Paramount Chief for Buipe Traditional Area, Buipe-Wura Abdulai Jinapor II, has appealed to the donor community and government to support the recent flood victims in Buipe in the Central Gonja district with relief items to reduce their suffering.
He made this distress appeal in an interview with the media after visiting the flood-prone areas in the Buipe township to at first hand, appreciate the extent of damage caused by the floodwaters.
The flood is as a result of the spillage of the Bagre Dam in neighbouring Burkina Faso which forced the black volta in Buipe to overflow its banks displacing over one thousand people.
As a result, schoolchildren have been forced to stay at home after the floodwaters submerged their schools bringing education in the badly affected areas to a halt.
The Buipe-Wura who made the passionate call on behalf of the victims described the level of havoc caused by the floodwaters as worrying and rallied Government to come to their aid.
“We are crying to the whole world, the government and the Bui Power Authority to come and save us. We are really in distress, almost all the houses in the affected areas have been submerged”, he said.
According to him, the victims have been evacuated to some school blocks in the interim as they await the floodwaters to subside for economic and academic activities to return to normalcy.
On his part, the DCE for Central Gonja, Salia Kamara said the flooding happens every decade and assured that the assembly will do everything within its remit to prevent its reoccurrence.
He asked the victims to remain calm as his office collaborates with state encies to support them with relief items.
Meanwhile, the NADMO operations officer of the Central Gonja District, Mr. Sumaila Tahiru in an interview with GhanaWeb disclosed that no casualty has been recorded.
From time to time, there have been reports of how the government is working to restore lands in parts of the country that have been encroached on.
The arguments have continuously been that these lands belong to the state, and as such, they must be retrieved.
Situations like these have also usually come about because people take advantage of the inactivity on those lands and sell to others or build on them.
In this article, GhanaWeb takes a look at some of the reported lands that have been encroached upon, and for which reason the government has taken steps to retrieve them.
A number of these lands are located within the Greater Accra Region, although it must be stated that the region is not the only one faced with these issues.
Sakumono Ramsar Site:
In July 2022, the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council announced that it was set to demolish all structures within the core zone of the Ramsar site at Tema.
According to the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey, notices had already been served to owners of properties in the area.
The minister said the notice explained to the affected persons that their houses are being destroyed to clear the waterway leading to the lagoon as more than 4000 houses were said to have been constructed on the Ramsar site without permits.
The Ramsar Site also, known as the Sakumono Lagoon, is a wetland of international importance. It is the only wetland wholly-owned by the state and is meant for protecting Sakumono, Tema and their environs against floods and pollution, for the breeding of fish and other marine species for the Sakumono Lagoon, as well as recreational activities.
It covers an area of 1,364 hectares (3,500 acres) and is situated along the coastal road between Accra and Tema in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana, about 3km (1.9 mi) west of Tema.
The site also covers part of Tema Community 3, 5, 6, 11 and 12, through to the Sakumono village, Old Lashibi and Klagon. The site, which used to be a habitat for fishes and other water creatures as well as served as a stopover for migrating birds, currently has a large portion being encroached upon by individuals and estate developers.
The first phase of the demolition exercise commenced on Wednesday, October 19, 2022.
Adenta Katamanso lands:
The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Kweku Asomah-Cheremeh, stated in August 2020 that the government was working around the clock to reclaim the Adenta-Akatamanso lands encroached on by individuals and groups.
According to him, out of 7,000 acres of state lands at Adenta Katamanso, only 1000 acres have not been encroached on.
“All lands belonging to the state have been properly acquired under the executive instrument of which private developers ignore what the law states”, he said.
Mpehuasem lands:
The Lands Commission raised an alarm in April 2022 about lands at Mpehuasem in the Ayawaso West Municipal Assembly, that were being encroached on.
According to a statement to clarify the notion that the Commission was using its power to take lands from some people, it noted that the said land is government property and, hence, it is doing everything possible to safeguard the land and prevent private developers from encroaching on it.
“Indeed, the Commission has, previously, issued public notices alerting prospective developers that the said land is state land, managed by the Lands Commission, and cannot be alienated by any stool, clan, family or individual. Any such grant is unlawful, void and confers no title on the grantee of the land.
“Any person who claims to have an interest in any part of the Mpehuasem public land should approach the Commission with his/her documents,” portions of the statement said.
UCC School lands:
The Ghana Broadcasting Corporation reported in April 2021 that lands belonging to the University of Cape Coast (UCC) has been encroached on by private developers.
The situation, described as being at an alarming threat rate to the school, was said to have caused the school to put in place measures to end the problem.
The report added that the university had issued an S.O.S to the relevant bodies to help end the wanton encroachment on the school lands, especially when these actions were affecting the future expansion of the university.
The University of Cape Coast (UCC) was established in October 1962 on the recommendation of an international commission by Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s government in December 1960.
In 1963, UCC enrolled its first batch of students, numbering one hundred and fifty -five. Land for the university was acquired under compulsory acquisition in 1969 under Executive Instrument EI 87.
The area stretches from the river Kakum between Cape Coast and Elmina, all the way to the DVLA junction to Cape Coast Technical Institute then to the new Cape Coast stadium area, almost to the Ankaful hospital and back to the Kakum river.
Pantang Hospital lands:
Angered by the situation of encroachment on their lands, the Staff of the Pantang Hospital in the Greater Accra Region embarked on a demonstration June 2021 to protest what they called “a threat to their security.”
They claimed that private individuals had encroached on the hospital, a situation that had brought land guards to the area, making them insecure.
They called on the government to, as a matter of urgency, act on the situation.
They also threatened to lay down their tools should the situation not be resolved.
GCAA lands at La Nkwantanang:
Workers of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority also protested about what they said was the deteriorating state of aviation safety in the country, due to the encroachment of some of their lands.
A Spokesperson for the Workers Union of the GCAA, William Wilberforce Amoako, speaking in 2020, illustrated how the National Cathedral project and its attendant evacuation of judges from their residences at Ridge, was affecting them.
“The lands in question are for private development and the resettling of the judges. But since the area has been demarcated, the government has taken over a portion while another portion has been allocated to the people of La. But it is our portion that we are having challenges with. We expect that the GCAA belongs to the government, as such, whatever the government takes should be for the GCAAA and not for individuals.
“We have only been given fifteen out of the ninety acres which is not enough for the equipment that we have, and we plan to have in future. For the safety of flights, we need these lands for aviation development,” he is reported by gh-aviation.com to have said.
According to the aggrieved GCAA staff, the areas being encroached upon are the GCAA lands at La Nkwatanang, La TX at Cantonments, Ashalley Botwe, and an area around the East Legon Tunnel, all in Accra and ranging between 60 and 800 acres.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC), in the Ashanti Region have cautioned the Manhyia South Member of Parliament, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh to stay off joining issues with former president John Dramani Mahama.
The party at an October 20, 2022 press conference said a recent attack on the former president by the MP, popularly referred to as NAPO, was to further his ambitions of becoming a vice-presidential aspirant of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP).
NAPO had earlier this week stated that he was going to match Mahama boot for boot given that he was the most likely presidential candidate of the NDC. He reportedly added that he was going to teach Mahama some sense.
Responding to his claims, the NDC official who addressed the press conference stated: “We know you have aspirations of becoming a running mate, but if you think you will use Mahama to advance your aspirations, then we are battle ready for you.
The NDC asked NAPO to advance any extra sense that he had to VP Mahamudu Bawumia to help him tackle the economic challenges the country is currently faced with.
“We want to tell the Manhyia South MP that even if he has any sense as he claims, he should advance some to Bawumia to tackle the economic challenges so that people in his constituency – Alabar and Ashtown – to ameliorate the hardship and loss of livelihoods people are suffering.
A convener of the #FixTheCountry movement, Oliver Mawuse Barker-Vormawor, believes President Akufo-Addo must be forced out of office with two clear years to the end of his mandate.
But Barker-Vormawor, who is facing trial over a treason felony charge related to a coup d’etat comment early this year, holds that a military takeover will not be needed to oust the president.
He believes that street protests and or impeachment were the available means that could be used to oust Akufo-Addo because in his opinion, Akufo-Addo is not worth the price of a coup, that is terminating the current democratic dispensation.
In an October 19, 2022 Facebook post reacting to the arrest of Onua FM/TV’s Captain Smart over defamation charges, the lawyer by training stated:
“Captain Smart arrested violently by National Security over broadcast pointing the finger at the President for his involvement in and indulgence of Galamsey. This short man is just begging to be overthrown at this point.”
He authored a follow-up post to clarify the initial one, it read: “Because this issue keeps coming up every now and then, I want to be as clear as possible. I have no desire for Akufo-Addo to be kicked out through a coup d’etat! That will be ending our makeshift democracy. He is not worth the price.
“But he doesn’t deserve to end his term too. So What I want is for him to either be forced to resign through street protests and agitations; or impeached by Parliament.
“These are things that affirm our democracy not destroy it. Democracy is important to me! And it will be a huge coup to force him out of office that way,” he added.
Barker-Vormawor is currently before the courts over a post claiming he will stage a coup if the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy) was passed.
Meanwhile, Captain Smart has been released by the NIB, his employers confirmed early Thursday morning.
It is alleged that he was arrested for claiming that President Akufo-Addo was involved in galamsey – a statement the Ministry of Information has debunked.
He appeared on his Onua Maakye show to reiterate the said allegations for which he was arrested, questioned and granted bail.
Steve H. Hanke a professor of Applied Economics at the Johns Hopkins University, has reiterated his point that the managers of the Ghanaian economy need to establish a currency board in order to save the fallen cedi against the dollar.
The Professor, who is based in the US, for some time now has been monitoring and commenting on the Ghanaian economy and how the legal tender is depreciating against the US dollar.
He noted in his October 20 tweet that the cedi has depreciated by 43.98% against the US dollar since January 2022 to be placed 4th on his weekly Hanke’s currency watchlist.
He said, for the cedi to gain its strength and appreciate against the US dollar, the President together with the managers of the Ghanaian economy must install a currency board.
“The Ghanaian cedi has depreciated against the USD by 43.98% since Jan 2022, which is why #Ghana takes the 4th place in this week Hanke’s #CurrencyWatchlist. To save the cedi, GHA must install a #CurrencyBoard, NOW,” Prof. Steve Hanke’s tweeted.
The Cedi has recently been classified by Bloomberg as the worst-performing currency against the US Dollar.
Currently, the Cedi is trading at around GH¢13 – GH¢14 to a dollar at some forex bureaus. The depreciation rate is a contributory factor for the ongoing shop closures ordered by the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA).
According to the group, the fast depreciation of the Cedi is eroding their profits and also increasing the cost of doing business.
Prophet Kofi Oduro, General Overseer, Alabaster International Ministry, cannot comprehend why Ken Ofori-Atta, the Finance Minister who has failed miserably, will still be keeping his job.
According to him, if Ghana was his private company, he would have fired the under-fire minister and hired a different person who would deliver results.
In a viral video sighted by GhanaWeb, Prophet Oduro noted that the current government under the leadership of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo does not like to hear the truth, but as a man of God, he has to tell the President and his ministers the truth.
“Wrong is wrong. When you are wrong, I need to look into your eyes and tell you that you are wrong. It doesn’t matter [who you are]; that is what is killing this nation, and it is killing churches…
“This is the time, Your Excellency, to make changes, and that changes must be to the honour and glory of God…our finance minister, even though he is a Christian, has failed miserably, and I am telling Your Excellency with all due respect, this is the time to make drastic changes. We cannot sit here when $1.00 is equal to GHC12.00,” Prophet Kofi Oduro said.
“You can do whatever you like; I came with a fresh grace to tell you something. Look! What I have observed is that the current government hates being told the truth, but I am telling, ‘you will take it’. If Ghana is my private company and somebody is not delivering; I fire them; I replace them; I hire somebody else and then we are working…why can’t a nation do that?” he quizzed.
The Cedi has recently been classified by Bloomberg as the worst-performing currency against the US Dollar.
Currently, the Cedi is trading at around GH¢13 – GH¢14 to a dollar at some forex bureaus. The depreciation rate is a contributory factor for the ongoing shop closures ordered by the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA).
The Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) has suspended its strike action, according to a statement signed by its General Secretary, Alpha A. Shaban.
The decision, according to the release comes on the back of a meeting with the King of the Ga State, Mantse Nii Tackie Teiko Tsuru II who has promised to take the matter up to the appropriate authorities for an urgent solution.
The leadership of GUTA later met with President Akufo-Addo to lay down their grievances and recommendations.
