TIG Post

Author: Phoebe Martekie Doku

  • Photos: See the 4 cough syrups the WHO has warned about after 66 deaths in Gambia

    A global alert has been issued over four cough syrups after the World Health Organization (WHO) warned they could be linked to the deaths of 66 children in The Gambia.

    The syrups have been “potentially linked with acute kidney injuries and 66 deaths among children”, it said.

    The products were manufactured by an Indian company, Maiden Pharmaceuticals, which had failed to provide guarantees about their safety, the WHO added.

    The firm has not yet commented.

    The BBC has contacted Maiden Pharmaceuticals for comment.

    Indian officials say they have asked the WHO to share evidence of the link between the syrups and the deaths.

    The WHO identified the medicines as Promethazine Oral Solution, Kofexmalin Baby Cough Syrup, Makoff Baby Cough Syrup and Magrip N Cold Syrup.

    The four products had been identified in The Gambia, but “may have been distributed, through informal markets, to other countries or regions”, the WHO added, in the alert published on its website.

    It warned that their use may result in serious injury or death, especially among children.

    The WHO’s intervention came after medical authorities in The Gambia – a popular tourist destination – detected an increase in cases of acute kidney injury among children under the age of five in late July.

    The Gambia’s government has since suspended the use of all paracetamol syrups and has urged people to use tablets instead.

    The number of deaths has declined since the ban but two more have been recorded in the past two weeks, Gambia health services director Mustapha Bittay told the BBC’s Focus on Africa programme.

    He said that The Gambia did not currently have a laboratory capable of testing whether medicines were safe and so they had to be sent abroad for checking. Mr Bittay added that The Gambia was in discussions with the World Bank to get funding for a quality-control laboratory.

    The WHO said that laboratory analysis of samples of the products “confirms that they contain unacceptable amounts of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol as contaminants”.

    The substances were toxic, and their effects “can include abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, inability to pass urine, headache, altered mental state and acute kidney injury which may lead to death,” it added.

    Mr Bittay also said that traces had also been found of E.Coli, a bacteria which can cause diarrhoea and vomiting.

    The Gambia’s health officials said last month that dozens of children had died, without giving an exact number.

    Speaking in Geneva on Wednesday, WHO chief Tedros Ghebreyesus said: “The loss of these young lives is beyond heart-breaking for their families.”

    The WHO said that India’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation indicated that the manufacturer may have only supplied the contaminated medications to The Gambia, AFP news agency reports, quoting an email from the UN health agency.

    But the WHO said that “global exposure” was possible as the “manufacturer may have used the same contaminated material in other products and distributed them locally or exported” them, the agency reports.

    See the four cough syrups below;

  • How Kwame Nkrumah vacated his official residence for Queen Elizabeth II for 17 days

    The Ghana Times reported on Thursday, April 2, 1959, about the itinerary that Queen Elizabeth II was to use during her visit to Ghana in November of that year.

    With the headline, “Itinerary of Queen’s visit out,” the report detailed all the things the monarch was to do in the country.

    One of those activities was for her to participate in the State Opening of Parliament in the morning of November 13, but the most intriguing aspect of this report was on how Ghana’s president, Kwame Nkrumah, would vacate his official residence at Government House (the Christiansborg Castle) for the queen.

    This was announced by Kojo Botsio, Chairman of the Planning Committee and Minister of External Affairs when he met the press.

    “Disclosing this at a press conference at the Ministerial Conference Room…, Mr. Kojo Botsio, Chairman of Planning Committee and Minister of External Affairs, said that the Queen, accompanied by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, will be in Ghana from Thursday, November 12 to Saturday, November 28.

    “Mr. Botsio said the Prime Minister, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, is personally in charge of the whole arrangement for the Queen’s visit. He said that the Queen had informed the Government that the expenditure in connection with her visit should not be too expensive.

    “During Her Majesty’s 17-day visit, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah will take up residence at Flagstaff House, while the Queen occupies Government House, Osu,” the newspaper report said.

  • Members of Nana Agradaa’s church cry foul; accuse her of money doubling scam

    Some members of the Heaven Way Church in Weija have accused their leader, Evangelist Mama Pat, popularly known as ‘Nana Agradaa’, of cleverly deceiving them and running away with their monies.

    According to the aggrieved congregants, Nana Agradaa had earlier promised to double their monies through her special spiritual endowments.

    Based on this assurance, the affected worshippers said they were convinced to give her various sums, in expectation of multiplied outcomes.

    But in a series of viral videos on social media on Saturday, the church members who reposed confidence in the recently converted fetish priestess said their monies have not been doubled, with no trace of Nana Agradaa.

    In their view, this smacks of a well-orchestrated scheme by the preacher to trick them out of their sweat.

    The angry and betrayed congregants, therefore, trooped to the church premises on Saturday in search of answers from Evangelist Mama Pat.

    Some of them who were spotted in the viral videos intimated that they had given huge sums to Nana Agradaa, ranging from GHS1,000 to GHS20,000.

    But amidst the brouhaha, some social media users have criticised the affected church members for being too gullible and vulnerable.

    According to the critics, ‘Nana Agradaa’, as she is popularly called has gained notoriety for swindling her unsuspecting clientele, and therefore her congregants should have known better in dealing with her.

    Others have however laid the blame at the doorstep of the Police for failing to keep the former spiritualist in check after claiming she had repented and become a minister of the gospel.

    Meanwhile, the Ghana Police Service says it has begun investigations into an alleged money doubling scam that was perpetrated by Patricia Asiedua, popularly known as ‘Nana Agradaa’.

    In a Facebook post on Saturday, the Police said the suspect, who is the leader of the Heaven Way Church at Weija, reportedly committed the crime against some members of her congregation.

    According to the Police, the aggrieved members launched a series of reports which have subsequently compelled the Police to probe the matter.

    In its social media post, the Police, therefore, urged members of the general public to assist with investigations, while remaining calm.

    “The investigation was initiated following reports that have come to the attention of the Police on the matter.

    We would like to urge anyone with information that can assist the investigation to report to the Accra Regional Police Command at Accra Central close to the COCOBOD building. While investigation continues, we urge everyone, especially those who might have been affected to remain calm and not take the law into their own hands” the statement emphasised.

  • Police begin investigations into alleged money doubling scam by ‘Nana Agradaa’

    The Ghana Police Service says it has begun investigations into an alleged money doubling scam which was perpetrated by Patricia Asiedua, popularly known as ‘Nana Agradaa’.

    In a Facebook post on Saturday, the Police said the suspect, who is the leader of the Heaven Way Church at Weija, reportedly committed the crime against some members of her congregation.

    According to the Police, the aggrieved members launched a series of reports which have subsequently compelled the Police to probe the matter.

    In its social media post, the Police, therefore, urged members of the general public to assist with investigations, while remaining calm.

    “The investigation was initiated following reports that have come to the attention of the Police on the matter.

    We would like to urge anyone with information that can assist the investigation to report to the Accra Regional Police Command at Accra Central close to the COCOBOD building. While investigation continues, we urge everyone, especially those who might have been affected to remain calm and not take the law into their own hands” the statement emphasised.

    On Saturday, social media was awash with videos of aggrieved church members of ‘Nana Agradaa’, accusing their leader of swindling them.

    In a spree of comments monitored by JoyNews, the betrayed congregants said they took her for her words and gave out various sums of money with the hopes of receiving multiple folds as she had promised.

    Some of the victims of the supposed scam said they have traveled from very long distances to meet Nana Agrada to collect their money after her promises failed.

    Meanwhile, scores of social media users have criticised the affected church members for being too gullible and vulnerable.

    According to them, ‘Nana Agradaa’, as she is popularly called has gained notoriety for swindling her unsuspecting clientele, and therefore her congregants should have known better in dealing with her.

    Others have however laid the blame at the doorstep of the Police, for failing to keep the former spiritualist in check, after claiming she had repented and had now become a minister of the gospel.

  • Strong and robust logistics support fundamental to successful implementation of AfCFTA – Alan Kyerematen

    The Minister of Trade and Industry, Alan Kyerematen, has called on governments of African countries to put in place the needed institutional and logistical support frameworks to ensure that they collectively reap the full benefits from the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement.

    Speaking at the launch of the Africa Guided Trade Initiative in Accra, the minister stressed that “at our national levels, we should have institutional structures and a programme of action for boosting intra African trade to enable entrepreneurs to produce to take advantage of the huge market provided by the agreement.

    “We must ensure that we have the logistics support to ensure that we are able to move the goods from one country to another.”

    According to the minister, the launch “symbolizes that AfCFTA is not just on paper but a reality. And we are moving from talk and negotiations to action. It also symbolizes that governments in Africa who have been involved in the negotiations are now giving way to the private sector to make it a reality.”

    The guided trade initiative was launched for seven member countries.

    These seven countries which have signaled their readiness to start trading under AfCFTA were Tanzania, Mauritania, Kenya, Egypt, Cameroon, Rwanda, and Ghana.

    Speaking at the same event, Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, Wamkele Mene said at least 96 different products from the seven countries could be freely traded under the rules of AfCFTA.

    Products approved to trade under AfCFTA include horticultural products, pharmaceuticals, rubber, aluminum kitchenware, sugar, steel, and wooden products. These products originating from Africa will enjoy duty-free and quota-free trading among the partnering countries.

    “This is the moment the founding mothers and fathers of the Organization of African Unity have longed (for). We have finally honored and made reality the vision of those who liberated our continent.

    “We are connecting East Africa to West Africa, North Africa to Southern Africa. Trade will be the driver of inclusivity, creating opportunities for young Africans. So we have taken the first journey today, and I hope in 15 years, we will have succeeded in lifting millions and millions of Africans out of poverty,” Mene said.

  • GI-KACE Holds AI series forum on music and creative arts

    The Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT (GI-KACE) has organised an Artificial Intelligence (AI) knowledge series forum on music, entertainment, culture and the creative arts.

    The event, which took place at the auditorium of the centre on Thursday, September 29, brought together several students, innovators, stakeholders and industry practitioners.

    Some of the dignitaries who were present include Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) President, Bessa Simons; renowned Ghanaian poet, Rhyme Sonny; Host of Peace FM’s Entertainment Review show, Kwesi Aboagye; Director of Communications and Special Projects at MUSIGA, Ahuma Bosco Ocansey, popularly known as ‘Daddy Bosco’, among others.

     

    Director-General for GI-KACE, Dr Collins Yeboah-Afari

    Speaking at the event, the Director-General for GI-KACE, Dr Collins Yeboah-Afari, stated that the session’s relevance was to help create awareness about the opportunities available in using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the music, entertainment, culture, and Creative Arts industry.

    He also stated that with the right application of AI in the Creative Arts industry, several jobs would be created in that space which will also increase revenue and impact Ghana’s Gross domestic product (GDP).

    “The adoption of AI technologies in the music, entertainment, culture, and Creative Arts industry will promote professionalism, and enhance the quality of output churned out by the various players in the industry. This will also help showcase our talents to the rest of the world while in turn increasing the tourism value of Ghana,” Dr Yeboah-Afari said.

    He noted that the event forms part of GI-KACE’s mandate to grow the ICT ecosystem in the ECOWAS sub-region and contribute to youth development, while the centre tries to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

    Kobby ‘Spiky’ Nkrumah, Host of Joy Geek Squad

    Presenting on how AI is transforming the music industry globally, Kobby ‘Spiky’ Nkrumah, Host of Joy Geek Squad – Multimedia Group, disclosed that AI is striking a chord in the music industry with many artists employing artificial intelligence in their music-making process.

    He added that some AIs had been developed so well that they could even analyse the style of musicians and create songs based on the data collected, which will sound exactly like the musicians themselves.

    “There are a few AI-powered music production platforms like JUKE Box, iZotope, among others, that can create and master music once all the right elements like genre and lyrics are provided. Some of these platforms can even continue the beat production for you if you want them to,” Mr. Nkrumah noted.

