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Tag: Ghana

  • 2022 Commonwealth Games: Team Ghana urged to go all out

    Mr. Gabby Ammah, CEO of Urban Sports Champions and a director of Get Vim has sent messages of encouragement and best wishes to Team Ghana preparing for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

    He said everything is possible in sports, so the athletes should be focused and go all out to win laurels for themselves and the nation.

    According to the keen sports enthusiast, Ghana is a sports nation, with talented and skilful people. “We are a blessed nation with many talents who are capable of doing many things. I am very optimistic that Team Ghana will perform well despite all the challenges. We hope and pray for all the sportsmen and women to be very fit and ready for their assignments” he expressed.

    Urban Sports Champions and Get Vim donated cash to the Black Bombers before the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan where Ghana won a bronze medal.

    He was sure that the Black Bombers will definitely bring home some medals.

    Meanwhile, Makqash Abrantie of Get Vim fame who has been in the United States for a while has promised the Black Bombers something special if they win gold at the Commonwealth Games.

    Ghana will be taking part in 13 sports disciplines at the Games in Birmingham.

    Source: NewsGhana

  • Ghana defender Mohammed Salisu misses first day of Southampton pre-season training

    Ghana defender Mohammed Salisu was absent from Southampton’s first day of pre-season training on Wednesday as they prepare ahead of the new season.

    The 23-year-old was seen pictured during the training session which took place at the club’s training complex.

    No reason has been given for his absence but Footballghana.com understands the Ghanaian has been some days off to recharge his batteries after an intense campaign last season.

    Salisu, who was regarded as one of the best centre defenders in the Premier League last term featured 36 times in all competitions and scored once for the Saints.

    According to reports, Barcelona are monitoring the top defender and could move to sign him in the summer transfer window.

    Xavi’s side have also been linked with a move for other defenders including Pau Torres, Aymeric Laport, Jules Kounde, as well as Matthijs De Ligt.

    Salisu is expected to join his Southampton teammates in the coming days for pre-season training.

    Source: Football Ghana

  • Ghanaian economy grew by 3.3% in first quarter of 2022

    Ghana’s economy grew by 3.3% in quarter one of 2022 compared to the same period in 2021, the Ghana Statistical Service said on Wednesday.

    The Government Statistician, Prof. Samuel Kobina Annim announced the provisional real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in volume terms said growth was driven by Information and Communication (1.0%), Crops and Cocoa (0.9%), Transport and Storage (0.4%), Manufacturing (0.3%) and Trade: Repair of Vehicles, Household goods (0.3%).

    When seasonally adjusted, Ghana’s real GDP increased by 0.9% in quarter one (January to March) of 2022; 1.0 percentage points lower than what was recorded in quarter four (October to December) of 2021.

    The Services sector remains the largest sector of the economy with a 45percent share of GDP. The GDP share of Industry and Agriculture were 32percent and 23percent respectively.

    Main sub-sectors of expansion

    Prof Annim said the main sectors with more than 10 percent expansion in quarter one of 2022 are Information and Communication (26.6%); Fishing (26.1%); Water Supply, Sewerage, Waste Management & Remediation Activities (25.4%) and Electricity (15.9%).

    Contracted sub-sectors sectors

    He also mentioned that seven sub-sectors led by Professional, Administrative & Support Service activities (-12.8%) and Public Administration, Defense and Social Security (-9.8%) contracted.

    The remaining sectors that contracted during the period were Real Estate (-2.6%), Construction (-2.6%), Education (2.0%), Health and Social Work (-1.0) and Forestry & Logging (-0.1%).

    Nominal quarterly GDP

    Prof Annim said the GDP estimate at current prices in purchaser’s value for the first quarter of 2022 was GH¢139,390.0 million compared to GH¢115,691.6 million in the first quarter of 2021.

    The non-oil GDP (GDP without Oil and Gas) estimate at current prices for the 1st quarter of 2022 was GH¢131,025.2 million compared to GH¢111,105.1 million in the first quarter of 2021.

    Source: www.graphics.com.gh

  • No cholera in Accra – GHS

    The Greater Accra Region, the hotbed of cholera outbreaks in Ghana, has not recorded any case of the disease since the outset of the rains, the Regional Health Directorate has revealed.

    The Regional Director of Health, Dr Charity Sarpong, said in an interview that it was due to a number of measures that had been put in place over the years.

    The measures, she said, included education and awareness creation at the community and district levels on the need to wash hands regularly and also keep surroundings clean.

    She said although the region was noted as a hotspot for cholera, especially during the rainy season, it was yet to record any cholera case even though the rains had set in.

    Cholera, a bacterial disease causing severe diarrhoea and dehydration, has killed hundreds of people over the years in the Greater Accra Region.

    It is usually spread in water and could be fatal, if not treated right away.

    Key symptoms are diarrhoea leading to dehydration. Rarely, shock and seizures may occur in severe cases.

    Statistics

    Between 2014 and 2015, Ghana experienced one of its worse cholera outbreaks.

    By the end of January 2015, when the outbreak was contained, over 28,000 cases with 243 deaths had been recorded in all the then 10 regions of the country.

    The Greater Accra Region was the worst affected, recording almost 98 per cent of all the cases.

    In other years, according to statistics from the Ghana Health Service (GHS), 9,542 cholera cases with 100 deaths were recorded in 2010 across the country; 10,628 cases with 105 deaths were recorded in 2011; 28,975 cases with 243 deaths in 2014; 618 cases with five deaths in 2015, and 150 cases in 2016.

    Besides, between 1998 and 2017, epidemiological surveillance reported 82,754 cholera cases in the country, with 519 deaths.

    Risk factors

    Dr Sarpong stated that over the years, poor sanitation, open defecation, and the lack of safe drinking water were some of the risk factors that predisposed communities and people to the outbreaks.

    She said community sensitisation to the risk factors had helped to contain the possible outbreak in the region, while the GHS had integrated disease surveillance response into its system to be able to pick diseases that could create epidemic for quick response.

    Dr Sarpong called on the public to continue to practise good hygiene protocols such as hand washing, keeping houses and surroundings clean, eating hot foods, among others.

    She also called on stakeholders, including the media, to help in educating the communities so that they would be aware of the need to keep cholera at bay.

    She said through all these, the GHS was also strengthening early detection and rapid response systems in tackling cholera while hospitals had been adequately prepared to handle cholera cases to prevent an outbreak.

     

  • Cheapest electricity cost: Ghana ranked 1st, 9th in West Africa, Africa

    According to Global Petrol Prices. Com, the country is also ranked 27th in the world.

    The rankings are coming at a time when the utility tariff providers in the country are making a case for increase in utility tariffs.

    The world average price of electricity is pegged at $0.133 per kilowatt/hour (kWh) for household users and $0.124 per kWh for business users.

    In Ghana, the cost of electricity per kilowatt/hour for household is $0.046 cents which is less than a dollar.

    The situation is similar to that of business consumers, though countries in the region have cheaper cost for electricity bill.

    This clearly shows that the cost of electricity in the country for household, compared to other countries on the continent is very low.

    That goes to buttress the point by the utility tariff providers for an imminent increase in electricity and water bills. Whilst the Electricity Company of Ghana is requesting for 148% increase in electricity tariff, covering 2019 and 2022, Ghana Water Company Limited is demanding for an increase of 334% in water tariff.

    Meanwhile, Sudan has the cheapest electricity tariff in Africa and the World for household.

    It is followed by Libya and Zimbabwe in 2nd and 3rd positions respectively.

    RANKING OF COUNTRIES WITH CHEAPEST COST OF ELECTRICITY IN AFRICA FOR HOUSEHOLD CONSUMERS

    COUNTRY COST($) 100 cents =$1 RANKING
    Sudan 0.002 1st
    Libya 0.004 2nd
    Ethiopia 0.007 3rd
    Zimbabwe 0.013 4th
    Angola 0.027 5th
    Zambia 0.033 6th
    Algeria 0.036 7th
    Egypt 0.044 8th
    Ghana 0.046 9th
    Nigeria 0.057 10th
    Tunisia 0.068 11th
    Cameroon 0.080 12th
    DR Congo 0.083 13th
    Tanzania 0.098 14th
    Botswana 0.103 15th
    USA 0.159 16th
    UK 0.265 17th
    China 0.083 18th

    Source : myinfo.com.gh

  • Government settles GH¢553.5m debt owed Nigerian Gas Company

    Deputy Minister of Energy, William Owuraku Aidoo, has noted that government has settled its legacy debt owed Nigerian Gas Company Limited (N-Gas).

    According to him, government, through his outfit, paid off the GH¢553,452,668 in three tranches.

    William Owuraku Aidoo indicated that this settlement comes after the Volta River Authority (VRA) improved its balance sheets.

    The Nigerian Gas Company Limited has over the years supplied Ghana with natural gas to help sustain the energy sector.

    This, the Deputy Energy Minister said has helped ameliorate the power crisis in the country.

    While speaking on the floor of parliament on Friday, June 17, 2022, William Owuraku Aidoo said, “I would like to point out that, subsequently, VRA has been able to pay its obligations to N-Gas as and when it falls due…VRA is able to pay for its obligation to N-Gas for the supply of natural gas from Nigeria. I will say that it has gone a long way in ameliorating the power situation in Ghana thereby preventing dumsor.”

    “VRA under the able leadership of Antwi Darkwa has improved remarkably on their balance sheet and as a result they are able to pay for gas supply to Ghana as and when it falls due. VRA is doing a very good job in polishing its balance sheet thereby being able to pay for its bills,” he added.

    Background

    The accumulation of debt owed N-Gas started in 2014 due to the inability of VRA to pay the company.

    According to Graphic.com.gh report, government in 2017 instituted strategic intervention programmes such as ESLA to pay in tranches this legacy debt.

    Ghana at the Committee of Ministers meeting in Lome, Togo, in December 2020 made a commitment to settle the debt by end of this year.

     

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • 2023 AFCON qualifiers: Ghana sits top of Group E despite draw against Central African Republic

    Ghana remains top of Group E of the standings of the qualifiers for the 2023 TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament despite drawing 1-1 against Central African Republic on Sunday.

    The Black Stars played against the Wild Beast in Luanda, Angola this afternoon to clear the second game of Group E in the qualifiers.

    Aftet dominating the early parts of the first half, Ghana deservedly took the lead through poster boy Mohammed Kudus in the 17th minute.

    http://backend.theindependentghana.com/2022/06/afena-gyan-scores-maiden-black-stars-goal-in-win-over-madagascar/

    Despite controlling the game from there on, the Central African Republic managed to get back in the game before the break.

    A strike from Karl Namnganda in the 44th minutes forced the game to end in a stalemate at full time.

    Thankfully, the two points dropped by Ghana today changes nothing on the Group E standings.

    http://backend.theindependentghana.com/2022/06/mohammed-kudus-on-target-as-black-stars-thump-madagascar/

    A draw between Madagascar and Angola means that the Black Stars remain top of the standings with four points after two matches.

    Source: Football Ghana

  • Ghana commends ECOWAS efforts to regulate arms brokering in Sub-region

    Mrs Afi Azaratu Yakubu, the Executive Secretary of the National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons has commended ECOWAS and its partners for producing a report, which provides an excellent basis for an in-depth discussion on arms brokering within West Africa.

    The report and accompanying operational guidelines provide further basis for the Member States to elaborate laws and procedures to regulate brokering practices.

    Mrs Yakubu said this during technical experts’ meeting in Abuja, Nigeria on the Validation of Study Report on Arms Brokering in West Africa, organised by the ECOWAS Small Arms and Light Weapons Division, through the Organised Crime: West African Response to Trafficking Project.

    It was to review and validate a draft study report and operational guidelines for regulating arms brokering in the ECOWAS.

    Mrs Yakubu, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, explained that in many countries, because of the lack of regulation and controls, it was easy for small arms to fall into the hands of people, who used them use them to commit crimes in violation of international humanitarian or human rights laws or diverted them to the illicit market.

    Recent global data indicates that the arms trade had seen a shift from direct contact between government officials or agents to the pervasive use of private intermediaries, who operated in a particularly globalised environment, often from multiple locations, she said.

    The United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs Information indicates that “contemporary traders, agents, brokers, shippers and financiers regularly combine their activities, making it difficult to clearly distinguish small arms trade from brokering and related activities”.

    Mrs Yakubu said many countries had not enacted specific laws or regulations covering arms brokering within their systems of arms export, therefore, the ECOWAS Arms Brokering regulations would ensure that member states regulated the importation and exportation of arms and contributed to the reduction of illicit transfers and diversions into unauthorised hands.

    Mr Piex Joseph Ahoba, the Head of ECOWAS Small Arms Division highlighted the importance of the regulation of arms brokering activities.

    He said it was a key that national and regional efforts were geared towards preventing, combating, and eradicating illicit circulation, trafficking and proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons.

    He expressed optimism that the meeting would elicit inputs that enriched the draft Operational Guidelines on Arms Brokering given the richness of the experts assembled.

    The Organised Crime: West African Response to Trafficking (OCWAR-T) is an ECOWAS project, commissioned by the German Government and co-funded by the European Union.

    GIZ jointly implements the OCWAR-T with the United Nations Development Programme, UN Office on Drugs and Crime, Mines Advisory Group, International Centre for Migration Policy Development, Institute for Security Studies, and the Global Initiative Against Organised Crime.

