Amidst the ongoing discourse surrounding individuals seeking better prospects in more developed nations, disconcerting images have emerged depicting a troubling scene at the entrance of one of the nation’s largest foreign embassies.
Photographs, shared on Twitter by Annie Ampofo, a journalist at Metro TV, reveal numerous individuals forming extensive, serpentine lines as they patiently await their turn for assistance at the United States Embassy in Accra.
Adding to the concern, Ampofo shared that these individuals endured the drizzling rain while standing in the open. Astonishingly, upon close examination of the images, no umbrellas or indications of raincoats are visible, depicting their resilience against the weather while patiently queuing.
Why do foreign Embassies treat us this badly … This is the American Embassy… how long will this continue???
Furthermore, one photograph clearly shows the dampened asphalt road, a testament to the recent rainfall that had occurred.
Addressing the situation, Annie Ampofo posed a poignant question, questioning the treatment of the host country’s citizens by foreign embassies in Ghana, and pondering how long such treatment would persist.
“Why do foreign Embassies treat us this badly… This is the American Embassy… how long will this continue???
“Actually, it was drizzling when this pick was taken…” she wrote on her Twitter page.
Meanwhile, recent reports indicate that professionals such as nurses have relocated from Ghana, to places like Canada, America, the UK, among others, in search of greener pastures.
The Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) elections, originally scheduled for August 8, 2023, has been postponed due to an interlocutory injunction ordered by the Accra High Court.
Two MUSIGA members, Doe Kwablah Seyenam Nyamadi and Frederick Van Dyk, initiated the legal proceeding.
In their petition, they contend that the current leadership of MUSIGA has violated the union’s constitution by failing to furnish comprehensive financial records.
The plaintiffs argue that this lack of financial transparency disqualifies MUSIGA from conducting elections and transferring power to a new executive.
The court concurred with the plaintiffs, leading to the issuance of the interlocutory injunction, effectively halting the elections until a full hearing and resolution of the matter.
This setback poses a significant challenge for MUSIGA, which has encountered obstacles in conducting its elections in recent years, with the last one held in 2014.
The uncertainty arising from the election postponement raises concerns about MUSIGA’s future, leaving uncertainties regarding the timing and feasibility of upcoming elections.
Chairman of the MUSIGA Election Committee, Peter Marfo, expressed regret for any inconveniences caused by the injunction, impacting valued members, potential candidates, and the overall operations of the union.
In 2018, the concept was conceived, and after five years, it was materialized. On July 23rd, a group of 14 individuals—comprising 13 men and one woman—embarked on a daring journey, traversing multiple countries to reach London in Europe.
The team consisted of confirmed members: Kwabena Peprah, Saka, Fred Papa Kwofie, Richard, Kwame Peprah, Kofi Peprah, Kwadwo Prakah-Asante, Franklin Peters along with his son Quincy, Joseph, Cyprian Ed, Kwabena Ayirebi and his brother Kojo, and the sole female participant, Serwa the Shecanic.
Equipped with contingency plans for any unforeseen circumstances, the team set off with a total of five vehicles, prepared to face challenges that might have required them to continue the remainder of the journey by air. However, these situations did not materialize, and the journey continued by road.
Throughout the expedition, five members of the team had to return to Accra due to work commitments and other reasons. Nonetheless, nine participants successfully completed the trip.
The journey spanned 16 days and traversed 11 countries in total. One of the participants, Kwabena Peprah, provided a comprehensive account of the experience in a detailed Facebook post.
Day 1: Long drive on day 1 to Bouake in Côte d’Ivoire, using the border at Gonokrom near Dormaa Ahenkro (540km):
They navigated the paperwork needed to clear their vehicles at the customs checkpoints, fulfilling the border crossing stipulations at the Ghanaian border into Ivory Coast. This process, as they stated, proved to be relatively manageable.
Armed with valid Laissez-Passers, acknowledged travel documents among member states, they smoothly underwent the required procedures and advanced to Takikro.
However, upon reaching Takikro, they encountered immigration officials from Cote D’Ivoire who attempted to exploit them. To circumvent this situation, they opted for the longer Yamoussoukro-Bouake road instead of the shorter but more hazardous route frequented by bandits.
Day 2, driving from Bamako Mali through Tingrela (790km):
They encountered extortion attempts at the Tingrela border, during which they documented the necessary papers and their vehicles before proceeding to the Malian border post. The Malian officials exhibited a more rigorous approach to their procedures; although the Laissez-Passers process was relatively swift, the inspection of possessions and vehicles took more time.
The Ghanaian Mission in Bomaku provided them with assistance. The consul met and guided them through Bomako.
At this juncture, certain vehicles experienced brake problems. However, after conducting thorough checks, they were able to resume their journey.
Day 3, continue to the Senegalese border and then on to Dakar (Senegal) (620km):
Although the road is horrible halfway to Dakar, they made it. In this region, there are three allegedly active terrorist hotspots where attacks are reported to occur.
The terrorists can cross the road with cattle to halt you while they flank you and deal with you cruelly, so they were advised to stop far away whenever they notice a herd of cattle crossing the road and to back up, ready to turn and fire away at the least hint of trouble.
Fortunately, the livestock crossings they encountered were benign.
Head of Public Affairs at the West African Examination Council (WAEC), John K. Kapi has characterised the initial day of the ongoing Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) as trouble-free, despite receiving notifications of exam irregularities in three regions.
John Kapi disclosed instances of misconduct were detected in the Ashanti, Greater Accra, and Central regions.
For instance, in the Ashanti Region, he mentioned that a student was apprehended while trying to enter the examination hall with unauthorized materials.
He also emphasized that measures have been put in place to deal with persons who flout examination regulations to make sure fairness prevails.
Speaking in an interview with JoyNews, the Head of Public Affairs for WAEC highlighted the report of malpractices they received on the first day and how they would deal with the culprits.
“I guess we’ve had a good day so far. No reports have come from anywhere, so I guess everything’s okay. We’ve received a few reports from the Ashanti Region where one individual was picked up, but he was trying to approach the examination hall with some foreign material for the candidates. We’ve also picked somebody up from Tema Central, where the lady had some information that she intended to pass on to the candidates. In the Central Region, We picked up two people who were answering the questions in the middle of the paper that intended to send to the candidate writing exam.
“Anybody who breaches any of these rules, what you do is simply report you to the law enforcement agencies. They apply our rules, and then they are charged. They are sent to court. We still have our monitors in the field. We have our own officers who are monitoring the centers. We have the National Investigative Bureau who are working with us. We also have our own locally-recruited personnel who are monitoring these centers. And so, we’ll continue to maintain momentum. We’ll sustain momentum until the exams are over,” he said.
He further commended the soaring female population for dominating this year’s examination and for breaking the jinx of male domination over the past years.
“We know now that we’re having more female candidates going into this examination as compared to the male population. Over the years, we’ve had the males dominating in examinations. So if there are many more females who are coming up, I think it’s a good thing that is worth celebrating for us as a society and as a nation,” he added.
The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has taken into custody a food vendor known as Faustina Naana Eshien, situated at the OA Bus Terminal in Accra, for vending spoiled food to unsuspecting customers.
She was apprehended by the Public Health Department on Tuesday, August 2, 2023, following a social media post by Obaa Yaa Bediide on the Trotro Diaries platform.
The post disclosed the sale of subpar food after a purchase was made from the said vendor.
Faustina Naana Eshien admitted to the act, citing lack of customers as the rationale. She also resorted to dividing the cost of the chicken, priced at GHC20, into two portions.
Head of Public Affairs at the AMA, Mr. Gilbert Ankrah, noted that aside vending deteriorated fried chicken for public consumption, Fautina neglected to acquire the essential medical health certification.
Such actions contravene the AMA’s regulations and the provisions outlined in the Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851) Section 100 (3). This section explicitly proscribes the sale or offering for sale of tainted or unsuitable food meant for human or animal consumption. This includes food containing unclean, putrid, decayed, or unhealthy animal or plant substances.
In response, the food vendor will be subjected to legal proceedings to serve as a deterrent for potential offenders.
Mr. Ankrah encouraged the general public to insist on inspecting food handler’s certificates from vendors before making any purchases.
In addition, he advised food vendors in the metropolis to strictly adhere to the five keys to safer food: “keep clean, separate raw and cooked foods, cook food thoroughly, keep food at safe temperatures, and use safe water and raw materials.”
He urged individuals lacking food handlers’ certification to avail themselves at the AMA or its affiliated Assemblies for assessment, aimed at upholding consumer safety.
Mr. Ankrah highlighted the consistent commitment of Public Health officers in monitoring food vendors to guarantee adherence to safety protocols, as stipulated by the AMA’s regulations and public health mandates.
Underscoring the shared responsibility for upholding food safety, from its production to consumption, he lauded the individual who reported the misconduct of the food vendor, emphasizing their valuable contribution in unveiling such unethical practices.
Social media is buzzing with frenzy following the emergence of a video depicting a man purportedly stealing various room items from a rented Airbnb accommodation in Accra.
The alleged incident, said to have occurred in Ashaiman Lebanon, was recorded by the property’s CCTV cameras on both Thursday, July 20, 2023, and the following dawn on Friday.
A Nigerian man who goes by the name Paul Arkoh booked an Airbnb in Ashaiman Lebanon for two nights, and at 2 am today, he was captured on CCTV stealing the Television, blender, iron and bedsheets that were made available for a comfortable stay.
The post which was shared by Twitter user; Sikaofficial suggested that the said man who was named as Paul Arkoh in the description was a Nigerian.
Per details in the post, the man paid for the usage of the place for 2 nights but left the premise around 2 am with items including a Television set, a blender, an iron and bedsheets which were in the room.
The video captures the man wearing a green t-shirt and white shorts walking out of the house with what looked like a white bedsheet.
