TIG Post

Author: Phoebe Martekie Doku

  • A-G advises govt to compensate Ejura shooting injured victims

    With family members of some injured persons in the Ejura shooting incidents agitating for compensation, it has emerged that the Attorney-General (A-G) gave a piece of legal advice in July this year for compensation to be paid.

    In a letter cited by the Daily Graphic, the A-G, Godfred Yeboah Dame, advised the government to compensate three injured victims of the incident with about GH¢1.28 million.

    The three injured persons captured in the A-G’s advice for compensation are Louis Ayipka, 30; Nazif Nuhu, 20, and Awal Mesbawu, 16.

    Per the letter, the A-G advised that Ayikpa should be compensated with GH¢347,953, Nuhu should get GH¢192,425, and Mesbawu should be given GH¢678,519.

    Apart from the compensation, the A-G also advised the government to implement a recommendation by a Medical Board for the victims to be given medical and psychosocial care.

    The letter, dated July 12, this year was addressed to the Minister of Interior, Ambrose Dery.

    Family agitates

    Last Wednesday, the family of the three injured persons called on the government to pay them compensation as recommended by the Justice Koomson’s Committee.

    At a press conference in Accra, the family further urged the A-G to expedite action on the prosecution of those suspected to have killed Yussif and Suraj.

    According to the family, after submitting all the required medical documents needed to effect the payment, they had so far not received any acknowledgement indicating receipt of the documents.

    Report

    On June 29, last year, Abdul Nasir Yussif and Murtala Suraj Mohammed died from gunshots from joint police and military team during activities related to the burial of a social activist in the area, Ibrahim Muhammed, popularly known as Kaaka.

    Three other persons — Ayikpa, Nuhu and Mesbawu — got injured in the incident.

    A committee set up by the Minister for the Interior to investigate the matter submitted its report in September last year.

    The committee, chaired by a Justice of the Court of Appeal, Justice Kingsley Koomson, in its report, recommended that the families of the two young men who lost their lives in the shooting incident must be compensated.

    It further recommended that the three injured persons must also be compensated.

    While the government had since compensated the families of the two young men who lost their lives in the shooting incident, the injured persons are yet to be compensated.

    On what went into arriving at the compensation for each of the three persons, the A-G relied on certain factors used to award compensation in some case law.

    These were permanent physical disability or impairment, disruption of education, pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, ongoing medical care needs, loss of future earnings, reimbursement of the cost of medical treatments, increase in living expenses among others. The A-G also factored in the national minimum wage and transportation cost, among other factors.

    Regarding the medical and psychosocial care, the A-G advised that all three should be given psychosocial support as recommended by the medical board.

    “In the case of Awal Mesbawu, the appropriate functional prosthesis should be provided to him to assist in mobilisation as recommended by the medical board,” the A-G said.

     

  • Ukraine to establish embassy in Ghana, thanks country for UN support

    Ukraine plans to establish an embassy in Ghana in future as part of efforts to expand its presence in Africa.

    This was disclosed by Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba when he held talks with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ghana, Shirley Ayorkor Botchway, in Accra.

    The visit of the head of Ukrainian diplomacy to Ghana takes place within the framework of the first-ever tour of the head of the MFA of Ukraine to African countries.

    A publication on Ukraine’s MFA website said Mr Kuleba informed his Ghanaian colleague in detail about his country’s efforts to liberate Ukrainian territories from Russian occupation.

    He thanked Ghana for its solidarity with Ukraine, and support for resolutions at the UN and other international organizations aimed at restoring Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

    The minister emphasized Ukraine’s desire to start a new high-quality partnership with Ghana, which will be based on mutual respect, mutual support and mutual benefit.

    “As part of the implementation of the African strategy, which was developed at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the instructions of President Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine is expanding its presence in Africa. We reached an agreement with the Ghanaian side: we plan to open a Ukrainian embassy in Ghana in the near future. The establishment of a diplomatic presence in Accra will give an impetus to the development of political contacts, trade, investments, cultural exchanges and cooperation in the field of education,” Mr Kuleba said.

    The ministers discussed in detail the steps to intensify cooperation between Ukraine and Ghana in the spheres of security, cyber security, digital transformation, and agriculture.

    They agreed to start preparations for the establishment of the Joint Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation.

    They also spoke about finding ways to restore the safe education of Ghanaian students in Ukrainian universities.

    The parties signed a memorandum of understanding on the training of Ghanaian diplomats on the basis of the Diplomatic Academy named after Hennadiy Udovenko at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. The Ghanaian minister also reported on Ghana’s readiness to consider the possibility of internships for Ukrainian students studying English.

    Madam Botchway also expressed the interest of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ghana in studying the Ukrainian experience in the field of combating disinformation.

    As a result of the meeting, the ministers agreed to hold political consultations between the ministries of foreign affairs with the participation of representatives of various departments of the two countries to develop a comprehensive “road map” for the further development of bilateral relations between Ukraine and Ghana.

    Mr Kuleba also held talks with President Akufo-Addo.

  • Five communities in Techiman Municipality submerged, residents displaced

    Some houses in five communities in the Techiman South Municipality of Bono East Region have been submerged, resulting in the displacement of some residents and inaccessible roads.

    The Tano River, which is not far away from the communities, annually overflowed its banks, leaving residents stranded and unable to undertake their daily socio-economic activities.

    “The waters drained into our rooms to destroy our properties whenever the river become flooded during the rainy season. We need urgent attention from stakeholders, including the Member of Parliament and the Assembly to desilt the river as sand and other solid objects have choked and silted the river”, the residents said.

    Some inner roads linking the communities are occasionally flooded during rains, posing danger to residents, especially workers and traders, who use the roads daily.

    Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Anyinabrem, Mr. Kasim Abdul Karim, the Assemblyman for the electoral area, expressed worry about the devastating situation and described it as a “threat to life and a nightmare whenever the rains set in”.

    Mr. Karim said before the flooding, two schoolchildren who tried to pass through a flooded road leading to their homes nearly lost their lives and had to be rescued.

    In an interview with the GNA, Mr. Kwame Mohammed, the Techiman Municipal Human Resource Director of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), said the organisation had taken steps to address the flooding problems and related challenges but needed the cooperation of the people to effectively address the situation.

    Mr. Mohammed said as part of efforts to address flooding in the Municipality, the organisation in collaboration with the Municipal Assembly, had earmarked about five flood-prone areas, comprising Anyinabrem, New Onyinasi, Twimia-Kuase, Twimia-Nkwanta, and Nana Abena Market to improve the drainage systems to avert the reoccurring of floods.

    He added that NADMO had demolished some weak structures, including houses that were built on waterways whilst some landlords had been arraigned before the law court to explain why they had built on waterways.

    Mr. Mohammed said the Municipal office of the organisation had formed disaster prevention volunteer groups to monitor and report to the office individuals and groups engaging in activities likely to cause disasters while zonal officers were also on the ground providing education to the people on the need to stay away from disaster-prone areas.

  • NDC has no moral right to criticize our galamsey fight – NPP

    The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) has taken a swipe at the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) after the latter described its effort in fighting illegal mining in the country as a scam.

    The NPP Deputy Director of Communications, Ernest Kofi Owusu Bempah in a statement said the NDC’s conduct is “like the pot calling the kettle black because their track record in the galamsey menace is horrible.”

    Mr. Owusu Bempah accused the NDC of enabling and festering galamsey when they had the opportunity to pull the plug.

    “We are talking about a party that shamelessly launched the Youth in Small Scale Mining programme in the Eastern Region, which apparently opened the floodgate for galamsey.”

    “Of course, the galamsey situation got so bad under Mahama in 2015, such that he had to hang his shame on the people of Kyebi, tagging the place as the headquarters of Galamsay in the country.”

    He further accused the NDC of enabling galamsey kingpin, Aisha Huang to thrive in Ghana.

    “For those that may have missed this; the erstwhile Mahama government issued an infinite resident permit to Aisha Huang.”

    “Precisely on 28th March 2015, Aisha Huang was given an indefinite resident permit to live here in perpetuity and to engage in her illegal activities. This happened under the Mahama administration. Meanwhile, she was unsuccessful in getting the permit during the President Kufour era.”

    “So you see, any dastardly attempt by the NDC to rationalize the political economy of galamsay must be roundedly condemned. It is beyond dispute that under John Mahama-led government, the national record of the deleterious impact of galamsay left a lot to be desired. It was simply unprecedented.”

    He explained that all the Akufo-Addo administration has been doing is simply managing a very bad situation as well as it can by the deft and relatively constructive application of the statutory laws of the land.

    The National Communications Officer of the NDC, Sammy Gyamfi while addressing a press conference in Accra on Thursday, October 6, 2022, said the President is not backing his efforts with action.

    He described the measures and strategies put in place by government to win the war against the illegality as a clear deception, alleging that some members of the NPP and government are behind galamsey in the country.

  • Akufo-Addo commanded me not to expose evil of Rev. Boakye – Kwaku Annan alleges

    A one-time host of The Seat show on Net2 TV, Kwaku Annan, has made an allegation against the President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, claiming that he directly interfered with his work while he worked at the pro-NPP station.

    According to the broadcaster, the president was very instrumental in his inability to expose what he said were some evil deeds of Reverend Anthony Kwadwo Boakye of the Resurrection Power New Generation Church.

    Speaking in an interview on Kingdom FM and shared on Facebook, Kwaku Annan explained that the president used his Director of Communications, Eugene Arhin, to send him an order to back down on exposing what he had on the pastor.

    “Don’t pretend that we’re in a spirit world. We are in a physical world. President Akufo-Addo looked at my face and told me that we should stop that expose,” he claimed.

    Asked by the host of the program he was on, on why the president would want to do such a thing, Kwaku Annan replied that this is something Nana Akufo-Addo should respond to.

    “He is the only one who can answer this question. The point is that we’re not speaking in isolation. Eugene Arhin, the president’s spokesperson should call into this program and tell me what the president told him to tell me.

    “His Excellency was the one who gave him the instruction when they landed at the airport. Eugene cannot speak in isolation and give instructions. I know what was going on and I have all the records there,” he added.

    The broadcaster fell out with his boss, the Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong, after the latter took him off the show, The Seat, on Net2 TV, and eventually sacked him.

    Since then, Kwaku Annan has been on a rant, exposing some of the deep secrets that pertained to his work with the MP and other persons in the current government.

  • Stop the political game-play; I’ve long been exonerated by CID – Bissue replies NDC

    Former Secretary to the Inter-Ministerial Committee on illegal Mining, Charles Bissue has responded to the attacks by the largest opposition NDC calling for his prosecution in the infamous galamsey fraud matter.

    The National Democratic Congress (NDC)on Thursday asked President Akufo-Addo to show the seriousness of his fight against ‘galamsey’ by prosecuting his officials who have been found complicit in illegal mining immediately.

    National Communication Officer of the party, Sammy Gyamfi at a press conference said the government is being rhetorical rather than taking action against the menace.

    “Ghanaians are tired of your flowery speeches and useless rhetoric. The so-called fight against ‘galamsey’ has been a spectacular failure and the only way to salvage it is for you to man up and finally begin to crack the whip on your errant appointees and NPP functionaries who are neck-deep in the ‘galamsey’ business.

    “We demand the immediate prosecution of all NPP functionaries and NPP officials who have engaged in illegal mining such as Charles Bissue, Chairman Wontumi, the evidence is clear, Andy Owusu, Ekow Ewusi, Prof. Frimpong Boateng among others,” he stated.

    But Charles Bissue has rejected the allegations of fraud cited in the NDC Presser on the galamsey menace.

    “My attention has been drawn to the scathing attack on my person by the National Communications Officer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi in his press conference that responded to President H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo’s renewed assurance in the fight against illegal mining. In that press conference aired on various media platforms on Thursday 6 October 2022, Mr. Sammy Gyamfi malign and traduce me by referencing a rather doctored and propaganda-induced documentary authored by Tiger Eye P.I’s Anas Aremeyaw Anas,” said Charles Bissue in his press statement.

    He maintained his innocence in the matter saying the public has been misled to accept and believe the narrative by Anas Aremeyaw Anas about the money he was seen taking in the video.

    “As I have said countless times, that money was not a bribe, and I did not make any demands whatsoever from any operative or beneficiary of illegal mining while I served on the IMCIM.

    “The money in question was a donation from the NPP Chairman of the Ashanti
    Region, Bernard Antwi Boasiako alias Chairman Wontumi, to the then NPP
    Western Regional Organiser, Abdul Ganiyu for a party event organsied in the
    Western Region.

    “For the malice and character assassination that Anas and his sponsors had in
    mind, the public was denied the audio recordings and full disclosure of the
    purpose of that money handed to me.

    “It was uncovered that a former employee of the IMCIM, Francis Owusu Akyaw, whom I fired for unsatisfactory conduct sponsored the video recording of the documentary.