    He also added that digital music streaming platforms like Apple Music, Spotify and the like are AI-powered, and they analyse what you listen to regularly and send music recommendations to keep you updated on new trending songs based on your taste in music.

    On her part, Winifred Kotin, Co-founder of CDD Super Fluids Labs, mentioned that: “We can also use AI in tourism through Virtual and Augmented realities powered by Virtual assistants which deliver immersive experiences. There are also a lot of opportunities in AI in tourism through AI-Power Chatbots on Digital Kiosks. Digital Kiosk can have AI Chatbots installed and placed at vantage places like the airports.”

    Eyram Tawia, Chief Executive of Leti Arts, noted that AI plays an essential role in the development of Video Games, especially for him, as he is a Ghanaian game developer.

    The AI Knowledge Series was organised by GI-KACE in partnership with the Institute of ICT Professionals GH, AI Association Ghana, Runmila AI Institute and GIZ.

  • Fashion industry can be a game-changer for the economy – Rocky Dawuni

    Ghanaian singer, songwriter, and two-time Grammy-nominated musician, Rocky Dawuni, has stated that the country’s fashion industry has great potential to generate big revenue and become a game-changer for the economy with the right support.

    Speaking on the sideline of the 10th anniversary launch of ‘Rhythms on Da Runway’, he mentioned that Ghana’s fashion industry has proven to be unique, innovative and resilient over the past year, and a small push would enable key players to expand production capacity, improve on quality, and offer better export opportunities that will earn the country more revenue in foreign exchange.

    While commending the organising team, Nineteen57, for an initiative such as the Rhythms on Da Runway, which has generated revenue for several players in the arts and fashion, tourism, and entertainment sector, he urged key stakeholders to collaborate, build synergy and share ideas to grow the industry if help is not coming from the government.

    Rocky Dawuni’s remarks corroborate the statement made by the Managing Director of Vlisco Ghana, Fatoumata Doro, recently that Ghana’s fashion industry is quite young and full of growth potential; hence, the need to invest in the industry, and the need for both government and corporate entities to help develop it to full potential.

    “E-commerce, artificial intelligence, augmented reality and digital printing are some of the fashion-enabling tools that will shape the future of the fashion industry in Africa, and this requires some investment from both government and corporate entities to build a robust ecosystem for players to thrive in the space,” she said.

    The 10th edition of Rhythms On Da Runway was officially launched under the theme: ‘The Green Edition’.

    According to Nineteen57, this year’s edition is intended to draw attention to sustainable solutions for development.

    Notable personalities who graced the ceremony at the premises of The Lotte, Cantonments, include real estate mogul, Nana Kwame Bediako (Cheddar); CEO of Free Zones Authority (GFZA), Michael Oquaye Jnr.; multiple award-winning artiste, Edem; dancehall artiste, Episode; among many other movie, fashion and media personalities.

    The main event will take place on Sunday, November 20 at ‘The Dome’ of the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC).

     

  • Ghana re-elected to ITU Council

    Ghana has been re-elected as a council member of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), to continue contributing its quota to the United Nation’s specialized agency that oversees global telecommunication operations.

    The election for the Council membership, which was held on Monday, was the high point of the ongoing ITU Plenipotentiary Conference 2022 in Bucharest, Romania.

    Ghana secured 145 votes and ranked 2nd among the 13 countries elected to the
    Council from Region D in Africa, which is the highest number of votes that Ghana has secured at an ITU Council election.

    The ITU Council acts as the Union’s governing body in the interval between
    Plenipotentiary Conferences, held every four years.

    Its role is to consider broad telecommunication policy issues to ensure that the Union’s activities, policies, and strategies fully respond to today’s dynamic, rapidly changing telecommunications environment.

    The Minister for Communication and Digitalisation, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, who led Ghana’s electoral campaign pledged that Ghana would continue to make a valuable contribution to the ITU council while making sure that it provides its service to telecommunication in a resourceful, open, and futuristic way.

    She explained that the government has already done a lot through initiatives such as the innovative Rural Telephony Project and Sectoral Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTS) to secure cyberspace amongst others.

    In a related development, Rev. Ing. Edmund Yirenkyi Fianko, the Acting Director of Engineering at the National Communications Authority (NCA) was elected to ITU’s Radio Regulations Board (RRB) for the 2023-2026 term.

    In total, forty-eight ITU Member States were elected to the Council ITU Radio Regulations Board (RRB).

  • AfCFTA: Have institutional structures to support entrepreneurs – Alan Kyerematen to Africa

    Trade and Industry Minister, Alan Kyerematen, has entreated African governments to put in place industrial structures to support entrepreneurs under the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

    According to him, the industrial structures will help entrepreneurs produce more goods and remain competitive in the market.

    He added that air logistics must also be made available to ensure the free movement of goods across the continent.

    Speaking at the launch of AfCFTA Guided Trade Initiative in Accra on Friday, October 7, 2022, Alan Kyerematen said the above-mentioned; industrial structures and air logistics were necessary to facilitate trade in Africa.

    The Trade Minister said, “We have to make sure that full things occur [under AfCFTA]. At our national level, we should have institutional structures and the programme of action to support our entrepreneurs is to be able to produce.”

    “We must ensure that we have the logistics support to be able to move the goods from one country to the other. Without sea freight, air cargo, this is not going to work,” he stated.

    Alan Kyerematen, at the launch of the Guided Trade Initiative, disclosed that the Chief Executive Officer of McDan Group, Daniel McKorley, has signed an agreement to invest cargo planes and sea freight vessels under the Africa Continental Free Trade Area.

    He called on other entrepreneurs across the continent to start looking at investing in transport logistic services.

    AfCFTA was introduced in 2018 with the aim of creating a single market for Africa, as well as, ensuring the free movement of goods and services on the continent.

    This free movement of goods and services will help expand Intra-African trade.

    This implies that goods will be sold at a relatively cheaper price because of the increase in production which will, in turn, create both direct and indirect jobs for the teeming unemployed youth.

    The free trade area also provides traders and importers an opportunity to stay competitive.

    Businesses when conducted in a free and safe environment will help reduce poverty in member states as well as create sustainable development.

     

  • McDan invests cargo planes, sea freight vessel under AfCFTA – Trade Minister announces

    Chief Executive Officer of McDan Group, Daniel McKorley on Friday, October 7, 2022, signed an agreement to invest cargo planes and sea freight vessels to support trading under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

    Announcing this at the launch of AfCFTA Guided Trade Initiative in Accra, the Minister of Trade and Industry, Alan Kyerematen, noted that the move by the Ghanaian entrepreneur was laudable.

    He said the availability of cargo planes and sea freight vessels will help in the free movement of goods from one African country to the other.

    He called on entrepreneurs to invest in transport logistic services for the smooth running of goods and services under AfCFTA.

    Alan Kyerematen said, “Without sea freight, air cargo, this is not going to work and that’s why I want to end on this note for us to celebrate one entrepreneur in Ghana, McDan who is now signing an agreement with the AfCFTA investing in cargo plane and sea freight vessel, specifically to support the trading under AfCFTA.”

    “I think this should be a call to other entrepreneurs across the continent to start looking at investing in this transport logistic services,” he added.

    Meanwhile, Ghana, Egpyt, Cameroon, Mauritius, Rwanda, Tanzania and Tunisia are the 7 countries participating in AfCFTA.

    The products traded include ceramic tiles, car batteries, pharmaceuticals, palm kernel oil, coffee, rubber, tea, components for air conditioners, among others.

     

  • Stay execution of National House of Chiefs’ judgement – Kadehene to Supreme Court

    The Chief of Kade, Osabarima Agyare Tenadu II, has filed a motion at the Supreme Court to Stay Execution of the National House of Chiefs’ recent judgement against him.

    The applicant in his motion on notice filed on October 5 is seeking the Apex Court to set aside the judgement of the National House of Chiefs delivered on September 29.

    He is also asking the court to restore the decision of the judicial committee of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs.

    The Regional House of Chiefs had ordered for a retrial of the case at the Akim Abuakwa Traditional Council.

    But that decision of the retrial, in the case titled Ohemaa Ekua Fosua, II, and four others vs Osabarima Agyare Tenadu, II, was appealed (by the 5 applicants) and same upheld by the National House of Chiefs.

    Dissatisfied with the judgement, the Kadehene has filed a motion at the Supreme Court to Stay Execution of the decision.

    In his Affidavit in support of the motion said “the Akim Abuakwa Traditional Council Judicial Committee actually set up measures to begin a retrial of the case.”

    “Strangely, the Respondents went for extension of time before the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs to appeal to the National House of Chiefs which was granted,” the Kadehene contended.

    “To my total shock and surprise, the judicial committee of the National House of Chiefs has given Judgment saying that they have allowed the appeal.

    “I pray for leave to file an appeal to the Supreme Court because I feel terribly aggrieved by the Judgment.

    “That, I will be ready to state my full grounds for the appeal to the Supreme Court when I get a certified copy of the Judgment, yet to be given on 10th November 2022.

    The Kadehene noted that “for now all I can say is that I do not understand why in the face of gross irregularities which took place at the Judicial Committee of the Akim

    “Abuakwa Traditional Council which had the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs ordering them to retry the case can be upheld here and affirmed by the National House of Chiefs as if endorsing irregularities,” he noted in his statement of case.

  • ‘Every bomb, every bullet’ statement at UN – Ukraine thanks Akufo-Addo for support

    The Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, has expressed his country’s gratitude to Ghana for standing by them amid the Russian invasion that started in February this year.

    Kuleba arrived in Accra on Wednesday, October 6 and departed on the 7th, with Ghana being the third stop of his African tour. He had earlier been to Senegal and Ivory Coast.

    While in Ghana, he delivered a message from President Volodymyr Zelensky to his counterpart Akufo-Addo and also held talks with Foreign Affairs minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey.

    It was during this meeting he revealed that Ukraine was grateful for Ghana’s support through the current crisis, citing specifically a statement at the 77th United Nations General Assembly in Akufo-Addo’s address in September.

    He said Akufo-Addo’s: “Every bullet and every bomb fired at Ukraine is felt in Africa,” statement was the clearest and the most eloquent statement, which reflected the global repercussions of the Russian aggression against Ukraine.

    “We have to stop this war, we will be winning it, because we defend the right cause, the principle of sovereignty, the principle of territorial integrity of the nation,” he is quoted to have said in a Ghana News Agency report.

    Kuleba also disclosed that aside from boosting bilateral and especially trade relations between Accra and Kyiv, Ukraine would soon be opening a full diplomatic mission in Accra.

     

  • Bawumia is a strong tree, he’ll stand through every storm – Kofi Bentil

    Kofi Bentil, Vice President of Imani Africa, has eulogised Vice President Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia on the occasion of his 59th birthday.

    Bentil, who has been a strong critic of the Vice President and the government at large, described the second gentleman of the land as a strong tree that will stand through every storm.

    He noted in a Facebook post with a photo of the Vice President that he [Dr Bawumia] is made of the right stuff.

    “The strongest trees are those that bend in the storm but don’t break. You are a strong tree. You will stand through every storm.

    “When it’s all done you will wave your leaves and branches in victory when the calm comes after the storm.

    “I will be there clapping. I won’t be surprised. I know you’re made of the right stuff.

    “Happy Birthday champ. You are blessed. It is clear,” Kofi Bentil‘s October 7 post concluded.

  • Popular man in ‘Go and ask your grandfather video’ to contest NDC position

    Many people who recognize his face from a 2017 interview GhanaWeb had with him, would remember those words of his that became an almost household catchphrase, “go and ask your grandfather.”

    This was after a reporter asked him for clarification to a proverb he used in the interview, to which he furiously retorted with those words.