The post has since generated a lot of reactions, some of which are captured in the tweet below.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed Gyakye Quayson‘s application for a stay of proceedings in his trial at the High Court.
Last week, the lawyers representing the Member of Parliament for the Assin North constituency requested the High Court to suspend the proceedings temporarily, so that the Court of Appeal could hear his appeal to review a decision made by the trial judge.
The trial judge had decided to hear Quayson’s case on a daily basis, which the defense sought to challenge.
However, the plea for a stay of proceedings was rejected by the High Court.
Subsequently, Quayson sought to appeal the High Court’s ruling to the Court of Appeal, but his efforts were unsuccessful, as the Court of Appeal upheld the High Court’s decision.
As of now, Gyakye Quayson is facing trial at the High Court in Accra on charges of forgery and perjury.
The legal process is continuing, and he is required to participate in the trial without further delays.
The troubles for Mr. Gyakye Quayson started when he expressed his intention to run for the Assin North Parliamentary elections in 2020 under the banner of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC). A group known as the ‘Concerned Citizens of Assin North’ filed a petition with the Electoral Commission in the Central Region, seeking the withdrawal of Quayson’s candidature on the grounds that he held Canadian citizenship.
Despite the petition against his candidacy, Mr. Quayson was allowed to contest in the 2020 parliamentary polls as the NDC candidate. He secured 17,498 votes, representing 55.21% of the votes, while Abena Durowaa Mensah, the candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), obtained 14,193 votes, representing 44.79%.
After Mr. Quayson’s victory, a resident from Assin Bereku in the Central Region filed a petition with the Cape Coast High Court, seeking to nullify his election as the MP of Assin North. The Cape Coast High Court ruled in favor of the petitioner, declaring the 2020 parliamentary election in the Assin North Constituency as null and void. The court’s decision was based on the finding that Mr. Quayson had breached the constitutional provisions related to dual citizenship.
In an attempt to challenge the court’s ruling, Mr. Quayson took the matter to the Supreme Court. However, he faced disappointment as the apex court ordered Parliament to remove his name from its records, effectively removing him from his position as an MP.
Following his expulsion from Parliament, a by-election was conducted in the Assin North Constituency. Despite his previous legal challenges, Mr. Quayson emerged as the winner of the by-election with a significant margin of victory.
Meanwhile, the members of the Minority Caucus in Parliament have taken a collective decision to boycott parliamentary sessions on the days when Mr. Gyakye Quayson, their fellow MP, is expected to appear in court.
This move was made as a show of solidarity with Mr. Quayson, who is facing legal challenges concerning his eligibility as a Member of Parliament.
However, this decision to boycott Parliament on specific days has faced criticism from members of the Majority Caucus.
The Majority Caucus members, who are from the ruling party, have expressed their disapproval of the boycott, viewing it as an obstruction to the parliamentary proceedings and a disregard for the responsibilities of the MPs to represent their constituencies and participate in legislative activities.
The boycott by the Minority Caucus and the subsequent criticism from the Majority Caucus may have further heightened tensions and divisions within the Parliament, impacting the overall functioning and effectiveness of the legislative body.
Two people on a motorcycle died instantly after a head-on collision with a Toyota Camry vehicle on the Awoshie-Pokuase highway in Accra on Wednesday dawn.
The accident occurred around 1:15 am on July 12, 2023, according to eyewitnesses and media reports.
The Toyota Camry, with registration number ER 290-20, crashed into the motorbike, with registration number M-13-GR 393, which was reportedly riding on the wrong side of the road.
The impact of the collision damaged the front of the car and flung the motorcyclists off their bike. The identities of the deceased have not been disclosed yet.
This tragic incident sheds light on the pressing issue of road accidents in Ghana, particularly those involving motorcycles. Disturbingly, the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) reports that motorcycle crashes accounted for approximately 40% of all recorded road accidents between January and October 2021.
Out of a total of 2,126 accidents during that period, nearly half were directly attributed to motorcycle-related incidents. These figures demonstrate a concerning surge from the first quarter of 2021, when the NRSA recorded over 2,000 crashes involving motorcycles.
In response to these alarming statistics, the NRSA has issued a call to action, urging motorcyclists to prioritize safety by strictly adhering to regulations and refraining from reckless driving. It is hoped that such efforts will help reduce the frequency of tragic accidents and protect the lives of road users across the country.
The police are pursuing a group of four robbers who assassinated a police officer in a bullion van at a suburb ofAblekuma Fanmilk, Accra.
The Police in a statement said “Our prayers and thoughts are with the family of our deceased colleague in particular and all personnel of the Police Service in general.”
The Police Service further assured the public that they will surely get the robbers arrested to face justice.
On Thursday, June 22, an officer of the Ghana Police Service was shot dead by unknown assailants at Ablekuma Star Oil filling station in Accra.
A viral CCTV footage shows a group of four men trailing what appears to be a white bullion van.
One of the armed men after arriving at the filling station just as the van had parked opened the door where the officer was seated and opened fire.
The officer attempted to attack but his efforts were unsuccessful. Witnesses at the scene including the driver of the van eloped to save their lives.
Meanwhile, the police have launched a manhunt to apprehend the suspected robbers involved in the tragic event. Sources say the robbers have been captured but that is yet to be confirmed by thePolice.
This tragic incident adds to the list of police officers who have lost their lives due to bullion van attacks.
In June 2021, a bullion van robbery attack at Jamestown in Accra led to the death of Constable Emmanuel Osei.
Following this, the Bank of Ghana issued a directive for all financial institutions to procure protective sophisticated vans, failure to which the central bank would not admit any substandard vehicles by the close of June 2021.
On the matter, the Ghana Police Service announced its decision to withdraw their regular escorts if the financial institutions fail to comply with the directive.
But the June 2021 deadline was extended and all financial institutions are now expected to ensure they provide bullion vans latest by July 1, 2023.
The Minority in Parliament has urged the government to promptly allocate funds for the desilting of major drains in Accra as an urgent measure to mitigate the effects of flooding in the capital.
This follows the heavy rainfall on Wednesday, June 21, which the Caucus says led to injuries and property damage in parts of Accra.
In a statement on the floor of Parliament,Minority Chief Whip Governs Agbodza called for immediate action from the government to address the perennial flooding.
“It is not beyond the capability of Parliament to help the relevant agencies to finance the needed interventions to save lives and desilting major drains and gutters in Accra cannot be something beyond the funding of the government and with the approval of Parliament and that is why I call upon the House to take this opportunity to invite our colleague Minister of Works and Housing to brief the House as soon as he can.”
Majority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, however, says the Works and Housing Committee of Parliament should be more proactive in its work to help contain the situation.
“More often than not, the matter occurs, and then we tend to call on the Speaker to make a referral or rather expect the sector minister to be called upon to appraise the House and so what? It is high time our Committee leaders also get a bit proactive. These disasters have been occurring, and we would have expected the Committee on Works and Housing to at least, by now, start visiting some of these places and also coming to brief the House.”
The Minority Caucus in Parliament is urging the government to promptly allocate funds for the desilting of crucial drains in Accra in order to alleviate the effects of flooding in the capital city.
This appeal comes in response to the significant rainfall experienced on Wednesday, June 21, which the Caucus claims resulted in injuries and property destruction in various areas of Accra.
During a parliamentary session, Minority Chief Whip, Governs Agbodza, issued a statement emphasizing the urgent need for the government to take decisive measures in addressing the recurring issue of flooding.
“It is not beyond the capability of Parliament to help the relevant agencies to finance the needed interventions to save lives and desilting major drains and gutters in Accra cannot be something beyond the funding of the government and with the approval of Parliament and that is why I call upon the House to take this opportunity to invite our colleague Minister of Works and Housing to brief the House as soon as he can.”
Majority Chief Whip Frank Annoh-Dompreh, however, says the Works and Housing Committee of Parliament should be more proactive in its work to help contain the situation.
“More often than not, the matter occurs, and then we tend to call on the Speaker to make a referral or rather expect the sector minister to be called upon to appraise the House and so what? It is high time our Committee leaders also get a bit proactive. These disasters have been occurring, and we would have expected the Committee on Works and Housing to at least, by now, start visiting some of these places and also coming to brief the House.”
In his bid to become the flagbearer of theNew Patriotic Party (NPP) and potentially the President of Ghana, Kennedy Agyapong has pledged to adopt a zero-tolerance approach towards corruption and any activities related to corruption.
That, he said, would ensure accountability from public office holders and deliver the desired development for Ghanaians.
“I believe in accountability. If God gives me the nod, he (pointing at his Campaign Manager) will be the Chief of Staff. Listen to me very carefully, one strike and he is out. Ghana first, he comes second,” he said.
“If he does anything against this country, I will fire him. That is the only way we can move this country forward. So, can you imagine if I have fired my Chief of Staff. The rest would sit up because even if the Chief of Staff has been fired, what about me the director, what about me the manager? It trickles down and we become discipline.”
Mr Agyapong made the remarks after filing his nomination forms to contest the flagbearership of the NPP, inAccra.
The MP also mentioned creation of job opportunities for the teeming youth if elected as flagbearer of the Party and ultimately, the president as his priority.
He said Ghana had abundant natural resource such as arable land which supported agriculture.
“I have visited about 180 constituencies and have come to realise that we as politicians have done a disservice to the nation. With the arable lands, seas, rivers that God has given to us, we are endowed with so many minerals, a lot of opportunities in this country. But, everywhere you go, especially Volta Region, the resources are untapped. And I want Ghanaians to give the opportunity and challenge me that, I will make sure I turn the fortune of this country around, he said.
“I don’t believe in theory. I am a pragmatic person, I believe in practical things. What I saw in Volta Region, what I saw in Afram Plains area and Northern Region, believe me that we can change this country.”
