime in a football scandal following Tiger Eye PI expose.

    Mr Nyantakyi is facing additional charges of corruption by a public officer and fraud by an agent.

    They have, however, denied the charges and have been admitted to bail in the sum of Gh¢1m with three sureties each; one of the sureties is to be justified.

    Anas, who is a witness of the prosecution nominated to testify against the accused persons after his colleague, Ahmed Suale, who was the lead witness, was murdered on January 19, 2019.

  • Kufuor has not forfeited 6 months of his salary – Office of the Former President

    The Office of former President John Agyekum Kufuor has refuted claims the former President has forfeited six months of his salary to the state.

    In a statement signed by the Former President’s Senior Aide and Spokesman, Dr. Kwabena Osei Adubofour, he stated that “the reportage is fake, and should be treated with the contempt that it deserves.”

    Kufuor has not forfeited 6 months of his salary - Office of the Former President

    He added that while they are at a loss as to the object for such false reportage, the situation calls for “rational reflection on the use of the present avenues of communication that the digital age affords all of us.”

    Dr. Adubofour further urged the general public to disregard the “utterly mischievous piece.”

  • Ghanaians call for tighter regulation of natural resource extraction – Survey

    A majority of Ghanaians want the government to regulate natural resource extraction such as mining, oil drilling, and wood harvesting more tightly to reduce its negative impacts on the environment, according to an Afrobarometer survey.

    In a press release, Afrobarometer said citizens are evenly divided in their views on whether local communities receive a fair share of revenues from nearby natural resource extraction activities, and fewer than half think that the benefits of natural resource extraction outweigh its costs, such as pollution.

    Only about half of Ghanaians say ordinary citizens have a voice in decisions about natural resource extraction that takes place near their communities.

    Other Key findings from the survey are:

    • Most Ghanaians (85%) want the government to regulate natural resource extraction more tightly in order to reduce its negative impacts on the environment (Figure 1).
    • Fewer than half (46%) of citizens think local communities receive a fair share of revenues from natural resource extraction; just as many (46%) think they don’t (Figure 2).
    • And only 39% say the benefits of natural resource extraction, such as jobs and revenue, outweigh negative impacts such as pollution.
    • Half (51%) of Ghanaians “agree” or “strongly agree” that ordinary citizens have a voice in decisions about natural resource extraction near their communities, while 40% disagree.

    The Afrobarometer team in Ghana, led by the Ghana Center for Democratic Development, interviewed a nationally representative sample of 2,369 adult Ghanaians in April 2022.

     

     

  • ‘I have been a former political prisoner on four different occasions’ – Sam Okudzeto

    Veteran lawyer, Sam Okudzeto, has recalled the several times he has been a victim of political incarceration.

    Making this known during a donation to the inmates at the Nsawam Medium Security Prisons by his firm, Sam Okudzeto and Associates (SOA), the veteran lawyer said he since kept a soft spot for people in prisons.

    “As a former political prisoner on four different occasions, I have a special personal connection with prisons and the welfare of inmates. I have been a member of the Prisons Ministry of Ghana for several years and continue to serve on its Board. For over 20 years, I have spent every Christmas with inmates to demonstrate love and care, and to encourage them. We are pleased to celebrate this milestone with them,” he said.

    Sam Okudzeto and Associates (SOA) is marking its 50th Anniversary as a law firm and as part of the activities commemorating the anniversary, the firm paid a visit to the prison and made some donation of medical supplies, food items, sanitary products, among others.

    “The firm, Sam Okudzeto and Associates has grown through 50 years of legal excellence, and we are delighted to celebrate this remarkable feat. However, the history of this firm cannot be fully recounted if we omit to refer to our engagements and work with the prisons over these years,” he added.

    The law firm was founded in 1971 by one of the country’s finest and most astute lawyers, Mr. Sam Okudzeto, (SAG. FCIS, LLB (Hons) Lond. Dip, College D’Europe, Belgium, Notary Public) after he moved on from Law Chambers.

    It now boasts close to 30 lawyers and six partners. The firm’s new office has an ultra-modern library, fully equipped and updated with the most current law reports for legal research, as well as an ICT facility.

  • Don’t lower standards for Law School admissions – Baffoe-Bonnie to GLC

    A Supreme Court Judge, Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie has cautioned the General Legal Council against lowering the standards for admission into the Ghana School of Law.

    According to the Supreme Court Judge, it is imperative for persons seeking to study law to meet the requirements of the profession.

    Speaking at a dinner for persons qualified to be called to the bar, Justice Baffoe-Bonnie underscored the need to maintain high standards of the legal profession in order to enhance justice delivery in the country.