    It has now emerged that the man, Noah Dogah, is vying for a top position in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Ada Constituency of the Greater Accra Region.

    In a poster that has been sighted online by GhanaWeb, Noah, who is running on the motto, Common Sense, wants to become the Chairman of the NDC in the constituency.

    In 2017, GhanaWeb posted the video of Noah Dogah where he made the comments on the back of a chaotic election for the District Chief Executive position in the Ada constituency.

    Furious about some of the things that happened on the day, including accusations that they had been sabotaged, Noah Dogah, an assemblyman in the area at the time, explained that he was also brutalized.

    “I will face them one by one, and they will see what will happen. I’m a traditionalist; I’m not a Christian so I’m also going to pray because they butchered me, they twisted my neck. They seized my phone, my money, my constitutional book is lost.

    “You were there. We were telling you that let the people get out of the room because we know the plans that the people set. We told you from the beginning but you took it for granted. Now, you saw it with your naked eyes. They came into the room first in their suits and we suspected that they are not National Security. We walked them out and before we were counting, they disconnected all the power.

    “You saw it, don’t let me be bias. They are totally failures. The officers in that room, they connived with the criminals to rob us so we are telling them that Sarah is not the DCE and she can never be DCE for Ada. Look, when you pluck a fruit, wait till it is ripe before you eat; don’t eat unripe fruits,” he said.

    Asked what the meaning of those last words were, Noah Dogah retorted that the reporter should go and ask his grandfather.

    The National Democratic Congress (NDC) goes to the polls later this year to election executives for all its regional and district offices across the country.

  • The ‘unwelcomed intrusion’ that pushed Anas from working with CID on galamsey investigation

    Undercover investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, has revealed details on why he backed down on an earlier decision to involve the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service in his galamsey investigation.

    This was contained in a statement by the celebrated journalist, who is also the owner of Tiger Eye PI, over his 2019 documentary dubbed “Galamsey Fraud part 1.”

    The investigation, which looked at the rot in the galamsey menace and how some top government officials were involved in it, also implicated a former secretary to the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), Charles Bissue.

    According to the statement, any claim that runs contrary to what the company said was without merit as Charles Bissue was caught engaged in bribery and corruption.

    In a statement dated October 7, the owner of Tiger Eye PI said the documentary which was carried out on “truth, facts and audio-evidence,” was sent to the CID as a way of getting their blessing on it before it was aired.

    However, the statement added, something fishy happened along the way that got the team to back out from seeking the help of the police investigators.

    “While investigations were ongoing under the OSP, we noticed a parallel investigation (an unwelcomed intrusion) was opened by the Tiwaah Addo Danquah-led CID on the back of a so-called complaint from the Chairman of the IMCIM, Prof. Frimpong Boateng, which generated enormous public opprobrium

    “Tiger Eye, sensing a fishy move had been designed to undermine the investigations of the OSP, took a decision not to collaborate with the CID since the same would have amounted to duplication of effort and a waste of precious resources, especially so when we suspected the whole CID intrusion was a smokescreen. Therefore, the so-called CID report which Mr. Bissue always hurriedly likes to bask in had no inputs from Tiger Eve who were the sole authors of the Galamsey Fraud investigations, and so, Tiger Eye considers the said report as a white-washing antic with no credibility,” the statement said.

    Also in the statement, Tiger Eye PI’s Anas Aremeyaw Anas insisted that its 2019 documentary was nothing but the true representation of what transpired.

    It added that any claim that runs contrary to what the company said was without merit as Charles Bissue was caught engaged in bribery and corruption.

    “Tiger Eye’s position, conduct and approach to all investigations are based on truth, facts and audio-visual evidence. Tiger Eye affirms and maintains its investigations and conclusion on the Galamsey Fraud documentary about Mr. Charles Bissue and other staff at the dissolved IMCIM. Any claims or allegations to the contrary are false and without merit.

    “Mr. Charles Bissue engaged in bribery and corruption and Tiger Eye uncovered this in the form of audio-visual evidence when undercover journalists posed as owners of an abandoned mining company,” a part of the statement read.

    Anas further refuted Charles Bissue’s claim that agents of Tiger Eye P.I demanded payment of monies in order not to air the documentary.

    He maintained that it was a “figment of his imagination” for him to think that monies would be collected to sweep the documentary under the carpet to avoid his disgrace when it has already been advertised.

    Read the full statement from Anas Aremeyaw Anas below:

     

  • All about the Damba Festival in Dagbang Kingdom

    Damba is one of the festivals that is largely celebrated by the people of Northern Ghana.

    The festival is celebrated by the Dagombas, the Nanumbas, the Mampurisis, the Gonjas, the Waalas, and the Kusasis.

    The festival is celebrated to mark the birth of Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Hence during this celebration in Dagbang, the Islamic Religious Leaders have vital a role play for it to take off smoothly.

    Damba is a festival with the greatest gathering of people from far and near, that is celebrated by the Dagombas and it is the second festival after the Fire festival (Bugum).

    The festival is celebrated across the length and breadth of Dagbang among the sons and daughters of Naa Gbewaa, The Lion King.

    Damba festival is a platform that makes it possible for families to meet and socialize. Apart from socialization, it also attracts tourist across the globe and boost economic activities in the area. The month of Damba is gradually assuming the ‘month of smock’ as the nickname. Smock weavers cash in a lot during the month.

    In Dagbang, the festival is celebrated in two folds – Somo Damba and Naa Damba. Upon the sighting of the crescent of Rabi-ul-Awwal (the third month of the Hijr Calendar) a musket is fired once to signify the sighting of the Damba Crescent (damba Goli) and the talking drum would also be played to inform the King of the sighting of the crescent.

    The following day, the wives of the King of Dagbang, Ndan Ya-Na and Gongong beaters (Lungsi) would start gathering at night at the forecourt of the Gbewaa Palace to rehearse dance and songs of the festival for the next few days, popularly known in Dagbang as “Damba Binchera”. This practice would go on for the next ten (10) days at the Gbewaa Palace.

    On the eleventh day, the Somo Damba (Dan’tooni) celebration starts. This Somo Damba is led by a chief called Yidana Somo and that is why the first Damba is referred to as Somo Damba. The Somo Damba celebration processes starts in the morning at the forecourt of the Gbewaa Palace in the presence of distinguished chiefs including Yidana Somo, Yidana Zemoli, Yidana Chim, Zohe Naa, Kuga Naa, Kum-lana, Nba Dugu, Nba Malli etc. Also present at the gathering will be Islamic Clerics (Afa Nima), Gongong beaters (Lunsi), Goonginima, and the general public.

    The activities in the morning include the Picking of Rice (Shinkaafa Gahimbu), Slautering of Cow (Nahu gilibu), Recitation of some verses of the Quran and Drumming and dancing accompanied with firing of the muskets. These activities take place in the morning until midday.

    Later in the evening, all the chiefs return to the Gbewaa palace for the continuation of the Somo Damba celebration. The Ya-Na is led out by some of his sub-chiefs to sit and observe the celebration. The first person to be invited to perform a dance is the Yidana Somo; he dances to signify the official opening of the dance floor. After him, the drummers then invite other chiefs and other well-meaning Dagombas ( Asanzanima) to also come on board to display their dance skills. The drumming and dancing continues until night falls whence Ya-Na dances finally to signify the end of the first fold (Somo Damba).

    A week later, that is exactly on the 17th day of Rabi-ul-Awwal (Damba Goli), all the chiefs gather again in the morning and all the activities that took place in the morning of the somo Damba are repeated to commence the Naa Damba. It is referred to as Naa Damba or Napag-ba Damba because its belongs to King himself.

    Later in the evening, the people come back to the palace to continue with the celebration.The Naa damba is the most attended celebration among the two folds. The Yaa-Naa is led out again by the chiefs and elders of the palace for the evening celebration to continue. The dancing and firing of the muskets continue into the night of the day. Also, varied organized dance forms come later in the night and this goes on till the early morning of the 18th day regarded as Farewell Day or Biɛlieli Kulsi Dali in the Dagbani Language.

    The 18th day is the final day of the damba celebration known as Biɛli Kulisi (Farewell). In the evening, some the chiefs gather at the palace again to escort some distinguished chiefs and sub-chiefs to their various palaces in town. The period is also used as an avenue for thanksgiving to the various Chiefs and the people. The first chief to be paid homage to is the Zohe Naa and the Balo-Naa is the last to be paid the homage to. This thanksgiving is done while the dancing, firing of musket and singing continues. The song that is sung during the Beli Kulisi is “Damba Kuliya Kulan-labina Nagi- la Yuuni.” to wit ‘Damba is returned not to come back until after a year’.

    All in all, the festival is celebrated by all Dagombas across the globe every year. This instills the culture and traditions in the youth, and promotes peace and development.

    May God bless Dagbang Kindom and make us continue to propagate our culture for there is a saying that, take the culture away from the people and they would be left with no identity.

  • Family in Nkoranza living in fear after surviving two separate robbery attacks

    A family based in the Nkoranza South Municipality of the Bono East Region is living in fear following two separate robbery attacks on his life.

    Their fears are premised on the fact that they have already survived two separate robbery attacks in September 2021 and August 2022.

    Narrating the ordeals, Alhaji Adam Mamudu, a cattle dealer indicated that although they have survived the attacks, he believes he and his family have become endangered species at the hands of criminals and are no longer safe.

    Showing evidence of the first attack, Alhaji Adam Mamudu disclosed that he was trailed and allegedly shot by two individuals, Thunder and Iddrisu, around 8:00 pm by the roadside but the suspects are walking freely in the community after they were arrested and arraigned before court.

    “I had gone to visit the sick son of my herdsman when I was trailed by some individuals on a motorbike and shot at the back but thankfully I survived. The sad reality is that even though I saw and reported the suspects to the police, they are walking freely after their arrest and subsequent bail by the court”.
    He added that the second attack occurred at a village called Dinkra closer to Dromankese where he was robbed of an amount of GHC8,000 and his son who was with him kidnapped for a ransom which he paid before his release.

    “I was attacked again two months ago at Dinkra. They robbed me of all the GHC8,000 on me, kidnapped my son and demanded an amount of GHC100, 000 as ransom”.

    He stressed that there is no doubt that the criminals live in the community with them due to the nature of the attacks and their modus operandi which has heightened his fears.

    “I am living in fear and not just me but my family members due to the nature of the attacks and the persons behind the attacks. I am convinced that the criminals are with us in the community and they monitor all our activities”.

    Kidnap account by son

    Haruna Mamudu, the son of Alhaji Adam Mamudu who was allegedly kidnapped by the robbers has confirmed the incident and the subsequent request for a ransom.

    According to him, he was taken deep into the bush awaiting payment of the ransom by his father before he was released by his captors.

    “When I was kidnapped, they took me deep into the bush, an area I don’t know and waited for the payment of a ramson by my father. They only released me after the ramson had been paid”.

    Call for intense security by police

    The family is calling on the police to intensify security in the area to cramp down on the activities of criminals in Nkoranza and its environs.

  • Kweku Baako narrates how Major Mahama was allegedly killed by galamseyers

    Veteran Journalist Kweku Baako Jnr has alleged that the lynching of Captain Maxwell Adam Mahama (Major Mahama) by residents of Denkyira-Obuasi in the Central Region in 2017 was orchestrated by illegal small-scale miners (galamseyers).

    According to him, the lynching of Major Mahama was not because he was mistaken for a thief as being asserted but was planned.

    In a Peace FM interview monitored by GhanaWeb, Kweku Baako said that the galamseyers arranged the murder of Major Mahama because they saw him as an impediment to their activities in Denkyria-Obuasi

    “This is a tragedy so I have to be careful so that I don’t hurt feelings and emotions. Do you know that the late Major Mahama was a victim of galamseyers?

    “The galamseyers thought he symbolized protection of a certain mining interest there. They (the galamseyers) gingered up the thing (the incident) and got that man killed,” he narrated.