“He [the President] then called for setting up of a working committee made up of the Ministry of Trade and Industry, National Security and GUTA, to swiftly come out with pragmatic measures to solve the challenges,” parts of the statement read.
The statement added that shops are expected to open today, Friday, October 21, 2022.
“In view of all this goodwill from these great personalities, we wish to appeal to our teaming members and the entire trading community who participated in this strike action to reopen their shops from October 21, 2022, as we continue to pursue the process for immediate solution,” the statement concluded.
On Thursday, October 20, Liz Truss, the UK Prime Minister announced her resignation after 44 days in office.
Speaking outside the No. 10 Downing Street, Truss indicated that she cannot fulfil the mandate to which she was elected, hence her decision to resign.
She explained that she came into office at a time of “great economic and international instability”.
She added, “I recognise… given the situation I cannot deliver the mandate on which I was elected by the Conservative Party.”
Liz Truss noted that she had already informed King Charles but that she will remain in office until a successor is elected.
The Conservative Party leader’s resignation comes a few days after she sacked Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng.
Kwarteng was sacked on October 14 amidst the government’s tax cuts that are believed to have sparked financial market turmoil.
In a letter reacting to his dismissal, he said “You have asked me to step aside as your Chancellor, I have accepted.
“When you asked me to serve as your Chancellor, I did so in full knowledge that the situation we faced was incredibly difficult, with rising global interest rates and energy prices. However, your vision of optimism, growth and change was right,” his letter read.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) team, led by Stéphane Roudet, have indicated that there has been good progress regarding Ghana’s request for a financial bailout from the fund.
After meeting with Ghana’s Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta and Bank of Ghana Governor, Dr. Ernest Addison in Washington DC, the IMF team leader said both teams had a fruitful discussion in identifying specific policies that would restore macroeconomic stability.
“The Ghanaian delegation and IMF staff had very fruitful discussions on the authorities’ post-COVID program for economic growth and associated policies and reforms that could be supported by a new IMF arrangement.
“We made good progress in identifying specific policies that would restore macroeconomic stability and lay the foundation for stronger and more inclusive growth. The IMF team and the Ghanaian authorities remain fully committed to reaching an agreement on a framework and policies for an IMF-supported program as soon as feasible. Discussions will continue in the weeks ahead, with a follow-up mission to take place expeditiously,” Stéphane Roudet said in a statement after the meeting.
The Finance Minister had earlier assured Ghanaians that the economy is in good shape despite the continuous depreciation of the Cedi.
Speaking to a journalist of Accra-based Asaase Radio from Washington DC, Ken Ofori-Atta said, “It is a bit perplexing because as you know, typically we go to markets at the beginning of the year and get our two billion.
“But that we were not able to do, we were able to then get US$750 from AfriExim in the summer, August or so, to stabilize it. Then we moved on traditionally as we do, the ASL, the annual syndicated loan of COCOBOD, and that came in very strongly. So, it is quite perplexing to see where it is going.”
“The support we are getting from countries like Germany, France etc. we are confident that we will get the resources needed. So, we really would want people to know not to panic or be rushing to put pressure on the currency. I think it is unnecessary and we are in good shape.
“Of course, typically in October, people are importing for Christmas and maybe there is a rush for that. But my expectation is that once we also conclude the fund, that would lead to the Fund’s disbursement early next year.”
The Cedi has recently been classified by Bloomberg as the worst-performing currency against the US Dollar.
Currently, the Cedi is trading at around GH₵13 – GH₵14 to a dollar at some forex bureaus.
Captain Smart the host of Onua FM’s morning show has alleged that he once saved the life of President Akufo-Addo who would otherwise have died a miserable death.
Speaking about his recent arrest on the Thursday, October 20 edition of his show, the journalist whose full name is Blessed Godsbrain Smart indicated that he realised on the night of his arrest that he is very important than the President.
He said that even though there was traffic during the rush hour, he had a dispatch rider escort them to the NIB office at Kanda for interrogation.
“How can one Captain Smart be given a presidential escort?” he asked while recounting his ordeal on TV.
“The presidency is involved in galamsey,” Captain Smart reiterated the point that eventually led to his arrest.
“…the so-called security apparatus wants to scare journalists; me [they can’t]. They should go and ask Kan-Dapaah, Addo Kufuor, J.A. Kufuor or even Nana Addo, who I saved his life in 2006; like he would have died like a chicken, ask him. Ask him that when he was taken to his hometown, Kibi, and we were returning to Accra, ask him what happened on our way. I saved Nana Addo’s life, you are all sick, ask Akufo-Addo, he will tell you,” he said.
“After he told him that he would have given me one of his daughters, ask Akufo-Addo. That time, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko was in London sweeping the streets,” Captain Smart added.
He warned that nobody should worry him because he knows where he came from and where he is going.
“Ask Akufo-Addo who saved his life in 2006, when you meet him ask him. When we came to Accra he was asking what I wanted and I told him that I don’t need anything. My responsibility is to make sure that you live, because I believed in him from 2005…,” Captain Smart noted.
The Onua FM/TV morning show host was arrested by officials of the National Investigations Bureau (NIB) on Wednesday evening, October 19, while on his way home from work.
“BNI (now NIB) arrested Captain Smart earlier on his way home from the office(Onua 95.1 FM / @Onua TV premises)” a post by his media house, Onua TV on their Facebook page sighted by GhanaWeb stated.
In the early hours of Thursday morning, October 20, 3news.com, a portal belonging to the Media General group reported that he had been released after he was granted bail.
According to the report, after his initial arrest, Captain Smart “was later found at the Interrogation Unit of the Bureau.
“He was there and then interrogated in the presence of some senior officials of Media General. He was later released on bail.”
Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, alias NAPO, has restated why the New Patriotic Party (NPP) will forever remain the preferred party in the Ashanti Region.
He holds that it is often during the NPP’s era that the region known to be its electoral world bank gets needed development.
NAPO, while speaking at the flagging-off ceremony for work to begin on the Suame Interchange stressed that Asanteman had to be forever grateful to the party for its contributions to development.
“When Nana Addo speaks, people take him on, I want to tell all of you gathered here that if you need a government that will come and help Asanteman, it is the NPP.
“If God had allowed Nana Addo to succeed President Kufuor, Kumasi would have been known as the golden city. When that did not happen, we became known as borla city, there was refuse all over the place since Nana Addo came, have you seen the refuse?
“We shouldn’t show ingratitude, Asantes are grateful, let us not be ungrateful. Asante has good memories…,” he stated before adding: “it is based on this that we will continue to vote for the NPP till God descends from the heavens.
“I can say that anyone here who votes for the NDC does not mean well for Asanteman,” he added in a video clip sighted by GhanaWeb.
President John Agyekum Kufuor completed his second term in office in 2008 having taken office in 2000 from the late Jerry John Rawlings.
The election to replace Kufuor was between Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the late John Evans Atta-Mills. The latter contesting for the third consecutive time beat Akufo-Addo in a runoff vote.
Imagine what’d happen if this came from any NDC member of parliament from the Volta Region. Just imagine???? pic.twitter.com/kcaZDECInV
— General Marcus! (@marcusadampah) October 20, 2022
Former President John Dramani Mahama has donated more than GH¢1.3 million to his party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), in support of the party’s upcoming internal constituency executive elections.
According to a statement issued by the National Communications Officer of the NDC, Sammy Gyamfi, the donation was made on Thursday, October 20, 2022.
The statement indicated that all the 138 constituency offices of the NDC are expected to get GH¢10,000 each from the donation to support their executive elections.
“The former President of the Republic of Ghana and NDC flag-bearer for the 2020 Presidential Election, H.E John Dramani Mahama has today donated an amount of GHS10,000 to each of the 138 orphan constituencies of the party (a total of GHS1,380,000) to support the conduct of constituency elections coming off this weekend,” parts of the statement read.
The NDC said that it is grateful to the former president for his continuous support of the party.
According to businessghana.com, 11, 825 candidates across the country have filed their nominations to compete for constituency executive positions in the party.
The election is slated for Saturday, October 22, 2022 and Sunday, October 23, 2022.
Read the full statement issued by the party below:
JOHN MAHAMA DONATES GHS1,380,000 TO SUPPORT NDC CONSTITUENCY ELECTIONS.
20/10/22
The former President of the Republic of Ghana and NDC flag-bearer for the 2020 Presidential Election, H.E John Dramani Mahama has today donated an amount of GHS10,000 to each of the 138 orphan constituencies of the party (a total of GHS1,380,000) to support the conduct of constituency elections coming off this weekend.
The party is most grateful to His Excellency for his continuous support for the great NDC.
Sammy Gyamfi Esq.
National Communications Officer.
The World Lottery Authority (WLA) has revealed that it will be focusing more on responsible gaming and good causes in the coming years and has asked member countries to promote these values.
It has also tasked lottery bodies in the world to take a firm stance on illegal lottery activities which according to the Association caused a loss of revenue of a total of 1.8 trillion dollars in 2022 alone.
At this year’s World Lottery Summit held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, the association charged member countries to do more on responsible gaming and good causes.
Ghana’s National Lottery Authority (NLA) itself has been battling illegal lottery activities for some time now and the Authority has been determined to increase its clamp down with new measures put in place by the current Director-General.
The NLA has, a little over a year, launched its charity arm, the ‘Good Causes Foundation’, which has the objective to develop, implement and maintain an integrated action plan based on four main pillars – education, health, youth and sports development, and culture
Ghana is being represented at WLA Summit by the NLA boss, Mr Sammi Awuku and Dr George Gyamfi-Osew the immediate past Director of Operations of the Authority.
The World Lottery Authority (WLA) holds its meetings every two years but could not hold the 2020 event after the Buenos Aires, Argentina in November 2018 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The meetings amongst other things take stock of the various member countries’ programs, Regional reports, suspensions and expulsions from the Association.
Again, it is also to consider new members who meet the criteria and to promote Responsible Gaming and Good Causes within the various Lottery Bodies.
This year’s summit was held in Vancouver, British Columbia was attended by over 1,000 delegates drawn from various continents.
Suspension of Russia and Belarus
This year, two lottery bodies from Russia and Belarus were suspended by the Organization for their government’s role in the ongoing Russian/Ukraine conflict which has left many dead.
A Political Scientist Jonathan Asante Okyere has said President Akufo Addo’s statement that threats to vote against the NPP in the 2024 election does not frighten him, will surely affect the party’s electoral fortunes in the 2024 election.
The President in response to a question posed by his interviewer on a Kumasi-based radio station regarding what he made of threats by the people of Kwabre against the NPP in the 2024 election due to poor road infrastructure in the area, replied, “no problem. I am saying people make those kinds of threats; me they don’t frighten me.”
According to him, although he understands the masses may support a party with an expectation, he, however, does not see the need to threaten the government if it fails to deliver.
“If you decide to vote for the NDC in the general election, it is your choice and that is not my problem. No one will force you to vote for someone,” he stated.
He, however, admitted that he has been mandated with a responsibility to construct roads and will definitely execute it.
But commenting on the President’s pronouncement in an interview on Kasapa 102.5FM/Agoo TV, Political Science Lecturer at the University of Cape Coast, Jonathan Asante Okyere stated that the President was wrong in responding in such a manner.
“The President didn’t need to say that, these things are going to affect the electoral fortunes of the party, it’s obvious. The fact is that the economic quagmire the country finds itself in will not make the NPP retain power in 2024. It is even going to become more difficult for the party based on the fact that the President is disrespecting people who have stood solidly behind the NPP over the years.”
He added: “Is President Akufo-Addo doing this deliberately or out of frustration? Or it’s his arrogant nature that we already know about him that is now on full display publicly just because he’s had his two terms. If it is frustration, we can pardon him, but if it’s deliberate then he’s scuttling the chances of those NPP aspirants who want to lead the party to victory in 2024.”
Jonathan Asante Okyere urged the NPP National Council of Elders to speak to the President behind the scene on the need for him to be circumspect in his public political discourse so he does not cause more problems for the party going into the 2024 election.
Vice President of IMANI Africa, Kofi Bentil, has called on the Government of Ghana to look beyond the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to address the nation’s current economic challenges.
The Government of Ghana in July this year began formal negotiations with the IMF for economic support, but according to Kofi Bentil, the government should engage other international financial organisations like the World Bank if it will succeed in managing the current economic challenges.
“We need more than the IMF. We need to be speaking to the world bank and friendly nations for concessionary loans to shore up the economy and then get IMF to tide us over to health. We should be speaking to them by now, IMF alone can’t help us,” he wrote in a Facebook post.