    Source: GNA

  • Ghana, Mozambique form alliance to address terrorist threats in sub-region

    President Akufo-Addo has appealed to President Felipe Jacinto Nyusi of Mozambique to join forces with Ghana in the battle against terrorist acts in the West African sub-region.

    In response to the rising tide of terrorism in West Africa, President Akufo-Addo remarked that both Ghana and Mozambique cannot turn a blind eye to the issue of terrorist acts in Africa, which is threatening the continent’s security.

    According to him, a cooperative effort between Ghana and Mozambique will not only strengthen security preparations, but also discover ways to decrease reliance on European countries.

    “Ghana will continue to collaborate with Mozambique to find solutions to challenges such as, the eradicate of widespread poverty, regulation of illegal migration, insecurity and human right violation, terrorist and violence extremism, human and drug trafficking as well as negative impact of climate changes on environment and livelihood.”

    President Akufo-Addo made these remarks when he welcomed President Felipe Jacinto Nyusi to the Jubilee House as part of his four-day visit to Ghana.

    The two Presidents also signed two bilateral agreements to deepen cooperation between the Ghana and Mozambique.

    The agreements are the Permanent Joint Partnership Commission for Cooperation and a Joint waiver on visa requirements and diplomatic service passports.

    Meanwhile, according to Edward Kweku Asomani, the Deputy National Security Coordinator, within the first quarter of 2022, Africa has experienced about 346 terrorist attacks in various countries. 49 per cent out of these, he noted, occurred in West Africa.

    These numbers emphasise the importance of such a collaboration in the battle against terrorism in West Africa.

    Source: The Independent Ghana

  • Togo opens border it shares with Ghana

    Togo opened its side of the border with Ghana at midnight yesterday.

    This comes more than 50 days after Ghana had reopened its land borders.

    The Daily Graphic visited some of the border towns, including Aflao, Akanu and Kpoglu-Segbe Border, to ascertain how business was picking up in those places.

    When the Daily Graphic arrived at the border post at Aflao about 8:30 a.m. yesterday, the metal gates which had been closed between the two countries for two years following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic were open.

    The Member of Parliament for Ketu South, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, was among those who turned up early at the border post to see things at first-hand.

    The Kpoglu-Segbe border post was equally quiet when the Daily Graphic visited.

    Desolation

    Although the border had been opened, both sides of the frontier remained desolate, with little human movement and commercial activities across the border.

    “Today is the first day and some people in Lome and Aflao have not yet heard about the reopening,” a senior Togolese Immigration officer who requested anonymity said.

    On the Ghana side, the Aflao Sector Commander of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), Assistant Commissioner of Immigration (ACI) Frederick Duodu, said the human and vehicular traffic across the border would definitely increase in subsequent days.

    GIS ready for human traffic

    He gave an assurance that personnel of the Aflao Sector GIS were ready for any upsurge in the number of travellers across the border.

    So far, ACI Duodu said, although people had been eager for Togo to open its side of the border, no untoward incident had occurred along the border.

    The Daily Graphic gathered that some heavy-duty vehicles were using the ECOWAS Border Post at Akanu, near Dzodze, some 50 kilometres from Aflao, and that had largely contributed to the low volume of traffic at the Aflao Border Post.

    Later in the day, a few hawkers turned up at the border post, in the hope of doing brisk business.

    As of 1:30 p.m., 65 Ghanaians and 16 nationals of other ECOWAS countries had entered Lome from Aflao, while about a 100 people had left Lome for Aflao.

    At the Kpoglu-Segbe Border Post, nine Ghanaians had crossed into Togo, while four Togolese had crossed from Togo into Ghana as of 11:06 a.m.

    Identities

    Most of the Ghanaians crossing used their Ghana Cards or passports to cross the border smoothly.

    Interacting with the Daily Graphic, Ms Gomashie expressed gratitude to the leaders of the two countries for listening to the cries of their people.

    “In Ketu South, we hope this will restore our livelihood, which is cross-border commerce,” the National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP said.

    Ms Gomashie entreated people crossing the border to hold valid identities and proof of vaccination against COVID-19 and also be law-abiding all the time.

    Source: Graphic online

  • Ghana, Nigeria to battle for Genk defender

    The Ghana Football Association and Nigerian Football Federation(NFF) are making moves to lure Genk defender Mujaid Aliu Sadick to play for their respective country. 

    Mujaid was born to a Nigerian father and a Ghanaian mother and therefore is eligible to play for both countries. 

    The 21-year-old was born in Spain and thus could nationalize for the European country as well. 

    The NFF is said to have begun talks with the Belgium-based center-back, a report by sportsworldghana.com claims. 

    Nigeria are said to be working on getting Mujaid Aliu to pledge allegiance alongside a host of other Nigerians born abroad before their World up playoff clash against Ghana in March. 

    Mijaid has represented Spain at youth level, Under 17 and Under 18. He joined Genk last summer from Deportivo La Coruna and has played 17 Jupiler League games scoring twice.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Five goalkeepers who could get call up for Ghana, Nigeria clash

    GhanaWeb feature

    Ghana set to face Nigeria in a doubleheader for a spot in the 2022 FIFA Wolrd Cup in Qatar. 

    The two West African countries will lock horns in March 2022, with the first leg set at Friday, March 25 in Cape Coast. The second leg will be staged at in Abuja four days later. 

    Ghana led by interim boss, Otto Addo, will look to make amends from a poor outing at the African Cup of Nation by edging out the Super Eagles.

    Addo is expected to announce an expansive Black Stars squad in the second week of March. The squad could have four goalkeepers. 

    Here are five goalkeepers that could make the list

    Jojo Wollacott

    Wollacott is the apparent first choice of the Black Stars. He took over the spot from injured Richard Ofori and thus was in post for all of Ghana’s three games at the 2021 AFCON.  

    The Swindon Town goalie has kept two clean sheet in his last two games with 77% save percentage. 

    Wollacott’s chances of making the team for the Nigeria is high with regards to his recent form. 

    Richard Attah

    The Hearts of Oak goalkeeper made the Black Stars final squad for the AFCON but did not feature for the team as they exited the competition at the group stage. 

    Richard Attah has been a regular member of the team in recent call ups. He has kept his standard since returning from the tournament in Cameroon.

    Attah was impressive once again for Heart in their goalless draw against arch rivals Asante Kotoko when he made five crucial saves. 

    The 26-year-old could maintain his place the Black Stars in the upcoming doubleheader against Nigeria.

    Razak Abalora

    The former Asante Kotoko goalkeeper joined Moldovan side Sheriff Tiraspol during the 2022 winter transfer. 

    Currently, the Moldovan top flight in on break with the second leg set to start in March. 

    However, the club is in the Europa League and are looking to qualify for the lat 16 after beating Braga 2-0 in the first leg of the round 32 tie.  

    Abalora could earn a call up if he managed to have game time in the soon to start second round of the Moldovan league. 

    Joseph Anang

    Joseph Anang is a young Ghanaian goalkeeper playing for Sevenage FC in League Two, English fourth tier. 

    The former West Ham United goalie has made 18 appearances for the club starting all. The 21-year-old goalkeeper last appeared for the club in December 2021.

    Anang was named among the shots stoppers who Black Stars goalkeepers’ trainer, Richard Kingston is monitoring. 

    “I have about fifteen (15) goalkeepers I am monitoring for Ghana, some are in Africa, especially Mutawakilu Seidu, Annan of West Ham Utd and a host of others, ” he told Hot FM.


    Danlad Ibrahim

    The ex-Ghana under 20 deputy captain has been tremendous for Asante Kotokosince assuming the first spot following Abalora’s exit. 

    He has kept five clean sheets in 8 appearances in for the League leaders.

    The 19-year-old could also be rewarded with a all up regarding his fine form. 

    Author:Emmanuel Enin

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Govt to spend GHS 521 million on upcoming population and housing census

    Ghana is expected to spend five hundred and twenty-one million cedis (GHS 521 million) on its 2021 population and housing census.

    According to Mr Emmanuel G. Osei, the Head of Census Secretariat, the amount is unique because it will be done technologically and tablets have been acquired for enumerators and supervisors.

    The amount includes the payment of enumerators, purchasing of logistics, fieldwork cost, and training of members to facilitate the effectiveness and efficiency of the census.

    According to the Head of Census Secretariat, the enumeration process required logistics to enable the field officers to reach out to all villages, communities and hamlets across the districts in the Region.

    He said the GSS would need logistical support, including vehicles and motorbikes to reach out to residents in the hard-to-reach communities and urged the heads to avail themselves when they needed their support and services.

    On the benefits of the exercise, he said apart from providing an updated demographic social and economic data to support national development activities, to track implementation of global and continental development, the exercise would also help at the district and local levels to assess the developmental needs of the people.

    President Akufo-Addo

    Mr Osei disclosed that the 2021 Census would be heavily dependent on the use of computer-assisted personal interviews and a global positioning system (GPS) coordination for all structures and communities.

    Mr Osei explained that as part of the preparations towards the successful implementation of the census, the Central Region had been divided into six zones to facilitate the smooth implementation of the census and to ensure everyone was duly captured.

    He said recruitment, training of supervisors and field officers who would undertake the enumeration is ongoing and has therefore appealed to the participants to support the GSS to carry out a successful exercise.

  • The pain of being a Ghanaian

    Life becomes more challenging when one goes through hardship coupled with disability.

    This has been the story, especially of some residents in communities like Gomoa Ayensuadze and Gomoa Tetsiam in the central Region, a region noted for acute poverty. These residents, mostly physically challenged persons and the aged seemed to have been abandoned by the government. Their situation has compelled Crime Check Foundation, CCF to go to their aid.

    CCF with support from its donors gave each beneficiary monies ranging from Two Hundred Ghana cedis to Four Hundred Ghana cedis to help ease their financial difficulties.

    The Executive Director of Crime Check Foundation, Ibrahim Oppong Kwarteng expressed gratitude to the donors who contributed. He appealed for further support to enable the organization extend its aid to other communities. “In accordance with the Holy Bible and Holy Quran it is mandatory to extend a helping hand to those who are afflicted. That is why we have taken it upon ourselves to go to the aid of these struggling individuals.” He said.

    Some beneficiaries including 75-year-old Maame Yaa was left to her fate when she got bedridden after separating a fight between two neighbors. She told crimecheckghana, that she cannot afford medical care. “Life has not been easy at all. I struggle to get a meal a day. I lost all hope because of the harsh living conditions.” She said.

    CCF gave her Two Hundred Ghana cedis hoping to get more support for her. Maame Yaa blessed the Foundation and CCF for the support.

    Similarly, 70-year-old stroke patient, Ama Etiwaa received Three Hundred Ghana cedis after narrating how she has been abandoned and struggles to feed herself. She was thankful to CCF and its donors for coming to her aid.

    CCF has supported many struggling village dwellers with business capital and funds to ease their livelihood.

    Source: crimecheckghana.org

  • Ghana/Hungary reflect on growing bilateral relations

    Hungarian Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Andras Szabo on Monday, held a meeting with Madam Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, the Minister-Designate for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, to discuss the growing bilateral relations between the two nations.

    The meeting enables the two parties to discuss the necessary steps to enhance bilateral relations and socio-economic development interventions.

    The visit was also to enable the Ambassador to personally hand over a congratulatory birthday letter and a gift sent by Mr Péter Szijjártó, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary to Madam Botchwey.

    Mr Szijjártó said since the re-opening of the Hungarian Embassy in Accra in 2016, successful projects in the water, sanitation, health, agriculture and food industry showed the potential and commitment from both countries on the highest levels.

    Madam Botchwey said after four successful years, Hungary doubled the quotas towards Ghana for its Governmental Scholarship Programme receiving 100 new students each year on various degrees.

    Source: GNA

  • Ghana and Rwanda to explore business opportunities

    Government has called on the business community in Ghana and Rwanda to take advantage of their vast economic potentials to explore business opportunities in all sectors of the economy.

    The government also encouraged the Rwandan government and businesses to invest in Ghana for mutual benefits.

    Mrs Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration said this on Monday when Dr Vincent Biruta, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Rwanda paid a courtesy call on her in Accra.

    Both Ministers signed the General Cooperation Agreement to lay the foundation for the establishment of a Permanent Joint Commission for Cooperation between the two countries.

    The visit was to herald the inauguration of the new High Commission of Republic of Rwanda in Accra, on Tuesday, November 3, 2020.

    She said Ghana was among the countries across the continent with a conducive investment climate coupled with good incentives provided under the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre Act 2013, Act 865.

    The Minister commended the longstanding and cordial relations which existed between the two countries over the past years.

    “Bilateral relations between the two countries reached a significant milestone in January 2020 with the establishment of the High Commission of the Republic of Rwanda in Ghana and appointment of Dr Aisa Kirabo Kacyira as the first resident High Commissioner of the Republic of Rwanda to Ghana”, she said.

    She mentioned that the establishment of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) presented new opportunities to both countries to expand trade relations at the bilateral and continental levels.

    She acknowledged the invaluable support of Rwanda in championing support for Ghana’s successful bid culminating in the hosting of the AfCFTA Secretariat in Accra.

    Mrs Botchwey called on both countries to collaborate and support the African Union and other regional groupings to respond decisively to the current threats to peace and security on the African continent such as terrorism, piracy, illicit trade in small arms and light weapons, cybercrimes and human trafficking.