    He intimated that even though no one has been found guilty of Major Mahama’s death he is confident that the perpetrators will be brought to book.

    “They have not finished the court case … but it is progressing,” he said.

    On May 29, 2017, residents of Denkyira-Obuasi in the Central Region lynched an army officer, Captain Maxwell Adam Mahama to death after mistaking him for an armed thief.

    The mob attacked and beat him to death with stones, building blocks and sticks, after which they set him on fire. The horrific act which was captured on video was greatly condemned. Investigations into the murder of the army officer led to the arrest of some town folks.

    President Akufo-Addo condemned the lynching as a “heinous crime,” and promised justice.

    “No one involved in his murder will go free,” he said.

    But up to date, no has one been found guilty of any crime.

  • A significant proportion of Ghanaians are food-insecure – Legon lecturer

    An Associate Professor at the University of Ghana’s School of Public Health, Richmond Aryeetey, has admitted that a significant proportion of the Ghanaian populace is food-insecure.

    According to him, this is happening despite the government’s flagship programme Planting for Foods and Jobs (PFJ).

    He said there is a difference between food supply and food security, explaining that food supply is a component of food security.

    Prof Aryeetey stressed that the government’s PFJ forms part of the food supply chain.

    He explained that this is an indication that people may not be eating right.

    The nutritionist said 20 to 40 per cent of the Ghanaian population is food-insecure.

    In his view, food inflation is making it difficult for people to consume quality food in recent times.

    These have health implications for the country, he warned.

    For instance, he pointed out that as a consequence, many Ghanaians are taking risks regarding eating right.

    “People make difficult decisions on how many times they will eat in a day,” he lamented.

    The Associate Professor made these comments while reacting to the World Bank’s report that one-third of Ghana’s population skips a meal a day.

    He spoke on the 505 news hosted by Korku Lumor on Class 91.3 FM on Thursday, October 6, 2022.

    He noted that not eating right could make people not think right

  • BoG missed the timing of policy rate hike – Prof. Bokpin

    A senior lecturer at the University of Ghana, Professor Godfred Alufar Bokpin, has stated that even though the Bank of Ghana’s efforts to address the rising inflation rates by increasing the monetary policy, the timing for its recent hike is wrong.

    The Bank of Ghana increased the monetary policy rate by 250 basis points to 24.5% on October 6, 2022.

    Prof. Bokpin explained that what the Bank of Ghana currently lacks is the right positioning of the policy rate to effectively deal with the current economic crisis.

    “We have said that where we are, the triggers are much more from the fiscal side and therefore there is a limit to how far you can deploy monetary policy largely of course to eliminate the demand-related inflationary pressures but where I disagree with the Bank of Ghana is the timing of their policy rate adjustment that seems to lack in terms of positioning it to anchor inflationary expectation, I think we missed it,” he is quoted by myjoyonline.com.

    Ghana’s current inflation currently stands at 33.9% as of August 2022, the highest it has been in 21 years.

    However, the economist identified that Ghana’s problem has to do largely with the fiscal side of the economy.

    Therefore, the Bank of Ghana should not be blamed entirely.

    “We may be missing the point if we blame the Bank of Ghana so much and leave out the big elephant in the room which is the fiscal side where the political economy is dominant and where politicians and managers of the fiscal side are to be blamed for the current mess that we are in.

    “If you look at Bank of Ghana’s statement for the past year, you will see a certain posture of Bank of Ghana that suggests that they are unhappy with the way the fiscal side is being managed,” he explained.

  • Cedi sells at GH¢11 to 1 dollar at bureaus, BoG at GH¢9.63 as of October 8

    On the Interbank forex rates from the Bank of Ghana on, October 7, 2022, the Ghana Cedi is trading against the dollar at a buying price of 9.6302 and a selling price of 9.6398.

    As compared to Thursday’s trading of a buying price of 9.6302 and a selling price of 9.6398. At a forex bureau in Accra, the dollar is being bought at a rate of 10.82 and sold at a rate of 11.00.

    Against the Pound Sterling, the Cedi is trading at a buying price of 10.7742 and a selling price of 10.7860 as compared to Thursday’s trading of a buying price of 10.8513 and a selling price of 10.8641.

    At a forex bureau in Accra, the pound sterling is being bought at a rate of 11.95 and sold at a rate of 12.25.

    The Euro is trading at a buying price of 9.4677 and a selling price of 9.4772 as compared to Thursday’s trading of a buying price of 9.4978 and a selling price of 9.5082.

    At a forex bureau in Accra, Euro is being bought at a rate of 10.45 and sold at a rate of 10.72.

    The South African Rand is trading at a buying price of 0.5380 and a selling price of 0.5387 compared to yesterday’s trading of a buying price of 0.5401 and a selling price of 0.5404.

    At a forex bureau in Accra, South African Rand is being bought at a rate of 0.45 and sold at a rate of 0.80.

    The Nigerian Naira is trading at a buying price of 45.2257 and a selling price of 45.2382 as compared to yesterday’s trading of a buying price of 45.2776 and a selling price of 45.3679.

    At a forex bureau in Accra, Nigerian Naira is being bought at a rate of 13.00 Naira for every 1 Cedi and sold at a rate of 15.50.

  • Let’s work hard to break stereotypes of women in tourism – GTA CEO

    The Chief Executive Officer, of Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), Akwasi Agyeman, has urged women in tourism to work hand in hand to break the stereotypes that hold women down.

    He said, “we need more of our women to rise to positions  of authority that will enable them to influence policies, especially those that will affect the fortunes of other women.”

    Agyeman made the observation at the just-ended biennial congress of the GTA Ladies Club.

    The congress brought members across the regions to discuss ways to help the organization achieve its goals, empower each other, and exchange views and ideas aimed at improving the welfare of female staff.

    He congratulated the Club for the commitment and efforts towards the successful operations of the GTA and urged them not to relent in their efforts to create a more formidable force of Authority.

    Mrs. Doreen Fianko, Founder of the Club, said there were many conscious and unconscious biases around women, which hindered their progressive forward movement.

    “This is the reason why women need to be empowered and allowed to redefine their gender roles and to make strategic life choices which will allow them more freedom to pursue their desired goals.”

    Mrs. Emma Rachael Akua Oduro, Outgoing President of the Club, urged women in the Tourism, Arts, Culture, and Hospitality industry in Ghana, to mentor and coach one another through support groups to meet up with the growing demands within the industry.

    She said the club was formed over two decades ago to, among other things, improve the welfare of the female staff through the exchange of ideas, promote the image and advancement of members as well as assist the management to achieve the basic objectives of the Authority and offer constructive suggestions and criticisms.

    The Ladies’ Club has a membership of about 200 drawn from all 16 regions of Ghana.

    Some activities that took place during the congress included a leadership training programme, an empowerment summit, a donation exercise, an election and swearing-in of new executives, a tour, and a picnic.

    The newly sworn-in executives include  Madam Francesca Quansah, President, Ms Abigail Kwayisi, Vice President, Madam Selase Tettevi, Organizer, Nana Yaa Boadu, Assistant Organizers, Madam Millicent Nweada, Public Relations Officer, Madam Ellen Gyeambea, Secretary, and Madam Dela Melchidek, Financial Secretary.

  • Viral disease that affects okro, cucumber detected

    The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) says it has detected a viral disease that affects mostly okra, cucumber, and tomato crops in the Lawra Municipality.

    The disease is not peculiar to only Lawra, but also detected in other adjoining districts such as Lambussie.

    “A report has been sent to our regional office for proper investigation to be conducted to come up with an effective solution,” Mr Yer Simon, the Lawra Municipal Director of Agriculture, has disclosed.

    He said farmers in the affected districts had been advised to uproot and bury the affected plants to help stop their spread in the communities.

    Mr Simon made this known when he gave an overview of the agricultural activities at a farmer’s forum held in Lawra to usher in the “Kobine” Festival of the Chiefs and people of the Lawra Traditional Area.

    The forum was on the theme: “Crop cultivation in the era of climate change.”

    Mr Simon, who spoke on “Sustaining our agricultural productivity in post COVID-19 challenges and opportunities”, said the department over the years worked effectively with women in the Agricultural Platform (WAP) to improve their agricultural activities in the municipality.

    He announced that through the Modernisation of the Agriculture in Ghana (MAG) programme, one of the women groups had secured a rice milling destoner machine, to be used to improve the quality of locally milled rice.

    He said 24 simple hand sewing machines were supplied on subsidised bases to some women and other farmer groups by the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) to help improve agricultural mechanisation and reduce drudgery in agricultural activities.

    The Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) and the Ghana Rice Interoperability also gave 10 slashers to some groups for weeding and harvesting of rice in the municipality.

    On the food crops situation, the Agricultural Director said farmers who planted early at the commencement of the rains had to re-sow due to poor germination of seeds in some parts of the municipality.

    Mr Simon said input prices also recorded a marginal increase, and farmers who could not afford inorganic fertilizers for maize cultivation went into the growing of other crops such as soya beans, millet, sorghum, and groundnuts.

    He said under the Planting for Food and Jobs, 400 bags of NPK fertilizer were brought to the municipality and farmers could not buy fertilizers from the open market due to higher prices of the product.

    He said, the Fall Army Worm cases were recorded, and the situation was severe during the dry spell periods but that the department was able to secure some chemicals from the regional office and distributed to farmers free of charge to curtail the problem.

    Outlining some of the challenges facing the department, Mr Simon mentioned that inadequate extension officers and coordination support were hindering the smooth extension delivery in the municipality.

    Naa Dery Aatona , Chief of Zambo, who chaired the forum, urged farmers to diversify their farming activities especially in the areas of animal husbandry and livestock production in the wake of the climate change.

    He appealed to the government to continue with the provision of small-scale dams in the communities to help farmers to undertake all-year-round farming activities.

  • Do the right thing else we’ll come after you – GRA warns tax defaulters

    The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has vowed to clamp down on entities that fail to comply with tax obligations.

    This comes after six companies were shut down on Friday for tax evasion offences as part of efforts by the GRA to boost revenue mobilization.

    Speaking to the media after the closure of the facilities, the Enforcement Manager of GRA, Joseph Annan urged firms evading taxes to desist from the act else they will face the consequences.

    “We will always be on the field. We will knock on doors but if you run today, you may not run forever because we will surely knock on your door. Companies must do the right thing by paying all their taxes”, he advised.

    The Domestic Tax Revenue Division of the GRA, shut down operations of the UnderBridge event Centre located in East Legon for failing to register for Value Added Tax (VAT).

    This action was part of moves by the authority to check entities failing to honour their tax obligations, leading to loss of revenue to the state.

    Five other firms including four cold stores at Tema and a beverage distribution company; Josh Nartey ventures were also closed.

    The GRA says the offences of these companies include the non-registration of Value Added Tax (VAT) and the non-issuance of invoices.

    ”We got intel that they were not registered. We also did our own background checks and confirmed it.”

    ”We have locked up the place. They must do the needful by registering, and then we look at the sanctions for non-registration, after which we will open up the place”, Mr. Annan said.

    He added that, the action by the firms contributes to revenue loss to the state.

     

  • NPP polls: Stop Bawumia now or we’ll start campaigning too – Group

    The Northern Regional Campaign Coordinator of the ‘Alan for President’ team, Alhaji Ibrahim Karim, has drawn the attention of the National Executives Committee (NEC) of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) to the activities of the Vice-President, Dr Mahamadu Bawumia, in the north.

    According to the ‘Alan for President’ Campaign Coordinator, Dr Bawumia, in the name of an official working visit, is campaigning to replace his boss, who is exiting after serving his two conservative terms.

    He said Dr Bawumia, during his purported official tour up north, held a series of meetings with some delegates and sought their support to make his dream of becoming the first Muslim President in the Fourth Republic.