Ghana, over the past months, has experienced serious economic challenges plummeting the country into severe price hikes amidst a poorly performing cedi on the exchange market.
The government, in its bid to manage the situation, is seeking an IMF programme.
The Director of IMF’s African Department, Abebe Aemro Selassie, in a recent media engagement, stated that Ghana needs to show proof of debt sustainability in order to merit an economic support programme.
Churches in Ghana will wear red banners on Sunday, October 23, 2022, to register their displeasure over the devastating effects of illegal mining, known as galamsey.
The move, according to them, is part of their planned demonstration against the government and other authorities mandated to halt illegal mining but have failed to do so.
President of the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council, Rev. Prof. Paul Frimpong-Manso, speaking on Kumasi-based OTEC 102.9 FM’s breakfast show, “Nyansapo” on Thursday, October 20, 2022, said they would mobilize its members to embark on a massive protest to drum home their displeasure over the devastation caused by illegal mining.
“The government and authorities in charge of regulating these mining activities have consistently failed the country, and so the church is now ready to lead the fight.”
“We are leading the fight; the fight is in four phases. First, accepting our challenges and weaknesses, pledging that we won’t be part of it, telling the people that it is wrong [to engage in galamsey,” he told the programme’s host, Captain Koda.
Prof Frimpong Manso, however, disclosed that the churches would soon come out with a specific date to stage the biggest-ever demonstration against illegal mining across the country.
“On Sunday, all our churches will hoist red flags; the members will put red banners on their hands, heads, and any part of their bodies to show how unhappy the church is over the menace of galamsey.”
Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has criticised the Akufo-Addo administration for engaging retirees in the public sector while qualified young persons are being overlooked.
For Mr Ablakwa, Ghana should not have such a high number of retirees in the public sector in the face of high youth unemployment made worse by the current economic crisis.
“A country facing record high unemployment as captured by the 2021 Population and Housing Census of 13.4% and 32.8% for those aged 15-24 which is further aggravated by the current debilitating economic crisis should not be keeping so many retirees on contract in the public service.
So far, I have counted hundreds of these retirees who have been engaged on multiple post-retirement contracts by the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government when they should be home enjoying their pensions instead of denying many qualified young Ghanaians employment opportunities,” he stated.
He pointed out that in the Civil and Local Government Services alone, there are over 60 retirees on contract, while the number is high in other sectors. This, he stressed, is a barrier to persons interested in working in the public sector, stifles career progression and lowers morale among serving public sector workers.
“There are as many as 63 retirees on contract within the Civil and Local Government Services as of today, and even more than this number under other public sector categories.
Apart from serving as a blockade to prospective young Ghanaians with public sector ambitions, the phenomenon is stifling career progression and lowering morale in Ghana’s public sector,” he noted.
Ablakwa added that some of the contracts of these retirees are unconstitutional, asking that the president terminate the contracts of all the retirees.
“…Equally troubling — some of those contracts we are reviewing are palpably unconstitutional.
President Akufo-Addo must immediately terminate all these contracts, ensure he thanks our retirees for their dedicated service and endeavour to honour them with a befitting send-off and urgently fill the vacancies to be created through a transparent, credible and meritorious recruitment process for our suffering youth — as we demand that this time he eschews his reckless penchant for Family/Friends/Akonta shenanigans,” he concluded.
Several other persons, notably journalist Johnnie Hughes have complained about the issue of the engagement of retirees when younger qualified persons abound.
A 40-year-old woman has been left with a deep cut in her palm after four armed men attacked her on Gomoa Akotsi- Winneba highway in the Gomoa East District of the Central Region.
According to the victim, she was heading to work around 5:30 am Wednesday October 19th 2022 when the men pounced on her.
She said she made attempts to escape but one of the thugs slammed her against the door of a private car they were riding in.
She narrated how another suspect attempted to slash her in the neck with sharpened cutlass but she protected herself with her hand which resulted in a deep wound on the palm.
In an interview with Kasapa News Yaw Boagyan, the victim said her attack was not an incident of robbery as the thugs did not take any of her belongings, and rejected her plea to take her phone and spare her life.
The thugs, realising she was not backing down fled the scene.
She was transported to the hospital by her pastor and her husband for treatment.
Meanwhile, the case has been reported to the Gomoa Akotsi Police Station for investigation.
It was an interesting banter between Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu and Supreme Court Justice-nominee, Justice Ernest Yao Gaewu when the latter sat before the Appointments Committee to be vetted for his nominated position.
Justice Gaewu was the only High Court judge among the four Judges nominated by the President to the Supreme Court.
Having resigned as a member of the New Patriotic Party on the 16th of September 2020, the same day he was appointed a High Court judge, Justice Gaewu is the only one among the nominees to have been linked with political affiliations.
During his vetting on Wednesday, October 19, 2022, Haruna Iddrisu sought to understand the reasoning behind his nomination, having skipped a position at the Appeals Court.
Despite acknowledging the President’s appointing powers, Mr. Iddrisu noted that concerns had been raised about the appointment of Justice Gaewu when his seniors who equally were qualified for the position were not given the opportunity.
According to him, this may serve as a disincentive to colleagues who may have paid their dues through service but have not received such recognition.
Below is the interaction between Haruna Iddrisu and Justice Gaewu as it happened:
The four Judges nominated to the Supreme Court by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo are being vetted by the Appointments Committee of Parliament.
Haruna Iddrisu:
Your particular nomination to the high office of the Justice of the Supreme Court, has ignited some public interest about what the president can and cannot do.
Since the law is in your bosom and we are only here as members of parliament, let me just correct the erroneous impression that is being said somewhere.
No one has questioned the authority or mandate of the constitutional power of the president to appoint a justice of the Supreme Court.
What we have sought to express concern about is having been appointed a judge at the high court, just at the beginning of a career, you are elevated and fast-tracked ahead of your superiors from the same high court to the Appeals Court, to the court of Appeal. We have expressed to the Supreme Court, that that can be a disincentive to judges who have played their part in public service to serve the country in that capacity at the high court which have not been recognized, and those at the Appeals Court.
Justice Ernest Yao Gaewu:
It’s a constitutional mandate granted the president to appoint and there are criteria within which the person qualifies or doesn’t qualify.
Haruna Iddrisu:
Do you fall within that criteria?
Justice Ernest Yao Gaewu:
Yes I do
Haruna Iddrisu:
Which article in the constitution are you relying on?
Justice Ernest Yao Gaewu:
Article 128 (4)
Haruna Iddrisu:
Kindly read it for our purposes
Justice Ernest Yao Gaewu:
It says; “A person shall not be qualified for appointment of Justice of the Supreme Court unless he is of high moral character and proven integrity and is of not less than 15 years standing as a lawyer.
So three things; high moral character, Haruna Iddrisu: – Which we’ll be accessing here, Justice Ernest Yao Gaewu:, Proven integrity – Haruna Iddrisu: Which we’ll be accessing here; Justice Ernest Yao Gaewu:and not less than 15 years as a lawyer.
Haruna Iddrisu:
So how many years have you been?
Justice Ernest Yao Gaewu:
I’ve been 22 years.
Haruna Iddrisu:
We are concerned when we raise the concern, we state it as a matter of public concern that appointment and promotion to the judicial organ of state must be done with balance and respect for merit.
Background:
On July 26, 2022, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo nominated four persons for elevation onto the Supreme Court Bench.
The nominees are Justice Barbara Frances Ackah-Yensu, Justice George Kingsley Koomson, and Justice Samuel Kwame Adibu Asiedu, all from the Appeals Court. The only High Court judge who made the list is Justice Ernest Yao Gaewu.
They were referred to the Appointments Committee for consideration after Speaker Bagbin announced their nominations in the House in July.
Their appointment followed pending and projected vacancies at the Supreme Court this year.
In a Facebook post dated October 19, 2022, the outspoken lawmaker sarcastically listed nine major headaches the Country is currently facing and ‘attributed’ all of them to the doing of the NDC.
The issues ranged from the economic headwinds being faced, the stalled National Cathedral Project, recent booing incidents the president has suffered, even a rift with his former spiritual ally, Rev. Isaac Owusu Bempah.
Referring to Akufo-Addo as ‘fellow Ghanaians’ – a term the president used to open his COVID-19 addresses, Sam George wrote: “‘Fellow Ghanaians’ is begging. He won’t call you Jeremiahs or Naysayers again.
“He promises not to carry his chair around. He promises not to promise again. Can you just stop ruling the Country from opposition? He says you are forcing him to play nonsense too much.”
The NINE NDC instigated challenges listed by the MP were:
a. Changing the exchange rates at the Forex Bureaus.
b. Booing Akufo-Addo at Global Citizens Concert. You booed him in Kumasi.
c. Made the IMF to review their stance on the problems of Ghana’s economy.
d. Halted the building of a Cathedral to the glory of Akufo-Addo.
e. Asked GUTA to close their shops.
f. Asked public transporters to seek a 40% rise in transport fares.
g. Made the cost of a litre of diesel today more expensive than a gallon in 2016.
h. You have even made his personal Prophet to abandon him.
Please stop changing the exchange rates at the Forex Bureaus. Fellow Ghanaians is at his wits end.
You booed him at Global Citizens Concert. You booed him in Kumasi. You have made the IMF to review their stance on the problems of Ghana’s economy. You have halted the building of a Cathedral to the glory of Akufo-Addo, sorry god.
You have asked GUTA to close their shops. You have asked public transporters to seek a 40% rise in transport fares. You have made the cost of a litre of diesel today more expensive than a gallon in 2016. You have even made his personal Prophet to abandon him.
‘Fellow Ghanaians’ is begging. He won’t call you Jeremiahs or Naysayers again. He promises not to carry his chair around. He promises not to promise again. Can you just stop ruling the Country from opposition? He says you are forcing him to play nonsense too much.
I just hope this appeal is not plagiarised. So help us GOD.
The Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, has explained why he responded to a social media post by GHOne TV about a regional minister fainting after a driver stole his GH¢17 million even though his name was not mentioned in the post.
The post by GHOne TV reported that a regional minister collapsed after his driver bolted away with the stated amount, said to be proceeds from illegal mining (galamsey).
“A Regional Minister collapses as his driver bolts with 17 million cedis galamsey proceeds. Driver is reported to be in Ivory Coast at the moment,” parts of the post by GHOne read.
Responding to this post, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah denied any link to the report.
In a press statement, he said that the news linking him to the report is bent on tarnishing his hard-won reputation.
“This news alert appears to cast an innuendo on my person. It is therefore not strange that for those who are still bent on tarnishing my hard-won reputation and to distract me from executing my official duties in service to the people of my region including my unrelenting fight against illegal mining in the region, they have jumped onto this news alert to further their sinister objectives,” parts of the statement noted.
Speaking in an interview on Asempa FM on October 19, 2022, which was monitored by GhanaWeb, Okyere Darko-Mensah said that he had to respond because he had issues with some parts of the post.
He added that he had spoken to the Chief Executive Officer of the EIB Network, Nathan Kwabena Anokye Adisi, a.k.a. Bola Ray, to get the matter resolved.
“You see, when people are not sure of things, they should not disgrace people or create funny impressions in the minds of people. Because somebody may not even verify the facts and accept the allegations that are being made, which will create problems for you.
“That is why we had to tackle it so that next time people will think twice before making allegations.
“If you look at the second part of the post, there is something in it that we dealing with. After the post was shown to me, I contacted Bola Ray and he said he will cross-check the facts and get to me. And so, we are waiting,” he said in Twi.
The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) is against the appointment of Dr Eric Nkansah as the new Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES).
According to the association, Dr Eric Nkansah is a banker who has no background in teaching hence the reason they reject his appointment.
Addressing a press conference in Accra on Thursday, October 20, the President of NAGRAT, Angel Carbonou, said the appointment of the banker comes as a surprise as he is also a special assistant in the office of the minister.
“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 and 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 of we don’t have professionals and well-educated people who have gone through the mill in education in this country to run education,” the association said at the press conference.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo appointed Dr. Eric Nkansah to act as the new Director-General of the Ghana Education Service.
His appointment takes effect Wednesday, October 19, 2022. The appointment, according to a statement signed by Secretary of the President, Nana Asante Bediatuo, is in consonance with Section 19 (1), (2) (a) and (b) of the Pre-Tertiary Education Act, 2020 (Act 1049).
He is expected to either accept or decline the appointment within fourteen days.
“Pursuant to Section 19 (1), (2) (a) and (b) of the Pre-Tertiary Education Act, 2020 (Act 1049), I am pleased to inform you that the President has appointed you to act as the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (the “Service”) pending receipt of the constitutionally required advice of the governing Council of the Service, given in consultation with the Public Services Commission.