    “Francis Owusu Akyaw admitted to the Police of having commissioned that
    recording. His nomination for the parliamentary candidate in the Juaben Constituency was subsequently declined as a result of this.

    “This same Francis Owusu Akyaw is a named beneficiary of a mining firm [DML, as named in the leaked will] co-owned by the late Sir John of the Forestry Commission.”

    Charles Bissue Exonerated by CID

    The Criminal Investigations Department(CID) of the Ghana Police Service in 2019 exonerated Charles Bissue from allegations of corruption.

    After thorough investigations, the CID, in a final report, concluded that Mr Bissue did not circumvent the laid down procedures of the IMCIM to favour ORR Resource Enterprise, the company at the centre of the incident.

    In a letter to the President in March 2019, Mr Bissue, also a Presidential Staffer at the time, decided to step aside to avail himself for investigations after he had allegedly been accused by Anas Aremeyaw Anas’s Tiger Eye PI documentary on galamsey fraud.

    The documentary alleged that the secretary was involved in alleged shady deals to facilitate processes for ORR Resource Enterprise.

    But a letter written to Ampofo, Oppong and Associates, lawyers for Mr Bissue, by the CID on its investigations into the matter exonerated Mr Bissue from any wrongdoing.

  • Akufo-Addo can’t reverse galamsey damages – Vanderpuije

    The Ranking Member of the Local Government and Rural Development Select Committee of Parliament, Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye, has expressed his indignation at the call by President Nana Akufo-Addo for a new initiative to be adopted in the fight against galamsey in the country.

    President Akufo-Addo, at the meeting with some chiefs, metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives (MMDCEs) to find new ways to deal with the galamsey menace at the Manhyia palace in the Ashanti Region on Wednesday, 5 October 2022, said: “We have tried many initiatives in the fight against galamsey, still we have not won the fight against galamsey in the country.”

    According to Mr Vanderpuije, however, considering the plundering that has occurred, “I don’t think there is something the president can do in the next two years to salvage the galamsey menace.”

    The opposition MP for Ododododiodio in the Greater Accra Region expressed these doubts when he spoke on 505 on Class 91.3 FM hosted by Korku Lumor.

    He noted that there are so many laws like the mining regulations and mining Acts to deal with the galamsey situation.

    He said the president, with his cohorts, designed many of these initiatives to cause devastation to the country’s forest cover and water bodies.

    Mr Vanderpuye argued that the president’s warning that he was not going to shield anybody in the renewed fight against galamsey was a charade because he had already shielded enough in the fight.

    “Hasn’t the President shielded the former Minister of Science and Technology, Prof Frimpong Boateng, under whose watchful eyes some 500 flew into thin air?” he questioned.

    He again asserted that the likes of Mr Charles Bissue, the former Secretary to the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), is walking free despite his alleged involvement in the galamsey menace.

    He maintained that there is a tall list of party galamseyers who have been shielded by Mr Akufo-Addo.

    According to him, it is too late for the president to turn things around because of the level of devastation caused by the illegal miners.

    He said the failure of the president to sustain the fight against galamsey was a situation of sheer incompetence, complicity, unwillingness and dishonesty.

    “This government cannot do anything to compensate for the loss because of galamsey,” he said.

  • FOSDA commends Otumfuo’s move to resolve Bawku conflict

    The Foundation for Security Development in Africa (FOSDA) has commended the move by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to help resolve the protracted Bawku conflict between the Mamprusis and the Kusasis in the Upper East region.

    According to FOSDA, the move by the Asantehene is refreshing and laudable, especially considering the current wave of violence across the West African Sub-region.

    “FOSDA has been advocating the establishment of a committee of Eminent Chiefs to mediate the protracted Bawku conflict, learning from the success of the Dagbon case which was led by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II. We believe that such a move is very likely to bring the much-needed peace to the people of Bawku given the failure of the judicial system to settle the issues.

    “The Bawku conflict has pre-dated Ghana’s struggle for independence and has been intertwined with issues of politics, ethnicity, land and chieftaincy for more than 65 years. In 2021, there was a renewed clash among the parties in an attempt by the Mamprusis to observe the final funeral rite of the late Tampuri Alhaji Adams Zangbeogo which led to loss of innocent lives and property,” the Executive Director for FOSDA, Theodora W. Anit explained in a statement.

    She continued: “Besides, it is significant to note that several bodies have attempted to resolve the matter including government commissions, Traditional Authorities, Civil Society Organization (CSOs) and the Supreme Court Ruling of April 2003 still remains the most remarkable attempt to bring finality to the conflict.”

    Mrs. Anti further said various researches have proven that conflict prone areas are fertile grounds for violent extremist and terrorist attack.

    “The geographical location of Bawku as a border town to Burkina Faso in the North of Ghana makes the current situation in Bawku very worrying and risky for the whole country.

    “FOSDA commends Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II for taking up this herculean task to find lasting peace for the people of Bawku, to save lives and bring about sustainable development.

    “FOSDA calls for the support of the Government and citizens to support this initiative and urges all interested parties to approach the mediation process in utmost good faith with the hope of coming out with an amicable resolution.”

  • 2024 polls: Ofosu-Ampofo, Asiedu Nketiah unfit for chairmanship job – Samuel Yaw Adusei

    Samuel Yaw Adusei, a National Democratic Congress (NDC) chairman hopeful, has stated that it is incumbent on the opposition party to win the 2024 general elections to liberate Ghanaians from their sufferings.

    He believes that victory for the party in 2024 cannot be achieved under the incumbent Chairman, Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo and General Secretary Asiedu Nketiah, who are aiming for the Chairmanship position.

    Addressing a press conference on October 6, the former Ashanti Regional Minister under the John Mahama-led administration explained that there was distrust between Ofosu-Ampofo, and Asiedu Nketiah, hence their decision to contest for the same post.

    Adusei said he was the new face the NDC needed in the Chairmanship seat adding that both Ofosu-Ampofo and Asiedu Nketiah played a key role in the defeat of the party in 2016 by a historic margin and the 2020 election as well.

    “There is extreme hardship in the country that was created by this government and the NDC should win power in 2024 to save Ghanaians but we can’t do that with either Aseidu Nketiah or Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo as our National Chairman

    ”Aseidu Nketiah has been the General Secretary for the past 17 years and he worked side by side with Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo in the 2016 elections but does not believe that the current chairman should continue …and that’s why he is contesting and the same with Ofosu Ampofo because he doesn’t believe that Aseidu Nketiah whom he has known for years can fill his shoes,” Samuel Yaw Adusei said.

    “What these very experienced politicians are doing is to tell the NDC members that they cannot do the job and there is a need for a new face because they have no confidence in each other. They are calling for a change and I am that change because they played vital roles in the 2016 and 2020 elections and we lost.

    “The NDC cannot afford to lose the 2024 elections and that is why they need to vote for me as the National Chairman because they cannot win the elections with either Aseidu Nketiah or Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo,” he added.

    NDC is looking to stage a comeback into government after two terms in opposition. Ahead of that, it has slated December 17 for its internal elections which will see to the election of national executive officers.

  • Man, 24, remanded for alleged murder of 70-year-old farmer

    The Agona Swedru Magistrate Court has remanded a 24-year-old driver for allegedly killing Opanyin Kweku Oppong Abdulai, a 70-year-old cocoa farmer at Agona Abodom in the Central Region.

    The plea of the accused, Samuel Appiah, was not taken and would reappear in court on October 17.

    Prosecuting Sergeant Emmanuel Akunor told the court presided over Mr Isaac Apeatu that the accused resides at Ofankor, a suburb of Kasoa in the Central region.

    He said the complainant in the case was Madam Halifatu Abdulai, a daughter of the deceased based at Agona Abodom in the Agona West.

    The prosecution said the deceased owned a cocoa farm at Dapong, a village near Upper Bobikuma, and shared boundary with the accused father’s cocoa farm, of which the accused is the caretaker.

    He said about three weeks ago, the accused visited the village and a misunderstanding ensued between him and the deceased over missing cocoa beans that belonged to the deceased, which the accused was suspected of stealing.

    The prosecution said according to the complainant, she received a call on September 21, from her late father to come to him because he was afraid the accused might harm him due to the accused’s demeanour.

    The complainant later received another call from a nearby village that the deceased had gone missing, and that a search team highly suspected the accused arrested and handed him over to the Upper Bobikuma Police for investigation.

    The prosecution said while the search team continued with the search on September 22, the body of the late Opanyin Abdulai was found lying under a mango tree covered with timber slaps and was taken to the Swedru Government Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

    The prosecution said after intensive interrogations, the accused confessed killing the 70-year-old cocoa farmer for accusing him of stealing the cocoa beans.

  • Let’s wage relentless fight against breast cancer disease – NTC Managing Director

    The Managing Director of the New Times Corporation (NTC), Mr. Martin Adu-Owusu has advised the public to be tenacious and relentless in the fight against breast cancer disease.

    “It is our collective and decisive resolve to fight breast cancer in all its tendencies that would have positive impact on both present and future generation,” he said.

    Mr Martin Adu-Owusu (middle) speaking at the programme. With him are Ms Dakoa Newman (left) and other dignitaries Photo Victor A. Buxton

    He said this when The Spectator, The corporation’s weekly newspaper, organised the maiden Breast Cancer Campaign at the Kaneshie Market Complex yesterday in Accra, to create awareness and also screen market women for  the disease.

    The two-day Campaign is on the theme “Life before and after Breast Cancer: A future of Positivity and Hope” and it is the NTC’s contribution to raise awareness of the disease.

    Mr Adu-Owusu made reference to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 2020 report which said, there were 2.3 million women diagnosed with breast cancer and 685,000 deaths globally, “At the end of 2020, there were 7.8 million women who were diagnosed with breast cancer in the past 5 years making it the world’s most prevalent cancer.”

    Mr Martin Adu-Owusu (middle),MD,NTC with Ms Dakoa Newman (fourth from right) and other stakeholders after the launch Photo Geoffrey Buta

    He described the situation as worrying, adding that NTC’s campaign was one of the strategies to help reduce the incidence of breast cancer in the country.

    He, therefore,called on individuals, and organisations to be ambassadors of breast cancer to fight the menace.

    “Breast cancer is preventable and curable when we do regular self-examination and screening. This is not a difficult task and we can save many lives and bring solace, hope and prosperity to many families if we continue with our aggressive campaign on regular self-examination and breast screening,” he said.

    The Editor of The Spectator, Mr Emmanuel Amponsah said the campaign would educate the public on early symptoms and signs of Breast Cancer; preventive measures, diagnostic and treatment centres, the measures put in place for early detection and to assist in the management of patients of Breast Cancer, among others.

    He referred to the Globocan statistics carried by the Global Cancer Observatory website in March 2021, which said 4,482 women in Ghana were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020, “In the same year, it said 2,055 deaths were recorded. In fact, it is estimated that 4,650 women are diagnosed with breast cancer annually in Ghana while more than 2,000 women die of the disease yearly.”

    Mr Amponsah said the campaign would be taken to the door-steps of the Labone Senior High School to educate the students on Breast Cancer in order to prepare them in the fight against the diseases.

    The Member of Parliament for Okaikoi South, Ms Dakoa Newman, urged the market women to desist from storing their mobile phones and other items in their brassieres, adding that this act could expose the breast to radiations emitting from the mobile device

    She encouraged women to seek early health check-ups and avoid self-treatment at homes, especially using unprescribed medicines

    In a speech read on behalf WHO Representative Dr Francis Kasolo said  2.3 million women in 2020,  were diagnosed with breast cancer and 685,000 deaths globally.

    “As of the end of 2020, there were 7.8 million women alive who were diagnosed with breast cancer in the past five years, making it the world’s most prevalent cancer,” he said.

    According to him, there were more lost disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) by women to breast cancer globally than any other type of cancer.

    Dr Kasolo said approximately  half of breast cancer  develop in women who have no identifiable  breast cancer risk factors  other than gender and age over 40 years

    He said certain factors that increase risk of breast cancer are obesity, harmful use of alcohol, family history of breast cancer, History of radiation exposure, reproductive history (such as age that menstrual periods began and age at first pregnancy),  tobacco use and postmenopausal hormone therapy.

    Dr Kasolo said strategies for improving breast cancer outcomes depended on fundamental health system strengthening to deliver the treatments that are already known to work.

    He expressed the hope that every woman in Ghana diagnosed with breast cancer would have access to specialised care without causing financial catastrophe in line with Universal Health Coverage.

  • Payment of ex-gratia must be halted immediately – Kwabena Agyepong declares

    Flagbearer hopeful of the New Patriotic Party, (NPP) Kwabena Agyepong, has advocated for the payment of ex-gratia every four years to Article 71 officeholders to be scrapped immediately.

    He stated in an interview with Accra-based Joy News that the country does not have the financial resources to support such payments.