Mr Agyapong stressed that Ghana’s inflation and interest rate woes where attributable to the country’s inability to produce and export more to earn .
He said, going forward, Ghana must pursue rigorous agro-processing policies to add more value to its raw materials to boost its foreign exchange earning.
“I don’t believe in theory. Your inflation will be stable only when you have been able to stabilize prices, interest rate will be stable only when we stabilize our prices here and especially when our export exceeds import and we have excess of the foreign currency, that is when we can stabilize this country.
“It is not only book. Let’s get down to work,” he added.
He called for a change in the mindset of Ghanaians which made them feel inferior to citizens of other countries, stressing that, the time had come for them to be patriotic and put the country first.
He also urged delegates and Ghanaians at large, to “have faith in me that there is a new dawn that is going to change this country.”
The NPP opened nomination for its presidential primary May 26, 2023.
The one-month long exercise is expected to close on Saturday, June 24, 2023.
The Party has scheduled August 26 for its Special Elections as well as November 4, for the National Conference to elect a flagbearer for the 2024 general election.
— Flood Fighters Movement #stopthefloods (@floodfightersgh) June 21, 2023
Flooding also took over the Accra-Winneba Road forcing commuters to use one side of the double-lane road.
This is towards the West Hills mall on the Accra Winneba road. The other side heading to Accra is totally flooded so all commuters are using the side towards the mall. This is not new, it has been like this since🤦🏾♂️🤦🏾♂️🤦🏾♂️. #Floodspic.twitter.com/W0HaGGTKxI
Martin Adjei Mensah Korsah, the Deputy Minister for Local Government, has urged Municipal Chief Executives to effectively utilize their funds to mitigate the impact of recurring flooding.
The Deputy Minister conducted a working visit to assess the progress made in addressing flooding in flood-prone areas within various Metropolitan and Municipal Assemblies as part of the Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development [GARID] project.
To assist in addressing the flooding issues and desilting drainage systems along the Odor River, the Local Government granted each assembly an amount of GHC420,000.
During the one-week tour on Wednesday, June 14, the Local Government ministry visited several assemblies in Accra, including Ayawaso North, Central East, and West Municipal Assemblies, to evaluate the work accomplished.
While expressing his dissatisfaction with the pace of work in Ayawaso Central and North, Martin Adjei Mensah Korsah commended the Ayawaso East Municipal Assembly for effectively utilizing their allocated funds.
Overall, the Deputy Minister emphasized the importance of efficient fund utilization to combat flooding and encouraged Municipal Chief Executives to prioritize these efforts to safeguard their respective areas from the impacts of floods.
“You can see here that the Ayawaso East Municipal Assembly have made a good investment with their funds. There has been an impact in the area because some of the settlements we visited were now sweeping the gutters.
“In our next meeting we will urge the assemblies to choose spots where they can be able to make a huge impact by desilting their drainage systems and ensuring hygienic living,” the deputy minister said.
A visit to some areas in the Ayawaso North where a food vendor was selling close to the gutters displeased the MCE, Aminu Ahmed Zakari who threatened to sanction the food vendor for selling in a poor hygienic condition.
Hajia Selma Adams, the MCE for Ayawaso East promised that the drainage systems within her community would be fully desilt by the end of June 2023. She said, “We have done 75% of the work, hopefully by June ending we should be done.”
The ousted Member of Parliament for Assin North, James Gyakye Quayson, would appear before the High Court in Accra on today, Friday, June 16, 2023, regarding the criminal accusations brought against him by government.
Quayson was recently ousted from parliament after the Supreme Court of Ghana ruled that he was ineligible to contest in the 2020 parliamentary election because he failed to renounce his Canadian citizenship in time.
But there is still one case the former MP has to face in court after the Office of the Attorney General accused him of deceiving public officers to acquire state documents.
The State, on February 12, 2022, charged James Gyakye Quayson with five counts; deceit of a public officer, forgery of a passport, knowingly making a false statutory declaration, perjury, and false declaration.
Below are details of the charges against Quayson in the criminal suit:
Deceit of public officer, contrary to section 251(b) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29)
James Gyakye Quayson on or about the 29th of July 2019 at the Passport Office, Accra with intent to facilitate the obtaining of a Ghanaian passport, deceived the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by making a false statement that you do not have a dual citizenship, a statement which you did not have a good reason to believe to be true at the time of making it.
Forgery of passport or travel certificate, contrary to section 15(1)(b) of the Passports and Travel Certificates Act, 1967 (NLCD 155).
James Gyakye Quayson on or about the 26th of July 2019 at the Passport Office, Accra, made a false statement that you do not have a dual citizenship for the purpose of procuring a passport, a statement you knew to be untrue at the time of making it.
Knowingly making a false statutory declaration, contrary to section 5 of the Statutory Declarations Act, 1971 (Act 389).
James Gyakye Quayson on or about 6th October 2020 at Assin Fosu made a statutory declaration that you do not owe allegiance to any country other than Ghana, a statement which you knew to be false in a material particular at the time of making it.
Perjury, contrary to section 210(1) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).
James Gyakye Quayson on or about 6th October 2020 at Assin Fosu, made a false statement on oath that you do not owe allegiance to any country other than Ghana, a statement you did not have a reason to believe to be true at the time of making it.
False declaration for office, contrary to section 248 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).
James Gyakye Quayson on or about 8th October 2020 at the Electoral Commission Office, Accra, knowingly used a declaration that you do not owe allegiance to any country other than Ghana for the purpose of obtaining a public office as a Member of Parliament, a statement you knew to be material for obtaining that office.
Konadu Vera, a 14-year-old girl, has been reported missing. She resides at New Achimota, located in the Greater Accra Region.
The last known sighting of Konadu was on Sunday, June 11, 2023.
The family of Konadu Vera is reaching out to the public, seeking assistance in locating their beloved daughter. A formal complaint has been filed with the local police station. According to the police report, Konadu Vera is a student at St. John’s Grammar School.
They are urging anyone who may have information or leads that could aid in locating Konadu Vera to please contact the family promptly.
Anyone with information on Konadu Vera’s whereabouts or have seen her since her disappearance, should kindly contact the following numbers: 0530249593 or 0551832332. Every piece of information, no matter how small, could potentially lead to finding Konadu Vera and reuniting her with her family,” a relative of Konadu Vera shared.
Current Chairperson of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Nana Akosua Frimpomaa Sarpong Kumankumah, has stated that her party was and continues to be the best in Ghana.
The CPP Chairperson conclusively added that no other political party in Ghana has been able to match or outdo Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah’s CPP in terms of development.
To buttress her position, Nana Akosua Sarpong referred to the quality road networks (the motorway linking Tema and Accra Mall) the CPP government provided when they were in power.
She was speaking on Election Desk with Etsey Atisu on GhanaWeb TV.
“CPP is still the greatest party in Ghana. Do you know why? Nobody has matched our efforts. You see the motorway, till today, is the only road that really really has stood the test of time and it was done under the CPP government.
“Even though it was concrete, cement, after almost 60 years now, if there are potholes, they just use bitumen, ordinary coal tar to fill it and that’s the kind of factory we have,” she said.
The CPP flagbearer hopeful also chastised successive governments for allowing the country to deteriorate to its current state of unavailability of running factories.
“Something as basic as sugar that we all consume. Something even as basic as pencil, go to the pencil factory in Kumasi; it’s there and abandoned,” she added.
This year’sFood Safety Month has been launched with a plea for people to adhere to food safety guidelines like often washing their hands, separating raw food from uncooked food, and thoroughly boiling their meals.
Other measures include keeping food at safe temperatures and the use of safe water and raw materials for cooking.
The Registrar of the Veterinary Council of Ghana, Dr Kingsley Mickey Aryee, who launched the programme on behalf of the intersectoral Food Safety Coordinating Committee, made the call at the event in Accra yesterday.
He said the month-long celebration on the theme: “Food standards save lives”, was important because standards were required in determining the safety of food to save lives.
Dr Aryee explained that food safety hazards seeped through and stretched across grass-roots, regional, national and international levels, while food safety involved protection of food from microbial, chemical and physical hazards that might occur during various stages of food production to consumption.
He, therefore, stressed the need for the strict consideration of standards to, among others, minimise food borne illnesses, anti-microbial resistance, food insecurity and poverty.
About event
The event, which is observed in the month of June with activities, would be commemorated on June 7, 2023.
In line with that, the intersectoral food safety coordinating committee, which comprises representatives of various government agencies and other stakeholders in the food value chain, has earmarked some activities to celebrate the month.
The activities include a quiz for second cycle schools in the Central Region, sensitisation programmes on food safety for schools, a webinar, food hygiene competition, trade fair and stakeholder engagements.
The national food safety laboratory of the Veterinary Services and the Food and Drugs Authority are the leading agencies organising the celebration with support from development partners and other stakeholders of food safety.
Importance of food
Dr Aryee said food was essential for the sustenance and continuity of life, be it humans, animals, plants or microorganisms, for which reason every living organism needed food to survive.
He, therefore, said that food safety must be the concern of all since unhealthy foods could be a global public health threat.
Quoting from the World Health Organisation to buttress his point, Dr Aryee said: “Food borne diseases caused 420, 000 deaths globally and 137, 000 deaths in Africa with children accounting for one-third of deaths.”
He, therefore, appealed to the media to continuously sensitise the public to food safety because “it is everyone’s business”.
Dr Aryee expressed appreciation to all partners for their support for the launch and preparations towards the commemoration of the day.
Some portions of the Konongo-Accra highway are currently in a bad state as defects on the road continue to pose threats to persons who ply that stretch of road if not checked in time.
According to a newspaper report by the Chronicles dated May 24, 2023, the six-year pit that has emerged on the pavement of the road keeps widening, putting road users at risk of plying that stretch.