    “This year if they pass we will pass them, if they fail, they will not be admitted, and we are not going to lower standards just to accommodate anybody who has applied. Law is law and you must meet the requirements,” Justice Baffoe-Bonnie said.

    His comments come after over 80 percent of students passed the final examination conducted in July by the Independent Examination Committee (IEC) of the General Legal Council (GLC) to select qualified students of the Ghana School of Law (GSL).

    The general position of Ghana’s law is that the GLC is the primary institution that regulates legal education in Ghana.

    Citi News‘ analysis of the results revealed that some 81 percent of the over 800 Part Two Professional Law Course students – defined as candidates who started and completed their professional law course on various campuses of the GSL – passed.

    However, 18 percent of candidates who sat for the exams failed at least one or more of the papers written in July 2022.

    The percentage of successful candidates belonging to the post-call law class – defined as persons who have been called to the Bar in other common law jurisdictions such as the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Nigeria and The Gambia was, however, lower; at over 60 percent.

    Around 33 percent of post-call candidates failed at least one paper, meaning they are ineligible to be considered for the Ghana Bar this year.

    Put together, some 850 candidates of the Ghana School of Law are fit to be considered for the Ghana Bar on November 11, 2022, provided they have equally met other requirements, such as “Good character”

  • 39 new free zones companies to inject $230m into economy

    The Ghana Free Zones Authority has revealed that it expects about US$230 million to be injected into the economy from thirty nine newly licensed companies by the Authority.

    The thirty-nine new free zones companies which were licenced to operate within the last year and a half are also expected to bring in about US$529 million by way of export earnings into the country.

    This was disclosed by the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Free Zones Authority (GFZA), Ambassador Michael Oquaye Jnr. during the launch of 2022 Investment Week.

    “Since I took over as CEO, some 39 new companies have been licenced and they are expected to inject an estimated capital of US$230million into the economy. In addition, the estimated export earnings from the 39 companies is US$529million from an estimated production value of US$436million. I am also happy to report that the cumulative exports from the Free Zones enterprise since the programme’s inception stood at US$27billion as of 2020,” he said.

    He stated that as the country is currently grappling with a balance of trade deficit and depreciation of the currency, it is critical that Ghana increases its exports to earn needed foreign exchange to stabilise the free fall of the local currency.

    “Export-led industrial growth is one of the most appropriate strategies to achieve economic development; this has been the mandate of the GFZA. Thus, the Free Zones programme’s importance in reversing our balance of trade deficit and depreciating cedi is vital.”

    Amb. Oquaye Jnr. also revelaed that the cumulative exports from the Free Zones enterprise since the program’s inception stood at USS 27 billion as of 2020.

    This he noted indicates that Ghanaian companies also have the potential to take advantage of free zones incentives and make a mark in the international market. Currently, the total number of active companies is 217.
    Out of the 217 active companies 72 are wholly Ghanaian-owned companies, representing 33percent; 74 are wholly foreign-owned companies, representing 34 percent; and 71 are joint ventures, representing 33 percent.

    “I am giving this breakdown because the Free Zones programme has been misconstrued as mainly favouring foreign investors. On the contrary, the programme is open to all investors, both foreign and local. Moreover, with the opportunities that AfCFTA also offers, we are encouraging Ghanaian-owned businesses to take advantage of the 1.3 billion African market to expand their activities. The impact of these achievements on the economy cannot be overemphasised.” he added.

  • Number 12: Anas will remain anonymous if he decides to testify at Supreme Court – Lawyers

    Lawyers for investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas have asked the public to disregard media reports suggesting that the Supreme Court has ordered him to testify in a court case without his iconic face mask.

    In a statement dated November 8, 2022, and issued Tuesday night, Cromwell Gray LLP, lawyers for the ace journalist stated: “Anas may choose to testify as a prosecution witness or not.”

    “Anas and his Tiger Eye team will continue to wear the iconic face beads as a symbol of impartial anonymity in investigative journalism and to highlight the extreme risks in that line of duty,” they stated.

    Supreme Court

    The Supreme Court had quashed the Accra High Court’s decision for Anas Aremeyaw Anas, to testify in-camera against Kwesi Nyantakyi for his documentary dubbed ‘Number 12’ on football administration and alleged bribery.

    A witness for the Republic, Ahmed Suale, who was one of the investigative journalists in respect of the documentary, was murdered in Madina, Accra weeks before his testimony could be taken.

    Anas Aremeyaw Anas had then agreed to testify in the stead of Ahmed Suale, on condition that he be allowed to do so in camera or in chambers.

    The court had agreed but lawyers for the accused person, Kwesi Nyantakyi petitioned the Supreme Court to quash the High Court’s decision for Anas to testify in camera.