    She expressed Ghana’s desire to work closely with Rwanda to consolidate the existing relations and explore further areas of cooperation for the mutual benefit of the two countries.

    She assured Dr Biruta of Ghana’s commitment to ensure transparent, peaceful and free and fair elections in December 2020.

    Dr Biruta said his country was confident that cooperation agreement between the two countries would enhance Africa’s development for tangible outcomes as their relations would open more opportunities to explore and commended Ghana for its commitment to peacekeeping operations, saying during the 1994 genocide, Ghana stayed with her troops when other countries opted out.

    Source: GNA

  • Ghana midfielder Bernard Mensah arrives in Istanbul to join Besiktas

    Ghanaian midfielder Bernard Mensah arrived in Istanbul on Sunday night ahead of him joining Turkish giants Besiktas, Ghanasoccernet.com can exclusively reveal.

    The 25-year-old arrived in the Turkish capital with his wife and two kids indicating that his move to Besiktas has already been agreed with his club Kayserispor.

    He arrived in Istanbul in the company of his two kids who were also wearing the jersey of T-shirt of Besiktas indicating that the deal with the club has been sealed.

    As revealed by Ghana’s leading soccer earlier on Sunday, Mensah was expected to touch down from Kayseri at 10pm Turkey time and he was met by officials of Besiktas at the new airport in Istanbul.

    It was noteworthy that Mensah, who came to Istanbul Airport from Kayseri, was wearing a T-shirt symbolizing the “I won’t let you go” campaign launched by Besiktas Club.

    The Kayserispor player travelled to Istanbul after his club agreed to transfer him to Besiktas on loan deal pending a full transfer on a bumper contract.

    He will undergo a medical test on Monday morning before sealing the transfer deal.

    The Ghana international will sign a 500,000 Euros loan deal with Besiktas on Monday if he passes the medical.

    Before travelling to Istanbul he signed a one year extension to his contract with Kayserispor who now have him under contract until 2022.

    Besiktas will have the first option to buy Mensah for 4.5 million Euros at the end of the season.

    Mensah was on a buyout clause of 2.8 million Euros at Kayserispor at the beginning of last season before his latest contract extension scored 5 goals and 8 assists in 26 matches.

    Source: Ghana Soccernet

  • Reasons why Ghanaians can’t enter Europe from July 1, 2020

    The European Union has barred a list of African countries and other countries across the world from entering their countries when they lift the Coronavirus restrictions starting from July 1.

    Ghana is part of the countries that the EU has failed to include in its list of welcomed countries. Other African countries barred from entering the borders of the EU include Nigeria, Togo and South Africa.

    In all, the EU is allowing citizens of 54 countries to enter its block from across the world. The EU compiled the list of approved countries based on their COVID-19 management success and epidemiology.

    Aside the African countries mentioned above, the European Union has also barred some advanced countries including US, Brazil and Russia from entering through its borders until COVID-19 situations improve in those countries.

    However, Namibia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Tunisia, Uganda among others are allowed entry into Europe by the end of the first week in July.

    The EU officials explained that the decision was made on strictly health grounds. The EU is undergoing a strategic reopening of its member states after the Coronavirus pandemic forced the block to institute travel bans and close its borders.

    Source: opera.com

  • List of 20 most popular towns in Ghana

    Ghana is well known for her rich cultural heritage as well as hospitality and peaceful atmosphere. Ghana has proved to the whole world that when it comes to football, FIFA cannot write football history without making reference to the Black Stars of Ghana of Ghana who almost found themselves in the semi finals of the 2010 world cup with the likes of Spain, Netherlands only for Luiz Suarez and Uruguay to end Ghana’s dream. The U20 soccer team made Ghana proud by lifting

    When it comes to leadership,

    Ghana is arguably the best both in the local and international arena. Ghana’s Kofi Annan has ever served the UN as the General Secretary whose actions and inactions was able to project the vision of the Organization into the upper echelon. Ghana is also recognized for their respect for human right and a deepening democracy.

    Ghana is the second largest producer of cocoa after Ivory Coast in the world. The country is known for gold, bauxite, manganese, diamond, crude oil and salt production as well as Kente and smock. The country is highly recognized as the stars of Africa and a beacon of hope for Africa.

    There are Regions, cities, towns, villages, Cottage and hamlets in the country and we are going to rank the most popular towns in the country.

    Popular towns in Ghana

    1. Bantama: Bantama is the most popular town in the history of Ashanti and Ghana. It is the center of Ashanti kingdom where Okomfo Anokye stood to command the famous and a historic Golden Stool, a symbol of unity of the great Ashanti Kingdom which is 4th in the whole world which begins from Queen Elizabeth of the United Kingdom. It is the center of Kumasi where the likes of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Komfo Anokye Sword Museum, Kumasi Cultural Centre, the popular Kejetia Station, Kumasi Zoo, a military camp. It contains Kumasi Girls SHS, Armed Forces SHS etc.

     

    2. TEMA/ Accra: Tema is a business hub and one of the most concentrated factories as well as a well planned settlement. It is known world wide as the Centre of the world . Interestingly, Tema is found in the Bible in Job chapter 6:19. There are numerous second cycle and tertiary institutions as well as a harbour

    3. Akosombo: When we mention Akosombo what comes in mind is the greatest Dam in Ghana. The Akosombo Dam has a hydroelectric station on this dam which supplies electricity to Ghana and its neighboring countries. It has also a textile company various schools . Akosombo is found in the Eastern Region of Ghana.

    .

    4. Kwadaso: Kwadaso is one of the main towns carved from Bantama Kumasi. It has an interchange at Sofoline, a Military camp, the famous Prempeh College, the SDA Hospital and Nursing training College, Valley View University campus, University of Education Winneba Kumasi Campus, Yaa Asantewaa SHS, Kwadaso Agriculture College. It has an Estate Known as Kwadaso Estate.

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    5.Bawku: This is one of the hottest town and a historic place in the Northernmost part of Ghana found in the Upper East Region. It is the home of Naa Gbewaa. Naa Gbewaa gave rise to the Nanumba, Dagomba and Mamprusi tribe. Naa Gbewaa according to history vanished into the ground and the tomb and the shrine is one of the important place of Bawku and a tourist Centre.6.

    6.  Kwahu is one of the popular town in the Eastern Region. It is known for the popular Easter festival Kwahuoo Kwahu in every Easter ocassion coupled with paragriding on the top mountains in the region.

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    6. Keta: Keta is a town in the Volta Region of Ghana. It is famously known for fishing activities. Keta has a popular SHS and is known for its sweet smallest fingerlings called Keta School Boys which Ghanaians cannot do away with

     

     

     

     

    8. Takoradi is the name every Ghanaian wish to catch a glimpse of . It has the largest Harbour , the main route where Ghana’s cocoa, minerals and other commodities are packed in bulk and exported. Various Musicians hail from this place such as Castro De Destroyer, Kofi Kinaata, Koda, Nacee and Too Much of Junka Town. They always refers to people as Asay.

    9. Obuasi:.It is one of the commercial and leading Gold mining centre in the Ashanti region of Ghana which contributes to the GDP of Ghana. It has a premier league club Ashanti Gold and a Stadium.

    10. This is one of the popular towns in the Eastern Region of Ghana known for its prison base the Nsawam prisons and a cannery factory.

    .

    11. Bechem is a popular town in the Ahafo Region. It has a premier league club team known as Bechem United, an SHS, St Joseph College of Education, a Disability school and Bechem Business College.

     

    12. Winneba is one of the oldest traditional town. The mighty University of Education Winneba main campus is based in this town. It has a Community Health Nursing as well as SHS. Winneba celebrates the Aboakyir, deer hunting festival.

     

    13.  Its one of the biggest towns of Accra. It is one of the hotspots in the Region which houses Ghana’s Dancehall Artiste StoneBwoy.

    :

     

    14. it is the Capital of the Eastern Region popularly known as Kof Town. The people of Koforidua hails from the Ashanti Region as history fortells that an Ashanti migrant established Koforidua. It has a Technical University, the Versatile Pope Johns Seminary SHS , Oyoko Methodist, Boti water Falls etc.

    15.  It is one of the controversial Towns in Ghana . it is known by people as being part of the Greater Accra Region but it is absolutely not. It is rather part of the Central Region. Kasoa has a refugee Camp known as the Liberia Camp. This place has an Interchange, schools . It records the highest armed robbery case. Bodwease, a suburb of Kasoa is the original home for the tribe of Basaare .

    16. Tafo/Kumasi: Tafo is a town in Kumasi. It is known for its famous Tafo Cemetery. One of the leading Ghana female Gospel Artiste Mama Esther base in Tafo.

     

    17. Nima: Nima is one of the hottest towns in Accra. It is a Muslim Community. The Original name is Niiman that is Nii and his town.

     

    18. Nkoranza: Nkoranza is one of the most important towns in the Bono East Region. It is shortly known as NKZ. Nkoranza rebelled and led a charge against the Ashantis. It has one of the popular Rapper in the person of Guru.

     

    19. Agona Swedru: Swedru is one of the hottest towns in the Central Region. Super OD, the popular and a superstar in Ghana movie, Kwaw Kese called Abodam and Patapaa or Patapeezy of the Patupa soldiers hails from Swedru.

     

    20. Mampong: Mampong is one of the most popular towns in the Ashanti Region. It is mountainous and have a university campus of University of Education Winneba Agriculture Campus. It has Teacher Training College and the famous St Monica’s SHS.

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    Source: opera.com

  • The greatest of all time, best 20 female gospel artistes in Ghana

    Music is a sweet delicacy for the soul which inspires others to aspire to the upper echelon in life. Music had been in existence since time immemorial and the elements within music is a force to be reckoned with.

    Most of the gospel musics are indispensable and irresistible and are played at social gatherings and events such as wedding ceremony, engagement, funerals, festivals, out dooring. We can’t sit down unconcerned without heaping praise on the artiste who are the authors and composers of such musics.

    Among the numerous gospel music artiste in the country, there are Ronaldo’s, Pele’s, Zidanes etc among the musicians and per their outstanding performance, pedigree, legacy towards the upliftment of Ghana’s music, we are going to rank them.

    20. Celestine Donkor

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    Celestine Donkor is a gospel Musician as well as a song writer who hails from the Volta region of Ghana and had her tertiary education at the University of Ghana Legon. She has been awarded and nominated in Ghana music awards ever since she started her music career in 2007. She has been featured since by Great Ampong along with Cee, Isaac Showboy , Philipa Baafi in Go high song as well as Reverend Prince Nyarko in Hena ne madanfo pa song and many more. She recently came out with Agbebolo, one of her greatest songs. Her other songs include Manim nguase, ogwama, Boboobo, Adom ne ahunumobro, wo ye ma me

    19. Diana Hamilton

    Diana-Hamilton-Domfo-Nyame-Gracious-God | GhanaGosPelSongs.Com

    Diana Antwi Hamilton is a Ghana UK based gospel artiste as well as a professional nurse who hails from the Ashanti region. She started her music career way back in 2007 with Osoro Be Kasa. Her hit songs include Work in progress, as well as Mo ne Yo. She is the defending champion of the VGMA Gospel Song of the year as well as Gospel Artiste of the year

    18. Ohemaa Mercy

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    Ohemaa Mercy also known as Mercy Twum Ampofo is a Fante but and

    stayed at Koforidua and Greater Accra. She is a teacher by profession as well as a gospel musician.

    She started her music career in 2004 with her first song Adamfo papa. She has various local and international awards. She hold the highest nomination record in Ghana’s music awards in 2008 with Edin Jesus. She took a National award from former president J.A Kuffour and boast of an international award at Canada. Her song titled Aseda is the most played song among all her songs. She has six albums in music.

    17. Florence Obinim

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    Florence Obinim is a gospel musician and a husband to Bishop Daniel Obinim of the International God’s Way Church . She hails from Esreso in the Ashanti region. Florence Obinim used to sing at the Assemblies of God Church in Kumasi before she begun with her music career. She released her first song titled Osoro ne me fie and won the New gospel artiste of the year in 2006. She has released about 8 albums. She collaborated with Princess Ifeoma from Nigeria.

    16.Diana Asamoah

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    Diana Asamoah is an inspirational songstress whose vociferous performance has awarded her both local and international accolades . Her stunning performance on stage as well as her usual worship on radio stations such as the Angel FM, Hello FM and many others coupled with her Philanthropy works makes her the fans favourite. She is a producer as well as a presenter. She released her first song titled Wo na mani agyina wo and later added Pentecost Gya as well as Akoko abon which won her an award in 2006.

    She has been awarded at Italy, Belgium and held various music concert at Canada, UK.

    Diana Asamoah is an Ashanti and single. Tetelesta is now her hit song

    15.Grace Ashy

    Secular acts are not of the devil"- Grace Ashy - AmeyawDebrah.com

    Grace Ashy is one of the top gospel musician in Ghana. She hails from Dormaa Ahenkro in the Brong Ahafo region. She is highly known and recognize for her spicy Ghana Black Stars morale boosting jama songs she composes in the country. Her Oole Oole Oole Black Stars Onyame ny3 bi da popular song can’t be underestimated. She started her music career in 2001 with adea Yesu . She has some few quiet albums and some of her other songs are Gye se woba mu, Gethsemane and others

    14. Hanna Marfo

    Music Made Me Famous Not Rich- Hannah Marfo | The Publisher Online

    Hanna Marfo is one of the top female gospel artiste rubbing shoulders with the compatriot male artiste in the likes of Elder Mireku Yaw Sarpong and the Asomafo, Reverend Yabs etc. She is fond of employing a musical style and message to put across the how the coming of Christ would be. A hidden truth that Jehovah God could decide. She has quiet some few albums and her songs that made waves were Nyame de neama bi ahinta, Akristofo Adooso, Eye Name, Yesu Kokroko and others.