The metallic crash barrier has been corroded, leaving it hanging. The highway has been affected by the deterioration.
A resident who spoke to the newspaper under the name Gabriel Agyapong expressed concern about the inability of the Assembly responsible for the area to get the issue addressed.
He said the defects stated are because of erosion, which has gradually become a threat to highway users.
Another person who also spoke to the newspaper under the name Nana Amofa pleaded with the government to fix defects.
The news story further stated that in a conversation with the Municipal Chief Executive of the area where the road crashes are heavily affected, Robert Yaw Kwakye indicated that what his outfit can only do to help the situation is notify the Ghana Highway Authority.
“We have sent letters and petition upon petition to the Highway. We have a week to assess the situation and we are waiting that them to come, but fortunately for us, the GHA were here last week to assess the situation and we have been promised the next week they would be done,” the newspaper quoted the MCE.
The Ashanti Regional Director of the Ghana Highways Authority, Mark Okyere, noted that they are aware of the situation, describing it as a washout challenge.
“We are aware of the situation and steps are being taken to address the problem as soon as possible,” he was quoted to have said.
The Ghana Embassy in Washington, D.C., in collaboration with the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), has launched ‘Ghana Week in DC’ in Accra, inviting Ghanaians to participate in the outreach to promote Ghana’s rich culture.
The ‘Ghana Week in DC’ will be an annual event in Washington DC which would consist of activities to showcase Ghana’s tourism ecosystem, arts, culture, trade, investment opportunities and football.
“It also aims to create awareness for and about Ghanaian arts, and music, among others while promoting Ghanaian tourism and culture with the main highlight of the week being a football match between one of Ghana’s Premier League teams and DC United.”
The celebration is also in partnership with the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), Ghana Export Promotion Authority, Ghana Football Association (GFA), Embassy of Ghana – Washington DC, City of DC, Mayor Office and PKB Enterprises.
The Chief Executive Officer of GTA, in his welcome statement, touted Ghana’s achievement in the global community and music industry over the decades.
He said ‘Beyond the Return’ was about the partnership, adding that the Ghana Week in DC was one of the partnerships to put Ghana out there and within the diaspora.
According to him, “the Authority is excited with the outcomes of its partnership outreach culminating in the organising of this celebration”, and said it would help cement the gains of the Return.”
Jamil Maraby, Director of Marketing, GFA stated that football had a pulling power, saying that the sport would bring more attention to Ghana Week, hence the need for his outfit to partner in the celebration.
“We have the Ghana Week and it only entails forums on arts and culture, but with this one, we intend to bring much more attention to it, and the football aspect would help do that and make it successful.”
Mr Maraby appealed to the organisers to make sure the event comes to stay as a yearly event that people across the world would look up to.
The Head of Public Relations and Communications Division, GIPC, Mr Chares Opoku Mensah said the project would showcase Ghana “not leaving anything out. From business, culture and arts, entertainment, football, but we are using soccer to lead the charge to open the door.”
He emphasised that for GIPC it aligned with their mandate of promoting Ghana as a place to do business, saying “Our role in this project will push that agenda within the whole scoop.”
He entreated all partners to come on board to support this year’s “Ghana Week in DC”, adding that it was a good course.
Mr Paxton Baker, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), PKB Enterprises, added that the idea behind using football as a key was also to help establish the city of Washington DC as the anchor to showcase talents coming out of Africa.
The heavy downpour on Thursday, May 18, 2023 in Accra has left the Mamprobi JHS, Mamprobi Sempe classrooms flooded with some students and teachers standing on desks.
Teachers had to abandon classes and seek shelter as the rain entered the classrooms in the early hours of Thursday.
In a viral video some of the teachers and students could be seen standing on desks as they waited for the rain to stop to resume learning.
GhanaWeb gathered that this has been the situation at the school for a long time, with teachers having to put classes on hold to seek shelter for students anytime it rains.
Students sometimes have to use learning hours to sweep and scoop water out of their classrooms whenever it rains before they canresume learning.
The Presbyterian Boys’ Senior High School (PRESEC), Legon in Accrahas received 50 bunk beds from the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) to aid with some of the school’s furnishing problems.
Professor Abednego Feehi Okoe Amartey, Vice Chancellor, UPSA, presented the 50 bunk beds to Dr Eric Nkansah, the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, who then handed them over to Mr David Odjidja, the Headmaster.
The Vice Chancellor said the donation of the 50 bunk beds, which could accommodate 100 students, was to help address some pressing needs of the school.
The UPSA, a neighbour of PRESEC Legon, he said, had a special interest in the school as well as other schools in its neighbourhood, hence it adopted theLa-Nkwantanang Cluster of Schools in Madina, which it had supported with books and the constructing of a wall round its premises.
“This is because we believe that the future of this country is actually our young ones…Education is a leveler, once you are able to go to school, it is the surest way to end poverty, at least for you, which is why the UPSA takes a lot of interest in seeking to help our neighbours.” Prof Amartey said.
Although PRESEC Legon is a first-class school, it has some challenges that need to be resolved.
After engaging the Management of PRESEC, the UPSA realised that because of the increase in the number of students, more furniture was needed, hence the donation of the 50 bunk beds to the school, he said.
Touching on a request by the headmaster for more furniture, Prof Amartey said they would take the report to the University Council for its perusal.
“My prayer is that schools like PRESEC Legon would be model schools for others to emulate,” he noted.
Prof Amartey appealed to the students to take their studies seriously to excel as, usual, in the West Africa Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
Mr Odjidja said PRESEC was established in 1938 at Odumase Krobo in the Eastern Region and relocated to its current premises in 1968.
It will be celebrating its 85th Anniversary this year.
He said the school had been one of the best senior high schools in the Sub-region, especially when it came to the sciences.
He said prior to the implementation of the Free Senior High School policy, every year, admission was about 800 maximum, so the entire form one to three population could be about 2,400 or not more than 2,500.
Currently the final year students alone total 1,776, whereas the form two students are 1,930, and the form ones, 1,730.
“So, we are just about 5,500 and because of this growth, obviously some challenges are likely to come along with that,” Mr Odjidja said.
“Seven hundred students are currently without desks in the classrooms. We continue to receive some from the Ministry, but almost every time we receive, the numbers also increase and the cycle continues.”
“We have a similar challenge at the dinning hall, we are unable to sit students at the same time at dinning just because of furniture.”
He said they were preparing for the 2023 WASSCE, and that when all form three students took their tests, the rest of the students would not get desks for classes, therefore, they mobilised benches to the classrooms while some sat beside their classmates.
“In the midst of all these challenges, PRESEC Legon does not allow excuses to compromise its standards and we will continue to do our best till we produce the results, which is our mandate.”
Dr Nkansah, the GES Director General, who commended PRESEC Legon for being the best performing science school in the country, also praised it for winning the National Science and Maths Quiz for the seventh time, which was the highest in the country.
He lauded the UPSA for the kind gesture and urged other stakeholders to emulate the good example.
A visibly elated Master Emmanuel Nukpezah, the Head Boy, on behalf of the students, expressed gratitude to UPSA for the kind gesture with the assurance that they would put the items to good use.
The heavy rains inAccra on Monday, May 15, has caused traffic congestion and flooding on the Dzorwulu N1 Highway road.
The National Highway 1 (N1 Highway) fromDzorwulu to Lapaz had one of the slowest traffic, which caused delays for road users.
Monday’s rain, which lasted for almost an hour, created inconveniences for workers and pedestrians whose movement was impeded. Cars were stuck in traffic for long minutes.
Several parts of Dzorwulu experienced floods as a result of their poor drainage system, which has been a major problem for years.
According to a viral video, there are a number of stranded vehicles on the N1 Highway. The lanes started to clear after the flood water receded.
There were no casualties as drivers drove with caution; however, the storm drains, which have been choked for years, impeded movement.
In order to provide sustainable and inclusive water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services throughout the nation, a new WaterAid Ghana Country Programme Strategy was unveiled in Accra.
Under the five-year strategy (2023-2028), priority will be placed on WASH across the health sector, strengthening the resilience of WASH to climate change, and achieving universal, sustainable and safe access to WASH.
The strategy aims at reaching one million people directly and four million indirectly with sustainable, safe and inclusive WASH behaviour in 10 focused districts of the Upper West and Upper East regions, with a particular focus on Bongo District.
It will also focus on securing and normalising clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene for everyone everywhere in Ghana.
The approaches adopted include strategic partnership and alliance building, advocacy and influencing, peace and security and gender equality and gender responsive WASH.
At the launch in Accra yesterday, the Country Director of WaterAid Ghana, Ewurabena Yanyi-Akofur, explained that the new strategy, known as the WaterAid Ghana’s Country Programme Strategy 7, was the result of months of consultation, research, and collaboration with its partners, stakeholders, and communities.
She expressed their desire to continuously partner the government, Civil Society Organisations, communities and other stakeholders to advocate WASH services for everyone.
She also expressed the hope that the team would work collaboratively to raise at least £12 million to implement the strategy over the next five years.
Mrs Yanyi-Akofur added that the new strategy embodied their commitment to strengthening the capacity of local authorities to expand and deliver water and sanitation services that were sustainable and equitable.
The Deputy Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Amidu Chinnia Issahaku, said the strategy provided a framework for concerted effort to secure and sustain the provision of WASH for everyone.
He said WaterAid Ghana CPS also aligned with Ghana’s national vision and commitments to the Sustainable Development Goals.
“Our vision for the WASH Sector should extend beyond the launch of strategies and programmes and rather envision a future where every person, regardless of their background, must have access to clean sources of water.
Collaboration
The Chief Executive Officer of Water Aid UK , Tim Wainwright, called for all hand to be desk to achieve a universal, sustainable and safe access to WASH.