    The Supreme Court, presided over by Justice Baffoe-Bonnie on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, granted the application for certiorari filed by Kwesi Nyantakyi quashing the order of the Accra High Court granting a dispensation to Anas to testify in camera as a prosecution witness in the criminal case entitled Republic v Kwesi Nyantakyi & Another.

    In March 2022, during Case Management Conference, the High Court presided over by Justice Elfreda Dankyi granted an application by the prosecution for Anas to give evidence in camera as a prosecution witness in the case of Republic v Kwesi Nyantakyi and Another.

    Mr Nyantakyi therefore applied to the Supreme Court for an order of certiorari to quash the dispensation given to Anas.

    Grounds

    Mr Nyantakyi’s grounds for going to the Supreme Court were that the order of the High Court offended the human rights of the applicant as guaranteed under the 1992 Constitution, that the order was made without regard to the procedures and rules of court which required that a formal and not an oral application be made in such circumstances; and the order of the court was made in excess of jurisdiction of the court.

    The Supreme Court upheld the application and quashed the order of the High Court as having been made without the requisite legal basis.

    Following that, some media reports had suggested that Anas would now have to testify in open court without his iconic face mask.

    Reaction by Anas’s lawyers

    But reacting to the media reports on the ruling by the Supreme Court, lawyers for Anas explained that the criminal proceedings were instituted following Anas’ petition filed with the Attorney-General.

    “The Star witness for the Republic, Ahmed Suale, who was one of the investigative journalists in respect of the documentary, was murdered in Madina, Accra weeks before his testimony could be taken.”

    “Anas Aremeyaw Anas agreed to testify in the stead of Ahmed Suale on condition that he be allowed to do so in camera or in chambers.”

    “The public should disregard false reportage that Anas has been ordered by the Supreme Court or is being compelled by the Supreme Court to appear in court without his trademark face beads.

    “Anas may choose to testify as a prosecution witness or not. Anas and his Tiger Eye team will continue to wear the iconic face beads as a symbol of impartial anonymity in investigative journalism and to highlight the extreme risks in that line of duty.”

    Attached below is a copy of the statement from Anas’s lawyers

    PRESS RELEASE

    IN RE: REPUBLIC v. KWESI NYANTAKYI & ANOTHER

    1. We are lawyers for the celebrated undercover investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas.

    2. Our attention has been drawn to developments in the ongoing criminal trial of the former head of the Ghana Football Association, Kwesi Nyantakyi who is standing trial for corruption and fraud over the Number12 investigative report aired in 2018. The documentary uncovered football related corruption in Ghana and other African countries.

    3. The criminal proceedings were instituted following Anas’ petition filed with the Attorney-General.

    4. The Star witness for the Republic, Ahmed Suale, who was one of the investigative journalists in respect of the documentary, was murdered in Madina, Accra weeks before his testimony could be taken.

    5. Anas Aremeyaw Anas agreed to testify in the stead of Ahmed Suale on condition that he be allowed to do so in camera or in chambers.

    6. The public should disregard false reportage that Anas has been ordered by the Supreme Court or is being compelled by the Supreme Court to appear in court without his trademark face beads.

    7. Anas may choose to testify as a prosecution witness or not. Anas and his Tiger Eye team will continue to wear the iconic face beads as a symbol of impartial anonymity in investigative journalism and to highlight the extreme risks in that line of duty. Cromwell Gray LLP 8 November 2022

  • Manufacturers call on government to actively purchase made in Ghana goods

    To grow the local economy and industry the government must lead the way by ensuring it prioritizes sourcing from local businesses and institutes policies to check foreign competition for such entities.

    Players in the manufacturing sector believe these parameters are critical amidst the present economic turmoil and will improve the country’s fortunes.

    Elisabeth Owusu Gyebi the Public Relations Officer for Interplast limited further highlighted the struggle manufacturers in the country are currently battling due to the prevailing economic challenges.

    She stated that “we are spending more money to get the same raw materials that we were getting a couple of months ago and this has to be carried on to the consumer because we have tried our best to absorb these extra expenses that came.”

    She added that she believes the government’s engagement with local industries is critical to turning the situation around.

    “Government need to take the bold step by buying made in Ghana products themselves for all these projects they get themselves into.”

    Sherif Abdellah Sherif is the assistant marketing manager at Golden Africa Ghana, which is into manufacturing and export of soap, he believes the government must also prioritise providing businesses like his with incentives over foreign competition.

    “A lot of tough competition comes from imported goods and because of that many manufacturing firms cannot sustain locally due to a lot of cutthroat competition in the market.”

    “So if we can prioritise the people who are manufacturing locally with local resources then I think that can give some space for the industry.”