    He said at the meeting, the delegates’ phones were taken and an amount of GHS100 was given as transport after the meeting.

    “As a party, we cannot enact a law for the law to be hard on others and soft on some particular people,” he warned.

    Alhaji Karim drew the attention of the NEC to the purported campaign of Dr Bawumia speaking when he spoke on Accra100.5FM’s morning show Ghana Yensom hosted by Emmanuel Quarshie (The Hitman) on Friday, October 7 2022.

    He said the Vice President must be called to order for breaking the code of conduct spelt out by the party for governing the campaign for the flagbearership race.

    He added that when the Vice President came to the north, he was accompanied by some Deputy Ministers and Chief Executive Officers of some state organisations.

    “I have been suspended from the communications team of the party for just going on the radio to heap praise on the Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, for doing a great job”.

    “Yet, these people came to the north, mounted the radio stations and did all manner of things in the name of the Vice President and these people are still walking free,” he bemoaned.

    He warned that if the party fails to deal with the Vice President and his supporters for flouting the code of conduct in the run-up to the presidential primaries, supporters of Mr Kyerematen will be compelled to defy the code of conduct and openly campaign.

  • Court convicts mason for cement theft

    The Asante Bekwai Circuit Court has convicted a mason on his own plea for stealing bags of cement.

    Cephas Apoyagra, 24, admitted entering Mr Peter Osei, the complainant’s premise to steal 21 bags of cement and was convicted accordingly.

    Meanwhile, the Court presided over by Mr Mark Tair-ima Diboro deferred the sentence to October 20, 2022.

    Giving the account, Police Chief Inspector Christian Amartey said Mr Osei is constructing his building at Akwaduo New Site, where Apoyagra resided.

    He said on October 02, 2022 after complainant and his co-workers had closed from work, they packed the rest of the 21 bags of cement for safe keeping in one of the rooms of the uncompleted building in which they were working.

    Chief Inspector Amartey said after complainant and his co-workers left the place the convict, Apoyagra hired a tricycle to the place, where he loaded the 21 bags of cement into the tricycle and sent them to his uncle’s residence.

    The next day, at about 0700 hours the complainant and his co-workers reported for work and detected that the bags of cement had been stolen.

    Prosecution said the Complainant made enquires and was told by a witness in the case that he saw Apoyagra conveying the bags of cement from the uncompleted building.

    Complainant then lodged formal complaint with the police, the Court heard.

    Chief Inspector Amartey said on October 4, 2022 complainant arrested the suspect from his hide out and handed him over to the police.

    He said the convict admitted the crime in his caution statement.

    He then led police to retrieve the stolen items.

    Chief Inspector Amartey said after investigation he was arraigned.

  • Akufo-Addo and 11 African leaders twice as old as new Bukinabe president

    Burkina Faso as of October 3 had a new president despite last holding an election in November 2022.

    Ibrahim Traore, rose to the high office of president and Supreme Leader of the Armed Forces after leading a coup that ousted his former boss Lt. Col. Sandaogo Damiba.

    Traore, at the age of 34 became the world’s youngest president, two years behind the democratically-elected Chilean president, Gabriel Boric.

    The new Burkinabe president would hardly have made it to the presidency if he tried getting there via the ballots.

    A testament to this is the fact that whereas Africa boasts a young population, it has managed to produce some of the oldest leaders.

    At 34 years, Traore is in some case younger that children of some African presidents.

    This article looks at some African leaders whose age is double or more than twice that of their newest counterpart in the arid West African country suffering a Sahel security crisis.

    List of African leaders who are twice as old as Ibrahim Traore

    a. Joao Lourenco of Angola – 68 years

    b. Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa – 69 years

    c. Abdelmajid Tebboune of Algeria – 76 years

    d. Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria – 77 years

    e. Alassane Ouattara of Ivory Coast – 78 years

    f. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of Ghana – 78 years

    g. Denis Sassou Nguesso of Republic of Congo – 78 years

    h. Yoweri Museveni of Uganda – 78 years

    i. Theodore Obiang Nguema of Equatorial Guinea – 80 years

    j. Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe – 80

    k. Hage Geingob of Namibia – 81 years

    l. Paul Biya of Cameroon – 87 years

  • Kwahu is Ghana’s Switzerland – Nana Asante Bediatuo touts

    Executive Secretary to Ghana’s president, Nana Asante Bediatuo, says Kwahu, in the Eastern Region of Ghana, is one of the blessed regions that the country should be proud of.

    According to him, Kwahu is Ghana’s Switzerland because of its good weather, development, and the kind nature of its people.

    “I always say Kwahu is Ghana’s Switzerland. Those who have not been to Kwahu are the ones who don’t know it. Here is Ghana’s Switzerland. The weather is very good, the people are also good and the people of Kwahu have united to develop the place. Kwahu is like travelling abroad,” he told Kwahu Ambassador in an interview sighted by GhanaWeb.

    Nana Bediatuo, to reiterate his points, added that it is for this reason that the president of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has been spending his Easter holidays in Kwahu, for the past fifteen years.

    He added that it is so because the president sleeps better when in Kwahu because of its peaceful environment.

    “Even the president, Akufo-Addo, celebrates the Easter festival at Kwahu. He has been doing this for fifteen years. He feels at peace and he sleeps better when he is in Kwahu,” he told the presenter.

    Background

    The Kwahu or Okwawu are hardworking mountain-dwelling agriculturalist and the famous business-oriented Kwa-speaking people that forms a subset of the larger Akan ethnolinguistic group living in the south-central Ghana, on the west shore of Lake Volta in the Eastern Region. The Kwahu live specifically on part of the Kwahu sandstone plateau, with the Afram Plains to the north, Akim Abuakwa to the south, Ashanti Akim to the west, and the Volta River forming an approximate boundary to the east.

    Kwahu people speak a Twi-dialect of Akan language, which is within the Kwa language group (Twi, Sefwi, Mfantse, Chokossi, Nzema, Ewe, et al), but also falls in the larger Niger-Congo phylum. The derivative of Kwahu-Twi spoken in indigenous Kwahu towns such as Abene, Abetifi, Pepease, Atibie, Nkwatia, Obo, Bepong, Tafo, Akwasiho, Obomeng, Twenedurase, Nteso, Nkwakwa, Mpraeso, Asakraka, Aduamoa, Pitiko, Sadan, Burukuwa, Nkwantanane, Ahinasie and Donkorkrom is slightly different from Asante-Twi, Akwapim-Twi and Akyem-Twi. According to Linguists Kwahus are fond of using the syllabi (La), (hunu) and the like. Thus they end their speech and pronunciation with words that end with “La” sound. In most cases, you will find that instead of “saa” the Kwahu ends it with “Saala” (that’s it), “yei ala” (just this). Therein dwells the distinction, and the Kwahus especially Obos are noted for such trend in speech delivery. The Kwahu slogan is Asase Aban, Yεnte Gyae (Protectors of the Land, We don`t quit) and also Oboכּ (Rock) or Oboכּba (Child of the Rock).

    The beautiful Kwahu Scarps, their residential polity has received platitudes from historians and anthropologists alike. Historians Macmillan and Kwamena Poh (1965) describe the wonderful climate of their mountainous town, Abetifi as “… the Switzerland of West Africa, with nights as cool as May nights in Europe”.

    The people are very wealthy and successful traders who were the first to utilize their interior middlemen role to emerge as strong local business gurus.

  • Ghana – IMF negotiations constructive, more to be done

    The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has described its second round of negotiation with Ghana for a loan support facility for the country’s homegrown economic programme as constructive.

    The Fund, however, said, the team would advance its technical work including further progress on assessing Ghana’s debt sustainability in the weeks ahead, including discussions at its Annual Meetings in Washington D.C.

    Mr Stéphane Roudet, the IMF Mission Chief to Ghana, at the end of the meeting on Friday, said: “We had constructive discussions on policies aimed at restoring macroeconomic stability and laying the foundation for stronger and more inclusive growth.”

    “We reaffirm our commitment to support Ghana in these challenging times, consistent with the IMF’s policies”.

    He expressed the IMF team’s gratitude to the Ghanaian authorities, private sector, civil society, development partners and other stakeholders for their constructive engagement and support during this mission.”

    The second in a series of negotiations dealt with issues including ensuring public finance sustainability while protecting the vulnerable, bolstering the credibility of monetary and exchange rate policies to reduce inflation and rebuild external buffers.

    The discussions also touched on preserving Ghana’s financial sector stability, and steps to encourage private investment and growth, including by improving governance, transparency, and public sector efficiency.

    The IMF team was in Ghana from September 26 to October 7 and discussed policies that could be supported by an IMF arrangement to help the country navigate through the current economic hardship and improve its fiscal balances sustainably.

    They met with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and his Vice, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, as well as the Finance Minister Ofori-Atta, and Bank of Ghana Governor, Dr Ernest Addison and their respective teams.

    The IMF team also met with the Parliament’s Finance Committee, and representatives from various government agencies, the Trades Union Congress, the private sector, civil society organizations, and development partners.

  • ‘Stride into 59 years of greatness’ – Adwoa Safo celebrates Bawumia

    Member of Parliament for Dome Kwabenya, Sarah Adwoa Safo, joined the list of politicians who wished Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia a happy 59th birthday.

    The Vice President on Friday, October 7 marked his birthday with a celebration at his residence with some cured lepers from the Weija Leprosarium and prominent personalities, particularly politicians.

    In a Facebook post, Adwoa Safo shared a picture of the Vice President with the caption: “Stride into 59 Years of Allah’s Fulfilment and Greatness, Dr. Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia”.

    About Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia

    Dr. Bawumia was born on October 7, 1963, in Tamale to the late Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia, former Chairman of the Council of State (1992–2000), and Hajia Mariama Bawumia.

    Born into a large family, Mahamudu Bawumia was the twelfth of his father’s 18 children and the second of his mother’s five. Mahamudu Bawumia attended the Sakasaka Primary school in Tamale and gained admission to Tamale Secondary School in 1975. He was President of the Ghana United Nations Students’ Association (GUNSA) in 1981.

    After graduating from Tamale Secondary School, he went to the United Kingdom where he studied banking and obtained the Chartered Institute of Bankers Diploma (ACIB). He took a First Class Honours Degree in Economics at Buckingham University in 1987.

    He then obtained a master’s degree in Economics at Lincoln College, Oxford, and obtained a Ph.D. in Economics at Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in 1995.

    His areas of specialization include Macroeconomics, International Economics, Development Economics, and Monetary Policy. He has numerous publications.

    He became an economist and banker by training and went on to serve as Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Ghana between 2006 and 2009.

    Dr. Bawumia was running mate to Nana Akufo-Addo in the 2008 and 2012 elections which they lost. He became Vice President on his third attempt with Nana Akufo-Addo after winning the 2016 and 2020 elections.

  • Baako, American Amb. must expose ‘powerful forces’ fueling galamsey – Apaak

    The Builsa South Member of Parliament, Clement Apaak, has urged the Veteran Journalist, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako Jnr and the American Ambassador to Ghana to expose the “powerful forces” fueling and profiting from illegal mining.

    According to him, failure of the duo to expose these persons makes them become accessories to the illegal activity.

    “Who are these powerful forces we are told are fueling 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? Why are those who know the “powerful forces” fueling and profiting from illegal mining not telling us who these forces are? Mr. Apaak quizzed.

    He continued: “Kweko Baako, and recently the American Ambassador to Ghana, have referenced these powerful forces. They ought to expose them, if not they are accessories.”

    His comments come on the back of Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abdulai Jinapor directing the Forestry Commission to stop operations by Akonta Mining Limited in the Tano Nimiri Forest in the Western North region.

    In a statement, the Ministry noted that Akonta Mining Limited which is believed to belong to the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NPP, Bernard Antwi Boasiako a.k.a Chairman Wontumi has no mining right to operate in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve.