The Regional Director for Water Aid West Africa, Dr Abdul-Nashiru Mohammed also expressed the hope for a time when WAG services would no longer be needed in the target communities.
Residents in the Weija Gbawe municipality in Accra are in a state of mourning following the death of seven students.
The school children are said to have met their untimely demise on May 10, 2023, after the boat they were travelling by capsized on a river at Wiaboman.
They are said to have been returning to their respective homes from school.
It is yet to be confirmed the exact number of individuals on the boat.
Meanwhile, the bodies of seven children have been recovered while rescue efforts are underway to identify the missing individuals.
Former commander of the Ghana Police Service‘s Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD), ACP (rtd) Victor Tandoh, has stated that the Accra-Tema Motorway has exceeded its value.
The 19-kilometre highway that links the harbour city Tema to Accra is replete with deep potholes and road markings have been wiped off.
Several attempts by the government to rehabilitate the Accra-Tema Motorway have over the years proven futile.
Attempts to also use foreign contractors to fix the deplorable motorway have failed due to lack of funds.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday, May 10, Tandoh said: “It [the expressway] is no more a motorway, it has become an urban road.”“Dual carriage roads provide safety, and it also provides security, because when you are driving on it, the speed limit is quite different from driving on any other roads, but now I am afraid, I don’t know if we can call it motorway,” the former police chief said.“Seriously speaking, the motorway is no longer safe, the speed at which you can drive on the road has reduced because of the deteriorating [nature],” Tandoh said.
The Accra-Tema Motorwayis an essential artery for Ghana’s economy, linking the largest port in the country with the capital city.However, years of neglect and lack of maintenance have left the N1 in a state of disrepair, leading to accidents and traffic congestion.
In line with #SeeSomethingSaySomething and the government’s efforts to urge all Ghanaians to be active “citizens, not spectators”, the #SafeMotorway4All campaign will identify key challenges to the smooth working of the N1 and push for action to address these.Don’t forget to join the campaign by sharing your experiences, appeals and solutions on social media with the hashtag #SafeMotorway4All.
Ghana’s capital Accra, has been ranked among the top ten most polluted cities in the world.
Data from the World of Statistics has mentioned Accra, Ghana’s capital, as the seventh most polluted city in the world.
This was contained in a Twitter post by the Institution.
According to the ranking, Accra comes below Dakan, the capital of Bangladesh, which placed sixth, and above Noida in India, which placed eighth.
Napal’s Kathmandu came first in the ranking, with Helsinki in Finland coming in as the least polluted city in the world.
It is however unclear what metrics were used by the World of Statistics in arriving at these rankings.
It can be recalled the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, in 2017 pledged his commitment to making Accra the cleanest city on the African continent within the next four years.
Six years on, the world ranking reveals that the commitment hasn’t been a reality.
Below is how the countries were ranked from the first to the tenth around the world:
1. Kathmandu 2. Tetovo 3. Faridabad 4. Ulaanbaatar 5. Beirut 6. Dhaka 7. Accra 8. Noida 9. Ho Chi Minh City 10. Ghaziabad
A man, Agya Owusu, whose mining equipment were burnt has alleged that Joseph Albert Quarm, a former member of parliament forNkwanta, sold to him an unlawful mining site concession.
According to Agya Owusu, soldiers came to stop him from mining and burnt his mining equipment; saying that his concession was illegal because it was close to a river.
Speaking to the media at the mining site in a viral video sighted by GhanaWeb, Agya Owusu said that he informed Albert Quarm of what transpired but the former MP has done nothing to help him up to date.
He added that he sent the documents on the mining concession to Accra for authentication after which he will decide on the action to take against the former MP.
“One of the soldiers told me that having a concession close to a river is illegal so they had to burn my equipment.
“I called the person who sold me the land to inform him of what has transpired but up to date he has said nothing meaningful for me, he has not even said sorry.
“The person who sold the concession to me is the former MP, Prof Quarm,” he said in Twi.
Background
A former Minister of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation, Prof Kwabena Frimpong Boateng, named some former and current members of parliament as well as top government officials who are allegedly involved in illegal small-scale mining (galamsey) in Ghana.
Portions of a report on illegal small-scale mining (galamsey) in Ghana by Prof Frimpong Boateng, indicated that these MPs and government officials were either directly involved in galamsey or were using their power to protect relatives who were involved in the menace.
The 36-page report, which Prof Frimpong addressed to the Chief of Staff and the Ghana Police Service, according to myjoyonline.com, implicated the former MP for Manso Nkwanta, Joseph Albert Quarm.
“He (the former NPP MP) used his position as a member of the Minerals Commission to acquire several dozens of large-scale concessions in his district, ostensibly for community mining purposes. He ended up selling these concessions to private individuals, including party members for GH¢200,000 per concession.
Joseph Albert Quarm has, however, firmly refuted the claims made by Prof Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng.
Speaking with Aduanaba Kofi Ampong on Ezra Morning show on Friday, monitored by GhanaWeb, Quarm called out the claims by Frimpong Boateng’s report as mere false accusations that seek to tarnish his image.
According to him, the Minerals Commission and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources legally established community mining in his constituency and he doesn’t know if that was what Frimpong Boateng’s report has captured as illegal operations by him.
“I don’t even have one concession not even to talk of dozen concessions sold by me, as stated in his report. He doesn’t have any substantive evidence on his statement so I’m challenging him to come out with evidence,” Quarm said,
“I do expect him to retract and apologize over his false reportage that seeks to denigrate my reputation, else he will have to meet in court to prove otherwise,” he added.
A campaign to raise awareness about glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency has been launched by students from the development communication department of communication studies at theUniversity of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA).
The aim of the campaign is to educate members of the University Community and the general public about the importance of knowing their G6PD status.
G6PD deficiency is a genetic condition that causes red blood cells to break down when the body is exposed to certain foods, drugs, infections or stress. UPSA Development Communication students launch G6PD deficiency awareness campaign
The deficiency occurs when a person is missing or has low levels of the glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase enzyme.
Speaking at a symposium to build public awareness of the condition, Sandra Yeboah, a Project Lead and Development Communication lecturer at UPSA, shared her near-death experience with G6PD deficiency and emphasised the need for the disease to be given the attention it deserves.
Madam Yeboah called for the inclusion of the G6PD deficiency test in all mandatory medical examinations in the country to help people know their status. UPSA Development Communication students launch G6PD deficiency awareness campaign
She believes that this will improve patients’ lives and spur more research.
Dr Worlanyo Senadza, a medical practitioner at the UPSA Medical Directorate, explained that the destruction of red blood cells can be triggered by certain foods, such as fava beans, and certain medicines, including antimalarial medication, aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), quinidine, sulpha drugs, and antibiotics, among others.
He said although G6PD deficiency is rarely a life-threatening condition, it can cause serious medical conditions such as hemolytic anemia in adults and severe jaundice in newborns.
The Head of the Department of Communication Studies, Dr Adwoa Sikayena Amankwah commended the final-year communication students for their project, which she described as the “first of its kind.” UPSA Development Communication students launch G6PD deficiency awareness campaign
She revealed that the Department will incorporate the awareness campaign into its yearly programme, where final year students pursuing the Development Communications course can showcase their academic creativity through communication initiatives that address social issues and contribute to the socio-economic development of the country.
Dr Amankwah highlighted the role of the faculty in guiding students with the theoretical and practical knowledge necessary to bring out the best in them.
“Our role as faculty is to guide you with the theoretical and practical knowledge necessary to bring out the best in you, the initiatives in you, the creativity in you, and the latent talent in you,” she said.
“This is what UPSA is about, and I am personally excited to be part of this initiative.”
Ameyaw TV gives you an inside look at the Atlantic Mall, Accra‘s newest shopping center that cost $20 million to build.
The Atlantic Shopping Mall, which is situated at the Atomic Junction Roundabout in the North Legon neighborhood close to the University of Ghana, is anticipated to draw tens of thousands of people every day from near and far.
Almost 40 stores are located in the mall, which is owned by Medco.
The shopping mall features a wide range of local and international brands such as The Outlet, Palace, Mabel Kids Shop among others.
Kifle Hampton, Director of Medco, said the Atlantic Mall journey began with a simple idea – to create a shopping experience unlike any other in Ghana
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The National Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential hopeful will also hold a public lecture on political party financing in Ghana.
The event is expected to be attended by party stalwarts and bigwigs such as ChairmanJohnson Asiedu Nketiah and General Secretary Fifi Kwetey.
It is believed that the funds raised through the platform will be used to support Mahama’s campaign as well as aid other party activities, just as he did in previous years. In January 2020, the former president launched a similar fundraising platform to support his candidacy for the general elections.
As part of his preparations for the NDC primaries scheduled for May, Mahama’s campaign team, led by a leading member of the NDC, Prof Joshua Alabi, filed his nominations for the flagbearership position at the party’s headquarters in Accra on Tuesday, March 21, 2023. The team submitted the required documents and fees to contest the position.
Speaking after the submission of the nomination forms, Prof Alabi gave a strong indication to the Electoral Commission that they would not tolerate any compromise that could be disadvantageous to their candidate ahead of the 2024 general election.
Mr Mahama will face competition from former Mayor of Kumasi, Kojo Bonsu, businessman Ernest Kwaku Krobea, and former Finance Minister Dr. Kwabena Duffour in his quest to run on the NDC ticket in 2024.
Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi, and a few other locations across the nation are likely to experience flash floods from April to June, according to the Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMet).
The flash floods might make some routes impassable, according to GMet’s seasonal estimate for 2023.
“The total cumulative rainfall amount for March April May (MAM) both in time and space will be near normal to above normal at the eastern coast of the country, South Western parts of the country towards the north-western parts of the country will experience normal to below normal rains and the extreme North Eastern parts of the country will experience below normal to near normal rains,” GMet said in a statement.