    13. Christiana Love / Obaapa Christy

    Don't be quick to believe what you hear Obaapa Christy to ...

    Obaapa Christy formerly known as Christiana Love is a giant in gospel music . She started her music career in the early 2000. She was lucky enough when she visited Osuani Afrifas church in Kumasi to sing and her stars shone from that moment. She is an Ashanti and the ordeal that that she passed through both in her early life’s as well as her marital affairs influenced most of her songs. She is known massively for her usual tactics and Michael Jackson-like dancing just like Akosua Agyapomaa. She was nominated and won the category of best female Vocal performance during Ghana music Awards. She has about 10 music albums as well as hit songs such as Moving Forward, Hyebre sesa fo, metease, abrabo papa, Mesu afre Awurade. wagye me and many more. She has collaborated with Kwaku Gyasi and Don Simon.

    12 .Reverend Esther Nyamekye

    Reverend Esther Nyamekyeh sings Wone Yen Adi No Yie" (He's Been ...

    Reverend Esther Nyamekye is an evergreen gospel artiste whose outstanding and long serving performance of her intriguing songs had been an inspiration to the upcoming gospel artiste. She also has numerous albums and over 50 songs. Among her the notable songs are, Mema wamo, One yedi ne yie, kosie ansa and others. She is a pioneer in music.

    11. Augustina Addison

    Augustina Addison | Music In Africa

    Augustina Addison is one of the powerhouse names in the history of Ghana’s gospel music. Her songs are very powerful. Listening to her powerful, melodious songs could make one cry and crippled in the spirit. She begun her song ministration in 1994 she released her first track in Kumasi titled Nhinta me. She has numerous albums and over 50 songs. Some of her powerful songs include, Abide, Wo mu , anka meye den, ade foforo, show us thy glory etc. She is a source of inspiration to young gospel musicians.

    10. Comfort Annor

    Veteran gospel musician Comfort Annor has died - MyJoyOnline.com

    Comfort Annor the late was more of a blessing to Ghana’s music She was born at Adukrom in the Eastern region of Ghana. Kasoa in Central region s her hometown. Her songs was lavishing. Her first song Asase da ho gyan. She had over 50 songs and albums. Her other songs include Abraham Sarah, Di wo hene as well as wawo me oba, He died for me etc.

    9. Suzzy and Mat

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    Suzzy and Mat are two beautiful stars who broke the music scene long ago. Their songs are full of appellations. They have so many beautiful songs including Yehowa, Merenhinhim, menim Nyame, Oma ne nsa so etc. They are currently at Accra. Yehowa describes who Jehovah is .They are music genius.

    8. Bernice Offei

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    Bernice Offei is a successful Ghanaian gospel artiste and a banker by profession. Despite the busy hours in banking, she defied every odds to give us a superb song. She hails from the Greater Accra, the capital of Ghana . She is a degree holder at the University of Ghana. She won both Female Vocal performance and Songwriter of the year by the VGMA in 2009. Her ability to sing in Twi, English as well as Ga makes her an excellent and versatile artiste. Her songs includes Hold on fast, Life is short, Nadom ara kwa, No one compares, mogya etc.

    7. Dorcas Appiah

    Worship time with Dorcas Appiah - YouTube

    Dorcas Appiah is sensational gospel artiste who has reached a greater height in gospel music. Her songs are inspirational. She has some albums and numerous songs including Ma wadom no nye kese, Mefri makoma mu, Ngosranti, Calvary, Meye, Awurade Sore etc. Her zeal for singing make her unique.

    6. Stella Dungan / Aba Seal

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    Stella Dugan also known as Aba Seal is an excellent gospel artiste whose voice is sweet and melodious and unquenchable. She hails from Boso, Anum in the Eastern region. She hold HND from Accra Polytechnic. She started her music career in the early 1980. She has many albums and over 50 songs including Gye me taataa, Ebenezer,Ayeyi Nwom, Chosen generation, Oye Onyame, Okura Yemu etc. She is also good at playing guitar.

    5. Mama Esther

    I'm Not Dead - Mama Esther Rebuts Death Reports - Ghafla! Ghana

    Mama Esther is a talented gospel musician in Kumasi Ghana. She is fond of advising and admonishing Christians not to be weary due to the living God we serve . Her words are encouraging. She has so many albums and her songs include Me Judge Akasa, Mene Yehowa, Goliath beko, Nea aba biara, merenwu etc . She is the fans favourite .

    4. Tagoe Sisters

    No support From 'Modern' Ghanaian Pastors To Gospel Musicians Now ...

    Tagoe sisters is a popular duo in Ghana gospel music . They started their music in the early 1980s and have 9 albums. They have won 11 awards since then . They are Twins whose parents are from Greater Accra and Central region. They have envious records in song production. Anka matete, Yedi Nkunim, watua maka, fabibiara ma no, abandenden etc are their songs.They have toured the world on several occasions.

    3. Esther Smith

    Esther Smith News: Esther Smith releases 8th album | Ghana Live TV

    Esther Smith is the ultimate name in gospel music in Ghana. Her tender voice makes her a unique artiste. She hails from Suame in Kumasi. She has won 6 awards. She won three awards in 2003 which was, the Gospel Album of the year, Gospel Artiste of the year and Best Female Vocal Performance of the year in 2003. In 2004, she swooped 3 awards again as the Best Gospel Album of the year, Best song of the year and Best album of the year awards . She has numerous albums and here are songs, Nipa, Adze Ko, Yesu Kristo , Agyidifo Ataban, Som no yie, MA wonsan, Gye no Di etc.

    2. Cindy Thompson

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    Cindy Thompson is a great gospel musician who hails from Krofu near Mankessim in the Central region. She has a diploma as well as Computer literacy. She organized a musical concert to raise ghc 10 million to support the Children’s ward at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital. She has about 8 awards in music starting from the year 2000. She has 3 albums. Anwanwa Do, Awurade Aye, Awurade Kasa, Dromo Sonn, Kwankyerefo etc are her songs. She Is dynamic in Twi, Fante, Ga and English languages.

    1. Daughters of Glorious Jesus

    Daughters of Glorious Jesus get busy in 2020 - Graphic Online

    Daughters of glorious Jesus namely Edna Sarpong, Monica Owusu Ansah and Cynthia Appiadu is the greatest female gospel artiste trio. They hails from the Ashanti region. They were brought up in the orphanage home. They developed their talent at the Resurrection Power Church whiles they were singing praises .

    They are the most successful gospel artistes in Ghana with 13 albums and 15 awards. In 1991, they won 1 award from Entertainment and Critics Association of Ghana, ECRAG. In 1992, they won Best gospel groups. In 1994, they won the award with their song Mesom Awurade Daa. In 1996, Cynthia, the leading vocalist won Best Female Vocalist with Nea Yehu. In 2003, they won Our Music Award and 5 awards with Aseda an unbroken record.

    In 2004, they swooped 2 awards in Ghana music awards and Best music video in 2010 and 4Syte .

    They have been in existence since 1989. They produces both Twi and English songs. They have travelled to various countries with their irreplaceable quality songs.

    Their songs include, Okasapreko, Bebree, Ahintabea, Jesus is king, Yesu mo, Aseda etc.

    Source: operanewsapp.com

  • Top 10 cleanest cities in Ghana

    Ghana as a nation has a lot of clean and healthy cities, towns and villages which provides comfort for its citizens and hospitality for visitors and tourists which comes from all around the world. Cities, towns and villages in Ghana are very beautiful, clean and healthy but just like a set of excellent students in a class, surely some students will still stand out among them as the most excellents among the excellents and it’s here with respect to the many clean and healthy cities, towns and villages in Ghana there are some clean and healthy places which makes it to the top 10 Cleanest and healthiest cities in Ghana. Let check them out,

    10. Koforidua, which is also known as K-dua or Koftown is the capital of the Eastern Region in Southern Ghana. It was founded in 1875 by migrants from Ashanti. It has a total population of 122,300 as at the 2010 population and housing census. Koforidua has a lot beautiful and clean streets, nice buildings and parks which makes her to be attracted to a lot of tourists from various Africa countries, Europe and other parts of the world and with all these and many more pushes K-dua to be part of the top 10 Cleanest Cities In Ghana as the 10th in position.

    9. Ho is the 9th Cleanest city in Ghana. Ho is the capital city of the Ho Municipal and the Volta Region of Ghana with a total population of 177,281 in 2010, Ho is one of the best places in Ghana to visit with a clean and healthy environment Ho is situated at the southern edge of the Akwapim-Togo Ranges. Ho has a lot of clean and healthy beaches, rivers, streets , markets and so many other clean and healthy places.

    8. Tamale is the capital city of the Northern Region of Ghana and the 8th most Cleanest and healthiest city. Tamale is officially called Tamale Metropolitan Area and it the 3rd largest city in Ghana. The environment of Tamale is very clean and healthy with a lot beautiful and attractive clean and healthy streets, hotels, houses, churches and mosques . Nothing can stop Tamale from being the 8th most Cleanest and healthiest city in Ghana because it got all it takes to be part of the top ten Cleanest and healthiest city in Ghana.

    7. Elmina which is also known as Edina by the Fante people is located in the central Region of Ghana and it’s the capital of Komenda Municipal. Elmina has a lot of beautiful clean and healthy beaches, streets and historical sites which attracts a lot of tourists around the world one of the most beautiful and popular tourists attractions in Elmina is the Elmina Castle which was built by the Portuguese in 1482 Fishing is common among the people of Elmina, the people of Elmina have great respect for their culture and traditions.

    They have a very popular festival they celebrate on the first Tuesday of the month of July every year.

    6. Second-Takoradi which is also called the Twin City as well as The Oil City is the 6th Cleanest and healthiest city in Ghana having a total population of about 559,548 as at the 2010 population and housing census most people are also used calling her Tadi, Tadi is a wonderful place full of entertainment and good pleasures Secondi-Takoradi is a home of beautiful hotels, big shops, clean beaches and roads  Since Secondi-Takoradi is the regional capital of Western Region and Secondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly its market is a special one food stuffs and other goods floods the markets of Secondi-Takoradi everyday and this attracts neighbouring towns such as Half-Assini, Esiama, Anyinase, Cape Coast, Tarkwa and many other cities, towns and villages including Accra and many others.

    5. Cape Coast is the capital of Central Region in southern Ghana with a total population of about 169,894 the original name given to this great city by the Portuguese was ‘Cabo Corso’ which means ‘short cape’ I think her current name as Cape Coast came into being as a result of how the local people pronounced her formal name ‘Cabo Corso’ Cape Coast is also the home of historical sites which includes the Cape Coast castle built in the 17th century by the Swedish. Cape Coast has a lot of beautiful clean and healthy beaches, streets and buildings , Cape Coast is also a home of some best schools in Ghana a notable among them is the University of Cape Coast Cape Coast has everything it takes to be part of the cleanest places in Ghana and it of no doubt that it is the 5th cleanest and healthiest city in Ghana.

     

    4. Kumasi also known as The Garden City is the 4th Cleanest and healthiest city in Ghana it is known as the Garden city because of its many beautiful species of flowers and plants. Kumasi has a total population of 1.73 million people as at the 2010 population and housing census. Kumasi is the capital city of the Ashanti Region and it is the second largest city in Ghana after Accra(Ghana’s capital city), Kumasi is one of the largest Metropolitan Areas in Ghana . The city is rich in culture and uphold their traditions as it is the centre for Ashanti culture. Kumasi is also the home of some best schools and colleges in Ghana a notable among them is Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology(KNUST)  one of the best universities in Ghana and in Africa. Kumasi has a lot of clean and healthy streets, hotels, shops, markets, institutions, companies and industries with a clean and healthy environment as well Kumasi stands out to be the 4th Cleanest and healthiest city in Ghana.

     

    3. The Greater Accra regional capital Accra being Ghana’s capital city is the 3rd Cleanest and healthiest city in Ghana . Accra is one of the best places in Africa when it comes to hospitality, tourism, marketing and so many other amazing things that makes a place lively and lovely in fact most of the best hotels, buildings, streets , super markets, restaurants, beaches, educational institutions, companies and industries can be found at Accra. One of Ghana’s biggest universities can be found at Accra, The University of Ghana, Legon . Even though Accra is so beautiful and with a lot of breathtaking views but it’s not the first when it comes to cleanest cities in Ghana because there are a lot of other cities which throws a challenge to Accra in terms of her clean and healthy environment. Accra is expected to be the most Cleanest and healthiest city in Ghana and in Africa very soon.

    2. Tema is also part of the Greater Accra Region and the capital of Tema Metropolis Assembly it’s also called ‘The Harbour City’ located about 30.3Km from Accra it has a total population of about 292,773 as at 2010. Tema is a great home for a lot of companies and industries in the country as well as some beautiful streets, hotels, restaurants, cafes and the like. Tema has been divided into communities with a total number of 26 communities. Tema is a very beautiful clean and healthy place and it’s the 2nd Cleanest and healthiest city in Ghana.