    The bold action of the Minister for Lands has been widely commended by stakeholders.

    However, the Builsa South lawmaker says the government must show commitment to the fight against the illegal mining menace and deal with offenders within the government circles.

    Meanwhile, the opposition NDC has also served notice that they will investigate and prosecute Chairman Wontumi, Ekow Awusi, and Charles Bissue among others for their involvement in galamsey in the country.

    According to the party, the President’s call to action on the illegal mining menace remains mere rhetoric if it is not backed by the appropriate action such as going after his offending appointees.

    “We demand the immediate prosecution of all government functionaries and NPP officials who have engaged themselves in illegal mining (galamsey) activities such as Charles Bissue, Chairman Wontumi, Andy Owusu, Ekow Awusi, Prof. Frimpomg Boateng among others. This will be the first step to redemption and serve as a deterrent to other people within your government and party. You need to send a clear signal to Ghanaians that anyone caught in “galamsey” will be dealt with without fear or favour, regardless of party colours,” the party said at a press conference Thursday.

    The National Communications officer of the Party Sammy Gyamfi who addressed the media also noted “We demand that all the so-called illegal mining companies like the Akonta Mining Limited which belongs to Chairman Wontumi and Heritage Imperial Mining Company which belongs to Mr. Donald Enstuah, a known financier of the NPP who have invaded forest reserves without any mining leases or permits, must be closed down and prosecuted. The assets of these companies must be confiscated and their owners surcharged with costs of the destruction of those forest reserves.

    “We demand that all security personnel complicit in illegal mining activities should be made to face internal investigations and discharged from the various services to serve as a deterrent to others”.

  • Meet the 26-year-old undertaker who communicates with dead bodies

    Twenty Six (26) year old Sandra Donkor has recounted some heartbreaking and frightening experiences she has been through with dead bodies after she started working as an Undertaker.

    According to Sandra Donkor, Undertakers have so many ways of communicating to dead bodies in order not to hurt the feelings of dead people.

    Speaking in an interview with Esi Guyguy monitored by MyNewsGh.com, the courageous lady revealed “Sometimes before you can enter the room where dead body is, you have to knock the door three times before you can enter to show the dead some maximum respect”

    “Before an Undertaker can dress a dead body, the person needs to seek permission from the dead body before he/she can work on the body,” Sandra disclosed.

    “You should let the body know that you are not there to watch his/her nakedness but just to make him/her beautiful so you need permission to work on his/her body.”

    Sandra Donkor added that “Sometimes you have to enter the room with either his/her son or daughter or any of the family members to make the body understand that you are not there for any bad intention but rather his/her family members want his/her body to look beautiful.”

    “There are times when you see the corpse and the facial expression alone, it tells you they are not happy. So you have to talk to them. Sometimes, it takes the intervention of their kids or relatives to convince them before we take any action and without the family intervention, you can never work with the body.”

  • Gambaga ‘witch’ flies to Norway for conference

    A woman who was branded as a witch and had to live in the infamous Gambaga Witch Camp in the Northern Region of Ghana for 15 years has made a first-time trip to Norway.

    Suuk Laari was in Tromso, Norway, to attend the Coast Contemporary 2022 Conference as a guest of honour.

    The conference aims to help raise awareness on modern-day witch-hunts.

    Suuk’s story was made public in a Facebook post shared by a user, Larry Ibrahim Fataka Imf, a PhD Research Fellow at UiT The Arctic University of Norway.

    The conference’s theme was influenced by the master’s thesis of Larry Ibrahim Mohammed, who wrote on the Gambaga Witch Camp.

    “Suuk Laari has lived for 15 years in the Gambaga witch camp until this month. Last week, she joined us at the Coast Contemporary 2022 conference in Tromso, Norway to help raise awareness on modern day witch-hunt.

    “I am extremely proud yet humbled to have worked with Tanja Eli Sæter, Founder and Executive Director of Coast Contemporary, to make Suuks participation a possibility and also for co-curating the Ghana part of the Program with me,” he wrote.

    According to additional information shared by Larry Ibrahim, he described Suuk as a witch-hunt survivor.

    “Suuk Laari lived in the Gambaga Witchcamp for 15 years. Like everyone from the Camp, her story unites with other women there who run away for their dear lives after being accused of witchcraft.

    “The month of September 2022 will stand out as one of the best in her life. Suuk and Samson Laar, coordinator of the Gambaga witchcamp and the Presbytery, go home project, were invited to attend the Coast Contemporary conference 2022 in Tromso, Norway. Suuk was among the Guest of Honor,” he wrote.

    He also spoke about the address Suuk Laari delivered at the conference, which focused on her personal story.

    “Suuk Laari delivered a keynote, narrating the detail of her story on how she ended up at the Gambaga Witch Camp and her experiences while living there. She asked for a global effort to fight and criminalized the accusation of witchcraft and for more education on eradicating bad cultural practices. When asked about her thoughts on closing the witch camps, she emphasized that it is akin to scratching the surface of the problem. According to her, without the witch camp, she would probably have been dead and forgotten.”

    Samson Laar, on the other hand, called for more support to help feed the women in the Gambaga Witch Camp. As a coordinator of the Go Home Project, the main task has been re-uniting the women with their families and resolving any conflict that might have led to them relocating to Gambaga.

    Larry’s thesis also won the Ase Hiorth Lervik prize for best Master thesis with a gender theoretical perspective in 2021 with a ceremony in Tromso, Norway.

    About the Gambaga Witch Camp:

    The Gambaga Witch Camp Ghana’s most popular camp for women regarded witches, mostly in the northern parts of the country.

    The Camp is also a segregated community within the Gambaga township established in the 18th century to accommodate alleged witches and wizards who are banished from their communities.

    The camp has about 25 round huts and holds about 100 women. No health services or indoor plumbing are available.

  • My songs sometimes take up to 2 years to finish – Daddy Lumba

    Ghanaian musician Charles Kwadwo ‘Daddy Lumba’ Fosu has revealed in an interview on his official YouTube channel that his songs are created and finished over long periods of time, sometimes beyond two years.

    “You know, sometimes, it takes us about 6 months to finish one song,” he said.

    “For another song, even after 2 years, you would still not be done working on it,” he disclosed.

    The reason is “I often want to pick up proverbs and philosophical things that when I incorporate, would get the listeners thinking and pondering for the rich meaning therein,” the 58-year-old elaborated on his creative process.

    Regarded by many as the GOAT (greatest of all time), he cited an illustration for how he wrote the lyrics for his acclaimed 2011 hit, ‘Yene Wo Sere Kwa’.

    “You know my wife’s grandmother is still alive. I was speaking to her one time when she said to me: ‘Kwadwo, I’ve heard about you and I’ve been told when you are spotted in town, the women become joyful, which equally upsets the men’,” Daddy Lumba narrated and noted up until then he did not know an in-law could love one so dearly.

    The Highlife legend further disclosed that his grandmother-in-law shared with him a Ghanaian proverb during this encounter: “People hate on the individual who wears a decorated hat,” she said.

    “Note and remember that because of the famous name you’ve obtained, you will have many haters and no lovers,” Mr Lumba recalled his in-law’s words.

    “The thing she said that I loved the most was, ‘Your reign is like that of the tiniest squirrel which is yet able to shake the mighty Odum tree’,” the singer nicknamed DL, excitedly revealed: “So these are the wise sayings I started putting together [to make the song ‘Ye Ne Wo Sere Kwa’].”

    The businessman and singer proceeded to recite a stanza from the song, regarded as a classic by many music lovers.

    During the interview, he mentioned the song was mainly inspired by a period of severe sickness during which he felt abandoned by his loved ones.

    ‘Yene Wo Sere Kwa’ translates as ‘They wish you evil despite their smile’.

  • We failed to deal with local triggers of inflation before Russia-Ukraine war – Prof. Bokpin

    Economist and Finance Lecturer at the University of Ghana Business School, Prof. Godfred Bokpin says the current economic woes of the country are partly due to government’s failure to address inflation challenges even before the Russia-Ukraine war started.

    Prof. Bokpin believes that government cannot solely blame the increasing prices of food and products on the Russia-Ukraine war as there were early indicators of inflation in the country.

    Speaking on Top Story, Friday, he said the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) ought to have instituted emergency measures such as increasing the policy rate as a reactive measure to deal with the situation.

    “Inflation started picking up in Ghana ahead of the world and that is why we have held the view that the price development in Ghana started even before Russia started firing bullets to Ukraine and therefore we have local triggers of inflation that we failed to deal with rather than outsourcing everything to Russia-Ukraine.

    “The response then was for the MPC to arrange an emergency meeting and then increase the rate, that is more reactionary rather than being proactive,” he said.

    According to the finance lecturer, the weak fiscal management and increasing public debt are other contributors to the poor economy, hence, the Bank of Ghana cannot be fully blamed.

    He contended that politicians and other managers of the fiscal system should be held responsible for their failure to be fiscally disciplined in terms of their expenditures.

    “We may be missing the point if we blame the Bank of Ghana so much and leave out the big elephant in the room, which is the fiscal side where the political economy is dominant, where politicians and managers of the fiscal side are to be blamed for the current mess that we are in.

    “If you look at Bank of Ghana’s statement for the past one year, you will see a certain posture of Bank of Ghana that suggests that they are unhappy with the way the fiscal side is being managed,” he explained.

    Prof. Bokpin noted that the current fiscal system is in a mess and the Central Bank is just “deploying monetary policy as a broom to sweep the mess that is created by the fiscal side”.

    He was responding to the Central Bank’s rebuttal that it is not responsible for the increasing rate of inflation in the country as the World Bank has suggested.

    The BoG on Thursday said it cannot be blamed for the increasing rate of inflation in the country.

    Announcing a monetary policy increment on Thursday, thus a 200 basis points increase to 24.5 percent, the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr Ernest Addison, explained that the rising inflation rate is not a result of delay in tightening the monetary policy rate.

    “They’re of the other view that the monetary policy tightening is the way to go. Except that we’re late by their assessment, which I also disagree with because we started this policy tightening as far back as November 2021. It wasn’t in January that we got locked out of the market”, he added.

    The comments by the BoG Governor, follow a recent World Bank report which indicated that failure of the Central Bank to tighten its monetary policy on time, is the cause of the country’s rising inflation which has consequently affected the economy.

    Per the report, the country’s debt to GDP is expected to hit 104% by the end of the year.

    This means if Ghana’s total productivity, if measured over a one year period, it cannot cater for its external debts; as a deficit of some 4% would be required.

  • Effutu MP equips Winneba NVTI students

    The Member of Parliament for Effutu, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has made donations of tools and equipment to graduating students of Winneba National Vocational Training Institute, NVTI.

    The tools and equipment which were handed over to the Principal of the institute, Martin Young include ovens, sets of tool boxes for plumbing and electricals, laptops for I.T and industrial sewing machines for students in fashion.

    Receiving the tools and equipment, the Principal recounted all the assistance received from the Honourable Member of Parliament for Effutu.

    “This institute is very grateful to Honourable Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin for his immense contributions to the growth and development of this Winneba NVTI. At no point in time have we called on him that he hasn’t assisted us” he said.

    “Quite a number of students received scholarships from him every year. We have also received drilling machines today from him. He has built and furnished for us a new library complex stocked with 50 computers. There is also a 60-capacity classroom which has helped in our intake” he said.

    Mr. Martin Young also pointed out that the Deputy Majority Leader has also built a summer hut for the institute.

    “Without these tools and equipment, we have been finding it extremely difficult to function. This is a great relief to us and we are grateful to our MP” he further stated.

    “We’ll never forget the MP for Effutu, Honourable Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin. It is not everybody, it is not every MP that’ll do this. He has done so much for the school and he is now doing it for individuals. He knows you are finishing school and that you need these things to start life. So you tell your parents to appreciate this” he said in his concluding remarks.