    Agyepong contended that persons such as Members of Parliament can be given “something little” after serving their terms in office but it should not be in the current lump sum even for MPs who return to Parliament.

    He listed the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin together with Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu (Majority Leader and Suame MP) and Kobina Tahir Hammond (Adansi Asokwa MP) as people who have benefited greatly from payment of ex-gratia over the years due to their long stay in the legislature.

    He said such payment were not right on any moral standing stressing that it should halt with immediate effect.

    “Ex-gratia should be like a parachute payment. When you have served your country like a member of Parliament…it’s a difficult assignment. I would say it is like marriage. When you elevate a lady to certain level as a wife and you want to leave, that’s why they let you pay alimony.

    “You have to support her. You cannot allow her just to drop because you are leaving. That’s not right. It is not fair. You make somebody an honorable Member of Parliament, he served when he is going home, something little. Maybe he can take the car away,” the former NPP General Secretary said on October 6.

    “…not after every four years. I never understood that. If you are coming back it cannot be ex-gratia. I see the Speaker and the likes of Kyei Mensah, they must have benefited a lot. My good friend KT Hammond…that is not right. It cannot be right on any moral standing. We should stop it immediately. We don’t have the money as a country,” he added.

    Mahama, NPP “clash” over payment of ex-gratia

    Former President Mahama while speaking to a gathering of NDC lawyers pledged to implement recommendations of the Constitutional Review Committee as well as review ex-gratia payments in the next NDC administration

    “The next NDC government must commit to the implementation of the review of the 1992 Constitution, which was begun by President John Evans Atta Mills of blessed memory. This review should among others aim at reforming the judiciary and tackle head-on issues on ex-gratia payments and other matters of Article 71 emoluments” Mahama said.

    Bono Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwame Baffoe, popularly known as Abronye DC, however, said Mahama benefited from ex-gratia payment to the tune of GH¢14 million in 2013 – a claim the office of the former president has denied.

    Abronye DC also said Mahama cannot scrap the payment of ex-gratia because he “loves ex-gratia more than his wife Lordina”.

    The NPP in press conference also said the promise by Mahama was mere political rhetoric aimed at swaying voters.

     

  • Assistant headmaster of Mpatasie JHS dies in galamsey pit

    A 47-year-old Assistant Headmaster of Mpatasie D/A Junior High School in the Amansie South District of the Ashanti Region has died after he fell into a mining pit.

    Officials say Akwasi Anane had embarked on a routine trip to his mining concession at about 9 p.m., on Tuesday (October 4) when the incident occurred.

    The deceased reportedly missed his step and fell into one of the abandoned mining pits. His body was immediately pulled out of the mud after a rescue mission.

    He was however confirmed dead at the scene. A District Coordinator for the National Disaster Management Organization for Amansie South Edward Oduro Nsiah confirmed the development to dailymailgh.com.

    “He is a teacher and he also has a concession so he went to the site very late. He stood on top of the pit and in an attempt to make a step he slipped and fell into the pit. His body has been deposited at the St. Martin’s Hospital at Agroyesum,” Nsiah said.

    “The fight against galamsey is not paying off. For instance when you come to Amansie South nearly 80 percent of the indigenes are into illegal mining. In the last two months, we have lost at least six lives at separate locations and that is very worrying,” he added.

    The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources who has already visited the mining sites at the Amansie South enclave is still amazed at the level of destruction caused to the environment by illegal miners and said the government will continue to deploy the military to clamp down on such activities.

    “It should baffle all of us as citizens and policymakers and stakeholders in this fight how an operation like this in the heart of the forest and the far away areas of our country can go on without notice by police, chiefs, the local political leadership, assembly people, the District Chief Executive and even the inspectorate division of the minerals commission here,” Mr. Jinapor said.

     

     

  • Tackle youth unemployment; activities of terrorist groups – Mahama to gov’t

    Former President, John Dramani Mahama has underscored the need for government to tackle the growing rate of youth unemployment in the country.

    He asserts the high rate of youth joblessness is a matter of national security concern that needs serious tackling.

    “Government owe it as a responsibility to do all they can to secure the peace and safety of the nation but above all to reduce youth unemployment. This is necessary to ensure that the young people do not become easily recruitable to fill the ranks of the insurgence due to frustration and lack of opportunity”, says Mr. Mahama.

    He was speaking as a special guest of honour at the 2022 Convocation at Liberty University in Michigan of the United States.

    The former President while condemning the activities of Boko Haram in the sub-region revealed that the youth stand a chance of being recruited if opportunities are not created for them.

    “Ghana is an Island of religious calmness in a sea of turbulence as almost all our surrounding neighbours have in recent times experienced some major form of insurgency, coup d’états or other conflicts including religious conflicts.”

    “In all these acts, one thing is clear, leadership at all levels including the family, the school, the church, the government all have the responsibility to educate and inform the impress young members of our society about the imminent threats and dangers out there”, he emphasized.

    Terrorist activities happening in Sahelian countries such as Burkina Faso and Mali have become a major concern to the government, hence the need for stringent measures to ensure the safety of the citizenry.

    Ghana’s security agencies have been put on high alert over threats of terrorism in the country.

    The government said several efforts are underway to ensure that the country is protected from any form of attack following reports that terrorist groups are looking to expand southward, with countries such as Ghana in focus.

     

  • Akufo-Addo wants to use IMF to rain untold hardship on Ghanaians – Martin Amidu

    Former Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu, has berated the Akufo-Addo government for failing to consult Ghanaians before going into negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a bailout.

    In a statement copied to GhanaWeb, Martin Amidu said that the government has not learnt from the failure of its policies like the E-Levy which it forced on Ghanaians and it is now doing the same thing with the IMF bailout.

    He added that the ongoing IMF negotiation is shrouded in secrecy and because the government is rushing to get a bailout before the presentation of the 2023 budget in November 2022, it will accept anything from the IMF even if it will hurt ordinary Ghanaians.

    “We the people are entitled to know the content of the dialogue the President, a well-known comprador bourgeoisie who has run this country into its present economic mess, has had with the IMF Managing Director, Kristalina Georgieva, that they have both already sealed the fate of Ghanaians from being part of or privy to the on-going negotiations which she had agreed with the President will form part of the Minister for Finance’s November 2022 Budget Statement to Parliament.”

    “Ghanaian patriots and civil society organizations should, therefore, heed the signal of impunity sent out by the Government to use the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as a smokescreen behind which to ram down the throat of Ghanaians an austerity budget in November 2022 without any extensive and in-depth transparent and accountable consultations with “We the People” as required under any democracy.”

    Also, Amidu alleged that after mismanaging the resources of the country, Akufo-Addo wants to use the IMF negotiation to ensure that he has a safe retirement.

    “President Akufo-Addo through his cousin, the Hon. Ken Ofori-Atta, the Minister for Finance who has given notice that the suffering of Ghanaians occasioned by the mismanagement of our economy by their Family and Friends’ government provides them the opportunity to use the IMF negotiations as means of carrying through all the diabolical policies that enables them to build annuities abroad with the resources of this country,” he said.

  • Weija Dam spillage: Ghana Army rescues over 100 stranded residents

    The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has announced that it rescued over 100 residents of Weija and its environs who were stranded due to the spillage of excess water from the Weija Dam.

    According to the army, the residents were rescued in some five communities by its officers from the 48 Engineers on October 4, 2022.

    “Personnel from the 48 Engineer Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) conducted rescue operations in the general areas of Tetegu and New Weija following the floods that ensued from the opening of the Weija Dam spill gates.

    “The Tuesday 4 October 2022 exercise was conducted as part of OP BOAFO with about 40 GAF personnel partaking in rescue efforts around Tetegu, Sampa Valley, New Weija, White Rose and Top Down. Personnel were able to rescue over 100 stranded residents.

    “The Ghana Armed Forces continues to support citizens in these emergency situations as part of its civic duty to help mitigate destruction of property and loss of life,” parts of a Facebook post shared by GFA on October 6, 2022 read.

    Like the floods of Accra that have become a perennial occurrence, residents of Weija have once again had to wake up to the devastating effects of the spillage of the Weija Dam by the Ghana Water Company Limited.

    The annual spillage of the dam is meant to release excess water from the dam.

    The maximum level of water the dam is built to hold is about 46 feet, but the level came up to 48 feet, thereby threatening its safety, hence the decision to spill.

    Residents have been forced to move around in canoes, as many houses have been completely submerged under the water.

  • Porn and betting websites among top five most visited in Ghana, says CSA boss

    Ghana’s internet penetration has now increased from 2.3 million in 2010 to 17 million in 2022, the director-general of the Cyber Security Authority (CSA), Albert Antwi-Boasiako has said.

    Speaking on The Asaase Breakfast Show on Thursday (6 October), Antwi-Boasiako said pornography and betting are among the top five most visited websites in Ghana.

    “I think that even at the social level, statistics are showing back in 2012, I think Ghana’s internet population was 2.3 million, according to statistics, but somewhere this year we were around 17 million users,” he said.

    “Our citizens are quite active on social media, and statistics show that we are ranked the third country with active social media presence behind Nigeria and Philippines in the whole world.

    “You may be surprised, access to betting sites is one of them, also it is not very nice to say but even pornographic access is one of them,” Antwi-Boasiako said.

     

  • ‘NPP’s galamsey fight a scam; battle has already been lost’ – NDC

    The National Democratic Congress (NDC) says the Akufo-Addo government has failed woefully in the fight against illegal mining (galamsey).

    The party describes the measures and strategies put in place by government to fight galamsey as a clear deception.

    Speaking at a press conference at the NDC headquarters in Accra, National Communications Officer for NDC, Sammy Gyamfi alleged that some members of the NPP and government are behind galamsey in the country.

    “The so-called fight against galamsey by the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia/NPP government is a scam and has been a lost battle from day one. This is because, there has never been any genuine commitment or political will on the part of the President to combat the menace.”

    “President Akufo-Addo has proven to be a leader who has specialized in talk without backing same with deeds. Today, our beloved country stands at a cross-road of unprecedented economic mess and unprecedented environmental degradation under the watch of President Akufo-Addo and Alhaji Bawumia,” he said.

    Sammy Gyamfi at the press conference further slammed the president and the Minister of Lands and Natural Resource, Samuel Abu Jinapor over the galamsey menace and accused them of “shifting the blame to the chieftaincy institution.”

    “This latest attempt by the Akufo-Addo government to blame the failed “galamsey” fight on chiefs and community leaders is shameful, to say the least and must be condemned in no uncertain terms.”

    “It is about time President Akufo-Addo understood the important duties of the high office he currently occupies. He is the President of the Republic and the Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed forces. As President, he has authority and control over the security services and coercive powers of State.”

    “The mineral resources of the country are vested in him in trust for the people. And therefore he has the ultimate responsibility to ensure compliance with the mineral and mining laws of the country and the prosecution of those who breach same. More importantly, only he has the power to hire and fire appointees of his who engage in illegal mining. No attempt to shift or share the blame for his failed “Galamsey” fight will wash.”

     

  • No rush for prepaid credit; system glitch resolved – ECG to customers

    The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) is urging the public to desist from panic purchase of prepaid credits.

    ECG says it has addressed all challenges that marred its metering systems, hence the need to refrain from any panic buying.

    Addressing the media, the Managing Director of ECG, Samuel Dubik said all of its platforms are operational including the vending app on Android mobile phones.

    “I would like to reiterate that if your power is not finished, don’t panic, just take your time because if you run out you can buy credit, so we are able to reduce the queues that are forming. But all third parties are up. All those with challenges should go to the ECG offices for the issue to be resolved. We are deeply sorry for the inconvenience and we intend to do right for the people of Ghana”.

    The ECG said a technical challenge affected its prepaid metering systems, a development which has interrupted the purchase of electricity credit.

    Both domestic and commercial users who run out of power supply were not able to make purchases due to the technical challenge.

    Compensation

    Some consumers have been counting their losses, with some saying their businesses have been affected negatively following their inability to purchase electricity.

    The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) has directed the ECG to compensate customers affected by its prepaid vending and metering glitch.

    The directive according to the PURC is in line with the breach of the ECG’s statutory obligations.

    The ECG had ruled out any payment of compensation following the vending failure in its prepayment system which has affected consumers for the past one week adding that, such a decision if considered, will be made on a case-by-case basis.

    But in a statement issued on Tuesday, October 4, 2022, the PURC said, “it hereby orders ECG to pay compensation to the affected customers”.

    This, it says, is in compliance with the law and a demonstration of good customer service.

    These compensations will come in the form of one-time electricity credit commencing October 1, 2022 and ending October 7, 2022.

  • Two health institutions in UK award £10 million to fight non-communicable diseases in West Africa

    The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), United Kingdom (UK) and the Department of Health and Social Care, UK, have scaled up efforts to combat Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) with approximately £10 million in funding for NCD research in Ghana, Burkina Faso and Niger.