“Your appointment Is effective October 19, 2022. I take this opportunity to congratulate you formally on your appointment. Kindly indicate your acceptance or otherwise of this appointment, within 14 days of receipt of this letter,” the letter read in part.
Dr Eric Nkansah will take over from Prof Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa, whose contract was terminated and, thus, was subsequently redeployed to his previous position at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has presented its first witness in the case against President Akufo-Addo’s ex-Municipal Chief Executive (MCEs) nominee for the Juaben Municipal Assembly, Alexander Kwabena Sarfo-Kantanka.
The OSP, in May 2022, charged Alexander Kwabena Sarfo-Kantanka with 26 counts of corruption.
In a statement issued on May 24, 2022, the Special Prosecutor indicated that the charges against Sarfo-Kantanka are for corruption allegations regarding elections for his confirmation as MCE.
“The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has charged the nominee for the position of Chief Executive of Juaben Municipal Assembly, Alexander Kwabena Sarfo-Kantanka with Twenty-Six (26) counts of corruption in respect of a public election – arising out of two public elections conducted in September and November 2021 for the confirmation or otherwise of his nomination,” portion of the statement read.
In a tweet shared on Tuesday (October 20), the OSP said that its first witness presented his testimony during trials in court on the same day.
“The Trial of former MCE Nominee for Juaben, Alexander Sarfo Kantanka came off today at the High Court, Kumasi. Prosecution led the first witness Simon Kwasi Adjei to give evidence. He was crossed examined by Counsel for the accused person,” parts of the OSP’s tweet read.
It added that the hearing had been adjourned to Thursday, October 27, 2022.
Read the tweet from the OSP below:
Mr. Sarfo-Kantanka has been charged with twenty-six (26) counts of corruption. The charges are in respect of a public election – arising out of two public elections conducted in September and November 2021 for the confirmation or otherwise of his nomination.
— Office of the Special Prosecutor-Ghana (@ospghana) October 20, 2022
President Akufo-Addo is leading the trends on social media platform; Twitter, following the resignation of UK’s Prime Minister, Liz Truss.
Liz Truss resigned as Prime Minister of the UK some 45 days after she took office.
This comes about a week after UK-born Ghanaian Chancellor of the Exchequer, Kwasi Kwarteng was sacked amid fallouts from the mini-budget presented before UK parliament.
Her resignation comes at a time Ghanaians are calling for the President and Finance minister to resign due to the current economic crisis the country is facing.
Following the announcement of Liz Truss’ resignation, Ghanaians have taken to Twitter to question why president Akufo-Addo has failed to resign despite the worsening economic crisis and corruption.
A twitter user, Vincent Aperko, said Liz Truss has resigned but Addo D is still president of Ghana after failing to #FixTheCountry. I still wonder how and why disappointed NNP members still defend Nana Addo outside.”
Another User, Kuffour will be soo disappointed in Addo D’s government . I now understand why he wanted Alancash to be president instead of Nana Addo”
Below are some of the tweets:
Liz Truss has resigned but Addo D is still president of Ghana after failing to #FixTheCountry. I still wonder how and why disappointed NNP members still defend Nana Addo outside. pic.twitter.com/XCF3avDWCc
You people say you no dey like Mahama, Bawumia too you no dey like. You say make Kennedy Agyapong too komot for der. Now some are even saying Alan Cash is part of Addo D’s administration so they don’t want him either. So now, who do you people want?
Anybody who says “Mahama is not an option” is a big Fool…with greatest of respects! Are you the option? People should not use their disappointment in Addo D and His cohorts to spew Nonsense. Ghanaians are fed up with the double standards ???? @ElikemKotoko@AnnanPerry
Recent media reports claimed that about 20 illegal miners had been trapped in underground mining pits belonging to the company.
But responding to the report in a press statement dated October 19, 2022, AngloGold said while illegal miners have been arrested in its Obuasi Gold Mines, there is no proof of trapped miners in any of its underground pits.
“AngloGold Ashanti Ghana notes yesterday, the arrest of 11 illegal miners apprehended by authorities after exiting underground workings at the Obuasi Gold Mine. Authorities and mine security personnel have conducted a patrol of underground workings in the northern area of the mine and are not aware of anyone remaining underground. Any unauthorized persons who may still be underground are encouraged to leave the mine at any time by the exit points where public security personnel are stationed,” the company said in the statement.
AngloGold underscored the issue of illegal miners intruding into its underground workings, adding that it will continue to ensure the safety of its workers and members of the public.
“Intrusion of illegal miners into our underground workings remains a significantly dangerous activity and AngloGold Ashanti Ghana will work alongside authorities to ensure that only authorized mine personnel and contractors can access underground work areas. Safety of staff, security and all community members remain the highest priority,” the company said.
On Tuesday, October 18, 2022, at least, 20 gold miners were reported to have been trapped in one of the pits of Anglogold Ashanti at Obuasi.
According to the Assembly Member for the Ahansony3wodea Electoral Area, Vincent Donkor, he was informed by some relatives at about 3 am on Tuesday, October 18, 2022, that their loved ones had gone missing for five days after leaving their respective homes in search of gold, gbcghanaonline.com reports.
Mr. Donkor said he followed it up with the Security Office of Anglogold Ashanti who in turn asked that the matter be formally reported at the local Police Station for action.
Former Gender Minister, Nana Oye Bampoe Addo (formerly Nana Oye Lithur) says the circumstances that led to the 1948 riots in Accra are currently looming in Ghana.
According to the past NDC appointee, the triggers that led to the historic protest can be seen across the country.
On the 24th of February 1948, three unarmed ex-servicemen were shot during a protest. This infuriated other citizens who took to the streets to call out the colonial regime for its bad leadership and mismanagement.
Speaking in an interview on the AM Show on Thursday, the gender advocate said the same anger that fueled the 1948 protests is lurking, hence the need for government to urgently address the prevailing economic crisis.
“If you remember the 1948 riots, it seems like we are just seeing it being replayed. Where the traders were up in arms about the high cost of living and shops were closed. Then it led to Sergeant Adjetey and co., marching on to the seat of the colonial government.
[With] the ramifications of what happened; over a hundred people dying and how the riots [was] all over Ghana because of the economic situation. And you see it playing, right? History is actually repeating itself”, she said.
She also added that the recent incidents of booing the President at public functions are a worrying development which reflects the displeasure of the populace.
Madam Oye Addo’s comments add to the repeated calls for the President to invest more efforts in bettering the economy to prevent any untoward events.
Currently, Ghana is in a dire economic situation with citizens feeling the brunt of the hardship.
The economic crisis is evident in the constant depreciation of the local currency, in addition to the rising rate of inflation.
These developments have become very topical, with stakeholders constantly bemoaning the situation.
Meanwhile, in the wake of the widespread public agitations about the state of the economy, government maintains that it is working tirelessly around the clock to put the smiles back on the faces of Ghanaians.
According to the government, the economic situation has been exacerbated by the Russia-Ukraine war, as well as the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Renowned gender advocate, Nana Oye Bampoe Addo (Previously Nana Oye Lithur), has called on President Akufo-Addo to resign, if he cannot resolve the prevailing economic crisis.
According to the former Gender Minister, there is no need for the President to stay at post, if he lacks the ability to lessen the prevailing hardship.
Speaking in an interview on the AM Show on Thursday, she bemoaned the present state of the economy and lamented government’s inability to meaningfully address the challenges.
The former government appointee said the increasing cost of living has become a headache for many citizens, hence the need for government to fast track efforts to make the situation better.
“The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo get serious. This is leadership. You undertook to lead Ghana and lead our government. We have a problem. Solve that problem or resign. People are dying. People are stressed out. People are hungry. The economy of Ghana has collapsed. We’re in a dire situation”, she told host, Benjamin Akakpo.
In her submissions, the former Gender Minister added that the widespread public anger needs to be addressed by government.
According to her, the angst amongst the masses is similar to what fueled the 1948 riots, hence government must take a serious view of the President’s recent booing.
Madam Oye Bampoe Addo’s comments adds to the series of lamentations about government’s failure to better the situation.
Currently, Ghana is in a dire economic situation with citizens feeling the brunt of the hardship.
The economic crisis is evident in the constant depreciation of the local currency, in addition to the rising rate of inflation.
These developments have become very topical, with stakeholders constantly bemoaning the situation.
Meanwhile in the wake of the widespread public agitations about the state of the economy, government maintains that it is working tirelessly around the clock to put the smiles back on the faces of Ghanaians.
According to the government, the economic situation has been exacerbated by the Russia-Ukraine war, as well as the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Covid-19 vaccination coverage has stagnated in half of African countries, while the number of doses administered monthly declined by over 50% between July and September, a World Health Organization (WHO) analysis has established.
Although Africa is far from reaching the year-end global target of protecting 70% of the population, modest progress has been made in vaccinating high-risk population groups, particularly the elderly.
The WHO analysis shows that the percentage of people with complete primary vaccination series (one dose for Johnson and Johnson and two doses for other vaccines) has barely budged in 27 out of 54 African countries in the past two months (17 August – 16 October 2022).
In addition, in September, 23 million doses were given, 18% less than the number registered in August, and 51% less than the 47 million doses administered in July. The number of doses provided last month is also about one-third of the peak of the 63 million doses reached in February 2022. However, there are signs of improvement this month, with 22 million doses given as of 16 October 2022, representing 95% of the total administered in September.
Overall, as of 16 October 2022, just 24% of the continent’s population had completed their primary vaccination series compared with the coverage of 64% at the global level. Liberia has now joined Mauritius and Seychelles as one of three countries to surpass 70% of people with full vaccination coverage. Rwanda is on the verge of achieving this milestone as well.
Other small signs of progress are that the number of countries with less than 10% of people completing their primary series has dropped from 26 in December 2021 to five now. Despite these achievements, at the current pace of vaccination, Africa is expected to meet the global target of 70% of people with complete primary vaccination series by April 2025.
“The end of the Covid-19 pandemic is within sight, but as long as Africa lags far behind the rest of the world in reaching widespread protection, there is a dangerous gap which the virus can exploit to come roaring back,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.
“The biggest priority is to shield our most vulnerable populations from the worst effects of Covid-19. On this front, we are seeing some progress as countries step up efforts to boost coverage among health workers, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems.”
Based on data from 31 countries, by 16 October 2022, 40% of African health workers had completed their primary series. This latest data uses country estimates of population size instead of previous figures which used International Labour Organization estimates of the health workforce. In 15 of these countries, more than 70% of health workers have been fully vaccinated compared with 27% at the beginning of the year. Thirty-one per cent of older adults (between 50 and 65 years and older depending on country set age limits) have been fully vaccinated according to data from 27 countries, an increase from 21% in January 2022.
While difficult access to doses undermined vaccination efforts in 2021, these issues have been largely resolved with countries on average receiving 67 doses per 100 people compared with 34 doses per 100 people at the end of 2021 and 13 doses per 100 at the end of September 2021. The continent has received 936 million vaccine doses, 62% of which came from the COVAX Facility.
“After a bumpy start, the COVAX partnership has assured a steady pipeline of Covid-19 vaccines to Africa,” said Dr Moeti. “Now, we are a victim of our own success. As vaccines have helped bring the number of infections down, people no longer fear Covid-19 and so few are willing to get vaccinated.”
Mass vaccination campaigns have been instrumental in boosting Covid-19 vaccine coverage, contributing to 85% of total doses administered in the African region. However, in the past few months, the number of people vaccinated has dropped significantly while the operational costs per person keep increasing. This decline in effectiveness is due to sub-optimal planning and preparations, especially at the sub-national levels.
“Covid-19 vaccination campaigns are quick operations and are only effective with good planning,” said Dr Moeti. “I urge countries to make our goal of reaching every district a reality by improving preparations for vaccination campaigns.”
Vaccine hesitancy and a low-risk perception of the pandemic, notably with the recent decline in cases are also dampening uptake. Over the past 12 weeks, Africa has recorded the lowest case numbers since the start of the pandemic. In the week ending on 16 October, 4281 new cases were reported, representing 1.3% of the peak of the Omicron-fuelled surge reached in December 2021. No country is currently in resurgence or on high alert and deaths remain low across the region, with a case fatality rate of 2.1%.
The response to multiple public health emergencies is also affecting Covid-19 vaccine rollout. Outbreaks of polio, measles, yellow fever and now Ebola have shifted priorities in the affected countries.