    The donations were made on behalf of Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin at the Winneba National Vocational Training Institute.

  • 6 perish in accident at Apirede

    Six people have died on the spot in an accident that happened at Apirede mountain in the Okere District- Eastern Region on Friday, 7 October 2022 around 1:30 Pm.

    The accident involved a Benz sprinter bus with registration number GY 1570-13 carrying some passengers from Koforidua attending a funeral at Aflao.

    According to an eye witness who is also a driver named TT, he signaled the driver who was overspeeding to reduce the speed due to the nature of the road but he ignored it.

    “The driver should be blamed, he was over speeding and I told him to reduce it but he did not even look at me so I was not surprised it happened. The car somersaulted severally” he stated.

    About a month ago, students from the University of Education Winneba who were on an educational trip had an accident on the Apirede mountain which claimed four lives.

  • Submit report on persons responsible for infractions in Auditor-General’s report – Akufo-Addo charges SIGA, A-G

    President Akufo-Addo has directed the Director-General of State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA) to work with the Auditor-General to look into the causes of the infractions cited in the latest Auditor-General’s report, identify persons responsible and make the necessary recommendations as prescribed by law.

    According to President Akufo-Addo, the 2021 Auditor-General’s report has reported an increase in the number of infractions committed by specified entities, and this demands answers from chairpersons of these entities.

    He made this known on Monday, October 3, 2022, when he held a meeting with the Director General of SIGA, and Chairpersons of specified entities at Jubilee House, the seat of the nation’s presidency.

    President Akufo-Addo explained that specified entities have been set up to provide efficient public services, promote public economic activities, contribute to our GDP, reduce imports, increase exports, and strengthen our economy whilst creating jobs for our people.

    In addition, he indicated that specified entities have a duty to create the economic superhighway.

    “However, the current trend of affairs neither portrays that picture, nor reflects positively on the managers of our specified entities, oversight institutions, and the government itself. It is a clear indication of poor supervision and management, as well as poor enforcement of implementation and sanctions of the needed measures,” President Akufo-Addo said.

    He continued, “I appointed you as leaders of these specified entities with the strong belief that you would ensure a positive change in the narrative of loss-making entities and build value for the people of Ghana. That has not happened, so I expect more from you.”

    The President thus urged heads of specified entities to drill down and agree on the causes and find solutions to address the infractions pointed out by the Auditor-General and the 2020 State Ownership Reports.

    “I want to see a marked improvement in these reports next year. Things must change. Your hard-earned reputation and honour are at stake if things crumble under your watch, and there are also serious sanctions in the SIGA Act and other laws for mismanagement, negligence and outright malfeasance,” he added.

    Whilst urging Chairpersons to help change the narrative of specified entities, the President charged that “the Director-General of SIGA to work with the Auditor-General, who is here with us, to drill down to the causes of the infractions, identify persons responsible and make the necessary recommendations as prescribed by law. I am giving them four (4) weeks from now to submit a report to the Chief of Staff.”

    He, thus, advocated for good corporate governance practices in specified entities, stressing that boards must desist from interfering in day-to-day management of their respective Specified Entities, and making unwarranted demands on their management.

    “You must remember that, in each of your entities, you have, apart from SIGA, an overall supervisor or monitor, which is the relevant sector Minister, and, ultimately, the Minister for Public Enterprises. If the hierarchy is rigorously maintained, we are guaranteed an enhanced performance and output of your various entities,” he stated.

    President Akufo-Addo encouraged heads of the specified entities to trade amongst themselves, increase production and patronage of domestic products and services, adding that “I pledge my full support to SIGA and other oversight institutions to exercise their authority, without any fear or favour.”

  • UEW final-year students to protest again; boycott exams over outstanding GPA issues

    Final year students of the University of Education Winneba (UEW), are still up in arms over management’s failure to resolve concerns about their cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA).

    Authorities of the school had given an October 7, 2022 ultimatum to settle the outstanding issues but still not be able to do so.

    Students on the Southern campus of the university on Friday protested express their outburst.

    They have therefore threatened to stage another demonstration on Monday, October 10, 2022 to have their concerns addressed.

    In addition, the agitated students say they will not partake in an exams scheduled for them next week.

    “What they are doing is just to frustrate us. They are telling us to write a re-sit on Monday. We are not going to write the exams. If things are not done in order, we will retaliate,” one of the affected spoke to Citi News on condition of anonymity.

    Students have been complaining that the school had not been updating their GPA records

    The agitation came with the students expected to graduate in the next few weeks.

    The school is also setting up a help centre to receive complaints.

  • Ghana’s public debt stock hits GH¢402.4 billion, 68% of GDP in July 2022 – BoG

    Ghana’s public debt stands at GH¢402.4 billion as of July 2022, 68% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product.

    The debt stock which stood at GH¢392.1 billion in March 2022 dropped to GH¢388.1 billion in April 2022, and later went up marginally to GH¢389.2 billion in May 2022 and to GH¢393.4 billion in June 2022.

    But according to the Central Bank, the country’s debt dropped marginally in dollar terms from $54.4 billion in June 2022 to $53.2 billion in July 2022.

    This was contained in the October 2022 Bank of Ghana Summary of Economic and Financial Data.

    The data showed that Ghana did not borrow fresh funds from the global market in recent times.

    The external debt remained unchanged at $28 billion, equivalent to 35.8% of GDP.

    However, the domestic debt increased from GH¢190.1 billion in June 2022 to GH¢190.3 billion in July 2022.

    The domestic debt stood at GH¢181.9 billion in January 2022, went up to GH¢185.4 billion in February 2022, and GH¢190.1 billion in March 2022. It subsequently shot up to GH¢189.2 in April 2022 and GH¢188.5 billion in May 2022.

    The increase in domestic debt can be attributed to the government’s excessive borrowing from the domestic market.

    Ghana’s debt will, however, see some increases due to the receipt of the $750 million Afrieximbank loan that came in August 2022.

  • Ghana to host 2022 Group on Earth Observations

    Ghana will host GEO Week 2022, the 18th Annual Meeting of the Group on Earth Observations (GEO), from Monday, October 31, to Friday, November 4, 2022, at the Accra International Conference Centre.

    Amid mounting environmental challenges and rapid technological advances, the meeting will show how global partnerships are accelerating the use of Earth observations to inform better local decisions on issues such as climate adaptation and food and water security.

    Earth observations are data and information collected about our planet. This includes satellite data, as well as in situ data collected on the ground. GEO is a global partnership that works to make these observations openly available around the world.

    It also convenes partnerships which produce earth observation-based tools and services to enable better decisions, policies and investments.

    Ghana, represented by the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI), has been a member of the GEO since 2010 and is honoured to host GEO Week 2022.

    The week will feature several high-level speakers, including H.E. Vice President of Ghana, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, who will deliver the keynote address during the Opening Session of the Plenary on Wednesday, November 2, 2022, at 9:00 am.

    Remarking on the significance of Ghana hosting GEO Week 2022, the Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Kwaku Afriyie stated: “As the GEO Principal for Ghana, I see this as an important opportunity, as we also kick start our implementation of the National Space Science Policy.”

    GEO Week is designed as an opportunity for knowledge exchange, learning and international collaboration. It comprises the Plenary—decision-making sessions that are only open to GEO delegations— as well as a series of side events and an exhibition.

    Topics on the agenda include Operational services for Africa—including the Digital Earth Africa Initiative—nature-based solutions, National Adaptation Plans and GEO’s Post2025 Strategy.

    The side events include an industry track which will focus on public-private partnerships, and a youth track, which provides young people (including students and early career professionals) from around the world with opportunities to share their experiences and connect with private sector companies.

    These side events are open to participants working on earth observations and relevant policy areas from youth, academia, civil society, the private sector and other groups, following registration for the event.

    Commenting on the upcoming meeting, Yana Gevorgyan, Director of the GEO Secretariat said: “With extreme weather events becoming more frequent, and environmental and societal challenges multiplying, accurate and trusted environmental intelligence is more important than ever. The GEO community has made great strides responding to this demand—opening up access to data and convening partnerships that provide evidence for better decisions. But despite these advances, many countries still do not have access to the right information, at the right time and in the right format. As we meet in Ghana, we must consider new ways of thinking, and partnering, to accelerate global action for local impact.”

    GEO Week 2022 is organized by the GEO Secretariat in partnership with a Local Organizing Committee (LOC), comprising the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation (MESTI); Ghana Statistical Service (GSS); the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UNER), as well as the Ghana Space Science and Technology Institute (GSSTI).

  • Halt PPP arrangement for a laboratory facility – Medical Laboratory Professionals tell government

    The Medical Laboratory Professional Workers Union (MELPWU) has urged the government to halt plans to go into a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement with a private laboratory.

    The private laboratory, under the arrangement, will be responsible for providing laboratory services that are not available in public facilities.

    But speaking at an Annual General Meeting in Kumasi, the General Secretary of the Union, Cephas Kofi Akortor, said the union is against the partnership.

    According to him, the Medical Laboratory Professionals “has not been not involved in any deliberations in the partnership.”

    “It will be very appropriate for the Government of Ghana through the Ministry of Health to engage in a broader stakeholder consultation to ensure that that this PPP arrangement is in the supreme interest of the nation before it is ever implemented,” added.

  • Ghana Cedi is worst performing currency against US dollar – World Bank report

    The Ghana Cedi has recently been experiencing rapid depreciation against major trading currencies, especially against the United States dollar.

    The woes of the national currency have taken another hit with a World Bank report classifying the Ghana Cedi as the worst-performing currency in Africa against the US dollar.

    The Africa Pulse Report noted that the cedi had experienced a 60% depreciation against the dollar as of September 19.

    The report which tracked growth prospects and threats to African economies in 2022, also classified Ghana as a debt-distressed country with a debt-to-GDP ratio expected to surpass 100% by the end of the year.

    Explaining why their depreciation rate is higher than the widely reported 40% figure, Accra-based Joy News report that the bank confirmed to them in an email correspondence that, “it used a different methodology to track the FX rate of depreciation from the beginning of this year to September 19 2022.”

    That is why the World Bank arrived at the 60 percent rate of depreciation, compared to 40 percent if you are working with a 6.17 rate on December 31 and 10.09 in September 2022, the Joy News report added.

    Countries and respective rate of depreciation against the US dollar

    Ghana – (60 percent)

    South Sudan – (50.8 percent),

    Sudan – (28.6 percent),

    Malawi – (25.4 percent),

    CFA Franc – (13.3 percent)

  • World Day of Decent Work: One of the most dangerous jobs with the smallest pay

    It is described by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) as one of the most dangerous occupations with an estimated number of 35 million workers worldwide; including full-time, part-time and occasional workers – Fishing.

    The importance of fishing and the fishing industry cannot be underestimated particularly because all over the world, fish is widely consumed as a major source of protein.

    The profession undoubtedly contributes millions to the economic growth of countries globally; developed, developing and underdeveloped countries alike.

    It is however one of the professions whose workers have some of the most irregularities as far as wages and salary payments are concerned.

    How much do fishers earn? How decent is this wage? Is the work they do equal to the amount they receive? And ultimately, are fishers engaging in decent work?

    We take a look at some of the dangers associated with fishing side by side payment conditions of fishers:

    Why the ILO considers fishing dangerous:

    Fishing is considered a potentially hazardous occupation by the ILO because it is physically demanding work often carried out for long working hours in dangerous conditions.

    Fishers are exposed to harsh weather, extreme temperatures and conditions, and mostly spend long periods of time far away from home.

    Sometimes, there are cramped conditions, with low levels of hygiene and facilities for these fishers.

    There are also unpredictable events including wreckages which may result in drowning, fires and explosions, tripping among other things.

    In a number of countries, the fatality rates for persons in the fishing sector are many times greater than the national average, for example higher than those for fire-fighters or police. These rates may exceed 150 to 180 per 100,000 workers, rivalled only by such other hazardous occupations as forestry and coal mining.