    Both business leaders spoke to Citi Business News on the sidelines of the National Consumers’ Choice Awards Ghana 2022.

    At a time when inflation is at an all-time high, utility tariffs are up and the cost of fuel in the country keeps hiking, manufacturers are amongst the worst affected.

    The cedi has significantly depreciated by about 40 per cent this year and traded at some point last month at about GHS16 to the dollar.

    The fluctuations of the currency pose a major challenge for industries that have a hard time figuring out how to price their products.

    This led to some locally made commodities like oil seeing their prices on the market more than double.

     

  • Import licenses will increase cost of trade unnecessarily – Asaki Awingobit

    The Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana says the introduction of an import license policy will only add to the bureaucracy and cost of doing business in Ghana.

    Their concern follows calls by the Private Enterprise Federation (PEF) that such a policy is needed to regulate the imports that come into the country.

    According to the importers and exporters, the requirement of certain licenses are already needed before one can import goods into the country.

    There have been growing calls from various stakeholders on the need to cut down on importation especially amidst the country’s current economic challenges.

    However in an interview with Citi Business News, General Secretary of the Importers and Exporters Association, Sampson Asaki Awingobit said the introduction of such a license will rather go against the ease of doing business in Ghana.

    “We already have a several importations that you need license to venture into. i.e., when you are bringing in Food into the country you will need permits from FDA, standards authority among others so we go through all these to get permits so I don’t know why they want government to introduce licenses to further entrench the bureaucracies” Mr. Awingobit said.

    He also noted that the existing bureaucracies place Ghana at a disadvantaged position in the global list of countries with high barriers to trade and the introduction of another layer of bureaucracy will only worsen the situation.

  • Ghana Standards Authority to help cut down on importation

    Ghana will in the short term review the standards and requirements used for the importation of goods into the country.

    This according to the Ghana Standards Authority is crucial to cut down on the number of goods imported into the country even as the country takes steps to scale up manufacturing and production.

    Ghana’s imports for 2021 were estimated at over 22 billion dollars, a situation which has been affecting the strength of the local currency.

    Speaking at the Standards Partnership Pilot Launch, President of the African Organization for Standardization, Professor Alex Dodoo said more will be done to improve the standards of locally produced goods

    “The world needs world-class goods and services from Africa. Africa needs world-class goods and services from each other. To realise these, Ghana and Africa must have standards since standards are the language for trade, be they national or international. The Standards Partnership Programme affords us the opportunity to develop and deploy world class goods and services to a world that needs them in exchange for foreign exchange and other benefits that we also need. This is a “win-win-win” for Ghana, for the UK, for Africa and for the world” – Professor Alex Dodoo said.

    Professor Alex Dodoo further noted that “To create jobs, Ghana and Africa need to add value to our natural and mineral resources using the human resources available to it backed with world-class technology. When that is done, we will be able to produce good quality goods and services that are already in demand globally and that meet international standards”.

    “If these products do not meet world-class standards, they will not be able to be sold on international markets and Ghana and Africa will not get the foreign exchange we desperately need to grow our countries and our continent. In this regard, standards represent an extremely powerful and unavoidable means to transform lives and livelihoods for Ghana and Africa. To put it simply– No standards – No trade. And No trade – No economy. And no economy, no jobs”

  • Teacher unions to meet NLC today over strike for removal of GES Boss

    The leadership of the three teacher unions on strike will today, Wednesday, November 9, 2022, meet the National Labour Commission (NLC) to arrive at ways to resolve their concerns.

    This comes on the back of a decision by the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations to refer the impasse between the government and the striking unions to the NLC.

    The teacher unions declared a sit-down strike on November 4, in protest of the appointment of Dr. Eric Nkansah as the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES).

    Speaking to Citi News, the President of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Angel Carbonu said the unions were summoned by the NLC hence the need to honour the invitation.

    “The NLC has invited us to meet which means we have been summoned so absolutely, we shall be there.”

    The National Labour Commission says it is hopeful the matter will be resolved after hearing from the teacher unions and government.

    “We will try to resolve the matter at our level. We are capable of handling it so by close of day today, there is likely to be a resolution”, says Eyram Dotse Totimeh, the Head of Public Affairs at NLC.

    Meanwhile, the Executive Director of Child Rights International, Bright Appiah, says the teacher unions must resort to other ways to channel their grievances to the government. He argues that embarking on a strike is not the best option.

    “If there is any other way you can use to get your grievances across to the appointing authority, then you can do so, but to use only use strike to get to government which affects our children, we must give consideration to that. There are other avenues they can get to government to decide whether that appointment should hold.”

    The three unions on strike are the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers, Ghana (CCT).

    The unions have been engaging with the government since the strike began, but the meetings have been inconclusive.