    1. The Green City which is the regional capital of Bono Region commonly known as Sunyani is excellently the 1st cleaners and healthiest city in Ghana with a total population of . Sunyani is a very clean and healthy city with a lot of beautiful and amazing hotels, restaurants, streets and many others

    Source: opera.com

  • The Bible never said dont be a transgender -1st Ghanaian Transgender to critics

    Ghanaian transgender and musician, Angel Maxine in an interview with Sammy Kay on the Go online show, has stated that there is nowhere in the Bible that speaks against transgender as a sin, but rather the Bible speaks against fornication, adultery, stealing, etc,citing the ten commandments as his basis.

    The model revealed that he is in the process of transitioning to fully transform to become a woman and a trans-sexual and added that his outlook now is a manifestation of what he feels inside.

    When asked about his sexual organ, he revealed that he has a very attractive male sexual organ which powerfully erects.

    Watch full video below:

    Source: sammykaymedia.com

  • Fort Prinzenstein, the world heritage property which has been neglected and left to its fate

    As a country with past history of human slavery, Ghana today has several castles and forts which were built by colonial masters hundreds of years ago.

    These forts and castles are now well maintained and well publicized tourist attraction sites that draw thousands of holidaymakers and tourists into their vicinity on regular basis.

    However, the case is never the same for the one and only fort which is in the Volta Region, Fort Prinzenstein as it is left to the mercy of the sea at Keta.

    The fort which was built by the Danes more than 230 years ago is completely out of shape and an inch away from a total collapse.

    The fort is noted to have played a significant role in slave trade which involved Europeans in West Africa.

    A visit made to the fort by Peter Atsu Ahianyo, GhanaWeb’s correspondent for Volta Region exposes the extent of neglect the fort which has been designated as World Heritage Property has suffered.

    Fort Prinzenstein just like the other well maintained forts in Ghana could have been a revenue generation machine for the Ghanaian government if the site is properly maintained.

    A woman met at the premises of the fort revealed that there are caretakers who charge GHC5 before conducting anyone around the fort. The woman however could not tell where the monies collected are channeled to. The caretakers, unfortunately, were not around during the time of visit for questioning.

    Several questions about why the Ghanaian authorities continue to neglect the fort unlike the others in the country remain unanswered.

    Joan, a female resident who lives near the fort is of the view that the fort is neglected simply because of its location. She continued that, should the fort be located in either the Greater Accra Region, Ashanti Region or Central Region, it would have been maintained and well packaged for tourists to visit.

    Some other residents were also of the view that the fort would have vanished from the world slave map some decades ago if the Keta Sea defense project had not been made as the sea will entirely engulf the fort.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Amending C.I 91 will deprive many Ghanaians of voting rights – Kabilla tells parliament

    Acting General Secretary of CPP, James Kwabena Bomfeh has called on legislators in the country not to amend the Constitutional Instrument (C.I.) 91 to make the Ghana card and Ghanaian passport the only legal identification documents for registration in the event of compiling a new biometric voters’ register.

    Speaking on Wednesday’s ‘Kokrokoo’ on Peace FM, James Kwabena Bomfeh, popularly called Kabila dissented to passing the Constitutional Instrument into law, because it will prevent some electorates in the country from participating in the registration exercise, hence depriving them of their voting rights during the general elections this year.

    Kabila, who also doubles as the Director of Elections for the CPP, advised the Electoral Commission (EC) and the National Identification Authority (NIA) not to mix up their duties, stating that the NIA’s work is not for electoral purposes.

    “They are different. They are not the same. Their mandate is different. We shouldn’t think the job of EC must be dependent on what NIA does because the mandate of the NIA to compile a national database, it is not necessarily for just Electoral Commission purposes or election purposes and also the NIA is not done with its work . . . EC’s work is different. Stop tying your mandate and your work to that of the NIA,” he said.

    Source: Peace FM

  • Ghana receives 50 tonnes of date fruits from Saudi Arabia

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration has taken delivery of 50 tonnes of date fruits from the Government of Saudi Arabia.

    The fruit, which is the National symbol of Saudi Arabia and most treasured, was from the custodian of the two Holy Mosques of the Kingdom, King Abdallah Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, of the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

    Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Ghana, Meshal Al-Rogi presented the consignment to Deputy Minister for the Foreign Affairs Ministry Mohammed Habibu Tijani at a brief ceremony in Accra.

    Mr Al-Rogi said the donation, which was the eighth in series, reflected the longstanding, deep and strong relations based on the cooperation and friendship between the two nations.

    The date fruit is the most important fruit in Saudi culture with deep historical and religious significance, as a natural energy booster, containing vitamins, mineral and dietary fibre.

    Mr Tijani, on behalf of Government, thanked the Government of Saudi Arabia for the gesture, which demonstrated trust and commitment towards fostering strong cooperation with Ghana.

    He said due to the energy qualities of the fruit, its consumption during the month of Ramadan was very important.

    Mr Tijani said the Government acknowledged other developmental initiatives with the assistance of Saudi Arabia in sectors including health, education, energy and roads.

    Source: GNA  

  • No repatriation flight for Ghanaians in South Africa Ambassador

    The High Commission of Ghana in South Africa has warned Ghanaian nationals in South Africa to ignore some supposed reports that there is a repatriation flight to transport Ghanaian citizens from South Africa to Ghana amidst Coronavirus pandemic.

    According to the mission, there are audio messages circulating on WhatsApp and other social media that the government of Ghana has served noticed to repatriate Ghanaian citizens from South Africa to Ghana.

    In an exclusive interview with thepressradio.com the Ghana High Commissioner to South Africa, Mr. George Ayisi-Boateng stated that the said reports are hoax and should not be tolerated.

    “It has come to the attention of the mission that there is a fake audio message going round on WhatsApp that the Government of Ghana has arranged flight to repatriate Ghanaians citizens from South Africa to Ghana due to coronavirus pandemic but I want to state in categorically that there is no any repatriation arrangement for Ghanaian nationals in South Africa.” He said.

    “The Mission wishes to reiterate that the said information is palpably false and without merit,” Ayisi Boateng added.

    He indicated that South Africa and Ghana borders still remain closed.

    Source: thepressradio.com

  • Ghanaian arrested for posing as Canadian Army Officer

    Bernard Ayeh, a 41-year-old Ghanaian, has been arrested by the Ghana Military Police for allegedly posing as a Canadian Army Officer.

    The suspect, a resident of Adjiriganor, was picked up around Adentan Barrier, wearing a camouflage uniform while driving a Mazda saloon car with registration number GR1406-20.

    At the time of arrest he had in possession two pistol holsters, two handcuffs with keys, a jackknife, a baton, two fake Canadian Army identity cards, bearing the name Lieutenant Colonel Bernard Ayeh, three mobile phones, and an amount of GHC 13,470.

    According to a statement from the Army, Bernard Ayeh explained that he got the Canadian Army camouflage uniform whilst working as a contractor for personnel of the Canadian army.

    He also allegedly disclosed that one of the pistols found on him was for his late Uncle and the other, he purchased from an official of the Ghana Police Service.

    The Military Police says that it has processed the suspect for a referral to the Police Headquarters for further investigation and possible prosecution.

    Source: ABCNewsGh.com 

  • Aduana Stars forward Yahaya Mohammed intensifies personal training

    Ghana Premier League golden boot contender, Yahaya Mohammed has intensified his personal training ahead of the return of the topflight.

    The Ghana Premier League is currently on hold due to the outbreak of the Cornavirus, which has led to the suspension of all social gatherings in the West African nation.

    Mohammed scored eleven goals before the Premier League was halted and like many other of his colleagues, the bulky forward is leaving no stone unturned to keep
    his form.

    The return of the Premier League is unknown despite the lifting of lockdown by President of the country, Nana Akufo Addo.

    Watch video below:

    Source: GHANAsoccernet.com

  • Coronavirus: Why Ghana has gone into mourning after mass funeral ban

    In our series of letters from African writers, journalist and former Ghana government minister Elizabeth Ohene writes about the dramatic impact coronavirus is having on life in her country and beyond.

    If anyone had any doubt about just how serious the Covid-19 outbreak is, we now have proof positive, we are in the midst of a huge crisis.

    This is a crisis not measured yet by how many people have been taken ill, or are in hospital or have died.

    Here in Ghana, there are some things that are sacred in our lives and nobody touches them under any circumstance: religion, handshakes and funerals.

    These are subjects that are not up for discussion and many people believe they define our very existence.

    For weeks, government and health officials here have been warning everybody to improve personal hygiene and avoid crowds.

    Many people preferred to think that the coronavirus would not make it into sub-Saharan Africa and therefore they believed the warnings by the health experts could be ignored.

    ‘Only enemies refuse to shake hands’

    Whoever heard of a Ghanaian, indeed, an African greeting another person and not shaking hands?

    To refuse or ignore to shake hands with someone means that person is an enemy. Now we can’t shake hands with anybody, friend or foe.

    President Nana Akufo-Addo set the tone for the new rules at the celebrations of Ghana’s 63rd independence anniversary on 6 March, when he ostentatiously kept both his hands resolutely behind his back when he arrived at the ceremony to greet those seated on the dais.

    And as though the prohibition on handshaking was not traumatic enough, a ban has been put on the holding of funerals. The official announcement says there can be private burials, but no mass gatherings of mourners.

    I am not sure I can convey the enormity of this on the Ghanaian psyche.

    There is no such thing as a private burial in our thinking and funerals are huge, dramatic and regular ceremonies.

    Our lives revolve around funerals.

    The catering industry relies on funerals to survive, the textile industry needs orders for funeral cloths to stay in business, the tailors and dressmakers are busy mostly because they make clothes for funerals; choral groups, events organisers, transportation and manufacturers and sellers of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks would disappear without funerals.

    But there will be no more funerals.

    Come to think of it, what with the handshaking ban, it’s probably just as well that a ban has been placed on funerals.

    We can’t have funerals and not shake hands, the entire funeral ceremony consists of shaking hands, shaking hands and shaking hands.

    The ban on religious gatherings here, and in some countries elsewhere on the continent, is having a big impact on people for whom communal prayer and the discipline of the religious calendar are central to their lives.

    But there is silence in the mosques and in the churches here in Ghana.

    When the announcement was first made by the president, the Christian leaders were stunned and the charismatic churches, in particular, were in total disbelief.

    Miracle prayers
    It was unthinkable that anything or anybody could close church services. The all-night services, the miracle services, the anointing services have taken over all our lives.

    Some had hoped that the promise of miracle prayers to save Ghana from the scourge of coronavirus would convince the president to keep the churches and mosques open, but he was not moved to change his mind.

    And they will stay closed throughout Easter, the most sacred festival on the Christian calendar.

    The order to close the churches is turning out to be the most difficult one for people to obey.

     

    The mainstream churches are complying and many are offering online services, which include provisions for offertory to be made through mobile money donations.

    But some of the charismatic churches seem to think they are allowed to flout the order not to hold church services by claiming they are offering special prayers against Covid-19.

    Going to church multiple times a week is normal for many people and the news is usually full of the antics of some of the so-called men of God.

    The president asked the nation to fast and pray on Wednesday this week and doubtless, some people would have had difficulty accepting that they could fast and pray by themselves at home without going to church.

    From here, we keenly follow all the news about how the rest of the continent is doing with the role of religion in the march of the deadly coronavirus.

    I have no doubt that the approach of Tanzanian President John Magufuli would be cited by some people here as worth following.

    He has banned public gatherings and closed schools as we have, but he said he did not ban church or mosque worship because these were places where “true healing” took place.

    “Coronavirus is a devil, it can not live in the body of Christ, it will burn instantly. This is a time to build our faith,” President Magufuli, who has a PhD in chemistry and is a devout Catholic, said at a church service last Sunday.

    President Akufo-Addo has urged us to seek the face of God and pray for Ghana but he is sticking to the science and emphasising the washing of hands, social distancing and the churches and mosques remain closed.

    It is now getting through to many people that we are in deadly uncharted territory when the Zion Christian Church (ZCC), probably the biggest church in southern Africa, announced it had postponed all gatherings including their Easter service.

    This service normally draws millions of pilgrims, who congregate at the foothills of the Moria Mountain in Limpopo during the Easter weekend, and there surely cannot be a more dramatic spectacle.

    Never, in the history of the ZCC, since its inception in 1910, has the church postponed or cancelled its pilgrimage.

    We can’t shake hands, we can’t have funerals, we can’t go to worship at the mosque or the church, the ZCC has postponed its Easter pilgrimage; we are in the midst of an emergency alright.

     

    Source: BBC.com

  • The chilling final words of a Ghanaian maid killed in Lebanon

    Beirut, Lebanon – On the morning of March 13, Faustina Tay sent a final desperate message to an activist group she had contacted about the abuse she was suffering at the hands of her Lebanese employers.

    “God please help me,” the 23-year-old Ghanaian domestic worker wrote.

    About 18 hours later, she was found dead.

    Tay’s body was discovered in a car park under her employers’ fourth-storey home in Beirut’s southern suburbs, between 3 and 4am on March 14.

    A forensic doctor who examined her body found that her death was caused by a head injury “as a result of falling from a high place and crashing into a solid body”.

    The doctor found “no marks of physical assault”. A search of Tay’s employers’ home found no signs of a struggle, and the death was being investigated as a suicide, according to a police report.