To assist countries to intensify vaccination efforts, WHO in Africa has embarked on a raft of measures including supporting countries to assess the preparedness for vaccination campaigns at provincial and district levels, tracking vaccination among priority groups, carrying out high-level advocacy to boost uptake, helping countries integrate Covid-19 vaccines in other planned mass vaccination campaigns as well as deploy surge missions to countries to improve quality of vaccination drives.
Dr Moeti spoke on Thursday during a virtual press briefing. She was joined by Dr Wilhelmina Jallah, Minister of Health, Liberia; and Ms Aurelia Nguyen, Special Adviser, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
Also on hand from the WHO Regional Office for Africa was Dr Modjirom Ndoutabe, Polio Programme Coordinator; Dr Phionah Atuhebwe, Vaccines Introduction Medical Officer; and Dr Patrick Otim, Health Emergency Officer, Acute Events Management Unit.
The outgone Director General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Prof. Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa, has thanked all the directors and staff of the Service who worked under him for helping him better his résumé.
Making his first public statement since he was relieved of secondment duties at the GES by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the professor said that since his removal, he has received countless well-wishing calls and messages.
“I have and continue to receive your calls and numerous messages. I have not been able to pick up your calls or reply to your messages due largely to the sheer volume.
“What gladdens my heart is that the messages are not dirges but goodwills and prayers and very soothing and reassuring messages.
“I wish to take this opportunity to thank every one of you for your dedication and the extremely good work relationship that existed between us,” he wrote.
Prof. Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa added that it gladdens his heart that from his work at the GES, he has been able to upgrade his Curriculum Vitae (CV).
“I highly appreciate your unfathomable love to me. We worked as a team and together we’ve changed the face of not only pre-tertiary education but also GES.
“You supported me in many ways to enhance my resumé to bring it to a distinguishing first-class, world-class CV. And I am highly grateful to you all,” he added.
In a letter dated October 17, 2022, and signed by Secretary to the President, Nana Asante Bediatuo, President Akufo-Addo terminated the appointment of the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, Prof. Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa.
This brought the appointment of the GES boss, who was appointed in 2017, to an end.
According to ges.gov.gh, Prof. Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa was appointed as Acting Director-General by President Akufo-Addo in April 2017 and he assumed office on the May 15, 2017.
He was subsequently confirmed as Director-General in October 2017.’
The Circuit Court in Accra has issued a stern warning to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Consumer Protection Agency, (CPA), Kofi Owusu Hene, popularly known as Kofi Kapito who was a subject matter of a bench warrant.
The court presided over by Her Honour Christiana Cann yesterday issued a bench warrant against the CEO of the CPA, for failing to appear before it.
Kofi Kapito however appeared in court on Thursday, October 20.
The judge while rescinding the arrest warrant, warned the accused not to repeat his action of not coming to court.
“I will rescind your bench warrant. But, this should be your last time. Next time you won’t be luck.”
He is alleged to have deprived his late brother’s wife of a house the couple had jointly acquired at Ogbojo, and he is said to have threatened to dispose of the said property which the late brother’s wife has an interest in.
Kofi Kapito has denied all the charges, and he is currently on bail.
The wife of the deceased while testifying, told the court how she and the late husband acquired the property in question.
The case has been adjourned to October 25 for continuation.
The Chamber of Pharmacy Ghana has announced the adoption of the Cash and Carry regime for the supply of pharmaceutical products to government and other institutions.
The Chamber, including the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers, Importers and Suppliers say, the current economic downturn including the exchange rate is telling on their business hence the move.
Addressing a Press Conference in Accra, chairman of the Ghana National Chamber of Pharmacy, Harrison K. Abutiate explained that, the move has become necessary to save their ailing businesses.
“The Pharmaceutical Industry is credit-driven. Public Sector pays on the average 6-12 months, because of delayed payments of the National Health Insurance Scheme(NHIS). Majority of private facilities make payments for all supplies within 3-4 months. In the current circumstances of daily devaluation of the cedi, it’s imperative to state that pharmaceutical supplies on credit under this time has led to erosion of operational capital of pharmaceutical importers and manufacturers,” he said.
He said the fast depreciation of the cedi has affected the price of medicines on the counter as some pharmaceutical supplies are up by 100 percent as a result of the devaluation of the local currency.
He also bemoaned the reversal of the discount on benchmark value which has negatively impacted the cost of doing business in the country.
According to him, if the situation remains the same, local manufacturers will be forced out of business to create room for fake products to dominate the market.
“On the industry front interest in continuous investment in official and pharmaceutical business is waning. Very soon a sizeable number of industry players may be forced to fold up or lay off staff. This becomes a dangerous recipe for criminals to engage in nefarious activities and flood the market with fake and sub-standard products just to compromise quality and efficacy of medicines, thereby putting the health of all Ghanaians at risk.
“The National Chamber of Pharmacy, the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Ghana, and the Pharmaceutical Importers and Wholesalers Association of Ghana, therefore call for an immediate action to save the industry.
“The Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning should release funds to immediately to pay for the long-standing debt of over 9 months and to push to clear all overdue debts.”
The Ashanti Regional branch of the opposition NDC has criticized President Akufo Addo’s just-ended tour of the Region describing it as full of tantrums and empty promises.
It argued that the Ashanti Region is no more a stronghold for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), but has now turned into a strangling hold for the governing party.
The opposition NDC said it observed a cold reception that turned into booing and jeering when the president visited the Ashanti region on his four-day working tour.
Addressing the media, the Regional Communications Director of the NDC, Nurudeen Abass contended the president had nothing substantial to show to the Ashanti region for all the revenues and votes the Nana Addo administration enjoyed from the region.
“Distinguished friends from the media, it goes without saying that President AkufoAddo’s latest tour of his favourite political backyard was nothing short of
underwhelming. With nothing by way of any worthy accomplishments, President AkufoAddo went about inspecting and commissioning mediocre and mundane projects which ordinarily should be the work of DCE’s and other government officials. To imagine that the President was driven in a convoy of nearly 70 V8’s to commission a magistrate court building at Toase, sums up what miserable spectacle of a tour it was.
“It is important to remind ourselves that when President Mahama and the NDC constructed a brand new High Court building at Obuasi in 2016, the then Regional Minister and MCE for Obuasi at the time did the honour of commissioning same. This is for us, the difference between the Nation-Builder, President John Dramani Mahama and the Family Builder, His Excellency William Akufo-Addo. Whereas one of them – President Mahama, built legacy projects in the Ashanti Region, such as the $234 million Kejetia Central Market project, the largest investment in the history of the Ashanti Region, the Kumasi Airport Phase II, Rattray Park, Konongo-Kumawu-Kwahu Water Project, the 500-bed Military Hospital at Afari, the 250-bed Regional Hospital at Sewua, the other – President Akufo-Addo, has very little to show for all his unprecedented borrowing and the huge votes he enjoys from the people of the region.
“Indeed, the popularity of the New Patriotic Party and President Akufo-Addo for that matter is so low in their own stronghold that they have resorted to emulating the NDC’s hugely successful membership drive in the Ashanti Region in order to try and revive their sinking fortunes. For a party that garnered as much as 1.8 million votes out of a total of 2.5 million valid votes cast in the 2020 elections to be conducting a membership registration drive in their supposed comfort zone two years down, is clear indication of their waning popularity in the region.”
Radio and TV presenter Blessed Godsbrain Smart, popularly known as Captain Smart, has been released on bail hours after he was picked up by the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB).
The Media General journalist was picked up by operatives of the NIB on the evening of Wednesday, 19 October 2022 as he went home from work.
His car was allegedly crossed by the operatives in traffic and then whisked away.
The journalist was subsequently interrogated in the presence of some senior officials of Media General.
It is unclear why he has been detained by the intelligence agency.
On Tuesday, 18 October 2022, the government, through a statement from the ministry of information, threatened to sue the journalist for alleging in a video published and circulated by Onua TV on 17 October 2022 that President Akufo-Addo was actively involved in illegal mining activities.
The publication, according to the statement signed by Deputy Information Minister Fatimatu Abubakar, impugns the character and integrity of the president, as well as the credibility and commitment of his fight against illegal and irresponsible mining.
In response to the content of the said video, the government stated that:
ii. The content propagated in the video is false, malicious and without basis. It is nothing but an act of unethical and irresponsible journalism;
iii. The video is intended to court disaffection for the government and undermine efforts to fight illegal mining in the country; and
iv. Government’s commitment to the fight against illegal mining is unwavering.
The statement disclosed that the government had decided to refer the matter to the National Media Commission for review and adjudication.
“It is, however, imperative to note that the aforementioned action is without prejudice to the government’s right to seek further legal action against Mr Smart, Onua TV and Media General,” the statement added.
The government further noted that it is “concerned about the spread of disinformation and misinformation, clothed under the pretext of journalistic discretion and free expression and will continue to hold Media General in high esteem and urge them not to compromise their standards for validating information, ethical practice, and avoiding conjecture in the presentation of Radio and TV presenter Blessed Godsbrain Smart, popularly known as Captain Smart, has been released on bail hours after he was picked up by the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB).
President Akufo-Addo must immediately withdraw the appointment of Dr Eric Nkansah as the acting director-general of the Ghana education service, the National Association of Graduate Teachers has demanded.
Dr Nkansah’s appointment will be made permanent after the advice of the Governing Council of the GES and the Public Services Commission.
A letter from the office of the president announcing his appointment said Dr Nkansah is expected to indicate his acceptance of the role within 14 days.
However, the teacher unions say they are not happy with their new boos.
“The teacher unions started press conferences yesterday [Wednesday, 19 October 2022]. I did mine yesterday and this morning, my brothers in GNAT were supposed to do theirs until there was a development that annoyed and surprised all of us; that a new director-general has been appointed to the Ghana education service”, the President of NAGRAT, Mr Angel Carbonu told journalists at a press conference.
He said: “The authority to appoint a director-general 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 Ghana education service, 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 director-general of the Ghana education service”, he indicated.
“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”, Mr Carbonu added.
He bemoaned: “It is as if we are being told that we, educationists in the Ghana education service, are not good to manage education in this country.
We are calling on the president to rescind this decision; that the gentleman who has been appointed, is not qualified by any standard, to be the director-general of the Ghana education service”.
Mr Carbonu said Dr Nkansah is an outlier.
“If you look at the history of directors-general of the Ghana education service, they are either senior officers within the Ghana education service or professors from universities who have an education background and we can take them one after the other and you’ll see and know their credentials”.
“The gentleman who has been appointed is qualified as a banking officer, who has done some small stints of teaching with Kumasi Polytechnic in those days”.
“When the minister was appointed, he became a special assistant to the minister and does not have any credentials or qualification to be director-general of the Ghana education service”.
The union of teachers demanded the withdrawal of Dr Nkansah’s appointment.
“We are calling for his removal, he is not qualified to be director-general of the Ghana education service and his presence will not motivate professionals who have been in this Service for more than 20 to 30 years and have risen to higher ranks within the Ghana education service”.
President Nana Akufo-Addo must immediately stop all plans to sell parcels of prime Giffard Road land to private developers, Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu has said.
According to the minority caucus, the ministry of agriculture and the lands commission intend to sell a portion of the area, which hosts the agriculture mechanisation centre.
“To think that this land will suffer the wanton dissipation of compulsorily-acquired state land breaks my heart and I think that President Akufo-Addo must stop this,” Mr Iddrisu said.
He said the president must call his “good friend” the Minister of Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, “to order” if the latter has plans to sell the property.
“That land must be preserved in our national security interest,” he added.
“The President, if he has doubts as to what I am saying, must commence a full-scale public investigation into the status of this land.”
Established in May 2020, the DSSI expired at the end of December 2021.
The DSSI, put together by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank offered countries an opportunity to freeze debt servicing, whiles they concentrate on using their minimum funds to deal with other commitments.
Mr. Malpass was responding to questions at a programme in Washington DC, on suggestions that the Bretton Wood institutions are not doing enough to help cancel the debts of some African countries in distress.
But reacting to the question, he pointed out that Ghana and Nigeria failed to apply for the DSSI, which would have provided some financial space for the repayment of loans.
“Kristalina (IMF Boss) and I were talking yesterday with the Group about the Common Framework. If countries could have a situation where the common framework clause allow the country to have a standstill on debt, that would help the country choose their path forward on debts restructuring. That would mean they would get a break on debt repayment while they work on debt restructuring,” he explained.
Mr. Malpass stated that such initiatives are designed to help reduce the impact of economic hardship on developing countries.
He, however pointed out that some developing countries refused to take advantage of the initiative to minimise the impact of the current global hardship on their citizens.