    Payment mode or salary:

    As a result of the recruitment system, most fishers are recruited very informally, some of them without workmen agreements.

    As such, there are no laid down modes of payment for such people. For most commercial fishers in Ghana, it is a situation of work and pay while some others who work for canoe owners may have to split the proceeds of their catch when they return among other things.

    This is despite the decline in fish stock in the country’s waters lately, resulting in lesser fish.

    Ultimately, the average fisherman in Ghana does not earn much.

    Also, benefits including pensions, SSNIT, and insurance among others are not secured. In some cases, because the fishers don’t earn much from their catch, they usually prefer cash to future benefits.

    The UN’s role and the ILO Conventions:

    The United Nations defines decent work as employment that is productive and delivers a fair income. It also should ensure workplace security, social protection, better prospects for personal development and social integration.

    Under its Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8; Decent Work and Economic Growth, the UN intends to promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all; this should include fishers.

    This is why the United Nations (UN) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) are joining efforts to promote decent work in the fisheries and marine sector in Ghana as an entry point to dealing with forced labour in Ghana.

    The ILO’s Convention; C. I88 which focuses on Work in Fishing provides standards for decent work among fishers.

    The convention makes provision for standards that cover health, hours of work, repatriation, wages among others.

    Payment of fishers:

    Article 23

    Each member, after consultation, shall adopt laws, regulations or other measures providing that fishers who are paid a wage are ensured a monthly or other regular payment.

    Article 24

    Each member shall require that all fishers working on board fishing vessels shall be given a means to transmit all or part of their payments received, including advances, to their families at no cost.

    Ratification:

    Ghana is yet to ratify the ILO Conventions including C188 – Work in Fishing Convention (2007) and the Private Employment Agencies Convention, 1997 (No. 181).

    This follows the launch of the ILO Report on Forced Labour and Forced marriage on September 12, 2022.
    Convention C. 188 is currently before parliament according to the Ghana Maritime Authority.

    The next stage is for the worldwide support that the Convention has been received to be translated by governments into national laws, regulations or other measures. The Convention will enter into force twelve months after the first ten countries (eight with coastlines) ratify it.

    Forced labour, as set out in the ILO Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No.29),1 refers to “all work or service which is exacted from any person under the menace of any penalty and for which the said person has not offered himself voluntarily.”

  • Bawumia boogies to Buga as he marks his 59th birthday

    The Vice President of Ghana, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, is marking his 59th birthday.

    As part of the activities marking the day, the politician has been captured in a video making merry with some close friends and families.

    The video, shared on Facebook by KB Mahama, a staff at the Office of the Vice President, shows Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, dressed in all white and surrounded by people in equally white attire, showing off his dancing skills as he boogies to the popular Buga tune.

    As he boogied, the people around him cheered him on.

    One of the people seen in the video is the Member of Parliament for Ayawaso Central and Minister of the Greater Accra Region, Henry Quartey.

    Watch the video of the vice president, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, below:

  • Are people buying cocoa lands for galamsey ‘ghost’ – Kweku Baako to National Security

    Veteran journalist Kweku Baako Jnr has bemoaned the failure of the state’s security apparatus to trace people who purchase lands meant for cultivating cocoa and use them for illegal mining, popularly known as ‘galamsey’.

    According to him, the sale of cocoa lands to ‘galamseyers’ is a crime because, even though the lands belong to the cocoa farmers, the minerals beneath them belong to the state.

    Kweku Baako, who made these remarks in a Peace FM interview monitored by GhanaWeb, said that the failure of the security to find the people who are buying cocoa lands and turning them into ‘galamsey’ sites is very worrying.

    “People are selling lands meant for cocoa lands to galamseyers, other farmers are being driven out by these activities. Both the buyer and the seller I have a problem with but the buyer is where my emphasis is. So if the sellers can be encouraged to tell us who the buyers are, why not.

    “Are the people buying galamsey lands ghost? No, they are not. With a little intelligence gathering, even collaborating with the sellers, these galamseyers can be caught.

    “The point is that even though the land belongs to the farmers the minerals under them belong to the state. So, there is clearly some element of criminality if the farmers are selling the lands to people who are going to dig for the minerals beneath them,” he said.

    The veteran journalist added that even if the cocoa farmers are not willing to cooperate, the security apparatus must be able to gather the needed intelligence to arrest these illegal miners.

    Kwesi Baako made these remarks while reacting to reports that indicated that illegal mining is gradually reducing Ghana’s cocoa production levels.

  • Galamsey fight: Let us give Akufo-Addo another chance – Allotey Jacobs

    Social commentator, Bernard Allotey Jacobs, has urged Ghanaians to give President Akufo-Addo another chance to stop small-scale illegal mining (galamsey).

    Speaking in a Peace FM interview monitored by GhanaWeb, Allotey Jacobs intimated that even though the fight against ‘galamsey’ is not going so well currently, the president cannot be solely blamed for the inability of the state to curb the menace.

    He added that the government is finding it difficult to stop ‘galamsey’ because Ghanaians are not helping enough.

    “Let us give the president the last chance with this work he is doing on galamsey. Because he said he is putting his presidency on the line and he is doing so well but we are not helping him. We as Ghanaians.

    “Because we kept spreading unnecessary lies about the fight against galamsey. If the president decides to take drastic actions now, we, the same Ghanaians will be criticising him.

    “We will threaten not to vote for his party. We always use the power of our thumb to threaten politicians. But the truth is that our country is being destroyed. In a matter of about five years we might not have clean and portable water in our country,” he said in Twi.

    Allotey Jacobs also said that the government must start putting in place alternative opportunities for persons, directly or indirectly, involved in ‘galamsey’ as it also puts in measures to stop the menace.

  • Thirty more factories under 1D1F coming up in Ashanti – Regional Minister

    About 30 more factories are at various stages of completion under the One District One Factory (1D1F) initiative in the Ashanti Region, Mr. Simon Osei-Mensah, the Regional Minister, has disclosed.

    The Minister, who was speaking at the 23rd Regional Annual General Meeting of the Ashanti, Bono, Bono East and Ahafo Regional Branch of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) in Kumasi, said the region was a beneficiary of 21 out of the 125 factories, already in operation under the initiative.

    The meeting, which was on the theme: “Investing in Ghanaian Industries to Leverage Opportunities in the Single African Market,” was held to take stock of the activities of the Association and to chart the way forward by addressing pertinent issues affecting the growth of industries.

    It was attended by representatives of AGI from the four regions and other relevant industry players.

    Mr Osei-Mensah said the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government in its quest to change the nature of the economy from taxation to production, launched the 1D 1F initiate in 2017 to promote the manufacturing and service sectors through several policy initiatives.

    He said through the GhanaCARES ‘Obatanpa’ Programme, the Government supported many manufacturing and pharmaceutical industries to survive the COVID-19 impact.

    “One of the objectives of the GhanaCARES ‘Obatanpa’ Programme is to support the private sector particularly agribusiness, manufacturing, ICT and digitalisation,” he stated.

    The Minister urged the Association to strengthen and deepen collaboration with the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) and take advantage of the Authority’s work to diversify its export base.

    The location of the Secretariat of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in Ghana, according to the Minister, offered a perfect opportunity for the AGI to make deliberate attempt to create export-oriented companies to enhance the country’s industrialisation agenda.

    He said the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council had always collaborated with the private sector and that together with the AGI, his outfit was implementing projects that would grow the economy to promote businesses in the Ashanti region.

    Mr Akwasi Nyamekye, Regional AGI Chairperson for Ashanti, Ahafo, Bono and Bono East, called on the Government to take a second look at the current ECOWAS protocols on trade, saying in-spite of the protocols there was no free movement of goods within the sub-region.

    He said the association and its members had the capacity to support all government programmes that fell within their domain.

  • Mahama murder: Court orders Afoko to open defence, dismisses submission of no case

    The High Court in Accra has ordered Gregory Afoko and Asabke Alangde, the two persons standing trial for the death of New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Upper East Regional Chairman, Adams Mahama, to open their Defence and respond to charges.

    Afoko and Alangde are being accused of the acid incident which led to the death of the NPP Regional Chairman on May 20, 2015 They have pleaded not guilty to two charges of conspiracy and murder.

    On June 14, State Prosecutors closed their case after parading 16 witnesses but lawyers of the accused persons, per the law, filed their respective submissions of no case to answer on grounds that, the testimonies of the prosecution witnesses have not established a prima facie evidence against them, that warrant that, they respond to the charges.

    Ruling on the submission of no case on Friday, October 7, the court presided over by Her Ladyship Justice Efua Merley Wood, said the elements of prima facie evidence have been established by the prosecution.

    The court also ruled that, for the testimonies of the prosecution witnesses to be believed, it would be fair to hear from the accused persons.

    Justice Merley Wood, a Justice of the Court of Appeal sitting with an additional responsibility as a High Court Judge ruled that, the court is satisfied that, the prosecution has made sufficient evidence that requires the accused persons to open their defence.

    Consequently, the submission of no case was overruled and the accused persons, each, called upon to mount the witness box.

    The case has been adjourned to November 2, 2022 for Afoko, the first accused to open his defence.

  • NPP Chair accuses Ellembelle DCE of taking GHC70K bribe to aid galamsey

    The governing New Patriotic Party(NPP) Constituency Chairman for Ellembele, Samson Ndoli has accused the District Chief Executive for the area, Kwasi Bonzoh of collecting GHC70,000 bribe to facilitate illegal mining in the area.

    In an interview, he accused the DCE of taking the said amount from some illegal miners who had been arrested and allowed them back to the mining site to continue with their further destruction of the land.

    “The party held a meeting in our office which was attended by the DCE where we agreed that illegal miners in our area are destroying our water bodies and so we need to arrest them. We undertook the operation to arrest them led by the DCE during which 7 excavators were seized and five persons arrested. Three days after their arrested, we were informed that they’ve been released after the DCE held a meeting with them where he collected GHC70,000 allowing their machines to go back to the site. We were not happy with that news and so we went to the site the following day where we took videos. We realized that the illegal miners had gone further in the destruction of the land.”

    He continued: “We then went to inform the District Police Commander that those who were arrested have gone back to the site. We moved to the scene with the Police and the media where we saw them working. Many of them escaped but three were arrested, we seized their equipment and fuel and took them to the police station. In the evening, the DCE’s aide came and bailed out the suspects. One of the DCE’s boys told us that if we arrest the miners ten times, they will be released ten times because the DCE is the Chairman of the DISEC. After the media publication, the DCE decided to cover up, he teamed with the galamseyers to do a press conference. What we find unfortunate is that even if you the DCE will release them to go back to the site, he needed to inform us (Executives) because we took the decision together. The DCE should have even commended us for arresting the suspects but he rather called the Secretary and asked him what locus he had to lead police officers to go to a mining site.”

    He added: The party birthed the government. So if the government introduces a policy, the party must stand firmly and back that policy.”

    In September 2022, Police arrested the DCE, Kwasi Bonzo days after his personal assistant, and one other person were placed under police investigation for the disappearance of two mining excavators in the district.

    The arrest ensued when the DCE caught wind that the police had recovered an excavator similar to what had been reported missing. He moved in to supposedly identify the earthmoving equipment in the early hours of the day.

    Reports indicate that the DCE was ignored when he came in to try and verify the machines’ ownership. He then followed up to Ayisakrom in the district where he was said to have confronted the security officials resulting in a scuffle.

    He was arrested and transported to the headquarters in Sekondi.

    NPP Constituency Chairman of Elembele Constituency exposes the DCE for the area, Kwasi Bonzo for collecting bribes to facilitate illegal mining in the area. pic.twitter.com/MIGOjZ61D0

    — Sammy Gyamfi (@SammyGyamfi_) October 7, 2022