     

     

  • Gov’t still committed to probing deaths recorded during 2020 polls – Ambrose Dery

    Interior Minister, Ambrose Dery says government is committed to justice for the victims and families of those who died during the 2020 elections.

    At least five people died in separate violent incidents across the country during the election that saw president Akufo-Addo win a second term.

    Two years after the incidents, there have been no arrests or prosecutions.

    At a press conference, the Interior Minister promised government’s willingness to get to the bottom of the murders.

    “We want to investigate the murders and the investigations are ongoing. The police service did not have a department that handles cold cases, but now it has. As soon as we find the people, we will deal with them, but I can assure you that we are investigating those people who were killed.”

    For instance, in the last polls, two persons lost their lives in the Techiman South constituency after being hit by warning shots from security personnel, while six others sustained gunshot wounds.

    The incident started after a misunderstanding ensued over the declaration of the election results.

    Members of the NPP in the constituency, in March 2021, petitioned the Interior Ministry to investigate the shooting incident.

    Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah, the Member of Parliament for the area, has said some measures are being taken to secure justice for persons who suffered the brutalities.

    He said the violence is regrettable and must not recur.

    The MP has stated that he is aware that police investigations into the matter have been concluded and that there would be further action on the outcome soon.

  • ‘Ghana has become very difficult’ – Presbyterian moderator cites global situation

    Most Rev. Prof. Joseph Obiri Yeboah Mante, the 18th Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, has tasked Ghanaians to tone down on criticism of the government amid economic hardship.

    Speaking at an event to climax the Centenary celebration of the Asante presbytery in Kumasi over the weekend, he said the difficulties Ghanaians were experiencing were not unique to Ghana.

    But that over-politicization has become the norm, hence opposition parties are always acting in ways that shame the government so that they can boost their chances of winning power.

    “Ghana has become very difficult. But I also know that the whole world has become very difficult. I know that things have become very difficult and in Ghana, many people are not educated to know that there is a serious world crisis.

    “If you say it, many don’t believe because everything is politicized, so the opposition is interested in doing what will shame the ruling government so that he can be voted for. That kind of politics must be shunned, it is not nice. It doesn’t convince those of us who are educated,” he stressed.

    He also tasked Ghanaians to critique the government using the proper channels stressing that doing otherwise ultimately hurts the economy as it has the tendency of chasing away investors.

    “There is a medium to raise concerns about issues not to dirty each other in the media. The more we say negative things about our country, the more prices will shoot up. Because there is no investor who will seriously take you seriously.

    “It is this that someone wanted to say when he said sika mpɛ dede,” he added in reference to controversial comments President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo made in his October 30 economic address to the nation.

    What Akufo-Addo said about Ghana being in a crisis

    Amid an economic downturn, calls for Akufo-Addo to resign has heightened with a November 5, 2022 protest dubbed ‘Kume Preko Reloaded’ making the loudest call as activists and politicians marched in Accra to press home that demand.

    The government is meanwhile, grappling with an economic crisis, which along with the galamsey scourge and corruption are the major drivers for the call on Akufo-Addo to resign along with his Vice President, Mahamadu Bawumia.

    Akufo-Addo in his October 30 address on the economy blamed the Covid-19 pandemic and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war as causes for the country’s economic woes.

    While admitting that the country was in crisis and rallying support for various government interventions to stem the tide, he said the situation was not peculiar to the country as many nations across the world were also experiencing difficulties.

    “We are in a crisis, I do not exaggerate when I say so. I cannot find an example in history when so many malevolent forces have come together at the same time.

    “But, as we have shown in other circumstances, we shall turn this crisis into an opportunity to resolve not just the short-term, urgent problems, but the long-term structural problems that have bedevilled our economy,” he said.

    But like before, President Akufo-Addo blamed the Covid-19 pandemic and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war as causative factors for the economic woes.

  • ‘Sika mpɛ dede’ – Presby Moderator ‘explains’ Akufo-Addo’s famous quote

    Most Rev. Prof. Joseph Obiri Yeboah Mante, the 18th Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, has tasked Ghanaians to critique the government using the proper channels stressing that doing otherwise ultimately hurts the economy as it has the tendency of chasing away investors.

    “There is a medium to raise concerns about issues not to dirty each other in the media. The more we say negative things about our country, the more prices will shoot up. Because there is no investor who will seriously take you seriously.

    “It is this that someone wanted to say when he said sika mpɛ dede,” he added in reference to controversial comments President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo made in his October 30 economic address to the nation.

    The clergyman was speaking at an event to climax the Centenary celebration of the Asante presbytery in Kumasi over the weekend, where he observed that the economic difficulties Ghanaians were experiencing were not unique to Ghana.