“Nigeria and Ghana both, did not ask for the common framework treatment”, he said, adding that the situation has made it difficult for such countries to overcome the negative impact of current global economic hardship on trade and currencies of developing countries.
Debt to GDP to hit 90.7% – IMF
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) had already projected that Ghana will end 2022 with a debt-to-Gross Domestic Product of 90.7%.
This was captured in its Fiscal Outlook Report released on the sidelines of the on-going IMF/World Bank Annual meetings in Washington DC, USA.
The report, also forecasts that the debt–to-GDP could reduce to 87.8% in 2023.
According to the IMF, revenue expressed as a ratio of GDP could also hit 14.1% at the end of 2022.
It will subsequently increase to 14.7% in 2023 and 15.4% in 2024”, the report said, classifying Ghana as a Low Income Developing Country.
The Accra Regional Security Council has begun the demolition of several unauthorized structures at the Sakumono Ramsar site.
The exercise, being led by the Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey, will span a 3-day period, during which all buildings and structures that have been unlawfully erected within the core zone of the Sakumono Ramsar site will be destroyed.
This follows several cautionary measures and announcements issued out to property owners and inhabitants of these structures by the Council.
The move is in line with efforts to preserve the ecological state of the site.
“Leading the team on Wednesday morning, the minister, Henry Quartey said, “There are people deliberately encroaching on government lands. Lands that have been acquired by Executive Instrument for the purposes of the state. One of that you know was the CSIR, by the grace of God, we have been able to do that. Today we are here, during Kwame Nkrumah’s time, lands from this area all the way to Tema was acquired by Executive Instrument, where the head leads was under TDC.
“Some part of the acquired lands was ceded for Ramsar lands. We are told that the total acreage is over 3000 acres. We are talking about 18,000 plots. As we speak, we are reliably informed that well over 2,500 acres of government land has been encroached upon with impunity,” he said.
The Sakumono Ramsar Site is a wetland with a core area of about 1200 hectares, according to the Forestry Commission.
The site, which is of international importance, has been designated for ecological purposes including migratory animal life for especially birds among others under the Ramsar Convention. It is also supposed to serve as a holding base for gallons of flood water from the adjoining communities.
But over time, the Ramsar site has been encroached on by real estate owners and is being used for purposes of farming, fishing, recreation, among others, thereby posing danger to the ecology.
Currently, the core area of the site is less than 600 acres, according to the Forestry Commission.
Former Minister of State and former Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Mines Dr. Joyce Aryee has said the actions of Patricia Asiedua, popularly known as ‘Nana Agradaa, is a clear indication that she is not from God.
According to her, money doubling in Church is a sin that contradicts the teachings of God.
She also stated that Nana Agraada doesn’t carry the spirit of God because of her actions in her Church.
Dr. Joyce Aryee urged Ghanaians to read the Bible to help them identify the true men of God and unscrupulous ones.
Speaking with Kwaku Owusu Adjei on Adwenekasa on Accra-based Original FM 91.9, she said, “We saw the real man of God which is Elijah, and the fake ones. There are a lot of fake pastors in this country so Ghanaians must read the Bible well to be able to identify the real men of God because you will be able to know the true men of God through their actions. ”
Nana Agradaa is facing seven counts of defrauding by false pretence and charlatanic advertisement on TV and in a newspaper to lure her victims.
A viral video last Saturday showed aggrieved members of the Church alleging that their leader, a one-time traditional priestess, had swindled them.
The Mankranso District Forest Services Division Manager, Mr. Godwin Agyemang has categorically stated that Forestry Commission has not issued permits to anyone to mine at Desiri Forest Reserve at Numesua near Tepa in the Ahafo Ano North Municipality of the Ashanti Region.
Adding that his outfit and the forestry commission have no hands in the ongoing illegal mining, farms, and illegal loggers which present a major threat to the Reserve so they will ensure that the perpetrators are brought to book.
According to him, some stakeholders are doing community mining in the Desiri forest reserves which government and private developers have invested and they have made part of the reserve as a community and have erected temporal structures but the illegal activities have affected the water bodies and farmland.
Speaking to the media, Mr. Agyemang vowed that they will not allow some people to destroy the forest for their parochial interest.
He, therefore, appealed to residents and the media to collaborate with the commission to protect and preserve the reserve which has a collateral benefit for not only the area but the entire nation.
Forest reserves in the Asunafo South, Asunafo North, Asutifi North, Asutifi South, and Ahafo Ano South for a long time has been under siege by illegal loggers and farmers who with support from influential opinion leaders are destroying the reserves with impunity.
This has resulted in severe economic repercussions as some people have lost their livelihood to these activities and sometimes resulted in deaths due to violent attacks on them.
Broadcaster Paul Adom-Otchere has accused the Paramount Chief and the Agbogbomefia of the Asogli, Togbe Afede XIV, of stealing from Ghana.
According to him, Togbe Afede stole from the state by taking allowances for the 55 per cent of Council of State meetings he allegedly did not attend.
The broadcaster made these remarks while reacting to a publication by investigative journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni.
The investigative journalist challenged Adom-Otchere’s allegation that Togbe Afede attended only 18 per cent of Council of State meetings when he was on the council.
According to the publication, Togbe Afede missed 55 per cent of Council of State meetings and not 82 per cent of the meetings.
But Adom-Otchere, during his Good Evening Ghana show, on October 19, insisted that the publication by Azure is not an exoneration of Togbe Afede.
“… your friend Azure in presenting a defence for you (Togbe Afede), said you did not attend 55 per cent of Council of State meetings. But Togbe Afede with your great stature, how can you join the Council of State as the president of the National House of Chiefs and not attend meetings?
“Togbe Afede’s position on the Council of State was an important one. He was not just an elected member or appointed by the president. Togbe Afede was representing the National House of Chiefs. So Togbe, you let the taxpayer down and you let the National House of Chiefs down.
“You don’t attend 55 per cent of Council of State meetings and you expect us to call you righteous because you returned Council of State money (ex-gratia). No way we are not going to call you righteous, we are going to call you out and ask you to return the money (the allowances), and return the car to the Council of State.
“If you tell people that you didn’t take the ex-gratia and we find that you actually took allowance for meetings you did not attend, then that is robbery of the taxpayer,” he added.
Togbe Afede XIV, in June 2022, rejected his ex-gratia payment for his work on the Council of State which became a matter of public discourse.
According to him, serving on the council should be seen as a privilege and not an avenue to demand compensation.
He added the GH¢365,000 ex-gratia was too much since the work was largely part-time and is for only four years which is why he rejected the money.
Rachel Décoste landed in West Africa’s Republic of Benin in August 2018, anticipating an important journey of self-discovery, but not predicting the extent to which the trip would change her life.
On her first day exploring Benin, Rachel asked a passerby for directions. Two weeks later, Rachel and the stranger were engaged. Within six months, they were married.
Rachel grew up in Ottawa, Canada, the daughter of Haitian parents who’d immigrated to Canada in the late 1960s. As an adult, Rachel relocated to Washington DC for college, later working for a bipartisan tech program associated with the United States Congress.
Rachel loved this job, she loved the diversity of Washington and loved working in public service. When her US visa was up for renewal, Rachel, then in her early 40s, figured she’d work remotely for a few months before returning to DC.
But rather than working from Canada, she hatched a plan to set up her desk further afield.
Earlier that year, Rachel had submitted her DNA to an online ancestry site. Rachel had long known she was the descendent of enslaved Africans, but until she got the results, she hadn’t known where her forebears had lived. Now, she had a list of countries where she had roots: Senegal, Ivory Coast, Togo, Ghana and Benin.
“DNA tests for a descendant of enslaved Africans has very deep significance for us,” Rachel tells CNN Travel. “Even though it’s not a precise science when you get the map of where your ancestors came from, it’s an emotional journey.”
Rachel arrived in Benin towards the end of her five-month remote working trip. She’d already visited the other countries on her list, and her African trip was shaping up to be an extraordinary journey of self-discovery. Nevertheless, Rachel didn’t know what to expect from Benin.
“Honestly, I don’t know if I could find Benin Republic on a map before this,” she says.
She booked a room in a bed and breakfast in the port city of Cotonou, planning to stay there for two weeks — working from the B&B and exploring the country in her spare time.
Following a couple of days settling in, Rachel ventured out for the first time. She planned to visit Ouidah, once one of the most active slave trading ports in Africa. She expected this would be a moving and thought-provoking experience.
“I’m sure that one of my ancestors passed by there, just because of my DNA test,” says Rachel.
Exiting her room, Rachel searched around for the manager of her bed and breakfast — she was looking for guidance on how best to travel to Ouidah.
“She’s nowhere to be found. And then I look for the security guard, and the security guard is on break.”
Rachel figured her next best bet was asking a passerby outside, so she opened the gates and glanced around.
The first person she spotted was a man about to get on a motorcycle, parked just outside.
Rachel greeted the stranger in French — as a French Canadian, French is her first language and it’s also the official language of Benin — and politely asked him how to get to Ouidah.
“You have to go to a certain intersection downtown, where all the bush taxis are,” explained the stranger. “You find the taxi going to your destination, you pay for your seat, and then you’ll get there.”
He started passing on directions to the intersection, but then, realizing they were a bit complicated, changed his tune.
“If you want. I can bring you there, it’s about 10 minutes away,” he suggested, gesturing to his bike.
It was about 9 a.m. Rachel was wary of trusting someone she didn’t know, but she decided she was unlikely to come to harm in broad daylight. She agreed.
“I take a chance, hop on the back of his motorcycle, no helmet,” she recalls.
Traveling together
Honoré and Rachel explored Benin together.
The motorbike-riding stranger was Honoré Orogbo, a single father and business owner in his thirties who’d lived in Cotonou all his life and just happened to be passing by that morning.
When Rachel opened the bed and breakfast door, Honoré had just finished eating some breakfast he’d grabbed from a nearby street kiosk.
From the outside, Rachel’s accommodation wasn’t obviously a B&B. Honoré says he assumed she was the owner of the house. It was only when she asked for directions that Honoré realized Rachel was a visitor.
When Rachel and Honoré arrived at the taxi rank in Cotonou city center, they realized the one heading to Ouidah was pretty empty. Honoré explained it would be some time before it departed — the driver wouldn’t leave until the taxi was full.
Rachel was disheartened. She didn’t have time to wait around — she wanted to spend the whole day in Ouidah without feeling rushed and to safely return to Cotonou before sundown.
Sensing her disappointment, Honoré came up with a suggestion. He had a friend in Ouidah he’d been hoping to visit — while he hadn’t been planning to go that day, he could, he had a day off.
“I’m like ‘Cool. I’ll pay for gas. Let’s go,’” recalls Rachel.
Just over an hour later, they arrived in Ouidah.
“He shows me how to get back — where the bush taxes are that I can get back that afternoon — and he shows me where the Slave Museum is. And I’m like, ‘Okay, good to go. Thanks, sir,’” recalls Rachel.
But before they were due to go their separate ways, Rachel asked Honoré if he wanted to get brunch. She wanted a bite to eat before she started her tour — and extending the invite to Honoré felt like the polite choice, he’d gone out of his way to help her, after all.
Honoré agreed, touched by the gesture. The two sat down to eat.
Rachel was aware that she was a woman traveling alone, and while Honoré had been nothing but polite and respectful, he was still a stranger, so she told him she was married.
She also didn’t share details of her job or her life in the US. But she did explain how she was hoping to travel around Benin over the coming days.
She asked Honoré if he had any friends or contacts who worked as chauffeurs or tour guides, and who might be interested in escorting her around over the next couple of days. She figured that might be easier than relying on taxis.
Honoré contacted a tour guide friend, but he was fully booked
“So I said, ‘Well, how about you? Can you be my escort? You helped me out this morning, can I just pay you to do that for three days?’” recalls Rachel.
“No, I’m not a I’m not a tour guide,” said Honoré. “I don’t know my country’s history by heart, and that’s not what I do.”
Rachel backtracked. She didn’t really need a tour guide — there would be experts at all the historical sites she planned to visit — she just needed a ride.
After a bit of back and forth, Honoré agreed to drive Rachel.
“When she insisted, I said ‘Why not?’” Honoré recalls today.
He wanted to help Rachel, Honoré says. She seemed like a “good person,” based on the way she’d approached him, the way she’d asked him questions and the way she’d invited him to brunch.
The two agreed Honoré would drive Rachel around for the next few days, starting that day in Ouidah, and Rachel would pay him for his services.
Growing closer
Here’s Rachel at Ganvie Lake Village in Cotonou, Benin.