    NIHR, an institution at the forefront of tackling health issues, will provide support for the establishment of a Global Health Research Centre for Non-Communicable Disease control in West Africa to address the scourge of NCDs over a five-year period.

    The centre will also develop the skills of local researchers and clinicians and will run a PhD and master’s programme to provide formal training for students in all three countries.

    The centre will comprise the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons (GCPS) and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) as the co-lead institutions working in partnership with other institutions, namely Ashesi University, Ghana; Catholic University of West Africa (UCAO-UUB), Burkina Faso and Laboratoire d’Etudes et de Recherche sur les Dynamiques Sociales et le Développement Local (LASDEL), Niger.

    Dr Sylvia Anie at National Institute for Health and Care Research, UK, commented, “NIHR Global Health Research Centres will provide a sustainable platform for high-quality applied health research in low-and low middle-income countries (LMIC) to address the burden of NCDs and improve health outcomes. It is time to shift the centre of gravity to LMIC-led research.”

    Two health institutions in UK award £10 million to fight non-communicable diseases in West Africa

    NCDs, also known as chronic diseases, are not passed from person to person. They include heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and chronic lung disease.

    Across the world, NCDs kill 41 million people yearly, equivalent to 74% of all deaths globally.

    A report by WHO in April 2022 highlighted the alarming rate of deaths from NCDs in Africa, and the NCDs are increasingly becoming the main cause of mortality in sub-Saharan Africa, where the diseases were responsible for 37% of deaths in 2019, rising from 24% in 2000.

    This project aims to improve the health and well-being of populations by developing the capacity for high-quality research to inform improved prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of inter-connected NCDs (hypertension, diabetes and co-existing stress, anxiety, and depression).

    President of the International Union of Immunological Societies and Chair of the NIHR Global Health Research Centres Funding Committee, Professor Faith Osier, said “these new centres are truly ground-breaking – it’s the first time we’ve seen anything like this level of investment in non-communicable disease research in low and middle-income countries. The potential for this truly equitable partnership working between researchers in LMICs and in the UK is immense and we’re so excited to see the advances that the next five years will bring.”

    Two health institutions in UK award £10 million to fight non-communicable diseases in West Africa

    On her part, the Director for NIHR Global Health Research Centres West Africa, Prof. Irene A. Agyepong welcomed the project and said the centre will make a difference in addressing challenges of non-communicable diseases.

    “The fifteen countries of ECOWAS, like most LMICs, are increasingly challenged by rising illness and deaths related to NCDs.

    “This is additional to their long-standing challenges from communicable diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis. Research is at the heart of the innovation needed to address these problems, and establishing the centre is a timely and welcome effort to make a difference”.

    Co-Director for NIHR Global Health Research Centres West Africa, Professor Tolib Mirzoev said the project will go a long way to improve the control of non-communicable diseases.

    “I am delighted to jointly lead the Stop-NCD programme together with Professor Agyepong from the GCPS. Our programme addresses an important and urgent need for high-quality research to improve the control of NCDs in West Africa.

    “Through excellent science, comprehensive capacity strengthening and equitable partnerships involving research teams and key stakeholders, we will ensure the longer-term legacy of African-led research for improved policy and practice in NCD control.”

    The official announcement and launch of the project was held in Accra, Ghana, on Wednesday, October 4 with the Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyemang-Manu as the special guest of honour.

    Also present were the representative of the Minister of Health for Niger, M. Sabo Hassane Adamou, Deputy Secretary General and the representative of the Minister of Health for Burkina Faso, Baperman Abdel Aziz Siri.

    Scientists, researchers and officials in the health sector from the UK and various West African implementing countries were present in Accra to grace the occasion.

  • Shipper’s Authority, GIZ intensify efforts to resolve challenges faced by cross border traders

    The Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA) has encouraged Women in Cross Border Trade who are yet to register with the Authority’s Regional Shipper Committees to do so.

    The move is to enable the GSA to gather enough data on their operations and develop programs and policies to support their efforts geared towards socio-economic growth.

    This follows several complaints by Women in Cross Border Trade in the past about challenges they face at the borders which include delays by border agencies in processing documents, challenges with the Letter of Commitment (LOC), multiple checkpoints and extortions, and armed robbery among others.

    It is for this reason that the GSA collaborated with the GIZ-Trade Hub on 28th September 2022 to sensitize Women in Cross Border Trade in Accra on ways to avoid some of the recurrent challenges in their line of work.

    A Senior Officer with the Shipper Services and Trade Facilitation Department of the GSA Mrs. Rhodalyn Djanitey used the occasion to educate the cross-border traders on the Authority’s Shipper Complaints and Support Units which have been set up at all the country’s entry points.

    She assured the cross-border traders that the Shipper Complaints and Support Units are well equipped to handle any challenge and encouraged them to utilize their services.

    The Head of the GIZ-Trade Hub Dr. Maren Breuer reiterated the crucial role played by Women in Cross Border Trade to Ghana’s economy, hence the decision to intensify efforts to assist them.

    The Organizer for the Women’s Wing of the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) Pearl Poku commended the GSA and the GIZ-Trade Hub for the initiative and called for regular collaborations to assist the operations of cross-border traders.

  • Obuobia launches IGNITE series to empower young girls

    A public speaker and broadcaster, Obuobia Darko-Opoku, has launched the IGNITE Youth Empowerment Initiative, to engage, empower and embolden young ladies to become better versions of themselves and position them strategically for leadership.

    The first edition of IGNITE was held in September as part of the mentorship programme to inspire young ladies with untapped potentials to learn how to communicate persuasively.

    A pioneer in applying successful mentorship practices to young girls, Obuobia Darko-Opoku, said: “This initiative is a dream that means a lot to me because it’s a dream coming to fruition. This is what personally makes me a happy girl. That quest, that desire, to develop your talent, pursue your dream and wanting to lead change is a good thing.”

    Continuing with the commitment to build the capabilities of young girls in the non-profit sphere, the Obuobia Foundation, has completed a mentorship programme with over 300 young girls at the University of Ghana, Law Faculty in September.

    She noted that the initiative mentored about 300 young girls within the ages of 18 and 25.

    “I think for the registration and the virtual registration alone is giving us an impression. And an idea on the kind of people who have shown interest in this programme.

    “Because what we realised is that the age has been between 18 and 25, and those are our targets. So, we think that we have achieved our target. We believe that we have achieved our target. So, at least we know that we have made that impact,” the business executive said.

    She said, “I always ask myself how I can achieve this? Working with likeminded persons to provide an opportunity for our younger sisters to have a learning opportunity that encourages. And also network amongst themselves to get support for their steps towards success and leadership training.”

    According to her, “there are many young ladies with untapped potentials who are deferring their dreams and will do with deliberate mentorship and programming. With the right mentorship programmes we can fuel the birth of a new revolution that harnesses the energy and potential of our teeming women for social economic transformation.”

    “I’m sure a lot of you are asking what my goal is. It is to build that critical young women who will lead change and champion progress in all sectors of life. IGNITE is here to engage, empower, embolden young people. This is not the usual mentorship programme or you are my role model cliché. IGNITE is and will be different,” Darko-Opoku said.

    Speaking at the youth empowerment initiative, the Special aide to former president John Mahama, Joyce Bawah Mogtari encouraged young girls to speak with conviction.

    “The only thing lacking is that sometimes we speak without conviction. Communicating is ideal for us. I think one of the greatest things any leader can do is to learn how to be effective and intentional about what they want to sell, and how they want to do it,” she said. “It is important to reject gender straightjackets. In your attempt to be a female leader you will meet a lot of people who will tell you it’s not possible.”

    She added: “These are the things that worked for me and I think they will work for you as well in trying to speak with clarity. A lot of time when people are standing in front of you even with a microphone you can’t hear them because they are mumbling.”

    “You don’t have to mumble you need to be confident enough to open your mouth for your words to roll off your tongue, in such a way that every word you use is easily spelt by the person listening to you.”

    Other speakers at the forum included Dr Ike Tandoh and Nana Aba Anamoah.

  • Expose ‘galamsey’ financiers, otherwise, you are an accessory – MP to Kweku Baako

    The Member of Parliament (MP) for Builsa South, Dr. Clement Apaak, has urged persons who have claimed that they know powerful forces behind illegal small-scale miners (galamseyers) to expose these people.

    In a tweet shared on October 6, 2022, the MP intimated those persons, who have suggested they know the powerful people in galamsey but have failed to expose them, including veteran journalist Kweku Baako Jnr, are accessories to the menace which is destroying Ghana.

    “Why are those who know the “powerful forces” fuelling and profiting from illegal mining not telling us who these forces are?

    “Kweku Baako, and recently the American Ambassador to Ghana, have referenced these powerful forces. They ought to expose them, if not they are accessories,” parts of the tweet read.

    Dr. Apaak also questioned why the national security apparatus of the state has failed to fish out the kingpins behind the menace of illegal small-scale mining.

    “Who are these powerful forces we are told are fuelling illegal mining (galamsey)? So powerful the state or its institutions and agencies are incapable of dealing with them? Is it that the nation is powerless or those to take action have been compromised, rendering them powerless?” he questioned.

    Speaking in an interview on Joy News’ Newsfile program a few years ago, Kweku Baako Jnr. listed a number of reasons he thinks Aisha Huang appears to be getting away with punitive actions despite her illegal activities as regards mining.

    According to him, Aisha has connections with big men in high places and for this reason, she appears rather untouchable regardless of her irresponsible actions.

    “This particular Chinese woman, I have it on record – was arrested 3 times during the previous administration. Three times she was released. She is a very powerful woman. Operates more within the Ashanti Region, especially Kumasi.

    “She’s got connections from my own checks also in this administration. She appears to be a very smooth operative. She’s built a network across the political divide. She’s got her agents placed in political institutions, particularly the security agencies.

    “And she’s able to wriggle herself out of danger or trouble any time she is touched,” he said.

    Kweku Baako also noted that his checks indicate that Aisha’s actions are backed by accomplices who are also Chinese nationals. According to him, these women, one of whom he says is called Monica, connive to execute their dubious activities.

    Kweku Baako added that Aisha Huang and her team have a group of women who have engaged in sexual activities with some big men in high places and have video and audio evidence of them. According to him, these women blackmail the said personalities with such content and entrap them such that, they are not able to fully implement their expected duties.

  • Provide evidence Wontumi is doing galamsey – President of National House Chiefs dares Ghanaians

    The President of the National House of Chiefs, Ogyeahohoo Yaw Gyebi II, has dared Ghanaians to make available evidence that proves that the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Chairman Wontumi, is involved in illegal mining, also known as galamsey.

    In his view, President Akufo-Addo can only act when there’s sufficient evidence that his appointees are involved in illegal mining activities.

    On September 30, 2022, the Minerals Commission issued a statement asking Akonta Mining, a company owned by Chairman Wontumi, to stop mining operations in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve, describing the activities of the company as illegal.

    But critics have said that the chiefs in the area should have rather asked President Nana Akufo-Addo to punish Chairman Wontumi over his involvement in the galamsey activities.

    Reacting to the claims, the President of the National House of Chiefs, Ogyeahohoo Yaw Gyebi II, argued that traditional authorities do not operate on rumours.

    He however stated that persons with concrete evidence to back the claims should make it available for the necessary actions to be taken on them.

    “I have heard that Wontumi is doing galamsey. Whether it is true or not, I don’t know and I don’t have any evidence, so how do I tell the president about Wontumi in such a forum or expect me to speak about an issue on national television when I don’t have any facts or direct evidence on Wontumi’s activities?

    “So, if you have the evidence or anyone has evidence that Wontumi is into galamsey, make it available to the president and he will act on it,” he told Morning Show host of Kumasi-based Oyerepa TV, Kwesi Parker-Wilson.

    Ogyeahohoo Yaw Gyebi II also cautioned chiefs against engaging in illegal mining.

    He insisted that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has their full support in arresting and prosecuting persons involved in the act in spite of their status in the society.

    “The chiefs have been warned against the practice because we have asked the President to deal with anyone who is involved, whether a chief, a politician or whoever must be arrested to curb the menace,” he added.

  • Urgent action needed to curb rising non-communicable diseases burden – Agyeman- Manu

    A World Bank report has indicated that if urgent action is not taken, the rising non-communicable diseases (NCDs) burden will add pressure to the already overstretched health systems and pose a major challenge to development in the sub-region.

    The Minister for Health, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, disclosed this at the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) on STOP NCD in Accra on Tuesday.

    Mr. Agyeman-Manu said the prevalence of NCDs is increasing globally and is currently the leading cause of death and disease burden worldwide.

    He said the World Health Organisation (WHO) indicated that heart diseases, stroke, cancers, diabetes, and respiratory diseases outnumber infectious diseases and are the top killers globally, accounting for about 74% of all deaths.