The statement said, the rest of the country will experience near normal rains adding that, March, April, May, and June is the major rainfall season for the south of the country (8°N and below).
“At the peak of the MAM/AMJ season, there is a high probability of heavy rains accompanied by strong winds and lightning which could lead to flooding and damage to structures. There is also a high probability of experiencing relatively short to normal dry spells at the beginning and towards the end of the season.
“Places such as along the coast and its inland areas are likely to have some surplus rainfall, albeit not so significant from the normal rainfall. The western parts of the country will also experience some deficit rainfall amounts for the MAM and AMJ seasons.”
Road users are thus advised to be mindful when plying roads and refrain from driving through floodwaters.
“Light aircrafts are advised to take utmost care and avoid flying through deep convective clouds that are associated with severe turbulence and lightning, especially in the afternoon hours. Motorists should be mindful of fallen trees and objects on roads during or after a storm.”
The late Nii Amon Kotei, a renowned Ghanaian artist who created the State’s Coat of Arms, has been honored with a new students hostel at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA).
Amon Kotei’s exceptional service to the country has been recognized posthumously by UPSA, who also intends to preserve his legacy as a prestigious national icon.
Amon Kotei, who passed away in October 2011, was a distinguished sculptor, painter, musician and surveyor.
“When it came to considering a name for this hostel, no other person’s life’s journey best fits what this hostel sympolises than Amon Kotei, a celebrated Ghanaian and an honorable son of La, and the designer of Ghana’s Coat of Arms,” the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Abednego F. O. Amartey explained at a colorful ceremony to commission the hostel on Tuesday, March 14.
“Due to his illustrious work with the Cartographical Division of the Army when he enlisted in theRoyal West African Frontier Force Gold Coast as well as his exemplary work at the Gold Coast Printing Office, he was recommended by the colonial government and specially commissioned to design a Coat of Arms for the country.
“The rest, as the saying goes, is history, and we are proud to honor him today with the naming of this hostel.”
Prof Amartey thanked the faculty and staff of UPSA for their sacrifices that have made recent construction projects a reality.
He explained that the new 10-storey students’ hostel, financed through the University’s internally generated funds, will help address students’ residential needs while also promoting diversity, integration, and inclusion on campus.
“As the Vice Chancellor, I know how important it is to provide a safe shelter and environment for our students. I appreciate the fact that the provision of a holistic education goes beyond a serene lecture hall, faculty, and the provision of books.
“It is for this reason that the University has invested in infrastructural development, including this new hostel, to meet the accommodation needs of students.”
The ultra-modern hostel complex has facilities such as a recreational area, study/reading rooms, Junior Common Rooms (JCR), a laundry area, TV rooms, automated teller machines (ATM), a modern security system, CCTV cameras, an elevator, and other auxiliary amenities.
The rooms have also been fitted with individual electricity meters to prevent waste and ensure energy conservation.
The chairman of the governing council of UPSA, Dr Kofi Ohene-Konadu, thanked the President of the Republic for his personal intervention in securing the land and the necessary clearance from the appropriate ministry to pave the way for the construction of the hostel.
The commissioning and naming of the hostel was graced by some high-profile dignitaries, including the Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, family members of the late Nii Amon Kotei, traditional leaders, the clergy, faculty, staff, and students of the University.
Members of the general public have been entreated to about their normal activities despite parts of Accra experiencing an earth tremor on Friday.
The Ghana Geological Survey Authority (GGSA) noted that there is no cause for alarm and entreated Ghanaians to be calm.
An earth tremor with a magnitude of 2.8 on Friday, hit James Town in the Greater Accra Region. According to the Authority, the earth tremor which was slightly felt in High Street, Ridge and some parts of Accra Central did not cause any damage as it is a minor one.
Authority has noted that it has been difficult to predict earth tremors as it is a natural occurrence.
However, it noted that “the Authority is committed to continuously monitoring these events and informing the public appropriately to ensure public safety and minimize risk.”
It has emerged that other than offering their bodies for most often money, they also supply used condoms to those in need of it at fee.
A sex worker, Sharon, in a feature yet to be aired by TV3, has provided details as to how she is able to sell used condoms to her clients.
According to Sharon, her main source for used condoms are hotels set up in Accra. She has an agreement with the cleaners in these hotels who collect the used condoms and supply it at a fee.
Labadi, she said, is where a chunk of the used condoms are from.
She noted that running out of stock is not a thing she faces because she always receives the package even under bizarre deadlines.
“If I call my hotel cleaners, before night falls, they can deliver about five or ten pieces of condoms containing sperm,” she is quoted to have said.
In Ghana, the purchase of sperm is not surreal, however, the use of cleaners and the presence of an unauthorised merchant are novel.
To get sperms, one can visit a health facility that deals with sperm donation. Men who donate their sperms are paid a lofty amount of money.
It is still considered to be one of Ghana’s most historic cities and is well-known for its involvement in the transatlantic slave trade.
Cape Coast, historically known as Carbo Corso (a misspelling of “Corsican Cape”), was the initial capital of theGold Coastand was situated on the Gulf of Guinea coast.
Beginning in the 16th century, numerous European nations established themselves in Cape Coast, using the area as a base of operations and a trading hub for commodities like gold and slaves.
There were the Dutch, Portugese, Swedish and then later the British.
The architectural structure of Cape Coast was one that could be boasted of because these European inhabitants established lodges, forts and other buildings.
Cape Coast served as an important seat of Asante traders, a roadstead port and the British commercial and administrative capital.
The Cape Coast Castle which was built by the Swedish and later taken over by the British in 1663, became the government administrative seat for the Gold Coast Colony.
It also became an educational centre, with some of the first schools including the Philip Quaque Boys’ school being established there.
Cape Coast however lost its position as the first capital of the Gold Coast in 1877 when Accra became the administrative capital of the British colonial government in the Gold Coast.
During their time in Cape Coast, the British Colonial government introduced the window tax. This was a property tax suggested by the British to raise money from the indigenes.
Per the tax, every household head was supposed to pay for the number of windows in their house. It was assumed that any household that has many windows was wealthy and therefore could pay more.
This was however met by stiff opposition by the indigenes who disagreed with the basis for the tax.
After this, they moved away to create a centre of power in Accra. The seat of government was moved from Cape Coast and established in Accra.
Accra became the formal colonial administration with the Christianbourg Castle serving as the seat of government.
Accra became the economic centre of Ghana. Railways were built from Sekondi and Accra inland to Kumasi.
A municipal council was formed subsequently, to improve the town.
Accra developed into a prosperous trading hub; today it serves as the commercial and educational centre of the country.
Accra subsequently was declared a city on 29 June 1961 by Ghana’s first President Dr Kwame Nkrumah. Accra has been one of the fastest-growing cities in Africa since the pre-colonial era.
Two siblings, 9 and 11-year-old have reportedly met their untimely death at Babasdongo nearBortianorin Accra after drowning during Tuesday morning’s rains.
Their mother, identified as Sister Ama, said the water destroyed their single self-contained.
She disclosed that her three children were carried away by the flooding water as a portion of the structure collapsed.
Ama says she was saved together with one of her children by a good samaritan as the other two drowned.
“I could see my children going but I could not do anything,” she said while wailing.
A resident, Kofi Nyantakyi saw the first dead body and also a co-tenant of the victims.
He indicated that the victim’s father decided to park his car at a good place and return for the kids but was too late.
Early on March 7, 2023, the Ghana Meteorological Agency published a weather report outlining the reasons why heavy rains were predicted to fall in some areas of the nation.
The storm alert read: “Southeastern Ghana has been engulfed by a rain bearing cloud. This is producing rain of varying intensity within the Volta region.”
It continued: “Areas within the Greater Accra and Eastern will be affected before drifting to the Central, Western and parts of the Ashanti,” it concluded.
“The rain is likely to lead to flash floods in parts of Greater Accra. Be advised accordingly,” the Agency stated in a followup tweet.
At the time of filing this report, GhanaWeb could confirm that heavy rains were hitting parts of the capital Accra.
It appeared however that the rain was drifting per our checks on social media, with some tweeps calling the attention of the Meteo on Twitter that the rains had stopped where they were.
The full impact of the rains is likely to be known in the early hours of this morning. It is the first very heavy rain for the year 2023.
Whenever it rains heavily, issues of flooding and sometimes displacement has often been recorded in parts of the capital.
A non-governmental organization, Rise-Ghana, which is based in theNorthern region, has protested the government’s decision to build hostel facilities for head-porters, popularly known as “Kayayei,” in Accra.
According to the NGO, the issue of constructing hostels will rather encourage rural-urban migration.
This comes on the back of the sod-cutting ceremony to begin construction of a four-storey hostel facility at Adjen Kotokuand other parts of Accra to accommodate 300 head porters.
Speaking on the Morning Starr with Naa Dedei Tetteh Thursday, the Executive Director of Rise Ghana, Awal Ahmed Kariama admonished the government to rather solve the problem at source where these head porters are from.
“We need to have a system down here in the North where we will be able to place children who have completed Junior High School in the public sector and government places so they can earn some money. At the end of the day, people are doing this because they want to put food on the table. They want to be able to acquire the necessary tools that they need to go to school. If you interview some of them, they will tell you they want to become an apprentice but they cannot afford their apprenticeship fees.
“So what the government needs to do is identify the challenges of the people which is the source of the problem. The government should put things in place so these people can have the opportunity to feed themselves and earn the income that they need. So that they won’t find it attractive to travel to these places,” Mr. Karima stated.
He further added that building these hostels will create another problem of rural-urban migration as many of them will love to come due to the hostels.
“Today if we have 100 people coming from the North to engage in a Kayayei job. And if you build a hostel that has the capacity to accommodate 100 people, that hostel will attract another set of 100 or 200 people. What we tell these ladies is that most of their sisters sleep on the street and they are exposed to all forms of risk. There have been instances where some of them have been abused sexually, some of them have been killed and others.