For the rest of the week, Honoré took Rachel to Benin’s most important sites.
Touring Benin was a powerful experience for Rachel. She says visiting the slave fort, inside Ouidah’s Museum of History, “is a pilgrimage that every afro-descendant should visit to remind us of the cruelty that our ancestors survived.”
“I didn’t know this before going there in person, but if Las Vegas was taking bets on the survival of enslaved Africans, the odds of my being alive today would have been slim to none,” says Rachel. “I am a walking, talking miracle. I am the ‘one percent.’ I owe it to those who didn’t make it to live my best life.”
While traveling around Benin, Rachel and Honoré talked. While Rachel still didn’t disclose many details about her personal circumstances, but she found herself opening up to Honoré about her thoughts and feelings. Honoré opened up in turn.
“First conversations were about learning about myself, my family, my situation, who I am, who I really am,” he says.
“We were very open and very candid because we were strangers and we’ll never see each other again,” recalls Rachel.
She remembers being touched when Honoré explained that he didn’t have a new model of motorcycle because he put all his money towards his son’s education.
“He says ‘I’d rather have my kid have those opportunities than drive a fancy motorcycle.’ And I thought, ‘Wow, those are the values of my parents.’ I saw myself in those values,” says Rachel.
In one of their many conversations, Honoré mentioned his brother was a tailor. On their fourth day together, Honoré took Rachel to a market to help her buy fabric that his brother could make into a dress.
Rachel was overwhelmed by the choice — so much so that she asked Honoré to pick his favorites. He opted for two pieces of colorful, bright Ankara fabric. The third option was a white, gray, lace style, called lessi. Rachel loved it, and figured the resulting dress could be “appropriate for a baptism or some kind of special occasion.”
Honoré’s brother made clothing for Rachel and Honoré out of the fabric he picked for her at the market.
In one of their many conversations driving to Benin landmarks, Honoré mentioned to Rachel that he would usually travel to Lomé, the capital of the neighboring country of Togo, when he and his friends wanted a night out.
Rachel was intrigued.
“I can’t guarantee that I’ll ever come back here. This is a once in a lifetime trip where I’m getting paid while I’m working in a foreign country. I want to take advantage of every opportunity,” she remembers thinking.
“So I said, ‘Well, I have to go back to work this week. But next weekend, if you’re willing, I could get two hotel rooms and we could go to Togo together.”
The following weekend, Honoré took Rachel to a poetry slam night in Lomé, followed by a bar with live music. They stayed out all night.
“We’re dancing. It’s just pure joy,” says Rachel.
It was around this time that Rachel started to feel things shift. She felt comfortable around Honoré in a way she’d never felt before.
“We get along great. He laughs at my jokes,” she recalls thinking. “I had a bit of a meltdown a couple times — which I’m not proud of — where he didn’t freak out, because usually angry Black women scare people. But he took it all in his stride.”
Rachel even briefly met Honoré’s son.
Rachel and Honoré, pictured here on a beach in Cotonou, grew closer and they soon realized they had feelings for each other.
She described the situation in an email to one of her close friends back in Ottawa.
“I think I think this person should be my husband. But am I crazy? I’ve known this guy for a week. Is that stupid? Tell me if I’m crazy,” she wrote.
Her friend wrote back: “Rachel, you are not a stupid person. You have good judgment. You are a good judge of character. If he’s the one, grab him.”
For Honoré, the trip to Togo was a turning point too.
“I think it’s that night that the lightning struck,” he says. “It was not lightning but it was a feeling of love. I think that’s where the feeling of love started.”
Rachel only had one more week in Benin before she was set to return to North America. She decided she had no time to waste.
“I told him that I really wasn’t married. And he was very happy to hear that. And we got together,” she says.
“I was kind of surprised,” says Honoré now. “I thought a woman like that would probably have a husband.”
“Next day I saw her differently,” he adds. “Not like a tourist but my soulmate. That’s how the relationship started. Step by step.”
For the remainder of Rachel’s time in Benin, Rachel and Honoré spent as much time together as they could.
Long distance engagement
Honoré and Rachel often wear clothing made from matching fabric, a Benin tradition.
On the evening of Rachel’s departure, Honoré recalls sitting with her on a beach. He was enjoying the moment, but also considering Rachel’s impending return to Canada, and what it meant for their burgeoning romance.
“We were facing the ocean. In my head, I was thinking ‘the past two weeks that I’ve spent with you, I have no regrets. We had a great time together. I was really happy to meet you.’”
The two talked about the future, and if and how they could make a long-distance relationship work. They realized they were both equally committed, and so they decided to get engaged, and that Honoré would relocate to North America.
It was a big decision. They’d only known one another for a couple of weeks. And for Honoré, emigrating had never been a goal. It would be a big change for his son. But Honoré says he decided to “follow my instincts, to follow my heart.”
Meanwhile, Rachel quit her life in DC and went back to Canada. Rachel says her friends were shocked, but supportive and happy when she told them about the whirlwind romance. Her parents were more skeptical, she says. But they came round when they met Honoré and saw how in love he was with their daughter.
Rachel returned to Benin six months later, in January 2019, for her wedding to Honoré. She wore the dress made from the white lace fabric Honoré had picked for her in the market the summer before. It felt like fate.
Here’s the couple at Canadian wedding celebrations.
Meanwhile, the couple planned a Canadian wedding celebration for the following year, navigating Honoré and his son’s immigration journey in the meantime.
“I took the time during the separation to start preparing myself mentally and psychologically for a big move,” recalls Honoré. “I had to think about the huge life change that was going to be ahead of me, the cultural differences. I know people who went to the Americas and it wasn’t necessarily easy.”
Honoré also prepared his child for the move.
“I explained to him that, ‘My son, we will go to a different country and we will start over together. With time, you will have new friends, you will have new cousins. You will have everything you wish for. everything that you have here you will have over there, in time.”
Canadian reunion
Today, Honoré and Rachel live in Canada together. Here they are pictured at Niagara Falls.
Honoré and his son arrived in Canada in the middle of winter.
“It was really really really cold,” he recalls. “I just didn’t understand how cold it could be outside. Because the cold of Africa is a whole different kettle of fish, than the cold in Canada.”
Still, once Honoré was kitted out with Canada-appropriate boots, coat and mittens, he started adapting to life in a new country.
Rachel and Honoré say they were over the moon to be together. The months apart waiting for Honoré’s visa approval had been long.
Honoré’s son settled in very quickly, and Rachel adapted to becoming his stepmother, a role she says she loves.
“I’m embracing the challenge and the joys of motherhood,” she says now.
“It’s not easy when you’ve been single since forever to adjust to having to share your life. But he’s a good kid.”
Today, Honoré and Rachel live in Ottawa. Rachel works as a diversity and inclusion expert, while Honoré is studying.
Here are Honoré, Rachel and their son in Ottawa together
Rachel and Honoré are also bringing up their son together, and run a business selling warm, Canada-winter-appropriate pajamas with African prints, called Woke Apparel.
The pandemic put a stop to their big Canadian wedding celebration plans, but they enjoyed a small ceremony in summer 2020.
Reflecting on their journey together, Honoré says their story makes him consider that “sometimes you shouldn’t force fate.”
He sees meeting Rachel as “destiny” but considers moving across the world to be with her as proof of the importance of trusting your gut.
“Just follow your heart,” he says. “Follow your heart with reckless abandon.”
As for Rachel, she says their love story is a reminder to her that “it’s never too late.”
“You’re not too old to just travel alone by yourself, in a country that you don’t know, where you don’t know anybody. You’re never too old to find love. You’re never too old to become a mother.
There is no expiration date on opportunity. And grab life by both hands. If I can do it. You can.”
In recent times, government appointees have not been spared for either their poor performance or involvement in corrupt acts.
Even though there have been several dismissals by Akufo-Addo since he assumed office, Ghanaweb compiles a list of some government appointees who have been sacked in the last quarter of 2022.
Sarah Adwoa Safo
In July, 2022, Akufo-Addo relieved Dome-Kwabenya Member of Parliament, Sarah Adwoa Safo, of her position as Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection.
Director of Communications at the Office of the President, Eugene Arhin, in a July 28, 2022 statement, indicated that the termination of her appointment was in accordance with Article 81 (a) of the Constitution.
“In accordance with Article 81 (a) of the Constitution, the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has revoked the appointment of Hon. Sarah Adwoa Safo, Member of Parliament for Dome Kwabena, as Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, with immediate effect.
“The Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Madam Cecilia Abena Dapaah, will continue to act as caretaker Minster for the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, until such a time that President Akufo-Addo appoints a substantive Minister,” the statement read.
Her dismissal came at a time when Parliament was debating her continuous stay in the house after absenting herself for more than 15 sitting days without approval from the Speaker of Parliament.
Aside from the above, she was absent in her role as the Gender Minister as she was out of the office for a very long time after she requested an extended leave of duty.
Customs boss, Col. Damoah
On August, 2022, president Akufo-Addo asked the Commissioner of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Colonel Kwadwo Damoah (rtd), to hand over his duties to the acting deputy commissioner.
In a letter signed by the Secretary to the president, Nana Bediatuo Asante, the notice of handing over was due to the expiration of his contract on October 13, 2021.
The dismissal of Colonel Kwadwo Damoah (rtd) came at the time he was being investigated by the Office of the Special Prosecutor, for his role in corruption-related acts involving Labianca Company Limited.
A finding from the Office of the Special Prosecutor dated August 3, 2022, and titled: “Report of Investigation into Alleged Commission of Corruption and Corruption Related Offences involving Labianca Group of Companies and the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority indicated among other things that the frozen foods company owner used her position to evade taxes.
Initially, while reacting to the report, the customs boss said any attempts by the Special Prosecutor to bring him down will not work.
“Three days ago a report purported to be coming from the Office of the Special Prosecutor trying to indict the Deputy Commissioner of Operations and myself [but] anybody who has read that report very well will know the basis of that,” he said while addressing some Senior Customs officers at a retreat in Kumasi.
“And luckily for Me, God is always on my side, before that report came that person had made a comment to some people who had come to tell me [that] he [Special Prosecutor] was going to publish that will discredit me…and I sent people to go and tell him that he is a small boy and I am older than him, I have lived a meaningful life and if he attempts to destroy me it won’t be easy for him. People have tried and I have survived and this one too I will survive it,” Col Damoah added.
Prof Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa
Prof Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa, The Director General of Ghana Education Service is the latest victim of the sacked appointees.
Prof Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa was sacked by the President on October 17, 2022.
In a letter dated October 17, 2022, and signed by the Secretary to the President, Nana Bediatuo Asante, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo terminated the appointment of the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, Prof. Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa.
This brought the appointment of the GES boss, who was appointed in 2017, to an end.
According to ges.gov.gh, Prof. Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa was appointed as Acting Director-General by President Akufo-Addo in April 2017, and he assumed office on May 15, 2017.
He was subsequently confirmed as Director-General in October 2017.
At least six vehicles reportedly crashed in an accident at Airport Hills, a suburb of Accra, on Thursday, October 19, 2022.
A viral video sighted by GhanaWeb showed the crashed vehicles, including a dump truck (articulated truck), a commercial transport (‘trotro’), and at least three private vehicles, including a KIA Picanto, scattered all over the Airport Hills road.
One of the witnesses could be heard saying in the video that at least six cars were involved in the accident.
“About six cars were involved in the accident. Some of the vehicles are over there,” he said in the Twi dialect.
In the video, the KIA Picanto was seen to have crashed into another private car.
The dump truck had also pushed a four-wheel drive off of the road. Parts of the ‘trotro’ were also completely dented.
Some people at the scene can also be seen crying even though there is no report of injuries or deaths.
Reports indicate that the accident happened because the brakes of the dump truck failed.
The Ghana Police Service is yet to comment on the accident.
Watch the video below:
JUST IN; Accident involving about 6 cars at Airport Hill. pic.twitter.com/3LqxGyfPrA
— SIKAOFFICIAL???? (@SIKAOFFICIAL1) October 19, 2022
Supreme Court judge nominee, Justice Barbara Frances Ackah-Yensu, has acknowledged that some Ghanaians have lost trust in the country’s justice delivery system.
Speaking during her vetting at Parliament on Tuesday, October 18, Justice Ackah-Yensu, who is currently an Appeals Court judge, however, noted that, the situation is not as bad as some persons are asserting.
The Supreme Court judge nominee made these remarks while answering a question on ex-President John Dramani Mahama’s view that Ghanaians have lost trust in the judiciary.