    But that over-politicization has become the norm, hence opposition parties are always acting in ways that shame the government so that they can boost their chances of winning power.

    “Ghana has become very difficult. But I also know that the whole world has become very difficult. I know that things have become very difficult and in Ghana, many people are not educated to know that there is a serious world crisis.

    “If you say it, many don’t believe because everything is politicized, so the opposition is interested in doing what will shame the ruling government so that he can be voted for. That kind of politics must be shunned, it is not nice. It doesn’t convince those of us who are educated,” he stressed.

    What Akufo-Addo said about Ghana being in a crisis

    Amid an economic downturn, calls for Akufo-Addo to resign has heightened with a November 5, 2022 protest dubbed ‘Kume Preko Reloaded’ making the loudest call as activists and politicians marched in Accra to press home that demand.

    The government is meanwhile, grappling with an economic crisis, which along with the galamsey scourge and corruption are the major drivers for the call on Akufo-Addo to resign along with his Vice President, Mahamadu Bawumia.

    Akufo-Addo in his October 30 address on the economy blamed the Covid-19 pandemic and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war as causes for the country’s economic woes.

    While admitting that the country was in crisis and rallying support for various government interventions to stem the tide, he said the situation was not peculiar to the country as many nations across the world were also experiencing difficulties.

    “We are in a crisis, I do not exaggerate when I say so. I cannot find an example in history when so many malevolent forces have come together at the same time.

    “But, as we have shown in other circumstances, we shall turn this crisis into an opportunity to resolve not just the short-term, urgent problems, but the long-term structural problems that have bedevilled our economy,” he said.

    But like before, President Akufo-Addo blamed the Covid-19 pandemic and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war as causative factors for the economic woes.

  • Adwoa Safo is back to help save Ofori-Atta from censure vote – Suhuyini claims

    Tamale Central Member of Parliament, Alhassan Suhuyini, has advanced a reason why embattled Dome-Kwabenya lawmaker, Sarah Adwoa Safo, is returning to Parliament after a long absence.

    Suhuyini in an interview on TV3, November 8, 2022, said it was curious that the lawmaker’s much-awaited return was coinciding with a vote of censure motion the Minority Caucus was due to move against Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.

    According to him, the latest development is akin to the last time that she was in Parliament, that is to help with the passage of the 2022 Budget statement of the government.

    “You know there is an important vote coming up?” Suhuyini asked New Day host Berla Mundi before adding: “The finance minister’s vote of censure, she has showed up. When did she last show up last minute? On the budget.

    “They knew where she was, they could bring her, they just didn’t want to,” he submitted.

    “When it is important to this government…remember Adwoa Safo told us the president is aware of her absence and the president understands her and the president has never denied it.

    “For me, it is curious that an important vote is coming up….and the president has found a way and remember the president wants to save the Finance Minister at all costs, Adwoa is back,” he stressed.

    Adwoa Safo makes no-show in Parliament

    On Tuesday, November 8, when proceedings in Parliament started at about 11.38 am, her seat was empty indicating that she was not in the Chamber.

    Journalists and even her colleague MPs were expecting to see her join the debate which was going on at the plenary but that did not happen.

    Sarah Adwoa Safo’s seat remained empty till the end of the day’s proceedings at 2.00 pm.

    It is, however, unclear why the MP, after her return to the country failed to show up in the House.

    The MP was relieved of her ministerial post despite having been given extended leave from last year and her seat in Parliament is the subject of a heated debate between the Speaker and Leader of the Majority Group.

    After referring her absence from Parliament to the Privileges Committee of Parliament, the Speaker of Parliament said he investigated their work and was not satisfied with it and has since referred it to the floor of Parliament for a decision to be taken.

  • Government to establish rice processing factory in Kintampo

    The government has announced plans to establish a rice processing factory in the Kintampo municipality of the Bono East Region.

    This will bring to five the number of factories in the region operating under the One District, One Factory (1D1F) programme.

    The factory is expected to facilitate value addition and increase rice production in the region, officials said.

    The Bono East regional minister, Kwasi Gyan, made this known at the climax of the 2022 Bankadi Kurubi festival in Kintampo.

    “We understand that times are hard but be rest assured that the government is hoping to turn things around with the Planting for Food and Jobs programme,” Gyan said.

    “We believe that something good will come out of these factories in Kintampo.”

    “Under President Akufo-Addo and his vice Dr Bawumia we have four different factories that we are establishing, the fifth one, we are about establish is a rice processing factory,” Gyan added.

  • Calm returns to VALCO as management takes steps to restore full operations

    Calm has been restored at the Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO) following a successful meeting held between senior management of the company, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and the leadership of the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU) together with the local union executives regarding recent developments that attracted some media attention.