So, we use that as a basis to create awareness for people not to go. So, the situation that now we have a shelter, that argument alone will not stand. It is going to open up the floodgate for more people who want to travel to engage in that business,” Mr. Kariama explained.
The University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) has appointed Dr. Ibn Kailan Abdul-Hamidas the new head for the Department of Marketing.
His appointment took effect from January 1, 2023. He takes over at a time when the Department of Marketing is undergoing major transformation and expansion in areas such as new programme development, faculty growth and an increased student population.
Dr Abdul-Hamid, holds a PhD in Marketing from the University of Ghana. He has Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing from the Institute of Professional Studies (IPS) and a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Marketing.
He is a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing(CIM)—UK, the Chartered Institute of Marketing Ghana (CIMG), and the Association of International Business.
Dr Kailan Abdul-Hamid, an alumnus of UPSA, revealed in an interview with UPSA Media that he plans to collaborate closely with other faculty members to develop marketable programs to increase overall student enrollment.
“I am also looking forward to improving student services at the department while developing mentorship programmes and activities to enhance student performance,” he said.
He also intends to make an impact in areas of staff welfare and faculty capacity building, where he plans to encourage collaboration, mentorship and team spirit with other faculty to help with the promotion of faculty members.
About Dr Ibn Kailan Abdul-Hamid
Dr Abdul-Hamid joined the University of Professional Studies, Accra, as an Assistant Lecturer in 2016. After two years of exceptional service, he was promoted to the rank of lecturer in 2018 by the Management of the University.
In 2019, he was appointed the first Coordinator of the MABC programme where he was instrumental in increasing the number of course enrolments from 18 students in 2019 to 76 in 2020, 120 in 2021, and 150 in 2022.
He is an astute lecturer and has published in many reputable journals. He has also demonstrated sufficient capacity to build strong relationships with students, faculty, and alumni – a skill many believe will make him successful in his new role.
The GaDangme Council has urged government to build technical and vocational training facilities in the northern region.
This it said will help the youth, especially young women who migrate to the capital for menial jobs, develop business skills.
That would be a better option for stemming the regular flow of teeming youths into the national capital for non-existent jobs, than a proposed construction of a hostel for kayayei (female head porters) in Accra.
The Council has in a statement therefore, urged the government not to go ahead with the advertised construction of the hostel for the head porters but return the land earmarked for the hostel project to its owners, in line with constitutional provisions on land acquisition and usage by the State.
The Council, in the statement signed by its president and former Attorney-General Ayikoi Otoo, and Registrar, Dr. Emmanuel Lamptey, also noted that “to construct hostels for Head Porters is to encourage more unskilled female youth to migrate southwards because accommodation would be assured.”
“In our view, however, the safest solution to the challenges confronting those who migrate to cities particularly Accra, the capital, is the provision of vocational and technical skills within the Regions where they migrate from. When that is done, the migrants having acquired skills, can go into local industries applying their vocational and technical skills to run their small scale businesses instead of moving South for non existent jobs and becoming a burden on both central and local governments.”
Return our lands as you did for Kumasi
“Our immediate concern is that although the Constitution and other laws were used to either vest GaDangme lands in Government for its management and for compulsory acquisitions, yet the injunction that where the land is not used for the purpose for which it was acquired it should be returned to its original owners, is more honoured in its breach than the observance.
“Again whilst vested lands can be devested and the land returned to its owners which we saw recently explicitly demonstrated when parts of Kumasi lands were devested and returned to the Asantehene, same has not happened to many vested lands in Accra. The land on which the Kaayayei hostel is to be constructed was originally compulsorily acquired by the Government of Ghana for development into a recreational area, which would have included stadium, restaurants, cafeteria, boating and yatch club, open air cinema, hotel and restaurant, boat hiring, botanical gardens, public swimming pool, birds aviary, public tennis courts, bamboo bush hut, children play grounds, sight-seeing terraces, paddle boat hiring, cricket oval, badminton courts, volley-ball and football pitches, net-ball, basket-ball and hockey pitches and boat racing etc.
“A scheme known as Korle Lagoon Recreational Planning Scheme was developed to capture the above. Another project called the Accra Korle Lagoon Ecological Restoration Project (KLERP) was approved and funds were sourced from Kuwait, aimed at improving the ecology of the Lagoon by eliminating the material inflows that are clogging the river basin through sanitation control. The project did not yield the expected dividends due to activities of those then residing at Sodom and Gomorrah. Eventually the land use was changed to a Market when Makola could no longer accommodate traders.
“Today, with the commencement of the construction of hostels, it is ample testimony that the original purpose has been abandoned. That being the case, the Council is of a strong conviction that in accordance with the Constitution and laws, the land should be returned to the original owners. The injustice involved in what is happening is that the Ga lands are to be used to resettle non-indigenes whilst there are several homeless indigenes living on the streets fighting for space and accommodation at Bukom, James Town, Chorkor and generally along the coast with no room for expansion. Even with the Government Estates which provide accommodation, the beneficiaries have embarked on massive extensions thereby rendering it impossible for there to be open spaces for social gathering.
“Therefore, since these indigenes also require land for construction and settlement, we propose that the land in question, be handed over to the Greater-Accra Regional Lands Commission to be held in trust and with the collaboration of the composite Ga, Gbese and Korle Stools and James Town Stool and the GaDangme Council for same to be parcelled out to deserving indigenes to use to provide accommodation for themselves.”
Traders at Western Regional Market and lorry station in Agbogbloshie Marketin Accra, have petitioned the Member of Parliament(MP) for Jomoro to intervene in the alleged construction of hostels and toilets for head porters (Kayayei) at their premises.
As a result, the market’s residents risk losing their sources of income.
The foundation is currently being dug in more than half of the land in preparation for the start of the project.
The traders and drivers claim to have lived on that plot of land for over 40 years, only to arrive at work on Monday to discover that their properties on the land had been destroyed.
Five vehicles stationed on the land at the time of the operation were towed to the Accra Metropolitan Assembly’s office (AMA).
The drivers claim they had to pay 5,000 Ghana cedis (GHc5,000) each before they were released.
They had no choice but to seek assistance from two of their members of parliament, Dorcas Afo Toffey for Jomoro and Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah forElembelle.
Madam Afo Toffey explained to traders and drivers in Accra that when she received the call about their ejection without notification, she called the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey, who denied knowledge of the ejection.
She said the Minister told her the location is not under his jurisdiction, but rather that of Accra’s Mayor, Elizabeth Sackey. She assured them that what is happening to them is affecting her as well, and that she will do everything she can to get to the bottom of the problem, and that even if the land is taken, they will be relocated.
“What the government wants to do by building a hostel and toilet on the land is not a bad idea,” Madam Afo Toffey said in Twi.
She stated that over 2000 women are trading on that parcel of land, and if such land is taken away from them, they will be unable to provide for their families, as women are the ones who take care of their homes.
“If the government is doing such things for the Kayayei, then traders and drivers also need a befitting place to do their business and not to push them away”. She promised to meet with the Mayor of Accra to resolve the issue amicably.
Brigadier-General Nana Adu, a retired Army officer and truck owner who operates at the station, said he does not understand why the government must take such action. He admitted that the government can take land for such development, but taking it by force is not the right way to go about it.
He said that there should have been a dialogue with the people for peace to reign. Brigadier-General Adu stated that an arrangement should have been made as to where the occupiers would be taken, but for the government to wait until Friday when the area is calm before storming in with police and military to take over is not the right way.
“We know the army and the police are controlled by the government and so the moment these people came to take over the place for the construction of the project, we are convinced the government has a hand in it”.
National Secretary for Coconut Oil Dealers Association, J. B. Gbolor, called for an injunction on the project until the determination of the matter.
He said day in and day, the contractor is bringing construction equipment unto the lord which is not in their interest. The Chairman of the Drivers Union who gave his name as Life explained that the station receives trucks from the Ivory Coast and Nigeria with goods and as such taking over the place would affect such businesses.
He stated that because of what has occurred, all of the women are stranded, which will have an impact on them. The Chairman stated that those who arrived were armed, but they do not want any violence and preferred an amicable resolution to the issue.
Some of the traders have petitioned President Akufo-Addo and Dr. Bawumia, whose names have been mentioned, to halt the project because the location is vital to their livelihood.
IQAir’s AirVisual, a real-time air quality information platform, says Ghana’s air quality is currently 49.6 times the WHO annual air quality guideline value.
This, the site, attributes to the high concentration of PM2.5 in Accra’s atmosphere.
PM2.5 refers to particles found in the air, including dust, soot, dirt, smoke and liquid droplets with a diameter of 2.5 micrometres or less.
Data as of 16:04 on Sunday, February 19, 2023
These particles are so small they can get deep into the lungs and into the bloodstream and cause havoc to one’s organs.
It is believed the high concentration of PM2.5 in the air has been compounded by the resurgence of the Harmattan as a result of regional dust storms pushing into Southern Ghana.
Due to the highly damaging effects of pollution exposure on vulnerable members of society, i.e. young children and the elderly, pregnant women, those with heightened sensitivity towards pollution, as well as those with pre-existing illnesses or compromised immune system, the population is advised to wear a mask outdoors, run an air purifier, close windows to avoid dirty outdoor air and avoid outdoor exercise.
Meanwhile, the Ghana Meteorological Agency has forecasted widespread dust haze and dryness across the country on Monday.
This has the propensity to affect visibility, especially in Ghana’s northern parts.
Survivors of the shooting which occurred on Tuesday showed LuvNews their bullet-ridden vehicles and recounted their ordeal.
The stunned drivers say they decided to drive out of Bawku with their perishable goods after the police refused to grant them escort out of the community.