Ex-President Mahama, at a forum held for lawyers of the National Democratic Congress on August 28, lamented that the judiciary has a ‘broken image under the leadership of the current Chief Justice.
He said that Ghanaians have lost trust in the judiciary, owing to some of its unanimous decisions, a situation he explains as dangerous to the country’s democracy.
He stated that it would only take a new Chief Justice to chart a path to regaining public trust in the judiciary.
“There is therefore an urgent need for the Ghanaian judiciary to work to win the trust and confidence of the citizenry and erase the widely held perception of hostility and political bias in legal proceedings at the highest courts of the land.
“Unfortunately, we have no hope that the current leadership of our judiciary can lead such a process of change. We can only hope that a new Chief Justice will lead a process to repair the broken image that our judiciary has acquired over the last few years,” Mahama said.
But, Justice Barbara Frances Ackah-Yensu intimates that the former president’s view is wrong.
“I am aware of some loss in trust and confidence but from where I am sitting as a judicial officer, I can confidently say that it is not true, with all due respect, that generally, the populace is losing trust,” she said.
The President of Ghana, President Akufo-Addo, is currently in the Ashanti Region as part of a tour of the region.
According to communication that was made public ahead of his four-day tour that started on Sunday, October 16, 2022, the president is expected to commission projects, inspect ongoing ones, and confer with traditional leaders of the area.
On Sunday, 16th October, President Akufo-Addo visited the Manhyia Palace to interact with the Asantehene and Asantehemaa.
As part of his itinerary, the president was also supposed to honour a number of radio appointments in the region.
Having already done three days of his tour, there have been a number of concerns raised by some Ghanaians over how the president’s activities in the region have gone so far.
Among those are a number of utterances the president has made in either his addresses at some of his scheduled engagements, and then others he made during his radio interviews.
In an earlier interview, the president also courted the disaffection of Ghanaians over some statements he made.
Below are some of the things Ghanaians wished President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo should not have said, or, could have said better:
I am not afraid to be voted against
During an interview on OTEC Fm in Kumasi, President Akufo-Addo made a comment that got many people literally in stitches.
In the interview, the president stated that he is not moved by threats of electoral consequences by some supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
He explained that he knows that people will vote for their preferred candidates in an election and that voters can also not be forced to make choices in a democratic dispensation, hence there was no need to threaten a government with votes.
The president was responding to concerns raised by people in Manso and Kwabre, who had threatened to vote out the NPP in 2024 if their roads are not fixed.
Their concerns were conveyed by the journalist who conducted the interview on OTEC FM.
“The people of Kwabre and Manso, we know they voted massively for Nana, they have asked me to inform the president that if their roads are not fixed, they will be pained and in 2024, they will vote against the NPP,” the journalist asked after the Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako-Attah, had responded to a question.
“No problem, no problem. I am saying people make those kinds of threats, me, they don’t frighten me. Somebody votes for you, somebody supports you, it is because they want you to do things for them, so I understand that,” the president quickly weighed in with a response.
I will shame you all
Still in the Ashanti Region for his tour, the president took an opportunity while making an address to send a statement to persons he believes are his political detractors in the region.
According to him, these people will be shamed one by one by the numerous work he has done for the people of the region, which is considered the ‘political world bank’ of the governing party; the NPP.
President Akufo-Addo stated that for the past six years that he has been in office, the people of the Ashanti Region have benefitted enough from his government, therefore, his detractors cannot say otherwise.
“And to those of you going around saying bad things about me in the Ashanti Region, one after the other, they are all going to be shamed convincingly, today, tomorrow and the day after.
“In spite of our present difficulties which I know will be gone as soon as possible, I continue to be excited about the future prospects of the nation and I urge all Ghanaians to join hands in building the Ghana that we want, we can realize it if we all work at it,” he said.
The president was speaking during a sod-cutting ceremony for the Suame Interchange, on October 18, 2022.
You can vote for NDC
While still speaking in his interview on OTEC Fm in Kumasi, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo made another comment about how unfazed he is about his party losing the next general elections.
He explained that while there are threats to vote against them, he is unmoved, adding that intimidations of voting against the NPP due to unfulfilled promises or lack of development under his tenure, is a personal decision he cannot be bothered about.
“People make those kinds of threats; they don’t frighten me. Somebody votes for you, and somebody supports you. It’s because they want you to do certain things for them. I understand that. But there is no need for people to say that if I am unable to do this and that… those are their own issues to deal with. Of course, I will do it (the road).
“But if it comes to the election and you choose to vote for the NDC, that is your own issue that is not my worry because nobody holds your thumb to vote; it is your own work. The important thing is that I understand my responsibility, and we will deal with it,” the president said.
I’m not so sure if Aisha Huang was deported
In September, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo granted an interview to Stone City Radio in Ho during his tour of the Volta Region.
During the interactions, he made a statement about the case of the embattled Chinese galamsey ‘kingpin,’ Aisha Huang (En Huang).
The statement came under a lot of public scrutiny because it was determined to have contradicted what some of his appointees had said on the same subject, to the effect that Aisha Huang had actually been deported from Ghana in 2018.
But speaking in that interview, President Akufo-Addo said it is likely that the ‘galamsey’ queen may not have been deported, but rather fled the country in 2018.
“… I am not still sure whether she was, in fact, deported or whether she fled the country the first time and has now come back or whatever. There still seems to be some uncertainty about it.
“Whichever way it is, she has become a sort of nickname for all that the ‘galamsey’ represents and also, unfortunately, for the involvement of Chinese nationals in this illicit trade,” he said.
Energy Minister and Member of Parliament for the Manhyia North Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh has accused media practitioners in the Ashanti Region of taking money from some people to denigrate the governing NPP in the region.
The MP who was not specific with which media persons said, “Journalists have taken money and they sit on radio to insult the government. Their agenda is mainly to make the NPP look bad in the area but the truth is that the government is doing well for Asanteman.”
Speaking at the sod-cutting ceremony of the Suame Interchange on Tuesday, October 18, 2022, Dr. Prempeh also known as NAPO touted the achievements of the governing NPP in the Ashanti Region. According to him, the party is the only one that has the development of the region at heart and numerous projects are ongoing in the region curtsy the governing NPP.
He urged the residents in the region to be thankful to the government saying, ” even God who created us requests for thanks from us anytime he does something good for us hence we the people in the area must be thankful to the Nana Addo government for what he continues to do for us”.
He took a swipe at individuals who use the absence of the Suame Interchange to accuse the government of not developing Asanteman by saying, “Suame Interchange is not Asanteman, other roads and infrastructure are being developed in the region”.
The Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Professor Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa has been relieved of his duties.
His dismissal was announced in a letter from the Presidency signed by the Secretary to the President, Nana Bediatuo Asante, on Monday, October 17.
According to the letter, the circumstances that required his skills at the GES no longer exist.
“The Ministry of Education has informed this Office that the exigencies that required your skills and expertise as Director-General of the Ghana Education Service do not exist any longer.
“The President thanks you for your service to the nation and wishes you the very best in your future endeavours”, the letter added.
Prof. Opoku-Amankwa was appointed on secondment from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in January 2021. His contract was extended again in June 2021.
However, according to his dismissal letter, the extension was in “contravention of the Human Resource Policy Framework and manual of the Public Services Commission as it purports to extend your secondment beyond the 3-year maximum limit.”
Before his appointment, Prof Opoku-Amankwa was the Dean of the International Programmes Office (IPO) at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) before he was replaced by Mr Jacob Kor who was Director-General of the GES from January 2015 – April 2017.
Prof Opoku-Amankwa has a PHD in Language and Education from the University of Reading in the United Kingdom. He studied Social Sciences at the KNUST.
He was also was an Associate Professor in the Department of Publishing Studies at the KNUST and has knowledge about the social, political, economic, and cultural life in Ghana, having studied, worked, and researched in a number of communities across the country for over three decades.
Reports gathered by GBC News suggest that at least, 20 gold miners have been trapped in one of the pits of Anglogold Ashanti at Obuasi in the Ashanti region.
Our Ashanti Regional Correspondent, Nicholas Osei-Wusu, reports that the people were allegedly trapped in the pit some five days ago.
Confirming the information, the Assembly Member for the Ahansony3wodea Electoral Area, Vincent Donkor, told GBC News that he was informed by some relatives at about 3 am on Tuesday, October 18, 2022, that their loved ones had gone missing for five days after leaving their respective homes in search of gold.
Mr. Donkor said he followed it up with the Security Office of Anglogold Ashanti who in turn asked that the matter be formally reported at the Local Police Station for action.
According to him, he receives briefing on the situation routinely.
The President said he is ruling the country from within and not outside. So, whatever happens in the country, he is aware.
Speaking on Kumasi-based OTEC FM as part of his Ashanti Regional tour on Monday, President Akufo-Addo said his government is working assiduously to ameliorate the plight of Ghanaians.
He cited the government’s negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as part of the plans to resolve the crisis.
“I know times are hard for Ghanaians. The data comes to me. So I’m very much aware. I know things are hard for Ghanaians. But two things I can say is that we have a plan and programme to help us resolve this.
“That is why we are in negotiations with the IMF. It’s part and parcel of a larger programme of development we want to embark upon to solve the current hardship in the country.
“So it is not like the government is not doing anything about it,” the President said.
Meanwhile, he has assured Ghanaians that his government is committed to ensuring they are cushioned.
“We are working hard to try and find a solution to these problems because we know Ghanaians are suffering.”
Earlier, the President said he is not threatened by calls for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to be voted out of office in the 2024 election.
He said such threats do not frighten him.
“No problem. I am saying people make those kinds of threats; me they don’t frighten me.”
According to him, although he understands the masses may support a party with an expectation, he, however, does not see the need to threaten the government if it fails to deliver.
“If you decide to vote for the NDC in the general election, it is your choice and that is not my problem. No one will force you to vote for someone,” he stated.
Ambassador Virginia Evelyn Palmer, United States Ambassador to Ghana, has called on stakeholders in the agribusiness sector to leverage partnerships to tackle challenges hindering the growth and development of the sector.
She noted, particularly the difficulties in accessing agribusiness financing in the country and, therefore, said working together could possibly expand access to affordable and commercial financing for farmers and agribusinesses, thereby promoting food security and sustainable economic growth.
Ambassador Palmer made the call when she addressed the 2022 Agribusiness Investment Summit held in Accra on the theme: “Strategic Partnerships for Sustainable Agricultural Financing,” organised by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-supported Feed the Future Ghana Mobilizing Finance in Agriculture (MFA) Activity.
The Summit provided a platform for stakeholders in the agribusiness space to share information and knowledge on innovative agricultural financing in the country and showcased economically viable agribusiness investment opportunities in the maize, soy, groundnut, cowpea, mango, pineapple, cashew, and shea value chains.
Ambassador Palmer expressed concern about economic challenges confronting the country and called on the government to adopt steps to improve the nation’s macro-economic conditions.
“It is a challenging time for farmers and the finance sector, in particular because of high inflation and depreciation of the cedi. Additionally, fertilizer prices have been high, reducing usage which could lead to smaller yields in the coming months”, she said.
The US government, she indicated, was creating opportunities to promote job creation and support of incomes in the country.
“In just the past two months, our programmes facilitated US$16 million in financing through 15 financial institutions.
This financing in turn supported more than 7,500 agribusinesses, including 3,600 female-led enterprises”, Ambassador Palmer added.
In a speech on his behalf, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, the Minister for Food and Agriculture, entreated financial institutions to support the development of climate-smart agriculture interventions to increase food productivity.
This would help financial institutions to manage climate change risks in agricultural lending, he said, adding “agricultural financing needs to be innovative to attract private capital and deepen the resilience of agriculture finance markets.”
Dr. John Apontuah Kumah, a Deputy Minister of Finance, said the government had adopted a paradigm shift to transform agricultural financing to reposition the sector and make it a true driver for sustainable economic growth and development.
He said the Ministry had created a special unit to liaise with key sector players for collection of data, policy analysis on the agriculture sector, and research on agribusiness financing options to boost commercial agriculture in the country.
Dr. Victor Antwi, the Chief of Party of MFA Activity, said the Activity would help mobilize more than US$260 million in financing for the agribusiness sector.
He announced “in approximately two years of the activity, MFA has mobilized over US$178.5 million (72.5 percent from commercial banks) for 18,636 farmers and agribusinesses, including 54 per cent female-led agribusinesses in the country.
The Activity is also implementing a US$2.77 million COVID-19 Relief and Resilience Challenge Fund to benefit more than 29,000 smallholder farmers with 66 per cent being women, Dr. Antwi stated.