    The Minister said West African Sub-region requires employing a scientific approach to improve the health and well-being of the population.

    He stated that the scientific approach to salvaging the situation would strengthen individual skills and expertise, organizational systems and processes, system-wide networking capabilities, and leadership of researchers to conduct high-quality research.

    “It will also strengthen local communities to engage with and understand how to enable healthy lifestyles as well as policymakers and practitioners to implement evidence-based NCD interventions,” he added.

    The approach, according to the Minister, would also entail engaging stakeholders to solicit their views, preference, and expectations and sharing results, and facilitating the uptake of research results into their decisions and practices.

    “We will also maintain equitable international partnerships, through shared leadership involving senior and earlier-career staff, and equally distributed management responsibilities,” he stated.

    Mr. Manu disclosed that the high-level research on NCDs is being funded by the United Kingdom and co-led by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons (GCPS).

    The research team would include a cluster of research and three academic institutions in West Africa (the Catholic University of West Africa in Bobo-Dioulasso Burkina Faso, LASDEL in Niamey Niger, Ashesi University in Brekusu Ghana, GCPS, and UK LSHTM.

    The Minister said the government had launched a National Policy for Non-Communicable Diseases to “ensure that the burden of NCDs is reduced to the barest minimum to render it of little or no public health importance and an obstacle to socio-economic development.”

    “This is aligned with the ideals of the National Health Policy, 2020, and the Universal Health Coverage Roadmap (2020-2030) which calls for the use of multisectoral collaboration as a mechanism for addressing comprehensively, all the social determinants of health for better health outcomes for all,” he added.

  • WAVTI: Students depend on gari only for survival for over three weeks

    Students of the Walewale Vocational and Technical Institute (WAVTI) in the West Mamprusi Municipality of the North East Region are bearing the brunt of the shortage of food in the school.

    The school which was recently added to the beneficiary boarding schools in the region is still not properly feeding the students the required diet.

    The students are fed with gari without sugar, salt, or oil for over three weeks during lunch and supper meals respectively.

    Some students are suffering from beriberi, with sores in their mouths, stomach pain, and diarrhea due to the continuous intake of gari without oil or sugar.

    Meanwhile, the boys are compelled to carry concrete and other construction-related works in Walewale and other neighboring communities due to the hunger they are encountering.

    They lamented that the shortage of food in the school had affected their studies and other academic activities.

    “We are suffering here. Every day, we are given only gari. Some of us have diarrhea and fever due to the gari we are eating. If we get the chance, we will run to our parents. They have been giving us gari, we cannot count the number of weeks that we take gari,” one of the students lamented.

    Some say they are scratching their private parts because of the kind of food they always take.

    “We are not getting enough and some of us don’t have food in our chop boxes or money to buy food. It is affecting us. Some of us are scratching our testis because of the gari we take every day,” another student bemoaned.

    Another student also added that “They have been giving us food like porridge in the morning without sugar and then lunch times too, they normally give us gari without oil or sugar. We are suffering because whenever we call home for help, our parents always tell us that the school is feeding us so why are we requesting food again? Things are difficult here and we don’t know what to do.”

    Meanwhile, some sources disclosed that on Wednesday 5th of October, the students took porridge for breakfast, lunch, and supper after their usual gari got finished on Tuesday (4th October 2022).

    The principal of the school declined to comment on the issue saying the regional director of education can only speak on the matter.

  • Terrorists might be financing their activities through illegal mining, sale of cattle in Ghana – Adib Saani

    Executive Director for Jatikay Centre for Human Security and Peace Building, Adib Saani, has urged Ghana’s security apparatus to look into possibilities of terrorist and jihadist groups in the West African sub-region raising funds in Ghana.

    According to him, there is a high possibility that the terrorist groups are already engaging in illegal mining activities (galamsey) as well as the sale of cattle in the northern parts of Ghana to raise funds to finance their activities.

    In an interview with GhanaWeb, Adib, a security analyst, added that the re-arrest of a prominent Fulani Imam, Sheikh Dukere, who was reported to be the emergency contact of five terrorists killed in Burkina Faso, indicates that there might be terrorists who have passed through Ghana or are currently living in the country.

    “His (Sheikh Dukere’s) arrest is significant because it tells us a lot about the presence of alleged militants in Ghana. The probability that they are in Ghana is extremely high.

    “The possibility that there is a sleeper cell in Ghana recruiting Ghanaians is also very high. And the possibility that they are organizing or planning something against our interest in Ghana is very high.

    “And we also need to look at the sale of cattle. It is a potentially huge source of income for militants. The terrorists bring in cattle which they steal from neighbouring countries and export to Ghana to be sold by their agents, who then send back the monies realised to these militants.

    “We also need to look at the gold mines, especially in the north. It is a source of revenue for these terrorist groups. The possibility that terrorists have infiltrated the mining sites is very high,” he said.

    According to a Joy News report, Sheikh Osman Dukere was arrested for the second time in Ghana by National Security, together with 12 of his followers on Saturday, October 1, 2022.

    Although the reason for his arrest has not been disclosed, the Imam was arrested in 2019 with 20 of his disciples when he was accused of having links with a jihadist group in Burkina Faso.

    The first arrest was made after the security operatives in Burkina Faso informed the National Security of Ghana that Imam Dukuri was the emergency contact of 5 jihadists it had killed in a gunfight.

  • Pay Ejura shooting victims – Attorney General directs

    Three persons who were victims in the Ejura shooting of June 29, 2021, say they have been neglected by the government amidst their resulting injuries and unbearable medical costs.

    Louis Ayipka aged 30, Nazif Nuhu aged 20 years and Awal Mesbawu suffered gunshot injuries when some state security officials responding to a youth protest in Ejura shot into a crowd.

    Subsequently, President Akufo-Addo instituted a committee of inquiry chaired by Justice George Kingsly Koomson which recommended compensation for the victims.

    The Attorney General and Minister of Justice having also set up a committee of medical professionals to assess the conditions of the victims has since forwarded a computated compensation advice to the presidency.

    This, according to a document intercepted by GhanaWeb was contained in a letter addressed to the Minister for Interior, Ambrose Dery by the Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame dated July 22, 2022.

    The AG in his advice said he took into consideration the assessment of the health professionals and some claims for compensation made by two of the victims through their lawyers.

    “Pursuant to a request of this office, the victims have also provided receipts covering their medical bills as a result of their injuries. Additionally, Mr Ayikpa and Mr Nazif Nuhu have made claims for compensation,” the AG noted.

    While Louis Ayikpa’s lawyers made a claim for GH¢1,280,850.00 (US$175,262.034), Nazif Nuhu’s lawyers also made a claim for GH¢230,000.00 (US$31,593.914).

    But according to the AG, after assessing the claims and the medical reports under two categories of pecuniary and non-pecuniary losses, the computation of compensation for Loius Ayikpa arrived at some GH¢347,953.00 while that of Nazif Nuhu arrived at GH¢192,425,00.

    The recommended compensation for the third victim, Awal Mesbawu also arrived at GH¢678,519.00.

    This brought to a total of GH¢1,218,897.00 the amount recommended by the Attorney General to be paid by the state to the three victims.

    As part of his recommendations, the AG further asked the state to offer psychological evaluation and support to the victims as well as rehabilitation and training to the victims.

    In the case of Awal Mesbawu, the AG recommended that “the appropriate functional prosthesis should be provided to him to assist in mobilization.”

    “They should be followed up medically for a minimum of two years to manage any long-term complications that may arise,” the A-G added.

    It is, however, not known what the ministry of interior has intended to do with the A-G’s recommendations as the victims and their families continue to demand for their compensation.

  • Capping fuel prices wrong policy, says BoG

    Dr Ernest Addison, the Governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG), has said capping fuel prices is a wrong policy.

    There have been calls for the government to intervene and cap the prices of fuel to cushion consumers.

    But speaking at the 108th MPC press briefing in Accra on Thursday (6 October), Addison said, “Capping fuel prices is not an innovation. In fact, it is a wrong policy. When you have fuel prices rising and you also have a budget deficit problem, who is going to pay for the difference of the cost of fuel?”

    “That will create further fiscal subsidies and worsen your fiscal deficit problem that we are all trying to resolve. So on the contrary, we should really be pushing towards full cost recovery to minimize the burden on the budget,” he added.

    Oil prices held near three-week highs on Thursday after OPEC+ agreed to tighten global crude supply with a deal to cut production targets by two million barrels per day (bpd), the largest reduction since 2020.

    Brent crude futures edged down 16 cents, or 0.2%, to US$93.21 per barrel by 1020 GMT after settling 1.7% up in the previous session.

    U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures lost 14 cents, or 0.2%, to US$87.62 after closing 1.4% up on Wednesday.

  • Decentralise fight against illegal mining – Small Scale Miners Association

     

    The Concerned Small Scale Miners Association believes that the fight against illegal mining can be won if the government takes action beyond expressing its commitment to it.

    The President of the Concerned Small Scale Miners Association, Michael Peprah, said government officials involved in the activity must be held accountable.

    “We believe that the fight can only be won if we decentralise the fight to the district level, and a lot of DCEs have come out to be accomplices in this galamsey problem.”

    “It is not going to be easy, but I don’t believe in words. No matter what it is, we can still salvage the problem,” he said.

    President Akufo-Addo on Wednesday held closed-door meetings with the National House of Chiefs and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives over the grave destruction caused by illegal mining.

    The President reiterated his resolve to ending the menace while charging the traditional authorities to support the government.

    While speaking to MMDCEs, for instance, President Akufo-Addo said that he will not shield any government official found complicit in galamsey activities.

    “I ask all of you to join hands in the fight against illegal mining. We have to win that fight, to protect our heritage for the next generation.”

     

  • Address challenges to sustain gains of on-going clean-up operation – Joseph A. Asitanga

    An environmental health analyst at the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), Mr. Joseph A. Asitanga, has hinted that until some challenges are addressed, the gains made from the ongoing clean-up exercise would not have the needed impact.

    The challenges, he enumerated, included the unwillingness of the squatters to assist in the clean-up; non-availability of access routes and the claim that they (the squatters had not been informed).

    He, therefore, called for more information on the project.

    He observed that if the above challenges were not addressed, the desired results from the clean-up operation will not be achieved.

    He made the recommendation on Wednesday, October 5, 2022, during the three-month daily clean operation embarked upon by the task force of Operation Clean Your Frontage (OCYF).

    The OCYF began their operations at the Circle-Neoplan Station enclave ensuring sanity in the area.

    They cleared both makeshift structures, cement blocks and concrete structures from obstructing smooth movement.

    Traders along the Circle-Avenor road were directed to abate the nuisance they had created.

    Those who took over the areas earmarked for pavement and temporary packing lots were ordered to evacuate their wares.

    Shop owners complained about brothels along the drains whose activities they indicated were polluting and impeding the free flow of water and suggested they should be evacuated.

    They further lamented that the activities of sex workers identified to be foreigners were impeding the free flow of water through the drains and gutters.

    “We are committed to ensuring regular cleaning of the area. In fact, it is something we have been doing but the issue is the drivers who park their vehicles along the gutters after returning from their long journeys,” a shop owner said under strict condition of anonymity.

    A mop-up is expected to be conducted tomorrow to ensure compliance, according to Mr. Asitanga.

    A team of delegations including Mr. Asitanga who went to inspect the Kaneshie market and the station brought a bad report.

    According to Mr. Asitanga, upon reaching the location, it was observed that the evictees had suddenly returned to the streets making enforcement a difficult task.

    Shop owners, therefore, suggested that the activities of sex workers be halted by authorities and evacuated immediately.

    Speaking to journalitsts, the environmental health officer, AMA Mr. Ishmael Tagoe, said six vehicles were clamped down and tolled to the assembly pending prosecution.

    Three mechanics were caught and sent to the Neoplan Police Station for open burning.

  • Someone has introduced a virus into ECG’s payment system – NPP presidential hopeful alleges

    Presidential hopeful, Kojo Nsafoah Poku, has alleged that the recent challenges with the payment system of the Electricity Company of Ghana are resultant of a deliberate cyber-attack by some individuals.

    According to him, some people intentionally introduced a virus into the system of the ECG to hide some crimes they committed.

    He added that the IT staff at the ECG cannot be involved in the current challenges, as is being asserted, because they do not want any third party to be brought on board because of their inability to perform.

    “The ICT staff are against the hiring of a third party to help with the payment system of the ECG and so they will never do something that will lead to that. Now that their payment system is down, people will be saying that the 3rd party has to be brought on board and that is not what the ECG staff want.

    “There is someone at the ECG who is refusing to give data or equipment for the issue to be resolved and EOCO has now gone to take them by force. The person is the one with a motive. Now, there is a subject of criminality because the person might be trying to hide some bad things she/he has done including the possibility of shortchanging the company in terms of revenues acquired through the payment system.