    Asaase News is learning that the parties have agreed to return to the negotiating table to continue and complete their Wage negotiations.

    The leadership of all the key stakeholders, including the CEO of VALCO, Dan Acheampong, director of HR and Administration at VALCO, Festus Quaidoo, general secretary for ICU, Morgan Ayawine, and chairman of the local union, Edgar Tetteh, at their meeting on Monday, 7 November 2022, signed an undertaking to demonstrate their commitment to the process and lend their full support towards ensuring the resumption of full operations at VALCO.

    VALCO in recent weeks has dominated the media space following labour agitations by some workers who refused some management members entry into the facility, a situation that disrupted operations and led to a planned shutdown of the aluminium smelter.

    VALCO management, in a press statement, noted that in line with the board’s directive they worked with the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo) to take down the power to the operating line in an orderly fashion to save the Smelter in order to allow for a smooth restart.

    With calm restored at VALCO, all employees at the facility are expected to be called in to resume work as their leadership continues the wage negotiation process with the declared objective of an amicable settlement.

  • Employment Ministry runs to Labour Commission over teachers’ strike

    The Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations has referred the impasse between the government and the striking unions to the National Labour Commission.

    This comes after a second meeting between the parties involved on Monday to find a common ground ended in a stalemate.

    The teacher unions declared a sit-down strike on November 4, in protest of the appointment of Dr. Eric Nkansah as the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service.

    They believe Dr. Nkansah does not have a satisfactory teaching background.

    The three unions on strike are the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) and Coalition of Concerned Teachers, Ghana (CCT) have been on strike since November 4, 2022.

    The strike has generally disrupted academic work at pre-tertiary institutions.

    Speaking to Citi News on the referral of the matter to the National Labour Commission, the Secretary for the GNAT, Thomas Musah said the gesture does not show good faith.

    According to him, the development was unexpected because “the understanding social partners at the table had yesterday was that we would meet today at 2 pm to continue where we left off.”

    “For the Ministry of Labour Relations to refer this matter to the National Labour Commission simply means they have declared a deadlock.”

     

  • Anas ordered by Supreme Court to show face without mask in court in Nyantakyi case

    The Supreme Court of Ghana has delivered a damaging blow to Anas Aremeyaw Anas after ordering the journalist to appear in open court without his usual face mask to face Kwesi Nyantakyi.

    The highest ruling body in Ghana ruled on Tuesday morning that the reluctant journalist must appear in court without any face mask covering to testify in the case with the former Ghana FA President.

    Anas, who has been extremely reluctant to appear in court let alone without his mask, will now be publicly seen in court in his real flesh as he testifies in court.

    This comes after the Supreme Court quashed an earlier ruling by a lower court giving permission to Anas to testify in camera.

    The journalist, whose investigation led to Nyantakyi resigning several football posts, claimed his life would be in danger if he testifies in court.

    The order of the High Court 2, Criminal Division granted permission to Anas Aremeyaw Anas to testify on camera in the case against Kwesi Nyantakyi.

    But on appeal by lawyers of Nyantakyi, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the former football chief and asked Anas to appear in flesh to be cross-examined in open court by Nyantakyi.

    By this decision of the Supreme Court Anas Amereyaw Anas must give evidence in open court.

    Nyantakyi is fighting his case against the controversial journalist in a bid to clear his name.

    The former Ghana FA capo is serving a global ban following the documentary.

    Nyantakyi, who was rising to the very top of global football administration, had to step aside from his roles with Caf including as 1st vice-president, the most senior figure at the confederation after its former president, Ahmad.

    Nyantakyi and other football officials from around the continent were secretly filmed by undercover reporters receiving cash gifts as part of a documentary by controversial Ghanaian investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas.

  • How Nunoo-Mensah was prevented from speaking to Akufo-Addo on economic hardships

    Brigadier General [Rtd] Joseph Nunoo-Mensah, a former Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, has spoken about how he was prevented from seeing President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to discuss issues relating to the economy.

    According to him, he approached his good friend Kwame Pianim, who then called one Gabby and told him that the former CDS would like to have a word with the president.

    He said, that Gabby on the phone told him that the president was attending a UN Assembly in New York and when he comes, he will facilitate a meeting with the president.

    Brigadier Nunoo-Mensah told Adakabri Frimpong Manso on Neat FM that, one week later, he [Pianim] called to ask if he had been called to meet the president but he answered in the negative.

    He narrated: “I have been a soldier all my life. So, if I am the one experiencing these challenges on the battlefield, I would move to the front to observe exactly what is happening and address the soldiers and tell them that that is not how to position yourself on the battlefield…

    “I know President Akufo-Addo more than any other politician, I was his campaign manager in 1998. You said you won’t call me so I decided to reach out to him myself but he says he doesn’t have the time, what should I do again?