    Hussein Dia, whose home Tay had lived and worked in for 10 months at the time of her death, told Al Jazeera he and his family had been sleeping when she died.

    Dia said he did not know what had driven the 23-year-old to take her own life, and denied he ever physically assaulted her – “I never laid a hand on her.”

    Listen to her final words below;

    But in the week before her death, Tay sent dozens of texts and more than 40 minutes of voice messages to Canada-based activist group, This Is Lebanon, and her brother in Ghana, providing detailed accounts of recurrent physical abuse.

    This Is Lebanon names and shames employers accused of maid abuse online in an attempt to resolve issues facing domestic workers on a case-by-case basis.

    Human Rights Watch found in a 2010 report that Lebanon’s judiciary fails to hold employers accountable for abuses, while security agencies often do not “adequately investigate claims of violence or abuse”.

    Tay told the group that Dia and Ali Kamal, the owner of the domestic worker’s agency that had brought her to Lebanon, had each beaten her twice between January 16 and March 6.

    Kamal had beaten her along with one of his employees, Hussein, she said.

    In the messages, Tay repeatedly expressed concerns that speaking about her ordeal could lead to more abuse, and the confiscation of her phone, which she said had taken place once before.

    She also feared much worse.

    “I’m scared. I’m scared; they might kill me,” she said, in a chilling voice note to activists.

    Faustina Tay, pictured here on her way to Lebanon, was found dead on March 14 in southern Beirut [Courtesy of Demanya family]

    ‘Modern-day slavery’

    The manner of Tay’s death is not uncommon in Lebanon, a country with about 250,000 domestic workers. Two die each week, according to the country’s General Security intelligence agency, with many falling from high buildings during botched escape attempts, or in cases that are ruled suicides.

    Domestic workers like Tay are employed under the country’s notorious kafala system, which ties their legal residence to their employer, making it very difficult for them to end their contracts.

    This sponsorship system, which is in place in several Middle Eastern countries, has facilitated a range of abuse, such as non-payment of wages, a lack of rest time and days off, and physical and sexual assault.

    Lebanon’s former Labour Minister Camille Abousleiman likened the system to “modern-day slavery,” and began a process of reform that is still in its early stages.

    Women who come to Lebanon for domestic work from a host of Southeast Asian and African countries such as the Philippines, Nepal and Ethiopia are usually looking to support their families back home and eventually return.

    Tay’s case sheds light on the type of abuse that ends with many returning to their families in coffins.

    From Accra to Beirut

    A little more than 10 months before her death, Tay had been running a small noodle business in Ghana’s capital Accra, with financial help from her brother Joshua Demanya, who works as a driver.

    Demanya told Al Jazeera that he had advised his sister against going to Lebanon “because there have been stories of people who go there and suffer so much they run away”.

    Tay ignored her brother’s advice and arrived in Beirut on May 5 to begin working at Dia’s apartment, where he lives with his wife, Mona, and their three children.

    There, she did not have her own room, instead, she slept on a sofa in the kitchen. She complained that she was overworked, had no days off and was usually only able to get to sleep at 2 am and was woken up at 8 am.

    Faustina sent several photos to her family in Ghana [Courtesy of Demanya family]

    ‘I should have stayed’

    She quickly regretted her decision to leave Ghana. In November 2019, she texted her brother: “I should have stayed [and] continued with my business.”

    In January, she told her employers that she could not work for them any more, and asked to be sent back home. They refused – “I paid $2,000, and I said, ‘Take it easy on us, we’ll let you travel after Ramadan,’” Dia recalled telling her.

    That was when Tay said Dia beat her for the first time, on January 16, before taking her to Kamal’s agency, where she said Kamal and Hussein beat her.

    Both denied the claims when contacted by Al Jazeera. Kamal said his agency, established in 1992, brings roughly 1,000 domestic workers into Lebanon every year. “The state would have closed us a long time ago,” if they mistreated domestic workers, he said.

    Kamal informed Tay that the only way she would get back home was if she worked two more months with the Dia family, to pay for her ticket back to Ghana.

    She agreed.

    But when the agreement came due in March, she contacted This Is Lebanon and said Dia was refusing to let her leave. A few days later, on March 10, she said Dia, Kamal and Hussein beat her again.

    “My boss beat me mercilessly yesterday [and] dis (sic) morning he took me to the office [and] I was beaten again, this is the second time they beat me up in the office.”

    Dia said he had taken Tay to the agency with the intent of letting her travel, but received a call two hours later from the agency: “We’ve worked it out, she’ll travel in July.”

    Demanya said his sister had agreed “out of fear”.

    ‘I don’t want to die here’

    Al Jazeera informed Lebanon’s Labour Ministry of Tay’s case. An adviser to Labour Minister Lamia Yammine said that the names of Tay’s employers had been noted and the ministry would be informed if they applied to be allowed to employ another domestic worker.

    She said they would be permanently blacklisted “if it is proven later on that the suicide was caused by abuse”.

    On March 12, Tay sent a series of pictures to her brother, appearing to show an inflamed hand, a bruise on her forearm and a scratch underneath her eye that she said were caused by the beatings.

    She also shared a picture of a bloody tissue that she said was the result of a nosebleed.

    Despite the abuse, she described, Tay expressed a strong will to live.

    “I’m very, very weak,” she said in a voice message, describing pain in her wrist, legs and neck.

    “Please, help me. Help me to go back to my country for treatment. Please, I don’t want to die here.”

    Source: aljazeera.com

  • 23-year-old Ghanaian maid killed in Lebanon

    On the morning of March 13, Faustina Tay sent a final desperate message to an activist group she had contacted about the abuse she was suffering at the hands of her Lebanese employers.

    “God please help me,” the 23-year-old Ghanaian domestic worker wrote.

    About 18 hours later, she was found dead.

    Tay’s body was discovered in a car park under her employers’ fourth-storey home in Beirut’s southern suburbs, between 3 and 4am on March 14.

    A forensic doctor who examined her body found that her death was caused by a head injury “as a result of falling from a high place and crashing into a solid body”.

    The doctor found “no marks of physical assault”. A search of Tay’s employers’ home found no signs of a struggle, and the death was being investigated as a suicide, according to a police report.

    Hussein Dia, whose home Tay had lived and worked in for 10 months at the time of her death, told Al Jazeera he and his family had been sleeping when she died.

    Dia said he did not know what had driven the 23-year-old to take her own life, and denied he ever physically assaulted her – “I never laid a hand on her.”

    But in the week before her death, Tay sent dozens of texts and more than 40 minutes of voice messages to Canada-based activist group, This Is Lebanon, and her brother in Ghana, providing detailed accounts of recurrent physical abuse.

    This Is Lebanon names and shames employers accused of maid abuse online in an attempt to resolve issues facing domestic workers on a case-by-case basis.

    Human Rights Watch found in a 2010 report that Lebanon’s judiciary fails to hold employers accountable for abuses, while security agencies often do not “adequately investigate claims of violence or abuse”.

    Tay told the group that Dia and Ali Kamal, the owner of the domestic worker’s agency that had brought her to Lebanon, had each beaten her twice between January 16 and March 6.

    Kamal had beaten her along with one of his employees, Hussein, she said.

    In the messages, Tay repeatedly expressed concerns that speaking about her ordeal could lead to more abuse, and the confiscation of her phone, which she said had taken place once before.

    She also feared much worse.

    “I’m scared. I’m scared; they might kill me,” she said, in a chilling voice note to activists.

    ‘Modern-day slavery’

    The manner of Tay’s death is not uncommon in Lebanon, a country with about 250,000 domestic workers. Two die each week, according to the country’s General Security intelligence agency, with many falling from high buildings during botched escape attempts, or in cases that are ruled suicides.

    Domestic workers like Tay are employed under the country’s notorious kafala system, which ties their legal residence to their employer, making it very difficult for them to end their contracts.

    This sponsorship system, which is in place in several Middle Eastern countries, has facilitated a range of abuse, such as non-payment of wages, a lack of rest time and days off, and physical and sexual assault.

    Lebanon’s former Labour Minister Camille Abousleiman likened the system to “modern-day slavery,” and began a process of reform that is still in its early stages.

    Women who come to Lebanon for domestic work from a host of Southeast Asian and African countries such as the Philippines, Nepal and Ethiopia are usually looking to support their families back home and eventually return.

    Tay’s case sheds light on the type of abuse that ends with many returning to their families in coffins.

    From Accra to Beirut

    A little more than 10 months before her death, Tay had been running a small noodle business in Ghana’s capital Accra, with financial help from her brother Joshua Demanya, who works as a driver.

    Demanya told Al Jazeera that he had advised his sister against going to Lebanon “because there have been stories of people who go there and suffer so much they run away”.

    Tay ignored her brother’s advice and arrived in Beirut on May 5 to begin working at Dia’s apartment, where he lives with his wife, Mona, and their three children.

    There, she did not have her own room, instead, she slept on a sofa in the kitchen. She complained that she was overworked, had no days off and was usually only able to get to sleep at 2am and was woken up at 8am.

    ‘I should have stayed’

    She quickly regretted her decision to leave Ghana. In November 2019, she texted her brother: “I should have stayed [and] continued with my business.”

    In January, she told her employers that she could not work for them any more, and asked to be sent back home. They refused – “I paid $2,000, and I said, ‘Take it easy on us, we’ll let you travel after Ramadan,’” Dia recalled telling her.

    That was when Tay said Dia beat her for the first time, on January 16, before taking her to Kamal’s agency, where she said Kamal and Hussein beat her.

    Both denied the claims when contacted by Al Jazeera. Kamal said his agency, established in 1992, brings roughly 1,000 domestic workers into Lebanon every year. “The state would have closed us a long time ago,” if they mistreated domestic workers, he said.

    Kamal informed Tay that the only way she would get back home was if she worked two more months with the Dia family, to pay for her ticket back to Ghana.

    She agreed.

    But when the agreement came due in March, she contacted This Is Lebanon and said Dia was refusing to let her leave. A few days later, on March 10, she said Dia, Kamal and Hussein beat her again.

    “My boss beat me mercilessly yesterday [and] dis (sic) morning he took me to the office [and] I was beaten again, this is the second time they beat me up in the office.”

    Dia said he had taken Tay to the agency with the intent of letting her travel, but received a call two hours later from the agency: “We’ve worked it out, she’ll travel in July.”

    Demanya said his sister had agreed “out of fear”.

    ‘I don’t want to die here’

    Al Jazeera informed Lebanon’s Labour Ministry of Tay’s case. An adviser to Labour Minister Lamia Yammine said that the names of Tay’s employers had been noted and the ministry would be informed if they applied to be allowed to employ another domestic worker.

    She said they would be permanently blacklisted “if it is proven later on that the suicide was caused by abuse”.

    On March 12, Tay sent a series of pictures to her brother, appearing to show an inflamed hand, a bruise on her forearm and a scratch underneath her eye that she said were caused by the beatings.

    She also shared a picture of a bloody tissue that she said was the result of a nosebleed.

    Despite the abuse, she described, Tay expressed a strong will to live.

    “I’m very, very weak,” she said in a voice message, describing pain in her wrist, legs and neck.

    “Please, help me. Help me to go back to my country for treatment. Please, I don’t want to die here.”

    Source: aljazeera.com

  • Shortage of hand sanitisers as Ghana records confirmed cases of coronavirus

    The demand for hand sanitisers has skyrocketed following the announcement of the confirmation of coronavirus in the country.

    Ghanaweb.com checks at ShopRite and Game stores at the Accra Mall indicate that there is a general shortage of the items.

    A joint presser by the Health Minister Kwaku Agyeman Manu and Information minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah announced Thursday evening that two persons; a Norwegian national from Norway and a Ghanaian returning from Turkey have been quarantined after they tested positive.

    Health measures which have been publicised to avoid the spread of the coronavirus include frequent washing of hands with soap or usage of sanitisers to kill germs and the virus upon contact.

     

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Ghana and Gabon confirm their first coronavirus cases

    Ghana has confirmed its first two confirmed cases of coronavirus as Gabon confirmed its first case.

    Ghana’s Health Minister Kwaku Agyemang Manu said two people who’d arrived from Norway and Turkey tested positive for the virus.

    In Gabon, Government Spokesman Edgard Anicet Mboumbou Miyakou said the patient was a Gabonese man who’d arrived from France.

    Ghanaian authorities have said their two patients are being kept in isolation and are in a stable condition.

    They have also started the process of tracing everyone who was in contact with the two patients.

    Gabon’s spokesman said the patient who had tested positive was feeling better – having displayed symptoms of cough, sore throat and breathing problems earlier.

    He said the patient was in an isolation facility and the government was tracing those who had come into close contact with him.

    On Wednesday, Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo announced the release of $100m (£80m) to enhance coronavirus preparedness and response nationwide.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Kwesi Pratt reveals the ‘witches’ causing road accidents in Ghana

    The issue of road accidents has become a disturbing phenomenon in the country.

    According to the Road Safety Commission, causes of the carnage on our roads are often speeding, drink-driving, poor driving skills, fatigue and many others.

    Some religious fanatics think it is spiritual.

    According to them, there are some ‘witches’ who seek blood and so cause such accidents.

    However, Kwesi Pratt, the Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper disagrees.

    He says “the witches are the ones who are not making us have a comprehensive transport policy; they are the ones who have been elected and given the power to give us good roads and yet they are not doing so; they are the real witches.”