    “The truth is that the person has introduced a virus into the system of the ECG and that is why Ghanaians now have to struggle in order to purchase electricity,” he said in Twi in an XYZ TV interview monitored by GhanaWeb.

    He urged Ghanaians to be patient because the security apparatus of the country including the National Cyber Security Centre, and the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), have taken up the matter and will get to the bottom of it.

    Since Tuesday, 27 September 2022, ECG customers across the country have struggled to purchase prepaid credits for their prepaid metres.

    The ECG announced that it was experiencing challenges with the purchase of electricity by customers on the E-cash and PNS metering systems.

    In a public announcement, the ECG noted that the interruption is due to “a technical challenge.”

    The power distribution company, however, assured customers in the affected areas that its “engineers are working assiduously to correct the anomaly and restore the system to normalcy.”

    Some Ghanaians including a System Analyst and Cyber Security Consultant, Yayra Koku, have alleged that the current challenge with the Electricity Company of Ghana’s prepaid vending system is a deliberate ploy to make way for the procurement of a new payment platform from a private company called Hubtel.

    In a post shared on Twitter on Monday, October 3, 2022, Yayra Koku said that there is nothing wrong with the current payment system of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) but some people want to change it because of a 4 percent commission they stand to get.

  • 50% of Ghanaians to have LPG access by 2030 – Energy Minister

    The government is implementing a National Liquified Petroleum Gas Promotion Programme to ensure that at least 50% of Ghanaians have access to LPG by 2030 as part of measures to mitigate climate change.

    The Minister for Energy, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, who disclosed this at the opening of the 3rd West African LPG Conference and Expo in Accra on Monday said the NLPGPP is an enhancement of the erstwhile Rural LPG Promotion Programme (RLPGPP), with an emphasis on commercial and industrial use.

    He said the LPG sector offers a compelling way to support Africa’s industrialisation drive while leveraging the switch to cleaner energy sources, adding that, it would require joint efforts from academia, business, and the government to carefully drive West Africa to maximize the economic benefits along the entire LPG value chain.

    Dr Opoku Prempeh noted that although the usage of LPG as a household fuel has grown in several West African nations since the early 1990s, the average per capita consumption is still low by global standards.

    The Minister was hopeful that, “after detailed discussions via this forum on the promotion of LPG through policies and national legislation in West Africa, LPG consumption might be greatly boosted in the region.”

    The 3-day conference and Expo is aimed at reaching an agreement on making LPG available at an attractive price in the West African Markets and attracting the requisite investments for LPG storage and distribution infrastructure.

  • Galamsey crisis: ‘Godfathers’ won’t disown their own child – Franklin Cudjoe taunts chiefs

    President of IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe says it is unlikely Traditional Authorities will discontinue their interests in an entreprise they benefit from despite Akufo-Addo meeting them over the galamsey menace.

    President Akufo-Addo says the protection of the lands against illegal small-scale mining also known as galamsey should be the responsibility of the traditional rulers and the government.

    Addressing the House of Chiefs at the Ashanti regional capital Kumasi on Wednesday, October 5, 2022 President Akufo-Addo indicated that ownership of the lands rests with both the government and chiefs hence protecting it should be a collective one.

    “80 percent of the lands in this country continue to be under your custody, much of it having been acquired through the blood and sacrifices of your ancestors. The remainder of 20 percent which I hold in trust of the people of Ghana, derived from state acquisition from you.

    “What this means is that ultimately, the welfare of the state of the lands is our joint responsibility, although by statute the minerals in the soil belong to the President in trust for the people,” the President explained.

    He also pleaded for the support of the chiefs in applying stringent measures to curb the galamsey menace in the country.

    Commenting on Akufo-Addo’s meeting with the House of Chiefs over the galamsey menace, Cudjoe who described the traditional rulers as the godfathers of galamsey said they[Chiefs] have a vested interest in the entreprise hence do not share the same sentiments with the President on the national crusade against illegal mining.

    “Galamsey just got another bad name today. The godfathers assembled to disown their own child but will continue benefitting from its existence,” he wrote in a Facebook post.

  • We’re helping farmers to shun exchanging cocoa farms for galamsey – COCOBOD

    The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) says it is rolling out a number of interventions to ensure that, cocoa farmers do not lose their farmlands to illegal small-scale mining, otherwise known as galamsey.

    It comes on the back of concerns that several factors are pushing cocoa farmers to exchange farmlands for illegal mining, thereby threatening the cultivation and production of cocoa in the country.

    Speaking on The Point of View on Citi TV, the Director of Public Affairs at COCOBOD, Fiifi Boafo, said among other things, the Board is assisting the farmers legally.

    “COCOBOD is sponsoring a law to take into consideration what actually goes into the farm and the true value of it so that anyone moving in to take a cocoa farm and operating mining illegally there will have to pay the true value of the farm and this will serve as a disincentive”, he said.

    He thus encouraged cocoa farmers to seek support from COCOBOD when faced with the challenge.

    “The farmers do not want to give out these farms but with their level of exposure to go to court and resources not available to them, they are handicapped. That is why they give in. Our sensitization is ongoing, and I think that it has helped with that realization that, this is not the way to go. We are also giving the farmers legal representation when they fall on us for support.”

    Mr. Boafo admitted that the producer price of cocoa ought to be increased to cushion farmers, but rejected suggestions the low cocoa price in Ghana is contributing to the exchange of farmlands for galamsey.

    He disclosed that, farmers are selling farms between GH¢10,000 and GH¢25,000, but quickly cautioned farmers to desist from going into such paltry deals.

    “The remuneration for cocoa farmers can be improved. In as much as the farmers’ income can be improved, I do not believe in the idea that based on economies of scale, that is why the farmers are giving out their farms. Sometimes it is out of ignorance and the wish to get things immediately without thinking about the effects of it”, he stressed.

    The COCOBOD Public Affairs Director also stated that some traditional authorities are coercing farmers to give out farmlands.

    “There are some traditional authorities who are actually aiding this because they tell farmers they are owners of the land, so it should be given back to them because they [chiefs] are being enticed by illegal miners. So they want to get the money quickly and eject these people from the land.”

  • Fire guts shop near White Chapel in Makola

    Fire has gutted some cosmetic shops closer to the White Chapel at Makola.

    The incident happened on Wednesday, October 5, 2022.

    Items destroyed in the fire included highly combustible cosmetic products.

    The Ghana National Fire Service(GNFS) sent six fire engines including a TL and water tanker to contain the fire and prevent it from spreading further to other shops.

    The service indicated that “accessibility to the affected shops was a challenge due to hardcore burglar proofing”

    Also, “electricity power supply in the area has been isolated to enhance rigorous firefighting and prevent possible risk of electrocution of firefighters”

    There were no casualties.

    The GNFS says they are investigating the cause of fire.

  • Adib Saani calls out past SRC leadership of Ghana Law School for undemocratic practices

    A security analyst, Adib Saani, has called out the leadership of the outgone Students Representative Council of the Ghana School of Law for promoting what he says are undemocratic practices.

    According to him, it is disturbing that the students, who form part of the institution that is responsible for protecting the democracy of this country, would be engaged in autocratic practices.

    “It is always received with international dismay when incumbents refuse to hand over power to a newly elected following an election. It shocks me however that the very institution supposed to protect the democratic sanctity of our motherland is rather engaged in undemocratic practices,” he said in a statement made available to GhanaWeb.

    Adib Saani was reacting to news of the refusal of the outgoing administration of the school, led by Wonder Victor Kutor, to hand over to the newly-elected body.

    The outgone administration had severally been accused of corrupt practices.

    “I find it hard to understand why the past administration of the Ghana School of Law that was embroiled in corrupt practices and found guilty, is refusing to hand over to a new administration despite a successful, uncontested election,” he added.

    Adib Saani, who is the Executive Director of Jatikay Centre for Human Security and Peace Building, further called on the student body of the Ghana School of Law to exhibit democratic tendencies in their dealings because it has an effect on the future of this country.

    “Students have to learn to call for accountability and to fight off any external hands meddling in its democracy. What happens on campus today is a reflection of what will happen to our country tomorrow,” he added.

  • You have all the power; why meet chiefs, MMDCEs who are powerless – Kofi Bentil to Akufo-Addo

    Senior Vice President of IMANI Africa, Kofi Bentil, has said that President Akufo-Addo’s meeting with Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) and chiefs on the fight against illegal small-scale mining (‘galamsey’) will have no impact.

    According to him, the meeting will have no effect because the president has all the powers needed to fight the menace but has chosen not to use same.

    Speaking in a Joy News Interview monitored by GhanaWeb on Wednesday (October 5), Kofi Bentil added that the president organised the meeting just to show that he is doing something in the fight against ‘galamsey’.

    “It (the meeting) will not make any difference. It is the president that has all the power. So, when you have the power to do what you need to do and you go round suggesting that you are seeking the assistance of other people, who do not have any power or don’t have any real power to deal with the matters, it is just window dressing.

    “I think he wants to show some activity. Activity is not necessarily progress. Unfortunately, I don’t think it is going to yield anything,” he said.

    Kofi Bentil further stated that chiefs and MMDCEs whom the president met might be involved in ‘galamsey’ and they will not be putting in the needed efforts or help with the needed information to stop it.

    He added that the president needs to call for a state of emergency if he truly wants to stop ‘galamsey’.

    “That is why again I go to the call of Occupy Ghana to impose a state of emergency. The president can actually impose a state of emergency and go to Parliament even after the fact or can go to Parliament and request that it should be imposed now. If he doesn’t do it then he doesn’t want to do it because he can do it,” he said.

    Meanwhile, President Akufo-Addo, during his meeting with chiefs and MMDCEs in Kumasi, urged chiefs across the country to get themselves involved in the fight against illegal small-scale mining since they are the custodians of lands in the country.

    “80 percent of the lands in this country continue to be under your custody, much of it having been acquired through the blood and sacrifices of your ancestors. The remainder of 20 percent which I hold in trust of the people of Ghana, derived from state acquisition from you.

    “What this means is that ultimately, the welfare of the state of the lands is our joint responsibility, although by statute the minerals in the soil belong to the president in trust for the people,” he noted.

  • Police arrest man captured on video mercilessly beating a baby

    The Ghana Police Service has reportedly arrested a man captured in a viral video beating a baby.

    According to reports, Richard Kofi was arrested on Wednesday, October 5, 2022, at Akaa Buem in the Jasikan Municipality of the Oti Region.

    The suspect is said to have been picked up by the police who took him to the palace of the chief of the town before he was whisked away into custody.

    The police are said to also have arrested the wife of the suspect who lives separately from her husband’s house.

    The assaulted baby was also rescued and taken into police care.

    This brings an end to the hunt commenced by the police after GhanaWeb reported the video viral in which the suspect was seen beating up the baby with a whip.

    The Ghana Police Service on Tuesday, October 4, 2022, announced a bounty of GHC2,000 for any information leading to the arrest of the man who was captured in the video.

    In the said video, the suspect is seen holding the by one arm and whipping him up while the baby’s frantic cries for mercy was ignored.

    Subsequent to the police announcement, children advocacy non-governmental organisation, Child Rights International also announced another reward of GHC10,000 reward for any such information.

    An additional reward of GHC5,000 was announced by Givers Herbal Company Limited for information leading to the arrest of the suspect.

    This brought to a total some GHC17,000 as the bounty declared for the arrest of the suspect.

    Meanwhile, a local journalist in the area has confirmed the suspect is currently in the custody of the Jasikan Police Command.

  • GH¢5,000 added to GH¢12,000 bounty on man captured on video beating a baby mercilessly

    The bounty placed on a man wanted for assaulting a baby has been raised to some GH¢17,000.

    This comes after the addition of some GH¢ 5,000 to the GHC12,000 announced by the Ghana Police Service and Child Right International. The additional GH¢5000 has been announced by Givers Herbal Company Limited.

    “The video is very disheartening to even watch. We are even compelled to question if the child is his own. But even if the child is not his, that does not permit him to treat a baby like that. We find it worrying because this is not the first time we are seeing something like this. There was a similar video of a woman abusing a baby and we did not see how this issue ended. So we at Givers have also taken an interest and our CEO, Dr Derek Danso has also thought it wise to contribute to the search for the suspect. So whoever has information leading to his arrest will be given an additional GHC5,000 in cash,” Public Relations Officer of the Company, Richard Sarkodie told Accra FM in an interview.

    The Ghana Police Service on Tuesday, October 4, 2022, announced a bounty of GHC2,000 for any information leading to the arrest of the man who was captured in a viral video whipping a young baby.

    Subsequently, children advocacy non-governmental organisation, Child Rights International also announced an additional GHC10,000 reward for any such information.