    “In September last year, I went to his office with one of the retired soldiers – a former CDS, he is almost 90 years old – with our experience we said where the country is heading, we are going to hit some rough patches because as an elder, sometimes you see things that ordinary minds don’t see; you see things with experience instead of the eyes, for experience is the best teacher. . . I went with a friend and approached Kwame Pianim – who is a good friend – I told him that I want to go and see the president and he called one Gabby and told him that I want to see the president but he said he [president] is in New York [for UN General Assembly] so, when he comes, he will call me to go and meet him. One week later, he [Mpiani] asked if I have been called and I said nobody has called me, and then he got angry.”

    Brigadier Nunoo-Mensah continued: “Later Kan Dapaah called me and said ‘General, the president said, I, the Security Advisor, and the National Security Coordinator should come and meet you’. I told him that ‘Kan, I am not the only one that wants to meet the president, there is this elder friend of mine who also wants to see the president so, let me go and talk to him and I will get back to you’.

    “The former CDS when I discussed with him said, ‘General, forget about them. . .We saw this thing coming . . . and up till now we did not get access to the president to talk to him. I was really sad because we were not going to beg the president for anything . . .

    “I was going to tell the president that look I’m not an economist but we are too dependent on the dollar to buy virtually everything; we’ve spoilt the cedi so, at least let us mitigate the situation by doing things to help ourselves… let’s mobilise the nation and feed ourselves and reduce the pressure on the cedi. . . I was going to offer myself without pay. . .”

  • Fare hikes creating truancy among students and teachers – GNAT

    The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has warned that if steps are not taken to remedy the incessant increase in transport fares, truancy among teachers and students will increase.

    According to the Chairperson of the Madina-Adenta-Abokobi (MAA) GNAT District, Christian Yaw Adinkra, if the prices of items and services increase and the teacher’s salary remains the same, then a time will come that the classrooms will be half empty and some few teachers may be in school.

    “From the way things are going, I foresee that in the coming days, the rate of truancy is going to go up on the part of students and teachers as well. For some time now you can see that some parents are struggling to give their wards transportation to school” he mentioned

    Mr. Adinkra disclosed that it has become common to find classes half empty after break because the students don’t have enough money to pick a car home hence they have to set off early in order to get home on time.

    He told Alfred Ocansey on 3FM Sunrise Morning Show that the current price hikes and high cost of living has rendered the 15% of cost of living allowance (COLA) insignificant and has brought untoward hardships on teachers and workers in general.

    “As it stands now the salary of the teacher cannot sustain him or her for more than a week. The average teacher takes about one thousand eight hundred (GHS 1,800) whereas prices of food and everything the teacher lives on have skyrocketed including transport. It would be unfair to ask the teacher to come to school when he or she has no lorry fare” Yaw Adinkra stated.

    The leader of the teachers’ union added that the food that is being fed to the students in school falls short in quantity and quality as well. A situation he claims is influencing some students to steal from their colleagues.

    GNAT has further appealed to the government to suspend the tax component on teachers’ salaries as it is being done in other African countries such as Rwanda to ameliorate the living conditions of teachers.

    Chairman Christian Yaw Adinkra again recommended a possible shift system for teachers so that the number of days a teacher attends school could be reduced as well as the transportation cost.

    “Our salaries have been invaded by the dollar and swallowed by inflation, hence the teacher’s salary can’t sustain him or her for more than a week. The current economic hardship is creating inevitable truancy. Teachers are not regular school and students’ is worse, and those who are trying to be regular have to walk to a point before picking a car. The situation is dire and something needs to be done before it gets out of hand” He lamented.

     

     

  • Expert: Ban importation of gas cylinders

    Philip Assafua, the chief executive officer of Appeb Cylinder Manufacturing Company has suggested to the government to ban the importation of gas cylinders into Ghana.

    His comment comes amidst the recent depreciation of the Ghana cedi, which has made locally manufactured gas cylinders quite expensive as compared to imported ones.

    Speaking to Asaase News on Monday (7 November), Assafua said the government must swiftly intervene to save the local cylinder industry.

    “It is my expectation that by now, there should be some directive, a least, like we are talking about import substitution, there shouldn’t be the reason why anybody should import cylinders into the country,” he said. “Because we have the capacity here and we can meet any demand in the country.”

    “These are some of the things I am talking about in terms of protection. The government must come out with policies to protect the industry in terms of cost.

    “If a factory in Ghana, is managing within the current circumstances, and that factory is still keeping people employed… that factory needs the support of the government. A lot of companies are sacrificing their profit margins just to survive,” Assafua added.