    He was speaking in a panel discussion on Peace FM’s morning show ‘Kokrokoo’.

    listen to him in the video below

    Source: peacefmonline.com

  • Malta to set up phytosanitary lab in Ghana

    Chief executive officer of the Ghana Investment Promotion Authority (GIPC) Yofi Grant has hinted of plans by the Malta to establish phytosanitary lab in Ghana.

    This move, he says has seen the Ghana Standard Authority sign a memorandum of understanding with Malta.

    Speaking to Ghanaweb at the 2nd Ghana Malta Business Forum in Accra, the GIPC CEO said, Malta setting up phytosanitary labs in Ghana will help the country have quality certification of goods for export.

    “We have signed an MOU with Malta to provide phytosanitary and all the certification that we require when exporting to the European market. They will also be here to train. We also have an MOU in aquaculture to enable us build our expertise in that sector.”

    “The good thing about the Maltese is that once the commit their words, they live to it”, he noted.

    The phytosanitary certificate is an official declaration stating that plants and plant material exporting are free from pests and diseases, so as to prevent introduction and spread of any pests in the importing countries. Ghana lost about US$36 million in foreign exchange as a result of a ban on some five vegetable exports into the European Union (EU) market between 2015 and 2017, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture said.

    The five concerned plants were chilli pepper, bottle gourds, luffa gourds, bitter gourds and eggplants.

    The EU banned the vegetables from Ghana after an audit undertaken by the Directorate General for Health and Food Safety of the European Commission detected a high number of interceptions of harmful organisms on some plant products from Ghana.

    After the ban was lifted at the last quarter of 2017, Ghanaian authorities have taken significant corrective measures to improve the inspection and control system for plant health at exit various points.

    However, the GIPC boss believes that Malta putting up phytosanitary labs in Ghana will increase quality standards.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Independence Day celebrations: Ghana flag missing in Ho

    It is said people who have never met can have a sense of unity, knowing they are part of the same country flying the same flag.

    National flags are simply symbols of identity and arguably the soul of nations.

    In some countries, it is regarded as an object that gives hope to citizens, with many prepared to die for colours of their national flag.

    The colours and symbols are said to convey the ideas, ambitions and values of the country.

    Unfortunately, it appears the importance of national flags and the pride they give to citizens is gradually getting lost on many Ghanaians.

    This situation was evident at the 63rd Independence anniversary celebration in the Volta regional capital, Ho, where national flags of public institutions and security services were said to be on holiday.

    There was virtually no sign of celebration of independence anniversary in the regional capital apart from security services, selected schools and some heads of institutions who gathered at the Jubilee Park for independence parade.

    Though structures at the Jubilee Park are painted in colours of the national flag, the flags were absent in town.

    Flag poles at the Regional Coordinating Council, the Ho Municipal Assembly, the Ghana Revenue Authority, Forestry Commission, and all security services were empty when the Ghana News Agency visited their premises Independence Day morning.

    At the 66 Artillery Regiment, the GNA saw the Unit flag up high without the Ghana flag, but was told the national flag of the Artillery was sent to the Independence parade ground.

    It was only GAD furnitures, a private company located opposite the military barracks that had the national flag flying at full mast.

    Some heads of institutions told the GNA they did not hoist the national flag on Independence Day because it was a holiday.

    Others said though they had the flag poles, they did not have the flags to hoist.

    But Mr Prosper Afenyo, Volta Regional Budget Analyst, said that was no excuse and said it was negligence on the part of public institutions not to hoist the national flag on Independence Day.

    He said Ghana’s flag was first hoisted on March 6th and that it was a must for the flags to continue to fly high in all public institutions, especially on Independence Day.

    Captain (Rtd) George Nfodjo, a former Member of Parliament for Ho, also said Independence Day was a significant day to display the country’s flags and that the excuse that it was a holiday was not tenable.

    “Today is a special day and our flags can’t be kept indoors. This will not happen anywhere. It means the spirit of the nation is down,” he said.

    Mr Nelson Akorli, a former Municipal Chief Executive of Ho, said he was surprised he did not see colours of the national flag in town to mark the celebration.

    He said decorating the town with colours of the national flag and hoisting the flags on Independence Day would help tell the Independence story better and would instill values of patriotism and nationalism in the citizenry.

    Another worrying issue is the non-availability of the national flag in shops and the Ho Central Market for sale.

    Perhaps, a strong indication and opportunity for the Information Services Department to go back to its national reorientation campaign.

    That exercise years ago invoked the interest of the citizens on the national colours, promoted patriotism, punctuality and nationalism.

    Let’s bring back the love for the national flag for national cohesion. It is the soul of the nation to, which every national is connected. So let’s keep the flags up.

    Ghanaians love the red, gold, green and the black star. ISD should, therefore, make the flags available so we rally round it for a united nation.

    Source: GNA

  • Change the narrative of gender inequality – Prof Audrey Gadzekpo

    Prof Audrey Gadzekpo, the Dean of the School of Information and Communications Studies, University of Ghana, has called on Ghanaians to do more to change the narrative of gender inequality against women and girls.

    Prof. Gadzekpo who was speaking at a panel discussion hosted by the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) in Accra, to interrogate issues on feminism and new approaches in the push for gender equality, said little gains were made towards female inclusion in socio-cultural, economic, political and even religious line spaces.

    She however noted that diverse battles had changed the narratives in areas such as education and health, but the pace was slow, hence the need to develop new strategies to eliminate the numerous hostilities against females who tried to enter into male dominated spheres.

    She said it was sad that several years after Beijing, women continued to suffer discriminations in their efforts to contribute to national development, citing the hostilities they faced especially in trying to get to the decision-making table.

    Prof. Gadzekpo stated that intolerant political landscape of Ghana and in many countries world-wide was a major factor to the low representation of women at the decision-making levels.

    She said most women would rather hold back from actively participating in political or other social activities for fear of abuse, both physically and verbally, a phenomena that infiltrated into Ghanaian politics.

    She indicated that such cases of abuse remained the reasons why the country continued to perform poorly in its course to empower more women to take up political leadership roles.

    She called for a unified voice towards affirmative action and the need to implement the quota system to allow more women to get into the discussion tables.

    Ms Josephine Sanny, a Representative of the Afro barometer Communication Coordinator for Anglophone West Africa, confirmed the fact that statistics had shown high gender inequalities in the Ghanaian society and called for change.

    Dr. Kojo Asante, the Director of Advocacy and Policy Engagement at the CDD-Ghana said it was the strategy of the Centre to sustain the discussions around such issues in order to effect the needed change.

    Source: GNA

  • Ghana ready to build bridges of cooperation GTA assures AGA-Africa delegates

    Ghana has pledged to contribute significantly towards building bridges of cooperation with the diaspora in order to attract maximum benefits to the country.

    Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Authority, Mr Akwasi Agyeman who joined six state Attorneys of the United States at a panel discussion on “Beyond the Return” during the AGA Africa Conference which was held in Accra last week, told the group that the country would position itself to reap the gains with contacts and networks it has created with the diaspora.

    Prior to the panel discussion, the CEO delivered a presentation on the BEYOND THE RETURN Project which is geared towards sustaining the gains of the Year of Return. He made mention of pillars of support for the project which includes; Investments, Heritage Sites improvements, Branding Ghana, Birthrights Journeys amongst others.

    Among the six state Attorneys include; Letitia James, AG New York, Karl Racine, AG Washington, DC, Denise George, AG Virgin Islands, Keith Ellison, AG Minnesota, Aaron Ford, AG Nevada, Kwame Raoul, AG Illinois

    The two day international conference organized by the Attorney General Alliance (AGA AFRICA) a US based organisation, is on the theme: “Tackling the reality of transnational crime in Africa Cross border solutions and international co operation”.

    The Ghana Tourism Authority will be signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the AGA to tackle issues of Responsible Tourism and jointly promote objectives of Beyond the Return.

    Source: goldstreetbusiness.com

  • Ghanaians should be angry, protest more about corruption – Vitus Azeem

    Vitus Azeem who an anti-corruption activist says Ghanaians should be more angry about the rate of corruption in the country.

    According to him, we do not show more anger at the spate of corruption as we should and that has contributed to the rise in the act.

    “We are not angry about corruption enough in this country. We should be angry and pour out on the streets to protest corruption,” he spoke on Starr FM.

    He also commented on the Auditor-General Daniel Domelevo, he praised him for his good works but said it will be shocking if his tenure is extended when it finally comes to an end.

    “Domelevo is a special person and all well-meaning Ghanaians should support him. It will be shocking to see his time extended unless a different government comes to power”.

    The Auditor-General Daniel Domelevo recently hit out at his critics saying that he will not become a pauper if he is removed from office.

    Mr Domelevo said he does not care if he is removed from office as some are calling for his immediate removal as he works to uncover corrupt acts in the country.

    The Auditor-General has been in the news lately as he faces a suit from the Deputy Agric Minister Kennedy Osei Nyarko over the GETFund report released. The report captured the Minister as a beneficiary.

    The National Democratic Congress also claims Mr Domelevo is being witch-hunted because of his investigation against Senior Minister Yaw Osafo Marfo.

    Source: primenewsghana.com

  • Ghana must adopt Deferred Prosecution Agreements – Godfred Odame

    Mr Godfred Yeboah Odame, Deputy Attorney-General has called for the introduction of Deferred Prosecution Agreements (DPA) to try some types of commercial criminal conduct as seen in the United Kingdom, serious fraud office (SFO) case against airbus SE.

    He said such an approach to criminal justice system in the country would not only save unnecessary time on litigation but has the potential to rake up substantial revenue for the national kitty.

    The Deputy Minister made these remarks at the opening of a five-day , 2nd annual Attorney General Alliance (AGA) African conference in Accra yesterday which brought together justice and law enforcement bodies such as the office of the Attorney General, Departments of Public Prosecution, Solicitors General, the Police Academic Bodies and other transnational actors in Africa.

    The aim of the conference among others was to bring together industry and public sector officials to foster increased international collaboration on issues such as human trafficking cybercrimes and intellectual property rights.

    Mr Odame said, one of the most important lessons to be learnt from the judgement of the crown court in the airbus scandal, with regards to law enforcement was the innovative reform made by U.K legislation in so far as the prosecution of some crimes was concerned.

    “We observed a departure from the traditional approach to the resolution of alleged criminal conduct through the introduction of a new mechanism of a DPA by the UK crime and courts Act, 201”, he said.

    He said the effect of such an agreement was that, proceedings were instituted by preferring a bill indictment while same may be deferred on terms including the payment of financial penalty, compensation, payment to charity and disgorgement of profit.

    Mr Odame however, expressed caution in introducing such a law on wholesale basis adding that, certain classes of offences under circumstances in which the courts maintain complete control over same should be considered.

    “This will not only contribute to the decongestion of our prisons, but will result in a speedier and more efficient adjudication of complex commercial crime and will also have further collateral benefits for the state like mobilising substantial revenue for government, saving jobs and lives of companies and avoiding other inordinate consequences for the society”, he said.

    He said the public interest factors that may substantially outweigh traditional prosecution of a certain type of commercial offences as has so far been the practice in the U.K, should include a willingness to admit the facts and cooperate with criminal investigations on the part of the company and individuals in question.

    Mr Odame said, effective remedial measures undertaken by the company in question, the potential disproportionate consequences for a conviction under current domestic laws of Ghana and another jurisdiction in which the crime may be involved should be some of the considerations.

    “In order to avoid a situation of prosecutors abusing the process, thereby acting contrary to the public interest , the High Court has to exercise full control and supervision over the processes leading up to the adoption of such deferred prosecution agreements”, he said.

    Reverting to the airbus scandal, he said, the statement of fact which was supported by over 30 million documents reviewed by relevant authorities was undisputed by the parties saying, “however, it is remarkable that in spite of the clear uncontroverted facts of the case, the key government officials in Ghana who negotiated the illicitly procured aircrafts have maintained utter silence, as it there was no such transaction or the principal actors do not exist.

    “Many of the senior government officials involved in the illicit procurement are still around but continue to maintain a deafening silence or reprehensible indifference to the explicit findings of the crown court in England”, he said.

    Mr Odame said, at least there was a Vice President who transformed into a president during the period in question adding that, whilst maintain his silence contrary to the tenets of accountability to the people , probity and integrity “he is rather remarkably, campaigning for votes from the same people he does not want to open to on the airbus scandal.”

    Mr Odame said in the spirit of accountability to the people, probity, integrity and transparency, one would have expected those key government officials who negotiated or were involved in the unplugged transaction to self-report and voluntarily cooperate with the investigations directed by the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

    “having previously sworn an oath to defend the constitution and its principles, it is ironic that, the past government officials in question will not open up to the people on the role they played in a transaction, the subject matter of a criminal matter in a British court”, he said.

    He said in England, it was the openness, transparency, self-reporting and cooperation shown by other key actors in the airbus scandal abroad which motivated the serious travel office of England to execute the deferred prosecution agreement with airbus SE.

    Source: Kofi Owusu, Contributor

  • Its a big lie, Ghana does not pay $500 million for excess capacity Jinapor

    A former deputy minister of energy and petroleum, John Jinapor, has described as “a big lie” reports that Ghana pays $500 million annually for excess capacity in the electricity sector.

    This payment, according to reports, arises from the take-or-pay contracts signed under the erstwhile National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration.