These cargo vehicles, one driven from the scene of the shooting in Bawku to Akomadan and Suame in Kumasi bear evidence of what took place on Tuesday.
Bullet holes on the windscreen, side and rear of the vehicles show aggressive spontaneous shooting.
Kwaku Karl, 44, the driver of the cargo truck, parked at Akomadan, survived the assault but lost his son, 22-year-old, Kofi Karl.
He narrates how the two of them lay on their side on the floor of the vehicle in an attempt to escape the rain of bullets.
“We laid low in the car to prevent sustaining wounds. I hid my head somewhere with my son’s legs on top of me. Sadly, he sustained some bullets and could not survive. This is just how we positioned ourselves” he stated.
Yakubu Asaripue, the owner of one of the cargo trucks that were attacked, said the incident has gotten him scared.
“The car leading the team is mine. Unfortunately, I lost my driver due to the incident even after putting in much effort to rescue them” he said.
Haruna Issah sustained multiple gunshot wounds from the incident.
“They chased us right after we got into the community. After releasing multiple gunshots at us, we were forced to hide under the car seats but even with that, my driver could not survive and my other mate, is receiving treatment” he explained the situation to Luv News.
The GNAT Hall inAccra is crowded with parents and students who took the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in 2022 to get placement.
The center was set up by the Ghana Education Service(GES) to help with both self-placement and replacement of students in available schools in all categories, excerpt category ‘A’ schools.
According to the GES, “Out of the 547,329 candidates who sat for the examination, 538,399 qualified for school placement. out of these, 372,780 candidates have automatically been placed into various schools.”
This leaves a total of “165,601 candidates who will have to do self-placement because they could not be matched to their school of choice.”
Speaking in an interview with JoyNews, the Deputy Coordinator for Free SHS, Nana Afrah Sika Mensah said “the exercise is going to run for six weeks.”
“We are doing the placement into secondary schools, TVET schools and the new STEM schools” she added.
According to one parent, Meshach Fred Mintah, her daughter who got aggregate 9 could not get placement into her first choice school, Holy Child SHS.
“She was rather offered her 4th choice Suhum SHS. She has worked hard so I want a better school for her to study General science.”
Meanwhile, another parent who got a boarding school for his child said, he wants a Day School for her instead.
Reacting to the activities of middlemen, Nana Afrah Mensah warned parents against dealing with such persons.
“The only accredited people you can approach are the people wearing tags. If you are a parent and anyone approach to take money from you and place you in any school, report them to us ” she warned.
The GES has also set up help centers in all 16 regional offices to assist with placement issues across the country.
Henry Quartey, the Greater Accra Regional Minister, has urgedGhanaiansto join his fight against indiscretion in the city.
Mr Quartey is calling on Civil Society Organisations, Churches, the Media and Commercial drivers to join his efforts in making Accra the cleanest city in Africa.
In his view, fighting indiscipline in the capital city must be a collaborative effort and not the work of an individual.
“I want to see a system working than a Henry Quartey doing everything, and I have laid the foundations so today let me make this passionate call again to the good people of this region, I cannot do it alone, but I need everybody on board,” theRegional Ministersaid on the Point of View on Wednesday, February 15.
Mr Quartey also assured of his preparedness to remove all unauthorized billboards across the city.
According to him, the indiscipline associated with the indiscriminate erection of billboards across the city is worrisome, vowing that all illegally erected billboards will be pulled down.
“We are going to start with billboards. We commissioned Mr Dadzie of AAG to do some extensive work over the last 15 months and I will engage them in the next two months. We will send signals around, and we will remove every unauthorised billboard.
“Nobody should come to me and say he is a party person because I won’t even listen,” the Regional Minister told host Bernard Avle.
More than 30,000 printed Ghanaian passports are gathering dust at the Accra and Kumasi passport application centres following the failure of the applicants to collect them.
Even though the passport office has communicated to the applicants that their passports are ready, they have still not collected them.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration under which the passport office operates has expressed concern over the growing number of uncollected printed passports.
In a statement dated Monday, January 30, 2023, the Ministry called on all passport applicants who are yet to collect their passports to visit their respective passport application centres to do so, as they would be required for future renewal.
Below is a copy of the statement
UNCOLLECTED PASSPORTS AT VARIOUS PASSPORT APPLICATION CENTRES
ACCRA, 30TH JANUARY, 2023 – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration wishes to inform the general public, particularly passport applicants about the urgent need for them to collect their printed passports from the various Passport Application Centres (PACs).
The Ministry is concerned that even though applicants have been informed through text messages that their passports have been printed and sent to the various Passport Application Centres, most of them are yet to be collected. Accra and Kumasi Passport Application Centres alone have about thirty thousand (30,000) uncollected passports.
In view of the above, the Ministry is calling on passport applicants who are yet to collect their passports to visit their respective Passport Application Centres to do so, as they would be required for future renewal.
Passport Applicants can also call the Ministry’s Client Service Unit on the following numbers to confirm the status of their passport applications — 024 079 3072, 024 091 3284.
While thanking the general public for their cooperation on this important matter, the Ministry takes the opportunity to assure that the Passport Office remains committed to its mandate of delivering enhanced service to the general public.
The Ashanti Region and the Greater Accra Region are considered to have Ghana’s deadliest and most dangerous roadways, respectively.
This is supported by data on the amount of mishaps and fatalities in these two regions’ cities, particularly in the capital cities of Accra and Kumasi.
Data from the Road Safety Authority of Ghana shows that the two regions recorded the most accidents and fatalities for 2022 and this has been the story for years.
In 2022, Greater Accra Region, for instance, recorded the greatest number of accidents in the country with nearly 46 percent of the total number of accidents recorded in 2022. It recorded some 6658 accidents followed by the Ashanti Region which recorded 3372 accidents, representing over 23 percent of accidents in Ghana.
The Oti Region recorded the lowest number of accidents in 2022 with only 0.64 percent of the total accidents recorded in 2022. Three other regions including the North East, Savana and the Upper West contributed less than 1 percent each to the total number of accidents recorded in 2022.
In terms of death and injuries, the two regions recorded the highest in the country with Greater Accra recording 485 accident deaths (25.01 percent of total road accident deaths) and 1989 injuries while the Ashanti Region recorded 382 deaths and 1202 injuries.
But does this mean that Greater Accra and Ashanti are the regions with the deadliest roads in Ghana?
The two regions according to statista.com host more than one-third of Ghana’s population so it should not be surprising if they see more road accidents and deaths. To check the rate of accidents and casualties, cases recorded are conventionally measured per 100,000 population.
The number of accidents per 100000 people in all the regions shows that the Greater Accra and Ashanti have the highest rate of accidents in Ghana.
The Greater Accra Region recorded approximately 123 accidents per 100000 population while the Ashanti Region recorded approximately 62 accidents per 100000 people.
However, when it comes to road accident deaths, the two regions with the highest rate of accidents, do not have the highest rate of deaths.
The Eastern Region has the highest rate of accident deaths in Ghana with approximately 11 deaths per 100,000 population compared to Greater Accra which has 9 road accident deaths per 100,000 population.
The Ashanti Region, which has the second highest rate of road accidents in Ghana, has a lower death rate (7.03 deaths per 100,000 population) compared to regions like the Western North (7.44 deaths per 100,000 population) and Ahafa (8.33 deaths per 100,000 population) which have lower accident rates.
So, it can be concluded that even though the Ashanti and Greater Accra Regions have high rates of accidents, they do not necessarily have the most dangerous roads in Ghana.
A witness in the trial involving Dr Ato Forson, a former Deputy Minister of Finance and two others, says the financing agreement between Stanbic Bank and the Government of Ghana was cancelled.
“I am unable to say why the financing agreement between Stanbic Bank and Government was not signed,” Mr Emmanuel Evan Mensah said.
Mr Mensah gave his evidence after which the defence cross examined him in Accra.
Dr Forson, a Former Deputy Minister of Finance, was granted a self-recognisance bail of GH¢3 million for allegedly willfully causing financial loss of 2,370,000 euros to the State.
He is also facing an additional charge of “intentionally misapplying public property contrary to section 1 (2) of the Public Property Protection Act, 1977 (SMCD 140).”
Dr Sylvester Anemana, a Former Chief Director at the Ministry of Health, was also granted a bail of GH¢1 million with three sureties one of whom shall be a public servant not below the rank of a director.
Mr Richard Dzakpa, a businessman, also in the trial, was granted a GH¢5 million bail with three sureties one of whom must be justified with documents of a landed property.
Asked that in his experience as a finance professional at the Ministry of Finance, could a Letter of Credit (LC) be lawfully established without approval from the Minister of Finance, he answered in the affirmative.
Dr Abdul Aziz Bamba, Counsel for Dr Forson asked the witness how the alleged authorisation was done by the then Former Deputy Minister of Finance and Mr Mensah said it was a written letter.
The witness confirmed the letter in open court and was given the opportunity to read in open court.
The Counsel said the letter indicated on the face value that it was written for the Minister of Finance, and the witness agreed.
Asked following the cancellation of the agreement, what other financing options were available to the government at that time, the witness said there were so many options.
The witness said one of the options was to look for replacement for the Stanbic agreement, while also consulting cabinet and approval from Parliament for other options.
Mr Mensah said another option was to postpone the whole agreement entirely, while looking at government coffers to finance the purchase of the ambulances.
The Counsel suggested to the witness that, the Minister of Finance could approve any other alternative financing options, but Mr Mensah disagreed.
He explained that because each option had processes, the Minister could not solely approve them, and stressed he had to follow due processes, including going to Parliament for approval.
Mr Alex Owureidu Dankwa, lawyer for Dr Anemana, in a cross examination, suggested to the witness that the agreement was never signed, and the witness agreed.
The case was adjourned to January 17, 2023, for continuation.