  • NDC General Secretary race: What Otukonor, Fifi Kwetey, others bring to the table

    For the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the General Secretary election of 2022 will perhaps be the most contentious since the outgoing executive, Asiedu Nketiah, overwhelmingly won his first election in December 2005.

    Since then, there have been little doubts about the influence and power that Asiedu Nketiah, known commonly as General Mosquito, has brought to the party and its overall political outlook.

    With his announced exit, a number of candidates have already started putting themselves up to take up the soon-to-be vacant slot.

    From the obvious to the surprise entrants, there have so far been four major names tipped for the General Secretary position of the NDC: Dr. Peter Boamah Otokunor, Abdul Ishaq Farrakhan, Fifi Kwetey, and Elvis Afriyie Ankrah.

    In this GhanaWeb article, we take a look at what each of these candidates bring to the table.

    This is also to look at what kinds of pedigrees each of these candidates have in helping the party which has been in opposition since January 2017, get a hold of political power once again.

    We begin with Dr. Peter Boamah Otokunor:

    Dr. Peter Boamah Otokunor is the current Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

    As someone in that position, to be vying for the substantive position of General Secretary, Dr. Otokunor brings a lot of firsthand experience to the job. In fact, in the case of all the contenders, he is most likely the most knowledgeable about the workings or otherwise of the office.

    He also brings in experience from his role as the Deputy Director of Research of the NDC, and the Registrar for the Ghana Institute of Social Democracy (GISD).

    Dr. Otokunor previously contested in the NDC primaries for the Ablekuma Central Constituency parliamentary seat in 2015 and lost.

    Previously, he served as the Deputy Coordinator for the National Youth Authority (NYA) under the John Dramani Mahama government.

    Fifi Kwetey:

    Fifi Kwetey is not a novice in the NDC party and surely not an easy contender in this race.

    He is the former Member of Parliament for Ketu South: the constituency considered as the NDC’s ‘world bank’ for votes and support in the country.

    After serving as MP for two consecutive terms, he backed out on his own, focusing his energies into other commitments.

    But on what he brings to the table of the General Secretary slot of the NDC, his influence as a former MP is not the only quality there is.

    Fifi Kwetey’s knowledge in finance and economic matters is something that cannot be overstepped.

    This is evidenced in the fact that he was the Deputy Minister of Finance from 2009 to 2013, under the presidency of John Evans Atta Mills of blessed memory.

    Under the presidency of John Dramani Mahama, his previous work and experiences earned him the appointment as the Minister of State at the Presidency in charge of Financial and Allied Institutions.

    The outspoken, articulate former MP also once served as Ghana’s Minister of Food and Agriculture, and Minister for Transport.

    Fifi Kwetey has however not held any direct party executive position but there is no doubt that within the ranks of the party, he is quite popular and commands quite a following.

    Elvis Afriyie Ankrah:

    The next person on GhanaWeb’s list is Elvis Afriyie Ankrah.

    This candidate is yet another strong contender for the position of the General Secretary slot of the NDC and he brings as much to the table.

    While he has never won an election at the party level, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah has served in other executive positions of the NDC.

    He is the current Director of Elections of the party and also served as the Deputy National Campaign Manager in the 2008 elections.

    He was also the National Campaign Coordinator for the 2012 presidential campaigns of the National Democratic Congress for both Presidents John Evans Atta Mills and John Dramani Mahama.

    He was also appointed Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development by President John Atta Mills. And then again, he was the Minister of Sports under Mahama, and then a Minister of State at the Office of the President.

    Elvis Afriyie Ankrah was also a parliamentary candidate in the Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency election of December 2000 elections, although he lost.

    So, without a doubt, the competition this candidate brings to the General Secretary of the NDC race is one that will give all others a real run for their monies.

    As an experienced politician, Elvis hopes to take over Asiedu Nketiah’s job and if it is anything to go by, his energy makes him perhaps, the best fit to take over the General Secretary position from the outgoing executive; who has equally exhibited a lot of energy in his role.

    Abdul Ishaq Farrakhan:

    Finally, another candidate vying for the position of General Secretary of the NDC is Abdul Ishaq Farrakhan.

    Mentioned as a possible replacement for Johnson Asiedu Nketiah even though he is yet to officially state his bid to run, it is worth mentioning that in terms of political clouts, Farrakhan is the least most competitive candidate in this race so far.

    This will however not be the first time Abdul Ishaq Farrakhan has been tipped to be the General Secretary of the NDC.

    In 2014, he was the only person who dared to challenge General Mosquito for the party’s General Secretary position, losing out comfortably.

    The 52-year-old previously served as a district chairman in the Obuasi Municipality in the Ashanti Region.

    In 2018, Abdul Ishaq Farrakhan was one of 11 people who contested in the party’s Deputy General Secretary elections and lost to Dr. Peter Boamah Otokunor.

    The boldness and consistency in trying to lead the party at the level of the General Secretary position is one of the qualities that this candidate brings to the table.

    It however remains an open contest with the possibility for any kind of surprises and GhanaWeb will continue to keep its eyes and ears close to the NDC and report all updates to its readers.

  • Delayed relief items angers flood victims, reject Polytank water

    Six days after the flood disaster occurred in New Juaben North, victims are yet to receive relief items.

    203 households were either collapsed completely or partially damaged.

    One person died whilst 2686 made up of 977 children and 1708 adults displaced by the floods.

    The victims are furious that National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) and the New Juaben North Municipal Assembly have failed to provide their pressing needs – mattresses and food but rather supply them with water in polytank.

    The staff of the New Juaben Municipal Assembly dispatched to announce to the community provision of water were nearly beat up.

    “They have not brought anything, just Polytank water. Is water food? We need food to eat. We need mattresses to sleep on. Now we are all sleeping outside nobody has come to help us” a victim lamented.

    “We are suffering so New Juaben North MP come and help us. we don’t have what to eat but they brought us Polytank. NADMO has taken our data but has not brought anything yet ” Seidu Iddrisu, a victim said.

    Another angry victim, Sumaila Mohammed told Starr News “The community center they allocated for us is on the other side of the flooded river how can we cross and sleep there? You brought water and erected it at the market, do you expect us to move from Zongo here to the market to fetch water? We need one here in the Zongo area. Since the incident occurred nobody is helping us, you brought water for us to drink is water a food ”

    A visit by Starr News Eastern Regional Correspondent Kojo Ansah observed when revisiting the community that, victims were salvaging their damaged properties whilst others returning to rehabilitate their houses to reoccupy.

    Five Basic Schools in the Municipality including Akwadum M/A JHS and Islamic schools have been shut down due to the flood disaster.

    The schools were submerged destroying teaching and learning materials.

    Some of the children were seen roaming in town whilst others support their parents salvaging their household properties.

    Evelyn Obeng, a Twi Teacher was met at Akwadum M/A JHS teaching the BECE candidates to enable them to prepare well for the BECE exams to be written this month.

    Addressing the media Wednesday, October 5, 2022, the Municipal Chief Executive for New Juaben North, Comfort Asante however said some relief items have been mobilized for distribution but not enough hence calling on churches, NGOs, and Philanthropist to support the assembly to go to the aid of the victims.

  • High court to hear injunction application against NCA, AG

    The High Court in Accra is expected to hear the interlocutory injunction filed by some 9 citizens against the National Communications Authority(NCA) and the Attorney General(AG) over directives to block unregistered SIM Cards.

    A pressure group, The People’s Project (TPP), has dragged the National Communications Authority (NCA) and the Attorney-General (A-G) to court over the imminent actions against unregistered SIM users.

    They want the apex court to declare the deadline and the associated punitive measures null and void.

    In a writ issued on Friday, September 9, the group said the sanction amounts to abuse of discretion, therefore seeking:

    “A declaration that on a true and proper interpretation of Articles 2, 23, and 296 of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana, the directive by the Minister for Communication, Mrs. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful on Sunday, July 31, 2022, that the 1st Defendant will ensure that all SIM cards that are not re-registered by 30th September 2022 will be blocked while the National Identification Authority has not been able to issue the Ghana card which is the only card to be used for the said re-registration exercise to all Ghanaians is arbitrary, capricious, amounts to an abuse of discretion and same is unconstitutional, null, void and of no legal effect.”

    The group also wants the Supreme Court to declare the punitive measures currently being implemented by the NCA which includes blocking calls declared as unconstitutional.

    The full blocking of unregistered SIM users is set to begin after the September 30 deadline.

    Early on, a statement issued by the NCA to all the Mobile Network Operators directed as part of the sanctions, a re-routing of outgoing calls for special messages to be played for all unregistered SIM cards.

    Also in the interim, the NCA asked that some numbers be blocked for outgoing calls and data services for 48 hours once every week on a rotational basis.

    “Subscribers who fully register their SIM Cards within the period they have been blocked will only be unblocked by the MNOs after the 48 hours to avoid the MNOs tampering with their systems intermittently,” the document noted.

  • Chieftaincy dispute heightens tension, fear at Sakyikrom after palace coup

    Residents of Sakyikrom a suburb of Nsawam Adoagyiri Municipality in the Eastern region say they are gripped with fear following the heightening chieftaincy dispute in the community.

    The Queen mother of Sakyikrom, Nana Agyarkwabea, and a few palace Elders allegedly staged a palace coup by enstooling a new chief Nana Sakyi Agyarkwa known in private life as Percy whilst the substantive Chief Nana Osei Anka IV had traveled abroad for medical intervention in 2020 before COVID-19 lockdown.

    The return of Nana Osei Anka IV to the community has since heightened tension as the Queen mother and her cohorts of chiefs aided by the security have allegedly hijacked the palace denying the alleged destooled chief access.

    According to residents armed police and some plain cloth security operatives have been marauding in the town under the guise of maintaining law and order but say it is rather causing more fear and panic.

    “When they come, they fire warning shots indiscriminately. We are all afraid. Our children, our wives are all afraid to go out. The last time they beat the assembly member mercilessly and he was rushed to the hospital “a resident said.

    Tension was high Sunday, October 2, 2022, during the celebration of Akwasidae as both factions performed customary rites to observe the day.

    Oheneba Nana Asante Okodie, the Apegyahene of Sakyikrom said, “this community is no longer safe because of the weapons being paraded in town. But I must emphasize that the Queenmother can’t destool a chief so the so-called destoolment by the Queenmother is illegal, null, and void”.

    The embattled Chief of Sakyikrom, Nana Osae Anka IV explained that he was legitimately enstooled in 2013 but whilst abroad for medical treatment in 2020, he was informed by Abusuapanyin Kofi Owusu, the Queenmother was enstooling a new Chief.

    Nana Osae Anka IV has since petitioned the Eastern regional House of chiefs as well as the Regional Police Command for the law to take its course rather than using violence to liberate the palace and his personal properties.

    “We are peace-loving people so deposit having the numbers to face them squarely I have told my followers to remain calm. We are using the legal means to regain the stool and librate the palace” Nana Osae Anka IV.

    The Mawerehene Nana Sakyi Ankomea, however, denied allegations of indiscriminate shooting in the community.

    He admitted to the presence of security personnel during events due to the chieftaincy dispute in the community but said the security is to maintain law and order.

    “We don’t fire warning shots. Whenever you hear gunshot that is from the musket during procession of chiefs to an event or ceremony so it is absolutely malicious to say we fire gunshots indiscriminately. There is serious chieftaincy dispute in the community so I have asked the factions several times to sit and resolve the feud for peace to prevail to stimulate development,” Nana Sakyi Ankomea, Mawerehene said.

  • The Netherlands committed to support Ghana’s agric sector – Deputy Ambassador to Ghana

    The Deputy Dutch Ambassador to Ghana, Katja Lasseur, has expressed the commitment of the Netherlands to leverage its expertise to support Ghana to improve on its agriculture sector.

    She explained that the Netherlands as the second largest exporter of agricultural products in the world, had the potential to share knowledge, technology and investment opportunities to support efficient use of land in the country.

    Speaking at the opening of the 2022 Orange Cocoa Day (OCD) in Accra last Monday, the deputy ambassador said although the Netherlands was a small country in terms of land size, its total agriculture exports for last year reached €110 billion.

    Ms Lasseur stated that investment in agriculture thrives only on a well-structured land tenure system.

    “Land fragmentation and insecurity does not promote investment in the agriculture sector,” she said.

    Orange Cocoa Day

    The Orange Cocoa Day was organised by the Netherlands Embassy in Accra, collaboration with European Union (EU) Delegation in Ghana, European Institute, Meridia and other firms active in the cocoa sector.

    It was the theme, “exploring how improved access to land and tree tenure promote sustainability in the cocoa value chain,” and brought together stakeholders to discuss the sector-wide developments in cocoa and their readiness to support the sector in the country.

    The OCD also served as a platform for exhibitors which consisted of Tropenbos Ghana, Niche Cocoa Industry Ltd, Financial Access, 57 Chocolate, Ghana CSOs Cocoa Platform (GCCP) and Solidaridad, to showcase a variety of goods and services to participants.