    Reacting to the claim, Mr Jinapor in a statement said “this assertion is false and misleading. And the facts do not support the spurious claim.”

    He noted that a cursory look at the 2019 report from the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) which is the sole off-taker to the Independent Power Producers (IPPs) in Ghana reveals without doubt that about 11,529.97GWH of electricity was procured out of a total projected dependable capacity of 3,424MW.

    “It is instructive to note that by accounting for the 25% required reserve margin which serves as insurance for the Nation, the claim of Excess Capacity becomes flawed,” he said.

    Mr. Jinapor stressed that the assertion that payment of $500 million has been made as a result of a excess capacity is not only “erroneous but completely false.”

    “If Ghana really has 2,000MW excess capacity for which we pay US$500 million, how come Ghanaians are being made to endure load shedding (dumsor) for the three weeks despite having excess capacity?” He quizzed.

    Source: classfmonline.com

  • 2020 marks 60 years of diplomatic ties between Ghana and China

    The Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, his excellency Shi Ting Wang has made it known to both the Ghanaian and the Chinese community that this year marks 60 years of diplomatic ties between Ghana and China.

    He made it known during the commission of the 4.0km Ghana-China friendship road in Kpone Katamanso.

    He drew the attention of the people to the past projects done in the country. The Ambassador mentioned the National Theater, University of Allied Science and many other developmental initiatives commenced by the Chinese.

    China and Ghana established diplomatic relations on 5th July, 1960. The founders of the two new-born laid a solid cornerstone for the development of bilateral ties.

    “China and Ghana share many things in common. Similarly, we also share many things together. China is currently the biggest trading partner to Ghana and the biggest investor in Ghana. China will support the agenda Volchok of Beijing summit” he stated.

    He also said China will play an active role in the construction of our roads. Thus, whenever President Akufo-Addo calls upon them, they will adhere to his calls.

    Source: gbcghanaonline.com

  • Don Moen is in Ghana

    American gospel musician, Don Moen has been sighted in Accra, Ghana for a private gospel event.

    The renowned gospel singer was seen in a restaurant around Accra hanging out with some of his fans.

    Information gathered by YEN.com.gh indicates that Don Moen was in Ghana over the weekend to minister at a program that took place at the Perez Chapel on Sunday, February 23.

    Don Moen comes to Ghana to minister at gospel events.

    Source: yen.com.gh

  • We can transform Ghana with UCMAS Adutwum

    Deputy Education Minister in charge of Basic & Secondary Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum has encouraged schools across the country to take up UCMAS.

    According to Dr Adutwum, this will not only eradicate the phobia for maths among students but also increase their confidence to help them compete on a global scale.

    Speaking at a congratulatory ceremony for some Ghanaian students who excelled at a global UCMAS competition in Cambodia, Dr Adutwum said the concept of UCMAS is critical to the transformation of education in the country.

    He said: “What you are doing, through UCMAS, is commendable; commendable at several fronts. We are living in a world where education is not a piece of the puzzle when you are talking about transformation, it is the whole puzzle. You either educate or perish…When we have great visions like UCMAS, we can transform our nation, we can transform our communities.”

    For his part, Majority Leader and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, whose daughter was one of the award winners, lauded the management of UCMAS, saying it has assumed a significant role in the STEM education which the government is currently championing.

    The General Manager of UCMAS Ghana Limited, Joseph Nunoo, who led the team to Cambodia for the competition, while outlining the numerous benefits of taking up UCMAS, charged parents to allow their wards to partake in the brain development programme.

    “UCMAS competitions are important for all our children and a must for them as it exposes them to a lot of learning and skills development and also challenges their brain. All our competitions are designed to ensure that while they are practising and learning the programme at school or home, they must also exhibit it during their participation in all our competitions,” he stated.

    Source: classfmonline.com

  • Go Ghana International organise creative art training for Oda Senior High School

    On Friday, February 14, Go Ghana International (GGI) a non-governmental Organization organised a vocational training session at the Oda Senior High School in the Eastern region.

    The training session is part of the organization’s objectives to carry out creative art programs in the country to help High School students learn and start their own business, before furthering to their next level in academia or various fields of study. This will enable them to be productive and not sit idle.

    The school which was established by the first president of Ghana Dr. Kwame Nkrumah in 1961 was to enhance quality education among the second cycle institutions. The school has a student population of 2,500.

    The students were taken through the art of bead making where they were thought the art of making slippers, key rings, belts and bags.

    Students who enrolled in the program embodied not only the creative art department of the institution but also saw in attendance other students from various departments of the school. The facilitator Miss Rebecca Nyamedor a student at the University of Education Winneba was robust and zestful in teaching the student how to produce the artifacts.

    The Headmistress of the school Mad. Philomina R. Boateng who also happens to be an old student of the school and her assistant heads thanked the organization for their supporting role to enhance education in Ghana. She assured the organization that the school’s doors are always opened for such initiatives.

    Mr. Emmanuel Abu Ampong also thanked the school authorities for opening their doors to GGI. He emphasized on the need to enhance creative art and also improve the quality of education in the country. He further stated to the authorities that more programs towards education are underway for the Ghanaian student to benefit.

    Mr. Bernard Andoh, an English teacher was enthralled about the program and helped in taking coverage of the entire training session. He pronounced his support for the organization to help them achieve these objectives in their future programs.

    Other staff members who were happy about the training included Isaac Boateng, Agyeman Attefuah, Believe Gbedoho, Mensah Duah help with supervision.

    The Head of programs for Go Ghana International Mr. Michael Baidoo spoke about the need of forming branches in all second cycle institutions in order to help better coordination of programs and activities.

    Source: Peter Kenney, Contributor

  • Ejisu residents raise concerns over waterway buildings

    Some residents at Ejisu have raised concerns about attempts by some developers to build on waterways between Ejisu and Besease in the Ashanti Region.

    Last year, a proposed market meant to be constructed at the area, was cancelled following flooding that brought business activities in the area to a standstill a situation that affected traders and travellers who ply the Efiduase road.

    A former Assemblyman for the Besease Electoral area, Mr Samuel Dankwa, expressed disappointment about the decision to give the area to an individual developer when it was declared unsafe for the construction of the proposed market.

    Some residents of the area suspect the Ejisu Municipal Assembly (EMA) has sold the swampy land to developers despite its own laws prohibiting building on waterways.

    According to the residents, some unknown people have begun to fill parts of the Odao river a water body that flows through the wetland, adding: “They only work here at dawn”.

    They also accused the Assembly of deliberately overlooking the unlawful practice.

    Farmers who cultivate rice at the swampy area also expressed worry about the development in the area, as the “illegal practice” has debilitated their produce and livelihood.

    The farmers expressed fears that the environs of Besease will flood when it rains if the developers continue building in the wetland, and, so, called on the government and the Assembly to revoke the permits of the developers.

    The former assembly man also urged stakeholders including chiefs to desist from selling waterlogged areas to people for construction purposes.

    Source: classfmonline.com

  • Govts $500 each hit accounts of Ghanaian students in China as they wait for kenkey and shito

    Over 300 Ghanaian students in the Hubei province of China, the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak have received payments of $500 each from the government of Ghana to help them manage their welfare as they remain lockdown.

    President Akufo-Addo during his delivery of the State of the Nation Address last week revealed that government is committed to ensuring the welfare of Ghanaians in China in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak in the Asian nation.

    He added that whilst government will not relent on evacuating Ghanaians students in China as and when necessary, the embassy of Ghana had so far given each student $500 to help manage their welfare.

    Speaking to some Ghanaian students in China, they confirmed to GhanaWeb.com of having received payments of ¥3,490 (the equivalent of $500) each from the embassy of Ghana in China. An amount which according to the embassy is to help the students “procure items essential for their survival in the interim.”

    The students say with their bank accounts linked to their mobile accounts, they have been able to purchase food and other vital supplies with the amount even though banks remain closed due to the outbreak.

    The students added that they are now waiting on some local Ghanaian foods the embassy is shipping to be supplied to them.

    “All the 300 Ghanaian students in the Hubei province have received the payment and it includes about 70 of us at the Yangtze University. This is very timely because we have been able to restock our supplies with this amount. Now we are waiting on the kenkey and shito which the embassy says has been shipped already.” A Ghanaian student told Ghanaweb.com.

    Since the coronavirus outbreak started in China over a month ago there have been calls for government of Ghana to evacuate its citizens.

    Those making the demand for evacuation include Ghanaian students in China and their parents back home, as well as members of the minority half of parliament.

    But in reaction to these calls, the government of Ghana and its health agencies says it is working in hand with the Chinese government to ensure the safety of Ghanaian citizens in China.

    The government adds that an evacuation of Ghanaians from china is a last resort which will only be considered as and when necessary.

    “The government is in constant touch with experts on this subject who advise that the basic principle of public health is to confide the disease to its area of origin. But we have not ruled out the option of evacuating the students from Wuhan if that becomes necessary.” President Akufo-Addo told parliament on Thursday.

  • Dont trade our culture for modernity – Paramount Chief of Talensi Traditional Council

    Ghanaians have been impressed upon to jealously protect the rich cultural heritage and not give room for influx of foreign behaviors to takeover.

    Addressing a durbar to mark the 2020 Timaalungo Lagog at Tongo in the Talensi District of Upper East Region,President and Paramount Chief of Talensi Traditional Council,Tongraan Naab Kugbilsung Nalebg-tang said the rate at which modernity has taken over the indigenous culture was alarming and needed to be curbed.

    The Tongrana lamented that the situation has created disunity among the citizenry which does not represent the core values of the Ghanaian society and must not be allowed to continue.

    He therefore appealed to the people of Talteng and the entire Ghanaian society to rather project rich historical tourists sites to attract international investors into the country.

    “There is the urgent need for us to preserve our culture in the wake of modernization that has come with some abandonment and demonization of our culture. Our culture is our unique identity. Once we identify ourselves as one people, it helps us to be united. As Talensis we must continue to exploit this and eschew conflict. The traditional area is endowed with several historical and tourist sites”

    “These include the Tengzuk Shrines and Caves, the Wakii Caves, the entire stretch of Whistling Tongo Hills and the Home of the first Tongraan now called Gingaung Puhik. The caves were used as hiding places and defence bunkers by our people against slave raiders and British invasions for conscripts into the military for the first and second world wars” He stated.

    The Paramount Chief however called on government to create a convenient environment for the tourism sector to strive.Meanwhile,He also used the opportunity to announce the intention of the Talensi Traditional Council to construct a museum as part of measures to preserve the cultural heritage of the area.

    “We will continue to call for support from government, non-government organizations and private investors to help in developing some of these sites for tourism purposes and to create employment and other related economic activity in the traditional area. To this end, the Talensi Traditional Council has plans to construct a cultural museum” He said.

    Source: a1radioonline.com

  • Promasidor Ghana limited honors best distributors for 2019

    Leading food manufacturing company Promasidor Ghana, over the weekend organized a banquet themed awards night for its distributors.

    The annual event was held at the plush Atlantic hotel in Takoradi to appreciate and also reward deserving distributors for their immense contribution to the growth of Promasidor for the year 2019.

    A total number of 106 individual awards including the national top three best awards were presented to deserving distributors at the exciting night of awards. Awards presented include best performing distributors for Cowbell, Miksi, Yumvita and the Onga family for all regions across the country.

    Speaking in a media interview, Commercial Director for Promasidor Ghana Mr. Samir Sadaoui, expressed his excitement about the event and further thanked the distributors for their contribution to the success of the business for the year 2019.

    He also took the opportunity to congratulate all awardees and also urged the other distributors to strive for awards for the year 2020.

    A total award package valued at four hundred and fifty thousand Ghana cedis (GHS450,000) was presented to various distributors at the event.

    The 3rd and 2nd national best distributor awards went to Giant Traders from Ashanti region and Maaltima from the Northern region. They were both presented with citations and cash prizes.

    Tonifel Enterprise from Greater Accra region walked home with the ultimate prize for the overall national best distributor for the period.

    A special award package was also presented to Jumbolink Ltd as the national fastest growing distributor for the year. Each of the top 4 national best distributors walked home with cash prizes in addition to an all-expense paid vacation to Dubai for the themselves and their partners.

    The awards night was preceded by a conference with the distributors to review and discuss pertinent issues that affect performance of distributors and how best they could be resolved. The business also took the opportunity to introduce new policies and initiatives to bolster the partnership between distributors

    Some distributors took the opportunity to thank the business and expressed their excitement about the event.

    Source: ghanaiantimes.com.gh

  • ‘Don’t exchange our color television for black and white’ Sammy Awuku tells Ghanaians

    Ghanaians have been admonished not to mortgage their future by voting for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2020 general elections.

    According to the National Organizer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), a vote for former President John Mahama is a vote for the kingdom of darkness.

    He made the comment while addressing NPP members at the 20th anniversary of the Tertiary Students Confederacy (TESCON) of the party at Ho Technical University in the Volta region.

    “2020 elections is going to be a battle between kingdom of God on one side and the kingdom of darkness on another side so let no one deceive you to exchange your colour television for black and white” Sammy Awuku charged.

    He maintained that, the December general elections will be won on the hard work of the youth in the party.

    “It is obvious the NDC does not have campaign message so we need to work hard to retain the NPP in power” the NPP National Organizer stated

    Sammy Awuku urged the youth to be focused and not allow the NDC to define them with propaganda.

    Source: GHBeyondPolitics.com