    EU’s commitment

    The EU Ambassador to Ghana, Irchad Razaaly, reiterated the commitment of the EU to support a sustainable cocoa production in the country.

    He said the country’s efforts towards sustainability were fully aligned with the EU priorities to provide decent living income for cocoa farmers.

    “It is also to ensure sustainability in the value chain. The European Commission in September 2020 launched an inclusive dialogue on sustainable cocoa production.

    “This is what has been described as cocoa talks being executed between Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire,” he said.

    He said the EU was also supporting COCOBOD for the role out of the cocoa management system which was a sensitisation campaign to train agriculture extension officers.

    Historic commodity

    The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, said cocoa, for Ghanaians, was not just a cash crop that contributed significantly to the economy, but also, a historic commodity that formed part of the country’s heritage.

    He said with the crop being cultivated in nine out of the 16 regions of the country, the lives and livelihoods of many people depended on the value chain of this commodity.

    Mr Jinapor said in spite of its importance and contribution to socio-economic development, cocoa farming expansion had become a major driver of deforestation and forest degradation.

    “While promoting production, we must do so in a manner that does not destroy our lands and forests which supports the lives of billions of people across the globe.

    “As population grows, competition for land across the various sectors, such as agriculture, forestry, mining, human settlement, infrastructural development, ecological sites, among others, is inevitable”, he said.

    Creating balance

    The minister stated that there was, therefore, the need to create a balance between all those competing land uses without compromising the land’s ability to sustain the benefit flows for current and future generations.

    “Unlike many of the former British colonies, land in our country is mainly owned by stools, skins, clans, families and individuals, with the government controlling only about 20 per cent of lands acquired from stools and families,” he said.

  • Bawumia is clean and decorous; you can’t smear him with dirt – Opare Ansah to NPP internal saboteurs

    The Member of Parliament for Suhum Constituency, Hon. Frederick Opare Ansah has described as desperate propaganda an attempt by some faceless people to misrepresent Dr. Bawumia’s engagements during his working tour of some parts of the north this week.

    During his tour, which took him to the Northern and North East Regions between Sunday, October 2 to Wednesday, October 5, the Vice President paid courtesy calls on traditional rulers and inspected a number of ongoing Government projects, including Agenda 111 District hospitals.

    The Vice President also met with the party faithful, who he thanked for their continuous support to the government and urged them to, in spite of the current economic challenges, be proud of the NPP Government’s achievements in various sectors, which he listed to them.

    However, some people, who the Hon Opare Ansah says are internal party saboteurs, are, throgh social media, propaganda, spreading falsehood about the Vice President’s tour.

    It is these claims Hon Opare Ansah, who was a member the Vice President’s delegation for the tour, has completely rubbished as “desperate propaganda” by people he adds, desire to lead the party in 2024 and see the Vice President as a threat.

    Speaking to Omanhene Kwabena Asante on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme from the north on Wednesday after, Hon. Opare Ansah said even those behind the propaganda know very well how decent and decorous a politician Dr. Bawumia is.

    “Everybody knows Dr. Bawumia is a decent and a decorous politician who speaks to issues and doesn’t insult,” said Opare Hammond.

    “From 2007 when he emerged on the national scale, 2012, 2016 and 2020, Dr. Bawumia has been meeting people, and he has also been campaigning with the President. Have you ever heard he has said something indecent before?”

    “I sat in all the meetings throughout the tour and nothing like that happened. All that these desperate people are putting through propaganda, artworks and articles on social media are coming from our own NPP brothers, who support some other people who intend to lead the party.

    Opare Ansah described the Vice President’s tour of the North as very successful, as it gave him the opportunity to “inspect on-going projects, re-assure Chiefs and people of the north of government’s commitment to completing these projects, as well as provided opportunities for our party to interact with the Vice President on government’s development efforts, as he also thanked the party for their support to him over the years to partner President Akufo-Addo both as a running mate and as Vice President.”

    The Suhum MP had some words of advice to internal NPP members who specialise in deliberately smearing their opponents with dirt to desist from that, as it is detrimental to the overall interest of the NPP party.

    “Let us stop such dirty politics because it is not healthy,” he said.

    “We will finish the internal contest and face the NDC. In the past, some of these people said many things against Nana Akufo-Addo in 2007 and after our internal contest, the NDC used these lies against our candidate.

    “My advice to my NPP brothers is that we should have a healthy contest devoid of insults, lies and fabrications so that when you meet your brother in the future you can comfortably look him in the face and say this is my brother.

    “There is no iota of truth in their desperate propaganda
    You can’t deliberately throw dirt on your brother and turn around and accuse him of being dirty.”

    Dr. Bawumia’s delegation to the North included: the Minister of Interior Hon. Ambrose Dery, Sports Minister Hon. Mustapha Ussif, a number of Deputy Ministers, CEOs of State Agencies including immediate past National Organiser of NPP Sammy Awuku, Presidential Advisor on Health Dr. Nsia Asare, a number MPs from various regions, party executives and stalwarts of the NPP, including Chairman Odeneho COKA.

  • About 296 companies captured under 1D1F — Lead Officer

    A total of 296 companies have so far been captured under the government’s flagship programme, One District One Factory (1D1F) as of September 2022, Kofi Addo, Lead Officer for 1D1F, Ministry of Trade and Industry has explained that the companies captured were either in operations, under construction or in the pipeline adding that the sector had many companies under its radial.

    He revealed this during the inauguration of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly’s (TMA) District Implementation Support Team (DIST) which has membership from the Assembly, Ghana Standard Authority, Ghana Drug and Food Authority, Environmental Protection Agency, Ghana National Fire Service, Tema Regional Police Commander, and others.

    He said out of the number, 125 were in operations, 144 were under construction while 27 were in the pipeline noting that those in the pipelines had all their documentation ready to start the construction for the project.

    1D1F Lead Officer also said out of the 261 districts in Ghana, the programme had so far covered 52 percent of them and was working to capture the remaining 48 percent.

    He stated that the Greater Accra Region had1D1F projects in 19 districts of which the Tema Metropolis had two companies benefitting.

    Mr. Addo said the Ministry of Trade and Industry had a 10-point industrial promotion agenda, which the 1D1F was part, adding that others were the Strategic Anchor Projects, Business Regulatory Reform, Industrial Park and Special Economic Zones, and the Industrial Revitalization Programme, among others.

    He mentioned that the key principles of the 1D1F include private sector driven, explaining that a district could have more than one factory under the programme, and support from the district implementation support team.

    He added that an existing company could be captured under the 1D1F programme for expansion or creating of new subsidiary just like in the case of Pharmanova, Everpure and Kasapreko who have expanded to other areas with the help of the initiative.

    “When you have people saying we are just bringing old companies under the programme, it is not true, we capture expansions, building of new structures, and totally new companies,” he explained.

    The 1D1F Lead Officer added that two districts could also come together to have one company under the programme when they realized that their raw materials and other resources could not support full independent projects.

    He said among its objectives were value addition, support in import substitution, support for export, industries support, as well as opening the country up for economic activities through which jobs would be created.

    He said some incentives 1D1F companies received was five years’ corporate tax free, access to utilities, duty exemption (import duty, VAT, EXIM levy and NHIS levy) for all capital goods being imported for the project.

    Mr. Addo also stated that agreement had been signed with 15 commercial banks, which ensured the capping of interest rate on loans for such companies at 20 percent to ensure stable funding for the project adding that the government also subsidized 10 percent of the interest rate for companies with majority Ghanaian owned shares.

    Mr. Michael Okyere Baafi, Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry (MOTI), on his part urged Ghanaians to embrace the programme, as it had come to stay as an important way to industrialize the country.

    Mr. Baafi said Ghana had gotten to a stage, where it did not have a choice than to industrialize, stressing that industrialization must be a way of life for the people.

    He added that “1D1F should be taken like Christianity, it must be a way of life for us, and just like social media it has come to stay.”

    Mr. Yohane Amarh Ashitey, Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive chairing the inauguration said he believed in allowing the private sector to lead in industrialization therefore his resolve to ensure that the 1D1F programme was utilize by many to get more industries in the metropolis in addition to existing ones.

  • Online vehicle auctioning at Tema port to begin by end of October 2022 – GRA

    The Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority, Rev. Amisshaddai Amoah, has revealed that an E-Auction platform to auction vehicles at the Tema port is in the offing.

    According to him, by the end of October 2022, vehicle buyers will have the option to make vehicle purchases online.

    Among other benefits, the Commissioner-General said this will help to eradicate corruption with regards to auctioning of goods at the ports. He was speaking at a ceremony to launch the GRA Service Charter.

    “We’re working to improve our services through various online and technology platforms such as that customers will feel comfortable dealing with us.

    “We have the E-VAT, E-invoicing, and other innovative means by which customers are able to pay taxes and avoid some alleged corruption in our various offices. Another initiative is that by the end of October, we want to begin an E-Auction at the ports so that if you want to buy a car, just be home and click to search for the kind of car you want without coming to the port,” he is quoted by myjoyonline.com

    The Authority also noted that this is to enhance revenue mobilization and reduce revenue losses at the ports.

  • Invest in SMEs, they are backbone of economy – John Duti

    The team leader of technical advisers, Invest for jobs (GIZ) has urged stakeholders to support Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in other to create more jobs in the country.

    According to him, investing in SMEs would also strengthen the economy of the country as it involves a higher labour force.

    He said, “As part of this program, and a major component of it, I must say is for us to identify growth-oriented SMEs in Ghana, support them grow and to grow further, expand, and by so doing, create decent jobs, together with our partners.”

    “We all recognize the fact that SMEs are the backbone of our economy in Ghana. They constitute I’m told and I’m aware, they engage more than 80 percent of the labor force here in Ghana. And we can not underestimate the significance of SMEs in Ghana.”

    He was speaking at the official launch of the final edition of the Green SME Networking Festival in Tamale on Tuesday, October 4, 2022.

    Mr. John Duti said the aim to introduce these festivals is because of climate change, hence the need for SMEs (the 100 SMEs in the festival)to consider the environment in their production processes.

    “We really want to discuss green and greening. We all know, and we’re experiencing the effects of climate change. We are witnessing erratic rainfalls, we are witnessing a lot of changes in our weather, our climate that we never saw in the past 10 years, and therefore the fact that the climate has changed, we are experiencing it, then it’s incumbent on all of us in our ways to support efforts to mitigate the effects of our actions on the climate”, he said.

    He urged the selected 100 SMEs to consider themselves lucky and take the three-day workshop seriously as they were selected from 397 applicants.

    Meanwhile, this is the final edition of the Green Festival for the year 2022 after the first and second editions happened in Accra and Kumasi respectively.

  • You had no business in Tano Nimiri forest reserve – Kweku Baako berates Akonta Mining

    Seasoned Journalist, Kweku Baako Jnr, has taken a swipe at Akonta Mining Limited for mining in the Tano Nimiri forest reserve in the Amenfi West Municipality in the Western Region.

    It could be recalled that personnel from the Forestry Commission were recently chased out of the forest reserve by some muscular men when they went to stop workers of the company from mining.

    Following the incident, Akonta Mining Ltd, a mining company owned by the governing ruling New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Bosiako a.k.a Chairman Wontumi, has been stopped by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources from mining in the forest reserve.

    Although the company claims to have a mining lease to operate in the forest reserve, the Ministry however says it has no right to mine in the Tano Nimiri forest reserve.

    “As indicated in the Ministry’s Press Statement, dated 30th September 2022, Akonta Mining Ltd has a pending application dated 25th August 2022, for a Mining Lease over an area within the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve. That application has not been determined by the Minister, who is mandated by law, to grant or refuse such applications.”

    “And for the avoidance of any doubt, Akonta Mining Limited has NO mining lease, mineral right, and/or permit to undertake any mining operations in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve, and steps are currently being undertaken to enforce the Minister’s Directive issued on 30th September 2022”, a statement by the Minerals Commission read.

    Touching on the matter during Peace FM’s “Kokrokoo” discussion show, Kweku Baako Jnr berated the company for having intruded on the reserve when it knew it had no authorization.

    “I have checked all the licences they hold from 2011, 2012 till date and it doesn’t have one for forest reserve. But the last one which the company’s application is pending, the one in August, it has not been approved but that is in the forest reserve. So, what was the company doing there?…They had no business being in that particular place doing anything because, first of all, they haven’t approved that licence”, he told host Kwami Sefa Kayi.

    He charged the government to get to the bottom of the issue stressing, “this is tough call, a really tough call that again how this matter is handled would either enhance the integrity of the fight or diminish it”.

    “The issue is not that they have applied for a licence to go into a forest reserve. The issue is that you don’t have a licence yet but the company is there. Why? What kind of impunity is that?”, he exclaimed.